September Issue

Falconer

The Torrey Pines High School

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Vol. 42, Issue 1, 24 pages

www.tphsfalconer.com

Mo’ classes, mo’ problems

by Angela Liu and Natalie Salgado

A new bell schedule, now with seven periods instead of six, has been implemented for the 2016-17 school year at TPHS, resulting in scheduling difficulties for many students.

The new schedule includes a 55-minute third period that meets every day between first and fifth period on oddnumbered days and second and fourth period on evennumbered days. Because of the additional period, students have the opportunity to take more classes, including new electives such as Intro to Business and Advanced Drawing.

Other classes are now 100 minutes long instead of a previous 120, to accommodate for the new period.

On the first day of school, the counseling line stretched from the counseling building to the top of the ramp located next to the E building. Scheduling errors included missing one to four classes, seniors not being enrolled in classes they needed to meet graduation requirements and incorrect class level placement. According to counselor Chanelle Lary, each period had about the same number of students who were missing a class.

“Our staffing when we started the year wasn’t where it needed to be,” Principal Rob Coppo said. “We didn’t quite have enough classes already built into the schedule because we didn’t know how many kids would want seven [periods] and how many kids were going to come to [TPHS].”

Because the counseling staff was unsure of how many students were going to take seven classes this year, they used information from previous years to build a certain number of sections for each class, adding additional classes to accomodate more students if necessary.

According to Coppo, the counseling staff made the assumption that many seniors would not want seven periods, based on the fact that seniors in the past have taken free periods. This year, more seniors registered for seven periods than the staff had predicted.

Additionally, many students wanted to make class changes.

Staffing decisions and the master schedule are determined by courses requested in spring, and leave little flexibility for a large number of students to change their minds and switch out of a class at the beginning of the year, according to Coppo.

“There were many factors that went into [the long lines], including my job,” Coppo said. “The transition from one principal to the next is always a little bit tricky, and it happened to be the same year that the schedule has changed.”

Coppo started working with the counseling staff on the new schedules in July shortly after being hired as principal. While he was present during initial discussions of the seven-period

day, he did not attend the actual planning and designing of the schedule, which took place late last school year, while Coppo was employed in another district. In August, Coppo and the counselors realized that the tentative schedules usually given out to students during Readiness Days would not be finished in time. Students that previously used Readiness Days to meet with their counselors to address scheduling issues could only do so when school started.

Because of the technical requirements of the Aeries scheduling system, schedules could only be posted on Aeries at either 4:00 p.m. or midnight. Since the counselors were still working on students’ schedules until 9:00 p.m. the night before the first day of school, the schedules that would have been posted by 4:00 p.m. would have been inaccurate.

According to Coppo, posting the schedules at midnight ensured about an 80 percent accuracy rate compared to 60 percent if they had been posted earlier. “[The schedules were] not as accurate as they needed to be, but that was as close as we could get,” Coppo said. “It [was] the longest line [in front of counseling] we’ve ever had.”

Counselors are dealing with students who are missing classes and students who needed to switch electives and drop certain classes. Coppo and the counselors are still trying to fix classes that are high in number and schedules of students who wanted a seventh class but do not have one. As a result, classes are still being added and new staff members are being still hired.

The master schedule, which was overseen by Assistant Principal Michael Santos this school year, is student-driven, since courses are put in the sections where student demand is greatest.

“Sometimes [meeting the student demand] requires horizontal movements like moving a class that is currently in fourth period to third period,” Coppo said. “These [situations] are the most challenging because that ends up changing a lot of that kid’s schedule.”

Julee Keenan-Rivers (12) was missing a third period that was supposed to provide her with the career technical education credit she needs to graduate. After waiting in line for two days during the first week of school, she was told that AP Computer Science was the only class that was not full. She instead opted to take an independent study online learning fashion class during seventh period for her CTE credit and chose to be a teacher’s assistant during her previously unscheduled third period.

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New charter school in district proposed The School of Universal Learning (SOUL) presented a petition to open a charter school in SDUHSD on Aug. 26.

SOUL, a Fresno-based education system founded in 1998, serves as an alternative education option for at-risk teens from grades 7 to 12. The SOUL charter school focuses on helping students “thrive holistically” as well as “achieve[ing] both mental and life mastery,” according to the official proposal petition.

The curriculum differs from that of the standard public school as the SOUL curriculum is “project-based and experiential” learning.

Their core classes, referred to as “Integra,” focus on the five pillars: mental power, emotional intelligence, social skills, physical well-being and personal development. In the Universal Learning Program, students participate in nine different project-based explorations that aim at engaging students in real world experience simulations.

Representatives presented additional information about the proposed North County SOUL charter school to the members of the school board on Sept. 15. Concern about competition with Sunset High School, an alternative education high school already in SDUHSD, was addressed at the board meeting as several board members expressed doubt about the need for another charter school proposition; Sunset High School principal Rick Ayala declined comment. Several also had qualms about taxpayer money going to unusual teaching methods included in the Integra curriculum, like daily yoga.

The five school board members will vote on the petition at the next board meeting on Oct. 13.

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Former AP Coppo named new TPHS principal, Jaffe moves to RSFSD Former TPHS assistant principal and class of 1986 alumnus Rob Coppo replaced David Jaffe, now superintendent of the Rancho Santa Fe School District, as the principal of TPHS on July 1.

Coppo was an assistant principal at TPHS from 2008 to 2015 and a Career Technical Education assistant director at Grossmont Unified during the 201516 school year. Coppo decided to apply for principal after Jaffe announced his resignation over the summer.

“It was really an opportunity I couldn’t pass up because I was getting a chance to come back to my alma mater and to work at a school I’d worked at for seven years,” Coppo said.

A committee of teachers, parents and administrators chose Coppo out of “five to seven” contenders because of his “knowledge of the school, his passion for Torrey Pines and his familiarity with the staff,” according to SDUHSD interim superintendent Eric Dill.

Spanish teacher Greg Balden was surprised that Jaffe resigned, but “feels great” that Coppo was chosen as his successor.

Nishanth Krishan (12) is “upset” over Jaffe’s resignation, but is “looking forward to Coppo becoming the new principal.

“I remember when Coppo was assistant principal, and I had a lot of good experiences with him,” Krishnan said.

As principal, Coppo will use his background in CTE to help students learn “transferable skills” in the school curriculum. Such will prepare students for life beyond college. Although science teacher Brinn Belyea, who worked with Jaffe to develop his Engineering CTE class, is sorry to see the former principal go, he is also looking forward to the changes Coppo will make to modernize the CTE classes. His previous experience working with Coppo also gives him confidence that Coppo will manage the school well.

“Instead of preparing someone for one specific job, the CTE classes should really give people skills applicable to a range of jobs, and that’s what Mr. Coppo wants to do with the CTE program,” Belyea said.

Coppo believes that CTE classes enable students to better understand the conditions of working in different fields and can apply the respective skills they learn through college classes as well as future career opportunities.

“CTE classes are blended with your AP and college prep [classes] to prepare you for your college major and your line of work afterwards,” Coppo said. “It helps infuse your core class with more real world experience.”

Other than the goals he has for developing CTE courses, Coppo is looking forward to interacting with

students because his “interaction with kids was relatively limited” in his previous administrative position.

Sara Shoushtari (12) is excited to see the new changes Coppo will make to the school.

“Mr. Coppo seems very eager to help our school,” Shoustari said. “I know it’s hard, especially for seniors, who have had Mr. Jaffe for three years and got used to him, but I think Mr. Coppo is really devoted to the school and wants to help it become a great school like Mr. Jaffe did.”

Amy Jeon (12), a co-captain of the TPHS Academic Team, found out that all three Academic Team coaches quit before school started in August. Jeon was shocked and surprised, but began collaborating with Coppo to find a coach for the TPHS Academic Team in the beginning of the school year.

“He [Coppo] is very understanding, and he said that he would try to help us find a coach,” Jeon said. “We appreciate his help.”

Belyea believes Coppo will perform well.

“Torrey Pines always gets a great principal,” Belyea said. ”We’re lucky.

We have great people for whatever positions that they are hired for.”

According to Coppo, “getting to see another district, stealing [their] ideas, bringing ideas to them and just kind of taking a step back from TPHS for a year” has helped him prepare for his return to TPHS as principal.

Nick Leslie (‘14) dies in Nice truck attack while studying abroad

Nick Leslie (‘14) died in the truck attack on Nice, France on July 14: news his parents would not receive until days later.

Leslie, a University of California, Berkeley student, was in Nice for a study abroad program called European Innovative Academy, in which he and other students from a variety of academic disciplines worked to develop a product.

After hearing there was an attack in Nice “we just went into parent mode” said Nick’s father, Conrad Leslie.

“After trying to get more news [and calling Nick], we started looking through his friends that he had made during this trip and we started sending them messages,” Leslie said.

According to Leslie, one of his friends said Nick’s phone was dead, and another said “that he physically saw Nick run opposite, away from the truck.”

Believing that Nick was alive and in a hospital, his parents flew to Paris after search attempts by the U.S. Embassy, the Italian Embassy, Nick’s mother’s family from Italy and Nick’s friends were unsuccessful. Directly after landing in Paris, the Leslies received a message from the Italian consulate saying they had urgent news about Nick.

“And that’s when we heard the news,” Leslie said. “They told us on the airplane, while we were sitting on the airplane after thinking that our son was alive, that we were going to pick him up. They said that he didn’t make it and apparently they knew. France knew he didn’t make it from day one but were just concentrating on [the] injured first. That moment was like the worst possible moment that any parent could feel.”

TPHS business teacher James Anthony had Nick as a student for both his junior and senior years.

“When I heard about the terror attacks and that he was missing it was gutwrenching and I followed it and when it was confirmed that he had died it was just… it was heartbreaking,” Anthony said.

Nick’s product at the European Innovative Academy was to be a phone application that would measure lactic acid in athletes. The application has the potential to affect game play and allow coaches to take out players before fatigue negatively affects their playing.

Nick’s friend Hunter Willoughby (’14)

Nick had a great smile, loved making friends and nourished friendships into meaningful relationships. He loved to have fun and would find a way for everyone to join in.

Conrad Leslie ������

has taken up the project since Nick died.

“Our entrepreneurial bond brought me into this project, and I was actually very close to going on the trip to Nice with him,” Willoughby said.

According to Willoughby, the monitor in the app would be able to “calculate lactic threshold and fitness levels which would then yield accurate, real time representation of a player’s fatigue and injury probability” and has garnered attention from the University of Washington, the Duke basketball athletic trainer and, most notably, the Singapore University of Tech and Design, which has recently agreed to fund the project’s software development.

“Anybody who had the privilege of knowing Nick, was friends with him, or even just met him knows how lucky they really are,” Willoughby said. “I have never met a more influential and ambitious

person.”

Nick made a lasting impression on those he met, and lives on in the memory of TPHS students.

“He was kind of quiet, but it was that quiet with that little sparkle behind the eyes, where he was engaged and he cared and he was involved and everybody around him liked him and cared what he said and what he did and what he thought,” Anthony said.

In 2012, while taking marketing with Anthony, Nick created a startup company named N2 Kitesurfing, in pursuit of his passion. “[Nick] would go out on the weekends and do what he loved and he would try to get other people involved in it,” Anthony said. “He was also astute enough to try to make it into a business and make money and gain experience that way.”

According to Salman Sadakkadulla (12), Nick, who was the Congressional debate co-captain with David Chang (’14) for the TPHS Speech and Debate team, was a role model for he and other students. “[Nick would] be the one to console you and tell you to keep working when David was kind of harsh,” Sadakkadulla said. “He was just super supportive and much of my knowledge, like my improvement this year,

was because of Nick.”

In a speech written by Conrad Leslie and delivered by a UC Berkeley student on Sept. 11, Leslie wrote, “Nick had a great smile, loved making friends and nourished friendships into meaningful relationships.

He loved to have fun and would find a way for everyone to join in.” The presentation commemorated 9/11 as well as introduced the new Victory of the People Scholarship at UC Berkeley in honor of Nick.

“The whole [point of the scholarship] is to create ambassadors of change, of consciousness, and the whole concept is this: you go out and you see the world, you go meet people, you interchange ideas with other people,” Leslie said.

Parts of Leslie’s speech are on UC Berkeley’s scholarship page, including the goal of the scholarship fund, “Victory of the People,” the definition of the name Nicolas.

“We believe that the people will be victorious and prevail over terror and hate even if it’s one person at a time,” the website states.

According to Conrad Leslie, interested people can make contributions to the Victory of the People Scholarship, designed to help students with the expense of study abroad, by following instructions on UC Berkeley’s website dedicated to the fund.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICK LESLIE’S FACEBOOK

VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE: UC Berkeley student Nick Leslie (‘14) died in Nice, France on July 14 while developing a phone application company for his study abroad program.

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“It’s kind of frustrating [to have experienced a schedule issue],” Rivers said. “I thought that being a senior would give me priority over getting a class such as a CTE, and I put multiple backups down [when filling out my course requests form.]”

According to Coppo, the new schedule makes TPHS more competitive with CCA. Ariella Fisher (9) is one of those students who chose TPHS over CCA because of the new schedule.

“I like the new schedule because, unlike CCA, I have different classes everyday which gives me more time for homework,” Fisher said.

“I like the new period because it’s a shorter class and you have it every day, and how Torrey Pines doesn’t go as fast at CCA.” Coppo has seen an increase in last minute enrollment in TPHS as well. According to Lary, “there was a summer influx of about 150 to 200 new kids from other districts, other states and other countries this year,” compared to about 100 students in previous years.

Coppo’s goal is to have 100 percent of the students who want seven classes to have seven classes.

He and the counselors are striving to have all scheduling issues resolved before Back to School Night on Sept. 22.

“The schedule is new, and it’s always a little challenging when you have something new,” Coppo said. “I think three years from now we’re going to forget that this was even a problem because we’ll have been so used to [the new schedule.]

We just have to get through [the challenges] this year.”

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september 22, 2016

Teachers picket against Muir, Salazar in Board race

The San Dieguito Faculty Association organized a rally against school board members Maureen “Mo” Muir and John Salazar outside of a monthly district board meeting held at San Dieguito Academy on Sept. 15. The participants, SDUHSD teachers and various community members, carried signs along Santa Fe Dr. beginning at approximately 5:15 p.m.

According to the Association president and Earl Warren Middle School physical education teacher, Bob Croft, Muir and Salazar voted against Proposition AA renovations after the measure had passed and money had been allocated, in particular the construction of new classrooms at various schools. Muir and Salazar cited the need for more fiscal responsibility in the district, Croft said.

“Mr. Salazar said he doesn’t believe the structures are needed for better education,” Croft said. “Who wouldn’t believe in creating modern science labs or air conditioning or new, clean classrooms? It’s sort of hard to understand why any board member, when the money is there, would vote against the construction of a new classroom.”

According to Croft, though Salazar and Muir have voted against the creation of classrooms, they have encouraged larger class sizes.

Because the three other board members, Joyce Dalessandro, Beth Hergesheimer and Amy Herman, have historically voted opposite of Muir and Salazar, the dissenting votes have not had any impact on the district thus far.

Muir and Salazar were elected two years ago and will continue serving until their terms expire in 2018. The picketing was intended to raise awareness about Muir and Salazar’s “allies,” who Croft declined to

PHOTO BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

PICKET LINE: SDUHSD staff and community members line up outside San Dieguito Academy before the monthly district board meeting.

The participants protested the current board members Maureen Muir and John Salazar for an hour. name, running in the November election. If elected they could create a new “majority” on the board that will “vote on some of the stuff that we’re concerned about.”

Instead, Croft hopes that the picketing will encourage voters in the district to for vote for incumbents Dalessandro and Hergesheimer. “[Dalessandro and Hergesheimer] are two outstanding board members who have proven leadership,” Croft said. “They’ve been on [the board before]. Their kids have gone through our schools.”

According to Croft, this was SDFA’s third organized picketing outside a district board meeting.

Tim Staycer, special education teacher and TPHS SDFA site representative, notified TPHS teachers about the picketing and has brought attention to the school board election through social media outlets like Facebook, according to Staycer.

TPHS English teacher Catherine Moffett, who attended the Sept. 15 rally, was “glad to be a part of the cause.”

“I think that any way to bring attention to the issue is effective,” Moffett said.

“Whether it be picketing or having signs out on people’s lawn, raising any kind of awareness is helpful.”

The SDFA will continue its efforts until Election Day.

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The last day to register and be eligible to vote for the Nov. 8, 2016 Presidential Primary Election is Oct. 24.

If you have any questions, call the Registrar of Voters at 858-565-5800 or email rovmail@ sdcounty.gov. The Registrar of Voters office is located at 5600 Overland Avenue, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92123.

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2016 NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS

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Anastasiya Demenko Elijah Gross-Sable Alexander Hong Emily Hou Andreana Izotov Amy Jeon Qixuan Jin Stacy Kong Grace Lee Jenny Li Frank Liao Kevin Lin Catherine Lu Andrew Miller Gitanjali Multani Piril Nergis Richard Ni William Nute Halton Pi Kalyani Ramadurgam Marya Rana Ryan Reed Daniel Rim Nathan Rim Jessica Schwabach Madeline Song Amy Tao Sage Templeton Anisha Tyagi Ethan Valdes Keshin Visahan Laila Voss Jonathan Wang Raymond Wang Dimei Wu Chelsea Xu Mark Yaroshevsky Carine You Caroline Zhang George Zhang Ann Zhou Julia Zhou

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Becoming a National Merit Semifinalist allows students to apply to various scholarships offered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

PSAT scores are in the top 1/3 of high scorers.

september 22, 2016

Advocate Revolution performs at TPHS Advocate Revolution, a collaboration between the Revolution Tour, an anti-bullying program based in New Zealand, and Advocates San Diego, a leadership developmental program, performed for TPHS students and staff on Sept. 14 during lunch in the quad, promoting a message of positive influence and support. “[Advocates] is a group of people that came together to help influence students in school to become leaders and to become more influential,” Advocates coordinator Brad Jones said. “We bring performing artists from … all over the world to schools. We bring professional skateboarders, business people, we do smaller lectures with multimillionaires … [and] what we’ve done this time is brought Revolution Tour all the way from New Zealand.”

From Sept. 12-16, the Revolution Tour and Advocates did 36 programs in front of a total of 18,000 students in schools around San Diego, compared to 12 programs done during their 2015 tour. According to Esther Greenwood, one of the leaders of the Revolution Tour, she and the other members of Revolution have been going to schools in New Zealand to discuss the issue of bullying for the past 11 years.

“Because [bullying] is so common, people just think it’s always going to happen, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Greenwood said. “So the Revolution Tour is all about encouraging students, that they are the ones that can be empowered to be the change that they want to see.”

During their lunch performance, Advocate Revolution played music, sang, danced, distributed free T-shirts and “got everybody involved,” Peer Assistant Listener Breana Flaherty (12) said.

“I think [the students] really enjoyed it,” Flaherty said.

“Whether you were there [to get] the T-shirt or because you wanted to listen to them, it was definitely a good experience.”

According to Connor Mead (‘15), one of the main members of Advocates, the assembly at TPHS was the best of the week because of how the students responded.

“When we were in the lecture hall with Mr. Collins’ students, they were so engaged and absolutely loved the assembly,” Mead said. “We talked with many of the students after the assembly, and they were so thankful that we came to their school.”

The Advocates also brought up TPHS students on-stage to showcase their dancing, and Shane Flannery (9) rapped “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with the singers from the Revolution Tour.

“Last year, these guys came to my school, and they did this whole big performance that really stuck to me,” Flannery said. “They’re telling people not to feel like what other people

think of you matters, just be yourself and show yourself and show no shame.”

Besides performing at lunch, Advocate Revolution gave a small presentation in the lecture hall during fourth period, discussing the importance of leadership in the community.

“The message they had was that … everybody can influence people, positively and negatively,” PALs adviser Don Collins said. “You really have to think about and address how you are going to be each day at school. Are you going to be an advocate for other people, are you going to … stand up for [someone] and show integrity?”

Rather than proposing a more “vigilant” approach to combat bullying, Greenwood said that the Revolution Tour cultivates a deeper environment of understanding.

We use an approach that would say: At every opportunity, with courage we extend kindness, with courage we extend friendship, with courage we extend love to other people.

Esther Greenwood �������� ������

“[We use] an approach that would say: at every opportunity, with courage we extend kindness, with courage we extend friendship, with courage we extend love to other people,” Greenwood said. “We want to see high schools where the students are the ones saying, ‘actually, that kind of behavior [of bullying] shouldn’t exist in our school, and it won’t exist in our school.’”

Mead proposed bringing Advocate Revolution to TPHS to Collins before the 2016-17 school year began.

“We have been in many schools, and every time the schools say how much they loved it, and said that it had such a huge impact on the students and teachers,” Mead said. “So, I knew that us being in Torrey Pines would greatly benefit the school.”

To bring the program to a school normally would cost $1000, but the fee was waived for TPHS, Collins said.

“It is something we offer for free, and we want to do that because we want to ensure that schools and students know that we do this without agenda,” Greenwood said. “None of us are paid to do this. We’re all volunteers, and ... we genuinely want to see some incredible change in our schools.”

According to Greenwood, Advocate Revolution has “big dreams” of expansion for the future. They are hoping to be able to spend a week in San Diego and an additional week in Los Angeles, in order to reach more schools.

Prop AA renovations continued over summer 2016 Renovations of the “learning commons,” formerly known as the media center, and the science classrooms in the B Building, funded by the Proposition AA bond, continued during June and July, according to Principal Rob Coppo.

The $449 million dollar bond was issued to SDUHSD in an effort to “get the community to enhance and update school facilities throughout the district for the students,” Coppo said. During June and July, the main focus of the renovations was to make the learning commons more accessible to students and parents as well as completing the Del Mar Heights entrance.

“These changes were prioritized because serving the community is one of our primary roles as a school,” Coppo said. “When it comes to the administrative and logistical issues that students and parents have with coming to get questions answered about athletics or attendance or whatever it might be, making us more open to the public was a main concern for us.”

Changes to the learning commons will include replacing the wooden tables with more flexible seating arrangements and creating a more open work environment for students.

“I think the students have been waiting for the school to undergo important and necessary renovations, like the changes to the media center, for a while,” Rachel Lian (11) said. “I know that in particular

students have been in need for a more renovated and modern space to work in.”

Concerns about the disturbances brought by constant construction and difficulties with limited parking have been brought up, but Coppo believes that “the little bit of pain that we endure now will really pay off in the long term.”

“I think with any change there is always some trepidation and concern about ‘but I always did it this way and that’s not there anymore,’” Coppo said. “Construction is common across the country because things always need updating and this year is going to be especially difficult for us not having that media center space, but the whole site will feel more current.”

Similarly, Yechan Choi (11), who used to spend his lunches in the media center, does not view the construction and closure as a large inconvenience.

“The construction probably will just end up blocking off some parts of campus and creating some extra noise, but that’s nothing too dramatic,” Choi said. “Having updated classrooms and more facilities are definitely a long term benefit for students that will be coming to TP and worth the small difficulties.”

In addition to the renovations made to the learning commons, improvements to the science rooms in the B Building, temporarily replaced by portables, were finished and reopened. The primary concern was making lab work and collaboration easier for students, according to Coppo.

The Wi-Fi connection across campus was also improved as part of what is referred to as the “infrastructure changes.”

“Other phases included what we call

infrastructure changes and that included things like wiring the school computers better and improving the Wi-Fi,” Coppo said. “One important thing was to improve school Wi-Fi because we all know we have these little computers in our pockets, but that also means we need to take steps to

improve things like Wi-Fi speed.”

Renovations to the B Building and the learning commons are expected to be completed in Jan. 2017.

Previous renovations made to TPHS include the closing of the Corner Cafe and changes to the Del Mar Heights Rd.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SDUHSD

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN: Renovations to the front of the school started right after the 2015-16 school year ended. In addition, improvements to the science rooms in the B Building were finished and reopened, and construction of the Learning Commons, previously known as the media center, continued.

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Pearl Park (12) creates business to fight food insecurity

As the current president of FULL, an initiative founded through the UCSD forcredit program Whatever It Takes (WIT), Pearl Park (12) fights food insecurity in San Diego by providing elementary school students with food during breaks and holidays when the school’s free or reducedlunch program is not available.

WIT is a social entrepreneur and leadership program that teaches high school students how to create and manage a social enterprise. FULL was created six years ago as a WIT project but was inactive in 2013 and 2014 after its founder graduated from high school. After hearing about WIT from a presentation in her marketing class last year, Park joined the newly-established Carmel Valley WIT chapter and restarted FULL, a program that interested Park because of her interest in business and experiences as a volunteer in food banks and homeless shelters.

“I thought WIT was an interesting program for high school students since they don’t usually get those opportunities,” Park said. “I liked the FULL project because it’s something more hands-on and I get to take charge of it and manage it myself.

In taking over FULL, Park changed the business’ policy on receiving solely monetary donations and approached companies for direct donations.

“Originally, I just looked up companies that I knew had donation programs like corporate sponsor programs and similar companies and I went on their websites and looked for an application or an email

to send out our form,” Park said. “I wanted direct donations because I wanted to interact with the kids themselves and also ensure that the food was going to children during school breaks rather than a general audience that a food bank would serve.”

The Senior Gleaners of San Diego County, who glean excess food from area fields and orchards, is one of many local organizations that has donated to FULL’s distributions.

Park held FULL’s first distribution events during the spring break of 2016 at the Bayside Community Center where more than 50 families had access to a variety of locally catered and donated food.

The second FULL event was held on July

I thought WIT was an interesting program for high school students. I liked the FULL project because it’s something more hands-on and I get to take charge of it and manage it myself.

Pearl Park �������

30 at Kit Carson Elementary School in Linda Vista where she and other FULL volunteers distributed groceries to 40 students and their families facing food insecurity.

According to WIT founder Sarah Hernholm, food insecurity has become increasingly common in San Diego and “affects a wide range of people from various backgrounds.”

“Food insecurity is different from hunger and starvation because it means that food is literally insecure and you’re not quite sure where your next meal is going to come from,” Hernholm said. “Students experience food insecurity during school breaks and then when they go on holiday breaks, such as Christmas or spring break, and that’s now two meals [a day] that family doesn’t usually provide. That’s what puts a strain on a family and causes them to experience food insecurity.”

Ananya Krishnan (12) heard about FULL through other, related community service projects and volunteered at the FULL distribution in Linda Vista.

“It was really fun collecting everything and going down there, giving food, and meeting those people,” Krishnan said.

“Volunteering at the distribution definitely encouraged me not to waste my food. It makes me really think that I shouldn’t take advantage of the food I eat. I should finish my food and save as much as I can.”

FULL typically has four distribution events per year, according to Hernholm, and Park is currently planning a distribution in November, over Thanksgiving break, and in December, over winter break.

Park has found that FULL fulfills a service function and awarenessraising function and is more than “just a community service project.”

“I think that not only have we been helping the families, but we also like to show other people in the community that their is this issue going on,” Park said.

According to Hernholm, WIT is “looking for teens from high schools all over the area who are really dedicated because WIT will be just as dedicated to them and their interests.”

Applications can be found on the WIT website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIT SHOWCASE

HUNGRY FOR A CAUSE: Pearl Park (12) presents her ideas for FULL at a Whatever It Takes Showcase.

PALs pizza lunch held for new students “[TPHS] is really different from my last school, because my last school had around 100 in my class, and then this class is 733, so it’s crazy,” Holowka said. “It was good talking to the PALs to find out more about The third annual pizza lunch for new different things going on. I found out about TPHS transfer students was put on by the Falcon Fest, and … I talked to someone Peer Assistant Listeners on Sept. 16 in the who was in my Econ class.”

PALs room.

Arda Ulug (10), who moved from New According to PALs adviser Don Collins, York a week before school started, said the PALs began planning the event three the PALs were “really friendly,” and that weeks before it occurred, along with doing she met and talked to many new students. a lesson on hospitality, which included According to Collins, the pizza lunch is an “understanding what an honor it is to have easy way for students to come together and someone … receive your hosting.” form connections.

“The ideas was to The PALs also gave invite teachers and out contact cards students who are [We want to] just show that that included their new to the school, phone numbers, have transferred we are a hospitable group of emails and other from around the people here at Torrey Pines, social media. world, to come and “Relationships meet the PALs and and we’d love to include them take time, and to meet people in into our school. someone who’s left sports and people their home, left in activities in order Anabel Salimian their culture, left to help them better ������� their food, left their connect,” Dollins friends and are in a said. “A lot of these new place, it’s going to take some time,” kids can make friendships through the connections in school once they start Collins said. “But what they need to know is that Torrey Pines is a place of respect, feeling more comfortable.”

The PALs sent out passes during class Torrey Pines is a place of kindness.”

According to Collins, whether or not to more than 150 transfer students from more than 30 countries. Domino’s provided a student is new, the message of respect 70 pizzas for $375, paid for by the TPHS and compassion promoted by the PALs is always relevant.

Foundation, Collins said.

“If you see somebody in your classroom To PAL Anabel Salimian (11), the pizza lunch is a good way to “show the new that you’ve never seen, or maybe they don’t dress like you or look like you — and maybe students what TPHS is about.” “[We want to] just show that we are a they’ve been in the district the entire time hospitable group of people here at Torrey — be friendly to them, be respectful to Pines, and we’d love to include them them and be kind to them,” Collins said. into our school,” Salimian said. “Just “You don’t know what someone else is talk to them, introduce them to the new going through, and you could make the difference in their life.” environment that they’re in.”

Following the pizza lunch, Falcon Fest, Nicole Holowka (12) recently moved to San Diego from a small boarding school in which will be held in November, is the next upstate New York, and before that from event that can help TPHS students create deeper bonds within the school community.

London.

PIZZA

the

PALs

FOR at

the

PALS:

New students eat annual pizza lunch in the

PHOTOS BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

pizza and PALs room

interact with on Sept. 16.

A6 the falconer

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september 22, 2016

PRO

By Kahyun Koh STAFF WRITER

Don’t get me wrong — I am a fairly empathetic person. But even so, I support the University of Chicago’s recent decision to omit trigger warnings that alert students beforehand of potentially disturbing material in a class, text or speech anbd intellectual safe spaces, where students can retreat to avoid ideas at odds with their own.

Although it is understandable that some educational material may be offensive or traumatic, exposure to such material is necessary in order to promote “freedom of inquiry and expression,” one of the defining characteristics of the university.

Although intellectual safe spaces respect the diversity of students’ past experiences, they are sometimes abused when students use trigger warnings to excuse themselves from doing excess work or to censor speakers with opposing views. For instance, conservative blogger Milo Yiannopoulos was interrupted mid-speech by students at Depaul University, who claimed they were triggered by the content of his speech about gender and race issues. It is wrong that students are taking advantage of trigger warnings to excuse rudeness toward those with whom they disagree. And the fact that students are mentally or physically bullying others with contrasting beliefs is even more problematic because both sides will not gain anything from doing

ART ARTBYBYSIMON SIMONKIM KIM//FALCON FALCONARTIST ARTIST

In a letter to all incoming freshmen, the University of Chicago recently denounced the use of trigger warnings and safe spaces in academia, inciting backlash from proponents nationwide. so. More importantly, college is a crucial time for students’ intellectual development because of the opportunity they have to expand their knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the world through exposure to unfamiliar or even objectionable ideas. The learning may be frightening in that it may present new and uncomfortable ideas, but these lessons help mold a student’s identity, helping them to learn how to discern right from wrong, which in turn determines how they will make decisions and act once they graduate. Ironically, trigger warnings “protect” individuals from challenging their own ideas.

Furthermore, students have become too dependent on trigger warnings to the point that these warnings shield them against the harshness of reality. Safe spaces may not exist outside of schools, which means that students cannot shield themselves from such topics forever.

Today’s omnipresence of sensitive topics make it even more imperative to eliminate trigger warnings. One cannot be a well-informed citizen without having knowledge of these sensitive matters.

Those who require trigger warnings will likely be triggered in everyday situations, whether it be a simple conversation with peers or in a work area. It is better for the student to gradually overcome past trauma in a public or university setting where they have access to a network of support.

Trigger warnings are detrimental in that they obstruct the learning process itself. People cannot dwell in safe spaces indefinitely, and, therefore, they should familiarize themselves with sensitive matters in order to gain a multifaceted and a realistic education. The University of Chicago is taking the right first step in making a much-needed change to American higher educational policy.

In a question asked by the William F. Buckley Jr. Program at Yale University ...

Should professors not be required to employ trigger warnings?

63%

37%

YES

NO

said

said

On Aug. 26, the University of Chicago released a welcome letter stating it would not support trigger warnings and “safe spaces” as a part of their commitment to “academic freedom.” The letter immediately sparked debate about the consequences of having trigger warnings and safe spaces in academia. While all students are granted freedom of speech under the First Amendment, the concerns of the university stem from a misunderstanding of what trigger warnings and safe spaces are there for.

Trigger warnings were first used to warn veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder about potentially traumatic material, but are now used primarily in discussions of sensitive issues such as race and sexual assault.

Firstly, trigger warnings for presentations or lectures do not stop presentations from happening, but rather act as a disclaimer for those who may be more sensitive to the topics. It is easier to listen to someone talk about sexual assault when you are not a rape victim. An important component of promoting academic freedom is creating a classroom environment where victims can comfortably share their experiences. People who need trigger warnings to participate in the classroom are neither narrowminded nor are they running away from their problems. Denouncers of trigger warnings may potentially risk excluding those individuals from contributing to discussions about these issues.

Similarly, the insinuations made about safe spaces in the letter presume that they make students overly sensitive to certain topics of discussion, but the writers of the letter seem to deny the existence of oppressive rhetoric that some people face in their everyday

CON

By Sumin Hwang FEATURE EDITOR

lives. It is virtually impossible to live one’s entire life within a safe space; students inevitably will be exposed to discourse that they may find offensive. However, one person’s ability to stomach a discussion topic should not be used as justification to force someone else to do the same when they must already do so in their everyday lives.

Those that have to live their lives with trauma have earned the right to a safe space where they can express themselves without judgment. At the University of Chicago, a school with a diverse student body, there are plenty of opportunities for students to face uncomfortable topics. Safe spaces only aim to create an environment that can both shield some from topics that traumatize them and provide safety to express themselves without fear of discomfort for what they think or who they are.

The writers of the letter refuse to acknowledge the actual implications of trigger warnings and safe spaces. Instances in which people have to face topics that they are uncomfortable with are far more prevalent than safe spaces and trigger warnings ever will be. In a world where victims are surrounded by various forms of offensive rhetoric, it is important for people to be aware of the importance of trigger warnings and safe spaces and the very real significance they have to people who require them.

A8 the falconer

opinion

september 22, 2016

STAFF ED: MINIMUM SENTENCE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS At 1 a.m., Jan 18, 2015, former Stanford University freshman Brock Turner raped an unconscious female student behind a dumpster. After being convicted, Turner was released from the Santa Clara County Jail halfway through his six month sentence, for “good behavior’.”

Turner’s early release highlighted deep faults in the U.S. criminal justice system in which one can sexually assault a victim -- unconscious or otherwise -- and walk

after three months, while those who possess marijuana face a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison. Turner’s short sentence justifiably sparked outrage, since many believe the punishment for sexual assault does not reflect the severity of a crime that violates the victim’s physical and emotional barriers.

Enforcing mandatory minimums for all sexual assault cases would ensure that no one gets a free pass for sexual assault and would

ART BY CARLA HANSEN/FALCON ARTIST

guarantee that justice is served properly.

Mandatory minimums also provide a guideline for the judge and jury, helping prevent racial biases in the legal system that result in unfair punishments that are excessive for people of color and minorities, but light on white people. In addition, by providing mandatory minimums, the courts send an affirmative message to sexual assault victims — the vast majority of whom let their cases go unreported and unnoticed by law enforcement — that sexual assault is serious and needs to be properly addressed. And while enacting mandatory minimums may motivate survivors to come forward with their cases, the criminal justice system will obstruct justice for many of them by virtue of time limits — an arbitrary number that prevents sexual assault cases from

being processed after a set amount of years, 10 in California, except for cases in which DNA proves the identity of an attacker. Proponents of time limits argue that they encourage survivors to bring their cases in a timely manner.

However, rape and sexual assault are different from other crimes, as both can cause deep emotional trauma and scarring. Stigma and societal prejudice often blame victims for the assault, forcing many victims to keep their experiences to themselves, buried for years. Victims can take time to come to terms with the pain inflicted to their bodies and even decades more to build up the courage to speak out about their assaults. Politicians who support time limits should not expect rape victims to be able to speedily work through the long-lasting consequences of rape. In addition, victims often fear the repercussions of speaking out.

Many of the children who were sexually assaulted by priests and other officials of the Catholic Church took decades to mention their experiences given the perception and strength of the church. Many of the women who have claimed they were assaulted by actor Bill Cosby kept their experiences secret for the same reasons — fear that the public would strike out against them and

defend Cosby, who was famous for his family man persona on “The Cosby Show.” Time limits force sexual assault cases to be ignored and block justice from occurring.

This June, German courts jailed a 94-year-old former Auschwitz guard for assisting in the murder of 170,000 people. Despite the decades that between the crimes occurring and the present, German officials understand that it should not be the place of courts to attach an expiration date to justice. A bill sitting on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk that would abolish time limits in California would have beneficial consequences for many of the women alleging Cosby sexually assaulted them, as well as others whose shot at justice has passed, finally allowing these survivors to pursue legal action. Brown should take action by not only signing the bill into law but advocating for mandatory minimum sentences for all sexual assault cases, sending a signal to Congress to take further measures to help sexual assault survivors.

The trauma and emotional scars sexual assualt may never leave victims, but instigating better laws to help reform sexual assualt prosecution and sentencing can at least provide the justice needed.

From being built by slaves to naming buildings after Ku Klux Klan leaders, there is no doubt that slavery is intricately intertwined with the histories of many American universities. Georgetown University, which has been working to acknowledge its ties with slavery, namely the sale of 272 slaves in 1838, has taken it one step further. On Sept. 1, Georgetown president John DeGioia announced that slave descendants would be given “the same consideration [as] members of the Georgetown community in the admissions process.”

This isn’t the only measure Georgetown has taken to reconcile its history with slavery. Georgetown also addressed the names of two buildings which were previously named after past Georgetown presidents Thomas Mulledy and William McSherry, who administered the 1838 slave sale.

Replacing the placeholder names “Freedom Hall” and “Remembrance Hall,” the buildings will be renamed Isaac Hall, after a man enslaved at the time of the sale, and Anne Marie Becraft Hall, after a free woman of color who opened a school for young black girls in the surrounding Washington, D.C. neighborhood. In a similar incident last year, students at Yale University circulated an online petition to change the name of Calhoun College, a residential hall named after John C. Calhoun, a historically prominent white supremacist who touted slavery as “a positive good.” After months of debate, Yale president Peter Salovey decided to retain the name.

“Universities have to be the places where tough conversations happen. I don’t think that is advanced by hiding our past,” Salovey said at the time of the decision.

Universities have acknowledged their pasts with slavery in different ways – some decide to offer slave descendants preferential admission and some decide to change nothing at all – but the similarity in each case is that discussion is generated about the impact slavery had on many American institutions.

by Irene Yu

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.

3710 Del Mar Heights Road San Diego, CA 92130 PHONE: (858) 755-0125 x2245 FAX: (858) 523-0794 E-MAIL: falconer.ads@gmail.com WEBSITE: www.tphsfalconer.com

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 necessarily represent the newspaper’s viewpoint.

The Falconer, an open forum, welcomes signed letters 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.

Editors-in-Chief News Editors Opinion Editor Feature Editor Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Adviser

Amanda Chen Irene Yu Maya Kota Lily Nilipour Maya Kota Sumin Hwang Anvitha Soordelu Lily Nilipour Alderik van der Heyde Mia Smith

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Staff Writers: Ellie Ahles Sammy Hallal Farhan Hossain Kahyun Koh Estelle Kraft Angela Liu Michael Nirula Natalie Salgado

Artists: Carla Hansen Simon Kim Jenny Li Richard Li Jiyoung Moon Amy Yu Amanda Yuan

Photographers: Travis Felthaus Ally Jensen Anton Schuh Alderik van der Heyde Lauren Zhang

opinion

tphsfalconer.com

the falconer

A9

“Affirmative action” outdated and discriminatory

By Sammy Hallal STAFF WRITER

“Affirmative action,” a set of laws, policies and practices that has its roots in U.S. administrations as far back as the Reconstruction Era and established by executive order

by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, was originally created to put groups who have historically suffered discrimination on a level playing field with the rest of the population.

The preferential treatment of those groups in awarding government contracts, hiring and college admissions decisions was designed to right past wrongs and compensate for resulting economic or educational deficits that might hinder the success of minorities and women. In the case of college admissions, affirmative action was initially effective and beneficial. Non-white and nonmale applicants gained access to college in numbers they had not enjoyed before. But since then it has increasingly become an easy way for colleges to fulfill diversity quotas on campus — ultimately throwing merit and academic standards out the window.

The policy is outdated and discriminatory by being racially preferential rather than accepting students based purely on academic merit. Since 1961, the world has come a long way and institutional racism has drastically dropped to a point where it is now rarely ever seen. Today, poverty is a more relevant factor in one’s chances of success, educational or otherwise. It is the people of lower socioeconomic classes that are the most disadvantaged. By using so-called “affirmative action” admissions policies, many colleges are giving minority students advantages, when the purpose is to provide equal opportunity to disadvantaged groups.

Rather than giving minority students an advantage in admissions, more attention should be paid to those in lower socioeconomic classes who cannot afford certain opportunities despite their academic merit.

Not only does the policy contradict itself, but it has also been proven to be ineffective. In a study conducted by the Hoover Institute, it was shown that “affirmative action” really only helps “special interest groups.”

These are groups of people seeking special treatment and advantages over others, and affirmative action gives them exactly that. The study found preferential admissions practices benefit middle and upper class minorities more than any other group, while neglecting poor minority applicants.

In fact, many argue the practice

can even do harm to minority students. Colleges are tantalizing some students by promising degrees and opportunity, but not actually making sure that they are prepared or qualified. When these academically under-qualified students attend high-level universities, they are basically set up for failure. They are being hurt by the very program that is there to help them. This is not intended to imply that traditionally underrepresented populations are less intelligent or capable than

white students, but that looking at qualifications and merit rather than just skin color is a more fair system.

Racial and ethnic diversity in a university is extremely important; it is exposure to a variety of backgrounds and cultural practices that allows students to learn from one another and internalize different perspectives, but favoring one group over another only amplifies racial prejudice. Affirmative action policies imply that minorities need help to succeed, which is insulting and

demoralizing.

There is no denying that some groups have easier access to college than others, but preferential admissions practices do not necessarily remedy that disparity.

They should take location, financial stability, socioeconomic class, merit and other factors into account to be fair. States should improve students’ college readiness. This is the only way that students from underrepresented groups can truly be placed on a level playing field.

art by irene yu/falconer

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE sumin hwang Feature editor Sumin Hwang (11) reflects on her father’s seeming obsession with documenting her life in photos. That was before he moved over 6,000 miles away.

If you open the large closet in my garage, you see boxes upon boxes filled with dusty, red photo albums — a true testament to my dad’s obsession with documenting my life.

It didn’t matter if it was my First Communion or me posing fiercely with sunglasses in front a random elevator, to him every moment was worth recording. Flipping through the pages fills my mind with memories, like I am watching myself grow up before my own eyes, but soon pages the become only half full and eventually they become empty all together. It’s jarring to suddenly see the plain white of the album backdrops, but I shrug it off because, after all, it’s harder to take photos when you are 6,103 miles away.

I remember my dad always came home from work at 6:30 p.m.; it was like clockwork. My mom would be cooking dinner in the kitchen, and my brother would be blasting some trending rap song in his room, but I’d stare at the clock instead of at my worksheets, waiting for the garage door to sound. When he finally arrived, he’d playfully scold me for not greeting him with a 90-degree bow like a traditional Korean child and I would play along before he wrapped me in a hug. Later at night, we would sit on our old couch and watch the news while I would pretend names like Barack Obama and John McCain were of any significance to me.

My mom would futilely try and get me to sit down and do my math homework, but my dad would let me stay a little longer. I was always a “daddy’s girl.”

I remember the night my parents told me my dad was moving to Korea. The recession had hit my dad’s lab especially hard and he was one of many unlucky people that had been laid off.

With the job market full of prospects in Korea, my dad took a position as a university professor and decided to join my aging grandparents and the rest of our extended family. Quite frankly, I don’t think I realized the gravity of the situation until the morning he left in 2012. I woke up at 5:00 a.m. to the sound of the garage opening and even though my parents purposely did not wake me, I remember the very moment I realized that it would be the last time my dad would press that garage button for a while.

I remember when I used to think that having a dad meant having someone who would take you camping and teach you how to ride a bike.

When I was 13, I wished I had a father figure that would help me solve seemingly impossible science problems and take my friends and me to the movies. My dad never did any of these things. He is not a man of many words and he likes golf and reading while listening to classical music. He always wears polo shirts tucked into khaki pants and listens exclusively to the same, boring NPR programs whenever we’re in the car. He is nothing like the stereotypical fathers I’ve seen on TV, but he has taught me from thousands of miles away more than anyone has here at home. He has taught me to be patient and resourceful, but more than anything he has taught me to appreciate the people around me.

Nearly my entire extended family lives across

photo by lauren zhang/falconer

the world, but having the person who raised me move away made me realize that nothing is a given.

I remember going to a Girl Scout event when I was younger to which everyone was supposed to bring her dad. I was embarrassed doing all the activities by myself, but these memories make me realize how valuable time is. Especially as teenagers who are obsessed with getting into the top colleges and consumed by competition, we lose sight of what we should really care about. I, by no means, have mastered this. As I write this I’m laughing to myself because I know that sometimes when my dad visits I ignore him in favor of binge watching the newest shows on Netflix or hanging out with my friends. It’s hard to value someone’s presence when their constant nagging and lecturing just makes you want to roll your eyes, but every time I have to wave goodbye as my dad boards a plane back to Korea, I can’t help but wish I had spent more time going places with him, talking with him, or

even just being with him.

I remember how my dad insists we take family photos at the beach whenever he comes home. It always seems like a nuisance. The photos end up blurry and awkward (imagine being a tourist in your own home town) but to him it doesn’t matter because every time he takes a photo of us he takes a part of us back to Korea and leaves a part of himself here. Even though I complain every time he drags us out of the house, I am thankful for his persistence; it reminds me of the value of memories.

My dad has never taught me how to play a sport and lives 16 hours, by plane, away, but the lessons I have learned from the distance are forever ingrained in me. I miss him every day he is gone, but when he opens the garage and walks through the front door and physically rejoins our family, those are the moments that truly stamp a vivid picture of family life, fatherly sacrifice and commitment in my mind.

opinion

A10 the falconer

september 22, 2016

Colin Kaepernick unfairly accused of being unpatriotic

By Michael Nirula STAFF WRITER

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers quarterback, has captured the country’s attention over the past weeks. His decision not to stand during the national anthem has taken social media by storm (and has catapulted his jersey sales to the top among current National Football League players).

In a post-game interview, Kaepernick said he refused to show pride in the flag of a country that oppresses black people and other people of color.

However, instead of being applauded for bravely taking a stand against black oppression, a decision that may jeopardize his spot on the roster, Kaepernick has been labeled a disgrace to the NFL. Fans have also called him anti-American and have even accused him of treason.

So, should Kaepernick be condemned for this?

According to our founders, the answer is no. Kaepernick, by sitting rather than standing for the anthem, is exercising a constitutional right we all have, a right that our country fights for and, yes, a right for which the flag is a representation to many:

the freedom of expression.

Kaepernick’s lack of patriotism in front of the flag has led many to believe that he hates American troops, policemen and others who keep us safe. However, by not standing for our anthem, Kaepernick is trying to push for equitable treatment of blacks under the law. His protest was never intended to disrespect American servicemen. In fact, while he kneeled for the anthem before the San Francisco 49ers’ last matchup with the San Diego Chargers, Kaepernick stood and applauded American military heroes during the game’s 2nd quarter.

In that postgame interview, Kaepernick also said he has great respect for the men and women who have fought for this country and that he has many family members and friends that have gone and fought for this country.

Many following the issue believe Kaepernick should have kept the flag out of his protest. While protesting in front of the flag did offend people, Kaepernick wanted to make a statement, and doing so through a tweet on Twitter or merely in a postgame interview would not have done the job.

Kaepernick acknowledged the consequences of sitting during the anthem, including possibly losing endorsements and reputation, which to an NFL player, mean everything.

Kaepernick is willing to put personal interests aside if his protest helps satisfy the country’s need for better treatment of African Americans.

Many fans suspect that Kaepernick’s protest is a scheme to

ART BY SUMIN HWANG AND ANGELIA LIU/FALCONER

gain attention or to “elevate his status” in the NFL. However, Kaepernick’s choice to sit has done anything but “elevate his status.” Other NFL executives have expressed that in light of this event, he would not have a place on their teams. His act was instead intended to show his concern over the treatment of black people in the United States — not to elevate his personal status. He’s also not simply

asking others to fix the problem. He recently donated $1 million to groups combating racial injustice.

And Kaepernick took the advice of former Texas Longsnapper Nate Boyer to take a more respectful knee rather than sitting out the anthem.

Kaepernick’s anthem protest is catching on with other football players. Players from the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Kansas

City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and fellow 49ers have joined him.

Recently, Seattle’s Garfield High School’s entire football team and coaching staff took a knee. The movement is gaining traction and we must recognize Kaepernick’s and other players’ good intentions and freedom in refusing to stand for racial injustice.

Arts and humanities should not be undervalued

By Amanda Chen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On October 4, 1957, millions looked up to the sky as Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, was launched into space.

This historical moment is significant for a couple reasons, the obvious one being that it effectively signaled the start of the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States. The lesser-known reason, and perhaps the one that has had a greater overall impact on everyday Americans, is that it completely transformed education policy in this country.

The year following Sputnik’s launch, the U.S. government, realizing that it lagged far behind the Soviet Union in science, passed the National Defense Education Act, providing funding to both K-12 schools and higher education institutions for the purposes of improving STEM, or science, technology, engineering and math, curricula and for various initiatives aimed at incentivizing students to pursue STEM careers.

Nearly 60 years following that historic day, STEM careers represent one the fastest growing global employment sectors. the emphasis on STEM has become an important part of our world today and will most certainly continue to be in the future.

However, one of the downsides of this sustained emphasis on STEM

in the U.S. is that it has served to undermine the value of the arts and humanities. Case in point: Wells Fargo’s recent “Teen Financial Education Day” ad campaign. One ad reads, “A ballerina yesterday. An engineer today. Let’s get them ready for tomorrow;” another: “An actor yesterday. A botanist today. Let’s get them ready for tomorrow. (The financial services giant eventually released an official statement via Twitter apologizing for the ads via following widespread criticism on social media.)

This incident is just one example of a larger prevailing sentiment surrounding the comparative value of STEM versus the arts. Although that sentiment is not overtly harmful in the way that racism, for example is, it is undoubtedly pernicious for young people to be repeatedly told that their interests and aspirations are not legitimate.

Unfortunately, all too often, it is our own parents that are guilty of this. Nowadays, there appears to be an unprecedented bias against the arts and the humanities, with more and more parents urging their children to pursue STEM degrees for the sake of “practicality,” a criterion that essentially assesses how likely one is to live with their parents after graduation. But according to the National Science and Math Initiative, 38 percent of students who start with a STEM major do not graduate with one, a statistic which may be attributed to a few factors, including the highly competitive nature of the field or students discovering that they lack passion for or sufficient competence in the subject area.

As a result, the double major, which allows students to reconcile their own personal interests with

their parents’ wishes, is becoming an increasingly popular option for college students today.

Centuries ago, receiving a liberal arts education or formal training in the arts was considered an opportunity strictly reserved for society’s elite. In the 21st century, the “unemployed English major” and the revived “starving artist” stereotype, whether they come from a parent’s mouth or the suggestion of an advertisement, prevail (despite numerous studies having shown that careers in either field are apparently not entirely

filled with the disappointment and financial insecurity that they are often made out to be). But the artificial divide between the two did not always exist. In fact, the arts and humanities and STEM all used to be considered necessary for having a well-rounded education. The humanities and arts teach critical thinking and promote understanding of the past and present, among so many other things.

Steve Jobs, perhaps one of the most influential innovators of our time, once said, “It is in Apple’s

DNA that technology alone is not enough — it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” He is not alone in expressing this sentiment; famous scientists and innovators have recognized that STEM does not exist without the support of the humanities and arts. So as we move to a future where STEM will inevitably become more important, we should make sure to find ways to integrate the humanities and arts, and not leave them behind.

ART BY RICHARD LI/FALCON ARTIST

The six-hour, 55-minute school day, scheduling complaints and cranky teenagers of TPHS are now just distant memories for Jack Resnick (11). Halfway across the globe, his day-today reality now consists of a schedule jam-packed with AP and mandatory Hebrew and Jewish history classes from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., a small sacrifice for the opportunity to study abroad in Israel for a semester.

“I was looking for something different that I don’t think [American] public schools can offer me,” Resnick said. “I’m really interested in international relations, so exploring the regions [of the world] that I’m interested in is a big [reason for me to study abroad].”

Resnick decided to apply to the North American Federation of Temple Youth Eisendrath International Experience in the spring of his sophomore year, and after writing an essay, getting his rabbi to write a letter of recommendation and being interviewed over the phone by program officials, Resnick was accepted in May. While Resnick chose to study abroad during high school, other students planned their international education for college. Becky Dubowitz (‘15) is currently pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

But, unlike Resnick, Dubowitz wanted to study abroad to save time and money.

“In the UK, you don’t have to do an undergraduate degree to go into medicine … so you can go [to medical school] straight from high school,” Dubowitz said. “[And] even though I’m paying overseas fees, it actually comes out [to be much] cheaper [than it would be in the United States].”

Nima Chatlani (‘15) chose to attend McGill University in Montreal, Canada because monetary rates favor the American dollar over the Canadian, and because she wanted “ to see what else was out there.”

Despite attending college in another country, both Chatlani and Dubowitz only found minor differences in the way the educational systems are structured.

“I’ve noticed [that in Canada], it’s very common to take five or six classes a semester, [but] in the States, it’s more common to take four,” Chatlani said.

According to Dubowitz, most college students in Scotland sign up for their own classes as they would at any American university, but her schedule is predetermined by the veterinary program.

“I have no say in what classes I’m having, and I don’t get any electives,” Dubowitz said. “It’s helpful because I don’t need to worry like the rest of the university which doesn’t necessarily know if they’re going to be in the class they signed up for or not.”

Resnick, however, saw greater differences in his schedule, which jumped from almost seven hours to twelve hours of class per day. “[My] morning classes are broken between Hebrew and Jewish History, and the evening is for eight hours of general class, which are all the AP [classes] and everything I would be taking in the States,” Resnick said. “You have to cram in as much time as you can to do your homework, so every single break I have, I’m doing homework.”

But, Resnick still has some breaks in his fast-paced schedule.

“About two or three times a week we have field trips that coincide with the Jewish history class and then on the weekends we will go to malls,” Resnick said. However, there is “ not a lot of time to relax or catch up on social media.”

Studying abroad goes beyond the extra hours of class or the lower tuition. Moving thousands of miles away from home comes with its own set of new local and cultural practices to become accustomed to, even if the most drastic difference is in the weather. “[The hardest thing to get used to was] the winter,” Chatlani said. “The first [winter] … was rough and I definitely think it’s going to be rough this year also.”

Scotland’s climate is equally challenging for Dubowitz.

“No one really goes out in shorts and a tank top here,” Dubowitz said. “If [somebody does], you think they’re crazy because it’s just too cold for that.”

Dubowitz said the efficient Scottish bus system was a big

change from living in San Diego, where public transport action is virtually nonexistent and “everybody has to drive themselves everywhere.”

The everyday differences Resnick observed were a little different.

“There’s a huge focus on lunch [in Israel], so breakfast and dinner aren’t too big of a deal,” Resnick said.

According to Resnick, the Israeli culture embeds a “commitment to Israel,” which appears in mandatory military service for citizens who must enlist in the army at the age of 18.

Despite possible culture shock, studying internationally “opens up a new world” to students, according to Spanish teacher Leonor Youngblood, who has lived in Japan, Canada, Spain and France.

“You actually realize that the whole world is not just where you live,” Youngblood said. “It’s immense. It’s wonderful. There’s so much to learn from everybody.”

For Resnick, the international experience not only gave him perspective and enhanced his education, but also taught him “a lot about independence” and communication skills, along with insight on what he hopes will become a career.

“When you’re learning about history from the outside, it feels so distant, but I’m 7,000 miles away [from home] in the place where civilization started,” Resnick said. “It verifies what I set out to do was what I actually want to achieve in life and what I want to study in college.”

When students studying abroad come back home, the lessons they’ve learned from making their own decisions and exercising caution while meeting new people is apparent, according to Youngblood.

“I’ve seen kids nowadays … when they come back from a trip, especially if they were [there] for a while, not two [or] three months,” Youngblood said. “They come back changed [and] see the world from a different perspective.”

But moving back to the U.S. is not an immediate priority for Dubowitz, who will be a licensed veterinarian in five years.

“My course qualifies me to work … in North America, Australia, Asia, [and] all over Europe,” Dubowitz said. “I don’t know where I want to work … [but I’ve] really wanted to go to different places [if] it’s financially feasible.”

Chatlani, on the other hand, is set on living in San Diego after she graduates from McGill.

“Being in Canada has really made me, [and] I love it, but it’s also really made me appreciate San Diego [a] lot more,” Chatlani said. “San Diego is always going to be my home.”

But for Resnick, December does not mark the end of his time away from home. With definite plans to study at King’s Academy in Jordan for the second semester of his junior year and other plans to continue studying abroad in senior year, Resnick only plans on coming back to the U.S. for college.

“I really want an American education, but I am looking into [college] programs that are dual B.A., where I could study abroad,” Resnick said.

Rather than complete a standard American high school experience in familiar Carmel Valley, Resnick has opted to venture out of his comfort zone to explore new opportunities across the globe. With a career in international relations in mind, Resnick draws motivation from the rich history of the region surrounding him and has plans to explore other countries from Jordan to China during high school.

by farhan hossain and anvitha soordelu

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TPHS GOES INTERNATIONAL

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With one hand tightly grasping his mother’s hand and the other wiping tears from his face, a boy approached Zachary Hirsch (12). The boy and his mother had been standing in line, waiting to ride Sky Patrol. But even with their Assisted Access Passes, it would be hours before they would get on. As Hirsch saw how increasingly upset the boy was getting, he questioned his role and the purpose of his job: was it to follow the protocol and collect a paycheck or make a guest’s day at an amusement park a joyful and memorable experience?

Hirsch began working at LEGOLAND Park in June 2015 because of how much he had loved going there as a child. In his first position as a ride operator, Hirsch spent weekends learning the ins and outs of the job before being promoted to on-the-job trainer, which increased his salary and his exposure to different people in different work environments.

“Because the people I’m training and I are the ones operating the rides, there are always guests who complain to us about having to wait in line,” Hirsch said. “It’s also a constant struggle [to please] our bosses in getting people on and off the rides and maintaining our guest service protocol. It’s a really high-stress environment, but it’s good because it’s preparing me for future jobs.”

Hirsch looked into getting a job to understand what real work experience entailed. Getting paid was never the reason Hirsch began working, but after nearly 15 months at LEGOLAND, he “understands the amount of effort that goes into making a substantial salary.”

For Jessica Lee* (11), the money she makes from her job directly impacts where she will live in the future and how much she can eat at every meal. Because their mother was unable to financially support Lee and her older sister, they have lived with their grandfather and stepgrandmother for the past 10 years.

Lee works as a hostess at a local pizzeria and since she has to pay for her extracurricular activities, car insurance and “the majority” of her food, she works four days a week to “make ends meet.” Lee and her sister also occasionally use food stamps to save as much money as possible so they can eventually afford to move out of their grandparents’ house.

“My sister and I have a secret area in one of our old Monopoly game boxes where we keep money,” Lee said. “We’re collecting money so that we can move out and my sister can officially become my legal guardian when she turns 18.”

Getting a job was never just a resume item on a college application for either Hirsch or Lee, but Lee sees that for many at TPHS, it is. For Lee, it is about the smallest things: she can “barely afford” food from the school vending machines and usually can’t buy a snack when she’s out with her friends. After seeing her friends quit jobs “on a whim” or receive “a lot of money just for doing chores,” Lee realized that her situation “is really fairly uncommon” at TPHS. “I understand that putting your job on your college application makes you look better, but I think people should put at least some of that money into something useful like taking care of your car or even saving up for college,” Lee said. “It’s kind of annoying when people take jobs lightly but I ignore it; I kind of need it to survive.”

According to Bill Richardson, director at Kumon Math & Reading of Carmel Valley, many student employees use their incomes only as discretionary money. There are currently 14 TPHS students working at the location, and Richardson said the company has hired over 100 TPHS students since it opened 21 years ago. Over the years, Richardson has seen one student use her income to “save and buy her own car,” but for the most part, students haven’t had to live on the money they earned.

Still, student workers are students and employees­— and it’s hard when they are expected to be “equally both,” according to Lee. While Richardson tells the students he hires that “they are students first and foremost” and that he is “very amenable to schedule changes” because of school activities, Lee’s need for “long hours” sometimes compromises her schoolwork.

“I like where I work and I really like working four times a week rather than one or two because of how much more I get paid,” Lee said. “But sometimes it definitely hurts my studying. It’s really tough have to put equal effort into being a good worker and student.”

Hirsch also works long hours; he works eight-hour shifts, the maximum amount a minor can work, every Saturday and Sunday. Although he has to modify his schedule to make time for schoolwork, Hirsch is thankful

september 22, 2016

that his job has taught him to be organized.

“I usually have to plan ahead and try to either finish assignments during the week or do them when I get back from work,” Hirsch said. “It’s definitely hard sometimes, but it teaches me how to manage my time well, which is important for anyone’s future career.”

Jennifer Oh, the branch director of Elite Educational Institute of Pacific Highlands, says working at Elite has taught her student employees the importance of organization and being conscientious while also preparing them for future jobs.

Students at the branch help out with customer service, billing, handling of student information, office maintenance and closing and opening duties, according to Oh. “The students aren’t told exactly what to do; they have to take initiative here,” Oh said. “I ask them to do a few tasks and students are allowed to come up with their own creative ways to do them. It helps them understand how to be creative and assertive but at the same time organized and kind because all of the actions that each of the students performs has a direct ripple effect. They also have a better idea of what work entails outside of just Elite.”

Student jobs also often include social interaction both with coworkers and customers. Jiyoung Moon (11) and Selma Sher (11) work at Panera

Bread at Pacific Highlands and have formed a friendship while working on the same days.

The most rewarding part of her job, according to Moon, is “getting to know different types of people outside of school.”

“To know that I’m helping someone in even the smallest way is one of the best parts,” Moon said. “It’s always nice to meet a really sweet customer. I’ve seen a little girl call my coworker “a prince” because he brought her food. That was around a month ago and she still remembers our names. It’s those personal connections we make that are really rewarding.”

Helping customers and getting to know their coworkers were aspects that Hirsch, Lee, Moon and Sher all considered to be the best parts of their jobs.

“Jobs are very beneficial whether you’re just trying to save money or if you actually have to support yourself,” Lee said. “I know how important my job is to continuing my everyday activities and how it’s sometimes difficult to deal with so many things. But at the end of the day, I love my job, I love the environment and I love the people I work with.”

It was Saturday at LEGOLAND. A boy with autism stood with his mother at the back of the line, waiting to ride Sky Patrol. Even with their passes that were supposed to alleviate waiting times for those with special needs, the next time that was listed for the boy and his mother to skip to the front of the line was nearly three hours away.

Hirsch knew that it was not the official time for the boy and his mother to get on the ride, but he also knew that he worked to help visitors have fun — even if just for a few short minutes. Hirsch made a quick decision and put the boy and his mother on the ride.

Seeing the smile on the boy’s face as he eagerly waited for the helicopter to take off reminded Hirsch of himself as a child. Moments like those are the reason he does his job, and making an exception to protocol is a small sacrifice for a priceless reward.

by Maya Kota

tphsfalconer.com

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INFORMATION COURTESY OF CHILD TRENDS, MILLENIAL BRANDING STATISTICS, THE PEW REPORT AND THE ECONOMIST

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2 in 2,586 Through their research, Gita and Priya Multani (12) have developed a capture mechanism that aids in the early detection of ovarian cancer. The mechanism works by identifying a specific protein released in the early stages of ovarian cancer from patient blood samples. Although the project is still in its experimental phase, any form of early detection in ovarian cancer research would be a medical breakthrough as there is no existing early detection method. While the twins are probably not the first sisters to collaborate on important research, what makes them remarkable is the Multani twins are only high school seniors.

“If the protein is present, then you can guarantee or highly guarantee that they have ovarian cancer, and if it’s not then the patient is cancer-free,” Priya said.

The two have been recognized for their accomplishments locally and nationally. The Multanis recently returned from an Ovarian Cancer Conference in Seattle, where they presented a poster on their research and had attended presentations by prominent medical researchers. The twins plan to attend conferences similar to the Seattle meeting, potentially including a large cancer conference in April 2017 that they would attend with their father.

Gita and Priya were the guests of honor at the first ovarian cancer walk in San Diego on Sept. 18, were featured on San Diego CW 6 news in June, and have been invited by the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance to attend their 2017 gala.

The research has always been personal; Gita was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the second semester of their freshman year. After going in for a surgery to remove a presumably benign cyst, both her doctors and her family were “shocked “to find that the cyst was partly malignant.

“For the first two years, I didn’t tell anyone [about my cancer] except my two close friends and my family,” Gita said. “It was definitely nerve-racking to think about how people would respond, [but everything turned out well].”

The twins have always had an interest in cancer research, even prior to Gita’s diagnosis; their father is a medical oncologist. Gita’s diagnosis only helped reinforce and narrow their interest in the topic.

“We started [research] after I was in remission. We always knew we wanted to do research, but we didn’t know in what particular field or what project we wanted to pursue until after and then that just kind of jump started everything,” Gita said.

september 22, 2016

Gita and Priya Multani (12) conduct research in ovarian cancer, a field that has a personal connection for these Falcon twins.

Initially, Priya and Gita had difficulty finding a lab that would accept them, sending more than 50 proposals to universities in and out of California.

After receiving about 10 responses, they chose to conduct their research at University of California, San Diego under the mentorship of bioengineering and mechanical engineering professor Ratneshwar Lal, primarily due to its convenient location.

“In high school, you learn things and you ask things but there is already an answer,” Priya said. “Research is very collaborative and there’s a good support system… one [piece] of the advice that [Professor Lal] gives us is to do research you have to think like a Ph.D. student.”

Lal works with other high school students frequently and designs his projects specifically with them and their interests in mind. “[Our] initial proposal was broad. It involved detecting ovarian cancer early using a biomarker. The idea became more developed as we read papers and talked with Professor Lal,” Gita said.

Lal stated that he values research and even “encourages every student to have their own projects. “[Research] is very accessible for high school students, you can do it,” Priya said. “Even though you have a young mind, you’re capable of a lot. You can do research; it’s not like some big thing that’s so far away you need college and graduate degrees to do it. You can do it right now if you put your mind to it.”

When they are not at school or at the lab, the twins spend their time teaching senior citizens how to use laptops and other electronics and also plan to return to the TPHS track and field team again this year, after skipping participation in their junior year.

The research has proven to be difficult thus far, but the twins have already achieved success and are already looking to what the future holds for them.

“We’re hoping to go to the same college, but that all depends on where we get in,” Gita said. “We’re hoping that most people won’t split us up just because everything we do is mostly together.”

Priya and Gita plan to continue their research together at a four-year university as bioengineering majors when they leave TPHS. They are currently considering schools that “offer a lot of research programs.”

“I have no doubt [that the twins will succeed in the future]. They are most dedicated, they are most driven, and they are smart. These are the three things you need,” Lal said.

by Ellie Ahles

Gita & Priya Multani (12) PHOTOS COURTESY OF GITA AND PRIYA MULTANI

From Woodstock to Coachella, music festivals have been and continue to be a quintessential young people’s experience. In recent years, new music festivals have popped up across the country with increasing frequency, often with more targeted audience bases.

So in that respect, KAABOO Del Mar, a threeday beach-themed “mix-perience” featuring headlining musical acts Aerosmith, Jimmy Buffett and Lenny Kravitz, various comedians, art, food and drink, is an anomaly.

After waiting in traffic for an absurd but unfortunately predictable amount of time, I arrived at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Most of the attendees were old enough to be my parents and even those on the younger side were in their mid- to late-20s. For the first time in my concert-going experience, there was probably more open alcohol consumption than illicit drug use; basically, if you are under 21 you might feel a little out of place.

As a result, the overall atmosphere of the festival was very relaxed and mature — the screaming and endless shoving to get to places typical of many concerts was strangely absent. But with that, the audience at the majority of the acts, with a few exceptions, lacked the energy essential to a great concert experience.

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefers Band was one of these exceptions; beyond having just enjoyed the refreshing island music, which complimented the festival’s overall beach theme, I was incredibly impressed by their very palpable passion for performance at their age (Jimmy wished one of the band members a happy 70th birthday during the set). In contrast, Lenny Kravitz was somewhat underwhelming.

In addition to the big name headliners, the lineup featured a number of relatively high-profile indie/ alternative artists with a few hit tracks, including Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, a SoCal native singer with an impressive talent for the piano and a dynamic on-stage presence, Grouplove, an eccentric indie pop band whose brightly-colored spandex bodysuits were unfortunately more exciting than the slightly off-key live performance of their infectiously upbeat music and Capital Cities, the duo most famous for “Safe and Sound” who wound down one of the best sets of the festival with a tribute to the late singer Prince.

Fall Out Boy, one of the festival’s highly anticipated acts, experienced some sound balancing issues and ended their highly theatrical set, after performing two of their most popular songs, with a more obscure song, leaving the audience feeling confused about whether or not the show was actually over.

The late-night music scene, which primarily took place at KAABOO’s only indoor stage, ENCORE, featured on Friday Norwegian DJ Matoma, whose fun tropical house mixes revived the after-hours crowd but grew slightly tiresome after about an hour into the set and, of course, DJ Snoopadelic, rapper Snoop Dogg’s alter ego, who arrived late, joint in hand, but was excused by the audience on account of him being, well, Snoop Dogg.

The highlight of Saturday night was the Chainsmokers; the popular electronic dance music group who has recently been criticized for “selling out” to mainstream trends performed an intense set true to their electronic roots. Shortly after, security was forced to pepper spray overly eager concertgoers waiting for rapper Ludacris and DJ Steve Aoki outside of ENCORE, proof that the festival still has a long way to go before it is established and running smoothly.

The final day of the festival closed with acoustic guitarist Jack Johnson, whose soothing, campfire melodies were definite crowd pleasers. In the middle of his set, he brought out surfing legend and Encinitas native Rob Machado, who joined him song.

I’ll give credit where credit is due: the creators of KAABOO were successful in providing the unique experience that they intended to create. But, if you’re looking for a “true” festival experience, like me, KAABOO Del Mar is probably not for you, at least not for now.

PHOTO BY ALDERIK VAN DER HEYDE/FALCONER

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september 22, 2016

Tacos la Mezcla is one of the many food trucks featured in Balboa Park’s “Food Truck Friday.” I have eaten an unbelievable amount of Mexican food throughout my life, so when I was told to review Tacos la Mezcla I wasn’t expecting anything new, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The parking at Balboa was difficult, but the Friday afternoon traffic was by far the worst part of this experience. It was all worth it though; the vast array of cultures that I saw from the second I set foot in the Plaza de Panama was astounding.

The first thing I noticed about Tacos la Mezcla was the service. The employees were very friendly and made me feel welcomed and comfortable. I ordered the Shrimp Tacos ($4), Chicken Nachos ($10.50) and the Asada Bowl ($9.50). The truck was very efficient at getting food to its customers. Less than a minute after I put in my order, the food was ready and waiting on the counter.

The Shrimp Taco was extremely tiny, and I have to admit that for its price of $4 I was expecting more, but all of that changed the moment I took the first bite. The shrimp had an unforgettable smoky flavor and was cooked to perfection. The taco was topped with a zesty pico de gallo, but there was an overwhelming amount of it, which made it difficult for me to enjoy the shrimp. While the pico de gallo and shrimp were both delicious, it was the handmade tortilla that brought this taco together and made it great.

After the snack-sized taco, I had the Asada Bowl, which consisted of steak, onion, guacamole and rice and was absolutely amazing. Not only was it probably the best guacamole I’ve ever had, it had a very generous serving of steak too, something I greatly appreciated. The bowl was very filling and a bit on the heavy side, but that’s only because of the amount of food that came in it. With its many different ingredients, the bowl presented a variety of unique flavors that all came together perfectly and made my taste buds dance. It was definitely the best Mexican food I have ever tasted, and with my extensive background in eating Mexican food, that’s saying a lot.

Finally, it was time for the one I had been most excited for: the chicken nachos. In terms of appearance, the plate was the best-looking of the all the dishes I had ordered.

It was giant, messy and simply mouthwatering, but nothing could have prepared me for the disappointment I experienced once I began eating the nachos. For something that was packed so tightly and looked so deceptively good, I simply could not understand how it was possible that it tasted so basic. The guacamole, which was spread all over the top, was quite possibly the only good part of the meal. As for the rest of it, I felt like I was eating storebought chips that had microwaved cheese melted on top of them. The chicken had a strong and distinct traditional flavor that was good, but it wasn’t really compatible with the nachos.

Overall, I definitely will be going to Tacos la Mezcla again in the near future. It is one of the rare places where you can get real and traditional street style Mexican food that leaves a long-lasting taste in your mouth. I would recommend this food truck to anyone who wants to experience a true Mexican meal, but beware the chicken nachos.

by Sammy Hallal

New York on Rye is a New York deli on wheels. As a fan of both food trucks and delis, I was ready to kick off my weekend with the truck’s handcrafted sandwiches.

From the moment I arrived at Plaza de Pamana for the weekly Food Truck Friday event, I enjoyed the Balboa Park atmosphere. The fountains, overhead towers and bustling

pathways all contributed to the pleasant ambiance.

The valet parking, various seating options and background music also made the event welcoming to customers.

Before I even reached the truck, which luckily had no line, I was greeted by a friendly cashier. At first glance, the eight signature sandwiches and seven classic deli sandwiches seemed pricey, but I ordered a Reuben ($11), a New Yorker ($11), a Cuban ($11) and a Club ($11), all signature sandwiches recommended by the cashier.

After a short five-minute wait, the cashier handed me my sandwiches. The Reuben, a stack of corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese on rye bread, was larger than other Reuben sandwiches I’ve had in the past. While the sandwich was too oily for me, the corned beef was exceptionally moist and well-seasoned. The Reuben was also very filling, which somewhat compensated for the price. In my opinion, it was the best of the four sandwiches.

My first impression of the New Yorker, a hot pastrami and Swiss cheese sandwich, was the appealing texture of the pastrami. The sandwich’s tart coleslaw and creamy Russian dressing, signature deli ingredients, contrasted with the pastrami well. The New Yorker held true to its name as it was truly a New York caliber sandwich.

Before trying out the Cuban, I kept in mind that the

defining feature of the sandwich, the unique combination of ham and pork, had to be on point. New York on Rye’s Cuban had a heaping amount of tangy, sweet ham and salty pork. Although it did hit the mark with the meat, the Dijon mustard overwhelmed the rest of the flavors.

I finished with the Club, a cold sandwich composed of a trio of ham, bacon and turkey topped with lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese on sourdough bread. The Club was another reminder of how large New York on Rye makes their sandwiches compared to the size of the average sandwich. While the Club as a whole was bold and flavorful, the sandwich fell apart when not held tightly and looked more like something you would find in a lunch box than in a New York deli. It simply was not up to par with the other sandwiches.

Given that I’ve lived on the East Coast two years , I can vouch that the deli sandwiches were truly authentic. Other sandwiches like the “Coaster” and the “Cuban” reflected that the truck has been influenced by SoCal culture.

New York on Rye beat out dozens of other trucks to win San Diego’s 2011 “Top Truck” trophy, partly due to its use of local, seasonal ingredients. Despite the slightly steep prices, the sandwiches lived up to their award-winning status.

by Michael Nirula

photo by travis felthaus/falconer

I had never ordered items from a food truck before, so when I volunteered to go to Food Truck Friday at Balboa Park to write this review, I was curious to see how my first experience would go. I expected it to be a crowded event with long lines of eager people, but around 5:30 p.m., when I arrived, the lines were short and it was not as crowded as I thought it would be.

According to Pizza Pazza’s website, the owners only purchase humanely-handled meats and “support local farms with [their] produce purchases whenever possible.”

I waited for about three minutes before ordering my items from the cashier. The man who took my order was friendly and efficient, and the woman handing me my food was helpful and made sure that I had everything securely in my hands. For the most part, I would say that the service I received at Pizza Pazza was very good.

I ended up ordering the JoJo Sticks ($3.00), a Mega Slice of pepperoni pizza ($5.00) and the Daily Pasta with Alfredo Sauce ($7.50).

The JoJo Sticks were five mini breadsticks that came with marinara sauce on the side. They did not have lots of flavor, but I could taste the garlic and salt sprinkled on top. They were a bit small, and a little too oily, but despite that, they were addictive. The marinara sauce was sweet and tangy, but it wasn’t great enough for me to remember it as a highlight of this food truck. However,

all the money made from these breadsticks is donated to local cat rescues to help homeless and injured cats, so my order was worth it.

The pizza, on the other hand, had lots of flavor. It wasn’t too salty and had just the right amount of cheese and tasty tomato sauce that was slightly sweet, which I liked. The crust was like French bread, but thinner, — not usually my favorite — but because the single slice was so wide (many people who walked by as I was tasting it commented on its size), I didn’t mind. There were times when oil dripped off my slice onto the paper plate it was served on, and it did get less soft compared to when I first tasted it, but overall I really enjoyed the slice of pizza.

The pasta did not look very appealing when I first opened the black take-out container it came in, as the pale yellow Alfredo sauce completely covered all of the noodles, and small pieces of basil that were dark green and looked like kale were sprinkled all over the top.

The pasta of the day was rigatoni, and each noodle was chewy and bite-sized. The alfredo sauce was buttery and creamy, but it definitely wasn’t the best pasta I’ve had.

Overall, I would say that the food could have ­looked more appealing and could have been presented more effectively, but the flavor of each item was pretty good.

The serving sizes filled me up, and each item was worth its price.

photo by travis felthaus/falconer

Pizza Pazza’s motto is “Crazy for pizza? We’ll make you crazy for ours!” I would definitely recommend Pizza Pazza as a fun alternative for people looking for a new pizza place. I don’t know if it’s worth going crazy over, but I do think it would satisfy most people’s expectations of a good slice of pizza.

by Angela Liu

photo by travis felthaus/falconer

tphsfalconer.com

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Four years. Four years of sparse, painfully vague social media posts, rumored features and misleading release dates finally led up to something tangible on Aug. 1, when R&B artist Frank Ocean uploaded a livestream on his website.

For me, this meant watching the black and white livestream, which initially featured a mostly empty warehouse, static and faded background music, every night literally until I fell asleep, in case something happened. But for others, this was just another deceiving ploy to tantalize Ocean’s impatient but loyal fans. They were kind of right – the livestream updated at a glacial pace for about two weeks. However, on Aug. 18, it started to pick up. The livestream showcased Ocean building a spiral staircase seemingly leading to nowhere, and the next day his visual album Endless dropped via Apple Music. Because I had the livestream playing in the background of my life for those two weeks, the visual part of Ocean’s visual album, which featured Ocean building the staircase in the empty warehouse, wasn’t revolutionary to me – but the music was definitely worth the wait.

Ocean begins with “Device Control,” a short track about livestreams “blurring the line between still and motion” that doesn’t have any real impact until the last track. When “At Your Best (You Are Love)” begins, ethereal music fills the headphones, fading away any resentment I had over the delayed release date.

Ocean’s smooth, yet vulnerable, voice perfectly captures the tranquil mood of the original Isley Brothers song, foreshadowing later songs expressing similar sentiments regarding Ocean’s past memories and relationships. The next track, “Alabama,” which features ambient piano and layered samples of Ocean’s voice, is almost abruptly interrupted by “Mine,” which is less a song and more an inaudible jumble of talking and background noise. The pace picks up at “U-NI-T-Y,” one of my favorite songs from the visual album. Not only is the melodic beat insanely good, but Ocean also raps the entire track, which is something I think he should do more of. At this point, I could not have been more glad that I saved my free trial of Apple Music for this. After “Ambience 001 – In A Certain Way” is my absolute favorite song

from Endless: “Comme de Garcons.” Repeated throughout the upbeat, summery track, the phrase “comme de garcons,” French for “like boys,” references Ocean coming out, along with its other, sometimes sexually explicit, lyrics. Ocean again explores his sexuality and identity in “Rushes To,” an almost solemn song featuring Ocean’s stripped down and soulful voice. In the song, he questions what life would be like if “we decide to live by choice” and contemplates the homophobic stigma of society promoting “walking in straight lines.”

Since 2010, rap artist Mac Miller has continued to drop new albums, each one better than the last. However, nothing beats his most recent masterpiece, The Divine Feminine. Deviating from pure rap, Miller decided to take it upon himself to bless our ears with a masterful fusion of rap, R&B and jazz.

The album is an analysis of love in the universe and specifically Miller’s life, and is probably the most surprising release yet in Miller’s rollercoaster of a career.

In an interview with fashion and contemporary culture magazine “i-D,” Miller said, “I want people to love to this record and realize they can love to it.”

The thematic album’s main goal is to foster togetherness and emphasize the importance of contact in a relationship, especially in “Skin,” “Cinderella” and “Soulmate.” Even with features from diverse array of musicians, ranging from Cee Lo Green to Ariana Grande, Miller managed to maintain a thread woven through each individual song. The artists each add a unique flare to the tracks.

a different parts of the recurring theme of love in the album and also helped fuse other genres of music with Miller’s subtle and calm rap.

I have always liked Mac Miller, but this album took it to a whole new level. What makes the album so great is how every song is so different from the last but united under a common idea. Each song has its own distinguishing traits, which only add to the fantastic tracks. For example, in “Dang!” all of the already instruments were played by students at the Julliard School.

The fact that The Divine Feminine has fewer tracks out than any past Miller albums is no coincidence. One of the most important parts of the album is that it stays clear and concise. In just 10 songs, Miller is able to dive into all the different layers of love and simultaneously expresses all his beliefs to his audience.

Mac Miller’s The Divine Feminine is truly one of the best albums I have ever heard. The variety of artists, fusion of genres, storytelling and calm vibes all work together to make each individual track unique. Miller uses his music to deliver both universal messages and express his own feelings and life experiences.

Each word resonates with the listener and draws you closer to Miller and to the song itself.

by Sammy Hallal

Ariana Grande, Miller’s real-life girlfriend, is all over this album. Her vocals are scattered throughout the majority of the tracks in the background, and is featured in the sultry duet, “My Favorite Part.” Grande’s inclusion in the album illustrates the large influence she has had on both him and his music.

In the song “We,” Cee Lo Green’s distinct psychedelic voice combines with Miller’s low, soothing voice to create a sharp contrast between the two. On the other hand, in Miller and rapper Kendrick Lamar’s song, “God is Fair, Sexy Nasty,” their voices work in harmony and blend perfectly together.

The song that stands out the most from the rest of the tracks is “Dang!,” which features the funky and unique of recording artist and producer Anderson Paak.

“We,” “My Favorite Part,” “God is Fair, Sexy Nasty” and “Dang!” all conveyed

Throughout the visual album, songs are blended seamlessly into each other, making it much more of an experience as opposed to seperated into individual tracks. At about the 40 minute mark, Ocean has completed his spiral staircase to nowhere, a reference to the album title, Endless. Suspense increases as he walks up the stairs, but when he reaches the last step, the video stream is interrupted by the briefest flash of pink, and the warehouse is empty once again. The final track, “Higgs,” is an extension of the first, “Device Control,” and emphasizes the theme of endlessness; the visual album itself could be played on a loop and still make complete sense. The techno, almost synthpop-sounding track contrasts with the rest of the album, and continues playing as the credits roll, making the visual album seem more like a movie as opposed to an album.

Endless seems like the director’s cut version of Blonde, which is much more of a traditional hip hop or R&B album. The first track “Nikes” is an updated version of “Super Rich Kids,” a track off his debut studio album Channel Orange, outlining materialistic values. “Ivy,” another one of my favorites, is happy and nostalgic, despite Ocean singing about how “everything sucked by then.” The juxtaposition of the light and bouncy beat and lyrics about a failed past relationship somehow mesh together to create the perfect track. All of the songs on Blonde are amazing in the classic Frank Ocean way – appealing beats, Ocean’s velvety voice and introspective lyrics. Even though all the tracks stand out in the sense that Ocean can do no wrong by me, the songs that stand apart from his trademark sound include “Solo (Reprise)” and “Futura Free.”

Performed entirely by Andre 3000 of hip hop duo OutKast, “Solo (Reprise)” emphasizes themes of regret and past memories. To me, “Futura Free” seems like the concluding paragraph of Blonde. It infuses aspects of almost every song, showcasing Ocean’s ideas on fame, religion and sexuality.

Every time I listen to Endless and Blonde, I’m left with a nostalgic, sentimental and almost empty feeling – but in the very best way. Ocean’s music is reflective but remains relatable, deep without seeming like it’s trying too hard, relaxing but not boring in the slightest. Truly embracing the fact that average is “something to fall back on,” Ocean has done a phenomenal job once again.

by Irene Yu

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A18 the falconer

entertainment

september 22, 2016

infographic by anvitha soordelu, ellie ahles and sammy hallal/falconer

Falcons edge out El Camino Wildcats

Football (3-1) beat El Camino High School (1-3) 7-3 on Sept. 16 at home, able to overcome the Wildcats in a tight defensive battle throughout the game.

El Camino began with possession of the ball, but were unable to acquire first down, quickly giving up the ball to the Falcons.

However, they too could not take advantage of their momentum from a few successful plays, resulting in rapid turnovers from both teams.

With four minutes left in the first quarter, an El Camino punt fell short and landed at the Wildcat 36-yard line, opening up an offensive chance for the Falcons. Despite the opportunity, they could not complete on downs, with a long pass from quarterback Johnny Hastings (12) to wide receiver Carsen Gentes (12) falling incomplete and a screen pass by Andre Meiers Hastings thrown for ��������� ���� a loss on third down.

With seven seconds left and the Wildcats at the Falcon 26-yard line, TPHS received a 15-yard penalty, placing them in a dangerous position at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter began with more quick turnovers, neither team dominating offensively. Halfway through the quarter, the Wildcats encroached into Falcon territory, but exemplary TPHS defense forced an unsuccessful field goal 25 yards away from the end zone. Rebounding from El Camino’s offensive drive, running back Sully O’Brien (11) snatched an inside handoff from Hastings and ran 62 yards down the field, untouched by Wildcat

defenders.

“I didn’t really have to do much [to score],” O’Brien said. “It was all the offensive line. I just outran one man, and it was really easy.”

Going into the third quarter, the two teams once again fought defensively for the ball. Six minutes in the third, defensive back Nick Clapp (12) grabbed Wildcat wide receiver Sean Ward as he dashed down the field (12), saving an otherwise easy touchdown for El Camino. On the next play, defensive back Andre Meiers (12) tackled Wildcat quarterback Jaden Casey (11) as he tried to cut to the right side of the field. Because of TPHS’ strong defensive front, El Camino was pushed to attempt a 30-yard field goal, which brought the score to 7-3.

According to Gladnick, the momentum truly shifted when El Camino was deep in Falcon territory but “couldn’t score, couldn’t get it done.”

“Our defense played an amazing football game,” Gladnick said. “To give up only three points against that team is such a great accomplishment, and our defensive coordinator did such a good job having the boys ready to play.”

Not succumbing to pressure put on by the Wildcats, the Falcons continued to press defensively and bar all chances for El Camino to score In the final half of the fourth quarter, Torrey Pines held possession for nearly six minutes, driving the ball 75 yards down the field in 13 gaining plays.

“Offensively, we needed to possess the ball and eat at the clock,” head coach Ron Gladnick said. “At the end, we took possession of the ball five minutes and forty seconds left and never gave it back — just drove the ball down their throat.”

Wildcats running back Christopher Brown (11), who already has four PAC-

We really were just flying around, ... working together as a team. From the beginning, we just came out flying, and we just dominated the whole game.

12 offers, consistently drove El Camino’s offense forward by making consecutive plays throughout the game, though to no avail.

“They’re a very talented team,” Gladnick said. “[Brown] is one of the best running backs in the county, so obviously a big focus was stopping him and making them have to go to other players to win the game.”

According to defensive back Andre Meiers, who prevented a number of Wildcat passes from being completed, once they put a cap on Brown, the Falcons were able to control the game.

“We really were just flying around, … working together as a team,” defensive back Andre Meiers said. “From the beginning, we just came out flying, and we just dominated the whole game.”

The Falcons will continue training and improving their game, with the goal of simply “getting better every week,” Gladnick said. They play Westview High School (1-3) on Sept. 23 at Ed Burke Stadium at 7:00 p.m.

PHOTOS BY ANTON SCHUH/FALCONER

FLYING FALCONS: Defensive back Nick Clapp (12) tackles a Wildcat wide receiver Sean Ward (12) running toward the end zone (TOP). Line backer Jack Nelson (11) makes a run to intercept a Wildcat pass (MIDDLE). Defensive back Andre Meiers (12) gets ready to receive a punt (ABOVE).

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Girls tennis second in Golden State Classic

Girls tennis finished second in the Golden State Classic Tournament at Stanford University on Sept. 10, losing to Los Gatos High School 4-3 in the championship round.

The team beat Arroyo Grande High School 7-0 in the first round, Saint Francis High School 4-3 in the quarterfinals and Monte Vista High School 6-1 in the semifinals, before falling to Los Gatos in the finals.

According to head coach Keith Barksdale, the matches were “excellent,” and the players “all stepped up.”

The Golden State Classic Tournament draws some of the nation’s top high school tennis programs every year, Barksdale said. This year the tournament even attracted a top Hawaiian squad.

“Overall, it was a success and I was really happy as a coach to be a part of it,” said Barksdale.

“All the players loved being there as well.”

This is the first time the team has played in the Golden State Classic Tournament, according to Navyaa Sinha (11).

“I personally think we got farther than I expected, but at the same time I think we could’ve gotten first,” Sinha said. “In the end, it came down to a single tiebreak.”

Line one singles player Jessica Walker (12) won the finalizing match in Torrey Pines’ 4-3 quarterfinal win over Saint Francis. The win allowed the team to advance to the semifinals and eventually the finals.

“I had no idea how well we were going to do,” Walker said. “I was a little bit surprised that we made it to second place, especially because we had so many new people. But, at the same time, after our first match I had confidence in everybody.”

Although the team did not beat Los Gatos in the final, Barksdale is very satisfied that the team reached the tournament’s championship.

“Again, it came down to a ten-point tiebreak with Jessica Walker playing for the championship.

But you know we had other chances. Sophie Beachboard (12) had an opportunity to win as well so we just came up a little bit short there, but overall it was a success and I was really happy as a coach,” said Barksdale.

Barksdale also said the team was not at full strength, as line two singles player Kathy Wang (11) was not at the tournament.

According to Megan Tran (11), the benefits did not just include earning a top spot in the tournament.

“I think everyone had a great time at Stanford,” Tran said. “We all bonded a lot more, which was really important since we have a few new members. We really supported each other and I think our cheering was the best I’ve ever heard it.”

Sinha says the experience was also really fun for the team.

“I didn’t expect us to play center court at Stanford, so many times. It was the best.” said Sinha. “The Stanford coach was there too for tennis and there were a lot of big people. People from colleges came out and all the seats were full.

Also, the campus was gorgeous.”

According to Barksdale, the team loved it and will be back next year. The Falcons play San Dieguito Academy today at home at 3:15.

sports

september 22, 2016

Girls rugby introduced as new sport Girls’ rugby, coached by TPHS field hockey coach and U.S. Olympic rugby team member JJ Javelet, will be offered as a new club sport at TPHS this winter season. The team will hold practices twice a week and compete in round-robin tournaments, each with five 14-minute games, every week on Friday or Saturday, for a six- to sevenweek season, according to Javelet.

“I obviously want to bring rugby, especially girls’ rugby, to Torrey Pines, just getting as many girls involved as possible now that it is an Olympic sport, and I think more colleges are going to start carrying it,” Javelet said.

“This is something that we wanted to get started starting in the spring of last year.”

But because Javelet was busy training for the Olympics, they were unable to get the team going until this year.

A “pre-rugby session” will be held sometime in late September, when interested students can come learn about and try the game, even if they have no prior experience. Tryout dates for the team will be closer to the start of the season.

Javelet said that she does not “anticipate making cuts” and wants to “keep as many people as involved as possible,” which may mean they have to form multiple teams.

Many of the students who are interested in joining the team are

TPHS field hockey players.

“I want to play rugby because our field hockey coach is going to be the coach and she was on the women’s national team,” field hockey player Brynn Froehlich (12) said. “We play rugby all the time in practice for fun, so it should be a fun season.”

Field hockey player Gabby Pacula (12) wants to play for many of the same reasons.

“It would be really fun just to have everyone out there,” Pacula said. “[Rugby is] super fun, so I think it would be fun to be on a team too.”

Because girls’ rugby is less established than some of the other sports at TPHS, Javelet’s goals for the upcoming season are just to get students “exposed to the sport” and help them “get some experience.”

Field hockey falls to Serra High School Field hockey (4-2-1) lost 5-0 to Junipero Serra High School on Sept.

20 after a long battle in the rain.

The Falcons lost to Serra 3-0 last year in the open division championship of the CIF finals.

“We’re playing the number one team in the county today,” head coach J.J. Javelet said. “Serra is a very talented, well-coached and disciplined team.

For us, it’s really going to be coming out and setting the tone for the game.

We can definitely hang with them, but we’re going to have to play — not a flawless game — but we’re going to have to limit their offensive scoring opportunities. We might not be able to generate a lot of scoring opportunities.

So, we’re going to have to execute and get on the other end of that. It’s going to be a tough game and a little bit of a physical game, but these are the games that you play for. So, I think we’re excited to get after them today.”

Within the first 10 minutes of the game, Serra was awarded a short corner and scored a goal. For the first half, possession went back and forth between the Falcons and the Conquistadors, but it remained in Falcon territory during most of the gameplay. The rain picked up as the game progressed, making control of the ball difficult. It was equally difficult for players to run without slipping.

Minutes after their first goal, the Conquistadors scored after having several shots blocked by TPHS goalie Jaden Watkins (12). Following a third goal, an attempt to score again by a Serra player trying to make a long shot was foiled as the ball ricocheted of Watkin’s stick.

With less than 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Laura Walton (11) maneuvered the ball up the side of the field where Skylar Sage (11) and Kristen Bitter (10) came close to scoring.

The Conquistadors made their fourth goal shortly after being awarded another short corner.

Ryan Poe (11) neared the Conquistador’s circle, but the ball made its way back into Falcon territory, where Watkins blocked two consecutive shots. However, the third slipped into the goal, giving Serra its fifth and final goal.

Shortly before halftime, Bitter took a shot at the goal, but it rolled askew.

The final half of the game saw no scoring. At the start of the second half, the ball remained in Falcon territory briefly until Brynn Froehlich gained control of the ball and dribbled it down the field. The Conquistadors gained and maintained the ball in Falcon territory for the rest of the game, as both teams fought for brief possession of the ball.

The game ended after a 10-minute standoff between the Falcons and Conquistadors within the goal circle of the Falcons. The Falcons held their defense together and prevented several goal attempts by the Conquistadors.

“It was obviously a tough game,” Javelet said. “It was the tale of two halves. The first game didn’t really set the tone to play and that was unfortunate. I’m proud that they were able to turn it around because you know it’s hard to get down 5-nothing and not feel defeated, but they did a really good job. We know that in order to win as a team we need to play as a team. I awarded the player of the day to the team because collectively in the second half they decided to work as a team and really just pull it together.”

According to Bitter, the standout

player of the game was goalie Jaden Watkins who “had some really great saves.” She also credited the offense with having control over the ball in the second half and making it into the circle “Mentally we went into [the game] kind of scared because last time we played them we also got annihilated,” Arielle Shahrabani (11) said. It was definitely a better outcome than last game we played [against them.] We’re going to play them again in the playoffs and hopefully get better The Falcons will play Rancho Buena Vista High School on Friday Sept. 23.

On Saturday, they will participate in day two of the Serra Field Hockey Tournament.

PHOTO BY ALDERIK VAN DER HEYDE/FALCONER

STICK WITH IT: Forward Ahrielle Shahrabani (11) runs with the ball down the field, looking to score a goal for the Falcons. The game fell flat for TPHS, with a final 5-0 win for Serra.

sports

tphsfalconer.com

the falconer

DAY IN THE

LIFE

J.V. Woodman (12) was painfully shy when he was little, so his parents signed him up for soccer to bring him out of his shell. It wasn’t until he turned 13 that Woodman realized he could use soccer to do more than just boost his confidence.

When Woodman was nine years old, he lost his close friend, Max Mikulak, to stage IV neuroblastoma.

“When I was 13, my three favorite things were business, service and soccer,” Woodman said. “So, I told my mom I wanted to do a soccer camp and have … 100 percent of the proceeds go to Max’s cause.”

But, when Woodman first had the idea, he was still extremely shy, so neither his mother nor his friends took him seriously. “[My mom] said I could go for it if I wanted, but I don’t think she had much confidence in me because I was a shy eighth grader who was going to go talk to all these people,” Woodman said, “I just started finding people I knew [by] word of mouth, emailing people and asking for donations.”

In November 2012, Woodman hosted the very first Kick for the Sick camp, which was organized to raise money for childhood cancer research. Thirty

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Since 2012, J.V. Woodman has used his 11 years of soccer experience to change the lives of young cancer patients.

young soccer players came out to participate and donated $700 for young cancer patients.

Woodman has held three more camps since, and his last camp, which he put on from August 1316, was the most successful and “professional” one yet.

“I was able to partner with Rady Children’s, and they helped me out a lot by giving me the permission to approach donors,” Woodman said.

“I also approached several grocery stores and they gave me money to help me get supplies. I just approached people and, with a project like this, people are usually pretty eager to help.”

In total, Kick for the Sick has had 129 participants and raised over $5,200 for Rady Children’s Hospital to help young cancer patients. The program is run entirely by Woodman with the help of his friends and teammates, giving the camp a unique aspect of interaction between teenagers and younger kids.

“We [as camp leaders] kind of act as both mentors and friends to [the kids],” Woodman said. “They know they are coming out for a good cause. Even if their parents force them to come, they always end up having fun.”

Juggling his extracurricular activities, academics and Kick for the Sick, Woodman has still continued to play soccer both for TPHS and his club team, the San Diego Attack.

“With club, we train two to three times a week and have games on the weekends,” Woodman said. “In high school, we practice four times a week, but it’s lower level and more fun.”

Woodman doesn’t plan to play soccer in college, but he hopes to seek a career in business in college and the future.

“I’m probably going to pursue an undergraduate degree in economics and hopefully get an MBA,” Woodman said.

“Running [Kick for the Sick] and [going to] TP have solidified my thought that I’ve always wanted to be a CEO.” At the center of Woodman’s work and success is his love of soccer, the adrenaline rush of “scoring a big goal” and what the sport means to him and so many other people.

PHOTO BY LAUREN ZHANG/FALCONER

In July, TPHS received the Cal-Hi Sports State School of the Year Award for the third time and the second year in a row.

8

Boys Tennis Invitational National Winner

Boys Golf CIF State Winner

Girls Volleyball Ranked Fourth in State

Boys Lacrosse Ranked Third in the State Girls Lacrosse Fourth in State *Information provided by calhisports.com

Girls Soccer Ranked Fourth in State

15 11

TPHS sports teams placed fifth or higher in the state. total league titles

CIF San Diego Section Titles, the most in TPHS history.

INFOGRAPHIC BY SUMIN HWANG

A22 the falconer

sports

f/stop

ryan poe ďŹ eld hockey sept. 20, 5:39:00 p.m.

camera: nikon d600 lens: nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G ED iso: 5600 exp: 1/1250 seconds f/stop: f/5.6 by alderik van der heyde

september 22, 2016

sports

tphsfalconer.com

the falconer

A23

Rower Kerry Simmonds (‘07) wins gold in Rio do it again,” Simmonds said. “It was a lot of eating because our coach really wanted to make sure we were getting enough food.”

Despite all the rowing practices and hard work, Simmonds and her team earned gold In her freshman year at the University in the Women’s Eight Rowing event at Rio. of Washington, Kerry Simmonds (TPHS They continued an undefeated streak of 11 ‘07) picked up oars for the first time and years in both the Olympics and the World started her career in rowing. Now, eight Championships, after the U.S. teams won years and three World Championships gold in both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and later, she has a gold medal from the 2016 the 2012 London Olympics.

Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, which “Around the Olympics, … there was a still seems “unreal” to her. bit of that pressure that we were feeling,” “If I could describe [the Olympics] with Simmonds said. “But when we crossed one word, I would say it was surreal,” that [finish] line, it was an overwhelming Simmonds said. “To amount of relief that go to the Olympics we had won and if was a really cool you know what pure experience, but when joy feels like, it felt you win a gold medal [like that]. After we there, everything’s on crossed, I think I a different level.” yelled a little. Not The rowing team’s words, just yelled.” days in Rio started Following their early, due to the success, the team location of the rowing had to walk through race course — Lagoa a pathway lined with Rodrigo de Freitas reporters to reach the — which is about 40 medal podium. minutes away from Kerry Simmonds “You’re [walking the Olympic Village. by the reporters] olympian “We had to stay before you get your together as a boat medal, so you’re kind and a team, so … just before five a.m., we of vulnerable to questions because you’re would meet and walk over to the dining so tired and there are a lot of emotions,” hall,” Simmonds said. “Within a period of Simmonds said.

20-30 minutes, [we had to] get on the bus But somewhere in the hundreds of and head over to the Lagoa.” spectators watching was Simmonds’ “cheer On days the rowing team didn’t have to squad,” 10 people consisting of her friends race, they would practice on the water with and family, with whom Simmonds was the other boats that were not racing that more than happy to share her winning day, typically between 6:30 and 8:00 a.m., moment. As for her experience with the and sometimes do more workouts on land other U.S. Olympians, Simmonds felt just or on the indoor rowing machines after like them: excited. lunch, according to Simmonds.

“Everyone could relate to being excited “[Then we’d] eat dinner, go to bed and about competing and we were all Team

When we crossed that [finish] line, it was an overwhelming amount of relief that we had won ... If you know what pure joy feels like, it felt [like that].

USA representing the same country, so there was that bond already,” Simmonds said. “Once the competition was underway, I think a lot of us were pretty focused, so we weren’t really aware of what other sports were doing.”

Despite tuning out of other sports’ activities and competitions, Simmonds took advantage of two weeks in the company of world-class athletes.

Simmonds’ parents had bought her a Rio 2016 flag and suggested getting it signed by other Olympians. Simmonds ended up taking the flag with her when she went to watch other sporting events after her competition was over, as well as when she was on the “Today” show and at the closing ceremony, resulting in a collection of about 100 signatures. “[I got signatures] from Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian, and

photo courtesy of kerry simmonds

[ROW]-LYMPICS: Kerry Simmonds (‘07), second from the left, rows with her teammates in practice. Team USA went on to take the gold medal in the Women’s Eight Rowing event in the 2016 Olympics.

SAVE SA SAV E TRIPLE HAUNT ADMISSION on

TRIPLE HAUNT HAUNTADMISSION ADMISSION with valid TPHS Student ID

ADMISSION INCLUDES OUR

3 MAIN ATTRACTIONS:

The screams start on SEPTEMBER 30 and continue on select dates through OCTOBER 31.

Present valid TPHS Student ID at the Box Office • One discount ticket per ID.

Not valid on FRIDAYS or SATURDAYS.

Bubba Watson who randomly showed up [at the “Today” show],” Simmonds said.

“And at the closing ceremony, I was just going around talking to people [and asking] them to sign it.”

Whether or not Simmonds will ever make another “mini yearbook” at the Olympics is something she’s not sure of herself.

“I’m taking the fall and … the next few months to just visit family and friends and not be on a training schedule,” Simmonds said. “I think by the new year, I’ll decide whether I want to go back to the training center and start training for Tokyo 2020 or enter a different career [and] move on.”

Whether she continues to pursue an athletic career or not, Simmonds can’t help but feel grateful for that Olympic experience, something she said that she still can’t believe actually happened.

the GRUNION

This one’s for Harambe

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Sit-in for senior lot proves incredibly successful An 11-hour protest to reclaim the senior lot led by Jerome Jeromes (12) included Emily Green (12) and four other seniors for in the TPHS staff parking lot on Aug. 30.

According to English teacher Sebastian St. Clair, protesters misspelled ‘SENIORS’ in chalk at the parking lot’s entrance as ‘SENOIRS,’ carried signs and were sprawled on the ground, blocking him and his wife, science teacher Susan St. Clair, as well as other teachers from parking in the space.

“We ended up parking further down the parking lot where all the other students park,” Sebastian said. “I had to walk very, very far.”

According to assistant principal Garry Thornton, both he and principal Rob Coppo tried to stop the protests twice. Thornton told the group of six that their parents would be emailed and they would be marked truant if the protests continued.

Jeromes was extremely disappointed and upset that his senior class would not have all of the designated senior lot, and did not want to share the space with the teachers despite the teacher’s lot being closed off for Prop AA renovations.

According to Jeromes, the nonviolent demonstration was inspired by other sitins he had witnessed at his dream school, University of California, Berkeley.

“I had a few friends help out with it, but you know, I was the leader, it’s really something that I’ve taken on as a senioryear project, something I’ll probably put on my college apps, leadership,” Jeromes said.

Green was contacted by Jeromes to join the protest.

“At first I was a little skeptical because I really didn’t want to miss the first day of school, but like, he was my friend and also I was a little bit mad about the senior lot ,so he convinced me in the end,” Green said.

Jeromes came up with the idea the night before the first day of school, and was quick to assemble friends and resources for the protest. “I had to drive to Michael’s, get the markers, [and] the posterboard,” Jeromes said. “I wrote ‘SENIORS’ really big in chalk on the floor, and I think that really let them know that I am serious.”

Both Jeromes and Green felt that the protest was legal and had a positive effect.

Neither were frustrated with the teachers themselves but rather the school and construction.

“They could think of a better solution than taking our senior lot. It’s our only year as seniors and we deserve a senior lot like everyone else,” Green said. “I think it really showed the staff like the students matter at our school and our opinions matters and that they just can’t take away our property without asking us first. We shouldn’t have to take on the burden of the new construction.”

Despite support from Jeromes, Green and other seniors, not all members of the student body agreed with the protest.

“I just think it’s [the protest] really dumb because there’s a reason why staff parking was moved to the back. It’s because the parking in the front is gone. The staff

is already pretty pissed off because their parking is gone from the front of the school, so it makes sense that it got moved to the back. I don’t think they meant to do it as a personal attack on anyone. I think that it’s just kind of dumb to complain about it because there’s like bigger problems and also next year’s seniors will have parking,” Ashleighye Leighye (12) said.

According to Thornton, the school cannot do anything to stop future protests from occurring. While Jeromes was disappointed that his 11-hour protest did not come to fruition, he will not be taking

any further action.

“It was a really good way to end my high school career,” Jeromes said. “However, I realized when school actually started that it wasn’t a big deal after all. Also, walking that extra 20 feet really helps me burn off my daily California burrito.”

Thornton expects the front lot to open once Prop AA construction ends in 2017.

“You know let kids be kids … I don’t really think there is the need to punish [Jeromes],” Sebastian said. “I mean, I’m mad about the front parking lot too. I could do a sit-in of my own. I’m kidding.”

Senior Quotes Students struggle to balance schoolwork and maintain Snapchat streaks

With college application season in full force, TPHS seniors are freaking the f*** out, not to mention, the senior lot is gone for good (as far as they’re concerned), there’s an extra class period and they still have to go to school.

“I’m applying to 40 schools, 10 of which are Ivy League schools.

I can’t believe some didn’t start their essays until late spring.

I had mine finished in sophomore year.”

“I forgot to take Health.”

“I’m so upset I don’t qualify for financial aid or affirmative action, like why can’t my parents be more ‘ethnic’ and make less money? Don’t they care about me and my future?”

“I’m so hyped for Coachella Weekend One AND Two!” “I spend every other Friday night having an existential crisis.

Otherwise you’ll catch me at the senior tailgate. Go Falcons!”

“I have a 2.9 but my neighbor went to Stanford so I think I have a pretty good chance of getting in. I’m not worried.”

photos by lauren zhang/falconer

Freshmen relieved they have five extra minutes to walk to the Highlands New warning bell’s doorbell-like sound makes students feel at home Students alarmed to see teachers having fun at KAABOO Del Mar This page is entirely fictional. by the Falconer staff

“I can’t believe I founded this non-profit for nothing. I mean we helped poor kids, but that wasn’t really the point.”

“I can’t believe this freshman had the audacity to look at me.

Who do they think they are?”

“My schedule is so easy this year! I’m only taking seven APs.” “If I get a ‘B,’ I’m literally going to have to go to community college.”

“I can’t believe this freshman had the audacity to look at me.

Who do they think they are?”

“I founded 10 clubs yesterday. This better get me into college.”

“I can’t believe I still have to do homework. I mean, who even cares about the government? I already know who I’m voting for anyway, and it’s not Hillary OR Trump.”