November 2017 • Volume XXIII • Issue 2

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November 2017 Volume XXIII · Issue 2 lqhawkview.com

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2 School News

s Martin Luther at LQ Ms. Becker World History Teacher On Friday, October 20, my World History Honors students dressed up as Martin Luther. This year marks the 500 year anniversary of Luther's protest of the Catholic Church, and he nailed his complaints (better known as the Ninety-Five Theses) against the Church to the doors of the church in his hometown in Germany. This became the cornerstone of the Reformation.

Luther was a courageous man. His main complaint was about indulgences, or the selling of forgiveness for sins. The church had a list of sins and their "value" for forgiveness in the form of money.

Much of their wealth came

from the selling of indulgences.

During a time when the church would excommunicate, or even execute, those who spoke against its practices, Martin Luther's actions prompted change in the Catholic Church.

His actions also paved the way for the formation of Protestant religions: Calvinism, Presbyte-

rians, and, of course, Lutherans.

Luther actually nailed his 95 Theses on October 31, but we decided "Black Out" day [during rivalry week] was a good alternative.

Yes, I did give them some extra credit, but I've waited 500 years to do it!

Photo courtesy of Ms. Becker

LQ Choir Sings Their Hearts Out Thea Spisz Reporter

On Wednesday, October 24, choir had their first concert of the year. The new choir teacher, Ms. Scharf, has been preparing students since the school year began. The choir performed in English, Spanish, Italian, and Bembe, which is the language that is spoken in Zambia. “It was a struggle to teach the songs in different languages, but the [students] did really well and learned their parts,” said Scharf.

The choir sang nine songs, some of which Scharf sang in high school. “I want to give back what was given,” said Scharf. She chose a variety of songs for the students to perform that would best fit their voices and assigned more

complex songs with deeper harmonies to the experienced students.

“It [is] strange [that] this is my last first concert,” said Sebastian Valdez (12).

His favorite songs were “Sing to Me” and “Bonse Aba.” He added,“They are a lot of fun to sing and perform.”

For the finale, all performers came on stage one last time to sing “Caro Mio Ben” and “The Storm is Passing Over.” Scharf said that her favorite preformance in the show was the very last song, “The Storm is Passing Over,” a “nice and extremely flowy song,” according to Valdez.

Photo by Thea Spisz

Concussions In Student-Athletes

Brysenia Miranda Steven Poole Reporters

In a recent study from Yale, there would be 49,600 less injuries among college male athletes per year and 601,900 among high school male athletes if contact sports were made noncontact. Ray Fair, an economics professor at Yale commented, “The issue really is that contact is the driving force in all these major injuries.”

An updated study by the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the brains of deceased former football players and found that “110 out of 111 donated brains of those who played in the NFL had CTE.” Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), according to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, is a “degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma.” Longterm complications of CTE include memory loss, depression, Parkinson's, dementia, as well as dizziness,

headaches, hearing loss and tinnitus, speech difficulties, irritability, and aggression.

To prevent concussions in high school studentathletes, Coach Armstrong, head football coach and former athletic director, commented, “We don’t hit as much as we use to; we use a lot of what we call ‘hitting against shields and pads.’ We also limited our live contact to only one day a week.”

All high school coaches are required to take a free 30minute online course through the National Federation of State High School Associations, an organization that governs all high school athletics across the country, regarding the safety of concussions. This course consists of player safety, signs of a concussion, and how to treat one. After completing the course, coaches receive a lifetime certification; however, the question remains, is that enough?

Continued on Page 3.

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school news 3

Rugby Recedes

Juan Puga Sports Editor

After a short-lived run, the La Quinta High School unofficial boys’ rugby team, the Harlequins, has been disbanded due to lack of attendance and low morale. Their last member, Jonathan Labocania (10), attempted to renew the team to little success.

Financing the endeavor without any aid from the school and the team’s district unaffiliated rugby advisers, Labocania distributed hand-drawn flyers in his free time around school, but became disheartened with the lack of interest.

“When I first told everyone about the sport, they were really excited about joining, but when it

was time to do stuff, the very same people were suddenly really busy,” he said. A preseason potluck was held to bring awareness to Harlequin hopefuls, yet no one attended “even for the free food.”

LQ is the only school in t h e

Coachella Valley with a rugby union program, making it especially difficult for the team to supplement its player base with students from other schools in the district.

In previous years, the majority of their players came

after being rejected from other sports, mainly football and soccer, and joined for a place of belonging. “It sucks that the guys’ rugby team isn't playing this year [as it is] such a great sport to play [due to the] bonding and sportsmanship of the game,” stated Labocania.

There lies some hope, though.

The girls’ rugby team of the same name continues on with several able-bodied and willing participants, sustaining the legacy of the Coachella Valley’s little recognized underdogs.

“The girls’ team has always been [good] with players, so there’s no worries,” said Labocania. “They’ll be on track to do big things this season.”

Illustration by Mlen Azurin

Concussions Cont’d

“If we see an athlete who has a possible concussion, we immediately pull them off of the court or field; the trainer on staff will take a look at them and if there is a physician on staff, they are the ones who will make the decision,” said Coach Ruiz, athletic director at LQHS. “If they feel that student-athlete could have a concussion, they will not be allowed to play.”

From 2005 to 2015, the number of diagnosed concussions doubled, according to a study from Northwestern University.

Approximately 300,000 high school students endure concussions every year. In theory, helmets should protect American football players from injuries; however, the basic concept of helmets have not yet been innovative enough to protect the most

valuable organ in the human body.

This year, Livermore High School in Livermore, Calif., committed to re-helmeting every football player with a state-of-the-art helmet that reduces the risk of a concussion.

This $104,934 decision was made last fall after the author of “Concussion,” Jeanne Marie Laskas, made an appearance at local theater in Livermore. In an article by the East Bay Times, the Commissioner of Athletics for the North Coast Section of the California Interscholastic Federation, Gil Lemmon, was quoted saying that he believes they may be the first district to have made this move.

The plan is that every year each helmet will be sent out for safety recertification, as the school board allocated replacement funds in the event a helmet does not pass the test.

Gordon Haskell (12) is on the varsity football team at LQHS.

“I know that playing football comes with all types of risks, including concussions; but I continue to play because I love the sport, I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”

Juan Ruiz (12), who has been playing varsity football for three years, said, “I love taking the risk. Football is one of the few sports where you have full contact to hit someone; I continue to play because I like taking the risk. That’s the fun part about football – being able to hit.”

While high school football players are fiercely dedicated to their sport, it is the responsibility of schools and school districts to advocate for allocating enough funds, like Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District did, in order to protect student-athletes down the line.

Blackhawks Rock The Pep Rally

Austin Romero Reporter

Sounds of heavy metal rang out through the gym as local band Instigator welcomed the students to the Homecoming pep rally. As students settled into their seats, the athletic teams for fall season – tennis, football, water polo, volleyball, and cross country – were introduced.

The JV and varsity cheerleaders and dance team showcased the school's ability to get the crowd excited, while the marching band and colorguard demonstrated their creative talents as well.

The Monster Tour seemed to be the highlight of the pep rally, as students could hardly contain themselves watching history teachers Mr. Klockenteger and Ms. Becker lip sync to “The Monster” by Eminem, featuing Rihanna. “I thought it was pretty cool that my [football] coach, [Klockenteger], came out and rapped,” said Freddy Maddie (11).

“It was unexpected; but overall, ten out [of] ten, very funny moment.”

The pep rally ended just how it had started with Instigator blasting their music, leaving Blackhawks pumped for the Homecoming dance.

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Photo by Juan Puga

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4 Local News

Palm Desert’s Relay for Life Paint El Paseo Pink Bailey Franklin Co-Editor-in-Chief

The most recent Relay for Life event was held at the Palm Desert Civic Center Park on Oct. 7.

Relay for Life is a community-run fundraiser set up through the American Cancer Society.

Every year in over 20 countries, more than 5,000 communities participate. They aim to fund cancer research, provide for patient care programs, and raise awareness while educating about cancer prevention. They encourage the community to celebrate, remember, and fight back.

One of the ways they

convey their message is through Luminarias.

Luminarias offer a chance for people to give a donation, which w a s set as $10 this year.

I n return, you can decorate a white paper bag with encouraging messages for those battling or in remembrance for those who have passed away. These

bags are lined along the event and are then lit with small electric candles inside.

For a short amount of time in the evening, the participants walk along in silence.

Kayla Toth (11), said, “I appreciated the opportunity to celebrate the ones who beat cancer, supporting those fighting, and remembering those who lost the battle.”

Illustration by Lizbeth Luevano

Mariana Escatell Editor-in-Chief

On October 14, the 11th annual Paint El Paseo Pink took place in Palm Desert. The event is a two mile walk/ run around the El Paseo Gardens. All proceeds go to the Desert Cancer Foundation, who focus on making sure that everyone, regardless of their financial situation, is able to get the treatment they need.

The event was kicked off by LQ’s very own Tough Guys and Gals performance classes. This year, the event hit close to home for the Blackhawk family as Claudia Ortiz, an office receptionist, is battling breast cancer. The TG&G students wore a sticker that said

“Claudia Ortiz” in show of their support to her. In solidarity, ASB also made posters with her name on them to hold during the walk.

“Claudia is a strong woman. At this time she is fighting the biggest war in her life. She is God's warrior and with her strength and perseverance, she is going to beat cancer [as she is] facing it with determination and courage,” shared Ms. Gonzalez, English teacher. “When she saw the students dance, she was overwhelmed and appreciated the demonstration of affection she received from the Ms. Prahl and the students.”

Homecoming Parade Takes LQ Through the Decades Austin Romero Reporter

Hosted in Old Town La Quinta, the second annual Homecoming Parade proved to be a spectacular event with a great turnout.

Students, teachers, administrators, and locals were all

present to watch the floats, creatively designed by each grade level.

The class floats were all inspired by a designated decade: the freshmen brought it way back as they rolled down in a 1960s Volkswagen van, while the

Photo by Austin Romero

sophomores’ 1980s float exhibited iconic symbols of Pacman, Rubik’s cubes, and the “Ghostbusters” franchise. The juniors transformed their float into a classic 1950s diner, while the seniors’ float had a giant MTV logo on display that would bring back any ‘90s baby to their childhood.

For senior Karina Maciel, the biggest challenge ASB faced in building the floats “was thinking of designs because we all really wanted floats that would be memorable.”

The sidewalks were

packed as the band marched down, opening up the parade with its first performance. Classic cars made their way down the street, grabbing spectators’ attention.

Those lucky enough to ride in the cars were school

staff, local political figures, and of course, students running for Homecoming court.

With its recent relocation to Old Town, the parade was a great way for the school to be more connected to the community.

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School news 5 Hernandez Heightens the Hawkview Thao Nguyen Assistant Editor

During the month of October, the Hawkview held a logo redesign contest. The newspaper staff called out to LQHS’ creative student body, searching for a new and improved look for the school’s newspaper.

The student body was invited to vote on the final three designs, as selected by the Hawkview staff. Now, drum roll, please, and the winner is… sophomore Kristen Hernandez! Runner-ups are Angela Flores (12) and Victoria Garcia (11).

Hernandez felt that the Hawkview needed a “fierce look,” so that “their work [is taken] seriously.” She has always had a lot of respect for the newspaper and wanted to

portray everyone’s hard work in a new light.

After Hernandez heard of the logo contest, she told her dad, who encouraged her to enter so she that could express herself more. “It’s all he talked about for more than a week,” Hernandez exclaimed.

She has always loved art and became serious about illustrating at the age of nine.

When looking for inspiration, Hernandez likes to look at a drawing of Pegasus that her dad made for her when she was younger.

Now looking back upon her recent achievement, Hernandez is “so happy and proud” of herself and could not hold back tears when she found out she won the contest.

This milestone is now moving her towards all kinds of art and

she is thrilled to be continuing her work with the Hawkview as a contributing illustrator. She added, “I’m so excited to see where this path takes me.”

Pre-Turkey Bowl Extravaganza

Thea Spiz Reporter The annual Turkey Bowl is a flag football game played between the seniors and staff. This year, the Turkey Bowl is being held on Friday, November 17 during lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The day before Thanksgiving break, spectators gather in the LQHS football stadium and watch the exciting compe-

tition between the two teams. “It is a good way to get into the spirit for break, and get a little exercise before you eat your 3,000 calorie meal,” said Ms. Smith, ASB adviser. According to Smith, seniors won for the first time last year. Now the lingering question is, who will win this year: the youthful Class of 2018 or the arthritic adults?

Illustration by Mia Gonzalez

Spirit of Generosity Transpires from Coin Wars Challenge Brianna Lucrecio Reporter Emily Martinez Ad Editor Throughout the month of September, La Quinta High held a competition to raise money for the Desi Strong Foundation for childhood cancer awareness.

Every fourth period class on campus competed to see who would collect the most coins.

Ms. Chesebrough’s generous freshmen English class won by raising $895.71. Ms. Schuler’s U.S. History class came in second, collecting $784.18. Ms. Thorn-

bury’s IB Biology class placed third, raising $520.29. LQHS collected the most throughout Desert Sands Unified School District, with a total of $4,913. As a whole, the district raised $15,347.

A total of 60 students counted the coins daily and the final amount was counted by a coin counting machine for accuracy. ASB’s community service senator, Angie Soria (12) said,

“Seeing everyone come in every day to count coins was really cool. It wasn’t a bother at all because it was all for a good cause.”

During the competition, Chesebrough sent a card to ASB to share what transpired in her fourth period class. In the letter, she wrote, “We didn’t know there was a prize.

The first day we just started collecting spare change and no one picked it up. The second day, kids started looking at lunch money, [saying] ‘I have $5 dollars, I only

need $3’ and putting the extra money in the bag.

Then after the weekend, a girl donated the money she earned babysitting.

Students started washing their parents’ cars and bringing in coins. A boy told me he was spending the weekend at a camp for kids with childhood

cancer. I could go on an on.”

Chesebrough added, “We all shared stories about our losses due to cancer. We want that monster stopped. For us, it was never about winning; it was and is about the cause.”

Illustration by Mia Gonzalez

Photo by Juan Puga

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6 newsy news

N e w s

Jessica Porrelli News Editor

The people of Catalonia, an autonomous region of Spain, voted for independence on Oct. 1 in a referendum and on Oct. 27, the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, declared the region independent from Spain.

Sixty women have come forward with allegations that Harvey Weinstein, a film producer and former studio executive, sexually harassed them. This has led to a recognition of the problem of non consensual sexual advancements in the film industry, as well as in society. As a result, the hashtag #MeToo began trending on social media as women shared their stories of being sexually harassed or assaulted. Anthony Rapp came forward to accuse Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him in 1986 when he was 14 years old. Spacey responded to Rapp’s accusation by tweeting that he did not remember the encounter “[b]ut if I did behave then as [Rapp] describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior [...].” Netflix announced that it has suspended production for season 6 of “House of Cards,” the web television series that stars Spacey.

President Donald Trump has formally declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency. Although the directive does little in the way of directing funds to combat the issue, Trump’s aids promise that the president will introduce new requests for monetary aid. Many Democrats are disappointed that the opioid crisis was not declared a national emergency, which would have immediately allo-

B y t e s Las Vegas Shooting: Its Impact

cated funds toward dealing with the crisis, as opposed to needing additional appeals to gain funds.

Robert Mueller’s investigation team publicly issued the first indictments in the investigation into Trump’s campaign’s connections to the Russian government. Former chair of Trump’s campaign, Paul Manafort, and his deputy Rick Gates have been indicted on twelve charges, including money laundering, tax evasion and foreign lobbying crimes.

Earlier in October, former foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to contacting Russian government officials to establish meetings between them and members of the campaign. The Trump administration has addressed the issue of possible collusion by stating that these crimes occurred prior to any involvement in the campaign and by minimizing the significance of Papadopoulos within the campaign.

On October 31 in New York, Sayfullo Saipov drove a pickup truck into a bike lane and later smashed the truck into a school bus. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared this event, which killed eight people and injured 11 more, a terrorist attack.

Sebastian Camacho Reporter

The date is October 1, 2017. A heinous incident has been labeled as “the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.” At 10:08 p.m. at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, the final artist of the night, James Aldean, was in the midst of his set, when gunshots began to materialize within the sea of 22,000 attendees, resulting in 58 casualties and leaving more than 500 people injured. This vile tragedy is nothing more than an act of terror.

In today’s world, the sheer fact that an incident such as this can occur at such an unforeseen manner makes any person out there who is just living their day-to-day life vulnerable to such unfathomable tragedies. Public spaces such as night clubs, churches, fast food establishments, movie theaters, community centers, and even schools have proven to be modern terrorist targets.

If La Quinta High School happened to be the target for a school shooting, going under lockdown would inevitable. A protocol titled “Lockdown Notification Procedure” that has been engendered by the Desert Sands Unified School District would be put into action. The latter of which describes the purpose of this procedure is to “improve communication between law enforcement agencies and schools during times of school lockdowns.” After such procedure has com-

menced, a “LIGHTS-LOCKSOUT OF SIGHT” lockdown would occur. Both interior and exterior doors are locked along with exterior gates.

Students are moved from the windows, which are covered, lights are turned off and no movement will eventuate.

Resource Officer Deputy Padilla stated that everyone should take cover and eliminate any forms of movement.

The type of cover Padilla mentioned is “hard cover,” which is taking cover behind something that is robust, such as a wall. In the event that there is no cover at all in sight, one should just run away from the direction of the shots. On the other hand, something that many people tend to do is pull out their phones and start recording.

Recording is something nobody should do in the middle of a shooting: simply take cover and follow instructions.

“That stuff can be replaced, but your life can’t,” stated Padilla.

As for Padilla, he has two tasks at hand: notify the de-

partment above him and locate and take out the shooter(s). In most shootings, the shooter(s) usually takes their own life/lives to avoid the consequences.

Padilla must then alert the authorities and look for the shooter(s) while backup arrives.

Americans are starting to see a rise of mass shooting incidents. Last year, the incident at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida was labeled the “deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.” A little more than a year later, the Las Vegas incident has taken the title.

The transient amount of time it took just for another mass shooting to occur and obtain that contemptible title is both frightening and sickening. The fact that I’m sitting here writing this article on what do in case of a school shooting is a testament to the fact that a course of action must be done in order to prevent such events from seizing the lives of the innocent.

Photo via The New York Times

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7 entertainment Indie Game “Nour” Successfully Funded on Kickstarter Christian Rodriguez Features Editor

The independent, experimental video game “Nour,” developed by TJ “Terrifying Jellyfish” Hughes, launched a Kickstarter project to fund its development on Sept. 18 and reached its funding goal on Oct. 15. Kickstarter is a platform in which interested participants donate money to raise the funds necessary for making an idea into reality. The Nour project had a goal of $25,000, which was met with over 60 hours left in the campaign.

When the funding period ended on Oct. 18, the game had been backed by 1,127 people and raised a total of $29,011, 16% higher than the original goal.

Nour, short for nourishment, is described by its creator as “an interactive

exploration of the aesthetics of food.” Users jump through different 3D scenes centered around various foods and use the DJTechTools Midi Fighter 3D, an instrument normally used to make music, to perform various actions and quite literally play with their food. The player is given no objectives or goals, and is free to explore and discover how the different buttons on the Midi Fighter change the scene and how different foods and objects interact with each other.

Some of the more popular scenes include a table with a lamp and a bowl of ramen, a cup filled with boba tea, and a room full of toasters that never seem to run out of toast. A button on the Midi Fighter might change the center of gravity and make all the ramen noodles swirl into the middle of the screen, drop a straw or throw a boba bubble into the cup, or darken and burn

a piece of toast as the player holds it down. Other scenes take a more surreal and artistic approach, such as an ornate bathtub full of ice cream scoops, complete with a showerhead that sprays sprinkles on to them, or a meat grinder into which the player drops bars of gold and silver and tiny hoverboards to see what they would look like in the shape of ground beef (yes, this is a thing).

Hughes noted that, due to the lack of a objective, some players find themselves inventing their own games. “When you’re given an action figure, you’re not like ‘Okay, what’s the objective, what do I do with this?’

You just play with it and have fun, so that’s sort of what you do with this… Some people try to get the lantern into the ramen, or try to get all the ramen out of the bowl. It’s like a bunch of little games inside of one interactive

package.” he said during an interview with Polygon last March.

Perhaps that is part of the appeal of Nour: no part of the game is linear and the player is free to do things as they please. If the player prefers to put the lid on and the straws in the cup before attempting to throw in the boba, they are free to do so.

Hughes, working under his solo company Terrifying Jellyfish, is a longtime game devel-

oper and 3D artist. He has, quite accurately, described the Terrifying Jellyfish brand as “associated with sparkly bright colors, endearing absurdity, and positivity.” After experimenting with Nour for two years, Hughes is ready for the world to try the game and to play with their food without shame. It is being released for PC and Mac on Steam and Itch.io and is expected to ship in early 2018.

My First MMO: Elder Scrolls Online

John Doyle Copy Editor

Some time last year, I decided to jump into my first true massive multiplayer online game, or MMO for short. The closest thing I have played to an MMO is an RPG, or role playing game. It essentially has the same elements minus the multiplayer element: a large open world with many quests and locations to discover. Elder Scrolls Online has all of those elements, but obviously includes the multiplayer part, that are enjoyable and fun for the new player.

In the first six months of playing, I had played the game mindlessly not really knowing how I should be playing. For the most part, I found myself exclusively sticking to completing solo quests across the numerous zones that the game has to offer, completely avoiding any group content. When I did try some of the group content, Dungeons, as they’re called, I

felt ill-prepared and unwelcomed by groups of veterans who weren’t willing to help me. There were also times where I spent multiple hours trying to get through a single dungeon, which really lowered my enjoyment of the game. At one point, I had stopped playing it completely. Then I picked it up for another month, and quickly fell out of it again. After taking a break for a month, I jumped back in with a new approach.

I learned that completing all the solo content first is best for a player like myself who isn’t entirely familiar with the game. The solo quests, which can be found at almost all non-group locations in a zone, contain a lot of story and lore to them (they’re generally more enjoyable if you’re wellversed in Elder Scrolls Lore).

Some quests are one-time quests while others can be a series of quests. All of these quests, including the solo dungeons, are relatively easy.

I’ve also focused myself on completing radiant solo quests, or repeating quests, in the multi-

player (PVP; player vs. player) zone. This may seem to defeat the purpose of being in a PVP zone; in actuality, these radiant quests give a lot of experience and high level rewards; useful for someone leveling up. I also found it best to avoid any part of the PVP aspects simply because I would always get destroyed by other players whenever I encountered them. Like the other group content in the other zones, I think it’s best for new players, or players of low level, to avoid PVP as a whole until one reaches a really high level or gets really good gear.

Since ESO is the type of game that doesn't really have an ending (since more and more content is released all the time), this is really all I have to say. So far, my experience as of late has been enjoyable and I predict that I'll enjoy it much more once I get deeper into the game. There is still loads of content of which I have not explored yet, including the downloaded content, or DLC, which adds even more zones, quests, and activities to do. If you’re well

versed in MMOs or are looking to jump in for the first time like I did, ESO is the perfect game as it is in-

credibly solo friendly and rather intuitive for a new player.

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8 opinion Desert Daze 2017

Sebastian Camacho Reporter

Desert Daze was an experience that I will carry on for the rest of my life. Nothing will live up to the time I spent there for a very long time. The music festival lasted three days from Oct. 12-15 at the Institute of Mentalphysics.

I first attended Deap Vally’s set, consisting of drummer Julie Edwards and guitarist/ singer Lindsey Troy, who filled the entire room with originality and pure raw emotion. Troy’s ability to play the guitar in such a way filled the gap of not having a bassist or second guitarist.

I then rushed to go watch Ty Segall. He was easily the best performance of the first day. A combination between punk, indie rock and garage rock, Segall’s sound brought more life into the crowd. I felt that every act would top the one prior.

The headlining act of the night was Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile (and the Sea Lice).

Both Barnett and Vile play guitar with their band, the Sea Lice, covering bass, drums and keyboard. They had a more laid back sound that was a mix between folk and indie. This was a drastic change in style compared to Segall who had played right before.

The next two best acts of the night, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard and Iggy Pop. Wow. Just, wow. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia and comprised of seven members, the band featured three guitarists (one of which played a 12-string guitar), a bassist, a keyboard player, and two drummers. I remember one part specifically when singer Stu Mackenzie threw his 12string on the ground and suddenly whipped out a flute and started soloing over one of their songs. From the structure of their songs, showmanship, and their outstanding musical abilities, seeing King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard was truly incredible.

Finally, it was time for the man, the myth, the legend: Iggy Pop. He wasn’t scheduled to start for another hour, so I did what any person would do: I made my way to the front and waited. Everybody was calm while waiting for Iggy, but once the first note of the first song began, the crowd turned into a warzone. He opened up with The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” jumping all around the stage.

Spectators were either pushing each other or crowd surfing; there was no in between. It didn’t even matter that I waited an hour to get that front row spot because I ended up in a completely different spot once the show ended. Somehow these people even managed to mosh to “The Passenger,” which, if you are familiar with the song, you would know that it’s not fast or wild. Nonetheless, seeing Iggy Pop live was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. The fact that I was so close to one of my idols and witnessing him perform my favorite songs was mindblowing.

Overall, Desert Daze was definitely a remarkable experience that I will carry for the rest of my life. I highly recommend attending next year’s Desert Daze, as it will truly be an experience you will never forget.

Th at ’s Th at S t uff I D o n’t L i k e : U nor i gi nal Sp i r i t We ek s

David Viefhaus Photo Editor

I am a senior at La Quinta High School and for these past four years, the spirit weeks never seem to change. There’s always the typical squad or twin day.

Pajama day seems to appear every couple of spirit weeks, along with crazy sock day and Hawaiian/ tourist day.

While this year’s rivalry spirit week seems to be different from the past ones, it is still not entirely original. Coachella Valley High did their take on meme day this year as well, as did multiple other schools across the U.S., which blew up on Twitter a few months back.

The idea of meme day is fun, but I would like to see our school be ahead of the curve instead of following in the footsteps of other schools.

Along with unoriginal spirit weeks, sometimes ours just flat out don’t make sense. This year’s Homecoming theme was “Through the Decades,” but it went from the ‘60s, ‘80s, ‘50s, and ‘90s. Personally, this spirit week is my favorite we do here, but wouldn’t it make more sense to go in order of the decades and not skip over the ‘70s? A way I believe we can solve this is by letting the students suggest ideas instead of giving us pre-selected options to vote on.

Spirit weeks are a

great way to get the student body involved with school events and

they’re one of the fun things about school, but I would like to see us try to come up with

different ideas for the spirit weeks for this school year and years to come.

Illustration by Mia Gonzalez

What’s Up With?!?!?

Mariana Escatell Editor-in-Chief

• What’s up with the Homecoming spirit days going from ‘50s to ‘80s to ‘60s to ‘90s?? Why couldn’t y’all have just gone in order and what happened to the ‘70s?!?!?

• What’s up with the music at Homecoming?? Why was the DJ hyped up so much?? All he played was radio music!!

• What’s up with the new season of “Stranger Things” being released on a Friday??

They really knew that everyone was going to binge-watch it, so they gave us the weekend.

• What’s up with Donald Trump’s Twitter account being deleted by an employee on their last day on the job?! It should’ve been kept like that for good...

• What’s up with it being the

beginning of November and the weather still being in the 100s?!?! We want fall weather, not fall-to-theground-from-heatstroke-weather!!

• What’s up with Obama getting assigned to his first citizen duty: jury duty?!? Can you imagine being mad because you have to go to jury duty only to find out you have it with Obama?!! I know I would surely pass out.

• What’s up with states such as California, Arkansas and Pennsylvania beginning to test out robots to restock shelves in WalMart???

Um, does anyone realize how scary that is!!!?

• What’s up with PD literally hanging the LQ/PD flag outside of their school?!?! Don’t they realize that it’ll be easier for us to steal it back like that!

I mean, it could get damaged like that…

ISSUE 2 2017 _Layout 1 11/5/17 11:01 AM Page 9

thanksgiving 9 A McDonald’s Thanksgiving P i e o r D i e

Amanda Wilkerson Reporter

My family does not have a particular Thanksgiving tradition. It used to be that every year after I had celebrated with my mom, I would go to my dad's house and we would make apple pie. Some time through the years that little tradition with my dad faded out.

Last Thanksgiving, I was dragged by my mother to her friend’s house to share some appetizers before I had to go to my dad’s house to celebrate. I didn't want to eat with the rest of the folks because I was saving all the room I could to go dine out at Outback. After some dull conversation between me

A

and a middle-aged woman died out, I was finally able to go with my dad who had just arrived home from work.

Since my dad was exhausted from work, he decided to take a quick nap before dinner. Given that was the case and I had just received my license, I went to my

friend’s house to essentially kill time by watching them eat and share some laughs with my friends and their parents who shared the same vulgar humor as their teenage son.

Still excited for my meal, I finally arrived home,

T a s t e

Attiana Villalobos Reporter For this holiday season, I am sharing a recipe on how to capture all the fall flavors in a sweet potato casserole. This dish will be sure to get rid of your sweet tooth. My family makes this dish during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

When I was younger, my dad and I would make this casserole. I hate sweet potatoes on their own. He told me he wouldn't continue making the dish

until I took a bite out of the sweet potato. I was so mad and disgusted by the taste, but then I was happy I had tried the casserole.

Filling Ingredients: 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes ½ cup of milk ¼ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract ½ teaspoon of kosher salt 2 large eggs For the topping:

my stomach growling in anticipation of the delicious and savory food yet to come. I pulled in the driveway and rushed into the house ready to go. I searched my house to find my grandmother, who was also quite hungry and ready to go. I shouted for my dad and finally we were all packed in my grandmother’s car.

We drove to Outback to find it closed an hour before our arrival. We drove around the entirety of the desert looking for our Thanksgiving meal.

Ultimately we reached our destination: McDonald’s, concluding my Thanksgiving 2016 feast with a sundae and a large fries.

o f

½ cup all purpose flour ½ cup brown sugar ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt ¾ cup chopped pecans 4 tablespoons of unsalted melted butter For the filling: Mix together the sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, eggs, and butter into a large bowl. Then transfer

Mikah Strong Reporter

Now, I am going to be honest, Thanksgiving is kind of boring in my family. That is, except for the Thanksgiving of 2009 when I was becoming a little more cockier as a child.

My newly found confidence was both a blessing and a curse. This particular day, I figured, “Hey! I think I could beat my uncle in a pie eating contest.” So that’s what I went out and set to do. My uncle was on the couch when I exclaimed, “I bet I can eat more pie than you!” He laughed because a 3’9” boy was saying he could eat more pie than this 6’5” man.

My grandma then set up our plates for the competition, which I thought was going to be a piece of “pie.” After my grandma counted us down, we began to eat like savages, just going ham on that pie.

Sadly, I choked on the piece I was eating and we had to stop eating so that I could drink water and not die from choking on pie. (That would be such a lame way to die.) I ended up not being the winner and was embarrassed for the rest of the day. All I wanted was to be the pie eating master; but, I guess it’s my fault for challenging an older man to a pie eating contest.

Illustrations by Mlen Azurin

A u t u m n it to the baking dish.

For the topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

C o m bine the flour, brown sugar, butter, and

salt into a bowl until it clumps together.

Once that's done, add the pecans and then spread it over the top of the sweet potatoes.

Bake until golden on top for 25-30 minutes.

You can also eat it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Illustration by Mia Gonzalez

ISSUE 2 2017 _Layout 1 11/5/17 11:01 AM Page 10

10 dancing through

ISSUE 2 2017 _Layout 1 11/5/17 11:02 AM Page 11

the decades 11

On Saturday, October 28, La Quinta High’s Homecoming dance took place in the main gym. The theme chosen by the student body was “Through the Decades,” which called for decorating the gym with vintage memorabilia from different time periods in the 20th century. Cut-outs of guitars, three old fashioned arcade games, and even a bumper car in the lobby were included throughout the space. Many of the parade float props by ASB were also used as decor The event started at 7 p.m., but really kicked off at 7:30 p.m., as everyone arrived “fashionably late.” Music lights, and a huge LED wall were provided by SOS Entertainment. The student body was able to give music suggestions in the preceding month through a Google Form sent by Ms. Smith, ASB adviser. Some favorites of the crowd were “Gasolina,” “Despacito,” and “Single Ladies.”

Students were very enthusiastic about the choice of music, and it even led to one instance of crowd surfing, which the DJ quickly stopped. There were also some slow dances for the couples out there, most notably Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” Classic songs like “I Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Stand By Me” were also played. For these songs most single dancers evacuated the dance floor, leaving plenty of space for slow dancing. For those instances, students had the option of playing Frogger instead.

To the side of the dance floor, a photobooth was set up for attendees to save a memento of the night. The booth was well-stocked with accessories like viking helmets and flamboyant bowties, which helped many guests make those memories hilarious.

Over a thousand tickets were sold for Homecoming, a big project for the departing ASB senior class. Vice President Adria Burton (12) said, “Knowing that last year, 950 students attended Homecoming, we thought it would be hard to top… but we did it anyway! It’s so encouraging that our school came together to make it possible.”

Written by Kevin Ayala & photographed by Juan Puga

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12 rivalry week

In honor of their ongoing rivalry with the Palm Desert Aztecs and the quest for the flag, La Quinta kicked off the much-anticipated game with spirit week from Oct. 16 - Oct. 20. On Monday, Blackhawks matched up against Palm Desert with squad day. On Tuesday, LQ made a joke out of Palm Desert and dressed up as their favorite memes. On Wednesday, Blackhawks showed just how much character they had for the quest for the flag and dressed up as their favorite characters.

Blackhawks dressed up as jocks or preps on Thursday. Finally, on Friday Blackhawks threw shade on the Aztecs by wearing all black. Despite La Quinta’s loss, students’ school spirit overpowered the loss.

Story by Ariah Hernandez; Photos by David Viefhaus

ISSUE 2 2017 _Layout 1 11/5/17 11:02 AM Page 13

sports 13

In t ro d u c tio n to Win ter Spor ts

Boys’ Basketball: Following their DVL win last season, the boys’ basketball team have high hopes of becoming champions yet again in order to bring LQ another title.

“Being in charge, being a leader, and having fun will get us to DVL,” stated point guard Devin Williams (12) who has been playing at LQHS for the past four years. Captain Christian Sanchez (12) has confidence that he and his teammates will make it to the top.

“We have the players to win DVL,” commented Sanchez. Shooting guard Dominic Escobar (10) stated, “It’s going to be a good season, especially because we still have [a lot] of good players.”

Girls’ Basketball: The LQHS girls’ basketball team is determined to get to the top, with hopes of winning the DVL title. With more than half of the team graduating this upcoming year, many want to create memories before the season is over. “I’m excited to play with the girls again and represent

the La Quinta Blackhawks one last time,” said Captain Jessie Rios (12). Rios commented, “Aside from winning DVL, my personal goal for this season is to score at least 25 points in every game.” “More people should come to our games,” Miranda Kelly (11) said.

“It’s always a fun atmosphere.”

Girls’ Soccer: The La Quinta High girls’ soccer team will be starting their season with high hopes for another DVL title. Brisa Gonzalez (11), who has played soccer for about 10 years, said, “I am very excited to see what this year has for us; I hope we can get our sixth DVL title in a row.”

Alexis Garcia (12), who has been playing forward on the varsity team since freshman year, said, “I have been playing soccer for 10 years and I train six hours a week. My goal for this year is to get farther in CIF and hopefully win a ring,” Garcia stated.

Senior Mia Ortega is looking ready to be back in

season after being out with a torn ACL for the last eight months. “I am looking forward to have my last season as a Blackhawk; I can’t wait to see what this season has for us,” she added.

Boys’ Soccer: After winning DVL last year, La Quinta boys’ soccer is starting this year a little differently. They recently got a new coach for both JV and varsity teams, but the boys are still striving for the same goal: to win CIF and DVL. “My plan for the team is to first remind them that what the team did last year means absolutely nothing.

This is a new team and we must put the work in to live up to the Blackh a w k s t a n dards,” said Coach McKee. “A DVL title will be one of many goals, but the players must work hard and come together as a group to achieve them.”

McKee shared that the key players for this season includes seniors Logan Prescott, Steven Poole, Marco Arambula and Gustavo Esquivel, as well as

juniors Damian Vasquez, Liam Marzano, and Edward Quintero.

Esquivel shared, “I plan on winning DVL with my brothers; we all know what we need to do.”

Wrestling: The La Quinta High boys’ and girls’ wrestling team will commence their season on December 2. In the meantime, the team is preparing by practicing different drills and wrestling four times per week.

Training and competing for this sport is difficult, especially when most athletes have to adjust their diets in order to enhance their performance.

“Practices are tough and you have to push yourself [...] if you want to be successful,” said senior Noel Magallanes. “The way you practice is the way you wrestle in a match.”

Once matches begin, the team competes at different tournaments outside the valley against many different schools.

“Wrestling can be an individual and also a team sport,” said Magallanes.

Overall, the team is determined and their goal for the season is to make CIF.

Girls’ Waterpolo: The La Quinta Girls’ water polo team will begin their DVL season against Indio on Dec. 14. Varsity player Karina Maciel (12) stated, “Last year, we were such a young team and our goal was to learn how to work well together as a family. This year, I am looking forward to hopefully getting first in DVL and then in CIF...

There are a lot of seniors on the team this year so we are going to make this season the best one yet!” Savannah Hampton (11) agreed with Maciel stating, “This year, our team is eager to fight for a DVL title because we came short last year. We also look forward to competing for a CIF title. I am especially looking forward to spending more time with all of my best friends!”

Written by: Bailey Franklin Brysenia Miranda Katelyn Pagela Steven Poole

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14 sports Boys’ Water Polo Takes DVL Title Girls’ XC Wins DVL Title Katelyn Pagela Copy Editor

The La Quinta High boys’ water polo team took the DVL title after winning their game on Oct. 21 against Xavier Prep, with a score of 13-6.

Their bond outside of the water allowed the team to win their games and accomplish their goal of winning DVL. “We’ve been playing just as well in comparison to last season,” said senior Jeremy Baker. “Our team has a really good bond and our past couple of tournaments have been fun.”

The team won the majority of their games, including

their match against rival Palm Desert High on Oct. 12. Despite already being one of the strongest teams in the league, the boys continued to improve each game.

“Sometimes people can be selfish with the ball,” said senior Todd Becker. “We defi-

nitely need to work on team playing, but everything else is good.”

Although Becker and Baker both agreed they lacked communication in the water, the team proved themselves by concluding their season with a 17-4 record.

Photo courtesy of The Desert Sun

Volleyball Stuggles Through DVL

Mariana Escatell Editor-in-Chief The 2017 volleyball season was not what it was hoped to be for the Lady Blackhawks. This year was somewhat of a building year for the team, being that it was such a young team with only two returners: Karime Meza (12) and Jada Lopez (12). Despite the fact that they didn’t go as far in DVL as they hoped to, the Blackhawks fought valiantly nonetheless.

On Tuesday, Oct. 24, the girls celebrated

their graduating teammates on senior night.

The six seniors were escorted by their parents and guardians to walk around the court. While each girl walked out, their post-graduation plans

and their most memorable moments of volleyball were announced.

After the special night, the girls matched up with Indio, and just like the rest of the season, they lost 3-2.

Juan Puga Sports Editor

Girls: On Nov. 1, the Lady Blackhawks competed in their third DVL meet at Xavier Prep’s course. Due to printing deadlines, the meet won’t be covered.

The girls’ cross country team attended the Inland Empire Cross Country Challenge Invitational on Oct. 14. Akemi Von Scherr (10) placed fourth in the Three Miles Sweepstakes with an impressive time of 18:30.0.

On Oct. 11, the girls competed at the second DVL meet held at Xavier Prep’s course. Von Scherr led the pack with a significant gap, nearly a minute and a half difference between her nearest competitor, placing her first in the individual results with a time of 18:12.0. Francine Ansley (11), Ashley Waters (10) and Rachel Sherman (11) placed in the top ten with times of 20:09.0, 20:29.0, and 20:58.0, respectively. The girls’ individual standings in the meet contributed to the first place finish with a score of 33 points.

“We’ve been excelling at [the DVL races] with mul-

tiple PRs to aid us in winning,” stated Ansley.

“We’re focused and well determined, so there’s that.”

Boys: On Nov. 1, the Blackhawks competed in their third DVL meet at Xavier College Prep’s course. Due to printing deadlines, the meet won’t be covered.

The boys’ cross country team attended the Inland Empire Cross Country Challenge Invitational on Oct. 14. Following their DVL meet, the boys began on a rocky start. Angel Parra (11) placed eighth in the 3 Miles Run with a personal record time of 16:23.3.

The second DVL race of the season was held at Xavier College Prep on Oct. 11. Continued dominance from Indio and Shadow Hills high schools resulted in the Blackhawks placing fourth overall. Anthony Rojas (12) placed eighth with a time of 16:21.0.

Despite their best efforts, the team was unable to place or PR in the Central Park Invitational on Oct. 7.

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sports 15

Tennis Moves Up in DVL

Bailey Franklin Co-Editor-in-Chief Girls’ tennis concluded their season with their last home DVL game, also senior night, against Indio on Oct. 19.

The team played well this season, nearly winning against one of the best teams in the valley, Xavier Prep, on Oct. 12.

They tied at 9-9, but lost by the game score at 7866. “I can’t wait for more years to come,” stated freshman Katelyn Nguyen.

Captain Mlen Azurin (12) said, “This year, the season has been historic considering the fact that we got back to third place in DVL after previously being in fourth

place for the past two years. It’s been pretty great especially since we were third place my freshman year and then making it back up to third place was really cool.”

Girls´ Golf Takes Second in DVL Katelyn Pagela Copy Editor

The La Quinta High girls´ golf team wrapped up their season by placing second overall in DVL. Their final away match against Indio on Oct. 12 was the culmination of the season, as the team won by a score 338-284.

Their chemistry and strong performances allowed the team to accomplish their goal of making DVL. “I’m really proud of this season,” said

senior Jourdan Flynn. “We played very well and everyone worked super hard.”

The team proved their drive by winning their away match on Oct. 10 against Cathedral City, with a score of 315-265.

Flynn reflected on the memories the team made together. “The van rides to and from the matches are always super fun,” said Flynn. “We always play games, dance, and sing.”

LQ Football Fumbles Flag to Palm Desert During Overtime Juan Puga Sports Editor

Coming back from an upset against rival Palm Desert, the LQHS football team won their final home conference game of the season against the Indio Rajahs on Oct. 27. Derrick Kennedy (11) reached a record count in interceptions and yardage gainage, contributing to the final score of 42-6, with two touchdowns in the second quarter.

The boys will play in an away conference game against the Cathedral City Lions on Nov. 3.

The Blackhawks lost

their rivalry home conference game versus the PDHS Aztecs on Oct. 18. With the loss, LQ is set to place third overall in DVL, behind PD and Shadow Hills.

Prior to an overtime botch that overturned the odds in the Aztecs’ favor, LQ remained equal in points in part due to Kennedy’s 90yard kickoff return for a touchdown early in the third quarter and a 100-yard dash for touchdown, evening it at 17-17. Three overtime calls by the Aztecs to determine the victor proved detrimental for the Blackhawks, who faltered in the final overtime, finished with a score

of 24-17. “[LQ football] did the best that it could possibly do considering everything and I just think that the odds just weren’t in our favor,” stated Coach Armstrong.

“Both teams played great offensively and defensively; it’s just that a minor fluke ruined it for us.”

The LQ team lost their away DVL conference game against the Shadow Hills Knights on Oct. 13. Since the Knights’ introduction to the league in the fall season of 2010, they have been unable to beat the DVL juggernauts. However, with their win on Friday night, the outcome for the coveted

crown was made uncertain.

Despite coming off of their previous two DVL games with a multitude of victories, in the second half, quarterback Christian Egson (10) caused multiple conversion passes, giving

the Knights the advantage needed. The Blackhawks led in the first half with a 40yard touchdown rush by Kennedy, who contributed to the final score of 7-14.

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16 spooky students o sc o a s 17

Godliest Costume: HERCULES

Best BBQer: Dad

Cutest: Two Cuties

Pimp My Ride: Tank Edition

Best Student: Nervous Rex

Cleanest Teeth: Toothy Gonzalez