Mavlife December Issue by MavLife

e m i t e h t l l a r a w

Students are affected by military recruiting on campus and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

pg. 11 - 14 la costa canyon high school

1 maverick way, carlsbad, california 92009

volume 2 - issue 2

December 2009

adviser Christopher Greenslate cover photo: JP Horrigan

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Students participated in National Portfolio Day, an event held in San Diego, where students can introduce themselves to art schools.

Kasie Shabaz explores Chris Ames’s performance at Battle of the Bands.

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editor in chief Rachel Scepanovic managing editor Jordynn Harris copy editor Katherine Dwyer editors Alexa Simpson, Hunter Vurbeff, Kayne Friesen lead photographer JP Horrigan staff Liliana Alaniz, Hayden Anderson, Jake Barnes, Allison Beach, Sean Bentley, Aaron Berkowitz, Nicholas Bernier, Shannon Brunetti, D.P. Bullington, Makenzie Cohen, Elan Conlin, Cara Connor, Ximena Cruz, Nena Farrell, Sarah Favreau, Reina Garcia, Emilia Gonzalez, Joseph Goodman, Alex Ham, Rebecca Hammock, Amanda Knef, Joshua Kong, Sebastian Langkilde, Drew Linkogle, Andrew Murray, Taylor Olson, Nicholas Reynolds, Warren Rodriguez, Danielle Roel, Kasie Shahbaz, Quinn Snow, Alec Thornburgh, Erica Turnbull, Megan Walsh, Patrick Walsh, Katherine Wells, Karissa Workinger, Sophia Zeno

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g n i n e p hap

The football teams loses their chance of going to Qualcomm.

www.LCCNews.com Mav Life is the student newspaper of La Costa Canyon High School. La Costa Canyon High School student media products are public forums for student expression. Students are responsible for their work in print publications, online content and video broadcasts, as well as in other products, none of which are subject to administrative approval. Students make all final content decisions. Media programs follow educational best practices as defined by the National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Student Press Law Center. In addition, student media programs work to follow all copyright laws and avoid libel, slander, and infringing upon the rights of others. Unsigned editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper staff, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective. Advertisements do not necessarily represent the newspaper’s viewpoint. MavLife, an open forum, welcomes signed letters on pertinent issues from the community, which may be submitted to room 1304, via e-mail or to Christopher Greenslate’s mailbox in the administrative building. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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[December/January] 21 Winter Recess

New Year’s Martin Luther King Day

{news} School Psychologist Tracks Mountain Gorrillas During summer, Kristin Yoshimoto tracked gorillas in western Uganda. Liliana Alaniz Staff Writer

Kristin Yoshimoto and her father finally come across a mountain gorilla. Photo by Alan Yoshimoto.

One of the campsites she stayed at during the trip. Photo by Kristin Yoshimoto.

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Even with the bumps along the road, both literal and metaphorical, she visited the protected areas of Bwindi National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, Lake Mburo, and Murchison Falls. In order to go gorilla tracking, Yoshimoto, and her father, had to attain special permits in advance. The forest rangers had to send out scouting parties to find the gorillas before she and her father could join them, and once found, they only had an hour of observation time. “It was a gnarly hike. The whole hike took us eight hours and it wasn’t until five hours into the hike that we found the gorillas. It was pretty amazing,” Yoshimoto said. Although the one week of gorilla tracking was the highlight and purpose of her trip, she experienced many other animal encounters which included chimpanzees, hippos, elephants, lions, and many more.

“We were in 50 yards of no-mans land between the two borders.” -Yoshimoto

tures that when standing up can reach a height of five and a half feet. They are the most threatened primate with only 700 left, half of which are located in Uganda. Whether she is in her office, or hiking in the middle of a forest far from home, Yoshimoto is always surrounded by her favorite species. Her office decor consist of beautiful pictures, stuffed animals and animations, all depicting many different types of primates. “I’ve always had an interest for primates, ” Yoshimoto said. Accompanied only by her father and a guide, she left her fiancé, her dog and her mother back home, to embark on a journey for three weeks this past July. “Safety was fine, I didn’t feel unsafe at any moment,” Yoshimoto said.

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School psychologist, Kristin Yoshimoto, claimed her dream when she visited Orangutans in Indonesia last year, but this past summer she experienced the impenetrable forest of western Uganda to visit Silverback gorillas. Although it may seem that Uganda is an unsafe place due to all the negative press, Yoshimoto never felt that her life was in danger. Her hardest moment was when she had to cross the border between Uganda and Rwanda, where she arrived late and the border offices had already closed. Even so, she did not fear for her life as much as she feared to spend the night in a jeep next to men with guns. “We were in 50 yards of no-mans land between the two borders,” Yoshimoto said. Her guide had to bribe both the Rwandan and Ugandan officers, in order to cross the border that night. Mountain gorillas are majestic crea-

Yoshimoto also had the opportunity to visit schools, meet Ugandan children, and experience the culture. Most importantly, she experienced the food. As a vegetarian, she anticipated problems with her diet, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the food was “awesome”. Yoshimoto spent the night in camps and lodges that had running water throughout most of her trip. At times the use of “in-bush toilets” or outhouses were needed, and all the showers were “bucket” showers, but none were uncomfortable enough to stop her from returning to Uganda. “It was definitely an experience,” Yoshimoto said.

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Riding in Style Students drive luxury cars on campus.

Cara Connor Staff Writer Mercedes’, Mustangs, Lexus’, Beamers, Infinitis, and Audis are scattered throughout the school parking lot. Onlookers enviously gaze at these luxury cars, marveling at how many students are fortunate enough to have them. “If you look at the cars at LCC compared to the ones at SDA, there is such a huge difference. Even if cars aren’t considered ‘luxury’ they are usually very capable, nice cars,” Lindsey Marshall, a junior from SDA who has attended both schools, said. Although there are also students who have beat-up cars, most students on our campus tend to have nicer cars than students at other schools. It is often wondered how these students possibly can afford such vehicles. “I have a Mustang 302 Boss and I didn’t have to pay for anything. But if I want to add stuff, like nicer rims or a sound system, I might have to pay for them,” Max Ribeiro, junior, said. Ribeiro’s car starts at $71,000, but he was able to buy it used for $37,000 with only 1000 miles on it. His car is extremely valuable--only 500 Mustang 302 Bosses were ever made. The car is modeled after Parnelli Jones’ 1967 race-car, and it

includes a signature of the racer himself on the dashboard and underneath the hood of the car. (The bright orange coat is custom) Although Ribeiro’s car may be the only “one-of a kind” on campus, there are a handful of students that have the Infiniti G35 or the the BMW 330i series. “I have the BMW 330i, and I love it. My parents bought it for me for my birthday. It’s like my baby, and I take really good care of it. I get it fully detailed about every other week,” Ali Madurowicz, sophomore, said. While the people who own these cars have more financial support than others, the kids on campus who have luxury cars seem to be extremely gracious about their ride. Just by glazing over the parking lot, the majority of cars are extremely well-kept. “I wouldn’t personally give my child a brand-new luxury car, but I think that if they can take good care of their car, which is the case for many kids here, and if parents somehow see that it is a good idea to give their kids that car, than it is reasonable,” Alex Buckingham, junior, said.

Max Ribeiro’s shows off his ride: a Mustang 302 Boss. Photo by Cara Connor.

NHS on the Brink of Collapse Without an adviser, NHS can’t function as a club this year.

Students haven’t received any acceptance letters from the National Honors Society this year. Many have assumed that their applications were not strong, or that the NHS simply chose to neglect handfuls of students. However this isn’t the case. NHS hasn’t made an announcement about the applications this year, but not because the students that applied are academically incompetent. NHS is still attempting to reorganize themselves after Marc Trocchio, the previous adviser, left his position at our school to be Assistant Principal at San Dieguito Academy. Assistant Principal, Mark Van Over, has attempted to work with NHS student president, Jason Gamache, but he is unable to continue his help this year. With the absence of a commited adviser, NHS is struggling to keep the program alive. Gamache and fellow NHS students are

very serious about preserving the program, but it has been difficult. “We collected applications in MidOctober and Van Over needs to approve those that have been accepted. I talk to him at least twice per week about this, but almost two months later the applications still sit in his office,” Gamache, senior, said. Gamache’s effort only goes as far as Van Over’s support and cooperation.

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Although Van Over has attempted to establish a standing adviser, there have been no strong commitments. “Ms. Chi, a special education teacher offered to be a co-adviser, but she will only do it if another teacher does it with her,” Gamache said. Advising NHS is a big commitment, and someone cannot carry out the provi-

“I talk to him at least twice per week about this, but almost two months later, the applications still sit in his office.” -Jason Gamache

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Cara Connor Staff Writer

sions of the program half-heartedly. NHS is an important program, which allows students to perform a certain amount of community service every month. Not only are students active in community service activities, but they must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. The combination of community service, a proficient GPA, and involvement in NHS, students have an increased chance of being admitted into acclaimed colleges. If Van Over does not find a prospective adviser, then the program will have to be terminated, and many students will be left without the support of the society. “The theory is that NHS will not happen this year if there won’t be an adviser, but I won’t let that happen. We’ll find an adviser,” Gamache said. *Assistant Principal Mark Van Over was not available to comment on this subject before this article went to print.

{news}

Art Students Seek Feedback

Every year, art students have the opportunity to showcase their work during National Portfolio Day. Sarah Favreau Staff Writer For many high school students, senior year marks a stressful time filled with college applications and last minute college tours; but for those considering a career in the arts there is an additional set of hurdles. Along with the standard essays, personal statements and touching teacher recommendations, art schools require a portfolio submission; a showcase of the artist’s best work usually compiled from the past year. National Portfolio Day is a chance for applicants to have admission representatives from art schools around the country review their pieces before submission. The idea is that young artists will receive constructive feedback on their portfolios and have the opportunity to be exposed to schools they might not have initially taken an interest in. This fall, National Portfolio Day came to San Diego. Over 50 fine arts schools Student Kristian Talley participates in a critique of his art at National Portfolio were represented including many highly Day. Photo by Sarah Favreau. regarded schools, such as Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), School of Visual an opportunity to have their portfolio re- brought along parents or friends to hold Arts (SVA), School of the Art Institute of viewed by the schools of their choice. their spot in lines for the more popular Chicago (SAIC) and Maryland Institute Several students from our school schools. College of Art (MICA). joined hundreds of their peers from For first-time attendees, the process For over three hours, aspiring art stu- southern California. The strategy was could be confusing. The booths were not dents stood in long lines that snaked to see as many schools as possible until clearly marked and due to the crowded across the hotel ballroom and jostled for the event ended. Some students even conditions, the ends of the lines were

hard to identify. Each school had their own approach for dealing with the large turnout. Some schools had one long line, while others passed out numbers and called students individually. Students brought works of all shapes and sizes; canvases stretched and unstretched, illustrations, animations, fashion designs, and photography. The most efficient were those who brought their own computers to show digital images. Once each student’s turn came up, feedback could be painfully brief or extensive, as there was no time limit set for each review. “I was hoping to get an unbiased look at what I was doing, and instead I was told to come back next year,’” Aly Rosenberg, junior, said. “It’s not so much upsetting because I realize I have to work harder but it is just like ‘well now, what do I work towards?’” Unlike many other disciplines, art is subjective. Where some schools emphasis technical skills such as composition, observational drawing, and application of medium, others prefer a less “academic” approach to the creative process. As a result, students need to obtain diverse perspectives that will hopefully assist them in their application process.

Lori Branson Returns as Campus Supervisor After recovering from a shoulder injury she got while working, Branson returns after three months. Karissa Workinger and Amanda Knef Staff Writers It was a rough time for Branson; she worked for almost a year before being able to get off work, and during this time she had to sleep sitting up. “I don’t think I did myself any favors by working all last year,” Branson said. Branson had many doctors who gave her different opinions and the last one she saw told her she needed surgery and therapy sessions. After thinking that she just had fractures, she found out that she had three tears in her rotator cuff, so in August she had surgery to finally ease the pain. “If it was okay with everyone,

I needed to take all the time possible to recover from surgery,” Branson said. After not being able to ride a golf cart for more than five months, Branson is back at work. She loves her job and has good relationships with a lot of the older students. She said that every one is already in the groove so she doesn’t have to constantly repeat herself. “It’s great to be back; I’ve always loved my job. The greeting from everyone was really nice,” Branson said.

Photo by Karissa Workinger.

After going through four rounds of physical therapy and meeting with four doctors, Lori Branson, a campus supervisor, is finally back after being injured on the job. This time last year, Branson was parking a cart in the shed at school. The v-glide on the cart got stuck and lurched her forward leaving her with a shoulder injury. Doctors did not write her off for work and workers compensation was not flexible with the situation. “They pushed pain pills because as long as you’re not complaining then they don’t have to worry,” Branson said.

december 2009 | MavLife |

d u o l t u o k l a t Parking Lot Blues The lack of lines pose a problem for students who don’t know how to park. Alec Thornburgh Staff Writer

Students in a rush to class every morning are often annoyed to find that although there are many spaces in the parking lot, few of them are wide enough to park in. It’s not just that a high percentage of students are incapable of parking straight or don’t care, the real root of this problem is you can’t see the white parking lines. They’re faded and in some places completely gone. While this may be no problem for an experienced driver, many students are hopeless without parking lines. Frustrated and unable to park my car, I went searching for answers. Jim Mitroff,

maintenance supervisor for the school district told me that budget cuts meant projects had to be prioritized, and they wouldn’t be painting the student parking area any time soon. The parking lot lines in the staff and visitor parking areas would come first. Mitroff was more interested in the students driving abilities than their parking abilities, having almost been hit recently. Given the budget situation students would be wise to find another method of parking correctly for a few more years. Chalk works, too. Illustration by Sarah Favreau.

Students Unable to Find Work Erica Turnbull Staff Writer

In hard times students are winding up unemployed. Lately students have been having difficulties finding jobs, especially in our area. Kids think that perhaps the difficulty lies within the economic problems that are plaguing the country, since adults that have lost jobs are taking those that usually go to teenagers, such as cashiers at Target, or stores at the mall. “It’s actually really hard, I didn’t think it would be this difficult trying to find a job. I’ve applied at a ton of places but most of them say that adults are filling up any open jobs they can find,” Nico Rodriguez, junior, said. Rodriguez explained that he has applied to stores and eateries all over Encinitas but no one at all has called him back for an interview or consideration. “Sometimes I get discouraged, but I understand that there are a lot of people out there who need to support their families and need the job more than I do,” Rodriquez said. “I’ve applied to Swirls, Best Buy, Tilly’s, Cold Stone, Panera, and more. I’ve had interviews at Best Buy and I inter-

Illustration by Sarah Favreau.

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viewed at Tilly’s. Its hard finding a job, but I need to just keep trying and not give up,” Kelley Hansen, junior, said. Hansen feels like finding a job is going to be an on-going battle over the next six months. Perhaps it is truly just the bad economy, or maybe students are getting a bad name for themselves at certain locations, and employers don’t want to hire them. Obviously the economy is going to affect students chances of getting jobs, keeping jobs, or even being considered for a position; it seems like all anybody can do is keep trying and keep applying. “It’s hard to see so many teenagers applying here, but there’s really nothing we can do. We get so many applications from adults and students alike; we have to take the more experienced or educated, and those tend to be the adults. With the economy the way it is, I don’t see a change in this anytime soon. If anything, it will get worse,” Kristen Hill, Target store.

{opinion}

Stop the Vampire Madness Shannon Brunetti Staff Writer

With the ‘Twilight’ Saga in full swing, one student has had enough.

Illustration by Joseph Goodman.

If an individual should walk into the teen section of almost any book store, one would find a not so shocking sight: vampire novels. These different books have started to take up too much space on the teen bookshelves. Other genres of books don’t seem to interest the general public anymore. Or is it just that the authors of said books will not publish anything else. After the New York Times bestselling series was proclaimed popular, many other vampire novels started making their appearance on the shelves. For people who don’t want to read vampire stories or are tired of reading them, finding another

genre is almost impossible. Those of us who would like to read other genres are getting pretty peeved about this limited supply of genres. While Vampire novels have been around since the first Count Dracula film, the huge craze that exists today has not been seen before, leading publishers to push authors to write more and more vampire fiction. Although some may enjoy all of these vampire novels, taking the place of any other possible teen novel on the bookshelf, reading vampire stories with similar plot lines over and over can become very tiresome. I have read as many of these novels as I can stomach, and they’ve grown

old. Though these stories have different places and characters, they all seem to run together in my mind. All the stories turn into a mixed up mess and I can’t tell which story is which. This is why authors should write different varieties of stories. They should give the rest of us a chance to read something else. It feels like we’re being manipulated into reading vampire novels. I feel that I’m speaking for all of us that are sick and tired of vampire books. Someone needs to write a bestselling book for youth that isn’t vampire related so that this craze will stop.

Buy Your Way to a GPA Money can be the key to a healthy report card. Alex Hamm Staff Writer As long as schools have been in session, students have struggled in some subjects and succeeded in others. Recently, this has begun to change. Due to the rigor and selectivity of top universities and colleges, students are feeling pressures to do anything to get an ‘A’. If the top universities are the goal, it is no longer acceptable to have grades that reflect struggle. Over time, students have discovered many methods to get around this. While there are some who still do the honest thing and study, others have resorted to cheating. Now some buy grades. That is where Halstrom High School (a.k.a. Future’s), Fusion Academy, and other similar schools come into play. These schools provide one-on-one teaching for a large sum, which almost guarantees success. Others may call this success an ‘A’. I have fallen for this trap as well. Spanish was never my favorite subject and was one of the only classes I wasn’t doing my best in. This lower

Illustration by Joseph Goodman.

grade was bringing down my GPA, which is something I couldn’t accept if I wanted to get into my dream school. As I was busy all the time, as well as a slur of other excuses, none valid, I decided to go to Future’s. I took Spanish four there. I would do my homework in the car on the way

there, use yahoo’s Babel-fish for my projects, and I didn’t even have tests. With all this slacking, I still received an ‘A’ in the class. I can honestly say I do not remember one thing I learned from my class there. At some point society decided paying for success was a good idea. I disagree.

The learning should come before the need for a high GPA or admittance to a good college. Although they are not in way, college admissions should generally be fair. When those who can afford it begin paying over $1200 in order to get that easy ‘A’, it gives an unfair advantage as their transcripts may look considerably better than someone who did not have that opportunity. Understandably, some students truly do not understand the information but I think we should find a better way about going about this. The tutoring center is a great resource, and tutors outside of school are always available for hire. As for those students who don’t have room for the class in their schedules I think they should consider taking the class at Mira Costa or Palomar. These classes are accessible to everyone, much more financially affordable, as well as more academic; not to mention fair.

december 2009 | MavLife |

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Chris Ames Makes A Smash

Kasie Shabaz Staff Writer

During Battle of the Bands one musician makes a big hit.

I squeezed my way out through the crowd from Chris Ames’ guitar smashing surrounded by jock and skater-esque boys yelling out “legit” and “epic” repeatedly, as I saw the faces of girls that looked as if they had just seen someone die. The reactions were a good laugh, as I have seen things broken, climbed upon, and thrown into crowds at shows before. To those who have only seen these types of things happen in movies, I’m sure it seemed a little surreal. The audience was basically separated into the kids that hang out in the student center in the back of the crowd, and the “indie/emo/artsy” kids near the front. Ames transposes more sorrow into his music than other Battle of the Bands musicians care to do, and already in the beginning, about half of the students were uneasy. The other half was enthusiastic and pleased with some of Ames’ new songs, and all the fervor they carried. Still, even I did not expect At the end of his performance, Chris Ames picked up an unused guitar and proceeded to his grand finale. smash it against the stage before an administrator could stop him. Photo by Lizzie Marco. The third song he played was sweetened more than the others, and the his guitar into the ground, but after the what was happening in front of me. following song, which was his last, was initial reaction, it was entertaining to see Principal Kyle Ruggles and Assistant surprisingly alone in its torment and something so astounding occur on camPrincipal Doug Kamon seemed to be strain. It ended with repeated lines of, “All pus. My reaction was as follows: Oh God, quite disturbed by the event. Ruggles of these notes don’t make sense without move out of the way: what is happening? confronted Ames afterwards about his you,” screeched along to fitful piano play- And finally; Oh! And then I just proceeded actions, but after he confirmed that ing on the tip-top keys; and thus began to enjoy how he chose to release whateverything smashed was his own equipthe smashing. ever he was feeling at the moment. As a ment; Ames was able to dodge any Seated right below the piano, it was a member of the audience, I appreciated trouble. shock when I saw Ames start to launch

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Despite disapproval coming from Ruggles, he handled the situation quite agreeably and with understanding. At least Ames was not disqualified, which probably would have happened with former principals. I do not know exactly why he did it, but I am guessing that it was a spur of the moment impulse. The entire performance held a kind of tension, and his guitar smashing was just the climax. It completed the show, which was already flooded with angst, especially in the last song. Besides, if I had a crowd of people smoldering their eyes at me with judgment as I played, I would have loved to smash a guitar on stage. He gets props for having the courage to do it. Some people believe it was all for attention, but I disagree. From witnessing the entire show and all the emotion tangled into it, a demolition seemed quite appropriate. I hope it was not purely for attention, but if it was, he sure is getting a lot of it now. Although, none of this could compare to the caliber of the core of his performance: his music. I hear girls singing his now infamous lyrics, “First we got curious, and then we got loud!” often, and I am stunned at the maturity of his composition abilities for being so young. His music gives me goosebumps. Hopefully he is remembered for that as much as anything, because Ames is a fantastic musician.

Illustration by Lizzie Marco.

{show me the money}

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t n e m e s adverti

Student Discount

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{special section}

Illustrations by Sarah Favreau.

december 2009 | MavLife |

e m i t e h t war all No More Bad Dreams Katherine Wells Staff Writer

One student tells the story of dealing with her brother fighting in Iraq.

All four years that he was gone, there was a brick in me. I always had the worst feeling that something bad was going to happen to him. When he first left, I woke up many times in fear that he would be found dead on the side of the road. I had dreams that made me cry. In them, he would fall down and wouldn’t be able to get up, and they would step on him and kick him. Then, when he finally couldn’t take it anymore, he would shoot himself because he knew that was better than being held captive and being tortured. Every night I would have similar, haunting dreams. Those mornings I would wake up too shaken to get out of bed. I wouldn’t dare tell my mom about it. She would say that I was crazy, and probably have me see a therapist. I didn’t want to make her more upset than she already was. Then after a few months, the dreams started to go away, but the weight of his absence was still there. I didn’t know if that was normal or not. Every month we would send him a big box with snacks, magazines, socks; anything that would help him out. In every box that we sent, I would put in a letter and tell him what was new with everyone. It was just something that would help keep his mind off of all the bad things that he was surrounded by. About a week or two later he would

Phillip Wells (left) preparing for a day in Iraq. Photo by Albert Yankee.

send a letter back. I would rush out to the mailbox with so much joy and happiness. My whole life revolved around getting a letter and sending one back. I would know exactly when the mail man came, and I came to know the mailman well. Five months later, he was on his way home. I was so happy that I had this rush of nervousness, and I felt like I was going to be sick. My dad had let me stay home that day because he knew how happy I was and we were expecting him to call. I sat by the phone all day. I wanted to be the first person to pick up the phone and

have him say hello. The loud annoying ring was the best sound I had ever heard. I was the first person to talk to him. I was so happy. We talked forever. I asked him all kinds of questions. Some he didn’t want to answer at all, he would change the subject as fast as he could. One day, I looked at the time on my phone and noticed the date. I freaked out because a month from that day is when my brother would be home. It was one of those things where you have to look at it and stare at it for a few seconds. I thought my phone was wrong, but thankfully it wasn’t.

Build Schools Not Bombs DP Bullington Staff Writer

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don’t have pictures of President Harmid Karzai. William Ury, internationally recognized negotiation expert and best-selling author of “Getting to Yes,” recommends calling in “third side” to help resolve conflict. This includes calling a peace conference between all parties involved as well as the surrounding communities who make up the “third” side. For a conflict of such scale, calling in the global community, while listening to local Afghan elders, would ensure an effective agreement.

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Illu

stra tion

With President Obama’s announcement of deploying thirty thousand more troops to Afghanistan, one has to wonder if this is the most effective approach. The cost of deploying one soldier for one year is equivalent to building 20 schools through the National Solidarity Programme. Education minimizes terrorism, reduces birthrates, and improves living standards. On top of all this, the Taliban allows locallysupported schools, as long as women teach the girls’ schools and textbooks

The day came when he was home. My sister had decorated the house in streamers and made posters. I had made his favorite cookies for him. The door bell rang and we all froze in shock. My mom opened the door, and he walked in. We were all speechless. He looked so small; so unhealthy. My heart jumped up in my chest. I felt like I couldn’t talk or breathe. I think we all had that feeling. We gave him a never-ending hug, and he felt so small. When he was home, everything felt right again. He started telling stories about what he saw. He told us how he saw his best friend getting blown up and how messed up things are over there; what life was like for all the innocent people getting hurt for no reason. I thought about all the things that could have happened to him. I thought about all the sisters, mothers, and fathers worrying about their sons and daughters. My brother came back from Iraq safe; he got out of the military two days before his battalion was going to Afghanistan. I feel bad for anyone having to suffer the loss of someone they love, or to have them miss another Thanksgiving or Christmas. This year, Thanksgiving had a new meaning.

{special section} What We Know: 20 percent of students report having a relative that is, or has been serving in the war in Afghanistan or Iraq 59 percent of students know someone besides a family member that is, or has been serving in Afghanistan or Iraq *212 students polled

Ready to Serve Two students discuss their military futures. Sean Bentley Staff Writer

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Some students may take for granted the freedoms that are given to them in this country. But two students, Elliot Lee, senior, and Junior Anthony Dicarlo, junior, have realized that these liberties need to be protected, and they are willing to serve their country to do so. “This country has given so much to me,” said Lee, “So I am willing to risk my life for this country, so others can be given the same opportunities.” Lee was born into a rich military history. According to Lee, at least one man from each generation in his family has joined the military. When he first learned of this family tradition as a little kid, he knew that when he grew up, he was going to join the military himself. Now, he plans on first going to college, and then enlisting in the Unites States Marine Corps. “I want to honor my family and my country,” Lee said. Besides this, Lee said that serving his country is appealing to him because of the sense of “brotherly bonding and trust” that the Marines share. He already has some personal experience as to what it is like to be a Marine, after going through training for a year as a member of the Young Marines. He also feels he has prepared himself by hunt-

ing with his father and grandfather and practicing martial arts; earning a second degree black belt in tae kwon do. Anthony Dicarlo realized that the United States Army might be for him after working at GI Joe’s. There, he was inspired to one day be a member of the Army after becoming best of friends with Chris Shrek. From Shrek, Dicarlo heard many stories of what it was like to be in the Army. Shrek served in Iraq and will be deployed again in January. “I’m looking forward to diving out of planes and jumping into the battlefield,” Dicarlo said. Dicarlo plans on enlisting right out of high school as an officer in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army Rangers, a division for air assault operations of an elite special operations force. He is already well on his way to doing so, after being part of a military apprenticeship, a program through the Army to receive basic military training. His trainer happened to be Chris Shrek. Dicarlo thinks that joining the Army suits him, since he has been fighting as a hobby since he was six. He is involved in mixed martial arts as an instructor and a tournament fighter, earning nine black belts and six weapons licenses.

december 2009 | MavLife |

e m i t e h war all t

Troops on the (School) Ground

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“The officers aren’t here for any negative reason.”

Jake Barnes Staff Writer War has existed since the dawn of time and there is a very slim chance that it will ever disappear in the near future. As a result, war has been presented in the movie industry for decades, and has been featured in plays and novels before films were ever imagined. Movies that depict war, however, have been misrepresenting the bloody act throughout the entire industry’s history. Movies such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Full Metal Jacket” show war to be a creator of brotherhood and, while based on true stories, these fabricated depictions by Hollywood show fighting as a heroic act. War is not the heroic, spirit-building activity as it seems in movies, but a terrifying, brain-altering catastrophe thats sends young men and women to either a bloody death, or an obscure future. Many soldiers who have been deployed into Iraq, Afghanistan, or any major war often come back to the United States

The armed forces have always been on campus to recruit young minds for their cause. I respect and honor the Marines, Navy, and Army like every other American, but I do have a problem when they walk up to a stranger and ask if I want to join them. Those that want to volunteer themselves, having already made up their minds, will find recruiters on their own. My father volunteered himself as a minor, 17, to the U.S. Marine Corps. Having Marines around hinders the educational environment. Most students do have their minds made up whether or not they’ll serve the country, but it’s a distraction. They aren’t just here hanging out with students; they’re here to collect soldiers. I’m not one who believes in war but in diplomacy. The morals of all individual students will determine their choices in life, or simply whether or not to join the U.S. Armed Forces, but it’s important to allow a safe learning environment. Students deserve the right to their privacy and to not having a stranger’s ideals pushed on them.

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Sebastian Langklide Staff Writer

“They aren’t just hanging out with students; they’re here to collect soldiers.”

Inglorious Films The spectacle of violence warps perception.

traumatized from their horrifying experiences in battle. War is popular in film because of its act of killing people for a patriotic image. However, many battles were fought to protect shallow things such as a country’s image or respect to the world. War is often fought in offices and government buildings, if not more, than out on battlefields. Without government discussion or negotiating, many wars would not end or even exist because government regulates armies and declares war. It takes governments to start and end wars. War movies, however, rarely, speak about such things. Movies tend to focus on violence, gun shots and knife wounds, and will almost never discuss operation rooms and government discussion. There are always exceptions, of course, with movies like “Dr. Strangelove,” a film about a war crazed general who launch-

14 | MavLife | december 2009

es missiles at Russia. However, the majority of war films consist of battle, ignoring the discussions and stretagies made prior to the actually fighting. Movies are generally focused on action, rather than the politics behind it. Movies need to be able to keep the attention of a majority audience, so therefore, they engage the audience in thrilling, non-stop suspense. There needs to be a reason that more people want to see this movie than not. For example, Dr. Strangelove made around nine million domestic gross while action packed Full Metal Jacket made over 46 million. The action and adventure in a war movie, while being exaggerated for the film, is the real reason that specific movies tend to sell more. Movies create an overpowering and suspensful experience for its audience, but too often neglect reality, giving viewers a warped view of a serious subject. Courtesy of movieposter.com.

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Nena Farrell Staff Writer

On our campus, the military directly contacts students to recruit. There are officers who are stationed here to inform students about the military and for finding possible recruits. The military is given access to part of the school’s student records. Phone calls are placed to the senior class students in early winter to ask about their college or post high school plans, and are given information about the military. Having the military recruit on campus has different effects on different students. While some students may find it bothersome to have a suited officer walking through campus, others may find it useful to learn about their options. Having military officers on campus can only benefit students. The officers aren’t here for any negative reason, not to intimidate or work as if in the field. If a student really wanted to find out if the military was or wasn’t for them, we have someone on campus who can answer their questions. Also, with the phone calls being placed to senior students’ homes, seniors are given the option to set up a one-on-one appointment at the military recruiting office in Poway with another officer.

{entertainment}

DJ Hero As if the growing popularity of Guitar Hero wasn’t enough, an advanced style of music enters the gaming world as players are given a new tool set to explore their musical prowess. DJ Hero brings scratching, sliding, and cross-fading into the living room’s of people looking to tap into an infusion of pop, hip-hop, rap, and rock.

One example of this comes from the combination of the rock band Queen and electronic duo Daft Punk. Artists synonymous with greatness are across the board in 93 different original remixes. From Beck to Eminem, and from Jay-Z to Gorillaz, the game offers unique remixes of popular songs. For those who are not fond of the turn table, certain songs in

the game offer a guitar part alternative for those still attached to Guitar Hero. The game adds diversity with a series of sound boards that allow the player use whatever effect that would add variety to each song. DJ Hero revolutionizes how music is played by gamers and crosses the boundaries of music virtually. Andrew Murray

Assassin’s Creed II The many who were tricked into playing through Assassin’s Creed know how painful it was to play through the story. However, the infamous “creed” of assassin’s is back and surprisingly better than ever. The story picks up, quite literally, immediately after the first ended. No longer does the game take place in the times

Animal Collective “Fall Be Kind - EP” Domino Rating: AAnimal Collective is an indie-rock sensation, to say the least, as it sets psychedelic atmospheres for those who like to dream and dance. “Fall Be Kind” carries more solemn tones throughout, for the exception of the first song, which has a peppy, child-like rythm. Animal Collective expresses more angst than seen in previous albums, enriching their sound with an honesty and depth we have not reaped from them thus far. Kasie Shabaz

Blakroc “Blakroc” V2 Rating: B The Black Keys have always delivered with songs that take over ones soul and freeze it in that moment, be it any time in your life. The duo, however, has released their long awaited side project, Blakroc, which features some of the most creative rappers of our time. The album is by no means an attempt at mixing genres; in fact, it’s actually quite “phat”. This project still carries on that Black Keys bluesy feel, only this time around, there’s quite a bit of rapping involved. Kayne Friesen

of crusades and religious hoax, but four hundred years in the future into the Renaissance. Without giving much away, the story bases itself around the revenge and of course, the assassinations in which the game is focused. Gameplay, something that at first made those who played interested for about a day before losing interest, has improved

in every way that one would hope a sequel could. In most areas, “Assassin’s Creed II” picked up in pace throughout, while still keeping what many love about action-adventures. The new and improved creed is guaranteed to grab your attention in every aspect where the first failed. Kayne Friesen

Norah Jones “The Fall” Blue Note, EMI Rating: BMost people recognize Norah Jones for her calm, unique voice and signature jazz sound. However in her latest album, “The Fall”, the jazz artist demonstrates her own style of contemporary rock. Artists such as Jesse Harris, Ryan Adams, Mike Martin, and Will Sheff accompany Jones on “The Fall”. All of the voices mesh to form an upbeat yet relaxing tone, a modernistic type of elegance illustrated by Norah Jones.

Slayer “World Painted Blood” American, Sony Music Rating: AHeavy metal pioneers Slayer released their eleventh studio album “World Painted Blood” which is perhaps their best work since their master piece “Reign in Blood”. Slayer’s signature lyric themes criticizing religion, United States society, and their fascination with demonic forces flair through this record. For what this album, artist, and genre is all about; this is great work and a must purchase.

Allison Beach

Sebastian Langkilde

december 2009 | MavLife | 15

y k n u f t ge The Books Come Alive at Hollywood Cemetery

Kasie Shabaz Staff Writer

Nick Zammuto serenading the audience. Photo by Andrew Knatt.

After seeing The Books’ show, their most recognized song “Tokyo” barely skims the soul of the very abstract band. I followed my Map Quest directions into the so called venue, I ended up being the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The audience and I were directed into a dim-lit room with maroon walls, a small wooden stage, and a projector screen draping the wall behind it. Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong of The Books emerged right from the audience to take their places on the one foot tall stage. They welcomed us, the audience, warmly and began to answer our question of, “How in the world are these two guys going to perform all their complex recorded stuff live?” They pulled off their complicated track layers with guitars, electric cel-

los, and a treasure trove of pre-recorded samples of drums, speech, and various sounds. All of this was coordinated to bits of film on the projector screen, that could be described as random, funny, and symbolic. They started the show by describing a new concept quite comically: group therapy, yet instead of a group of patients and one therapist, there would be a group of therapists and one patient. Four sympathetic faces of therapists appeared on the screen, and the musical duo began to play an unreleased track from their upcoming album, based on self-help and psychotherapy, while video clips of psychologists played upon the screen. After the witty welcome, they dipped into some songs from older albums, with more thoughtful lyrics: “Then finally we

opened the box / We couldn’t find any rules / Our heads were reeling with the glitter of possibilities, contingencies / but with ever increasing faith we decided to go ahead and just ignore them.” To end their set, they covered 70’s folk singer Nick Drake’s “Cello Song.” They then exited and hid behind a curtain, while the crowd was left thinking they had ended their show and therefore they cheered for an encore. Within a few moments, Zammuto and de Jong returned, and explained how they could not fake such an exit when there was no door on the sides of their small stage. We all laughed together and they played two more songs, to sustain the amiable atmosphere from the beginning to the absolute end of the show.

Unrealistic Expectations From Reality TV Reality TV isn’t all the fashion and glamour it’s made out to be.

Taylor Olson Staff Writer Thanks to MTV and Bravo fashion, internships have recently received a lot of television coverage, but for the most part these television shows present a distorted view of the fashion industry and the lower positions in it. For most students pursuing careers in fashion, the role as intern doesn’t come with their own hair and makeup team or producer to tell them what to say. Reality television shows like “The Hills” and “The City” have created a misconception about interning in fashion leaving many girls disillusioned. These shows capture girls partying and wearing designer clothes, paid for with their paychecks from the show, but little of the unglamorous side of interning. They show girls like Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port who are celebrities first and fashion workers second, girls who are successful in the industry because of their fame. But beyond the cameras and reality television there exists another type of fashion intern, the intern who works his or her way to success by making coffee runs. Television is a form of entertainment so networks try to fill their time

slots with as much drama as possible. Rarely does the American viewer tune in to see others packing and unpacking clothing samples. Entertainment is based on extremes and that means that the fashion industry is presented as a luxurious party scene, or as a place where workers are treated as slaves, as seen in “The Devil Wears Prada”. In MTV’s new show “Styl’d” contestants compete for a job at the celebrity styling agency Margaret Maldonado Agency. The contest setting of this show means that the contestants, five young stylists, get to do tasks they would have to work their way up to for months within the first days of being hired. These tasks such as doing a clothing pull from a fashion line for Kim Kardashian, are usually reserved for experienced employees not stylists still in college with only hours under their belts. The show makes it look easier to excel in the industry than it is. However, it does do a better job of showing the pressure to succeed in the industry and the competition involved than a lot of other reality shows. As a former fashion magazine intern,

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I find it interesting to see how they portray internships and assistant jobs on TV because often they are so out of touch with reality. While I spent my first year interning at a magazine where I had the opportunity to work backstage at a fashion show and help host a launch party, most of my time was spent in front of the computer typing in contact information and uploading pictures to their website. Shows should portray entry positions in a more realistic manner so that people who hope to enter these fields don’t get hired only to find that the job isn’t at all what they expected. Last year I was talking to an admissions counselor at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and she said that most applicants tell her, “Well I like to shop”. She rolled her eyes as she recalled this story, showing her frustration with the lack of knowledge the applicants had about the qualifications and expectations of an industry that although based on frills Senior Melissa Bracknell makes a fashion choice. and frivolousness is run by powerful Photo by Taylor Olson. people with great talent.

{entertainment} A True Day To Remember

Im’ma let you finish, but this was the greatest hardcore show of all time.

Drew Linkogle Staff Writer

Courtesy of Day to Remember. Hundreds of teenagers and young adults anxiously waited in line at Soma, San Diego to get in to one of the greatest hardcore concerts of the year. I See Stars took the stage at at seven o’clock in front of more than 1,000 people. Many lust driven teenage girls screamed in excitement for the young boys from their hometown of San Diego. They played hardcore songs from their most recent album “3-D”, including one of their hit songs “The Big Bad Wolf”. Next to approach the crowd was In Faith and Fear, a screamo/hardcore band that literally rocked the house. “The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions” had the whole crowd head banging. Parkway Drive took the stage and the crowd went wild. The stage set consisted of posters portraying girls

in bikinis wearing aviators, lounging on the beach. As the metal music began to play, crowd surfers emerged out of the pits of “moshers” and were tossed across the room with ease. The more mosh pits that formed, the more people that got hurt and had to leave the concert early. Then came the moment that everyone had been waiting for. The stage lit up as if lightning were striking the stage from every direction. Through the crackling light, a stage set was visible showing four caricatures of the band members their self and a set of fists with the words “Home-Sick” tattooed across them. A Day To Remember walked on stage and the crowd went ballistic. The band challenged every person in the room to be the best crowd of their tour, and by

the sound of the audience the band needn’t have asked. The security guards were overwhelmed as the crowd rushed the stage to the band’s delight. When their set ended and they left the stage the crowd went into a rhythmic chant screaming “One more song! One more song!” Only a minute later the band was back on stage picking up their instruments and taking their place on stage. After three more songs the concert was officially over and the fans knew that it was truly a night to remember.

For more information regarding this topic, see www.lccnews.com.

“Crabcore” Comes out of Hiding Sebastian Langkilde Staff Writer

Ryan Neff (left) and Levi Benton (Right) look out to the crowd. Photo by Mia Manic.

The new age of popular hard-rock music hit San Diego’s Soma, with the “Shred Til Your Dead” tour headlined by “Crabcore” pioneers Attack Attack! playing an intensely entertaining set featuring new lead singer Caleb Shomo. The spectacle started with the chorus-chared “Bro, Ashley’s Here”. Everyone in the venue howled along: “Get up, get up, He’s calling your name/You don’t have to be something you’re not/Someday came suddenly and now I’m standing here.” The band played a brand new song “Sexual Man Chocolate”, which will be on the band’s next album coming later this spring. Attack Attack! kept the crowd’s energy burning, fueling them their hardcore and electronic fusion, very punctual “breakdowns”, and signature gimmicks of the now somewhat infamous “crabhammer,” rhythm guitarist Johnny Franck and bass guitarist John Holgado swing their instrument behind their heads and then swing them back over their heads, and the “crabstance,”

lead guitar Andrew Whiting plays his guitar in a very low crouch similar to that of a crab. As they finished their set, chants of “Encore Encore” erupted from the sweaty-adoring audience. Attack Attack! feed Soma their final act of the epic show, their version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Stick Stickly”. The crowd roared along to every scream;“I’ll wait for you/You know I’ll wait for you/You never said that this would be easy, so go on live.” Whiting was in his crabstance for more than thirty seconds while Shomo riled the now hostile audience into chaos. The surprise of the night however was New Hampshire’s Our Last Night. Their performance was strong and fluid through out the set. They finished with lead guitarist and vocalist Matt Wentworth belting out “Symptoms of a Failing System” with his brother Trevor Wentworth, screaming in the background. Also on the tour was The Color Morale, Miss May I, and crankcore heroes I Set My Friends on Fire.

december 2009 | MavLife | 17

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{sports}

Dealing with Loss

After being undefeated, the football team loses in the semifinal playoffs to Vista’s Panthers. Andrew Murray Staff Writer

Duncan Campbell and team looks on to the field, focused on the game. Photo by JP Horrigan.

Defensive back coach, Maddy Lacroix leads a defensive huddle, instructing the players on the next play. Photo by JP Horrigan.

The Vista Panthers knocked off the football team 47-7 ending any chance at a second consecutive championship, and marking the end of an undefeated season. “We should have played a better game,” head coach Darrin Brown said. “They came out to play. They executed better, and they played great.” Our school’s team was previously undefeated and were looking to cement their legacy by claiming a second straight CIF championship. In a season in which they won every game by double digit margins, a forty point loss at the hands of Vista left the team and fans crushed. “We came out flat,” Micheal Moore, senior, said. “We didn’t try. We didn’t play hard. The seniors didn’t step up.” The Panthers jumped out to a 13-0 lead mid-way through the second quarter and dominated the game the rest of the way. The 10-2 Panthers are now set to take on the 10-1-1 Eastlake Wolves in Qualcomm Stadium for the Division One CIF Championship. While the visitors celebrated, the home crowd, coaches, and players were left stunned; dissappointed that a great season had come to a disastrous end. “We didn’t play like we usually do,” Nico Rodriquez, junior, said. “We didn’t take it. We expected it to come to us, and clearly it didn’t.” Even after the team’s lone score that seemingly pumped up the team and the fans, bad news followed for the rest of the night. First string running back Seth Hanson, senior, left the game with an injury and would not return as the offense continued to collapse. “We didn’t come out to win,” Ian Seau, junior, said. “We made mistakes, and we never learned from them. The biggest thing about football is how you respond to your mistakes, and clearly we didn’t.” The aftermath of the game left many fans and players heartbroken. The home crowd was silent. Some players on the sidelines stared in silence while others shed tears of frustration as the season slipped away. “You know, it wasn’t us,” Garrett

Krstich, junior, said. “They were fired up. We thought we had it. We need to get them next year.” While junior players try to recover from this loss and work towards next season, senior players are left with no second chances. A final shot at glory and an undefeated season has dissappeared. “I’ll be celebrating after the game anyway,” Moore said. “But it wasn’t supposed to end like this.” One of the teams most recognizable gridiron warriors, Kenny Stills, senior, is amongst the team’s saddened senior players. Stills recognized that this was his last game in high school. The talented wide receiver is set to graduate December eighteenth and pursue a career with more lucrative football oppurtunities in college. Stills has yet to select which college he’s going to attend. “Our team is close. We’re not just football players. We’re not just a bunch of muscle heads. We’re a family. The brotherhood that we share is special. That’s what I’ll remember most when I leave high school,” Stills said. Despite the heartbreak, the players are thankful that they were able to experience a chance to make school history. “We had more fun having a chance to go undefeated,” Wade Bartholme, junior, said. “The brotherhood is special. I wouldn’t trade in this season for a chance to win a ring.” As eighty players consoled with eachother and their coaches, Brown said, “You seniors never think twice about holding your head up high. It’s about the journey. This is our family. No one will take away our brotherhood. We love this Maverick team. We are Mavericks forever.”

See more football photos online at www.lccnews.com

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l a c i s y h p t e g The Pressures of Competition Managing sports and studies can overload students. Shannon Brunetti and Alison Peck Staff Writers For some students, competition motivates them to do their absolute best. For others, competition creates a pressure that suffocates students until they cannot handle it anymore. With an impressive sports program and sufficient academic scoring, our school has remained both successful and ambitious, where high expectations are the norm. This creates a competitive vibe, which can have a positive or negative effect on students. New students on campus have begun to feel the competitive nature of the school. “The pressures you feel kind of depend on the classes you have, and what you want for your future,” Kamalia Freyling, freshman, said. Students are pressured in diverse ways, for they experience different teachers, varied levels of difficulty in classes, and a host of extracurricular activities. Some choose not to care about academics, and feel more pressure in sports; some experience no pressure at all. “Sports are more important to some The Girls’ Volleyball team shows their intensity on the court. They practice every day after people,” Suzie Valera, sophomore, said. school. Photo by JP Horrigan. Valera transfered here from Torrey Pines after her freshman year.

recent results Sport Football Girls’ Volleyball Field Hockey Football Boys’ Water Polo Girls’ Tennis Girls’ Volleyball

Team V V V V V V V

Date

Opponent

Location

Score

W/L

Fri, Dec. 4 Tues, Nov. 24 Tues, Nov. 17 Fri, Nov. 13 Thu, Nov. 5 Wed, Nov. 4 Wed, Nov. 4

Vista Huntington Beach Rancho Bueno Vista Torrey Pines Torrey Pines Rancho Bernardo Fallbrook

La Costa Canyon La Costa Canyon La Costa Canyon La Costa Canyon La Costa Canyon Rancho Bernardo La Costa Canyon

7-47 2-3 0-3 30-20 7-18 7-11 3-0

L L L W L L W

upcoming games Sport Wrestling Boys’ Basketball Boys’ Soccer Girls’ Soccer Girls’ Water Polo

Team V FR V JV, V V

Date Fri, Dec. 18 Sat, Dec. 19-Wed, Dec 23 Mon, Dec. 28-Thu, Dec 31 Mon, Jan. 4 Tues, Jan. 12

Location

Time

Opponent

9:00 TBA TBA 3:30 & 5:00 7:00

Reno TOC Rancho Bueno Vista So Cal HS Soccer Classic Francis Parker Mission Hills

Reno Convention Center Rancho Bueno Vista Oceanside La Costa Canyon La Costa Canyon: YMCA

For more, go to www.lccnews.com

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Some students use the competitive environment of high school life to help themselves succeed. “Pressure is a good thing because it pushes me to get good grades so that I can stay in sports,” Andrew Cowan, freshman, said. However, students are also negatively impacted by the competition at school. “Sometimes getting my work done for things I missed in class [because of leaving for sports] is overwhelming,” Savannah Irwin, freshman volleyball player, said. The variety of the high school experience results in diverse reactions. Competition can push someone to score the winning goal or earn a high grade on a test, but it can also create stress. It is up to each student to decide how he or she will handle the pressure. Although there are some students who are negatively affected by the pressures of school, most students find that the pressure is helpful. They believe that they can succeed in sports and academics when they use the pressure and competition to their advantage.

By the Numbers

On November 30, Paul Quessenberry and Garrett Krstich were named “Athletes of the Week” by the North County Times.

On December 18th and 19th, the wrestling team will be traveling to Reno, Nevada for the Tournament of Champions.

{sports}

Darren Fahy: Outrunning Everyone Student athlete wins CIF individuals and competes in state, outrunning all sophomores. Sean Bentley Staff Writer Time to tack on another CIF San Diego Section Division I championship to the school’s long list of athletic achievements. Sophomore Darren Fahy won the cross country individual championship this season with a time of 16 minutes and 4 seconds on the 3.0-mile course at Morley Field in Balboa Park. He then followed up his performance with a great finish in the state championships, coming in 9th place in a race with 198 total competitors. He finished with a time of 15 minutes, 27 seconds on the 5,000 meter course at Woodward Park in Fresno, the best time for all of the sophomores competing. “These were big surprises,” Fahy said. He said he had no idea he would do as well as he did before the season, especially after he broke his foot in a cross country meet last year. His injury caused him to miss the rest of the cross country season, and he wasn’t able to train as much for the track season, in which he competes in the 1-mile and 2-mile races. “I was really motivated to train hard,” said Fahy, “But it did take some time.” In the other four races he competed in this year, he had one 1st place finish, two 2nd place finishes, and a 3rd place finish.

He hopes to accomplish even more in the future. “I want to run in some big meets next cross country season, like the Foot Locker nationals,” said Fahy, “ And I really want to run in college. That’s my main goal.”

Photo above: Boys’ Cross Country Team travels to Stanford to compete. Right Photo: Darren Fahe races at a school meet. Photos courtesy of Darren Fahy.

Olympic Alum Becomes Girls’ Waterpolo Coach New waterpolo coach inputs her strategies for the school team. Nick Bernier and Erica Turnbull Staff Writers

Girls take a break in the game to talk to Coach Sheehy for instruction. Photo by Nika Sedghi.

Girls water polo is starting out fresh this year, with a new coach. Gubba Sheehy is an Olympic Women’s Water Polo Alumni, taking on the job as the new girls’ water polo coach. “Because of Gubba’s past experience in water polo she’s very helpful and she has taught us a lot of new things that our old coach never mentioned.” Tayla O’brien, senior, said O’brien said that training harder has helped the team to bond. Last year, girls water polo won only about a quarter of their games, but this year they are expecting a great season. Swimmer Nika Seghi, junior, said that Gubba has a “no excuses” policy. Gubba is introducing the team to a lot of new workouts and drills that the players are finding easy to apply in the games. With

Gubba’s help the team is finding practices very beneficial. In the past preconditioning meant running around the school track, but this year the girls are constantly training in the water. This was new to them and Sedghi thought that this kind of training has made an obvious improvement in their playing. So far the players are really impressed with Gubba’s experience with coaching, and knowledge of the sport. “Gubba really knows waterpolo. She has a lot to teach, and she’s very qualified to be our coach.” Seghi said. With Gubba’s help, the team is looking forward to a successful season. “Our goal is to make top six in CIF and I think Gubba can get us there,” Sedghi said.

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y e n o m e h t t ge Vince Kotchian Expert SAT/ACT Tutor 617-519-6101 wkotchian@gmail.com http://www.mcelroytutoring.com/tutor. php?id=313

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e f i l t n stude

Photos by JP Horrigan and Lizzie Marco.

december 2009 | MavLife |

k n u r t e h t n i k jun Matt Cunningham vs. Lizzie Marco

dot over the letter “i” called? Cunningham: Umlaut. Marco: Floating period. A: A title. Score remains the same. 2-2 7. What drug did Coca-Cola use as an ingredient when first introduced? Cunningham: Cocaine. Marco: Cocaine. A: Cocaine. Both score! 3-3 8. What is Barbie’s full name? Cunningham: Barbara Anne Johnson Marco: Barbara McPerkycheeks, that sounds funny. A: Barbara Millicent Roberts. Neither got it correct so the tie remains. 3-3 9. How many letters are in the Hawaiian alphabet? Cunningham: 26 Marco: 26 A: 12. Again both are incorrect. 3-3 10. What is used to thicken ice cream today? Cunningham: Soy. Marco: Milk. A: Seaweed. We end with a TIE! 3-3

teacher vs. student

1. What color are bulls attracted to? Cunningham: Red. Marco: Red. A: Red. Right off the bat we have a tie! 1-1 2. What is the number of bones in an adult’s body? Cunningham: 1237, that’s totally wrong. Marco: 130 A: 206. Both are incorrect. 1-1 3. With what organ do butterflies taste with? Cunningham: Oh, I know this one! Antennas. Marco: Legs. A: Feet. Feet are technically part of the leg. Marco takes the round! 1-2 4. What is the state sport of Maryland? Cunningham: Lacrosse. Marco: Cheese Rolling. A: Jousting. Neither got it correct. 1-2 5. True or False: Bumblebees die after they sting. Cunningham: False. Marco: True. A: False. Cunningham takes the round! 2-2 6. What is the

Complete the Sudoku puzzle so that each and every row, column, and region contains the numbers one through nine only once.

Photo by Liliana Alaniz.

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