MavLife February 2011-2012

Oh, Shoot!

Best Doughnut

Will Jones critiques Renaissance, a program that will potentially use rewards to encourage students to make better grades.

The girls basketball team takes on new heights as they face another season and deal with the challenges of a new varsity coach.

Got a sugar craving? Bite into this sweet story.

Students and teachers taste test doughnuts from three local bakeries.

Opinion

Sports

Entertainment Page 23

Renaissance

Page 4

Page 15

MavLife

February 2012

Students ask:

La Costa Canyon High School, One Maverick Way, Carlsbad, CA 92009

Who’s it Gonna Be?

Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, and Paul Compete for the Republican Nomination

Volume 6 Issue 3

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I don’t ? ?

Know But I’ve been told Confusion surrounds ASVAB exam Graphic by Brenna Lyles and Raquel Zilberman

Kiana Jackson News Editor

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A

Megan Mineiro Staff writer

s the race for theWhite House continues, only Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul remain.

The candidates are pulling out all the stops to win the nomination, airing negative television commercials and utilizing social media to win voters hook, line, and sinker in the upcoming primaries.

As of now, Romney has 31 percent of the GOP ballot support. After the South Carolina primary, Gingrich pulled forward from fourth to second place and now follows behind Romney with 26 percent of the voters support nationally. Santorum is in third place with 16 percent and Paul is in fourth place with 11 percent. Position

in the polls doesn’t affect how some republicans feel about the condidates.

“I’m looking at Romney and Santorum as the two that can be the most successful and defeat Obama,” freshman Cole Marting said.

Mitt Romney is the former governor of Massachusetts and ran for President in the 2008 election.

His slogan, “Believe in America,” encourages citizens to stand for our country’s freedom, opportunity, and hope.

Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, kicked off his campaign with the slogan “Help Newt Restore America.”

He has never run for presidenct before and

continued on page 9

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Answers: C, B, A, B

Photo by Megan Mineiro

Teacher Jobi Cooper discusses the election with one of her senior government classes.

n January 12, hundreds of students left their first period classes and gathered in the theater for a three hour test called the ASVAB, or the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

Some expected a career or personality test, while others were dreading what they were told would be similar to the annual STAR test, but only some knew exactly what they were signed up for.

“I took the exam because I intend on enlisting.” Junior Waylon Christensen said. “I wanted to know which division I am most fit for.”

For those who are sure

that they want to go into the military this test was helpful and convenient.

A few weeks prior to the ASVAB, representatives came to the school to talk to all social science classes, informing students that the test was free and available to them during school hours.

What the representatives advertised was a test that could help students determine what career would suit their abilities and personalities best. However, that is not what students found upon opening their test booklets.

The ASVAB is a test required to gain entrance into military service. In

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order to enlist, students must obtain a minimum qualifying score on the exam, which is called Armed Forces Qualifications Test score (AFQT). The AFQT score predicts enlistees’ potential for training in military occupations.

US Navy Recruiter Charlie Chededo confirmed exactly what the test results are used for and where they go.

“We take your scores and directly apply them to jobs that you qualify for,” Chadedo said. “We keep those scores on record and contact you based on the results.”

Upon hearing about the test, most students felt that the connection to the military was not made clear enough—if at all.

“I thought it was a career test, more based off of personality type questions,” junior Jessica Allegretti said.

When the recruiters described the test as similar to the ACT or SAT, it was not clear that what exactly the similarities were.

The connection is that it’s a test

Continued on page 8

nce e onics cie dens se: Electr ion S at e u l m s r o a a f s n I d stat er le bec e soli s u

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Sample ASVAB questions from www.official-asvab.com

Editorial

2

I Dare You to Teach Me.

MavLife 2011-2012 Staff Editor-In-Chief: Brenna Lyles Managing Editor: Tara McQueen Features Editor: Hanna Beyer Opinion Editor: Raquel Zilberman News Editor: Kiana Jackson Sports Editor: Courtney Utsler Entertainment Editor: Cameron Gurley Photo Editor: Kenya Caines Design Editor: Will Jones Assistant Designer: Meg Shepro Copy Editor: Nicole Walters Staff Writers: Rikki Backus, Jenny Barnes,Tiffany Brock, John Mark Carlson, Alex Condos, Kelsea Critin, Ana Diaz, Gage DiRoberto, Savannah Dukes-Samala, Maddy Fitzgerald, Anthony Fregoso, Karlee Fuller, Grant Goodstein, Ali Madurowicz, Claudia Mathews, Megan Mineiro, Julian Sanz, Shanoah Souza, Meg Shepro, Victoria Zamora, Rebecca Zilberman

M

avLife is the student newspaper of La Costa Canyon High School.

LCCHS 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 Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Student Press Law Center standards. 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 views.

Letters to the

Editor Have an opinion about a new school policy? Have a bone to pick with something MavLife has published?

Anything else on your mind? E-mail us at mavlifenews@gmail.com or write us a letter and drop it off in room 820.

Feb.

Photo Credit Suzi Van Steenbergen

The MavLife Editorial Board reenacts typical classroom boredom. (Left to Right)Brenna Lyles,Will Jones, Raquel Zilberman, Hanna Beyer,Tara McQueen, Courtney Utsler, Nicole Walters, Kenya Caines, and Kiana Jackson.

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s students fill in the desks on the first failure of American public education. social, natural, and physical science classes. day of school, a growing number are Though there are intriguing classes Students may initially resist more entering the classroom expecting little in both College Prep and Honors/AP, it active learning approaches only because more than to be given a textbook and to seems that higher level courses tend to they have grown accustomed to passive be lectured for two hours. engage students most. Even last year’s teaching methods. But, when teachers set Already accustomed to the routine WASC visiting committee commented the intellectual bar higher, students rise to of sitting idly, playing on their phones, that “the curriculum and instruction in the the challenge. As Salman Khan, creator of or nodding off during dull lectures, these college preparatory classes do not offer Khan Academy, argues, “students simply students slouch in their chairs, giving the the same rigor as the Advanced Placement do better when schools show respect for teacher a look as if to say, “I and Honors classes do.” their natural curiosity and intelligence.” dare you to teach me.”

Though college prep Furthermore, the lack of engagement Teachers are “Students simply do classes should not expect in classrooms is not just a local issue; subsequently faced with better when schools the same heavy workload it is at the heart of why the American a choice: undertake AP and Honors classes, education system is crumbling. As the show respect for their of the daunting task of they need to maintain national discussion of education focuses on engaging their students natural curiosity and equal relevance and expanding curriculum and standardized in a challenging academic intelligence.” engagement. This is not testing, the importance of engaging atmosphere, or relax a matter of learning students with active learning methods has Salman Khan their teaching methods to more material, but rather been overshadowed. accommodate students’ of supplementing the In fact, the failure to critically disinterest. Recognizing curriculum with 21st examine material is hitting kids hard the former as a nearly impossible task, century skills, such as critical thinking, as they enter the workplace. Dr. Tony many teachers choose the latter. problem solving, and communication.

Wagner of the Harvard Graduate School However, this is a trap. As teachers AP English Language and AP US of Education found in interviews with attempt to accommodate for their students’ History successfully incorporate skills leading employers such as Apple, The Walt disinterest, they reinforce students’ dismal beyond standard curriculum. Though Disney Company, and Pearson, that today’s views of school, deepening the original AP scores only give a limited glimpse teens need to master “seven survival problem. of the quality of teaching, the fact that skills,” including the ability to access and Along with growing class sizes, a these classes maintain analyze information, combination of disinterested students and high pass rates despite collaborate, and solve overwhelmed teachers has perpetuated teaching the most “When teachers set the problems. a vicious cycle of low engagement and students of any AP But Wagner also intellectual bar higher, concluded reduced rigor at our school. As a result, subject demonstrates that “even some teachers on our campus fail to make that effective teaching students rise to the our best schools don’t their classes interesting, relevant, and can propel even the challenge.” teach the new survival rigorous. most diverse selection skills our children However, the editorial staff of MavLife of students to success. need.” In an increasingly believes that teachers need to make their Within these model classes, there are global economy, it is important that classes more rigorous and engaging, not common trends that should be followed American graduates are competitive with only because teachers need to escape the in both College Prep and AP classes. their international counterparts — a trap, but because it is vital to reversing the First, down time is virtually nonexistent standard that requires skills that go beyond in these courses. When students spend learning basic concepts outlined in the the entire class period on productive curriculum. activities — rather than pointless “busy In the end, we expect our teachers to work”— students feel committed and rise to the challenge of engaging students, even compelled to be in class every day. and to recognize that lackluster classes Teachers who utilize activities such aren’t just a complaint of seemingly as discussions and debates encourage “unmotivated” students. Such classes students to share their analysis of perpetuate students’ dismal view of “textbook” topics and how they apply school to a point that spells disaster for to the real world. For college-bound their own futures. Teachers are more students, class-wide discussions develop than just passive figures who write on critical thinking skills that will allow for white boards and grade papers; they are success in crowded lecture halls with little leaders inspiring future generations to be one-on-one attention from a professor. inquisitive, respectful, and hardworking.

While discussions are usually employed And as such, they need to be the ones to solely in English classes, we see their great take the first step out of the trap some of www.facebook.com/lccnews potential in other fields of study such as our school’s classes are in.

@MavLife

Opinion

Feb.

3

Where the Wild Things Aren’t Don’t break the bank onWinter Formal

Ana Diaz Staff Writer

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s formal quickly approaches, the question that haunts many students remains, “is formal worth the steep price?”

This year’s Winter Formal is to be held at the San Diego Zoo with an appropriate theme, “Where the Wild Things Are.” You have to take into consideration the different decisions that go into creating the “perfect” formal. While the total price for formal is large, the experience seems to be unforgettable. But when weighing the pros and cons, it seems like formal will also leave an unreasonable dent in your wallet.

First and foremost, finding a date can be challenging. Once that mission has been accomplished, a majority of girls will end up having to buy the ticket and potentially pay transportation fees for their dates as well.

Then comes the outfit. If you’re a girl, you have to find the perfect dress, the perfect shoes, and the perfect accessories.

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Illustration by Raquel Zilberman

However, dresses aren’t the only pricey attire. For guys, tux rentals easily cost over $100 for only one night. When you put all of this together, you end up spending an insane amount of money.

And just when you thought you couldn’t possibly spend any more money, you also have to take into consideration transportation

expenses. The peer pressure to arrive in a stylish limo or a party bus is overwhelming — and they aren’t cheap, usually costing $40 to $60 per person.

For the entire evening, the total amount adds up to $300 to $500, with some students spending even more. This amount just for a dance doesn’t make sense. Also, not

“For the entire evening, the total amount adds up to $300 to $500 ... this amount just for a dance doesn’t make sense.”

everyone is financially stable at our school.

There are many people who struggle with money and the pressure of having a nice dress or tux along with the additional accessories can be highly stressful.

However, choosing not to spend a fortune on a dance doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun night out. You can make plans to go ice skating or bowling with your friends — or even your “would’ve been date.” These are fun, alternative options to still have a fun time while everyone else is at formal. You’ll end up spending less money for a day at Disneyland or another amusement park than you would have for a pricey school dance.

So is just one night of fun worth all the money? I believe it’s not, but that doesn’t take away the experience. So, if you’re going to formal this year or the following years, try and conserve your money. Buy a cute but affordable dress, or rent a simple tux. Pull together a group of friends to carpool down to the zoo for an easy way to save money on transportation.

Formal may look like an expensive party at the zoo, but for some people, it is an important part of their high school experience. The choice is ultimately all up to you — try to have some fun no matter how much money you plan to spend.

Illustration by Raquel Zilberman

Opinion

4

Feb.

Motivation For All the Wrong Reasons Will Jones points to potential pitfalls in the Renaissance program

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Will Jones Design Editor

fear the school may be losing its way.

The administration has decided the best way to increase academic achievement is to reward people accordingly to their GPAs. In a high school where checking one’s grades on Aeries is the daily ritual of many, this grade-centric approach will only deepen an already intoxicating culture of grade obsession.

The administration is seriously considering a system called Renaissance, in which rewards such as the current semi-annual honors roll breakfast will be extended to a GPA-based tier system, effectively segregating students based on grades. Students who have a GPA above 4.0 will be put in the “Gold” level, with which one can get special discounts and honors. Subsequently, lower tiers will receive fewer privileges and little to no discounts.

The objective of Renaissance seems clear and simple: improve our school’s academic performance through a gradebased rewards system. However, the use of incentives will do little to change how students perform in the classroom.

These incentives are meant to encourage students to raise their grades.

But is it incentives that students lack?

Many parents strongly emphasize good grades. Starting when kids arrive at school, students are ingrained with the weight of their grades on the future.

Those students who want to go to a four year university closely study the grades that their dream college’s admissions department is looking for.With all of these influences, it’s hard to imagine the average kid dismissing good grades so easily.

For those who currently lack incentive to put more effort into school, how can any small amount of resources the school could offer as rewards succeed in

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encouraging better grades where currently present incentives have failed? Students have many obstacles to academic success, such as domestic conflicts and swamped work and athletic schedules. Often, students who are struggling academically subsequently feel disconnected from the school environment. As a result, incentives like discounted dance tickets or meals with their teachers and peers are of little interest to them.

Beyond the problems with the methods of Renaissance lies a deeper issue: the goal itself is distorted.

Grades are a measurement of a student’s performance in a class. Teachers do their best to make the grade an accurate reflection of this, combining various percentages of test grades, homework, and behavioral

enaissance is a program designed to enhance the academic climate at La Costa Canyon High School. According to a draft proposal, students receive incentives to boost their GPA, and scores on tests such as the CAHSEE and STAR. Students are to be broken up into three academic tiers, “Gold,” “Silver,” and “Bronze,” with an “improvement threshold” that determines the rewards they are to receive. These tiers are primarily based on GPA and a student’s ability to raise that number, potentially qualifying students for rewards (please refer to table on the right).

A “Platinum” level may potentially be added to the plan for students who are the “top of the top,” according to Assistant

3 Illustration by Raquel Zilberman

assessments. However, the true goal of school — the one that grades attempt to measure — is for students to learn.

When the goal becomes the grade, students tend to cater their efforts towards that goal. Copying homework, plagiarism, and other methods of cheating become a risky, yet effortless way to be successful in school. Begging a teacher for a one percent increase in a grade is a regular routine for students with borderline grades before the end of the semester. And the automatic response when a teacher asks a student for a favor becomes, “Will I get extra credit?”

Grades and GPAs aren’t necessarily bad, as they serve as invaluable data used to assess student performance. What is

“Realizing the goal of real academic success requires a change in perspective and a higher standard in moral thinking with regard to schoolwork from the entire LCC community.”

What is Renaissance?

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Brenna Lyles Editor-In-Chief

Principal Mark Van Over.

Awards for testing will include similar “ASB-based rewards.”

Renaissance also promotes voluntary teacher rewards for excelling students that may include final exam waivers, free homework passes, and other “non-intrusive class based privileges.”

According to the proposal, all teacherto-student rewards may not negatively affect other teachers, administration, or students.

This proposal was created in November of 2011. According to Van Over, Renaissance will be enacted in mid-March after it is finalized by the administration and leadership class.

essentially wrong with Renaissance is that achieving high grades is set as the stated goal, which worsens already rampant problems with students’ academic integrity.

Measurements like GPA have their uses, but there is a point where they can be abused. Caloric intake is an important factor in analyzing one’s diet, but it would be unreasonable to use that as the standard for judging one’s diet. Three hundred calories of hamburger differs from three hundred calories of fresh vegetables, much in the same way that an A+ on a copied assignment differs from an A on an assignment completed independently.

If we really want a way to recognize students who truly deserve recognition, teachers could give awards or incentives to students themselves. They know — far better than any number or letter on a report card — how well a particular student has done in their class.

Awards wouldn’t necessarily have to be of material value either. A “Strongest Voice in Writing” award, for example, would instill a greater pride in a student, and is more directly related to achievement than GPA-based awards.

Realizing the goal of real academic success requires a change in perspective and a higher standard in moral thinking with regard to schoolwork from the entire LCC community.

Parents, students, teachers, and administrators alike all have a role to play in promoting the learning process for its own sake. Parents need to revert to asking their kids, “What did you learn in school today?” rather than “Did you raise your grade in math class yet?” Students need to think of the worth of their assignments in terms of insights achieved, not grade points earned. Teachers need to evaluate their students with detailed criticism, not just percentage points. And school administrators need to learn to lighten their infatuation with test scores and GPA, and find more meaningful ways to recognize high achieving students.

Level

Attainment Threshold

Improvement Threshold

Rewards

Gold

4.0 and higher GPA

None

ASB-based rewards Discounted formal and prom tickets Refund of parking permit fee Free breakfast at break Name entered in drawings for prizes

Silver

3.5 to 3.99 GPA

Increase of GPA by 1.0

Discounted formal ticket ASB-based rewards

Bronze

3.0 to 3.49 GPA

Increase of GPA by 0.5

ASB-based rewards

Opinion

Feb.

5

Extra Cushion or Easy Convenience?

Extra credit has its benefits

Rebecca Zilberman Staff Writer

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his homework assignment is optional, and students do not groan at the announcement of it. Instead, the noises of excited students are prevalent throughout the classroom.What is this assignment that is so pleasing and longed for? Extra credit.

It is safe to say that students are obsessed with getting extra credit in a class to help boost their grade.

I feel that when a student wants to go above and beyond to do extra work, there is no reason for a teacher not to allow it. A teacher should want a student to be able to get a good grade in a class, if that student is willing to put extra time and effort into it.

If a student did really badly on a test, maybe even in the beginning of the semester, the student should be allowed to redeem himself or herself with some extra credit.

However, extra credit should be related to the class or topic being currently

learned, not something completely random. Also, it should not be worth more points than regular work. This way, everything is kept fair and reasonable.

Some teachers feel that extra credit is beneficial.

“Some students have tough times on tests, and extra credit is a way to get them back to where they want to be,” history teacher Doug Heflin said. “[The students] can’t get by with just the extra credit.”

There can be problems with giving extra credit, such as kids not trying as hard in class. Because of this, some teachers, with good reason, are opposed to giving the extra points.

“Work we do in class is important,” English teacher Erika Wanczuk said. “[Extra Credit] sends the message that what we do in class is not important. It undermines kids that do all their work the whole semester.”

Extra credit should not be given freely, but should also not be completely banned. Regulating extra credit would please both sides of the argument. Also, it is unfair for two teachers who teach the exact same thing to offer different extra

e ? t m oints e is g dit p h t ll re Wi tra C Ex credit, or one teacher not offer it at all.

Another thing to take into account is that some teachers only offer extra credit to students who have, for example, no tardies, or have turned in all of their homework.

This is a good way to make sure that students who have not been trying the whole semester will not turn in an extra credit assignment at the last minute and get a good grade that they do not deserve.

“It is unfair if a pile can bounce back at the end of the semester,” Spanish teacher Ryan Giusta said. “[If you] do the normal credit, you won’t need the extra credit.”

It is nice that some teachers take into consideration that students do mess up.

“I am a hard grader, but I don’t want everyone to get bad grades because of it,” math teacher Stefani Valverde said. “I hold students to high standards [so they] know what exactly ‘right’ looks like. They don’t

“It is unfair if a pile can bounce back at the end of the semester.”

Ryan Giusta

Friday Night Snooze

Friday Night School is viewed more as a nap time, rather than a serious consequence

Jenny Barnes Staff Writer

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hen the Friday afternoon bell rings, most students sigh in relief.

The week is over, and freedom is within grasp—for all but a few. The students who have been assigned Friday Night School (FNS) must instead pay their dues.

It seems as if there is some preconceived notion of what Friday Night School is like, and who attends. The name brings spark thoughts of “The Breakfast Club” and Soft Cell’s “Don’t You Forget About Me,” but in reality, those two hours of silence are nothing like an 80’s movie.

Friday Night School is held directly after school on various Fridays in a variety of rooms. FNS is given out as a punishment for many different infractions, from something as mild as multiple tardies to disrespectful in-class behavior.

But is Friday Night School the right punishment for such actions? For instance, if a student is “in a mood” or “having a bad day,” should it be within the teacher’s right to assign him or her to sit silently in a room from 2:45 to 4:45?

In order to find out what really happens at FNS, I went undercover as

a Friday Night School student. Neither the teacher nor the other students in the room knew that I was a journalist for MavLife.

Starting at 2:45, students stride into the room, some on time but others hideously late.

Everyone is told to “unplug” and get out something academic do to. Students are also warned that if they misbehave, they will be “kicked out” and forced to come to two more Friday Night Schools, a threat that seems adequate enough to stifle any possible misbehavior.

The first hour of the day consists of the students all attempting to keep up the pretense of homework, with people making eye contact with one another, attempting to make conversation with eye motions and shoulder shrugs.

Half-way though the period, the students are allowed to “go to the bathroom and get snacks” without supervision, which basically turns into texting time for fifteen minutes until they are asked to go back into the classroom.

After the break is over, students are herded back into their classrooms to sit and wait for another hour until being released.

The intention of Friday Night School, is to be a productive punishment that shows students that there will be

Illustration by Raquel Zilberman

repercussions for their actions.

“I think the premise of having a Friday Night School program is a good one because sometimes students need to realize that they are here at school to learn, and when you become an obstacle for learning, there needs to be some consequence for that,” Assistant Principal Bjorn Paige said.

Whatever the purpose of Friday Night School is, the result is clear: a room full of tired teenagers who do not necessarily regret their actions, but instead regret their punishment.

Friday Night School doesn’t seem to be meeting its purpose.

Students should not be permitted to sit around doing nothing, and some things could be done to change that. For example, assignments could be given out

Illustration by Raquel Zilberman

need to be perfect to get an A.” Many students feel that extra credit is a good thing because they immediately think about the fact that extra points can bump up a “borderline grade.”

“Every point counts in high school,” junior Jenny Chiu said. “Extra credit pushes us harder, and requires knowing the material to get the extra points.”

It is important for teachers to point out our mistakes so that we learn from them, while also cutting students some slack. On the other hand, slackers should not be rewarded for doing nothing the whole semester. If a student is willing to put the time into doing extra work to make up for a bad test grade, the student should be able to do so.

Friday Night School Rules: Students must attend from 2:45-4:45 PM Students must have their I.D. cards with them Cell phones and electronic devices must not be used or in sight at any time Students must have something academic to do. If not, they may read a bound book Students must remain silent for the entire period Sleeping is not allowed Students may not bring food or drinks with them Students who need to use the restroom will only be allowed out for ten minutes total that need to be completed by the end of the session or students could be forced into solidarity instead of getting to be around others.

But for now, Friday Night School seems as if it will remain a Friday Night Snooze.

Opinion

6

Feb.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Students need to realize there is potential beyond high school

Ali Madurowicz Staff Writer

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very child has a dream. Whether that dream is to be a princess, a firefighter, or an astronaut, it doesn’t matter. A child’s dream is the most beautiful expression of pure determination.

However, as kids grow up, their once innocent and naive aspirations are lost in a mix of social and academic pressures. It seems a person’s stereotype in high school becomes who they are expected to be for the rest of their lives.

High school has become a daily competition of who has the best grades, gets into the best schools, and has the best clothes — it’s an exhausting and vicious cycle where everyone is trying to impress everyone else for the wrong reasons.

I admit, I’ve fallen into this stupid mindset. But now, looking back, I realize what a waste of time it was to try to compete in everything. Everyone has their strengths in life. Not everyone can get into Stanford, and not everyone can stay up to date with Vogue; just do your best and be happy with your accomplishments.

The constant pressure from peers and parents has reached a new level. The pressure no longer guides students in a direction; it molds and shapes them into what everyone else wants them to be and sometimes overshadows the innocent dreams they once had as a child.

Growing up, I was expected to earn straight A’s on my report cards. My parents didn’t bribe me or threaten me— it was purely expected that if I didn’t live up to the standards, I was punished. The feeling of being expected to be excellent has been carried throughout my life, and has taken its toll.

All parents want success for their children. But the definition of “success” gets lost in communication. While one may see success as a high paying job after graduating from Harvard, another may see success as fulfilling the

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.

Hang out with friends who are like-minded and who are also designing purpose-filled lives. Similarly, be that kind of friend for your friends.”

Mark Twain dream of going to art school and subsequently working long hours for minimal pay.

Though students want to fit in and make their parents proud, they need to remember their personal aspirations and have faith in themselves to make those dreams come true, despite the standards and pressures set by society.

Personally, I have been given an opportunity to follow my dreams and accomplish something I’ve been passionate about since I was young and didn’t know about acceptance rates, GPAs, or the SAT. I am graduating high

school early to be a Disney princess aboard the Disney Cruise — and really, what little girl doesn’t dream of that?

It’s a bold choice that took a lot of thinking before reaching a decision. My main concern was not going to college. Everything I had worked for in the past 18 years of my life was aimed at college. Now, I am able to accomplish my dream of performing and then enroll at a university for the spring semester.

There is life beyond high school, beyond the drama, the homework, the dances, and the tests. I’m not saying a high school student should sit at home and not be involved in activities. I am a firm believer of being connected within the local and school community. But realize there is an abundance of opportunities beyond these high school walls and beyond others’ limited expectations.

I have chosen to take this job over graduating with my class, and experiencing senior burger day, grad night, the senior boat dance, and everything high school seems to lead up to. However, high school isn’t leading up to these events; it’s leading up to the beginning of your future.

It seems weird to be required to know what I want to do for the rest of my life, because honestly it will probably change. I know I don’t want to work on a cruise ship for the rest of my life. Accepting this job has been one step in fulfilling my own purpose in life, and that purpose is to live life to the fullest and never let life’s adventures end.

A child’s dreams are truly an expression of naive determination. These children don’t realize that the dreams they create for themselves are nearly impossible to obtain without hard work. However, teenagers need to hold onto those dreams and never let them go because wishing at 11:11 may be what they think they want, but a dream is a wish that their heart truly makes on its own.

The Entitled American: Restoring a Culture of Hard Work

Americans must regain economic success through strong work ethic

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Grant Goodstein Staff Writer

mericans want plenty of things — they want to eat at restaurants, they want a place to live, they want health care. But to receive these things, naturally money would be a necessity. And to make money, you need a job.

But in today’s America, that’s not necessarily the case.

Government-provided food stamps can be redeemed for restaurant food that is far more expensive than what can be bought at a supermarket. No one can be turned away from an emergency room. When people are out of work, the government often creates new jobs for them through a “stimulus package.” In many cases, the government provides subsidized housing for the poor to live in.

While in theory this is all great, I think it is truly the downfall of today’s America. Americans feel that the government owes something to them, simply because they are citizens. Incentive is the key to economic success, but what is the incentive to work a low-paying job when you know the government will provide the essentials for you?

Isn’t the fear of being unable to feed your family or afford to take your child to the doctor the primary motivating factor in life?

Capitalism is all about competition and our society is less competitive when a significant percentage of

Americans are being provided for, no matter the circumstances. For some reason, we Americans think some things are below us. This is insanity.

We should be doing anything possible to support ourselves and the people we love. Why shouldn’t an out of work CPA go work as a cook at McDonald’s if that will allow him to support his family while he is searching for a job closer to his previous pay level?

Assistance should be readily available to those who are willing to work hard to earn it. If someone is working full-time at a minimum-wage job and still cannot provide his family the essentials, that person should receive the aid that he needs.

“For some reason, we Americans think some things are below us. This is insanity.”

Fraud has also become a major issue within the welfare system. According to a 2002 report by the House Committee on Ways and Means, more than half of a billion dollars per year of welfare money is given based on fraudulent claims. Safeguards should be in place to ensure that assistance goes to those who are most in need and willing to work.

Things should not be handed out for free. Struggling to feed your family? The government should not just give away food stamps. They should be provided in exchange for some kind of work, maybe sweeping the streets or a similar job which would help contribute toward the enhancement of our country in some way.

It seems that our sense of entitlement is very cultural.

According to BBC News, less than a half of a percent of residents of Osaka, Japan (the country’s third largest city) are homeless as compared to almost three and a half percent of Chicagoans being homeless.

The reason for the disparity is simple: hard work is one of the most essential components of Japanese culture. Unemployment in Japan is just four percent, while America has a rate of over nine percent.

But according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than three million available jobs in America. Conversely, there is a tiny number of available jobs in Japan. It seems that, to the Japanese, there is no shame in any job that will allow them to feed their families and provide them with homes. Work is work.

When we Americans want to make a change to hold ourselves more accountable, we will find economic success. But for now, we will continue to struggle — blaming everyone but the real culprits: ourselves.

Illustration by Meg Shepro

News Maverick Makes it to Hollywood

7

Feb.

Student steps into the spotlight of “American Idol”

T

Photo by Claudia Matthews

Sophomore Aubree Bouche is competing for the top prize in the American Idol competition.

Rikki Backus Staff Writer

he dreams of sophomore Aubree Bouche became a reality from the moment the golden ticket reached her hands. Aubree auditioned for “American Idol,” but was unable to disclose exactly how far she’s advanced until recently, when her first audtion was televised and it was revealed that she earned a place in the Hollywood round.

Fighting her nerves, Bouche sang her heart out and made it to the next round of eliminations.

“I was nervous,” Bouche said, “but I tried my best to give it everything I had and just live in the moment.”

Since the age of three, Aubree has been singing in hopes of one day turning her passion into a career. After ten years of waiting to be on screen, Aubree’s anticipation has finally reached its end.

Reaching New Heights Scientists discover new Earth-like planet that might support life Gage DiRoberto Staff Writer

W

e have found thousands of other planets, but one in particular stands out and it may be the closest thing to the place we call home. This wonder planet is creating a lot of buzz throughout the science world and may lead to more extraordinary discoveries.

Kepler-22B is located in the Kepler system, which is around 500 light years from our solar system. It has an average surface temperature of 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 Fahrenheit) and is approximately twice the size of Earth and is five times the mass. Since it is bigger than Earth, its gravitational pull is twice the force of the Earth.

NASA does not know if the planet is mostly rock, Kepler-22b gas, or liquid, but they think it has a high possibility of having water, a key prerequisite for life.

“Water is the staple of life. Without it, life could not be supported,” Earth and Space teacher and California certified astronomer Kevin Fairchild said.

The star that Kepler-22B orbits off of is only slightly smaller than our sun and is almost exactly the same as our sun. Kepler22B’s year is equal to 290 Earth days and each day is only about 3 hours longer than ours. Kepler-22B is so similar to Earth

it has earned the nickname “Earth 2.0” among scientists. Some experts believe “Earth 2.0” may potentially support life.

“I would not be surprised if Kepler22B contains life but I would be very surprised if we can reach it anytime soon,” Fairchild said.

Other astronomers are skeptical about the chances of there being life on Kepler-22B. “When we look at how unique and exact conditions have to be to support life, we see how hard it is for there to be forms of life,” s c i e n c e 600 Lightyears Earth teacher Bob Away Sills said.

Despite t h e s e concerns, m a n y astronomers believe that this planet, Graphic by Meg Shepro and those like it, could contain life. The Kepler telescope, which found Kepler-22B, has found hundreds of other “earth-like planets” and is continuing to find more.At this pace we may find many more planets like Kepler and may even find intelligent life, but in the meantime scientists will focus on Kepler-22B. As the world continues to spin, the search into the great beyond continues.

If we can keep up exploration at the current the pace, we may have yet another extraordinary discovery on the horizon.

“I have wanted to try out for “American Idol” since the show first started,” Bouche said.

After facing the judges and listening to them critique her singing, Aubree’s emotions flew through the roof when she found out she had made it through the auditions.

“I was so excited that I burst into tears the moment I saw my family,” Bouche said.

After being viewed on national television, even people who did not know Aubree showed enthusiasm about their local television star.

“A lot of people came up to me and congratulated me that I don’t really know,” Aubree said. “It was nice, but it seemed a little strange to me.”

Now that Aubree has started to pave the way for a successful career, her life has seen shifts in everyday activities and normal routines. However, Bouche

has crossed her fingers that life will continue to change as she hopes to use this opportunity to further promote her career in the music industry.

“I am looking forward to continuing my singing career and hopefully go somewhere with it,” Bouche said.

Aubree not only has the drive to sing, but has also expressed interest in acting.

“Singing is my main passion, but I do love acting as well,” Bouche said. “My ultimate goal is to pursue film and singing.”

Aubree now has the pressure of school and pursuing her singing goals, realizing that she has to juggle both aspects of her life equally.

“I have missed a week of school already and it is very hard to catch up,” Bouche said.

However, Aubree is not going to allow her school work to get in the way of her lifelong dream.

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News

8

ASVAB Exam Surprises Students

students take for placement in the same way that the SAT or ACT reveals which colleges are within reach. Other than that, there is little to no correlation between the questions or content on either test.

“It was unlike any test I’ve taken before,” junior Tyler Simpson said. “One category was about automobiles and I knew I wouldn’t get any of those [right].”

The test has eight sections: arithmetic reasoning (AR), mathematics knowledge (MK), word knowledge (WK), paragraph comprehension (PC), general science (GS), auto & shop information (AS), mechanical comprehension (MC), and electronics information (EI). The test sections may favor students who are ready to enlist.

“I thought [the ASVAB] was easy,” Chr istensen said.

“I enjoyed that it tested on the application of skills instead of just knowledge.”

Samples of some of the section’s questions are available in the table on the front page.

Once students were signed in to take the test and sitting in their seats, the proctors, some of whom appeared in uniform, made certain that everyone signed an agreement called a “Privacy Statement” that allows the military to score and record the test results.

According to some students and teachers, most representatives didn’t address any privacy issues in their speeches to classes.

Given the privacy concerns, some parents might be concerned.

“My parents were kind of mad after the fact because I didn’t know what exactly

Continued from first page

it was,” junior Jamie Davis said.

Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) permits personal information (names, addresses and telephone numbers) to be released to the military upon request. However, the Act also provides that a “student or the parent of the student may request that the student’s name, address, and telephone listing not be released without prior written parental consent.”

In compliance with NCLB, the school gives parents the option of signing a request not to have their child’s information given to the military. For students and parents who opt out, according to Assistant Principal Doug Kamon, it’s necessary for those students to abstain from the test and, in some cases, to be out of the class while the representatives are even talking about the military.

According to Kamon, the representatives who visited classes this year “were instructed to ask each classroom if they were interested in hearing about the military.”

However, some students, who had no idea that their parents might not want the military to have access to their information, signed up for what they thought would be a good way to determine their career path.

“I was kinda annoyed when I took it because I don’t want to be in the military,” Davis said.

Nationwide there is some controversy over the ASVAB being administered in high schools due to privacy concerns. Some critics, such as Pat Elder of Warisacrime. org, call the ASVAB a “recruiting tool,” and are actively fighting to prevent schools from administering the exam.

“It was unlike any test I’ve taken before. One category was about automobiles and I knew I wouldn’t get any of those right.”

Tyler Simpson

Feb.

The test has gained little recognition at LCC until this year when there was a significant spike in the number of students who signed up for the ASVAB. “Two years ago maybe 200 kids [signed up]—just a handful,” principal Kyle Ruggles said. “Almost 400 signed up this year.”

In fact, the testing roster distributed to teachers listed 461 students who had signed up to take the exam.

The jump in numbers is easily explained. According to history teacher Paul Giuliano, in previous years representatives only went to junior social science classes, whereas this year they went to social science classes of all levels—which includes 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. This allowed three times the number of students to be reached.

According to Kamon, the school does not receive any incentives for increasing the number of testers.

“Every school has a choice to offer [the test],” Kamon said. “There is no incentive for the school other than it’s an interest of our students.”

On exam day, some students opted

out of the exam once they learned about its purpose.

“I feel like I had several kids sign up for it,” Groseclose said. “The issue is once they realized it was associated with the military they chose not to [take the test].”

For administrators, reaching students and providing as many open doors as possible is the goal of offering the ASVAB to students.

“We think it supports students who are thinking about what will happen when they leave,” Dr. Ruggles said. “It provides a positive experience for life after high school and opens up the military as an option.”

Frustration with the way the ASVAB was conducted, however, was common among teachers and students, as both lost valuable class time.

“I support kids to do it—but maybe [it could be given] after school,” government teacher Jobi Cooper said.

According to Giuliano, administrators and teachers, are discussing what can change in terms of administration of this test.

News

Feb.

The Republican Nomination was the first presidential candidate to ever announce his campaign on the social media site, Twitter.

Rick Santorum is the youngest of the Republican candidates and has served two terms in the U.S. Senate for the state of Pennsylvania. He calls on Americans to stand up for our country in a time of turmoil with his slogan, “The Courage to Fight for America.”

Ron Paul, having run previously in 1988 as a Liber tar ian and in 2008 as a Republican, is currently in his third campaign presidenct. He has represented the state of Texas in the U.S. House for 12 terms and is also an obstetrician who has delivered over 4,000 babies. He urges citizens to return to constitutional government with his slogan, “Restore America Now.” After the Florida primary, talk of the enormous amount of negative ads aired began to circulate. According to politics.gather.com statistics show that 99% of Romney’s campaign ads and 95% of Gingrich’s were negative. Of the positive ads they aired, only nine percent supported Gingrich. Out of 3,276, Romney aired only one positive ad.

Outside of television commercials, candidates also reached voters through ads on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; this method appeals to most students.

“Through Facebook and other media, I get the more personal side of the nomination,” Marting said.

With the country approximately 15 trillion dollars in debt and 13.1 million people unemployed, the future president

continued from front page

will be faced with an economic crisis unmatched in the U.S. since the Great Depression. If the Republican nominee defeats Obama in the fall, he will apply his own policies to the U.S. government in order to reverse the current unemployment and debt rates.While their policies may surprise liberals, republicans are happy with what the nominees are saying.

“Their policies make sense to me,” senior Seamus O’Connor said.

“I shouldn’t have to give up all my money.

We should allow people to succeed on their own.”

While the candidates vary in their approaches, all agree that getting America back on track will require significant spending regulations and tax cuts.

“My dad started his own business and the Democrats tax a lot,” sophomore Jenna Cady said. “He was audited a couple of months ago and it really took a lot of time.”

Both Santorum and Gingrich identify themselves as Roman Catholic, while Paul identifies as a Baptist. While each of these religions have already been represented in the Oval Office, Romney would be the first member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to ever win the presidency.

In the months leading up to the 2012 Republican National Convention in August, the candidates will continue to fight for the nomination, throwing punches at their fellow running mates and striving to gain the trust, and more importantly the votes, of the American public.

“Through Facebook and other media I get the more personal side of the nomination.”

Cole Marting

It’s Not a Hand Out, Just a Hand Up

9

Counselors host financial aid information night

I

Julian Sanz Staff Writer

t is said that “money is the root of all “First we explain what [the aid] is, like evil,” yet, it is a necessity for college. the difference between grants, loans, etc.,” And with tuition rising, that evil is quickly guest speaker John Benefil said. arising for seniors and their parents.

True to their mission statement, the To get financial aid, one must complete presentation also explains for whom aid is a notoriously confusing application available to and how to get it. form known as the Free Application for “We also give out informational Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is pamphlets that help parents and students due March 2. plan students’ But at 7 p.m. futures in on January c o l l e g e,” 12, parents Silberberger who attended said. an annual Over the seminar held years, this in the theater process has on how to been simplified apply for the as a new user FAFSA found interface has Photo by Julian Sanz been adopted. out from Guest John Benefil educates parents on the financial aid process c o u n s e l o r s at Financial Aid night on January 12, 2012. “ [ T h e and financial program] has aid professionals that getting financial aid been improved and become much more isn’t so scary. user friendly,” counselor Lisa Levario said.

“I didn’t know anything about it Parents in the audience were given before I went,” parent Brian Utsler said. information packets, worksheets, and “Now I know exactly how to fill out the college catalogs, and got the breakdown of FAFSA and a lot about grants.” what their students’ financial and academic At the event, a speaker and several futures may hold. representatives gave the attending parents “[Financial Aid Night] has done a good a speech on the application process. job of informing us on what our options Parents listened as the speaker broke are,” parent Paul Leonard said. down the process in a way that could be Even if financial aid seems out of easily followed. reach, the presentation revealed that it is “Our job is to help all eligible parents worth it to apply. and students apply for aid,” representative If you missed financial aid Cindy Silberberger said. night or want to learn more The seminar detailed all the aspects of the aid process. Many questions circled about financial aid options, through the entering parents minds visit the FAFSA website at including: “What is financial aid? Is it free? www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Does it have interest?”

#LCC Joins the Social Media Craze School creates new Facebook and Twitter pages

I

Maddy Fitzgerald Staff Writer

n an attempt to keep up with the trending obsession in the social networking field, La Costa Canyon has implemented the use of its very own Facebook and Twitter pages. These are both faculty-run pages that will be used to spread information about school and community events across the web.

Principal Kyle Ruggles believes that these pages will be beneficial to students and parents looking for updates on sports, assemblies, performances, band competitions, dances, student life, and school-wide events.

“It will be extremely useful in emergencies, especially,” Dr. Ruggles said.

“Once we get more students connected to the page, it will be a very efficient way to get word out in those types of situations.”

The Facebook page was started on November 21, 2011. So far, there are a little over 150 students who “like” the page. However, the staff believes that it will be very popular in the near future.

“Once word gets out, I think we will see a rapidly growing increase in students connected with our websites,” Dr. Ruggles said.

The pages require a lot of attention, and numerous updates.

“I am going to be in charge of our Facebook and Twitter pages,” administrative assistant Sarah Smith said. “However, at this present time, [Assistant Principal] Mark Van Over is the person in charge.”

The Twitter page is connected to Facebook, so their “tweets” are sent directly to the news feed. Currently, there

are 157 “likes” on the Facebook page and 46 Twitter followers.

“It has proven to be a difficult thing to run and keep up with,” Dr. Ruggles said.

“We will all try to do our best to update it as often as possible to provide accuracy to our students.”

Traditionally, students and teachers don’t connect through online social networking sites. However, the Facebook

page is set up as a “liking” page, and unless a personal profile is public, the adminstrators running the account will not be allowed to access student’s private pages.

Twitter, on the other hand, is mostly public. There are settings to make profiles private though, if there is any student concern over administrators “lurking” their pages.

“I’m not really concerned,” said junior Jameson Burke. “I really don’t think that they will be specifically checking individual students’ profiles.”

Also, the main reason for creating the pages has nothing to do with interest in individual students’ profiles.

“We just want to meet students where they meet, Dr. Ruggles said. “That is, what we believe, the quickest way to get information out to our LCC families.”

Those looking to see these new pages can like the “Official La Costa Canyon” page on Facebook, and follow @ LCCMavs on Twitter.

There are many alternative Facebook pages, with almost 1,000 “friends” each.

La Costa Canyon ASB also has their own page, for example, which is entirely student run.

Features

Feb.

Five Most Memorable Projects

Students reflect on their proudest academic accomplishments Copper Odyssey Lab

Way to Go!

One of the most remembered projects was the Copper Odyssey Lab for chemistry. This three-week lab is an extensive observation of copper undergoing chemical transformations.

The twenty-plus page lab write-up involves math and vocabulary from the unit, as well as several chemistry equations that have to be solved correctly in order to receive points.

The objective of the project is to help students prepare for the final, and to help give students experience doing college-level lab work. One lesson that accompanies the project is the need to plan ahead.

“You weren’t able to procrastinate because we went over the new, needed information each day,” junior Cosy Burnett said. “It took a lot of work, but was doable because Mrs. Sejut really helped us.”

Crime and Punishment Tenth grade English Honors students face the challenge of writing a literary analysis essay on the 400 plus page book by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, “Crime and Punishment.”

The project varies slightly depending on the teacher, but it includes book annotations and an eight to ten page essay that analyzes themes and symbols throughout the book.

“It was my first year in an Honors English class, so it taught me how to write a good essay,” sophomore Joana Montoya said.

English 10 Honors teacher Thea Chadwick agrees with students on the impact that the essay has.

“In the student-written reflections that come in the spring, the ‘Crime and Punishment’ essay always comes up because students feel so accomplished,” Chadwick said.

English Lauren Monahan, who teaches both English 10 Honors and AP English Literature, feels that the project prepares her students for the future.

“I see it in my AP classes,” Monahan said. “Kids come back and reference that essay in their AP exams. I get letters from college students saying that their professors talk about ‘Crime and Punishment,’ and that the students are able to understand because they have such good knowledge of the text.”

11 Commonplace Book The eleventh grade AP English project, the Commonplace Book, takes its name from a centuriesold practice of “collecting passages and notes about matters to be remembered or referred to,” as stated in the assignment description. The goal is for students to pay attention to quality writing in their everyday lives while collecting those samples as models for their own writing.

While the requirements of the project differ slightly depending on the teacher, students have a semester to collect quotes, poems, words, and phrases from different places while also personalizing the book to fit their personalities. Students also read recent news articles and reflect on the “issues of the day.”

“It had some guidelines, but it was nice because you could personalize it and make it your own,” senior Austin Gout said. “Everyone got to add their own unique touch.”

Karlee Fuller Staff Writer

c!

ti Fantas

Physics Olympics Also voted as one of the most memorable projects was the Physics Olympics, performed in both College Prep and AP Physics classes.

Each year, the Physics Olympics are given a theme to which all of the projects must relate. Last year, the theme was the Hawaiian Islands, and thus students were given the option to build a machine that would be able to either pick up three tennis balls (simulating coconuts), throw a tennis ball into a “volcano” (a bucket on top of a box), or glide down a suspended rope and drop three tennis balls on different targets (representing dropping coconuts onto islands).

“The project was fun because we got to be creative,” senior Neela Mohan said. “It was really cool to see your classmates’ approach to the project and compare their designs to yours.”

Students enjoyed this project mostly because it allowed them to learn about gravity and acceleration while also engaging in the spirit of competition.

Amazing

Human Impact Project

You’re a Star!

The Human Impact Lab for AP Environmental Science also topped students’ list of memorable projects. Designed to open students’ eyes to the environmental impact that the human population has on the earth, the project requires students to conduct an experiment using radish plants, assemble an extensive lab write-up, and write a five page research paper. Each group also must give a 20 minute presentation to the class, complete with a poster, performance piece, model, and brochure. The project earns students roughly 230 points total.

Junior Emily Burns found it to be memorable partially because of the work load, but also because of its relevance to society today.

“It made me realize how humans have such a negative impact on the world,” Burns said. “I learned from the other groups what we are doing [to the earth], what we need to change, and what we need to do better.”

!

Maver

Stampeding Forward

Students reveal what motivates them to succeed Rebecca Zilberman Staff Writer

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or the last fifteen minutes of third has a lot to do with the support of their period, most students start to family. pack up their bags, gaze at the clock “My mom [motivates me],” junior impatiently, and text their friends to see Yoana Camposeco said. “She is looking if they want to go to Sprouts for lunch. forward to her kids going to college and Junior Avi Toomu is different. He graduating high school. I do it to keep a leaves from class to drive the twenty smile on her face.” minutes to Torrey Pines High School A student who is already striving to take Calculus D, sacrificing spending to achieve his goals is freshman Andrew lunch with his friends. This takes true Alaniz, who has recently been invited to motivation as well as determination and a prestigious football camp. self-drive.

I want to have a career as a doctor, There are two main types of but my ultimate goal is to be a professional motivation. Intrinsic motivation involves football player,” Alaniz said. “A little doing an activity, such as a hobby, percentage of people make it to the NFL without external incentive and simply and I have to work really hard to become for personal satisfaction. In contrast, a doctor. [I am motivated] by the thought extrinsic motivation is doing something of being able to achieve something that in order to obtain an outcome or reward not very many can achieve.” or to avoid punishment.

Many students have a lot of dedication S o m e and high people are aspirations for m o t i v a t e d “[My mom] is looking forward the future. by what the to her kids going to college and Those people immediate who know results will graduating high school. I do it to exactly what be and others they want to keep a smile on her face.” by long-term do with their goals. These Yoana Camposeco lives will work driving hard every day forces are to achieve it. different for everyone. A math student “I believe that high school is a may be dedicated to memorizing the major stepping-stone of life,” Toomu digits of Pi, actors to touching their said. “Once I have done the best I can, audience, and runners to becoming the and have gotten into a decent college, I fastest. Motivation depends solely on believe I will be on the right track for the what is important to a specific person. rest of my life.”

Similarly, factors that discourage Many students think that their students also vary from person to person. performance in high school will impact Distractions can cause people to veer off their future. track, and it takes determination to get “The better I do in high school, the back to work. more I will have learned, and the smarter “Wanting to sleep discourages me, I will be,” junior Sarah Ostresh said. and also sometimes I am pressured to Another student also believes in this hang out with my friends instead of do domino effect. homework,” junior Blair Middlebrook “By working hard in high school, I said. “Sometimes I motivate myself by will develop habits that will help me telling myself that I can watch T.V. if I make the best of my time in college, and finish everything.” ultimately be successful,” Middlebrook Other students’ success in school said.

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Teachers cope with reality of increasing class sizes

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Freshman Sophomore Junior

Will Jones Web and Design Editor

s stacks of collected English essays and lab reports grow taller each year, teachers face the inevitable reality of statewide budget cuts: increasing class sizes.

In 2008, more than 85% of core academic classes on campus (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) had fewer than 35 students. This year, under half (45%) of core classes enroll fewer than 35 students (see figure on left.)

While all departments have seen significant increases in class size, English classes have seen the most growth in perclass enrollment over the last few years (see figure on right.)

“Everyone enrolled on campus needs to take an English class,” English department chair Speed Farris said. “The number of full time English teachers has diminished as our district has been hurt financially. They have not been replacing teachers who have retired or moved. That means fewer teachers to teach the same number of kids.”

Senior

Despite the school’s student population decreasing, class sizes are getting bigger. This suggests that the number of teachers is falling at an even faster rate, according to Farris.

According to math department chair Michelle Anderson, math classes have suffered exponential growth in recent years. In the past, counselors overenrolled math classes because more students were expected to drop after the first few weeks.

“They made classes bigger because they thought students would leave to go to other programs like Futures,” Anderson said, speaking of the fee-based courses some students take off campus.

However, according to Anderson, students no longer feel compelled to seek math instruction elsewhere as the math department has an improved reputation among students.

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now have the same median class sizes as most other departments, their class sizes just four years ago in 2008 were significantly smaller than in other departments.

According to science department chair Cindi Schildhouse, science teachers have been pushing for smaller classes due to lab safety concerns.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have lots of support from administrators and teachers who let us have smaller class sizes because the risk of injury in class is much greater,” Schildhouse said. “If you have 45 students in an English class, it’s uncomfortable; if you have 45 students in a lab class with twenty-something Bunsen burners going, it’s unsafe.”

According to both Schildhouse and Ryan Giusta, Spanish teacher and world language department chair, one of the biggest challenges for teachers facing large class sizes has been their

dents in an ncomfortable. If nts in a lab class thing Bunsen unsafe.” indi Schildhouse

API Scores: Misconceptions and Realities

Why should students care about the school’s performance?

Jenny Barnes Staff Writer

S

tudents walk in one by one. High School’s score of 880 set the no plans to in the near future.”

They sit in the familiar chairs bar high for local schools.

Students have differing that they spend hours a day in.

So what exactly are these opinions on the significance of They stretch out and settle in for scores used for? Though students’ these scores. the next few hours as a proctor STAR performance and the “I think [our API Score] is monotonically announces, resulting API Scores are largely lower because students don’t feel “welcome to the STAR Test.” significant to high schools, the need to put effort forward,” Many students question the colleges appear to be less junior Erin Boechler said. “The benefit of sitting for hours taking interested with these numbers and score is not really a grade and it the Standardized Testing And more interested in the students isn’t important to them.”

Reporting (STAR) tests every themselves.

Boechler, however, contends year. If the test does not affect an In an e-mail response to that there is value in the test. individual student’s grade, is it MavLife’s inquiry, an unnamed “I try my best because I think worth working so hard? spokesperson for the Stanford it helps teachers understand what Though an individual Office of Admissions said that the they need to teach us, and more student’s results on the STAR university is less concerned about things they need to focus on. exams are not recorded on his or the school’s API score for a given Others can’t justify putting her transcript, the scores forth the same effort. are used for another “I do not feel pressure; purpose. Each student’s there is no need to do well,” performance on this “We do not look at API scores... junior David Chisholm statewide, standardized said. exam helps formulate this may be something we do in However, Chisholm LCC’s Academic the future, but not now.” did say that if the STAR Performance Index, or test affected a class grade, CSU Monterey Bay Spokesperson he would in fact try harder.

API Score.

Many students So why should a have most likely heard student care about LCC’s administrators and faculty API Score? Assistant utter this acronym, but what applicant than “what each student Principal Doug Kamon urges exactly does it mean? An API Score offers.” students to look at the broader is a rank that reflects a school’s More specifically, admissions picture. performance on standardized officers want to know how each “It is not just about LCC’s exams including the STAR and the student is performing with the API score,” Kamon said. “It’s a life California High School Exit Exam tools they have been given. It skill that you should always do the (CAHSEE). The score each school would be more valuable to select best you can on any test or any receives is out of 1,000, and is a student who is “excellent in assignment you are given.” compared to other schools around their context, background, and The exams can also provide the region and state.The statewide take advantage of all opportunities valuable feedback for students on goal that schools strive to achieve presented to them,” said the same their performance. is a score of at least 800. admissions official.

“The [STAR tests] are also While La Costa Canyon In another response to helpful to the student in the sense manages to exceed the state’s MavLife’s questions, also via that you get to see how well you expectations with an API of 818 e-mail, an unnamed spokesperson are doing on a subject,” Assistant for the 2010-2011 academic year for Cal State Monterey Bay echoed Principal Bjorn Paige said. “It (increasing by 3 points from the the representative from Stanford. gives you an objective measure of previous year), other district high “We do not look at API how you are doing.” schools have excelled further. For scores,” the official wrote. “This Come this April, freshman, example, Canyon Crest Academy’s may be something we do in the sophomore, and junior students score of 910 and Torrey Pines future, but not now and [we have] will once again take the STAR.

ability to communicate with students oneon-one.

“I can’t get to individual students when I have 45 of them, like I can when I have 25 of them,” Schildhouse said. “The larger the class, the less time you have with each student.”

Giusta finds that the lack of one-onone time hits world languages hardest because of the need to make sure students are speaking correctly.

“It’s hard to learn a language, and the teacher needs to be able to hear what mistakes are happening,” Giusta said. “It’s hard to do that in a big setting.”

Both Schildhouse and Farris agree that growing class sizes have made the grading process difficult and have affected the learning process.

“When I used to teach five sections of English, assigning just a one page response would mean 200 handwritten pages that I [would] have to grade,” Farris said. “That’s like reading a novel that’s handwritten, and every page is practically the same. It’s mind numbing.”

Despite such challenges, teachers

have found ways to adapt to their growing rosters. For example, because writing is a vital part of his curriculum, Farris and many other English teachers have found that peer editing enables students to get more immediate feedback.

“The only solution that I’ve come up with is to involve the students in the

40

scoring and grading process,” Farris said.

Though teachers say class size is a big problem, they understand that it is not an issue with an immediate solution.

“Class size is probably the biggest concern that any teacher would have about education. But, unfortunately, it’s also one of the most difficult to solve,” said Farris.

Median Class Size in Different Departments

35

Median Class Size

2011

30

2008

25 20

English

Math

Science

Social Science

World Language Figure by Will Jones

Sports 15 Boys Basketball Shoots for League Success

Feb.

Early season victories leave coach optimistic about the season

The boys varsity basketball team huddles around coach David Cassaw during a game at El Camino on January 20, 2012.

O

Grant Goodstein Staff Writer

nly once in the history of the CIF State Boys Basketball Tournament has a team from San Diego been able to

come out victorious in Division II. This year’s boys basketball squad has a chance to become part of history.

Currently ranked #4 in CIF State Division II by Maxpreps, a high school sports ranking service, the Mavericks

Photo by Karlee Fuller

hold the potential to be a serious challenger this year. Non-league play was extremely successful as the team came out victorious in the American Division at The Holiday Classic, over winter break, and placed second at the Mission Prep

Christmas Classic in San Luis Obispo.

This year’s varsity team has defeated teams from across the west coast, including Desert Vista of Arizona and Curtis of Washington.

With all this success, the team has been able to keep their eyes on the prize.

“The team goal is to win CIF and to make a run in state,” wing and co-captain senior Matt Shrigley said.

However, according to center and junior Kyle Sachrison, being so highly ranked can actually be a detriment to the team.

“Lots of teams gun for us since we’re the number one team in San Diego,” Sachrison said. “We’re always going to get everyone’s best shot.”

Coach David Cassaw recognizes that their preseason success will not be what defines the season.

“We all would trade those rankings for being the number one team in the final polls,” Cassaw said. “We want to be the number one team at the end of the year. I think this team has the talent to be league champions and CIF champions, and potentially state champions.”

Girls Basketball Team Adjusts to New Coach

One practice, one shot, one game at a time

G

Kelsea Critin Staff Writer

ym shoes, sweat, and the sound of the buzzer assaults the senses as the girls of the varsity basketball team run, shoot, and pass. While many cheering fans stand on the bleachers yelling and stomping for the two teams, on the court there are a lot more forces at work than meets the eye.

This year, the team is diligently working to making this season count.

Practicing and improving all aspects of the game, the team is preparing themselves adequately for the upcoming competition.

“We work hard every day,” sophomore Lauren DiFabrizio said, mentioning that the team has their eye fixed on the CIF championship after winning last year. “We’re hoping to win again.”

In addition, the team mechanics are running smoothly.

“It’s extremely fun,” Taylor Pierce said, the only freshman on the varsity team. “My teammates are amazing.”

The team has seen its share of changes recently. Mario Flores, previously the junior varsity girls basketball coach, was appointed to the position of varsity coach for this year following John Labeta’s move to join the CIF staff. “[The transition] was difficult, but not as hard as it could have been,” coach

Flores said.

“What a lot of people don’t know is that I was the varsity coach when the school first opened in ‘96, so it wasn’t so overwhelming,” Flores continued. “It was different, though, and there’s a lot more paperwork and off-court responsibility that comes with being a head coach.”

Another change that took place is one previous varsity player, senior Jaycie Rowe, quit the team. When asked why, she said it was because of the coaching situation.

“The transition was really hard,” Rowe said. “He made promises about changing the team that he didn’t keep, and yelled a lot.”

However, in contrast, some current players commented with good reports about the coaching atmosphere and improvements with his style.

“Oh, I know coach Flo,” Pierce said.

“I like him, he’s cool. He used to yell, but he got a lot better.”

Flores, being prepared for the stress of coaching a varsity team, has appeared to have handled his responsibilities well.

“He’s doing a good job,” junior Esther Wofford said. “Since he was the JV coach, everyone already knows him.”

For his part, Flores is focused on the future of the team.

“I want to really focus on the twelve girls I have been given the opportunity to coach,” Flores said.

Furthermore, his improvements are

Photo by Kenya Caines

Seniors Gracie Platt and Bridget Whitfield watch and encourage their teammates from the bench as they take on Carlsbad on January 27, 2012.

helping the team to bond.

“He’s definitely helped me get more confident in my ability. He’s also brought us together,” DiFabrizio said.

Nevertheless, there are many achievements the girls are striving for, both as an actual team and as individual players.

“I want to get more scores on offense,” DiFabrizio said.

Wofford, one of the four captains, wants to lead the team as best as she can, while Flores has his own objectives for the team.

“My personal goal is to challenge them to get better and to develop positive relationships on and off the court,” Flores said.

The team, who has now moved from

the preseason to the league season, is working on collaborating together. As a result, they are hoping to reach the championship. It seems that in order to achieve that goal, they must put as much time as possible into playing basketball.

“They practice around five days a week and depending on the circumstances, six,” coach Flores said.

“But we’re just going to take it one practice, one game at a time.”

“It’s a lot of fun, but it’s a lot more difficult than I thought it would be,” Pierce said.

On and off the court, the girls varsity basketball team is working to produce a successful, eventful, and fun-filled season. As Flores said, “we want to be champions.”

Sports

16

Feb.

Ducking, Diving, and Dodging to the Championship ASB hosts second annual dodgeball tournament

Photo by Anthony Fregoso

Seniors Cameron Gurley, Brandon Nourse, Katie Ross and Robby Schupp sprint for the center of the court to secure more dodgeballs for their teams.

A

Anthony Fregoso Staff Writer

s the famous line from the movie “Dodgeball” goes, “Dodge, duck, dip, dive, DODGE!” During the month of January, ASB hosted the second annual school-wide dodge ball tournament. Students rushed to gather a team of eight students with the required four boys and four girls in order to compete.

A total of 26 teams competed, representing students from all grade levels.

Students came up with creative team names in order to represent their various personalities and interests.

Team names included “White Kids in Paris,” “Greasy Whales,” and “Red White and Drew.” Origins for the team names varied.

“Our name is ‘None Better’ because there is nobody better than our team,” junior Aaron Loy said.

Once the first round of games was complete, ASB announced that the final dodge ball games would be held Wednesday, January 25, after school. However, many of the students who had to play thought that this was a problem.

“I couldn’t make it because I had missed a week of school prior to finals and I had to catch up and study,” senior Miad Hadaegh said.

Many students ended up skipping study time to play in the finals. However Hadaegh feels he may have made the wrong choice.

“Looking back on it, I don’t think that skipping the

dodgeball finals was worth it,” Hadaegh said. “My team did very well, but I think that they would have done better with me.”

The students moving on to the finals were excited about the thought of being crowned the second annual dodgeball champions.

“It felt good winning in the first round. We played a senior team and beat them,” Loy said. “Also, I knew a few of the players on the team which added to the rivalry.”

One team even adopted a coach, who their team was named after, in hopes of leading their team to victory.

“Team Mr. Etheridge is working on getting physically and psychologically prepared,” coach James Etheridge said. “This is war. We’re going to grease our tank treads with their guts.”

The finals proved to be exciting for both players and fans.

“I thought that dodgeball really pumped everyone up, and it was exciting watching it even though you weren’t playing,” freshman Renee Haerle said.

Dodgeball also included a teacher versus student

game, which Haerle recalls as “hilarious.”

After what were called upsets and big defeats, the overall winner of the tournament was The Scummers, who won despite being short a player and being forced to find a substitute.

“Although I couldn’t make it to the finals because I was sick, I was excited to hear that my team was crowned the second annual dodgeball champions,” junior Kyle Mummau said.

Other recognitions were given out for the tournament were “The Most Spirited Team” and “Best Costumes,” awards which went to teams Mr. Etheridge and N.A.R.P. Hunters, respectively.

“This is war. We’re going to grease our tank treads with their guts.”

James Etheridge

ASB Dodgeball Rules:

• Team names are required.

• Head shots are illegal.

• Players must stay within the boundaries of the court at all times.

• A player is automatically eliminated if the ball he throws is caught by a member of the opposing team.

• Dropping a caught ball will result in elimination.

• Players may not hold the ball for more than 5 seconds.

Seniors TJ Grisafe (left) and Drew Krassney (right) prepare for retaliation against Team Mr. Etheridge.

Photo by Anthony Fregoso

Sports

Feb.

17

Sports Spotlight: Michael Boever, Marathon Runner Student athlete travels nationally to compete, 26.2 miles at a time Victoria Zamora Staff Writer school student, but appearances aside, he is a marathon runner.

Since the age of 15, Boever and his mother have trained for and raced marathons together. Boever decided to take up marathon running as a sport rather than just a one-time accomplishment.

“One day my mom asked me if I wanted to do something with her,” Boever said. “She set a goal, saying she was going to run in a marathon. So, I said that I would do it too.”

After intense training for months on end, Boever realized his passion for running. He does not participate in any other sport, not even our school’s cross country or track teams, allowing him to dedicate most of his time to his training and his school work. On the weekdays, he runs an average of four miles daily, while on the weekends he runs 12 to 24 miles.

He has never received any incentives to run, but feels that running is a way for him and his mother to connect. Though there are often rewards for the winning runners, Boever partakes in these marathons for nothing but personal satisfaction.

Boever feels that his greatest achievement and most memorable experience in his running career was

finishing his first full race. The day of the race, Boever and his mother walked up to the sign-in table, but they were told that he was not old enough to compete in the marathon. He wouldn’t technically be able to participate, wouldn’t get a number, and he wouldn’t receive any sort of medal. However, he ran the 26.2 mile course anyway.

“They did not tell me what I placed in that marathon because I was not allowed to run the race because I was underage,” said Boever. “I just did it to do it.”

For him, it was all about the experience and knowing he was able to do something he loved.

Now at age 16, Boever has run more than 30 marathons and travels all over the United States to do so. Recently, Boever spent a weekend in Phoenix, Arizona participating in the P.F Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He started in Downtown Phoenix at the CityScape and he finished the marathon on Packard Drive between Arizona State University, home of the Sun Devils, and Sun Angels Stadium.

After already receiving multiple medals from Rock ‘n’ Roll marathons, he is well on his way to accomplishing his goal of winning at least one marathon and competing in all of the PF Chang’s series races.

“They did not tell me what I placed in that marathon because I was not allowed to run the race because I was underage. I just did it to do it.”

Michael Boever

Photo by Victoria Zamora

Junior Michael Boever poses with his medals from various marathons.

Y

ou hear the heavy breathing of runners behind you, see the finish line just steps away, taste the victory of being number one. This dream is a reality for junior Michael Boever who may look like the typical high

“ The quality

of education at MiraCosta College is on a level higher than most other community colleges in California. The programs available to students are plentiful, the

student activities

involving

and are pleasant, and the professors .� are

top-notch

Carlos Sandoval

2011 psychology/communication graduate, transferred to UCLA

Cardiff / Oceanside / Online www.miracosta.edu

facebook.com/miracostacc

760.757.2121

Sports

Feb.

Shin Guards, Chest Bumps, and Headers Boys soccer kicks off to a promising start

Photo by John Mark Carlson and Kenya Caines

Senior Slater Elkind chases the ball, followed by junior Nick Theriot (#16), as they take on Carlsbad on January 27, 2012.

John Mark Carlson Staff Writer

T

he Vuvuzelas sound as the boys varsity soccer team takes the field for another eventful season.

Despite not getting the attention that football and basketball gets, this year’s boys soccer team has a good chance for the championship according to midfielders AJ Sparagna, Derek York, and forward Walker Panek.

After a loss to Rancho Buena Vista, coach David Cohen, who has been with the team since 2005,

reflected on the team’s areas for growth.

“The way we are performing right now, we don’t have a chance [in the championship],” Cohen said. “If we improve, then yes we do have a chance. We are not playing as a team and that’s why we are struggling.”

In an impassioned halftime speech, Cohen told the team to “play simple soccer and to stop trying to be their own heroes.”

Many of the players on the team agree that they haven’t allowed their natural talent to be apparent.

“Our problem is that we make simple mistakes,”

19

senior and midfielder/center forward Slater Elkind said.

“If we improve, then we‘ll have a chance.”

Coach Cohen added that his strongest players are midfielder Connor O’Neil, midfielder Elkind, center mid/center forward Chris Turner, and forward Walter Panek.

“My strengths are passing and getting 50/50 balls,” said Elkind.

Winning these 50/50s, which occurs when two players from opposite teams have an equal chance of reaching the ball at the same time, allows the team to push their offensive skills and keep the ball past midfield.

Some players take motivation into their own hands by getting the team “amped” for upcoming games.

“I enjoy pumping up the team, it makes them play better,” said Sparagna.

Most of the team agrees that the greatest accomplishment of the year so far has been beating Westview, a game in which the team won 2-1.

“Westview was a very talented team and beating them was a great accomplishment,” York said.

The team collectively agreed that Cathedral Catholic was their toughest opponent all season, a team they lost to 5-1. The team’s record as of February 6th is 7-5-2 (7 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws.)

The team is striving to get to the championship to make their veteran coach proud and with their dedicated players, they have the potential to succeed in their endeavours.

Girls Water Polo Players Shred in the Water Athletes balance aggression and power in a physical sport

A

Shanoah Souza Staff Writer

faint whiff of chlorine fills the lungs of fans eagerly staring into the pool, as water splashes and fourteen girls fight for a waterproof ball. What they don’t see, however, is the kicking, scratching, punching, and pushing that the water polo girls deal with in every game.

In order to excel despite the difficulty of the sport along with the unsportsmanlike conduct that takes place, the team dedicates hours to practice each evening.

“I practice every night with the team for a few hours and sometimes cross-train in the mornings,” junior Kelly Lawson said.

Senior captain Kara Bonilla also spends a majority of her free time in the water.

“I have put in so much time and effort, never missing practice and games,” Bonilla said. “It takes up most of my time, but it is worth it.”

With all the time spent, the girls have learned a lot about how to play to win. Players use different techniques in the water to remain afloat. One example is called the “egg beater,” in which players move their legs in circular motions to keep themselves treading water and to propel themselves out of the water to make a play on the ball.

Senior Nikki Prohaska, left, winds up to shoot in the game against Oceanside on January 11, 2012.

“Controlled aggression is the key. It’s about showing no frustration, channeling your aggression, knowing when to release it at the right time.”

Coach AnthonyVail Sophomore Emma Abrahamson finds that breathing is the key to maintaining her stamina through the intense game.

“I just make sure to keep taking deep breaths, so that way I don’t get as tired,” Abrahamson said.

As the girls fight to stay above the pool’s surface, the referees are constantly spotting for fouls. They don’t catch everything, but they are looking out for the integrity of the sport and the fairness of the game.

However, when a referee misses something, it can give a team a huge advantage for a win.

“Sometimes girls can be really aggressive and they

Photo by Brenna Lyles

like to kick or push off of the other girls to score,” Abrahamson said.

Each member of the girls water polo team recalls experiencing foul play in the pool frequently.

“There’s a lot of kicking, scratching, and elbowing,” Bonilla said.

Coach Anthony Vail commented on how the aggression of the sport is a key factor in playing the game.

“Aggression is a huge part of water polo,” Vail said.

“The more aggressive a player is, the less timid she is.

However, being overly aggressive results in an automatic 30 second kick-out, man down situation.”

During practice, one of Vail’s main goals is to help the team curb their competitive nature to avoid penalties.

“Controlled aggression is the key,” Vail said. “The refs are standing above players on the pool deck so they can see almost everything, so obvious cheap shots and/ or retaliations are forbidden. It’s all about showing no frustration, channeling your aggression, knowing when to release it at the right time.”

As for the season as a whole, the team is striving to be the school’s first girls water polo team to make it to CIF.

20 The Wild Side Of Formal Planning

G

et your sunscreen and tents ready and come experience one of the biggest music festivals of the year. Coachella 2012 is fast approaching and if you haven’t bought your ticket already, chances are that you are out of luck.

In an effort to accommodate the growing numbers of ardent music fans, “Goldenviolence,” the official festival promoter, has prepared two consecutive (and hopefully identical) weekends of the annual desert festival.

Held in the wasteland of Indio, California, Coachella is where a diverse group of people, young and old, have the opportunity to come together and venture into sensory overload of three days of nonstop musical performances.

Having experienced a massive musical festival myself, I see music festivals as a chance to put your differences aside and take a moment to do some hard core head banging or dance in a mosh pit.

After going to my first three day long music festival in San Francisco, I harvested my love for music and the overall culture of such a musical extravaganza. The excitement, the curiosity, and the incessant noise enveloped me and I cast myself into ultimate bliss.

The idea of a Coachella-like music festival began with a performance by Pearl Jam on November 5, 1993 before thousands of fans on the hot, dried out

Wake up at 2:30 p.m.

Take a shower (optional) Put on (rented) tuxedo Put on black Vans

Day Of:

Set alarm for 7:30 a.m.

Take long shower Remember to bring flats to the dance for comfort Get hair done: -$40.00 Get nails done: -$35.00

W

! y ad

e

R

lawns of the historic Empire Polo Fields.

Proving its suitability to harbor largescale rock events, the Empire Polo Fields became the official venue for the Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

Then finally, six years later, on the weekend of October 9th, 1999, the first official Coachella festival was held. And since then, the event has expanded to three days for two weekends and has become an evolving craze among music fans.

Some notable bands that have performed at this desert music festival are the groups Arcade Fire, Morissey, The Killers, and Rage Against the Machine.

No one can forget performances made

by Kanye West, Mumford and Sons, and Kings of Leon last year in 2011, either.

Now, after months of anticipation and mock lineups, the Coachella Music Festival officially announced their lineup and will be headlining The Black Keys, Radiohead, and rap artists Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

The festival will be held April 1315 and April 20-22. So you can openly embrace that drenched stranger who has acquired a multitude of lovely odors during the festival. At the end of the day, you may pass out in your tent from a long day of heat, and sunburns— and the long lines for water.

For those of you who were lucky to snatch up on a festival pass, I congratulate you. Regardless of how you decide to spend your three days at Coachella, it is ultimately certain that you will have the experience of a lifetime.

Cameron Gurley Entertainment Editor & Humor Columnist

ith the schedule and planning aside, I want to talk to you about something of much importance. Safety.

Whether or not you want to thrust yourselves against each other on the night of formal to the funky beats of Lupe’s Fiasco or Dr. Drake, is up to you. The mayor of Squaresville hasn’t posted any warnings so far this year. So I feel it is up to me to send the message this year: I urge Mavericks to remember to stretch beforehand. It’s a good thing that the guys are already wearing skate shoes because the grip is much better, and let’s face it, they are much classier.

And don’t bite your lip—you might cut yourself.

y. d

Look for dresses online Look for dresses in the stores Decide on which dress to wear: -$100.00 Purchase three pairs of shoes Decide on which pair of shoes to use (with multiple friends to help): -$80.00 Spray tan: -$50.00 Wax eyebrows: -$25.00 Buy formal ticket: -$45.00 Buy date’s formal ticket: -$45.00 Buy bus ticket: -$50.00 Buy date’s bus ticket: -$50.00

Checking In At Coachella Savannah Dukes Samala Staff Writer

Day Of:

In The Weeks Prior:

A breakdown of the famous music festival

Feb.

Guys

ea

Despite popular belief, when girls get ready for the school dances, they take a much different approach than guys. In fact, it’s an entirely different animal.

The traditions and rituals among the sexes are what separates us from the “wild.”

Girls

R

vs.

Entertainment

Reality Bites: The Bachelor An analysis of ABC’s hit show from an avid fan Grant Goodstein Staff Writer

B

oys and girls, it’s that time of the year again—time for the newest season of ABC’s “The Bachelor.”

This season, 25 women compete for the heart of one man, Ben Flajnik, a 28-year-old wine maker from Sonoma, California. Of course, hormonal insanity is bound to occur.

Personally, I’ve found a couple ways to make the show a little more interesting. I am a part of a Bachelor

“Picks League,” wherein each league member picks the contestants that they think will finish in the top three.

Another way to make your Monday night more entertaining is by tracking some Bachelor statistics.

Below are some things to keep an eye on while watching the reality dating show that has led to fewer marriages than “The Biggest Loser.”

Whether or not Ben will find true love is questionable, but one thing can be guaranteed: you will be entertained. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the drama.

Minutes Cried: Tears are a virtual certainty in any season of “The Bachelor” and this season is no exception. Sadly, Jenna, the blogger and early favorite in this category, was eliminated in Week 2.

Slaps Landed: When you put 25 women together in the same house, there are bound to be fights. Blakeley, the 34 year old cocktail waitress, seems to be this season’s Kimbo Slice.

Harsh Accusations: “The Bachelor” is known for high levels of drama. Often, accusations are made that contestants are not “there for the right reasons.” Courtney, the model from Los Angeles, is this writer’s pick to be the Queen of Controversy.

Jealous Remarks: With multiple romances occurring simultaneously, contestants on “The Bachelor” often become envious of their competitors. Peering into my crystal ball, Emily, the rapping epidemiologist, will make the most jealous remarks.

Entertainment

Feb.

Faculty Flashbacks E

veryone has their unforgettable moments; some are exciting, some are embarrassing, and some are just plain hilarious. La Costa Canyon’s teachers’ stories are no different, but the main distinction is that their embarrassing moments were from teaching high school! The memories that they enjoy the most are ones that make them laugh.

Claudia Matthews Staff Writer

David Cassaw

“All of my students were taking a test and a guy comes up to me in the middle of it (and he looks all distraught) and he says, ‘I lost my pencil.’

So I look over and say, ‘You lost your pencil?’ The kid just looked at me and said, ‘I just can’t find it. It’s missing.’

So I looked at him, and I could kind of see a pencil sticking out of his hat. He must have been thinking about a question and stuck it up there and had forgotten where it went.

So I told him there was one right behind his ear so he reached back and then sighed. The entire class had been watching and they started exploding with laughter.”

Teachers recall some of their most comical memories from teaching high school

Erin Charnow

Erika Wanczuk Bob Sisler

21

“I had a student who had brought a pipe bomb to school in a cigar box. It’s a bomb that’s constructed by using a piece of pipe that you would buy at Home Depot and you fill it with some kind of explosive.

But the police came and got it from him in the middle of class. It was definitely an experience.”

“Someone puked during finals. It happened my first year teaching; one girl got violently ill and actually puked all over the place. She tried to take it and couldn’t because she was just too sick.”

“This was when I was first teaching here. One day it was after lunch and I was wearing high heels and I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I had my gym socks and my gym clothes and I put them on so I could be comfortable.

I thought, ‘Oh maybe my 6th period class won’t notice.’ During class, a student put his feet up on the desk, so I said, ‘Hey put your feet down! This isn’t your home!’

And he looks down at my socks and says, ‘Likewise Ms. Wanczuk.’”

Pop Quiz! Who’s Who? Our teachers “back in the day”

From left to right: Erika Wanczuk, Bob Sisler, David Cassaw, and Erin Charnow.

Entertainment

22

The Perfect Fit

Decoding what your shoes say about your personality

F

Meg Shepro Staff Writer

lip flops, sneakers, boots, high tops, heels, and casual flats. Tory Burch, Vans, Steve Madden, Converse, Betsy Johnson, and Toms. These brands are popular on the feet of students around campus. Many people don’t think about how their shoes reflect their personality or what their shoes are really saying about them, but in reality, the shoes say it all.

As an avid shoe lover and a veteran Maverick, I’ve witnessed thousands of shoes walk by over the years. Along the way, I have come to realize that most people’s basic personalities can be

translated through their choice in shoes.

Take the sophomore who wears running sneakers every day to school for example. His shoes emit a spirit of athleticism and a competitive nature— and maybe some weird fumes if you get too close. This kid is always up for some sort of cardio activity and will be the person most likely to race you to the lunch or bathroom lines.

The confident senior shows off her brand new Sam Edelman four inch wedges, causing her to soar above the heads of all male underclassmen. Her shoes scream, “not for amateurs... don’t try this at home, kids,” evoking an air of superiority and style. Until, of course, that fateful moment when she rolls her ankle. At least she looks good on the way down, satisfying her need to be noticed with her bold fashion sense.

Most guys on campus choose to wear vans, a comfortable and easy option to attract the ladies.

Although many people think they are boring and mainstream, some guys try to spice things up with different colored laces and patterns. When I glance down in my fifth period class, for example, I see yellow and brown vertically striped laces on beige Vans that tell me this kid is avante-garde, a step above Graphic by Brenna Lyles

the rest, incapable of experiencing a dull moment. His shoes smirk while saying “laugh with me, not at me.”

Boots are popular among fashionistas everywhere, and are the most coveted footwear among La Costa Canyon’s population of girls. There is a complex matrix defining what type of boot to wear and when to wear it.

Ultimately there comes the decision, “what clothing could pull off your fashion

“Sanuks say, ‘Hi. I’m super chill. I enjoy an ice cold Giulijuice on a hot day right after I shred some waves.’” statement?” The right boots can send out a message of pure class and sophistication.

Steve Maddens yell out, “I’m trendy. I’m cool. I’m just the right shade of camelcolored leather.”

The wrong boots, such as your seventh grade, pink UGGs, could put you in a Fashion Purgatory so deep, that not even a month of Steve Maddens could save your reputation. They show the world that this girl (or guy) is relaxed and is all about comfortable toes. UGGs scream “ah, warm feet,” and “I really don’t care how I look.” Come on ladies.

According to US Weekly, if even Bieber says “UGGs are ugg-ly,” then get a clue.

Enough about those over-sized foot comforters, let’s focus on the adults.

Loafers, Sanuks, Sneakers, Sandals, Wedged Toms, Flip flops, Boots. Most teachers go the comfortable, or “boring”

Feb. route. But who can blame them? When they have to stand for six hours a day giving lectures, they wear so-called “boring” shoes that are comfortable enough to stand in. Staff members at La Costa Canyon have just as much personality as they do.

For example, Assistant Principal Doug Kamon’s wingtips scream authority, saying “I don’t put up with misbehavior or unexcused absences.”

English teacher Lauren Monahan’s collection of wedges informs us that she is not that far removed from the rest of us, but they still give her a powerful height advantage to keep us in line.

If you have had the pleasure of knowing history teacher Paul Giuliano, you are aware of his passion for Sanuks and his constant defense of the comfortable sandal that hides your gnarly toes. Sanuks say, “Hi. I’m super chill. I enjoy an ice cold Giuli-juice on a hot day right after I shred some waves.”

You’re probably glancing down at your shoes at this very moment trying to figure out what they are saying to the world. Do you care how you look, or are you only out for comfort, or are fads and trends right up your alley?

On your next shoe-shopping outing, try to remember that your shoes can translate your “sole,” but what’s most important is how they make you feel.

Next shoe-shopping outing, try to remember that your shoes can translate your “sole,” but what’s more important is how they make you feel.

Valentine’s Day Horoscopes Aquarius: Somebody has been missing you. Make the effort to rekindle an old love. Don’t stray from your intuition.

Your Song of the Season: “Intuition”

by Jewel Gemini:

Your dreams are so close to coming true. Stop closing your eyes—you may miss what’s right in front of you.

Your Song of the Season: “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith

Libra:

This Valentine’s day, you will finally experience certain serendipity. Don’t take this feeling for granted.

Your Song of the Season: “My Funny Valentine” by Frank Sinatra

Pisces:

Try not to over-indulge. Cutting back will make a noticeable difference and catch the eye of an interested prospect.

Your Song of the Season: “Secret Admirer” by Pitbull

Cancer:

With your new-found confidence, you have many admirers. Don’t leave them hanging on, but be sure to choose wisely.

Your Song of the Season: “Love Me” by Justin Bieber

Scorpio:

Your cynicism is giving off a bad vibe.

The least you can do is fake enthusiasm until this season is over.

Your Song of the Season: “Get Over It”

by Avril Lavigne

Aries:

Put a little spark in your relationship by adding some pizazz. Just remember, diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Your Song of the Season: “Her Diamonds” by Rob Thomas

Leo:

You have a compassionate side deep within. Let people in with less of a challenge and you will find serenity and bliss.

Your Song of the Season: “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz

Sagittarius:

Whoever you are missing is dearly missing you too. Surprise your significant other on Valentine’s Day. Your Song of the Season: “Missing You”

by The Saturdays

Taurus:

Open up to your hidden romantic side within. Bliss is soon to be followed and a new romance is sure to fall into place.

Your Song of the Season: “Hey Jude” by The Beatles

Virgo:

Stop fighting your true feelings. This facade is turning people off and pushing away the people you need.

Your Song of the Season: “Who You Are”

by Jessie J

Capricorn:

It’s time to finally listen to your own advice. Stop being afraid of taking your relationship to the next level, so step out of your comfort zone.

Your Song of the Season: “Countdown”

by Beyoncé

Entertainment

Feb.

The Hungry Maverick MavLife staffers review local doughnut shops

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Brenna Lyles Editor-In-Chief

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re you hungry? This month, MavLife staffers and select campus celebrities tested the sugary, American classics. Traveling from El Camino Real to Vulcan and up the Coast Highway, MavLife picked up both glazed and chocolate glazed doughnuts from three local bakeries and doughnut shops. The results may surprise you as they did many staffers.

Photo by Brenna Lyles

Video Film and English teacher, Speed Farris, joins MavLife staffers as one of many guest doughnut tasters.

adia Donut Sho c u pp Le

1604 N. Coast Hwy 101 Encinitas, CA 92024

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eucadia’s glazed doughnuts took the gold in this taste testing competition, winning the taste buds of an unmatched 50% of testers. With its well-risen, seemingly fresh dough and flaky, sweet glaze, it was described as “the perfect doughnut” by staff-writer, sophomore Megan Mineiro. Although some commented that Leucadia’s glazed doughnut was drier than its competitors, testers collectively agreed that it was also surprisingly light. Mineiro added that it was “crisp on

the outside and fluffy on the inside... I love it!”

This shop’s chocolate glazed doughnuts ranked second with 26% of votes and was even the favorite of guidance counselor Randa Fast-Medley. Many noted that this doughnut had a nice, balanced chocolate-todoughnut flavor ratio.

Despite busy morning hours, Leucadia Donut Shoppe’s employees completed our purchasing transaction in a friendly, quick, and efficient manner.

The two owners, known to locals as “Tom,” and Tom’s wife, who know several costumers by name, have created a warm, welcoming environment in this quaint, beachside shop.

Glazed: 50% of staffers preferred this donut Chocolate Glazed: 26% of the votes

VG’s Donuts

106 Aberdeen Drive Cardiff, CA 92007

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any were surprised to find that Cardiff’s VG Donut & Bakery, a local favorite, received only 5% and 11% of the testers’ opinions for glazed and chocolate glazed doughnuts, respectively. As VG’s doughnuts are baked fresh each morning and afternoon, testers agreed that both chocolate and glazed seemed fresh. Their dough was more cake-like than others, described as chewy, moist, and dense. Teacher Ryan Giusta perceived these doughnuts as “super dank.”

VG’s glazed doughnut was described as having a “fruity under-taste” by Fast-Medley, while many agreed that it seemed to lack pizazz. Overall, this doughnut

was “so-so” and many were disappointed in their once-thought-to-be favorite doughnut shop. However, opinions differed and freshman Julian Sanz commented, “I liked [VG’s glazed doughnuts] the best because, although the glaze is light and weak, the dough was unmatched with its chewiness and flavor.”

However, VG’s chocolate glazed doughnuts ranked higher than their regular glazed counterpart. Its thick and rich, yet messy chocolate frosting was noted to be the “best chocolate flavor” amongst all competitors.

Ordering two dozen doughnuts took over fifteen minutes, as an employee wrapped each and every doughnut in individual sheets of wax paper and directed us to a separate cashier to complete the purchase. The shop also offers a variety of other sweets, pastries, cakes, and even quiche. Its beach location make VG’s convenient for surfers and locals alike.

Glazed: 5% of the votes Chocolate Glazed: 11% of the votes

2

r Donut # e p Su

Glazed: 8% of the votes Chocolate Glazed: 0% of the votes

252 N El Camino Real # 2 Encinitas, CA 92024-5820

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anked lowest by taste-testers was Super Donut #2, a hidden shop near Rubio’s and Pizzacato on El Camino Real. Super Donut #2’s doughnuts were most commonly described as chewy, cheap-tasting, and not quite sweet enough. Its dough was “denser than [Leucadia Donut Shoppe’s]” according to Fast-Medley.

“This doughnut seemed lighter and fluffier and wasn’t too sugary. Although it was not an extremely popular choice, I understand why the shop has a cult following,” editor, Cameron Gurley said.

Their original glazed doughnut won only 8% of voters. Staffers found it to be floury and a bit bland with a flavorless glaze. This doughnut received unusual

comments on its flavor such that it “had a pepper-like undertone,” “tasted like sourdough,” and “tasted like cereal.” However, those who enjoyed the doughnut adamantly backed their choice claiming that the dough was extremely flavorful and the glaze was the perfect level of sweetness.

However, Super Donut #2’s chocolate glazed doughnut flopped with zero votes from those who took part in this taste test. It was said to be “fresh enough” by Sanz, yet lacked any trace of chocolate flavor and was “disappointing” according Fast-Medley.

Despite this ranking, the employees were “super friendly” as Gurley recalls, and even went as far as to give MavLife extra, free doughnuts. Super Donuts #2 is a convenient stop on your weekend errands as it is a near and well-visited spot near crowded shopping areas such as TJ Maxx and Staples.

Back Page

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Feb.

Lyrics of Love Tara McQueen Managing Editor

Carrier

4:20 PM

Songs for Couples

Brenna Lyles Editor-In-Chief

Carrier

4:20 PM

Songs for Singles

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

What a Girl Wants

The Beatles

Christina Aguilera

Crazy in Love

Picture to Burn

Beyonce (feat. Jay-Z)

Taylor Swift

Without You

Kiss a Girl

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

I Will Follow You Into the Dark

I Want You to Want Me

Death Cab for Cutie

Wham!

Crawl

Nothing

Chris Brown

The Script

Singin’ Me Home

She Will Be Loved

Lady Antebellum

Maroon 5

Kiss Me

Stronger

Sixpence None The Richer

Kelly Clarkson

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