March 2015

La Costa Canyon High School

MavLife

March/April 2015

One Maverick Way, Carlsbad, CA 92009

Volume 9 Issue 4

Debate Duo Reaches Tournament of Champions

Felix Bonnevie

Senior Jacob Goldschlag and junior Gabi Yamout are preparing to compete in the Tournament of Champions, which begins on April 25.

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fter years of sitting on the sidelines, LCC debate has entered a new era of competition with the qualification of policy debate partners Gabi Yamout and Jacob Goldschlag to the Tournament of Champions (TOC), an annual conference held at the University of Kentucky.

The tournament has a high level of prestige among high school debaters.

“It’s like the Superbowl of high school debate,” junior Yamout said. “It’s like the pinnacle of what you want to get to. It’s pretty much the goal of policy debate.”

In 2014,Yamout and Goldschlag became LCC’s first partnership to qualify for the policy debate event in the TOC. In 2014, they only received one of the two bids usually required to enter the tournament, and by

applying for an “at large” entry, were able to participate. However, this year, the debaters fully qualified with four bids.

“It’s a very huge honor that they are representing LCC at the TOC,” speech and debate head coach Lizzy McNally said. “It’s very exciting. It’s their second year.”

The TOC serves as an ample opportunity for progression in one’s debate career.

“At the TOC, it’s like the best college debaters, college coaches and things like that,” Goldschlag said. “You get exposure to college programs, the best feedback and ways to improve your arguments.”

Aside from the offered benefits, the tournament is reputed to be especially rigorous. Debaters admit resulting feelings of pressure to prevail.

“Because Jacob’s a senior, I feel like we have to do really well because he doesn’t have another chance at it, even though I might,” Yamout said. “We’ve been working towards it the whole year, so everyone’s watching to see how you do. It’s a lot of stress but I’m excited because I know a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to do something like it. It’s good to see the hard work we put into it finally paying off.”

The competitors have invested a great deal of time in preparation for the TOC, as well as debate in general, over the years.

“There’s a lot of work outside of school, as well as with the tournaments,”Yamout said.

“You have to research, write your cases, figure out what’s going on, etc. With a sport, you have to practice everyday after school. It’s the same for debate, where you’re working on everything hours after school every day.”

This year the pair is determined to “break,” or go on to the competition’s elimination segment.

“There are seven preliminary rounds, and then if you win five out of the seven, you get to advance to the elimination rounds,”Yamout said. “Our goal for this year is to advance, which we didn’t do last year.”

Other expectations await the debaters at the tournament.

“I just want them to do the best that they can do and have fun while they do it,” McNally said. “That’s the most important thing to me: that it’s a good learning experience and that they represent LCC the best that they can.”

Keeping their goals in mind, the partners will depend on each other to drive them to victory. “[Jacob and I] keep each other

motivated,”Yamout said. “The more successful you are, the better. The better you do, the more likely you are to get recruited. That’s like the motivating factor for why you join debate and decide to do it competitively: we want to get into college.”

The two qualifiers are willing to share the honor with mentors who’ve helped them on their road to success over the years, including their unofficial assistant coach, William Smelko.

“Smelko is a very respected person in the whole debate community,” Goldschlag said. “He volunteers his time, and we pay for his hotel rooms and flights. We don’t give him any compensation for his actual time, so he’s a pretty awesome person. Just being able to have him as someone to advocate for us is one of the most important things that’s contributed to our success.”

The debaters reveal setbacks for the elective at a public school.

“Our biggest challenge has been the fact that we don’t have a lot of resources,” Goldschlag said. “A lot of debate at the higher levels is run by private schools. They are more competitive and always have the best teams.”

On the other hand, LCC debate has qualities unique to other debate schools.

“We give them the opportunity to compete under Leucadia Independence,” McNally said. “They have the option to go and attend other tournaments as long as they’re independent of LCC. A lot of schools don’t give that option. That allows them to get more exposure to higher level tournaments that our team doesn’t necessarily go to.”

Kailey O’Connell Staff Writer

CommUnity Day Works to Bring Students Together

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wice a year, students from all grades gather in the media center for an intense school- sponsored bonding experience, CommUnity Day. The day is designed for students to build connections and empathy for each other through games and activities. Staff and specially trained students collaborate with the voluntary participants to break social barriers and gain a better understanding of their community as a whole.

The facilitators hope to bring students of all different grades and social groups together for a day of connection, emotion and change.

“The intention of the day is to learn how people communicate with each other, to learn the language that [students] use that is offensive to other people, and to become aware of how that language can be offensive,” Jamie Ritchie said. “It’s learning that we have differences with other people, but we also have things in common.”

Although some adults organize logistics, the main leaders of the program are the students themselves.

“Mrs. Groseclose does a lot of help with getting the day going and keeping it running, and I do a lot of the grunt work as far as getting stuff organized,” Ritchie said.

“But there are student facilitators who have been trained for two weeks in the previous summer; they are the ones who actually run the day.”

The day is run by fellow students to make the participants feel understood and comfortable while sharing.

“I really want it to be a student led activity, because students are more likely to

IN THIS ISSUE Net Neutrality

Students speculate amid controversy surrounding the internet playing field.

PAGE 2

NEWS 2

listen to each other than they are to listen to adults,” Ritchie said.

These student leaders get to participate in the day like the other students do; however, they have more responsibilities.

“As facilitators, we all split up the roles that we are doing,” senior facilitator Parker Ewing said. “I helped with the introduction, facilitated a small group with the help of another facilitator and mentored the whole day.”

Although the facilitators have duties during the day, they learn many things from the experience.

“I think it has definitely taught me to be more open with people,” junior facilitator Zach Carter said. “The way people seem externally doesn’t always reflect how they are internally. We are a lot more similar than you may think.”

Having people meet with others they wouldn’t normally talk to is a prevalent goal of the program.

“I think it’s really important because high school is really hard for everybody and there isn’t anywhere else on campus where you can go and talk about important things or personal things,” Ewing said. “Our school does have a reputation of not being the most welcoming.

CommUnity day works on defusing that.”

At the end of CommUnity Day, many students express to the staff that they have a better understanding of what their peers are going through.

“We create a place where people can understand, ‘Oh I really do fit in. I just have to figure out a way to get in there with the

OPINION 3

Athlete Spotlight: McKenna Brown

FEATURE 6

La Costa Canyon freshman ties LCC female pole vaulting record, jumping 10’6.

PAGE 11

Jade Harabedian

Students sit in a circle listening to the student facilitators speak at CommUnity Day on March 25.

people. Not everybody is rude, not everybody is going to push me aside,’” Ritchie said.

“There are people who are willing to be open and have a conversation.”

The ultimate consensus from many participants is that everyone on campus should try to go to CommUnity Day at least once.

“It’s hard to describe, but I think if you go in with an open mind, you will get so many good feelings from it,” Carter said. “Definitely go. I think it’s worthwhile.”

Jade Harabedian Senior Staff Writer

SPORTS 9

ENTERTAINMENT 11

The Hungry Maverick

The MavLife staff finds some of the best breakfast places around to see which pancakes stack up best.

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APRIL SPRING MUSICAL 1-2 “P ETER PAN” 7:00 p.m. in the theater

PRING BREAK 6-12 SMonday, 13 first day back

20-24 ASB CAMPAIGNING REDENTIALED 24 FCUNDRAISER 7:00 p.m. in the theater

MAV 28 M7:00IGHTY p.m. in the theater 30 T7:00HESPIAN SHOWCASE p.m. in the theater

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News

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Three Juniors Nominated for Boys’ State Summer Program

Juniors Nolan Durfee,Will Fox and Isaac Diaz will represent LCC in the American Legion’s prestigious convention

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hree of La Costa Canyon’s own were selected by the national veterans organization The American Legion to attend Boys State, a summer leadership program held in Sacramento, California. Typically, only one student is chosen as a participant from each school; however, as in recent years, this year there will be three attendees: juniors Nolan Durfee, Will Fox, and Isaac Diaz.

Around the country, district posts of the American Legion hold yearly Boys State programs. These preparatory programs are designed to immerse young men in the workings of local, county, and state government through the operation of a mock government. The top two students will be selected to attend Boys Nation, a similar program held in Washington, D.C. later in the summer.

“For a week, you’re literally conducting a legislative body,” attendee Nolan Durfee said.

“We’ll be drafting bills; you can file lawsuits against other members of the government.

You can run for governor, lieutenant governor,

Lisa Levario

“The [Boys State committee members from the American Legion] are looking for the future leaders of our country.”

Kalli Anderson

Juniors Nolan Durfee,Will Fox and Isaac Diaz have the pleasure of attending the American Legion convention in Sacramento over the summer.

party secretary, treasurer, different positions.

It’s full on intensive.”

In addition to gaining experience with leadership at the governmental level, the students will network with other students as well as adult mentors. The program is favorably viewed by colleges and universities for creating lasting connections, impacting students as leaders, and fostering future career opportunities.

“It is a very prestigious program that’s been in existence for many, many years,” guidance counselor Lisa Levario, who is also the coordinator of La Costa Canyon’s nomination process, said. “A lot of our political leaders--a lot of men that are in positions of leadership--have been through Boys State. Colleges really value the

participation.”

After teachers submit nominations, those students who are interested in attending the program complete applications, interviews, and examinations. The American Legion’s Boys State committee makes the final selection. Among the criteria for candidates are a history of excellence in a variety of areas as well as thorough knowledge of history, politics, and government.

“We ask the teachers and the counselors to look at leadership, academics, involvement, and just an all around good citizen,” Levario said. “These guys [Boys State committee members from The American Legion] are looking for the future leaders of our country.”

Durfee and Fox are both students of math teacher Michelle Anderson, who has observed

them in the classroom and has noticed the ways that these two stand out from their peers and that make them likely candidates for the program.

“I think it’s just their dedication to understanding why things work the way they do,” Anderson said. “They’re leaders in my math class, so I’m sure they’re like that in all their classes.”

The further development of these leadership skills will be a focus of the program. Participating students look forward to not only the added merit for college applications but also the enhancement of professional skills and of a greater understanding of America’s democratic system.

“I feel like it will be a good experience to learn about the government and how it works and how to speak publicly,” attendee Isaac Diaz said.

According to Levario, many students return from the program excited for and appreciative of its impact on their lives, describing it as “‘the best thing [they’ve] ever attended.’” This year’s attendees also anticipate gaining insight into future career paths and attaining overall personal growth over the course of the program.

“I hope to gain some insights into how our country and our world works and how I can fit into that,” attendee Will Fox said. “The whole mission statement of Boys State is to create informed citizens and I hope to be one of those informed citizens.”

Cassandra Cyphers Guest Writer

Students Question Importance of Net Neutrality The decision to have the internet remain neutral causes students to question what the system has to offer businesses

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n issue concerning many families and businesses across San Diego County is the possible end of net neutrality.”Net neutrality” is one of the most important terms in the world of technology today, although many people don’t know what it is, nor its daily effect.

In its simplest form, net neutrality is the idea that the internet runs at the same speed for each user, regardless of what data passes through or what server is used. Cable companies are wanting to change this because they would rather charge for quicker internet speeds. This would create a market the larger, wealthier companies would take advantage of, leaving smaller companies losing money because of slow internet connections. The bigger companies would end up making more money off customers willing to pay a few extra dollars for faster internet speeds, and most mom-and-pop business would be further excluded from web markets.

“Bigger companies would have an advantage,” senior Jacob Gensler said. “It’s a new sort of business. Business is making internet faster and it’s a competition.”

Other than large companies wanting to make more money, some people are opposed to the termination of net neutrality.

“I think it makes a lot of sense that [net neutrality] remains neutral and remains an open and free resource for everybody,” James Etheridge said. “In this age of technology it gives everybody an equal footing for exposure and opportunity.”

Most people believe that net neutrality is already very beneficial to all businesses.

“It’s not like [net neutrality] favors one corporation over another,” senior Matt Hatch said. “I think it’s good [the government] wants to regulate it because it makes it easier for new businesses to get in on the market because they don’t get choked out by their competitors.”

Editorial: A Stance on Social Hosting Law

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t has become increasingly obvious that underage drinking is not a secretive occurrence for many students at LCC. While students’ decision to be under the influence is disappointing, what is more disconcerting is the fact that this problem doesn’t always reside in the teenagers alone, but is also advanced by some parents.

Take into account the California “Social Host” law. According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, “a ‘social host’ is anyone who knowingly hosts underage drinking parties on property that they own, lease or otherwise control.” And a lot of the time, these “social hosts” are parents throwing the party. The MavLife editorial board is in support of the “social host” law, and believes

Calvin Zeljak Staff Writer

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ith course selection for the 2015-16 school year already here, students have to decide whether to take AP or college prep classes. For many students, it’s a tough decision that determines the course of their school year. But for others, it’s fairly easy. However, many students have a tough time deciding how to balance what AP classes and what college prep classes to take.

Balancing classes can be a difficult topic to figure out, especially when it comes to how colleges look at them. According to grockit. com, colleges are looking to see that students

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ou have probably already selected your courses for the 2015-16 school year.

While almost everyone takes an English, math, science and social science course, they are left with one, two or maybe even three spaces available for an elective. Generally, those electives are going to be an important part of your upcoming year, so you should be sure to pick the class that’s right for you.

When considering different electives, there should be a few things to look into first.

Things like credits are the obvious decision

from.”

For many students, having a quick internet at school is vital to complete homework assignments or take an online practice test. Despite the worry that net neutrality might end, LCC will not have too much worry about in terms of our internet.

“It wouldn’t have any sort of ramification at the public schools because we all operate from the San Diego County Office of Education,” Marcus said. “They’re the ones that disperse out the internet feeds and run it at the same speed as everyone else.”

MavLife 2014-2015 Staff Editor-In-Chief: Anthony Fregoso

The only way to combat the rise of these parties is to remind parents to protect their children by discussing the dangers of underage alcohol use and educating them in a lone and controlled environment. MavLife believes that because of the malleable nature of teens’ minds, every act of social hosting ought to be prevented.

In conclusion, the MavLife editorial board is against the act of giving alcohol to minors, not only because it is illegal, but because of the poor message it sends teenagers and children. The next generation should be raised by understanding parents, who not only let them have their independence, but also continue to care for their healthy state of mind and body.

are pushing themselves and not trying to coast by with good grades.

However, I believe that students should be pushing themselves so that they are forced to work hard, but not so hard that they become constantly stressed out about their workload. With this being said, the number of AP classes compared to college prep classes is going to vary from student to student.

The specific classes they take is going to depend on a student’s ability, work ethic and determination to succeed.

Clearly, every student has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. If you are the type of student who doesn’t like to put a whole lot of time into homework, than it may be smarter to take a college prep class instead of an AP. But, if you’re a very hardworking student, than it’s a good idea to push yourself and take some AP classes instead.

One final thing that is important to consider when choosing classes is your schedule outside of school.You don’t want to sign up for an assortment of AP classes, but end up not having the time to put in the necessary work in order to succeed in that

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maker. It really depends on whether you want to take a practical art, visual performing art or both in the same year.

If this is going to be your second, third or fourth year at the school, you might want to take into account that some electives are repeatable, and will continue to give you credits if you retake them year after year.

Having taken the same elective twice already, and signed up for an upcoming third year, it is really nice knowing that every year so far, I have had a class that is almost like home to me. Piling up the credits for my elective section, as well as having the one class that I really look forward to motivates me to be more involved in school.

Throughout my two years in journalism, I’ve learned how to write for an official school newspaper. While that may sound simple, there are still several components to it than meets the eye. Things like obtaining information through interviewing, formatting stories correctly and learning about differentiating writing styles are all tools that have helped me increase my understanding of

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class.You need to make sure that you have the ability to put in the needed effort to obtain a top grade in a particular class.

Trying to balance out classes can be difficult. That’s why it’s important to understand how personal strengths and weaknesses line up, how much you should push yourself, how much effort you are willing to put in and how much time you have to put into a class. While I think that it’s important to push yourself, you also need to know how much you can truly handle during the long school year.

Electives are Crucial to a Class Schedule

Daniel Stuart

the effect net neutrality has on the economy and the market.

“All companies use the internet, and if a different service provider would provide service cheaper and better than it would definitely make businesses more efficient,” Hatch said. “It’s better for the consumer if [the internet] is open to competition.”

Etheridge brought up the notion that La Costa Canyon and the surrounding community is an area, in terms of internet access, that some people only dream of.

“We’re very lucky to live where we live,” Etheridge said. “We have a lot of opportunity for internet access, and it’s fast, whether it be on your phone in town or at home with the many different providers that you can choose

that giving alcohol to minors is not only a legitimate crime, but a moral issue.

While the legal consequences of this crime are clear, the moral complications remain muddy. Not only is “social hosting” a hinderance on teenagers’ health, but is also a breach of law that calls into question a parent’s decision making process.

The justification for social hosting is that it is advisable for parents to experience their child’s point of view, let them live independent lives and guide them through the jungle that is high school. However, that also means protecting their well being, and social hosting is arguably a way that parents further potential harm of not only their children but other parents’ children as well.

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AP and College Prep Class Choice is Important

Senior Staff Writer

Another question that rises from the debate over net neutrality is the effect it would have on the millions of people dependent on the internet on a daily basis.

“There are places in this country where [the people] have one provider and it’s very expensive, and it may not even work very well,” Etheridge said. “I think it’s the ability to access any sort of data that’s out there.”

For families in the San Diego County, the end of net neutrality would possibly have a large effect on activities occurring at home.

“I think [the effect] depends on what companies support it,” Gensler said. “It changes the amount of internet [families] are using in their house.”

On another side, there is discussion about

Opinion

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English and the real world.

The school has implemented some new electives for the upcoming year that some may look forward to. Some of these new electives include shaping, marketing and costume design. With all of these electives at your fingertips, it’s really up to you to decide what classes you want to take.You should be open minded about your classes for each and every school year.

No matter what you choose for next year, whether you’re looking for a practical art or a visual/performing art, try to find an elective that you will feel comfortable in for the year.

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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 editorial board, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective.

Advertisements do not necessarily represent the newspaper’s views.

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Opinion

Opinion Editor

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was never one for team sports. Just the simple idea of having to carry the team’s burden tended to turn me off. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed recreational soccer seasons and playing pick-up football games with my grade school friends. But it was the independence of martial arts that has always brought me the most satisfaction, and it definitely deserves a spot as a top tier sport in today’s society.

Martial arts and combat sports in general have been a part of my life since I was just a kid. My parents enrolled me in karate classes during my elementary years, I wrestled in middle school and have practiced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since eighth grade. Team sports are meant to provide the teamwork mentality that children are expected to learn. But ironically, all of these lessons, as well discipline and character, can be taught to independent martial artists.

Despite what most may think, karate is not the only martial art that is practiced in a group, or essentially, a team. All martial arts, including Jiu Jitsu have practices and classes in groups of people.

All techniques and sparring are done with other competitors of your age and skill, not with a coach who is twice your size. Together, the group learns how to interact, support each other’s strengths and work as a team in a practice or tournament setting.

Martial arts is also a phenomenal way to build a person’s character, starting with the simple ability to defend oneself. Having the confidence to know that you can protect yourself from an assailant is not only practical, but also extremely useful in boosting one’s confidence. The more someone practices martial arts, the more they begin to see changes in their own life, far beyond the realm of knowing how to defend oneself.

I didn’t have to dedicate myself to martial arts for years at a time in order to see how it affected me.

In fact, it was only after a few short months of Jiu Jitsu that I realized that I had become more patient, disciplined and at peace than ever before. Practicing martial arts did not make me angry or lusting to fight.

Strangely enough, months of facing off against others in hand-to-hand combat instilled in me a sense of duty and respect for the limitations of my body and other’s.

Fixing your belt when it is untied, having to bow to your professors and helping your opponent when he or she is down were lessons that infused with me a sort of doctrine that I carry with me daily.

Despite the social norm of signing up kids and teens for team sports, helping kids get into martial arts may give them the opportunity to get the best of both worlds. Not only does it allow a child to be physically active in a team environment, but it also gives them vital lessons in discipline and self-defense, which could benefit their future. The argument could be made that martial arts is a dangerous sport, but the case is actually the opposite. The first priority for all dojos and professors is the safety of their students, and all necessary precautions are taken into account in order to assure that the most prominent injuries a student can have are just minor bumps and bruises.

In conclusion, martial arts is extremely relevant in today’s world, and it is able to teach kids and teens vital lessons in patience, discipline and self-defense. I know for a fact that martial arts has affected my life in the most positive way possible, giving me the confidence to pursue my goals and the diligence in order to wait for them. Clearly, martial arts is much more than the East Asian monk doing funky moves at the hilltop. Martial arts is not ancient, but in fact, a step into a more modern society.

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Is Social Media Bad for Children?

Bridget Murphy Staff Writer

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Jacob Castrejon

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he world around us is constantly changing in many different ways. One change that everyone is paying attention to is the evolution of technology.

It’s easy to argue that better technology will benefit young people and give them access to more of the world, but the counter argument to this same idea has begun to gain momentum as well.

If you have ever taken a U.S. history class or remember any of the facts you learned in elementary social studies, you would know that over time our culture has changed drastically.

My mom was born in 1962 and the first mobile phone, the 14-inch long DynaTAC Motorola, was released to the public in 1983. If my mom bought a mobile phone that year, she would have been 21 when she got her first mobile phone. Skip to 2015, when second graders receive the iPhone 6s for their birthday.

Surprisingly, some people believe that this is a good thing.

Those who agree often argue that the sooner the technology is introduced to young people, the more intelligent and ready to be immersed in the world they will be. The question is, what does “ready to be immersed in the world,” really mean?

I believe that it means being intelligent, preparing oneself to work hard, having goals and most importantly, having excellent communication skills. I strongly believe that communication is the most important of these skills, simply based on the fact that as humans, we rely on communication in nearly every single aspect of our lives.

Unfortunately, the introduction of cell phones into young people’s daily lives has negatively impacted their life skills. Conversations have moved from predominantly in person to primarily online or via text. Frankly, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea of being friends with someone because you text all day. But, when you see them at school or anywhere else in person, it can be difficult to share even a few sentences without feeling awkward. This problem originates from cellphones being introduced to kids at younger ages. A friendship can go from two people who spend time talking to two people who only have a stream of texts to illustrate their friendship.

While the evolution of technology is predominantly a good thing, the evolution of communication among younger generations is deteriorating quickly. Rather than being taught to have a face to face conversation, we are able to hide behind a screen, never worrying about what the other person is actually thinking. If we are able to teach children the merits of communication and conversation, we can prevent this problem from growing larger.

Students Speak: Kids and Social Media What is your opinion on social media and how younger generations use it?

M ckenna Brown, 9 “I think social media can be a good thing, but also a bad thing at the same time.”

Kelsey Aaknes, 11 “I like social media, I have all the different apps. But when it comes to younger generations, I think they use it too much. They abuse it.”

Sophia Karnazes, 10 “I feel like [social media] has caused us to be more antisocial. It has really taken up a majority of our lives.”

Andrew Ghani, 12 “I think younger generations don’t use [social media] too well. It’s used as more of a distraction instead of developing a successful career.”

Cooper Ball, 10 “I think younger generations use social media too much for no good reason.

They browse for entertainment, nothing productive.”

Alan Pacheco, 12 “I think social media is fun, but it’s being introduced too early. I mean, second graders don’t need social media, or an iPhone 6s.”

Bucket Lists Should Look Different “Frankly, some treat a bucket list as a race against time, when it should be a developing list.”

Amanda Mester Staff Writer

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ccording to Merriam-Webster, a bucket list can be defined as, “a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying.” They are a fun way of writing down dreams, places to travel to and goals for the future. However, a bucket list should be about living your life to its full potential, not doing “this” or “that” before you die, like swimming with dolphins, traveling the world or becoming a millionaire.

Frankly, some treat a bucket list as a race against time, when it should be a developing list.

Some of the most common bucket lists items are: becoming a millionaire, traveling the world, seeing the northern lights, walking the Great Wall of China and paying off a house mortgage completely. However, I believe that some items on traditional bucket lists are almost narcissistic, things like getting a tattoo or meeting a famous person.Yes, it is your

bucket list and you can choose whatever you want to put on it, but why not make the ideas on your list something larger than yourself and something that can change the world in a beneficial way?

While there happen to be many fortunate people around the world, there are still opportunities to do great things in and outside of school that can positively impact our lives, and others as well.

I believe the concept of doing something for someone and asking for nothing in return can apply to any bucket list.

An individual should write something on their bucket list that helps others, whether it be rescuing animals, traveling to foreign countries to help those in need or becoming a part of a charity. Of course, your bucket list can consist of the things you want to do, but keep in mind what you are doing it for.

A bucket list shouldn’t be a way to cross off the many places and things a person has been so lucky to experience.

Instead, a bucket list should be used as a tool to guide oneself towards positive opportunities. Obviously, life doesn’t last forever. So, would you rather live is selfishly or selflessly?

Summer credit classes start June 15.

Enrollment begins April 20.

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Martial Arts is Relevant in Today’s Modern Society

MARCH/APRIL 2015