March 2013 MavLife

Finding Balance in Class Selection

Students must decide between a free period or elective when choosing 2013-2014 classes.

Page 2 News

Prop AA To Bring Significant Changes

The Hungry Maverick

Air conditioning and technology are among upcoming enhancements provided by the recent bond.

Pages 7-9 Feature

MavLife staffers go on a sweet ride to find the most mouthwatering cupcake.

MavLife

March 2013

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

Entertainment Page 15

Volume 7 Issue 5

BacklasH Athletic Director Decision Causes

Parents, coaches and athletes express concern over the future of Maverick athletics

Anthony Fregoso Sports Editor

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iting an anticipated drop in enrollment, Principal Kyle Ruggles recently made the decision that Kari DiGiulio would not be returning as the athletic director next year. Instead, Assistant Principal Doug Kamon will be taking over her position while maintaining some of his current administrative duties.

“We are projected to have 1,900 students next year,” Dr. Ruggles said. “Currently we have 2,100. Schools with similar athletic programs in our district have about 2,700 students.

We can’t have a school with an enrollment of 2,700 have

the same athletic program as a school with 1,900.”

The athletic director is responsible for supervising the entire athletic program, including scheduling buses, dealing with disciplinary actions for athletes, working with CIF officials and supporting coaches in a variety of ways. As DiGiulio puts it, “pretty much the athletic director is in charge of being the voice of the coaches and the athletes.”

The response to the decision on the part of coaches, parents and community members has been strong, and mostly negative.

Coaches have been among those most concerned that the decision to move away from a dedicated athletic director toward an assistant principal who has both athletic duties and other responsibilities signals a shift away from valuing athletics on the part of the administration.

“I think that we are all concerned that this was an indication that athletics weren’t a priority, but we’ve been told that that isn’t the case,”

“The athletic director is in charge of being the voice of the coaches and the athletes.”

Kari DiGiulio

head boys basketball coach David Cassaw said. “We still want athletics to remain a vital part of this campus.”

Despite the fact that Dr. Ruggles is trying to reassure all of the coaches that athletics are a priority, there are still coaches who don’t understand the decision.

“A lot of the coaches are upset or confused, and they don’t know what direction the vision of our school is with athletics and sports,” cross country coach Bill Vice said.

La Costa Canyon has earned a strong reputation for athletics both locally and throughout California. LCC set the CIF record for the number of championships won in a single school year last year, with a total

of 11 championships. LCC is also ranked among the top ten athletic programs in the nation

by MaxPreps (a CBS Sports site dedicated to high school athletics) going into the 201213 school year. For some, this success adds to the uncertainty of why the position is being removed.

“I do trust that our district is going to do everything that they can but it is a concern that it will slow our progress that we have had,” head football coach Sean Sovacool said. “It’s a slippery slope. You’d like to think that an athletic program and department like our own should have an athletic director even if it is reallocated.”

Not only are the priorities of the school a question, but coaches worry that they may be required to take on more responsibilities.

“I can assume or guess that [this switch] is going to affect us negatively,” Sovacool said.

“Responsibilities that [Digiulio] may have had might be given to myself, which is a concern. I’m just concerned that there will be a lack of organizational support.

It sets a bad precedent.”

Even DiGiulio worries that coaches may have extra work added onto their plates because of the decision.

“Our coaches are used to having somebody to go and talk to and having someone on their side and be their voice,” DiGiulio said. “I think it might put more work on coaches.”

Head boys volleyball coach Mark Brubaker is also uneasy about the amount of work that Kamon will be taking on along with his current duties.

“It might cause problems when [Kamon] has to deal with disciplinary actions or other duties that he has when we need

Continued on Page 11

Maverick Athletics by the Numbers

11

CIF titles won by La Costa Canyon’s Athletic Program in the 2011-2012 school year Sophomore Sierra Lyle

1

Number of North County schools with a football program and no designated athletic director (La Costa Canyon)

27

Sports teams in the La Costa Canyon Athletic Program in the 2012-2013 school year

Junior Fritz Eibel

Parents Sue Encinitas Union School District Ashtanga yoga classes amount to religious practice, plaintiffs argue

A

Yasmeen Halim News Editor

lthough most would associate yoga with serenity, peace and divinity, the seemingly calming practice created just the opposite effect in the Encinitas Union School District (EUSD).

In February, parents Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock,

alongside the National Center for Law and Policy (NCLP), filed a lawsuit regarding “civil rights violations resulting from its inherently and pervasively religious Ashtanga yoga program.” The plaintiffs are not seeking money; rather, they aim to suspend the entirety of the yoga program.

The EUSD was granted a

sum of $533,000 by the Jois Foundation. According to its website, the foundation provides schools with funding through its “Health and Wellness Program” which “uses the techniques of yoga, meditation, and proper nutrition to create a positive lifestyle.” The foundation provided the grant in an attempt to diversify physical education

at an elementary-school level.

The grant provides over 5,500 elementary students throughout the district with yoga as a physical education option.

Although yoga enthusiasts argue that yoga is a positive addition to students’ lives, the district has received

complaints from nearly 30 families who believe that the Ashtanga yoga practiced in the schools is too closely affiliated with Hinduism. Parents are concerned that the practice goes against the religious beliefs they have taught their children.

News

2

March

Students Balance Freedom With Exploring Interests Registration process presents choice between a free period or an elective Sandy Mueller Staff Writer

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tudents are taught every day to expand their minds and push their limits to ace tests and get good grades.

As students sign up for next year’s classes they must choose from a variety of options, including Advanced Placement classes, electives and free periods.

Finding a balance between a rigorous schedule to prepare for college and having a life outside of school can be a challenge. Older students especially must weigh the benefits of free time versus a schedule that appeals to colleges.

“With as many candidates as they have, [classes] must be a factor,” science teacher Cindi Schildhouse said. “The more rigorous the classes, the more prepared for college you will be.”

When too many students opt for free periods, it can have an effect on the overall schedule, causing popular electives like creative writing to be cancelled due to low enrollment.

“If too many students take free periods then it will affect the electives,” English teacher Jill Lax said. “I think students should be excited to learn about new things.”

Some students simply don’t feel like it is necessary to have a full schedule.

“I chose a free period because I had the credits and I would rather be at home after lunch instead of at school,” senior Zach Vann said.

“I’m not very interested in other electives that are available at La Costa Canyon anyway.”

However, others are excited about learning and feel that a full, challenging schedule is important for college.

“I really want to go to Davis next year for college but I know it is a really competitive college so I am trying to find as many AP and high level classes as possible,” junior Melissa Gower said.

It is becoming increasingly competitive for students to get into their dream schools and the classes that students choose may affect the decision made in later years.

“Basically, students are living in a world where colleges want students who challenge themselves,” history teacher Paul Giuliano said.

Many believe that colleges would prefer a student

Chase McAllister

From left to right: Seniors Shannon Brunetti, Rebecca Goates and Ali Peck perform “Black and Gold,” a number choreographed by Goates for Advanced Dance, at the annual Visual and Performing Arts assembly in February.

who has a more rigorous schedule over a student who chooses to take a free period.

“I think colleges are looking for [students who] stay with honors,” freshman Alexandra Estrella said.

However, one senior who has a free periods feels that taking a free period hasn’t affected his college chances despite lacking a full schedule.

“I don’t think it influenced my college acceptances because it is already second semester of my senior year and I got into a good amount of schools,” Lyle Snowden said.

But while colleges are posing more competition for entrance than ever before, students must make tough choices about which advanced classes they will take.

“I think that students need to be careful of high rigor and pick carefully and know that you will be Paul Giuliano successful [in the class],” Lax said.

Students must plan accordingly, taking into account the various demands of high level classes as well as electives, according to counselor Randa Fast-Medley.

“We want people to enjoy [their] classes,” FastMedley said. “Sometimes people have to make a decision.”

Careers or personal interests can also drive a student’s choices.

“I would like to take Drawing and Design because I’m really into drawing and it seems like a fun elective,” Estrella said. “I feel I’ll learn a lot in the class.”

There are also students who are focusing on careerrelated classes.

“I am going for the two science classes because I want to go to veterinary school,” Gower said.

With all the choices offered, it can be hard to choose which classes to take, whether the class is based on interests, career or requirements.

“Go to the counselors, teachers, parents or peers,” Fast-Medley said. “I would go to adults and have good conversations. The future is now.”

While the future seems far away, as students register

“Students are living in a world where colleges want students who challenge themselves.”

Chase McAllister

From left to right: Comedy Sportz President Zach Lax and Vice President Johnny Visotcky, both juniors, host the annual Visual and Performing Arts assembly in February.

for next year’s classes, they must decide if they want to take a free period or enjoy an elective class.

“As an educator, I believe in education and taking every opportunity to improve education.” Giuliano said.

“No one should take that for granted.”

A Partial List of Electives Offered at LCC

Chase McAllister

From left to right: Junior Sabrina Smith and senior Daisy Ponset perform a scene from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” at the annual Visual and Performing Arts assembly in February.

• Acting • American Sign Language • Anatomy & Physiology • AP Art History • AP Computer Science • AP Biology • AP Envioronmental Science • ASB/Leadership • AVID

• • • • • • • • •

Creative Writing Digital Photography Drawing & Design Engineering Fiction and Film French Japanese Journalism PALS (Peer Counseling) • Psychology & AP Psychology

• • • • •

• • • •

ROP TV Production Sculpture Senior Seminar Sociology Spanish I-IV, AP Spanish & Spanish for Professional Communications Speech and Debate Technical Theater Web Design Yearbook

News

March

3

Students Embrace the New ‘Calf-A’ on Campus New food choices, indoor seating are a hit with Mavericks Emily Brown Staff Writer

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lushies, cookies, paninis and more. The amazing.” new “Calf ” cafe on campus offers new One setback, however, is the fact that tasty and healthier meals with tables and students who use free and reduced lunch chairs for students to sit and eat lunch. cards cannot purchase food from the Calf With the convenience of the cafe using their cards. tailored to La Costa Canyon, the cafe “I don’t find it very fair because the brings a larger variety to vegetarians and foods at the lunch lines aren’t healthy,” supports healthier food choices. The cafe senior Velasco Bobadilla said. sells salads, yogurt, bagels and cream Students have been wondering if the cheese, fruit cups and hummus. There cafe will live up to its full potential, as a are also drinks including Smart Water, cyber cafe. chocolate milk, Gatorade, slushies with “Is it really a cyber cafe?” freshman 100 percent fruit, and a variety of Naked Alexandra Estrella asked. “I’ve never seen Juices. people on computers or studying there.”

So far, the students on campus seem Cyber cafes are supposed to provide pleased with the new cafe. Many students people with Internet access as they eat at feel like the new cafe was an important their leisure. improvement to the “I love the new school. cafe but I can never “I love the food “The lunch lines would always find myself studying there,” freshman be so crowded and long. Now I there,” junior Syda Taylor Robb said. “I Chales said. “It’s a was actually really like how the Calf has an indoor nice idea, but I don’t surprised. I think the lunch line.” think computers and Calf is a really good food mix.”

Heilee Hitzelberger idea. I walked in and I So far the was like, this is a cool consensus regarding place to come.’” the new food choices is positive, as Although the Calf has been a popular students find it far better than the previous choice on campus, some students believe food offered on campus. there is room for improvement, especially “I never liked eating at school; the when it comes to appearance. lunch lines would always be so crowded “When I walked in [the cafe], it looked and long,” freshman Heilee Hitzelberger okay, but there wasn’t much on the walls,” said. “Now I actually want to eat at school. junior Arturo Chairez said. “There wasn’t I like how the Calf has an indoor lunch much to look at and it’s kind of boring. I line.” wish they would have music and more With the new options gaining posters.” popularity, a new favorite has settled in However, art classes have been among students. working on projects to make the “I work at the cafe so I know that appearance of the Calf more vibrant and the panini sandwich is the biggest hit,” appealing. freshman Maddy Germesca said. “My “Each person in my class is working favorite item is the panini sandwich and on a painting of a cow,” sophomore Alexa slushy.”

Kent said. “The Calf is going to look

Students wait in line at the Calf Cafe as their food is prepared.

Sandy Mueller

One of the most popular items at the new Calf Cafe is the tomato basil panini, a vegetarian option that sells for $3.50. The Calf offers more choices for vegetarians than the other lunch lines.

Mavs Participate in Healthy Kids Survey Students answer questions about drug use, campus climate Allison Zimmerman Staff Writer

to administer the survey, collect data and report the data back to San Diego school districts,” Assistant Principal Doug Kamon he majority of the student body partic- said. ipated in a study to inform faculty and Nearly 2,000 students were able to staff of student health and behavior. The participate in the 45-minute survey this Healthy Kids Survey was administered to past month. Students were asked to answer students during their third period classes multiple questions such as, “How do you on March 7, 2013. The survey consists of feel about bringing a gun to school?”

177 questions pertaining to the topics of Students were also asked if they had health, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, bullying used drugs such as marijuana without a and the school culture. doctor’s order, and to rate how many times The purpose of the California Healthy they consumed drugs or alcohol in the past Kids Survey (CHKS) is for school districts month. They were also asked about how across California they felt about their to understand school and family the relationship “Adults and educators need life. between students’ “It was a lot to know the kids in order to a c a d e m i c longer than I thought performance, health provide the best educational it would be,” junior and well-being. The Tess Armbrust said. survey is the largest environment for them.”

“The questions got statewide survey Doug Kamon repetitive after a of “resiliency, while.” protective factors, Students were and risk behaviors expected to answer in the nation,” according to its website the questions honestly in order to produce (chks.wested.org). the most accurate data to benefit our The survey is distributed on campus school. Student answers were anonymous every two years. The University of to ensure students’ privacy and the validity California San Diego received a grant of the answers. from the state of California to facilitate the “I hope people answered the questions survey in San Diego. honestly,” junior Maddy Belin said. “I’m ”Proctors from UCSD come to LCC glad it’s done to get info to help our

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Sandy Mueller

school.”

The results of the California Healthy Kids Survey are shared with school and district officials and are used to assess what sort of behavior students are involved in and how they feel about the campus climate. ”The data is given back to schools and used to shed light on how students feel at school and where improvements can be made,” Kamon said. In fact, the data results from the survey have already made a direct impact on campus.

“Four years ago, the data from the Healthy Kids Survey revealed that students weren’t feeling connected to LCC,” Kamon said. ”Last year we brought in the Challenge Day program to make students feel a part of school and to connect with their peers.”

Challenge Days received positive feedback from teachers, administrators and students. This year, the Challenge Days return at the end of March.

The Healthy Kids Survey gives students the opportunity to implement changes on campus that best suit their directed needs and concerns. ”It’s always good to keep a pulse on what’s happening at our school,” Kamon said. ”Adults and educators need to know the kids in order to provide the best educational environment for them.”

Opinion

4 MavLife 2012-2013 Staff Editor-In-Chief: Megan Mineiro Managing Editor: Rebecca Zilberman News Editor: Yasmeen Halim Sports Editor: Anthony Fregoso Opinion Editors: Rachel Hutchison McKenna Stonhaus Entertainment Editors: Jennie Barnes Alex Visser Photography Editor: Ellen Reidy Head Photographer: Chase McAllister Web Editor: Kaylee Daly Rodriguez Assistant Editors: Ana Diaz & Claudia Mathews Assistant Design Editor: Meghan Lumsden

Change will damage thriving, top-ranked athletic program

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he MavLife Editorial Board is having a hard time imagining how coaches, parents and athletes alike are going to cope with the drastic changes that will likely come due to the loss of Athletic Director Kari DiGiulio next school year.

At such a powerhouse athletic school with over 60 percent of the student body involved in sports, keeping this position would seem like a no brainer.

Between coordinating game and bus schedules, preparing early-out slips, determining athlete eligibility and allocating facility distribution, our current nationally-ranked athletic program is no doubt going to suffer when the athletic director duties are transferred to Assistant Principal Doug Kamon.

Although an Assistant Principal is going to be taking over these essential tasks, without someone specifically dedicated to the LCC athletics program, the time spent on this area of our culture will necessarily be reduced.

Principal Kyle Ruggles has expressed that one of the main reasons for this change is that LCC will have lower student enrollment next year, dropping from 2,888 students to just under 2,000.

Therefore, the assistant principals will supposedly be able to take on more responsibilities.

However, as our editorial board and

many people in the community are aware, students and families choose to attend LCC each year for the prestigious sports programs and the incomparable support and efficiency of the athletic department.

None of this would be possible without the hard work and coordination of someone solely dedicated to the athletes.

With multiple athletes on the editorial board, we can fairly say that working with Kari DiGiulio has been a pleasure. She is always there to help us with completing our required paperwork, to listen to our concerns about the coaching staff and to cheer us on at our games. Losing such a well-respected and

Not only will this loss upset the coaches, athletes and parents, but it will also alter the community’s perception of LCC when we are suddenly the only large athletic school with a football team in North County that doesn’t find it necessary to employ a full-time athletic director.

deserving member of the faculty from our athletic program will be a loss for all athletes.

Cutting the Athletic Director position is not a smart way to cope with the problem of lower enrollment. In fact we are risking the potential downfall of one of the most desirable traits that draws students to LCC in the first place: athletic excellence. Not only will this loss upset the coaches, athletes and parents, but it will also alter the community’s perception of LCC when we are suddenly the only large athletic school with a football team in North County that doesn’t find it necessary to employ a full-time athletic director.

Sporting events provide social opportunities for the rest of the school where freshmen through seniors, as well as parents, siblings and other members of the community consistently come together as one big family sporting blue, green and gold. Sports are part of the culture at LCC. Along with our other noteworthy programs, our nationallyranked athletic program has always been something to be proud of here at La Costa Canyon. Removing the position that makes this celebrated athletic program possible is a mistake that will affect the entire community.

A College Education Shouldn’t Cost Students a Future

Mavericks should be wary of incurring large debts in pursuit of higher education

Business Managers: Kiki Gibson Riley Medina

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31,700

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Staff Writers: L.J. Bradford, Emily Brown, Cosy Burnett, Juliette Cardinale, Belen Castillejos, Jacob Castrejon, Andrew Chan, Jackson Cowart, Cassandra Cyphers, Natalie Engel, Sydney Francis, Jayson Gacad, Cooper Gee, Kara Gibson, Kiki Gibson, Rhett Goodson, Alex Hummel, Ingrid Kim, Hunter Klawans, Meghan Lumsden, Riley Medina, Molly Mineiro, Sandy Mueller, Kota Nishiguchi, Emily Schacht, Reilly Tiglio, Dani Tomassetti, Devon Whitlam, Jessica Woods, and Allison Zimmerman

March Editorial: Decision to Cut Athletic Director a Mistake

Adviser: Suzi Van Steenbergen

McKenna Stonhaus Opinion Editor

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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.

Juliette Cardinale

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here are many things that I am avoiding concerning the “college” topic that is fluttering about our campus.

Sure, there are the general questions to consider as to “where” you want to go and “what” you want to major in.You pay fee after fee sending SAT scores, submitting transcripts and filling out applications, only then come across the “AHA” moment: “How am I going to pay for college?!” After this realization, the reality hit me that I might need to explore some in-state options.

When deciding on a college to attend, that issue became a big concern for me in determining which schools to apply to. My dream school of Boulder, Colorado soon became a thing of the past once I came across the grand total of the $45,281 annual cost, not for all

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four years, but only ONE year as a nonresident of Colorado. Do the math! My grand total would be $181,124 for just four years, without graduate school.

It’s just a fact that the majority of out-of-state colleges that you apply to will be significantly more expensive than in-state schools. So with money becoming something to look out for, I decided to make it easier on myself and apply to seven California schools, and only one out of state college. But even eliminating out of state schools wasn’t enough. A college education in the state of California is not too cheap. San Diego State University costs roughly $19,630 a year. The Universities of California (UCs) demand an estimated cost for a California resident of $31,700 annually.

Additionally, many students decide

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to change their major, which can add on significant time in their education and furthermore increase their costs.

Only a half of those who graduated college since 2006 are now employed full time, according to a recent Rutgers University survey. With this in mind, we can’t rely on getting employed right away, which will make paying back student loans even more challenging.

If your “dream school” becomes a financial burden for your future, any joy you experience during the four years on your “dream” college campus will be extinguished by the burden of thousands of dollars in debt. For this reason, students should weigh carefully the cost of the college when choosing which university to attend.

@MavLife

Opinion The Missing First Amendment Right Senioritis Need The freedom to visit the bathroom is a fundamental right Not Be Fatal March

things that are...less than kosher.

I don’t think that all students should be punished for other students’ mistakes.

I have used the bathroom seven times during my two years at this school. Each time I have walked without talking to others, barring the occasional “hi” to a teacher or friend and then walked back, without dawdling, to my class.

And I think that students should be Jennie Barnes trusted to do just that: walk to and from Entertainment Editor the bathroom only when they need to, until proven otherwise.

Now, I would like to talk to the hen our founding fathers were teachers.

Hello teachers. We all know that writing the First Amendment, they if you give a mouse a cookie, he will eat it guaranteed Americans specific rights. and it will keep eating all the cookies you We would all be able to say how we feel, give him. Students are basically mice and print the news as well as our opinions, bathroom passes are cookies, so we will practice whichever religion we chose, use all of them. Some of you might think gather peacefully together and to ask the government to listen to us. The one thing that students will learn discipline and begin to use the bathroom during break that they forgot to give us was the right or lunch. Others of you know the truthto use the restroom.

They probably never thought that this that we just share the passes.

So if there is one thing that students human right would come into question. learn from bathroom passes, it is that But from the moment you are walked sharing is caring. But I think we all into pre-school to the day you check out learned that well enough in primary of high school, this right is controlled by school. Coincidentally, that is around something called “bathroom passes.” the time we should stop having to use I, as a human who consumes both liquids and solids on a daily basis, feel that bathroom passes.

I understand that teachers are not the fact students are only allowed to go allowed to use the restroom during class, the restroom a certain number of times and students should be able to hold it (even if it is a reasonable number) is an too, but that doesn’t stop my teachers. infringement on my basic rights.

In respect for their privacy, I I personally do not believe that am not going to name the it should be deliberated by three teachers who have an adult as to whether left my classroom during or not I get to do my instructional hours this year business. to tinkle. It does happen.

But I am not So, in summary, I feel blind to opposition as though we should all go to my idea. I have seen storm the National Archives students shamelessly Building in Washington, D.C. loitering outside, clutching and put a little post-it on the their bathroom passes First Amendment that reads, while gossiping about “The “Congress shall make no law Bachelor.” I also know that infringing upon students’ rights some students use their McKenna Stonhaus to restroom use at their own bathroom breaks to do discretion.”

Students should resist the temptation to succumb to the dreaded spring disease

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SELF SERVE FROZEN YOGURT

• 52 Rotating Flavors • 30 Delicious Toppings • Fresh Fruits

Sydney Francis Staff Writer

Rachel Hutchison

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typical morning in my senior year consists of a few things: waking up five minutes before I have to leave for school, doing my homework the morning it’s due, catching up on my sleep in class and most importantly, finding any excuse to have my mom call me out of class. It’s safe to say that “senioritis” has taken its toll on me.

What is senioritis, you may ask?

According to the Urban Dictionary it is “a crippling disease that strikes high school seniors with symptoms that include laziness, a lack of studying and repeated absences.

The only known cure is a phenomenon known as graduation.” Although this may be true, I’m here to tell you that graduation is NOT the only cure.

Many believe that every senior experiences senioritis at some point during the last year of high school.

However, senioritis is truly just a mindset and a lazy excuse not to do any work. Many people, including myself, assume seniors allow this “crippling disease” to take over.

Thankfully, there are certain precautions you can take to prevent the onset of senioritis, such as taking challenging classes and using college as a motivation. Senior year should be a year to experience new things and take more elective classes that will benefit students in the future. But, if all seniors only take electives and free periods, they will not be able to graduate.

The real world consequences for allowing senioritis to take over can

be serious. Teachers may choose not to write a letter of recommendation for students not taking six classes, especially if the students aren’t participating in extracurricular activities. Teachers remember students who make a rigorous effort their last year of high school, even though trying hard is the last thing students want to do.

Furthermore, students should remember not to lose sight of the fact that colleges look at senior year grades hoping to see improvement.

So if students are getting Ds and Fs, they can kiss their college admissions goodbye.

Aside from college concerns, with enough truancies, unexcused absences and bad grades, students can have their school privileges revoked including the ability to attend school dances or even walk at the graduation ceremony.

I understand no one wants to get up early and go to school, but to me sleeping late isn’t worth the risk of not graduating or not going to my senior prom.

Lastly, if students allow themselves to give up this early in the game, it can progress to lazy habits in the future.

Many students plan on going to college and getting a job, but if students are accustomed to giving up after three years, no one would be successful.

To all the seniors out there, we are all going through the same struggle.

But, with enough motivation and a good work ethic, we can get good grades, graduate and have many more successful years to come!

The real world consequences for allowing senioritis to take over can be serious.

Senioritis is truly just a mindset and a lazy excuse not to do any work.

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Opinion Social Media Sites Harmful To Teens 6

March

What Facebook,Twitter and Instagram are really doing to your brain

Sandy Mueller Staff Writer

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he invention of Facebook (2004), Twitter (2006) and Instagram (2010), has led to an increase of teenagers spending time on the web. About 90 percent of teenagers use social media on a regular basis in today’s society. With that, it has resulted in many teenagers spending a great deal of their time on these various social media sites, which I personally believe is not good for us.

As teenagers, we are crunched for time with all of our extracurricular activities, friends and homework. While already being strained, social media only increases the loss of the little time we have.

From “liking” a post on Facebook to following someone on Instagram, the media is all around us. In a blink of an eye, people have the ability to take a picture with their phone and post it instantly on Facebook.

However, this ability

to have media everywhere may not be good for our health. Growing up on the computer most of our lives has affected us more than other generations before us.

Psychology Today states that “attention spans are decreasing because of exposure to excessively stimulating and fast-paced media.” There is even a disorder that has developed called “Internet Addiction Disorder” with symptoms such as tremors, shivers, nausea and anxiety that clearly show that we are very dependent on media.

Online bullying, “sexting,” identity theft and child pornography are being assisted by the Internet and social media sites. These illegal activities are increasing, which has caused us as a society to have serious health issues. This has resulted in teenagers being affected psychologically because of these activities.

The American Medical Association says that 43 percent of teenagers ages 13 to 17 reported being cyberbullied and that it caused them serious “emotional distress.” As cyberbullying increases, I think of all the kids that hurt every day. How can this be right? Why is it that social media now gives bullies the ability to torment anytime of the day? The emotional effects cause many serious problems such as depression and sometimes even lead to death. Social media can be threatening and dangerous.

The average teen sleeps seven hours as opposed to the nine and half hours recommended by the American Sleep Disorders Association.

With this, teenagers are always complaining of their fatigue because they stayed up too late.

Psychology Today points out that the “average number of sleep hours per night decreases McKenna Stonhaus

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Ellen Reidy

in inverse proportion to the average number of hours per day of Internet use.” Teenagers must be using social media for longer periods of time than we like to think.

You start on the computer just to post a comment about how awesome your day was, and then end up spending three or four hours on Facebook. After all that, there is still math homework, an English project and a lab to finish up.

These detrimental psychological effects of social media are real, so it is important to be aware of them.

Instead of going home and spending four hours on Facebook, perhaps spend time with family and friends, get some sleep, eat a good snack or exercise. These activities have been shown to not only decrease stress but to also help make people more emotionally stable.

Feature

March

7

Proposition AA Paves theWay for District-Wide Enhancements

A

Cassandra Cyphers & Molly Mineiro Staff Writers

quick walk around campus won’t at first glance reveal crumbling

buildings, struggling students or a failing athletic program.

However, a closer look through a 21st-century lens reveals several changes that must be made in order to adapt to this era of technology and innovation. Financing for these changes will be acquired through bonds totaling $449 million.

This past fall, voters approved Proposition AA by a margin of only .52 percent (the bond required a total of 55% of votes to pass). The measure called for a raise in local property taxes to fund a bond that will improve infrastructure at San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) schools.

“There was a wish list created starting about five years ago involving staff, community members and parents, as to what our schools wanted and needed to go into the next 40 years,” SDUHSD School Board President Barbara Groth said.

After a realistic assessment, Groth said that “the list was pared down considerably” to a final total of approximately $449 million. The next step, she said, was to attempt to pass a bond to finance the renovations—a feat that hadn’t been accomplished

in the district in more than 40 years.

Engineering teacher Debbie Elliott believes that voter s have had the misconception that schools only truly need updates every several decades. Instead, she argues, there is always a continuing need for innovation within our schools.

“The last time this district asked for a bond measure was back in the sixties,” Elliott said.

“We don’t go out and ask for things unless we absolutely need them. I was really amazed that the public realized that and respected that.”

Now that Proposition AA has been passed, new revenue created by the increased property taxes will allow district developers to implement the changes from the wish list as well as those deemed necessary after thoroughly examining each school site.

“It was really based on the needs of each one of the schools,” SDUHSD Associate Superintendent of Business Services Eric Dill said. “We have campuses that were built in different decades, and each one of them was in a different place in terms of what they have now and what we felt they needed to have in the future.”

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The Maverick Field House will provide gym space for all indoor sports and will include a weight room and extra space.

The Videoconference Center will be a tool to enable student interaction with people in other states and even other countries.

Permanent, 2-story buildings with physics labs will replace current portable classrooms.

Meghan Lumsden

Three new buildings will be added to the La Costa Canyon campus: an athletic field house, a video conference center, and a new, two-story science building.

Based on the inadequacies that were discovered, each school site was designated a certain amount of money to accomplish the needed changes to bring them up to 21st-century learning standards and to allow schools the ability to more safely, effectively and dynamically educate students.

While students see the benefit in renovating campus facilities, some wonder why changes can’t be made that would alleviate the problem of growing class sizes, an issue that affects classrooms directly.

“I would hire more teachers

for sure because classes are getting way too big,” junior Haya Barakat said. “For one, it’s harder for the teachers to control that many students, and we just need some better teachers.”

Unfortunately, bond money cannot be used to hire classified or certificated staff.

“These bonds are passed under a specific law that dedicates all of the funds towards capital improvements for schools,” Dill said. “So it can only be used for funding buildings and other facility improvements or anything that supports that type of work.”

“There was a wish list created starting about five years ago involving staff, community members and parents, as to what our schools wanted and needed to go into the next 40 years.”

SDUHSD School Board President Barbara Groth

School Board Member Opinions Differ Board trustee John Salazar only member to vote ‘NO’ on Prop AA

T

o pay for the bond, taxpayers will see a maximum property tax increase of $25 per $100,000 of assessed property value to be paid yearly. Though the planned projects will certainly add value to the school, struggling homeowners may see the tax hike as a burden.

“As long as it’s not too much for certain people because some people have trouble paying their taxes already, then it’s fine because schools really need improvements,” junior Haya Barakat said.

Most students agree that a tax increase would be an acceptable trade-off for the proposed changes.

“I would definitely say that’s worth a better education,” freshman Hayden Sproul said.

However, one of the

school board members did not But among his disagreements agree. District Board Trustee with the bond was the fact that John Salazar voted no on the paying off the campus solar panel proposition. bonds and improvements at “I would have supported Torrey Pines High School were a smaller bond,” Salazar said. also rolled into Proposition “Generally speaking I feel that AA. Salazar also felt that the the people in bond was our district are not detailed already paying “I would have supported enough in its enough in proposal. taxes and that a smaller bond. I felt that “The more pressure problem with should be put there were some excesses the bond is that on the state, there weren’t in the bond that I didn’t the governor specifics in and our state there,” Salazar agree with.” legislators to said. “It doesn’t free up money John Salazar really tell you for schools.” exactly what Salazar we’re going to agrees that the new technology do with that money. I felt that proposed by the bond is needed there were some excesses in the to better educate students. bond that I didn’t agree with.”

In contrast School Board President Barbara Groth highlights the significant amount of research that has been done to determine what needs to be addressed at each school site. She is confident that the proposed changes are consistent with students’ actual needs.

“It’s a good list of projects,” Groth said. “Voters came to understand and agree that these are necessary to keep our schools the best they can be.”

Overall, students and staff alike are looking forward to the proposed changes as timely investments for the future of all students.

“We have been patching and doing the best we can, and it is time to invest for the next 40 years,” Groth said. “We can do it, and I’m so happy that it passed.”

District promises Accountability

‘Citizens Oversight Committee’ to monitor spending of Prop AA funds

A

ccording to district master plans, SDUHSD schools will receive a total of $449 million to retrofit old buildings and construct new ones. Given the large sum of taxpayer money at stake, the district has established an Independent Citizens Oversight Committee to ensure legal and ethical spending choices with the bond money.

Typically, the school board appoints at least seven members from various categories of residents, including a parent currently involved in a parent/teacher organization, a parent of an active student, a member of the business community, a member of a bona fide taxpayer organization and a member of a senior citizen organization.

“Our school board went through that process and actually appointed nine people to this oversight committee,” Associate Superintendent of Business Services Eric Dill said. “We wanted to make sure there was parity and equity across all of our campuses.”

At least annually the committee will issue an official report to the public detailing the financial dealings with the bond money.

“Their job is to review all of our expenditures, our project budgets, reports and summaries of how we’re spending the money and what we’re using it on,” Dill said.

Proposition AA La Costa Canyon to RecIEve $41.3 Million

For Renovations Campus-Wide Updates Extend Beyond the Ordinary Video conference center, fiber optic technology and air conditioning among changes

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tudents squirm in sweat-drenched more information than our old-fashioned desks as the temperature gradually wiring.” climbs to degrees intolerable to SouthDebbie Elliott, who teaches ern Californians. Slowly, every ounce Principles of Engineering, Architectural of energy is drained from the learning Design and Digital Photographic process as minds drift to thoughts of Calf Imaging, agrees that such enhancements slurpees only steps away. Every heat wave are crucial to successful education. that hits the canyon of La Costa comes “We desperately need to update our with devastating consequences due to Internet systems—the whole system,” one factor—a lack of air conditioning in Elliott said. “Our bandwidth was built 17 many classrooms on campus. However, years ago. With technology exploding the Proposition AA is coming to the rescue. way it has it can’t support us anymore.”

Upon returning from summer break, Elliott believes that current Internet students and teachers can anticipate air systems are no longer suited to student conditioning in many of the classrooms needs. that are currently stifling when “With all you guys with your temperatures become uncomfortable. broadband cell phones and stuff like New air conditioning is just one of that, it doesn’t function,” Elliott said. many structural changes coming to One “[Students] use it all and people that Meghan Lumsden Maverick Way via Proposition AA, the really have legitimate use for research or $449 million bond passed by voters last something like that, they can’t get on. It Video conference center, drawn from the LCCHS Master Plan design.

November. takes so long.”

“Classrooms that don’t have air In addition to improved world.

Physics teacher David Evers, who conditioning will receive air conditioning infrastructure and computer systems, “It can make you so much more teaches in one of the portable buildings, units, and all the current air conditioning there are more groundbreaking plans that marketable because you’ve already is looking forward to modernized units will also be upgraded to have better will not take place for several years due done some virtual communications,” classrooms. systems,” Principal Kyle Ruggles said. to the amount of extensive planning and Elliott said. “You go to a place like IBM “Updating the school is always a Students and teachers who find oversight required. For example, students that is building things in one country, good thing for students just to see that campus computers sluggish and wireless may find of interest the designs to build designing them in another, putting them there’s investment being made in their devices slow to respond will also be a videoconference center in between the all together and selling them in several school,” Evers said. “I know it would be relieved to know that technology 1300s building and the theater that will [countries].You have to talk with these nice in terms of physics to get a little bit upgrades are also at the forefront of the allow students to interact with students people and make them understand what bigger space and that kind of lab feel that planned enhancements. in other states and nations. you’re trying to communicate to them.”

I feel this classroom lacks.”

“All of our web access, wireless “It’s going to provide the capabilities Not only will the new Despite excitement over the and wired, will receive significant of long distance learning with someone videoconference center prepare students proposed changes, some worry that the enhancements,” Dr. Ruggles said. “I’m in Ireland or Japan,” Kamon said. for global interaction in their future presence of construction on campus may talking about large scale, highest quality “They’re teaching a lesson and it is careers, but it will also enable them to pose a potential distraction or even and there is available.” being interpreted here in English for gain perspective danger to students.

Of all the on other “It’s always challenging to try to schools in the San cultures. overcome construction when you’re “All of our , wireless and wired, will Dieguito Union High “You can actually going to school day-to-day and School District, get a lot of having to deal with that,” Evers said. receive significant enhancements.

I’m talking about La Costa Canyon perspectives Dr. Ruggles is confident, however, is taking the most other than large scale, highest quality there is available.” that students can exercise good judgment innovative approach to our own little and avoid construction zones. technology. secluded area “There’s certain safety standards the “Our school is in La Costa,” construction people need to follow, and going to be the first freshman they are very rigorous, so I wouldn’t be one to receive the Zachary concerned about anyone being in harm’s fiber optics upgrades,” Dr. Ruggles said. our students so we get that world Halvorson said. “We live in a really nice way,” Dr. Ruggles said. “I don’t see it “Other schools are going to take more of knowledge.” area, so we can get perspectives from being a huge setback for people. Students a wait-and-see approach.”

The engineering class on campus has other countries.” are just going to need to stay away from The fiber optics system is installed already been involved in such long-range In addition to the videoconference places.” in the ground and sends pulses of light learning. center, plans have also been made to Overall, these future updates are through an optical fiber to transmit “Engineering is already doing this upgrade the science department facilities. likley to enhance the La Costa Canyon information. with schools in New Jersey and New “We’re going to get two-story experience.

“Fiber optics is a faster way of York,” Kamon said. “It gives them a science buildings to get bigger lab space “We’re going to receive a lot of getting digital messages from one point different perspective of the east coast to for our science quad,” Dr. Ruggles said. advantages from Proposition AA,” Dr. to the next,” Assistant Principal Doug the west coast.”

“The portable buildings in the 700s area Ruggles said. “Our school is going to Kamon said. “Because it’s fiber and it’s Elliott believes such interaction is will be removed and they’ll be putting benefit a great deal.” optical, it’s much faster and it can carry vital for students’ futures in the business permanent building structures there.”

web access

Kyle Ruggles

Cassandra Cyphers & Molly Mineiro Staff Writers

Meghan Lumsden

Maverick Field House, drawn from the LCCHS Master Plan design.

Athletic Department Gets Its Share of Prop AA Updates Prop AA leaves swimmers out of luck as others welcome the plans for more gym space

S

tudent athletes will be happy to hear that Proposition AA won’t be overlooking the athletic department. Although academic enhancements will be more extensive, sports teams can expect some of their needs to be fulfilled.

One of the most impactful athletic updates is the building of a new field house.

“We’re going to get a permanent structure—an athletic field house next to the current gymnasium,” Principal Kyle Ruggles said. “It’s going to be called the Maverick Field House. It’ll be additional gym space with a wooden floor for basketball, volleyball, wrestling, all indoor sports.”

Taylor Hindle, who coaches

basketball, track and cross country, has been hoping that Prop AA would provide for additional gym space.

“I’d like to see an auxiliary gym put out there on those little-used beach volleyball courts,” Hindle said. “I would like to see that so it’s not so much of a crunch for gym space when volleyball is going into post-season and basketball is starting, or basketball is in post-season and men’s volleyball is just starting.”

The new field house will provide much needed practice space for all indoor sports. However, some may question why this space is not being used to fulfill the need for an on-campus pool.

“I can see a need for an on-campus pool,” Hindle said. “I think it’s more

expensive in the long run, for the chlorine cost and constantly cleaning it out. With a gym floor, once you’ve relacquered it you only have to do it every couple years to make sure it’s safe for people to be on.”

Dr. Ruggles verifies that the longterm pool costs such as maintenance, heating, insurance and other factors do affect the decision to not build a pool on campus.

“In order to build a pool on campus, it’s fairly expensive,” Dr. Ruggles said.

“But it’s not nearly as expensive as the maintenance over time. A lot of school districts that are newer, or schools that are being built now, do not include pools because of the ongoing costs and the

maintenance that would be expected to pay over years in the future.”

Although an on-campus pool is not in the planned updates, there will be additional field space off Calle Barcelona for the all schools in the area.

But as important as the athletic facilities are, academics remain the number one priority.

“I’m a coach, but schools exist to teach kids and to serve those kids,” Hindle said. “Not every kid does athletics, right?

They certainly have a very important place in many kids’ lives on campus, but I would be lying if I were to say that’s the most important thing we should be spending that money on.”

“We’re going to get a permanent structure—an athletic field house next to the current gymnasium. It’s going to be called the Maverick Field House.

It’ll be additional gym space with a wooden floor for basketball, volleyball, wrestling—all indoor sports.”

Kyle Ruggles Field house Technology upgrades New stadium lighting, fire road acess,water main replacement Track and Field

2013

Performing Arts Center, technology and campus infrastructure improvements New 2-story math and science building

2015

New 2-story science building B Building modernization and renovation

Renovate 200s and Industial arts buildings

New gymnasium, modernize industrial arts and A & B buildings

Visual & Performing Arts, Technology classrooms, New Gymnasium

2017

2019

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love the

atmosphere

here at MiraCosta College, the people are friendly, the food is great and the teachers are engaging and their top priority is to see

every

student succeed.â&#x20AC;?

Richard Huizar

Mission Hills High School graduate and MiraCosta College Student Ambassador

Cardiff / Oceanside / Online www.miracosta.edu

facebook.com/miracostacc

760.757.2121

Sports

March

11

New Pool Not Among Planned Prop AA Changes

Aquatics teams miss out on recognition, support without a pool on campus

Junior Nathan Park practices his butterfly stroke at the Encinitas YMCA. Swimmers must travel from LCC to the YMCA for practice each day.

A

Jackson Cowart Staff Writer

s the spring season begins, teams from all sports are getting prepared with intense training and extra practices.

Most athletes can head straight to practice right after school to the field, the gym or the courts.

This convenience isn’t afforded to the aquatics teams, all of which must go offsite to the Encinitas YMCA for each practice.

“It hurts tremendously,” swim coach Patty Mackle said. “A lot of kids can’t find rides, their parents work, they can’t get them there at night, or it’s just too late.”

Many students are faced with the challenge of even getting to the location to swim.

“When I was younger, it definitely was a big problem with my parents,” senior water polo player Noah Lizerbram said. “I actually ended up missing a ton of practices.”

Beyond the troubles of getting to practice, some students feel like swimming becomes an afterthought on campus because of the absence of a pool.

“It feels disconnected from the school

Ana Diaz

somehow,” junior swimmer Joseph Jiang said.

Students are not the only ones who feel this way.

“It makes you feel removed from the school,” Athletic Director Kari DiGiulio said. “It makes you feel removed from the population.

I think if we had something on campus for swim Kari DiGiulio too, it would help make everything more connected.”

As much as some people want a pool on campus, it may not be a possibility.

A new aquatics facility was not among

“I think if we had something on campus for swim too, it would help make everything more connected.”

the proposed additions to the school in the recent $449 million bond passed last November.

“I don’t think it’s the cost of installing the pool,” Principal Kyle Ruggles said. “It’s the ongoing maintenance and not leaving the future on the hook to make those payments when the future for budgets is so unpredictable. If we install a pool now, what is our budget going to look like five, ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred years from now?”

Dr. Ruggles mentioned other schools that have been forced to discontinue use of their pools, including one school in Los Angeles that he has recently seen.

“It’s a nice, huge olympic sized pool on campus [in Los Angeles],” Dr. Ruggles said. “They don’t use it because of the costs. All they could do is fill it up with water and they don’t use it.”

However, Dr. Ruggles did acknowledge the potential benefits of having an on-campus pool.

“Would [it] increase the student participation in aquatics if we had a pool on campus? I think the answer’s yes,” Dr. Ruggles said. “Would it increase the school spirit in regard to water sports if we had an on campus pool? I think the answer’s yes. But I don’t see a pool being built on campus in the near future.”

Dr. Ruggles makes it clear that the absence of a pool should not reflect poorly on the athletes.

“I think our swimming athletes are extremely dedicated and hardworking,” Dr. Ruggles said. “It’s definitely not because we don’t honor athletics and swimming.”

Despite the wishes of those associated with LCC aquatics, it appears that for now, a pool on campus may be an issue that goes unresolved.

Athletic Director Decision Causes Backlash Continued from Page 1 assistance,” Brubaker said.

Cassaw agrees.

“How will things work with him having split responsibilities?” Cassaw said.

“Will things fall through the cracks or will it be a smooth transition? We will have to wait and see.”

In addition to the coaches, Maverick Athletic Boosters President Dave Steigerwald has doubts about the decision.

“I think that it will be a rough transition, and a dedicated athletic director is important for our school,” Steigerwald said. “We are going to try and work through it, but I don’t think it’s the right decision.”

Steigerwald worries that parents will be less likely to donate to the Athletic Boosters program.

“I’m very concerned about the possibilities of a drop in funding,” Steigerwald said. “The parents fund the whole program. There are a lot of frustrated parents and we need parent support.”

With Kamon’s athletic director duties likely to take up 70 percent of his time, one parent wonders why he is keeping his salary as an assistant principal.

“My main concern is that Mr. Kamon is going to keep his assistant principal salary, and his duties are mainly being shifted to athletic director,” Kim Harvey, parent of lacrosse players Colin and Sean Harvey said. “I’m not sure why he is taking on the duties and his salary isn’t going down.”

Based on publicly available salary schedules, DiGiulio earns a salary of approximately $80,000 and Kamon earns a salary of approximately $110,000.

DiGiulio also earns an annual stipend of $4,102.

Currently, DiGiulio teaches three P.E. classes, while two periods are dedicated to her athletic director responsibilities. But DiGiulio points out that while only 40% of her compensation comes from her athletic director duties, most of her time is spent on those tasks.

“My athletic director position is 40%, and my teaching position is 60%,” DiGiulio said. “But I spend about of 80% of my time on my athletic director responsibilities.”

Despite the broad negative reaction to the decision, DiGiulio and Dr. Ruggles are trying to reassure the community that Kamon will be able to take over the position along with his current duties, many of which will be shifted to the other assistant principals.

“I have a big worry that Mr. Kamon is taking it on along with his assistant principal duties,” DiGiulio said. “But I have the utmost confidence in Mr. Kamon so I have no doubt that he can do it. But it’s just the matter of taking it on along with everything else.”

Coaches are also hoping to make the best out of the situation, despite their concerns.

“I think right now we are going to go through stages,” Vice said. “At first when something like this happens people are angry, but these guys are champions and I think we will pull together and do what is

best for our athletes.”

Assistant Principal Bjorn Paige expressed confidence in Kamon’s abilities to manage his new responsibilities.

“I mean the bottom line is that we need to get all of the athletic responsibilities done and if you know Mr. Kamon he’s been in athletics in one way or another for more than three decades so I think he will do a really good job,” Paige said.

While he has never held the athletic director position, Kamon has been the assistant principal in charge of athletics at LCC for the past five years.

He was also the head football coach at Mount Carmel High School for 12 years in the 1980’s, Kyle Ruggles according to Dr. Ruggles.

Even with that experience, Kamon will be exposed to challenges in his new position.

“Mr. Kamon will be learning some new things,” Dr. Ruggles said. “It isn’t going to be foreign to him, but he will have to learn some new things.”

In explaining his decision, Dr. Ruggles stressed that it in no way reflects on DiGiulio’s performance as athletic director.

“Ms. DiGiulio has done an excellent job,” Dr. Ruggles said. “She is an outstanding person, an outstanding leader, and her performance on the job has been exceptional,” Dr. Ruggles said. “I

“Ms. DiGiulio has done an excellent job. She is an outstanding person, an outstanding leader, and her performance on the job has been exceptional.”

consider her to be a leader among leaders.

I consider her to be a great role model in a lot of different ways.”

Even though Dr. Ruggles has confidence in Kamon, he acknowledges that not having DiGiulio as athletic director next year will amount to a loss for the athletic program.

“Not having her in this position anymore is going to hurt our entire program immensely,” Dr. Ruggles said.

Regardless, Dr. Ruggles has expressed that the decision is a “done deal.”

Coaches, parents, and athletic boosters, however, are all hoping for a change in the decision, either by Dr. Ruggles or the school district.

“There is tremendous frustration,” Steigerwald said. “I would hope that the district would take a second look at the decision and possibly intervene.”

La Costa Canyon’s current enrollment of 2088 students includes 1338 rostered athletes, some of whom play multiple sports.

San Dieguito Academy’s current enrollment is about 1650 and Canyon Crest Academy’s is about 1880; neither school anticipates a significant drop in enrollment next year. Both schools have two assistant principals, one of whom oversees the athletic program in the same way as planned next year for LCC. La Costa Canyon will retain all three assistant principal positions with Kamon overseeing the athletic program.Torrey Pines High School, which enrolls approximately 2700 students, will retain three assistant principal positions and a dedicated athletic director.Torrey Pines has about the same number of rostered athletes as La Costa Canyon.

12

Sports

March

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Sports

March

13

Athletic Trainer Samantha Villa Vital to Sports Program From educating students to patching up wounds,Villa meets the needs of athletes Reilly Tiglio Staff Writer

S

amantha Villa is known among athletes for patching up wounds, wrapping injuries and treating concussions. Indeed, Villa plays an important role in the sports program because without her, student athletes would have no one to turn to when they hurt themselves.

The job of an athletic trainer at a high school can range from supplying water to the teams during games and practices, to stabilizing a student with a broken neck or spine. Villa also helps to educate athletes about how to stay healthy.

“Teenagers don’t know everything— we think we do but we don’t,” sophomore Monica Bertha said. “It helps to have someone tell us what’s wrong with us and what our injuries are so we don’t injure ourselves more.”

Other than being responsible for athletes and their injuries, Villa has also participated in multiple sports and has felt the pressures of being an athlete first hand.

“I have been an athlete my whole life,” Villa said. “I played soccer, ran cross country, played softball and pretty much all winter sports, too.”

Having participated in sports, Villa

knows what athletes go through.

“I guess just being an athlete and having the injuries myself I became interested in learning about the human body and how it works and rehabilitates,” Villa said.

After high school, Villa went on to community college to play soccer.

During this time she became interested in becoming a trainer, so she transferred to San Diego State University to earn her bachelor’s degree.

“It took me about three years at SDSU and two at junior college, so five years total to finish my bachelors degree,” Villa said, “I worked in the actual trainer’s room for 1500 hours to get experience and to see everything going on.”

Villa has to be able to act quickly when she is called to evaluate a severe injury.

“The most notorious injury was when I had a kid break his neck playing football,” Villa said. “He also fractured his spine and ruptured some pretty important ligaments in his neck that if he had not been boarded and stabilized correctly, he could have become paraplegic or worse.”

Reilly Tiglio

Athletic trainer Sam Villa (right) tapes up the ankles of sophomore lacrosse player Samantha Smith prior to practice.

Villa also deals with other injuries such as concussions on a more regular basis and is able to help athletes through the recovery process.

“I had a concussion and she was really supportive emotionally and physically and gave me great ways to heal,” freshman Kelsey Aaknes said.

Throughout her career, Sam has held many positions but looks forward to staying here for the next couple of years.

“I have moved around a lot,” Villa said. “I am kind of tired of moving and I really like working at the high school level. I hope to be at LCC as a full-time athletic trainer.”

CIF Creates New ‘Open’ Division Not Based on Enrollment

Certain sports will compete in new, competitive divisions

Dozens of CIF championship banners hang in the rafters of the gymnasium.

Cosy Burnett Staff Writer

L

ast school year, 50 percent of the CIF titles in San Diego county were won by the same five schools. Currently, divisions are set by total school enrollment rather than the competitiveness of indi-

New Track and Field Coaches Hired Goal is to generate more enthusiasm for the sport

A

Claudia Mathews

L.J. Bradford Staff Writer

mong the many CIF winning sports that LCC has to offer, track and field is not usually among them. But head track coach Taylor Hindle is trying to change that. He has hired several new sprints, throws and distance running coaches in order to raise the profile of the track and field team.

New throws coach Patrick Colonnelli took his talents to division one Northern Arizona University after graduating from LCC in 2007. He is

vidual sports teams, resulting in consistent streaks of championship teams.

In October of 2011, two committees of the San Diego CIF sports section met and developed a new “Open” division now back as a coach, and has made a quick impression on the throwers.

“He has taught us a lot in his short time here,” senior thrower Scott Quessenberry said.

For his part, Colonnelli is optimistic about the season.

“We should break the men’s shot put record at LCC this year, and we hope to break many others in the future,” Colonnelli said.

Another one of the new coaches is junior varsity long distance coach Jenna Munguia, who ran at UCLA. She has been impressed with the athletes so far.

“All of the kids are great,” Munguia said. “They work really hard and I learn from their hard work every day.”

The work that these athletes put in can transform them from a track and field beginner to a state competitor, according to high jump coach David Pendergrass.

based on the similar competitiveness of teams, disregarding each school’s enrollment numbers. This new division applies for all sports. However, details may differ according to the sport. These highly competitive divisions have been successful in other sections and states, such as the NCAA, European soccer and club sports.

The new super division, officially known as the “Open division,” will first be implemented this coming spring season.

La Costa Canyon’s baseball team, as well as the boys and girls lacrosse teams, have been chosen along with seven other teams to represent LCC in the Open division.

Rankings have been determined based on their past winning records, MaxPreps rankings and Lax Power rankings for both boys and girls lacrosse.

La Costa Canyon has one of the five most consistent winning athletic programs. One of the questions that hangs in the air is how the new division will affect the number of CIF banners hanging in the gym.

“At first I was worried it would eliminate the chance of our teams getting the experience to play in the state tournament,” Athletic Director Kari Digiulio said.

“I love high school—you get to see the progression in the athletes,” Pendergrass said, “You can take somebody who has never done track and field before and turn them into someone competing at state.”

Not only are the coaches teaching their athletes about the sport, they are teaching them some tricks also.

“I like to teach my high jumpers that the key is you have to look good because if you look good then you feel good, and if you feel good than you jump high,” Pendergrass said.

Sprints coach Mathew Beckstead hopes that track sees a new revival.

“Track is a dying sport because of all the other options that are offered to kids wanting to play high school sports—our goal is to bring back track,” Beckstead said.

But ultimately, the chance to compete against stronger teams appeals to Digiulio.

“I like the idea that you have to compete with the best to be the best,” Digiulio said. “It’s a better challenge.”

Overall, there has been positive feedback from the athletes.

“It gives us motivation to work harder,” senior lacrosse player Kyle Mummau said. “It’s much more competitive. Each regular season game counts and each game matters a lot more.”

The CIF committees will hand choose teams to represent each division in the state tournament, taking the Open division into consideration. A team may lose in the Open division, but if they prove better than another team placed in a lower division, CIF can choose them to represent their enrollment-based division in the state tournament.

After winning 11 CIF championships last year, the La Costa Canyon athletic program’s reputation for being an athletic powerhouse in Southern California only grew. This new division, however, will prove a challenge to all teams, giving athletes at LCC the chance to show how they rank among other high-achieving athletic programs regardless of school enrollment.

Chase McAllister

Senior Scott Quessenberry (left) has his arms stretched by new throws coach Patrick Colonnelli.

14 Aeries Wages War on Students Trend line feature leads to increase in student casualties Kota Nishiguchi Staff Writer

A

ERIES. Who or what is it? Many students look at it in terror and fear. Their parents become infuriated when reading what AERIES tells them. Deep down, students know. They know that on the other side of the painfully bright computer screen, AERIES is waging war on students.

The grading website has been launching an offense on the social lives of students by persuading parents to ground them. A single mistake could lead to a weekend grounded at home. Whether it’s a tardy, a low quiz grade or a missing homework assignment, the enemy will trap students in the trenches, holding them for whole weekends or weeks.

For years AERIES has been displaying grades that disappoint parents, causing them to ground their children. But now, the site has recently developed a new weapon: the Trend. The Trend uses the deathly red, downward line and the coveted green, upward line to mark even the slightest change in a student’s grade. A grade may only decrease by one percent, and yet AERIES will still fire shots by putting up that red symbol. The Trend has become the latest psychological weapon in the achievement war.

News from the war front is gloomy. The total number of student casualties is increasing every week. Just before the Trend was weaponized, the war against students led to 27.8 students Missing In Action (MIA) every weekend. After the Trend came online, the rate has increased to 53.4 students MIA per weekend. Of those students, 68 percent of them felt that their parents “didn’t understand what the trend line meant, but felt like it was a bad thing.” The other 32 percent claimed that they are “just really over going to school right now.”

Despite all of the hardships, students are still fighting the war against AERIES, hoping to turn the tide of this brutal war. Counterstrike attempts include study groups and flashcards. But students are finding every day that in order to outflank AERIES, they must actually try in school.

Entertainment

March

A Hair Revolution Hairstyles change decade after decade Cooper Gee Staff Writer

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e dye it, cut it, grow it and even burn it when it needs to be straightened. But what did humans do with their hair before the our high school lives began? Let’s take a look at how these many fads have evolved and now contribute to how hair reflects the society today.

L

et’s start with the 1920s, the decade of freedom, flappers and fun. According to YouBeauty. com, the everlasting bob hairdo showed off the showgirls shining faces caked with makeup.

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he ‘30s brought a big blow to the economy and left many people jobless and on the streets.

The shock of sadness brought on by the Great Depression changed hairstyle options dramatically, yet it also led to the first perfected “Perm” hairdo.

E

nter the 1940s, as curly long hair hit the hair fashion scene with shining colors. Also known as the “Victory Roll,” these elegant curls were donned by famous Hollywood actresses such as Bettie Page and Rita Hayworth.

F

ast forward ten years to the ‘50s, the decade full of movies, showcasing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic beauty, and her newly created hairstyle the “Bouffant” which became a popular way to wear casual and formal hair all in one.

W

hat came in the ‘60s was unexpected to say the least. Ravaged by the war-like mobs and raids that occurred during the women’s rights movement, women decided to give off a vibe of new-found independence and freedom, cutting off any long locks of hair that had previously labeled them as unable to keep up with men or too feminine.

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lashing lights, disco dancers and extravagant discotheques (dance floors) were what daily life in the ‘70s consisted of, and contributing to all the fun was the “Afro” and new free-form ways of wearing long hair. Dying hair with lemon juice and even straight peroxide also became fads; quite a change from the previous decade promoting short hair.

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n the ‘80s Madonna appeared with her seductive voice as well as a whole new spectrum of crazy hairstyles.

When it came to hair, the more insane and wacky looking, the better. From mullets to side pony-tails, the looks never seemed to end.

F

inally we reach the ‘90s, the last decade of 20th century. Taking innovation and freedom to a new level, there was no more “code” which hair enthusiasts had to keep up with and follow closely. The most honorable mention would have to the “The Rachel” created by the famous actress Jennifer Aniston, which was light and bouncy and accentuated a girl’s facial features.

Illustrations by Jayson Gacad

Entertainment

March

The Hungry Maverick

15 Jennie Barnes Entertainment Editor

Dreaming of finding the perfect chocolate cupcake

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4 Votes

ne of life’s simplest loves, cupcakes, became a lot more complicated with this month’s Hungry Maverick when we had to pick a favorite from among three locally-owned shops. Each bakery put its best chocolate cupcake forward, and it was up to us to decide which was the best provider of our guilty pleasure.

The cupcake from Cupcake Love

Ellen Reidy

Cupcake Love

437 S. Hwy 101, Suite 106 Solana Beach, CA 92075 his little cupcake had staffers wooed from the beginning. Coming from a little shop in Solana Beach, these Ho’ Daddy Chocolate cupcakes didn’t come with the same high expectations from a familiar shop like Sprinkles. But Cupcake Love made a stunning first impression. “[They were] elegant, lavish and cute,” junior Yasmeen Halim said.

More than one person remarked on how it was “the cutest out of the three.” And the flavor did not disappoint.

“It was perfect,” senior Andrew Chan said.

T

9 Votes

22Votes

The cupcake from Elizabethan Desserts

Ellen Reidy

Elizabethan Desserts

155 Quail Garden Dr. Encinitas, CA. 92024 ocated deep in a plant nursery, Elizabethan Cupcakes is this month’s winner of the Hungry Maverick. This Chocolate Loves Vanilla cupcake impressed most of the testers from the start.

“It’s amazing! So smooth!” senior McKenna Stonhaus said.

“I love the depth and layers of chocolate flavors and liked that the cake was dark and moist,” English teacher Lauren Monahan said.

Even with the rich texture the cake “wasn’t overly buttery,” Spanish teacher Jim Teague said. “[It is] my idea of a perfect cupcake,” junior Megan Mineiro said.

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Ana Diaz, Dani Tomasseti, Claudia Mathews

The cupcake from Sprinkles Cupcakes

Ellen Reidy

Sprinkles Cupcakes

8855 Villa La Jolla Drive La Jolla, CA 92037 prinkles Cupcakes are known for their “sprinkles swirl” frosting, the sugar candy color code that tops each cupcake and reveals its flavor plus the cute little boxes they come in. Most MavLife staffers agree the Dark Chocolate cupcakes are indeed visually appealing.

“It looks like a head with an afro,” remarked junior Devon Whitlam. And freshman Cooper Gee thought the cupcake looked “appetizing and very fluffy.”

But looks, so it seems, are not all there is to creating an award-winning cupcake. Staffers weren’t frosting over cake for the taste.

“The cake tasted really weird and was dry, with no flavor,” junior Belen Castillejos said.

S

Film Review: ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ Comes Alive on Film The much-loved young adult book transitions nicely from the page to the screen

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Jessica Woods Staff Writer

And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.”

Before you ask, no, this quote was not originally from Tumblr, pasted in white text over a completely irrelevant picture of a girl in high waisted shorts on a beach.

This sentence actually comes from the young adult book, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by author and director Stephen Chbosky, that was recently developed into a movie and released on DVD and Blu-ray on February 12th.

Chbosky takes

readers inside the mind of a troubled and lonely outcast, Charlie, through his journey through freshman year in which he comes to learn the meaning of friendship.

Enthusiastic fans of the novel who are just as in love with it as I am will be pleasantly surprised by the movie, for it reaches the high expectations that have been set for it by book lovers and critics alike. The bond between cast members is real, as is their dedication and devotion to each individual role.

“Deep down what I really was doing was waiting... for this cast,” Stephen Chbosky said on the “Best Summer Ever” featurette on the DVD. Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller fit their characters to a tee. Lerman excels in portraying Charlie who was exactly how I, and many other readers, imagined him: awkward, socially inept and intelligent, a boy who evolves from the “sad case” he initially was.

Watson, who plays Sam, flows so well with Lerman and masters her American accent to the point that I almost forgot she was actually British—almost.

And Miller, who plays Patrick, is a strong supporting actor in his role—he fully committed himself to filling the joker’s shoes.

Unfortunately, those who have not read the book may be a tad confused throughout the movie.

Charlie has frequent flashbacks of his childhood that interfere with the present,

Left to right: Ezra Miller (Patrick), Emma Watson (Sam) and Logan Lerman (Charlie) bring ‘Perks’ to life in film.

causing a “flip-flop” motion between the two time periods. Though his bold recollections of his past memories are clarified in the book, it’s a bit fuzzy in the movie at first until you grow accustomed to what is happening. Other than that, the movie is very straightforward and simple to comprehend.

It is true that some of the longer scenes from the book were omitted from the movie. This was necessary so as not to disrupt the film and confuse the audience.

The omitted scenes are less essential to the success of the movie since most of them involve relationships that are not prominent in the film. But don’t be too disappointed. I guarantee all of these scenes are featured in the deleted scenes on the DVD/Blu-ray discs.` “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is one of my absolute favorite books and I am happy to say that the movie lives up to its textual counterpart.

I recommend the movie to all audiences, admirers of the book or not. It’s an extraordinary film with an impressive soundtrack and an influential message about the importance of great friendship: anyone, even the outcasts among us, can get by with a helping hand.

Photo from “Perks of Being A Wallflower” Official Movie Poster.

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16

March

March Horoscopes

Libra

Sep 23-Oct 22

You are feeling underappreciated recently— all work and no reward. But that gratification you have been working towards will be coming soon. Don’t lose sight of your goals!

“We Were Children” by Tribes

“My People” by The Presets

Scorpio

You will find solace through your furry friends this upcoming week. If you have a cat or a dog in your life spend some extra time with him. Walk your dog, hunt down your cat, and just enjoy talking to people who can’t talk back.

“Teenage Icon” by The Vaccines

Next month is going to be a fun time for you.You will find yourself in more social situations than ever before and maybe even meet someone very special.

“White Daist Passing” by Rocket Votolato

Sagittarius

You find it easy to get distracted. We understand that with AP testing and even the end of the school year coming, you are frazzled. But finals are coming! Time to focus in! The end is almost here!

“Forever” by Youngblood Hawke

Apr 20-May 20

Mar 21-Apr 19

Leo

Your best friend has been getting on your nerves lately, but try not to gossip about your frustration because that will only make the situation worse.Your best option is always to talk it out.

“Wishes and Stars” by Harper Simon

Virgo

Aug 23-Sept 22

You’ve spent a lot of time obsessing over social media this month. With all that’s out there, it’s hard not to get distracted. Try to put your phone down and live in the moment. Great things will come your way if you take a second to look up.

“Alex” by Girls

Taurus

Obsession is one of your tendencies.You don’t just like anything—you love it. And that is great! Heading into the next month you are going to find a new thing to obsess over.

“Lingering Still” by She and Him

Capricorn

There are many things that a person needs in order to stay alive: water, oxygen, sunlight and clothing if you are planning on going out in public. But there is one thing that you have been forgetting that you need: sleep.

It actually is important and you need it! Don’t let sleep slip away.

Dec 22-Jan 19

“Lights and Music” by Cut Copy

Cancer

A family issue has been weighing heavily on your heart lately. Remember that your friends are always there for you. A simple outing with a supportive friend could be just what you need.

Jul 23-Aug 22

Time to start working on that summer bod you’ve always wanted. Take advantage of the longer days...get outside and get active!

“California” by Delta Spirit

Aries

Nov 22-Dec 21

May 21-Jun 20

Gemini

Feb 19-Mar 20

“Myth” by Beach House

Happy belated birthday Pisces! You have entered a new year of your life, so don’t be afraid to make changes, take risks and maybe even take up a new hobby.

Who knows, maybe you’ll find your true passion.

Jun 21-July 22

You are dealing with a lot right now, and everyone knows you are stressed.

Now might be a good time to find a new band to love.

Pisces

Oct 23-Nov 21

Jan 20-Feb 18

Aquarius

“Paper Moon” by Paul McCartney

Please Put Your Hands Together For...Comedy Sportz!

Four hilarious team members reveal what makes them tick Zach

Lax

as Himself Height: 6’ in shoes Relationship Status:

Single and begging to mingle

Methods of Dealing With Female Attention:

Or lack there of...It’s not nearly as much of an issue as you’d think, actually, at all. Maybe I get one to two females’ attention. One of them being my mom, usually. In a serious way, there’s not too many ladies involved.

Hobbies:

Improv, knitting hats and watching movies

Exercise Regimen:

I throw things at Hayden.

Dream Last Night:

It was scary. I had a dream that we gave my dog away and there was no reason for it. As soon as we gave him away, we came back and there were like six other dogs who were mean; I didn’t like them.

Johnny

Visotcky

as Connect Four

Austin

Mursinna

as Ahoy Ruggles

Height: 5’10” Relationship Status:

Height: 5’7” ish Relationship Status:

Single

In a relationship

Methods of Dealing With Female Attention:

Oh man, it’s hard. I give ‘em the cold shoulder; play hard to get.

Hobbies:

Acting, video games and having fun

Exercise Regimen: Sarcasm

Dream Last Night:

I had a really really weird dream. I’ll tell you my weird dream. I woke up at like a hotel in Palm Springs, and Steve Martin was coming, and I was with like all of my friends and Steve Martin was gonna sing at a talent show, so my friends and I made a talent show act so that we could see Steve Martin. That’s not a lie, like that’s actually the dream I had last night.

Methods of Dealing With Female Attention:

Uh, it’s pretty rough, but we manage.

We stick together, we fight through it, and we just try to ignore them really.

Hobbies:

Comedy Sportz

Hayden

Dani Tomasseti Staff Writer

McDougall

as A Man On A Wall Height: 5’7” Relationship Status: Single

Methods of Dealing With Female Attention:

It’s pretty tough sometimes. I sometimes just have to go to a quiet place where I can be alone to get away from all the crazy fans.

Hobbies:

Exercise Regimen:

Comedy Sports and Lord of the Rings

Dream Last Night:

I don’t exercise. Sometimes I walk my dog.

Make jokes and do improv I have a horrible memory, so I never remember my dreams.

Exercise Regimen:

Dream Last Night:

Well, Voldemort came to my house to kill me, but Voldemort was the lead singer of the band, Fun. And then, we talked for like half an hour, then he killed me. But it was cool because I felt like I’d actually met the lead singer of Fun.