MavLife October 2011-2012

Pink Ribbons The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Read more about how students are supporting the cause.

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Features - Pages 10-12

Entertainment - Page 17

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

The Doctor Is In Dr. Ruggles addresses student concerns during a press conference with MavLife Kiana Jackson News Editor ML: We heard about your new anti-bullying plans.

When do you plan on implementing them?

DR: We’re still thinking about the specific designed plans, but immediately we’re bringing it up to facilitate change. First, we have to identify the problem.

I’ll be going on LCC TV to talk about the problem and how to deal with bullying. Student should walk away, don’t associate yourself with the problem, report it to an adult. We’ll make it confidential so everyone will feel safe.

ML: Will these changes be this year or next?

DR: It won’t happen overnight.

I’m asking for funds to get a Challenge Day or Community Day--which has been done before. We want to break down barriers and keep focus on this problem. We need everyone’s help to campaign.

ML: When do you plan on having Challenge Day? DR: As soon as possible, but there are scheduling restraints. I said no to MTV’s free challenge day, because I want to do it on our own terms.

ML: This year is the first year a Smart Start class has been required for students to park on campus. Have you noticed a difference in students’ driving behaviors after implementing the

Best Local Burritos

Learn all that is required when applying to and paying for college with advice and insight from MavLife.

News - Page 7

October/November 2011

All About College

policy?

DR: It’s too early to tell. I’ve received e-mails of support from parents and students who feel it’s making a change. It’s really all about attitude. [Students need to] be receptive.

ML: We know that during the “Mornings with the Principal” meetings you sometimes hear comments from parents about some teachers on campus. How much control do you have over the jobs of the teachers?

DR: I have a great deal of control over instruction and how to improve it. I make sure that the tenured teachers are superstars. [During the morning meetings] I get questions about policy changes, I bring up API [scores] so everyone knows how we’re doing.

ML: How do you plan on increasing accountability on the part of students for our API score?

DR: I use Renaissance, which tracks GPAs and performance and have luncheons or something to recognize student achievement. We could do a much better job of that.

Teacher and student morale should be high, as we facilitate improvement. I get evaluated too--I met with my boss to tell me what to improve on.

MavLife taste testers ranked the top 5 local California burritos. Read more to find out where you should head for lunch.

Volume 6 Issue 1

Senior TAke Down “When I found out that I won, I cried a little bit.”

-Chris Novak Ali Madurowicz Staff Writer

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rowdy mob of ten to fifteen students formed in the English quad at lunch, isolating a student before pushing him to the ground.

If this had been any other day during the school year, this incident would have been declared a fight. However, during the school week of October 10, the school’s standards and rules were pushed to the limits by seniors participating in this year’s Tag Out game.

Principal Kyle Ruggles was shocked by the behavior of the seniors.

“It’s not what I pictured

and has not met my expectations,” Ruggles said.

Senior Tag Out has been a tradition on campus for at least four years. To play the game, seniors pay ASB $1.00 and are given the name of one other participant. Each student then has a week to try to “tag” the assigned student.

Once a student is tagged, he or she must sign the other’s card and surrender the game card. The object of the game is to collect as many blue game cards as possible.

In order for a student to be vulnerable to being tagged, he or she must be at

least 5 feet away from another person. So, seniors typically buddy up and maintain close contact with their peers from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the hours the game is live.

The game was taken to the extremes by students using physical force to separate students in order to get them out of the game. Not only has the game become more physical than previous years, but this year’s game has also been the most distracting to classes. Staff members feel that this year, in particular, the game was taken too far.

To read more, turn to page 6

Crime in our Backyard: An Attempted Armed Robbery at Stagecoach Park Tara McQueen Managing Editor While many students enjoyed the Homecoming football game on Friday, October 21, danger was the last thing on their minds.

Officers responded to a radio call at around 10:45 p.m.

that reported an armed robbery, according to a public statement from the Carlsbad Police Department. The reporting party said he or she heard one of the subjects say, “I don’t want to shoot you.”

The victim claims that he was attacked by two white males around the age of 20, one armed

with a handgun, the other with a knife. The reporting party mentioned in the call to police that he or she had not seen any weapons.

After the game, junior Ariel Gan recounted that a group of police cars were stationed within the Sprouts shopping center.

“I saw the cops talking

to this guy near Petco,” Gan said. “[The man] had bandages around his head and, from what it looked like, he was bleeding a lot.”

The victim told the officers that he was approached and threatened by two men who asked for his phone and money.

The victim refused to give his

property away and was struck in the face by the handgun. He was then able to free himself and run from the suspects.

The two suspects have not yet been identified.

Contact Information: Calrsbad Police Department police@carlsbadca.gov 760.931.2100

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Oct./Nov.

Editorial

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

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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 decisons.

LCC media programs follow Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Student Press Law Center standards. In addition, student media programs work to follow all copyright laws and avoid libel, slander, and infringing upon the rights of others.

Unsigned editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper staff, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective.

Advertisements do not necessarily represent the newspaper’s views.

Letters

Mind of MavLife Taking Away Tag Out Senior Tag Out canceled: MavLife wonders if it was worth it

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fter the debacle better known as Senior Tag Out, the administration is questioning whether to allow the activity second semester. During the week of October 10-14, seniors tackled one another to the ground in order to obtain paper tickets. Complaints regarding disorderly conduct began to roll into ASB and the administration early in the week. Both faculty and students of all grades saw that the “game” had been taken to a whole new level by the class of 2012.

After multiple incidents of violence and classroom disruption, it became clear that the original spirit of the game had been lost. The purpose of Senior Tag Out is to celebrate the senior class and create a tighter community.

Bonding, without a doubt, did not occur. Simple competition managed to create a monster due to a few seniors who took the game to the extreme.

MavLife feels that the price ultimately paid for this game wasn’t worth it.

It is clear that the real incentive for some students was not only the first place prize -- a $20 bill, $20 to Yogurt Shack, and $10 to Urban Outfitters-- but rather the desire to be acknowledged as The Winner.

For five days, our campus witnessed seniors latching onto underclassmen in a state of complete paranoia. Some students feared going home from school alone. Others plotted against their targets in hopes of accumulating

blue paper cards. The senior class was possessed by the game’s intensity. In fact, few students talked about anything other than Tag Out for the entire week.

Perhaps the most unfortunate outcome was that some allowed students to tackle their own friends. Others made threats. And when the game got out of hand and staff members and some students expressed concern to the administration, some students blamed their tackled classmates for “ruining” Senior Tag Out. As students caught news of this bullying, some began to fear that they too would be violently attacked by the senior assigned to tag them.

But students who expressed concern, long after staff members had raised the issue, are not to blame for the canceling of the game. The game had already been suspended due to teacher complaints as well as an entire community who found the activity disruptive and dangerous.

There is no justifying the personal attacks that occurred during the week of Tag Out. At this point, all seniors should be aware that violence is never acceptable on or off school grounds.

The point of the game was to allow students to be strategic and brainstorm creative ways in order tag opponents.

The behavior during tag out, instead of sparking creativity, exposed the disappointing immaturity of the senior class.

The champion of Senior Tag Out,

Chris Novak, proved that the game did not require aggressive physical contact to succeed. Novak won through patience and strategy, catching people when they were unsuspecting and vulnerable. In an interview with MavLife, he shared that he did not resort to violence While senior tag out may not be allowed next semester, the senior class and all other LCC students should step back and realize that the actions of the majority resulted in its cancellation. It is the responsibility of all LCC students to realize that such behavior will end in consequences. No single individual was to blame for the final and rather unfortunate outcome reached before the week of Tag Out had even concluded.

Seniors have many more critical tasks to worry about like college applications, school assignments, parttime jobs, and athletic activities. The additional stress of Senior Tag Out was simply unnecessary.

At the end of the day, we do not feel that a few cups of yogurt and a pair of socks from Urban Outfitters was worth such a disappointing display of poor sportsmanship. Seniors need to live up to their motto, “Save the best for last,” through a shift in attitude and behavior. Let’s prove how outstanding we truly are in order to maintain senior privileges and reunite the class of 2012.

to the

Editor

@MavLifeNews

Have an opinion about a new school policy? Have a bone to pick with something

www.facebook.com/lccnews

Photo by Ali Madurowicz

Left to Right: Kenya Caines,Will Jones, Hanna Beyer, Raquel Zilberman, Brenna Lyles,Tara McQueen, Cameron Gurley, Kiana Jackson, and Courtney Utsler

Oct./Nov.

Opinion

Students Struggle to Find Balance

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Deciding whether to take Advanced Placement or college prep poses a challenge Megan Mineiro Staff Writer

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great chasm separates Advanced Placement classes from College Prep classes, creating two distinct learning environments and sets of expectations.

AP classes provide students with the opportunity to challenge themselves by taking their education to a whole new level. The variety of College Prep and advanced courses allows students to customize their educational experience.

It’s common knowledge that AP classes help a student prepare for college, but the question is, what sort of role do they really play? Do they serve as a golden ticket into the college of your choice, or is there more to it?

“Colleges are going to prefer you take AP and Honors classes, but if a student is getting Cs they are not properly placed,” said counselor Danielle Martinez. However, “colleges look for rigor and they want to know that students are challenging themselves. It makes a difference,” added Martinez.

When choosing an AP or Honors course, it is critically important to not just look at whether or not you can handle the class academically, but also if it can realistically be part of your day-today life. While some students choose to

take multiple or even all AP classes, this decision can sometimes be made on top of other activities.

“Students need to realize they can’t do it all. They need to know how to balance their time, have a social life, play a sport,” Martinez said. “It is important to take a good long look at what you are capable of and what you can reasonably commit yourself to.”

Advanced classes require a greater sense of dedication, so students should carefully consider whether or not the extra work load and more strenuous testing would be an effective use of time if they are not planning in pursuing a career in that particular subject.

In fact, when listing the three main reasons to take a AP class, the College Board places “finding your passion” ahead of preparing for college and earning college credit.

“The bar is raised higher and students are expected to have a more detailed understanding of the material we are going over,” said sophomore Ashlin Eddington, who is enrolled in AP World History and Honors English 10.

Multiple influences bombard a student trying to choose between AP and College Prep classes. While earning college credit and proper course placement are incredibly important, the learning environment is also a key component for some students.

“In AP classes everyone wants to be there because they signed up for it ,

nity u m Com er vice S

Clu bs

Sports

Advanced Placement Classes

which makes learning easier,” said junior Alex Lindsay, who is currently taking five AP classes.

Friends are such a vital aspect of a student’s life, given that people are more comfortable and enjoy themselves more around peers they know. But choosing a class just because the members of your social group are taking it is not a good idea, given that each student is unique and has different strengths and passions.

“Sometimes I feel like I may want to take a class because my friends are taking it. But then I feel if its not something

you’re interested in or want to pursue, than you shouldn’t take on the extra work,” junior Kamalia Freying said.

Advanced classes give students a unique opportunity to pursue their passions, providing them with a refined learning environment to explore subjects that will lay a foundation for a college major or career.

In order to make the most of every resource and experience, students should focus on their passions, examine their ability, and strategically choose classes to fit their individual lifestyles.

Red Ribbon Week Fails to Reach the Right Crowd Julian Sanz Staff Writer

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very year, schools all across the country are invaded by the oldest drug resistance organization in the country: Red Ribbon Week. By giving out bracelets, hiring speakers for assemblies, and offering free information to educate students on drug awareness, the program claims to have made a difference in students lives for over 20 years. However, according to teendrugabuse.us, more than 60 percent of teens said that drugs were sold, used, or kept at their school.

Lori Branson, the school supervisor, shed some light on the subject by revealing she can go months without a drug bust, or she could get 5 in a week. She also mentioned that there is no noticeable change in that tendency around Red Ribbon Week.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think the program has an impact on kids lives unless drugs or alcohol has a negative influence on their lives otherwise,” Branson said.

Others like Branson share the

Drawing by Kevin Yei

opinion that is not effective to the high school demographic and is not necessary.

They believe that it would only be effective on people uneducated and inexperienced with drugs. People that are exposed to drugs already know what they are doing, and a pep talk about drugs will not necessarily change their opinions.

“I think it’s effective for little children, who don’t really know about the side effect of drugs, but for adults and

adolescents, I don’t think it’s as effective,” said Senior Brandon Burrow.

It is very clear that since elementary school kids do not know much about drugs, these speakers and programs for red ribbon week provide them with a fear of drugs. This fear cannot be reached with high school students, after years of already being exposed.

Many people do not agree that the program should be done away with

all together, but comment that they wish it could improve its influence and effectiveness in the future in order to achieve its potential.

“I hope [Red Ribbon Week] will be more influential this year than ever before,” said freshman Austin Casto.

Others, that have no affiliation with drugs, disagree completely and remain confident that it is a valuable and effective program for the students that it applies to.

“I stay away from drugs and people that are associated with them, but for people that are involved with drugs, I believe [Red Ribbon Week] is effective and necessary,” said Senior Anya Tugucheva. However, those with more exposure to drugs keep the opinion that it isn’t effective to the students to which it applies.

Most students seem to agree that the Week at least needs to be improved to be useful. Since the program only works if its audience actively includes themselves in it, students evidently need to decide for themselves whether they benefit from the it or not, and for most, especially those actually affected by drugs, that is a tough decision to make.

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Oct./Nov.

“ The quality

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

student activities

involving

are and pleasant, and the professors .� are

top-notch

Carlos Sandoval

2011 psychology/communication graduate, transferred to UCLA

Cardiff / Oceanside / Online www.miracosta.edu

facebook.com/miracostacc

760.757.2121

Oct./Nov.

A reflection on Steve Jobs’ life

Rebecca Zilberman Staff Writer

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To speak for all of Apple, the website released a statement made by CEO Tim Cook, which read, “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being.”

Jobs had a fresh way of looking at inventions; he thought about everything in advance, and took into consideration how appropriate the product would be for its time. Jobs told the world at a press conference in June 2010 that he initially came up with the iPad before the iPhone. However, he was bright enough to

Students Value the Constitution... ...but lack basic knowledge of its contents John Mark Carlson Staff Writer

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any students believe that they know a lot about the constitution. However, this has been proven wrong by a revealing survey that I conducted about random students’ knowledge of the Constitution.

I asked 40 students 8 quiz questions about the Constitution, and also asked them how important the Constitution was to their lives. Alarmingly, nearly 50% of students surveyed did poorly on the quiz, with 45% reporting they had good knowledge, 12.5% reported having average knowledge, 42.5% reported having poor knowledge regarding to the Constitution.

However, 50% of students believed the constitution was most important to their lives, 35% believed the constitution was moderately important to their lives, while 15% believed the Constitution wasn’t important to their lives. Even though it’s important to students, many of them lack basic knowledge of the document.

The Constitution is important to LCC because many students are close to adulthood and need to know their rights. We need to know this stuff in case these rights are taken away.

42.5 % have poor knowlege of the constitution

45

% have good knowledge of the constitution

12.5 % have basic knowledge of the constitution

Student Responses to the Survey.

Graphic designed by Will Jones

In our city full of expression, we take our rights for granted. When you take your rights for granted without knowing what they are you are powerless to people who would want to take then away.

Imagine this. If we were living in North Korea, we wouldn’t have any power. I thank God we live in this great country, but we need to be knowledgeable.

Knowledge is power-have it and you could lead a comfortable life.You are even exercising a constitutional right by reading this paper.

Another alarming trend was the lack of knowledge about the 2nd amendment. I have a theory. We have grown up with such a hate of guns that most students don’t know they can own them in this country. This is alarming because with just one amendment taken out of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution will fall apart.

Now what do we do? We teach the Constitution, we pay attention in history class and we get informed.

Want to know how much you know? At right is a quick quiz you can take and see how you do!

The Freedom of Press is defined as “the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials.” --Wikipedia While many countries worldwide do not view journalists in a positive and supportive mind set, thanks to the First Amendment MavLife is able to report different opinions and events on campus, in print, online, and through social media.

Have more questions? I would also suggest Hillsdale College’s Constitution class at hillsdale.edu. I have taken it and found to be very informative, and I highly recommend it.

realize that the iPad would be too large of a leap from the current technology of the time, therefore causing it to be unsuccessful. Jobs decided to premier the iPhone first, leading the way to the iPad. This proved to be an extremely successful move.

Steve Jobs has had a huge impact on our generation with his insight on life, as well as his inventions that forever changed technology. He was the cofounder and CEO of Apple, started NeXT Computer, and was part of Disney Pixar. Jobs was the mind behind the invention of the Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and more.

According to the U.S. Government Patent Database and the U.S. Government Patent Application Database, Jobs is listed as either the primary inventor or the coinventor of 342 United States patents and patent applications. Jobs influenced the whole world and Apple products are being used all in many countries for various purposes.

Many memorials have been held since Jobs’ death; even President Barack Obama made a statement of commemoration.

Jobs is known for his 2005 Stanford commencement speech, where he famously said, “Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”

These dramatic but touching words influenced the Stanford graduating class who were watching and many others who have watched the speech since. Jobs made a difference in our lives forever. He will always be remembered.

Constitution Quiz

1. In which year did women receive the right to vote in the U.S.?

A. 1964, in the Civil Rights Act

B. 1863, in the Emancipation Proclamation

C. 1920, in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution

D. 1791, in the Bill of Rights 2. Who is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

A. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

B. The Secretary of Defense

C. The Senate Majority Leader

D. The President of the United States 3. What court decision brought an end to racial segregation in schools?

A. Brown v. Board of Education

B. Roe v. Wade

C. Dred Scott

D. Davis v. County School Board 4. What guarantees your right to freedom of speech?

A. The National Guard in time of peace,

and the U.S. Army in time of war

B. The approval of a majority of the Congress

C. The “consent of the governed”

D. The 1st Amendment to the Constitution 5. Which of these statements is TRUE regarding ownership of guns?

A. The right to keep and bear is a

privilege granted by each individual state.

B. Individual citizens are guaranteed the

right to keep and bear arms by

the Constitution.

C. Only police and members of the

military have a constitutionally protected

right to own guns.

Answers: 1. C 1.

2.CD 2.3.DA3.4.A D4.5.

Answers: D B5. B

Among the iClouds Now

tay Hungry. Stay Foolish,” were the instructions given by Steve Jobs, in order to emphasize that everything happens for a reason, and there is a need to never stop yearning for success.

The death of Steve Jobs on October 5 from pancreatic cancer sent the world of Apple into shock.

Shrines have been formed in front of Apple stores across the world to remember the iconic man. Post-it notes with short remembrances and apples with one bite taken out of them surround the entrance.

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Opinion

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News

Senior activity turns physical

Oct./Nov.

By Ali Madurowicz Staff Writer

Continued from front page “It’s more like MMA than Tag Out this year,” teacher James Etheridge said.

Throughout the week, students reported being “tackled” and “chased down,” according to senior Seamus O’Connor. This behavior raised concern for some, but to others it simply felt like the spirit of the game.

“The reason why it’s so aggressive is because it’s so hard to tag people,” O’Connor said. “People found out who had each other, and it would’ve been impossible to get [them] sneakily.”

Some teachers have wondered whether the rules were explained well enough.

“There was a lack of understanding and communication with the rules,” Etheridge said.

Not only were the official rules of Senior Tag Out written on each card, but the same rules were in effect from previous years. However, for the first time since ASB started the game, students seemed to ignore the guidelines.

ASB director Kaitlin Wood intervened early during the week of Tag Out. In an e-mail to staff on Tuesday, October 11, Wood stated, “Before our campus turns into a scene from Lord of the Flies, I wanted to issue a quick reminder [of the rules]. If students interrupt your class feel free to take their Tag Out cards away.

We never want an ASB-sponsored event to take away from important academic time.”

Dr. Ruggles, at a recent MavLife press conference, expressed doubt about

Photo by Tara McQueen

Senior Tag Out winner Chris Novak (right) celebrates his victory with senior classmates Tyler Kaplan (on the ground) and Dylan Lawson. any future return of the game.

“At this point, no, we will not have [the game]. We can do some other things that are just as fun but not as extreme,” Principal Ruggles said.

Though this Tag Out tradition is being James Etheridge questioned, ASB and the student body are trying to keep it alive. With the competitive nature of the class of 2012 in mind, students may have a lot of convincing to do, especially since not all students saw a problem with the way the game played out.

“I thought it was really funny,”

“It’s more like MMA than Tag Out this year.”

senior Tenniger Kellenbarger said. “If I would’ve seen my person, I would’ve done the same thing. If kids were getting hurt, that’s an issue, but really, they just need to lighten up.”

Though some students were not upset about being tackled, the administration will not put up with this behavior on campus.

“That kind of stuff cannot happen,” Assistant Principal Doug Kamon said.

The idea of a compromise was brought up by senior Karlee Friesen in hopes of saving the tradition on campus. “[The administration should] definitely keep it, but maybe change the rules so that they’re not as violent. Some people took it a little too far and some people got upset too easily,” Friesen said.

Teacher Angie Groseclose, who saw the fun in the game but had concerns

about student safety and class disruption, is open to the return of the game given a few conditions.

“I would be open to [allowing Tag Out to return] if the rules of safety were more clearly addressed,” Groseclose said.

“What I would do, is get the students to think of a solution.”

According to Kamon, at this point there is “no firm decision” to whether or not Tag Out will be allowed in the future. Because of their “over-exuberant behavior,” as Kamon described it, the class of 2012 may have sacrificed the opportunity for the Tag Out tradition to continue.

However, the class hopes they will be given another chance.

“Bring it back, definitely bring it back!” senior Colton Ankeney said. “I thought it was fun and competitive.

Senior Tag Out Rules:

1. Player being tagged must be 5 feet away from another human being.

2. You can’t be tagged in a car.

3. You can’t force your way into another person’s house or vehicle.

4. You can only be tagged between the hours of 6 am. and 6 p.m.

Oct./Nov.

News

Mavericks Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month People from many different backgrounds get involved in battling breast cancer Victoria Zamora Staff Writer reast cancer awareness month is dedicated to those fighting the battle with breast cancer and doing anything they can to help.

Even professional leagues like the NFL have helped fight breast cancer by displaying pink on players’ uniforms, as well as the officials’ hats, wristbands and whistles.

Sports teams here on campus are following in the NFL’s footsteps in the fight by raising money. The girls volleyball team showed their support by hosting the fundraiser “Dig Pink” in which they received pledges for every kill, ace, dig, and assist that a team member made.

All profits were donated to Side Out, an organization that creates grants for breast cancer research and supports agencies who provide comfort for those afflicted with breast cancer.

“The reason why we got involved in breast cancer is that its a big problem in our community,” freshman Caleigh Ryan said. “We are the only team that does ‘Dig Pink.’”

On December 4 the tennis team

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will host an event called “The Round Robin Double” which invites any high school tennis player in the county to pay a certain amount of money in order to play one match either as a team or a single player.

“The team has also been wearing our tennis shirts that includes the pink breast cancer ribbon before and after our games to show that we are against breast cancer,” freshman Jane Wilson said.

Sports teams are not the only ones who have the opportunity to give back, as the annual San Diego Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure will be held on November 16. The race raises money to find a cure for breast cancer while celebrating the men and women who have survived and honoring the ones who have lost their battles.

Students can participate by joining [the Race for the Cure] at Balboa Park.

“For students, the price is $17. This money will be donated to uninsured Students show support for breast cancer awareness by posting signs in the gym. women with breast cancer in San Diego county,” foundation executive director Laura Farmer said.

Local store ‘sprouts’ new name

Kiana Jackson News Editor s of September 28, the school is termite free. Before that, however, the tiny pests were terrorizing students.

“Whenever it got really hot in class, they’d come out,” junior Austin Allen said.

“Everyone was complaining and swatting around everywhere.”

What the students were swatting at so adamantly weren’t ordinary termites-they were winged termites which swarm in or near dry buildings.

According to a leading website on termite control (Termites Gone Wild), these bugs are often difficult to identify because they look exactly like winged ants. The termites settle in pairs and once completely at home, their wings fall off and they begin to reproduce.

The spawn normally stays in a large pack and swarms during the warm weather--which explains why the unsuspecting students and teachers of

rooms 430, 541, and 550 were accosted as summer was coming to an end.

According to head custodian Ambrose Quebedeaux, regular maintenance can keep these pests under control.

“It was fairly easy to get rid of Austin Allen [the termites],” Quebedeaux said. “It was a matter of simple bug spray.”

Thanks to Antimite Pest Control, these little pests are no longer a problem.

“Now they’re just laying around,” freshman Jessica Aiken said.

Antimite came and sprayed each affected classroom after 3:00 p.m. so as to avoid disrupting class time, though there were some brave souls who took the problem into their own hands. “[The termites] were a very minor disruption,” teacher Ryan Gold said.

“They got into my papers a bit, but I just wiped them up.”

Alas, students and faculty are safe once more to sit idly in class without fear.

“Everyone was complaining and swatting around everywhere.”

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t the first mention of Henry’s many students think of an Arizona Iced Tea, Peach Rings and a giant sandwich.

With Henry’s being a go-to place for the neighboring areas, any little change in the franchise is apparent to the community. Lately, there have been some adjustments made with Henry’s Farmers Markets across the county. The store’s new name is Sprouts Farmers Market.

Both Sprouts and Henry’s are companies that were created by the Boney Family; they were each maintained under different owners but recently both owners decided to come together.

The employees at Sprouts were informed about the changes too. “[The employees were] very well aware these past couple of months that this name change was going to be made,”

Photo by Tiffany Brock

Sprouts manager Brett Greene said. “The company slowly started to promote the new name.”

Though the employees were privy to the change, students were not; some have wondered if the name change could mean that the food will change.

“I have not noticed anything different with the food except for the fact that the labels are different on packages,” sophomore Addie Breese said.

Evidently, the customers have not been negatively affected by the changes that have been made.

“The products are the same at Sprouts as they were at Henry’s,” Greene said.

Spouts’ main goal in this name change is the promise to bring a bigger selection of fresh products to the store, and to ensure the best quality for all consumers.

Photo by Dana Love

Termites Sent Packing

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Tiffany Brock Staff Writer

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Winged Termites Straight, bead-like antennae

Winged Ants Elbowed antennae

A thick waist

Constricted waist

A pair of long, equallength wings

Fore wings are larger than the rear wings (unequal length)

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Oct./Nov.

Features

Books You Should Read Before You Graduate English teacher Speed Farris offers his reccomendations The Divine Comedy

by Dante Alighieri Description:This epic chronicles

Dante’s journey through the three parts of the afterlife: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso meaning Purgatory, Hell, and Heaven. Dante explores what it takes for one’s soul to reach God.

The Iliad and The Odyssey

by Homer

Description: The Iliad is an epic poem depicting the Greek myth of the Trojan war followed by its sequel, the Odyssey, which chronicles Odysseus, a commander of the Greek army, trying to get home after the war is finished.

Reading Level: medium/difficult

How to Read Literature Like a Professor

by Thomas C. Foster Description: A whimsical guide to understanding themes, motifs, and symbols that appear commonly through out literature.

Reading Level: easy

Paradise Lost

by John Milton

Description: An epic poem which parallels the fall of man with the fall of Satan from God’s grace. As John Milton himself said, the purpose of the book is to, “justify the ways of God to men.”

Reading Level: extremely difficult

Have a Background in Poetry Description: A good place to look for poets is in a poetry anthology, which is a collection of poetry from multiple authors; “find a poet that resonates to you,” Farris said.

Any knowledge of poetry would be extremely helpful going into English 12.

Reading Level: varies

Old and New Testaments of The Bible

Description: A compilation of partly Jewish and Christian stories or parables concerning their religious beliefs. *Note: there are numerous allusions to the Bible in literature, especially in the books assigned in twelfth grade.

Reading Level: medium/difficult

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Features

Student Encounters the Paranormal Close to Home Sophomore Sophie Gracey shares her own spooky experience

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Savannah Dukes-Samala Staff Writer

uring this spooky Halloween weekend, some students may feel the paranormal come out to play.

A supernatural encounter is any experience, occurrence, manifestation, or object that is beyond the laws of nature and science and whose understanding may be said to lie within religion, magic, or the mystical.

Encounters of the paranormal kind have been heard of or seen in movies, but when one experiences a direct account of this, it can be frightening and unsettling, especially when these accounts occur under the roof of your own home.

Unaware of anything remotely out of the ordinary when first moving into her house three years ago, sophomore Sophie Gracey and her family were just adapting to their new home. However, Gracey recalls some eerie experiences from when she first moved in.

“One night when I was sleeping I heard [the light] ‘click’ inside my room,” Gracey said. “I walked in my closet and it was super cold in there, but I turned off the

Photo by Kenya Caines

Sophie Gracey tells MavLife her real-live ghost stories.

light and I didn’t think much of it.”

According to the Paranormal Glossary, such “cold spots” are areas that are usually felt where there is a high concentration of paranormal activity. The air suddenly gets significantly cooler by 10 – 20 degrees than the surrounding area. This is due to a ghostly presence drawing energy from the air in order for it to manifest.

What Gracey has encountered may have well been the supernatural, and she is not the only one in her family who has felt a ghostly presence in her home.

Gracey’s younger sister, Jacqueline, has had a less than friendly experience with the supernatural in her home. “[Jacqueline] would go in the bathroom at night and she would hear voices whispering in her ears,” Gracey said. “She was scared to go in our bathroom, because it was all coming from my room and everyone was scared of it.”

Hoping to force these frightening events out of the Gracey home, Sophie’s mother would put sage around the house, which is said to cleanse bad omens. Although the strange encounters would go away for awhile, “they would come back sometimes,” Gracey said.

Apparently these same chilling incidents happened when the previous owner lived there as well. However, the previous owner refused to talk about any of these occurrences, only cautioning the girls against sleeping in a certain bedroom.

Although these unexplained happenings in her home do not bother her, Gracey still thinks it is “creepy.” The sage only temporary subdues these paranormal activities in her home, and so these spine-chilling incidents continually “flare up,” leaving unsettling fright amongst the Gracey family.

Enter if you dare...

Five Halloween attractions that you may not survive Maddy Fitzgerald Staff Writer

Haunted Trail

Scream Zone Location: Del Mar Fair Grounds Price: $15- $30 Attractions: Haunted Hayride, The Chamber, House of Horrors Spooky Scale: 3

Knott’s Scary Farm Location: Buena Park Price: $34-$47 Attractions: Necropolis, Carnevil, Ghost Town Spooky Scale: 5 Student sneak peek: “You basically can’t even see your hand in front of your face when you walk through, and there are creatures everywhere who jump out to scare everyone who goes by.” -Kelyrn Stern

Student sneak peek: “Scream Zone is great! “It’s really scary, and going with friends makes it even more fun.” -Cate Chambers

Location: Balboa Park Price: $15- $30 Attractions: Maze, Trail, eXperiment Spooky Scale: 4 Student sneak peek: “Its really scary, especially because its all outdoors and in the dark.” -Ellen Reidy

Seaworld

Legoland Location: Carlsbad Price: $70+ Attractions: “BRICK-OR-TREAT,” Lego- Pumpkin contests, “Mail Order Monsters” musical, trick-or-treating, costume party Spooky Scale: 1 Student Sneak Peek: “‘Mail Order Monsters is a super cute show that the little kids in the audience really enjoy.”

-Rachael Hodge

Location: San Diego Price: $60+ Attractions: “SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular,” Halloween-themed animal shows, trick-or-treating, costume dance parties Spooky Scale: 1 Student sneak peek: “It’s pretty cool, and it’s cool how the animals get involved.”

-Constantine Gasseholm

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Stampede to the Universi Finances Factor into Student Choices Karleee Fuller Staff Writer

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ttending a university or college in the present economy creates a huge financial burden in most families. An education for students is coming at the cost of applying for loans and other forms of financial aid.

“The financial aspect of college is turning me away from some schools,” senior Sarah Chamberlain said.

“I’m looking for academic and field hockey scholarships to compensate.”

A common assumption is that public schools are cheaper and thus more affordable for students in need of financial assistance.

However, the facts do not always bear this out. For example The University of California (UC) has raised tuition 18% over the summer, increasing this fall’s mandatory campus fee to $13,218 a year, before room and board. This number is twice what it was in 2005, and students from out-ofstate are paying three times this number to attend a UC. With the increase worrying families across America, many students are looking at private schools with the intention of receiving financial aid. Opportunities for aid include sports and academic scholarships, as well as grants, loans, and work-study programs.

Students, like senior Adam Brandon, are finding that participation in these forms of aid is necessary.

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“Tuitions are a major factor [in college decisions] since they are raising them to such high amounts,” said Brandon. “I really want to go to Duke, and the tuition there is $57,000--which is an insane amount of

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money. But since it’s my dream school, I worked out a deal with my parents for them to help pay if I participated in a work study program or something like that.”

At UC Davis, 62.3 percent of full-time graduates received some sort of need-based financial aid last year. The average need-based grant or scholarship award was $16,105.

On the contrary, 90 percent of students attending private Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles received financial aid in the 2011-2012 school year. With a base tuition of $17,520, financial aid can greatly reduce this cost to eventually equal out to the cost of a public institution.

These California schools are available and semi-affordable for

residents, but students are finding that even with financial aid, their opportunities for outof-state public schools are limited because it’s too expensive to attend due to transportation costs and additional tuition.

“I think that once I have chosen a school and have been accepted I will start to apply for scholarships and financial aid,” senior Laura Gonzales said.

“Maybe with Boulder [a public school in Colorado] I will really need to look into financial aid, but I’m not too worried at this point.”

Senior Paige Griffiths, like Gonzales, is not overly concerned with the financial aspect of school, but Griffiths worries that her back-up schools might just become her top choice.

“It’s not affecting my decision process,” Griffiths said.

“But my parents are pushing me to get a merit-based scholarship, and that’s more available at my back up schools.”

The cost of tuition in this current economy is affecting many families, and the idea of continuing education is becoming a very expensive endeavor, even with the help of financial aid.

At a Glance: College entrance exams Brenna Lyles Editor in Chief Category Cost Late Fee Total Exam Time Number of Sections Subjects Tested

SAT $49 $23 3 hours, 45 minutes

Critical Reading, Math, Writing

Score Scale Offered

0-2400 7 times/year

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ACT $34, $49.50 w/ writing $21 3 hours, 25 minutes 5 (w/ writing)

English, Reading, Science, Math, Writing (optional) 0-36 6 times/year

A pricey

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Meg S Design

t’s no secret that college is expensive, but little do most families recognize how much even the application process will cost. From testing fees to tutors, testing workshops to application consultants, travel costs to college visits, most students try to do everything it takes to be noticed.

Soon the costs add up, much to the surprise of stressed out seniors.

“My family didn’t think you would have to pay to apply,” senior Sarah Newcomb said.

In an informal survey on Facebook, MavLife asked seniors about their college application process, including how many times they took the SAT or ACT and what they did to prepare for the tests. Of the 55 responders, Bryan Chiou’s responses were fairly typical among responses.

Chiou is applying to ten schools around the country including four “Ivy league” universities, three private liberal arts schools, and three University of California campuses. This means he must pay a total of $760 for his applications alone.

In addition, Chiou took the SAT twice and the ACT once, costing a total of $143.50. If he does not add to his list of colleges or increase his expenses with costly college visits then his total expense for applying will be $903.50.

Other seniors might spend even more.

With pre-college expenses ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, families often spend a lot of time deciding where to properly spend their money. While standardized tests are a must for most schools, the expensive classes and tutors are not always necessary.

Some seniors seek professional advice during application process, hiring college consultants at a starting rate of $60 up to a whopping $300 per hour.

The lengthy process of applying to

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At a Glance: Helpful Websites Maddy Fitzgerald Staff Writer

Naviance https://connection.naviance.com

process

Shepro n Editor

college puts stress on every senior planning to go to a four-year college.

“It’s probably the most stressful thing I have ever experienced in my life,” senior Taylor Grothe said. “It takes a lot of time from other things I could be doing.”

For students worried about costs, they can apply for waivers for exam and application fees, potentially saving hundreds of dollars.

Newcomb, for example, applied for fee waivers whenever possible by stating her family’s income and need for the waiver. Newcomb represents the large portion of the student body looking for affordable options for college. With research and visits to her schools she was able to find and apply for schools that made sense financially for her family.

Counselor Lisa Levario, who coordinates scholarships for the school, advises students to apply for Federal Application for Free Student Aid (FAFSA) which comes out in January.

Filling out the FAFSA ensures that low income families are considered for Cal Grants, SEOG grants and low interest loans.

“There are also private scholarships which LCC gets and tons [of scholarships] online,” said Levario.

Naviance, the school’s online college application support program, can also be a resource for scholarships and application help. The site helps students find colleges, set up letters of recommendation and even find and apply for scholarships. Students access Naviance from the “Counselors” page of the school website.

While applying to multiple universities isn’t just a game to score the highest, it is a process that takes research, dedication and hard work, especially if students hope to reduce their costs.

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he school offers Naviance, which is a website that is designed for college-bound students to use to communicate their transcripts with counselors and colleges. It can also be used to help students pick colleges that might be of interest, while taking into account GPA, extracurricular activities, and academic interests. This is mainly for student use and communicating with counselors.

Forbes

http://www.forbes.com

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he College Board is a website that provides college profiles and information that students should know before applying to college, including average SAT and ACT scores and GPA ranges for students attending specific universities.

Applicants can find how much merit and need-based financial aid schools give on average. The College Board also offers a college matching engine that allows students to enter in their intended major, price range, regional preference, and academic profiles in order to find their “college http://www.collegeboard.org match” list.

This site he College Board is a website that provides helps both college profiles and information regarding students what students should know before applying to and parents college, including average SAT and ACT scores in weighing and GPA ranges for students attending college specific universities. Applicants can options. find how much merit and need-based financial aid schools give on average.

The College Board also offers an advanced college matching engine that allows students to enter http://collegeprowler.com in their intended major as well price range, regional ollege Prowler offers college ratings by preference, and academic the students themselves. Each college has a profiles in order to find “Report Card” that scores the schools based on their “college match” a variety of areas. The schools are given a grade list. This site is of A-F on how “hot” girls and guys are on helpful for both campus and how clean their facilities are. students and They also offer rankings on the quality of parents in dorm life, the school’s local weather, weighing on-campus diversity, academics, college health and safety, nightlife on and off-campus, and off-campus housing. They also help narrow down colleges based on your interests, through their search engine. This is designed primarily for students who want to know more about the colleges that they are considering attending.

College Prowler

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College Board

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More Than a Perfect Score Two of the school’s brightest students ace entrance exams Karlee Fuller Rebecca Zilberman Staff Writers

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or the last three years, LCC has had at least one student get a perfect score on either the SAT or ACT. This year, however, the school got both. Senior Alyssa Chan earned a 2400 on the SAT, and senior Kevin Yei scored a 36 on the ACT, both continuing the tradition of perfection.

Their scores exceeded both of their expectations.

“I was not expecting a perfect score at all,” Chan said. “I was hoping for a 2300 or above – if that.”

Upon receiving her results on April Fool’s Day, Alyssa did not believe they were real.

“I thought it was a joke. I didn’t tell anyone but kept checking back, thinking it was impossible,” Chan said.

“After a week, though, when it didn’t change, I just kind of accepted it.”

While some students study for months with tutors and numerous practice tests, preparation for both students was simple.

“I bought a review book and answered the Question of the Day on the SAT website,” Yei said.

Chan took a similar approach.

“I worked on my own with a prep book and then, after my first time taking it in December, I got a tutor,” Chan said.

Rather than let his accomplishments go to his head, Kevin downplays his achievements with humility.

“I just always do my best, and it has worked so far,” Yei said.

English teacher Suzi Van Steenbergen, who had Yei in her AP Language and Composition class last year, was not surprised to hear of Yei’s perfect score.

“Kevin works very hard and takes his learning seriously,” Van Steenbergen said. “In class he was curious, thoughtful and open to new ideas and was quick to provide support to his peers. Kevin definitely deserves

high praise for this accomplishment, but he also should be recognized for being a model learner and friend.”

A perfect score for either test is rare--with only one in every four thousand people earning one on the ACT and one in every five thousand on the SAT, according to collegestats.org.

However, perfection does come at a cost.

Sometimes Yei and Chan feel as though they are seen only as the people who got perfect scores.

“It is weird that everyone knows [my test score] and people make a big deal about it even though it is a silly test that doesn’t even have anything to do with how smart you are,” Chan said. “People tell me all the time that [after they get to know me] I am nothing like what they thought I would be.”

Both students hope to not be branded or prejudged as geniuses by what they received on their tests. In fact, for these two seniors, academics are not their only strength.

Yei is a member of track and field, cross country, and the tutoring club.

Additionally, he practices Kung Fu every day before school and on Saturdays, and he draws in his free time.

Chan has been playing piano since she was five, and now teaches it to kids. She participates in the clubs O2 for Life and STAND, and also does research at UCSD. Classmate and fellow club member Julia Heyman was very appreciative of Chan’s work in O2 for Life.

“Alyssa helped start a program in which we give presentations about O2 at elementary schools,” Heyman said. “She puts a lot of time into the club and is very dedicated. She always gives it her all.”

Principal Kyle Ruggles called both Chan and Yei to his office to personally congratulate them when he found out about their scores.

“We just don’t see that often,” Dr. Ruggles said. “I value their hard work and emphasis on doing their very best.”

“People tell me all the time that I am nothing like what they thought I would be.”

Alyssa Chan

Teachers Reflect on Writing Letters of Rec

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Karlee Fuller Staff Writer

t’s the first quarter of the Fall semester. Seniors, you know what that means! Students are running rampant asking for letters of recommendation from their teachers. However, as the chaos ensues, the teachers have their own thoughts on this daunting task.

“It’s basically a reflection of what a person is like,” teacher James Teague said. “It can be a very positive experience, because it’s a huge piece of a student’s puzzle.”

Teague has agreed to write approximately thirty letters this year, and finds that “between thinking and re-editing” it takes about forty minutes a piece.

“Some are faster than others. It depends on how well I know the student,” Teague said.

The reaction of teachers to writing letters of recommendation varies. Some teachers, like Paul Guiliano, enjoy being a part of helping students get into college. “[The phrase “letter of recommendation”] brings a good thought,” Guiliano said. “I remember myself going through the same process, and it’s exciting, even with the pressure. It means that someone is going to college.”

However, there are a few things to avoid when asking a teacher the favor of writing a letter of recommendation.

“It’s annoying when students don’t talk to you first, and just submit the request for a letter over Naviance,” Teague said.

Guiliano has an additional pet peeve.

“It bothers me when students put [asking for a letter of recommendation] off until the last minute,” Guiliano said. “They expect me to write it in just a few days.”

According to Guiliano, it appears that more students are requesting letters.

“I hope it’s because more students liked my class,” Guiliano said. “But I also think that it’s because I had a better relationship with my students than prior years.”

Overall, teachers feel as though writing a letter of recommendation is not simply a burden, but also a pleasure.

“I enjoy writing them,” Guiliano said. “It makes me happy and it’s cool to be asked. Writing letters of recommendation is definitely not a negative.”

NCAA Refuses to Allow Athletes to Submit Online Core Classes for Credit Lauren Anderson Staff Writer

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nline classes haven’t stepped up to the plate for scholar athletes.

Two weeks after school started, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) issued a new ruling that if students plan to play a sport in college, then core online classes will not be accepted for credit

by NCAA institutions.

Junior Stephanie Tibbetts, who plans on playing soccer in college, dealt with the changes first hand.

Tibbetts had to drop out of her online US History class and enroll in a traditional class.

“It was hard transitioning into a new wclass and catching up on everything they had already done. I wish they told us about the change earlier in the year,” said Tibbetts.

To play a Division I sport in college, a student must complete sixteen core classes in high school. Core classes that will not be accepted online include English 9-12 (College Prep and Honors), Algebra l, Geometry, Algebra II, World History, US History, American Government, Economics, and Geography.

Sophomore Kyle Rimbach was taking online World History when the NCAA changed the rulings.

“When I switched into the class, the teacher didn’t know what was going on, but he was really cool about it and helped me get used to the new class,” Rimbach said.

Teachers were also affected by the late notification.

Photo by Kenya Caines

Sophomore ConnorWhitehead works on his online Geometry course.

For example, many teachers had more students join their classes two weeks after the school year started. This meant that students had to catch up on two weeks worth of work and tests.

“It was no problem taking in the new students. As a teacher, I have to know how to be flexible to sudden changes,” said history teacher Bill Vice.

According to teacher Sherill Brice, who manages the online classes at the school, the NCAA did not make it clear why they declined to accept the courses for credit.

“I don’t understand why the NCAA waited two weeks to give us a notice on whether or not to switch out,” Brice said.

Even campus administrators weren’t sure about the rationale for the rejection of the policy, and they recognized the inconvenience it has caused.

“The National Collegiate Athletic Association is really powerful and set in their ways,” Ruggles said. “I did not know [before the beginning of the year] that the new online classes were not approved by the NCAA. We did not have enough information on this to tell the students.

Many were disappointed and we apologize for that.”

The school has submitted an appeal to the NCAA, but Dr. Ruggles is not optimistic.

“We don’t think they will [change their decision],” Ruggles said. “It was a surprise; we did our homework on the online classes, but we missed that. I know we upset many students.”

NCAA declines to accept online core classes for athletes

Oct./Nov.

Sports

Girls Volleyball Sets Sights on CIF Mavericks Defeat Torrey Pines, Sponsor Breast Cancer Awareness and Anticipate the CIF Tournament T

Photographed by Dana Love

Jordan Robbins jumps to spike the ball for a Mavericks point.

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Anthony Fregoso Staff Writer

he La Costa Canyon girls volleyball team has always been held to high expectationsthis year is no different. Varsity has won CIF for the last seven years and competes in many local and state tournaments.

So far, the Varsity team has kept its competitive nature with a record of (17-5). Even though they aren’t as strong as they have been in the past, the team still dominates the competition in their division.

However, the Freshman team is off to the best start, with a record of (29-0).

Every player hopes to make Varsity their senior year, though for the 2011 season only half of the team is made up of seniors.

The team has such varied talent over the four grades that they have been able to integrate sophomores and juniors onto Varsity as well as seniors.

“It’s just really fun because I know all of the girls, and the experience playing with the team is great,” senior Carly Cady said.

The younger girls that have made the cut for Varsity and JV have worked hard to earn their spots next to the older girls.

“It’s a really fun experience and I think that it’s helping me get a lot better by playing with girls older than I am,” JV

freshman Cady Francis said.

Being the youngest on a team can be a challenge for some, but Varsity volleyball players have learned to work well with their older teammates.

As athletes, playing on a team with older teammates can be a challenge, especially when trying to shine over more experienced players.

“It was hard getting used to playing at a high level, and the team tends to pick on me because I’m the youngest,” Varsity sophomore Brittany Abercrombie said jokingly.

Every sports player has her own achievement, from winning a gold medal to just getting better. When some of the players were asked about their greatest volleyball achievement, each had a different answer.

“My favorite thing about volleyball is when I get a kill because your whole team gets excited,” freshman Layne Burnstan said.

Other’s agreed with Layne but also had other things that they enjoy about the game, “My favorite feeling is when I get a big hit or I get a block,” Francis said. “But my biggest [personal] achievement would be winning the bronze medal at the Junior Olympics.”

Football Team Dominates at Homecoming Squad trounces Rancho BuenoVista 45-8

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Alex Condos Staff Writer

omecoming was a winning night for the Mavericks this year, with all three football teams bringing home victories. Varsity trounced Rancho Buena Vista 45-8, while JV won 28-20, and Freshman won 26-7.

Before the game, senior Erik Magnuson was confident about his team’s chances.

“We will win,” he said.

During the game, the team’s hard work paid off as their offense led them to touchdown after touchdown. Many fans were surprised by the seemingly easy win after the disappointing start to the season.

“I think we’re finally back on track and winning like we should be,” senior Christian Ball said.

Some players credit their

recent success to their efforts to get to know each other off the field. They hold team dinners at players’ houses every week, which helps the players learn to support each other.

“We’ve been doing a lot better this season because we understand the coach’s philosophy better than last year, “ Magnuson said. “We’re also doing a better job of continuing to fight when we’re losing.”

Whether they’re doing better this season because of team bonding, or because they’re used to the coach’s philosophy, their season is progressing now. Despite a struggle in the beginning of their season, the wins are beginning to add up.

Junior Noah May, a new addition to the Varsity team this

Photo by Alex Condos

Players get ready to huddle before a play during the Homecoming game on October 21 year, plays defensive back and running back. May is optimistic about the rest of the season.

“I think we’ll do well, but

with CIF, I think we’ll go all the way,” May said.

Arguably the biggest games of the season are coming up for

the football teams on November 11 against Torrey Pines. The so-called “White Out” game will bring out thousands of fans.

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Sports

Water Polo Treads to Win

Oct./Nov.

Boys Water Polo embraces the new year, hoping to make CIF Claudia Mathews Staff Writer This year, 41 of the people who decided to try out for La Costa Canyon’s nationally ranked water polo team made the cut. The student body holds especially high expectations for Varsity, since they qualified for California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championships last year and made it to the first round.

“I’m hoping we get to round two in CIF because last year we got to round one, and it would be great to continue progressing,” sophomore Quinn Riccitelli said.

Training for Water Polo requires two hour practices four days a week, plus games. The team uses different training methods to ensure they are prepared for games and, ultimately, CIF. “We have run a lot more this year and practice in sweatpants and sweatshirts,” Riccitelli said.

As for Junior Varsity, they believe they need to work on some aspects of their strategy, but feel confident in other areas.

“We’re not very good at getting the ball into the net,” freshman Grant Gicking said. “But our defense is really strong this year, which helps us keep the other teams at bay.”

Many of Varsity’s crucial players left last year to go to college. This year, the remaining players have had to

Photo courtesy of Karen Lowe

Trevor Lowe scores the ball while backed up by Cole Tudor. compensate for the players who graduated, and though they have added new members, they are continually working on making the team more unified.

“Many people are having to step up to expectations and fill the spots that seniors held last year,” senior Cameron Peterson said .

Before the games, Novice, JV, and Varsity talk

strategy, go over plays, and stretch to make sure they’re ready to win.

“Everyone is excited and rallying each other up to get pumped,” junior Billy McCaughan said.

With the first round of CIF playoffs on November 9, the team will continue to work hard training toward their goal to reach and win CIF.

Sports Spotlight: Nicole Drago Courtney Utsler Sports Editor

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ine years ago senior Nicole Drago picked up the sport of tennis, and has been impressing coaches and teammates ever since.

“Nicole brings a positive vibe to the girl’s tennis team at LCC,” coach Erik Mateljan said. “She is the inspirational leader of our team and always gives her best effort on and off the court.”

Drago comes to LCC after having played for two years at Cathedral.

Coach Mateljan has implemented new practice drills for each girl this year.

They all receive individual instruction from the coach about their specific weaknesses. Drago has her own growth areas.

“Mine is chasing the ball when it is closer to the net,” Drago said. “So coach will hit the ball short during my session, and I’ll have to run up to keep the rally going. I definitely think I’ve gotten faster, and coach really pushes us during practice.”

The team has improved since last year with their new practice drills and new freshman players. Currently, the girls tennis team is undefeated.

“We’ve played some really tough matches this year,” Drago said. “I think La Jolla Country Day is our biggest rival overall, but in our division, it would be Rancho Bueno Vista.”

Drago finds tennis exhilarating.

“My favorite part of tennis is playing for match point,” Drago said. “You feel that adrenaline rush as the ball is served, but you get focused as soon as it’s not about rallying, but winning. It’s up to you to make that first aggressive move if you want to win.”

She certainly has applied her theory for initiating the win during a match point. She has only lost three matches in the season so far. As a team leader Drago enjoys bringing her teammates together at their many bonding activities. They frequently meet for team dinners and pool parties outside of daily practice.

“It’s a great way to really incorporate the freshmen,” Drago said. “I know it sounds cheesy, but we really are one big family. We help each other with school problems, family problems, and anything that’s bothering us. I can go to my team for advice without being judged.”

In order to win a tennis match, players must win in doubles. Drago feels that doubles wins define a team, and because of the increase in team bonding, this year’s team has become much stronger.

Although it is difficult to balance academics and athletics, Drago has pushed through the long nights to excel in her schooling.

“It’s up to you to make the first aggressive move if you want to win.”

Nicole Drago

Photo by Courtney Utsler

Nicole Drago finishes strong after serving to Rancho BuenoVista.

Oct./Nov.

Sports

Cross Country Nationally Recognized

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Ana Diaz Staff Writer

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ith successes in both CIF and the California State meet last season, the cross country team has started this year off strong. The girls are ranked second in the nation and first in California according to Coach Bill Vice. This is an accomplishment that has marked the strength of the team this year. The boys are keeping up as well, with a ranking of 22nd in the U.S. “They practice every day before and after school, and do an average of 25-70 miles per week,” coach Bill Vice said.

Cross country is a team oriented sport where students from different backgrounds practice and bond with each other every day.

“I like cross country because it’s good for exercise and fun to run with a team,” freshman Steven Terris said.

The coaches like to spice up practices by integrating multiple tempos, challenging roads, trail runs, and always striving for a successful end result. The coaches have implemented a practice schedule that challenges the runners and keeps them in shape for their meets.

On Mondays, the team runs longer distances ranging from 6-10 miles. Tuesdays are designed for speed work - track work, fartleks (intervals), or tempo runs.

The team’s constant hard work has strengthened

their skills during the season so far. The team of runners qualified for Stanford’s invitational meet on September 9, 2011. Both the boys and girls teams made it to the podium; the girls achieved first overall and received the second fastest time ever run on that course.

“We have a good program,” said coach Vice. “Instead of having one or two good runners we have six or seven, giving us a full and strong team.”

In addition to a strong team, runners praise their coaches as well. Not only are the coaches experienced, but runners feel that they’re supportive and have the best intentions for the team in mind at all times.

“Our coaches are really good,” sophomore Rebekah Bosler said.

“They know how to push you hard but not over train you.”

But at the end of the day, the dominant goal for the runners is simple: “I want our runners to be the best they can be every single day,” said Vice .

JV Field Hockey Team Unites The girls focus on team unity and balancing school with field hockey

“Our team has grown in multiple ways. We developed and improved our technique as a whole. We not only work together, but we help each other perfect our individual Abby Rose skills.”

Photo by JV Field Hockey

Players leave the net to lead the next offensive play.

S

Rikki Backus Staff Writer

coring goals is just one talent of the junior varsity field hockey team. The team has improved this season with the support from teammates on and off the field having made a conscious effort to bring the team together to establish a successful season.

The team practices for to five days per week, but also participates in bonding activities off the field.

“We do team building activities, such as having team dinners and giving each girl the spotlight for a day,” sophomore Abby Rose said.

The team spends as much time together as possible, even during the school week.

“We try to have team bonding the night before every game, and at least once a week,” Rose said. “We meet at one of the girl’s houses and eat dinner and just get some time to talk and hangout.”

Unlike their last season, the team has established a friendship as well as irreplaceable memories.

“Our team has grown in multiple ways. We developed and improved our technique as a whole. We not only work together, but we help each other perfect our individual skills,” said Rose.

With new drills and different types of conditioning, the hockey team’s practices serve as a foundation for how they will play each week.

“We do a lot of different drills, practice corners, and pretend we’re in game-like situations,” sophomore Carly Clark said.

The stress of school on top of sports is often difficult for athletes to juggle; both become seemingly impossible tasks.

Sophomore, Jill Baylon has a plan to keep both her academics and her athletics separate so she can continue to excel in both.

“It’s really hard to do both [school and sports] at the same time,” Baylon said. “All I do is pay attention to all my classes and go in extra hours to make sure I stay on top of everything academically.”

All the hard work of staying on top of grades and has paid off. The team beat its biggest rival in early October.

“Playing in ninety five degree weather is a struggle, but we were relieved when we crushed our enemy, Torrey Pines, in the last few seconds of the game,” Baylon said.

“I feel like everything we have done in preparation for this season will show in the end,” said Clark.

Photos courtesy of Megan Hill

Left: Rebekah Bosler, Ellie Abrahamson, Shanoah Souza, and Emma Abrahamson keep pace miles into the race.

Right:Eric Causey chases the finish line.

Coaches’ Corner

Coaches reflect on the season so far

Football: “This week our boys are playing Oceanside High school at Oceanside in a League competition. This is our biggest game of the season to date and we are very excited for it! The boys have been preparing very well during the past couple of weeks and their preparation has been key to their success on Friday nights. If the boys prepare like they have been, or hopefully, even better than of late then we will have a very competitive game against Oceanside.” --Coach Sovacool

Girls Varsity Tennis: “We are preparing for an important final week of the regular season. On Tuesday, we will be playing RBV for the league championship at the LCC courts. I am confident that we will bring home another conference championship. This is the final match before the CIF team championships. Come on out and support our girls! Go Mavs!!!” --Coach Erik Mateljan Girls Volleyball: “Girls’ volleyball has a busy week.

We have two league matches, at El Camino on Monday and at Rancho Buena Vista on Wednesday. RBV is currently in 2nd place in the Avocada West and we are in first place. Then on Thursday we head to Santa Barbara for our last tournament of the year, the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.”--Coach McDougall Girls Golf: “My name is Matt McCullough and I am the girls’ golf coach at LCC. We just wrapped up our regular season with an 11-8 record and a 5-3 Avo West league record. We have the North county Conference Tournament on Wednesday and Thursday of next week and we are looking forward to a good showing. Senior Kennedy Gilbert and sophomore Karlie Moses have both been very strong all season long.” --Coach McCullough

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Oct./Nov.

Entertainment

Take a Flight into Fall Examining three new television shows Jenny Barnes Staff Writer

Zooey Deshcanel ‘s character is breaking up with her boyfriend in this season premiere of the show,“New Girl.”

W

ith cult T.V. shows taking a break between seasons, a few brave new shows have taken the leap into the jungle that is national television. Viewers have chosen a select few favorites: “Pan Am,” a 60’s style show about the famous blue-clad flight attendants, “New Girl,” a sitcom following a girl in a new apartment full of new people and, “Whitney,” a single-camera comedy about a woman’s many relationships.

‘Whitney” was hyped to be a female version of

Music Reviews

“Seinfeld.” Both are filmed in front of live studio audiences, follow “Whitney’s” biggest flaw is the one thing it does not share with Seinfeld: the main character, Whitney, is not very funny.

Viewers of “Whitney” start the show eavesdropping on her relationship a year after the sparks have faded.

This comical twist leaves the viewer bored with the drama-less lives of two people who just happen to live together.

“New Girl,” on the other hand, starts after the main character Jess Day, played by Zooey Deschanel, had just gone though a major break up. Unlike “Whitney,” this show has an up-beat energy that keeps viewers falling down the rabbit hole until wearing false teeth at a wedding and singing your thoughts aloud in a restaurant seem normal.

The best new show of the fall season is “Pan Am.” Set in the 1960s, “Pan Am” walks the tightrope of comedy, romance, and crime with dignity and grace. In “Pan Am,” the viewer follows the lives of four Pan Am flight attendants while they travel around the world in the brand new Clipper Majestic, complete with a bar and full-course meals for the first-class passengers.

“Lady and Gentlemen”

by LeAnn Rimes Jenny Barnes Staff Writer

Where “Whitney” lacks punch-lines and “New Girl” lacks serious moments, “Pan Am” somehow balances them all. The four main characters create a strong plot line with one British intelligence officer, two sisters who are trying to escape their over-protective mother, and one girl who never knew her parents because the Nazis took them away. “Pan Am” creates a story for everyone that will keep audiences coming back every week.

Photos from ABC and NBC.

Stuardists from the show,“PanAm,” sporting at 1950s look in this show about this drama about the airlining company PanAmerican

Adventure Time!

Step into the world of this playful television show Nicole Walters Staff Writer

“Death Throne”

by The Devil Wears Prada

L Nicole Walters Staff Writer

T

he Devil Wears Prada, a post-hardcore band from Dayton, Ohio, recently released their new album “Dead Throne” in early September. The band takes a more brutal approach with “Dead Throne,” leaving fans both amazed and disappointed in the thirteen-track album.

The early-released song “Born To Lose” gives listeners a taste of the more intense breakdowns and deeper vocals. Mike Hranica uses harder vocals in the beginning of “Constance.” Daniel Williams increases the speed of the 808 drums, Chris Rubey and Jeremy DePoyster keep a steady, deeper tone with the rhythm guitars, and Andy Trick and James Baney rattle eardrums with the use of the lower notes of the bass and keyboards.

This hardcore group completes their collection of four albums with a new, darker twist. With the release of their EP “Zombies” in 2010, The Devil Wears Prada hoped to create a thematic progression between albums. “Dead Throne” succeeds “Zombies” with harder vocals, low-tuned guitar riffs, and chilling keyboard tunes that leave listeners itching for more.

eAnn Rimes is no stranger to releasing country albums. Over the course of her career, LeAnn Rimes has released thirteen albums since the age of thirteen. The newest addition to her discography, “Lady & Gentlemen,” is an album compiled of songs that are covers of her favorite male country artists.

LeAnn is often compared to the vocal styles of her inspirations such as Reba McEntire and Barbra Streisand.

The album begins with the hit, “Swingin’,” originally by John Anderson; a song Rimes first covered in June 2010 at the Country Music Awards.

It is a perfect country swing song that makes the listener feel the music.

But as for the rest of the album, the tone turns somber, focusing on themes of break-ups and wrongdoings. In the second song, “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” Rimes channels the voice of the late Patsy Cline, creating a hallowing sensation that invites listeners to think of their own wasted days and wasted nights.

This is a beautiful album for people who enjoy the sound of country music from the days of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. This album fits into the puzzle of Rimes’ discography very well, mostly into her earlier works, with songs that mainly depend upon vocals rather than instruments or synthetic sounds. “Lady & Gentlemen” is a great stepping stone in LeAnn’s career, and proves she hasn’t forgotten her roots.

S

ince its launch in April 2010, “Adventure Time” has aired 58 episodes in its career. “Adventure Time with Finn and Jake,” created by Pendleton Ward, is a hilarious and adventurous animated television show on the Cartoon Network with a huge following.

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) went so far as to give this show a 9 out of 10. “Adventure Time” is about a young “human boy, Finn, and his trusty dog companion, Jake, who slay the bad monsters of their world and protect the innocent citizens from evil.”

Finn constantly makes outrageous facial expressions and Jake is always morphing into twisted shapes.

Season three invites fans on a crazy adventure involving the rescue of Princess Bubble Gum from the Ice King, slaying mystical creatures, battling evil, and going on adventures that bring you into the world of “Adventure Time.” Whether Finn and Jake are battling evil pigs that hatched from a magical bean in “The Pods” or saving Marceline the vampire from her sleep spell in “Memory of a Memory,” “Adventure Time” takes you on a journey of endless laughter and entertainment. Tune in Monday nights at 8/7c. The fun that will never end: It’s Adventure Time!

Oct./Nov.

Entertainment

The Hungry Maverick

MavLife ranks California burritos from local Mexican restaurants Gage DiRoberto Staff Writer

¿T

ienes hambre? Finding the perfect burrito can be tough, especially for a Maverick on the go. In a service to the community, twenty-five MavLife staffers, in a blind taste test, reviewed California Burritos from five popular Mexican restaurants.

The first restaurant in the investigation was Rudy’s Taco Shop. Rudy’s was on the expensive side for such a poorly scored California burrito. Based on the review, the taste was not very flavorful but the meat was “perfectly” cooked. The reviewers suggest when you are going to Rudy’s to get a Carne Asada burrito instead.

The second restaurant in the investigation was Roberto’s. Roberto’s was deemed well worth the money, as its flavor had a personality of its own. This California Burrito had a great mix of cheese, golden french fries and an assortment of spices, and comes highly recommended.

Next was Rico’s Taco Shop. Based on the reviews, the California burrito lacked flavor. On top of that, the burrito was pricey and “was a horrible flavor that stuck in your mouth,” according to staffer Julian Sanz. Surprisingly, Rico’s didn’t score anywhere near expectations. Reviewers thought this burrito was an overall waste of money. Reviewers recommend that if you go to Rico’s to order the “Justin” burrito instead.

Jorge’s Mexicatessen earned the highest rating overall, despite its low price. Jorge’s California burrito exceeded all expectations and proved to be authentic and tasty. The food critics said that it was “weak on spices but

Ranking

Restaurant

1

Roberto’s

2

Jorge’s

3

strong on overall flavor,” and that the mix was a perfect formula of meat, cheese, sour cream and French fries. “If you want to fill up your stomach without emptying your wallet, do it the right way and go to Jorge’s,” said one staffer.

Cotixan’s California had its strengths and weaknesses, but this restaurant offered a twist: salsa fresca on the inside of the burrito instead of sour cream.

While scoring well with reviewers, it was suggested you order the Carne Asada burrito instead.

Each restaurant had its own perspective on what Mexican food should be. Although the reviewers only tried one type of burrito, the restaurant’s specialties were apparent. Next time you are looking for a good burrito, you’ll known where to start looking.

Burritos await hungry MavLife food critics.

Flavor

Ingredients (Quality)

Photo by Kenya Caines

Average Price That People Would Pay

Saucy, spicy “a party in your mouth.” If you are a fan of strong flavor, you will like this burrito.

My personal favorite, the class absolutely loved it and the flavor was authentic and very tasty.

Cheesy, creamy and a pleasant mix of sour cream and zesty carne asada.

Great mix, everything went well together.

Reviewers were left wanting more.

Cotixan

Pretty good overall, but room for improvement.

The flavor was very vegetarian and tasted like a, “garden in your mouth.”

Probably the healthiest California you can get.

If you like veggies you’ll love this mix.

$4.15

4

Rudy’s

$3.50

5

Rico’s

“Okay,” mix of good meat Tasty meat cooked to masked the bland flavor of perfection and good the rest of the burrito.

French fries. The other ingredients did not stand out.

Uncreative and Most people disliked pedestrian, they this California burrito. suggested to choose They said it was almost another item on the tasteless. menu.

10 9 8

11 12 1

2 4

6

5

$4.00

$3.00

Time to fall back!

3

7

$3.75

Don’t forget to set your clocks back on November 6th!

17 Monkey Suit: Dressed For Success Cameron Gurley Entertainment Editor & Humor Columnist

D

espite popular belief, a 5’3” freshman sporting size 44 waist jeans and a white triple XL T-Shirt is dressed for success.

Take Albert Einstein for example. Here’s a man so smart that he had more to worry about than his exterior, like the space-time continuum.

Or picture Bill Gates. Another brilliant mind who fashions tacky sweaters and has an outlandish haircut that reminds the unfortunate few who have to see it of a hungry rhino chasing a squirrel. But who cares?

A man with a brain his size probably was solving algorithms in his head while picking out his clothes and didn’t even notice what he was doing. That would have to be the only explanation when he picked out the stripes with plaid combo.

Albert and Bill, both too smart to care about their appearance, were too concerned with solving the mystery time warps inside the Internet. Or the mystery of women. Both are equally confusing for them.

And while neither of these brilliant minds wore comically baggy pants, black skate shoes, and an over-sized white T-Shirt, the trend of hiding your intelligence was nevertheless born.

These academic anomalies of students (scientific name: pile) are, surprisingly enough, extremely intelligent. By this point in their lives they are masters of camouflage. As they are sitting in class, using their phones and “pretending” to play games or text, they perfectly multi-task that with catching up on sleep.

They don’t turn in homework because their brains are actually busy at work getting everything they need to get done (…in their heads?).

Not only are they saving trees in this process, but also they wait for a perfect time to strike. All this secret time “planning” looks, to the untrained eye, like falling asleep in class and not paying attention.

These creatures blend in and go through high school virtually unnoticed from an academic standpoint and a contribution standpoint.

When analyzed from a third party point of view, their plan is quite brilliant. The teachers, untrained in this expert analysis, see them as beyond help of the current, brilliant, American education system.

Fellow classmates see them as comical, mysterious, and tired. When you get past the phones, the sleeping, and the folds of fabric, you will see that these students are simply waiting for the opportune time to unleash their intelligence.

And believe me when I say that I wait patiently for this amazing feat of effort.

From an evolutionary stand point, these students toy with us. Typical students use layers and layers of coats and sweaters in the winter to keep warm.

However, the baggy-panted students use all of that extra room and fabric to create a convection layer of heat underneath the mountains of cotton and denim.

All that extra room might as well be a sauna or a space heater and, consequently, while the rest of us complain how cold it is during fourth period, the “piles” are sound asleep under a heated blanket of bagginess and lethargy.

So then next time you see one of these students in your classes, try analyzing their approach to school and work ethic from a different point of view. They are probably already done with the homework for the week and would just rather not share it with anyone.

Including the teacher.

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Oct./Nov.

Entertainment

The Apple of Your “i” The new iPhone 4s offers new features, despite similar external design Rebecca Zilberman Staff Writer

D

espite a few bruises, this Apple product is good at its core.

With over a year since the last iPhone came out, customers were hopeful of getting a revamped appearance. They expected a sleeker body design, a larger screen, and a flash on the front screen for the phone’s camera. Despite the exciting new features, expectations about external design were not met.

The iPhone 4s comes in white and black, has a better 8 mega-pixel camera, 1080 p HD videos, iOS 5, dual-core A5 chip, iCloud, and Siri. Apple claims that the performance is two times faster than the iPhone 4, and that the graphics load seven times faster. However, the difference is hardly noticeable when

compared with the iPhone 4. Both models completed loading a web page at about the same time.

The camera, on the other hand, takes considerably better photos in comparison. Objects appear clearer and the flash does not create a glare and wash out the pictures. In addition, being able to crop and edit photos on the phone directly is a useful and convenient tool.

The iCloud, allows users to save music, reminders and other files on multiple Apple devices simultaneously.

Siri is amazing, but since it is in Beta stage, sometimes it is not perfect.

Asking about the weather, for example, works well.You can even mention the word “umbrella” and Siri will tell you if it will rain. However, asking about warm weather is not as easy. When mentioning “shorts” and “sandals,” Siri pulls up clothing stores. Asking for web searches, setting reminders, and sending text messages is also great, and usually only takes a few seconds.

One neat setting Siri offers is the ability to add a name so

The iPhone 4s comes in white and black, has a better 8 mega-pixel camera, 1080 p HD videos, iOS 5, dual-core A5 chip, iCloud, and Siri.

The iCloud only works if you have other Apple devices, so if the iPhone is your only Apple device, all pictures, songs, and more do not get pushed to your HP.

Exclusively for the 4s,“Siri,” is a revolutionary voice assistant to send messages, set reminders, search for information, and more.

Dear Mavy, Dear Mavy, I am a senior at LCC and I am really stressed about college applications! What do you recommend I do to handle all the stress?

Dear Senior Stresser, Wow what a great question! I’m sure a lot of seniors are feeling the heat!

A great thing to do when approaching college apps is setting reasonable goals for yourself! For example, make a goal to finish an essay, or even two, a weekend. If you keep an even pace for yourself, you are guaranteed to finish on time!

Stay organized with all your paperwork and deadlines, making sure you don’t miss out on any great opportunities. A great way to do this is by keeping an organized binder with separate folders and dividers for each school you are applying to.You could even make separate folders for scholarship

that the phone can address owners by name.

The new operating system, available on iPhones and the iPad, is impressive.

The iOS 5 allows users to know when others are texting them, using the iMessage feature. However, iMessage can only work if both people have iOS5.

Consumers are now faced with deciding whether to upgrade now to the iPhone 4s, or wait at least a year for the next iPhone to come out. However, the pre-orders for the iPhone 4s, at one million, were the most for any of the iPhones thus far. In its first weekend on the market, four million were sold, according to Apple’s website.

A new “reader” button reformats articles in order to allow easy reading on the iPhone’s small screen.

Have a question? Need adivce? Feel free to ask Mavy and you’ll get an answer!

All questions can be submitted online at www.formspring.me/DearM​avy or drop off a letter at room 820.

information or SAT/ACT information.

For more information, visit our college spread.

-Mavy

you can proceed with caution.

Good luck!

-Mavy

Dear Mavy, I am a senior boy with a massive crush on a freshman. On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad would this look when she tells her parents?

Dear Mavy, My parents are really strict and won’t let me date, when I already have a boyfriend.

Should I tell them? How? They might make me break up with him. How should I handle this situation?

Dear Worried Senior Crusher, It depends on your behavior and on the girl. If her parents are conservative, then I do not recommend pursing a relationship with her. However, if the parents are understanding and she has already approached them about it, then

Dear Forbidden Lover, Try to have a mature conversation with your parents so they respect and understand where you’re coming from.

It is important to show your parents that they can trust you. If your parents ask that you break up with your boyfriend,

you can always still have that relationship, but without the label. Good luck!

-Mavy Dear Mavy, I’ve never had a boyfriend and I’m a junior. Is that normal?! All of my friends have literally had more boyfriends than the hairs on my head. (...which is a lot.) I feel really behind.

Dear Single Mingler, A lot of people have never had boyfriends, even seniors! Just because the friends in your group have had boyfriends, doesn’t mean that you need one. It is perfectly normal to be single throughout high school. A lot of high school relationships are just practice and very short term. It is not worth fretting about.

-Mavy

Oct./Nov.

19

Entertainment

Homecoming Court

Senior Court:

Homecoming Queen Pooja Somasundaram: Pooja’s favorite color is white because she thinks it is simple and clean. She enjoys being apart of theater and ComedySportz. When she first found out she won homecoming queen, she couldn’t believe it at first. Her life motto is, “You can’t choose where you come from, but you can choose where you are going.” At the homecoming game, when she was kissed by the pirate hired by ASB, Pooja felt extremely grossed out.

Homecoming King Ryan Reffitt: On a typical day, Ryan can be

found sippin’ on a pina colada Slurpee with a sour straw while munchin’ on a Bomb Burrito. His favorite movie is SALT while his favorite color is albino skin pigment. Ryan said he felt like a stud when he found out he won Homecoming King. He lives by Phillipians 4:13, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Ryan’s commentary: “Shout out to the Refolds for truly loving me all these years and putting up with my shenanigans.”

Sophomore Court: Sophomore Duke Seth Abrams: Seth was surprised when he found out he was nominated for homecoming court. He was so excited that he called his mom immediately. His hobby is “Cats,” which would explain his life motto: “Meow like you mean it.” His favorite movie is “Wild Hogs” and his favorite subject is science.

Sophomore Duchess Katelyn Schmitt: Katelyn’s favorite thing to do is hang out with her friends and her favorite color is blue. She’s proud to be nominated by her peers and lives by the motto “Love the life you live, live the life you love.” When she found out she won she said, “I was so happy I couldn’t stop smiling!”

LC Sea

2011-2012

Junior Court:

Junior Prince Dejay Satoda: Dejay will be found shopping at Forever 21 or Urban Apple.

He loves working out or knitting in his free time. His favorite color is purple. Dejay’s life motto is, “Floss every day because you only get one pair of teeth.” Upon being informed of his nomination for royalty, he cried for a few minutes, “and then ran away.”

Junior Princess Kelly Lawson: Kelly’s favorite color is turquoise and favorite subject is English. In her free time, one will find Kelly running fast, hanging with friends, shopping at Forever 21, or sleeping. She lives in the moment and believes in the Golden Rule. She always treats others the way she wants to be treated. Kelly’s life motto is:“I don’t need easy, I just need possible.”

Freshman Court: Freshman Lady Jessica Aiken: Jessica shined in the Homecoming court wearing a beautiful blue dress. Her favorite color is red. She loves playing volleyball and hanging out with friends in her free time. “I was so surprised and happy when I found out that I won,” she said.

Jessica tells us that her life motto is: “Being happy doesn’t mean everything is perfect, it means you’ve decided to see beyond the imperfections.”

Freshman Lord John Mark Carlson: John Mark’s favorite color is orange, he loves playing Xbox and hanging out with Gage at school. He loves History and walking his dog and says it feels good to be a winner. His life motto is “Just win Baby.”

“I was like wow, I’m so darn popular. I’m so cool, I’m like the best.You know? Everyone loves me. I had a feeling I was going to win.”

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Oct./Nov.

Back Page

Teacher vs. Student: Teague Challenges Visser An epic trivia showdown between James Teague and junior AlexVisser Who was labeled as the “Killer of Custer,” at Custer’s Last Stand?

Visser: Custer’s Killer Teague: Sitting Bull Answer: Sitting Bull Cameron Gurley: Visser is taking A.P. U.S. History this year but unfortunately hasn’t reached this chapter yet. Teague, a history buff, didn’t even hesitate.

How many U.S. states border the Gulf of Mexico?

Visser: 12 Teague: 5 Answer: 5 CG: After a quick calculation in his head, Mr. Teague seemed to have the answer in no time. Alex quickly scribbled down a guess, which unfortunately didn’t work for her.

Which country has more tractors per capita, Canada, Iceland or Japan?

Visser: Iceland Teague: Iceland Answer: Iceland CG: Great choice by both sides.

Teague continues his lead and Alex gets her first question right. Iceland uses a lot of tractors, I guess. Who knew?

When was volleyball invented?

Visser: 1895 Teague: 1878 Answer: 1895

rpio SAcochallenge that requires

CG: Even though Visser is a volleyball player on this year’s Varsity squad, I didn’t think she would get this question right.

A report on volleyball she did in eighth grade managed to glue this fun fact into her brain.

Good guess by Teague.

Who’s the only pitcher to throw consecutive no hitters?

Visser: Johnny Vander Meer Teague: Sandy Koufax Answer: Johnny Vander Meer CG: Wow, Alex! Quite impressive. Its not over yet as Visser stays in this competition What was Usher’s dad’s first name?

Visser: Raymond Teague: Luther

Ca

us itari

Sag

s

Arie

Fall Horoscopes

You are more aggressive than usual. Don’t let your ego get in the way of what you love to do.

Follow your heart.

Aquarius

pri

Stop stressing out, Cappy!

Your hard-work is about to pay off. Take a day off to focus on yourself.

Don’t be afraid to indulge more than usual.

Love seems to be in the air.

Follow your heart and don’t be timid.Your intuition is spot on. Take a chance and have faith that good fortune will follow.

es

Keep your head up, Leo. Your energized personality will shine through once you get your head back in the game.Your peers love you so don’t feel like you are letting anyone down.

What was the first animal cloned?

Visser: Sheep Teague: Sheep - Dolly Answer: Dolly the Sheep CG: Unknown to me, this is common knowledge. Nice touch

by Teague with the name of the sheep as well.

How many furlongs are in a mile?

Visser: Eight.

Teague: Eight.

Answer: Eight.

CG: For those of you who don’t know, a furlong is a measurement of distance used on horse racing tracks.

Lucky guess by both sides.

Thanks again to America for yet another arbitrary system of measurement.

What band inspired Lady Gaga’s name?

Visser: Goo Goo Dolls Teague: Queen Answer: Queen – Radio Gaga CG: How Mr. Teague knew the answer to this question will forever be a mystery to me but it seems the teachers prevailed this time. Visser put up a valiant effort but unfortunately couldn’t stay alive in this trivia game.

Photo by Cameron Gurley

Pisc

Leo

little ridges going around the side.

What is the largest city in the United States (by landmass)?

Visser: “Absolutely no idea.”

Teague: Jacksonville.

Answer: Sitka, Alaska CG: This was a pretty tricky question, I thought. Jacksonville is currently second to Sitka, by landmass.

On what continent would you speak Quechua (pronounced: catch-wuh)?

Visser: Asia Teague: South America Answer: South America CG: Teague, a Spanish teacher, would have known this one because in South America they predominately speak Spanish and in many parts of Ecuador they speak Spanish and Quechua.

extensive contemplation is on the way. You don’t want to get stung by your own stinger. Back away from your impulsive nature, and re-evaluate your decisions.

Be wise.

Your peaceful nature continues to impress an admirer. Keep your outlook positive; a new relationship is in your future. Keep calm and carry on.

Answer: Usher Trick question. Usher, famous singer, is actually Usher Raymond IV, giving him the same name as his father.

What is the only type of coin you can stand on its side?

Visser: Golden Dollar Teague: Quarter Answer: Nickel CG: Because of its size, it was a good guess by Visser but the nickel is the only coin in the U.S. currency that doesn’t have the

rus Tau You are feeling more

passive than normal.

Avoid getting trampled by the stampede heading your way. Keep up and don’t get left behind.

Your recent change in work ethic has left o g teachers, parents, and Vir friends concerned. Step up your game. Pick up the slack; there is no time for procrastination.

cor

n

Gemini

It is time to take a look in the mirror. Stop pretending to be someone you’re not.

A close friend is starting to drift away; don’t let your two-faced personality ruin a friendship.

Libr

a

Balancing your social life with academics doesn’t seem to work out as easily as anticipated. Keep your priorities straight and don’t be scared cut down your schedule.You can’t please everyone.

Your cautious approach on life seems to be holding you back. Dive in to a new adventure and pick up a new hobby while you’re at it. Take a risk and show your true colors.

Can

cer

Be cautious with taking the next step forward. Don’t rush into something you aren’t ready for. Slow down and be patient, for good things come to those who aren’t greedy.