Pulse Magazine: Volume 5, Issue 4

the newsmagazine of Canyon Crest Academy

Letters to the Editor

I do not want to do this. But as a student and a rabble rouser I cannot deny that something has got to be said.

I have drudged through these halls for three years; I have weathered the lavishes of affection given to the first graduating class; I have withstood pollsters, counselors, job agents, invisible children, Republicans, Democrats, the guy with the dreadlocks and Ron Paul ’08 sign from two years ago. I have ignored ASB, vapid and worthless elections designed to foster the illusion of democracy, ad campaigns with trite, bloated statements, demands that I enroll in Challenge day, school dances, clubs bake sales, film festivals.

All this I have done for a simple reason: school is a place of learning.

It is not some socialite club, it is not a check-mark on someone’s grand-to-do

list so he or she can become a doctor, it is not a place to spout rhetoric or instill a sense of dominance or social order. At least, it shouldn’t be for those things.

Yet it continues as a justification for price hikes, exorbitant events and off-campus advertisers.

This school has no money.

Just as every Californian school, it is cash-strapped and withering. And still it hemorrhages funds on ridiculous social outings that captivate and enslave the mind with shiny objects. Last year, I lost two teachers ; more still were or are being removed. Could they have been saved by cutting down school events?

Perhaps not; but it could have been a start. But no, the money is funneled into the pockets of ASB leaders who toss money at ridiculous things such as setting up a dance at the Del Mar

Fairgrounds (thanks for that by the by; I’m sure we’ll still be cleaning your mess up by the time I start up).

Not once have I seen ASB straight-up ask the students populace what they want the money spent on.

Not once has ASB shown reserve or caution in how they spend. Not once have I seen them, or the Foundation, or any teacher here, exercise any sort of fiscal restraint. They overload the senses with events, prices etc. without ever doing some well, honest, and needed change.

They move with wild abandon, throwing coin like so many pebbles, and rob the students of perhaps the most valuable and important lesson of their lives: save a lot, spend a little.

Dear Fearghal,

It’s certainly not the first time I’ve heard distorted judgments regarding ASB, but I hope that I can clear up the confusion you’ve brought to our attention.

ASB’s purpose on our campus is to provide students with opportunities to actively participate in our school and to generate activities that bring the student body together. We have no control over teacher salaries, and state law prohibits us from using student body funds for teachers, classroom and instructional materials, Foundation, district-related responsibilities (turf on the field, maintenance), and non-profit organizations. This works the opposite way, too. ASB doesn’t receive any money from the district or any other sources other than our own fundraisers.

Unbeknownst to many of the students and faculty at CCA, ASB is also generous in donations to the school.

For the past 4 years, ASB has gifted $15,000 per year to the CCA athletics program. This money is used to pay for the referees at all of the sporting events at CCA. In addition, ASB also donated $15,000 this year to the Envision program to help cover the costs of extracurricular activities in the art program. If clubs need money for CCA events, and they have demonstrated hard work at fundraising, ASB will also consider gift-

ing money to the club in need. This has been true this year for Academic Team and in the past for ComedySportz.

Even though we raise our own money, we actually do use the student body to dictate what the money is being used for. Each month, representatives from all 2nd period classes come to our House of Reps meetings to discuss proposed ASB events and get student input on what can be done to improve success. Also, ASB is required to keep meeting minutes of all discussions and decisions. The ASB minutes are available on the ASB website (www.ccaasb. com) for the student body to read. At the end of the year, students fill out a survey to show what events during the year they enjoyed, and which ones they didn’t. Students may also voice their opinion on ASB events and proposed spending by visiting the ASB website and clicking on the “Suggestions” tab.

Contradictory to your implications, a large part of the time we spend in ASB is spent making decisions regarding how we can use our money effectively. We, like the school, don’t have an endless supply of money. Every purchase made for school events is run through the entire class, the finance office assures the availability of funds, and administration approves the use of those funds. If there’s any question of overspending, the purchase orders are

sent back to the committee to find a way to use the money more effectively.

If you don’t care about ASB elections, then nobody’s forcing you to vote. We changed that this year, too. The purpose of student elections is, once again, to let you have input on decisions made for our school. We always encourage students to run for office or even become a member of the ASB class. You don’t have to be elected to participate.

We’re pretty lucky to be here at CCA. Many high schools use their formal dances as fundraisers, hiking up tickets as high as $80-$90, expecting students to pay. We operate on the philosophy of giving the students what they paid for, using dance profits to pay for dances, senior out intake as the prize money for the winner, etc. Under California education codes, we are expected to carry-over no more than 20% of the money we make in any one year.

And if you’re worried about messes, just remember the people who left them and that they are the ones responsible…and don’t worry it’s clean :)

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Apologies for the invective, Fearghal Casey

Sincerely, Nick Lawson ASB President

contents

june 2010/ vol. 5/ issue 4

Letter fromthe Editors

Sports. . . 4

I go to CCA. . . 7

TRUE LIFE

News. . . 17

Before you retire your backpack and binders for the summer and attempt to get rid of that awkward track-team tan line, take some time to reflect on the strides CCA students made this past school year: from Championship banners by Boys’ Water Polo, Wrestling, Boys’ Baseball, and Girls’ Field Hockey to successful productions like Durang Durang, Lord of the Flies, and the EVA show. Breakout seasons by Academic and Robotics teams yielded unprecedented results. ASB organized a multitude of events, successfully stirring school-spirit within the student body. All in all, it was a pretty good year.

It’s scary to think this is our last year in the nest that is CCA. As June 18th draws nearer and nearer, the Class of 2010 is beginning to come to terms with graduating, and the subsequent flying out of the coup. We’ve included the annual Pulse college map in this issue, as well as an article profiling the post-CCA plans of some seniors.

Writers in this issue also dig deeper into the true life experiences of attending CCA. Hannah Coleman profiles senior Randee White, who recently gave birth to a baby boy. Chris Cubbison explores the perspective of openly-gay student Peter Hoban, and Amruta Trivedi investigates the reality and prevalence of eating disorders in the student body.

Nachi Baru explores the recent changes in the Texas School Board textbook policy, while Amy Kim reports on the success of the CCA Robotics Team at an international competition in Atlanta, Georgia. Additionally, two familiar faces on campus, senior Deven Klee and sophomore Taylor Strumwasser, are profiled.

As our tenures as editors-in-chief come to an end, we reflect on our experiences in Pulse, and feel confident that our successors will continue the same journalistic standards, and further raise the bar for future classes.

Sincerely, Cubbz n’ Rootz

Features. . . 27

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF / chris cubbison, amruta trivedi LAYOUT EDITORS / jan carstens, alexa kern, crystal long CONTENT EDITORS / maurice bumbu, brittany jahn, pooja magavi, ericka schwering COPY EDITORS / austin evans, amy kim, rachel monk PHOTO EDITOR / daniel metz STAFF WRITERS / nachi baru, chelsea mcguerty, jessica mersten, alex nassar, sydney platt, tess wallenstein BUSINESS STAFF / hannah coleman, carly gutner-davis, laura odegard, paige press, kimia zomorrodi ADVISOR / michael gaughen

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For reader feedback or advertising information please contact Pulse at: 5951 Village Center Loop Rd. San Diego, Ca 92130 (858) 350-0253 x 4192

ccapulseonline.com

editors.pulse@gmail.com

All photos by Daniel Metz except where noted.

The opinions expressed by the writers and the content of the advertisements do not necessarily reflect those of Pulse Magazine, Canyon Crest Academy, or the San Dieguito Union High School District.

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Sideline Sports

Swimming

By Nachi Baru

By any measure, the 2010 season was a resoundingly successful one for CCA’s varsity swim teams.

The Ravens finished amongst the top teams in our league, saw several of their swimmers win high individual honors and ultimately entered the CIF competition, the preliminary round of which was held during the week of May 17 to 21 in Coronado. Coach Vali Barsan attributes the team’s success to the swimmers, and their ability to overcome mental obstacles. “We are still an underdog team with young swimmers in a young program that is

in its third year. Our biggest difficulty was overcoming the mental barrier that we can’t beat [other teams in the conference]. Through dedication, practice and focus, we proved to ourselves that it is possible to give them serious competition. That was proven in the fourth place at CIF.”

The arrival of the CIF championship is bittersweet, though, as it is the last hurrah for many of the teams’ standout swimmers, including captains Judy Li, Sarah Taylor, Grant Jurgenson and Reid McCallum.

While members must float and sink together, Coach Lucas Duchene admitted that losing such key individuals will be difficult for the teams to cope with. “Swimming

is a team sport, [but] it is for the most part made up of individual events. Each swimmer has his or her specialty and contributes in a way that is hard to replace,” he said. Still, Duchene and Barsan expect that the teams have enough strength and talent to cope with the losses and come back next season stronger than ever. “[The teams] will go through a degree of rebuilding as we lose so many seniors,” said Duchene, “ but we have such an amazing group that I know we won’t lose any ground.” And, hopefully, our swimmers will add to their extraordinary streak as well.

“We are going to start the [next] season with young determined swimmers, and they will rise to challenge,” said Barsan.

Baseball

By Maurice Bumbu

It’s been a great year for CCA baseball. Launching off with a change in the coaching staff, the team relied on solid pitching and a steady commitment to defense to revitalize itself after last season’s less-than-stellar campaign. This time around, the Ravens won the La Jolla Classic Tournament in March and secured the Coastal South CoChampionship banner with a clutch 4-3 win over Bishops last month.

Raven baseball has developed into one of the elite athletic programs on campus and, despite being eliminated from CIF playoffs after a loss to Saint Augustine, the team is doing everything right to remain a perennial powerhouse.

Junior James Stafford highlighted the April matchup against

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Mission Bay, a Division I school, as a crucial season turning point. Despite losing by one run, the Ravens demonstrated a desire to attack opponents and proved their ability to hang with the toughest teams in San Diego.

Their play was passionate, unyielding, and at times flawless.

Matt Malott, who will be playing at Occidental next fall, pitched the first perfect game in school history on March 24th. That’s right – seven innings, twenty-one outs, ten strikeouts, no runs…perfect.

The Raven roster featured a balanced mixture of contact and power hitters, all of whom had the talent to catch fire and drive in runs.

Seniors Chris Bianchi, Chris Hynes, and Matt Malott all made the Coastal

South 2nd team all-conference team.

“I wish I could have this whole group for another year,” says head coach Ryan Sienko. “We worked hard on fundamentals and helped put the kids in a position to win…we went out and tried to win every game.”

While the team’s in-game dialogue was mostly restricted to a mild cacophony of two-syllable jeers and chants, Pulse caught up with shortstop Chris Hynes for some post-game commentary after the banner-clinching victory over Bishops. “This group of seniors has been together for four years, and we’ve played through a lot of ups and downs. It felt great to end our high school baseball experience on top.”

Tennis

By Brittany Jahn

photos by Andy Ribner

In the past two years the boys’ varsity tennis team has done its part in decorating our gym. This doesn’t mean the team goes to Party City and buys up the red and black streamers (that kind of decorating is reserved for ASB); it means that they have been known for decorating our gym the hard way, by winning us banners. This year, while they did not get a CIF banner, they still made us just as proud. At the end of the season the team held an impressive 13-5 winning record, something that only a skilled team of athletes could pull off while still having a good time on and off the court.

Senior Eric Uyemura attributes the team’s success to the fun and competitive dynamic that has been fostered on the team. “The incredible chemistry we have as a team is definitely one of our biggest weapons and has helped us bring home two conference championships in the past,” he said. After making it to the quarterfinals of CIF this year the boys lost in a tough match against Cathedral, a top seed in the tournament. Despite a competitive season the team was still able to come up with more

laughs than gaffs. “Our team likes to have fun. We joke with each other at games and during practices, set up tennis get-togethers in the off season and welcome any and all new players” said Uyemura.

This welcoming of new players will be crucial next year, as the team says goodbye to 12 seniors, many of whom are starting players. Uyemura responds to this sad yet truthful fact by concluding that “next year will be a tough transition, but I trust the team will continue to be successful,” adding “especially with the freshmen that are already beating some of us seniors…which I hate to admit.”

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Surfin’ CCA

By Tess Wallenstien

It is hardly a secret that CCA students are gifted. From our talented conservatory students to our budding sports teams, CCA has garnered quite the reputation. However, a group that is often overlooked is CCA’s accomplished surfers.

Sophomore Tad McCardell is one of San Diego’s most prominent high school surfers. McCardell has twice qualified for nationals, in addition to winning second place at the 2010 ISF State Championships. For Tad, however, surfing began as a family hobby after being inspired by his older brother, Reed.

McCardell fell in love with surfing at the age of eight, and has since devoted a great deal of time to his passion. Like many CCA students, he has found difficulty in balancing his love for his sport and school: “It is hard to prepare for a contest or even have time to go surf during the school year,” McCardell acknowledges, “I luckily participate in the ISPE program, allowing me to surf during first period.”

Stephanie Schechter, a freshmen, is also a rising star in the local female surf community. She admits that it has not always been easy being one of the only girls in the water. “In professional surfing, male surfers definitely get more media attention, and a lot of people don’t even consider women’s surfing a sport,” Stephanie says, citing that

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she and other female surfers are often treated disrespectfully by their male counterparts in the water. Despite the negative attention Schechter has recieved for being a woman in this predominantly male sport, Stephanie does not let it get her down. Recently, in the National Scholastic Surfing Association Southwest Open Conference, Schechter was the sole female competitor in open longboarding, in which she was awarded fifth place.

For both McCardell and Schechter, surfing has opened up new opportunities, such as sponsorships and travel. Tad has surfed at Jobos Beach in Puerto Rico while Stephanie has travelled to Indonesia and Nicaragua, and both hope to continue to surf at exotic locations in the future. Additionally, both McCardell and Schechter aspire to be professional surfers and to use this platform as a way to better the surf community.

McCardell wants to use surfing as a way to keep kids away from drugs and alcohol and Stephanie hopes to bring more attention to the ever-growing female surf community.

With goals such as these, there is no stopping these talented CCA surfers from achieving everything they aim for in the world of riding giants.

TRUE LIFE

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Randee White Teen Mom

By Hannah Coleman

For those of you who don’t know Randee White,

she is a CCA senior with a bubbly personality and a positive attitude to match. She also just gave birth to a baby boy, Tommy Lee White on April 9, 2010. After a month of a missed period and negative pregnancy test results, Randee assumed she was not pregnant. But after second month went by with a missed period the results of the pregnancy test changed to positive. “[When I found out I was pregnant] I cried. I sat there and cried and then apologized to my mom.” Randee’s mom was also a teen mother, having her first child when she was 16. Randee now lives with her mom, stepdad, and sister in Carmel Valley, and is the sixth out of seven siblings.

Randee’s biological father was absent for most of her childhood and teenage years, though now he lives close by in Mira Mesa. However, she chooses to not have a relationship with him, “He pretty much left my life when I was 7,” said Randee, “he was suffering with drugs and alcohol.”

Numerous studies show that girls are more likely to get pregnant in their teens if their father was absent from home-life throughout their childhood. In 2003 Rachel Nowak developed the “stress-hypothesis” which stated that emotionally or physically unavailable fathers’ can be “the trigger leaves girls seeking male connection.”

Nowak’s study also proved that much of rebellious female adolescence is also linked to “absent-father” stress, which contributes to a higher amount of sexual activity.

Though Randee’s father was not a prominent figure within her life, she still had a very enjoyable childhood.

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Randee responsibly blames her own actions that led to her pregnancy. “In a way, getting pregnant was a good thing. It made me grow up. I was on a bad path and having Tommy put me in a much better place”.

Randee also believes that many teens today glamorize the lifestyle of sex drugs and rock and roll, not realizing their severe consequences.

Being the “pregnant girl” at a small high-school opens up a relatively large window of judgment; yet Randee gave herself no other choice but to disregard the sea of untruths that constantly surrounded her while walking the halls of CCA. “The first rumor I heard was that a sophomore got me pregnant. I know people were also saying that I was doing drugs and drinking [while pregnant]. But I shrugged them off and didn’t let them get to me”, said Randee.

Though Randee says the hardest part of her pregnancy were not the rampant rumors, nor the physical pain she endured, but rather it was the absence of her baby’s father. “It was hard not having [him] there. I sat there pretty much every day wondering if he was alive or in jail. October 4, 2009 was the last time I spoke to him.”

Although Randee also believes that his “disappearance” was not completely his decision. When Randee first told the father she was pregnant “he was ok with it at first,” she says, “then his mom found out and his friends started ganging up on him to try to make me have an abortion. I was upset because I considered them to be my friends and [I didn’t know] that they felt that way.”

“In a way, getting pregnant was a good thing. It made me grow up. I was on a bad path and having Tommy put me in a much better place.”

Even though becoming a mother at17 may not have been what Randee had foreseen for herself, she has never regretted the decision to keep her baby. She looked forward to having a baby one day and now that motherhood has come much earlier than expected White says she “enjoys every minute of it.” Becoming a young mother has had a positive effect despite its difficulty.

“Getting pregnant totally changed my life around. Before I was smoking and partying and being selfish. I feel that I have become a better person because of it.”

White believes that more realistic sex education should be taught in schools. “I think school’s should talk more about the importance of safe sex,” she says, “they are not talking about it enough and that’s why there are girls who get abortions and then continue to have unprotected sex.”

In most ways, Randee White is not unlike any other normal, 17-year-old girl. However also like any other teenager, she is not invincible to the consequences after rebellious behavior. After an extensive interview with White it is clear that she truly enjoys motherhood and is dedicated to raising her child. Randee returned to school shortly after giving birth, while also taking 4 classes; something that is mostly unheard of among seniors. After graduating, Randee plans to take a year off to take care of her son, Tommy, and then attend community college. Despite the many preconceived notions that may be had about teen mothers, Randee White remains a responsible and hard working teenager.

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GAY at CCA

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By Chris Cubbison Coming out to your classmates is the hardest thing you will never experience, unless you are a proud gay or lesbian student willing to face awkward hallway glances, judging eyes, or hushed voices for the sake of your pride. Identity perseveres, but never without cost.

For some, that price is not always as expensive as others. Senior Peter Hoban recalls his experience as a comfortable, yet resound one; he revealed his sexuality through school project. When reporting to his sophomore English class about the Gay-Straight Alliance movement, Hoban revealed himself. “ I said, ‘One in ten people are either gay or lesbian. There are 36 people in the class, which means there could be three gay or lesbian people in the class, and one of them is standing in front of you.’”

When asked how the class reacted, Hoban uttered one word: “Silence.”

“That was tough, but I’m glad I got it out of the way. By doing that, I sort of forced myself to be comfortable with who I am.”

Though Hoban’s experience was a positive one, he does not recommend that other homosexual students come out without thoughtful planning. “I would say assess your situation, and if you think your environment is safe, and you have an idea of how people will react to it, do come out.”

Hoban is also the creator and president of the Gay-Straight Alliance club at CCA. “GSA was created as a safe place where people who are either gay or lesbian, or who have friends who are gay or lesbian could meet and make friends with other people who are.”

Even though Hoban has found a comfortable community within the CCA student population, he has seen his share of harassment, mostly through Facebook and other social networking outlets. When asked if he sees discrimination at CCA, he replied, “Not anything on campus.”

“There is still prejudice; it’s just not verbalized. It’s high school; there are insecurities, there are people who can’t be true to themselves because of their home life or what they think their friends will think, and it’s sad. If people don’t really have an issue, they will stay away from it.”

From a high school perspective, Hoban sees CCA as a more accepting and progressive atmosphere than other schools in the area. “I think from my experiences, had I gone to another school I would have definitely not been the person I am today. But because I did come to CCA, I think it’s definitely been a positive, happy, healthy environment.”

Based on Hoban’s experiences, it is clear that students on this campus tend to be more accepting than typical high-schoolers. Though Hoban does credit the school for providing a progressive atmosphere, he ultimately sees this acceptance through the eyes of his peers. “Everyone who is here had to choose to come here. It takes a special type of person to come to CCA.”

Cutting

Edge Kids

By Carly Gutner-Davis ith stars like Heidi Montag receiving ten surgeries to improve their image, and reality TV shows now featuring dramatized success stories and before-andafter episodes on American teenagers going under the knife as early as age 13, critics and health experts should not be surprised that the total number of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures being performed on teenagers has dramatically increased over the last few years. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that in 2009 alone, 219,136 procedures were performed on teenagers ages 13 to 19. Plastic surgery among teens has gained an acceptable, dominant role in society, and the statistics gathered by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) show that cosmetic surgery amongst teenagers is continually on the rise.

According to ABC News (and the ASAPS), the “total number of cosmetic procedures performed annually has increased 293 percent since 1997.”

In 2003, “more than 223,000 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients 18 years of age or younger and almost 39,000 were surgical procedures,” such as nose reshaping, breast lifts, breast augmentation, liposuction and tummy tucks. The number of procedures performed on teens aged 13 to 19 “nearly doubled to 244,124 (including about 47,000 nose jobs and 9,000 breast augmentations) from 2002 to 2006.”

The rising numbers of procedures performed on teenagers has “raised concerns for many parents and health professionals [in the past year], and there are valid reasons for concern,” says author Laura T. Coffey,

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a contributor on the TODAYshow.com and MSNBC News for the Parenting and Family section. Though there have been positive reports of need-based, corrective and reconstructive surgeries performed on teenagers, the concern and controversy on the topic remains a heated debate when it comes to questioning the ethics of performing procedures on younger teenagers who do not have any structural problems, and rather desire purely cosmetic surgeries.

Experts, psychiatrists, and psychologists have speculated about the potential motivational factors that are driving so many teens to go under the knife. It has been concluded that many teens “expect that plastic surgery will improve their selfconfidence,” says Dr. Diana Zuckerman of the American Medical Association, “but does it?”According to Dr. Zuckerman, “the average onset of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), defined as “a preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance that leads to significant impairment in functioning,” is 16 years of age. However, “since the goal of cosmetic surgery is to improve and transform appearance, it may be difficult to distinguish between this desire and a pathological preoccupation.”

One study, conducted by the Adolescent Plastic Surgical Research Group, found that body-image satisfaction improved after cosmetic surgery, but so did satisfaction among the con-

trol group, suggesting that improved body image may occur with increasing age—regardless of whether the patient undergoes plastic surgery. The same study also found that the physical features with which participants were most dissatisfied reflected culturally determined stereotypes of idealized attributes emphasized in books, mass media and advertisements.

Charles Sophy, a psychiatrist, advised parents on the topic in his statement to the TODAYshow.com: “Mom and Dad, please be sure your adolescent or your teen is aware that this is not a coping skill—that every time we feel uncomfortable about ourselves, [that we can’t] go out and get surgery. That’s how we begin a huge line of problems.” Before moving ahead with any kind of plastic surgery, Laura T. Coffey states that “parents and teens are encouraged to remember that surgeries are never risk-free, nor a simple solution for a [body image] problem. They should read up about any possible complications and be sure they can handle the risks involved. A real awareness of the risks can prompt parents and children to pursue nonsurgical options for changing body image, such as diet and exercise.”

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A Silent Struggle

By Amruta Trivedi

S

hortly after the 2006 school year began, then ninth grader Samantha Rudy began to alter her eating habits to create a (false) sense of control in a world in which she felt she controlled so little. Pressured constantly by her parents to stay thin, complimented by her friends whenever she lost a couple pounds and unable to maintain a positive body image, Rudy fell victim to a psychological disorder all too common in middle-class America: anorexia nervosa.

“At first I would over-exercise.

I would come home, eat my only meal of the day, and run on the treadmill for six to nine miles every single day,” Rudy said. “Sometimes I would stay on the treadmill until I burned 1000 calories.”

This type of obsessive exercising coupled with a negative caloric intake makes anorexia nervosa the leading cause of death of any psychiatric illness, says UCSD Eating Disorders Program director Dr. William Kaye.

According to Kaye’s research with the Eating Disorders Program, traits of perfectionism, negative emotions and obsessive-compulsiveness often seen in young children are intensified during adolescence, making a child more prone to developing an eating disorder. His research also showed that these traits are intensified because of puberty, development, stress and culture. Rudy agrees with Kaye’s research, saying, “I think that our obsession with celebrity culture distorts the views of young kids.

Kids are so impressionable at 13 and 14 that they will believe whatever the TV shows them.”

Rudy began controlling what she ate in seventh grade, but these restrictions didn’t become a full-fledged eating disorder until she entered high school. “There is a difference between disordered eating, which I think more people have than are aware, and eating disorders,” Rudy said. The National Eating Disorder Information Centre defines disordered eating as “irregular and chaotic eating patterns, including behaviors exhibited during anorexia

and bulimia, chronic restrained eating, compulsive eating and habitual dieting.”

Clinical eating disorders—anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder—are recognized as medical conditions, and often stem from disordered eating.

Rudy recalls that as she entered puberty she started gaining weight. Her mother soon banned her from eating dessert, while the rest of her family was allowed to. “I was never overweight,” Rudy said. “If anything, I’ve always been smaller.” Yet, she believes that the constant pressure from her 5-foot-5-inch and 95 pound mother to stay thin drove her to develop an eating disorder.

“I was made to walk around the house with weights on my ankles. I would get jelly beans from the cabinet and my dad would say, ‘your stomach’s getting big; your butt’s sticking out.’”

Rudy said, “And all the while he’s sitting on the couch with a carton of ice cream.”

Like many other patients with eating disorders, Rudy’s relationship with her parents changed. “It’s funny because losing weight made my relationship with my mom less tensioned; she was less hard on me. It was—and still is—a constant struggle.” Rudy said.

“My mom is a ‘health freak.’ And even now she’ll say to me, “Remember that time you were running a lot and you were skinny. You should go back to that.”

As is the case for many victims of eating disorders, Rudy’s teachers and friends helped her change her perspective toward food, exercise and self-confidence. She recalls, “My health teacher sat me down and said, ‘Okay Sammy, I’m going to have this conversation with you and I’m going to have it once: You need to eat.’ She got on my back about it.”

The summer after her freshman year of high school, while training for soccer and tennis, Rudy slowly regained her lost weight. However, the therapy treatment options offered

by UCSD’s Eating Disorders Program

often prohibit patients from exercising while in treatment so weight can be gained quickly and steadily. “We target about two pounds per week.” says Dr. Terry Schwartz, medical director of the Outpatient Eating Disorder Program at UCSD.

A Safe Haven

For the past year, Rudy has been actively involved with the Body Aloud club at CCA. The club helps her find the security she needs to remain healthy. However, she does admit that maintaining that is hard: “We’re not always talking about eating disorders and we’re not always putting on events that promote a healthy body image. But I go home every day and my mom is still the same. It just makes me question things every once in a while,” Rudy says.

Although CCA sophomore Alexandra Mezouari has never had an eating disorder, she joined Body Aloud because she had “a strong passion for spreading the message of appreciating oneself.” According to Mezouari, Body Aloud’s annual “Love your Body Day” tries to prevent students from believing the false media messages. “We try to help individuals appreciate who they and their body truly are,” Mezouari said.

“I think there is an unrealistic pressure to look a certain way, to fit into an idealistic body type.” Body Aloud President Elle Masri says. But she believes that Body Aloud offers an alternative lifestyle so people can accept themselves, their bodies and their capabilities.

Body Aloud’s positive influence has helped Rudy overcome her struggle with food, weight loss and identity. “I still catch myself having insecurities, which I think everybody has,” Rudy says. “But, if anything, I think my experience with an eating disorder has helped me see things from a different perspective. And I’ve become stronger because of that.”

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New Wave Geek

By Rachel Monk

Since the dawn of time, geeks have come in all shapes and sizes. There was Einstein with the hair that seemed to defy the laws of gravity. There’s Bill Gates, the iconic geek who made it to the top of the top. And then there are the geeks from T.V. and movies that we all love to love. Anyone who remembers Urkel knows what I’m talking about.

In his evolution, the geek has garnered quite the reputation.

He has become in his own right an icon of popular culture, an emblem of academic skill and social ineptness, with certain clothing items and activities becoming and stayed iconically “geeky.”

Somewhere along the line, the word geek began to be characterized by big glasses, ear-high pants, suspenders, bowties, and pocket protectors, overly exposed socks, and nasally voices rambling about a passionate love for computer-science.

And, up until now, the geek has always been easy to pick out from a crowd. But, because Canyon Crest Academy has brought together a hodgepodge of students that tend to ignore or blur social boundaries, the geeks here have begun to defy the mold.

Although the “classic geek” is hardly an endangered species at CCA, this generation of CCA’ers has introduced a different breed of geek: the New-Wave geek.

The New-Wave geek can finish his calculus homework in time to go out and party. His iPod is as heavy as his textbooks. He can balance a social life and a school

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life, maintain relationships and a good grade point average.

This paradox is evident within a moment of meeting Eric Simmonds.

Eric has a good sense of humor. He’s definitely not what you’d call “socially inept.” He drives a 1988 Volvo and wears only Levi pants. His Facebook lists over 90 artists. He collects vintage National Geographic maps. He has, in his words, “moderate guitar skills.” He seems like a pretty average guy for CCA—musical and a little bit indie— until you ask him about his grades.

Eric Simmonds might be too modest to tell you, but he took 7 AP’s this year.

Eric is also a member of the CCA academic team. “Art History, History in general, French, Pop Culture, and general knowledge are my things, I guess” he commented, adding later that he has a great memory.

It is fair to say that Eric, as a “chic” geek—not to be confused with geek-chic—is a bit of an oxymoron. (Think…the opposite of a superman complex.)

New Wave geeks like Eric tend to go under-the-radar, their inner Squid concealed by the fact that they have lots of friends or fashionable clothes, but do not be mistaken—these geeks are indeed geeks. And, sooner or later they will recognize they are not alone, and they will band together to plot a take-over of CCA—Revenge of the Nerds style.

Bleep, Bloop, Blog.

By Hannah Coleman

I support blogs. I do not support all blogs, but what they stand for, I support. Being opinionated, in my opinion, is a virtue. And as social commentary has become a popular outlet of self-expression, tumblrs’, blogspots’, and wordpresses are beginning their global take-over via the internet….or something like that.

If you have been living under a rock for the past ten or so years you should know: a blog is a type of website, formally known as the web log that is basically an online journal where users provide entries of commentary, descriptions of events, and other posts such as graphics or video. Today, blogs are a place where promising writers and artists post their works for all to see.

Nick Sugihara, a senior at CCA, works for Holiday Matinee, a design and social media blog that promotes social responsibility and creativity.

“I am mostly in contact with clients and brands.

Clients hire us to do rebranding with new graphic design and ad campaigns.” Says Nick on his duties within the blog, “[Holiday Matinee] believes to be productive for social media. We seek to appeal to a wide audience while remaining unobtrusive.”

Nick has been blogging for over a year. He does Twitter updates for the site up to a few times a day about events, promotions and anything else that is deemed notable.

Mackenzie Priest, another senior at CCA, has her own blog titled Darlingmostever.

However, her blog differs from the typical blog, as Priest’s blog is more of an online journal. “I write on it about 3 times a week, commenting about whatever comes to mind. Basically just exploring the different aspects of myself. I don’t promote it via twitter or Facebook because it’s really just for me to get my juices flowing,” she said. Mackenzie’s form of journaling is the 21st century version.

“I like it better because sometimes sitting down with traditional pen and paper gets intimidating.”

Tavi Gevinson is a 13-year-old girl proves that taking blogging seriously can be worthwhile.

She started a blog called Style Rookie when she fashion week, all for unleashing her opinion upon Mui Mui platform heels was only 11. Describing herself as “a dork that sits and professing her love for Marc Jacob’s loafers. inside all day wearing awkward jackets and pretty

Although blogs are a good source of entertainment as well as a hats”, her blog has now become a fashion muse creative outlet, they can also serve as an all too easy to obtain distraction. for Tokyo designers. Gevinson has pre-pubescentThe constant twitter and Facebook updates have become a good way to ly achieved what most people three times her age procrastinate school work and other areas of higher importance….like aspire to be. Tavi and her blog have been featured going to bed before 12am. I am also a bit biased on the spectrum on blogs in New York Magazine, Pop, and Teen Vogue. Her since I have my own. Like almost everything else our generation has put in excellent taste and quirky style antics have also front of us, blogs should be used in moderation. earned her coveted front row seats at New York

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You know you go to CCA when . . .

By Kimia Zomorrodi and Sydney Platt

There are certain characteristics that set each high school apart. CCA has a multitude of attitudes that set it apart from any other “typical” high school. But other than quirky, there are plenty of other adjectives that describe our unique school, like accepting. CCA students are welcoming and sincere; we’ve established a culture here that’s very nonjudgmental. Take a look at some of CCA’s norms: •during lunch, kids are dancing to Michael Jackson or playing twister on the grass.

•the raven mascot parades around.

• kilts and bare feet are acceptable.

•we have our own personalized snuggies.

•there’s inspirational quotes taped up in all the bathrooms.

•Eric Stroiman is dressed in a hula outfit.

•Ms.Haller could layout 99 percent of the guys.

•Corner House is mobbed daily.

•you refer to Denise Sanchez as, “Cart Lady.”

•we’re surprised by the fact that our school has a hockey team.

• techno plays in the weight room instead of rap.

•our alumni will always be our personal friends.

•50 percent of your class is absent for Coachella.

•we miss the “hola señiorita” from beloved ex-janitor, Hector.

•you fear the triple threat (Mr. Lockhart, Mr. Hopp, Mr. Leal).

•you realize your classmates are amazing in art or music. all the trash cans and poles are painted.

CCA is home to a diverse body of students. One major stamp of our individuality is the fact that our students chose CCA over other high school options like Torrey Pines, Cathedral, and San Dieguito Academy. Here we have the freedom to be different without the fear of being judged. It’s our students and teachers who make CCA what it is today. From artists to athletes, science olympians to theater junkies, student body to staff, we all have one common outlook here at CCA: acceptance.

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News Cyber Bullying Chelsea King: Chelsea’s Light Chelsea’s Law School News: Senior Legacy Walk Prom Robotics Team

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by Carly Gunter-Davis

Facebook. Formspring. Twitter.

Myspace. All are considered networking websites and are unconscious hosts of the cruelest form of teenage torture. The use of cell phones, computers, instant messaging, chat rooms, e-mails, and posted messages on websites are the most common methods that make up this new form of bullying and “online intimidation”.

In 2010, stories surfaced of teens committing suicide due to online harassment from peers. Names like Phoebe Prince, Carl Walker-Hoover, and Alexis Pilkington bear the weight of being victims of such torture.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has released a report citing that more than 15 states have laws making cyber bullying a crime or making it easier to investigate or prosecute. States like Louisiana, New York, and Massachusetts are presenting stricter bills to the House.

Concerned parents are taking an active stance against cyber bullying, speaking out, creating websites, and trying to raise national awareness.

Brittany Johnson, a CCA junior, is a victim of cyber-bullying on Formspring, a networking site which allows users to reply to questions posed by anonymous people. “[The cyber bullies] would comment on my body type the most, picking out various things they didn’t like.”

“Unlike physical bullying,” states the New York State Criminal Justice Services website, “where the victim can walk away, technology now allows for continuous harassment, from any distance, in a variety of ways.” A new practice, called “trolling,” has replaced the old “stalking,”

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or “creeping,” and is a practice in which derogatory, hurtful comments are posted online against a person.

Audrey Rhodes, a senior at CCA, believes that cyber bullying is an unhealthy, obsessive type of bullying, and believes that Facebook is relatively safe, but that “sites like Formspring are dangerous. They give confidence to bullies who otherwise could not say these things in person. Bullying others online just shows how insecure of a person you are.”

Teens who have committed suicide after being victims of cyber bullying have hardly had the chance to die, or rest, in peace, as Facebook memorial pages for these individuals are continually smeared with new comments and wall posts that are none too friendly. According to TheBostonChannel.com, “a tribute site created for Alexis Pilkington, 17, of West Islip High School was the target of insulting messages after her death. Classmates, relatives, and friends were incensed over what they called creepy, insensitive messages about Pilkington, many posted anonymously and also appearing on other Internet sites since her death.”

However, cyber bullying is a national as well as district-wide issue. In an interview, CCA’s Assistant Principal Elloise Allen said, there have been“[Cases where] kids were dissing each other in Facebook chats, and the parents, who were monitoring their accounts, found out about what was going on, and the police became involved. They got printouts of the conversations and messages and the students involved were arrested and suspended.”

Pulse surveyed 142 anonymous freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and found that in the past 30 days alone, 45% of students had been cyber bullied and 35.2% of students admitted to having cyber bullied others. Various methods of cyber bullying were reported, and the statistics for the victims show that 7% were bullied over phone and text messaging, 6.3% were bullied over instant messaging, and 42.9% were bullied on social networking websites. 7% of bullies admitted to cyber bullying others via phone and text messaging, while 5.6% claimed to have bullied people over instant messaging, and 32.4% reported having bullied peers on social networking websites. According to Ms. Allen, cyber-bullying in the district has primarily consisted of threats, harassments and slander, but “nothing about suicide.”

Most recently, a Formspring account, created under the name “CCA Gossip Girl,” that featured personal “bios” on nearly a hundred people in our school, as well as malicious comments and “scandalous dirt” on various students was shut down by the police and Ms. Allen. In an official statement, Ms. Allen reported that “[we] are currently partnering with the police in an investigation.” Though she could not release any confidential details, she did add that “we obviously appreciate that someone reported [the Formspring account] to us,

because it has enabled us to help the police in their investigation. However, right now it is an off-campus issue, because it happened online, but if students are upset and bring their actions onto school grounds, it becomes an on-campus issue.”

Brittney Meredith, a CCA junior states that “when [suicides and tragedies] like these begin to happen, some kind of action needs to be taken. It is my opinion that we, the teenagers, the cause, need to take this into our own hands and stop it! All you can really do is just watch yourself. What many people don’t realize, however, is that the receivers of these messages don’t get a certain side of the story, and they don’t get sarcasm from a written word. Seeing a comment in black and white, no matter how you ‘meant it,’ hurts.

Seeing hurts more than hearing sometimes.”

Ms. Allen highlighted the fact that cyber bullying is a federal crime, and students can be arrested.

“While face-to-face bullying on school grounds is hard to deal with, cyber bullying is much worse, because the bully feels more power by using a computer and the person receiving the messages receives it in a really vulnerable, personal way.”

“

In the past 30 days alone, 45% of students had been cyber bullied and 35.2% of students admitted to having cyber bullied others.”

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Chelsea’s Law:

A New Light

By Alex Nassar

Due to the recent sentencing of John Gardner III for the deaths of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois, Pulse takes a look at the future of Chelsea’s Law, a law-in-the-making that will toughen regulations against convicted sex offenders.

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n recent months, young women throughout California have increased their awareness of their surroundings. They don’t walk to their cars alone late at night, they are learning defense maneuvers, and they are definitely keeping their parents in the know about their whereabouts. The reason?

Chelsea King and Amber Dubois. In case you are unfamiliar with these girls, they were allegedly kidnapped by the same man (John Albert Gardner III) and brutally murdered- both in San Diego county; just miles from Canyon Crest Academy.

Because of these tragedies, the parents of Chelsea King- Kelley and Brenthave created a foundation dedicated to prevent future children from being harmed by sexual predators.

Many students are familiar with this foundation because of its immense popularity on Facebook and Twitter. With over 70,000 fans, this page acts as a catalyst in the community to promote awareness and to gain support from the community.

Through this page, they have recently launched Chelsea’s Law Petition Drive, with a goal of 20,000 signatures. Kelley and Brent want to “gather [their] voices on behalf of children who don’t have their own voice in [their] legislative process.” (facebook.com)

On April 12th, a news release introduced Chelsea’s Law; citing the specific details that this law will entail. In an interview with the press, Kelley King said “We are standing here today because our precious daughter Chelsea has inspired us, and thousands of others, to galvanize together

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to create a law that denies a convicted sexual predator a second chance to harm or take the life of another child. Chelsea is our beacon.”

Specifically, the law will include life without the possibility of parole if the sex offender commits acts against a thirteen year old or younger. That includes one or more accounts of physical injury, kidnapping, or burglary with intent to commit sexual offense. Increased parole time will also be established; raising it from five years to ten.

Under Chelsea’s Law, it will become a misdemeanor and a parole violation if a registered sex offender enters a park where children regularly gather without receiving prior approval from a park administrator or their parole agent. (California state legislature news release)

Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher said “Chelsea’s Law will strengthen protections for our children,” “Violent sexual predators that prey upon children cannot be rehabilitated and with Chelsea’s Law, we will have a criminal justice system that reflects this reality.”

Chelsea King’s death is not in vain.

In past months since the tragedy, her parents as well as the parents of Amber Dubois’ have worked tirelessly to promote Chelsea’s Law and create change. Through the help of fundraisers and events, Chelsea’s Light Foundation has certainly established a name for themselves throughout the community and beyond. They exist to make a difference, and continue on the legacy of Chelsea King.

Robo Team Invades Atlanta

By Amy Kim

Photos Courtesy of Vanessa Csordas Jenkins

Observed by thousands of cheering people, a robot frolics around the Georgia Dome along with its other mascot friends; the music and announcers’ voices compete for your hearing as you squint at the flashing cameras. Then with a blare of a trumpet, plastic whiffle balls are hurled into a basket by none other than microwaves? Plastic storage boxes? Your uncle’s mini-refrigerator?

Correction. Those are the competitors— student-made robots, to be exact.

From April 15 to 17, 2010, 344 of the best robotics teams faced off in an international robotics competition in Atlanta, Georgia—including one of CCA’s robotic teams, Domo Arigato. Furthermore, out of 10,500 students from more than 30 different countries, Domo Arigato and its robot managed to place fifth in the competition.

It is no surprise – ask Fezzik, the robot. It will gladly show you its many talents, such as elevating two other robots at the same time, playing defense very effectively, lifting 500 pounds on its side wings, pushing soccer balls with bumpers and righting itself if it tips over.

F or the creation of this robot, the honors Domo Arigato received consisted of the following: a first place Winning Alliance trophy at the Los Angeles Regional Competition, a second place finalist trophy at the Las Vegas Regional Competition, finalist recognition for the Think Award and a special Judges’ Award trophy at the San Diego Regional

Competition for an outstanding combination of innovation, outreach, team spirit and competitive success.

But of course, there were a few bumps in the road. Advisor, mentor and CCA physics teacher Stephen Yip, explained, “The First Robotics Competition [FRC] team had conflicting strategies about the approach that resulted in a complex design that wasn’t fully developed in time. So, yes, there were hardships, but these types are the good types—the kind you learn from and overcome rather than the occasional stunning bad luck, which stuck here and there in the competitions themselves.”

When asked about this achievement, sophomore narwhal, Cynthia Jiang, commented, “I feel extremely proud of the fact that we made it so far especially as a rookie team. Team 3128, the Aluminum Narwhals, worked hard to win the Rookie All-Star Award at San

Diego Regionals and to place fifth at the championships was just truly amazing and inspirational.”

The fact that such a small school club placed fifth in an international event shows the beauty of these students’ enthusiasm for industrial science. As for now, the club would like to “build enough reputation and infrastructure to solidify its position in the school for many years to come,” said Yip. With such a strong start, who knows what the future will bring for CCA’s robotics team?

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Don’t Mess With Texas History, they say, is written by the winners, and, for now at least, the “winners” could very well be the conservative legislators of the Texas Board of Education.

In mid-March, the board voted to add sweeping changes to the state’s history curriculum, a move which could have a profound influence on history textbooks across the country. The new standards, officially passed by the Board on May 21, have yet to be taught in a classroom, but have already sparked a large nationwide debate.

The 10–5 vote (split along Republican – Democrat party lines) will add what is viewed as a more rightward slant to a curriculum which some conservatives felt contained too much of a liberal voice. Republican Board member Don McLeroy wrote that, in his view, “‘These standards are rife with leftist political periods and events: the populists, the progressives, the New Deal and the Great Society.’”

As a result, historically significant topics such as the New Deal (the brainchild of a Democratic president, Franklin Roosevelt), will be given less of a focus, and more harshly scrutinized and analyzed when it is studied. Other more “liberal” figures, such as famed labor leader Cesar Chavez, and the late Democratic senator Ted Kennedy, might not even find places in the new curriculum passed by the board.

On the other hand, (relatively) recent conservative historical figures will be given more favorable attention.

Senator Joseph McCarthy, infamous for his hunting down

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of suspected Communists in the 1950s, will be painted in a kinder light, with suggestions that perhaps there was indeed more Communist infiltration in America than originally thought. The so-called “conservative resurgence” of the 80s and 90s will also be discussed more, with reflection on the legacy of such figures as Ronald Reagan and the National Rifle Association.

The writing on the Civil Rights movement will also be modified, with a special mention of the violent methods of the black power group the Black Panthers, and a stronger stress on the role of Republicans in pushing Civil Rights legislation through Congress.

It’s not just “recent” (last 100 years) history that will be changed, with Civil War-related teachings getting a massive facelift. Students will learn more about the Confederacy and its leaders, with General Stonewall Jackson presented as a model of “effective leadership.”A speech by Confederate leader Jefferson Davis will be placed alongside speeches by Abraham Lincoln to give students both of the perspectives prevalent at the time.

Thomas Jefferson is another president who may get short shrift in the new curriculum, as mention of his role as an influential 18th century thinker and leader will be struck from the curriculum. Religious leaders of the time, such as John Calvin and Thomas of Aquinas will replace him instead; some liberals feel that the move was motivated by

conservatives unhappy with Jefferson’s support of the separation of church and state. Indeed, religion as a whole will have a bigger place in the new curriculum, with increased stress on the importance and significance of religion and religious morals in American history.

The changes have sparked an outrage amongst many liberal Texans, unhappy that the new lesson plan will focus on the “unintended consequences” of such things as the Civil Rights movement and Title XI legislation. Also highly unpopular amongst minorities are the omission of the importance of Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans in Texas’ recent history, as well as an overall narrative arc that enforces the idea of America as a nation based upon Christian morals and ideals. Most conservatives have countered that modern day academia has too much of a liberal bias, and that the changes only cancel out the political influences present in school lessons.

Historians are also unanimously opposed to the changes, with many voicing the opinion that the politics are interfering with the facts. “It’s not a partisan issue, it’s a good history issue,” protested Fritz Fischer, chairman of the National Council for History Education, to the Washington Post. Paul Boyer, a historian at the University of Wisconsin – Madison who writes many nationally used history textbooks, also told the Post that “I’m made uncomfortable by mandates of this kind for sure.”

However, it is not simply the protests of academics that has turned the vote of the Texas Board of Education in to a national controversy; rather, it is the power that Texas wields nationally on the course of education.

With over roughly 4.7 million students in the Texas school system, it is the second largest buyer of school books in the country (behind only California). National publishers will need to write books that follow the new standards if they hope to have their books published in Texas, and as these books turn in to, as Fischer put it, “bestsellers”, other states may be encouraged to buy them as well.

The controversy will continue to rage on, and as the fight only thickens, those at the center of it all will have one consolation; they, good or bad, have just made history.

Viewpoint

By Alexa Kern

Thomas Jefferson is responsible for the formation of the United States. Besides being a founding father and serving as the third president, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and is responsible for the coinage of the United States foundation of “separation of church and state.”

He should be taught in textbooks as a founding father and a political visionary, but according to the Texas School Board, they disagree and recently voted in favor of changing textbook curriculum by adding a prominent conservative slant with a religious based emphasis on the faith of the U.S founding fathers.

John Calvin will replace Jefferson as an “influential political philosopher,” along with an emphasis on the Black Panthers during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The criticisms surrounding the New Deal are also among the many revisions made to the current textbook curriculum.

The school board’s justification is based off the belief that there is a present liberal bias in the curriculum. However, because the U.S.

government has maintained Jefferson’s separation of church and state, public education should remain secular. In this situation, the school board would love to make history skewed and based off of their personal beliefs, changing the emphasis from facts to opinions.

These changes reflect the fact that states have the right to implement such additions and can argue the legality of their actions. On May 22, the school board approved the changes and the future of social science curriculum will be skewed.

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Prom

Walk of Shame

By Chelsea McGuerty

In its planning stages, The CCA Senior Legacy Walk for Cystic Fibrosis seemed like a fantastic way for the 2010 class to give back to the community.

Announcements were made and bulletins went out, yet only a mere 20 seniors showed up for the walk on Sunday, May 2.

Senior class president, Kathleen Qiu, attended the walk at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. As far as the lack of attendance, she blames the date of the event. “The timing was a bit off since a lot of people were in AP review sessions at the same time.”

But, another likely reason is that many teenagers tend to be fairly apathetic when it comes to supporting causes or attending anything besides that weekend’s “rager”.

On the other hand, this seems a bit out of character for the stereotypical CCA student. We have a reputation of doing more for the community and working much harder than the average teen in San Diego. Knowing this, the cause of the walk may also be the culprit of the low turnout.

Cystic Fibrosis only affects 30,000 people in the US, which leaves a small chance that many seniors

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would have a personal connection to the disease.

On a positive note, Qui says she expected to raise much less money than we did. The final count totaled at $400.

At the very least, the senior class can take pride in the fact that we actually organized a Senior Legacy, unlike the class of 2009, but our support and unity could definitely use some work.

Aside from that, the senior class plans to install benches around campus as the 2010 Senior Gift to the school before the end of the year.

Though only a small portion of the class participated, those who did enjoyed themselves. According to Qui, “The best part of the walk was the bonding among the people who went and all the inside jokes that were formed during the walk.”

Prom 2010, “A Night in Emerald City”, has come and gone and left us students with fond memories. Some of which include an impossibly long check in line, a DJ who refused to play Lady Gaga but revived our spirits with Party in the USA, and the fashion pros and cons that define Canyon Crest. The night ended with seniors Christophe Hansen and Ivy Chiou taking home the coveted title of Prom King and Queen. “The music was fun to dance to, the food was delicious, and everyone looked awesome. Plus, Christophe was a really good dancer. The only weird part was dancing to “Take A Bow” as the king and queen dance…but overall, it was a great way to end senior year,” says Ivy Chiou.

For seniors, prom brought their high school days full circle with the venue being the same as Winter Formal 2006. “I love that the first and last CCA dance I attended were both at the Westin.

It made me realize how much all of us seniors have gone through since our freshman year.” Ivy continues. While the actual dance might not have lived up to all our expectations, the rest of the night was a great way to spend senior prom. It had to be because of the ridiculous amount of money most of us spent on this one night. For most students, prom entails limo expenses ($30-$65), dresses/tuxedos ($75$500), prom tickets ($60), and corsage/boutonniere ($10-$30).

But the memories of prom night: priceless.

Features Radio!

Profiles Deven Klee Taylor Strumwasser Making Money Batboy: the Musical College?!

Post-College Plans College Map

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RADIO!

By Maurice Bumbu

Before iPods, before CD players, before tape cassettes, there was radio. The music industry’s fallen king represented a time before wireless upload – a time of tuning forks, pesky antenna, miniature speakers and the occasional yet always annoying static signal. The same simple device that transmitted FDR’s famous “fireside chats” during the Depression also led the rock & roll revolution of the 1950s, and many a band’s fortunes were made in the 1960s by landing their first and sometimes only radio success. Radio used to be the central distributor of American music, a primary mass medium for millions. But, while the sixties gave us masterful hits like The Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and The Beatles’ “Hard Day’s Night,” today’s airwaves are heavily dominated by the likes of T-Pain, Iyaz, Ludacris and Nicki Minaj. Not quite the Fab Four.

The death of good music on commercial radio signifies the death of an era. Kids are now responsible for finding their own favorite artists and crafting their own iPod playlists. And that’s good news for companies like MTV and Pitchfork Media (not that MTV even comes close to Pitchfork in terms of coolness). It’s good news for bloggers and it might even be good news for artists.

Anybody can hear a new jam on the radio, download it, and call themselves a fan of Jay-Z or Franz Ferdinand, but their die-hard listeners are the ones who digest the last interview from Rolling Stone and snag the freshly leaked track listing for a latest album. The industry is spreading out, becoming more marginalized, more regional, and more interesting. Producing quality work today takes more than dishing out one hot single. Albums are expected to be balanced, consistent, and complete.

Catchy singles are still welcome, but listeners want the full package.

Radio’s transition from its role as the world’s musical hub to your backup plan in case that iPod nano breaks (again) is as revealing as it is saddening. Today’s artists must come up with fresh ways to market their singles and albums, which might explain why festivals like Coachella are enjoying record ticket sales while a failing recording industry struggles to stay afloat.

One thing radio was good at was making everybody fall in love with the same song at the same time. It was elemental in broadcasting Beatlemania to the masses and helped kick start the careers of hundreds of bands from Led Zeppelin to NWA. But its time is done. Music today is, more than ever before, an exercise in individuality. We’ve largely bypassed traditional conventions

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of capitalist exchange in favor of a more fluid, peer-to-peer driven, relatively underground system of bite-sized file sharing that is gnawing its way through the music industry “like termites on the foundation of an old house” (Pitchfork). MTV landed the first blows to radio music (the first video shown on MTV was The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” ironically enough) and FM’s influence has been waning ever since.

Most hip-hop radio hits these days sound overwhelmingly clean-cut, shallow, and even soulless. I love Eminem, but “Crack a Bottle?” Honestly.

The saddest part is that radio has the potential to be a great showcase of the new talent that’s reaching teenagers across the country. The powerful indie scene that’s dipped into popular music and is gearing up for a massive takeover deserves a decent funnel to relay its tunes. Music today isn’t worse than it was when our parents were in high school – bands just aren’t getting the appreciation and airtime they deserve.

Of course, there are a few decent local radio stations other than 105.7 (The Walrus) that play some good music, particularly FM 94.9 and KGB-FM (101.5). But that’s not enough. We shouldn’t have to be scavenging Limewire or purchasing a whole album just to hear MGMT’s or LCD Soundsystem’s new single. And would anybody out there know of or better yet care about a group like The Knux if not for festivals like Street Scene and Coachella?

These days, hearing a good song on the radio is a bigger surprise than finding the afikomen (Jewish joke). One good thing about radio, one of few, is the unexpected brilliance of hearing a song you haven’t heard since you were eight years old. Mp3 is an invention of the “Now Generation”; iPods today give us the luxury of hearing any song, anywhere, anytime. We are most certainly a bunch of spoiled (albeit technologically savvy) listeners. Radio made us earn our jams.

Even today, I’ll still sit through six minutes of commercials for a chance to hear my beloved “Rock On” by David Essex. Now there’s a song that’s actually worth the $0.99 iTunes price tag.

Go get it. capitalist exchange in favor of a more fluid, peer-to-peer

the

Key Klee to

By Pooja Magavi

C

CA senior Deven Klee knows what it means to embrace music as a form of expression. He started on the piano as a young child and over the years has ventured into other arenas, including the drums, saxophone and guitar, which he taught himself to play. Klee reflects, “Music is a key component to who I am.”

Today he is heavily involved in the composition side of music. “My inspiration in terms of composing comes from my emotions and experiences [as well as from] all styles of music, particularly textural new age music,” he said. “I [also] really like to perform and prefer to do so in small groups.”

Though Klee has been involved in band classes at CCA, he cherishes the freedom of choosing what he plays. Jeff Ni, a senior, enjoys “spontaneous jam sessions” with Klee from time to time and admires his pitch. “He learns everything by ear. It’s really astonishing how he can piece stuff together,” Ni said. “[Playing music with Deven] is just a fun time.”

Next year, Klee will attend Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he would like to pursue a minor in music. He plans for music to always be a part of his life, even if that only means continuing to compose and play with friends. About his decision to minor in music Klee said, “[It’s an opportunity] to meet other kids who will be taking similar directions… new musicians who can inspire me and whom I may inspire.”

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Reppin’ It

by Tess Wallenstein

I

first found Taylor Strumwasser at lunch, where he was thoroughly enjoying what was supposedly a chicken sandwich, although the only chicken I found was on the ground beneath his feet. He was, beaming, and grinning from ear to ear at the prospect of being interviewed. He was, of course, wearing a t-shirt featuring none other than himself, this time standing triumphantly beside his latest trophy fish. Although distorted by a mouthful of his homemade lunch, the first words he spoke to me were, “If you haven’t all ready noticed, I like the spotlight. A lot.”

Meet Taylor Strumwasser.

As a self-described “narcissist,” sophomore Taylor Strumwasser has quickly become something of a celebrity on campus, primarily recognized for his unrivaled sense of style. Since he was in seventh grade, Strumwasser has proudly donned a t-shirt featuring none other than his smiling, enthusiastic face as he poses with various marine life or sometimes, or with just a hand on his hip.

Strumwasser first got the idea from his father, and is now the second generation of Strumwassers who wears t-shirts of himself in what has quickly become a family tradition.

According to a documentary made by CCA film conservatory students entitled “Taylor Strumwasser: The Man, The Myth, The Shirts,” Strumwasser first began wearing his t-shirts for play auditions and has found that his apparel has earned him extra attention in a competitive,

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audition setting. His love for these shirts has carried over into his school wardrobe, where he still receives the same attention. As Taylor himself explains, “I’m weird. Everyone is weird. What’s good about CCA is that we embrace weirdness.”

Aside from his beloved tshirts, which have been in such demand that Taylor plans to sell them to his adoring fans, Strumwasser is also recognized for his roles in the CCA productions of “King Stag” and “Comedy of Errors.” While acting remains a passion of his, he also enjoys video games and is a certified scuba diver, and it is his love for everything aquatic that is often reflected in his uniquely person al attire. In the future, Strumwass er is considering pursuing a career in marine biology or another scientific or mathematic field.

Whichever it is, one thing is certain: Taylor Strumwasser will continue workin’ it both in life and on his now infamous t-shirts!

“I don’t give seniority to class ranking when I audition. [Hunter] was the best actor for the part; he is focused in rehearsal, and works incredibly hard.”

In order to portray such an odd role as Bat Boy, the cast needed someone with a drive like Hunter Schwarz.

Director Michael Schwartz described “Bat Boy: The Musical” is an offbeat, quirky hit that premiered in 1997 and has since travelled worldwide.

Originally based off of Weekly World News Articles about a boy who grew up around bats, the play addresses issues that we face everyday. Schwartz stated, “[the show] addresses issues that are important for this community to think about: what does it mean to be an outside, and how are we going to treat people we view as outsiders. The opening number has a great line: ‘he has suffered and not it’s your turn. You are here not to laugh, but to learn.’”

Even though Hunter Schwarz doesn’t suffer from the physical abnormalities that he acts out on stage, he can still relate to the character of Bat Boy, which he described as but also as a way to “strengthen your understanding of people in the world.”

However, not all of the play is steeped in morality. The musical provides audiences with offbeat scenes that guarantees to surprise. “It also has a really interesting story full of twists and turns that doesn’t meet audiences expectations” described Schwarz. At the very least, audi-

ences will laugh at the awkward situations the cast faces throughout the show.

“My first thoughts were, ‘I get to be nude on stage. Then, I have to act like I have a mental disability and again, nude on stage,’” said Schwarz. The nudity is of course simulated, but Schwarz nonetheless couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable after learning of his “au naturale” debut.

“Looks like someone’s going to need to hit the gym... a lot,” laughs Schwarz as he described his first reaction after staging the nude scene.

Nonetheless Schwarz is able to handle all challenges thrown to him onstage; he’s a veteran who has been acting since the age of 10. He first starred as Samuel the Shepherd Boy in a production in France. Since he moved to California, friends and family have pushed him to excel in acting. “My friend Brianna got me into theatre in California and that’s when I started my career [in the United States].”

Schwarz wished to give advice to future actors at CCA. His experiences have taught him much, and he learns something new under the watchful eye of his director, Michael Schwartz, and close friends, Antonio Romero, Emma Stratton and Brianna Hebert. “Just do what you do, push yourself beyond borders. In CCA theatre you have to go beyond your comfort zone... there really is no comfort zone.” Surely we’ll be seeing more of Hunter Schwarz; his passion will allow him to excel far beyond the boundaries of the stage.

asking friends to lend a hand. If this is you, you will be delighted and surprised by the power of asking complete strangers for money. At CCA we are all very friendly and willing to help a fellow Raven out. It never ceases to amaze us how easily the students here will offer a handful of change when asked. Nickels and dimes add up quick. Before you know it you’ll have enough cash to make a trip to Nothing Bundt Cakes after school, and best of all you don’t have to pay back these small loans because you have no idea who gave you the money in the first place.

Another is what can be referred to as the “service sector.” This embodies many different (legal!) services one can perform for a fee. I.e. students are notoriously messy, so for those who enjoy a little adventurous organization, offer to organize your friends’ rooms or closets. The pay isn’t that great, but the work isn’t that hard either so it’s pretty much a win-win. And

for the pack-rats out there, try selling your things: it can actually be quite a lucrative business. This line of work is a very good way to make some cash while in between jobs.

The moral of the story is that there are plenty of ways to make money without breaking a sweat. Take some of these tips and put them in your back pocket for when you are in need of some funds in the future, AKA a Corner House sandwich.

In The Wings with Hunter Schwarz H

by Jessica Mersten

unter Schwarz’s eyes light up as he discusses his passion, acting and involvement in the latest show to hit the stage of Canyon Crest Academy High School. “It’s a very interesting show... incest, bestiality, discrimination, death, murder and acceptance are all a big part of the play,” explains Schwarz, lead actor in Canyon Crest Academy’s spring musical, “Bat Boy: The Musical.” Although Schwarz is only a freshman, he’s managed to rise among the acting ranks and finds himself leading the cast through dance and song.

His young age is not a problem for the cast, or his director Michael Schwartz.

“Hunter was right for this one, he’s kind of crazy. At the first rehearsal, he threw someone down on the floor and attacked them. That’s cool,” explains Schwartz, Envision Theatre Coordinator and six-time director of productions on campus. Unlike most high school casting directors, Schwartz relies solely on talent.

Making O

Money

ne of my good friends once said, “It’s all

by Hannah Coleman and about the BenjaAustin Evans mins, baby.” And while money definitely does not pay for a lifetime of happiness, it does buy some really good bundt cake. With that said, there is also a price to pay when turning one’s lifestyle into a life of style. However, there are also ways to make a few bills on the DL that don’t involve infractions within the law.

One such way would be by simply asking. Don’t underestimate your friends.

If you’re short a few dollars or want to do something that comes with a fee you can’t cover, just ask. This is the “what goes around comes around” policy, and the next time you have money pay for your friends’ expense. However, you can’t over-use this method because no one likes a moocher.

Not all of us are comfortable with

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Hey Parents, Students, Teachers, and Community Members!

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Would you like to receive all four issues of PULSE that are produced per school year, right to your very mailbox?

Do you want to stay tuned in with all the happenings at CCA and around the Community?

Well, now you can! All you have to do to buy a subscription for PULSE Magazine and receive all our issues hot off the printing press and delivered straight to your front door is: 1) Fill out the form below and either A) mail it to CCA, in care of our supervisor, Mr. Gaughen, or B) drop it off in room F206.

2) Turn in your form of payment (either $30.00 in cash or a $30.00 check made out to “CCA-ASB”) ATTACHED to your form!

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33

Post Grad Plans

By Ericka Schwering

A

As the long-awaited date of graduation approaches and acceptances are confirmed, seniors find themselves wondering what their peers will be up to after the finals are done and the last bell of high school rings.

We expect to hear about summer jobs at Golden Spoon or Jamba Juice and about the attendance of college in the fall, but it’s the unexpected experiences and future plans that students find most interesting.

Senior Matt Scarano, will be living in a national park again this summer after a fulfilling summer in Wyoming last year. While taking in the cool air of Glacier National Park in Montana, Matt will wait tables at a small hotel diner. He will work four days a week and will spend his free time doing whatever the park inspires him to do, though Matt is most eager “to hike, backpack and do some heavy climbing.”

*Though this opportunity may sound quite different from the normal summer job, Matt acquired it by submitting an application and conducting a phone interview, much like any other job. His interest was sparked when he was young, visiting the park with his family. “My dad graduated from high school and, ironically, worked in the same place as a bus boy, too!

My sister is working up there also so it’s become kind of a family thing.”

One of the most exciting things about summer jobs, moving to a new city, or going off to college is the chance one gets to meet people from so many different places. This is most definitely what senior, Rosie Jackson, will be doing at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland this fall. “[When I went to visit] everyone there was very friendly and totally welcoming. They told me all about their traditions and what it is like to go to school there and not one of them had anything negative to say,” says Rosie. In Scotland, students jump right into classes related to their major, contrary to what we are used to in the States, where kids must take general education classes

34

first.

Though many of Rosie’s college experiences will mirror college life in the States, she looks forward to a different sort of campus life. “The campus is spread out around town because the town is tiny; [it has] only 18,000 people with 6,000 of them being students.”

Aside from the outstanding summer and college plans, many students plan on taking a summer trip School Exit Exam, it is clear that Canyon Crest has fully prepared stuwith friends, family or on their own.

“The Monday after graduation I’m off dents to go on to do great things. “I’m to Europe! I’ll be cruising around the planning to major in Biochemistry and British Isles and France with my mom, after I graduate I hope to get a PhD and spending the last five days of our or a medical degree depending on if I decide I would like to be a doctor or a trip in London,” claims senior Alexa scientist,” says Rosie.

Gil.

But no matter what our

Senior Ravens will attend some of the most prestigious colleges seniors’ futures hold, they all have a and universities in the fall. A few more lot to be proud of. There is no doubt common universities and colleges CCA that familiar names will ring out in students chose include UC Berkeley, the business, science, and arts world UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly SLO, and in years to come, and we can brag many other private and public univer- that they came from no other than the Canyon Crest Academy class of 2010. sities in California and out-of-state.

Congratulations!

With a 98% pass rate on the High

University of Puget Sound Kelsey Roman Tali Rappaport Pacific Lutheran University Drew Unrue Whitman College Wyatt Thomas

pulse college map

INTERNATIONAL University of Autonoma, Guadalajara Armida Bernal La Sarbonne, University of Paris, France Jasmine Medlin University of Leeds, England Carly Hayter University of St. Andrews, Scotland Rosie Jackson McGill University Montreal, Canada Nicole Leonard University of British Columbia, Canada Casey Edgarian

Northern Arizona University Michael Popov University of Arizona, Tuscon Joseph Brown Spencer Crow Arizona State University Alexander Simone

Reed College Oregon State Austin Weisgrau Eli Waddell University of Oregon Reese Kopald Andrew Harman Lewis and Clark College Mackenzie Priest Tyler Rizzo Tanner Gilchrist Torey Andrus Boise State Zachary Dekker University George Fox University Isabel Corona Kelly James University of Portland Fernando Freire

University of Washington Carina Edelman Danica Hoeprich Kari Morgan Lukas Miller Sam Roth

Bowdoin College Zach Danssaert Lauren Skerritt University of Vermont Becky Prolman Boston College Karli Sultzbaugh Boston University Grace Baker Sophia Fergoso Tufts University Scott Mimnaugh Erica Feldman Max Smiley Sara Mark Will Rose Northeastern University Shaina Hytken Zach Bogard University of Massachusetts Mike Spunt Massachusetts Institute of Technology Leon Zhou Worcester Polytechnic University Eric Breault Wesleyan University Andrew Ribner Seti O’Brien Colgate University Eric Uyemura Marymount Manhattan College Bailey Dean Madison Jones Cornell University Barbara Varsanofieva Elizabeth Parcher Spencer Stein Syracuse University Alieen Flores Casey Warren Matt Maretz

University of Miami Brooke Zarouri Robert Glaser

New York University Erin Wuthrich Connor Murphy Jillian Brenner Perry Silverman Rensselaer Polytechnic University Savannah Dalton Lauren Laing Bard College Adam Skinner Nick Sugihara University of Michigan Penn State University Alex Kang University of Adam Brown Alexa Bergman North Dakota Emma Stratton Kelsey Rhodes Philippe Girard University of Breanne White Pennsylvania Mac GorceyBiblowitz Drexel University Curtis Donar Max Newman Rider University Sallie Borst Wheaton College Hannah Taetzsch Oberlin Conservatory Johns Hopkins Chris Hynes University of Marisa Novak Chicago University of Findlay American University Mia Gutierrez Kathleen Qiu Nikhil Khanna George Washington The School of the Art Ohio University University Institute of Chicago Micheal Sosa Molly Feder Madison Brotherton Purdue University Kristina Kampfer Washington University in Virginia Commonwealth St. Louis University Cameron Fleming Pooja Magavi Jeff Ni Virginia Military Institute William Woods Univeristy Vanderbilt University Will Ross Heather Vreeland DukeUniversity Deven Klee Lindsey Osteen Matt Scarano Belmont University Emory University Chelsea McGuerty Katie Scott Georgia Institute of Sewanee: The University Technology of the South Jeff Siegel Rice University Texas Christian Natalie Bates University Nick Irza Trinity University Ava Balfour Tulane University Chris Bianchi Baylor University Gabs Mandell Cole Short

Sonoma State University Deven Klopack Skylar Newman UC Berkeley Alaina Kral Amruta Trivedi Brittany Jahn Brooke Angel Colin Shanahan Christophe Hansen-Estruch Igor Raush Kimberley Tsu Maurice Bumbu Natalie Morris Rachel Hoffman Samantha Rudy Sophie Needleman Tyler Crouch Yang Xiang

Congratulations

Stanford University Alec Wilkens Kai Kuspa Sarah Taylor

Class of 2010!

San Jose State University Jenny Waters San Francisco State University Alexa Kern Danielle Barge Dillon Rawlings Ellliot Adams Faith Vasquez Gianna Wright Graham Siggins James Bennett Lindsey Wuest Sydney Platt Samantha Ashcraft Peter Hoban Phil Korfin

Chico State University Olivia Saxman Academy of Art Hannah Coleman

UC Santa Cruz Anais Muller-Cohn Jake Holker Justin Kohlberg University of San Lev Gorlov Francisco Marina Ponomarenko Audrey Rhoades Morgan Weintraub Alexa Gil Michael Lanoiselee Chelsea Gielow Kerri Blake Cavanaugh Rio Sakurai California College of Santa Barbara City Sammi Matsey the Arts College Laurel Deel Branden Greenberg California Insitute of Lindsay Barker the Arts Tony Schaible Chelsea Tuggle Westmont College Nora King Nick Szyndlar UC Santa Barbara American Jewish Aditi Trivedi University Adriane Turner Otis College of Art Nathan Fleischer Anna Soloman and Design Austin Evans Carolyn Tom UC Los Angeles Britney Schroeder Ashton Rosin Chris Cubbison Chelsea Fryer UC Irvine Jenn Djavaherian David Perlman Juhi Israni Jenna Friedman Eric Simmonds Nick Sarif Jarrett Gliner Isa Beniston Jordan Warburg Tim Ryan Jacqueline Lo Kristin Fontaine Kelsey Wong Marina Vicario Katie Burgett CSU San Marcos Ryan Kroner Matt McBurnett Austin Marsella Shany Yeshanov Matt Pappalardo Carrie Biers Tyler Baron Monica Wang Tasha Quintana Nicole Ortiz Mira Costa College Aaron Silverman Alex Wooten Aren Denman Carmen Fasinek Francisco Lopez Jake Knuttila Jamie Price Kelsey Moore Liam Hearne Nick Noetzel Samantha Maron

UC San Diego Abdullah Paul Alex Alim Andrew Eskeland Anita Shah Christian Martin Emmeline Ye Jane Dong Kimiko Konishi Kripa Guram Megan Milder Niki Sfeir Reid McCallum

San Diego State University Corey Sheppard Daniel Norwood Elle Masri Matt Burbaum Johanna Amaya University of San Diego Ayala Pourat Becky Spinks Devyn Stewart

Sacramento State University Sarah Goodrich Cal State Fullerton Devin Waltman UC Davis Dominic Dufour Diane Bai Dylan Hackett Joubin Mirzadegan Lauren Swersky Michaela McGuigan Rebecca Sicile-Kira Sarah Chamberlain Sean Katebian Seana Brooks

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Bill Bennett Gina Leaming Grant Jurgensen Jeff Wolff John Hayes II Kristi Union Kyle Champ Max McCarthy Mike DePinto Nathan Driver Shanti Rahim Tiana Fegali Toby Goldsteinholm Ryder Noll-Robles Ryan Saadat Biola University Alex Nassar

CSU Northridge Danny McGregor Eric Huckabee Jessica Tuffield Luc Ferrier-Silberman

Loyola Marymount University Caroline Patten Ericka Schwering

College of the Canyons Merielle Redwine

CSU Long Beach Jenn Wood Rachael Schaerer Tyler Lampee

Claremont McKenna College Nicole Appleton Pomona College Nick Lawson

Chapman University Chase Matthews Ivy Chiou John O’Connell Nicholas Marino University of Redlands Alli Schuab Paige Press

UC Riverside Elaine Heish

California Institute of Technology Connor DeFanti David Ding Matthew Voss Perren Yang Occidental College James Mark Matt Malott

Cal Lutheran University Kyle Flemming

Concordia University Alexa Finzi Nick Scutti Nicole Finzi