CRIB TO COLLEGE
Inside:
The Next Stage of Life
A Brief Defense of Struggle Meals
Advice for Freshmen
Do’s and Don’ts of Dorms
Advice from a university junior
to Crib to College Welcome
Raising your child from those stages of infancy to the moment they walk across the stage at graduation is a task unlike anything else — and you don’t have to do it alone.
Parents—and teens—could use a little help and guidance when choosing schools or college.
Understanding that there are so many questions when it comes to choosing schools to preparing for college, our reporting team has put together another edition of the annual “Crib to College” guide.
And last, but certainly not least, we speak with the heads of some local nonprofits and wellness centers to talk about the many after-school programs, tutoring and social engagement opportunities, and mental health resources available to the area’s youth.
Check out these stories and more as you flip through our Crib to College guide.
Private secondary ed schools thrive nearby The Next Stage of Life
By Picket Fence Media Staff
South Orange County is home to various private secondary education campuses that draw students from across the area. Kids attend these schools throughout the year to learn, participate in extracurricular activities, and prepare for the next stage of life.
Options include:
JSerra Catholic High School
26351 Junipero Serra Road
949-493-9307
jserra.org
Named after Father Junipero Serra—who founded Mission San Juan Capistrano and is considered instrumental in establishing the town in its modern form—the school boasts that it “provides students in grades 9 through 12 with an individualized education in a faith-based, character-building setting.”
The school was founded in 2003 and offers programs in medicine, engineering and other subjects. Students have fun through end-of-the-year mass dives into the school pool, snow days on campus and other school spirit events.
Fairmont Schools
26333 Oso Road
714-234-2771
fairmontschools.com
Fairmont Schools opened a San Juan location at the former Saddleback Valley Christian School in 2020.
“As part of the Fairmont family of schools, Fairmont San Juan Capistrano capitalizes on nearly seven decades of educational excellence and proven results,” a statement from the school said. “Since 1953, Fairmont has been focused on one thing—our students. It’s a focus that has served our families well for generations, and we believe it is more important today than ever
before, as we prepare students for success in the 21st century.”
The campus is its first in South County and offers the full continuum of grade levels—from preschool through grade 12. The school is secular.
“Our beautiful campus is situated on 10 acres and houses two expansive education wings with science and STEM labs, art, music and dance rooms, and designated student learning centers, along with a gymnasium, athletic training center, multiple playgrounds and a full-size athletic field,” the school said.
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
31641 La Novia Avenue
949-661-0108
smes.org
Steeped in Episcopalian culture, the school encourages students to chase their passions in humanities, STEM, arts, athletics and other avenues.
The school was founded in 1979 and has 2,600 alumni to date. Students get to spend time in research and lecture labs, visual arts studios and a performing arts center.
Capistrano Valley Christian Schools
32032 Del Obispo Street
949-493-5683
cvcsorg.finalsite.com
CVCS’ culture emphasizes religion, excellence, authenticity, positivity and other values. It instructs elementary, junior and high school students.
“CVCS teachers are credentialed, experienced Christian educators and mentors who truly love their students and are committed to providing an elite-level academic experience to prepare students for admission into the best colleges and universities in America,” the school touts. “Our academic programs provide a challenging but appropriate level of rigor to help students achieve their academic goals while maintaining a healthy, balanced life.”
Why students should embrace cheap and easy eating A Brief Defense of Struggle Meals
By Jack Miessner
I,do my daily TikTok scroll of 15 minutes give or take a couple of hours. The start of school is approaching, and my for-you page is flooded with how-to videos for elaborate dorm room dishes. Steak salad, shrimp fried rice, receipts adding up to the double digits for a single meal. Cookware bordering on Michelin standards. Step one: Pull out your wok. Yeah, thanks.
And it makes me wonder, as a rising college senior myself, what is becoming of the struggle meal? That culinary Benjamin Button phenomenon in which, as our brains age forward, our eating habits age backward? It seems as though we’re losing that sacred tradition to a new culture, one of young foodies with palates too mature for their age (young man, put down that lemon squeezer!).
At risk of being the old purist who won’t let go of what was, I urge strongly against this shift. And without the slightest exaggeration I argue that, without the struggle meal, the entire higher education system will crumble. I’ll give some examples.
I Facetime my grandparents from my apartment, while stirring my pot of buttered noodles. They tell me a well-rounded meal is important for a man of my age. Well, you know what else is important, Granny? (I love and appreciate her dearly.) Getting this essay done. I will have the next 70 years—80 if I’m lucky, and 40 if I keep drinking Yerba Mate every day—to eat well-rounded meals.
But I only have two hours to finish this essay. Now, let’s think of a title. Thank you struggle meals, I say.
Someone I know tried to use the oven for the first time last semester, at the age of 20. She burned her hand and never even looked at the thing again. I don’t blame her; it’s a challenging piece of equipment. Many have tried to tame that beast and failed. One day she will probably make a steak salad you could mistake for a Fleming’s dish, but only when she’s good and ready. For today, PB will meet J, and she will go to class without skin grafts. Thank you, struggle meals, she says.
Two of my good buddies like to eat canned tuna and mayonnaise over rice. This is their struggle meal. I don’t partake, but rather watch over them like some sort of anthropologist. It’s a Latin American thing, they tell me, and they’ve been eating this dish since they went to high school in Ecuador. As two guys who work at the ID tap desk, they don’t have the cash to blow on expensive meals and groceries. So, they throw these ingredients together and sit around listening to Latin progressive rock deep into the night. When they fall asleep, they will dream of home. Thank you, struggle meals, they say.
You’ve been brainwashed by the church of meal prep. They told you to go to the store and buy dishes to make for the week. Now you’re at the supermarket, looking down at a pack of chicken breasts. Boneless, skinless, soulless. You worry they misplaced a decimal on the price sticker. Suddenly, something calls out to you from across the store. You’re lured to it, like a lonesome seafarer to a siren’s song. And there, in the freezer section, lies your maiden: frozen chicken tenders. Ten servings per bag, expiration: never. When you leave, your wallet is hardly lighter than when you came. Thank you, struggle meals, it says.
Don’t get me wrong, nutrition is a vital part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Struggle eating doesn’t necessarily disagree with this. If nutrition were for the non-strugglers alone, we wouldn’t have frozen peas and carrots. Fruit is sometimes as cheap as the dirt it grows in, and requires little to no preparation. If you’d never even seen a salad before, you could throw one together with common sense alone.
And putting a little effort into a meal never hurt anyone. But there’s a line that has to be drawn, a balance that must be struck. If you are a college student who uses scallions every day, you are likely not someone who I’d like to get to know. But if you are a college student who doesn’t know what a scallion is, you might have some growing up to do.
You might look at me and say, “This guy needs to start eating like an adult.” And I’ll take that one on the chin, because there’s surely some truth to it.
But riddle me this, wok owners, steak-makers and noodle naysayers: If not for instant coffee, what would we have to buy for breakfast? If not for Kraft Mac-n-Cheese, what would stick to our plates until the end of time? If not for Hot Pockets, if not for instant noodles, if not for Rice-A-Roni, if not for Ragu, if not for grilled cheese, if not for microwave nachos…
Thank you struggle meals, we say together.
How much is healthy? screentime
By Picket Fence Media Staff
Screens are ubiquitous in our modern society.
Screens at home, in school and at work. Screens for entertainment, for productivity and education. Desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, televisions. There are screens of all sizes and functions.
According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), American kids between the ages of 8 and 12 look at screens for four to six hours a day, and teenagers use as much as nine hours of screentime per day. Adults can top 10 hours per day on average.
While there are no real guidelines for adults and screentime — although there is research suggesting links to mentally and physical health with excessive screen time — experts do recommend limits on screen time for children for their health and development.
Babies under 18 months old are recommended to have zero screen time, with exceptions for video chatting with family members or, specifically, parents. Between 18 and 24 months, screen time for children should be limited to educational programming.
These habits are encouraged for these extremely young ages to try and help encourage interactions between parents and children and social skills in general. It’s also to focus on play, reading, learning and other forms of development.
From 2-5 years old, recreational or non-educational screen time can be introduced, though still limited. AACAP recommends one hour on weekdays and three hours on weekend days. After 5 years old, there are less specific limits, but there is an overall encouragement of healthy habits that promote, again, learning and interpersonal relationships, as well as physical activity.
AACAP also recommends avoiding using screens as “pacifiers or babysitters” and to turn off screens 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
Too much screen time for children can lead to behavioral or learning difficulties early on. Studies show excessive screen time for young children leads to delays in language, cognition or emotional development. This is due to children forming associations with the screen objects themselves instead of actual people.
The mental health issues can continue or develop in teens, with studies showing that teens who
had seven hours or more of screen time per day were twice as likely to have depression or anxiety compared to teens who had less than one hour of screen time.
And its not just mental or brain health when dealing with excessive screen use. It can also lead to physical problems.
Screentime is often sedentary, meaning those — children or adults — who are on their screens too much aren’t getting enough exercise or physical activity. Multiple studies have shown a link to an increased risk of obesity and heart diseases. There are also back and neck problems because of posture, and sleep issues, which manifest other physical discomforts.
While screens are practically impossible to live without at this point, it is important to set boundaries and limits on screen time, especially for children and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
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WAdvice for Freshmen
By Picket Fence Media Staff
ith students back in school this fall, parents often struggle to find activities their child can participate in once the bell rings.
Toward that end, the school district, various organizations and the cities of San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano all offer extensive after-school programming.
A host of athletic activities including skateboarding, soccer, swimming, gymnastics, tennis, cheerleading and golf classes are available through the three cities’ recreation departments.
Swim lessons are a great way to keep kids busy after school while also learning life-saving skills. In San Clemente, kids can participate in K.I.S.S. private swim lessons, and more advanced swimmers can join K.I.S.S. Stroke and Conditioning Group Classes.
The lessons for beginners or advanced swimmers run Monday through Thursday at the San Clemente Aquatics Center from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
For a child who likes to move and groove, dance classes are a great way to get out their after-school energy.
Kids can learn dance fundamentals and proper technique in San Clemente’s beginner ballet class, suitable for new dancers between the ages of 4 and 6. The classes start at 3:10 p.m. and end at 4 p.m., ideal for after school drop-off.
They can also participate in Dana Point’s dance basics class for 6- to 10-year-olds that meets every other Thursday from 4-4:45 p.m. In the class, boys and girls can learn body placement, positions, basic turns and jumps.
For kids wanting a more themed after-school dance experience, they can participate in classes such as San Clemente’s Pop Star hip-hop classes or San Juan Capistrano’s beginner and intermediate ballet folklórico classes.
Musically inclined students can participate in beginner and intermediate guitar and ukulele lessons through the cities of San Clemente and Dana Point. Kids ages 8 and up can learn simple chords and new songs in the after-school classes.
See AFTER-SCHOOL on page 19
AFTER-SCHOOL from page 18
Another after-school creative outlet can be found in Sandy’s Art Studio for Children and Teens in San Clemente, which has two classes for kids ages 5 to 10 and one class for kids ages 10 to 15 every Tuesday.
The art exploration classes, ranging from 1:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. time slots, allow students to explore creative techniques such as sketching, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor, painting on canvas, and more mediums.
Kidcreate Studio in Dana Point also offers weekly art education classes for parents seeking a consistent art program.
There are also many activities that cater to kids’ specialized interests, which challenge them to learn new skills. San Clemente’s recreation department offers after-school computer coding, game design biology, and CPR classes for students.
In partnership with the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD), Saddleback College offers the Before and After School Enrichment (BASE) Program, which lets students take a variety of one-hour classes right after school ends.
The BASE classes are held at CUSD elementary schools, and scholarships are available for children who would like to participate in the program.
With classes ranging from academic chess to writing workshops to Spanish language learning, elementary-aged students can engage in interactive activities before heading to another after-school program or going home.
Come See Us!
“Parents really appreciate having their children be able to explore the different classes,” said Arron Searcy, assistant director of Community Education at Saddleback College. “Whether it’s a dance class, a Broadway class where they’re doing musicals, a coding class, or a chess class, it gives kids a variety of different things to try.”
For busy or working parents who can not pick up their child the moment school ends, after-school programs at the school or nearby are a great option.
At Truman Benedict Elementary in San Clemente, parents who have students with different school-end times can participate in the GAP Program. The program keeps elementary school children engaged and safe during the dismissal gap between elementary and middle school (1:55-3:25 p.m.).
The Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area in San Clemente and Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley in San Juan Capistrano provide after-school programs until 6:30 p.m. for kids ages 6 to 18.
Many buses from local schools also have stops at the organizations. The clubs give students a place to complete homework, interact with peers, and be involved in creative activities.
What sets the after-school program apart, said Terry Hughes, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the South Coast Area, is that it is an inclusive, safe environment that creates lasting connections. “What kids need is relationships with adults who care about them outside of their home, and we build with them these deep and lasting relationships that last a lifetime, not just with their peers, but also the directors and staff who really care about them,” said Hughes.
Advice from a university junior Do’s and Don’ts of Dorms
By Jennifer Nehrer
S
o, you’ve made it (or made it back) to college! Like me, I’m sure you’ve been looking at plenty of TikTok videos or Pinterest boards to determine your dorm aesthetic or how best to expertly organize your living space. Let me make your life a little easier: Here’s a list of advice I’ve gathered from my past two years of living in college dorms. And while yes, each dorm is different, there are a few pieces of advice I can give that tend to be universally applicable. Let’s get started:
DON’T: Buy everything in advance.
DO: Visit your dorm first, if you can!
MY REASON: There’s nothing worse than buying all those cute items only for them to not fit in your living space. Even something as simple as the layout of your room can make a big difference. One year, my over-the-door hooks fit perfectly, and the next they didn’t! At the same type of dorm! This especially applies if you have to fly in and have limited bag space. Less is more!
DON’T: Buy all the appliances your heart desires (looking at you, coffee maker).
DO: Check the “prohibited items” list for your dorm. They all have one.
MY REASON: Your friend might tell you that the RAs never check, but what happens when they do? There’s a good chance the dining hall can give you what you need. You’ll be fine, and you won’t get fined! (Note: If you have accommodations for appliances and such, ignore this.)
DON’T: Skimp on the essentials.
DO: Splurge a little for what matters.
MY REASON: You’ll be living with these items for at least nine months, and they might follow you to another dorm! If you have the means, let yourself spend just a little more to get a higher quality item. This is especially true for the following: shower shoes (communal showers can get nasty), a dorm room fan (Tucson is HOT), bath/hand towels (Don’t you want to feel clean?) and linens.
DON’T: Splurge on the extras.
DO: Find alternate methods for stuff you won’t use forever.
MY REASON: Anyone who has been asked to buy a textbook or graphing calculator knows what I’m talking about. Items for classes you’ll only take for one semester can get EXPENSIVE! Before you run straight to the school bookstore, check on some cheaper alternatives. A used graphing calculator can still be in good condition, and some internet sleuthing can reliably save you a few bucks on class materials. Also, check student forums to see if anyone is selling their stuff!
DON’T: Use Command strips.
DO: Try to find the best alternative for hanging heavier items, and maybe only put stuff up you can hang with painter’s tape.
MY REASON: I know. I know. I did it, too. Dorm wall paint is notoriously really thin and breakable. In my experience, painter’s tape is great for hanging pictures and other lightweight printed items. But unless you have a bucket of color-matched paint ready at the end of the year, forget it. Put the heavy wall calendar down, lean it against the desk or something, and don’t risk the damage fees. Learn from my mistakes!
DON’T: Put every item on an individual hanger.
DO: Invest in space-saving hangers or hanger attachments.
MY REASON: Dorms themselves are small, and their closets are even smaller. If you have a lot of items that need to be hung — nice clothing, sweaters or anything that may wrinkle and/or doesn’t fit in a drawer — space-saving hanging materials will save your life. There are a number of different iterations of the space-saving hanger, meaning you have the ability to customize your dorm even more. The hanger attachments (which I used this year) just clip onto hangers you already have so you don’t have to re-buy!
DON’T: Skip out on decor.
DO: Make your dorm your home!
MY REASON: I know what I said about the command strips, but that’s no excuse to drop all decor plans immediately. This is the room you’ll be living in for the next nine months or so, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to feel like it isn’t your space. I know that decorating my dorm in the ways I wanted helped me adjust to college much easier, because at the end of the day, I was able to walk into a space that felt like my own. Putting up decorations that represent you can also be great conversation starters if you ever invite friends over!
Check out these tips to help your first year at school go as smoothly as possible. (Jennifer Nehrer/Staff)