12.20.13
12.20.13 It’s that time of year again. Find out what your classmates thought about this year’s music, movies, and more Check out our “Best of 2013” starting on
“The Nutcracker” was initially not very popular, but has grown to become a mainstay in Christmas culture.
Art by Senior Chloe Rock
Read about this holiday tradition on
Newborn spirit squad “The Stang Gang” brings fresh faces to the sporting events at SDA. Read about the club on
Senior Hayley Earnest
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Junior Bo Templin, senior Amanda Colla, and senior Ty Gibson
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Every year, there’s a banquet where the new instructors are forced to eat a chicken head even if they’re vegetarian.
Find out at www.sdamustang.com
Student Artist: Art by Peri Anderson
Wendy Disch talks about some of this season’s favorite foods on
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NEWS EDITOR Nicole Smith
FEATURES EDITOR Katie McPherson
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Elise Echeverria
ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR HEALTH EDITOR Elise Gout
ARTS EDITOR Gabby Catalano OPINIONS EDITOR Kira Elliott SPORTS EDITOR Sarah Kochanek PHOTO EDITOR Tacy Manis
BUSINESS MANAGER CAF EDITOR Lily LeaVesseur ONLINE EDITORS
Sam Winter Sierra Zounes
ONLINE ARTS EDITOR Sara Portnoy
Keri Jucha
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Which SDA teacher spent six weeks in the Soviet Union as part of an exchange program?
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Ginger has been known to help with coughs, cramps, and even stomach pains.
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Teacher Tidbit
Read some of the best and worst moments from our staff’s year on
I like art because it’s something I can do by myself and do what I want with no rules. Art is a way to go into my own little world and do what I like to do.
STAFF WRITERS Linden Amundsen Peri Anderson Mycah Ayala Anne Bilse Terren Brin Caroline Daniel Wendy Disch Dylan Hendrickson Reiko Inouye Devin Lasek Michael Leslie Kevin Moody Katrina Olsen Alynne Powers Ivan Ramales Jessica Rowan
Michael Schulte Lauren Shaw Keely Thompson Alex Weingarten Manon Wogahn STAFF ARTIST Roya Chagnon ADVISOR Tim Roberts
The Mustang is the student newspaper of San Dieguito Academy. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper. The Mustang is an open forum which welcomes letters. Letters can be submitted to room 98, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com, or mailed to the above address.
San Dieguito Academy / Room 98 / 800 Santa Fe Drive / Encinitas, CA 92024
12.20.13
Officials concerned over rising e-cig use
Strengthening the SDA CommUnity
Teens increasing use of e-cigarettes prompts questions about their safety. Story by Elise Echeverria.
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he use of e-cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices by teenagers has seen a noticeable increase this past year, causing concerns about students’ health and drug use. Electronic-cigarettes are battery powered devices that heat up liquid oils or cartridges which can contain nicotine to produce a vapor that simulates smoking. They are also used to smoke hash oil and other drugs, school officials said. “A lot of it has to do with what can be hidden in the oils and what can be added to the oil,” Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones said. According to the 2013 California Healthy Kids Survey, the number of teens who have used e-cigarettes in the last month has increaed 16 percent over the last two years. “I feel like everyone has one now,” an SDA student said. “At the beginning of the year it started with a couple people who regularly smoked and now I feel like there is an entire group of people who have them.” “A lot of kids are doing BHO ( butane hash oil), also known as ‘butter’ or ‘ear wax’,” Joe Olesky, abuse counselor for the READI program, the San Dieguito Union High School District’s drug prevention program, said. Hash oil is extremely high in THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. “One cartridge [for an electronic vaporizer device] is equivalent to 100 joints and the THC level is double, causing quite a health issue,” Olesky said. In order to voice their concerns of this new trend, both the READI program and SDA administrator have been taking measures to raise awareness. These include writing an article in the parent newsletter, speaking at the monthly parent meeting with the principal, and San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth. Additionally, the READI program will be holding a presentation in either April or May to educate the public on marijuana Olesky said.
Because they can contain nicotine, e-cigarettes are illegal for people under the age of 18 to buy. “If you look under 25, we will card you, just like in a liquor store,” said Cori Dever, manager of RAD vapor, an e-cigarette store in the Lumberyard. According to the Dever, their customers range from 18 to 85 and is pretty evenly distributed. However, legality doesn’t stop teens from obtaining and using these new devices especially because some believe they are much more convenient and healthy than regular cigarettes. “Smoke shops are pretty lenient and I know people have gotten them online,” a SDA student said. “If you want it you can just go get it.” Easy accessibility to e-cigarettes, as well as marketing to appeal to younger people like flavored oils led to more use in high schools, stated the FDA website According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, middle and high school students who use electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, more than doubled from 2011 to 2012 ,4.7 percent to 10 percent. The FDA also released a statement saying that experts have also raised concerns that the marketing of products such as e-cigarettes can increase nicotine
Senior Spencer Fox introduces CommUnity Day at the first assembly. Photo by Sierra Zounes. Read more about CommUnity Day on page 4.
vary “Because I got rolled I can’t smoke anything else [due to having to take frequent drug tests],” said one student. “I use the e-cig every single day,” said one student. Another student said he/ she rarely use one and typically only when they are in the “party
“A lot of it has to do with what can be hidden in the oils.” - Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones addiction among young people and may lead kids to try other tobacco products. Assistant Principal Jones said that increased use was brought to the schools attention when e-cigarettes started turning up and being confiscated from students. Students are also aware of this upsurge in these new electronic smoking devices. Reasons as to why kids start using e-cigs, and estimates of the frequencies at which they do,
mode.” It’s not just how many kids have or use e-cigarettes that are a factor, but also what they put in them whether it be drugs or nicotine. Some kids don’t use cartridges with any additives in them said an SDA student, but others don’t. “Personally I started out with no nicotine, but then I got bored with it so I started using nicotine,” the first student said. “Most kids have nicotine.” Some people believe that
e-cigarettes are healthier than regular cigarettes and therefore a good way to stop an addiction. “They are healthier because they don’t have the carcinogens or the tobacco; it’s just the nicotine,” one SDA student said. “So you can’t get cancer from it, because it’s not the tobacco plant.” Yet according to betobaccofree. gov, e-cigarettes may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans, but because clinical studies about the safety of e-cigarettes have not been submitted to the FDA, there is no way of knowing. But Dever said that many of RAD vapor’s customers use e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking by slowly lowering nicotine levels. “The only reason I’d support them ever is if they are addicted to nicotine or something and they say it helps them get off,” an SDA student said. “Health-wise I think they are definitely better than cigarettes, probably worse than weed.” Despite whether students think
they are bad or not, they are illegal for minors to use. Because it isn’t possible to tell what type of oil an e-cigarette contains, administrators use other tactics to determine whether a confiscated device contains illegal drugs Jones said. “The best we can do initially is to smell it; sometimes we can smell if there is marijuana in it,” Jones said. “Other drugs would not have any kind of aroma, so if we’re suspicious we would call the sheriff to do testing,” she said. If a student is caught in possession of or using an e-cigarette that contains an illicit drug or nicotine on campus, they could face up to a five-day suspension, Jones said. Students also may be be put into the READI program for a first offense, Olesky said. There the student will learn about drugs and alcohol, and how they affect the mind, body, relationships, and their future, he said.
12.20.13
CommUnity Day comes back F
In order to build closer relationships, CommUnity Day breaks down social barriers between classmates. Story by Wendy Disch. or the first time in six years, SDA students participated in Community Day, a day in which SDA students are encouraged to be more accepting of their peers. As SDA students streamed in to the gym for the first assembly of the day, a faint confusion came over them. Nobody was sure what was coming. Besides the activities done in class, the school was shuffled into the gym for two separate assemblies during which senior Spencer Fox united the school through his own personal reflection on the support he found in his peers after his snowboarding accident in middle school left him paralyzed and in need of a wheelchair. According to Spencer, the day was a success. “Someone came up to me afterwards and said having this day made them happier, which is all I could ask for,” he said. The day itself was put together
Students write ways others have negatively affected them at school. Photo by Sierra Zounes.
with the support of English teacher Rob Ross, former Spanish teacher Suzanne McCluskey, social science teacher Stephen Fisher, and the student members of the Community Day Committee, headed by senior Maya Consuelo. The committee met every week since March, even over summer, organizing and planning.
Their decision to bring back Community Day stemmed from a need to prove that SDA is just as accepting as its reputation implies, Ross said. “Everyone talks about how accepting and different SDA is,” he said. “But it’s up to the students to decide what culture they want.” “Crossing the Line” was one particularly emotional activity
for some students. In the activity students stood on one side of a line and crossed over when a statement (“My parents are married and I live at home with them” or “I am or have felt uncomfortable with the way I look”) that was read by a student facilitator applied to them. As the statements read by facilitators got more and more revealing, students were given the chance to open their eyes to the issues affecting their peers. As senior Rheanna Goodsell said, it was a positive experience because “even though we might not all have the same exact problems, we can at least know that there will always be someone around to empathize with you.” Freshman Gerrit Langston also had a positive Community Day experience. “It was really fun and interesting to learn a lot more about people you didn’t know,” he said. While it seemed as though some students were pleased with
the events of the day, others had mixed feelings. Senior facilitator Laura Breidenthal was disappointed with the classroom she was assigned to. “I was surprised at how hesitant my class was to take advantage of this day,” she said. “It’s hard to ask kids to put themselves out there like that.” Sophmore Krystal Felipe had a similar experience with the class she facilitated. “The kids in my class didn’t take it seriously and kept asking ‘Why are we doing this?’” Community Day was brought back primarily to rejuvenate the accepting nature it has been so well known for. According to senior Madeleine Karydes, “SDA can’t continue to be the safe and inclusive place it’s always been if it doesn’t have the enthusiasm and participation of its students to make that happen. If we don’t take the time to get to know each other, we could easily become just another high school.”
Low college graduation rate for Latinos
California’s Latino students face challenges in graduating from college, report says. Story by Ivan Ramales.
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big issue for California is the growing number of Latino college students who, despite enrolling in greater numbers, are behind in graduation rates compared to students of other races, according to a report by The Campaign for College Opportunity. Reasons behind the dropouts include lack of knowledge about college life and lack of support from home, the report said. In order to fill the demand for college level jobs, California needs to address the graduation gap among Latino college students, the report said. Some of SDA’s Latino alumni talked about difficulities they faced in college. Jonathan Garcia, a San Dieguito Academy graduate, attended Mira Costa before transferring to Cal State San Marcos, where he graduated from in 2012. “In my own experience the struggles of being a Latino and going to college for the first time are in fact very hard. Mistakes will be made, but what matters is what you learn from your
mistakes. I can only say that confidence is key to overcoming the challenges that life/college throw at you,” said Garcia, a firstgeneration college student. Knowing little about the financial aspect of college, Garcia had to take out student loans after only being given partial financial aid. Garcia’s parents had no college experience so they could not help him with applications or advise
world,” said Daniel Ramales, a San Dieguito Academy graduate and current Cal State San Marcos student. “[Being] Latino and the first one to go to college, you have, not a burden, but a weight of the expectations of parents, and brothers, and sisters,” said Guadalupe Canseco, a 2012 Cal State University graduate. Canseco began her college career after graduating from San
“...you have, not a burden, but a weight of the expectations...” - Guadalupe Canseco, SDA graduate him what to expect upon entering college. “The most common problem is that the fact that [Latino students’] parents are usually immigrants, therefore their parents can only supply them with limited resources for education… Since they can’t provide for them, the students stay in this limited world and when they do make it to college they find it to be a strange new
Dieguito Academy in 1998. Latino students also deal with psychological issues that stem from stereotypes associated with them and may doubt themselves. “Well first of all, [Latinos] think that people look at us and think that we’re not capable of reaching our goals, and that we don’t have enough potential. That we’re going to quit because it’s going to get rough,” said 2013 San Dieguito Academy Graduate
Benito Morales “Some problems that we might face in the future are discrimination due to where we come from,” said Morales on why the Latino graduation rate is falling behind. “[Graduating college] is just not only logistically challenging but psychologically taxing. The questions ‘Am I good enough’ if no one in my family has done it, ‘Can I?’ They tend to try to drag you down,” said San Dieguito Academy raduate Elio Lopez. San Dieguito Academy alumni had some advice for collegebound Latino students. “Build rapport with other students in your class because being a Latino student first to go to college is never easy, and making friends is a part of college along with learning to trust others,” Garcia suggested to Latino students who don’t have anyone to help them through college. “Make a decision about what you will accomplish. Then, accept the responsibility of that decision. Work, learn, fight, and accomplish. Many of our kids
struggle figuring out what they want to do in life. The struggle is not about figuring out, the struggle lies in lacking the insight to make a decision as to what they ‘will do’ in life,” said Lopez. Canseco went through a difficult journey to complete her college education. Canseco eventually juggled two jobs, along with full classes, to keep herself in school. She also studied at public libraries because her home life prevented her from focusing at home. She made it until her senior year, when personal problems affected her attitude towards school. “You need to reach out and be humble and ask for help if you need it. Those are the words I couldn’t pronounce,” said Canseco on what she could have done to prevent dropping out. Years later, after watching classmates succeed and wanting her family to feel proud of her, Canseco finished her education and moved on with her life. “Once you forgive yourself, it’s easier to pick yourself up and continue,” said Canseco.
12.20.13
Alumni leave their mark on SDA “S
Mustang Legacy Project reconnects alumni with SDA and raises funds for programs through decorative bricks. Story by Nicole Smith. ome of the best days were spent here.” These is one of the sentiments that a 1939 San Dieguito alumni chose to have inscribed on a red brick laid in the walkway below the bell tower. Similar bricks recounting memories of alumni are being installed around the bell tower this year for the Mustang Legacy Project organized by school alumni to raise money to benefit school programs. The block of bricks for Phase One of the project has been installed and Phase Two of the project is currently underway. Phase Two will look similar in number and configuration and will likely be installed before the end of the year, said SDA Foundation Executive Director, Sheila Durkin. The bricks are being installed around the bell tower because it is “one of the few places that are not going to be changed when the construction starts,” said Durkin. She added that the only concern with the project is
with the construction potentially impacting it. “It was really an idea that was generated by the alumni committee that meets once a month as a way to support the campus. [They] also thought it would be a way that they could get reconnected to the academy,” said Durkin. In line with this idea, the bricks are being installed by SDA parent and alumni of 1995, Earl Flores Jr. According to Durkin, the project has received lots of support: “The thing that I think has been very positive about the project is everyone at the district and the school is very supportive of it.” “This year we will probably start offering it to the seniors this year since they will be our new alumni,” said Durkin. The project is ongoing. For those interested in purchasing a brick, ranging in cost from $75 to $160 depending on size and text lengths, there is a form available at sdafoundation.com/alumni.
Some sentiments...
Phase One bricks installed by the bell tower. Photo by Sierra Zounes.
Danny Smith 1966 I miss my friends
9 guys were pals hung out together we had a lot of fun who were we? the brotherhood class of 1954 Lynne Uhlig Scott San Dieguito was the wind beneath my wings thank you class of 1961 Some of the best days were spent here Henry Knorr ‘39 Loretta Dearagon flower child 1969 forever winks 4U
Cooking kids conquer their competition
SDA culinary art students place second in a high school cooking competion after months of hard work. Story by Elise Echeverria.
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DA’s culinary arts team triumphed at the Teen Master Chef Competition this month coming in second out of 12 schools. “We did amazingly well,” senior Ty Gibson said. “The dish we plated was the best we have ever made so that felt really awesome!” The team of four – seniors Aaron Steger, Ty Gibson, Sam Fierro and Jeffery Phan – worked hard for weeks, absorbing critiques from culinary arts teacher Scott Huntley and perfecting every detail in preparation for the Teen Master Chef Competition. “We practice a lot,” Gibson said, “Overall, the entire process has been pretty labor intensive but I believe the finished product will be well worth it.” The competition, which was put on by the San Diego Regional Occupation Program Dec. 10 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, was directed solely at high school cooking programs, said Huntley. It started with the “Soup Bowl”
Seniors Sam Fierro, Jeffery Phan, and Ty Gibson prepare their dish. Photo courtesy Scott Huntley.
last year, in which SDA and three other schools competed to create a soup. “This year they stepped it up and there [were] 14 schools involved,” Huntley said. “They [had] to have a five-piece plate: protein, vegetable,starch,sauce, garnish.” The contest’s set-up is similar to the widely known TV show, “Top Chef,” Steger said. “You have a recipe beforehand,
bring all of you ingredients , and there is an hour time limit to cook it, plate it, and present it to the judges,” Steger said. The team started by brainstorming what they were going to make, Huntley said. After that crucial decision, they did their first test run. “The first time we just brought together all of the flavors to see if everything worked together,” Huntley said.
“Once we figured out the flavors we wanted in the dish and how we were plating everything we started working on speed and efficiency,” Phan said. Each team member was assigned a task and Huntley assisted the team by telling them whether things looked good or not, he said. Preparing for the competition didn’t come without challenges. “The most glaring setback we’ve had is how to keep the food warm while we prepare everything,” said Phan. “The last thing you want to do in a cooking competition is serve cold food to a panel of judges,” Gibson said. The team thought of ways to troubleshoot this issue like reheating things on unused burners or using insulated bags, Fierro said. Another challenge was time management, Huntley said. “The most basic thing is to be using the two burners,” Huntley said. “You never want to have a burner empty.”
Despite minor setbacks, anticipation for the competition was high. “I think that we have a pretty amazing team of chefs and I think we can do really well in this competition,” Gibson said. All their hard work paid off in the end for them and they were able to demonstrate their talents to the judges at the competition. “My favorite part was presenting the dish in front of the judges,” Fierro said. “They complimented us and we had to answer their questions – it felt very food networky.” All of the team members seemed very satisfied with their overall performance. “When all of the components of the dish came together, I was unexplainably happy and very very proud of my SDA team,” Gibson said.
To see the team’s winning recipes and for more on the competition, go to sdamustang.com
12.20.13
Staff Editorial
The good, the bad, and the bittersweet Usually, this page is dedicated to discussing important issues that plague the minds of The Mustang staff, such as whether or not to attend prom if it’s held at Seaworld. This time, this issue, is different. Welcome to the “Best Of” edition of The Mustang’s Staff Editorial. Here, Eating chicken head for hazing “I’m a new instructor at my martial arts studio. Every year, there’s a banquet where the new instructors are forced to eat a chicken head even if they’re vegetarian. It was filmed, and I couldn’t get out of it. It’s [the chicken head] chewy… and crunchy. *squirms* Later, I went to the bathroom and held my stomach. Then I went home, saying that I had homework, and got sick. But now I’m initiated!”
Car crash in jazzercise outfit “I had only had my license for a month. It was the first time I was driving to school by myself, and I didn’t have a parking sticker so I parked on the street. I was wearing this ridiculous jazzercise outfit for a history project. At the end of the day, I was turning out of my spot and cut this woman off. She hit me, and I had to get out of the car and stand in front of traffic in my jazzercise outfit.”
Punched by crazy lady whilst on a bike “So I was biking home by the train tracks. There was this crazy lady, yelling at me to get out of the way, that I was going to run her over. I was, like, far away, but I tried to keep to the side. Then she ran over and punched me. She hit me really hard, and it hurt, and she went back to screaming. There were people staring. She threw a gallon of milk at my friends once.”
Wearing jeans to a wedding “My family was going to this small wedding up in San Jose. When we got there, I realized that I didn’t pack my [dress] pants. So I went over to my Dad and asked if he had brought and extra pair of pants. He was like, ‘What? You didn’t bring your pants?’ I had to wear these dark jeans, and it was a small wedding so I don’t think anyone noticed, but I felt judged.”
staff members recount the best, the worst, and the bittersweet moments of this past year. These are moments in our lives that we feel make this year memorable... even if it means having to bike 20-miles for slurpees. Don’t forget to check out more opinions online at The Mustang’s website, www.sdamustang.com. Art by Peri Lyn Anderson. Homeless teenage poet in San Francisco “There was this homeless guy in Fisherman’s Wharf (in San Francisco) on a street corner. He was holding a cardboard sign that said ‘Free Poetry.’ He had this journal with all these poems he’d written and a list of poem ideas. He said that he could either read us (me and my dad) a poem he’d written or write one for us. We asked him to write one for us about his dog, and then he read it as well as some of his other works. I don’t know why he was homeless. He was a good looking guy, maybe 19 years old, he looked young. He said he was hungry, so I gave him two dollars.”
Bringing a sex doll to iHop
“My friends and I went to Vidcon. We were at the We the Kings concert, and my friends were in the front row, and We the Kings started throwing out sex dolls. My friend caught one, and we went back to the hotel and decided to dress up Felipé – we named the sex doll Felipé. Then one of my guy friends dressed as a girl and went on a ‘date’ with Felipé to IHop. Then two cops came in and we stuffed Felipé under the table.”
Crazy 20-mile bike ride to 7-Elevens “We went on this, like, 20-mile bike ride to six different 7-Elevens. We realized it was 7/11[July 11], which is when 7-Eleven gives away free slurpees, so we decided to take advantage of that. We made a video, documented the whole thing. It was sort of a best and worst moment because we both got sick to our stomachs, but at the same time it was a good bonding experience.”
Recieving a scholarship for a two-week fashion program “I was going to apply last year, but it didn’t work out. So this year I submitted my portfolio with my sketches and I got a letter saying I got in on scholarship. It’s the second course I took, and I saved 700 dollars. It was this program of learning the process from sketching to making the garment. It was at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, which is a pretty prestigious place.”
12.20.13
Unbalanced schedules
Whiteboard Doodles
Sports and academics continually clash. By Anne Bilse and Alex Weingarten.
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hat makes SDA such a unique school is that we focus on the arts and academics and that everyone can be themselves. Students have the chance to express who they are in any way they want, whether they have a passion for sports, art, or just want to parade around school in a Spiderman outfit. However, people can get so involved in a certain aspect of the school, that they overlook other areas, such as sports. One of the reasons we, and many other athletes, chose SDA was because of the opportunity to participate in less competitive sports than most high schools. During playoffs and C.I.F, we were required to leave school at 11:30 or earlier, missing two to three periods of school for three
weeks. We had to put in a big time commitment, and sacrifice our class time to represent the school. The tennis team made it to the semi-finals as well as the third and fourth rounds of individual C.I.Fs. It is upsetting to know that students around SDA didn’t know the tennis team, and other sports teams, existed. This lack of publicity is the cause for less spirit around campus. Overall, we think that students should take pride in every aspect of SDA culture. This will strengthen the community and help to make our school united. Whether its arts, academics, or sports, everyone should have spirit and understand what it means to represent the school.
Staff cartoonist Peri Lyn Anderson has started a new section. Pictured here is her doodle entitled “Catching Fire.” Check out her other doodles for Remarkerble online at: www.sdamustang.com/remarkerble
12.20.13
San Dieguito Sentinel sdamustang.com
something to read while you’re alone for the holidays
Modern Language Association introduces new format
Big changes are coming that will change the world forever. Story by Linon WogaHesseur. MLA sample by Manon “Debess” Wogahn.
The Modern Language Association of America announced that it will be making changes to its MLA format. MLA is the most commonly used format for essays and reports in middle and high school. The official font has shifted from Times New Roman to Comic Sans, font size 16, and single spaced. The Association says these changes are meant to brighten the mood of students as they complete assignments. “You see all these statistics about kids suffering from all the stress they face at school. A huge part of that comes from the scary-looking fonts they use! We just wanted to do our part in reducing that stress, and we thought, what better for a fun-loving, soothing font than Comic Sans?” said MLA
spokesperson Uselyss Adolte. Margins, once set at a strict one inch, have also changed to a simpler 0.6 inch. Titles are now right justified, and must be underlined, bolded, italicized, and in quotation marks. The rest of the text also must be right justified. Papers must be in landscape format. Failure to follow these new rules can result in expulsion. “I love the new changes to the MLA format,” says Yayle English professor Ima Geeneus. “They make the essays so much easier to grade.” Student Homm Skooled is also eager to put these changes into use. “I’ll be sure to study these changes to make sure I memorize them all. I know I will be using them throughout high school, college, and beyond.”
$3.65
12.20.13
Papa was a Rolling Stone Fathers and daughters bond over a love for rock and roll. As freshman Mary Ford said, “It just wouldn’t be the same without the music.” STORY BY Elise Gout
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Eagles songs all the time.” here’s a reason why vinyl record shops are becoming like fragile More often than not, certain bands or artists resonated particularly artifacts next to the trending technology of iTunes, YouTube, and strongly in the girls’ memories. Freshman Maddy Campbell can easily Pandora. A reason why electric guitar riffs are being eclipsed by picture her first concert when she was around 11. “It was a Jack Johnson the chart-topping croons of boys whose puberty still remains in hot deconcert,” she said. “We were sitting far back so my bate. dad put me on his shoulders so I could see. ” Tastes change with the coming generation – and Along with the Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead, music tastes are no exception. freshman Brittany Serbin listened to a lot of Elton But even when teenagers are ordering Taylor Swift John with her father. In a similar circumstance to posters online, pinning up their T-shirts from the latCampbell’s, she was able to see him in her first conest Mumford and Sons concert, and clearing space for cert at age nine. “My dad surprised the family with their new life-size, One Direction cardboard cutouts, the tickets, and we were super excited because it there remains a unique staying power to the glory days was completely out of the blue,” said Serbin. To this of rock and roll. day, her favorite song is the first one her father ever And while it is true there are many sources that can shared with her, Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” be accredited, the still-touring-at-age-seventy Rolling As special as it is that classic rock can continue Stones to name just one, much of this staying power transcending the times through such legacy, it is from something far more unique: the powerful relareaches an even greater meaning in regards to tionships between fathers and daughters. bringing these fathers and daughters together on an entirely new level. Call it bonding, or even a rite of passage, the sharing of classic rock “My dad and I don’t talk about personal things, so we listen to music to between dad and daughter has impacted a multitude of girls, including fill the gap,” said Parker. “When we were in the car together, working on some of those at San Dieguito Academy. As this rock and roll exposure projects, cooking, doing anything, there was music shaped their musical preferences, it also reinforced playing.” a deeper familial connection, fostering irreplaceable Junior Alice Wargo always considered her dad’s stories and memories. playlists to be “old person music,” especially comFreshman Mary Ford explained that her father is pared to her elementary school Hannah Montana “basically the whole reason” she enjoys musicians like tracks at the time. But at age 10, she began listening the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and the Beatles. “He more and more to those like the Talking Heads, the played it [classic rock] everywhere,” said Ford. “When Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix.“My dad and we did Sunday cleaning, we would blast it really loud I have a lot of music in common now,” said Wargo. so the whole street would hear.” “It makes him seem a lot younger and more relatFord was not the only one to have been exposed by able. We like showing each other new things.” such creative means. Sophomore Delaney Ryan and These “new things” continuously reshaping toher dad would always sing along when songs came on day’s music have received mixed reactions by the the radio. “I did the vocals,” she said, “and he sang all girls’ dads. the guitar solos.” While Serbin’s father refers to today’s music strictly as “noise,” LomThe car seemed to be a common place of education. Sophomore Magbard and her dad enjoy laughing at it and “make fun of it” with each gie Lombard credits her knowledge and appreciation to hours of nonstop other. Many of the girls’ fathers have even come to enjoy the alternative, driving. “We take so many road trips as a family,” said Lombard, “and he pop, and R&B directions it has branched off into. always blasted classic rock.” Parker and her father have “an unspoken pact to Senior Celine Parker said her strongest first memory keep open minded” with one another. Said Parker, comes from listening to rock and roll at age seven on “If I don’t tell him to turn it off, he won’t tell me to her way to the beach. “We would drive to Seaside to turn my stuff off the next time the tables are turned. surf practically every day after school and listen to It reflects the rest of our relationship, which is based Devo. It was a lot of fun.” That went on as she went to on listening to what the other has to say.” softball practices, and they added bands like Fugazi, Though music will never be exactly the same as it the Pixies, and Love and Rockets into the mix. was in the original days of classic rock, such ineviTechnology played its own role in helping foster mutable evolution has only stabilized and nurtured the tual tastes in rock music. While Ryan recalls she and Photos by Tacy Manis father-daughter relationship further. her family constantly busting out Rockband, junior “My dad and I found a mutual love for current Megan McEldowney remembers sneaking the iPod good singers, and one of our favorites is Adele,” said from her sleeping dad when she was 10. Ryan. “I guess you could say my music taste has in“I spent at least an hour listening to his music,” said fluenced him too.” McEldowney, “and even though I didn’t recognize any of it, I enjoyed it Contributions by Melody Sobhani, Layla Gantus, Julia Shapero all.” Over time, she learned the song titles by heart. “I especially rememRecords and appreciated classic rock influence from Bart Gout ber him and I singing ‘Witchy Woman’ and ‘Hotel California’ and other
12.20.13
Prompting the Question Seniors applying to college find themselves responding to unusual supplement prompts. STORY BY KATIE MCPHERSON
“H
ow are apples and oranges supposed to be compared? Possible answers involve, but are not limited to, statistics, chemistry, physics, linguistics, and philosophy.” This prompt, from the University of Chicago, is the type of supplement some seniors are attempting to answer as they navigate their way through the college application process. “Colleges tend to fit into two categories when it comes to essay prompts: traditional and thought provoking,” said College Apps teacher Carolyn Lee. A “traditional prompt” might be something like Brown University’s: “Why Brown?” or University of Michigan’s: “Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.” “These prompts are straightforward, provide clear background about the student and/or what they are interested in accomplishing while in college,” said Lee. While these supplements may be simpler and “save time for the students,” said senior Amin Fozi, many consider them not as fun to answer. “[Traditional prompts] get too boring,” said senior Adira Fogel. Writing Lab Tutor Kelly Wehrley agreed that students “often end up with something generic” when responding to normal prompts. This may be the reason colleges move towards asking more out of the ordinary questions like University of North Carolina’s: “What do you hope to find over the rainbow?” and Tufts: “What does #yolo mean to you?” In asking different questions, they can receive many different answers. Said Fogel, “They find the real masterminds plus it keeps the readers entertained” Fozi added that these types of questions allow the college or university to, “gauge creativity.” While these supplements may be more interesting to read and write, seniors generally find them more challenging to answer. “They’re harder because they make you think more. I can’t just B.S. my way through most of them,” said senior Astrid Gonzales who continued that writing them was like “being thrown a curve ball.” Lee agreed that the different prompts “force a student to stretch themselves.” She added “The answer isn’t obvious. While that can be confusing at first, I find it often leads to essays that are insightful, informative and unique.” Wehrley, who somewhat disagreed, said, “Rather than getting an honest picture of a student, [the colleges are] getting an odd answer to an odd question.” Seniors also struggle with answering broad prompts, like Stanford’s “What matters to you?” and Notre Dame’s, “You have 150 words. Take a risk.” Said Fozi, these prompts can, “just be confusing.” Lee offered some advice for seniors writing supplements: “Focus on what you want them [admissions officers] to know about you, not what you think they want to hear. If you are bored writing the essay, chances are likely that the person reading your college essay will be as well.” Despite the difficulty of answering unique supplement questions, seniors generally think they are more useful for colleges than traditional prompts. “They challenge me to get creative and be honest,” said Gonzales. Tis the season for essays and supplements galore and while one may hear seniors cursing the college process under their breath in the halls, answering these unique prompts “can be a way to brighten up a sometimes bleak process,” said Fozi.
Art by Alynne Powers
12.20.13
Nuts About Nutcracker
A beloved holiday tradition, one that is dear to many SDA students, gets an inside look. Story by Manon Wogahn and Roya Chagnon
Senior Nicole Loya in the ‘Arabian Coffee’ dance. Photo courtesy of Kay Greenwood.
Senior Hayley Earnest and friends in ‘The Waltz of the Snowflakes’ dance. Photo courtesy of Ellen Semple.
“T
he Nutcracker.” Many know the name, some know the story, and almost everyone recognizes it as a holiday event. Since 1892, Tchaikovsky’s memorable score has been combined with a delightful story of a Christmas adventure. Although the original production was not a success, Tchaikovsky’s music was, and the ballet itself has grown in popularity. Each year, hundreds of ballet organizations around the world, whether studios or professional companies, put on the production. Whether familiar with the ballet or not, many are able to recognize Tchaikovsky’s festive score, which is ubiquitous during the holiday season. Although the story varies widely between productions, the basic idea is the same: a young girl receives a nutcracker doll at a holiday party, the doll later comes to life as a prince and battles an evil gang of rats, and the two journey off together through a fantasy world commonly referred to as “The Land of the Sweets.” In some versions, the whole ordeal is but a dream, but in others, it’s all too real. For people around the world, including many here at SDA, it’s more than a ballet—it’s a holiday tradition. “My mom took me to see a professional company perform [“The Nutcracker”]. I loved it and from then on had wanted to be a part of it,” said junior Jacquelyn Teza, who dances in the ballet annually. “It reminds me of when I use to go see it when I was little, and how much I idealized the dancers who performed in it.” “The Nutcracker” is essential to ballet companies and young dancers alike. Unlike other ballets, it draws audiences of all ages and a broader crowd than the regular balletomanes. It’s one of the only ballets to feature children in the main roles, and thus serves as inspiration for budding dancers. “Clara is a big deal because it’s a solo you can have before you’ve even hit puberty,” said senior Hayley Earnest. Many studio productions take place as well. “The Nutcracker” is even tradition to those non-dancers, such as senior
Senior Catherine Welch in the ‘Spanish Hot Chocolate’ dance. Photo courtesty of Kit Chow.
Trevor LaPlante. “Every year since freshman year I’ve played in the pit orchestra of the Escondido and Fallbrook Nutcrackers,” said LaPlante. “I’ve played the principal oboe part for the Civic Youth Orchestra.” “The first time I went to see ‘The Nutcracker’ I enjoyed it a lot. I was ten years old. My friend was in the performance and I was very impressed,” said senior Janine Fischer. “I would say ‘The Nutcracker’ is a Christmas tradition.” For those who dance in the production, the holiday season brings memories of friendships through dance: “My earliest memory of ‘The Nutcracker’ was when I first did it in 5th grade,” said senior Catherine Welch. “I had just changed studios and this was the first performance with them. This was a really great way to build great friendships with the girls I was dancing with.” “To me, ‘The Nutcracker’ means my studio family coming together to pull off something we thought might be too overwhelming,” said senior Nicole Loya. After performing in so many “Nutcrackers” over the years, many dancers have at least one funny story to tell: “When one girl was Clara, she and Fritz, who is her little brother in the show, were supposed to fight over the nutcracker after he stole it. In dress rehearsal, they got so into it that the Clara was running all over the stage trying to catch the boy. She ended up falling flat on her face and we all couldn’t help but start laughing. Besides the fact that she had a huge bruise all over her leg, it was a very funny memory,” recalled Welch. The production is at the heart of dancers and non-dancers alike. Watching ‘The Nutcracker’ every winter has turned into a holiday tradition for many. Tchaikovsky’s music continues to reign supreme over primetime holiday commercials, and no matter what version of the story is more familiar, it’s sure to hold a special place in heart. In short, this lively production has come a long way from its humble 19th-century beginning.
12.20.13
Best Of 2013 ere it is, fellow classmates. Like the release of your favorite band’s “Best Of” album, we too have our own collection of the best topics of 2013. Throughout the year, the Arts section provides stories about music, film, fashion trends, television shows, and entertainment news. However, the month of December is always different - the traditional Best Of issue. An issue where we have to dig deeper, think outside the box, put ourselves in your shoes, and deliver the most interesting pieces of this year. This was a hard task, mostly because we all have different opinions on what we consider the best. So much has happened over the course of 2013, where do we start? In the industry, a new teenage sensation was introduced, along with her overly played song “Royals.” In pop , , we saw Miley Cyrus dance half-naked at the VMA’s, and a video went viral of a girl twerking in her bedroom then catching on fire. On we saw a middle-aged man hanging with kindergarteners and a Southern family splatter butter all over their kitchen. In the industry, we saw some great movies emerge like “Gravity” and “The Great Gatsby.” And in the world, cuffed jeans grew in popularity and camo print just needed to end. Overall, the year was full of drama, surprise, and too many overly-played songs. As a first-year Arts Editor, it was both challenging and rewarding to take on this important role for the paper, but I really couldn’t have done it without the help of both staff and students. For example, the Best Of issue takes a lot of work: distributing the survey to 500 students, tallying the results, calculating the percentages, and then the writing and editing process. It was an absolute thrill to see the cooperation of everyone that brought this issue to a final release. Shoutout to our staff artist Roya Chagnon who created the Best Of symbols and designed the movie-themed centerspread with staff journalists Sam Winter and Dylan Hendrickson. Also, special thanks to Manon Wogan who created the Best Of symbols next to the blurbs. While you flip through the pages, observing the artwork, laughing at the blurbs, and following the centerspread, remember that with this issue came many hours of dedication and stressful nights trying to meet deadlines. Hard work certainly does pay off, and we feel this issue sums it up nicely. We hope you enjoy this year’s Best Of issue.
Gabby Catalano, Arts Editor
12.20.13
Art by Alynne Powers.
Best Indie Album: Best Music Video: Modern Vampires of the City 42% The Fox 59%
AM 32% Reflektor 14% Heartthrob 7% Static 5%
Berzerk 20% Wrecking Ball 19% Roar 17% Applause 10%
Vampire Weekend’s “Modern Vampires of the City” is the indie band’s third album, and this time around they’ve impressed more than just hipster SDA students. With complex meanings and intricately beautiful melodies in each of the 12 tracks, “Modern Vampires of the City” has won awards including Top Indie Album of 2013 and even topped the Billboard 200 chart. Rolling Stone also awarded it best album of 2013, an extremely high honor that the band definitely deserves. The message is more serious than in previous albums, mainly revolving around the fact that we are all going to die someday. Lead singer Ezra Koenig explores questions of faith with songs like “Worship You” and the lyrically brilliant “Ya Hey.” The music is also more reflective, with heavier reliance on instruments like guitar, harpsichord, and the organ. Awarding these vampires Best Indie Album is the least SDA can do for one of the most influential bands of the decade.
It seems that people are no longer interested in the answer to the meaning of life. A more intriguing inquiry has surfaced, blowing the former out of the water: What does the fox say? Two Norwegian brothers by the impossible to pronounce names of Vegard and Bård Ylvisåker became Youtube sensations in early September when the duo premiered their video on their talk show, “Today with Ylvis.” Like a more modern version of “Old McDonald,” “The Fox” gives insight into the many different calls in the animal kingdom. There is one sound that no one knows, and it would be that of the forest-dwelling fox. The song is about 4 minutes long, half of which consists of random noises. Still, the faux serious tone led to a music video that no one can get out of their heads, and it leaves you racking your brain for an answer to the repeatedly asked question. However, it isn’t until the end where (SPOILER) the fox itself, animated and all, shows up, and puts all questions to rest: “Bibbidi bop bop WAY dom!”
- sarah kochanek
- sierra zounes
Best Latin Album: Phase II - Dia Normal 34%
3.0 Juanes - Una 33% La Musica No Se Toca 24% Linderes 12%
Personally, I don’t listen to the kind of usual love songs that Prince Royce’s album, “Soy El Mismo”, offers, but I see the appeal. Girls dig it because it’s an entire album of a “cute” guy expressing typical romantic emotions with songs about storms and princesses. Guys could totally use any song off of this album to try to win a chick over (I’m not saying it’ll work) or to impress a girl who likes Spanish songs. To be honest, I felt uncomfortable listening to it, especially when he started to refer to the listener as a girl, but that’s probably because it was intended for girls. “Soy El Mismo” is full of catchy songs that will get stuck in your head. Prince Royce is the average Spanish romance artist, which is why so many girls (and probably some guys) find his music so appealing. - ivan ramales
12.20.13
Art by Lizzy Cook.
12.20.13
We can’t stop the music
I
t seems like all people ever talk about anymore is the advent and takeover of technology in our everyday lives. But this year especially, it seems technology has been a huge factor in the music industry. The ever-growing use of programs like Spotify and Soundcloud have ensured that even a non-radio listener is exposed to the most memorable sounds of the year. The first thing that comes to mind thinking about music that spread on the web is Ylvis’ “The Fox,” which was equally bizzare in its nonsensical lyrics and trippy music video and won best music video this year. Fortunately, the internet also allowed me to be selective about what music I listened to, which meant I didn’t have to hear Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” so many times that I actually started to feel the effects of gamma radiation.
This year, the leading ladies of pop dominated the charts, with new albums from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and of course, Miley Cyrus (although I’m not sure whether it was due to the quality of her music or the popularity of her tongue). A new member joined their ranks—Lorde asked us to let her be our ruler, and SDA voted the feisty New Zealand teen best emerging artist. Indie fans went wild for new albums from Vampire Weekend and Arctic Monkeys. Both artists managed to thrill their veteran fans and usher in new followers with “Modern Vampires of the City,” which won best album, and Arctic Monkeys’ “AM.” In the rap world (which I’m not so familiar with), Eminem took SDA’s vote for best rap album and Macklemore continued to gain popularity with single “Can’t Hold Us,” which was a staple at this year’s
school dances. Daft Punk’s hit “Get Lucky” and Robin Thicke’s provocative “Blurred Lines” (which features SDA alum Emily Ratajkowski in the music video) defined the summer, ensuing in a dance-happy Stephen Colbert and a lot of feminist controversy, respectively. Clearly, 2013 has been a year for artists in all genres to gain exposure and popularity. Whether we listen to Songza or Spotify or utilize those lyric videos made by middle schoolers on Youtube, we are no longer confined to the playlist radio stations pick out for us. Technology hasn’t just been the cause of distracted driving and disconnected teenagers—it’s helped musicians to have their voices heard and let us discover music that resonates with us as individuals. -roya chagnon
Most Overplayed Song Radioactive 33%
Best Emerging Artist Lorde 42%
Royals 28% Blurred Lines 18% Summertime Sadness 10% Wrecking Ball 10%
The Neighborhood 25% Bastille 16% New Politics 10% Jake Bugg 6%
Each year, it pains me to watch as that one excellently crafted melody is beaten to death by overly exuberant radio hosts. “Radioactive,” by alternative rock band Imagine Dragons, is not that song. No, this year’s winner is part of a similar group, those tunes so recognizable that they elicit a knee-jerk dive for the nearest exit at sound of their opening bars. These songs, even before achieving airplay ad nasium, were never that great to begin with. “Radioactive” features such lyrical complexity as, “Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh” and Dan Reynolds’ melodramatic inhalation of “the chemicals.” The rest of the song is comprised of a tedious rehash of post-apocalyptic imagery left over from 2012. To the horror of radio-listeners everywhere, this song’s primal beat and exasperating lyrics haven’t stopped since its debut last year, making 2012’s “Radioactive” the most radio over-active song of 2013. -sam winter
Her music is a mix of indie pop and electronic, her style is vintage and chic, and her album “Pure Heroine” debuted at #3 on Billboard top 100. Lorde, a 16-year-old singer/songwriter from New Zealand, is an insanely talented artist with captivating tunes and poetic lyrics. Many fans, including myself, aren’t in the least bit ashamed to blast her songs in the car, roll down the windows, sway to the music, and sing along to the deep and emotional words: “The drink you spilt all over me, lover’s spit left on repeat, my mom and dad let me stay home, it drives you crazy getting old.” I’m not surprised that Lorde was voted Best Emerging Artist of the year. Her music is addicting, mysterious, and resembles the sounds of Adele and Tegan and Sara. -gabby catalano
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album Marshall Mathers LP 2 53%
Best Pop Album Random Access Memories 37%
Wolf 18% Nothing Was the Same 14% Yeezus 12% Back 2 Life 3%
20/20 25% Prism 14% Bangerz 13% ARTPOP 11%
This comeback album has already soared to the top 10 charts with raving reviews. Viewers say it has the “best new hits ever” and “all of the songs sound awesome so far.” I think other people will enjoy this album because it a mix of old hip hop and rap, as well as more modern styles involving dub steps. It is also a variety of songs to choose from, all with a different sound. I think these new songs have an underlying theme of the struggles seen throughout Eminem’s life and music career and how he overcame them. Overall, Eminem really has proved he is the king of hip hop with this astounding new album, “Marshall Mathers LP2.” -alex weingarten
Daft Punk’s album “Random Access Memories” definitely gave the disco genre a new edge for the 21st century. The music is completely alive with autotune robotic vocals, prominent falsetto, and echoing slow beats. Artists such as Julian Casablancas from The Strokes, songwriter Paul Williams, and the artist Panda Bear from Animal Collective contribute to the album’s mastery. One song really stood out to me, “Giorgio by Moroder,” with the Italian record producer and DJ Giorgio Moroder. The song resembles the eerie monotone vocals that Pink Floyd had done 40 years ago with “The Dark Side of The Moon,” and it finishes with a strong synth beat and groaning electric guitars. “Random Access Memories” is just another flavor of their musical talent and a perfect balance of 70’s disco and 90’s techno, best of both eras. -michael schulte
12.20.13
Art by Taylor Johnson.
12.20.13
Zombies, superheroes, minions, and sequels
T
his year has actually produced a good number of quality movies. Of course, it would be ideal to see most of these quality movies on the big screen, with a ginormous liter of soda and a tub of popcorn emblazoned with an advertisement for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” What with the price of tickets these days, however, I guess we’ll just have to settle for streaming the movie on Netflix. So, based on this year’s production, it appears the movie-going populace enjoys zombies, superheroes, the end of the world, and Sandra Bullock in space. This is not including, of course, the book adaptations and animated features and more sequels. Honestly, Fast and Furious 6? Didn’t you learn anything from the Saw franchise? In any case, it begs the question as to what
the film industry is coming to. I’ve heard that the film industry is running out of stories and that they have to resort to remaking movies from the 1970s and re-adapting classics. Honestly, we didn’t need another Gatsby, especially not one with jarringly modern music. This is the same industry that has brought us thought provoking films such as “Despicable Me 2,” “We’re the Millers,” and “Man of Steel.” And what about “World’s End,” with its questions about whether or not the human race is being taken over by robots and why a 40 year-old man is trying to act like an 18 year-old? Instant classic. All sarcasm aside, the movie industry is keeping the people entertained. The industry is playing to popular interests. That means that we get to look
forward to even more films about the apocalypse, zombies, strapping superheroes, and cute little minions, because that’s what people want. It’s not necessarily that they’re running out of ideas, it’s just what the public is giving the screenwriters to work with. For those who say that the films mean nothing, that they’re just stories, then I pose this question to you: doesn’t every story have a message? And doesn’t that message make the story that much greater? So, in the end, “Sharknado” is about perseverance, because that’s what it took to get through that film.
- kira elliott
Best Animation: Despicable Me 2 40%
Best Book Adaptation: The Great Gatsby 62%
Monster’s University 40% Epic 9% Croods 5% Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 5%
Ender’s Game 22% Mortal Instruments 9% Beautiful Creatures 7%
“Despicable Me 2” is a comical, heart-warming movie which you could watch on a hot date or with your grandma, like I did. Gru, the ex-villain, has turned into a devoted father of his three adopted girls. However, the world is not saved from evil. Gru himself is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help capture a criminal who has stolen a top-secret lab that holds a serum to mutate animals into monsters. Along with crack-up hilarious comedy, this sequel adds two love stories to the plot. Gru and his love interest, Lucy, chase down the villain, El Macho, and save the minions from their fate of eating the world’s largest cities after being transformed into purple, snarling beasts.
This was a busy year for book adaptations, such as “Beautiful Creatures”, “The Mortal Instruments: The City of Bones”, and “Ender’s Game. These movies proved not to be as popular as the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. “The Great Gatsby” was transformed into an entertaining and successful movie. Director Baz Luhrmann, known for movies such as “Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge”, had to take on the heavy role of portraying the book on screen. There were so many big name actors in the film such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, and Isla Fisher. The actors really gave the characters a deeper level of emotional depth because they were able to portray every scene realistically and honestly. While some hard-core Gatsby fans were disappointed by the approach that the movie took, many other people raved about how well the film came together. “The Great Gatsby” was an excellent book adaptation and it was definitely the most popular choice at SDA. -sara portnoy
-keely thompson
Best Comedy: We are the Millers 27% Bad Grandpa 25% This is the End 22% The Heat 16% The Hangover 3 10% In “We are the Millers”, Jason Bateman creates the epitome of the perfect American family for himself: a drug dealer dad, stripper mom, homeless rebel daughter, and socially awkward son.He uses this ideal “family” to help him pull off a massive drug deal in Mexico. Snarky, sexual humor makes this comedy beyond hilarious. Scenes including a “son” learning how to kiss from his “mom” and “sister” and a “mom” saving her family by doing a strip-tease may lead you to believe this movie is tasteless. However, when done by America’s old and new sweethearts, Jennifer Aniston and Emma Roberts, you can hardly bring yourself to judge them. That said, this is not one to see with your grandma. -elise echeverria
Best Horror: The Conjuring 31% Insidious 2 27% Carrie 17% The Purge 16% The Exorcism Part 2 10% It was Halloween night and my friends begged me to watch this movie. “It’s not that scary,” they said... In my 17 years of living, I have never seen a movie more haunting than “The Conjuring.” This movie is every director’s and producer’s dream. It has excellent actors, creepy toy dolls, a mysterious setting, eerie music, and a “The Exorcist meets Insidious” kind of theme. The actor’s make-up isn’t too dramatic and the storyline is in the least bit overdone. But, the best part is that it’s a true story. This movie will have you shaking, sweating, jumping out of your seat, and traumatized for the next week (at least I was). You will have nightmares and you will be drenched in fear, which is why this movie was voted Best Horror of the year. -gabby catalano
12.20.13
Spin “The Wonderful Wheel of Genre” to determine which 2013 movie you should watch over winter break. Collaboration of Roya Chagnon, Dylan Hendrickson, Tacy Manis, Kirsten Walz, and Sam Winter.
Other
War Torn
War with who?
Apocalypse
Man Sized, Please
Marvel
s! rve wa D of
Marvel or DC?
Who?
Demons
Us
Romantic Illusions
I Prefer Jumpsuits How does your hero fly?
Scary Monsters
DC
Past or present?
I Need a Hero
er
Could you be more specific?
Metal suits?
Bright
Funny
Pow
I think the future is...
Dark
BLOOD
Funny or Scary?
Rocket Boots
Tornado
Terror from the Deep Why?
Scary
Method of Transport?
Action-Packed
Aliens
Past
What’s the intangible antagonist?
What do you need?
Space Present
I Need a Vacation
I Need a Laugh
Racism
I Need a Ride
W
1840s or 1940s?
Beyond the Pines
Chilly
1840’s
I’m feeling...
Internet Gals
Guys or Gals? Hungry
Guys Eggs Benedict Cumberbatch
Bob’s Your Uncle!
s
Does the End involve drinking?
iou
Yes
Falling from the Sky
...in pubs?
How do you like your eggs?
ud
St
Nope
I’m Vegan
the ith
Inter-dimensional Portal
Giant Sized, Please
Zombies
Benedict “Between the Dawn of Faerie and the Dominion of Men”
When?
Benedict Future
Benedict Present
Benedict Past
1940’s
12.20.13
Best Action: Iron Man 3 30% World War Z 24% Star Trek: Into Darkness 23% Man of Steel 12% Fast & Furious 6 10% Usually, the movie quality starts to decline by the time the third sequel rolls around (“Pirates of the Caribbean 3,” “Ice Age 3,” “Madagascar 3”). “Iron Man 3,” however, defies convention. It keeps with the Iron Man tradition, full of Stark Snark and awesome fight sequences, while also traveling down some other roads and exploring Tony Stark’s character. For example, “Iron Man 3” deals with Stark’s post-traumatic stress disorder, caused by the alien invasion in Avengers. It also dealt with Stark trying to reimagine his life without the Iron Man suit. So yes, Stark is still a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, but he is also creative and innovative – there is more to the man than the construction of Iron Man, superhero. The introduction of Harvey, a bright young kid Stark meets after being stranded in the middle of nowhere, helps keep the movie down-to-earth, and Pepper Pots keeps the audience guessing. The end raises a lot of questions regarding the second Avengers movie – expected to be released in 2015 – such as, what will Stark do next? -kira elliot
Best Indie: Don Jon 37% The Place Beyond the Pines 20% Blue Jasmine 19% The Spectacular Now 15% Admission 9%
Best Actor/Actress: Jennifer Lawrence 38% Benedict Cumberbatch 23% Sandra Bullock 23% Bradley Cooper 16% Shailene Woodley 1% Let’s be real, not many people could fall flat on their face in front of millions and pull it off. Jennifer Lawrence is the exception. While accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook,” J-Law took a stumble that only served to solidify her role as a teen icon. Lawrence’s quirky attitude and direct personality are not reflected in her acting performances. This is because when she acts, she can become a completely different person. She can be cold and stubborn Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games” movies, confident and steadfast Tiffany in the “Silver Linings Playbook,” and determined and vengeful Ree in “Winter’s Bone.” Lawrence is able to be a serious actress, while keeping a down-to-earth genuineness. In the words of SDA’s choice for best actress: “If I don’t have anything to do all day, I might not even put my pants on.” She is the voice of our generation. -katie mcpherson
Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Need I say more? No, but these blurbs have a length requirement so here it goes. I’d definitely recommend this movie if you haven’t seen it yet. This movie’s got a little bit of everything: comedy, romance, excessive amounts of porn, and an amazing cast. And if Scarlett Johansson, Tony Danza, Julianne Moore, and Brie Larson don’t float your boat, then you should be impressed by the fact that Joseph Gordon-Levitt wrote, directed, and starred in this movie. This is JGL’s first large scale production of his own, and it’s a pretty big success for an independent film, grossing over $8.6 million in its opening weekend. His character, Jon, is a New Jersey porn-addict trying to be happy with his love life despite the unrealistic expectations caused by his obsession. The plot takes a few twists that I wasn’t expecting, but Jon’s character development throughout the entire movie as he learns to appreciate real, meaningful sex was really well written and stuck with me after the credits rolled. -tacy manis
Best Drama: Gravity 41% 42 21% The Butler 17% 12 Years a Slave 13% Mud 8% This year, “Gravity” stunned viewers with its beautiful computer-graphic imagery and cinematography, and acclaimed actors Sandra Bullock and George Clooney starred in this sci-fi thriller. The movie follows Dr. Ryan Stone, who is new to space, and her colleague Matt Kowalski, as they attempt to get back to their shuttle after a cloud of debris causes irreparable damage. Several problems occur and nothing goes easy for the pair. From the moment the movie begins, viewers were biting their nails anxiously, hearts pounding. Making $206.1 million in the box office within its first month of showing, “Gravity” was one of this years must watch films, and voted by SDA as Best Drama. -jessica rowan
Worst Movie: Sharknado 39% Spring Breakers 25% Scary Movie 6 14% The Incredible Burt Wonderstone 13% Grown Ups 2 9% Complete with casual acceptance of flying, human hungry sharks, and an unusually high concentration of half-explained natural disasters, “Sharknado” is certainly the most absurd horror movie I have seen this year. As if the concept of shark-infested weather (including floods, hurricanes, and water spouts) engulfing Southern California is not outlandish enough on its own, the humor is unbelievable. Jokes are awkwardly placed throughout the movie in the form of the most incredibly morbidly funny and ironic lines and occurrences. If you laugh, you are a terrible person. The movie’s most redeeming qualities, aside from the particularly attractive characters (as all Californians are in real life), include the grace with which absolutely nothing is explained, including the momentarily exposed emotional dramas in the background, and the driving factors of the plot itself. In addition, the main characters are delightfully way too prepared for this movie, and carry grappling hooks, ropes, guns, and tons of ammo in their back pockets. Although nobody has actually seen this movie, I can confidently say that SDA called this one right; “Sharknado” is, by far, the best terrible movie I have ever seen. -nicole smith
12.20.13
12.20.13
Art by Irena Weaver.
12.20.13
Back to reality A
ll our lives we’ve been led to believe that the holidays are a time to turn off the phone, put down the books, and take a break from work/school to spend quality time with friends and family. But I’m beginning to think that these wholesome interactions with other humans are not so much a choice, a break from our busy lives, but a last resort when we realize there is no longer anything to watch on TV. With the fall season over and the TV industry going into hibernation, we are now left to flip through the channels for holiday specials, reality shows, and reruns of “The Bourne Ultimatum” - the dried-up leftovers of Television’s Past. While we wait for all this holiday crap to end and our favorite shows to return, it is time to reflect on TV of 2013.
It was a good year, at least for our guilty consciences, which could justify not doing homework or pirating music by relishing the moral ambiguity of “The Walking Dead” or “Breaking Bad,” and telling ourselves that “At least
I don’t leave innocent people to die,” or “Hey, I’ve never dealt meth/been a bystander to the murder of a child.” Of course, that might change as people mourn the end of “Breaking Bad,” and look for new violent/rebellious ways to channel their emotions. This year’s reality TV helped to soothe our egos with shows like “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” and the various editions of “The Real Housewives,” which makes us feel smart and civilized and elitist over the fact that we’ve never rolled around in butter/ripped out anyone’s weave. While talent shows like “The Voice” deflate our egos by reminding us that even if 71 people ‘like’ that video of us singing “It’s Raining Men” on Youtube, we’re really not all that talented. Of course we don’t know how to feel about “Duck Dynasty” and “Keeping up With the Kardashians” which remind us that although we don’t devote time to duck extinction or get into daily fighting matches in the car, we are not as rich and successful as them, nor will we ever
Most Popular Series: The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad 35%
have as impressive beards/boobs. But all these inadequacies are forgotten as soon as we turn on the sweet escape that is television, so there’s not really any time for psycho analysis anyway. And since I do happen to have a subscription to Netflix, instead of celebrating Christmas and New Year’s with my family I’ll be ringing in 2014 by re-watching all eight seasons of “The Office” and devoting my time to what’s really important.
Best Commercial: AT&T man 59%
Game of Thrones 12% American Horror Story 10% Carrie Diaries 8%
Allstate 19% Cheerios 8% M&M 8% Geico 6%
Best Reality TV Show: Duck Dynasty 43%
TV Show That Needs to End: Here Comes Honey Boo Boo 37%
It’s no surprise that “Breaking Bad” and “the Walking Dead” are the most popular shows on television and at SDA. Both shows have developed throughout multiple seasons with stirring character development and intriguing plot twists. The main characters in “the Walking Dead” and “Breaking Bad” aren’t the “good” protagonists people are used to. In fact, their flaws are extensive and highly explored by the directors. The action, intelligence, and development portrayed in the two series are executed with a highly refined sense for the minute details, which serve to keep both shows fresh and relevant. “Breaking Bad’s” series finale broke 10 million viewers, and the Walking Dead continues to bring in millions of fans each episode. There are scary shows, haunting shows, ingenious shows, but none can quite say “I’m the one who knocks” like “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead.” -katie mcpherson
Master Chef 17% Catfish 17% Real Housewives 13% Breaking Amish 10%
First, there was a family business dedicated to designing duck calls, then a TV show, now – a phenomenon that’s sweeping across the country. “Duck Dynasty” has captured the TIVOs and hearts of America through its humor and quirky antics. The show follows their slightly bizarre, yet endearing daily lifefrom squirrel hunting, to balancing beaver annihilation with running their multi-million dollar company, “Duck Commander.” Having just finished its fourth season in two years, the show has already broken several rating records and continues to grow in popularity A plethora of” Duck Dynasty” merchandise is now available for purchase including a cookbook, CDs, bobble heads, phone cases, even a book titled “Si-Cology: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle. It’s hardly a surprise that this charming, rednecky, family-based show was voted this year’s best reality TV show. -linden amundsen
-lily leavesseur
It’s not complicated. Every time those AT&T commercials come on, featuring dead-pan actor Beck Bennett and a handful of over-enthralled children, no one cares about being able to fast forward. The ad depicts different variations of a similar scenario where these children, no older than 10, are asked a general question. Their unscripted responses are then, in some way, connected to an array of cell phone network statistics promoting the unparalleled glory of the brand. While, by then, most people have generally moved on and tuned out, the concept at least succeeds in grabbing initial attention. Maybe it has something to do with the cuteness level of those chubby-cheeked geniuses. Maybe it appeals to a deep, inner longing to return to the happier times of unquestionable kindergarten logic. Whatever the endorsement’s secret is, it almost always leaves its viewers agreeing, “That’s adorable.” -elise gout
Keeping Up with the Kardashians 34% American Idol 22% The X Factor 7% Although “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” can be entertaining to watch, this toddler diva has been sassing up the television screen for too long. “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” is a reality television series filmed in the rural hometown of McIntyre, Georgia, featuring the family of a child beauty star contestant known as “Honey Boo Boo.” The families’ outrageous and gross redneck behavior is a disgraceful use to get more air time on TLC. When subtitles are needed to interpret a whole family’s English, you know there is a problem. Television needs to stop making these ridiculous shows mocking people of their stupidity for entertainment. Instead TLC should air reality shows focusing on the lives of people actually thriving to better themselves and the world. This show needs “Honey Bye Bye” off of television. -anne bilse
12.20.13
Art by Manon Wogahn.
12.20.13
The pyramid of trends
E
ach year, new trends emerge and old trends return, but the question is, which trends will gain the most likability and which will be placed in the “what was I thinking?” file? The 2013 year saw the best and worst of fashion, from crop-tops, cuffed jeans, five-panel hats, and dip-dyed hair. Being a fashionista, a person devoted to unique or high fashion, my intuition was spot-on to distinguish between the wow trends, the mediocre trends, and the terrible trends. The wow trends: trends that are accessible, stylish, and different from previous years. The first trend that became very popular was cuffed jeans, a simple style most popular with guys but also girls. Cuffed jeans is a great summer look topped with any colored blouse or buttoned-shirt and any styled shoes. Another trend most apparent in the spring and summer is five-panel hats. These hats can be worn on a sunny day at the beach, a school day, a flight to New York, or even on a bad hair day.
Many eclectic-looking shoes were prominent this year: cutout oxfords, heeled sandals, platform shoes, and lace-up boots. Purchased at more mainstream stores like Urban Outfitters and Free People or even some thrift shops, these shoes walked the SDA campus, traveled around the world, got lost in a big city, and were worn on a job interview. Everywhere I looked I saw these shoes. They are cute, easy-to-wear, mostly affordable, and ultimately, will continue to be popular shoe trends next year. The mediocre trends: trends that aren’t terrible or from last year but are very overdone. Dip-dyed hair is a major trend this year with common colors being red, purple, and blue. This hair style mimics the punk-rock era and many celebrities like Demi Lovato, Christina Aguilera, and Katy Perry. Personally, I have nothing against people wanting to dye the edges of their hair the colors of the rainbow; however, the trend continued all year which made it a little annoying.
The terrible trends: trends that need to end, trends that make you say “that is sooo middle school,” and trends that embarrass and attract unwanted attention. At an early age, we were taught that clothing is meant to cover the skin, not reveal it. However, years later came the crop-top, an extra small piece of clothing that can reveal the entire stomach, and at times, act as a bikini top. Maybe I’m just conservative when it comes to dressing, but this trend attracts a lot of attention, and not the good kind. Another terrible trend this year was camo print. This print has been around for several decades, and it just doesn’t want to end. 2013 was a year full of favorable trends and awful trends. Hopefully we’ll have more wow and less mediocre and terrible next year. I have a feeling that crop-tops will still be “in style.” Let the skin showing begin. - gabby catalano
Best Hair Trend: Buns 24 %
Best Girl Trend: Cut-out dresses 37 %
Flower headbands 23% Pixie cut 21% Bangs 17% Headbands
Floral print 22% Overalls 18% Wide-brim hats 12% Peplum tops 11 %
Buns are showing up everywhere… upon girls heads. This hairstyle that originally was used for lazy days and workouts has now made an everyday appearance for teenage girls. One of the most popular buns being the sock bun, which has made its long journey from using an actual sock to products such as “Hot Buns” or “The Lovely Little Hair Bun”. In addition to this classic ballerina bun with a twist, many girls are trying out the messy bun or the recent fad of the double Miley Cyrus bun. These small buns on either side of the top of the head have spread across high schools across the nation since Miley’s unforgettable VMA’s performance accompanied by Robin Thicke. As the buns get higher and higher, so do their ratings for best hairstyle across San Dieguito. - mycah ayala
Girls seem to have somewhat moved on from those hi-lo skirts into a new trend: cut-out dresses. These new dresses feature bare skin in often multiple places, namely in the waist and in the back. This trend is also apparent on the red carpet, with many stars old and young sporting dresses with cut-outs in sometimes risqué places. SDA girls seem to keep this trend appropriate, though, and many are participating. You can find these dresses at Urban Outfitters, Francesca’s, H&M, and other popular stores. They come in a wide variety of colors and prints, from floral to solid black, and in many different styles. These dresses are easy to wear yet very stylish, and are a great compliment to any wardrobe. - manon wogahn
Best Guy Trend: Cuffed jeans 37%
Trend That Needs to End: Camo print 26%
Cardigans 22% Denim jackets 18% Corduroy 13% Five-panel hats 10%
Dip-dyed hair 25% Crop tops 20% Uggs 19% Leggings as pants 10%
Let’s rewind in time and submerge ourselves into fifties culture: leather jackets, gelled hair, and cuffed jeans were often popular among young men of this time. And while not all boys at SDA gel their hair back, many are finding themselves cuffing their pants. Rolled-up pants are all the rage on campus these days, and whether it’s intentional or not, guys are certainly channeling that fifties look. You can find these pants in denim, corduroy, and any other pants fabric. You can buy these pants pre-cuffed, or you can cuff them yourself. Either way is a great method of participating in this trend. These pants go with anything and everything, and it is extremely easy to get the look. - manon wogahn
Apparently, people have been wearing camo print clothing. I haven’t seen much of it, so maybe they’ve just camouflaged themselves against the mainstream world, although green and brown splotches would only make their hip style stick out more. I mean, if they really wanted to disappear, they should use pictures of their natural habitat. Namely, a thrift shop, or maybe a record store. Seriously, what is up with this camo print fad? I’m not really surprised that the people voted camo print as the trend that most needs to end this year. The whole point of camouflage is to hide yourself, not stand out like a brand new skinny army recruit. - terren brin
12.20.13
Art by Chloe Rock
12.20.13
Best Twitter Battle: Drake Bell v. Justin Beiber 37 %
Best Vine Video: Bat Dad 35 %
Kanye West v. Jimmy Kimmel 27% Amanda Bynes v. Drake 23% Perez Hilton v. Lady Gaga 13%
Smack Cam 28% Josh Peck 15% Bo Burnham 12% Jack and Jack 9 %
A recent Twitter uproar has taken place between two young male icons: childhood crush Drake Bell and national celebrity Justin Bieber. The fight first started with an anti-KatyPerry status that supposedly was a “hack” on Bell’s twitter account. After the damage had been cleared up, Bell commented, “I wouldn’t randomly bash @katyperry...bieber however lol”. Beliebers were outraged and hassled Bell. Yet, the posts continued, “I haven’t listened to much Justin Bieber but his songs must be full of hate and rage because that’s what his believers are filled with…” Despite the continuation of the twitter feud, Bieber managed to keep his composure and acted maturely replying, “Drake and Josh was my favorite show as a kid. Really.” After this, Bell quieted down with the posts. - alynne powers
This popular Vine features BatDad, a father advising his wife and four children under the mask of Batman. He teaches family lessons, such as of brushing teeth, seat belts, and bedtime. BatDad, Blake Wilson, makes fun of the situations that everyone can relate to, increasing the popularity of his Vines, especially among mothers and fathers. It’s entertaining to watch his hilarious adventures in parenting, and it’s also refreshing to see a dad so committed to his family. - lauren shaw
Best Viral Video: Twerking girl catches on fire 40%
Best Celebrity Break-Up: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez 46%
How Animals Eat Their Food 30% GoPro: FiremanSaves Kitten 16% Lily’s Disneyland Surprise 17% Chinese Food Videos 4%
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth 39% Kris and Bruce Jenner 21% Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr 6%
This year’s most popular video reflected 2013’s twerking culture. Caitlin Heller uploaded the video of herself twerking –titled “Worst Twerk Fail EVER.” At the peak of her twerking intensity, someone opened the door that Heller was twerking on, causing her to fall over onto a coffee table, which, was covered with lit candles. That was on Sept. 3. A week later, late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel invited Heller onto his show for an interview via Skype. In the interview, Kimmel asked why the video ended so abruptly and if there was more unseen footage. It was then that he stepped behind the magic curtain and into the room Heller was Skyping him from—right there in the studio. Together, they revealed to the public the rest of the video, in which Kimmel bursts through the door with a fire extinguisher to save Heller from her fiery doom, revealing that he had been behind the whole thing. - roya chagnon
Jelena has won Best Celebrity Breakup now two years in a row. Apparently getting a tattoo of your girlfriend and her cleavage no longer indicates a desire for life-long commitment, as evidenced in the split of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, who broke up (again) in June. Of all the tumultuous Hollywood relationships, SDA was apparently most shocked by the breakup of these two selfie-taking, top-edgy-for-Disney, young pop sensations. Jelena began dating in February 2011 and have since been providing extensive photos/drama/ material to fangirl over or scandalize – UNTIL NOW. Their relationship can be best described in one of Gomez’ recent Instagram captions, which fans speculate was a reaction to Bieber’s steamy music video kiss with blonde/ Caucasian model Cailin Russo: “I thought he only liked the Latina category...” - lily leavesseur
Most Scandalous Moment: Miley Cyrus VMA’s 57 % Toronto Mayor crack scandal 15% Bob Filner 15% Paula Dean 9% Lance Armstrong 5% Miley Cyrus had everything going her: a TV show where she played a sweet, innocent southerner who lives in glamorous California; a solo career that launched from the TV show and turned her into a real world famous pop star; a father who sang a horrible hit single in the 90s. Then, the Event arrived in a one-piece suit. For five glorious, awkward-glance-to-friends-beside-you inducing minutes, Miley owned the stage and drew all eyes on her. No matter how horrible or how distasteful you thought it was, you watched in fascination with the same question: “Is she really doing that?” I’m disappointed because this is probably the high water mark for Miley Cyrus and her infamous public image. Nothing she will do in the months and years to come could ever top grinding at an awards ceremony. Like with every other “scandalous” moment in Miley Cyrus’s career, it will be replaced by some other celebrity’s salacious life, or some fancy couple’s baby.
- dylan hendrickson
Most Popular iPhone App: Snapchat 34 % Instagram 33% Vine 15% Candy Crush 14% Twitter 5% Remember that moment in class the other day, when the girl in your English class broke from her default expression to raise her phone to her face and exaggeratedly smile, maybe throw up a peace sign? She was probably snapchatting. Snapchat is an app that allows its users to effectively text with pictures and video. You snap a picture or record a video of whatever you want to the recipient for a maximum of 10 ten seconds, before it disappears forever and can never be seen again. If your message is ‘screenshotted,’ then you’re notified, giving way to a sense of security that worries some teachers and counselors because of recent ‘sexting’ scandals. For the most part, though, Snapchat is used to document duck faces, peace signs, and vine-like video clips of friends’ everyday lives. Some people carry on entire conversations through pictures and video clips sent back and forth over a few hours, yet mostly the app is used just to “snap” funny or interesting tidbits of life. - peri anderson
12.20.13
2013 Culture classics
I
usually consider myself to be very in tune with Internet culture. I mean, I wrote the intro for this section last year and had countless things to talk about. But when I took a look at the winners this year, I felt completely out of the loop. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m still living in the pop culture of last year. I’m still laughing at Ryan Lochte’s tweets that charmed us all last summer, completely unaware of the twitter battles that have apparently been happening this year. I’m still on a high from how ridiculously amazing “The Avengers” was, and if the number of times I’ve re-watched it on Netflix counts for anything, I’m not coming down anytime soon. I mean, let’s be honest, 2012 was an amazing year for pop culture. We had an elec-
tion, we had an Olympics, and we had a Ridiculously Photogenic Guy. This year just hasn’t lived up to the expectations set by last year. Somehow I’ve managed to listen to and to love all of the nominated podcasts, except for the one that won (check out my blurb for it if you want to find out how someone can write a review of something, using only a Wikipedia entry). And I’ve read my fair share of books this year, but none of the nominees. I’m a very passive user of both Snapchat and Vine. And sure I was aware of Miley’s VMA performance and the twerking girl who caught on fire, but they didn’t catch my attention like “Call Me Maybe” did last year. Somehow, most of this year’s nominees have flown right over my head. This isn’t to say that 2013 hasn’t had some great
Best Book: House of Hades 29%
Inferno 25% Humans of New York 19% Allegiant 17% The Cuckoo’s Calling 9% “To my wonderful readers: sorry about that last cliffhanger. Well, no, not really. HAHAHAHA. But seriously, I love you guys.”Rick Riordan’s “House of Hades” dedication says it all for his fourth installment for Heroes of Olympus. As Percy and Annabeth battle through Tartarus and the rest of the gang have even more trouble crossing Italy, Riordan sprinkles little gifts along the way. Old characters get dug up (The Titan Custodian). Odd fan questions get answered (pen, sword, or both?). Characters get developed into gods of awesomeness (Frank, yes, abs). Laugh, cry, then scream at the end ‘cause, despite Riordan’s apologies, he just couldn’t help but leave his readers with a doozy of a cliffhanger for the next 10 months. -katrina olsen
cultural moments, though. Let’s take a moment to appreciate all those who didn’t make this issue. Best memes wasn’t a category this year, but if it were, we would need to pay homage to the contagious “Harlem Shake” and the rabid “YASSS GAGA!” Who knew spastic body movements and the cat-calls of a fanboy could reach so far on the internet? Also, the 50th Anniversary of “Doctor Who” took over the internet for weeks leading up to the special day. All across the world, Whovians rejoiced as David Tennant returned for one episode to their favorite Sci-Fi series. If you’re like me and missed the “best of pop culture,” we’ve got you covered. Read the blurbs below to read up on your classmate’s favorites. -tacy manis
Best Podcast: Stuff You Should Know 30% Nerdist 27% Welcome to Night Vale 20% This American Life 15% WNYC’s Radio Lab 7%
“Stuff You Should Know” is a free bi-weekly podcast from Discovery Communication’s HowStuffWorks. com. Two of the websites writers, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, host and, as the title suggests, talk about stuff you should know. With topics ranging from alternative energy to zombies, this podcast covers anything and everything. It’s informational – whether that information is actually useful or not is another question, but if you’re looking to learn something new, I’d recommend it. -tacy manis
Best Video Game: Grand Theft Auto 5 42% Pokémon X and Y 24% Assassin’s Creed 4 15% Bioshock Infinite 13% Animal Crossing: New Leaf 5% “Grand Theft Auto V”: (GTA V) has more to offer than meets the eye. Since GTA IV, Rockstar Games has upped the ante with an impressively large open world, three new protagonist gangsters to switch between playing as, and the numerous amounts of side missions to complete between big heists. From petty bank robberies, to massive missions like stealing secret information from the government, GTA V serves up more than just stealing and selling Lamborghin’s on the street, and that is why it was voted Best Video Game of the year. So for all those people who didn’t get chosen by the Thug Life, here is your opportunity to choose it, and live that 720p gangsta lyfe to the fullest. -reiko inouye
12.20.13
12.20.13
Gym Buff
Gingerbread Eats Loaf The seasonal struggle The perfect go-to recipe for a compete dessert over break. Recipe by Wendy Disch.
Despite their sweetness, two holdiday foods bring helpful health benefits. Story by Wendy Disch.
It’s been a lifelong wintertime struggle. As each year comes and goes, I have one issue yet to be resolved: pep2 cups oat flour permint or gingerbread? Every Christmas party, every Potentially 2 cups of whole wheat flour seasonal potluck and each coffee shop stop forces me into a should oat flour not be used mental corner. Pinch of salt In order to have confidence in my decision, I properly 1 ½ tsp cinnamon investigated what each has to offer. Apparently peppermint, 1 ½ tsp ginger in addition to being irresistibly delicious, has a particularly ½ tsp nutmeg 1/3 cup brown sugar high level of both Vitamin A and manganese. These two 1 egg underrated nutrients are helpful in maintaining a healthy ¼ cup molasses immune system as well as controlling normal blood sugar. ¼ cup coconut oil, melted Peppermint also has amazing abilities to assist with the 1 banana digestive system and relax muscles, which is why it’s so commonly used in herbal teas. Directions Ginger, on the other hand, has been 1. Preheat oven to 350 used for centuries because of its sup°F posedly wondrous therapeutic ben2. Process oat floor efits. Just like peppermint, it’s been in food processor for used to help with digestive issues. 1-2 minutes Note that this can be However, it’s also been known to substituted for whole help with coughs, cramps, and even wheat flour if easier stomach pains. or more affordable. So how do I choose? Clearly each of 3. Combine first six these remedies has taste and health goingredients in a medium ing for it, when not drowning in sugar and bowl. Art by Alynne Powers chocolate. So I’ve made my decision. I’m having 4. In a large bowl, combine last five both. I want my tummy soothed by ginger and muscles deingredients. tensified by peppermint. But mostly, the holidays are a time 5. Mix dry ingredients into wet until well for acceptance. That’s why I’m making an effort to include incorporated. all: both black and white, rich and poor, and most impor6. Grease a bread pan and bake mixture tantly, gingerbread and peppermint. for roughly 45 minutes
Ingredients
Senior Keely Thompson tones her quads by repeatedly raising her leg with the support of the barre. Photo by Annie Goodstein.
Raising the barre
Senior Keely Thompson goes on another exercise adventure, this time to the Encinitas Xtend Barre studio. After nine hours of a draining engineering tour and sitting in traffic for 25 minutes to go two miles to the Encinitas Boxing Gym on Westlake, in our terrifying truck I’ve only driven on country roads, I arrived at Xtend Barre ten minutes late. I ran into the room of all girls, located Seniors Serena Saake and Annie Goodstein, and found my place. Barre classes are rooms set up with ballet-class barres around the perimeter and full-length mirrors on the walls. These classes are designed for ex-dancers to keep their fitness level up with low-impact, strengthening and stretching exercises. I looked around and noticed I didn’t fit in with all the other students, fully decked out in Lululemon attire, super skinny, flexible, and seemed to have been dancing since they were born Barbie. NFL cheerleader and our instructor, Emma Radwick, enthusiastically lead the class. We started with some light weight warm-ups. Then, we walked to the barre where we did tip-toe squats. My legs were shaking like I have never seen them shake, even after a really hard hill workout with the cross country team. I looked over to my friends and saw that they were also concentrating equally hard
on the same thing. Finally, Radwick told us we could stop torturing ourselves and move onto balls which were equally frustrating. Exercises included putting the ball between our legs and squeezing or putting it behind our knee and doing circles. Saake, the Pilates expert, stood at the bar like the other practiced dancers. Goodstein and I had to chase the balls all over the studio. Goodstein promptly told me, “I don’t like you very much right now.” And the rest of the class followed in a similar way, more coordination, flexibility, and strength exercises. We did all sorts of dance moves, squats, sit-ups, and as Radwick called it “squeezing those buns.” For cool-down, Radwick asked us to put our foot on the barre and our head on our leg. I tried, almost fell over, and eventually got my leg up there. Finally, the class was over and my quads were wiped out. No more embarrassment over my inflexibility, inability to balance, or lack of Lululemon attire. Although this class was an extraordinary, lowimpact workout, I would only recommend it to girls that are exdancers or gymnasts; unless you just have a lot of self-confidence.
Zombie iPodcalypse
A new and phone-friendly way to find motivation when running. Story by Jessica Rowan. I don’t know about you, but it takes a lot for me to go running. On another note, zombies scare me. It just so happens that there’s an app out there that features zombies, and is made to make people run. “Zombies! Run” held a lot of potential in my eyes, so I bit the bullet, and bought it for $3.99 in the ITunes app store. After a quick download, I plugged in my headphones and went out for a jog. Needless to say, it was the most productive run I’ve ever experienced. The app plays like a story, which you, the runner, are a character in. From chapter one, you begin a journey of survival, and the more you run, the better chances you have. The app itself is an adventure, and has you captivated in the
outcome of the plot. It starts off with a group of people from their zombie-proof base communicating with passengers in an aircraft. But things get messy when the aircraft is shot down and you are the only survivor. Mind you, this game is purely audio-based, so everything is spoken into your ears. It’s very motivational, and fun. It was only when the initial zombie encounter happened that I really felt pressured to run. Using a pedometer, it measures the speed you’re running at, and if you’re going too slow, the game adds dead people chasing you to entice you to speed up. Trust me, you’ll want to run. My mind was reeling and my heart was pounding – let’s just say this isn’t for the faint of heart. The game is scary and intense,
Photo by Tacy Manis.
and it’ll keep you running longer. Whether it’s because you want to listen to the interesting plot, or you’re having too much fun to stop, you’ll have to find out.
12.20.13
Psychology Trying to make the world more multi-player
Video and Computer Game Statistics
As video games lean towards further violence, some new games are working to combat detrimental social implications on young children. Their goal? Try to plant the seeds for growing understanding with one another. Story by Mycah Ayala.
With the constant releases of video games, such as “Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4,” children seem to be on a violent streak with their never-ending screen time dedicated to killing other people. The trend of violent video games has been blamed already for school shootings and increased bullying, but some video game creators have begun having more positive ideas about how to get away from violence and lean more towards education, teaching empathy. This is done through ways including being immersed as a different person and seeing the world through the eyes of the video game character as well as dealing with death. One of these innovative video game creators is Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts (EA Sports), who has recently taken notice of this modern educa-
tion reform movement. In his new game that he has created, children enter in a world called “Greenberry” that is made up of cats and dogs, who are seen as rivals in real life. The main concept of the game is to work out the differences between the two groups, by being able to talk and listen to other players. Instead of harnessing negative emotions towards other players, players are forced to listen and understand one another by seeing each other’s perspective, therefore, teaching the players empathy. Along with violence being present in many video games, there also comes the theme of death. Death can be made to seem unimportant in these games since it is so common. Gamers everywhere, including some of those at San Dieguito’s campus, see death as nothing in these games, as they
can constantly “respawn” and come back to life. “Death loses its meaning because in video games you don’t have to worry about dying because there is always another chance to come back alive,” said senior Cole Driscoll, frequent Pokemon player. Hawkins and other video game creators want to get away from the idea of death in video games by teaching children how to deal with loss and grief of a fellow player. For example, once a character dies in Hawkin’s game, the other players have to go to a virtual counseling session with a community leader and learn deep breathing exercises and more to cope with that character’s death. Since society is entering a technology filled world, video games like this may soon be the new teachers of life skills. They have
already gained much enthusiasm, as seen in Jonathan Belman and Mary Flanagan’s study. Some critics believe that this new game won’t strengthen children’s social and emotional intelligence, but rather slow it down because of the constant time spent on electronic devices and missing out on real life experiences. Others believe that this video game could potentially open up doors for children to bully others, such as J. Sutton’s stance on bullying and the theory of mind. He argues that a video game designed like this “allows them [bullies] to more effectively manipulate their peers and harass them in ways that maximize psychological impact.” Although there is a possibility this could happen, people like Hawkins are dedicated to trying to create the future of educational videogames.
•58% of Americans play video games • 52% of parents say video games are a positive part of their child’s life •In 2012, the top selling video game was Call of Duty: Black Ops II •62% of gamers play with others, either in-person or online •86% of parents believe the parental controls available on all new video game consoles are useful •Some of the top reasons why gamers say they purchase a computer or video game are the following: quality of the game graphics, an interesting storyline, a sequel to a favorite game, word of mouth Source: The 2013 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry, a report by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) this year.
12.20.13
Girls Volleyball
Cross Country Girls and boys cross country teams race at the CIF playoffs, and senior Chloe Rock makes it to state championships. At the CIF race at Morely Field on Nov. 23, the girls placed fourth and the boys placed sixth. Rock qualified as an individual to race at the state championships by placing eighth out of 118 girls at CIF. At State, she placed 72nd out of 190 girls. Said Rock, “State was something that I thought was impossible for me…it shows that my determination for running wasn’t limited, and that’s something I’m really proud of myself for. It was a rough season and a lot of girls got injured. Our coach’s ideal dream team from last year unfortunately fell apart, and I was sad to not have them there with me in Fresno, because my team is seriously everything to me.”
Senior Chloe Rock (in the dark uniform) runs in the State Championship race in Fresno. Photo courtesy of Chloe Rock.
The varsity girls team at the starting line of the CIF race. Photo courtesy of Sherri Cortez of San Diego Runners.
Senior Amanda Colla jumps to spike the ball. Photo courtesy of Phillip Colla.
The girls volleyball team wins league and makes it to the CIF Quaterfinals.
The SDA girls volleyball team was dubbed Avocado East League champions, defeating their opponents with a league record of 7-1. Their overall record for the season was 22-13. They won in the 1st round of CIF playoffs against La Jolla. In the quarter finals of CIF, they lost to Division I Rancho Buena Vista. Senior Amanda Colla was awarded Avocado East Player of the Year. “I just play because I love volleyball, but it feels really nice when people recognize the dedication and hard work I put in. It was a cherry on top to my last year!” she said.
The Stang Gang and the volleyball team rush onto the court after their victory over La Jolla in the first round of CIF playoffs. Photo courtesy of Phillip Colla.
12.20.13
G irls Golf
Field Hockey The field hockey team lost in the first round of CIF playoffs. After finishing their season with a record of 6-16, the field hockey team still managed to make it into the CIF playoffs this season. They were seeded number ten, and lost to Bishop’s in overtime during the game on Saturday, Nov. 16. Said senior Sara Shuldberg, “We ended the season with only two subs because of injuries. We had six unbelieveably amazing freshmen but it was hard because they came from middle school and were expected to play with seniors at DI schools.” Said senior Anisa Smith, “We were stoked to get an opportunity to go to CIF. Even though we lost, it was a good experience for the younger players.”
Junior MacKenzie Haller challenges a player on the Bishop’s team. Photo courtesy of Dave Haller.
Senior Abby Novack makes it to the second day of CIF for the second year in a row.
According to senior Abby Novack, she had a successful season filled with personal bests. Said Novack, “CIF is an amazing experience…I’m grateful to play with the best girls in all of San Diego. I am happy I made it to CIF both this year and last. Only 25 out of 80 girls make the cut for the second day and I’m glad I played well. I am excited to bring my game to the college level and I couldn’t have asked for a much better season.”
Senior Abby Novack on the course. Photo courtesy of Abby Novack.
Girls Tennis
Both Sam Hodges, senior, and Jennifer Kerr, freshman, advance to the CIF quarterfinals.
Senior Sara Shuldberg shoots the ball in the CIF game versus Bishop’s on Nov. 16. Photo courtesy of Dave Haller.
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Senior Sam Hodges was excited that her team made it to the CIF doubles playoffs. “We were really hoping to get to the finals, but it was a still a good run. We ended up losing to a team from La Jolla High School. I was disappointed we didn’t get as far as we wanted, but I know Jen [Kerr] will carry on the Mustang spirit, along with the rest of the team, in the years to come...I am happy I got to spend my last season playing with Jen,” she said. “Because [Sam Hodges and I] have known each other for such a long time, I was just able to relax and have fun...Next year, hopefully I’ll make it even further,” said Kerr.
12.20.13
Start the Stampede The newly formed Stang Gang aims to gain support and committed fans for all SDA sports. Story by Sarah Kochanek
F
or the first time in years, SDA now has a solid group of sports fans supporting athletes regularly at games. This group of 50 or so students started when ASB Athletic Commissioners senior Alex Dewar, junior Kennedy Anderson, and sophomore Zac Sippel decided to put together a club that focused on gaining support for teams at SDA. “We were thinking of ways to promote games when the idea of a ‘loud crowd’ came up. I’ve been to a couple of LCC games and their idea of ‘loud crowd’ is the Noise Boys. If you’ve ever been to an LCC game, specifically football, there’s a certain spirit and energy you pick up on when there’s one hundred students in the crowd screaming and cheering for their team, and I wanted to bring that to SDA,” said Anderson. “When creating the Stang Gang, [Athletic Director and Vice Principal Doug Kamon] wanted us to put emphasis on it becoming the example of good sportsmanship and that’s what we are all about.” The club has around 125 members, and is still growing, according to Anderson. “Participating students can communicate through the Stang Gang Facebook page as well as attend the meetings at school. Anyone who’s interested is free to join, but in order to receive the signature blue t-shirt, they must sign a contract stating they will follow a sportsmanship code of conduct,” she said. At the first CIF girls volleyball game versus La Jolla on Nov. 13, the Stang Gang had an overwhelming presence in the SDA gym. Mustang fans yelled out synchronized cheers and chants for the girls on the court, each member of the Stang Gang sporting a t-shirt with “Start the Stampede” printed on the back. “[The Stang Gang] blew the socks off La Jolla and gave us the momentum we needed. I absolutely love being a part of the Stang Gang and giving back to the other sports that come to cheer me on. They are changing SDA sports for the better,” said senior volleyball player Amanda Colla. Although the impacts of the Stang Gang have been predominantly positive for the school, there has been one instance of controversy surrounding the club among athletes at SDA. During the fall sports season, there was tremendous support for volleyball, but sports such as girls tennis and field hockey felt left out. Since neither the field hockey games nor the girls tennis matches were at SDA due to the construction, it was harder for students to attend those events. This resulted in a lack of support at various times throughout their seasons, especially field hockey’s senior night. “We went to many volleyball games and at every single game they had at least 20 supporting students cheering them on. It was very frustrating for our entire team to see all the support they got on a daily basis and then at our games we had zero students. We need to figure out how to support ALL of our sports... it does matter to us if people show up to our games,” said senior field hockey player Sara Shuldberg. “[The Stang Gang] didn’t come to any of the tennis matches...it would’ve been great to have them there,” said senior tennis player Sam Hodges. Dewar, Anderson, and Sippel are working to fix issues with uneven support. “We are in the process of getting a schedule together of big games for the winter sports, that Stang Gang can come support. We recently had a meeting with representatives of each winter sport to come up with ways we can get fans out to their most important games,” said Anderson. Although the Stang Gang is still in its beginning stages and has room to grow, the overall goal of the club remains. “I truly believe that the point of Stang Gang now is to create a community among the [sports] as well as the student body of SDA to become more school spirited and show off SDA pride,” said Dewar. Said Kamon, “Honestly, I was apprehensive at first about the idea of the spirit squad because of experiences at my previous school involving lack of sportsmanship. But I’ve been thrilled with the behavior of all the students in the Stang Gang. They have good energy and great spirit. I’ve heard from other school administrators that they want their students to act like the SDA Stang Gang, and that is some of the highest praise I can receive.”
The Stang Gang shows their matching t-shirts to the camera. Photo courtesy of Kennedy Anderson.
From left to right, junior Bo Templin, senior Amanda Colla, and senior Ty Gibson show thier spirit at the CIF volleyball game. Photo courtesy of Kennedy Anderson.
12.20.13
Skier vs. Snowboarder
Seniors skier Aaron Steger and snowboarder Kyle Adams brave the cold of the winter edition of Surfer vs. Skater. Story by Lily LeaVesseur.
How does a shepherd count his flock without falling asleep? Skier: He drinks tea while doing yoga to keep his soul youthful. Snowboarder: He drinks a lot of coffee. Skier, I’m trying to understand your logic. I really am. I am trying to use empathy (What if it were me?) and put myself in your shoes to see how you might have come up with that answer. But I’m having a little trouble (maybe your shoe size is bigger than mine?) because I just don’t see how a shepherd can be counting and tea-drinking and yoga-ing and youthful-soul-maintaining all at the same time. What if in the midst of saluting the sun he spills hot tea all over his yogi self, and has to jump into the nearest body of water. (I don’t imagine shepherds live in modern civilization so the only accessible running water is a running river.) That will give the sheep enough time to flee the coop. (Sheep? Chicken? Whatever.) Or maybe they were planning a coup all along, Viva La Animal Farm and all that. Maybe we should pity the sheep having to roam grassy hills and be forcibly shaved all the
time, stripped of their wool and dignity. Thanks for bringing all this to light, Skier. You’re a voice for the voiceless. Plus 30 points. Snowboarder, I think this is the answer. It seems so obvious now, I wonder why I didn’t think of it before? How can a shepherd stay awake while counting sheep (which is scientifically proven to cause instantaneous unconsciousness) without caffeine? Why do I even ask these silly people all these silly questions every issue when I could just ask you for the answer? I don’t even have to go to college, I’ll just bring all my educational inquiries to you. Now I can just stay home and eat snacks with my parents and watch TV. Thanks for helping me solve that problem, Snowboarder. Plus 150 points for all the thousands of dollars I’ll save. Where does the white snow go when it melts? Skier: It’s an issue of physics, light refraction and the such. Snowboarder: The polar bears drink it up. Skier, I was going to accuse you of using a bunch of big words and sciencey-science to confuse
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me (we all know that stuff makes me feel really out of my element – not that I know anything about those, either), but you’ve actually just helped me discover a path to true scientifical understanding. When explaining the logical answers to life’s important questions I will just sum it all up with a few smart-sounding words which will allow me to skip over the thinking/logic part and blindly accept random phrases as true fact. This will be helpful for explaining concepts such as pregnancy: “It’s an issue of life, babies and such.” If we use this format in schools to explain lessons, we would not only provide students with education but we would also cut down on school time by 90 percent, allowing students to go out into the world and apply the lessons they’ve learned so well. I mean, my class skipped over the whole sex ed unit in 9th grade health, and look where I am today! (Or don’t. I’m not sure what the implication would be.) Anyway, plus 500 points for all the lives you’ve improved with this great concept of educational reform. I’m sure someone somewhere will find it valuable.
Photo by Katie McPherson.
Snowboarder, I know enough about science to know that that’s probably not true, but all that whimsical, childlike merriment and wonder is what we like to reward people for here at Surfer vs. Skater and Co. Nowadays it seems that there are just so many practical people doing boring stuff like science or being a doctor or math or being an accountant and just generally contributing to society. Although we can’t reward you with the money you might get from curing cancer/balancing someone’s budget, we can give you just as much pride and glory with 100 points!
How do you chop down a tree and then chop it up? Skier: What goes up must come down. Snowboarder: With an axe. Skier, that’s not necessarily true. If I put my Economics textbook up on a shelf, I’ll probably never take it down to read it! Minus 100 points (that’s the total cost of your incorrect answer). Snowboarder, your answer is so BLUNT. Wow. I’m so pleased with myself, that I’ll share the joy and award you with 50 points. Skier: 300 points. Snowboarder: 300 points. It’s a tie! No one wins anything. Happy holidays.
12.20.13
Cheery delights for winter nights
Cafe Ipe is decorated to perfection
A look into the top, local coffee shops to visit throughout winter break
for a comfy coffee day over the holidays.
Story by Elise Echeverria and Elise Gout
I
t may just be us, but so far this winter seems way too chilly for the typical Southern California resident to withstand. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up some of downtown Encinitas’s coziest cafes for a festive, quick and caffeinated pick-me-up. Whether or not these one-of- a-kind coffee shops offer your typical holiday drink, all them offer a merry atmosphere and an abundance of drink options that will warm both your heart and belly as you try to keep snug over winter break. Photos by Elise Gout, Keely Thompson, Elise Echeverria, Katie McPhearson, Reiko Inouya, Nate Scharff The down-to-earth vide of Leucadia definitely shows in this adorable
While the menu doesn’t list
Mom and Pop’s style
holiday drinks, employees are more than
coffee shop and bakery.
happy to whip something up - the ginger-
The twinkling lights
bread latte is particularly noteworthy.
should be evidence enough.
The inviting atmosphere of E Street, offering local art and frequent live music, is
Lofty’s aztec mocha,
a wonderful hang out with
with dark cocao, cin-
decadent drinks like the Mav-
namon, and cayenne is
erick, a smooth coffee with
a perfect way to spice
notes of toffee and hazelnut.
up a dreary morning or afternoon. Plus, the friendly baristas tend to sing.
Eggnog and peppermint are just two of the jolly flavors that you can ask to have added to your favorite menu item.
Art by Roya Chagnon