The Mustang May 2018

5.03.18

Volume 22 Issue 6

T H E M U S T A N G

INDEX

NEED A HOT DATE? Upcoming events at SDA

MAY 7

MAY 15

MAY 19

MAY 25

AP testing begins and continues for two weeks until May 18th. Study up SDA!

SDA is conducting a blood drive from 8 A.M. until 1 P.M. Students and parents can participate.

SDA’s prom 2018 is taking place at the San Diego Zoo. Buy your tickets before it’s too late!

Exhibition day is coming! Visit room 72 (ASB) to sign up for a booth.

ROLL CALL Editor-in-Chief / News Editor Olivia Olander Design Editor Simmone Stearn Opinion Editor Mallika Seshadri Features Editor Nohemia Rosales Assistant Features Editors Erin Maxwell Kieran Zimmer Arts Editor Taylor Rudman

TAKE A GOOD LOOK...

Highlights in the Mustang May issue

Experience the world of drag on page 21 Take a peek into how “RuPaul’s Drag Race” popularized the drag industry. Its prevalence in pop culture can be seen in many media outlets. Learn how it has influenced younger audiences.

Humor Editor Nadia Ballard Sports Editor Yari Sequeria Assistant Sports Editor Alexis Price Business Managers Shayna Glazer Ally Joelson Online Editor Sophie Hughes Assistant Online Editor Sylvia Young

Learn about a pole jumper’s journey on page 28 Now the second best pole jumper in California, senior Kevin Ward has defied the odds throughout his high school career, ultimately setting a school record and becoming the Division II CIF San Diego champion.

Cover Artist

AGNES LIN

Junior Agnes Lin has always created art, mastering the brush and pencil over time. “I really like painting and making artwork of people,” Lin says, when asked about the subject of her latest piece.

“We went to the San Diego Museum of Art with my art history class, and there’s a painting there that looks just like me.” Agnes liked the inception of the photo and decided to paint it, utilizing acrylic paint, a medium that she has yet to make a self-portrait with.

Backpage Photographer

CHRISTINA BUMANN

Sophomore Christina Bumann has been taking photos for the last four years since her grandfather introduced her to it. One of the reasons she loves photography is because “it’s a great way to express yourself.”

Bumann took this particular photo in the summer a few years ago. She loves this picture because hummingbirds are “so small and they fly so quickly that you can’t appreciate their beauty and details, but this picture really shows of their colors and their details.”

Visit @christinabumanns.photography on Instagram for more photos by Christina Bumann.

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Photo Editor Patrick Hall Staff Artists Emma Toscani Lilly Callender Staff Writers Rosy Alvarado Tom Amoroso Aeon Benford-Combs Ryan Cohen Joice He Anna Jenkins Griffin Amelia Kaiser Lane Levin Lena Mau Christopher Mellusi Taina Millsap Sienna Riley Lila Schief Madison Vance Braden White 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 42, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the address below.

MAY 2018

NEWS

School board supports assault rifle ban

Let’s build a fence

Story by Lane Levin.

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The school board votes to improve school safety by installing new fencing, security cameras, and a digital visitor sign in system.

Story by Lane Levin.

SDA’S CURRENT FENCE is getting an upgrade. Photos by Kieran Zimmer and Patrick Hall.

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an Dieguito Academy will get new fencing intended to protect students from a school shooter and a digital sign in system and, later, security cameras. These changes are the result of a resolution voted on during the San Dieguito Union High School District Board of Trustees meeting March 15.

“We have hired experts to conduct thorough risk assessments of each school to evaluate the needs and priorities at each of our unique campuses,” said Superintendent Eric Dill in a public statement. “[The resolution is] just another effective way to keep those that we don’t want in campus out and keep our kids and staff safe during school hours,” added Principal Adam Camacho.

THE MUSTANG

While the specifics of the new fencing plan have not been determined, “our district has hired an architect that designed both the math and science and the arts and humanities buildings so they are developing a plan,” said Camacho.

“There is no interest in changing the off campus privileges; that is a much bigger conversation,” he added.

According to the records from the school board minutes of the March 15 meeting, staff will be working on gate and door repairs, lock inspections, and the contracts with SVA architects will begin to be developed for perimeter fencing.

They intend to limit the points of entry. The cost is $42,000.

Once the new digital sign in

system is installed, “any visitor that comes in has to slide their photo id and it digitizes everything. There is a time stamp, enter and exit, that is all done digitally,” said Camacho.

The SDUHSD school board minutes also state that cameras are going to be installed at Torrey Pines High School as part of a pilot program next year in addition to perimeter security.

On San Dieguito Academy’s campus, “they are looking at potential placement of cameras. How many and where we don’t know.

That’s all going to get very serious consideration and we will have some experts weigh in on that,” said Camacho.

The Comprehensive School Safety Plans will be finalized and

the visitor management system and surveillance installation will begin in July or August according to school board meeting minutes.

The resolution to increase school security was voted on March 15, the day following the national walkout to protest gun violence and to support survivors of the Parkland highschool shooting, which many San Dieguito Academy students participated in. However, Camacho said, “this was already in play before the recent shootings that we have had in our country. This is a safety study that was done and already communicated to everyone from our superintendent and was already underway late last spring and through the summer.”

he school board voted 4-1 to support a ban on semi-automatic firearms as part of a plan to improve school safety at the San Diego Union High School District board meeting, March 15. Board member Joyce Dalessandro proposed that the board support this ban to improve school safety. This followed the national school walk out on March 14.

The SDUHSD board of trustees also voted support an outright ban on high capacity magazines, armor piercing ammunition, and any equipment that would increase a gun’s rate of fire, according to the records from the March 15 meeting.

“I am a firm believer in gun control, particularly control over guns that are designed for military use,” Dalessandro said.

“I am furious that our country stands among those with the highest number of deaths from guns. I am furious that there is a need for our children to practice active shooter drills because of the threat to their safety. I am furious about Columbine and Sandy Hook and Parkland and all the others in between.”

Board Member Maureen Muir, running for state assembly as a Republican, voted against the proposal. “As to a plan for school ground safety, it should be grounded in common sense principles and best school safety practices. Children can only learn in a safe environment. I put our children’s safety - as one of my top priorities,” said Muir.

Additionally, Muir opposes arming teacher with guns.

“Teachers should teach, others should protect,” she said.

Muir said she also: • Opposes armor-piercing ammunition, bump stocks, alteration or modification of guns • Supports the collection and compiling data related to gun violence • Supports a School Resource Officer • Supports enhanced background checks and required training

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NEWS

Disclosing the district

District documents have been published online by an anonymous “watchdog” group, along with criticism. Have they created change? By Olivia Olander •

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undreds of emails from district employees about special education, as well as emails from the CIF commissioner and district parents.

• Emails marked “personal and confidential information,” including one from a Canyon Crest Foundation volunteer who said his or her “future career in public service is now over” due to events related to the foundation and district.

• Internet searches by the superintendent over a two-day period.

• A list of lawsuits against the school district from 1987 to 2018.

• A complaint alleging a relationship between a teacher and LCC student from 2009-2011.

These records and hundreds more were have been published online by an anonymous “watchdog” website. The website, SDUHSDwatchdog.com, has been active since last summer, posting about topics such as school foundations that raise money for student programs and drug use among students.

They have requested copies of hundreds of pages of public records, said Superintendent Eric Dill.

The website’s contributors said in an email their purpose is to “make the Board more transparent, voter accountable, compliant with its own board policies, and fiscally responsible to make sure students are the #1 priority, funding is properly used and not wasted and board member decisions and statements are publicized.”

They said they wanted to remain anonymous for “fear of retaliation against [their] students” who attend district schools.

PERSPECTIVES AND PURPOSES

School board members are split over whether the site is helpful or harmful. Trustee John Salazar said he agrees with the website’s mission of accountability.

“Generally I think the website is

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great. WE need people to ask questions and demand from our School Board answers on why they voted as they voted,” Salazar wrote in an email.

However, school board clerk Joyce D’Alessandro said she thinks the website focuses too much on the flaws of the district, though she said she hasn’t read it.

“It is my understanding that it is consistently negative with no mention of all the wonderful things that happen in our district. That certainly is not beneficial,” she said.

Salazar, who said he receives emails from the site monthly, said students should care about the contents of the website to see if “their best interests are being met. Are the students happy that school security has not really been addressed? Are the students happy that class size is growing? Are students happy that their counselor is overworked and has too many students to successfully help?”

The website’s contributors started the website to address the “district’s blatant disregard for our most vulnerable student populations,” they said. On their website, they have posted about groups such as special needs students and athletes who they say “pay to play” at district schools.

School board meeting minutes did not reflect public comments that criticized the district’s policies, they said, and were “always watered down with the district’s spin.”

District officials expressed mixed reactions to the existence of the site, ranging from some concern to support to uncertainty.

“I strongly support the right of the public, including students, to ask questions and request records,” said school board President Beth Hergesheimer. “I view information, when not in overwhelming quantities, as the best tool for good decisions.”

“Having large numbers of requests for broad categories of documents, however, requires a lot of staff

time and can decrease their ability to attend to current work or concerns that need attention,” she continued, referring to the fact that the documents published on the site were obtained through public records requests sent to the district.

“Constant negativity, pointing out every flaw with no balance affects us all,” said D’Alessandro. “We who are a part of this district — students, teachers, staff, administration — celebrate it’s many strengths… Every large organization has its flaws. But has there been acknowledgment of our incredible overarching strengths?

We tip the scale on the things we are very good at doing.”

SDA Principal Adam Camacho, who said he is aware of the website but has not looked at it, said he could “see it serving in different ways.”

“We are a public entity, and with that comes a lot of scrutiny,” he said.

“People have the right to question, to inquire, and that’s why the website exists. Can it be harmful? Sure, especially if it appears to be onesided, opinionated, if it’s self-serving in some way. Often times, other perspectives are excluded. On the flip side, it could be informative.”

“I’d like to know what the source is,” he continued, referring to the site’s anonymity. “I’d prefer to have a conversation, especially if it’s being critical.”

Hergesheimer said the anonymity can be “frustrating, particularly when material posted includes the writer making statements or drawing conclusions without checking to see if the district might have different explanations or conclusions.”

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

Dill said he is aware of all public records released, but has not looked specifically at the watchdog website.

“We’re not embarrassed of anything we’ve turned over to them…

Not knowing exactly what they have on there, I don’t think it’s fair for me to comment on whether they’re right or wrong, but the records all speak for themselves.”

No individual has come to him with complaints specifically stemming from the site, he said.

“If people want to look at them and form their own opinions, they are certainly welcome to,” Dill said, “and the fact that we have not seen any number of people coming forward with concerns over the content of the website leads me to believe that people are generally satisfied with how we run our schools here.”

Salazar said he doesn’t know if complaints he’s received about district policies are a direct result of any particular source, but he’s “just glad that [parents and taxpayers] heard about it and are asking the questions.”

“The more people who come to School Board meetings the better,” he continued. “The school board works for the taxpayers who pay the taxes that go to the school district.

There is NO harm is raising public awareness.”

Dill said the records on the website “sometimes need some context, and sometimes the records speak for themselves.”

“While there’s a lot of information these folks might feel is negative, we certainly haven’t been hearing a great outcry from our community over the existence of the website,” said Dill,.

The contributors said they have made progress since they started their website, citing the fact that school board now posts audio of their meetings.

They want the board to be transparent and prioritize students, they wrote.

“The overall failure of the Board Majority to know their job; which is to SERVE the best interest of public school children – not the best interest of adults and special interests,” they said.

“The long term goal,” they said, “is to have the district more accountable to the community with our taxpayer money and to make STUDENTS FIRST within SDUHSD.”

MAY 2018

NEWS

So what’s on the site?

Complaint documents on the site include...

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oundations and special education aren’t the only subjects of records published by the district. Many of the documents were complaints against the district about specific incidents involving parents, students and employees.

TEACHER RELATIONSHIP

The public records on the site run the gamut of school issues, but fundraising foundations and special education are the most frequently highlighted. By Olivia Olander

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he issues most covered on the sduhsd-watchdog.com site are athletic donations, which the site called “illegal pupil fees;” the schools’ nonprofit fundraising foundations, which the site suggests are overstepping their bounds; and special education, which the site suggests is lacking in the district.

Superintendent Eric Dill said the district has been specifically working to solve special education issues for years, and that he is “proud” of the district foundations and the parents who donate to them.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

A series of anonymously written 2017 articles criticized portable classrooms for special education/adult transition students at Earl Warren Middle School.

In a post titled “San Dieguito’s nearly $1 million debacle leads to more questions,” a site contributor wrote of “the district’s four year transition facility for disabled students, which ultimately turned out to be way too small and neglected to contain the best practices recommended for students with disabilities (although those best practices were used for the non-disabled classrooms only yards away).”

Dill said the district is working to improve special education facilities, and that those improvements are not “in response to any complaints in the last year.”

“Our facilities do address special education, and our district wide master plan that we started back in 2010… definitely incorporated special education facilities into all of our new and renovated schools,” he said.

SDA specifically is getting new special education classrooms in the humanities building currently under construction on the south east corner of campus, “and that’s something that we didn’t do before,” Dill continued.

“We are proud of the fact that rather than making special education classrooms an afterthought or putting those classrooms somewhere

THE MUSTANG

unused on a campus, we have specifically designed classrooms for special education that are in the general ed environment, ” he said.

SCHOOL FOUNDATIONS

Another primary issue addressed on the site are school foundations -- there are 930 files available on the subject through the site’s public records link.

“Shouldn’t the District be budgeting for all school sponsored activities under the CA Constitution guarantee to free public education?” wrote a contributor in an article titled “Where do foundation donations really go?”

“Then,” they continued, “if the families choose to donate through the foundations, there’s a nice windfall at the end of the school year. Instead, it appears that the foundations simply agree to assume the costs of programs, and then ask the parents to raise money to cover the costs.”

Principal Adam Camacho said the foundation is helpful.

“They fund our after school tutoring with a certificated teacher, and all the other special projects and mini grants that teachers come forth with, all in an effort to support kids,” Camacho said. “In this day and age, when you look at the bigger picture of the last several years and the budget crunches, foundations continue to let our school site offer all the enrichment… that I think our kids deserve.”

SDA Foundation Executive Director Leslie Saldana said the foundation does not violate the guarantee to free schools because it does not require donations from families.

“Instead, fundraising is purely voluntary and used as a means to supplement the free school because the State and school district can’t afford to support the programs students and parents want and have come to expect. Sadly, it’s a nationwide problem,” she said.

Foundations also make donations subject to “checks and bal-

ances” because they’re registered as nonprofits, Saldana continued.

“A foundation must be transparent regarding how it spends the money it raises,” she said. “Without a foundation, donations (and what they are spent on) are much more difficult to track and money might be spent improperly.”

Dill said all high schools in the district and all middle schools in the district start out with basically the same funding, and the foundations “supplement the experience for all students on campus. That really is based off of what parents are willing and able to raise.”

SDA has raised the least out of all the high school foundations, according to tax forms on the site.

In 2014-2015, SDA’s foundation had a total revenue of $714,501, while Canyon Crest Academy had a total revenue of over $1 million and La Costa Canyon High School had a total revenue of $1.3 million. Torrey Pines High School’s number was $2.1 million.

According to the files on the website, funds at SDA went to activities and programs such as the school newspaper, the writing lab, Community Day, Pi Day and classroom supplies.

“We do try to make sure that we’re not so far out of whack from one school to another, but in the end, it really comes down to the parents’ desire and their ability to raise funding… They want their kids to have the best experience possible, and how could we say no to that?”

Dill said.

Other complaints related to a “pay to play” culture at Torrey Pines in their dance, boys’ tennis and baseball teams. There were also complaints posted about “pay to play” in the La Costa Canyon cheer team.

Camacho said he’s not aware of widespread complaints about district sports operating under a “pay-to-play” mentality that violates California’s “free school guarantee,” which was another one of the issues

posed by the the site.

A state investigation last year found that “neither the San Dieguito Union High School District nor the Torrey Pines High School Foundation required students to participate in fee-based programs,” according to an August 2017 press release from the district.

“Since concluding its investigation, district officials have worked closely with administrators and foundation staff to ensure requests for voluntary donations continue to comply with the law,” the press release said.

STUDENT HEALTH

Another student-related issue repeated across the site is the health of students through issues such as substance abuse. In one 2017 post, titled “Weapons warnings and high drug use in San Dieguito Schools,” the site combined the issues of weapons and drugs as a “reminder that campus life for our students may not be as safe as parents think it is.”

They cited numbers from the Healthy Kids Survey at Torrey Pines, La Costa Canyon, and Sunset High School, which said that a majority of students had used alcohol, marijuana and vaping devices, including 85 percent of students at Sunset having tried marijuana and alcohol.

Dill said the district is working to address substance abuse as part of advocacy for mental health. He cited new school psychologists and social workers, as well as participation in the San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth.

“The more students are connected and the more service and support that we provide for mental health and well being, you’re going to see a continuing decline in substance abuse. That’s really the strategy that we’ve taken,” he said.

He said the Healthy Kids Survey has shown a “steady decline” in all substance abuse over the years, with the exception of vaping.

One claimant alleged in 2016 that an LCC teacher “maintained a highly damaging sexual and emotionally manipulative relationship” with a student from 2009-2011. Superintendent Eric Dill said he couldn’t comment on specifics, but said “action was taken” due to the complaint.

STAY AWAY NOTICES

“Stay away notices” were filed against parents at Torrey Pines, Earl Warren Middle School, Diegueno Middle School. Each notice listed complaints of teachers and administrators against parents who had allegedly caused disruption on campus, and asked the parents involved to send all their future school correspondence to the principal rather than their students’ teachers. The records request asked for all such notices from July 2014 to March 2018, and three were disclosed on the site, all from 2017-2018.

BULLYING

According to another claim, a freshman at Torrey Pines was “maliciously targeted, cyber bullied and stalked.” The claimant said the bully “was not immediately punished for his actions” by a school official, and the victim wasn’t allowed to switch classes, leading the victim to transfer to a private school as a result.

ATHLETIC FEES

Emails and complaints were filed about a “pay to play” attitude in Torrey Pines dance, Torrey Pines boys’ tennis, Torrey Pines baseball and La Costa Canyon cheer. A letter from parents on the Torrey Pines baseball team disputed any issues on their own team, saying a negative article about the team in the Union Tribune was “a soapbox to one disgruntled parent,” and that “none of the coaches do this for the money.” A state investigation last year later found that there was no “pay to play” culture at Torrey Pines, according to a district press release.

- Olivia Olander

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Class sizes

NEWS

Even without the lottery, SDA has maintained each class admission at similar sizes. Story and graphic by Taylor Rudman

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he incoming freshman class is projected to near around 460 students in the 2018-2019 school year. Although some believe that enrollment is increasing, the numbers show that class sizes are remaining relatively the same.

“This next [freshman] class is actually smaller, believe it or not,” Principal Adam Camacho said. This year’s freshman class has about 500 students, and is expected to increase to 509 in the following school year, making it the largest class.

While enrollment has remained relatively unchanged in recent years, there has been an increase in attendance to information nights and school tours, which has given a false impression of increased enrollment, Camacho said.

“They’re just attending everything to really make an informed decision. That’s what we’ve been asking people to do over the last several years, and we’ve noticed a trend in the growth of our tours and especially information nights,” Camacho said. “I think that’s a good thing.

That gives, though, the perception that we’re going to grow.”

Although there has been no significant increase in class size over the last several years, SDA has grown to match LCC in enrollment, Camacho said. “You know, SDA isn’t for everybody. Not everybody wants to go to LCC. So we have options, and it’s just about helping families make an informed decision,” Camacho said. “The hope was that we would level out, and from year to year the

teeter totter may swing one way or the other, but for the most part I think it’s leveled out the way [the district] expected it to.” Student body size can be expected to vary by about 30 students.

“When you look at it from where the Academy started, for sure, we’ve definitely grown,” Camacho said. “I think people are surprised to hear that we’re not growing more, and I think most people, 99.99 percent, are very pleased that we are not growing more.”

SDA, as a “school of choice,” previously used a lottery system to keep enrollment down. However, after parent protests, the system was taken out of use. SDA has not used a lottery since the 2013-2014 school year. In 2014-2015 enrollment, 60 students were initially denied admission by lottery, but later all applicants were admitted.

SDA would only revert to a lottery system if the number of applicants exceeded maximum capacity, according to Camacho. Maximum capacity is currently around 2100 students, but varies with progress in construction and is reevaluated every year, Camacho said. There are currently 1871 students, and 1912 are projected for the 2018-2019 school year. “I don’t expect us to ever reach capacity, but it’s one of those things that could be a year to year thing.

You never know,” Camacho said. “I expect that it will level out where it has right now.”

The future of SDA science Science classes to take a turn towards Common Core and the blending of current courses. By Anna Griffin

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cience classes in which students learn about the engineering of medications and discover the science behind artificial bird nests will soon be the norm at San Dieguito Union High School District schools, said Jennifer McCluan, a teacher on special assignment working on the new science program.

“Most likely in the fall of 2020, we will start to see a greater change in high school science courses which implement common core,” said McCluan.

Traditional science classes such as physics, chemistry, earth, and biology are quickly transitioning over the next few years. The district is moving towards a system similar to that of Common Core mathematics. Each subject will be intermixed together to create a program called Next Generation Science Standards.

The goal of this new curriculum is to allow the students more opportunities to study real world issues such as climate change and

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vaccinations, said McCluan.

“The date of the actual formal switch to NGSS and changing the science course graduation requirements is still being determined,” said McCluan.

Although the curriculum is being piloted this year through standardized tests and steady teaching changes, the date of its official implementation is currently undecided, said McCluan.

“The state gave us course models we could pick from- you could do three years with each class taking place in separate years, or the Common Core route in which every year a bit of each subject would be blended together and taken to a greater depth each year, similar to the math program,” she continued.

The district chose the option of blending the subjects together.

This method is currently being implemented slowly into high school classes, while McCluan stated that middle schoolers will experience a full course model of integrated science in the upcoming 2018 school

year. As for high schoolers, the transition will take longer.

“When we make the decision as to when the new three course pathway will be put in place (keeping in mind the school board will ultimately be the ones to approve or deny it), we will specify which freshmen class it will impact. So if, for example, we decide the freshman class that begins high school in Fall of 2020 will be the first class impacted, all other students in high school at that time (sophomores through seniors) will still fall under the previous graduation of two years of science,” wrote McCluan in an email.

Changes taking place will help students to make knowledge based opinions on controversial topics such as vaccinations. The purpose is to create a more knowledgeable student body with the tools to make confident decisions, McCluan said.

“We are going to be creating students who are better equipped for the world that we’re moving towards.

Many people speak of the dangers of vaccinations, and I question if they

truly know the science behind them,” McCluan said.

Science courses will also address commonly debated subjects such as climate change. This will give students access to forming their own opinions through fact based and interactive lessons, McCluan said.

“Biology is looking more at the potential effects of climate change within a biological context and physics will also be considering this.

In our chemistry classes you might see that there’s more emphasis on carbon dioxide prevalence in our atmosphere and ocean acidification, which is something we are asking teachers to start including this year,” McCluan said.

This movement towards a more hands-on system of science class relates to the way mathematics is taught as well, in the sense that students will be given realistic problems to solve through experimentation rather than memorization.

“Mathematics is a very intricate and valuable part of science as well that can help us to better understand

our world around us,” said McCluan.

Currently the science programs are completely separated by subject, which in turn creates the problem of students only taking specific classes, and missing the opportunity to learn about other closely related courses, McCluan added.

“We don’t like the separation.

So much of science is integrated already,” she said.

Ultimately, the district hopes to make changes that will help students in their own lives and create a population that will excel in science in the future, McCluan added.

“We are not training all students to have a career in chemistry and physics, but certainly if they want to do that, we are working to give them a good foundation of the skills they need to be successful.

Most importantly we want to make sure there will be scientific literacy in our population of voters,” McCluan said.

MAY 2018

OPINIONS

Staff Editorials Let’s rewind the clock and go back to old testing schedules. Let’s maintain SDA’s spirit and let students choose which science curriculum to follow. Let’s keep SDA like a school, not a prison.

These positions represent the collective opinion of The Mustang newspaper.

TESTING

The Mustang believes that SDA should go back to last year’s testing schedule, as this year’s was logistically challenging.

This year’s testing schedule has caused many students to arrive to school after lunch for second period, causing them to miss first period in addition to the testing period. Given that students will inevitably leave campus during the testing period, SDA should return to having it before first period, so there will be fewer absences during class.

To help keep students on campus, the activities during periods for those who aren’t testing should be improved. It is unrealistic to corrall around 1000 teens in a small space--like the gym--for three hours.

On the first Tuesday of testing, the guest speaker did not use all of the allotted time, causing students to be left in the gym with nothing to do for nearly an hour. Naturally, students then wanted to leave, which made controlling the situation difficult on administration. On Thursday, there was a shortage of tiles for senior to paint.

COMMON CORE

Since students have had mixed reactions to the Integrated Math program that was first implemented three years ago, The Mustang believes that each SDA students

should choose if they want to study science through the new Common Core track or the traditional route, as there are merits and drawbacks to both.

Some appreciate Common Core’s idea of taking key scientific disciplines and making them more applicable to all students, including those who are not planning to pursue a STEAM field. Many of The Mustang staff members who are in favor of the change appreciate that students will survey all of the major scientific disciplines each year, making it more likely they will retain their knowledge before embarking on college level science classes.

On the flip side, many Mustang staff members feel the new curriculum would limit the sense of freedom students feel because they would not choose areas of science to focus on. With the current system, science-bound students have more opportunities to decide which scientific disciplines they would like to pursue.

Those who are not as scientifically inclined are also benefited by choice, as they can select science classes in areas they are better at, allowing them to potentially protect their GPA. For students that wish to study science through the current system, SDA should offer an applied science class, so all students would have an

opportunity to connect science to the real world.

SCHOOL SECURITY

Installing security cameras and new fences on campus wouldn’t serve much purpose besides change the iconic SDA culture.

Principal Adam Camacho assured reporters that he will be working to make sure open-campus policies would remain unchanged, but boxing in our campus with bigger, fortified fences and installing security cameras make it seem like less of a school and more like a jail.

It would take away from SDA’s carefree campus environment, not to mention change the way we see our school...literally.

But where are these finances for expensive cameras coming from?

It seems like there should be a more effective way to spend this money.

While The Mustang staff doesn’t completely oppose the idea of cameras, they agree that they would be pretty pointless, but they wouldn’t cause any major problems.

If they’ll only be used for monitoring purposes, students who have nothing to hide should have nothing to worry about.

And since SDA is a public school, maybe parents should sign some sort of consent before allowing the surveillance.

Prioritize people over profit

If you don’t understand someone’s dietary needs, ask questions. People won’t perceive you as stupid. They will be grateful.

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s one of three million people contamination after all, which in the United States with caused me — and would cause other celiac disease, it’s rare to go people with celiac contamination out and grab a bite with friends causing— to cope with antibody because so few places are properly attacks on the small intestines. certified gluten free.

Even though I was sick and Before annoyed about formal, I missing my last thought I If you see someone formal, there was was going to trip over something one thing I could add another or even nothing, it’s not stop thinking restaurant probably me. about: a company to my list of was more keen to go-to's.I was Mallika Seshadri sell one gluten free promised my pizza than ensure pizza would the wellbeing be 100 percent and health of an gluten free — individual. with no traces — by three managers.

Those who have restricted Their website also claimed they were their diet for medical reasons rely properly “certified.” So, when I went, on and trust the words of others I excitedly picked up a slice, ate it — and companies — to properly and savored the moment. represent their ability or inability to But, once all of my friends had accommodate. This place, among finished their meals and we awaited others, had betrayed that trust. the check, I knew I was not going to In fact, when that restaurant make it to formal. was informed of what happened, Instead, I called my mom, the manager who was supposed headed home and spent the night to oversee my pizza shrugged and and the rest of the week sick. said I shouldn’t have been told the The pizza wasn’t “100 percent place was safe (he was one of the gluten free” and devoid of cross individuals that promised me they

THE MUSTANG

THESE TWO COOKIES might look the same. But they’re not. One is perfectly delicious and harmless. The other could lead to a week sick. Photos by Mallika Seshadri. were.) While in my case, the repercussions of their misrepresentations were painful and lasted a while, what if it had been the little five year old boy at the table next to us celebrating his birthday?

He seemed to be enjoying a delicious chocolate sundae. What if he had been allergic to the nuts and had to be rushed to the hospital in anaphylactic shock?

Somehow, I still don’t believe the restaurant would have cared.

It is wrong to disregard the needs of others when they are trusting you to keep them well (or in some cases alive).

And when such incidents happen, it causes those with medically linked dietary restrictions to become even more cautious and fearful that something similar could

happen again with the next bite.

Eating shouldn’t be a nervewracking endeavour. It’s that simple.

For any students who work at restaurants, please ask your customers questions if you do not understand their needs.

Take time to make sure you give them a proper answer, even if the answer costs you — or your company — a few dollars.

07

OPINIONS

skate Take the hate out of

There’s nothing wrong with fun, sometimes illegal activities like skateboarding until they veer into misogyny and homophobia.

S

kateboarding needs to die. time, LGBTQ and female skaters, Society needs to get over it and such as Brian Anderson, Lacey Bakmove on to rollerblading or er, and Nora Vasconcellos are gaining something like that. I mean it. visibility and respect, and companies I take that back. It doesn’t need such as Unity Skateboarding are to die, that would be mean and not creating spaces for these skaters to a lot of fun. But skateboarding could flourish and express themselves. do for some self-help.

However, a large part of the I say this as someone who loves community is still intolerant. When skateboarding. I skateboard think it’s one of the distributors All hail the Boognish best things in the NHS released world. In a perfect “Please Don’t -Kieran Zimmer world, that would Grab My Boob,” a be it, and every10-minute video one could go to featuring solely the skatepark and female skaters, a have a great time slew of comments together, but sadly bogged down it’s not that easy. the progressiveAs with any niche hobby (skatness that female skaters are working isn’t a sport, but that needs its ing towards. One YouTube user own opinion), people who skate are described the group in the video as an extremely tight-knit group, which an “all star porno lineup,” “BETTER explains why its subculture has such THAN PORNHUB,” “shag, marry, or a strong aversion to “posers” and kill?” and last but not least, “i don’t “culture vultures.” Anyone who isn’t understand, these tricks couldn’t get in it for the “right reasons,” like those a 12 year old kid sponsored.” who wear Thrasher shirts without In comparison, to Vans’ all-male having skateboarded before, is recently premiered video “Spinning ridiculed by the greater skate comAway,” the comments were still often munity. ignorant or insensitive, but positive This is all well and good, except towards the skaters and said nothing that many skateboarders have a about gender. Some examples were distorted idea of what the “right “chimas switch varial flip at 16:38 reasons” are. If I had a dollar for was probably the best one I have ever every time I heard someone call a kid seen,” “the ender hits harder than on a scooter a “f*ggot,” or post some my dad,” and “Kyle walker has one comment about a girl taking interest of the best styles in skateboarding.” in skating because it was “trendy,” I No comments about the skaters as a wouldn’t have to work another day porno lineup, or anything disrespectin my life. ful towards them.

Of course, this isn’t to Yes, skateboarding is making say that every single strides towards being a more tolerant person that rides a community. However, the strides are skateboard is an igsmall. Ladies, please keep on skating. norant, intolerant LGBTQ skaters, you kill it. Everyone fool. For the first else, try a little harder.

BRIAN ANDERSON (LEFT) and

Nora Vasconcellos (right) are just two of the many skateboarders giving LGBTQ and female skaters visibilty.

Art by Emma Toscani.

8

MAY 2018

OPINIONS

A year without school?

Cool!

This is why taking a gap year after high school could be the best course of action for you.

FOR MY GAP year, I’m planning to volunteer in South America. This is *real* footage of that trip. Art by Lily Callendar.

G

uys, I’m going to gush right now. I’m so excited. After I graduate, I’m going to take a gap year and go to South America! I’m spending three months in Quito, Ecuador, working with street children, and then spending three more months in Cusco, Peru, teaching English. After I return, I’m actually going to college, a year later than planned.

I am so The end is utterly and near. The entirely pumped. alpaca-lypse is And you could be coming. too, if you took a -Erin Maxwell gap year.

Okay, so “gap year” is a vague term. All it means is taking a year away from your education between high school and college. What you do with that year is completely up to the gap year-er (yes, that is now a word).

I will spend the first part of my gap year working and will use the majority of the money I make to volunteer abroad. But, some people take gap years to work.

Some take gap years to figure out

THE MUSTANG

what they want to do with their life (whatever that entails). Some take gap years to travel the world without volunteering, which also sounds amazing, but maybe a bit more expensive.

There are so many benefits to taking a gap year. For one, if you volunteer during your gap year, you’re doing something nice for the world and for people.

The last three years, I’ve built houses in Mexico and those have honestly been the best weekends of my life, simply because I felt like for once I was helping people in a tangible way. I can only assume that helping people for six months will be just as – and more – amazing.

But, regardless of how you spend your gap year, you’ll expose yourself to a brand new culture, and really immerse yourself in it.

During my weekends in Mexico, I talked with and worked alongside the families we built the houses

for. I drove in rickety buses through neighborhoods more underdeveloped than any I’ve seen in the United States and I was introduced to situations and ways of life that I could never have imagined.

I’ve never been to South America, and I’m going to return to the US with a much better grasp of how people live in other places. Plus, I mean, I’m always willing to try new food. Guinea pig, anyone?

Three, you can improve upon whatever language you learned in high school. I took Spanish, which is why I chose Ecuador and Peru.

But there are volunteer abroad opportunities all over the globe, so there will be opportunities to improve in whichever language you want to.

Four, who knows if you’ll ever have this opportunity again. I’m scared that I’m going to finish college and feel like it’s necessary to go straight to grad school or work, and not feel able to dedicate six months of my life to volunteering abroad.

Right now, though, I feel like everything is open to me, so I’m going to take advantage of this

feeling while it lasts.

Okay, so seniors, I know this article is coming out after you’ve already committed to a college. But, many colleges allow students to defer their acceptance for a year, so if you think a gap year might be the thing for you, call up your college and ask about their policy.

And for you underclassmen and juniors who haven’t started the college application process, I would be so happy if you considered the opportunities presented by a gap year.

I of course cannot force all y’all to take this *super cool, pretty much necessary because it’s so cool* gap year, but I hope you’ll consider it.

I know learning and getting on with your life is important, and postponing college by a year will also postpone college graduation. But think about it.

Don’t let yourself look back in four plus years and wish you’d done this. Taking a gap year could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I want to make sure the opportunity doesn’t pass you by without at least a little consideration.

09

Planet plastic

Since the dawn of time, the existence of humans has only been destructive on the health of the planet. Let’s change that.

DID YOU KNOW, if you stacked all of the plastic water bottles

human use in a year, it would create a stack of 190 towers,,, to the moon? Illustration by Lily Callendar

#bringback thebees didn’t work You’re probably realizing that bees are going to be a regular topic of discussion in this newspaper now, How do you feel about that?

10

P

OPINIONS

icture a hot summer day. The birds are chirping and dogs are barking. You’re sitting on a lawn chair, wearing a t-shirt that sticks to your back, dripping with sweat. Your bare feet wiggle in the muddy grass, your nose inhales the smell of crisp, cool lemonade, and a refreshing breeze tickles your arms, returning you back to a state Recycle my of comfort and fellow human! relaxation.

Now Alexis Price imagine the sun scorching, sweltering, and blinding your eyes the moment you step outside. The dry air creating roaring dust clouds, like Death Valley. The satisfying summer sweat replaced with non-stop, sticky perspiration running down your back, no longer enough to cool your body temperature.

This hypothetical reality could become a possibility if we don’t start taking care of our planet.

As a species, we can’t deny the reality of our dying planet. Climate change and global warming are happening, and it is about time that we take action.

If you haven’t heard, the last male Northern White Rhino, Sudan, died on March 19, after suffering from a leg infection that quickly deteriorated his health, marking the extinction of this species.

This news hurt me deeply as the White Rhino has been hunted for years by poachers for their ivory tusks. Poachers have noticeably diminished the population numbers of rhinos, as well as elephants. I then

Y

ou know what’s great?

Corporations taking positive steps towards helping the environment. You know what isn’t great- when corporations take too much initiative and end up causing problems I like bees. in areas they didn’t need to get -Shayna Glazer involved in.

Sorry General Mills, but I’m calling you out.General Mills started a campaign called #bringbackthebees in early spring of 2017. This movement used wildflower seeds from Veseys, a seed distribution company, and donated them to the general public of the United States with the good intention of giving Honey Bees more flowers to graze upon.

When I learned about what the makers of Honey Nut Cheerios were trying to do, I was practically glowing with excitement. (I admit it, I’m a little obsessed when it comes to anything bee related.)

However, the more I read about the

thought about my own impact on the environment, both positively, like when I reuse plastic containers, and negatively, like when I use plastic bags at the grocery store.

I realized, although I am not as terrible as poachers, I still need to improve my daily habits to affect change positively in my community.

I recommend you reflect and improve your own habits as well.

I urge you to begin considering each of your daily tasks. What resources are you using wisely, and what resources are you using wastefully each day? Your daily routine may begin with a shower, but consider how much water you use. Consider how much fruit you consume, in comparison to the number of apples you throw out.

Consider each of your daily tasks, and try to minimize the amount of resources you use.

Just remember: Earth is the microorganisms, bacteria, and algae that flourish and grow in the soil underneath our feet.

Earth is the towering redwoods in our National Parks. Earth is the volcanoes that create new landforms like the Hawaiian Islands. Earth is everything, everywhere, let’s conserve its resources together.

Think of things you can do in your community. Challenge your friends and family to do their part for the environment.

Start simple. Start small. And do some good.

#bringbackthebees campaign, the more I hated what it was really doing.

Here’s the deal: some of the seeds that were being distributed are considered in some states to be invasive species.

An invasive spwwecies is simply a plant or animal being brought to a new environment where it can thrive without natural predators.

In Connecticut and Massachusetts, the plant known as the “forget-me-not,” a perfectly beautiful, blue flowering weed is considered to be highly invasive and completely banned in the state. Yet good old General Mills decided it would be a good idea to send these flowers directly into these states.

A second example is the California Poppy, though beloved in our state, the Poppy is deemed invasive by Florida, there’s even active laws prohibiting them from being planted.

General Mills attempted to do

Simple Solutions Start by doing the 5 Rs: Refuse. Reduce. Recycle. Reuse.

Rebuy.

Refuse to buy Dixie paper plates.

Reduce your intake of plastic goods.

Recycle your Arrowhead water bottles (or just don’t use them at all).

Reuse clothing by giving your old pairs of mom jeans and beige cardigans to local thrift stores.

Rebuy used blenders to school desks at your local salvation army.

Recycling has been and will continue to be extremely beneficial. In 2013, recycling and composting prevented a whopping 87.2 million tons of material from being trashed. In 1980, that number was a mere 15 million tons. Recycling also reduces carbon dioxide emissions, reducing the speed the ozone layer breaks down.

Think of new ways to help your planet thrive. Start small by reusing containers for your lunch, and move towards using candles to light your house. No, don’t do that: just use less electricity. Try walking or biking to the grocery store; it can be quite fun when you press the “wait” button several times before crossing the street.

Even if you change your habits just a little, it will still make a difference.

the right thing, and I’ll give them credit for that. By directly giving the seeds to the consumer via specially marked Cheerios boxes, they make the accessibility of seeds incredibly simple for those interested in obtaining them.

Yet not everything turned out as well as it could, a year later the environment in three different states has actually taken a blow from the corporation’s supposed good intentions. Other plants could be destroyed by the fast spreading “forget me nots” and with the destruction of these plants translates into the loss of other bee food sources.

Thankfully, the campaign has stopped outsourcing seeds, and their message of trying to create change overall, was one made in an attempt to help.

I personally think it was a great start to showing the world the waves of change that can occur from the proper intentions of companies yet sadly even though this one attempt had negative repercussions, I think this is the beginning to a new era of help and love from across the United States.

MAY 2018

OPINIONS

Patriotism isn’t a sin

*

Don’t break up with the USA so fast. Learn to love it despite its imperfections.

W

e live in a land of opportunity. A land of hard workers that grind to make a living. A land of immigrants and Native Americans that have developed together to form our distinct yet mixed culture. A land of mountains, seas, deserts, and grasslands–the immense beauty within our country is astounding. We are the land, the home, of the oldest democracy.

Yet many people aren’t proud to be Americans.

According to a 2017 Gallup poll, the number of US adults that are “extremely proud’ to be an American has dropped to 51 percent, down 1 What happens percent to your lap since 2017 when you and 19 stand up? percent since 2003.

-Madison Vance Gallup’s analysis says the decline is projected to continue and is associated with the low percentage of people who are “satisfied with the way the US” is going. In June 2016, the rate of satisfied Americans was registered by Gallup at just 26 percent.

Our country does have troubles, and the 26 percent isn’t coming out of nowhere.

Institutionalized racism still disadvantages people of color.

Gender roles alienate people, especially those who don’t conform to strict societal norms.

Murder and suicide rates are too high. We incarcerate more people per capita than any other country.

Our debt has reached over $21 trillion (as of when I am writing this). As of early February, our Congress has an approval rating of only 15 percent, according to Gallup. Then there is the whole gun control issue. The list goes on and on, and people have a good reason to be upset.

But please remember that the USA is bigger than any administration. The USA is “a government of the people for the people.” We as citizens have the ability to make change. Our country will evolve as advocates continue to fight for change. I have faith in this process. (Go civil society!)

THE MUSTANG

We can make change through exercising our right to vote. Winning the typically red state, 98 percent of Black women in Alabama showed up to the polls to elect Doug Jones to the Senate, beating the Republican Roy Moore, who was accused of making sexual advances on young women.

Besides the vote, we can be civically active through lobbying for change. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), for example, has been hugely effective in making tangible change.

Through their efforts, they raised the federal drinking age to 21, created actual repercussions for DUI offences, and lowered the legal blood alcohol level in the US to .08. To this day, they continue to lobby and lead an education campaign to raise awareness.

Don’t have the time to join a lobby? Pick up your phone and call your representative to voice your concerns. The civil servants we elect represent us and ha ve a way to get you input. Don’t like talking on the phone? Letters and emails work too!

People have power in the USA, and those that use their power are true patriots. They see the problems in their America and do not become discouraged.

Instead, they proudly work to untarnish the United States’ reputation and improve the lives of themselves and those around them.

For me, patriotism isn’t nativism or ignorance. It isn’t thinking that the United States of America is flawless, or that it is a hillbilly in a truck yelling “HELL YEAH AMERICA!” For me, it’s quiet. It’s being excited to get my first “I voted!” sticker. It’s marching through the city, signs in hand, to advocate for my beliefs. It’s knowing I have the opportunity to participate.

It’s something that I feel inside me saying that my homeland is significant, that it is something to be proud of. The USA is something to love despite its flaws.

And it’s not something I am afraid of announcing.

**

*Average cost per year to incarcerate an inmate in California as of March 2017 according to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office **Estimated average cost of a UC for a California resident according to the UC admissions site

Illustration by Lily Callender

An endless cycle

Why are we spending millions of dollars on ineffective prisons and not helping students afford college?

T

he stone fortress of the Eastern Penitentiary stands out against the Philadelphia skyline and marks the history of the first prison that focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment. Here, prisoners could contemplate their crimes and learn skills like shoemaking that they could use when they were released.

Here, a man who committed armed robberies could paint religious murals in the chaplain’s office. Here, prisoners could contemplate their mistakes and avoid repeating them.

While the building still remains almost 200 years later, the values it was built on do not.

Modern prisons are harsh Typing monkey and focus on goes type type punishing prisoners more than -Sylvia Young reforming them.

Especially with drug offenders, this method is ineffective in preventing crime and overly expensive.

Instead of being sent to prison, drug offenders should be sent to rehabilitation programs, which would be more humane, effective, and inexpensive. The money this saves could be allocated to more important projects, such as funding for college.

While it’s easy to demonize anyone who breaks the law and justify imprisonment and harsh punishments, it often ends up being more harmful to society than the criminal. The United States has an issue with mass incarceration, the dramatic increase in the percent of the population that’s imprisoned. This is partially because many prisoners have committed relatively small or nonviolent crimes that are often related to drug use and addiction.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 47 percent of male federal prisoners and 56 percent of females in 2016 had been sentenced for drug offenses. Additionally, 21 percent of state prisoners committed other offenses to get money for drugs.

Since so many crimes are related to drug use and dependency, one logical solution would be to treat incarcerated criminals with addiction problems. However, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in spite of the fact that 58 percent of state prisoners met the criteria for drug dependence or abuse, only 28 percent of these addicted prisoners received treatment.

Because the current system doesn’t effectively treat drug addiction, imprisonment does nothing to prevent further crime. According to the National Institute of Justice, 77 percent of drug offenders were rearrested after release from prison.

Obviously, incarceration is not the solution.

Instead, we should provide drug offenders with the opportunity for rehabilitation instead of imprisonment. Prison time for minor drug-related crimes does more harm than good, as it exposes inmates to more criminal behavior and causes a disconnection from imperative emotional support.

Additionally, the transition from prison back to normal society is very difficult because the stigma surrounding ex-convicts significantly reduces their access to opportunities like good jobs and housing. This leaves them even more vulnerable

to addiction, as these struggles are triggers for relapse. Because it treats drug addiction, the root cause of the crimes, rehabilitation is more effective than incarceration at reducing crime.

Rehabilitation is also much less expensive than incarceration. One study of Maryland prisons showed that the average cost of incarceration was five times the average cost of rehabilitation. This does not even take into account the savings associated with increased productivity and lower crime rates resulting from rehabilitation.

Imagine all the money that could be saved by putting drug offenders in rehab instead of prison.

These massive savings could be allocated to more important programs that benefit society -- and you.

According to a study by the Vera Institute of Justice, the average cost of prison in California was $47,421 per inmate in 2010. The average cost of attending a UC is $34,700.

Ultimately, most drug offenders commit crimes because of their addiction, not because they are inherently criminal. They don’t belong in prison, they belong in rehab. You should care about changing this broken system because it’s humane and right. But if that’s not reason enough, rehab is also more cost effective and beneficial to both individuals and society.

We’ve already started working on making things better, but that’s not enough to fix all the problems with drug offenders, mass incarceration, or the deeply flawed prison system. By educating yourself on these issues and voting when you turn 18, you can ensure that this work continues. You have the ability to improve the broken system. Why don’t you?

11

OPINIONS

Well, I loved mom first

Listen mom, I love them, I really do. But this is a great oprotunity to make a point of what being the oldest sibling is really like, pros v. cons style.

(Really mom, it’s just a joke! Ha ha ha........)

Don’t misunderestimate me.

Lena Mau

NOSTALGIC ITEMS FROM my personal childhood and tween years, mostly different eras of technology because I grew up in a rapidly changing digital age. Illustration by Emma Toscani.

But I remember that too...

Recently, the Pew Research Center changed the cutoff date for the Millennial generation, leaving me and most turn-of-the-century babies in an undefined generation that grew up very differently from children born today.

W

hen I was little, I played with Polly Pockets, a Playstation 2 with the Simpsons’ Road Rage, Webkinz, and a Winnie the Pooh CDBut, Rebecca, ROM game. it’s not what When I got you think!! older, I moved onto MineEmma Toscani craft, playing for much of middle school, getting my very own account in 6th grade, and joining Tumblr when I was 13. When people discuss Millennials and this “new” generation (Generation Z?), there is often this nostalgia that is only designated for people that grew up during a certain time; but what about people that don’t fit the age requirements?

12

The way it is divided up currently according to Pew Research Center is that everyone born after 1996 is not considered a millennial but rather of this generation that will most likely be called “Generation Z.” While I think that Millennials and these kids growing up now had very different experiences and shouldn’t be in the same generation, I think there should be a third one in between.

Some years ago, I heard of the term “Centennial” to describe the children born around the turn of the century. The ones that started life in the late 1990s to early 2000s, but spent their adolescence and young

adult years in the 2010s. Why should we have this differentiation? Because I didn’t grow up with an iPad in my hands, or watching NSYNC on tv.

Me, and many of peers, are in this grey area between these two very different generations. We may not all remember 9/11, but we were there for the immediate after-effects. I remember the 2008 housing market crash and my tween years were shaped by this economic instability.

To better understand the effects of all these events and pop culture then on how the young adults of today interact in society, we should not be divided into these two marginalized groups. My experience isn’t unique; this may ring true for most high schoolers and college students today. We all grew up in two worlds, so why not unite them to better analyze our impact in the world?

Pros:

Cons:

- Mom and dad likes you the best

- Mom and dad hate you the most

- Everything is a big deal

- Everyone tries to pretend that everything isn’t a big deal

- They trust you - Sometimes curfew is really late (but only on weekends, see point four on cons list) - Sometimes, your parents will help you handle when the children are being bratty - Depending on how old the younger siblings are, you might have some little buddies, and maybe a good friend or two. Also, sometimes when you get older, you’ll (hopefully) have some good people that you can rely on and be pals with - Everything is an adventure (but also see cons list point six on cons list) - Teaching your younger siblings how to curse - Dating… no wait there’s literally no pros when it comes to dating, or relationships - Sometimes your parents will treat you like an adult (but also see point 9 on cons list) - You get to spend a lot of time with the children, which could be a pro… or it could be a con… see point five and point ten on cons list)

- If they catch you in ONE lie, they absolutely do not trust you - You can’t stay out on a school night, unless it’s for a school project, and even then, you have to be back before nine - “You’re older, handle it!”

- The children want to hang out with you and your friends all. the. time.

- Everything is an adventure, and you can’t go anywhere without knowing who is gonna be there, what parents are gonna be there, the address, and everyone who’s gonna be there social security numbers - Getting in trouble for teaching your younger siblings how to say bad things/ words - Don’t even get me started on dating…

- Sometimes your parents will treat you like a very tiny, knownothing, child - You’re the go-to, free, and lastminute babysitter - Sometimes the kids might snitch on you when you say something… sensitive

- You can talk about drama in the family/ talk crap on your parents when one or two of your siblings gets older

MAY 2017

OPINIONS

Bring women into the spotlight

The portrayal of women in the media needs to change along with the lack of opportunities they get to be in positions of power, so we can all have a more equal industry, one that gives everyone a chance and a clear portrayal of both genders.

D

o I need to remind the film company, Hello Sunshine.Where she industry, once again, that this fights for and funds movies starring is 2018, the 21st century. powerful actresses being directed Well as a matter of fact it seems alongside powerful women to tell like I do so here we go; I have a big these amazing real life stories. problem with the under represenStories like a film about an tation of strong women in media astronaut, a film about the entreand the lack of preneur who opportunities invented Barbie, I’m sorry that you feel that for them to be and a film about way. in positions of the young, power.

American girls -Taina Millsap Ever since who were the the Oscars first woman to were founded serve alongside in 1929, there Special Ops in have been five 2010, Afghaniwomen nomistan.In addition nated for Best director, and only one this year, Frances McDormand, of them has won, Kathryn Bigelow winner of best actress, asked all the for the movie “The hurt locker.” This women nominated to stand up as the shows the lack of opportunity that audience roared in applause, as the women get to be in these positions of woman stood it showed that society extreme importance. needs to turn a room filled with Don’t try to tell me that “It’s just roughly 20 female nominees into a coincidence because men just hap100 and finally find equality in this pen to have directed better movies” important industry. because there’s been a reason behind One of those woman was Greta all of this. Women just aren’t given Gerwig the 5th female to ever be the same opportunities; the industry nominated in the category of best needs to start giving these intellidirector, being nominated for “Lady gent women more chances to create Bird,” a movie she wrote and directed incredible movies. herself.These are all signs of hope, a Not only in directing but in the possibility for a better future in this world of media in general, women industry, where women are more recrecognition seems to boil down to a ognized and included in all aspects of few awards every year if we’re lucky. film. Not only behind the scenes as In addition women in acting seem directors and producers, but also on to always be given the same roles to camera as they play important roles play over and over again, someone’s based on stories of woman with lives love interest. Now don’t get me and accomplishments that matter. wrong I love romance movies but we Not just to show up in pretty need to start telling important stories lingerie so they can be the tough that are more than just about the boy males love interest, or the damsel in from the coffee shop, stories about distress, or maybe the housewife. real women who deserve to be heard.

Let’s produce stories of women An example of a step in the of all kinds who don’t need to be right direction is Reese Withsaved, but can that can save themerspoon’s production company, selves, and make amazing movies Pacific Standard, and her multimedia telling important stories.

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN in media is important. Photo illustration by Emma Toscani

Minimum wage bad for students

We can’t make legislation that defies the laws of economics just as we can’t legislate against the laws of gravity.

W

hether you believe it or not, summer is around the corner.

Once the three “You miss 100% month long of the shots you vacation is don’t take. ushered in, a - Wayne Gretzky plethora of kids -Michael Scott” will be free to - Aeon Combs work at various establishments.

But, there’s a catch; as demand for low level jobs increase, employment opportunities for high school kids are decreased.

THE MUSTANG

If you, an eager and hardworking student, have found yourself unemployed with a hungry wallet because the business you work for is overstaffed, you should advocate for repealing the minimum wage.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world for workers if the minimum wage was repealed. Whenever the minimum wage is increased,

employers are forced to cut employee benefits--like discounts on goods/ services, retirement savings plans, or healthcare.

“But can’t we just mandate businesses to pay minimum wage and extensive benefits?” I guess if you want your employer’s business to be destroyed from crippling debt and force your fellow co-workers into unemployment, go for it. I feel sorry for the high schoolers who advocate for an increased minimum wage because they don’t realize it’s at their own expense. If businesses are forced to pay higher wages for employees,

they are going to expect higher qualifications for people to work at their establishment. And since high schoolers, generally speaking, have little to no qualifications, it would be to our benefit to repeal the minimum wage.

Many advocates for the minimum wage complain that businesses would pay their employees far too little if the laws are repealed.

When fantastic companies like In N Out pay their employees a whopping $13 an hour, they don’t do so because the government is compelling them to. They do so because they want

their customers to experience quality service, and to reflect those values on their workers paying them better is a simple solution. Every time we raise the minimum wage, we intend to create a safety net for workers who were being paid to little.

But the unintended consequences soon follow:, unemployment along with prices for goods rise, benefits for employees are cut, and if you think that all businesses have a “Scrooge McDuck gold coin bath” that they love to jump in after shop hours, you are far from the truth my friend.

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Mental health matters

OPINIONS

By Rami Ibrahim, a guest writer voicing the NAMI club’s opinion.

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he horrifying continual crisis of school shootings has been thrown into the faces of American students, not only due to the extended media attention it receives but the immediate threat it seems to impose. SDA Staff were trained in an inservice last month, SDA Students were given a student safety presentation during homeroom, and SDA in accordance with high schools nationwide seem to emphasize intervention versus prevention.

As vitally important preparation and intervention are in the event of a crisis, promoting prevention should be equally as prioritized. Ignorance is an obstacle that manifests when people are asked to change their mindsets in order to accomodate and normalize the threat of school shootings on campus.

So, how do we start with the prevention process? By fostering connection and promoting wellness, we are developing critical coping techniques that directly influence the prevention of potential crises.

With May being Mental Health Awareness month, I believe an appropriate way to address this issue is through the exposure of people, activities, and organizations at SDA that help support student wellness. Here is simply a portion of student resources: Staff - Teachers, Admin, Counseling, School Psychologist, School Social Worker, Speech Therapist, Support Staff (Admin Assistants, Secretaries), etc.

Organizations/Activities - MRT, Mustang Mentors, Link Crew, ASB activities, We Connect Wednesdays, Homeroom Olympics, PALs, Counselor Support Groups, Counselor Crisis Intervention, Yellow Ribbon Day, Red Ribbon Week, Wellness Week, NAMI Club, SAVE Promise Club, Staff Inservice Activities, etc.

Through the NAMI Club here on campus, we have participated in the NAMI walk for mental illness awareness and will be helping orchestrate Wellness Week on the SDA campus May 21st-25th. We want to help raise awareness to SDA students and staff throughout the month of May and recognize the amazing people and resources currently available at SDA. If we KNOW they exist, then we can DO something with them. Together, we can assimilate connection into the normalized culture of our school and community.

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In wake of recent mass school shootings, President Trump’s administration and the NRA have proposed the idea of “hardening” schools by increasing security. Some of the recommendations include fenced-in facilities, less plant life, bulletproof glass, less windows, and security cameras. While some view this as strong move towards safer schools, others find this high level of security at a place of education and growth as extreme and prison-like. By Lily Callender.

MAY 2018

FEATURES

THE MUSTANG

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Pat on the back

FEATURES

From JanSport to Fjallraven, SDA students maintain their most valuable school material in vehicles that embody their personality. Photos by Patrick Hall.

A Fjallraven and Adidas Superstars mix by senior AJ Hanson.

Freshman Logan Ross sporting her aqua blue Tissot backpack

Backpacks may serve a variety of purposes, including pillows.

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Senior Jordan Kawar and his tie-dye JanSport.

Senior Julie Daughters and her unique plastic, transparent backpack with matching pink straps

Junior Ella Hastey and her flowery combo of dress and bag.

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Two friends with a Tissot and brandless backpacks.

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FEATURES

Digital activism

LEFT: Camille Zimmer and Mila Roemer, co-founders of Creating for a Change RIGHT: Ethan Hirschburg, founder of The Journey through Autism

Sophmores Camille Zimmer, Mila Roemer and Ethan Hirschberg spark social change through personal blogs. Story by Lila Schief.

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s political activism becomes more popular within a younger demographic, teens are seeking platforms through which they can express the need for social change. Blogs are a possible answer.

Run by sophomores Mila Roemer and Camille Zimmer, Creating for a Change is a nonprofit organization and blog promoting girls’ education in third world countries. Since its first workshop in December 2016, CFC has donated over $2,500 to the Campaign for Female Education, which supports and empowers young women in sub-Saharan Africa. They have around 400 instagram followers and 50 active readers.

“We’re the next generation. We need to be more aware of the problems that other countries are facing,” Zimmer said. She and Roemer spread awareness for these problems, and the general lack of women’s rights in countries around the world on their blog, which is an extension of Creating for a Change.

They keep their monthly posts politically correct minus the politics, as their main goal is not to spark political debate, but rather to stand up for women without a voice. “We want the blog to be open to everyone,” Roemer said. “It’s not really a matter of politics; it’s more just helping the world but it’s hard to stay non-partisan in that way.”

Their posts explore a number of feminist-related topics, including a series of famous female artists, an informative piece about child marriage, and an interview with SDA’s Eli Cameron on women’s roles throughout history.

With an abundance of strong

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female figures and social struggles, Creating for a Change aims to inform and inspire all readers- no matter what age, gender, race or religion.

Sophomore Ethan Hirschberg’s Journey through Autism is more specific to his “personal experiences, insights, and advice,” and is purposefully targeted towards “individuals on the spectrum, as well as parents, caregivers, educators and providers.”

His blog has garnered 20,000 followers and over a hundred comments ranging from advice seekers to thankful parents, appreciative teachers with words of encouragement, and other affected teens seeking comfort in Hirschberg’s shared experiences: Hey Ethan, I so appreciate you sharing your feelings. You help to make me a better teacher because I now have additional insight into my students.

- Jaymie Hi Ethan, I’m Riley. I was also diagnosed with high-functioning autism when I was three, and I am so happy I have found a teen who has gone through similar struggles who I can relate to. I cannot wait to read more of your work, and I wish you the best of luck in all of your future plans.

- Riley Horton The Journey Through Autism offers a unique perspective on life with high functioning autism. Each post explores a different aspect of the challenges associated with autism, ie. sibling relationships, various so-

cial situations, anger, etc, and how Hirschberg works through them.

“There have been a few hate comments, along with a few sad stories from people who are really having a hard time in life,” Hirschberg said.

Despite these challenges, his blog continues to work toward its goals which, according to Hirschberg, are “to educate, advocate, and inspire the whole world, especially the autism community and special education- anyone who works with people on a daily basis.”

The Journey through Autism has been featured in The LA Times, Autism Speaks, I Care 4 Autism, and more. Through his blog, Hirschberg discovered his affinity for public speaking, and is being flown across the US to speak at the I Care 4 Autism Conference in New York this October. He is also beginning the process of writing a book.

Both blogs use their voices to engage with the community and connect to their audiences. In doing so, they promote activism in an extremely effective way. Plus Zimmer said, “The feeling you get when you do something good, and get a lot done is like the best feeling ever, and it’s really rewarding.”

Check out www.creatingforachange.com for more information about Camille and Mila’s organization, and Ethan’s blog at www.thejourneythroughautism.com.

MAY 2018

FEATURES

Inside the mind of a

successful businessman Questions about the game of business?

Let an experienced player help you.

By Aeon Benford-Combs

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o you have dreams of being a titan of industry? Are you unsure about how you’ll achieve this goal? Are you willing to work night and day to one day enjoy the life after business? If you have answered yes to all of these questions, an accomplished guide will help you through your venture. Elvin Lai is an entrepreneur with a footing in many different markets. He is the founder and CEO of G4 Strategies, a company that helps businesses with finances and marketing strategies, CEO & president of Ocean Park Inn Hotel located in San Diego, and CFO of Abnormal Brewing Co, a winery located in Rancho Bernardo. To say that someone like Mr. Lai is ambitious would be an understatement.

Along with playing a major role in many businesses across San Diego County, he is also in charge of the PB Clean and Safe Program, which provides security for the business district and jobs for the homeless.

What is the greatest obstacle that you’ve had to face when making your businesses?

Every obstacle is a learning experience, so if you see an obstacle as such, it’s not really an obstacle, it becomes a learning opportunity or growth opportunity. I have had many growth opportunities. a. People underestimate me all the time, which is always in my favor in making deals. b. People think I am too young to do business… in this case I had to change my appearance, talk, walk, speech patterns, but all that was just a mask. Now I have many masks for the many personalities I have to deal with, so I look into my bag of masks

THE MUSTANG

and trade out with which ever one I need for that moment in time. c. People are difficult to deal with all the time… this is a great learning opportunity, I have a name of most of the personalities I come into contact with, and have a different way of dealing with each type of personality. Don’t disregard a trouble person in your life. You can be sure that they WILL come back into your life in one form or another.

Business is all about all about dealing with people, and if you can understand people, you will be successful. The other things you would expect, cash flow problems, bank problems, investor issues, regulations and rulings against you; that all happens to every business and there are protocols on how to deal with those.

Who are your role models?

I don’t have a few role models, I have many. Everyone around me is teaching me something, which is to me what a role model does. My three-month-old daughter in that case is a role model. She teaches me to smile every day, and make what I do more purposeful. I wouldn’t always look up, I would look at your friends and those who are younger than you; everyone has something to teach, you just need to be willing to listen.

What is the greatest motivator for people to start businesses?

Freedom is what most people seek when they start a business, but what they don’t understand is, they get less freedom. Starting your own business is a 24/7 endeavor. You never stop thinking, promoting, sell-

ing or working. What people should start small business for is for SelfReliance. If you want to make your own waves and your own difference in the world you live in, then this is a great way to do it. Freedom is a fallacy that people come to realize very quickly when they don’t really understand what it takes to run their own business.

What kind of responsibility does the entrepreneur have to their community?

My father asked me when I was 10yrs old if I wanted to be the chess player or the chess piece, both are instrumental and important? I said, of course, the chess player! Well, in that case, you must take care of not only your own chess pieces, but the chess pieces of your opponent and the entire chess board.

If there is no opposing chess player there is no chess game, and more importantly, if there is no chess board, there is nothing at all. As a business owner, I believe I have the responsibility for the well being of all my competitors and my community; without them, I would have nothing to build on.

What advice do you have for high schoolers with similar aspirations?

Your parents are right when they tell you, you are who you hang out with. I think that you are the summation of the five people you hang out with the most. You inevitably will think the same, talk the same, walk to same, and like the same things; this is human nature and unconscious.

I am not saying by any means, go and change your friends, but

what I am saying is you have to look within your self first before you can change your surroundings.

When I was in high school, I blamed everyone around me, but what I found out was “my outer turmoil was simply a projection of my inner turmoil.” One should not be so quick to judge and blame other.

Look within yourself and see where that is coming from first before you act. I know a lot of the people these days get angry about people talking about them or hating on them. Haters will be haters and if you think about it, people on hate on people because your important enough or a threat enough to hate on.

There is a saying, energy is energy, whether it is negative or positive energy, people hating on someone is only feeding them more energy and making them more important and hurting themselves by producing that negative energy.

When you consume yourself with negative energy, you become negative, but those receiving the negative energy have a choice on how to receive it and perceive it. I know this is harder said than done. I have haters all the time, and there effect has been positive for me. They push my brands into discussions where people know our name and know our product, then they of course have to make a decisions for themselves on what the product means to them, but the hardest part is already done, they know about my product.

Like the old adage goes, “There is no such thing as bad press” or “bad press is good press.”

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ARTS

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MAY 2018

ARTS

T

The real deal Through the success of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” drag, the act of female impersonation has been able to become more mainstream and reach younger audiences. Story by Nohemia Rosales. Illustration by Taylor Gates.

THE MUSTANG

he queens huddled, ready to answer to their 6’4” tall idol, RuPaul Charles. They are all ecstatic to continue on in the competition, which would ultimately lead to the drastic (or should I say “dragstic”) growth of their careers.

“Gentlemen, start your engines, and may the best woman win!”

The queens spread out, looking for fabric, sequins, scissors, or anything that may aid them in the next challenge. Some are confident in their abilities to sew and create a garment from scratch and others have no experience at all.

Either way, the competition has begun.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is a reality TV show that consists of drag queens from different backgrounds competing for the ultimate title of “America’s Next Top Drag Superstar”.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” highlights the art of drag, which is commonly described as the act of creating female characters in a performance setting. While the bars are normally 21+, the availability of the show (previously on logo but now on VH1) has caused and showcased a growth of drag that can extend the art to younger audiences.

Drag queens typically perform in gay bars and use makeup as well as padding to create female impersonations. They perform 2-3 songs and collect tips from the audience. It is an art that can allow people to challenge gender roles and social constructs.

Drag performances can be witnessed firsthand for SDA students at one of the biggest drag venues in California, LIPS, in North Park, but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Additionally, due to the success of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and the effort put in by queens, many have extended their performances beyond bars and onto internacional stages and even television. Dragcon is also an option for people of all ages to enjoy drag through panels with “Drag Race” alumni as well as different events such as meet and greets.

The accomplishments and growth drag has seen over the years has moved drag onto mainstream media. Fan favorites Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova moved from their YouTube series on WOWPresents to their own television show on Viceland where they discuss random topics and interview people around West Hollywood. “These people are being creative in such ways I didn’t know [was possible]. It’s been happening for so long and for me to just see it on TV, it’s like, ‘where was this?’ The fact that is on TV is so cool!” senior Taylor Gates said.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” alumni, Courtney Act, won “Celebrity Big Brother (UK)” and actively spoke on gender issues with her conservative housemates. She would appear in and out of drag and continues to speak on the issues through social media, “The most important thing about

drag becoming more mainstream is that we’re moving from tolerance of gay culture to acceptance. And that’s really important. I would say that it is almost mainstream. It’s getting there and I think it’s important that it’s getting there,” junior Drew Atkins said.

The diversity in drag is what can attract many young people that seek to relate to people in the media and be represented. “I just started watching drag when season nine came out because I saw a queen with Mexican roots and I felt I could connect and relate and fall in love with the art form,” senior Fernando Ramirez said.

Drag oftentimes helps people (especially of the LGBTQ+ community) feel more validated: “I think it helps people see that it’s okay not to be the stereotypical normal. It can help young gay guys to see that being feminine is not bad. A lot of times femininity among guys is really looked down upon,” senior Stephen Read said.

“I feel like it would make it a lot more comforting to see there’s a whole group in the media ready to support you. It would make you feel more valued,” Gates said.

“It has become something that you’re not ashamed of, but something that people are impressed by,” Ramirez said.

In particular, drag can impact people at the high school level not only due to the availability of it in the media, but because of the ideals it encompasses “High school students might be drawn to it because it’s such an essential time. I think it can help [members of the LGBTQ+ community to] see people who are like them on TV and let them know that they’re normal and what they’re doing [is] okay,” Ramirez said. “[It is] a very interpretive art form. Like art, drag is what you make it. Drag is an alternative way to express yourself creatively and have fun with it,” Atkins said. “People are naturally drawn to creativity and I think that drag queens are the epiphany of that.”

A big goal and characteristic of drag is the idea of being who you are without fear of what others might think. “I began to have a strong connection to drag because of [relating to] people that didn’t fit in. I feel that it’s hard to accept that you’ll always be different... it encouraged me to be less apologetic of who I am and be more proud. Many people would say don’t be extra and I didn’t want to become a stereotype, but drag helped me become more confident and be more [like myself],” Ramirez said.

“A lot of people don’t realize how deep [drag and its] terminology is. They just think it’s ‘ghetto’ but it actually has a lot of power to it.

Do a google. There’s movies such as ‘Paris is Burning’ [that highlights and shows the history of drag]. Just basic research or realizing that there is a lot deeper meaning,” Read said.

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ARTS

P A series of (un)photunate events

Nearby restaurants’ pho is put to the test to see who has the most pho-nomenal noodle soup.

By Amelia Kaiser.

ho is a trendy Vietnamese rice noodle soup with select meats and/or vegetables, which is a perfect meal for the plenty of fellow Encinitans like me who need a taste of culture in their lives—even if it comes in the form of a beef testicle, which was a somewhat un-photunate surprise I found in my pho from Pho-ever. There are a couple pho restaurants nearby: Kim’s Vietnamese is off of Highway 101 in The Lumberyard, and Pho Ever on El Camino Real. The two restaurants are only about three miles apart, so it might be a little difficult to decide where you want to slurp up some Vietnamese noodles.

entertained while waiting for your meal. However, I did not need to be entertained for very long, as the wait for my food was remarkably short.

My job: to decide whose pho is the best. I’ll be ordering beef pho at each place and reviewing them both based on quality of food, service, and overall atmosphere of the restaurant.

Service: friendly and fast

KIM’S VIETNAMESE

PHO EVER’S BEEF noodle soup, along with a plate of fixings to add.

Photo by Amelia Kaiser

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The experience: My first pho experience was at Kim’s--it was truly unphogettable. Upon entering the cozy restaurant, the hostess showed me to a table, handed me a menu and asked if I wanted some water.

Of course I did, (a hydrated kidney is a happy kidney) especially if I’m going to be slurping on some salty noodle-water. The menu was to-thepoint, yet offered many options for diners with varying culinary desires.

Once I ordered my food, it came out shortly after. There’s some neat art on the walls you can look at to keep you

The food: Wow! The beef was cooked perfectly; it was tender and made juicy by the robust broth, which was rich with flavor and had a gingery sweetness and slightly licorice-y flavor that was complimented by the onions. The rice noodles were expectably great, and the pho overall was a perfect blend of flavors. With my pho came a plate of fresh bean sprouts and herbs so I could add them in a manner I desired.

My overall rating: 5/5 stars Food: delicious!

PHO-EVER The experience: In the beginning, my experience at Pho-Ever was quite similar to my experience at Kim’s. In the sense that I sat down and received a menu. The menu was very confusing for me to look at. The number of options in that menu were overwhelming; I think less is more when it comes to restaurant menus.

I ordered a Build-a-Bowl Option B, so if you ever want plain old beef pho, order that. But just in advance if you want pho, go to Kim’s. I think they call this restaurant Pho-Ever because your food takes pho-ever to come out. Sometimes, during rush hour at a restaurant, food can take a

long time. But at 3 o’clock on Easter Sunday, with two other diners, you would expect some form of speed.

The fact that the workers were at the bar playing cards made this more irritating. When my pho finally came out, the waiter realized it was chicken and I had to wait for a new bowl.

The food: Eh. I don’t have much to say about the food. It wasn’t bad, but didn’t dazzle me like Kim’s did.

I received a plate of herbs and bean sprouts to add to my pho, but it looked kind of dried out, as if they had pre-made them all and possibly left it sitting out. The rice noodles were just normal rice noodels but came in a sort of clump at the bottom of the pho, so I had to loosen them up.

My overall rating: 3/5 stars Service: disinterested in customer satisfaction Food: mediocre Pho is an important way for the inhabitants of Trendcinitas to explore new flavors and food types.

Having Vietnamese restaurants (and other types of international cuisine) in our city makes it an interesting place to experience a blend of culture. Ranking aside, restaurants like Kim’s and Pho-Ever represent the diversity of where we live and the unique appreciation we have for an adventurous, Encinitas lifestyle.

MAY 2018

Why are we here?

Time isn't made out of lines, it is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round.

Story by Joice He.

THE MUSTANG

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ARTS

ith a whopping 15 seasons, five mini arcs, and 68 shorts, Rooster Teeth’s animated show “Red vs. Blue” holds the title of the longest running web series on the internet to date, and it’s still going strong with its sixteenth season having premiered late last month. It was first recorded as a joke show in writer Burnie Burn’s living room using an outdated Halo game as a medium. But for some reason, this low-def, poorly voice acted, comedy spoof struck a chord with the internet community, and “Red vs.

Blue” went on to create a multi-million dollar company responsible for hit shows such as “RWBY,” “Camp Camp,” and “Achievement Hunters.”

At first, the plot is exactly as you’d expect: a bunch of stupid guys in a box canyon in the middle of nowhere, fighting a war of red team versus blue team for no distinguishable reason. For a while, they’re content with lazing about and loudly insulting each other from across the canyon, but it soon becomes apparent that something about this whole red vs. blue thing is amiss.

One realization leads to another, and suddenly the whole crew is dragged into an elaborate plot orchestrated by freelancers, space pirates, time travel, and a talking bomb named Andy.

In case you couldn’t already tell, I basically worship this show.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’ll take any chance I get to gush over it. But even I agree that RvB has its issues, so I promise not to pull my

punches.

“Red vs. Blue” only debuted on a small blog four years before the creation of YouTube, and yet it has still managed to become a massively popular and successful series. Now that it is both on YouTube and Netflix, its massive fanbase has spread even further. The charm of the show is very unique, and comes both from its ridiculously stupid lines and surprisingly chilling moments.

It feels almost as if the writers have misplaced sitcom characters into an action movie.

Over the course of 16 years, RvB’s colorful cast grows from a bunch of idiots doing nothing in a canyon to the same bunch of idiots, but this time have effectively weaseled their way past some of the most dangerous people the show has to offer, simply by sheer luck and being overestimated.

The show has a rather slow start, and is hard to get through if you’re not determined. Mostly because it’s so old, the graphics are really horrible and the voice acting is difficult to understand, but the story itself is actually pretty funny and entertaining. There’s a tank named Sheila, someone has an alien baby, and the main character dies a couple times (he’s fine, he comes back as a ghost. This actually happens more than you’d think.)

It’s all fun and games until season 6. Season 6 is where shit goes down.

All the throw away jokes from

the first five seasons? Suddenly they’re core elements of a whole new plot, and you don’t even get the chance to brace yourself. For the first time, then Reds and Blues find that they can’t stay out of the splash zone The show evolves before your eyes. Overall quality skyrockets; the writers invent new plots, new music, recruit new animators, all the while keeping a distinct, unprofessional connectedness with it’s viewers.

Season 11 through 13 introduce a villain whose most dangerous quality is that he doesn’t underestimate the protagonists, season 14 is entirely comprised of fan content, and season 15 brings the series full circle.

But the best thing about “Red vs. Blue” is the running jokes. Because it’s been going for so long, the writers were able to cultivate jokes over the course of 16 years so that every time one is mentioned, you feel rewarded for watching the show long enough to get it.

Overall “Red vs. Blue” is a phenomenal show, albeit a little slow to start. From its humble, low-def beginnings, the show blossoms into a conversation about responsibility, loss, and leadership all the while retaining its goofy atmosphere and stupid, lovable idiot characters. The graphics, voices, and story grow continually better as the writers find their way, and what is left is a masterpiece showcasing the growth of a company, of a community, and of a creator

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CAF

THE HORSE

“NEVER DON’T EVER NOT STOP HORSING AROUND” - GANDHI

COOKING FOR ONE

This week on Blogging with Debra, a deluded 28-year-old spinster: Quinoa- it tastes almost as bad as you feel.

By Shayna Glazer and Taylor Rudman

H

ey ladies! Remember me?

It’s Debra! Debbie for short.

And not just Jake calls me Debbie anymore! So does the cashier at Starbucks. We’re pretty close, since I see her four times a day for some “girl talk” and also maybe a little too much espresso. Not important!

I know it’s been a while since my last blog, but I’m back bi-atches!

I’m sorry for the language, #girlpower #makegirlsgreatagain #jklol. I took a break from blogging because I realized that I needed to focus more on my emotional health. My boyfriend Jake and I went through a separation recently, and although he still hasn’t realized what a TOTAL DUMBASS he was for dumping me (#whorunstheworldgirls #whoneedsmennotme #girlpower), I realized that I needed to move on. Which I’ve totally done. Like, totally. Just drop it.

The first step to emotional health is getting your physical health into tip-top shape. That’s what I saw on the Cosmopolitan SC story, anyways. So, after doing a 7-day kale

based detox, I felt like a new woman.

I was awoken as a newly sexual being. I didn’t want this feeling to go away. So, naturally, I decided that it was time to do a little experimenting… at my local farmers market.

Although I loved kale, I could tell that kale didn’t really love me. Love is reciprocal, and I couldn’t be tied down by kale anymore. So I hopped in my Prius and drove off, in search of a new life, a new love.

Here’s the scene, the Corner Farmers Market, 5:30 p.m.-- closing time. The pruney lady behind the counter is nodding off while standing up (a true talent if you ask me), and I’m wandering down the bulk food aisle looking for something I can take home and snack on.

Then I see him.

Hair tied back in a man bun, a Rolling Stones shirt poking out from under his apron, he’s edgy and mysterious and looking directly at me. I saunter up, all hips and flowy skirt, and moccasins, I’m elegant, I’m grace, I’m in his face.

He smiles at me, it’s lazy and yet wanna meet up on friday babe?”

For the full recipe, visit my blog at intriguing, and slowly he raises his Mission accomplished. https://bit.ly/2Hyv70g. Enjoy! (I hand and there it is, HE’S PROPOSI decided on a classic: know you will).

ING – okay, no, he’s not – but he is chicken and quinoa burritos. handing me a little white cup filled with steaming quinoa. Like the jello shots of my college sorority parmy ties, I down it in needs none s? one swallow. He’s b pro s min impressed. How 40 could he not be? So I take initiative, I ion for reparat am the alpha female nts in p ie d e er g e all in tra excit afterall, I invite him Combin some ex .) r 1 o F s. s ast or tilla to my apartment on to the t ken bre nd! uffing in eforeha st Friday for some dish - 2 chic s la il ionoa b t u r q o e t h t , it t hea I’ll make with the mehow eat up whole w inoa. So ment, h u q e h t quinoa he’s selling. burnt cado shoot. I e.

He’s baffled and 2.) Oh - 1 avo n befor ntro inoa is a orse tha il w c I take it as a yes, whipn e p v u e for qu e tastes -1c subsitut t a e r ping out my pen, I ink g a y! A stead s quino to worr xcept, in my number onto his - 2 cup 3.) Not them. E f d o e e d v e d e ce. e sweaty palm. He smiles. your fa entire sl cup shr .5 o, stuff eos. An 1 r it r O r u b I get home and into the g them guess who’s messaged, it’s cheese of stuffin Kevin (that’s his name), salsa - 3 tbs “hey its kevin from the farmers market, really

s

urrito B a o n i Qu

BOLLYWOOD BASH

As SDA’s Prom approaches, we’re here to give you an inside scoop on what to expect on your big night. By Sienna Riley

B

efore us upperclassmen set off for Prom on May 19th, I decided I wanted to do a little bit of pre-prom preparation. In other words, I went to one Echolocation Club meeting, and I’m basically psychic now, so let me share with you what I’ve predicted.

So as you’ve already heard, Prom is going to be held at the San Diego Zoo. Now ASB has revealed that the theme for this year’s prom will be Bollywood.

For those that do not understand what Bollywood actually is, it’s the Indian movie industry and essentially the equivalent of Hollywood.

Someone may want to let ASB know that.

Besides the theme of the dance, the location of Prom may have some redeemable qualities. People can dance on the dance floor, eat some quality catered food, walk around the zoo with their dates and visit the

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animal exhibits…

Oh wait, no one is allowed in the actual zoo. Scratch that off the list.

That’s alright, because ASB has replaced zoo-wandering privileges with a belly dancer; which is of course a part of Indian culture (not at all really, because it actually originates in Arabian culture, but we of course ignore this).

However, an even bigger attraction is in store for the unassuming party-goers. A giant elephant named Zimbo will be available for people to sit on top of, and take photos with.

A fun fact about Zimbo is that he’s actually from India (the only authentic Indian thing at Prom)!

Zimbo has really led a wild life; at the ripe young age of 4 months his mother was killed and gutted by poachers. Thankfully, those poachers then introduced him to the magical world of entertainment.

All of these events eventually

led up to ASB renting an elephant for Prom. They had a really big budget this year.

Some have voiced complaints, especially pertaining to the amount of poop that will undoubtedly be everywhere; however, students can rest assured that everything will go wrong.

With my newly discovered psychic abilities, allow me to tell you how this night will be one big disaster.

First of all, Zimbo’s led a tough life. I predict he’ll get sick and tired of belly dancers and snotty students taking selfies. This big fella is going to be a bit unhappy with the amount of animals locked up in the zoo (have you seen Madagascar?). Be prepared for when the elephant everyone is fighting to take a picture with sneaks off and releases all the animals in the zoo.

Here’s where it gets good.

As students are dabbing and

A lovely portrait of Zimbo the Elephant by Lily Callendar poorly belly dancing a low rumble till shake the earth. Before we know it, a stampede of every animal let loose at the zoo will be coming straight for the dance floor. Fight or flight instincts will kick in. Without a doubt there will be casualties. These poor souls will just so happen to be the people culturally-appropriating bindis, which may or may not be a

necessary sacrifice for the greater good.

In the end, it’s going to turn out to be one of the biggest disasters in SDA history, and a huge success for the liberation of the animal kingdom.

My advice to you is this: don’t culturally-appropriate Indian culture if you don’t want to be sacrificed to a stampede of zoo animals. Thank you.

MAY 2018

CAF

THE HORSE

“NEVER DON’T EVER NOT STOP HORSING AROUND” - GANDHI

ASK A SENIOR! Senior Emma Toscani imparts her wisdom.

Are you taking any AP tests?

Sadly, I am. AP tests suck out your soul slowly and painfully, like a very very long nail steadily being dragged across a very large chalkboard while a bat is slowly hitting you in the same spot on your arm over and over until your bone finally breaks and you collapse from pain. Anyways, AP tests are what make or break your admission to some colleges so sign your ass up next year!1!!1!

What is your sign?

Well, technically, my sun sign is that of the Sagittarius, the freespirited centaur. But, if we are really delving deep, I am a Pisces moon with a Libra rising and a strong Scorpio Venus, with Aquarius in Mars, Neptune, Uranus (lol). I am a Taurus Saturn with a Mercury Sagittarius, too. The most significant planet in the heavens

THE MUSTANG

at the time of my shooting out of the womb was Venus, the planet named after the Greek (I mean Roman) goddess of love and beauty. So all this means I’m pretty hot shit that will burn you if you try and hold me down.

Also I’m smart based off how the planets and stars aligned so take that.

When is Mother’s Day? Technically, every day is mother’s day. If you aren’t making her breakfast in bed on the weekends and bringing her flowers on the daily, then you are weak and a bad offspring.

The established “Mother’s Day” is a capitalist ploy just to make extreme sales and profits for the company that is insignificant for the rest of the year: Hallmark. Hallmark is not even a blip on your screen until the month of May rolls around and out comes the crappy wastes of paper cards with cheesy,

cliché lines about how “meaningful” your mother is to you. Like come on.

I see your game Hallmark. Mother’s Day is not existent outside of the fantasy world that Hallmark casts over the globe every May, and we all know it.

Did you get any scholarships?

Me? Being a scholar? Getting enough money to attend a crappy school more expensive than a highrise apartment in LA? Pshh; I am an artiste. They don’t give me money because I write what I feel is right, not what they think I correct with their scoresheets and answer keys. What is the sin of angle a? Apple pie. Duh. How are you paying for college?

Don’t. Ever. Bring. Up. Expenses.

To. A. Future. College. Student. If. You. Don’t. Want. A. Bitch. To. Have.

A. Nervous. Break. Down.

25

THE HORSE

CAF

“NEVER DON’T EVER NOT STOP HORSING AROUND” - GANDHI

HOROSCOPE

Trust the stars to make decisions for you. By Nadia Ballard

Aries Get your life together this month. Look at some Twitter threads about self care. See if Groupon has any good deals on hot yoga. Eat a vegetable. You can do it.

Taurus This month, you might run into a lot of doors. You might even run into an old friend that you awkwardly smile at as you pass them by in the electronic goods isle at Target.

But the good news is that you’ll get a useful coupon. Probably for detergent or cat food.

Gemini You may think you need sleep but that’s just a myth. Just like how you don’t really need to wear shoes or actually blink. It’s just a simulation it doesn’t matter.

Cancer This month, be more humble.

Look off into the distance before dusk and witness the sun plunge itself into the black ocean. Think about how entire forests are being wiped out, and little birds are becoming homeless. Cute!

Leo You may think that your allergies will kill you this Spring season; however, there are larger demons lurking in the woods. Be alert.

Virgo The ozone layer is crumbling to ashes as we speak but at least you have memes to comfort you. If you don’t clean up your act though, that’s all you’ll have.

Libra You may be feeling some insecurities about yourself, but rest assured that all you really need is a good book. Here are some good titles to check out: “Uh Oh I Got Stuck In The Dryer book 2,” “How To Impress Future Employers With Yodeling, Crying, or Hamboning,” and last but not least “Magic Tree House: Sunset Of The Sabertooth.”

Scorpio You wish you were a wholesome cinnamon roll, but in actuality you’re nothing but an empty abyss of hot cheeto puffs and niche memes. There’s nothing wrong with that though. Everyone loves Hot Cheetos.

Sagittarius You’re not ready for any real responsibility but having a pet as a source of love and support would be extremely beneficial to your life. This month enrich your life without any of the commitment by getting a roomba. It’s a robot pet that you don’t have to clean because thats its job!

Robots are the new trendy source of love and support that all the kids love these days. Who needs family, when you have a roomba?

Capricorn It’s easy to keep the same habits you’ve had forever, but this month try something new. Get a perm.

Try out some 5 inch acrylic stiletto nails. Try using those nails to perform basic tasks and when you inevitably fail go cry in the shower, and ruin your perm. Switch things up.

Aquarius You’re hands are kind of dry. It’s only going to get worse if you don’t get some lotion on those babies. It’s important to effectively moisturize your hands because if you don’t then they might start peeling and you cant let anyone know you’re actually a lizard. When you were 11 you wished on a star to be a wizard, but you had a lisp so the stars thought you said lizard. Weirdo kid wanted to be a lizard.

Pisces Good vibes are in your near future. Soft feathers and smooth tablets.

Laughter and fully elastic hair bands. Prepare yourself for the world to send you love and support. Imagine floating heart emoji’s and happy thoughts

Lose the Guns, Learn Karate

With gun control being such a sensitive topic in the United States right now, perhaps it is time to propose a better way to protect ourselves. The answer? Learn Karate. By Braden White

O

ur country is in a difficult place right now where we find ourselves perpetually between mourning a shooting, and viscously arguing over guns and the second amendment’s place in today’s society. In this dire time the only reasonable solution would be to remove guns altogether. Should this gargantuan task be carried out, citizens will still need to protect themselves and their families. For the aforementioned Americans, I have a solution: Karate!

Karate is a very reasonable alternative to guns, one that is far more beneficial for the citizens themselves.

Someone looking for the best form of self defense needs only to train harder honing their skills and making sure they are in tip top physical condition.

This forced interest in fitness would also put a dent in our country’s obesity problem, another pressing concern.

The nonlethal nature of the ancient martial art allows for a much

26

History teacher Eli Cameron strikes a classic battle pose. Photo by Braden White more family friendly form of self protection, one that parents would be more comfortable having their children practice.

Accordingly, karate would also

be much easier to integrate into our schools. Physical Education should include classes or units filed under “Self Defense”. As opposed to having teachers receive military training, a

mandate of holding a black belt (second degree or higher) should be imposed instead. Imagine Mr. Roberts performing a totally sick roundhouse kick slamming a would be danger through three walls of plaster.

Perhaps most importantly, karate is about more than just kicks and chops. It teaches valuable social skills such as dedication, respect and effective listening. It’s like cotillion, but badass.

This would hopefully result in a society trained to avoid physical confrontation while still being able to kick butt when needed to.

While few, this plan does include flaws. A typical gun purchase will take around three days, where earning a black belt will likely take about five to six years. For someone who needs to protect themselves right now, this wait could be detrimental.

However, this long and arduous process will call for the persistence thats results in a country filled with determined, disciplined individuals

sworn to use their power strictly for defense. Whether its guns or karate, some twisted individuals will choose to abuse this power to hurt others.

Should we be living in a society which has completely adopted this well developed, reasonable idea, everyone will be walking around able to protect themselves if they need to? Although these physical conflicts wouldn’t be as common thanks to the self-control training everyone was pushed through.

Dangerous people will always exist and in order to protect yourself, you must make yourself even more dangerous, and what's more dangerous than being considered a lethal weapon yourself?

There are plenty of other alternatives to guns as well: Judo, KungFu, Ninjutsu, Krav Maga or even Jiu Jitsu if you want.

However, guns need to go and people need to feel safe. Regulatory laws won’t work, but karate will. Plus it looks cool.

MAY 2018

CAF

THE MUSTANG

27

SPORTS

Ward’s new goal:

17’0

Ward’s SDA record: 16’1

pole height:

15’0

Leap of faith After overcoming a serious injury that ended his gymnastics career, senior Kevin Ward took up pole vaulting and began what would become a very succesful athletic future. Ward has overcome odds and is now the second best vaulter in the state. By Yarisette Sequeira

Ward’s height:

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E

ntering the meet with an unofficial pole-vaulting best of 15’4, senior Kevin Ward never expected to match the 16 foot meet record, never alone beat it. The winds held still, the warm-up was clean, and urban legend said the pole-vault runway at Torrey Pines was slanted downhill ever so slightly.

With the conditions on his side and his coach edging him on, Ward slipped past the 16’1 bar to achieve the Falcon Relay record, make San Dieguito pole vaulting history, and make himself the second best vaulter in all of California.

“It was pretty crazy...My coach just kept putting the bar higher and higher and I was like ‘no, no, no, no I can’t. I can’t do that.’ But he kept throwing it up,” said Ward. “So you make these outlandish goals and then suddenly they become reality.”

Four years ago, reality crushed Ward’s future in gymnastics and completely shifted the direction of his athletic career. Ward had been a dedicated gymnast for 10 years and could see a future in the sport.

However, years of intensive training eventually fractured his vertebrae, leaving him unable to return to gymnastics.

“It was like the end of an era,” said Ward. “I didn’t know where else I was going to go. I didn’t know what the future held. So I was like in limbo of what I am going to do? Am I going to be able to go back? What’s going to happen in high school?”

About a year later, in his freshman year of high school, Ward signed up for the SDA Track and Field team as a pole vaulter. It was an unfamiliar sport, but it was the one aside from football he felt most closely replicated gymnastics.

Having no previous knowledge or experience with pole-vaulting, it was difficult getting accustomed to the sport’s foreign motions and Ward had initial uncertainties. “The learning curve is ridiculous!” Ward said. “Running with a giant pole is just wack. So I had the normal ‘this is difficult, this this is really hard. Am I ever going to be any good at this?’”

Freshman year was big transitioning period for Ward. At first, practice consisted of repetitive mechanisms on the grass. Ward practiced holding the pole, walking with it, and getting used to the knee drive. Later, he moved to the long jump pit to practice jumping small barriers, until finally making it to the pole-vault pit

about a month later. The beginning stages were tiresome and at times boring, but Ward stuck with it.

As the end of his first season neared, CIF prelims approached.

Ward had been vaulting for only a couple of months and still had doubts about his future as a pole vaulter. He went into the meet with a 10’2 personal record, far-off from a vault that would qualify him for finals. Despite the odds, Ward managed to clear an 11’6 bar, raising his record by over a foot. “It was as really big deal because the whole freshman season was really terrible,” said Ward.

With this new record, Ward snatched the last qualifying spot for CIF Finals and there he vaulted 11’9. It was a breakthrough moment that raised his rankings to fourth best freshman in the state. “That’s when I knew this is something I can do,” Ward said.

Sophomore year was one year of big developments. In close competition with teammates Jed Jirak and Ian Kellogg, Ward constantly felt challenged to push himself further and perform better. “I think it was that year when I passed them up. It was kind of like, again, the defining moment when I took the lead and was like ‘oh, I can run with this.’”

Sophomore season marked the year when Ward first broke the school pole-vault record.

The following season during junior year was another story for Ward. On his third meet of the season, Ward was on a short warm-up run when he tripped over his own legs, fell, and landed on his wrist, breaking it.

“I was ready to just sit down for two months and just wait until my wrist was healed. But my mom and parents were just like ‘no, no, no, you’re going to track.’”

Ward attended practice after practice running sprints in his cast.

Eventually, he got a removable splint which made sweating more bearable with the ability to wash off between exercises. Ward then began to train more intensively, running the 100 and competing in long jump.

“Moral of the story is I kept training throughout the entire season. I kept doing sprints and I kept doing other events. So when I came back for pole vaulting, my legs were great, my endurance was still up. I didn’t really lose anything except for my wrist.”

Ward made his recovery just in time for League Finals, where his

successful performance qualified him for CIF finals.

Entering CIF Finals against top level vaulters, Ward was apprehensive and unsure of how the pain of his wrist might play into his performance. “My biggest concern was that I was going to reinjure it,” said Ward.

“Especially before the meet I would get all these jitters of what’s going to happen? How is it going to feel?”

Ward knew he had gone just a about a full season without vaulting, and didn’t expect much having missed out on months of practice. “I had convinced myself that I was done and was just already looking forward to senior year,” Ward said.

That day, however, Ward surprised many. “I was just in awe,” said Ward after a 14’6 jump won him the title of Division II CIF San Diego champion. “I had it in my head that it wasn’t going to happen and so I was just shocked that it all worked out.”

Now in his final season of high school track, Ward has already surpassed his initial season goal of 16 feet and has turned to 17 feet as his new “reach” goal. However higher jumps present a new challenge: landing.

“It’s concerning going up, getting rejected and then landing back on the track because when you get on the bigger poles you don’t land on the nice fluffy mat, you land on the track,” said Ward.

Having experienced both high and low times as a pole vaulter, Ward has found that confidence plays an important role in success, especially with such a technical sport. “The problem with the poles is that there are so many different measurements, weights, lengths and physics behind what happens when you change every certain thing,” Ward said.

“Whenever you change a variable, if you can be confident in knowing what’s going to happen, your vault will reflect that. As soon you are not confident and start to doubt yourself, everything goes horribly wrong.”

After high school, Ward will be vaulting at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“I’m excited, but I’m horribly nervous,” Ward said. “It’s a really big step and I know it’s going to be quite the adjustment, dealing with college academics and traveling to meets.

But I’m very excited to continue vaulting, hopefully to get much better and fly. As they say, the sky is the limit.”

MAY 2018

SPORTS

“W

A REPORTER WATCHES on as Lake Elsinore Storm

center-fielder Edward Olivares rounds the bases after hitting a home run.

A sight to see?

I got more access than I expected, or even, wanted. An evening watching a minor league baseball game in Lake Elsinore. By Ryan Cohen

THE MUSTANG

hat’s your affiliation?” he asked me.

“Well uh, I’m actually writing a story for my high school newspaper,” I said, slightly embarrassed.

It hit me that I probably had no business being where I was. I was talking to Ben Davey, a writer for MadFriars, a website that covers minor league baseball extensively and is well-regarded among fans.

We were in the press box at Lake Elsinore Diamond, home of the Lake Elsinore Storm, a minor league affiliate of the San Diego Padres who were scheduled to take on the Lancaster Jethawks.

Then Jason Freund, a writer for East Village Times, a San Diegosports outlet, walked into the press box. Without any questions, he said, “Follow me.”

And so I did. He led me to the hamburgers offered to all members of the press. With a free burger in hand, a press pass around my neck, I began to settle in. I liked this whole press/media thing. Free burgers? I can always use a free burger.

I set up in the corner of the room, not expecting to be particularly social, understanding that the two other people in the room had an actual job to do. I had the Padres game running on my laptop and the Storm game was about to begin; I was excited for the night ahead.

The Storm are an advanced Single-A team, ranking below AAA and AA on the road to the big leagues. The players make next to nothing. The fanbase for the a Single-A team is minimal at best.

That night had one of the season’s largest attendances, drawing 5,234 fans. It is far from a glorious lifestyle, but the players all have hopes of one day making it to the big leagues, so they fight through these dog days of minor league baseball.

As the game began, Ben and Jason began to talk about baseball.

There is nothing I like to do more than talk baseball, so I chimed in every once in a while. The conversation did not stop at any point throughout the three hour game. Watching the game, we would all make comments on players and take notes on certain swings or pitches. Just guys talking about a ballgame. I found myself really enjoying hanging out with these two guys, as if they were old friends. It was like we had just picked up a conversation that had been in progress for years.

He knows too much In the third inning, a man a few decades my senior walked into the room. He added to the conversation, clearly having a deep knowledge of the players and their tendencies on the field. And, more surpris-

ingly, off of the field as well. For example, I now know that the Storm’s left-fielder, Jorge Oña is a big fan of Jersey Mike’s. Curious how he knew so much, I asked him if he comes to a lot of the games. He said ‘yes’ with a chuckle. Little did I know that I I had just been speaking with the team chaplain who also happens to throw the players batting practice.

A beautiful view After the fifth inning, Ben and Jason encouraged me to watch the sunset. Behind the stadium is Lake Elsinore, with the mountains behind it, so it makes for a very pretty scene.

I left the press box during the half inning to go see the beauty, but I made a wrong turn. Instead of watching the sun fall behind the mountains over Lake Elsinore, I got a gorgeous view of hot dogs and cotton candy. I ended up in the vending section of the ballpark, and this time I really felt out of place. I retraced my steps, eventually reaching the patio with the view of the sunset. They were right: very pretty.

I found my way back to the press box only to see my seat had been stolen, but this man quickly got up when he saw me. He also joined in our chatter, mentioning that he used to play minor league baseball in the 1980s. Frank Bellino, who now works in the Storm organization, detailed the life of a minor leaguer, from post-game food spreads to long non-air-conditioned bus rides across the country.

The minor league life “Those spreads are so disgusting. The food is straight out of a middle school cafeteria, but we were hungry. We had to eat. It’s hard because you are trying to get your body in good shape to play at a high level, but healthy food is expensive and you are making so little. You just have to deal with the circumstances of minor league life,” Bellino said.

“My claim to fame is bowling over Joe Girardi when he was blocking the plate,” he said. Girardi went on to make the big leagues and win four World Series championships, three as a catcher and one as the manager for the New York Yankees.

“That’s back when baseball was still baseball; you could actually take out the catcher.”

The game On the field, the Storm routed the Jethawks 9-1, behind a stellar performance from starting pitcher Pedro Avila who did not allow a run in his seven innings. Edward Olivares was the star offensively racking up four hits, including a home run to get the scoring started in the first inning. Avila was acquired in a onefor-one trade for then-Padres catcher

Derek Norris. Olivares was acquired in the same fashion for then-Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte. To be traded for a major leaguer means that the minor leaguer must possess the ability to someday make the big leagues. Avila and Olivares are two of the best players on the Storm. So after the game, those were the two guys I set out to talk to.

I knew I wanted to get down to the clubhouse, but I had not a single clue of how to actually get down there. Ben told me he would escort me, so we got in the elevator and headed for the field level. We walked down to the Storm dugout, lifted a net and walked right in. We had our press passes, of course, but there was no security whatsoever. Anyone could have easily walked in.

The clubhouse scene We turned into the dugout and headed down the tunnel towards the clubhouse. I don’t know if I will ever forget what I saw when we made that turn: a bunch of naked professional athletes. Some had already showered and gotten dressed, but many were clothless. I spend a lot of my free time reading about these baseball players: their swings, their fastballs, their defensive prowess. Now I had more information than I cared for, but I was the one invading their personal space, so I understood.

Postgame press conference Pedro Avila, the game’s starting pitcher, came to talk to us. I should mention that he was polite enough to put a towel on, which made the minipress conference much less awkward.

I was happy to jump into baseballrelated questions as quickly as possible. “I felt fantastic,” Avila, from Caracas, Venezuela, said through an interpreter. “It was nice to see the work I have done in practice pay off in the game.”

When we asked to speak to Edward Olivares, a few of his teammates laughed and told us that he had already left to go on a date. So we moved on to speak to the Storm manager, Edwin Rodriguez. He emphasized the job Avila did on the mound and the collective team effort. “Pedro was phenomenal tonight, but this was very much a team win. The defense was superb and the offense came alive. This was a good win for us and I hope to see us build off of it going forward.”

Jason, Ben, and I then exited the stadium out a back entrance and said our goodbyes to one another.

It turned out that I belonged after all. It was a night filled with baseball and that, in my world, is called a fun night. I wasn’t so out of place after all.

29

SPORTS

Underwater what now?

Soccer. Basketball. Baseball. Football. These are some of the most common sports that you hear about every day. But have you ever heard of underwater hockey? When was the last time you heard about the sport of rugby? At SDA, a school full of creativity, some students follow their passions by taking part in unique sports that are often overlooked.Here are two stories about accomplished student-athletes that participate in some of these unconventional sports.

By Alexandra Joelson and Alexis Price

H

ockey. Not just hockey, but underwater hockey. A sport including a swimming pool, a foot long sticks, a lead puck and someone ready to participate in a sport that takes strength and perseverance. “WAAAHHH” goes his team as Junior Cameron Prince shoots the puck into the back of the net! Prince has only been participating in competitive underwater hockey for two years, but has always felt a passion for this sport.

Can you please tell me a little bit about what sport you do?

So I play a sport called underwater hockey. Underwater hockey is a sport that originated in Plymouth in the UK as a sort of training sport for divers and spearfishers in the winter. It is a bit cold in the UK to go actually diving and spearfishing in the Winter, but if you go into a pool then you can practice like breathe holds and all of the skills that you need without getting hypothermia which is always nice.

How does the game work?

It is a sport and you play it on the bottom of a swimming pool with a stick, which is about a foot long, and you slide a lead puck along the bottom of the pool and shoot it into goals on either end.

You got to use a mask, snorkel and fins. You use a mask and snorkel so that you can see what is going on when you take a breath, because unfortunately humans have to breathe. And fins so you can get the power that you need to make the game a good game.

30

AN INTENSE MOMENT in the sport of underwater hockey when Cameron Prince’s mom captured a photo of players scoring a goal. Photo courtesy of Cameron Prince What do you think is the most fun and exciting part of the game?

When you get a break, so I’m a forward, and when you get a break away from the other players, and you are going straight away and your running out of breathe, you are working on pure adrenaline alone and you are going really fast, and then you score a goal on the other end and you come off and your about to pass out and everyone is going “WAAAHHH” that’s the best part.

What inspired you to start this sport?

My parents play. They have been playing for a long time. That’s how they met actually, my parents met playing underwater hockey. My mom started the club in Edinburgh, and that is where my mom and my dad met.

S

enior Wesley Tyler has been playing rugby ever since his childhood when his father introduced him to the sport. Playing games with either 10 or 14 players on the field at once, as well as playing a variety of different positions on the field, this game can be intense.

The continuous play, hard-hitting tackles, and ongoing pain are just a few reasons that Tyler relsishes the competition in the game of rugby.

Can you tell me about your sport?

Rugby, is similar to football; it’s tackling and running with a similar shaped ball. We pass backwards and the play never stops. You just keep going. I mean you can go out of bounds, but when you are tabled you just keep playing on.

How many years have you been playing?

I have only been playing competitively for two years, before that I played sort of messing about in the pool with my mom and dad and my brother.

What do you find most fun and exciting about this sport?

What I like is that everybody has the chance to get the ball. Like you are always able to run with it, and every single person can score, which is cool because not many sports have the chance to do that. It is always an exciting game.

Do you have any cool stories?

My brother plays as well and the pool we practice in it is an outdoor pool and one time in the summer there was a bee. This bee was buzzing along the surface of the pool when... my brother was coming up to take a breath for the snorkel and the bee [got] sucked into the snorkel into my brothers mouth and he get out of the pool like, and he’s screaming and there was a bee in his mouth and it stung his tongue.

How does the game work?

For us here at school you play sevens. So you play seven people on the field and you can only pass the ball backwards to each other. So you’ll be running and then pass the ball backwards to someone then they will run with it. Then, someone gets tackled, or a ruck. That person gets tackled and then tries to pass the ball to that team, while trying to fight in that position. The teams fight, pick up the ball, pass it, and then go again.

How do points work?

Five points per try or touchdown, and then two points per kick.

What position do you play?

For [7 vs. 7], I played fly-half (orchestrator for the attack and defense of the team). For 15 vs. 15, I play flanker (a forward position).

What inspired you to start playing this sport?

So my dad played, and my grandpa played and coached, so it has kind of always been in our family. My dad also encouraged me to play when I was little.

How many years have you been playing?

About seven years now.

Do you plan on playing in college?

Yes, I am talking to a couple of college coaches and stuff while playing for teams. I have talked to Santa Clara, I met with that coach, and then I have talked with the Davis team captain and the Cal Poly team captain.

Would you recommend this sport to others?

Yes, definitely. Anyone who is able to run, if you don’t enjoy being active and contact and stuff then it is not the sport for you. But if you really like contact and running and tackling, then it’s for sure [a good sport].

Do you have any cool stories?

I was going to tackle somebody and I got kneed in the face and had a big black eye for about a week.

MAY 2018

SPORTS

Surfer vs. Skater

If you eat yourself entirely, do you become twice as large or disappear?

Surfer: You’d disappear. If you eat your hand, it will like eventually go away.

Skater: If I was to eat myself entirely, I feel like I’d just stay the same size but in a weird outer-inner sort of stomach thing.

Cannibalism is bad. You shouldn’t eat yourself or other people. Just like how you shouldn’t form a wall when walking in the hallway with your friends (looking at you underclassmen). Surfers, since you’re going disappear, you don’t really need any points. Skater, since you’re not going to disappear, have 16 points. But please, don’t come and possess me.

HENESSEY STANDS STRONG while Davis stares, sandwich in hand. Photo by Madison Vance.

THE MUSTANG

Is a hotdog a sandwich?

Surfer: No, I wouldn’t call it a sandwich.

Skater: Yes. Contrary to popular belief, it is most definitely a wiener sandwich.

Surfer, you are right. Skater, you are wrong. A hotdog is not a sandwich. Let me tell you a

Surfer Jake Henessey and Skater Gregory Davis, seniors, compete for meaningless points to prove which sport is better. Story by Madison Vance and Lane Levin. little story. I was walking around downtown Sacramento and I was hungry. We spotted a sign hanging outside of a little restaurant called Sam’s Cafe. The sign read “Ice Cream & Sandwiches.” However, as we walk in, all hyped for our meal, the only items listed on the “sandwich” menu were hotdogs. Can you imagine my disappointment?! I was previously undecided on the issue but this experience made it very clear to me that a hotdog was not a sandwich. I don’t care what you have to say. I have listened to a lot of prosandwich-ers preach, but to quote “Gone with the Wind”, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Skater: 0 points Surfer: 100 points

sharing is caring. There are enough waves for all of us. Let the newbies have a chance. You get no points.

Now Skater, you’ve presented a predictable, yet insensitive answer.

Do you realize that surfing can be more than a pastime? It’s a lifestyle, man. You get 25 points.

If you could master any instrument that you don’t already know how to play, what would it be?

Surfer: I would play banjo because Gregory (the skater) plays the banjo.

Skater: Well obviously the bagpipes.

It’s on the list already.

What is better: surfing or skating?

Surfer: Surfing, of course. Actually can I change that one? I’m going to say skating because you shouldn’t try surfing.

Skater: Definitely skating. No doubt about it. Surfing is nice as a pastime but skating is where it’s at.

Surfer, you’ve got to be your own person. It’s great that the skater inspires you, but be free from the skate lemming mindset. Don’t get led off the cliff of banjos by the skating lemming. Take 25 points, I wish you the best on learning the banjo. Skater, you have a list of instruments you want to learn to play. I’m glad the bagpipes are on it because they are weird. Have 30 points, skater.

Hey Surfer, do you not remember the Care Bears? They told us that

Surfer: 125 Skater: 71

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5.03.18

The Mustang