February 2019 by The Mustang Newspaper

02 . 2 2 . 1 9 VOLUME 23 ISSUE 4

THE MUSTANG

INDEX ROLL CALL

Letter from the Editor I

have been 18 for a month. Well, technically, tomorrow will be a month. But, hey, I’m an adult now, I don’t have the time to worry about inconsequential details like that. No, I need to be worried about more important things, like the mortgage and my cholesterol levels and how the wife and kids are doing and wait now, is that a wrinkle? Ok, so it’s pretty obvious that I have no idea what being an adult entails. If I’m being perfectly honest, my mother told me to go apply for a credit card, and I ran away from the Credit Union. Well, not so much I ran away, but when the teller started using numbers with four digits and dollar signs, I asked him “can I get back to you on that,” and super gracefully exited the building. However, I was completely in my right to do that. Because I’m an adult now. And

an you believe that admin got rid of the best skate spot in school? As if! If you can’t skate on a staircase railing at school, is it worth skating at all? Probably not. You can’t be fly if you can’t fly off the rails of the staircase. This was the beginning on the long-term oppression of the people who struggle most at school (skaters). These days, the school is trying to do things to focus on mental health. Yet, to this day, there’s a lame extra rail to take all the joy away from innocent children. Sounds like a conspiracy. The law-following mafia is back at it again.

Carl’s Jr. irritated with students

ou know how people get annoyed with “kids these days” for being disrespectful, self-centered, lazy, and like the devil in all sorts of other ways? Well at least you didn’t stomp on a bunch of napkin dispensers. Yeah, that’s what they did. I guess when people say to party like it’s 1999 they mean you should break $200 worth of Carl’s Jr. napkin dispensers. Perhaps, instead, you should party like it’s 55 A.D. and have an ancient-Roman-style feast. You can even eat it at Carl’s Jr! Just make sure you don’t mess with those napkin dispensers. They’re still holding a grudge.

News Editor Aiden Fullwood Opinion Editor Sophie Hughes Features Editor Sylvia Young Taylor Rudman

tos and notes and little incomprehensible childhood scribbles. And I broke down. Because I realized just how long that little girl has been gone. I feel like I’m in limbo. Or purgatory, maybe. I can legally live on my own, but my parents still claim me as a dependent on their tax forms. I can sign myself out of school for the day (that’s right kids, 18 year olds can do that), but I still have to make sure my essay is submitted by 11:59. I’m not entirely an adult, but not a child either. I don’t know what I’m to do. Let’s hope I figure it out in the next 11 months (and one day). Best of Luck,

Skater monument eliminated

Design Editor Simmone Stearn

I’m allowed to be erratic without explanation . Right? The whole thing has just been a little hard to process. I know that 18 is just the beginning, but it is also the beginning of an end. Not the end, but an end. The end of my childhood, maybe. Officially. I thought it was over a while ago, but now I feel it. I am not a sentimental person. But when I woke up on my birthday, I cried. Multiple times. And I don’t cry. I am not that kind of person. My best friend cries watching the trailer for “Inside Out.” Anytime we start to talk about going to colleges on different sides of the country, she’s in tears. Not me, though. Frankly, I was mildly concerned that my tear ducts were out of service for good. But when I woke up on my birthday, I went downstairs to find baby pho-

REWIND: STORIES FROM THE MUSTANG- FEBRUARY, 1999

Editor-in-Chief Taylor Rudman

Taylor Rudman Editor-in-Chief

TWENTY YEARS AGO

Arts Editor Linnaea Erisman Humor Editor Sylvia Young Sports Editor Yari Sequeria Photo Editor Jaden Hauptman Business Manager Ally Joelson Online Editor Devlin Ott Shayna Glazer Online Sports Editor Alexis Price Staff Writers Aeon Benford-Combs Alex Storer Cade Culbertson Carolina Gutierrez Hunter McGahan Jeffrey Furgerson Jenna Weinhofer Joice He Kate Paxton Lauren Martinez Manelle Touzni Max Vennemeyer Maya Janaswamy Peter Gao Piper Ligotti Piper Nilsen Rayelyn Burrell Victoria Lee 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, or emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com. San Dieguito Academy Room 42 800 Santa Fe Drive Encinitas, CA 92024

DEC 2018

NEWS

MAKING A CHOICE

FRENCH STUDENTS CALL out to eighth graders from their booths to capture their attention and teach them about the language.

San Dieguito Academy hosted an Information Night for incoming freshman and their families to explore high school options and learn about some classes, clubs, and programs from other students. Story and photo by Aiden Fullwood.

hat’s more exciting than being offered Hershey’s Kisses by kimono-wearing, sign-toting Japanese language students? Seeing a fully grown man in a kilt? Live bagpipe music? Chugging a gallon of chocolate milk? Choosing the right high school for the next four years of your academic life? San Dieguito Academy hosted an information night for eighth grade students across the district on Feb. 12 as an opportunity to recruit incoming freshman and expose them to SDA community and culture. Early in the evening, students and parents alike explored a variety of courses and clubs as students manned booths in front of the math and science building, ranging from theater to robotics to speech and debate, to pitch their programs. Running the speech and debate booth was senior Josh Tashoff, who said he believes the program “encapsulates every skill that could be necessary in high school. You learn how to be a good writer. You learn how to be a good researcher. You learn how to be a good speaker.” Eighth graders milling between

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the booths were huddled in packs of their friends, silent and awkward when offered pamphlets by SDA students and laughing when they turned away. Those caught by themselves weren’t so lucky. “It’s too many,” one boy cried, holding a large amount of flyers. Parent Scott Hinkie said he had heard that at SDA “the education is really advanced. Also, the sports are great.” A strong sports program is something freshman and water polo player Ava Barbano would agree with. Barbano said she encouraged incoming freshman to join the team because “the team dynamic is absolutely incredible and it really connects you to SDA.” For many of the eighth graders attending the event, SDA was already top of the list. “I am excited to come to SDA because my sister used to go here and I want to be where she used to be,” student Tatyana Nara said. “I’m looking forward to drama and art, and I’m really excited to do ASL.” Other students only recently decided SDA was the school for them. “[My son] was LCC all the

way until a couple weeks ago. He made a pros and cons list one night and there were way more pros [for SDA],” parent Sonya Schakel said. “I’m excited for him...I’ve heard that the academics are great and really excelled compared to other schools in the district.” A few were still uncertain about their decision. Diegueno student Dylan Ratcliffe is “pretty nervous” and worried that his friends make it “harder to decide” on the right school. Later at an assembly in the gym, SDA principal Adam Camacho gave an overview of the school’s technical aspects: the 4x4 schedule, club rosters, and deadlines, but he also addressed the academy’s unique atmosphere. “There’s something really special about SDA’s culture,” Camacho said, “and that’s the people. SDA is very student centered.” To attest, junior ASB President Amelia Kaiser was invited on stage to share her experience at school. “Coming in as a freshman, I just planned to go through the motions of high school,” Kaiser said. “But what is so special about this school is that despite my lack of direction,

incredible teachers and eager peers were able to offer me the guidance necessary to support my growth.” Kaiser handed off the microphone to senior Caden Schlosser, who has been heavily involved in student programs like assemblies, band, and theater. “What is more important to me than the wonderful opportunities that are given to us by our amazing teachers... is the people. SDA is definitely a community, and more than anything else a family.Where else can you go where Dr. Barnette is there Instagramming the whole thing?” Schlosser said, referring to Assistant Principal Celeste Barnette’s social media presence and frequent posting at school events. “At SDA, opportunity meets the unlikely,” Kaiser said. After the assembly, students and their parents attended individual classroom presentations based on their interests. Culinary teacher Scott Huntley shared a bit about the class’s 12year history and the relatively new cooking facility before delving into the course outline and his

motivations for teaching. “I love creating sweets and giving them to people. Makes me popular,” Huntley said, earning laughs from the parents. English department co-chair and creative writing teacher Robert Ross gathered some of his students to speak about the class. “We have many caring teachers here, and we also have a very caring and supportive bunch of students, whether they’re ninth graders or twelfth graders,” Ross said. One senior said that “creative writing opens up a space for you to want to write.” “This is not like some other high school where [teachers] try and meet a curriculum,” another senior said. “They really try and teach you something beyond that curriculum and make sure that you have the creative space to write what you want.”

Reporters Peter Gao, Maya Janswamy, Lauren Martinez, Piper Nilsen, Kate Paxton, Manelle Touzni, and Max Vennemeyer contributed to this story.

OPINIONS

Be bold, be bald! Why everyone should shave their heads at least once.

ociety seems to believe that hair plays a large role in defining women’s femininity. From the beginning of recorded history, women have traditionally worked longer hairstyles and men have kept their hair conveniently short. Historically, In many cultures lengthy hair signified health and prosperity, so women carried the standard through centuries to maintain their social status. But it’s the 21st century! And times are a changin. Women have more rights in America now than ever before, and with the new wave of social acceptance that has swept the nation in the past few decades, women should presumably have the freedom to do anything with their hair and not experience social repercussions, right? It’s such a minor aspect of our appearance and yet, in our society, it has the power to incite prejudice. Articles matching character traits to various hair colors and lengths litter the internet. But can’t women

cut their hair short just for fun? Do these minor stylistic decisions really speak heavily to the character of the person behind them? If I want to cut off all of my hair and defy gender norms I should be able to do so... for Pennies from no reason. The heaven. first question women are Lila Schief asked following a dramatic cut is why, as if the decision must be justified. As if there is no conceivable world in which a woman gives up her perceived femininity for anything less than a major lifestyle change. But women can be feminine in many different ways, and this should not in any way be determined by the length or style of their hair. I therefore believe that every woman, at some point or another, should shave their head. At first you may be mistaken for a lice-survivor or a convict, but being bald will ultimately free you from social constructs and timeconsuming hair care routines. Plus you’ll be redefining stereotypical female beauty, and looking like a

A PICTURE OF Lila Schief altered to show what she would look like bald. Photo illustration by Camille Zimmer. badass simultaneously! Hair also grows fast, and as this happens you get to experience every possible hair style and can embrace different lengths without actually

chopping any hair off, apart from the initial buzz. So why not cut it all off? It doesn’t have to happen today, or tomorrow, or even in the next 10

years. But, for yourself and society, do it at some point in your life. years. But, for yourself and society, do it at some point in your life.

A musical monstrosity

A majority of music made in the modern era is sub par. Here's how to fix the industry’s biggest problem.

f you ever happened to skim through the various music stations on the radio, you might notice that a lot of Fool me once, songs are fool me twice, from decades fool me chicken ago, and yet soup with rice. they’re still being played Cade Culbertson regularly. The reason for this is simply that a lot of music made today is only mediocre at best because it lacks the variety songs had in the past. Don’t get me wrong, there are a good amount of bands today that produce incredibly unique music, but when listening to the radio, I have a very hard time telling songs apart because most musical artists now use the same sounds over and over again.

Call me old fashioned, but my favorite band has to be Led Zeppelin because most of their songs utilize a huge variety of sounds that by themselves are great, but when everything comes together, they are even better. This creates an amazing and memorable song that is unique and actually enjoyable to listen to. A perfect example of this is their appropriately named song, “Rock and Roll,” which has an insane drum beat, seemingly random placed piano notes, loud guitar riffs, and vocals that would make any person want to start singing along and play the air guitar like no one is looking.

Contrast that to songs like Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do,” and Post Malone’s “Psycho” that have a predictable and uninteresting beat and insufferably whiny sounding lyrics. Combine all these factors and congratulations, you’ve created an era where innovation in the music industry is rarer than ever before. That’s not to say that there aren’t any modern bands that are good, but they’re difficult to come by. Most artists making songs today are talented and probably have the potential to make better music, but the instrumental parts of modern popular songs are simply not good and do not stand out from most others. There are plenty of good songs out there, but the ones making the

top charts aren’t anything special, and if a song can become very popular without much effort, then there’s little incentive to do better. On the other hand, one modern band that I actively listen to is Coldplay. Many of their songs, such as “Paradise,” “Up and Up,” and “Viva la Vida” make use of a ton of different instruments ranging from violins, to pianos, to electric guitars. These instruments all come together to make an incredible listening experience unlike most songs made within the last two decades. Only when the instrumentals in a song are actually interesting to listen to and the lyrics tell a story or have a deeper meaning can a song be good. Of course, what separates good songs from great ones is often times

how innovative they are. What I mean by innovation is taking risks by introducing new sounds rarely or never used before. In “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, there are some very unconventional sounds from the guitar that really helped to set the mood and make the song have a unique feel to it, which is why it’s considered one of the greatest songs of all time. This is not present in most songs today as the background music is usually an unchanging beat that could be swapped out for any other equally boring sound and no one would even notice. If musical artists want to actually make good songs, then they should consider taking more risks and going against the status quo. Otherwise, we are doomed to the current mediocrity of the industry.

FEB 2019

OPINIONS

Be friendly to bees! Last year I wrote articles about bees, bees, and more bees. This year is no exception so be(e) on the lookout for fun facts and things you should know about these be(e)loved bugs.

oday we must start changing the misconceptions about our amazing honey bees. You know exactly what I’m talking about; there’s a certain fear that begins to flow steadily into your bloodstream the moment you feel the weight of a small insect landing on your shoulder or arm, If you couldn’t tell an immediate by now, and mounting I like bees. sensation of panic that is -Shayna Glazer planted in your mind simply at the prospect of pain. Some people run, some people scream, and some people even spaz out, flinging their arms all around attempting to dislodge the little fuzzy creature from their person. However, with honey bees, it’s a wasted fear. I mean think about it: If your only defense mechanism was to impale your arm into an intimidating object and upon pulling away, yank out a good majority of your insides causing your imminent death, would you really want to randomly sting someone? That’s the mindset of a honey bee. So you might have this big vendetta against bees because once

when you were a kid you smacked a pool floatie and got stung by an unsuspecting bee relaxing on the warm plastic. But that bee had a family, in fact, a large family with about 20,000 to 80,000 siblings. You killed that. How dare you. Anyways, here’s the deal: honey bees are most docile around water sources due to proper hydration levels. If a bee is crawling on you, don’t freak out and alarm it, just use your shirt sleeve or a paper to get the bee off of your skin and it will most likely fly away. Honestly I understand the fear of pain attributed to being stung (or the severe allergic reactions that can occur) but really honey bees don’t want to sting you, they are just looking to go along with their day. Other common bees found in San Diego are: bumblebees, solitary bees (such as mason bees), and carpenter bees. You’ll be happy to know male carpenter bees don’t have stingers, they simply buzz around your head angrily if you get too close to their nest or swat at them. The female version of carpenter bees and mason bees have stingers but again,

THE CORRECT AND incorrect ways that you should attempt to deal with bees that may be around your person. Illustration by Jenna Weinhofer. they only sting when provoked. Finally, bumblebees, these beautiful, happy, and bumbling bees do in fact have stingers that don’t detach upon stinging so you should be worried if you make one angry. However, hang on; bumblebees are happy creatures

and rarely sting. They get unnerved at the strong scents of colognes, soaps, or aftershave. So, if you find yourself working near these bees, try to avoid such smells. Bees are overall just peaceful and happy beings. You shouldn’t

freak out the moment one is seen across your backyard, most likely, it just wants a little sunshine too. Okay, but on another note, don’t even get me started on how much I despise wasps. SMH

A lack of patriotism Patriotism in San Dieguito Academy has been dwindling and respect for America is not given the recongnition it deserves.

atriotism in San Dieguito Academy is gradually degrading to a taboo term. The majority of students picture patriotism based on its stereotype, a kind of country, right-swinging, Republican ideology. I agree there are extremities, but patriotism should not be negated in our lives. Love for our country should not diminish and criticism towards America should never be the focus. There are multiple aspects of

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American Patriotism from active devotion to passive support. I will focus on the passive support given by SDA rather than the former due to its greater importance. Passive It truly must support mostly be hard.. deals in areas of respect such as Hunter showing tribute McGahan to the national anthem, respect for the American Flag, and most importantly appreciation for being fortunate to live in area that grants such freedoms. Recently there has been a controversial cloud cast over how to

pay tribute to the National Anthem. Standing or kneeling, I have not found a problem with either, as long as some form of respect is given in the brief minutes for not only the singer, but for being apart of this country. However, I have personally witnessed several students either sitting or on their phones during our school’s National Anthem. The majority of those who do not participate, usually are doing so without the pretenses of spite; they are simply unaware of the disrespect These students only prove the stereotypical entitlement that categorizes our generation. They also disregard those active in the service,

those who have given their lives to allow this entitlement to take place, and the peers who perform before them. In progressive school campuses, such as SDA, there is a breach in boundaries that occur when respecting the American Flag. The neglection of the Pledge of Allegiance, simple lack of flags in classroom space, and rough conditions they are in negatively separate SDA from the surrounding campuses. This issue can heavily be placed on not understanding the symbolic nature that the American Flag carries. It is a symbol of those who have given us our freedoms and fought to preserve it. Too often students

find this symbol as blind patriotism and ignore that fact. This shows the lack of respect this generation has invested in our country, our home. Access to telephones, freedom to express our ideas, even the internet as a whole are privileges that the majority of those in San Dieguito Academy take for granted. We are more fortunate than the majority of the world and yet pride in SDA is hardly present. Be proud to support the country we live in because there is no other place as rich, as adaptable, and as beautiful like America.

OPINIONS

Saying goodbye to an old friend As the school year speeds along, so does the sadness of saying goodbye to old friends and memories.

s last quarter came to a close, and endings, along with difficult we realized that we quickly goodbyes are nigh. approached the halfway mark A semester’s end feels like I’m for the school leaving pieces of year--a fact that myself behind. It C is for cookie, cookie is for brought great feels like saying me joy to those goodbye to an who have been old friend who -Amerila Kaiser counting down you will never the days until see again, at least summer since not in the same the first week of light as before. school. One can expect To me a certain amount however, this only brought a of sadness that comes with this end, sorrowful reminder that time is finite but something that seems to always

sneak up on me is the sudden finality of a chapter in my life. There is this one Winnie the Pooh quote that reads: “Goodbye? Oh no, please, can’t we go back to page one and do it all over again?” And the most painful thing to face is that you can’t. It is in recent days that I feel as though time is my enemy. It’s quite ironic how a concept that humankind itself has created is also its biggest foe. All units of time are flying by; minutes, hours, days, months, years feel like they are slipping through the cracks in my

fingers until I am left with empty hands and nothing but memories. As a child, I used to have recurring nightmares and great anxieties about saying goodbye to people I loved. Goodbyes are inevitable, and there is a surrendering sadness that comes with accepting an ending to something. There is really nothing you can do to slow down time and put off a goodbye that you know will come someday, we are left helpless against the strains of time. When an era of your life begins, an hourglass is flipped upside down,

speckles of sand finding their way to the opposite end as time passes. I am just trying to figure out what happens when the last grain falls. You can’t tip the hourglass over again. However, what I do understand is that the sadness I feel towards endings and farewells is just a testament to how meaningful the chapter in my life was. And I look forward to not only the beautiful memories that are birthed by the constantly-growing past, but also the blessing that come next semester, or the next ending I face, I will feel this way again.

FEB 2019

OPINIONS

Food packaging = probs Plastic packaging is atrocious. It is out of hand, and I bet most of you would agree. Everywhere we go, we add to this problem by eating pre-packaged corn, plastic wrapped potatos, and other outrageous foods in this packaging. It is time to stop. And it starts with you.

DON’T FROWN AT the waste produce by modern consumer-

ism! Instead, bring your own bags or gently place your fruit in your cart and car. Photos by Yarisette Sequiera

amma Chia, Mighties (kiwis), Lunchables, and who could forget those infamous… plastic… water… bottles. Makes me sick just typing out these products, do you know why? Each of these products is wrapped, packaged and shipped in plastic and materials that will just be thrown out after it is opened. Although you can recycle containers like Chobani yogurt cups, not all of the packaging makes it to those blue bins. The material that does make it to recycling plants can’t always be recycled as a result of food contamination. Shocking right? Next time you recycle, try your best to wash out the container or dust off the extra food crumbs or liquids that remain. Little actions like this can make a world of a difference. In the mood to limit your waste? Try buying food that comes in large amounts -- like buying 32-ounce yogurt containers versus the individually packaged containers.

Everyday just pour about a cup into a reusable container, and make your own parfait. Add your favorite fruits and granola for your own delicious twist. Do the same with salads. It’s easy. You are what Speaking of you throw packaging, just away the other day - Alexis Price I learned that grocery stores like Vons and Sprouts sell packaged corn. A corn husk is nature’s packaging. Unbelievable. Also infuriating, individually packaged BANANAS, COCONUTS, and ORANGES are sold in stores too. Why? Heck, I don’t know! God forbid oranges can’t be shipped in a carton with other oranges… oh wait, they are. If your mom or dad buys over packaged goods like these, let them know that it is wasteful. Try to become one with nature and eat the banana straight off the bunch. Crazy idea right… not really. While poorer parts of the world are suffering from a lack of food, first world countries are over packaging their foods. Sure, rinse your vegetables and berries

before eating them, but don’t buy them wrapped in layers of plastic wrap and plastic bags. That is tip number two for today. Since you are already on a roll, minimizing your packaging like a good human, then try to limit your plastic bag use. Guess how many plastic bags are bought and used every year? No really guess. I bet you can’t. The answer is 500 BILLION, according to conserving now. Fun fact: there are only 7.1 billion people on earth. Those numbers are a bit astronomical… wouldn’t you say? It is critical that you do your part by bringing your own plastic or reusable bags every time you go to the grocery store. If you currently have a large stack of plastic bags in your cupboard, put a few in your car or your parent’s car for the grocery store, and wrap up all of your lunch in one every day. Or, try using plastic bags as trash bags in your tiny trash bins in your bathroom or bedroom Be cognizant of your daily additions to landfill. Limit your waste; it’s easy. Changes don’t have to be drastic, but gradually do your best to improve. Try avoiding straws and single use plastic – meaning Starbucks. Start simple. Start small. I promise it makes a difference.

Working hard or hardly working? Do you like having a few dollar bills in your pocket for eating out or buying stuff you don’t need? Well look no further into those lemonade stands and get a job! Get off the couch, print your resume, and take your smiling high school self to your nearest business.

ey, you, high school student! Do you like to have money? Chances are that you do, which isn’t something you should be ashamed of. Many people including myself think that having FREE COLLEGE! money is Now that I fantastic. have your eyes, However, the read this chances are that article and you don’t have a cry about it. job. According to ChildTrends. - Aeon Combs org, only 20% of high school students are employed. So if you, youthful lively high school student, do like to have money and are likely unemployed, what’s keeping you from getting a job? Having a job earlier on in one’s life has many benefits going down the road. For example, being able

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to make enough money before the age of 18 will permit you to start the process of building a solid credit base earlier, of course as reasonable and responsible spending measures are being overseen by a capable parent/ guardian. Even for those who aren’t willing to go down the route of pesky saving habits see many benefits to experience in the marketplace, such as a building expertise in customer service which becomes more valuable in higher earning jobs one can attain later on in life. Some students even say the benefit of working doesn’t always circulate around the money. Senior Cameron Zamora talks about how

he believes that he has built a strong relationship with his coworkers and managers, and how they impact his day positively. “I like that I get to work with people of all ages and get to know them,” says Zamora, “whether it is a customer or my coworkers, maintaining relationships is an important part of life.” While you may hear students complaining about their managers or coworkers being “rude” or “stupid,” everyone’s work experience is different. Some students even find work enjoyable like senior Cameron Zamora. Even more stigma against student employment comes from an observation that because students will have to spend more time at work, they will have less time to commit towards academics. However, a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics concluded students working between 15-20

hours a week had significantly higher GPAs than students who don’t work at all. In fact, the only case where working students would do worse than the unemployed students were the ones whose work exceeded 20 hours a week. Also, working students as opposed to non working students are less likely to be involved in many life deterring activities, such as crime and teen pregnancies. Overall, there are many unforeseen benefits to working that people wouldn’t see otherwise at first value. In fact, I’d say that reality may be counter to what people may perceive them to be. Now that you have the information is clear and emphasized, however, I’d advise that you go anywhere, from the little coffee shop down the street, or the super mall across town and get your bucks up.

SENIOR CHASE COMBS work-

ing hard at his job at In-NOut. Photo by Aeon Combs.

OPINIONS

Work hard, play never American rise and grind culture sucks. Don’t forget you’re entitled to your health.

ustle. Stay on your grind. Keep that pencil moving, you can sleep when you’re

dead. Isn’t that the idea? Anyone can climb the social ladder with enough hard work. We’ve all heard the garage greatness stories enough times to recite them word for word: Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs. Surely if you grit your teeth and work as hard as you possibly can, you can become just as successful. The American dream is a golden, glittering thing. Yet this concept of the “Rise and Grind” culture has bred a generation of people who are convinced that working themselves half to death in the name of hard work is an admirable trait. After all, that unpaid internship looks good on your college application, so it doesn’t matter if you have cross

country practice until five, or you’re supposed to be studying for four different AP exams. Perseverance and hard work are good things, but there’s a difference between working hard and Press f to averaging three pay respects hours of sleep. The -Joice He American work ethic is certainly great for discouraging laziness through excessive breaks, but then there’s people who never learned that it’s okay to need a break, and would much rather skip dinner than have their essay marked late on Google Classroom. If you have work to do and you aren’t doing it, you’re a loser. Social media and TV are only considered inherently lazy because you’re not producing anything. Think about that for a second. The most disgusting consequence of rise and grind culture is the flippant, casual self

sacrifice because of course reviewing for the AP Chem quiz is more important than actually eating lunch during hour lunch. At some point, you need to realize understand that “it’s high school, I’m supposed to be busy” isn’t a valid reason to destroy your health. Yeah, it sucks that colleges don’t see it that way. I know it gets harder and harder not to calculate your self worth in 100’s and 5.0’s and 1600’s when it seems like that’s exactly what you are to everyone else. But no one can take care of you for you, so unless you do it yourself you’re just going to burn up fast. Even if it’s just for 10 or 20 minutes in between homework subjects, take a break. Watch some Netflix, eat a snack, or take a shower – it’s important to remember that you’re entitled to time for yourself, and you shouldn’t feel like you’re just being lazy if you need to lay the pencil down and rest for a bit. I’m sure we’ve all received the “grades aren’t everything” advice on one occasion or another, but have you ever really put that into practice and

DON’T CALCULATE YOUR self worth in scores. No 5.0 is worth the price of your identity. Illustration by Joice He. set aside time to do things you want to do? I can’t tell you to not take that internship or not study for your quiz, only that American rise and grind culture sucks and you shouldn’t let it push your health off your list of priorities.

Honestly, there’s not much I can do other than this; rise and grind is rooted too deeply in American culture. And while awareness is being raised for student wellness, if the students themselves don’t take the first step, nothing is going to change.

Break the chains of modern slavery

Slavery still exists and is a huge problem in San Diego. However, there are small things we all can do to make a collaborative difference.

uman trafficking steals the San Francisco among the top 13 freedom of approximately destinations for human trafficking 27 million people across the in America. In fact, there are at least globe annually and is the second 8,000 victims in San Diego alone, largest underground economy in according to the San Diego District San Diego according to the San Attorney’s Office. Diego District Attorney’s Office. It Overwhelmed by the shocking makes me sick relevance of this to my stomach problem, I was every time I immediately What a rip off think about the convinced of way victims two things. Yarisette Sequeira are assaulted, The first was threatened or obvious: that the manipulated globally criminal into providing enterprise commercial of modern sex or slave slavery needed labor. I’ve tried to imagine what it to be defeated. I was misguided in would be like if that was me. Yet, no my second opinion that everyday matter how hard I try to picture it, Americans have a limited role I know I will never come close to in bringing down what the understanding the suffering human International Labor Organization trafficking victims go through. That’s has reported as a $150-billion-dollar what scares me the most. industry. At first, I assumed human To me, it seemed like fighting trafficking only occurred in states against human trafficking was far away from me or in foreign like fighting for a helpless cause. countries like Europe. Naturally With every small achievement in my mind clung to the idea that combating this industry, hundreds such dehumanizing crimes were of new problems popped up. uncommon in most areas in the The problem seemed ultimately United States, especially in Southern uncontrollable. California. That’s where I was However, after more in depth wrong. Alongside cities like New research, I realized that I shouldn’t York and Chicago, the FBI has feel overwhelmed or powerless listed San Diego, Los Angeles and because there are things that we,

the everyday Americans, can do to combat human trafficking. Currently, there are many organizations dedicated to fighting human trafficking from governmental agencies to non-profit organizations. However, being such a widespread industry with millions of victims, it is important to get as many people as possible involved in the fight. Below are a few ways I believe we all can help.

Educate yourself

The first step is awareness. An understanding of what human trafficking is, what it looks like, and how to act responsibility is key. For example, being able to recognize the signs of human trafficking and know how to respond appropriately (as listed below) is knowledge that can change someone’s life. According to the US Embassy and Consulates in Turkey, an Uber driver in San Francisco overheard a conversation between a teenager girl and a man who turned out to be her pimp. He was able to call the police and get the man arrested. The Embassy also reported that a man at a Chicago restaurant recognized two identical burns on the foreheads of his employees. After questioning them and encouraging them to call the police, their landlord was arrested and charged with forced

labor. It was everyday people who completely changed lives. We have the power to do the same and maybe one day we will find ourselves in a situation where awareness about human trafficking can save someone from years of suffering. For more information on how to recognize and respond to the signs of human trafficking type US Embassy human trafficking in your search bar.

Shop Wisely

As easy as it is to believe that we are not a part of the problem as long as we don’t contribute to it directly, our consumer habits suggest otherwise. The sad reality is that a good portion of the food we eat, the clothes we wear and electronics we use were likely produced through slave labor. According to the Department of Labor, rice, coffee, garments and cocoa are among the top ten most likely products to be made by forced labor. One of the best ways to combat slavery in your everyday life is by supporting ethical companies and products. For guidance on how to make informed purchasing decisions you can seek out resources such as The Buycott, Better World Shopper and The Good Trade (just search them in your internet browser). It’s definitely difficult to consistently

keep track of where the products we buy come from and I’m not saying to completely change everything we buy. However, purchasing ethical products even every once in a while does help and together we can make a collaborative difference.

Donate/ Fundraise

There are many non-profit organizations that tirelessly strive to combat human trafficking and help victims recover. Some great ones include The Polaris Project, Love146 and Stop the Traffik. The most significant obstacle for many of these non-profits is a lack of funding as they struggle to make investments in ending modern slavery and pay their staff a livable wage. Whether it is by hiring a local trauma counsellor or starting a skills training program, nonprofits play a pivotal role in supporting survivors and preventing human trafficking. Donating funds, whether it be now or into our adult lives, can be one of the best ways to make a preventive and supportive impact in the human trafficking industry. As a teen, I’m sure many of you are like me and don’t have a lot of money to give out right now. However, as we head into our adult lives, it is great to be aware of how we can support human trafficking victims by donating, fundraising or supporting someone else’s fundraiser.

FEB 2019

OPINIONS

The right to vote, like the right to party, is something you gotta fight for Voting is important. It’s a way we can control our government. It’s part of that whole “democracy” thing. Art by Simmone Stearn.

ou know what’s great about America? Free and fair elections. Sorry, hold on a sec – somebody just told me that our elections are super unjust. So then what do we have left to hold onto? Well, we have free samples at Costco. Voter suppression, the act of preventing eligible voters from There’s always voting and/or money in the registering to banana stand. vote, is been -Sylvia Young a problem that’s plagued America for a long time. We know about it from history -- the Jim Crow laws and grandfather clauses that prevented African Americans in the South from actually being able to vote. But this isn’t just something you learned about in APUSH. It’s happening right now. It’s not in the exact same way, but the practice of preventing minorities from voting is still alive and well. But it’s clear that you’re not supposed to disenfranchise people. So how is it done? Two words: voter fraud. It’s the magic reason that we need stricter voting laws. Because how can we have a democracy if people are voting twice and tarnishing our fair and equal election process? But here’s the thing: voter fraud is super rare. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, incident rates of voter fraud are between .0003 percent and .0025 percent. And yet, state legislatures are constantly working to prevent ‘voter fraud.’ One popular method is voter ID laws. Certain states have more restrictive laws about the type of ID that can be used to prove your identity when voting. For example, in Texas concealed carry permits are valid ID, but student IDs are not

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(but that’s definitely not a measure to decrease the amount of Democratic younger voters). And in Alabama, the government-issued photo ID given to those living in public housing is not a valid ID to vote. Oh, also 71 percent of people living in public housing are African Americans. What an interesting coincidence. Republicans have argued that the simple solution is to get a photo ID at the DMV. But that’s not simple at all. Have you ever been to the DMV? It sucks and it’s annoy-

ing and everything takes a super long time. It’s much worse when you don’t have a car, the nearest DMV is closed, and you can’t afford to take time off of your job. Also, IDs cost money. Sounds kind of similar to those poll taxes, doesn’t it? Occasionally, voter rolls are

“purged.” In other words, lists of people who are registered to vote are edited to make sure they are updated. Ideally, deceased voters or those who have registered in another area are no longer included on the list. Unfortunately, this innocuous practice has become a deadly method of voter suppression. One of the most common practices is removing people because they have not voted in recent elections. Even though the National Voter Registration Act expressly says that no one can be removed from the list of voters “by reason of the person’s failure to vote,” Republicans have found a loophole. If they mail a person and that person doesn’t respond, then they can be

de-registered for not voting. In other words, the only thing that stands between you and your right to vote is a piece of mail. In Ohio, two million voters were purged between 2011 and 2016, and 1.2 million were removed because of not voting.

Additionally, there are many ways in which voting is made more difficult and inconvenient, especially for minorities and poorer people. The most obvious way is the decrease in opportunities for early voting. Early voting is an essential way to help working class people vote so they don’t have to miss work to vote on Tuesday. And it is used by people of color more than white people. Of course, states are finding creative ways to disguise this suppression. In Ohio, they have a reasonable practice of having one early polling place per county. It sounds fine, until you realize that counties that have cities (and more African Americans) have

much longer lines that more rural (and white) areas. There are countless other small ways in which states make voting more confusing and difficult. Polling places are open for less time, understaffed, and moved to whiter neighborhoods. Republi-

cans are working to limit groups that register people, especially minorities, and the process is filled with misinformation. These methods of voter suppression are doubly harmful. There are people who go out and try to vote and are stopped due to arbitrary rules. But there are also the people who give up on trying to register or vote because it’s too much work, the rules are too confusing, or there just isn’t enough time. Republican leaders have made it clear that they don’t want minorities voting, and they will create as many obstacles as they can. And it’s easy to lose hope when all the rules are designed to take away your power. It’s hard to talk about voter suppression. Because it’s hard to understand what it is. There are so many different aspects of voter suppression, explicit and implicit, legal and societal, that have been going on for hundreds of years. It’s difficult, but we have to start recognizing methods of voter suppression and holding Republicans accountable. This may not seem especially relevant here in liberal California. But the nation as a whole determines who becomes president. So it might make life worse for you. But more importantly, it’s a matter of principle. America is the great democracy where everyone has a say. We have a government “by the people, for the people, of the people.” But that’s no longer true if only some of the people get to vote. There is a widespread, systematic effort to prevent certain groups of people from voting. And that’s not okay. Regardless of your political beliefs, I think it’s fair to say that all of us as Americans should be able to vote. Voting, and the representative democracy it implies, are the things we as Americans pride ourselves on. But voting is not the universal right it seems to be. And as more and more people lose the ability to vote, we lose hold on democracy.

FEATURES

June 2019 20th, 2018 Expires December

SPECIAL DEAL: 2 slices and a drink for $5 with school ID Mon-Friday (11-3:00 pm)

FEB 2019

FEATURES

Money don’t grow on trees There’s no such thing as free lunch. But there is such thing as free money. It’s called scholarships. Story and art by

s college applications season comes to an end, students begin the hunt for scholarships. Scholarships are a great way to earn money to contribute toward paying for your college tuition and other college related costs. And with college tuitions rising, there is no better time than now to start thinking about future finances. Robert Ross, a college apps seminar teacher at SDA, emphasized the importance of applying for scholarships. “They can help make college affordable,” he said. “[It] can make higher education more obtainable.” But there are some common misconceptions about scholarships that often keep students from applying. “A lot of students think that they won’t get them [scholarships] or are afraid to be rejected,” said Ross. In addition, he emphasized that a lot of students don’t realize that not every scholarship is need-based: “Sometimes people think they’re only for need and they won’t get a scholarship if they don’t have low income status. That’s not generally the case.” Rather, there are thousands of scholarships and millions of dollars’ worth of award money for simply being...unique. “If you have some good skills to get those scholarships, then you can actually save yourself a lot of time and money,” Ross said. With fun application processes and essay prompts, these scholarships create opportunities for students to better afford college, awarding them for their unique interests and abilities and celebrating individuality. Here are a few of the most fun and funky scholarships out there.

Simmone Stearn

Allaboutcats.com: A Voice for Cats deadline: June 30, 2019 Catcallers are out. But catsthey’re still in. Very in. If you really like cats, this scholarship is for you. Allaboutcats.com invites students to submit an essay on feline welfare and the humane treatment of cats. Give cats a voice and win $1,000 in addition to a $1,000 donation to the rescue organization of your choice. Apply meow. Applicants must have a background volunteering or working at an animal rescue organization for at least 20 hours. The essay must be 300-500 words. https://www.wwwallaboutcats. com/cats-voice-cats-essay-contestscholarship

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Duck brand duct tape: Stuck at prom scholarship deadline: June 3, 2019 Who says applying for scholarships can’t be fun? For this wacky scholarship, student couples enter for a chance to win $10,000 in addition to a $5,000 award for their high school. All you have to do is go to prom wearing nothing but tape. In other words, create and wear your original and unique prom-wear using Duck brand duct tape. For some reason, people are good at this so start practicing. Also make sure you don’t break up with your date before you split up the money. That could get you stuck in a sticky situation. Each entry will be reviewed by a panel of judges and the potential winners will be selected based on a composite score using the following criteria: workmanship (30 percent); originality (30 percent); use of category appropriate colors (15 percent); accessories (15 percent); and quantity of duct tape used (10 percent). Contest winners will be announced in July. http://stuckatprom.com/

Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest scholarship deadline: November 29, 2019 Some of us are good at calculus and some at biology...and some of us are good at duck calling. If this is you and you often find yourself trying to verbally communicate with mallards, apply to the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest Scholarship. Duck callers compete in a duck calling contest in November and the best caller of ducks will be awarded $2,000. Quack! Applicants must be current high school seniors who are graduating this coming May/June who have a duck calling ability. http://www.stuttgartarkansas.org/ scholarship-contest.html

Debt.com scholarship deadline: September 1, 2019 Nothing is better than a scholarship that awards an individual for applying to scholarships. Debt.com, a debt-solution company that provides consumer education, professional solutions and expert advice on money, awards $500 every two months to the individual who applies to the most scholarships Their mission is to help make college more affordable for someone who is aggressive in fighting for the future. After all, who doesn’t like being validated for their efforts? Applicants must be high school, college, or graduate students who apply to as many scholarships as possible and as part of the application process, send confirmation emails from the scholarships applied to, back to the sponsor. A short letter about yourself is also required to be submitted. https://www.collegexpress.com/ scholarships/debtcom-scholarship/2025417/

The International Dairy Foods Association’s Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award deadline: March 2019 Have you ever dreamed of appearing on a milk ad, especially one that depicts you with a milk mustache? Well now your dream can come true with the SAMMY Award. Not only will you win $7,500 in scholarship money, you will also be given the opportunity to star in a special Milk Mustache ad in USA Today and you will be commemorated with a spot in the Disney World Milk House Hall of Fame. Oh boy! Applicants must have participated in high school sports (club or school team) and must submit an essay of no more than 250 words describing how milk has helped the applicant in his/her academics and/ or athletics. https://www.scholarships.com/news/ scholar-athlete-milk-mustache-ofthe-year-sammy https://www.voiceofmilk.com/

FEATURES

THE POWER OF ART Cover artist senior Madi Logan explains her artistic process, inspiration, and history. Logan has developed certain stylistic tendencies, which can be seen in both this art and on the cover of this issue. Story by Taylor Rudman. Art by Madi Logan

TOP LEFT: While Logan’s work varies in nature, some pieces do carry political messages. She said, “I did this one on plexiglass, that I did a black panther on to represent the Black Panther Party, and then a bunch of women with their fists.” TOP RIGHT: Although, the subject of her art typically varies, Logan has developed a pattern. “They’re usually not white people. For some reason they always turn out a little funky,” Logan said. “They’re not always a certain race or anything, either. I do a lot of colorful people.” BOTTOM LEFT: Logan enjoys mixing mediums, as with this piece as well as the cover art. She said, “I really like using the markers with paint.”

over artist senior Madi Logan has been creating art since seventh grade. Her preferred medium has been clay for quite some time, but she has been experimenting more after taking a painting class last semester. She said, “I sort of got to play around with lots of different kinds of paint and stuff, and I discovered that I really liked it.” Logan has also taken Drawing and Design, Cartooning, and Sculpture at SDA. Most of Logan’s pieces take three to five days to complete, and she typically does not follow any sort of specific process. She said, “Whatever comes into my mind, I just kind of put it on paper and see where it can go. It’s usually pretty random, and just a lot of people doing weird things.” Angela Davis, civil rights activist and author, is one of Logan’s

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greatest inspirations. Logan said, “She’s one of my favorite women leaders ever. I’ve been reading her books and stuff.” The cover piece is meant to go along with a whole collection of similarly themed art. “I want to decorate my room with a lot of black history kinds of things, or represent that, since the month of February is Black History Month, and I was like ‘Oh, that’s coming up!’ And I wanted to do a whole spread of art with that,” Logan said. “I’m going to continue to do more pieces with it.” Logan hopes that some of her work will help people remember to value equality and acceptance. “I think that art can change a lot of opinions and just represent a lot,” Logan said. “It just influences people a lot.”

FEATURES

Not-So-American Food R

ecently, I was sitting in Raising Cane’s in Vista for the first time and asked my lovely dinner date, “Where is fried chicken even from?” We know it as a historically southern dish, but where did it come from before then? I then thought about more things that we consider “American” food, and realized that similar to our culture, American food is just another melting pot of popular foods from other place. Here, take a look at where your favorite foods are really from—you may be surprised. Story by Sophie Hughes. Illustrations by Devlin Ott.

PIZZA

HAMBURGERS

Originated in: Italy

Originated in: Germany

This one’s more obvious, although most chain pizza places claim to derive their recipe from “east coast” pizza joints. The style of pizza we eat today, with marinara sauce and cheese, was first made by a baker in Naples named Raffaele Esposito. However, flatbread pizzas are a different story. Ancient Greeks and Romans baked flatbreads topped with oils and spices (now called focaccia), and Middle Eastern cultures (Egyptians, Babylonians, and Israelites) would bake flatbreads in mud ovens.

Blurb: Beginning in the 19th century, beef from Hamburg, Germany, was minced and combined with spices, garlic, onions, and other flavors to make “Hamburg steaks” which were served with no bread or bun. German immigrants in cities like New York City and Chicago made their living off of restaurants, where the Hamburg steaks were introduced and usually were priced the highest. During the Industrial Revolution, factory workers received these steaks on their lunch break from food carts, and the idea to make them into sandwiches blossomed while trying to make these steaks easier and efficient to eat.

FRIED CHICKEN

FRENCH FRIES

Originated in: Scotland

Originated in: Belgium

This southern staple didn’t actually originate in the South. In fact, Scottish people came up with the idea of deep-frying their chicken in fat, although it was without seasoning. Around the same time, West African people had a tradition of deep-frying their seasoned chicken, although it was in palm oil rather than fat.

Wait, french fries aren’t from France??? According to historical records, potatoes were deep-fried as far back as the 1690s in the Spanish Netherlands (present day Belgium). Aother source notes that these “potato batons” were introduced to American, Canadian, and British troops when entering Belgium during WWI. However, the debate between the true origin lives on between Belgium and France.

FEB 2019

FEATURES

School is stressful. The future is stressful. Life is stressful. Here’s how to deal with it

Five healthy ways to deal with stress 1. Take care of your physical health.

Exercise. You have probably heard this before, but just because it’s obvious doesn’t make it less helpful. While over-exercising belongs on the unhealthy coping mechanisms list, getting your body moving once in a while can get blood to the brain and help you feel physically better. I know working out sucks but the endorphins are soooo gooooood. Sleep. With school starting so early and our busy schedules finding time to sleep can be difficult, but getting quality eight to ten hours a night is so important. Try not being in your bed unless you are sleeping and avoid screens an hour before you go to sleep; you can try reading or journaling instead. It can be difficult, but making that one change can make the little sleep you get so much more effective. Maximize sleep efficiency. Eat dark chocolate. Foods like dark chocolate, nuts, bananas, and avocados are great sources of magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxer and can help soothe the nervous system.

2. Relax.

Take a break. Even if it is just five minutes. Do some breathing exercises or meditation to calm down, or do something you love. Draw, dance, sing, reenact the entire Momma Mia soundtrack, anything. Taking a step away from everything can help you get perspective, improve blood flow to your brain, slow your heart rate, and make you feel less overwhelmed.

3. Talk to someone.

Talk to someone. A friend, family member, therapist, counselor, doctor, pastor: ANYONE. Talking something out can help relieve stress and it feels so good to get something off of your chest.

4. Make a plan. Conversations surrounding mental health have become more common in recent years, yet stress levels continue to rise. Let’s talk about it. By Maya Hamson.

dults have a tendency to be very dismissive of teenagers’ struggles, blaming hormones, calling us overdramatic, saying things like “young people just don’t know REAL stress” (as if the first 18 years of anxiety are a free trial). Adults seem to believe they are more stressed than teenagers. A survey taken by the American Psychological Association in 2013 actually shows the contrary. During the school year, teens reported stress levels of 5.8 on average (a healthy level is 3.9) while adults reported average stress levels of 5.1. Despite the clear impact of stress on their lives, 54 percent of teens report that their stress level has little to no impact on their body or physical health (opposed to 39 percent of adults). Additionally, 52 percent of teens say stress doesn’t impact their mental health,

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either (opposed to 43 percent of adults). Everyone has their own ways of coping with stress, but all coping mechanism were not created equal. To relieve stress, some people turn to unhealthy techniques that are ultimately more harmful than helpful. This can include behaviors such as denial, isolation, and self-blame according to the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior (UCLA). In extreme cases, individuals may escalate their coping strategies to levels that pose severe risks to that individual’s health. According to changeminds.org, some people deal with stress by binging (alcohol, Netflix, food, etc.), self-harming, or engaging in compulsive behaviors, all of which are indicative of larger mental health issues.

Back in January, students in ASB and PALS went around to homerooms to share some ways to cope with stress as part of sophomore Alexa Mendes’ Girl Scout Gold Award. Her project focuses on eight ways to help calm down in a high stress situation: tapping (acupressure), laughter, visualizing, breathing, being creative, body scan, detaching, and writing. Additional information about each technique is detailed on her website, breathetorelieve.weebly.com. With the stress of a new semester and Mental Health Awareness Month (May) rapidly approaching, everyone may need some extra help coping. For extra stress-reduction techniques, see the list to the right.

Create a routine or schedule. Planning when and how you are going to do a task that is causing stress can help ease the pressure it is creating.

5. Laugh and smile.

Laughter is the best medicine, so it’s no shock that a lot of people turn to humor to cope with stress. Making light of a serious situation can help you get perspective and makes the issue less daunting. Additionally, a study published in the journal Psychological Science found that the physical act of smiling, even if forced, can reduce stress levels and help lower heartrate. These are obviously not the only healthy ways to cope with stress, but they are some of the most common and can be extremely effective. If you are feeling overwhelmed with stress or just want to learn more about how to deal with it, feel free to talk to a PAL or your counselor.

ARTS

Growing pains Changes are coming to SDA’s campus and culture. By Alex Storer

he construction of the new Math and Science Building spiked the worries of some students that school culture is fading. Some fear that with SDA’s cultural history being wiped away the next generation of students might not be able to carry on the school culture. A few years down the road, SDA might be unrecognizable to current students. It might even be a bit uncomfortable returning to campus, but this change is necessary as the student body grows. Art teacher Jeremy Wright said, “The old campus was like an old leather shoe-- felt comfortable-- but I will say this. From the ceramics department, it was a horrible room with no ventilation. So if you think of it like an old leather shoe, the sole had fallen off. So we’re getting a new shoe, and with new shoes, you gotta break ‘em in.” Wright is a former SDA student and leads the Visual Arts department, his perspective is important when considering the changes to SDA. As head of the Art departments Wright has also seen the lasting changes that public art on

campus can cause. Many upperclassmen have fond memories of the old art room, which was taken down last year to make room for the addition of the Arts and Humanities building, which is still currently under construction. It’s hard not to love the paint-covered walls of the creative space that had been an integral part of SDA for so long. While some students harbor concerns that the new construction will permanently alter SDA culture, Wright has a more optimistic point of view. He said, “I can tell you with the new visual arts building, we’ll be making it our own sooner than later. The table tops in the old painting room, we kept those. In fact, they wanted to give us new ones, but we said, ‘Nah, we want these old ones as a reminder of our history.” Wright has plans to put these table tops in The new building, but how he plans to incorporate them is still unclear. Wright plans to incorporate the old tabletops into the new art room as a bridge between SDA’s past and present. Although the Visual Arts and Humanities building won’t

have the years of history the old art room had, its establishment will give students a chance to redefine SDA’s culture and make it truly their own. In a way, these changes are representative of a new generation of students. Just two years ago, the last class to be born in the ‘90s graduated. Now, as the central block of 2000s kids begins to make their way into high school, SDA is going to face some big changes. Even though most of the campus will be different, those who want a reminder of SDA’s history will be happy to see more art being added to the Mosaic. Wright said, “Mr. Camacho has given me the thumbs up to oversee the Mosaic café, and that’s why you’re seeing the graphics pop up.” His plans for SDA should allow a new generation to find their place and remake the school in their image. “One of the things to think about with the murals is when I got here, there was only one mural,” Wright said. “And I looked around and said, ‘this place is sterile,’ and instead of complaining about it, be the change. And that’s when I started to get students involved.”

TOP: These three landscapes were painted over the course of the last year by Olivia Kaminski, Class of 2018. Photo by Jaden Hauptman. RIGHT: This abstract portait was painted last year by Maddie Saddoff, Class of 2018. Photo by Jaden Hauptman.

FEB 2019

ARTS

Let’s define fashion

The new idea for a fashion elective at SDA is getting students excited and curious. Story by Katie Pruden. Art by Jeffery Furgerson

“L

et’s define fashion.” This, art teacher Jeremy Wright explained, is one of his goals for a possible new course, a fashion class. Whether someone knows nothing about fashion or can recite every collection of Giorgio Armani since 1980, the class will be open to everyone and will be shaped by students, taking the course in whatever direction they want. “You are going to get a range of students in how they look at fashion,” . Wright said. This long overdue class was first brought to his attention by art teacher Angela Jackson, who originally had the idea. Wright took on this course in order to not only make an interesting class available but to also expand the art electives. The idea of a fashion class advanced when Wright made an announcement during a fashion club meeting held in the art room at lunch, asking if people would be interested in taking it. After the positive response, word of mouth alone sparked interest in more people.

“There’s been a buzz going around with students, and even teachers, which tells me there is a need for it. It also tells me the class kind of sells itself,” Wright said. The curriculum is still being created. Wright plans on designing the class with students, making it not just about stereotypical “fashion,” such as designer and runway, but also more unconventional views. Wright feels “A lot of people when they think of fashion, they think of runways, but there’s a real side to learning how to manufacture. I want to be able to pull people from the industry...and speak about it, to paint a picture about it.” Along with looking behind the scenes of everyday fashion, the curriculum will relate to current art classes. Color, composition and texture will be taught, similar to the draw and design class. Students will have the opportunity to explore a new creative direction. “There is a thread that connects all of it. The thing that I like about fashion is that it’s kind of like a drawing class with a mission. Instead of a canvas, it is an article of

clothing,” said Wright. Wright hopes the class will create its own subculture and bring people together. “The comradery, people are going to feed off of that,” he said. “It’s like in my AP Art Studio. That’s a choice to take that class, and everybody is serious about it and that becomes infectious.” Although not everything is figured out yet, Wright encourages anyone interested in the class to bring their grandma’s old sewing machine into the class and create whatever they can out of old, or new, things. He also has cat walks and performance pieces in mind, where students would be able to showcase what they made in the class in front of an audience. If you are interested in taking this class and want to know more about it, Wright and some of his students plan on having a booth at the elective fair coming up in __, and possibly a cat walk at Exhibition Day, where you can ask questions and learn about the class. For those serious about fashion, “the act of doing is your best education,”

Unconventional art The way people experience art goies beyond paint on a canvas. Story by Drew Atkins. Art by Devlin Ott.

t may not necessarily belong in a gallery, or even thrive in a museum setting, but SDA students demonstrated an ability to see artistic value in things beyond fine art. Throughout a series of micro-interviews, I attempted to understand what my peers considered beautiful beyond the picture frame of common culture, with the greater vision of understanding what we classify as art as a society. “Well it can’t be a human, that’d be messed up. But tattoos on a moving person. Seeing that art move along with someone,” says senior Eric Guerra. Many of the responses were as varied and specific as this one, or similarly held a humanist theme. Like how junior Sophie Williams would explain, “Makeup as well as piercings and jewelry to add to that makeup. Hair, too.” Senior Tyler Clayton agreed, describing the artistry in how one cuts their hair. And in these ways immediately we check one thing off the list of nontraditional art, and discover an underlying human appreciation for well… other humans. Whether from an innate physical drive or desire to look like others, the concept of humanity as art is a

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curious one that continued to pop up. So as I compiled the list of interviews I was again intrigued to see actual human features being argued as an aesthetic. “Good eyebrows. Like good, groomed eyebrows is artistic. Boy or girl, you should have good brows. It really is the most beautiful thing,” freshman Anna de la Fuente mused in agreement. Or senior Sarah Rapp, who would argue that perfect hands are appealing, “when your hands are all soft and smooth and your nails are painted and you have rings, that is an art.” Like any other artistic medium, we delve into the human body beyond just the genre of humanity, and into the detailing of our bodies. An appreciation of the person transcended physicality, and into a palatability in the ways in which as a species we present ourselves. For senior Julia Mendoza, how one lights their room would be an art and a way of presentation. Our rooms can be perceived as windows into our lives, and candles or fairy lights someone uses to brighten their room, Mendoza sees on a level equal to that in a gallery show. A media presence is a medium expressed by many people in our generation, and senior Jimmy

Adame would see that to be an art in itself as well, “people’s Instagram posts, because they’re the collection of pictures they’ve put together. Especially private accounts, though. It’s how they display themselves to the world.” I found myself the most excited in seeing how a common thread in what we see as alternative art often times ends in people. In a culture that can sometimes glorify an unobtainable beauty, it was rewarding to see across the board the human body is a work of art. “Getting the butterflies; everyone loves that. Like the nervousness of liking someone or before you take a test, I wish I felt it more often,” senior Dilyn Dubose told me. In writing this story I was excited to get my own butterflies, as I witnessed the love SDA students had for the body. What one defines as art is completely subjective, but I’m thankful that we can see the human race as something to be revered beyond a museum. And out of all the art available to us, it is a love for people that will give me same excitement as the butterflies.

SPORTS

Achieving greatness Top athletes at SDA have faced challenges and reached new heights. Whether by breaking school records or pushing their physical limits, these students have made large strides in their athletic careers. By Alexandra Joelson and Yarisette Sequeira.

SENIOR CONNER EDWARDS represents SDA in cross country race. Photo courtesy of Conner Edwards.

SENIOR STEPHEN BAKER paddle boards in a race from Santa Barbara Island to Catalina Island. Photo courtesy of Stephen Baker.

e didn’t expect to cross the finish line as the fastest distance runner for SDA. He didn’t picture himself leading the cross country and distance track team as captain. He never even thought he would be a serious runner. However, at the San Diego Section CIF finals last year, senior Conner Edwards had a change of mindset. “I had a really good race that day and I was able to get first out of the SDA runners, which was the first time I ever did that,” said Edwards. “That was something that really gave me a ton of motivation and made me realize that I could be better at this and I could improve a ton if I really tried to.” Not only was this race a defining moment for Edwards but for the boys team as a whole. Together they placed fourth out of 19 teams and qualified for the State Championship for the first time in 15 years. The following summer and into his senior cross country season, Edwards was dedicated to improvement with an ambitious goal in mind: three miles under 16 minutes. His training averaged 50 miles a week with about two days of interval training, one long 11-12 mile run, and mid-distance runs in between. With the season ending quickly and heading into the 2018 CIF San Diego Finals, Edwards was still short of his season goal by about

20 seconds. Despite the pressure to beat his personal record and qualify individually for the state meet, Edwards kept his mind clear to work towards his best time. “Especially during big races I kind of space. I’m so focused. I’m just so focused on the race and I’m trying to keep track of where I am and when the next mile is coming up,” Edwards said. “I try to look at the clock and see if I’m on pace and I really just zone out and then get in focus mode.” Competing against a strong league of runners, Edwards was a half-second short from finishing in the top 15 in San Diego and qualifying individually for the state meet. For Edwards, the result was still rewarding, considering he beat his season goal by finishing the 2.96 mile race in 15:44:5 minutes. It is by setting and achieving goals that Edwards has kept himself motivated for success. “It helps a lot,” Edwards said. “I think you just need to have tons of goals that you can try to reach. Just to keep you going, keep you feeling like you’re improving.” Edwards new goal as he heads into the track season is to achieve 4:25 in the 1600 meter race, 9:40 in the 3200 and under 2:00 in the 800.

an you imagine paddle boarding for 32 miles, a race from Santa Barbara Island to Catalina Island? Senior Stephen Baker has been paddle boarding in such competitive paddle board races for three years. He believes that being on the water is very important for everyone, making this sport a perfect fit for Baker. “It was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had before,” Baker said of the 2017 race. He never imagined taking his paddling to this level. But, quickly after getting a phone call from his sponsor, he decided that this could be a great opportunity to explore and embark on what turned out to be an enlightening experience. Baker was the youngest participant in the competition. “I ended up getting second place out of my competitors,” he said. “There was one person that was 40 and there was a 20 year-old guy and they have been training for it for like months,” Baker said. This competition was a physical challenge for Baker and his competitors. “They don’t do it anymore just because it was dangerous,” he said. “There was a couple of people on the way back that just collapsed on their boards and stuff just from exhaustion. It was definitely one of the most tiring experiences, but it definitely paid off in the

end. The whole thing was just incredible.” Baker has also competed in many other competitive races including competitive brackets in North Carolina and Oregon. To Baker, paddle boarding is an experience for anyone. “It’s so incredible. I would recommend [paddle boarding] to anybody. Get out on the ocean- especially if you’re like struggling with [mental health]. For me, it was really helpful for my mental health so it just helped me and the ocean has always been like really healing for me.”

FEB 2019

SPORTS

In the fast lane

SDA had recently added a new group of athletes to its roster... swimmers! By Alexis Price

JUNIOR ADDIE WERBERLOW beats SDA basketball record. Photo courtesy of Addie Werberlow.

BA professional basketball player Chris Paul has a game point average of 18.6. Addie Werberlow, junior, trails closely behind the NBA All-Star with an average of 16.9 points per game. After accumulating 1,087 points in her high school career, Werberlow broke the school record for most points scored by an individual player. Werberlow joined the SDA basketball team freshman year, but it wasn’t until her sophomore season that she began to challenge herself and focus more on attacking the basket as a shooter. “Sophomore year I really tried shooting outside shots. So I think that’s when everything changed,” said Werberlow. Seeking quick improvements, Werberlow dedicated her weekend to working on her three - point shot and accuracy at the gym. Werbelow spends time on self-improvement to contribute more to her team’s success. “I think [putting in extra practice time] can apply to anyone whether you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses or not so you can work at them both to get a win as a whole. I think the whole environment here where the team effort is so important is why I continue to work at the game and my skill level.” As her sophomore season continued, Werbelow and her team saw more success. An undefeated CIF winning streak led the team to

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the Division IV CIF San Diego Section Championship, with Werbelow leading the team in points scored. “That was super exciting,” she said. “I think that's the year it clicked, where I grew as a shooter and an attacker.” This season, Werbelow has set her mind on two main goals. “Physically, I've been working a lot on getting everyone involved on the team and helping everyone find their role [on the court] because I know it's hard for some people to figure that out,” Werbelow said. In terms of her mentality, Werbelow focuses on positive self-talk and steers away from negativity, a challenge she has been struggling with for several years. “I think my biggest setback is that I'm extremely hard on myself personally and I'm never satisfied with how I'm playing,” she said. “Having my teammates still trust me even after different little mistakes and still pass the ball means a lot.” “I think [putting in extra practice time] can apply to anyone on a team whether you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses or not so you can work at them both to get a win. I think the whole environment here where the team effort is so important is why I continue to work at the game and my skill level.”

pring sports season is kicking off and if you didn’t know, there will be a new addition to the Mustang sports teams - Swim! The team began their season on February 4, practicing five days a week at the Boys & Girls Club in Solana Beach. The team, of about 50 students, hopes to send swimmers to the CIF Division II level at the end of the season. Students of different backgrounds - from competitive swimming to soccer – joined for various reasons including becoming more involved with SDA and meeting new students. “I think it is really exciting for our school. This is the first time in a really long time we have had a swim team. I am really looking forward to getting into a sport and meeting new friends,” junior Alex Glenn said. Glenn, water polo player and swimmer three years of age, looks forward to building a strong community within the swim team, similar to that of the water polo team. “It would be awesome to create that with the swim team. That’s what I am most looking forward to and swimming in general.” For many, making friends is a crucial aspect to enjoying sports at SDA, however, being competitive and improving as an athlete is another reason why many students get involved in sports. Junior Ryan Elliot and sophomore Michael Wieland both hope to improve their strokes this season and work on their speed. With plenty of experience under their belts from swimming at the YMCA and Rancho San Dieguito clubs for over nine years combined, the boys are ready for what the season will bring. “I think it is really exciting for our school. This is the first time in a really long time they have had a swim team,” junior Phebe Bridges said. She is did not swim competitive, but does run on her own and believes her cardio will really help her succeed on the team. Joining to make new friends and try a new sport is another reason Bridges joined. However, to be one of the first members on the SDA swim team is also momentous. “It just sounded like a really fun opporuntity and to be one of the first people on the team this year will be really exciting.”

Not only have these students been putting in the work during tryouts and practice, but many were committed to dry land preseason workouts as well. Many swimmers felt stretching, running, and preseason workouts on the track created a great environment for bonding. The new swim coach for the Mustangs is David Bennett and has many ideas for the team. After picking up competitive swimming at age nine, Bennett swam for his high school and club team in Connecticut. In high school, Bennett was a five-time Connecticut High School Champion and State Open Champion. He took his skills to compete at the collegiate Division 1 level at University of Rhode Island. “My style of coaching is to keep training highly focused on technique and with intensity. I believe the best way to swim fast in competition is to swim fast in practice,” said Bennett. Bennett plans on having a fun season, while enhancing the overall experience for the Mustang swim team. However, his ultimate goal is to have multiple swimmers qualify and compete at CIF championships in May. “I know that we can compete with the other schools in our district and win league and CIF championships in the coming years,” Bennett said. Parents Patricia Wieland and Martha Largent have worked together with the district to create this new team for students. They have organized fundraising, suit ordering, location, and other tasks with other parents. “I stepped up as a parent because I believe every student should be able to pursue their passions in high school and I wanted to make this possible not only for my daughter but for the community of students at SDA!” Largent said. The Mustangs will be competing in the CIF San Diego Section against San Marcos, Vista, Rancho Buena Vista, San Pasqual, Oceanside and El Camino from the North County Conference Avocado East League. Their next competition will be Mar. 6 at Ramona High School, so go out and support our new team. Go Mustangs!

SPORTS

FEB 2019

THE “MUSTANG”

CAF

WARNING! Side effects may include: brain death, normal death, realizing you have nothing to live for, getting divorced, inexplicable crying

BUILD A PLASTIC WALL

Disclaimer: Let’s get one thing straight. This is a faux proposition to help slow the influx of recyclable materials that are currently streaming into our landfills. This idea reflects no political belief other than loving our Earth. By Shayna Glazer

n Trump’s eyes, global warming isn’t exactly - how do I put this - real. What is real to him, however, is a pressing urge for building a huge wall. Now introducing a 100 percent foolproof plan to make our President happy and most importantly, save the environment. It’s called: Build the PLASTIC wall. Hear me out, the government was recently shut down for 35 days, the longest shut down in the history of the United States and it can’t happen again. Why did this happen? It’s because President Trump wanted to build a large wall with the price tag of $MoreMoneyThanYouCanFathom in order to enforce security at the southernmost parts of our country. Yet, Congress was not very happy with this idea. We can’t have another shutdown like the one from before so it comes down to people like us to come up with other solutions.

AN INTERPRETIVE PROPOSAL of what the plastic wall could look like. Illustration by Jenna Weinhofer

Here is the temporary solution newly created to appease our President and also the environment lovers across our nation! It will help stop the landfills from filling up with recyclable plastics and instead, transport these materials to a facility where they can be squished down into little cubes. Once made, they’ll be moved to the site where the wall is to be created. Voila, a tall wall made out of entirely recyclable materials! Hey Trump, guess what, it’s cost effective too. Okay sure, I admit, it probably isn’t the most effective form of defense since plastic can be broken through, but what’s really important is that we are helping pull back on an environmental disaster! Think about it in the way of no politics, no anger, quite simply just love for our environment. Let’s pack that plastic tight and get as much out of our dumps as possible.

COLLEGE APPS ARE OVER AND NOW...WE WAIT! Seniors! We did it. The stress of college apps is over and now comes the best part: the waiting! We thought we would share five fun activities for you to do while you wait for your admissions decisions. By Maya Hamson and Linnaea Erisman 1. Pace back and forth! This is so easy and fun, and you can do it anywhere! Just find a good patch of floor and walk on it over and over and over and over and over again until you have left permanent marks on the ground and your feet and legs ache. The ache is good, because at least now you can feel something.Bang your head against the wall! This one is great because you might actually knock yourself out and finally get the deep sleep you lack and so desperately crave! Walk over to the nearest wall, lean back, then gently lean forward, leading with your head, until your cranium makes contact with the wall. While you’re doing this, think about how you are different from the wall because it is stable and you are not. *Beginners can duct tape a pillow to their heads while they are learning* 2. Become a human sushi roll! There is nothing more enjoyable than rolling yourself up in every blanket you can get your hands on

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and pretending you are uncooked fish. The best part is, once you are completely covered in your blanketrice, the outside world ceases to exist. The blanket is the whole world now. If anyone tries to disturb you, just ignore them because they literally do not exist anymore! 3. Pull your entire body into an oversized t-shirt and roll around like a meatball after somebody sneezed! If you roll right out the door you can turn to mush under a bush (just like the song instructs you to) instead of crumbling under the debilitating fear caused by not knowing, maybe for the first time in your life, where you will be in approximately eight months and by the knowledge that your entire future is now in the hands of some crusty admissions worker that will probably spend 20 seconds reviewing the past four years of your life to determine your worth! Okay, breathe… if you’re vegan you can be a falafel.

4. Build a shrine to the college of your choice! If you’re feeling out of control in the whirlwind of algorithms and random strangers deciding your entire fate, don’t worry because there is something you can do. Set up a shrine full of the various college merch you have collected for your top college and are now beginning to second guess because you may not even get in! Feel free to make this your own. Add sweatshirts, hats, posters, commemorative bobble heads, maybe even some voodoo dolls to send good vibes to the admission officers. And don’t be afraid to start an eternal fire fueled by all of that fun mail every college in the country has sent you. Bonus points if you print out all of the emails and chuck those in the fire too. These are just a few options, but there are so many more. If you have your own ways of passing the time, please tell us. Please. We’re desperate.

TIME IS RUNNING out. Or moving super slowly. Either way, evertything will be fixed once we know about college decisions. We just have to make it until then.

THE “MUSTANG” HOROSCOPES

CAF

WARNING! Side effects may include: brain death, normal death, realizing you have nothing to live for, getting divorced, inexplicable crying...

Trust the planets. By Camille Zimmer Aries R ecently the fear of what your future will bring has been looming over you. Your best bet for a happy and fulfilling life is to become an ethical hacker. You can put your love of technology to work while still staying classy. Taurus This year, instead of sticking to your new year’s resolution, try really hard to reverse time and wake up in 2013. Gemini Only speak in Old English and rhymes this

month. Everyone will love you. Cancer Although you already wore a fancy outfit to formal, you can still create a new, effortless look for prom by slathering glue all over yourself and rolling around in eggshells. Leo For better focus, try wearing horse blinders and a Thunder Shirt. Virgo Increase your flow of

positive energy by going to an animal shelter and having long, heart to heart talks with all of the dogs. Libra Focus on your strengths this month and join the National League of Shin Kicking. This way you will be able to release your anger and pursue a long-time passion of yours. Scorpio Stay away from Subway sandwiches.

Sagittarius When you were little you would move slugs off of sidewalks to make sure they wouldn’t get stepped on. Try this same strategy with other students to get to class even faster, but tell them it is for their safety. Capricorn After your bad Valentine’s Day, spread hate by karate-chopping couples who are holding hands.

Aquarius Write songs about past presidents and go door to door singing them on President’s Day. Act surprised and disappointed when no one knows the words. It’ll be extra surprising if you do it the week after President’s Day. No one will expect that (just like the Spanish Inquisition). Pisces Try replacing the meat of your sandwiches with very thin twigs. They add a nice texture and earthy flavor.

COOKING FOR ONE

This week on Blogging with Debra, a deluded 28-year-old spinster: I’m a bride, bitches. By Shayna Glazer and Taylor Rudman

h my gosh, ladies it’s been at least a month since my last blog post! I’ve been crazy busy recently but I think you’ll be surprised to hear a couple of things. First, let me start off with an apology. I know, my trademark “wild old spinster” persona would obviously obligate me to write a special post for Valentine’s Day... yet, I didn’t. Frankly, that’s why I am apologizing! But wait. Hold back your sad tears and prepare to instead cry tears of joy for me. I’ve been proposed to! No more sad, pathetic, loveless Debra -- only happy, smiling, and soon-to-be-married Debbie! I know what you all must be thinking: where’s the proof? Well, to all those naysayers out there, and to all of you that think I’m lying to increase my views (or because I’m a compulsive liar), and to the few of you who probably think my entire life is just a “Punk’d” reboot-- you’re wrong. Because guess what? I’ve got the proof. I’ve got the ring. And it’s even bigger than Susan’s! Still want to shove those adorable baby photos in my face? Well, my baby didn’t leave stretch marks and doesn’t wake me up at 3 a.m. That’s because it is a 28K white gold princess cut diamond ring, and not a filthy little disease carrier. So, sure, wave those photos in my face while you can, Susan. As your “baby” is growing up and slowly learning to resent you, my ring will be protected by a Tiffany & Co. lifetime warranty. So think twice, Susan. Oh, that goes for you, too, MOM! I’m going to have a real life

husband soon. And no, he doesn’t live in Canada! I get to use the pronouns. That’s right, this is my FIANCEE, Brad. He doesn’t have a problem with commitment! This one is not just a rebound, and I am NOT a floozy! (Note to self: when I send the Save the Dates to all my loving friends and family, should they be in eggshell or ivory? It’s really the little details that make a wedding perfect.) Anyways, you guys probably want to know how the night went down. It was last Thursday night. The air welled with Valentine’s Day emotions, the sweet smells of Wild Honey and Wicker scented candles, and Brad. Tall and handsome, wearing simple blue jeans and a white t-shirt just tight enough to show off his muscular shoulders… wow. Just wow. Brad explained that he had a surprise for me and had decided not to buy the ingredients from the store that I needed for my VDay blog posting and instead pulled out a vanilla Betty Crocker cake mix. You all should know the Betty Crocker recipe by now, so I’m not going to waste my character limit on explaining it all; add a couple eggs, vanilla extract and some other sweet ingredients -- it’s just a cake. What do you think this is, a cooking blog? Anyways, the magic comes from the experience around the cake. Brad waited for me to tie my perfectly curled hair back, and, yes, though I know it ruins the curls I want him to see that I’m relaxed and ready for anything that comes my way (including cake batter). Then, Brad put the “Kiss the

Cook” apron over my head and ing A RING out of HIS POCKET. dabbed frosting on my nose in a He then proceeded to use flirty manner. The night commenced one mitted hand and pulled smoothly as we put together an the cake out of the oven. amazing romantic cake, and then all Finally, holding a cake and a we had to do was wait. A relationfancy ring, he looked up at me ship burns the brightest in the heated with those completely average tension of an electric cook timer. You eyes and I watched them fill know what they say, nothing gets with above-average emotions. you feeling hotter than being around He then asked, “Debbie will you your true love and the heat of a bakdo me the honor of making me ing oven… who says that? Frankly I the happiest man in the world and don’t know but it doesn’t matter. permanently make “Cooking for Anyways, finally, our precious One” a successful blog of “Cooktimer dinged. It felt like my whole ing for Two?” Of course I said yes, life was leading to that moment. he had just offered me food and a Brad offered to get the cake out of wonderful future all in one. the oven, because he is an absolute On another note, lovely readers, gentleman. He went down on his does anyone know how to change a knees and opened the oven door. domain name? I could smell the sweet cake, but I couldn’t see it. Brad was taking a little too long. my I walked needs g n lo towards s min 15 him to see if I could help, beenheit. es Fahr cause, you 0 degre 5 3 to e t oven know, he has the cak 1.) Hea sing for r u’ll be u o e always had a y t n a a p w r. ase the togethe - 1 cup 2.) Gre little trouble dients in e r il g o in it. e up pulling out e to mix w all th - 1/2 c g fiance 3.) Thro n o r st (pulling cakes r ant you stir. s e you w reamily out of ovens). - 3 egg .) Realiz h him d 4 tc a w y d n But he was not whisk a making of Bett him the ’ve been - 1 box est. You .) Hand r having trouble, 5 e th ix e epar Cake M ncee pr not this time. e work. your fia rocker C oes som .) Have 6 me he d ti No, the exact g ’s it in y f ic recentl opposite. That’s y meals - Lots o so man g rin because instead ement of getting the - Engag cake out of the oven, he was tak-

Cake r e k c o Cr A Betty

FEB 2019

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CAF

...looking up when your friends say ‘gulliable’ is written on the ceiling, speaking in old English, laughing out loud, cravings of sardines

ASK A SENIOR!

Senior Aeon Combs shares his knowledge about the Upperclassmen Life. What song did you parody for your Econ music video project? “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mixalot. I wanted to do an NSYNC song like “Tearin’ Up My Heart,” but there were hardly any instrumentals that we could go for that were sufficient. My group also wasn’t convinced that this song would be the best, however I’m still convinced that my group members were jealous of my pipes and vocal range. “iT’s TeArIn’ Up mY heArT wHEn i’M wITH YOUUUU!!!” What kind of car do you drive? I have a nine-speed Schwinn Frontier and I look better on it than you do in your stupid Forerunner. Yeah, that’s right. Two wheels are

all I need, baby. In 50 years at the next high school reunion you will remember me for being nominated in the yearbook for ‘best thighs.’ And besides, cars are a luxury. Maybe I’ll consider one after I get my license…. What are the worst classes that you’ve ever taken? My journalism legal team has advised me that I am not at liberty to discuss this subject in explicit detail. I will however, tell you about how a lot of classes I’ve had gave me homework or assignments that I feel were counterproductive and made experiences that I learned nothing from. There are also classes where you will learn a lot and at the same time enjoy the learning experience. But it is up

to you, underclassmen, to accept the task of being proactive and at least try to pass your classes with an unenthusiastic grimace. But, if you would like to rant with me, come find me around campus somewhere and we’ll chat about it. Are you involved in any clubs? Yes, I am an esteemed member of the prestigious Marble Racing Club, Room 130 at lunch on Thursdays. I can finally put being a senior aside, and goof off with the ‘homies,’ and meet new people I wouldn’t have otherwise met. I definitely don’t consider myself ASB propaganda, but clubs are great!

A VERY PTA MOMS VALENTINE’S DAY

The PTA Moms finally find their time to shine on Valetine’s Day. By Simmone Stearn and Sylvia Young

he big day was here: Valentine’s Day. And more importantly, the biggest party of the year. The chance to show that your parenting skills (read: Valentine’s Day cards you made for your kid) are superior. Ding dong! The bell tolled. But for whom? Carry, probably. It was her house. Before answering the door, she admired herself in her looking glass thinking to herself how wonderful it was that she looked like Jennifer Aniston (Aveeno) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Activia) combined. Carry swung open the door to the small pinched face of Kev. His round silvery glasses gave him the odd appearance of a sad physician. “Hello Carry,” he said in the kind of voice that might sound not completely horrible raised in the warbling notes of a yodel. Kev tried to hug her. She tried to slap him. It felt eerily similar to the standoff between Rango and the snake in that animated film series “Django Unchained.” A few awkward moments later a knock sounded on the door. Veronica stood there. She had a boombox on her shoulder playing the song “Veronica.” It was her signature entrance. This, paired with her bright red lipstick, fishnet tights, and 10-inch heeled boots, gave her the appearance of a red guitar I impulsively bought over winter break, personified. Carry was stunned. Shaken (not stirred) to the core . As she opened her mouth, Patchouli popped out of the bush, her rat’s tail particu-

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larly disgusting. On her shoulder was a black crow. “Hey guys!” Carry quickly ushered everyone in , and brought out the hors d'oeuvres.Suddenly the bell tolled. Carry swung the door open to the mousy face of Shannon. Disgusting. Shannon held a massive cookie, cooked to perfection. Disgusting. Doesn’t she know that cookie is out? The divorce rate among couples who eat cookie on Valentine’s Day is fifty percent. Carry blinked like that guy in the meme. The woman glared at her. “I’m sorry, I thought I was early. You guys said six o’clock, didn’t you?” Carry rolled her eyes at the ignorant fool. “We use eastern time.” “But we live in California,” Shannon replied. “Well God lives on the east coast. Do you hate God?” “Alright everyone,” Carry said while clapping her hands awkwardly like the hosts of “Saturday Night Live” doing their monologue. “It’s time for the party to commence.” She turned on her CD player and the beautiful notes of Snoop Dogg rapping in “California Gurls” filled the room. “Time to go to the playground.” “I thought this was a dinner party,” said Shannon. “I made cookie.” Carry replied with her standard answer: “Haven’t you watched the Bible? When Jesus had a dinner party, he died. Do you want Jesus to die? Again?!” The PTA skwad headed over to Carry’s neighborhood playground. As she approached, the children screamed and hid. To them, she

was the White Witch from “Moby Dick.” But then, she ripped open the wrapper of a Skittles bag. It was like the modern version of Turkish delight. At the scent, children came skittering out of the bushes like crabs after a rainstorm. They gathered around her. They were small dogs. She looked down. “I hate dogs.” After a moment of silence, she began to explain the PTA mission. “We are gathered here today to determine the single most important thing in the universe: which PTA mom *she looked at Kev, disgusted* or dad made the best valentines for their child to pass out in class on Thursday.” The dogs woofed. It was time. Carry held up her valentine. Aged Venetian silk paper dabbled with gold leaf, sprinkled with rose water from Versailles and finished off sweetly with calligraphy written with the finest octopus ink. “For the sophisticated,” she cheered. But dogs weren’t sophisticated. “Where’s the candy,” one of them yapped. “You just don’t get art!” She screeched as she threw her Skittles to the ground, defeated. Next up was Kev. He shuffled to the front. The children were disgusted. He reminded them of the sad physician that had given them vaccines (except for the kids whose parents were anti-vaxxers. But those kids were too sick to go outside). He held up his valentine. It was a small, squabbly piece of paper. It looked blank except for the small barcode in the very center, hand drawn. “When

you scan this barcode,” he whispered, “it should take you to the site where you can redeem your coupon for one free framed barcode with the purchase of ten framed barcodes. Also a king-sized candy bar.” The dogs whipped out their iPhone Xs. They tried to scan. But they were unsuccessful. “We can’t scan a barcode. You were supposed to make a QR code.” Kev felt hot tears arrive at the brim of his eyeballs like a commercial airline plane arrives at an airport. Suddenly, his anger bubbled to the surface like bubbles often bubble to the surface. “Shut up about QR codes! You’re just like my mother! So controlling.” And with that, he shuffled quietly back into the group of PTA parents. Patchouli jumped forward. From her rat tail, she pulled out a jar. Inside of it, dirt. “Here it is,” she yelled, spinning in circles. The PTA parents were silent. How could anyone make anything so disgusting, they wondered. “It’s in a mason jar! I thought you people loved those things.” Shannon couldn’t help nodding. She had a collection of 238 mason jars. Suddenly, the dogs were jumping up trying to grab the jar. To this day, no one can explain a child’s fascination with dirt (or the poop emoji). Shannon donned her giant heart costume. She turned on the music and disco balls and began her professionally choreographed dance to “Maneater” by Simon and Garfunkel . Once that horrendous event had finished, she pulled out her valentine.

It was a heart-shaped origami box. Suddenly, she crushed it in her weak, sweaty palms. Everyone gasped, but oohed and aahed as soon as they saw the smaller heart-shaped origami boxes that exploded from the larger heart-shaped origami box. And as the smaller heart-shaped origami boxes hit the ground, she stepped on them and confetti bloomed. “Tryhard,” they muttered. Shannon cried. No one was surprised. She always cried, that Shannon. Finally, Veronica strutted up to the plate with a power walk better than Olivia Pope from “The West Wing.” She pulled out her bright red stick of lipstick. Then, from her blouse she pulled out a cocktail napkin stained with vodka and olive juice with a sprinkle of margarita. After applying her lipstick as delicately yet deliberately as possible, she pressed her mouth firmly onto the napkin. After ten seconds, she pulled away and the napkin was left with a tattoo as bright as morning. “Here is my valentine,” she said, holding it above her head as baboons often do with lions. The dogs yipped with joy and appreciation. “We have decided,” they shouted after zero moments of deliberation. “Veronica!” “You mean she lost, right?!” Carry desperately gasped, searching for one success to give her life the illusion of meaning and purpose. More than anything, she wanted to be validated. The dogs shook their heads. “No, she won. You’re kinda thirsty.”

TH E M U STANG 02. 2 2 . 1 9

PHOTO BY JADEN HAUPTMAN