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Volume 20 Issue V
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The Pony
March 31, 2016
Upcoming CAASPP Testing Schedule Grade 9th grade
10th grade
11th grade
12th grade
Wednesday, April 20 Motivational Speaker (gym) 8am-9am/Study Hall (Mosaic Cafe) 9am-10am Motivational Speaker (gym) 8am-9am/Study Hall (Mosaic Cafe) 9am-10am CAT English (classrooms, computer labs) 7:50am-10:10am Senior Social(gym) 8am-9am/ Mandatory Senior meeting (gym) 9am10am
Thursday, April 21 Career Fair (gym) 8am-10am Career Fair (gym) 8am-10am
Tuesday, April 26 Thursday, April 28 9th Grade 4-Year 9th Grade 4-Year Planning/Study Hall Planning/Study Hall (Mosaic Cafe) 8am(Mosaic Cafe) 8am10am 10am CST-Life Science 10th Grade 4-Year (classrooms) 7:50am- Planning/Study Hall 10:10am (Mosaic Cafe)
CAT Mathematics Classroom Activity/PT (classrooms, computer English (classrooms, labs) 7:50am-10:10am computer labs) 7:50am-10:10am Senior Tiles (wrestling Senior Tiles and room) 8am-10am Senior Thank Yous (wrestling room) 8am10am
Classroom Activity/ PT Mathematics (classrooms, computer labs) 7:50am-10:10am Senior Thank Yous and Senior Tiles (wrestling room) 8am10am
What You’ll Be Doing While Juniors Are Taking the CAASPP The new CAASPP schedule aims to fix timing issues and provide educational activities for those not taking the test. By Bailey Dempster.
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new CAASPP testing schedule will come into play this April that will affect all students It eliminates inconveniences with the old schedule for juniors who take the test and creates new opportunities for freshman, sophomores, and seniors. The old schedule’s problems include timing issues that caused multiple distractions including taking students out of class, said Assistant Principle Brieahna Weatherford. The schedule will keep juniors from missing class time and allow them to finish testing within four or five days, whereas the old testing schedule carried on for over a month, Weatherford said. Not only will juniors be testing, but sophomores will also be taking a portion of the CST test on April 26 alongside the junior class. Due to the testing schedule for four days, regular classes will start at 10:30 a.m. and end at the regular time of 3:10 p.m., making class periods about one hour in length.
Alternate Activities During Testing
Multiple activities are being offered for freshmen, sophomores, and seniors while the juniors are testing. On the first day, a career fair will be held for freshman and sophomores, sponsored by the SDA Foundation and counseling department. `Weath-
The Reasons Behind the Change
erford said, “Multiple amazing people from the community are coming to share about their fields.”
Career Fair
The professionals coming to visit and inform students about their careers include lifeguards, a Dakine surf and skate rep, an electrical engineer, sports announcer, and a market researcher among others. It’s also a great opportunity for job offers and internship opportunities for students because some companies will be looking to hire, she said. Feshman and sophomores will also have a chance to listen to a motivational speaker. The motivational speaker, Jeremy Poicenot, an SDA graduate, is an inspirational speaker and coach who went blind at 19 and won the world blind golf championship at 20. “Today he travels the world encouraging audiences to see life from a new perspective and gain the clarity and confidence needed to turn audiences to see life from a new perspective and gain the clarity and confidence needed to turn trauma into triumph,” according to his website.
The 4-Year Plan
There will also be meetings with counselors for setting up a 4-year plan for freshman. The extra activities “are things we want kids to engage in but sometimes don’t have time for,” Weatherford said. She also
Jeremy Poicenot (above) is an inspiring SDA graduate. Photo courtesy of jeremypoincenot.com. emphasized how attendance is highly recommended because the activities are crucial and beneficial for future choices and plans for students. Seniors will be participating in different activities. Mandatory information on grad night will be provided, Weatherford said. Additional information on other senior events and preparation for graduation and upcoming events will also be provided, she said. The seniors will also be working on their senior tiles and thank yous during the testing period.
The new CAASPP testing schedule was created to best support students to finish testing in the actual time frame, instead of coming back over and over to complete it, which became very problematic last year. “We wanted to limit impact on instructional time for both student and teachers meaning if kids had to be pulled out of their classes to go finish the test,” Weatherford said. “We wanted to limit the situation as much as possible,” she said. Instead of taking over a month to complete, the testing days were decreased to only four to five days split between two weeks and two hours of testing per day. Senior June Hasty siad “I think we had more than enough time to take it , but it did affect the classes I had to skip.” History teacher Bob Teisher said, “I don’t like it because [the old scheule] takes away from my social science classes, and definitely affectes what we can cover.” The reason for the split days was that while the testing window in the state of California starts on April 20 the preservation of hour lunch on Wednesdays was presented as a priority by both students and staff giving students a break between the last two testing days to relax. “It’s less stressful than having four to five straight days of testing,” she said.
Lottery Next Year? No. Here’s why. Due to a small eighth grade class, SDA is not going to need to hold a lottery for the incoming freshman class. By Rilee Grau.
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here will be no lottery for the incoming freshman class this year. San Dieguito Academy has the capacity to enroll all the students that applied, said Principal Bjorn Paige. There have been lotteries in years past because the number of incoming freshman have exceeded the capacity, and then some were put on a waitlist. There is not a specific number of how many freshmen will attend SDA in the fall, but there is a smaller overall 8th grade class this year, Paige said. The number of school incoming freshman will be greater than seniors leaving, although there won’t be a dramatic increase, he said. SDA will know for sure how many freshman are signing up for classes the week after spring break so this will let the the school know if they have to make any adjustments such as helping with flow of traffic through hallway and hiring additional teachers and staff, Paige said. With no lottery this year, 8th graders get to pick where they want to attend in the fall. Paige said, “I love having kids come to the school who are excited to be here. It’s good students get to choose where they want to go to school, and students who choose San Dieguito Academy know what we’re about, and they make a knowledgeable choice to attend here, which makes me feel really good.” Incoming freshman Bridget Dempster, from St. John’s the Evangelist, said, “I’m so excited for high school and to attend SDA in the fall. With there being no lottery, it doesn’t really affect me in any way. I just hope the school doesn’t get too crowded. I have a lot of friends going here and I’m happy I will meet new people too.” Many incoming freshman are grateful for their acceptance because they said SDA is a much more convenient school for them to attend. “Not dealing with the lottery system is a big relief,” Julia Fumo, an eighth grader at Oak Crest, said. “SDA is my first choice for high school due to location and academic[s]. I am so excited to be accepted without the stress.” According to Angelina Schaber, an incoming freshman from Oak Crest, the lottery’s absence “made sure that I was able to go to the school that I really wanted to go to.”
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March 31, 2016
The Pony
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Studio 800: What’s in Store
The newest addition to the Mosaic that you should check out. By Jack Hauser.
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enior Paige Clark said her favorite part about being in the business management is “the freedom we get. You get to choose what you do and there are so many different businesses you can take part of.” Behind her stood a case of sunglasses made by Echo eyewear, a student-based wooden sunglass business run in the business management class, a rack of Tie or Die T-shirts, another SDA student T-shirt business. Clark talked at the grand opening last month of Studio 800, the business class’s new venture in the Mosaic. The student retail shop sells everything from water bottles to student made art. The students run everything, making and staffing the shop.
Studio 800 is open weekly Monday through Friday at lunch with the exception of Wednesday. Oly Norris, teacher of business management, said, “students learn what it takes not just sell stuff, but to learn how to plan and what to price it at. It’s this idea that they are running a business that helps the community.” Sophomore Jake Garcia wants to put this experience to use later. “I want to become a business major so I’m looking for skills to start up my own business,” said Garcia. Studio 800 held its grand opening on March 18. Performances from Rubenstein Drive-by and Be All, End All headlined the event and the
members of the business management class showed off and sold the products their individual businesses made. The business class is comprised of mostly seniors and juniors but Norris encouraged underclassmen to take part in the class as well.
Top: Members of the business class set up for the grand opening. Middle Left: Band Be All, End All performsduring the opening. Middle: Pizza, ice cream, and soda could be purchased along with student merchandise. Bottom: Junior Kim Quach gets a face paint job from senior Claire Pupping. Photos by Patrick Hall
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The Pony
March 31, 2016
Sophmores Sofia Bustamente, Holly Teisher, and Eliza Wing eat cookies at SDA’s Pi Day event. Photograph by Patrick Hall.
Memorizing Pi is not a piece of cake SDA students participated in numerous Pi actvities on March 14. By Rosy Alvarado.
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ot only were math fans celebrating on Pi day, but everyone else was as well. The math department and culinary arts class celebrated Pi day on March 14 , with a nice variety of food and prizes in front of the Mosaic cafe. There were numerous activities for
students to participate in at Pi day. Students had a chance to practice Pi before reciting it with Pi pencils that were provided by the school and distributed to students during homeroom. Those who knew up to 21 digits or more won a coupon for a free burrito
Students line up in front of the Mosiac to recite Pi. Photograph by Patrick Hall.
at Chipotle. The top three students with the most digits recited were freshman Cecilia Martinez with 269 digits, senior Michael Menhennet with 121 digits, and freshman Zachariah List with 109 digits. The placement of the date was said to be perfect because of hour lunch Wednesday that landed on the same week. For the rest of the students who weren’t able to get the 21 digits, they were able to be creative by decorating their own cookie with a special math symbol on it. Two hundred cookies were decorated and 100 Chipotle coupons were available. Not only did students celebrate, but also teachers and staff members who celebrated with eight different pies made from the culinary arts class that were specifically for them. Referring to the students attending the event, Paul Brice, the math teacher who organized the day, said, “ I want to have a nice variety but especially kids to have fun and be creative.”
Freshly made pies courtesy of Scott Huntley’s Culinary Arts class. Photograph by Patrick Hall.
March 31, 2016
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How Term Limits Could Change The District
A proposed new law could force school board members to step down from their positions after a certain amount of time. By Kieran Zimmer.
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chool board member John Salazar hopes to shake up the San Dieguito district by trying to limit how long board members can serve. Now, veteran board members have lost perspective, and are no longer close to the high school experience. Salazar said that veteran members are “bought, paid for and owned by organized labor.” Furthermore, “The teachers’ union goes in and supports…veteran board members and spends vast amounts of money on them.” However, 20 year school board member Joyce Dalessandro disagreed with this characterization, and believes that veteran board members are better for the district. She said, “There is one group and one group alone that ‘owns’ me, and that group consists of “THE STUDENTS OF SAN DIEGUITO UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.’” “There is a steep learning curve to become a truly effective school board member,” she said. “It takes a great deal of time and dedication. The details of the job require time, effort and study to achieve an understanding of the complexity and ever changing ins and outs of education law, policy, financing, curriculum, student needs, personnel, etc.”
How It Would Work
In order to implement term limits, Salazar said, pressure would have to be put on the board by supporters so that it could be put on the November ballot. If passed, San Dieguito Union High School District would be the first of 42 schools in San Diego County to adopt term limits, Salazar said. These term limits would not allow for board members to serve past a certain number of four-year terms, just as in most other government offices, he said. However, the terms already served by members will not count against them, he said. Salazar also said that students should show their support for the bill, as they could put in place school board members who represent their values. “What happens is, the board
members forget, they lose their perspective...On my board, we have two board members that have been there for decades,” he said. “One has been on the board for twenty years...she hasn’t had a child in school for years and years.”
Around the Town
According to Salazar, term limits, when introduced into other districts, have been supported with an overwhelming majority by taxpayers, with numbers ranging from 60 to 70 percent of voters in agreement. However, it is expected to be met with opposition from longtime board members, as well as teacher unions and other third parties, he said. Dalessandro made it clear that none of the other schools in the district use or need term limits, stating essentially that the whole situation is slightly overblown: “There are 42 school districts in our county, none of which have term limits for their Trustees. That includes our five feeder elementary districts which serve the same constituents that we serve.” Dalessandro has not yet decided whether or not she plans on running for re-election.
Split on the Board
Currently the board is divided into two factions, consisting of veterans, the majority, (including Joyce Dalessandro) and newcomers (such as Salazar and Maureen Muir). The recently elected Muir voted with Salazar against raising teacher salaries,.. Salazar has also opposed major new construction at district schools, saying that new structures do not equate to a better eductation. As previously mentioned, Salazar has stated that the teachers’ union has too much power over longtime board members. Responding to this, Dalessandro said, “Mr. Salazar is referring to the fact that, because I support teachers and have so much respect for them, that somehow amounts to my loyalty being suspect. My primary concern is the students of our district and with providing them the best education possible.” Bob Croft, head of the teachers
union, said that term limits are Salazar’s way of throwing out a “red herring” to disrupt the board. According to Croft, this is a habit of Salazar’s, namely introducing unnecessary obstacles when more important tasks have are at hand. Furthermore, Croft has said that voters should be able to vote for someone else if they are opposed to a current board member. This split in ideals has been described by some publications as bipartisan, as with other facets of government. Salazar and Muir were described as Republicans, with Dalessandro and other veterans as Democrats. However, Salazar and Dalessandro have disagreed with this classification. “School Board Trustee is a non-partisan position. Political party agendas DO NOT belong in the boardroom” said Dalessandro. Salazar agreed, saying that although he identifies as a Republican, he does not bring politics into the boardroom.
Further Perspectives
“Older board members have a better understanding of the district, and should stay because they will know what is best,” said Dalessandro. “I have been passionate about education since I was in elementary school myself,” she said, “I have worked hard for many, many years - long before becoming a Trustee to celebrate and honor those who are so very influential in the lives of our children - the educators and all of their support personnel. I believe, wholeheartedly, that they, together with parents of course, are the essential ingredient needed for the success of our students.” Salazar, however, said “When [the board members’] kids went to school, their kids didn’t have social media, didn’t have cell phones, didn’t have Snapchat, didn’t have tons of the things that you guys have, and they don’t really understand those things. They say they do, but they can say whatever they want, so unless you have a kid living with you who’s going through this type of stuff, with cyberbullying and sexting and all of this stuff, they don’t really understand it.”
Everyday students work on assigned spots to bring culture to the statue. Photo by Patrick Hall.
‘Sea Horse’ Statue to Add Art to P-Quad Art piece will add character and culture to newest section of campus. By Sophie Hughes.
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n the beginning of the 2015 school year, SDA added a set of new portables to the north-west area of campus. Many students were disappointed that the new buildings lacked art, resulting in lower levels of SDA funkiness. However, art teacher Jeremy Wright’s sculpture class has the perfect thing to brighten up the P buildings. Juniors Chloe Griffin and Trevor Anderberg have been working on a sea horse statue for almost a year. It was originally an optional project, but now Wright “highly encourages” groups to work on the statue. The sculpture, constructed using foam and wooden beams, stands over seven feet tall and is a combination of a horse head and front legs, with a fish or mermaid tail. Mismatched mosaic tiles will cover the entire sea horse. Wright said that the statue was
partially started at the beginning of the year. “I think it was a project from a previous class,” added Griffin. “I made a bunch of sketches and eventually we made a little wax statue...maybe six inches tall.” Since then, the idea has evolved into something much bigger. The shaping took a little over a semester, Anderberg said. Students have been working on individual tiles, which Griffin envisioned as being “a little bit larger.” However, “the smaller tiles are more functional” for work on the statue. The sculpture class hopes to have the sea horse finished and installed by the end of the semester. The addition of the P Buildings have helped with finding the final location for the sculpture. “Initially we had this giant statue and no clue where to put it” said Griffin.
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Campus Eyesore Provides Artistic Opportunity Intro to Tech class is working on painting new mural on temporary walls built because of construction. By Sylvia Young.
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he new plywood hallway built to block noise from construction is being painted by freshmen to help add more art and culture to SDA. During the art rotation of Intro to Tech students are painting a section of the wall as their final project, said art teacher Kajsa Medak. The theme of the new art piece is a rainbow train, and students are each painting one section as part of the bigger project, said Medak. Students enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to the school’s culture and thought it was a great way to bring new art into the school and become more connected to SDA cul-
ture. “It was fun. The normal class was really rushed but on this we got like a couple weeks to really take our time on it,” said Lucy Ryall, freshman. Many other students that did not work on the mural are also happy
“It kinda gives the SDA look.” Sonia Rathee, junior.
about the newest art installment and its contribution to the SDA culture. “It kinda gives the SDA look because we’re all about the art,” said Sonia Rathee, junior. If students not taking Intro to Tech are interested in contributing to the mural, they can talk with Medak about how they can add something that fits in with the theme, allowing all students to help work on this new piece of art. The art section of the Intro to Tech class will continue to work on the mural and continue to be “inspiring to the people in this community,” as Taylor Thompson, freshman, said.
Students walk by a section of panels painted by freshmen during Intro to Tech class. Photo by Patrick Hall Planter boxes beneath the windows also help preserve the SDA culture during construction. Photo by Patrick Hall
March 31, 2016
The Pony Staff News Editors Bailey Dempster Rilee Grau Kieran Zimmer Features Editors Sophie Hughes Lane Levin Erin Maxwell Opinion Editor Jenna Weinhofer Arts Editors Yarizette Sequeira Sylvia Young Sports Editors Alyssa Fisher Julia Lucero CAF Editor Jason Kesler Photo Editor Patrick Hall Design Editors Patrick Hall Madison Vance Jenna Weinhofer Staff Writers Rosy Alvarado Lucas Aiden Brady Amber Cruff Jack Hauser Veronica Ness Derek Sleet Katherine Tarangelo
The Pony 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 16, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the address below.
San Dieguito Academy Room 16 800 Santa Fe Drive Encinitas, CA 92024
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Real Conversation on Campus Healthy dicussion shouldn’t be shut down. By Madison Vance.
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rrested for two felony charges in relation to sex trafficking and pedophilia, a 23-yearold pre-theology student in his first year at a Catholic college in Ohio, traveled to San Diego with intentions of crossing the border to Tijuana in order to obtain female infants to have sex with. While a crude and unfortunate reality, this made headlines back in January. So when I saw an article about the situation, I thought I was going to be able to engage in a mature conversation about a real issue at school.
My class’s assignment was to bring in an article from a Spanish-speaking country to annotate and express an opinion towards. However, the article, that I thought was good topic, was rejected. My teacher expressed his disdain for the topic, saying it was gross, and a classmate commented that it was an inappropriate topic for school. Upon hearing that, I turned forward in my seat and reflected about what my teacher and peer had said. I concluded that it’s abhorrent that this happened, but topics like sex trafficking are important issues and
shouldn’t be disregarded. If these intelligent and relevant discussions are condemned in our learning environment – even if they are uncomfortable topics to cover – it is unknown when and where students will have these conversations. High schoolers, as the next generation of leaders and innovators, need to be prepared and aware of the world around us. Child abuse, rape, sexual harassment, international affairs, and sex trafficking are, in fact, real world issues. By not talking about them, their significance is downplayed. These are
not issues to be taken lightly or to dismiss as unimportant. The more I see the lack of initiative in issues like this, the more impassioned I become. Make these topics your problem. They are relevant to you. They are pertinent to you. A simple way to start is to foster this conversation. Whether you chatter away or remain silent, all I ask of you is to be aware and open-minded to healthy discussion.
Falconiformes, I choose you! Think dinosaurs are cool? Guess what’s better! By Veronica Ness.
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he most terrifyingly magnificent creatures, for centuries, were said to be the rampaging, roaring dinosaurs. However, the true breathtaking, awe-inspiring power lies in the well known descendent: the bird. This evolved creature surly claims the insurmountable title as the best class of animals. Birds are the smartest, fastest, and the coolest animals by far. A mathematical study proved that if a cheetah, the fastest land animal, would race a peregrine falcon, the peregrine falcon would beat the cheetah by 8.5 seconds due to its rapid
dive of 200 mph. Wow, that’s speedy! This show of strength proves the ability of birds and their superiority. Similarly, most birds, even pigeons, can fly at speeds faster than the allegedly-outstanding dinosaurs. According to most recent studies, one of the fastest dinosaurs can only run 40 mph while pigeons average flying speed is 80 mph. Birds are also great because they are brilliant. Among the smartest animals in all the world are crows.They are aware of themselves and even have the ability to use tools. Also, some birds have figured out how to use multi-step techniques in order to
Alejandra Adame
solve problems. In example, a cockatoo, figured out how to unscrew the latch, bolt and nut, to its cage. Some claim to hate birds. They say that birds are annoying because they steal their food or poop on them. Although these instances do occur, humans are actually at fault. The humans moved into their territory and taunt the birds with delicious food. How could someone not swoop down and grab their favorite food if they could. Birds are also the raddest animals in all the animal kingdom. Each bird is different and special in its own way and all of them look really cool. In
order to categorize their differences, scientists put each bird into orders. Falconiformes are like the streamlined version of birds, passeriformes are the tiny, cute, melodic birds, the piciformes are the pecking birds, the apodiformes are the fluttering birds, the columbiformes are the plump birds, the gaviiformes are the aqua birds and so many more varieties. Each bird is cool in their own way and like Pokémon, they are super cute and super strong. And birds are so great that you don’t even have to travel across the land, searching far and wide in order to find the power that’s inside!
Charles McDermott
Cover Artist
Backpage Photographer
Alejandra Adame, sophomore, has been doing art since she could remember because her mother was an artist. But, she did not formally start taking classes until fifth grade. Currently she is taking drawing and design and painting at SDA. Adame said, “[Art] is a way to capture the world and emotions on a level that I haven’t been able to do in any other way.” In the future, Adame would like to be a graphic designer.
Charles McDermott, freshman, has been taking photos for three years. “It’s really fun [taking photos],” said McDermott. “I am always inspired by other people and things I see online.” His photograph of the dog is inspired from pictures he saw on Instagram.
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Sentinel
March 31, 2016
THE WORLD’S ONLY RELIABLE NEWSPAPER
FRESHMAN GIRLS START 3RD WHEELING SERVICE
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ave a new significant other? Unsure about how fast your relationship is going? Look no further: there’s a new third wheeling service just for SDA students. “Tricycle Dating” is the name of the new third wheeling service. Brenna Summers and Avery Wade, both freshmen at SDA, have enlisted many of their friends to accompany new or unsure couples on dates. “Dates, and especially first dates, can be especially awkward for both parties,” Summers said. “We hope to offer great advice during the date so that it doesn’t go south.” “Tricycle Dating” offers key advice and intervention for dates, including breaking up an unwanted kiss or move, advising when to call your parents, interruptions at the worst (but really, best) possible time, calling an Uber for you, and long term relationship advice. Rates are flexible, and many third wheels will accept food as payment. Summers & Wade created the service because they wanted to offer a service that people would actually use to the SDA community. Starting in April, SDA students can RSVP third wheels to make their date less awkward. Third wheels are available in hour and two hour increments (any date longer than that and you should probably have your parent chaperone). “We think we are providing a real service to SDA’s students,” Wade said. “We hope we a lot of people out with this.” By Jason Kesler
can help Never go on an awkward date again. Photo by Patrick Hall.
HOW TO GET RID OF YOUR GUY IN 10 DAYS!
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ay 1: Dye your hair a ghastly color. Day 2: Find a senior to spend your days with, confusing your friends, family, and your bae. Day 3: Gradually start ignoring your boyfriend more and more. Don’t respond to texts. Or calls. Or emails. Or messenger pigeons. Day 4: Date a college student. This’ll really make your guy jealous. Day 5: By this step, he
should be completely disgusted by all your relationships and think that you’re a thirsty tramp. I mean, you do really like Sprite. Day 6: Reject all males. Become a nun. Day 7: Yell at him for not giving you enough attention. Day 8: Show up late to a first date with another guy that you’ve never met. You don’t want to be there anyway, so as soon as you sit down, say that you are going to have to leave early.
Day 9: Your boyfriend won’t tolerate you anymore. He dumps you in front of all your friends. A day early, what a punctual person he is! Day 10: Set off fireworks behind your house, because by golly, you’ve already dated a college student. How much worse could you get? The movie fades out to fireworks malfunctioning and setting half a house on fire, with a bright, fiery “The End.” By Madison Vance
March 31, 2016
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You’re Not The Only One Insecurity is extremely common among adolescents during their teenage years. By Amber Cruff.
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gly. Not smart enough. Fat. Too tall. Boring. These are some of the many insecurities that teenagers carry around with them day to day. Being insecure is a normal part of teenage life. Counselor Ann Nebolon of San Dieguito Academy High School said, “Everyone [has] a case of some level of insecurity.” Even Nebolon said that she had insecurities in her teen years. Studies by dosomething.org, a website that inspires young people and social change, shows that “7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members.” For example, an SDA sophomore girl said that she is insecure about her level of intelligence. Her brother got straight A’s throughout high school and she is trying to live up to that expectation. This website also states that “more than 40% of boys in middle school and high school regularly exercise with the goal of increasing muscle mass.” A sophomore boy said he could relate. He “was a twig” freshman year and was insecure about his body type he said. However, sports helped his confidence and he made friends that helped him realize that his body was normal for a boy his age.
Reasons for Insecurity
There are different reasons as to why teenagers are insecure. According to Kristin Maxwell, CEO of Teen School Survival Secrets, which holds workshops for teenage girls, “there is a lot going on with teenagers. There are hormones, their bodies are changing, and there is social pressure to fit in. It really matters to teens that their peers accept them.” A combination of all these factors is enough to trigger some degree of insecurity. Teenage brain development is an additional factor that causes insecurity. Maxwell said, “the amygdala, which is the emotional center of the brain, is really active in teens. So teens feel things really strongly and can be volatile.” Social media can also trigger insecurity because teenagers try to compare themselves with pictures of people who look their best. Remember, most people use filters and/ or editing apps to make themselves look flawless. Exemplifying this, another sophomore girl said that social media tends to make her feel insecure about her appearance. Many
A painting of a girl cutting her hair. Art by Olivia Kaminski.
times when she looks at pictures of other girls her age on social media, she thinks to herself, “why can’t I be her?... while I’m in my room eating Doritos.” She said for her and many other teens, social media causes “confidence issues.”
Advice and Help
For those struggling with insecurity, Peer Assistance Listeners, Kameron Lucian and Alondra Diaz, seniors, advise teenagers to put their wants and needs before trying to please others. They also suggested to make “yourself comfortable” by doing what makes you happy and healthy. Nebolon said that teenagers afflicted with insecurity should talk with a trusted adult and not conceal
their problems. Nebolon encourages teenagers to “love and respect [themselves]” and “value who [they] are.” Maxwell advises teenagers to “develop an awareness that the voices in your head, and the negative things that you are saying about yourself are not reality. When you can get an awareness of what you are saying to yourself and what you are thinking, you can break the pattern and learn not to speak to yourself so meanly.” She also says to interpret difficult situations as learning experiences, instead of thinking negatively about yourself. A third sophomore girl has used this strategy before. She said that she did not get some internships that she interviewed for.
Instead of feeling bad about herself, she learned from the experience and shrugged off the defeat.
Overcoming Insecurity
As for overcoming insecurities, it is possible. A sophomore girl proved this when she talked about how she used to be “ashamed” of her short height. However, she slowly “started to realize it doesn’t matter what other people think.” Now she is “really proud” of her height because “it’s who [she] is.” Maxwell said she has “seen people feeling better about themselves and being less negative and less derogatory. It takes a while, but it’s like developing a skill to change the way you think about yourself and reframe what’s going on around you.”
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March 31, 2016
HOW TO RIDE THE TRICYCLE OF DATING
For when your friends aren’t ready to take off the training wheels. By Madison Vance.
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s you might know, spring is couples season. And as intimate relationships begin to take root, the awkwardness couldn’t be more apparent. The tension in new relationships, while inevitable, can often be alleviated by the presence of a third wheel. A third wheel can make it easier for a couple when they first start going out, but for a third wheel, the experience can be incredibly awful. The third wheel has to put up with all the nonsense that can happen without “[complaining] even though it sucks, because you’re doing it for a friend,” said junior Brittany Krechter.
What’s a Third Wheel?
From aiding the flow of conversation to preventing disastrously awkward situations, third wheels exist for many purposes. Through student interviews, light is shed on what students think a good third wheel should do. “[A third wheel] is like a catalyst. They’re just something that sparks the conversation, gets it going. Once the ball starts rolling, they kind of step back a little bit,” sophomore Kevin Ward explained. However, third wheels shouldn’t forget their role: “when [the conversation] slows down a little bit, they are there to give it a little nudge,” he said. “Third wheels are usually comedic relief,” said Krechter. “They usually have more confidence then the two people who are just still figuring each other out.” However, there are different techniques when it comes to third wheeling. Sophomore Madison Noyes says a third wheel should “make [the situation] more awkward so it’s [the third wheel’s] fault and not [the couple’s].” She elaborated about how by blaming the third wheel for the awkwardness created, relieves the tension. “It’s not actually really awkward,” Noyes said. “It’s the third wheel being awkward and it’s funny.”
Parental Restrictions
For some couples, a third wheel is
necessary in order for the couple to be able to go out. Speaking about a friend, Noyes explained, “technically, [my friend is] not allowed to [go out alone on a date]. I’m supposed to go with her.” According to Ward, “[parents] enjoy [having a third wheel accompany their child] because then they are assured that you’re not going to be doing anything frisky because you wouldn’t do that with another person in the room, because that’s weird.” Whether or not the third wheel actually functions as “buffer for sex” like Krechter thinks, it really depends on the couple. Ward explains that a third wheel’s presence “will stop them to a certain extent, but they will still kiss and stuff like that. But they won’t get frisky, you know?”
Awkward Stories
When found in a potentially “frisky” situation while third wheeling, sophomore Daniela Burrows recounted the time she said to the couple, the girlfriend being a good friend of hers, that “You guys can make out. I’ll just sit here and eat my sandwich.” According to Burrows, that she only made the situation more awkward. For sophomore Carolyn Knapp, an awkward experience for her was 17th wheeling during hour lunch. “Everybody was paired up with their formal dates. It was a week before Formal and I didn’t have a Formal date. So, there were eight couples. And me.” Reflecting on the experience, she laughed and said sarcastically “so that was pretty great!” Playing matchmaker for two good friends, sophomore Olivia Kaminski was helping the couple who hadn’t seen each other in a while meet up at the movie theatre. “I remember cracking a joke and nobody laughs,” Kaminski said. “So I look over and I’m like ‘Aw, come on, that was great!’ and his tongue is down her throat.” Exemplifying an adverse technique of third wheeling, Ward left his date to perch himself on the armrest of the movie theatre seats between the
Seniors Emily Mazza and Jarod Bednar pose with third wheel sophomore Kevin Ward. Photo by Patrick Hall. other couple they had gone with. In an effort of unsolicited third wheeling, he spread his arms out around their shoulders and asked awkward questions in the dark theatre from his spot on the armrest. Reflecting on the situation, Ward said that, “they probably appreciated it for like 17.5 seconds, and then they were like ‘I want you to leave.’” Krechter spoke about when, while she was third wheeling at the beach with her friend and her friend’s crush, “we decided to go swimming. They went in together and they just swam away far from me. And then I was alone, standing in the waves.” On the same date, Krechter said that “the tide came up anvd washed all of our stuff away. And I was like frantically trying to grab all of our stuff and they were paying no attention because they were standing there, flirting. Literally, our phones, our binders were being washed into the sea.”
Word from the Couples
While the third wheels’ take on the issue is loud and clear, it’s important to look at the couples involved, especially since they are the reason third wheels exist in the first place. Noyes explained that her policy is to “invite people to come with me [on my dates] because I don’t like to be alone. [Being alone] is uncomfortable.”
Junior Michael Vickery explained how there are also the circumstances where “sometimes people don’t get the hint they are the third wheel and they just tag along.” Despite whether the third wheel was invited or tagged along and got stuck in such a situation, the third wheel can play a critical role in the success or failure of a date. For example, the third wheel can wreck the mood. In Burrow’s experience, her sandwich-eating presence stopped the couple from making out as her friend whispered “No… Daniela is here,” to her boyfriend as he tried to kiss her. “It was really awkward for me,” Burrows said. However, if the goal is to keep everything PG, a third wheel can be a
lifesaver. Vickery elaborated on the topic, saying, “The couple will bring somebody along to make sure that there is somebody else to be there with them in case anything weird happens.” Either way, no matter what the goal or the outcome was, third wheels deserve credit for the generous effort they put in and the couples get a round of applause for having to suffer through the tension. So, next time you see a couple in the hallway, know that somewhere out there, there is a third wheel that suffers through the awkward make out sessions and inside jokes that they still don’t get in an effort to (hopefully) make the couples’ relationship easier.
The Do’s of Third Wheeling
The Don’ts of Third Wheeling
- Make jokes at the right time. - Offer to go and get things for the couple but don’t let. them take advantage of you. - Sit in the back seat of the car. Let the couple sit in the front together. - Use your phone as a way to appear preoccupied when you need to create space. The bathroom works too but there are only so many times you can excuse yourself for that.
- Look hotter than the date or outshine the date. - Create a pity party for yourself: we know you are single, that’s why you’re here. - Complain or whine: you signed up for it. - Buy a lot of food and then don’t eat it and expect the couple to pay for you. You aren’t their date and they don’t care about you enough to buy your meal for you.
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features
The Pony
Page 11
THE LIBRARY ISN’T JUST BOOKS
The library offers resources for the whole community, no matter their interests. By Erin Maxwell
The Encinitas Library’s balconies provide a place to sit, read, and admire the view of the Pacific Ocean. Photo by Patrick Hall
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little girl pouts in the backseat of the car, stubbornly refusing to answer the lively patter her mom directs at her. They’re going to the library, and her mom knows this routine. The seven year old “hates” the library and thinks it’s “soooo boring!” That is, until she enters through the big library doors into the cool, air conditioned silence interrupted only by the intermittent rustling of book pages. The little girl silently trudges over to the childrens section where she stomps down the aisle, hoping her mom can see her displeasure. But she’s soon distracted by the long, colorful rows of books and quickly gathers a large stack, plopping down on one of the beanbag chairs. She’s ready to lose herself in the glorious worlds inside the library’s children’s books. Most students know this routine. For them, the library was some horrible, boring place that usually turned into a fun experience as they grudgingly became engrossed in the books. But why do those kids stop going
to the library? According to Cynthia Thompson, librarian at Cardiff Library, sometime between eight and twelve years old the majority of kids stop enjoying the library, or even going at all. Thompson said, “We’re always trying to draw in more teenagers. Because teens are busier, they tend to stop coming.” Kalani Crosby, SDA Learning Commons Technician, added, “Between sports, and academics, [highschoolers] don’t really get to read for pleasure like [they] used to.” At any rate, by the time a kid is in high school, the library is something boring, something they’ve “been to before” when they had to get a book for English. It’s not a place they actively seek out. The library has books, and that is its main resource. Unlike the school library, recently dubbed the Learning Commons – probably due to its very small collection of actual books – public libraries are filled with all types of books, from the dictionary, to Harry Potter. It also has endless amounts of magazines and newspapers to read. This is what scares people away,
because many highschoolers don’t read. For those that do, the library is a good place to go. Sophomore Charlotte McClelland said, “It’s easier to find a book that you like when you don’t have to buy it. You can try out a lot more books without spending the money.” The San Diego County Library and SDA Learning Commons also offer the online Overdrive service, which allows people to download the Overdrive app and then access library books on their device, free of charge. If the online book collection doesn’t contain the desired book, Crosby said “the cool part is too if you don’t see a book on there that you want, just ask me, and I can ask my boss, and she orders them.” This is an easy way to access books without even leaving the house, and the only requirement is a (free) library card or school ID. Crosby said, “It’s a great service for everybody.” However, even for people that don’t like to read, the library is an amazing reserve of tools. Lorena Marquez, Encinitas Library supervisor and technician, said, “What a lot
of people don’t realize is we have so many different resources here.” And she’s right. First of all, the library features an extensive amount of audiobooks – perfect for not actually reading your English assignment! And for those who prefer movie adaptations, it’s a good bet you’ll find the DVD at the library. Sophomore Ale Adame said that she used to check DVDs out from both the Encinitas and Cardiff library “because we used to not have Netflix and only the basic channels on TV, so that’s where we would get movies to watch.” There are also resources for test prep. On the San Diego County Library website, there are links to SAT and AP practice questions and tests. Marquez said, “There are all these resources on our website that you can get access to just by having a library card.” There aren’t just academic assets, either. The library’s schedule is filled with concerts, author visits, and clubs. Last Tuesday at 5:15 pm, middle school and high school girls began to trickle into the computer lab at the Encinitas Library. They were there for the weekly Girls Who Code meeting, a class taught by software developer Paul Otal. By 5:30, the class’s start time, there were 10 girls present, ready to log on to their Canvas coding accounts and learn how to code. From these Girls Who Code meetings, yoga, and teen dances, to concerts the first Wednesday of every month, the library has
multitudes of activities, even for the academically uninclined. The library is there to support the community. As Marquez said, “We want to bring in the community, we want to have these free resources for people.” These free services tend to draw in all types of people. In addition to the large crowd of senior citizens and children, many people remarked on the numbers of homeless people. For these broad demographics, the library offers services ranging from career resources on Glassdoor to computer games in the children’s section. Other factors play a part in the wide range of attendees. For one, the air conditioning. McClelland said, “In the summer it’s really hot and it’s air conditioned so that’s nice.” The library is also a great source of community service for teenagers. Marquez said, “We always are in great need of service learners, which is what we call [volunteers].” With only an application, a teen can start volunteering at the library, where they would do jobs such as shelving books and setting up for events. Not only would they be surrounded by books (every teen’s dream) but they receive free air conditioning and a good resume builder. Even with the copious amount of resources, not many teenagers frequent the library. Commenting on the low number of teenagers, Marquez said that “We have a lot of great stuff we try to do, so the more input [from teenagers] the better.” Not to be cheesy, but the library is a geode. To a teenager the books can be off putting, but once that outer layer is cracked, the inside reveals beauty – in this case, free concerts, and computers, and clubs, and audiobooks. Basically, not things you’d expect to find inside a rock. But they’re there. Like the Learning Commons at SDA, books are only a part of the library’s potential. As Marquez said, “It’s not just books, its so many different things. That’s what’s great about working at the library.”
Sophomore Ale Adame, referring to the Encinitas Library’s ocean view seen through these large windows, said, “ It was really cool. I like the view from there – it’s really pretty.” Photo by Patrick Hall
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features
The Pony
March 31, 2016
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Talented Kids D
id you know that one of your classmates tutors refugees and another is an opera singer? At SDA, these are the kinds of people you’re surrounded by. While the beginning journalism class puts together their issue of the paper, The Mustang traditionally prepares a special edition to serve as an insert for The Pony. This year we compiled a series of student profiles showcasing the numerous talents of the student body. We featured seniors and juniors who had talents that made them stand out, such as sculpting, acting, writing, and surfing. Their passions lie in the arts, sports, academia, business, and more, and while all are talented, no two are alike. One thing that united the students was the role SDA played in shaping their talents. They spoke about how SDA’s environment nurtured their creativity and inspired them to pursue what they were passionate about. “I think it’s made me learn more about myself and my interests and what I want to pursue,” said Shovik Sarkar of SDA. Whether onstage, on the field, or in the classroom, they were influenced by their peers as well as their teachers, and the school pushed them to improve their craft. “At SDA, I find that teachers are always willing to help me out, and my peers all share a love for learning, which creates an atmosphere that drives me to keep learning and further my education,” said Namiko Matsumoto. Take a look and see who your classmates are.
Design by Maxine Richter. Illustrations by Sophia Hurley.
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Nikki Arm Photo courtesy of Nikki Arm.
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unior Nikki Arm breaks down boundaries with her recently published children’s book “Riley Loves Robotics” by blending both her creative talent and her scientific intellect to write a story that promotes more female involvement in the sciences. “There’s usually a stereotype of robotics and science being primarily male jobs, and I want more of those opportunities to reach women as well,” Arm said. For as long as she can remember, Arm has always loved science. She joined the Robotics Team as a freshman out of pure love for the subject, anticipating backlash against her interest in science. However, she is unafraid to attack these gender roles through her work: “I love breaking that stereotype in the most obvious ways possible. My favorite thing is when I’m talking with judges at robotics competitions and I mention that I made the machines for the competitions. I always get this reaction of ‘Oh, wait, really? What?’ I wish that stereotype didn’t exist, but I’m happy that I’m one of the people breaking it.” Arm juggles an overwhelming amount of extracurricular commitments, including robotics duties, club activities, and school work. This leaves little to no time for her writing: “It’s very very difficult for me to balance it all. I always have a checklist of things that I need to get done and when I need to get them done. I usually post it on my fridge or on my door to my room. That way, wherever I go, I always see what needs to be done next and I’m able to keep track of everything.” Not only does she crack down on the gender bias, Arm also challenges the separation of the arts and sciences. Rather than focusing on STEM- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math- Arm promotes the new movement of STEAM, which incorporates an A for Art. “With engineering, not only does it have to work, it has to look good,” she said. “We’re trying to show that art everywhere and that creativity is really needed, no matter where you go. ” While teaching the children of El Camino Creek lessons involving her children’s book, Arm describes the impact her book leaves on children of all ages. “As I was leaving the last lesson on the last day, one of the girls comes up to me and says ‘I’m going to join robotics next year!’” she said. “They warmed my heart and made everything worth it.” Arm plans to create an entire series of books centered around female involvement in the sciences. She is currently working on her second book, titled ‘Sarah Loves Science’ and has plans for later books, including ‘Ellie Loves Engineering’ and ‘Tori Loves Technology.’ -Mona Karimi
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ackson Werbelow is the quintessential SDA skater kid. He’s long and lanky, with sandy blonde hair covered by the perfect skater beanie, dressed in a white graphic t-shirt and khaki shorts. His earphones are tucked into his shirt and he rocks back and forth in the chair during his free fourth. Werbelow exudes the type of relaxed and friendly personality that only a content senior skater really can. But Werbelow is so much more than just your average SDA skater. Over the years, Werbelow has developed his passion for the craft and captured it through film and video, maybe possibly even displaying it in an art exhibition or two. “I’ve been skating since I was really little. It started when I saw my cousins and neighbors skatin’ around and, as little kids do, wanted to be exactly where they were. I got my first board when I was like six or seven, and started going to the skate park in like second or third grade. By middle school, when it was the thing to do, I was hooked.” Werbelow has made many a friend through the large skating community in San Diego, able to roll right through the boundaries of age and location on his board. Growing up around aspiring skate photo and film shooter inspired him to get creative with his own style. SDA has been an especially prevalent source of inspiration. “SDA is the most creative school there is. Everyone isn’t afraid to do whatever they want and I like that. Here at school, skateboarding and surfing are big deals, they are considered sports. People talk about it and skateboarders/surfers gain respect for what they do,” said Werbelow. In high school, he paired up with his friend Luke to create something unique. “ I met my friend Luke my freshman year. We have same interest and style of skateboarding. It’s unique. Usually with skateboarding, it’s all filmed fish eye, which is where one skateboarder is on his board, filming another guy skateboarding. But for some reason, Luke and I don’t like following that style. So it’s all long lens, zooming in and out. I’ve been filming with him for a while and we’re making a project.” Besides working with his friend Luke, Werbelow has been involved in a few other projects. Said Werbelow, “I was in a show a couple months back with my friend Chloe at Lux Art Institute. For the show, we stacked all of these T.V.’s, I think there were five total, each displaying a super eight film clip. Super eight film has more of a static-y quality and so that was on the TVs and we projected the other HD clips on the walls behind it, zooming in and zooming out. It was all about the repetition and unique form. I thought it turned out pretty cool.” Werbelow continued, “That Luxe project is I think my greatest one so far. That was the first time I’ve been recognized as an artist and that was a good feeling. People that didn’t even know much about skateboarding thought it was a very cool idea and we got a lot of good feedback from it.” Although Werbelow might not pursue a skate film as a career, he still has learned many values with the time he spent. “Dedication. Hardwork. Skateboarding has taught me I can pursue my dreams. There are so many good relationships I have formed through skateboarding. They all share the same passion, it is easier to make friends. But in general, skateboarding has made me look at the world through clearer eyes and pushed me to be more creative. It’s easier to think of ideas outside the box.” -Mary Ford
Photo courtesy of Dylan Hadley.
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Jackson Werbelow
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Matthew
Bohdan
rom surfing to soccer, the San Dieguito Academy student body has pretty much covered the general spectrum of Southern California athletics. That is until senior Matthew Bohdan pushed the boundaries, bringing an east coast sport west. “I’ve kind of always played street hockey with my neighbors and brother and stuff but I started officially playing [ice hockey] when I was nine,” says Bohdan. Growing up, a major influence to Bohdan’s interest in hockey sprouted from the success of the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. “[The Ducks] won the cup that year and were stacked so I thought they were cool.” Since then, Bohdan has played in several leagues across the United States, such as the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL), California Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), and Eastern Junior Elite Prospects League (EJEPL). “This year we didn’t have a great record mostly due to our playing in a new league that had many of the best teams in the country,” he says. However the team’s tribulations did not take away from his overall experience because, as a goalie, he was able to face over forty shots per game, permitting significant playing time. Because California isn’t the typical hub for hockey, Bohdan is required to travel regularly to compete within his league. Though this expectation has caused him to miss over a month of school, traveling has ultimately added to his experience. “You spend a ton of time with the same people year after year and you get closer to your teammates than I have seen in any other sport.” After playing for about ten years, Bohdan’s teammates have become like family to him. Over the years, his family has grown. “Probably the craziest thing I’ve done is sign up to house a Swede to play on my hockey team” said Bohdan. Joel Robling, Bohdan’s new roommate, has been living with him since August. “He is the nicest and greatest person and fit right in to my family; at this point, he is like another brother.” Bohdan hopes to continue playing club hockey and keep in touch with his teammates after high school. -Alexandra Reed
Photo courtesy of Maria Robling.
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argot Leach has always been a performer. Between acting and dancing, she will do just about anything and everything to be on stage in front of an audience. It all began when Leach was 10-years-old and her long-lasting passion for dance first sparked; specifically, hip hop dance. She loves hip hop because she’s “always loved to perform, and dance was just another one of those outlets.” “It’s all about the freedom of expression,” Leach says. “Other styles of dance have a bunch of rules and regulations, but with hip hop you can just be yourself.” Another aspect of this style that Margot is drawn to is how everyone can become individually specialized in a certain form of hip hop and develop their own flair, but at the end of the day, everybody comes back to work together and inspire each other. “There are lots of different styles of hip hop, like housing, break-dance, popping, locking, etc.,” she says. “ All the different styles are used a lot of time to add variety to a dance medley, making it more engaging to watch so that it’s not all the same thing.” Although she has always participated in various forms of performance, dance has opened the door for even more methods and has allowed her to become more comfortable with performing in general. She has been in multiple SDA theater productions, such as “Mouse Trap”, “All in the Timing”, and soon to be in “Hamlet”. And it doesn’t stop there. On top of it all, Leach is also a musician. “I also play music with two of my close friends. We write songs, play covers, and perform every once in awhile.” As well as it’s fantastic theater department, Leach is grateful for the safe and creative environment that SDA has provided for her to find what her passions are, follow them, and meet other people that share her interests too. “SDA let’s anybody do what they want to do and inspires them to pursue whatever it is that may be,” Leach says. “Dancing has allowed me to learn who I am as a person, and showed me want I really want to do with my life.” As a senior, Leach will be leaving SDA this year, but plans to continue performing at a college with a dance program, although she is still deciding on where. She is also hoping to start down the path of directing in college, because it “meshes all of her interests into one thing.” Music video directing, for example, would allow her to combine her passions for cinema, dance, and transforming her ideas and creativity into a visual performance. “What inspires me now is my ability to speak to people through what I do, and share a story with them,” says Leach. No matter where she ends up, Margot Leach knows what she loves, and will most definitely go far with it. -Sophia Hurley
Photo courtesy of Margot Leach.
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Margot Leach
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Owen Ereso
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t SDA, the name Owen Ereso has become associated with the swish of a soccer goal. This soccer standout got an early start, beginning the sport around four years of age and transitioning to competitive soccer around six or seven years of age. Since then, Ereso has grown to become a star forward in his school team as well as club team. Throughout his soccer career, Ereso has experienced many high points, but several accomplishments rank highest in his memory. He says, “One of [my greatest accomplishments] is probably going to CIF finals my sophomore year, and also going to the Southern California Finals two years in a row with my club team.” However, as most athletes know, sports do not come without challenges. Ereso says, “I have definitely had to balance my academics and athletics a lot, but because of this, I’ve learned to not just focus on one thing and keep a wide variety of activities in my life. Another hard part is trying to stay together as a team during hard times.” From the highs and the lows, the sport has taught him many important lessons of life. He says, “It has taught me to work really hard, be very competitive, and take pride in my work – in everything I do, not just soccer.” Ereso also credits the SDA community and soccer team for supporting him in his experiences. “Everyone [at SDA] is here to help each other. Everyone on the team is really supportive; seniors would always help me with homework on bus rides to and from games,” Ereso says. Regarding plans for soccer in the future, Ereso plans to play club or intermural soccer in college. “I just like being able to compete and play on a team because it’s a really tight group of friends for me,” Ereso says. -Hana Chen
Photo courtesy of George Stimson.
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enior Shovik Sarkar has been recognized by the Encinitas City Council for his work tutoring refugee children, winning the Encinitas Youth of the Year Award in 2015. Yet this all started with an interest in math. When asked his favorite subject in school, Sarkar said “Math because I enjoy solving problems. I get satisfaction when I come to a solution and I’m able to successfully do it.” Sarkar’s interest in math and problem-solving influenced him “to pursue math club and Mustang Minds.” “I wanted to do more geography and math outside of school. I was able to do math club and learn and do more of those challenging problems and stuff like that,” Sarkar explained. Sarkar’s passion for math and solving problems has also led to what he calls his biggest academic achievement to date, “being able to host these workshops for underprivileg ed students in City Heights. They’re children of The Lost Boys of Sudan. I’ve been able to find that I can enrich their academics, and they were struggling with doing math and I was able to find that they’re receptive to doing puzzles, like number puzzles and interesting things like that. You find the missing number or the odd number in the sequence and some kids who were interested in soccer were interested in some missile target puzzles that had action, like finding the moving darts and numbers and targets and stuff like that.” Sarkar has also found other uses for puzzles outside of school. “Right now I’m pursuing a mentorship for my English class which is pretty interesting,” said Sarkar. “I’m able to apply those tutoring puzzles outside to a local business now in Encinitas. It’s called JEI Learning Center and they’re planning to have me tutor the problem-solving section of the class so I got myself familiar with it.” When asked what he hopes to continue on through college, Sarkar said, “I think that I’ll try to continue the activities that I do, like the non-profit tutoring and try to see if I can get into intramural math club or quiz bowl or stuff like that.” After being asked how SDA has shaped his academics Sarkar said, “I think it’s made me learn more about myself and my interests and what I want to pursue. Before I thought I couldn’t really do much writing, but then I learned that I’m actually not that bad at writing.” -Elizabeth Loren
Photo courtesy of Shovik Sarkar.
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Jewels Weinberg Photo by Allie Manis.
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don’t know where my future is going, but I heard from so many people just to pursue acting even if things don’t seem to be working. It’s so hard to be involved in the acting world; it’s all based on luck, but I’m going to pursue it.” Jewels Weinberg is a professional actor, a Shakespeare enthusiast, and an 18-year-old senior who is heavily involved in the local drama and theatre community at SDA and in San Diego. Weinberg found his love for acting via the passions of his grandma, who was an actor for Shakespearian plays back in the day in London, England. At the tender age of 5, Weinberg saw his first play, “As You Like It,” with his grandma at the Oregon Shakespeare festival. Ever since his first play, he’s been crazy about both Shakespeare and acting as a whole. What Weinberg likes most about acting is to literally become a different person; he acknowledges that well-developed characters are difficult to perfectly represent; however, the process of learning about these characters’ childhoods, morals, and communities provide new perspectives from which he looks at the world. One of Weinberg’s favorite moments onstage is when he gave a 80s twist to the character Tom Snout from “A Midsummer’s Night Dream.” This was a school play in which he was grateful for the mature presence and friendship of SDA alumni Carly Strait. Other stand-out plays have been thanks in part to his job. His role as Eric in the all-male cast of “Lord of the Flies,” provided a perfect setting in which the actors “had a lot of fun playing football in between scenes.” More importantly, Weinberg noted that participating in the Carlsbad theatre company, New Village Arts, was a “different environment outside of SDA theatre” that let him have the opportunity to work with both older and younger people. In his recent play at the Diversionary Theatre in downtown San Diego, Weinberg acted in the four-person cast of “Amazons and Their Men.” All the other actors were older than Weinberg and were able to provide tips from their many years in the business. Being behinds the scenes of plays equally intrigues the multi-talented Weinberg. “I’m going to take a little break (after graduation) and go to Santa Monica College to focus on film and studying cinematography,” he said. Weinberg has worked tirelessly on the stage, and for this reason, is excited to jump behind the scenes and delve into his other passion within the greater theatre bubble. During his studies, he also hopes to hire an LA acting agent and go to casting calls to ensure that he stays up to snuff with other competition in the acting community. Although finding the balance between school and acting has been a tricky task, Weinberg has gained the tools of public speaking, time management, and focus through his participation in theatre. He believes that theatre has made him more driven, professional, and confident, all of these leading him to success in the future. -Jacob Aere
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enior Rachel Dovsky can still remember the first play she performed in when she was eight years old. “It was called ‘The King of the Jungle’ and the auditions consisted of who could roar the loudest, and it was me even though I was the smallest person,” said Dovsky. “So I got to play Leo the lion, and it really sparked a passion in my life.” Since then, Dovsky has acted in numerous drama productions, both plays and musicals. At SDA, she has participated in one play every year, as well as assisting with the technical side of the theater. Her favorite role she’s played so far is that of Miss Dorothy, her character in this fall’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” But while Dovsky loves musical theater, she’s discovered that her real passion is opera singing. “I’ve done musical theater my whole life, but about a year ago something clicked for me,” Dovsky said of opera. “I just love opera and I love classical music. I’ve been working on it for a year now and it’s really fulfilling and beautiful. Opera uses all the parts of your voice. I love musical theater too, but a lot of times the music is not as complex, and I just feel like I’m using all of my range [singing opera], and I’m using so much concentration and focus to be able to hit these notes. It’s so fulfilling when you’re able to finally get a song.” This summer, Dovsky is traveling to Italy to take part in an opera festival. She’ll be playing the part of the queen of the night in “The Magic Flute,” an opera written by Mozart in the 18th century. “It’s a month intensive, so you learn the part before you go, and then once you get there everything gets staged and you put on the show at the end,” Dovsky said. “I’m very excited, because I’ve never even left the country before.” “It’s a crazy show,” Dovsky said of “The Magic Flute.” “If you think that reality tv is crazy, you should watch operas. The things that go on are insane…it’s a lot of fun.” “For a while I would love to be an opera singer, but I’m also interested in education, so I think something with music education would be really wonderful,” Dovsky said of her possible career path. “But in order to do that, I would need to get real formal music training, so I’m definitely considering majoring in music in college. It’s just a big decision because I have other academic interests, and it’s pretty impossible to do both at the same time.” Before she goes to college, however, Dovsky will be taking a gap year and studying in Israel. Dovsky, who is Jewish, will be going to a Sephardic school of Judaism, in Jerusalem, where she will be studying and participating in community service. “Every day I’ll have classes, but it’s not graded, which I think is pretty cool,” said Dovsky. “I am intrinsically motivated to learn but oftentimes grades can be a deterrent from that, so I think that this will be a wonderful year to just rejuvenate my love of learning before I go to college.” Dovsky said that the experience sounds a little daunting, but it isn’t an opportunity she’s willing to miss out on. “Of course while I’m there I’ll still sing,” Dovsky said. “I just feel like before I go to college I want to experience more of the world, and see what it’s like there.” -Carina Julig
Rachel Dovsky
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Photo courtesy of George Stimson.
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urfing culture is a key part of SDA and Encinitas. Students at SDA surf for fun and some compete for the SDA Surf Team against other high schools in the Scholastic Surf Series. Senior Dominick Pazanowski is one of them. He began surfing in sixth grade and competed for the Oak Crest Middle School Surf Team during seventh and eighth grade. He currently surfs for the SDA Surf Team which he says is “definitely more competitive than middle school, and the surfing level is a lot higher.” However, he enjoys surfing for fun more than competitive surfing because there’s less pressure on him. “In competitive surfing, you go out and you surf for 15 minutes with six other guys [while the judges] make it as hard as they can make it for you to surf, and that’s not really in the spirit of surfing,” he said. “In free surfing, everyone is just having fun doing whatever they want on the waves.” His favorite local spot to surf is at Seaside Reef in Cardiff, and his favorite spot in the world is in Kauai. Pazanowski’s dad played a major role in inspiring him to start surfing. SDA Surf Team coaches and teachers, Marco Martinez and Bob Teisher, have helped Pazanowski during competitions with heat strategies, where to sit in the lineup, and staying focused. Some of Pazanowski’s favorite professional surfers are Mason Ho, Rob Machado, and Matt Banting because they all have “really good style and surf really well.” Surfing has taught him that “patience pays off and getting better comes naturally by just having fun surfing.” Surfing has also motivated him to work hard in school because in order to be able to compete, students must maintain certain grades. He believes a respectable surfer has “positivity and is always stoked when they are out in the water.” Pazanowski has picked up sponsors throughout his years surfing such as Bubble Gum Surf Wax and Arnette. To be sponsored, Pazanowski shared that you are approached by a sponsor and asked to promote their company in exchange for free product, or you send a company a video of reasons why the company should sponsor you. Pazanowski has met many of his closest friends through surfing for fun and through the surf team. When he surfs with his friends, he feels that they are “pushing off of each other, getting better in a fun kind of way. It’s cool because you get stoked when your friend does something sick and your friends get stoked for you when you do something sick.” Surfing has opened him up to other sports such as skating and snowboarding because they are similar board sports. He has also been exposed to activities such as fishing and diving because of his time spent in the ocean. Pazanowski enjoys representing the SDA Surf Team and would advise a beginner to “always try your best,” especially when trying something new. In the future, he wants to surf for Mira Costa Community College. But beyond college, he just wants to free surf and continue having fun. -Cydney Melton
Photo courtesy of Skyler Stokes.
Dominick Pazanowski
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aura Dunham is not your average San Dieguito Academy junior girl: she has been riding motocross for the past six years. For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, motocross is a type of off-road motorcycle racing complete with big jumps and quick turns done on a dirt track, varying anywhere from 5 to 30 laps. It is also extremely male-dominated, but this does not faze Dunham. Her passion for the sport was first sparked by her family’s mutual love for it. “My whole family was involved with motor sports when I was growing up and my cousins initially had a bunch of dirt bikes that were my size when I was little. So we all went out to Pala one day to have a barbeque and that’s when I started riding,” Dunham said. As for the nature of her competition? “The guys out there are pretty aggressive so it’s hard to keep up with them, but I can hold my own” she said, “I get a lot of guys that are mean to me out there. I’ve had one guy that was so butt hurt that I was faster than him that he hit me on purpose and I broke my leg.” The stakes are high in motocross, and injuries do inevitably happen, whether that’s from flipping over the handlebars, missing the ends of jumps, or from jealous boys who cannot accept a loss to a superior girl. It is an extremely physically grueling sport, “I’m always really sore right after no matter what” says Dunham. Dunham feels the rewards of riding motocross go further than the simple joy of another win; the intensity of the action and focus required enables a form of release from her mind. “It’s kind of like an escape for me,” she said “I just have to concentrate so much when I’m out there that it relieves my stress. It doesn’t seem like it should be relaxing, but I get relaxed by it.” Despite a heavy homework load and the hour drive it takes to get to the Pala raceway, Dunham is out practicing almost every weekend. Over the summer, you can catch her there every other day. Dunham sees motocross far into her future; she hopes to continue riding for as long as she is physically able: “My cousin’s grandpa is in his seventies and he still rides every weekend.” -Maxine Richter
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Laura Dunham
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Photo courtesy of Kyle Cayne.
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M U S TA N G S
Zack Haupt Photo by Andrew Davidson.
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enior Zach Haupt may craft dominant performances on the baseball field; however, off the field he has developed a love for sculpting in his time at SDA. Haupt, in his time at SDA, has developed a love for sculpting. As a freshman, Haupt tried sculpting and has been involved with it ever since. “I took the sculpture class… just to try some electives out and now I have taken the class every year since. Right now, I am in my fifth semester of it,” said Haupt. As Haupt pointed out, he didn’t know how much he would love sculpting when he signed up for the class. He explained that as he progressed through the class, sculpting became more of a hobby because of the creativeness and opportunity it allowed. “I would say that my favorite part of sculpting now and what drew me in freshman year was that it is filled with creativity. You really get to create anything that you think of because sculpture involves so much of your own designing,” said Haupt. Throughout his time at SDA, Haupt has achieved a lot in sculpture but hopes to achieve more. Haupt has entered some of his work in SDA art shows and even a community art show; however, he wants to continue to publicize more of his sculptures around the community. This desire to improve his sculpting and the fun of it as a hobby has led to Haupt’s ultimate goal of pursuing sculpting as a careerer. “My main goal is to eventually become a sculpture teacher. I want to continue with sculpture in the future because there are so many great opportunities,” said Haupt. Haupt said sculpting provides a creative outlet for himself, which he loves most. Haupt added that sculpting is not just an individual process but involves a lot of social interaction, which also is a primary reason for his love of it. “I think a great part of it (sculpture) is getting to discuss ideas or just seeing other’s work because it can help influence my own work and I can try to help other people as well,” said Haupt. -Andrew Naimark
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Lauren Matherly
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ot many people can say that they maneuver a magnificent 1,200-pound creature on a daily basis. However, senior Lauren Matherly is an exception. Starting at the age of six, Matherly demonstrated an initial curiosity for horseback riding and now, 12 years later, has plans to continue her passion both into her college years and as a profession. Horseback riding and showing is not exactly a well understood sport, and because of that, Matherly was quick to explain its inherent difficulties: “Many people believe that Equestrian is an easy sport and that the rider ‘just sits there’. If it looks like we are doing nothing, it is because we are MAKING it look like we are doing nothing. That is what we are being judged on by the many judges on each end of the ring. Additionally, we are communicating with the horse mostly through our hand, leg, and seat. They are very sensitive animals that feel every single thing we do, which is why we are required to be extremely subtle. It is very difficult because we have about three minutes to impress the judges and make our horses jump effortlessly, while simultaneously making it around the course in a tidy manner. Moving forward, it was quickly apparent that Matherly’s horse had taken ahold of her heart: “One of the things I enjoy most about this sport is the connection that you grow with the animal. My horse is my teammate in the ring and friend outside of it. It’s a connection I’ve never had before.” While Matherly spoke fondly of her steed, she was not hesitant to touch upon how animals can make dangerous teammates. That being said, Matherly has had four concussions. Unfortunately, one concussion from a Las Vegas final still causes various health complications that she deals with to this very day, she said. Nonetheless, this does not deter Matherly – and with good reason. Not only does she credit equestrianism for instilling perseverance and dedication within her, but also, she has excelled in numerous top-notch competitions. In addition to competing in multiple finals in various states, she has placed third in West Coast Junior Hunter Finals. To give context, typically over 700 riders compete just to qualify for that specific competition. Despite the difficulties Matherly explained, such as missing obscene amounts of school for competitions, the inherent danger in collaborating with an animal, or the immense pressure, she remains optimistic and driven. When prompted to give a final remark, Matherly was quick to encourage those around her, demonstrating the good-hearted nature she is known for: “Just go out there and make it over that obstacle, whether it’s in the ring or in real life!” -Brooke Russell
Photo courtesy of Lauren Matherly.
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3.31.16 Robyn Hennes (left) with bandmate, Haley Walker (right). Photo Courtesy of Hennes.
Robyn
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enior Robyn Hennes has always had a strong passion for music, devoting a great deal of time to it. “I love everything,” Hennes said. ”The feeling right after set, that’s the best thing, especially when people come up and talk to you. It’s so good to receive encouragement from others even if you don’t know them. It’s just cool to know that they appreciate what you’re creating.” Hennes played guitar and sang for the band Lame Daisies for about a year and just recently created the band Sleepy Girls Club with senior Haley Walker. During her time with Lame Daisies, her band released an EP on lamedaisies.bandcamp.com, which they recorded in Walker’s garage. The band would, at times, put together its own shows. “Last summer [with Lame Daisies] we would have these Open Mics in Haley’s garage. We decorated it all cool and basically we would play a little set or something and then whoever wanted was there could either read poetry or do a song of their own or something,” said Hennes. She enjoyed putting together the events and the close-knit community that developed. They also performed at Epicentre a few times, which Hennes considered a rewarding experience. “Putting myself and my band out other was [an accomplishment] because I think that it’s really cool to share what you create with the community,” she said. “It’s something I love doing so it makes me happy when other people like what I create.” At one of their performances, Hennes was approached by a man and asked if she wanted to record a track with his band, doing vocals. “We had just started Lame Daisies, so it was really cool and I was just taken aback by the fact that someone else wanted to have my voice,” said Hennes. In the past, she has both written her own songs and has sung covers with her bands. “I think a difficult thing is creating something you genuinely love because it’s really easy to write a song in two minutes, but to really come out with material that you really feel something for – it’s hard to write something you really love,” said Hennes. Hennes has devoted a lot of time to her music. “We’re so determined to create music and get it out there. We’re just motivated to practice all the time. It’s a great thing,” said Hennes. Expanding on her love for music, Hennes said, “I don’ know what I want to do with my life, but I think music is honestly the only thing I really care about in the world and feel so passionate for.” -Kate Sequeira
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f you have gotten a chance to meet senior Namiko Matsumoto, then you would know that aside from her kind personality and positive attitude, Matsumoto has made some great academic achievements. Despite some setbacks, Matsumoto has been very successful throughout her high school career. Since a young age, Matsumoto has always spent a little extra time on school work, making sure to give it her all. She was able to excel with the support of her parents and the motivation of her older sister who also does well in school. She enjoys every subject, and learning overall, but takes a special interest in physics. Over the summer she learned computer programming and even built a Van de Graaff generator, which is an electrostatic generator that produces high voltage. Although it has no practical use, she enjoyed building it and applying her knowledge she obtained from her AP Physics class. Matsumoto loved the subject so much, she was inspired to intern with a physicist at Surface Optics, where she learned how to further apply her skills in experiments. Although she has been successful it hasn’t always been easy. Matsumoto has constantly faced challenges with whatever she took on, but she never let it discourage her. “It’s natural, at least for me, to always face obstacles before success, which I feel makes the success more special,” said Matsumoto. One particular obstacle that she faced was missing school due to illness. She still wanted to do well and to make great achievements, though, so she set her mind to it and did it. “I was determined to maintain my grades,” Matsumoto said. “I wanted a full schedule. I didn’t want to feel like I was held back by anything, and I think that’s what really helped me to push beyond my challenges.” Not only did her love for learning keep her motivated, but the support SDA provided gave her the extra push to succeed. “At SDA, I find that teachers are always willing to help me out, and my peers all share a love for learning, which creates an atmosphere that drives me to keep learning and further my education,” Matsumoto said. Throughout her work she has learned the value of collaboration. She often helps her peers with school work. “Helping them, I am also benefiting myself, because I can learn from them as well,” she said. “The best part is not only sharing what I know, but hopefully helping someone develop the passion that I have for a subject.” Since science is something she invests her time in now Matsumoto thinks she might want to study physics in college, or at least major in something in the scientific field. She is considering colleges such as Cal State Berkeley, and UCSD. “I might want to major in research, just because I am intrigued by getting to learn and discover the world around us, and learning about the mechanisms that dictate the world is interesting as well,” Matsumoto said. -Sarah Hernandez
Namiko Matsumoto
Photo courtesy of Namiko Matsumoto.
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ast year during second period second semester creative writing, Cienna D’heilly found her outlet for expressing herself in spoken word poetry. In spoken word, the poet’s voice and the rhyme and rhythm are an important part of the poetry. During creative writing, her first experience with poetry was when they were doing an in class activity where they had to write a poem about a word presented to the class. Poetry came easy to her, however. The words flowed out of her and it felt good to write them when she couldn’t do it before this point. “All of the sudden it is not like I’m just writing stuff down anymore. It feels like I’m actually getting this off my chest,” says D’heilly. D’heilly’s favorite part of writing is being able to express her emotions and not keep things bottled up inside. It helps her realize what she does and doesn’t need in her life. If she keeps writing negative poems about a person or situation she knows it is time for a change. The poems help her grow as a person. “I’ve been able to come to terms with things that I blocked out of my memory for years. [I] didn’t want to think about, didn’t want to talk about it, couldn’t talk about it without crying,” says D’heilly. Poetry helped her get through it all. It made her feel good and helped her get through the tough patches in her life. It also helped her figure what was wrong in her life and find ways. Poetry gets rid of all her pent up stress and calms her down. Her other favorite part of poetry is getting to share it with people. She has done a few open mics in the past at school and is thinking of maybe doing some out of school in the future. Having people relate to her poetry was a very satisfying feeling. Connecting with people through her poetry was something that made her feel good. She compared it to the feeling of being congratulated on getting a good grade on a test, however it was on a deeper level. D’heilly goes about writing poems in her own laid back way. She writes them very quickly, sometimes finishing them within five minutes. She also never goes back and edits them. She usually likes the way they sound with the raw emotion she puts in them at the beginning. Creative writing and spoken word poetry have led to things and people that she would have never encountered without poetry. She has met a lot of people in her creative writing class who she would have never of been friends with otherwise. She also met Rob Ross, her creative writing teacher. “He’s one of the greatest people on the planet. He changed my life and that’s the reality… I’m eternally grateful for that man,” says D’heilly. The entire experience of doing spoken word poetry has been one of the most positive impacts in D’heilly’s life. D’heilly ended the interview with saying that people should not think of poetry or writing as something that is foreign or that they cannot do because it has helped her so much. She once believed that it wasn’t worthwhile, but she has realized otherwise. “If you are struggling and you don’t wanna talk to people, write about it!” D’heilly says. -Layla Gantus
Photo courtsey of Drea Mahady.
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very year several student businesses spawn from Oly Norris’s Business Management class. One of these businesses was Sam’s Soap. Sam Dybeck, a senior at SDA, started making soap after he pitched the idea in his business class. Being a vegan himself, Dybeck decided that he would make a vegan-based body soap. The soap he makes is a cold-process soap, which means that sodium hydroxide is used to heat it and forms it into a solid. He started out by looking up recipes on the internet until he was able to find one that fit his taste. It was a trial and error process to get the soap right, adding more of one ingredient and less of another or vice versa. The soap itself is actually made in Dybeck’s kitchen; the process itself is actually quite dangerous, he said. Due to the chemicals and ingredients used it is necessary to wear gloves and goggles, Dybeck said, and, luckily, he hasn’t suffered any injuries, yet. As of now the soap is sold in Studio 800 the school’s retail store for $2.50. In the future he hopes to be able to land it in local stores like Ecotopiia,an eco friendly retail store in Encinitas. Dybeck hasn’t set a price for his future soap, but plans to sell it based on the ounce or gram. On exhibition day he will have a booth set up with soap and shirts to be purchased. If sales go well he believes that he will try to take his business to the next level. -Andrew Davidson
Sam Dybeck Photo courtesy of Alex Spooner.
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n freshman year, Karina Uribe interviewed the owner of KFC for a paper for Tim Roberts’ English 9 Honors class, expecting little more than an interesting conversation about business and a grade. Instead, Uribe received a job offer that has led to countless opportunities. Now as a senior, Uribe has already had experiences that most would not expect until adulthood. Uribe has held two jobs at once, both of which have led to managerial positions, and has worked difficult 50-hour work weeks, while still keeping up with schoolwork. Uribe started her first job at KFC during freshman year. “I did a paper in Mr.Roberts’ English class interviewing a business owner and he really liked me so he offered me the position,” said Uribe. Uribe was later able to become a supervisor at KFC through her persistence and determination at work, even though she was considerably younger than her co-workers. “I always asked if I could do anything else,” said Uribe. “I would always, not tell people what to do, but help them figure out how to do it the right way. I kept asking if I could be supervisor even though I knew I wasn’t old enough because I wanted to have a higher position. Since I did show maturity a lot of people thought I was older than I was, so they were like ok, let’s see if you can handle the training, and after that I was supervisor.” After working at KFC for a while, Uribe considered quitting her job at KFC and began pursuing other opportunities. She applied to many different places, but Noodles & Co. was the first to reply. Beginning in June of last year, Uribe held both a job at KFC as well as a job at Noodles & Co. and worked 50 hours a week. Uribe quit her job as a supervisor at KFC after holding the position for a year and a half, and is now going to become a supervisor at Noodles & Co. Having been a supervisor at such a young age, Uribe experienced some difficulty gaining the respect of older employees. “It was an obstacle at KFC,” said Uribe. “At first when I was supervisor nobody listened to me and I just had to figure out how to get them to. At Noodles, I’ve been telling people that I’m going to start my training next week, just to ease them into the fact that I’m going to be a supervisor.” Uribe’s work throughout her high school experience has inspired her plans for the future. “I’m going to business management school,” said Uribe on the subject of her future. “Hopefully I will be working in the food industry for a while and then eventually work my way up to starting my own non-profit. I’m not sure what exactly, but I want it to be with kids.” Her work experiences have also impacted other aspects of her life, including school. “I’ve taken a lot of things that I learned from work and applied them to sports and class. I’ve learned that I can’t always be the one in charge and it’s important to pass on the leadership role so other people know how to be in charge when you’re not around,” said Uribe. But, in all, Uribe’s experiences have simply given her a different perspective that will aid her in the rest of her endeavours. “Not everything goes your way,” said Uribe. “You just have to learn how to change the situation and make things work out.” -Julia Shapero
Karina Uribe
Photo Courtesy of Layla Gantus.
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March March31, 31,2016 2016 Page 4
Weingarten completes vocal warm-ups to prepare herself for her performance. Photograph by Katherine Tarangelo.
Under The Spotlight
Hardwork and heart came together during a perfomance by freshman Lanie Weingarten. By Yarisette Sequeira.
features The The PonyPony features
“I
really love to sing... When I sing a song I really get into it so that I’m not just singing lyrics, I’m delivering a message,” said Lanie Weingarten, freshman. With a strong passion for music, Weingarten has been singing since she was six years old and shared her talent with SDA during this year’s school talent show. As a freshman, competing against older and more experienced performers did not intimidate Weingarten. “I have competed in competitions before where I’m up against older people so I’m kind of used to it,” Weingarten said. Weingarten began singing in a choir during fourth grade; however, she did not enjoy it. It wasn’t until seventh and eighth grade that she found voice lessons that she really enjoyed. Although she does not take voice lessons now, Weingarten said, “They definitely helped me improve and I want to start them again.” As her talent quickly developed, Weingarten gained experience early on. She jumped at every opportunity to sing the national anthem at school basketball games, perform in shows for theater, and sing in school talent shows. “First grade was the first year I started singing at school talent shows, so it has just been something that I do every year now.” Weingarten has only been in a few competitions, but when she has competed she never minded not winning; she just enjoyed the overall experience. While constantly singing throughout her life, Weingarten said she continued to grow as a singer, all her preparation leading up to this year’s talent show at SDA. Weingarten decided to sing “Seven Years” by pop rock-soul band, Lukas Graham, for the show. This song reflects on growing older and experiencing life as the years progress. “I feel like it’s a cool song because it really tells a story. It’s not just a song about something random; it actually has a meaning behind it,” Weingarten said. Weingarten said, one of the most challenging and nerve-racking parts of performing this song is the abundance of really high notes that each time get progressively higher. “You just have to belt it but make sure your voice doesn’t crack and it is really hard,” she said. Nerves are a tremendous obstacle for many performers, but Weingar-
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ten successfully pushes her nerves aside. “My mom always tells me that ‘you’re never scared Lanie,’ but I actually do get scared. I just don’t show it. On the inside I just have to prepare myself and say it’s just one song, I’ll get it over with. And then when I’m on the stage, physically I’m shaking but mentally I’m focused,” she said. While performing, Weingarten only fills her mind with thoughts that will keep her focused. “When I perform I basically think about the lyrics and how the song affects me… I’m not just singing to sing, I think about what this song means to me, Weingarten said. “I don’t really think ‘wow I’m so nervous’ because that would get me unfocused. I kind of just have fun.” “Most songs take about a couple days to learn,” said Weingarten. However, she felt that this song called for a week’s work of practice to learn well. There is a lot to practicing for a performance. Lanie’s practice schedule commonly consisted of learning the song lyrics, all of its notes, as well as figuring out hand motions and where to walk on stage. Most often Weingarten found herself practicing home. And sometimes that meant ignoring different distractions like her parent watching “Breaking Bad” in the room next door. Weingarten practices about thirty minutes every day, although it’s not very entertaining. “I don’t really enjoy practicing because vocal warm-ups and everything aren’t really fun,” said Weingarten. However, because of the gratifying result of the final performance and overall experience, Weingarten feels it’s worth it to practice. “The end results are so satisfying because you feel really accomplished, like yeah look at me.”
After hard work and contious practice, the night of the talent show finally approached. During the first act of the show, Weingarten entered the stage packed with lively parents and students, as the sixth performer. The music begun and Weingarten sat atop a tall stool staring off into the crowd. Through her facial reactions it was clear to see that her Page 33 emotions were completely captivated by the song. With every word she sang, she showed that each lyric was true to her heart. “I chose this song because it affects me personally,” said Weingarten, “It’s really deep to me.” The performance was engaging and near the end of the song when the music picked up so did the excitement. Weingarten stood up from her stool, singing stronger and louder and leaving the crowd with a powerful finish. In the end, all the “not so fun” practices allowed Weingarten to have an incredible performance that was well worth the hours. It did not matter to Weingarten that she did not place because she really enjoyed the experience. “I had a great time, I felt that I not only connected with the song but also my audience. I had such a fun time and will definitely do it again next year,” said Weingarten.
Weingarten performs a solo at SDA’s talent show. Photograph by Katherine Tarangelo.
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features
The Pony
Fresh Minds
With a record of 5-3, SDA’s freshman Mustang Minds team hopes to keep getting stronger. By Jenna Weinhofer.
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ntering a Mustang Minds practice, science teacher Linda Park asked the students who wanted to learn about base-2, the binary numeral system. To her surprise, many students said “We do!” with much enthusiasm. Park said that was the reason why she wanted to be the freshman coach for Mustang Minds. She said, “There are people eager to learn and just have so much fun learning.” The Mustang Mind’s freshman team had their last home game—and match of the season—against Pacific Ridge on Thursday, March 10 in the SDA Learning Commons. Like any other game, the freshman team prepared by practicing along with the JV and Varsity team.
The Practice
Normally, a Mustang Minds practice consists of two activities: studying and buzzing. During studying days, the students sit with one
another and research topics that they “specialize” in such as mythology, literature, and geography. On buzzing days, the freshman, JV, and Varsity team face off against one another and play mock games to learn how to solve questions rapidly and accurately. However, more than anything, these students just have fun. “I’ve made a lot of friends being here,” said Lucy Ryall, freshman. “You can study whatever you want and have the time to do it with people you don’t have classes typically with.” Ryall, along with all the other students, make this learning environment fun. During practices, they laugh with one another and build a close camaraderie. Ryall said that they are not stereotypically smart as most students assume, they just have the same desire and interest to learn. “The freshman team is very strong. They study a lot, try their
hardest, and want to learn more,” said Park. She said this is what has prepared them the most for each and every game, including the last.
The Game
At a Mustang Minds game, two teams of five players compete against one another as they answer a variety of questions in 25 minutes. During the match, there are two types of questions: toss-ups and bonus questions. Toss-ups allow players on either team to individually answer a question. If they are wrong, they lose a point. But, if they get it right, their team earns three points. After getting a toss-up correct, there is a bonus question; the team must work together to complete a five-part question so they can earn anywhere between one to five points. In the SDA Learning Commons, parents and the other Mustang Mind teams filled the rows of chairs, facing three tables with buzzers and white-
boards with their names sprawled across them. Casually dressed and smiling as they wished each other good luck, SDA and Pacific Ridge players took their seats on opposite sides of the podium. Back and forth between tossup questions, the freshman team held their hands steadily over the buzzer, with their eyes locked on the moderator, and with their pencils ready to write. The tension between teams was high since both teams had a record of three wins and two losses before the match. Like a trivia game, questions varied in subject. Players would be asked questions like ‘Which four states border Alabama?’ or ‘Who is the God of the Sun?’ (The answers would be Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi, and Helios). “I feel nervous answering questions because there’s a risk to
March 31, 2016
Freshmen Oona Flood, Taylor Cannon, Kai Flood, and Wyatt Clay saying words of encouragemenrt and laughing at a timout. Photo by Patrick Hall. answering something wrong,” said Wyatt Clay, freshman. “In school, there’s no penalty in trying, so in competition, I get nervous because I don’t want to let my team down.” When the freshman team got the toss-ups correct, they sighed in relief while the crowd applauded. But then, they had to answer the bonus question. Collectively, the team shouted ideas and bickered between one another, regarding the answer. “It’s neat when the game is close competition. . .I’m always excited when they get right answers or when a kid doesn’t really know the answer gets it right or adds to a bonus question. It’s fun to see the excitement of getting it right,” said Park. Pacific Ridge’s team spoke quietly and shared their ideas only if they were right. On the other hand, the SDA freshman team laughed and disagreed through each question, working as a team.
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Page 35 Clay said, “At the game, it’s that mental aspect that’s important. It’s not just knowing the answer, but knowing how to answer the question as a team; like in sports.” Not only has he learned in general, Clay said that he feels more confident about answering questions and is more attentive in class. Right before the clock hit 25 minutes, the freshman team buzzed in to answer the last tossup question. Down by five, the freshman team needed only eight points to win; that meant getting a toss-up question and a bonus question correct. But, they were unable to answer the question, and Pacific Ridge emerged victorious, winning 50 to 45.
After the Game
Freshman Lucy Ryall and freshman Wyatt Clay (above) focus during one of their mock matches. Photo by Patrick Hall.
Linda Park and freshman Janette Jin (left) laughing with the rest of the team in a huddle after a game. Photo by Patrick Hall.
Despite their loss, the freshman team continued to smile while shaking the opponent’s hands and gave lots of high fives between each other. Park was not disappointed with their performance. Overall, they ended with a record of three wins and three losses, placing fourth out of seven teams. “We weren’t discouraged by not having won,” said Park. “We had a good season and a lot of fun during it. Even though our record is not that good, we got the potential to do even more.” Even though the regular season is over, the team still wants to practice in order to make the team stronger for JV next year, according to Park.
Clay thinks that it is a great experience for anyone who is interested in joining and anyone who wants to be challenged. Clay said, “It’s great when you find people that you are very comfortable working with and you like the same thing; that’s what makes Mustang Minds so special.” Park said tryouts will happen in November or December next year where they will determine skill level between players using mock games. Ryall said, “I was super scared about joining at first, but after your first game, it is fun to compete and be around your friends. I am definitely going to come back next year.”
Standings Carlsbad: 6-0 Santa Fe Christian: 5-1 Pacific Ridge: 4-2 San Dieguito: 3-3 La Costa Canyon: 1-5 Sage Creek: 1-5 Oceanside: 1-5
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March 31, 2016
A Short CHONVersation
Local band CHON talks about jazz, tacos, and Super Smash Bros. Interview by Kieran Zimmer
Guitarist Erick Hansel spreading peace through music. Photo Courtesy of Sumerian Records.
T
aking inspiration from the four elements of life, local band CHON have been writing and performing music since 2008. They compose (mostly) instrumental pieces that are joyful, melodic, and generally difficult to classify, blending sounds of jazz, proggressive rock, and modern metal. With sponsorships from Taco Bell and Sour Patch, as well as a recent signing to metal juggernaut Sumerian Records, CHON are on their way into the stratosphere of the contemporary music scene. I recently was granted the opportunity to talk via email with Mario Camarena, who plays guitar in the band, about music, burritos, San Diego, and Super Smash Bros. CHON will be headlining the Super Chon Bros tour this April, and their most recent album, Grow, is out now on Sumerian Records. Show them some love and check them out. Enjoy. What drives you guys to make and perform music? The happiness I feel while i’m creating music or playing live. I feel like i’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing when i’m doing those things so I naturally have a drive to do them. How long have you each been playing your instruments, and what inspired you to start playing? I’ve been playing for ten years now. I saw a really good local band of young kids performing when I was around 11 and it inspired me to start a band myself. How did you choose your name? Is there a story behind it? It has a pretty cheesy meaning. It’s an
acronym for the four most common elements in life, but we picked the name mostly because it sounds kinda funny. Who are some of your influences, and how were you exposed to them? Our main influences are mostly jazz pianists. I’ve had lots of older musician friends who’ve exposed me to great music all of my life. Your new album, Grow, came out not too long ago, did you guys approach it any differently than you have past releases? If so, why? Technically we did but conceptually no. We write music we want to hear every time we write music, so that never changed, but the main difference in Grow is how much we experimented with effect pedals. Where did inspiration come from while writing? I get inspired by life experience. I could get a really good feeling from eating a burrito on a sunny day and be inspired to write something that gives me the same kind of feeling. How do you feel the album has been received by your fans? Better than we could have hoped for. Grow is out on Sumerian, one of the biggest labels in metal/prog/ rock right now, how has your relationship with them been? We’re good friends with everyone at Sumerian and have a great professional relationship with them. They basically support all of our creative decisions and give us the means to produce them. Favorite Smash Bros game? What’s
your main? Definitely 4. I main Yoshi. He’s also the only character I ever use. How did the Taco Bell and Sour Patch sponsorships come about? Are you happy to be representing them? Our manager just reached out to them and they liked us enough to sponsor us. We’re super stoked because we actually love Taco Bell and Sour Patch Kids. I never have to buy candy at the movies now. What are you hoping for on the Super Chon Bros tour? I’m hoping our crowds are looking to have an awesome time with us and make the shows fun. Most of our crowds have lots of energy so i’m super stoked for that. What is an ideal live show like for you? An ideal live show is everyone having fun and being crazy. I love seeing people groove out to our music. Some people stage dive, some people just stand and groove their head, but as long as everyone’s having a good time and giving off good vibes I’m happy.
knows me knows I’m not the most outgoing person in the world, so addressing huge crowds is definitely something I’m going to have to get used to. What do you want people to take away from your music? If inspired them to create art of their own or follow their passions in general that would be amazing, but I hope people just enjoy listening to it. Favorite things to do in San Diego when you aren’t on tour? I’d have to say my favorite thing to do is go out and eat awesome food. I like going to the beach or pool and swimming or chillin’ and playing video games with the homies. I also like catching shows of artists I love. Best local taco shop? There are way too many good ones
to choose, but I ‘d have to say my mother makes the greatest tacos I’ve had. Did growing up in San Diego influence your style at all? Definitely, the whole vibe of growing up here influenced our music more than we even realized while making it. It wasn’t until we started touring seeing the rest of the world that we realized just how much growing up in San Diego affected the sound of our music. What kind of questions do you like to be asked during interviews? I like thoughtful questions that you can’t really find the answer to on Wikipedia or Google. I also like not so serious questions like “What kind of cereal do you like?” because those kind of questions actually show a lot about people.
Not too long ago you parted ways with your bassist Drew, can you give us any insight into what happened? His musical passions weren’t with CHON so it was the best decision for everyone for him to leave and pursue the music he is passionate about. Has it been difficult without him? The only thing that has been somewhat of a challenge is taking over talking to the crowd. Anyone who
CHON. Camarena is second from the right. Photo Courtesy of Sumerian Records.
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Holy Crappy Critics, Batman! This Movie Doesn’t Suck!
The movie that is getting hammered by critics that shouldn’t be missed. By Derek Sleet.
L
et me just start off by saying this review is completely spoiler free, so you don’t have to worry about me giving away anything important that happens in the movie. With that out of the way lets’ get into this. To start off, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” actually wasn’t that bad. Reviews have been very mixed from critics and moviegoers all around the world, but I don’t think it deserved the 34 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Were there plot holes? Yes. Was there miscasting and bad character development? Yes. But that doesn’t mean a movie should be thrown in a gutter and forgotten about. This movie had a lot of strong points that I have never seen done in a superhero movie. For example, I went to see Batman fight Superman, which was one of the coolest
and most badass things I have seen on the movie screen in a long time. The entire movie was building up the fight so much, that when it was actually happening you couldn’t help but squeal a little. Along with the fight scenes, the special effects in this movie were flawless. When Batman was flying his batplane, it actually looked like he was flying a real plane. If you’re going into this movie, expecting a flawless storyline and Oscar-worthy acting, you aren’t going to get it. While there was a very impressive performance by Batman(Ben Affleck), I feel like Superman(Henry Cavill) and his lover Lois Lane(Amy Adams) gave us a very stale performance. Their performance was very sub-par compared to Ben Affleck’s and didn’t provide us with as much of emotion as Affleck did; but in their defense, the movie did focus a lot on Batman’s role.
Superman (Henry Cavill) and his lover Lois Lane (Amy Adams). Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
However, what really shocked me was the performance by Wonder Woman(Gal Gadot) and Lex Luthor(Jesse Eisenberg). While Wonder Woman didn’t get that much screen time, she still gave us a very powerful performance and showed the world why she deserves to be Wonder Woman. In my opinion, the best performance was given by Jesse Eisenberg because he gave everybody his own view of how Lex Luthor should be played. He gave it a very Joker-ish tone, giving us a insane and psy-
chotic view of the character, which I loved. You need to go into this movie purely for entertainment to watch two of the greatest superheroes duke it out in a one on one match. It is so different from every superhero movie that has been done because we have never seen a movie focus so much on a superhero fighting another superhero. While there is one coming out in May called “Captain America Civil War,” this one provides us a very realistic and dark tone that Civil War won’t give us.
d a r G2016 ite N
Also, this movie gives us a lot of clues and hints about what is coming in the near future, so I am very excited to see what they have in store for us. Basically, if you love the Avengers, you will be very excited to see what will come with the DC universe in the coming years. I don’t know about you, but it would be nice to see other superheroes on the big screen rather than Iron Man and Captain America.
San Dieguito Academy Class of 2016 – Best You’ve Ever Seen! Friday, June10th 8pm-2am $75 until June 9th
Food Pizza, sushi, pancakes, snow cones, desserts, coffee cart & lots more!
Photo Booth Sumo Wresting
Games Zorb ball races, climbing wall, laser tag,
For more information, stop by the Foundation Office
Lots and Lots of Raffle Prizes
Music, Dancing, and Karaoke
Extreme Air, bungee run, game booths, caricature artists & more!
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March 31, 2016
March 31, 2016
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I
NO HORSING AROUND!
Despite all the fun, competitive horseback riding is serious business. By Lane Levin.
t was just getting bright as the alarm sounded. Sometime after the snooze button is pressed for the second time, sophomore Sofia McAndrews sophomore slipped out of bed and scanned her room. Then promptly remembering why she was awake so early, she pulled on a pair of riding breeches and tucked in her collared shirt. Glancing around the floor she spotted her riding boots and folded them across her arm. In her other hand she carried a croissant, a delicious excuse for breakfast. Rushing to get to the barn for a morning training session, she slid into her car and was on her way, a usual Saturday morning routine for competitive riders. The many student athletes that choose riding as their sport of interest actively enter both high and low division contests. A large number of students also ride for pleasure, preferring the bond with a horse over the stress of competition. Horseback riding has “more influence on life than any other sport,” according to McAndrews. She said it requires both mental awareness and physical strength to enter higher level competitions, and impacts the character of an individual. Riders gain determination, learn patience, and develop trust. Although riding has many risks, many other factors that are not as apparent can cause negative drawbacks. McAndrews adds that there are “large associations with wealth” that surround the sport, as there are large training fees and the cost to own a horse can become very expensive as one enters higher levels. Although there are negative aspects, athletes who choose to pursue riding at a competitive level are devoted to the sport. Competitive horse-back riding plays an active role in the lives of many students enrolled at SDA.
Pros of Riding
Sofia McAndrews sophomore cuddles up to her horse after training. Sorrene Cuffari freshman, left, clears jump in competition. Photograph by Anna Witfeild.
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Training builds the character of a rider and teaches many life skills that can be applied to school and everyday encounters, said Wilson. Riders pursue their competitive interests to further their “bond with an animal of such power,” said McAndrews. “Taking care of a couple ton animal” teaches you to “respect something larger than yourself.” Also, a large work ethic is acquired through training for upcoming competitions. McAndrews said, “Riding at a competitive level demands commitment to be a rewarding sport.” It teaches her to be focused on the present, as “distractions while riding are very dangerous,” she added. Sorenne Cuffari, freshman, finds the “most rewarding aspect of horseback riding” to be “competing.” Riding encourages determination to achieve goals and “is a great thing to
incorporate into your life,” she said. Riders in training are constantly under pressure to improve and “have to work hard for what they want,” she added. While competitive motives are often the driving force to enter the sport of riding, Amber Wilson sophomore uses riding as an outlet. Any “problems” she has “melt away” when she gets on a horse, she said. Riders gain a sense of “selflessness” and “patience” throughout competitions and weekly training, Wilson added. They strive to compete in order to continue these lessons in character.
Drawbacks of Riding
In movies and on TV, riding is portrayed by actors bounding through endless open prairies with no inhibitions. However, this is not reality and riders encounter many challenges, on and off the horse, said Wilson. For riders like Wilson, the fear of injury can be a mental barrier in training. There are many very apparent risks to those who ride horses. “You give them your life in their hands,” said Wilson in reference to the power of horses. Horses have the ability to harm a rider, and individuals struggle to place trust in these animals. The associations with money and large price tag on training can drive many individuals away from the sport. “The cost is a negative drawback,” said McAndrews, as riding can involve a group of individuals that pay their way into a competitive level. Individuals of greater wealth pay for the training and care costs for their animals, without having to work additional hours at the barn to compensate for the expenses. However, many riders are employed at their barns to manage the costs, said McAndrews. Furthermore, competitive riding involves “competitions that get in the
Sophomore Amber Wilson smiles while out walking her horse.
way of school” and compensating for the school work can be a challenge, said Cuffari. While riders face many challenges, one of their greatest barriers is the “the society that is not involved with horses” that do not comprehend the “blood, sweat, and tears” that every rider puts in to be force in competition and to improve their capabilities, said McAndrews. Riders encounter many individuals that doubt the skill required to ride, and this negative perception of the competitive sport is voiced constantly.
After High School
For many students that compete at a high level in high school, graduation does not signal the end to their riding careers. Numerous opportunities exist for riders to continue into college and even further to involve horses in their adult lives. There are a large number of colleges that have respectable riding programs and sponsor equestrian teams. McAndrews hopes to attend UC Davis and join their equestrian team. Following school, she plans on becoming a large animal veterinarian to continue her involvement with horses into her adult life. Wilson does not plan on incorporating horses into her career, but thinks that she will likely “purchase her own horse” for “pleasure riding” and will always be riding in the future. Similarly, Cuffari hopes to “continue riding after high school,” but is not pursuing a college or career based on horses. Competitive riding is a sport that influences the lives of many students attending SDA. Wilson said it requires an individual to overcome many challenges. “Everyone should ride…it makes people better.”
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March 31, 2016
Theater for a Casa
SDA theater’s Kindertransport aids local displaced children. By Veronica Ness.
S
DA’s Theater for a Cause’s recent production of “Kindertransport” focused on a young Jewish girl who struggles as she’s relocated to a British foster home at the start of WWII. Similarly, the cause the theater assisted, Casa de Amparo, helps support children experiencing similar struggles of relocation due to abuse or neglect. Casa de Amparo, or “house of refuge,” assists people up to age 25 in need of a safe home. It’s a support system that helps from the point that they enter Casa de Amparo until they graduate from college. With the money earned from the play, Casa de Amparo will be able to assist and care for more kids and help pay for the clients’ “home, their clothing, their health issues, their support … and their studies until their 25,” said Susan Comforti, resident counselor at Casa de Amparo. This allows the residents of Casa de Amparo to become fully functioning adults with all the resources they need to survive including job readiness programs helping them to have a secure life after Casa de Amparo. Also, the money will aid in paying for the “full time psychologist, psychiatrists, medics, nurses, and sociologist and social workers,” said Comforti. All these workers help to
provide constant care for the clients whenever necessary. These kids have had so complicated and overwhelming lives that this safe haven is important in helping with the emotional development of these kids into strong, secure adults,” Comforti said. The group also tries to provide the kids with childhood experiences that other children would have enjoyed with their parents. Some such experiences are trips to SeaWorld, the beach, and other exciting places for the kids to really be kids. This helps the children feel more connected to Casa de Amparo and feel that this safe haven is a wonderful home full of opportunities and fun activities, Comforti said. For example a transgender boy who was abused as a child, but felt more confident about himself and felt proud to be who he was after being put in Casa de Amparo. “I watched him turn from a neglected suicidal person into this thriving amazing individual,” said Comforti. This center helped to create this self-confidence in spite of everything standing in his way, she said. The home created a space for him where acceptance existed and where he could find himself without judgment. Most recently, Casa de Amparo expanded and formed a new facil-
ity to help pregnant teens. This facility “offers a place of respite for teens when they’re going through their pregnancy and then the support through the birth process” and all that follows, said Comforti. Such new facilities are a great improvement on the past level of care that Casa de Amparo was able to of-
fer and has only been made possible through the donations and volunteers provided by the community around it, Comforti said. In order to help with this organization, people can go on their website, casadeamparo.org, and find out ways they can volunteer or assist the kids. Also, there are occasional events such as open houses that
help people become aware of what Casa de Amparo does to help. Casa de Amparo’s aim is to “just give all children, any children unconditional love and support and then they will thrive to be the best person they can be,” Comforti said.
Seniors Ciara Reiter, Jessica Morilak, Rachel Freeman-Cook, Andrew Kenney in a preview shown to promote the play (top). The cast and crew answers questions after (below). Photos by Patrick Hall.
March 31, 2016
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Two Sides To Every Show
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‘Recovery Road’ follows Maddie, a teen addict, who’s all sad about her life, through the rollercoaster of emotions that plague her on the daily. Lane and Madison like it. Aiden doesn’t.
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H
ramatic and intense, Freeform’s (ABCFamily) new show “Recovery Road” keeps me on ere’s hoping that there’s a pitstop on the trip down “Recovery Road” at Believable Acting the edge of my seat as the show follows the journey of Maddie Graham (Jessica Sula), a Boulevard. high school party-girl with an alcohol addiction. Busted by her school’s guidance counselor Just within the first five minutes of watching this episode, which can be found on the (Alexis Carra), Maddie avoids expulsion by beginning her rehabilitation in a sober house. Freeform channel, I felt as if I was jousted into a world of insincere characters. The remainder of the The writers were quick to touch on relatable themes for high schoolers and other young adults, episode didn’t help the case by any means. A vast majority of the supporting cast came off as nothing including underage drinking and drug abuse, legal right of minors, the stages of grief, and overcommore than a sloppy group of corny individuals, so it’s safe to say that the show isn’t anywhere near ing personal challenges. blurring the line between television and reality. Originally, I expected the show to have a shallow perspecAnother blatant hole that had been bashed through the tive and beautify the gruesome aspects of addiction; however, fourth wall was some of the numerical graphics that flashed I was mistaken as the many unpleasant results of drug and on the screen from time to time, whether it was the countalcohol abuse are depicted, undiluted by romance. Faced with down of Maddie’s (Jessica Sula) alarm clock or the breathathe daunting task of playing a realistic recovering addict, Sula lyzer used to take her blood alcohol concentration. Though successfully executes this challenging role. some may argue that it was a clever way to display the data, I Be that as it may, the dialogue between characters is often saw it as a lazy excuse of direction. Instead of actually dembasic and unrealistic resulting in the melodramatic and soaponstrating the numbers through storytelling tactics such as opera-esque performance by other characters. close-up shots, they piled on the artificial environment the The realism, however, paired with the melodrama, is what show already touted through weak acting. “Recovery Road” airs at 9 p.m. Monday on Freeform and episodes can also be makes the show itself addictive. I could continue to denounce the cast; however, they only found online. Photo courtesy of freeform.go.com. Despite these few roadblocks, “Recovery Road” is my new deserve a fraction of the blame. The writers and directors guilty pleasure television show. Slowly revealing the answers, should be showered with any of the distaste directed towards this show keeps you in suspense, dragging you along for the ride on Maddie’s road to recovery. the show. If I had a dollar for every single time I thought, “A fifth grader could write a more compelling line than this,” I’d have enough money to buy this show from the creators and cancel it. “Recovery Road” must be one that leads to a dead end, because I can’t seem to find the direction in which it’s heading.
By Lane Levin and Madison Vance
By Aiden Brady
For more news coverage, opinions, and features, check out www.sdamustang.com
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March 31, 2016
Don’t Play Through The Pain
Students and sports staff talk about injuries and how to prevent them. Story by Alyssa Fisher and Julia Lucero
Going into a tackle, boom, she collides with another player and hears a loud popping noise in her ankle.
N
icole Mead, a sophomore at SDA, felt a tendon in her ankle move out of place during a high school soccer practice. Months after the mishap, she said, “For my injury I was put in a cast which keeps me from doing a lot of stuff. It’s really hard and I won’t be able to get back to soccer for another year.” High school sports injuries are a big issue for both individual players and their teams. Freshman Kiomi Yamada injured her neck playing soccer and had strained muscles from her neck to her shoulders. She said that “it felt like someone took your vertebrates and ... crushed them together for a little bit and pulled the muscles in your shoulders really tight like an elastic band.” It was hard for Yamada to come back from her injury and had limited playing time. Additionally, her absence affected her team because there were not as many subs which was tough for the rest of the team. SDA coaches are trying to prevent injuries on their teams. Head track coach, Darrell Driskell says
that in the past injuries have caused a lot of student athletes to have to see the athletic trainer. Because of this, Driskell is trying to enforse more dynamic stretching for warm up instead of stationary stretching. Dynamic stretching is a better way to warm up before a practice because it is “more applicable to what we do as track people,” said Driskell. With this new warm up, he is hoping that the people being sent to the athletic trainer will decrease.
Advice From Trainer
To prevent sports injuries and to keep a teen’s body healthy, SDA athletic trainer Eddie Lara said, “You just have to have a good routine and a good warm up. Everyone thinks having a good stretching program before practice or competitions is good, but it’s mostly having a good routine.” Student athletes should make time every day to hydrate, stretch and rest, said Lara. Doing these three things every day, can make a huge difference when it comes to getting injured or not, he said. Lara informed that there are different kinds of injuries depending on
SDA track team does their new dynamic stretching before practice. Photo by Katherine Tarangelo the season. In the fall he said “You have a lot of concussions and bone bruises” during sports like field hockey since it is a contact sport and being hit with a field hockey ball can really leave a mark. Other sports like tennis can result in “chronic injuries such as shoulder injuries or elbow injuries” since they use lots of quick arm movements. Runners tend to get lots of foot and ankle problems, Lara added. In the winter and spring, there are lots of concussions and hip flexor strains from soccer and the vast number of games in that season, he said. Basketball games have a lot of ankle injuries. “Springtime is just everywhere,” Lara said. “We have a little bit of every sport whether it’s indoor volleyball or outdoor track and field, there is just a vast amount of injuries.” Lara said that there is always a huge impact on teams when players get hurt and are forced to back out of
games. So, some advice to all sports players is to always hydrate because it is “100 percent preventable, said Lara. Try to maintain more fluids throughout the day rather than trying to get hydrated during practice because this can cause cramps, disorientation due to exhaustion, or even a heat stroke in the worst case scenario, said Lara. Staying hydrated is imperative while playing a high school sport since there is practice every day and games every week. If you’re not properly hydrated, your body can’t perform at its highest level. This means that without hydrating, you may be forced to not play in a game because of your body’s physical condition. Drink water throughout the day, and the most threatening injury can be avoided.
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Surprise! Padres Suck Why the Padres continue to suck year after year. By Derrick Sleet.
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ellow San Diegans, you may start wondering why the padres continue to suck year after year. Well, I’m here to tell you
View from the upper deck seats in the Honda Center. Photo courtesy of Clay Westcott.
On the Court
A few things to keep in mind before heading to the Final Four. By Jack Hauser.
H
ave you ever wanted to experience the NCAA tournament in person? Some friends and I were lucky enough to experience some of the excitement when Oklahoma beat Texas A&M, as well as Oregon defeating Duke. Traffic at the Honda Center in Anaheim was a mess. The main parking lot was overcrowded and we were forced to park a mile away from the stadium. On the way to the stadium, I was shocked by how many ticket scalpers asked if I had any tickets for sale. How they could possibly think that four high school boys have enough money to carry extra tickets. The first game of the day was Oklahoma and Texas A&M, which tipped off as soon as we walked in. We knew we had bought the worst seats in the place, so we climbed countless stairs to get to the nosebleed section, and then even more stairs to get to the top of that too. The funny thing was the ushers had to check our ticket to make sure we weren’t sitting in someone else’s seat. Why on earth would anyone sneak into sit in the very top corner of the entire stadium? I quickly realized that I wanted to watch the game and that wouldn’t be possible with our view. Oregon and Duke fans sometimes don’t show up to the first game, so their seats down in the lower section were left empty, but guarded by the ticket ushers. Many fans in the building don’t end up sitting in the seats their tickets say, and this is why the ticket ushers crack down so hard on wandering fans. My friends and I went to a section where we could actually watch the game and waited for the lady there to be distracted so we could sneak into some open seats. Once we snuck by, we were able to finish watching the game at hand, which turned into a blowout. Oklahoma won 77-63. Following Texas A&M’s crushing loss I had a genius idea that hardcore fans wouldn’t want to stick around for the second game out of
embarrassment, and thought we could wait outside their school sections and ask leaving fans for their ticket stubs so we could sit in their seats for the second game. Just about every other person in the stadium had the same idea, and the exit to their section was swarmed with people trying to buy their old tickets off them. I was lucky enough to find an old couple who were nice enough to give us their old tickets… for 20 bucks a seat. Being in attendance rather than watching on T.V. is something that’s priceless. T.V. doesn’t highlight the importance of the momentum in a crowd. If the crowds roaring loud for a team it’s very hard for the other to completely turn the momentum in their favor. It’s a special moment when the team without momentum hits a big shot, and the crowd falls silent. I do miss the commentators that you get on T.V., but the crowd serves as a natural commentator to the game. The second game was the main event, Duke vs. Oregon. Everyone had been waiting for this and anticipated a good game. However out of nowhere, the people in the crowd started to all change their attention to something in the stands. I turned to see Kobe Bryant walking down the stairs. It was like seeing Obama walk in, or even more relevantly, Trump. One of the coolest things about it was that Oklahoma’s star Buddy Hield, who had just finished playing his game, made his way over to Kobe and they shared a conversation and a picture. Following Kobe’s big arrival, the crowd was ready for the game. The atmosphere for this game was crazy; an even 50/50 split of support for the two teams provided a perfect setting for a great sweet sixteen duel. Only thing missing was a close game. Oregon handed Duke a 8268 loss, and Duke fans were heartbroken. There is always that little bit of devil in us that makes us happy when we see super fans whining over their team’s loss.
why. 1. Well, we live in San Diego. I think we all know by now that the city is cursed because we can’t win a single championship for any sports. We came close with the Chargers back in 95’ but let’s not forget that the curse can never be lifted. 2. We trade away every single good player we have for prospects. Basically, every time a player gets remotely good, we trade them for minor league players. The only problem with that is if the minor league players ever get good, we trade them for more minor league players. 3. I think the reason we suck is because of our team name, The Padres. I think God didn’t approve of calling our team after his priests, so out of his frustration he started the San Diego curse. I guess he was so mad that he put the curse on all San Diego teams. Who knew? 4. Our scouts. The problem with our player scouts is that we have trouble picking the right players. Our guys spend time at rich high schools looking for players to waste money on so they can go on to get injured and never play again. What they really should be doing is going to the Dominican Republic to get strong Dominican players who know how to take care
of their bodies. But who cares, we would trade them anyway because they are too good for us. 5. Alexi Amarista, any Padres fans will get the joke. Basically, to keep this as short as possible, we have a player named Alexia Amarista who is very painful to watch. I sometimes question how he made it to the MLB and why we continue to keep him on our team. 6. By now, any Padres fan knows that the reason they keep watching if purely for entertainment. We enjoy watching people hit home runs and do cool stuff, so we go to the games to see the other teams do it. I think that by now, the Padres organization have fully embraced it so now they try to make the crappiest team possible. Maybe that is why we are keeping Amarista. 7. Our announcers are so loud and obnoxious I think that sometimes even the players can hear it. Whatever comes out of the announcer’s mouth is so incorrect that our players find it funny and it distracts them from playing. 8. I think the only chance that our team will ever have a become champions is if they move out of the city to free themselves from the curse. The Chargers are trying to do it, I bet they win the Super Bowl first year out of San Diego. San Diegans. It is time to take on a new hobby because frankly, we aren’t getting nowhere with baseball. Any good television shows out there?
The Battle of the Sports Seasons A heated and opinionated series of quotes from students about their favorite sport seasons. Sarcasm? Not even. By Aiden Brady.
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hen it comes to talking sports, there is an unwavering buzz throughout the halls of SDA that comes and goes with the seasons. The upcoming spring, for example, is renowned as the time of year where the widely-beloved baseball is played. “I like the spring time for baseball. It’s easy to follow and I think the outfielders are cute,” said senior Eddie Breding. Still, within the seas of supporters for any seasonal games remain the denouncers and naysayers. In rebuttal to baseball’s praise, senior Joe Lewis said “Strikes are bad in baseball, but good in bowling. I just can’t wrap my head around it.” Just like the always-polarizing array of art forms, sports can be subjective in the eyes of the viewers. Some can’t endure sitting through a game of whatever sport in its entirety, and some simply can’t miss a second. And that goes for every last minuscule variation. “The fall for football is my favorite easily,” said senior Ian Marquez. “Plus there are so many other sports in that timeframe. It never gets boring.” Freshman Matthew Cheng, who had a clashing opinion, stated, “I really enjoy the season with basketball because I love seeing young boys shout ‘KOBE!’ as they air ball.” “My favorite time of the year for sports is winter,” claimed freshman Aeon Combs, providing yet another clashing opinion. “I love
Pictured above are calendars for the different leagues like baseball, hockey, basketball, and football. Illustration by Aiden Brady. bobsledding. It’s the best.” Sports and their seasons will continue to be an undisputable matter throughout any arguments they garner.
March 31, 2016
The Pony
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