SDA Mustang May 2015 by The Mustang Newspaper

May 08 , 2015

T h e

Volume 19 Issue VI

M u s ta n g

the Mustang | May 2015

beHind the Pages kelly Luong Cover Artist “We took pictures of the flowers on side of the shop classes and then it was rule of thirds,” said sophomore Kelly Luong, referring to the photo she had painted displayed on the cover. She has always enjoyed the variety in nature. “I realized that as I drive and I see what’s around me I think of how I would paint it or draw it. I kind of view everything that way, even if it’s someone’s face,” said Luong. Art has been a part of Luong’s life since Arts Attack in elementary school. “Art is how I express myself whether it’s how I feel or just a meaningless doodle that makes me happy,” Luong said.

Keith (center) and fellow alums pictured Photo by Taina Millsap. Photo here. courtesy of Susan Coppock.

Elise and Elise

Quick notes from the co-editors in chief It comes with little surprise how many interesting individuals you can find meandering about in Encinitas, from a man living on his bike (see “Bicycle Blender Gypsy” on pg. 8) to a woman living past one-hundred (see “A Century of Insight” on pg. 11). With this issue in particular, we are excited to include the stories of some of the everyday people around you. The students that you sit by in class. The faculty that you head-nod to in the hallway (see “SDA profiles” starting on pg. 14). There has been, perhaps, no other Mustang issue that is more representative of our school’s culture and its students’ inclination for success. We can’t think of many other places with a club intent on sporting Captain’s hats (see “A Captain’s Life for Me” on pg. 25) - and that’s merely scratching the surface. We have as many writers (see “Perfect Poems” on pg. 22) as we do athletes (see “Sports Round Up” starting on page 29.), as many performers (see “Practically Perfect in Every Way” on pg. 23) as we do fashion pros (see “Students that Slay” on pg. 24), and all of them can be connected through a shared drive in pursuing their passion. The best part is how the SDA community is one that is selfrestoring. Teachers here appreciate their students, and students here appreciate their teachers (see “The SDA Thank You” on pg. 12 for particularly unique demonstrations of teacher support). Time and time again, we are reminded of the power of the positive high school experience; just look at the story of Norm Keith, an SDA alum who recently returned to campus to see the re-installment of a pencil dispenser that he graffitied in the 50s (see “Make Way for Gimpy” on pg. 10). SDA makes people want to come back, and with graduation around the corner (our apologies, seniors, for bringing it up…) all we can hope is that, one day, we’ll be able to do the same. Elise Echeverria and Elise Gout

Ian Kellogg Backpage Photographer “I was on the ground waiting for a rope and someone to belay me, so I decided to photograph my sister while she was climbing,” said sophomore Ian Kellogg. Reflecting on his interest in photography, Kellog continued to say,“I used to hate when my dad took pictures of me.... however eventually I realized how beautiful [photography] can be.” Kellogg enjoys capturing the beauty of the word through taking photos of nature. “[Cameras are] great for capturing moments in time and solidifying memories to look back on later and remember,” said Kellogg.

Who’s who? The Mustang Staff

EDITOR IN CHIEF/NEWS EDITOR Elise Echeverria ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Olivia Olander EDITOR IN CHIEF/FEATURES EDITOR Elise Gout OPINIONS EDITOR Carina Julig SPORTS EDITORS Andrew Naimark Kevin Gallagher CAF EDITOR Dylan Hendrickson ONLINE EDITOR Caroline Daniel ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR Kate Sequeira PHOTO EDITOR Allie Manis

2 | a little insight

STAFF WRITERS Linden Amundsen Daniel Ballard Nadia Ballard Maddy Campell Emma Chang Maddie Chao Mary Ford James Gonzalez Mona Karimi Sarah LaVake Vanessa Machin Cydney Melton Taina Millsap Nicole Ramirez Brittany Serbin Grant Sippel Courtney Stead Vicky van der Wagt Julia Wenger Sarah Willes Chloe Williams ADVISOR Tim Roberts

The Mustang is the student newspaper of San Dieguito Academy. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper. The Mustang is an open forum which welcomes letters. Letters can be submitted to room 98, emailed to

San Dieguito Academy / Room 98 / 800 Santa Fe Drive /

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Uncommon College Perk

Blood Drive

New Common Core testing allows students to save money and time

he old Star Tests seemed an unnecessary stress added on to juniors, many of whom were already studying for AP tests, SATs, ACTs, and the like. To students having to balance their priorities like the president juggles North Korea, Russia, and the Middle East, a test that didn’t personally count for anything could seem like a huge waste of time. In short, students weren’t exactly drowning in motivation. In fact, there were no benefits unless a strong sense of school pride and increased property value on houses could pull a student through. The old STAR tests, though, did have optional benefits for juniors. Justin Conn, a teacher on special assignment, said, “If [students] chose to answer additional questions and also sat for a writing piece [given at another time]…they could place themselves in a certain math or English class at the CSUs…This makes it so you don’t need to take the placement test; you are automatically put in certain classes.” This additional work was called the Early Assessment Program, a test that let juniors know if they were ready for college-level work. How a student did could give them a stronger estimate of what work they would need to do to get into college. If teens did well, they could skip their college placement exam and possibly save hundreds of dollars taking remedial classes in college. But as California transferred over to Common Core, the STAR tests and EAP were dropped in favor of nationwide Smarter Balance Tests. As the California State Universities are strongly endorsing the new Common Core standards, the old EAP work will, “automatically be a part of the Common Core testing. There is now no additional work that the students have to do. If you do well enough you will be placed in a certain level. And this includes all the Cal States,” said Conn If students do exceptionally well, they can skip required CSU classes as they did with the EAP. The fact that the college assessment test is now built in may help many California kids who opted out of the EAPs. Students who may not have felt like they would be able to qualify and then skipped an opportunity to possibly surprise themselves now get this chance whether they want it or not. Conn also added, “This test is so much more authentic than any other test before…it’s nice that there is an assessment that more resembles what my classroom looks like…[the test is] critical thinking. It’s being able to…create your own argument. It’s the kinds of things that you need to be able to do to be successful as an adult.” Mary Ford

Photo by Caroline Daniel

A blood drive in April supported the San Diego Blood Bank, an organization that collects blood for hospital patients in need. Students comforted and supported each other throughout the process. “It’s cool to see how many people want to get involved with the blood drive. I’m happy to donate knowing that my blood can help save lives,” said junior Alex Spooner.

Shot Thoughts School board shows support for fewer vaccine exemptions.

espite passionate parent protests, the San Dieguito Union High School District school board voted 4-1 in favor of a resolution to support a senate bill that makes vaccine regulations stricter. If passed, families would no longer be able to be exempt from vaccines due to personal or religious beliefs. The legislation would also standardize vaccine requirements statewide. Any students not fully vaccinated would be required to get their missing shots or a medical exemption before they could attend class, said school board president Beth Hergesheimer, who voted in favor of the resolution at the April 2 meeting. At SDA, about 93 percent of students are fully vaccinated, but over 100 either are not vaccinated at all or have incomplete vaccinations, according to Associate Superintendent Michael Grove. Later, on April 22, the Senate Education Committee voted to move the bill forward. On April 28, it passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 5-1. It will now go to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Some changes might still be made to the bill before it is presented to the state senate for a vote. Consequently, state Sen. Patricia Bates, a Republican who represents Encinitas, said in a statement that she has not yet established a position on the bill. Vaccines have been a hot topic lately due to a recent outbreak of measles linked to Disneyland, and an increasing number of parents who are against vaccines for their children. Pro-vaccine people generally approve of shots because of “herd immunity,” a concept that says a high percentage of the population needs to be vaccinated to stop disease. Some individuals are against this bill because they believe it means they may have to sacrifice their child’s education.

Both Amy Herman, a school board member who voted against the resolution, and Hergesheimer said they were concerned about specific aspects of the bill before they voted, especially those regarding home schooled students. Herman stressed that she is not anti-vaccine, but voted against the resolution due to uncertainty, and some possible issues, “including making sure that students that are home schooled are exempt.” Hergesheimer, on the other hand, voted for the resolution. She said she felt it needed to be done because the vaccine exemption rate in the district is much higher than the recommended “herd immunity” rate statewide. Bates similarly stated that she believes in “strong limits on government” but understands that when a person chooses to not vaccinate themselves, it puts other people at a greater infection risk. According to the Encinitas Advocate, about 40 people who attended the April 2 school board meeting were visibly upset about the board’s decision, but Hergesheimer said the reaction that she heard throughout the community is generally positive, including affirmation from individuals involved in healthcare. Herman saw support for voting against resolution, too. “I did receive numerous emails [from the community] expressing their appreciation for listening to their concerns,” she said. Principal Tim Hornig saw both a need for vaccines and a need for understanding. “People are people and have different creeds, and religions, and faiths, and health concerns for that matter, so you have to understand that there’s going to be a little bit of gray, even with something as black and white as a bill being passed.” Olivia Olander

students are talking about | 3

the Mustang | May 2015

Up Front

A quick look at the events around the SDA campus. April 4 - May 8.

Rome-ing Through Italy

A Piece of History

A Night in Italy was held on April 23 to fundraise for school programs. talian music played by masked band students peacefully passes through the air, as a gondola rolls down the sidewalk. Dancers and actors with colorful masks perform on stage. Artists near the bell tower paint, inspired by the exotic school environment, with face painters nearby. Students chat and applaud their friends that are participating in the event. This cheerful event was a Night in Italy, which took place outdoors at SDA on Apr. 23. The event was a collaboration of various programs that included culinary arts, theatre, band, and the visual arts, all of which were under supervision from a planning committee. The planning committee took as much inspiration

Photo by Emma Chang

from the Italian Renaissance as resources allowed.One of the committee’s heads was freshman Rachel Kaplan who said, “We tried as hard as possible to represent important Italian figures, and we had to scratch the bottom of the barrel for usable costumes.” The event went well according to many people attending or working the event. Parent Barb Stead said, “I went to support SDA and

I was pleasantly surprised. The Mona Lisa Girl wearing a picture frame was cool!” Junior Emily Shain was very happy about the outcome saying, “Culinary Arts was well represented and people bought a lot of food. Everyone had a good time.” Because of the successful attendance, Culinary Arts ended up selling out of some of their food choices at the event. story by Cole Gonzales

Go Green! Students participate in chalk art at lunch during Green Week.

Photo by Caroline Daniel

Prom at the Pier Prom is set to take place at the Catamaran Resort on May 16 from 8:30 to 11 p.m.

4 | students are talking about

April 27 through May 1, eco club hosted “SDA Green Week 2015” to promote environmental awareness. They put on fun activities in front of the PAC and rewarded with bagels those who went the “extra mile” and biked to school on April 30.

he countdown has begun. This year’s prom is being held at the Catamaran Resort in Mission Beach on Saturday, May 16. “We drove around and saw about four different places, but we had used Catamaran Resort before, and so we liked it,” said junior Zac Sippel, a junior director. Despite the excitement,

prom is also hard to plan at times. “Usually [prom] takes most of the second semester and some of first semester to plan, depending on how early you start. You have to spend a good semester working on it because you have to decide where it’s going to be at, what activities and the DJ you want,” Sippel said.

SDA’s oldest pencil dispenser has been fixed after 20 years. pencil dispenser that had been used in the San Dieguito library since the 1950s until the 1990s has been brought back after 20 years. It was brought to the foundation office by librarian Donna Gonzales when it broke during that time. The Alumni Committee recently refurbished the pencil dispenser. It can only take nickels. The pencils cost 17 cents each, so the Alumni Association is donating the balance of each pencil’s cost. Ken Harrison alumni chairman returned the pencil box to the library last month to express gratitude to Gonzales, who is retiring this year. Inside the box some someone had written “Gimpy 54”. For a long time it was a mystery who had done it. The alumni coordinator, Bonnie Wren, emailed

all alumni about it until finally Judy West Fuller, Class of 1960, identified “Gimpy” as Norm Keith. “Gimpy 54” was the combination of Norm’s graduation year and his famous nickname. “I was always kind of a showoff,” Keith said. “It might have been when I was running for student body activity manager and my nickname was Gimpy. I had a whole bunch of cards printed. Some said: ‘Gimpy Gimpy, he’s your man. If he can’t do it, no one can’ -- I won by a landslide.” The pencil dispenser has a special importance to the people involved. “It’s a part of our school’s history,” Harrison said. “The other schools in the district were built in the last 20 years, so they don’t have stuff like this.” story by Taina Millsap

Homeroom Olympics

Photo by Caroline Daniel

“We have a ‘do not play list’ for music that we put out in the ASB room so people can write down the music they don’t want to hear so we can please everyone,” Sippel said. He added, “We check with the ASB class about the games and themes because they are a portion of the student body so we can get feedback from them and see

After the most recent Homeroom Olympics event, xtreme musical chairs, teacher Kristen Huy’s homeroom is first, counselor Ann Nebolon’s homeroom, is second, and teacher Stephanie Siers’ homeroom is third place.

what they think.” “This year we’re having a DJ and a game room with a 13 ½ ft. foosball table which fits 12 people and lights up, a ping pong table that also lights up, and a love tester. We also have a photo booth, two caricature artists, the back patio/ grassy area (open until 9:30), and the balcony.” story by Sarah LaVake

sdamustang.com

Feminism for Dummies Whether you are a full-fledged feminist or just a plain old run-of the-mill bystander, feminism is worth getting to know.

hat’s feminism? Some freshmen students, when asked, responded with “Equality for the sexes” and “equality for the genders”; others responded with long pauses of awkward silence. But really what is feminism- why does it exist and why do people care? In a modern world like ours, it's not surprising that groups of people want are having more modern thinking and want equality. Feminism is important, it’s about equal rights, who wouldn't want that? But the way feminism has been misconstrued over the centuries prevents it from making the biggest impact it can make. It’s important to understand that feminism runs deeper and more layered than any onion Shrek could present you with. The normal good old, plain kind of feminism that only applies to women has broadened to women of color, trans women, disabled women, and the like. Other types, such as liberal feminism, includes all people,male, female, disabled, colored, trans, bisexual, gay or lesbian, straight or otherwise. Most stereotypes are ignorant and harmful to the

feminist movement and most of them stem from radical feminists. Their belief that sexism is so deeply rooted in society that the only way to eliminate it is true completely eliminate the concept of gender. Such attempts to rid the world of gender have led to bra burning, etc . Though these ideas put off many people from supporting the feminist cause, there is still justification in the radical feminist ideas that to completely abolish sexism you have to go big or go home. Though it”s true feminism began from the fight for women’s rights, men are still included in in feminismspecifically, liberal feminism. Though the dominance men have in society is a very real thing, the life of men is not all manly sunflowers and strawberry smelling aftershave. Boys in our society are expected to be the epitome of manliness and aren't able to be themselves, due to society's standards. These standards lead to the belief that men cannot be raped nor be the victim in an abusive relationship. All genders are oppressed in one way or another

and liberal feminism is the belief that all are equal. Liberal feminism is meant to level the playing field. To truly understand the inner workings and reasons for feminism its best to start from the beginning and learn the history. The history of feminism, in its many onion layers, is most commonly split into three waves. First wave feminism was in the 19th and 20th centuries that mainly focused one woman’s suffrage that predominantly included upper class white women. Second wave feminism began in the 1960‘s were feminists sought to break free of maternal stereotypes. Second wave feminism focused on broader issues such as sexuality and reproductive rights, family, workplace, and civil rights movements. During this time some women made more brash protests such as throwing bras, makeup, girdles, and other products into their very own “freedom trash can” to criticize society’s beauty standards. Third wave feminism began in the 1990s and continues to this day. Feminism today is beginning to broaden its views. Unlike in the past, feminism today fights for equality for all people no matter their race, sexuality, gender, or ability. Important issues that are being discussed are reproductive rights, rape culture, the media’s portrayal of the sexes, gender violence, and inequality in the workplace. Hopefully next time you hear about feminism you join the conversation, or at least understand it. -Nadia Ballard

perspectives | 5

the Mustang | May 2015

SECURE THE CURE Antivaccine groups beliefs could endanger others.

isconceptions have clouded the truth about vaccines because uninformed people have made false claims, such as that vaccines cause autism. Recent studies have proven that VACCINES DO NOT CAUSE AUTISM. Despite these findings, people still have a poor understanding of how vaccinations work. Let’s go back in time, a time when diseases such as polio, whooping cough, tuberculosis, and measles were a death sentence for anyone who contracted them. In the late 1700s smallpox was killing hundreds of thousands of people per year but one scientist noticed that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox (a tempered version of smallpox) never got the deadly disease that killed everyone else. This lead to a very primitive form of a vaccine where doctors would put cowpox victims’ blood or boils on a patient’s open

6 | perspectives

wound. The patient would get very sick with cowpox but they would eventually build up immunity and would not die from the deadlier smallpox. Obviously, today doctors don’t use this vulgar practice, but they do use the same basic principle. Our bodies need to be exposed to the sickness to learn to fight it off in the future. When exposed, the body builds up antibodies to destroy that specific virus in the body and when the disease enters the body again any time after that. Today, doctors inject a mild or dead version of the virus into people through vaccinations. The deadly diseases are NOT killed by vaccines; they just don’t let them develop into sickness. Vaccines haven’t destroyed the viruses but have allowed our own immune systems a prevention process to stop the intruders by causing the body to develop antibodies. Our immune systems have

done wonders for our bodies and many people just don’t know it. Every day, our bodies are bombarded with viruses but, because of vaccines, we don’t get sick. However, there are some people who have very delicate immune systems and therefore physically cannot get vaccinated because they can’t develop the needed antibodies. These people have to rely on others to keep them healthy. This “Herd Immunity” occurs when everyone else is vaccinated so those who physically cannot won’t get sick. But due to recent doubts, many people aren’t getting vaccinated and are endangering the most fragile among us. But, for whatever their reason, there are still some people who believe that vaccines aren’t for them. This choice is selfish because their decision is more than personal: it effects their entire community and may possibly cause an epidemic. For now, Herd Immunity has diminished unvaccinated people’s chance of getting sick, but it won’t work if too many people don’t get vaccinated. Viruses that have been “eradicated” can potentially come back if people don’t vaccinate. No one should take the risk of contracting these dangerous diseases over vaccination. Ultimately, vaccines are crucial for the safety of our world. Courtney Stead

sdamustang.com

opinions | 7

the Mustang | May 2015

bicycle blender Gypsy Mark Harris started his adventure down the coast of California after selling most of his possessions, only keeping a tent, a bike, and a blender.

Mark Harris on his bicycle with a blender. Photo By Cydney Melton

8 | something different

o you ever get the urge to drop everything and take off on an adventure? Mark Harris, in his 70’s, also known as the Bicycle Blender Gypsy, took off on a journey down the coast of California in October of 2014, starting in Lake County, California up north. He got rid of his possessions, sold his house, retired from his job as a refrigerator repairman, and began to take care of the planet in his own way. He will be in Encinitas for about a year studying herbology, so you can spot him at Whole Foods in downtown Encinitas or at the YMCA in Encinitas with his bike and a blender attached to the back wheel. Let’s Make the Earth Happy Harris’s blender is part of his identity. He had the blender put onto his bike by the people from rockthebike.com. It is a blender that is attached to the back wheel of his bike so as he pedals, the blender can blend his raw foods for him. Harris became aware and sensitive about the way people continue treating the Earth, plants, and animals so harshly. So, he started to do his part in changing the way people treat the planet by selling most of his belongings and only keeping a blender, a tent, minimal clothing, and a few necessities. Harris wrote on his blog, bicycleblendergypsy.com, “I had noticed that having a lot of possessions not only did not make me happy but didn’t make the earth happy either. That is because the earth and you and I are inseparable. If we take from the earth without giving back, neither one of us feels supported.” 35 Years a Vegan Harris was raised on a beef cattle operation and saw how mistreated the cattle were, so he has been a vegetarian for 50 years. He began to attend a spiritual class, “The Way of the Heart,” which had him adapt to a vegetarian diet and eventually a raw vegan diet, not eating anything from animals and nothing cooked, to prepare for spiritual practice. So, he has been a vegan for 35 and a raw vegan for seven. This makes it easy for Harris to eat on the go with his wheel powered blender from rockthebike.com. Harris is always experimenting with different fruits and plants in his blender. He makes smoothies in the morning using various fruits and dark green leaves. For lunch, he makes raw soup using miso, avocado, dark green leaves, burdock root, ginger root, and turmeric root. In addition Harris makes seed cheeses using soaked seeds, kefir, and flax seed as another snack for the road. The Treck Once prepared for his bike adventure, he left Lake County in October, traveled through Marin, San Francisco, along the coast, and down to Los Angeles to visit his daughter. He spent a week in a commune in Valley Center, and “kept passing through Encinitas and had a really good feeling about it.” He says he will stay here for about a year studying herbology at the School of Natural Healing Institute. Along the way, Harris has camped in hiker biker campgrounds that are available about every 40 miles for $10. Also, he stayed at other bikers’ homes through warmshowers.org where bikers at home host bikers who are traveling. Harris shared that one of the hosts in San Francisco he stayed with showed him around San Francisco on foot. Also, Harris would ask to stay in peoples’ front yards. “If you ask a farmer or somebody who works with their hands, you’re much more likely to get a yes,” he said. Along the road, he keeps very minimal things with him on his bike. He has few clothes, buys food to blend every day, carries some

www. sdamustang.com

Spring Concert and Awards was romanticized by Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” a lot of the same romantic qualities are taken up by bicycles. A lot of people are doing what I’m doing. I’ve met quite a few people that go around the world. The car isn’t so romantic anymore; we are starting to get fed up with [it].” Rewards and Difficulties Harris’s most memorable experience while adventuring from Lake County to Encinitas was “sailing down the road with the wind on my back and the sea below me, the farmland below me, and the sense of freedom, and being immersed in an ocean of feeling of the natural world all around me.” He also shared he was appreciative of all the people that respond positively to what he is doing because it “sparks a chord in them of simple, free life of feeling.” For Harris the hardest part of his journey was not being in the position to help people in the way he normally could due to his limited resources. The only way he can help people in need is through his spirit, he said. He shared that he had met so many interesting people who live interesting lives and have a lot of offer, and who he wouldn’t have met if he wasn’t on his bike. One person in particular was an elderly woman he ran into at Whole Foods in Encinitas who cured herself of cancer and lives in a truck, not concerned about not having a home. He shared that she spends time writing and talking to people to help them with their problems. The Future The main reason Harris is studying herbology is to be able to help the people he stays with by planting a garden for them so they can eat out of it. Also, he said, “it sequesters carbon because the biggest hope that we have for stopping global warming is with regenerative agriculture, not just organic, but very sophisticated organic.” Harris has no plans on ending his journey, only to live simply, and maybe joining a cooperative community in which he said everyone is equal and works for the common good by offering the resources or skills they to offer. In turn, each member is guaranteed basic necessities of life. When he lived in a cooperative community in the past, everything was shared and there was richness and intimacy created, he said. The cooperative communities that work are the ones where there is a spiritual basis, so people understand self-transcendence, he said. Harris learned from his first part of his journey that a lot of people feel the same way as he does that there is something terribly wrong going on with the environment. His response of living simply resonates with people, he said. “By being who I am, I can inspire others,” he added. His advice to anyone who wants to start their own journey similar to his is “come see me,” he said. “Maybe we will do it together.” To follow him on the rest of his journey, you can follow his blog on bicycleblendergypsy.com.

May 20 at 6:30 in the Gym/ Symphonic and Wind Ensemble Performance/ Senior Slide Show/ Cake!

story by Cydney Melton

something different | 9

the Mustang | May 2015

Make Way for Gimpy A former San Dieguito High School student gives us a glimpse into the past with his retellings of SDHS in the 50s.

hings are constantly changing in society, with San Dieguito being here since 1936. Our outlook on previous SDA student’s changed once we met SDA alumni from the 50s, Norm “Gimpy” Keith. Keith joined librarian Donna Gonzales and many others for a ceremony bringing back a pencil dispenser from the 50’s that is now being placed back in the library with his nickname “Gimpy” graffitied on the cap, the pencil dispenser will be returned to Gonzales once she retires. In our generation, if you’re lucky enough, the most you will score is dinner and a movie, romantic right? For Keith, a romantic night was hanging out in “ a great big field. You couldn’t see it from the street so the sheriffs didn’t know where we were. We used to do park the cars in a ring circle and we would take our dates up there. We would turn our radios all on

10 | something different

the same station. We would stand up in the center and we would dance … We didn’t drink any beers there. The guys did but if you took a gal up there we wouldn’t.” Romance isn’t the only thing that has changed since Keith’s years. There was a rebellion in English class: “One time I was in Mr. Jordan’s English class and I did something and everyone laughed and he said Mr. Keith you and everyone who thinks you’re funny can just get up and leave. Ten of us got up and went outside and sat at the bleachers in the football field until it was time for the next class.” Keith dropped out during his Junior year but later returned. “I did graduate , I did come back and I realized how important education was because I had been out there for a year [High School] is easy and this is fun and different from the real world where you have to work all night.”

The San Dieguito community knew Keith as “Gimpy”, however many did not realize this was a nickname but those who did, stood wondering how it came about: “I was driving some race cars and they called them Jalopies … I was racing around and I rolled it and it was all squished in and some guy came over a couple days later and we were working on it and he said ‘What a Gimpy looking car that is’, so Joe Vargas said, ‘Well, you’re the one who drove it so you’re Gimpy’ and it just stuck.” When Keith attended SDHS, students called the school busses the banana wagons because of the color and all the girls flirted with the guys hoping to get a ride home so they wouldn’t have to ride in the banana wagon. “ I remenber that one time I gave a gal a ride after school and it got to the point where I would go to the parking lot and she would be sitting in the passenger’s seat waiting for me, and I didn’t necessarily want her there,” said Keith. Our most loved day of the week, Wednesdays, hour lunch days, are something we should all thank Keith for having: “I also had to start the student court and we got our lunch hours.” Keith’s high school years were truly a far cry from the SDA we know and love today. Next time you think about the good old days, think of Gimpy. story by Taina Millsap and Maddie Chao

www. sdamustang.com

a century of INSIGHT

Centenarian Alice Anderson was a pioneer in a male-dominated field, and her work and life experiences offer insight for the young people of today.

lice Anderson remembers when the Golden Gate Bridge was being built, and when Encinitas’s El Camino Real was a dirt road with ditches in the side, and every Sunday morning there would be cars in the ditches from people who had been drinking on Saturday night and had driven into them. She’s lived through a lot of California history in fact -- a whole century's worth. Born in March of 1915, Anderson celebrated her 100th birthday two months ago at the retirement home in Pacific Beach where she’s lived for the past eight years. Anderson was a pioneer in a male dominated field –engineering, where she spent most of her career. When I spoke with her she gave a lot of valuable advice for young women and men who will be entering the working world in a few years. Work and higher education is a frequent source of stress for high school students, and Anderson’s description of the experience was practical and reassuring. Though born in Massachusetts, Anderson moved to Oakland, California when she was a child. She later lived and worked in San Francisco, and in 1974 she and her family moved to Encinitas. She spoke to me about her life from her room on the second-story of the retirement home, which was neatly organized and decorated with cat figurines. A retirement plaque and a book titled “Women in Mathematics” sat atop a dresser. Anderson herself was the picture of elegance with her white hair, green knit shirt and gold jewelry. “I’ll try not to say anything incriminating,” she said when we began the interview. After she left school, Anderson worked for a women’s clothing designer in San Francisco. Nowadays, most young adults rent an apartment or a house once they leave home, but Anderson said that she rented a room from someone else and ate at a lunch counter because she didn’t have a kitchen. After that job, Anderson ended up working for the Navy as an engineer. She started while World War II was underway with a focus on drafting. It wasn’t what she had been planning to do, but she ended up working there for 36 years. “Most of my career was not planned,” Anderson said. She never went to college and didn’t have any formal training before she started, learning on the job instead. As well as drafting in the Navy, she did ballistics analysis, flight tests, and data interpretation. Anderson attributed her success at

Alice Anderson talks to a high school winner of a science fair in 2004 at a SWE awards banquet. Photo courtesy of Louise Julig.

her job to willing to be flexible and learning how to work well with others. “I didn’t know what I would be doing from day to day,” she said. “I wasn’t hired for a specific job; I worked on a lot of different projects.” Through initially Anderson didn’t always know the solution, for every project she worked on, she said, “I never said no, I can’t, or I won’t. I was given a job and I figured it out.” In the 70s the Navy relocated her job to Point Loma, and she and her family moved down to Encinitas from where they had been living in Pasadena. Anderson said that Encinitas was “just a little village” at the time. Anderson carried her hardworking attitude into her free time as well as her job. She was a longtime volunteer at Scripps La Jolla, volunteering for more than 10,000 hours throughout her time in North County. She said the volunteer work required the same skills that her job demanded: thinking on her feet, an activity that’s helped keep her mind sharp into her 10th decade. Anderson also volunteered with the Society of Women Engineers, a group formed in 1950 that brought together women in STEM careers to increase women’s opportunities and interest in engineering fields. Through SWE, Anderson helped to increase women’s presence in engineering, a field she says contained very few women when she began. “Sometimes I was the only woman around,” said Anderson of her career. For most of her career in engineering Anderson was on her own or one of only a few women. Working in a male-dominated field didn’t bother her though, and she said that her colleagues weren’t hostile to her either. “They didn’t mind [that we were women],” she said. “The only thing they cared about was whether we did our jobs.” Female participation in engineering has skyrocketed since then, a fact that Anderson is glad of. It’s certainly in part due to efforts of women like Anderson, which helped paved the way for future female engineers. Anderson’s hardworking attitude and dedication to all the causes in her life is a source of inspiration for every high school student wondering what they’re going to pursue in the next phase of their life, and is a reminder that life can be full of unexpected opportunities. story by Carina Julig

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the Mustang | May 2015

the sda

THANK YOU From toast to t-shirts, students have gone to quirky lengths to show teachers their gratitude.

“I sent it to my wife, and she just laughed. She said, ‘That looks exactly like you,’” said Wuertz of the new SDA band t-shirts, worn by junior Max Opferkunch above. Photo by Emma Chang.

12 | something different

o any other high school teenager, cutout masks, a creased forehead, and French headwear hardly have anything in common. To SDA students, they’re the best way to say, “Thank you.” It is no secret that the teachers here are a contributing factor to SDA’s renowned campus culture, and over the years it has only become more and more common for kids to show their support the best way they know how: creatively. Consider AP US history teacher, Kerry Koda, who had her face lasered onto a piece of toast during Exhibition Day last year. “I knew [who it was of] immediately,” she said. “It was really weird.” Last year, Koda was also led through an entire “National Treasure” themed scavenger hunt, orchestrated by 2014 graduates Roya Changon, Lily LeaVesseur, and Sam Winter. At the end of her quest to finding the Declaration of Independence, she received two personalized “Koda t-shirts,” one for her and one for her daughter, Mari. “I think part of the whole thing is that Koda is really enigmatic and likes to be that way,” said Chagnon, the designer of the shirts. “She’s down to earth and sarcastic and funny, but also very wise and caring. Drawing information out of her is like mining for gold.” Several students on campus proudly own Chagnon’s Koda shirt, including senior Delaney Duff. “SDA students really value the education that they are given,” said Duff. “The t-shirts [are] an homage to honor specific teachers who [we’ve] appreciated.” More than a “Joke” Former SDA biology teacher, Michael Santos, was similarly “honored” one Monday morning when he found his classroom covered in “Santosa flowers.” These flowers, orchids with his face photoshopped into the middle, came to be when seniors Katie Watson, Emily Templin and Emily Erisman used them as props in their AP Bio presentation. “They were a lot more popular than we expected them to be,” said Watson. When her younger sister suggested putting them all over his room “as a joke,” the group ran with it. “Our enthusiasm really came from Santos just being a super cool guy,” said Templin. “We wanted to do something to say, ‘Thanks for being an awesome teacher!’” The two hundred flowers, which covered everything from the cabinets to the clock, remained up for the duration of the year; Watson said they slowly dwindled in number as students took them home as souvenirs. Even Santos has kept the one taped to the back of his refrigerator. As former SDA teachers have their legacies live on, new SDA teachers are far from immune to this level of spirit. Last Halloween, students in Luke Duchene’s AP government class surprised him by collectively holding up printout masks of his face. “It was very creepy, especially the fact that the eyeballs were cut out,” said Duchene, who has one of the masks tacked to the wall beside his desk. “As it was happening, I was thinking, ‘They’re either mocking me, or they’re showing me that I connected with them.’” Taking the Risk Most recently, music teacher Jeremy Wuertz has found himself – or his forehead, rather - reproduced on over 40 t-shirts promoting SDA’s music department. The shirt was first inspired by a class photo that Wuertz took for the art department’s selfie contest. “Quite honestly, that was the first real selfie that I’d ever done,” said Wuertz. Junior Max Opferkuch had no intentions of “actually making” the shirts when he created the design based off of Wuertz’s forehead in the photo. It was his friends who convinced him.

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“A lot of us feel like Mr. Wuertz is our dad outside of home,” said junior Alexis Hale, who organized the purchase. “He wants musicmaking [to be] a great experience for everyone.” The big reveal was coordinated to take place at the Harvest Festival in San Francisco. “It just shows you how much you don’t notice in the course of day-to-day actions,” said Wuertz. “It was a warm day, and they were all in sweat-shirts.” Opferkunch admitted he was “a little dubious” about how Wuertz would react, wondering, “Is printing shirts with your band director’s hairline really the best way to show your appreciation for them?” For Wuertz, it was. “It means a lot,” he said, “that they would be interested in putting something together as a group.” “I just love that,” said physics teacher George Stimson, “when a student feels that you’re doing something for them, [and] they turn around and say, ‘You know what, I’m going to do something for you.” Stimson himself is no stranger to receiving unique forms of student support. He has graced several memes on social media and was even made into a large, cardboard cutout for a trebuchet target. “That shirt of me that says, ‘Bitchin’’ on the front of it,” Stimson said, “it’s a shirt that I probably wouldn’t wear, but [my students] gave me one and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s wonderful.’” For team spirit, the robotics drive team also sports Stimson’s iconic beret look at competitions, although that one was his own idea. “[I told them], you’re going to wear this ugly ass thing, and you’re going to be intimidating,” said Stimson. “They didn’t do it for me. Well, actually, the fact that they wore the stupid berets, I guess they did do it for me.” A Bit of Perspective Stimson and Santos both agreed that this connection between students and teachers is something special to SDA. “It’s kind of sad that I don’t get to see it anymore,” said Santos. “[At SDA], when I’m walking through the halls, everyone yells my name [and] comes towards me. [At Torrey Pines], it’s like I’m Moses, and I’m parting their sea; I’m assistant principal, and they see me discipline.” Duchene said he was encouraged that day his students donned their masks. “I want the kids to feel comfortable enough with me,” he said. “Comfortable enough where they can make masks of my face.” “I think that it is at the core of the human experience,” said Wuertz, “just to feel that somebody cares [and] is appreciating what you’re doing.” story by Elise Gout “I get to see myself everywhere in plant form, which is nice,” said Santos of the Santosa flower, shown right. Photo courtesy of Terry Fonte.

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the Mustang | May 2015

SDA Profiles SDA is rich with talented faculty and students, and the Mustang is showcasing a few who have been commended for their work this year. See stories on pages 18 and 19.

Rie Tsuboi

apanese teacher Rie Tsuboi was recently named one of the top three world language teachers in the state by the California Language Teacher Association. She said, “I stood out as a nominee for the award because of my activities outside of class such as Japanese honor society and the trips I take with my students to Japan.” Freshman Japanese Student Austin Stead said, “She was chosen for the award because of her excellent-run exchange student program. It’s only at a couple schools in California, and it helps us learn a lot.” Tsuboi grew up in Japan and majored in English in college. “Originally I planned on teaching English to Japanese students. When I was given an opportunity to teach Japanese to English Students,” she said, “I found it was much more fun.” Tsuboi intended to become a college professor. However, she was soon urged by a friend to apply for a job opening at the newly formed San Dieguito Academy. Tsuboi responded, “Well, high school?” Since then, she has been pleasantly surprised with the experience and finds it rewarding to teach Japanese. When she became a teacher at SDA, she said, “The district quickly took a liking to my dedication to teaching and my activities outside of school I planned.” Since then she has seen the Japanese program flourish. “My favorite thing about teaching is seeing your kids learn and grow,” she said. “It seems that my Japanese AP students were just grasping the basics yesterday.” story by Cole Gonzales photo courtesy of Rie Tsuboi

Rod Keillor

SB teacher Rod Keillor has been named the 2015 SDA teacher of the year, an annual award chosen by the school faculty. “I feel very honored; this is a very special place to teach at with a lot of great teachers,” said Keillor, who also teaches college applications and video film. . “The greatest thing you can say about a teacher whose impact is as great as his is just his connection and accessibility to students,” Principal Tim Hornig said. “He values the student voice to such an extent and works with our student leaders to ensure that what we do and how we do it truly embodies SDA culture, He really does shape leadership platforms and help kids think about how they can become better individuals.” Keillor said that the most difficult aspect of ASB is timing. “There’s always something going on, after every big event there’s something coming up, just a lot of things that I’m constantly having to manage,” he said. “You get better over time.” He finds that the most rewarding part of his job is seeing students enjoying the activities that ASB puts on. He also enjoys that ASB can showcase students’ talents. “Whether it’s Battle of the Bands or Exhibition Day, just seeing their excitement and [recognition that] they’re connected to our school is really rewarding,” he said. Keillor hopes that through taking his classes, students can gain skills that they’ll use for the rest of their lives. “The most important thing they do all the time is problem-solve. What do you do when you encounter a roadblock? There are roadblocks for every activity that we put on, and they’ve got to persevere and find ways to go around them,” he said. “He always keeps up a positive attitude, and even if one of our events doesn’t go as well as we planned, he doesn’t focus on that negativity, he focuses on “How can we do this better next time?” And that’s really uplifting for us and it encourages us to do things better in the future,” said junior Becca Lim, ASB president. story by Carina Julig photo by Carina Julig

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< read the full story on Keillor online at sdamustang.com

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go see EDDIE

An injured athlete is sure to hear these three words from a coach, sending them to athletic trainer Eddie Lara. A former SDA student, he’s had his share of eventful experiences before coming back to his roots.

en minutes after the final bell and the chaos has already begun as a continuous flow of athletes starts to trickle into the training room. But athletic trainer Eddie Lara doesn’t let the hecticness faze him. He greets each incoming kid with a casual “What’s up,” and still manages to stay focused on the student at hand, occasionally directing others towards exercises or warm-ups to do while they wait for his expertise. “Relax, don’t let me move your foot. Sore or sharp?” he questions the athlete on the table, referring to the pain in his ankle. After a quick examination, he makes a point to explain to the kid why things are hurting, instead of putting a quick label on the injury. Even spending just a few frenzied minutes in the training room and anyone can see Lara takes his job seriously. Once a student at SDA himself, Lara’s ambition to become an athletic trainer has taken him on a path that included the San Diego Soccers, San Diego State Aztecs, and San Diego Chargers, before bringing him back to his roots. However, Lara wasn’t always set on working as a trainer. In fact, he said he recalls being very good at math when he was at Oak Crest middle school and was leaning towards pursuing something along the lines of architecture or engineering. But then, when he was in 8th grade, his father had a seizure. “I didn’t know what to do; I was in shock,” said Lara. It was at that point that Lara realized he “needed to do something to help [his] family.” With the help along the way from Coach John Brennan and his high school AVID teacher Rob Ross, he was able to begin defining his career goals. But it wasn’t until his freshman year in college that he decided upon athletic training. “I met a chiropractor that went to San Diego State, the same school I was attending. He suggested, rather than go pre-physical therapy which would then require two to three years of graduate school, I’d be better off pursuing athletic training,” Lara said. The man also offered him a chance to shadow him at his job with the San Diego Soccers, the city’s men’s professional soccer team. “When I did that, I got into the sports realm. I liked what I saw, I like the way you were very one-on-one with the athletes on the field and off the field versus physical therapists being indoors the whole time.” Lara’s work as an athletic trainer then began to take off. As a student studying for a degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in athletic training, he was required to get both internship and mentorship hours during his time in school. After shadowing the chiropractor for the San Diego Soccers, Lara

Photo by Allie Manis.

went on to work with the San Diego Aztec State football team and then the college’s baseball team with Tony Gwynn. Next it was the San Diego Chargers. “With the Chargers, it was very one-on-one. From July all the way to the first week of the NFL season we worked with the players every day,” said Lara. All this time spent with the athletes allowed the trainers to really bond with them: “If anyone knew them, it would be us.” Lara recalls one player in particular, Antoine Cason, a cornerback at the time, who he’d become friends with. “I would teach him Spanish on the sidelines, [when] he was resting,” said Lara. “We would always play pranks on each other. Like loosen up the bottle caps for the rookies so they’d spill drinks all over themselves.” Lara worked with the Chargers for three years, two of which were during his junior and senior years at SDSU. During this time he additionally worked at Cathedral Catholic High School to obtain his high school internship hours. After graduating in 2012, Lara continued to work with the Chargers during their preseason summer camps. It was at that time that Hank Hang, SDA’s athletic trainer at the time, gave him a call. “Prior to my graduation, I’d introduced myself to the athletic trainer here [SDA]. He wanted me to work with him, but I didn’t have my certification yet,” said Lara. Now that he was certified by National Athletic Trainers Association, he was able to accept the job. Working with professional athletes to working with high school students was definitely a transition, Lara said. “[In high school] it varies. A lot of [teenagers] are here for competitive, a lot for recreational, and a lot for P.E. credit. For a professional athlete, if they don’t play, they don’t get paid. They risk the chance of having a spot on the team and being traded.” Lara said that difference can be apparent when working with student athletes versus professional athletes on a rehab program. However, he still noted that professional athletes aren’t always attentive to their recovery plan despite the consequences. “The same goes for high school. If they really want to stay with the team, they will stick with the rehab program and recommendations. It’s different, but the mentality is almost the same,” Lara said. As for him, Lara said athletic trainers have their own way of thinking about sports. “For example in baseball, I’ll think ‘this pitcher with a hand that isn’t really over his shoulder, but more to the side. It could be prone to this injury’,” explained Lara. “It’s a peace of mind for the athletes to know you’re on their sideline.” continued on page 15

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the Mustang | May 2015

sdamustang.com

“You never stop working to be honest. It’s peace of mind for the athletes to know I’m on their sideline.” - Eddie Lara, athletic trainer

“We’ll use the ellipticals and weights up there [the weight room] to strengthen the muscles that lack strength and get different exercises in,” said Lara, with senior Jarod Bednar. Photo by Allie Manis.

go see EDDIE 16 | the middle

(continued from page 15) As for how athletes can prevent injuries, Lara said hydration is key: “You can prevent a lot things from heat exhaustion to muscle strain. Muscles get overworked and you need to supplement stretches with the proper nutrients and hydration.” In addition, staying informed and asking questions is crucial for avoiding injuries in sports. “It’s just like students in a classroom. If you don’t know something about the subject, ask the teacher. In our case, it’s the athletic trainer, the coach. ‘Am I doing this right, am I doing this wrong? Why does it hurt?’” said Lara. Though Lara would like to help as many athletes as he can, he said finding a balance between his own time and being an athletic trainer can be difficult. It’s a difficult job to do on your own, Lara said, especially looking towards the upcoming school year when more freshman will be coming to SDA, affecting the number of student athletes. “You have to be dedicated to take a job like this at a high school. You don’t have a lot of benefits but you have a lot of heart for the athletes,” said Lara. This heart can be seen in how he interacts with them. After school in the training room, he can often be found

in a lighthearted mood, jokingly giving one student a hard time for using all of his prewrap, talking to another about her older sister, an old SDA classmate of his, all while taping someone’s foot. SDA’s athlete’s seem to have a lot of trust in and appreciation for Eddie, knowing that he’ll help them however he can. “As a trainer he not only tapes you for the game but he’ll rehab you after. He really looks out for the players and makes sure they’re ready for the game,” said Senior Miriam Bloom. Senior Juna Bouchekara agreed: “Eddie really knows what he’s talking about and what he’s doing and he’ll help you with anything.” And he’s happy to do it. When asked about his favorite part of the job, this shined through: “Being able to see from day one when the athlete goes down on the field to the day they are playing their senior match, or their last home game already returned to almost 100 percent. It’s like when you plant a seed and then you see this plant grow. Each day they rely on you to help them get better and back on their feet. It’s great to see progression because it makes you feel better knowing you are doing some good in someone’s life.” story by Elise Echeverria

Taping up an SDA athlete’s ankle before practice. Photo by Allie Manis.

‘Thank you’ notes hang in Lara’s office from athletes who he helped through their injuries. Photo by Allie Manis.

Lara helps students sign in when they come into the training room so he can keep track of their injuries and progress. Photo by Caroline Daniel. “We have all of this equipment that we can use to still work out the athlete so they don’t become stagnant or decline in their health by the time they return to their team again,” said Lara, pictured with senior Elizabeth Urbina. Photo by Caroline Daniel.

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the Mustang | May 2015

Colleen McGrath

enior Colleen McGrath has always liked drawing since she was little, but started taking art more seriously her freshman year, when art teacher Neil Glasgow asked her to join AP Studio Art. Then, it became something more than just for fun. McGrath paints images of strange worlds and fascinating human like creatures that really remind the observer of how far the imagination can truly stretch. She is now being recognized at a San Diego State University art show featuring the artwork of different high school students from around the county, a show in which only 25% of submissions were actually accepted. Her piece, which she calls her “more attention grabbing, biggest and brightest,” features large human life creatures acting as telephone poles through a small neighborhood near the mountains. McGrath has had her art featured in SDA’s art gallery, but never in a professional gallery until now. “It’s going to be strange but really cool because it’s a professional gallery with high ceilings and white walls so it’s going to be interesting seeing it there,” she says. Art doesn’t always come easily however. McGrath claims the hardest part of being an artist is the “creative block,” but says that once you figure out what you’re creating, then it becomes easy. For this piece, she put together the best of her doodles in her notebook and created one large image from those. In the future, McGrath is thinking about becoming an architect, wanting to merge art and the real world together. story by Caroline Daniels photos courtesy of Colleen McGrath

ophomore Niklas Hoover has come a long way from the crayons and play-doh creations that first introduced him to art. Last month, Hoover’s painting, “Lyrical Fauna,” had been accepted into the Young Art 2015- Visualizing Music Art Exhibition in Balboa Park’s San Diego Museum of Art. The exhibition, which runs from now until May 26, showcases works of art by students in grades K-12 within the San Diego County School District, displaying the pieces alongside the museum’s permanent collections. When it comes to finding inspiration, Hoover doesn’t need to follow a set of guidelines. When he sees something of interest, “I’ll just sort of somehow form [the idea] into something else or express something.” The intention of this piece was, “to express the beauty of nature through something that combines beauty and nature.” Hoover is still looking to expand to different forms of art beyond the watercolor he used for his painting. “I don’t really have a favorite form of art or style,” he said. “I’m trying a lot of different styles and seeing which one I like best.” Art teacher Kajsa Medak has seen Hoover grow in his artwork since first teaching him in a studio art class at Diegueno Middle School, and more recently in a drawing and design class last fall term. “[Hoover] pays so much attention to detail, and therefore his artwork ends up looking really interesting and holds your attention,” she said. According to Hoover, being recognized isn’t an easy feat. “Publicity is really hard to come by in an artist’s world. Being recognized publicly is really huge, so it’s a really good feeling.” story by Brittany Serbin photos courtesy of Niklas Hoover

18 | something different

Sydney Busic

Niklas Hoover

enior Sydney Busic can’t remember the first time she was drawn to create art. “It’s always just been something I felt I needed to do,” she said. To her, art is not only a means of expressing herself, but a way to further explore the world around her and convey deep fascination with her surroundings. “The world is weird and fantastical, even if people don’t notice it all the time,” she said. “I guess I’m inspired by my desire to document it to the best of my abilities.” Busic’s artistic aspirations are beginning to take flight, with four of her pieces being accepted into the Groff exhibition at San Diego State University, a showing of the best pieces created by high school students in San Diego. With only a quarter of applicants’ pieces chosen for the showing, Busic says she was “pretty excited” when she heard news of her achievement. Later, one of her pieces, “Submersion into Illumination” was named Best in Show. The pieces she submitted are some of her newer works, which she believes are better quality, as she has had more time to develop artistically. Busic believes that she has had a really positive experience growing as an artist at SDA. “Overall it’s just a really great atmosphere that encourages creativity and talent without being too structured,” she said. She feels grateful for art teacher Neil Glasgow’s help throughout her high school career. “If Mr. Glasgow hadn’t invited me into the AP studio art program, I don’t think I would have pursued it as confidently,” she said. Her persistence and dedication to her art clearly shows through her work and Busic hopes she can continue to create. As for her future, Busic said, “ I would like to go to art school and further pursue art there, but even if that doesn’t work out and I have to do something else with my life I will always be doing art in some way or another, even if it’s painting the sides of my cardboard box under a freeway underpass.” story by Linden Amundsen photos courtesy of Sydney Busic

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Kylah Clay

Katie and Eric Wimsatt

ylah Clay, a junior at SDA, is the Corporate President in the robotics team; she received the Dean’s List award given to students who have shown dedication to the program, and great abilities in STEM, that promote STEM studies and that spread the idea of technical learning in their community. Clay accredited her award to her position on the team. This past year, she helped raise about $20,000 for the team. In addition to this, she made a handbook for incoming students and volunteers with young kids interested in the field. In Clay’s freshman year, robotics was just a way for her to gain some points with colleges. She started working as treasurer and getting money to help the team. “It was just really the team that got me passionate about it,” said Clay. “As soon as I won the award, this boy comes up to me and was like, “Oh my god, it was such an honor to have met you.’ I didn’t know how big it was until I actually got it ... I’m really proud and honored” said Clay. As the President, Clay does a lot business management, finances and also writes grants to companies that don’t realize it’s a teenager on the other side of the screen. Clay’s biggest difficulty is to compete with other adults for the companies’ attention. To make sure she wouldn’t be left behind, she attended grant writing classes to improve her skills. In the future, she has a lot of ideas for what she wants to do, including being a translator for the program and getting more countries involved. The robotics team mentor had a lot to say about Clay’s acomplishments. “I’m really thrilled; it’s a really hard award to get, and she did phenomenally well. There’s about 60 in all of the United States. Thousands of people apply to it... she has a lot of potential. She is a great business woman in the making,” said Mr. Stimson. “I didn’t know this about myself,” said Clay, “but I’m very dedicated and passionate. When robotics came around, you could count on me being there.“ story by Taina Milsap photo courtesy of Kylah Clay

o end a year full of lint rollers and debating about the ocean, sophomores Katie Wimsatt and Eric Wimsatt are headed to Dallas, Texas from June 14th to the 19th to compete in the Speech and Debate National Championships. Previously, the duo participated in the Speech and Debate National Qualifiers at Carlsbad High School and became one of the three top teams in Varsity Policy with a 3-1 W/L record at the end of the tournament. In 8th grade, the siblings were inspired to join speech and debate by their older brother, Michael Wimsatt, a four-year member of SDA’s team. Continuing the family legacy, the twins began debating their freshman year with his support and coaching. Working together as a team, the two have “kind of an advantage,” Eric said. “We have a lot more time to talk stuff out than a lot of the other teams do.” To prepare for the tournament, they gave practice speeches, did speaking drills, and lots of research. “We do [research] mostly in our free time,” said Katie. “The number of pieces of evidence I’ve cut at least has to be near 1,000. Eric’s probably cut more.” The topic for this competition season is about the federal government’s exploration/development of the Earth’s oceans. They also worked on preparing themselves for the wide variety of judges that they would face at the tournament. “You have the judges who coach debate and know about policy, but you also have judges who were parents and didn’t have as much of an idea of what policy debate was and how it functions. So we had to work on being able to get both of the judges happy,” said Katie. For parent judges you have to “talk slowly and speak prettily” but for flow judges, ones who coach the event, “you can talk at about 300 words per minute and use obscure evidence,” said Katie. Both Katie and Eric are excited to move on to the national championships. They are proud of how far they have gotten in the season and are glad that all of their hard work and weekends spent competing have paid off. But the endless hours of competing don’t stop there. They will be attending debate camp over the summer to strengthen their skills and will begin researching the new topic for next year.

Ben Ellerbrock

e’ve all read “Lord of the Flies,” and we’ve all developed an opinion of the character Piggy. Half of us love Piggy and see him as an intelligent leader...and the rest of us see him like senior Ben Ellerbrock: “A pathetic, annoying, little twerp who just kind of...sucked as a person.” Many opinions change over time and over the last few months, Ellerbrocks understanding of Piggy has completely changed. “Now I kind of look at him like, he is the voice of reason...I now view him more as the symbol that he is instead of some whiney little b*tch”. Ellerbrock has begun to see Piggy this way for he has recently played the character of Piggy in his first ever professional theatre production...but its not all fun and games. “This is the most fun I have ever had... but it gets a lot harder having to do Blaze’s homework at two in the morning and I really don’t have the motivation to do things when I get home...but you know, I do,” he said, referring to AP English teacher, Blaze Newman’s class. So what about the show? Ellerbrock said, “I wasn’t sure that we were going pull it out good enough for opening night, but we had a really solid opening night and second weekend so, its been going very well...and the environment is just so different [from SDA drama productions]. Here at school each individual crew has four or five people. [With “Lord of the Flies”], we have four or five people total teching the show. They do everything and go above and beyond of what we can at school. It’s no longer ‘Oh this is just something I do after school’ It’s like my job.” Ellerbrock said that he didn’t notice his love for theatre until a little before freshman year. “My sister did a little ‘Lord of The Flies’ video, and the first time I ever acted in front of people was when I was Piggy [in that], when I was, you know, really little, and so it kind of comes full circle.” story by Maddie Chao photo courtesy of Ben Ellerbrock

story by Nicole Ramirez photo courtesy of Katie Wimsatt

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the Mustang | May 2015

one of those

DAYTRIPS Whether or not it’s for the pristine beaches, squares of fudge, or plates of oysters, a trip to Coronado Island is worth the family bonding time.

The Hotel Del Coronado, the closest thing you will get to a castle in the U.S. Photo by Linden Amundsen.

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tied on my first pair of ice skates at the Hotel Del Coronado. Seven- year- old me was vehemently against this endeavor, believing that through some inevitable skating accident I would become slice ‘n’ diced Linden sashimi. After copious coaxing and several cups of hot chocolate, I reluctantly agreed to enter the rink. History will tell that I was not victim to any unfortunate accidents that night, but also that it became a beautiful family memory. A decade later, and it was time to return. “I’m going to Coronado this weekend,” I told my mom. “Don’t you want to go with me? Soon you’re leaving for college and then I’ll never see you, so don’t you want to go and spend quality time with your mother while you still can?” “You just want to eat oysters at the Hotel.” “Yeah, actually, that’s true. You caught me.” Thus began a semi-sentimental family trip to Coronado. My mom and I got in the car intent on spending quality time together, and, more importantly, eating good seafood. Coronado Island lies slightly across the ocean from downtown San Diego. To get there, one can either cross a very tall bridge that will instill fear in the hearts of anyone and everyone, or alternatively, take a ferry that runs every hour. We took the bridge and I was, quite frankly, terrified. Being spring, the skating rink is now absent from the Hotel Del grounds. In its stead are blooming flowers and cheery beach goers. Built in the late 1880’s, the Hotel’s elegant architecture and famous red spired roof transports me back to a glamorous past, when celebrities and royalty flocked to Coronado. We walked along Coronado Beach, which has continually been named one of the best beaches by The Travel Channel. It was a lovely beach with high quality sand. We perused the shops before heading to dinner. Drawn by the overwhelming, delicious smell of waffle cones, we visited Moo Time, an adorable ice cream shop, but after noticing a nearby candy store filled with shelves of fudge, I chose to skip the ice cream and indulge in a square of mint chip fudge. For dinner, we went to Sheerwater, and were seated outside in the charming patio. A party of four occupies the table next to us. “Do you believe the salad has avocado in it?” The man, a portly, graying gentleman frowns and takes a swig of sparkling mineral water. “It absolutely would ruin my night, if there was avocado in the salad.” Our food comes, and it is magnificent. The lobster mac n cheese steals my all my attention and every last frozen remnant of my heart. We finish our meal with an order of oysters. I will likely never be able to enjoy such a mind-blowingly delicious meal again, unless I return to Sheerwater. I overhear avocado guy mention he wants to order the steak with a side of glazed root vegetables. What exactly do root vegetables entail? Carrots? Beets? Perhaps he too is intrigued by the mysterious glazed root vegetables and therefore has chosen to order them. We don’t stay long enough to witness him uncover the vegetablemystery. The sun is setting as we depart, bathing Coronado Island in golden light, and leaving feels bittersweet. “You know, the brunch here is San Diego’s best. Or so they say.” “It’s almost a hundred dollars for a plate of Eggs Benedict and lox,” my mom replies skeptically. “Brunch is the king of meals, and besides,” I say wisely, “it’s all you can eat.” I will be back. story by Linden Amundsen

www. sdamustang.com

he blankets of bottle caps and other recycled materials strung together and hanging freely on the walls may confuse most people. Their great size and detail captures onlookers’ eyes as they shimmer in the studio light. This exhibit, “Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works” by El Anatsui, will remain in the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego (MCASD) until June 28 at the downtown location. Their other location in La Jolla will open “Dear Nemesis” by Nicole Eisenman on May 9. This exhibit includes her paintings, printmakings, and drawings from the 1990s to the present. Students who bring an identification card will get in for free. As described by New York University, “Contemporary art is the art of today. [It] provides an opportunity to reflect on contemporary society, the issues relevant to ourselves, and the world around us.” Someone working to connect contemporary art with learning is Christian Lopez, the educator for schools youth and education program at the MCASD. Lopez works directly with teachers and students to connect contemporary art with academic subjects. Contemporary art can be confusing, he admits, but Lopez argues that its mystery adds to its interest appeal. “On the surface you’re like, ‘what the hell is that, like, really, that’s art? come on,’ so that inquiry and having to critically think is very embedded in contemporary art.” To understand a piece more, Lopez insists upon “reading the labels and having some understanding about the artist, what their practice is, where they’re coming from, and why is this particular piece of art being created.” Lopez says that contemporary art is important because it “deals with the times at hand and how certain issues are brought to the forefront through art that are relevant either to young people or social issues.” American education usually doesn’t prioritize art. School budget cuts usually target art programs whenever money runs low. However, art is more than just painting a pretty sunset. Contrary to popular belief, art can be utilized in schools to maximize learning potential in all areas of education. By working at the museum and in schools, Lopez tries to “incorporate contemporary art into the lessons and bridge whatever the discipline may be, whether it’s math, science, [or] English, with the exhibitions that we have in the galleries.” Lopez believes in the importance of capturing a young audience to “see what their opinions are on contemporary art, since recently the value in it at schools has decreased due to fundings.” In addition to working with the extended school partnership program, Lopez runs the Teen Advisory Group. TAG meets twice a month during the school year at the MCASD downtown location. This group comprises of high school students around San Diego that talk about, work with, and make art. Students also have opportunities to talk to local artists and organize teen events. “I don’t think there is a particular group that TAG targets, but rather just people that want exposure, like the arts, and want to be able to submerge themselves in that type of environment,” Lopez said. “It’s not a matter of being super artsy in order to be a part of TAG.” To learn more, visit http://www.mcasd.org/learn/25-and-under/ teens.

museum

MUSINGS The Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego works to connect art with learning.

A woman views El Anatsui’s exhibit with wonder. Photo by Julia Wengler

story by Julia Wengler

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the Mustang | May 2015

perfect POEMS Poet Billy Collins offers advice for young writers who find joy in creating poetry and prose.

Teacher Rob Ross and Creative Writing Club members pose for a photo after meeting poet Billy Collins. Photo courtesy of Jon Clark.

f you’re capable of forming words, you have the capability to write, says Billy Collins, former United States Poet Laureate. Published at age 40, Collins insists that it is never too late to develop an affinity for writing; even he was never comfortable with his own writing until his mid-thirties. But his hard work and dedication paid off, as seen with Collins’ most popular published collection of poems, titled “Aimless Love.” Collins spoke to Creative Writing teacher Robert Ross and six students from SDA’s Creative Writing Club, explaining the importance of the artistic development of young writers. These students were taken to the Grand Golf Club to attend the Rancho Santa Fe Literary Society luncheon with Collins last month. Before rising to fame, Collins taught at the University of New York; ever since he was nominated for Poet Laureate, he has actively worked to raise appreciation for poetry in America. Writers’ lives do not have to be completely invested in their art, he said. “When I was about 10, I had a literary reaction... I was in the back of my parents’ car, and we were driving in New York, where we lived along the East River, and I saw a sailboat... I asked my mother for something to write with.” There is no right time or place to begin writing, Collins said. The beauty of creative writing is the fact that anybody can develop an interest at any time; it’s never too late to begin a career or hobby in creative writing. There is no perfect time or place to write. Whenever you come across your muse, Collins encouraged young writers to pick up a pen and write anywhere. Collins even suggested for young writers to carry a small pocket notebook for when inspiration strikes. Everybody is a writer, Collins argued, as long as you find joy in putting pen to paper to create something of your own. Writing is proven to be a special kind of therapy, allowing writers to pour raw emotion onto paper without fear of judgment. No matter the subject, style, or language, Collins encourages everybody to write, whether they intend to share their piece or not. However, writing for someone other than yourself is what sets the writer apart from the hobbyist. Collins insists that a writers’ number one task is to practice. Imitation is the key, for the aspiring author. “That’s really the way you develop [writing], by imitating. The only way to get original or fresh is through imitation of other poets,” Collins said. “If you’re lucky, and you’re imitating the right poets and mimicking the right signals, you’ll be able to write in a way that is drawn from all these other poets, but it won’t sound like them.” Collins described the importance of mimicking other artists: “[You have to learn how to] combine your influences and accentuate the parts you really connect with. That’s what originality really is. It’s a series of borrowings.” Without forming an understanding of other styles of writing, even the most skilled authors are incapable of developing their own writing style. Collins highlighted the importance of taking bits and pieces from different authors, to create the beginnings of your own unique writing style. To Collins, writing isn’t about creating something ‘good’ or ‘bad’, it’s about whether or not anybody else could have written it. Uniqueness is what sets authors apart from one another, and a trait that Collins encourages in ambitious writers. story by Mona Karimi

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sdamustang.com

Senior Bryce Ayers, freshman Jenna Steinberg, and freshman Dashell Gregory during after-school rehearsal. Photo by Olivia Olander

Practically Perfect in Every Way Get ready for a spoonful of sugar this coming May.

he SDA drama class is hard at work perfecting every detail of their musical adaptation of “Mary Poppins,” running May 27-30, June 4-6. All performances begin at 7 p.m. This version of “Mary Poppins” takes from both the original books written by P.L. Travers and the

movie adaptation produced by Disney. According to senior Samantha Steinberg, who plays the flying nanny herself, the musical will contain the original score from Disney’s movie (“Jolly Holiday,” “Feed the Birds,” etc.) as well as additional scenes and songs inspired by Travers’ books.

Steinberg related just how much effort and dedication is going into the production: “[For the past two months,] we rehearse every day for the duration of third period, so about an hour and a half each day. Once we move into the end of April, however, we start having after school rehearsals on top of that. These last until show time. The first couple of weeks we have about two hours after school, as well as the hour and a half during the day.” Steinberg continued, saying how she attended theater workshops to perfect the British dialect, learned the choreography from the official Broadway performance, and balanced rehearsals, on top of regular classes and studying for AP tests in May. For sophomore Shea Fairbanks-Galaudet, who portrays Michael Banks in the musical, this is her first opportunity to play a wlead role in an SDA production. According to Fairbanks-Galaudet, despite all the stress of learning the songs, dances, and presentation of her character’s personality, she looks forward to the premier and is confident of future audiences’ reception; “I’m so pumped, you wouldn’t believe; I’ve been understudying for so long I’m really enjoying having a real character that’s my own. Sure I get nervous… but it’s mostly from internal stuff… You’ve got to believe in Mrs. Siers… She picked us for our roles for a reason.” During the class’s rehearsal of the song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” the cast performed the choreography with great enthusiasm, as well as executed the song in a fashion deserving of Disney’s original score. If you want to see new life brought to a beloved childhood classic, check out “Mary Poppins” next month at the PAC.

story by Daniel Ballard

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the Mustang | May 2015

students that SLAY A look into the minds of SDA’s best dressed.

lue Feeney’s artistic talents (writing and sewing) are immediately evident the moment you set eyes on her creative ensembles, some of which she even make herself! Fashionable SDA senior, Feeney would describe her fashion sense as bubbly; her flowing dresses, pastel colors and patches she creates herself make it easy to understand why. Feeney says most of her wardrobe is from Target. “They’re pretty cheap and they fit pretty well,” she said. In terms of shopping online, she loves asos, saying, “Their plus size selection is unrivaled.” In terms of fashion inspiration, Feeney often looks to blogging and sewing guru Annika Victoria, from who she has learned Photo by Blue Feeney to make dresses. Feeney said that she feels most confident in dresses that hug her sides and flow out to accentuate her hourglass figure. “You can never go wrong with with dark red lipstick and eyeliner,” she added. When asked why fashion is important to her, Feeney responded, “It really helps me love myself. When I feel confident about how I look, I feel wonderful! I haven’t always liked the way I look, but I have realized that this is my body and I am beautiful. I like to be kind to myself and look as best as I can.” Make sure to check out the patches Feeney will be selling at Exhibition Day!

ophomore Laura Dunham turns heads wherever she goes with her superb sense of style. She uses a mix of vintage, edgy and modern pieces to create her signature looks. Dunham enjoys getting her clothes from local boutiques or online. A couple of her favorite spots include Flashbacks and Home. The fashion savvy teen also enjoys personalizing many of her clothing items. “I have a huge passion for sewing; I’m kind a freak about it!” she added. Old movies and vintage photos are a huge inspiration for Dunham; she also said, “The 90s play a big part in my wardrobe.” Another way Dunham finds inspiration is by people watching in Encinitas. She like Photo by Laura Dunham pieces that are unique, bold, and interesting just like her. When asked what she felt most confident in, Dunham replied, “I feel most confident in really anything! I find confidence in the little things.” She plans to graduate from FIDM and pursue the fashion side of business. Dunham’s favorite clothing item are shoes. “I love a kick-ass pair of shoes,” she said. Kick ass shoes for a kick ass girl. story by Vanessa Machin

story by Vanessa Machin

unior June Hall, bohemian fashion enthusiast, can easily be spotted on campus clad in her usual casual yet sophisticated attire, her tall physique and gorgeous red hair accented by her signature rustic sunglasses. Hall frequents thrift stores and boutiques for vintage dresses and accessories, turning her nose up at the typical jeans and blouse, opting for a dress-only wardrobe. “I literally don’t own a single pair of jeans or shorts,” she said. Hall easily chooses dresses over any other article of clothing. “It’s just really, really easy in the morning,” she said. “With [dresses] you look like you’re trying really hard, but you’re secretly not trying at all.” Photo by June Hall Hall has developed a fondness towards fashion, stating that she likes it because “before I even talk to someone, [my outfit] sort of tells people what I’m like.” story by Mona Karimi

reshman Julian Weisseig’s Adam Levinesque looks make him one of the most suavely dressed guys on campus. Weissig shops at “Urban Outfitters, Spin Again and Forever 21, and sometimes small thrift shops.” H & M is Weissig’s favorite shop as it is, in his words, “pretty sick.” Adam Levine provides most of the inspiration for Weissig’s ensembles. “His hair is delightful and I like his style. He’s very casual and very artsy at the same time so it’s pretty cool,” he said. In terms of what Weissig feels most confident in, Weissig think you can’t wrong with a good pair of pants. “They’re really comfortable. In shorts I feel comfortable but also kinda exposed,” he said. Weissig explained that he likes to wear Photo by Julian Weisseig things he feels fit with the mood of the day, and feels confident when wearing pieces that match how he feels. Flannels are Weissig’s favorite article of clothing because of their versatility; he also has an affinity for shoes, and you can spot him around campus looking dapper wrapped in a flannel with a nice pair of sneakers on his feet. So why is fashion important to Julian Weissig? “It describes my personality and how I feel for the day.” story by Vanessa Machin

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sdamustang.com Upcoming Events The May sun has finally come out. What better way to enjoy the warm weather than with great outdoor festivals? Here are a few of the fun upcoming events: Chocolate Festival-May 9 The San Diego Botanic Garden festival is focused around the wonders of chocolate, allowing visitors to enjoy chocolate fountains, assorted chocolate and chocolate demonstrations. If you love chocolate, purchase your ticket at http://www.sdbgarden.org/chocolate.htm Tickets: Adults $14, students, seniors and active military $10, children ages 3-12 $8, members and children under the age of 2 are free. Parking is an additional $2. Captain’s Club poses during their weekly meeting. Photo courtesy of George Stimson.

Captain’s Life for Me Intriguing students with their headwear, the Captain’s Club finally reveals their secrets.

hroughout the year, you may have witnessed multiple students wearing captain’s hats. According to member Jacob Tuffs, they aren’t the “losers that just wear captain’s hats,” they’re the “losers who wear captain’s hats in a big group.” The idea of creating a Captain’s Club was introduced when senior Stacy Li wore a captain’s hat to campus. Senior Austin Chester then thought to himself, “What if I made a club based on this hat?” This prompted various students, many of them friends of Chester, to start buying them off Amazon. By then, the club had been officially formed, although they almost got turned down by ASB because of their questionability of club leadership. It is very common for students to use clubs as an opportunity to gain experience in a subject, appear better on college applications, or learn a new, useful skill. Captain’s Club fits none of these purposes. Chester, the president of the Captain’s Club, said, “The entire reason for Captain’s Club is one, to play card games, and two, to wear Captain’s hats on Thursdays.” When the club was formed, there was no official goal or purpose for it aside from to “promote the use of nautical-themed headwear,” said senior Eric Hsieh. This is not to say they don’t have a good time together. Weekly club activities include donning their captain’s hats, playing card games, and blasting their official anthem, Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.”

Address: 230 Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas, CA 92024 The Grand Ave Festival- May 17 If you missed out on the Encinitas Street Fair, the Grand Avenue Festival gives you the same experience. This festival is one of the largest in the state, located in the heart of Escondido. With over 500 vendor booths, live entertainment, arts & crafts, pancake breakfast, kids’ rides, you can’t miss out on this experience. For more information, go to http:// escondidochamber.org/blog/2014/07/28/ grand-avenue-festival-oct-19th-2014/

At one point, they did want to buy a raft. According to Tuffs, “we were attempting to buy a boat off of Craigslist, but the guy sold it to someone before we could get it there.” Despite their failed efforts, this won’t keep them from achieving their goals to sail the ocean blue. “We do eventually want to get a boat and take it out to the ocean. We’ll probably have it sink and cry a little bit.” Captain’s Club prides itself in being welcoming. Chester said that, when Japanese exchange students visited, they “made the exchange students feel welcome by forcing them into the club.” They meet every Thursday in social studies teacher Lucas Duchene’s room. Duchene then responded, “I feel welcome.” Although the club members enjoy each other’s company, tumultuous times have also arisen. During the second week of the club, members were unhappy with their president at the time, Hsieh, and “threw a mutiny, a very nautical term for a revolution,” according to members. After Chester leaves, there is potential for the club to continue on if sophomore Veronica Ness and freshman Katherine Weinzierl choose to lead next year complete with card games and Taylor Swift songs. “If those two do it, then it can include more people,” Tuffs said. They hope that the legacy of nautical-themed headwear will carry on at SDA for years to come. story by Maddy Campbell and Vicky van der Wagt

Vista Strawberry Festival- May 24 Downtown Vista celebrates the incredibly delicious strawberry with booths, live music, carnival rides and more. There will be strawberry themed contests including best strawberry costume, a pie-eating contest, best strawberry poster, and even a Ms. Strawberry Pageant.

Join the community in this incredible celebration from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. For exact location, go to http://vistastrawberryfest.com/. Fiesta del Sol- May 30-31 Celebrate Memorial weekend right by attending Fiesta del Sol in Solana Beach. Go and enjoy a wide variety of music from reggae to rock, along with food vendors, art, clothing, and so much more. Featured bands include Big Mountain, Zen Thomas, and Super Diamond. The 36th annual fiesta starts at 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., both days, with something for everyone. For more info, go to http://solanabeachchamber. com/FiestaDelSol/home.aspx

Allie Manis

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the Mustang | May 2015

San Dieguito Sentinel What to Say to PDA The Unoffical Guide

Artist rendering of the “new” LCC and SDA campuses by Allie Manis, Elise McCutchen, and Caroline Daniel

Trading Places

• “Keep going.” • “Don’t stop on my account.” • Take a selfie in front of the couple.

SDA to switch campuses with LCC next fall due to growing student population and funding shortages.

an Dieguito Academy is gaining over 600 freshmen next year because the admissions lottery was canceled this year. The downside to this is that SDA doesn’t have enough room for all of the incoming freshman. The school board has had multiple meetings over the past few months to discuss the situation. Their final decision: San Dieguito Academy students and staff will move over to La Costa Canyon High School’s campus, and LCC’s shrinking student body will move to SDA’s smaller campus. Next year, SDA will be expecting over 1,897 students. This will make SDA larger than the projected population of La Costa Canyon, which is 1,827 students. SDA has grown from 1,511 students in year 2005 while LCC has dropped from 2,656. The school board said that switching campuses with LCC is the easiest way to handle the issue. “If we keep the lottery up, parents will continue to threaten to sue us

26 | CAF

for not accepting students who live right down the road,” Principal Jim Thornnig said. “The only thing we can do to house the growing student population is move to another campus.” Despite the relocation of the school, SDA’s schedule will remain the same and off-campus driving will still be allowed. The LCC campus is close to a new mall, so hour lunches will continue to be glorious (aside from the fact that InN-Out will be further away). Sophomore Barb Dwyer said, “If LCC ever came over to SDA’s campus, off campus lunches would affect the shopping areas drastically. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 7-Eleven by SDA went out of business because LCC only lets their seniors off campus during lunch. RIP 7-Eleven.” Since LCC’s campus is 20 acres across, art teacher Jeremy Left is drooling in anticipation. “If SDA were ever to move over to LCC,” Left exclaimed, “I’d get the whole school to help me cover those blank

walls in colorful tiles!” Physics teacher Jorge Stemsun is also jittery with excitement over the idea of swapping campuses. “I would be able to use their gigantic field for a new project! Students would fire cats from one side of the field to the other, and measure the height and velocity of each projectile.” Each school plans to remodel its new home after moving in.“What has me worried,” said Senior Sandy Gito, “is that I have some friends at LCC who told me the administration is planning to re-build all the bathrooms at SDA, so they can fit bigger mirrors in them.” LCC will not only tear down the bathrooms, but they plan on tearing everything that has come to represent SDA. Since SDA’s field isn’t large enough for a football field, they’ll need to expand it by tearing down the almost-newly built tennis courts. The tennis courts will be placed in the rubble of the destroyed Mosaic Cafe. On top of that, the football

It’s before the bell rings. That couple is in their spot again. They’re talking and slowly inching towards each other. No one has the nerve to speak up and tell them to get a room. So, here is the incomplete and unofficial, but extremely useful guide for things to do or say when you see that couple:

players need locker rooms. San Dieguito’s PE locker rooms aren’t big enough to fit La Costa Canyon’s team, so they will have to tear down the Performing Arts Center to make space. SDA students were outraged when the news leaked about the SDA and LCC campus swap. “WTF?!” Junior Stu Burn said in reaction to the news. “No way am I leaving SDA’s campus to go to LCC. Is there any way to sign a petition to not move? If not, I’m starting one. I’m not going anywhere.” The frustration over the switch goes both ways. Current LCC freahman, Ash Holl, was also uncomfortable with the idea for changing campuses. She said, “Umm, SDA is weird. I wouldn’t want to go there because it’s too artsy and i-d-k... it’s like a hippie school, and I don’t want to be seen at a hippie school’s old, rejected campus. It’s bad enough they exist, but taking over our school? That’s just low.” By Emma Chang

• “Leave room for Jesus!” • Download gun-shot noises on your phone and go up to the couple, playing them in rapid fire next to their ears. • “Jack! You said you would never leave me!” • Narrate the couple’s actions really loudly. • Count out loud: No one likes to think they are being timed. • Do the obvious: start singing the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song. • Start pointing out their technical flaws. • If one of the two comes up for air, take a big breath and yell, “FINALLY!” • Say, “I feel like I am watching the Discovery Channel…” • Sing, “Just keep kissing, just keep kissing” to the tune of Finding Nemo. Lastly, be creative! The campus is your canvas with many opportunities for creating awkward situations. By Sarah Willes

sdamustang.com

San Dieguito Sentinel Uncool Freshmen Need Not Apply Horoscopes A new system of entrance exams are planned to “weed out all the lame scum” from San Dieguito’s incoming students.

Cultured than Yogurt” to “LITERALLY Swine.” A rating of “Netflix Scholar” or above will provide automatic entrance into the school. “We really think this culls the kind of students that SDA needs,” said an anonymous administrator. “I mean, I know I’m not supposed to say this, but everyone feels that the underclassmen have always been...super boring and like, stupid. They’re taking our special little culture and...pardon my tears... throwing it down the drain.” Recent studies demonstrate that decreasing coolness is a national phenomenon, with only 29 percent of incoming freshmen able to identify the source of the phrase “Legen--wait for it--dary.” However,

80 percent of incoming freshmen could identify quotes from “Steven Universe,” but no one really knows or cares what that is. Many current students are still pessimistic, saying that incoming students will be really lame in some other way. “Sure, they’ll know pop culture stuff, et cetera, but they’ll always find a way to not be my friend, like by being short,” said Junior Nat Stolgick, coordinator of Link Crew. “Or by wearing skate shoes when they’re TOTALLY not skaters. Posers, the whole tiny lot of them.” “Though, I wish they’d participate in more school activities,” he added.

xa m Te p st le

tarting in the 2016-2017 school year, San Dieguito Academy will be creating and instituting a “merit-based selection system” for incoming freshmen and transfer students, replacing the current lottery system. The new method will be primarily based off of a quiz, known officially as “Advancing Compatibilities and Rationality Onto Nasally Young Midgets” (referring to the freshmen) but the test is commonly known as the “Cool Quiz.” The quiz (demo shown below the article) asks questions that determine whether current students at SDA would like the incoming freshmen, and gives a composite ranking that ranges from “More

By Dylan Hendrickson

Aries (March 29 - April 19) Let it go. Shake it off. Shut up and dance. Don’t stop believin’. Nobody’s perfect. Don’t worry, be happy. Umbrella. Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Try to avoid crashing your car this week. Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, judge it by the font it uses inside. I mean please, Times New Roman is so cliché high school essay. Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Take the leap. It’ll be worth it. And by that, I mean the metaphorical one that leads to dreams coming true, magical rainbow elephants, blah, blah, blah. Not the one from an airplane 10,000 feet in the air (I’m pretty sure I foresee your parachute snapping, so my lawyer made me include this disclaimer). Leo (July 23 - August 22) Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the idiot’s house. Virgo (August 23 - Sept. 22) Knock knock. (Here’s where you say, “Who’s there?”) The chicken. Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) Sometimes, it’s okay to cry over spilled milk. Like when you buy the really expensive organic kind, but your little brother drinks most of it so you take the last glassful. But then you drop the glass, and it shatters, cutting your foot. So, you have to go to the E.R. to get stitches, but it gets infected. You then end up stuck using crutches for three weeks. Yeah, it’ll be okay to cry then. Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) I know it seems like a good idea, but a meteor shower will knock the moon out of orbit if you go to the gym this week, so for the sake of all humankind, please, don’t go. Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) Congratulations on your Birthday/Anniversary/Graduation/Big Win/New Outfit/Test Grade/Candy Crush score. Okay, I think I have all the bases covered. Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) Look, you may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but, hey, hammers are pretty cool. Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) A little bird told me he was going to use your car as target practice. I don’t know what you did to that poor seagull, but he seems pretty angry. Sorry, you won’t be able to avoid the “attack” because as the omniscient, all-powerful horoscope seeing wizard, I’m basically God. Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) The mutually exclusive claims of countless people can’t all be right, but can all be wrong. That’s right, I can be deep. By Chloe Williams

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Zac Sippel (1) and Jake Roberts (7) go up for a block in a game against El Camino. Photo by Cydney Melton.

SOS: SAVE OUR SPORTS Difficult schedules and leagues are creating adversity as well as motivation for SDA sports teams.

common misconception about SDA sports is that all of the teams must play higher division or tougher competition schools. This is the case for some sports teams such as boys volleyball, boys and girls basketball, and boys and girls lacrosse. But as SDA Athletic Director Justin Conn explained, not every sport is faced with this task. “To determine what teams our sports teams will face, it depends on the sport. So our boys and girls tennis will absolutely dominate their leagues while baseball and girls volleyball are competitive in their leagues but boys volleyball not so much,” said Conn. This can be explained by the fact that each SDA team, depending on the sport, is put in the Avocado East league but with a different set of schools that often changes every few years. The actual leagues that San Diego schools are put into are created by the North County Conference, which is a group made up of a combination of principals, ASB directors, and athletic directors. This can lead to some controversy as SDA sports teams may get matched up with

higher division schools with larger populations while others may play schools at similar CIF division levels. “I think part of the issue is that when you are in a league, with each sport, you are going to end up with these disparities,” Conn said. Furthermore, Conn was told by the North County Conference that SDA is grouped with schools geographically nearby for league play. However, Conn noted that the explanation did not make much sense as schools such as San Pasqual, which is in SDA’s tennis, track, basketball, and soccer team’s leagues, are far away and yet in San Dieguito’s league. If it were more geographical, SDA’s teams would likely be matched up with those from LCC, Carlsbad, or Oceanside, Conn explained. A school’s division is based on their enrollment and their sports teams’ recent performance in the past few years. A team can move up or down in divisions depending on how they do in the annual CIF playoffs for each sport. Different teams at one school can be in different divisions as results vary. However, a team’s division level does not play a role

in deciding leagues as it only effects who they will play in the CIF Playoffs. Thus, leagues are not always fair as similar division schools are not matched up to create the regular season league but only seedlings for playoffs. This is the case for SDA sports teams as they may be in a much lower division than the rest of the schools in their league. Students had mixed feelings about playing bigger schools. SDA junior Jake Roberts, who plays on the boys volleyball team, said, “I think during the regular season it makes it more difficult because we are a D3 school playing a bunch of these really talented programs. In the playoffs, however, it makes it interesting because we are D4 so all we need to do is win one match against these really good teams and we are basically in.” Similarly, SDA’s boys lacrosse coach Dick Thaiz said, “It can be very frustrating always playing upper division teams. It’s good within a small amount. If you have a few games with upper division teams, then that’s good because you can see the competition you may have to go up against, but if it’s game in and game out, it’s too hard.” On the other hand, SDA boys varsity volleyball coach Ray Wilson said, “It’s good playing bigger schools because it presents a great challenge for us and prepares us for playoffs. It also tests our character and helps us grow as a team.” Many athletes at SDA have discussed the possibility of switching to a fairer league for their sport. However, Conn said, “In my first year as athletic director I have seen no discussion about the possibility of recreating those leagues.” However, Wilson stated he was not in favor of changing leagues. “I would like to keep our league how it is because it is a good challenge that makes us better and helps our program grow for the future,” said Wilson. Nonetheless, Conn added that it is not completely impossible as the discussion of changing leagues typically comes up every few years. Students in search of a change can be encouraged by the fact that change does happen as schools such as Sage Creek moved out of the Avocado East League recently while Del Norte moved into it just this year. “It does change every few years so. I certainly would be a proponent of us moving out or changing our league but it also doesn’t necessarily ensure easier competition,” said Conn. For example, if SDA were to move into a more geographic-based league that could include division one schools such as LCC and Carlsbad and the competition could actually increase. Thus, it would be much more complicated. Conn also stated that as a result of the smaller enrollment that SDA has had in the past, the sports teams previously competed with private schools. However, Conn made clear that there was very little chance of this ever happening again because the school’s population has rapidly grown in the past few years, whereas the private schools have stayed more constant.

Andrew Naimark and Grant Sippel

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Mustang Spring Sports Round-up Senior Cameron Bridges looks to return a hit. Photo courtesy of Triva Bridges. Boy’s Tennis Record: 8-7 League Record: 6-4 Division Ranking: 14th in DII League Ranking: 3rd in Avocado East

While the school year winds to an end SDA sports are still in full swing with no less than 10 SDA teams playing their season. Here are all the sports standings and rankings as of May 3rd. All statistics and rankings are courtesy of maxpreps. com, cifsds.org, surfsss.org, and athletic.net. Compiled by Kevin Gallagher.

Highlight of the season: “We beat San Marcos in a very tough match and I beat their number one singles player in about 20 minutes,” -Senior Lucas Kerr.

Junior Zac Sippel spikes the ball. Photo by Cydney Melton.

Senior Maddie Biehl clears the ball upfield against El Camino. Photo courtesy of Brett Colby.

Girls’s Lacrosse Record: 10-5 League Record: 2-3 Division Ranking: 13th in DI League Ranking: 4th in Valley League

Boys Volleyball Record: 2-14 League Record: 1-8 Division Ranking: League Ranking: 6th in Avocado West

Highlight of the season: “Our senior night because everyone was able to play really well as a team,” -Senior Lizzie Urbina. Goals Scored by SDA: 110

Freshman Justin Krute evades an attackman. Photo courtesy of David Jennings.

Kiana Indian gets a hit. Photo courtesy of Kevin Funaki. Softball Record: 5-16-1 League Record: 0-5 Division Ranking: 11th in DIII League Ranking: 6th in Avocado East

Highlight of the season: “Going and getting ice cream at Rite Aide after one of our practices,” -Junior Cameron Sippel

Highlight of the season: “Beating Clairmont because that was the team we lost to in CIF last year so it was fun to get it back,” - Senior Alexis Funaki.

Boy’s Lacrosse Record: 5-9 League Record: 0-5 Division Ranking: 16th in DII League Ranking: 7th in Valley League

Highlight of the season: “Scoring my first goal against ArmyNavy,” - Sophmore Ben Jennings. Goals Scored by SDA: 112 High Scorer: Jared Holguin--45 goals

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the Mustang | May 2015

Senior Gavin Broughton sets up a drive. Photo courtesy of Al Zamora. Boys’ Golf League Record 5-4 League Ranking 3rd in Avocado East Overall CIF Ranking 25th Overall Handicap 30.17 Division Ranking 10th in DII

Individual Standings: Gavin Broughton: 22nd in DII, 2.90 HDCP Andrew Davidson: 31st in DII, 3.55 HDCP Conner Edlebeck: 62nd DII, 5.60 HDCP Jack Hagerty: 91st DII, 7.81 HDCP Max Ashworth: 132nd DII, 10.32 HDCP

Senior Brennan Aubol rides a wave. Photo courtesy of Kyle Bone.

Surf Competitioin Results v. TP at Oceanside Harbor: W 83-40 v. La Jolla at Avalanche, OB: W 75-59 v. LCC at Oceanside Harbor: W 88-47 v. Point Loma at San Clemente Pier: W 91- 41 v. Carlsbad at Oceanside Pier: W 78-56 State Championship: May 17th

Highlight of the Season: “We won the regular season in overall team. Our final contest was against Carlsbad and they’ve kind of always been our rival so that victory was pretty important and it sealed the deal as far as regular season contest,”- Surf Coach Marco Martinez.

Sophmore Shay O’Laughlin tags a runner out at 2nd base. Photo courtesy of Michelle Richards. Baseball Record: 5-16 League Record: 2-6 Division Ranking: 18th in DII League Ranking: 5th in Avocado East

Team Leaders: Batting Average: Eric Vela--.339 On Base Percentage: Jacob Aere--.471 Slugging Percentage: Numer Licardo--.444 Fielding Percentage: Gabe Coffidis--1.000 Earned Run Average: Ben Huber--.97 Sophmore Jed Jirak mid-vault. He currently holds the season record for the pole vault. Photo courtesy of Edie Jirak. 2015 Track and Field Season Records

Megan Scherer returns a ball. Photo courtesy of Karina Langli. Girls Beach Volleyball Record: 3-3 Beach Volleyball is not yet a CIF sport, the SDA team is a club team.

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Individual Records: Karina Langli and Megan Scheer: 6-0 Alex Dewart and Terry Fonte: 3-3 Kara and Brooke Sagunsky: 3-3

Boys Records 100m: Nick Luong--12.04 200m: Nick Hagani--24.54 400m: Nick Hagani--55.44 800m: Craig Kimball--2:03.77 1500m: Robert Stegman--4:08.80 1600m: Robert Stegman--4:27.30 3200m: Robert Stegman--9:35.84 110m (39” Hurdles): Joe Landers--18.86 300m (36” Hurdles): Jonathan Muschell--46.05 Shot Put (12 lb): Anthony Sommers--43’ 6” Discus (1.6 kg): Anthony Sommers--149’ 6” High Jump: Joe Landers--5’8” Pole Vault: Jed Jirak--11’6” Long Jump: Jonathan Muschell--20’8” Triple Jump: Jonathan Muschell--40’8”

Girls Records Sophia Hernandez--13.97 Avery Giblin--29.84 Maia Nelson--69.34 Mary Ford--2:47.97 Kyra Benowitz--6:12.04 Kyra Benowitz--13:42.06 (33” Hurdles) Sophia Hernandez--16.34 (30” Hurdles) Sophia Hernandez--50.74 (4 kg) Parker Rytz--30’4” (1 kg) Parker Rytz--87’10” Maxine Richter--4’6” Annie Abicca--8’6” Maia Nelson--15’0.5” Maia Nelson--30’7”

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Surfer vs. Skater Senior skater Julian Sanz and sophomore surfer Chloe Griffin contemplate the meaning of caligraphy in the new age while disrespecting Snoop Dog. Story by Chloe Williams. Before Drawing Boards, what did they get back to? Surfer: Stone tablets. Skater: The Bible. Surfer, the point of a drawing board is that you can wipe it off and start again. A stone inscription will last for thousands of years unless you are suggesting that you have created some sort of secret invention that can erase stone tablets, in which case, you would be a genius. This kind of invention could solve some of the world’s greatest problems including illegal graffiti and annoying cave paintings. Imagine a world where stick figures drawn on rocks no longer restrict you from hiking on the best trails just because they are “historic.”

Your invention should win the Nobel Prize. Plus 920 points so you don’t forget me when your fantastic device saves the planet. Skater, I respect your attempt to sound enlightened through your complicated religious statement, but your statement was very offensive. Using the “B” word in everyday language is outrageous. Your offense is on the same level as kicking puppies, armed robbery, and wearing white after Labor Day. Shame on you, and plus 1 point. The main problem with your argument, however, is that before drawing boards were invented, it was probably illegal to draw or write in the Bible so I must take away 53 points in place of cutting off

your head. You’re welcome. Who let the dogs out? Surfer: No one. Skater: Snoop Dogg. Surfer, that is a really deep, profound answer. I mean, for all we know, the dogs didn’t even exist. Do we even exist? What is the meaning of existence? Did the dogs ever ask questions like this? How much wood could a woodchuck really chuck? Plus 42 points because just like your answer, that may be the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. Skater, Snoop Dogg has changed his name yet again (this time to Snoop Goose). Please use the politically

Chloe Griffin and Julian Sanz displaying inappropriate hand gestures that may be signs of greetings in some cultures. Photo by Caroline Daniel.

correct term because, well, how would you feel if people refused to call you Skater? That’s right, it would feel bad. That is your legal and preferred name as is the case for Snoop Goose. Without the stability these chosen nicknames give us, the world would fall into chaos. Do you really want Destiny Hope Cyrus (AKA Miley) swinging

on a wrecking ball or Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (Lady Gaga) poking your face? What about William Sanford Nye the Science Guy? Minus 81 points for your ignorance. Surfer: +962 points Skater: -133 points Congrats Surfer! You win nothing!

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the Mustang | May 2015

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