SDA Mustang June 2015 by The Mustang Newspaper

June 08, 2015

T h e

Volume 19 Issue VII

M u s ta n g

the Mustang | June 2015

beHind the Pages Alice wargo Cover Artist “I just think people doing creepy things is cool looking,” said senior Alice Wargo, regarding the cover. She is inspired by understanding and diving deeper into emotions that are uncomfortable and not as easy to expose. Along with that, she enjoys the idea that art allows for feelings and thoughts to become beautiful and tangible things. “It’s exciting to watch other people discover this and to see myself evolve as an artist as well,” said Wargo.

Co-editors in Chief: Elise Echeverria and Elise Gout. Photos by Caroline Daniel

Elise and Elise

Quick notes from the co-editors in chief With the year coming to a close, and our final Mustang issue under our belts, it’s a strange thing to realize that we’ll be saying goodbye to Elise and Elise (but not actually because...technology). Most of our issues have seemed to fall into some sort of theme; however, this month, our biggest issue yet, is a mosaic of diverse student interest pieces, comparable to the atmosphere at SDA; it seems fitting. Given that we only have this little space left, we’d like to take the opportunity to thank all of our key players in making this past year remotely possible. Believe it or not, the majority of kids aren’t too thrilled about staying at school until 8:30 p.m. or, to quote Mr. Roberts, “until the cows come home.” So we really appreciate that, for us, they do it anyways. (A little pizza incentive never hurt anybody either.) From our colder regions of the country, we’ll be eagerly anticipating what the journalism kids create in our footsteps. Their dedication, originality, and sheer ability to write will undoubtedly take the Mustang to new heights. If you’ve gotten this far, thanks - we’re never really sure if people actually read these anyways. Plus, this is the most important part. As much as we are given opportunities to work independently, none of this would come together without someone to keep us in check. We can always count on Mr. Roberts for guidance, motivation, and strangely punny headlines. In all seriousness though, we truly appreciate everything he’s taught us and helped us become. We weren’t really sure what to write for our last sentence in an SDA newspaper, so we’ll just end it with this: We’d do it all over again. Elise Echeverria and Elise Gout

Claire Jantzen Backpage Photographer “I really aimed to highlight the difference between what someone can be and who someone can be.” Photographer Claire Jantzen loves to capture raw emotions and show people how she sees the world. Along with photography, the sophomore has found a new love for film, and has already become pretty successful in cinematography. “I’m still not a hundred percent sure on what I want to do for my career,” she said. “ Whatever it is I decide to do, it will definitely be creative.”

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 sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the above address.

San Dieguito Academy / Room 98 / 800 Santa Fe Drive / Encinitas, CA 92024

sdamustang.com

BATHROOM BALANCE? Student collects thousands of signatures to petition for a gender-neutral bathroom.

he beginning of a conversation about creating a gender-neutral bathroom on SDA’s campus started in a seemingly unassuming place: a freshman English class, in early May. The conversation eventually led to a petition, and the petition was signed over 18,000 times as of May 28. The signatures came from all over the country and the world. Several weeks later, on May 12, the petition’s creator, freshman Milo Spearman, presented the idea of a gender-neutral bathroom to SDA Principal Tim Hornig, whose reaction was positive. “It’s not atypical,” Hornig said. “There are transgender restrooms pretty much everywhere... We have obviously a wonderfully supportive school culture as well, and I would like to think we lead the way on these types of issues.” There are many local bathrooms with no gender distinction in places such as Starbucks and Jamba Juice, but few high schools across the country have any. However, an online petition yielded a genderneutral bathroom near Chicago earlier in May, and Carlsbad High School recently designated one of it’s bathrooms as gender-neutral. The Signatures The process for signing Spearman’s petition is simple. “You go to a link, and you put in where you live and your name, and it signs it for you,” said freshman Rachel Kaplan, who was involved in the original discussion about the bathroom. The petition was started on Care2.com (at http:// www.thepetitionsite.com/179/753/830/build-a-genderneutral-bathroom-at-san-diegueto-academy/), where people can create their own petitions and spread the word to gain signatures. According to their “About” page, thepetitionsite.com also works to promote some of the petitions featured on their site. Spearman in particular noticed that this made a difference. After “someone from the site” contacted him about promoting the petition, the signatures “just started rolling in,” he said. However, most of the signatures are not from people who live near SDA. “One of the things about the petition is it’s a [global] petition, so I don’t know if it necessarily reflects the feedback of merely our student body and our community. It’s not to say that I would expect that, but of the few comments that I saw… is that someone from Sydney clicked ‘yes,’” said Hornig. The petition format itself, as opposed to asking Hornig, made an impression on some students. “To get the snowball rolling, I think [a petition] is a smart thing” said freshman Patrick Hall. Similarly, freshmen Dashiell Gregory and Nicole Pazanowski both commented on the power of having more people behind you. “If people sign a petition, you have proof that a bunch of people are agreeing

with your idea,” Pazanowski said. Junior Emma Daughters said, “I think that communication between the large group of students and the administration is really important, too.” Differing Views Like Hornig, a number of students expressed support as well. “I think it’s a good idea. I know a lot of people that don’t identify as anything, and they don’t feel comfortable going into a bathroom,” said freshman Ashlyn Haines. Hall said that if the transgender community wants a bathroom, then they should get it. “We should strive for gender equality, and those that don’t associate themselves as male or female would really appreciate a bathroom for themselves,” said Gregory. “I think it would a really good path to equality for everybody.” However, when the Union Tribune published an article online, it’s readers were not as supportive. The majority of 250 readers surveyed said that gender neutral-bathrooms should not exist in high schools. Some comments on the story shared these views. “You are either a male or female. [There’s] no in between,” said one commenter. “Soon we’ll have more bathrooms than classrooms... nice to see where our priorities are,” said another. Moving Forward When the students who created the petition presented their idea to Hornig, he explained that he now has to look at it from a more technical perspective, looking at issues such as finding a location for the possible new bathroom within SDA’s current remodeling plans, or even seeing if there’s a current bathroom on campus that he could “reconstitute” as gender-neutral. “The next step for me is ... to find what limitations I may have with the facility versus what I can do to move forward with it,” he said. However, Hornig also said that he understands the current bathroom situation on campus is not ideal anyways: “Right now it’s kind of few and far between. As you know, if you’re in the 30s and you need to use the restroom, you’ve got to walk all the way to the center of campus. So I don’t know how it would all work, but that’s my next step.” Overall, Hornig showed support for the genderneutral bathroom, but also said that the petition format itself wasn’t totally necessary, saying, “If people are thinking about something and have an idea, whether it’s something I’m doing wrong or something I can do better, or something they feel can enhance the culture, our school, then they can come to me with something. You don’t need nine thousand signatures to come to me.” Olivia Olander

Photo by Grant Sippel

LEAVING FOR LCC A

thletic Director Justin Conn is moving to La Costa Canyon to become their new Assistant Principal after this school year. Despite LCC’s “dynamic staff,” Conn said leaving SDA, where he has worked for nine years, will be hard. “I’m thrilled about that opportunity,” Conn said, “but I will miss this community as a whole.” Olivia Olander

NEW BUDGET, MORE FUNDING

revised budget for California that increases funding to public schools passed on May 14, and it’s very likely that these changes will add to SDA’s budget. Seniors heading to UC schools are also in luck because the state budget means that college system will not raise their tuition soon. In the 2015-16 school year, unlike in years past, SDA will receive funding directly from the state of California, as opposed to only from property taxes. This will be an even bigger change because the allotment from the state is bigger than usual, according to Associate Superintendent Eric Dill. “SDA will receive more funding and teachers since it will have more students next year,” Dill added. In addition to extra funding for public K-12 schools, the University of California college system received more funding. The agreement between the system and the state means that the UC system has promised to not increase tuition for the next three years. This is a change from November when the colleges moved to dramatically increase tuition by 2019. The California State University (CSU) system also recieved enough to not have to raise their tuition and fees for at least one more year. Olivia Olander

students are talking about | 3

the Mustang | May 2015

Up Front

A quick look at the events around the SDA campus. May 9 - June 8.

A Spoonful of Theater

From My Garage To Yours

SDA students performed the iconic “Mary Poppins” to a sold out crowd.

On May 30, SDA put together a rummage sale to raise money for various clubs and charities.

fter weeks of hard work and rehearsal, “Mary Poppins” took the stage May 27-30 and June 3-6. The play begins, with Mr. and Mrs. Banks (freshman Dashiell Gregory and junior Delany Ryan) in need of yet another nanny after their most recent one has quit and run out. Mary Poppins (senior Samantha Stienberg) arrives, bringing along her games and unusual ways, to teach the Banks family to love and behave once more. The cast performed many musical numbers including “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” which had many intricate movements in its choreography and “Playing the Game,” which brought a

Photo by Kate Sequeira

mystical and haunting feel over the audience. In the second act, the chimney sweeps, played by the ensemble, had a phenomenal tap dance performance to “Step in Time” as well. Throughout the play, the

ensemble wore a variety of different expressions which could be seen in the background of various scenes and added to the overall emotion that each specific one portrayed. story by Kate Sequeira

Homeroom Olympics

ables filled with clothes, furniture, games, and miscellaneous items fill the PAC from front to back. This was the rummage sale that SDA hosted Saturday May 30, which gave loads of clothing to charity, and donated some to the needy in Tijuana. Some of the clubs and teams present were Casa De Luz, Water Polo, Tennis, and AVID. Each aimed to use their funds and product separately. Casa De Luz, a club that builds houses in Tijuana, was working the sale to make money for their home builds,. According to Natalie Kim, a freshman, “The sales were awesome today and we raised a lot of money.” “A lot” ended up adding up to well over $800.

Senior Tiles

Homeroom Olympics finale took place June 2.

S Photo by Caroline Daniel

The Cure for Senioritis Graduation arrangements are being finalized as the year comes to a close.

4 | students are talking about

tudents gathered by the Mosaic for the final Homeroom Olympics event: Survival of the Fittest. Teacher Jeremy Wuertz’s homeroom won first in the event, teacher Blaze Newman’s homeroom won second, and teacher Tim Roberts’ homeroom won third.

raduation will have increased seating as well as other improvements this year. Friends and family members will be able to enter the stadium when the gates open at 11:30 a.m. Programs will be handed out at the gate. As for seating, 12 sections of bleachers were rented, which will add around 300 seats. Twelve security guards will be patrolling the field, seating area, and walkways.

A few deputies will also be present for crowd control as well as sheriff volunteers for parking lot duty. Once the front lot is full, it will be for drop off only. The student lot off of Nardo will be closed for the school day to allow for more parking for graduation. Students and teachers will have the option of parking in the upper lot, located by transportation. story by Kate Sequeira

Photo by Kate Sequeira

Water Polo worked the sale for funds to rent the Alga Norte pool. With Avid the case was similar. “The funds we got today will help the AVID field trips,” said senior Jose Uribe. Lastly, volunteer parent Sharon Conger said, “The sale was really good but more advertising was needed.” story by Cole Gonzales

“I

thought the senior tile activity was really neat. I was really glad I made it to senior year so that I could participate in this activity. I liked being a part of SDA, more permanent in a sense,” said senior Sydney Busic.

SDA Says So Long Several of SDA’s staff will be retiring at the end of the school year.

ibrarian Donna Gonzales and SDA Foundation Executive Director Sheila Durkin will be retiring at the end of the year. After eight years of working with SDA students and staff, Gonzales is now ready to take some time to reconnect with her family.

Durkin first became involved at SDA 14 years ago and now that she is retiring, will be moving up north, continuing to do volunteer work in the field of education. (See stories online at sdamustang.com) story by Kate Sequeira

sdamustang.com

PLACE LABEL HERE You don’t need to label others, so don’t let others label you.

here are a lot of labels in the world: the graffiti-plastered gender signs for bathrooms, the nutrition facts label on the side of an Arizona tea, and other tags we give people around us every day like gay or b****y just because we can. The judgment is set and done and, with chronically stubborn minds, it would take a hail storm with ice in the shape of rabbits to clonk us on the head and change our minds. Unfortunately, this is a highly unlikely occurrance to happen, maybe ever. So, if you’re a boy and labeled as such, people say you should like the color blue and be a macho nacho. Here’s the disclaimer: you don’t have to like the color of my grandma’s jeans and you can be a wimpy nacho too. That’s okay. If you’re a girl and labeled as such, you don’t need to adore pink unicorns and have long hair that billows in the wind. If you’re a squirrel,

you don’t need a bushy tail to be a cool kid. As humans, we feel like we need a name for everything and try to understand our own curiosity. However, it’s not our job to tell a squirrel it’s not a squirrel because it has no tail - to tell a girl that she isn’t a girl because she wasn’t born like that or vice versa. People have different ways of expressing who they are as a person and who they want to represent. It is our society’s wish that things should be as we see them with no deeper layers. As an impulse, we rush to define what we notice and label the world with different sticky notes. The labels used to define people don’t need to be a classification and justification for what people are or what they act like. The tight corner we end up backing each other into only leads to more cases of claustrophobia. Furthermore, once a label is put upon someone, it is hard to take it off. If someone is named, even jokingly, bipolar, every act that person does is blamed upon his or her mood swings. If someone is named a know-it-all, everyone automatically will assume that person is always mocking others. You are no less of who you are despite the expectations of a fixed reality in someone else’s mind. You should be the one to decide who you are and who you are not. Furthermore, labels can be good, if only they are of your own choosing. Let other people make labels for themselves, instead of you making a label for them. - Sarah Willes

students are talking about | 5

the Mustang | June 2015

Donuts to Bagels I’m a jumbled mess as I approach my cross-country move.

few weeks ago, I found myself at my local Super Donuts #2 (still not sure where #1 is… or if it exists) picking up a couple dozen for homeroom. It’s a five-minute drive there; three on a good day. The interior is nothing fancy – bare walls and a humming fish tank – but the small, Asian woman who runs it makes you feel like you’re dining at a three-starred Michelin. We don’t know each other’s names, only faces. To her, I’m simply that 6’1 kid who always gets a chocolate bar with whipped cream; eleven years and that order has never been forgotten. As she started picking out bear claws and old-fashions, I made the usual 6 a.m. small talk. How’s your family? It’s raining today. We came upon graduation, a place that conversations always seem to veer towards these days, and I informed her of my upcoming move to New York City. I’m going from donuts to bagels, I joked halfheartedly. She frowned, telling me, “I won’t get to see you anymore.” I accepted the boxes from her (too heavy to only have 24 donuts in them), and said, “Well, I’ll be back for breaks.”

“Maybe for the first couple years,” she said. “After that, you’re gone.” Now I had been successfully putting off the whole leaving-behind-California-and-everyone-I-love thing for a good while. That Thursday morning, though, put me in a kind of funk. Would I be “gone” after two years? Is this departure, ultimately, a permanent one? The scary part wasn’t the question itself, but that I couldn’t confidently refute it. Attending college out-of-state is a double-edged sword – in exceedingly dramatic terms, that is. Don’t get me wrong, I fully buy into the whole argument of, “If there’s a time to go some place drastic, it’s college.” I won’t have to shovel my own snow. I won’t be tied down with a job. That flexibility is something unique, and I’m glad to be optimizing that. But then there’s the fact that I’m willingly sacrificing Mexican food. And the ocean. And year-round sunshine. (I’m pretty sure moving away is a hell of a lot easier if you live in Ohio.) While thousands upon thousands of pale, 18-yearold hopefuls will be flocking to California, I’ll be figuring out how to navigate a subway system. And not get the f-bomb thrown at me. The distance itself is intimidating. Most of my life choices growing up in SoCal suburbia have revolved around what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (And what to eat when I’m not eating breakfast,

lunch, or dinner). Safe to say, I’m not exactly accustomed to coming to terms with a decision that relocates me 2,791 miles across the country. It’s hard to shake the thought that, the greater the mileage, the easier it is to let go… and be let go of. I mean 2,791 is a big number. Like, cry-yourself-to-sleep-at-nightclutching-your-panda-Pillow-Pet big. Logically, I can tell myself that a phone call is a phone call, doesn’t matter how far away you are. But I’m a hormonal teenage girl and we don’t do logical and those 2,791 miles make it different somehow. Which is partially why, when Joe Shmoe, parent of what’s-his-face, tells me, “You know, it’ll get cold all the way over there,” I politely force a smile and pretend to need the restroom. Because I know it gets cold “all the way over there.” And the last thing I’m looking for is a random parent to question my future. I’m questioning it enough for myself as is. Every morning when I drive past Super Donuts #2, I wonder to myself if I’ve made a seriously monumental mistake. I suppose that merely comes with the territory. Who knows, maybe the Eagles are right, and I’m not actually leaving California – just checking out for a little while.

-Elise Gout

Letter to the Editors Dr. S. E. Rogers, an SDA parent, provides a contrasting stance on student vaccinations.

s soon as January 1, 2016, there may be compulsory vaccinations for all students, teachers, and child care workers in the state. What these new bills would do is eliminate personal belief exemptions and allow only extremely restrictive medical exemptions. Who will benefit and who will be harmed? Vaccine manufacturers will indeed benefit greatly. The revolving door between the FDA and private pharma is paved with gold. Who funds the research? Private pharma. Unfavorable research loses funding. The wolf is guarding the chicken coop. Are the little chicks safe? Let’s step back a moment. We have all been lead to believe that vaccines prevent the spread of disease. Isn’t strange that some of the diseases that are still smoldering and fail to be eradicated are the ones

6 | perspectives

for which there is a vaccine? Bubonic plague and scarlet fever are no longer public health menaces. Strangely, they disappeared without vaccines. Yet the medical establishment can’t get a handle on eliminating measles. Why don’t vaccinations protect the vaccinated? In the so called “measles outbreak” in Del Mar Union school district in late 2013, the majority of affected students had been vaccinated. What may you conclude? Perhaps the reason that public health officials are recommending more boosters is that the MMR just simply does not work in the first place. Indeed, some outbreaks have been traced to fully vaccinated individuals. Furthermore, the variant of the measles virus found in many of these outbreaks is the vaccine variety of attenuated measles virus, not the wild virus. It would seem that

vaccinations are actually dispersing mutant virus. Please do your due diligence in elucidating the safety and efficacy of vaccinations. Just remember when the CDC refers to safety, the reporting criteria of adverse events are restrictive. A child that dies a month after a vaccination may be unreported due to these critieria. When the CDC refer to efficacy, they mean that the vaccine elicitis an antibody titer. This humoral response is not the primary means by which the body fights viruses. Antibody titer does not mean the individual is immune/can fight off the disease. For example, a child with agamma-globulinemia cannot produce antibodies. Yet the course of fighting off a natural measles infection is completely normal in such a child. That blows a hole in the concept of vaccine conferred artificial immunity.

sdamustang.com

on his head, and a giant thermometer that reads 105 degrees, a biker who is preparing to run up a ramp with a clown under it, and a variety of cheesy family photos and out of place depressed people. Sometimes, you will get another narrator who is understandable. Unfortunately he draws pictures of extremely low quality that take five minutes to do. With the amount of videos you are watching, that is about 30 minutes of your time wasted every chapter. Unfortunately, the videos are extremely hard to navigate, as you can’t skip parts. If you already know about the topic, you are out of luck because it’s all or nothing in Edgenuity videos. Worst of all, there is barely any interaction except with quizzes

that come every 30 minutes. These boring videos aren’t something you can power through and finish, because you can’t skip them, yet you are expected to pay full attention. Even John Canon, the freshman PE teacher said, “Students learn a lot more in real life then in an online course.” The next biggest problem is that we pay Edgenuity for licensing rights for almost nothing. Many of the students don’t even log into Edgenuity until the test, while most others leave it on in the background. I’ve seen one person in our class who has taken notes. It gets more ridiculous that the exams we are given are left with 15 problems unanswered due to time constraints. While I don’t know the exact price we pay, it surely doesn’t seem worth it to me if it is mostly unused and doesn’t fit our time schedule. Now for the sad part... Edgenuity is hypocritical, having the exact opposite effect that it should for many reasons. Generally, if you are into half the bad stuff they tell you not to do, you will probably not care enough about this course to watch in the first place. Additionally, they constantly tell you to exercise. That would be easier if I didn’t have threeplus hours of video to watch after school. And of course you could just space it out and not procrastinate, but as one student said, “I forgot most of the content at the start of the chapter by the test. It was because I paced myself well and did a little bit every day.” The list goes on, telling you to study hard and make good relationships, but all the free time you could spend doing this goes to Edgenuity videos. So what can we do? We are only students and we have to do this just as the students before us did. But something we need to realize is that we can change the system to help our school, and ourselves because we have the power to be the change. We have many different options, and we should take one. We could reinstate the real life health class we used to have, use the course that ISPE students take, or better yet, we can find a new online program that fits the need of our school. Cole Gonzales

Yeah we’ve cured disease- only to have stronger strains come and bite us in the butt- and invented the selfie stick- a great example of our vanity and obsession with ourselves- but hey, we haven’t gone extinct yet right? We’ve hunted countless species of animals to extinction and poisoned even more with our carelessly thrown away manmade garbage. Not only have we corrupted Earth’s fauna but we’ve also been chopping down trees like there’s no tomorrow and polluting the very soil we grow our food out of. We’re the definition of an invasive species and are probably the stupidest thing to have evolved out of the ocean. Humans are messed up. We spent decades upon

decades making sport out of killing and torturing our own kind. Whether you’re thinking about high school or the Roman conquerors just remember all that slavery we inflicted on our own people. Sure, disasters like earthquakes and even global warming and global cooling are all natural- but it’s not like we’ve helped prevent them. It’s not a big surprise that the earth’s climate is changing so severely, but all the chemical we’re pumping into the air is making nature’s natural balances unstable. From living in space pods running out of oxygen to radioactive zombies, all those dystopian books and movies you’re obsessed with will become a reality if we dont step up and take responsibility for all the trouble we’ve caused. Nadia Ballard

The login page for Edgenuity

EDGENUITY KILLS INGENUITY The district wastes money using Edgenuity, the online health program that not only doesn’t teach but also one that no student wants to bother with.

ou open up the website from the link on the school homepage, with a student smiling by the ominous login and password entry lines. The title is Edgenuity, and for anyone who has been through freshman PE, you know that you won’t be smiling like this student for long. The interface is difficult to navigate, and soon, you are watching an endless playlist of videos with a multitude of problems. The very program is lifeless, a waste of state resources, and pitifully hypocritical. Most of the 5 to 12 minute videos are narrated by a man who has an unintelligible voice, and the videos have boring and ridiculous visuals. Some of the more ridiculous ones have been a runner who has a towel

WHY YOU SUCK It’s not personal, but you suck and we humans need a serious intervention.

umans are the main cause for most of the Earth’s calamities and it’s rapid dilapidation ever since our Homo Sapien ancestors learned that fire was a thing. And humans have inhabited Earth a pretty long time, and over our stay at Mother Earth’s luxury hotel, we have successfully converted it into one story motel with complementary STD’s.

perspective | 7

the Mustang | June 2015

Pictures of me growing into my ears between kindergarten soccer and 12th grade lacrosse (awkward middle school years omitted). Photos courtesy of Kevin Gallagher

NOW WHAT?

No elderly women were harmed in the making of this article.

s high school winds to an end, we seniors often find ourselves in uncharted waters. The typical example of this is what we plan to do next year, either continuing our education or taking a less traditional route. However, I have found that the most confusing thing about my life is not my future, but my present. After countless years of playing on sports teams, I no longer have any organized sports in my life. High school lacrosse has ended, taking with it nearly four hours of obligations a day. Before I had lacrosse, I had high school soccer, before that club soccer, and on and on— ever since I started T-ball in preschool, I’ve never not had a sport to play. So this feels weird. To understand how weird this is for me, you have to understand what a big part of my life sports are. Just three days after I was born I was out watching one of my older brother’s T-ball games, thus starting a long tradition of being dragged to watch my brother’s boring games. As soon as I could walk I was playing games. I’ve more or less tried every sport. For years, I played baseball (I was good at batting. Fielding? Well, let’s just say I was a classic Little League right fielder), and I dabbled in basketball (I could dribble really well, and my shooting was… did I mention that I could dribble?) For as long as I

8 | perspectives

can remember I’ve played soccer (I mean, who needs skill when you can outrun everybody, right?), and I can’t forget my favorite sport, lacrosse (Mostly where all the weird bruises are from. Mostly.) When I was younger I tried tennis a little (I don’t like to talk about it), racquetball (the only sport I haven’t hurt myself playing, surprisingly) and even cross-country (I discovered that running as a sport really isn’t nearly as fun as running in a sport). It’s a completely new experience to have absolutely nothing going on. I’ve had times where I haven’t had practice before, but that’s usually because I’ve done something stupid, like, hypothetically speaking, spraining one of my ankles for the fourth freaking time (hypothetically of course). I know how to deal with that kind of free time; it involves lots of self-pity and complaining about how annoying crutches are (they chafe high on the ribcage which is an odd and terrible place to be chafed). I’m used to sports every day, or, at least three to four times a week. But now I have nothing to build to, nothing to focus on. And that’s becoming a little bit of a problem. By now it should be evident that I am a testosterone filled rage machine. When a fight occurred in a lacrosse game of mine a couple weeks ago, I was right in the thick of…being 30 yards away

from the conflict, talking to the other team’s goalie as we both watched our respective teams wail on each other. Being such a manly man, I am deeply in need of opportunities to let out my inner Hulk, opportunities that have been, thus far, afforded to me through sports. Sadly, I no longer have the opportunity to sprint a half field length to slam into a competitor. The lack of these opportunities has led to some pretty awkward situations in my everyday life. Just the other week I was at the supermarket and I happened to be reaching for the last bag of Blue Ranch Doritos at the same time as an elderly lady. Now, I happen to love Blue Ranch Doritos, but the good boy my parents raised thought, “No, you should let this old lady have the bag.” Sadly, the good boy in me thought this about half a second after the under stimulated competitor in me reacted. What really happened was less of a respectful young man ceding a bag of (objectively gross but subjectively delicious) chips to an old lady, and more of me swiveling my hips to put myself between the geezer and my sacred Doritos. If I had been on a playing field this move would have been a textbook example of how to box out your opponent and I would have heard an approving “Atta boy, Kev!” from my coach. Unfortunately, this was a Vons, so, instead of a proud coach, I had an embarrassed little brother covering his face, pretending not to know me. All joking and hyperbolic stories aside, the lack of sports has been an unexpected and not entirely welcome change in my life. Although I have gained countless hours during the weekday (Did you know people hang out on weekdays and not just on weekends? Blew my mind. [Also! Did you know “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy” are almost perpetually on? And that I’m amazing at both of them?]), there is something I will always miss about sports. Besides giving structure and order to my life, sports gave me a daily respite where I got to do something that I really enjoyed. Sports have played a crucial role in the lives of many people my age. Many of my peers define themselves through sports and the future lack of sports means that many will have to find new things to fill the void. Most of us won’t go on to play sports on any level higher than intramural, meaning that lots of us have to reinvent ourselves to a degree. No longer will we be thought of as athletes (not that anybody thinks of me as an athlete right now, seeing as there are several people who refuse to believe I played soccer despite a wealth of evidence to prove them wrong). It is a bit like losing part of our identity. The focus, the camaraderie, the pure simple fun of being on a team, in short the reason people love sports, is gone for us and that is disconcerting. The thought of going off into the unknown of living at college is scary, but I am much more scared by the idea that we will be more or less forced to change from what we were in high school. All that being said, if, next year, you see me on the sidelines of a UCLA football, wearing a ridiculous cheer unitard, then you’ll know that I panicked in my need for sports and joined the only thing I am good enough to do there. (In my defense, it is a D1 school, so I’m not exactly going to walk onto any of their other sports. Also, the powder blue cheer uniforms really make my eyes pop.) -Kevin Gallagher

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goodbye

GLASGOW Art teacher Neal Glasgow was a student here before the reign of the Academy, but now he’ll retire after sixteen years of helping to spark and hone the creativity of students that makes SDA special.

Neal Glasgow helps art student Lizzy Herr. Photo by Elise Echeverria.

rt teacher Neal Glasgow is self-proclaimed “old school,” having first began his experience at SDA when it had a different name (San Dieguito High School), in a different decade (1964), with a different role on campus ( student). After graduating in 1967, Glasgow went on to receive degrees in art and biology, and teach at several other schools. Then, in 1999, he returned permanently to a school with a new name and attitude. This June Glasgow will retire from the place he started as a student and leave as one of SDA’s quintessential art teachers. “I really wanted to work here, and I kind of wandered around for 15 years before I could come back,” he said. “And I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job; I feel happy for what I’ve accomplished here.” His path to art teacher first began in high school, where he recalls admiring the ways some of his fellow classmates were able to put pin stripes on cars or surfboards and where he began informally doing sculpture and art. He returned almost 20 years later and now having been at the Academy for the last 16 years, Glasgow’s impact on both his students and fellow teachers is apparent. Glasgow has a saying: if a learner comes to a class, a teacher will appear.And throughout his years as a teacher, he has really shown up for his students. “As a teacher he really pushes you. He’s always trying to question the student rather than just teach the bare minimum. He makes you think,” said senior Sophia Farmer. Sophomore Jill Butler agreed: “He’s brutally honest, but when you get a compliment from him, it’s the best thing in the world.” Glasgow’s view of his students is similar: “A lot of these students make me a better person. They see things that I don’t see and challenge me with their questions.” He added this is one of the things he has enjoyed about working at the Academy. “I like working with intellectually challenging, interesting people and there are a lot of them that go here,” he said. His fellow teachers staff feel the same as his students. Art teacher Kasja Medak said, “He always pushes and challenges me and all the people around him. He has this great quality about him where he is very intellectually curious and he spreads that around. That’s helped me grow a lot.” Art teacher Jeremy Wright added that he really appreciates everything Glasgow has done with the studeent gallery. Glasgow said he has really enjoyed the staff here at SDA. Comparable to the SDA atmosphere itself, the teachers are “Renaissance people,” curious and interesting, whose knowledge often extends beyond their subject matter. “I’m proud of the staff here,” he said. “I’m proud of the Academy.” Despite parting ways with a school he’s seen go through all sorts of evolutions – when he went to school here there were goats and an agriculture program – Glasgow seems excited for retirement. “My goal in retirement was not to have a goal,” he said. “If you take a trip and it’s over-planned and the schedule is really tight, you’re not leaving room for spontaneity as things come up.” He also plans to continue working on a new book, a guide on how to give kids opportunities to be creative in the classroom. It will be his 11th book, his last having been published in 2008. Glasgow said what he’ll miss most about teaching here is when kids have a “magic aha moment,” a moment when something finally clicks. He said likes those moments because the student is happy, and he sees he’s “given them the opportunity to explore something in depth and made an impact.” story by Elise Echeverria

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the Mustang | June 2015

school of

MANY FAITHS SDA students from different religious traditions share what their faith means to them.

Sophomore Blake Stoner-Osborne delivering a sermon at his church in 2013 during his confirmation, a ceremony where Christian teenagers affirm their faith and become full members of the church. Photo courtesy of Carla Stoner.

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DA students have a wide variety of lifestyles and activities, but there’s one aspect of student life that isn’t often discussed: religion. “I think there’s a lot of religion at SDA but no one really talks about it,” said senior Emily Erisman, stating that many students are hesitant to broach the subject. The topic can evoke a range of connotations, as religion is important to some students but a source of indifference or mistrust for others. But while many students are openly atheist or agnostic, upon closer inspection SDA is home to a diverse group of religious practitioners as well. Religious students at SDA say that religion has formed their values and has had a large influence in their lives, stating that it’s a guide for their actions and their behavior towards others. “It’s shaped who I am,” said Yasamine Durali, a Muslim sophomore. “It gives me a guideline, so I know what I’m doing. If I do something and don’t think it’s going to benefit me or my spirituality then I will kind of stay away from it.” “Religion has influenced my conscience; I know something I’m doing is right or wrong based on what I learned in Sunday school or from my mom,” said junior Rachel Dovsky, who is Jewish. In a series of interviews, SDA students from different religious backgrounds discussed their faith and how it has influenced them, sharing the struggles and rewards of their experiences. Their perception of their faith and others’ perception of their faith has shaped their lives, and though their beliefs might be different, many have similar stories about what it’s like to grow up religious. “A big call of Christianity is loving on people and that’s really important to me,” said Reiko Inouye, a junior. “Even in situations where it’s really hard to love people that you don’t agree with, it’s still really important.” “My religion has taught me a lot about understanding different people and what they believe, and just in general learning how to interact and really to care for people,” said Erisman, who is a Lutheran (a branch of Christianity). A Strong Community Faith influences more than just religious practices; it brings with it a set of values and a community that many students say are invaluable to them. “It’s more of like a culture to me, where you get to see friends and family from the same background as you, and they’ve brought me up as a well-rounded and culturally diverse person,” said junior Sanaea Cowasjee, who comes from a Zoroastrian family. “The mosque is a place to socialize and show your spirituality,” Durali said. “You go and meet a lot of new people, and it’s just nice to be with people who are like you, where you can bond and share common interests.” “Even though I’ve connected with a lot of people at our school, I always feel like I connect with the Jewish people the most,” said Dovsky. “Whenever you go to a Jewish thing, the community that forms there is incredible,” said junior Lindsay Alter of her Jewish faith. “The church is a very unique community,” Erisman said. “It’s the thing that I can always fall back on; it’s always there. During the week I can go be at church and be in community, and no matter what’s happening it’s okay because it gives me a sense of security and reassurance.”

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Creating a Faith Most religious people generally were brought up in the religion they follow, but students stress the importance of having a faith that is your own, not just inherited from your parents. Both of Erisman’s parents are pastors, and she said that she grew up in the church from a young age. But, when she became a teenager, she realized that she had to have her own personal faith as well. “When I was being confirmed [a process where Christian teenagers become full members of the church] I realized I needed to find my own faith and what that meant to me, so I developed my own relationship with God,” she said. “I realized that if I was born into a family that was Orthodox Christian, I would be an orthodox Christian, so I feel like it’s so important for me to find pieces of Judaism or religion in general that speak to me so that it’s not just something that my parents have shown me or that I grew up with, that I have a personal connection with it,” said Dovsky. Confronting Challenges Faith isn’t always easy, and inner and outer problems can create challenges for spirituality. “I think that’s a common thing,” said Inouye about struggling with faith. “But I think it’s a good thing because coming out of that helps you get stronger and you know what you do and don’t believe. Struggling with [your religion] means you care enough about it to have problems with it.” “I wouldn’t say I’ve struggled with it, but it’s hard to wrap your head around at times since it’s not a tangible thing that you can see and feel,” said Blake Stoner-Osborne, a Christian sophomore. Struggling with her personal medical problems, including hip dysplasia, and seeing other people in pain caused Erisman to have doubts about her faith, but she said that the church helped her through the difficult parts of her life. “It has its ups and downs, but God always helps me through that,” she said. “In the end, He’s always there and the people around me are there.” She recently realized that her calling is to be a Lutheran pastor, and is planning to go to seminary after college to become ordained. A Different Connection Some students were raised in a religious background but are less connected to their religion, viewing it as more of a culture than a spiritual practice, or choosing to distance themselves from it entirely. Cowasjee is from a Zoroastrian family, but said that she and her parents are less religious than her grandparents, and while she considers it an important part of her culture, she doesn’t practice Zoroastrianism as a religion. “But I definitely do believe that I would like to keep it a part of me and bring my kids up in the religion,” she said. “There’s nothing bad about it; it only teaches good practices.” Senior Josh Perkins was raised in a Mormon family, but left the religion in middle school, stating that he didn’t feel connected to the community or the practices it taught. He said that his siblings have also distanced themselves from the church, though they still maintain a connection to religion. “Both my older brother and sister have very different views,” Perkins said. “They’re not atheists like I am, but I think they think you can be right with God without being devout in a certain faith.”

Outside Perceptions Some students have faced animosity for their religions beliefs, but choose not to let if affect them. “There are definitely a lot of stereotypes, which is really annoying,” Durali said of people’s perceptions of Islam. “I think a lot of people on the outside don’t really get it, and I think it’s just the lack of knowledge people have, which leads them to judge more and assume more things. Some people are going to think it’s weird all the time, but I don’t think it’s weird, and that’s what matters.” Durali is of Iranian descent and wears a headscarf, and said that some people are hostile to her because she is visibly Muslim. “I think people here are understanding, but there are definitely some people here who are not,” she said. “They’re just racist. It’s annoying, but it’s kind of a part of what happens, and you can’t let it affect you. You just have to keep the right mindset and show that you’re not inferior.” “I’ve had kids who’ve known that I was Jewish and made fun of me in school, and when I was younger it would really hurt,” Dovsky said. “I remember crying one time because someone said, ‘Oh, I don’t know if Jews are allowed here,’ or something, but you get older and realize that there are people who are just ignorant or anti-Semitic and you just have to be comfortable with yourself.” “You should be proud of whoever you are, because everywhere, especially in the past, Jews have been persecuted over and over and over again, and because of that it’s important for me to be proud of your heritage,” said Alter. Faith at SDA Many students have expressed wariness over organized religion, and have been apprehensive when learning their peers were religious. “When you say you have a religion you tend to get stereotyped,” Erisman said. “SDA’s so accepting that religion gets seen as not accepting, whether of science or LGBT people or things like that, so you get put in a box until you can prove otherwise.” “I think that some people at SDA think that we’re definitely strange, but SDA’s accepting of whatever you are, and I don’t think religion is an exception to that,” Stoner-Osborne said. “I just wish people understood that it is a personal choice, and people should not just roll their eyes when they hear you’re religious.” “I think there’s a lot of bad rep because people who claim to be Christians who aren’t representing what I feel like we actually stand for, so that’s unfortunate, because that’s what’s always on the news,” Inouye said. “I feel that a lot of people think that Christians think we’re better than other people but that’s not what we stand for.” Though not everyone at SDA might understand religion or be interested in pursuing it, the general consensus is that SDA is largely an accepting environment for students with religious beliefs, and the school values are in line with those religious students try to practice. “It’s part of the SDA community just to be nice to people, though they might not necessarily having a religious basis for it,” said Dovsky. story by Carina Julig

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the Mustang | June 2015

donut stop

BELIEVIN’ Since opening in 1969, VG’s doughnut shop has maintaned Cardiff culture and popularity.

VG’s Donut and Bakery storefront. Photo by Vicky van der Wagt.

G’s is more than just a donut shop. Whether it’s the birthday cakes or smiley-face cookies, the bakery holds many memories for its customers. Even today, the shop’s popularity is continuing to spread beyond its Cardiff location. And it all started 45 years ago. “When we first took over VG’s, it was the only doughnut shop between Oceanside and San Diego,” said VG’s Donut and Bakery shop owner Joe Mettee. That began to change as new businesses and beaches drew people out to the San Diego coast. Yet, despite the years, VG’s has never lost its taste, and its recognition as a “very good” doughnut shop has never stopped growing. Coincidentally, the shop that came before the bakery we know today had also been named VG’s after the initials of the owner’s daughter. In 1969, Mettee’s father and uncle purchased the shop in hopes of starting their own business. While renovating, they forgot to switch the sign on the outside of the building. Instead of renaming it, they decided to change the meaning of the abbreviation to “Very Good Donuts,” which it remains today. At first, the only baked goods they sold were doughnuts priced at five cents each, compared to the 80 cents they are today. Over the years, they piled many more items in their menu including signature pies, cookies, and cakes. “It was basically right out of the 50s,” said Mettee of the original decor, not forgetting to mention the jukeboxes that used to line the counters when the shop first opened. There was also a smaller population in Cardiff, consisting of only 4,000 people, compared to today’s population just in reach of 12,000. “There were barely any people in San Diego who knew where Cardiff was,” Mettee recalled. “It was mostly a bunch of open fields. It was like the country. We were the country.” VG’s location makes it a good site for business. With the beaches and the campsite nearby, they get an even greater number of people stopping in for breakfast. “My wife and I walk every Saturday and Sunday through the campgrounds on the beach, and we see lots of people with a [VG’s] box,” Mettee said. VG’s welcoming atmosphere often has costumers coming back for seconds. It’s common for Mettee to see kids grow up and bring in their own children. “I’ve seen generations grow up in the bakery,” Mettee said. “It makes it fun. It makes it family.” This pattern continues with the owner’s family here. After his father, Mettee was given control of VG’s, and after him it will be passed down to his daughter, who currently works at the bakery. Although they are open from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. during weekdays, Mettee said that “It’s pretty much a 24-hour operation.” Aside from baking, which takes place 16 hours a day, the 35 employees spend much time planning events, taking care of deliveries, and perfecting the shop’s display. “It’s always fresh,” he said. “You’re able to come in at breakfast time and eat something hot.” When asked about the secret to VG’s success, Mettee replied, “I think just the positive attitude. When we hire an employee, they have to care about what they’re doing. If they don’t, it’s just another doughnut shop.” As of now, Mettee says there are no plans to expand the bakery. Having one location “just makes this one that much more special.” story by Vicky van der Wagt and Brittany Serbin

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VG’s Memories VG’s doughnuts has been creating memories throughout its 45 years of business. We asked SDA students to share their stories. “Wow, where can I begin. VG’s truly holds a warm spot in my heart. I can remember the days when I would wake up early to go to get my favorite glazed doughnut. Every Sunday it was that I made my weekly trip with my dad to VG’s. I am forever in debt to that wondrous little shop that creates such majestic doughnuts and memories,” said sophomore Devin Gaan. “One time I went there and I got a maple doughnut and I realized that I don’t like people anymore because doughnuts are so much better,” said freshman Julie Daughters. “I remember one time my mom and I were craving doughnuts so we stopped at VG’s and we coincidentally went at the time that a fresh batch was just made. So we ate nice hot freshly glazed doughnuts which were easily the best doughnuts I’ve ever had,” said sophomore Yasamine Durali. “One time when I was a little kid I went to VG’s and I got four doughnuts and I was like three at the time and I just stuffed my face will all the VG”s and it was like all over my face. Good times,” said junior Arman Sedgwick-Billimoria. “There was this one time where we ordered two chocolate doughnuts and my brother somehow managed to get chocolate all over his back. That’s my story. I don’t know how it happened,” said freshman Zoe Salzman. “My friend and I used to have these sleepovers and for some reason we liked to wake up at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning and make her dad take us to VGs because he was up at weird times. We’d drive down to VGs in our pajamas and we’d both sit in his truck covered in a blanket and he’d go and get us doughnuts. Then we’d drive around and look for bunnies because bunnies are only out in the morning. So we ate our VGs and looked for bunnies at five in the morning,” said junior Emma Washburn.

reporting by Andrew Naimark, Olivia Olander, Kate Sequeira, Courtney Stead, and Emma Chang

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the Mustang | June 2015

veggie

Tales Healthy food and friendly vibes bring the community together.

People enjoying a beautiful day at the marlet. Photo by Cydney Melton

resh smelling flowers fill the air, sweet and spicy aromas travel into your nose and suddenly you become hungry. Sundays at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary School in Leucadia are filled with fruits and veggies, crafts, healthy meals, and entertainment for all ages. As you walk onto the field full of vendors, smiling faces, vibrant flowers, and a welcoming vibe surround you. Fresh Fruits and Veggies There are many farmers who choose to sell their produce at the farmers markets. A representative from Rivas Farms, who has been selling produce such as squash, leafy greens, avocados, strawberries, and much more at the Leucadia farmers market for over a year said, “The best part about buying from the farmers market is it’s usually direct from the farm itself, straight to the market. There’s no middle man.” Rivas farms grow directly for the farmers market, so the representative’s favorite part of his job at the market is “selling good tasting vegetables to everybody.” Arts & Crafts After passing the organic fruits and veggies, the snacks, and plants, there is a handmade craft zone. There are handmade hula-hoops, paintings, knits, and jewelry. “The market is my business,” said Andrea De Bayy, owner of Art from the Heart. De Bayy makes and sells hats, scarves, wind chimes, dream catchers, and jewelry. She does about two markets a week and an art show about once every month, so her business blooms mainly at the farmers markets. She enjoys working outdoors and talking to people who attend

14 | something different

the market. “I have customers that come from all over the U.S.,” said De Bayy. “I have snowbirds [people who migrate from cold climates to warm climates in the winter] that come anywhere from November through May that I only see once a year. Sometimes they call me or email me ahead and say, ‘Hey, I want this in this color,’ and, ‘Do you still have that?’ It shows me how much they think about me when they come again, so it’s a real connection.” Similarly, Harry Eubanks, owner of Rivers Eden, sells his paintings, created on reclaimed wood using repurposed paint, and water-tolerant succulents and aloes. “It’s made locally, it’s affordable, and it’s unique,” said Eubanks about buying a craft from the farmers market. Eubanks believes that the market plays a big role in Encinitas and adds another element to the community. “I think space like this, big fields and other open areas that aren’t being utilized should be utilized for markets or any kind of thing that brings the community together better.” Healthy Meals Many people attend the market for a delicious and nutritious breakfast or lunch. There’s almost every type of food you can think of, from many cultures. Jason Neves from Peace Pies, a raw vegan restaurant on the 101 in Leucadia, has been at the market personally for about six months. At the market, Neves said Peace Pies makes a variety of things such as pizzas, nachos, and quesadillas. “Our food is actually alive,” he said. “It’s raw food, it’s not cooked. So, when you cook food, you actually kill the enzymes and positive bacteria that are in the food that can actually help us. All our food is as fresh as possible. It’s all living just like us.” Neves enjoys working outside and experiencing the feel of the market. “It’s definitely a little beach town here,” said Neves. “There’s a good span of people, so it’s a good vibe here. It’s very friendly and welcoming.” Entertainment After picking up a healthy snack or meal, many people sit down with friends or family on picnic tables or on blankets on the grass to watch the live music. Kids dance around with their friends and can pay a visit to Garit Imhoff, also known as Sugar Bear the Clown. Imhoff has been doing face painting and balloon animals at the market for several years. He is a local Leucadian, who sometimes does private parties because he is a professional clown. Imhoff ’s favorite part about his job at the market is seeing the kids grow up, and watching the families expand. “It’s so nice to meet a person and watch how they grow,” said Imhoff. “Today, a little boy asked me for an angry chicken that was breathing fire. So, they know that I’ll try to do cute little things. When they get an idea, I can actually draw it for them,” Imhoff said. SDA Students at the Market The Market has become a great place for friends to hang out at, and grab a bite to eat. “It’s fun interacting and being social with local people,” said junior Alex Spooner. “My favorite part about the market is the variety of things to do, or eat, or see.” The market is a perfect place where SDA students can help out their local farmers and craftsmen in a healthy and affordable way. “I get a happy and positive vibe from everyone,” said Spooner. story by Cydney Melton

sdamustang.com

A LOOK AT LA JOLLA Use this adventure guide to explore La Jolla’s beaches.

ummer is approaching San Diego. As the weather heats up, a good way to cool down is to head to the beach. But don’t go to your usual place, try something different, more adventurous. Make your way to La Jolla and check out some world class beaches. Up for something fun, seclusive, and maybe a little dangerous? Head down to La Jolla!

The Cove:

The city of La Jolla is a labyrinth of tourist traps that distract from the town’s true attraction. As visitors drive through La Jolla, there seems to be only squashed buildings, almost overflowing into the abyss of the sea. In hiding- wedged between hotels and restaurants- is La Jolla Cove. Beneath a cliff lingers a slice of heaven, La Jolla’s treasure trove of marine paradise. During the summer, this beach is brimming with coastal creatures such as sardines, garibaldi, sea lions, abalone, dolphins, crabs, and countless other ocean goers. This paragon snorkeling location is easily accessible to any level snorkelers, right here in San Diego (just try to beat the tourists for parking). Most snorkelers should stay inside La Jolla Cove while exploring, but strong swimmers can check out the caves just to the north. Follow the coast around the bluff about a half mile and you’ll see them. These caves are usually filled with kayaks but it’s totally worth a look from a swimmer’s point of view. La Jolla Cove’s beach itself is usually crowded with sleeping sea lions or seals and their pups. The two animals always get confused but a good way to tell the difference is that seals are much cuter, wiggling like a worm to move on the beach, while sea lions walk with their strong front flippers. Onlookers aren’t allowed to approach these docile creatures, but they are just as adorable from afar.

The Shores:

La Jolla Shores is a beautiful stretch of beach north of La Jolla Cove that has crystal-clear water with some of the best waves in the area. La Jolla Shores is any surfer’s paradise. One of the best places for breakers is right outside 200 feet from the Scripps Pier (don’t get any closer or you may get sucked under). With wonderful water, comes flourishing fish. La Jolla Shores is a protected underwater park home to a huge variety of marine life. Watch out for stingrays by shuffling your feet to scare them away. During late August, leopard sharks migrate to La Jolla Shores to prepare to give birth to pups. La

These iconic landmarks and animals make La Jolla a perfect place to discover during a free day over summer vacation. Photo by Courtney Stead.

Jolla is the ideal place because of its warm water and protection in the shallows. These specific sharks may get over five feet long, but they are completely harmless to humans. Because they are extremely shy, they make perfect candidates for someone daring enough to swim with one of the ocean’s top predators (though they physically couldn’t bite you if they wanted to ...their mouths are only four inches wide). As the tide lowers, the beaches of La Jolla Shore are left bare and vulnerable; the waters recede to reveal one of their most protected secrets: tide pools. The northernmost point of La Jolla Shores houses a hidden ecosystem that is only unveiled by the

strength of the combined forces of the sun’s and moon’s pull on the ocean. Just walk north of the Scripps Pier to find an entire ecosystem awaiting. These tide pools are constricted by worn rocks that are scattered across the beach. The only life that can survive must do so in the most miniscule amount of water. Hermit crabs, sea stars, barnacles, sea anemones, snails, and small fish can conform to their changing environment. People can interact and explore this reserve as long as they leave the beach just like how they found it. La Jolla is a treasure waiting to be discovered. -Courtney Stead

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the Mustang | June 2015

adventure is out

THERE

There isn’t anything that screams American summer like a road trip across the 50 states. And after singling out a few students to share their favorite travel memories, here are some stops you gotta make.

View of Brice Canyon from the trails. Photo courtesy of Kyra Benowitz.

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hat on earth could be simultaneously diverse, stubborn, entertaining, beguiling, maddening at times, and always changing? Whilst checking and cross referencing its huge data centers, the brain finds two ultra-complex answers: America and The Teenage Spirit. So to those students choosing to spend their summers traveling across “The Land of the Free,” here are some last minute options to create crazy, fun teenage memories. Hawaii Lucky enough to find yourself surrounded by luxurious Hawaiian beaches and foliage as far as the eye can see this summer? Trying to mix in some action and adventure? Freshman Anna Lonsway went to Hana in Hawaii and found “it was really pretty” with “so many waterfalls.” What she found particularly memorable was the road leading to Hana, filled with turns and twists, views of cliffs and beaches and waterfalls. Almost the whole road is covered by rainforest, complete with one-way bridges. “As we were driving, the road got super skinny,” Lonsway said. “It became dirt and we went up the side of this super tall mountain, right next to the ocean. The road was so narrow that when another car came we had to turn the rearview mirrors to the side of the car and squeeze by. I almost died.” New Mexico There’s not much variety in the expansive desert of New Mexico. But underneath the surface, a seemingly whole new world awaits. Welcome to the Carlsbad Caverns. “Basically it’s this huge cave,” said senior Ben Ellerbrock. It’s the biggest cave in this hemisphere, and you get to walk through it with headlamps and stuff. You can take a boat ride down the river that’s in the cave. It’s the sketchiest thing, but it’s so cool. I think it’s like five bucks [for an audio tour].” The national park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico with a main tour of about an hour and a half. Pennsylvania How could anyone ever beat the amazing experience of going to Disneyland on their eighth grade field trip? Why, by going to Pennsylvania of course! Here, one can experience the most delicious theme park known to man. Sophomore Yasamine Durali remembers going to Hershey Park in fourth grade as a field trip. “It’s something that I look back on and have amazing memories of,” she said. Hershey Park is famous for having some of the best attractions in America, offering a variety of experiences. The family oriented theme park presents top of the line roller coasters, a world famous water park, and of course, piles and piles of CHOCOLATE. Utah Going to Las Vegas? Maybe hoping to visit Mars this summer? Bryce Canyon in Utah offers what could possibly the closest thing to an alien experience in America (besides Area 51). The national park is famous for its strange rock formations known as hoodoos and red sand canyons. Fall of her freshman year, sophomore Kyra Benowitz and her family hiked Bryce Canyon. “The park was one of the most beautiful and magical places I have ever visited,” she said. “We went in the winter, and it had even snowed. What was cool about it was that it wasn’t like the Grand Canyon where there are a bunch of restrictions and you aren’t really in the canyon. We walked on the side of the canyon and inside the canyon. The sky was this super insane gradient of blue, without a cloud. It was a full day’s

www. sdamustang.com

hike, but there weren’t many people there. The canyon is a bigger attraction in the summer because you can go biking, offroading, and camping.” Georgia Everybody craves that crazy adrenaline rush, where your heart falls to the bottom of your stomach, and nothing seems impossible. Who knew they could find it in Georgia? Sophomore Michala Greenbaum found her dose of crazy in race car driving. “I went to the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia with my dad to see the NASA western state championships. My dad has won five national championships and now serves as the director of the organization…We got to drive on the track during lunch hours, and after the races the officials and I took our rental cars out to the track and drove them around until we trashed them. We told the rental company they came like that.” New York Who can’t find something to love about New York? Recently, to add some color to the concrete jungle, the government created a luscious green park, cutting straight through the heart of the city. Sophomore Katie Wimsatt visited this park, known as the High Line, and was happy to share her experience. “I ‘rode’ the High Line in New York City. The place used to be an old freight rail line on Manhattan’s West Side near the Meatpacking District. After the railway shut down, they converted it into a super cool park/walkway. It’s really lush and green, sort of like a garden but elevated by metal poles which you can walk along and view the city. They filmed a portion of the second Spider-Man on it.” The High Line might just be one of the most ecologically friendly tourists attractions in the city, and is something you just can’t miss if you choose to visit this summer. Alaska As you may or may not already know, the Women’s World Cup is happening in Canada this summer. But who wants to go to Canada, when American Canada is only a few hundred miles north? Yes, Alaska offers the same scenery perks as Canada and for those who don’t want to tarnish their American purity by leaving the country, Alaska offers a world of options. Sophomores Erin Fuller and Elisha Chen are truly fans. “I went to Alaska in the summer to visit the glaciers, and the sun was out from 3 a.m. to 12 a.m.,” said Chen. Erin Fuller got her fill of global warming proof when she also went to Alaska. “I was on a cruise and when we went through Glacier Bay, I took pictures and watched pieces of the glacier fall off and into the water,” she said. story by Mary Ford with contributions by Karina Julig, Elise Gout, and Kate Sequeira

Glacier Bay in Alaska. Photo courtesy Erin Fuller.

something different | 17

the Mustang | June 2015

50 States of Away

Humboldt State

Graduating seniors set off on their own adventures, in California and beyond. Art Institute of California Dominic Vrevich

Marinello School of Beauty Marilyn Figueroa Valencia

California Lutheran University Emily Erisman

MiraCosta College Enrique Alvarado Kennedy Anderson Carlos Atempa Jamisyn Atlas Brennan Aubol Leonardo Ayala Jose Balderas Gianluca Balestri Sabrina Barry Ian Braski Steven Cowdery-Rice Janet Cruz Daniel Daughters Miltreta Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Orazi Marcos Englebrite Dani Ennis Julie Erwin Oscar Escobedo Blue Feeney David Figueroa Logan Foster Nat Foster Jeremy Garcia Dane Garrido Leilani Gomez Stephen Gonzales Rachel Honda Kimia Jalali Alexander Jimenez Samuel Jose Numer Licardo Cheyne Linkogle Sawyer Linkowski Dominic Loreto Sinjin Lyon Luis Maldonado Mia Malone Jackeline Mancilla Jami Mauricio Magana Richard McClelland Megan McEldowney Courtney McIntire Leah McManus Cash Merriman Mia Montes Kevin Moody Jasmine Morales Soriah Nehari Olivia Nguyen Yayo Olvera Dana Palmer Marla Penaloza Bade Peralta Nequiz Matthrew Perrelli Austin Prang Tilly Radakovich Milton Ramierz Kialani Rasmussen Vanessa Rios Castro Ryan Rogers Jose Rodriguez Lopez Kenneth Roys Sophia Rucireta Phillip Sabouri Joel Saldivar Noah Santorian Andrian Sirio Alex Smith Francesca Stastna Griffin Stout Keats Strider Rachel Stull Luke Thomas Zachary Trujillo Adam Upton Nikolas Vennard

California Maritime Academy Suvin Rajapaske Cal Poly Pamona Ashli Holcroft Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rebecca Bland Mackenzie Haller Austin Keillor Jenna Kintner Tyler Knight Nicholas Luong Tricia Navigato Mason Nolan Ivan Ramales Julia Ramzi Chapman University Rachel Yuter Chico State University Lily Clune Tyler Hagen Alex Lopez Chris Still CSU Channel Islands Kimberly Moreno Hernandez CSU Fullerton Caleb Gibson Samantha Steinberg CSU Long Beach Daniela Lopez Romos CSU San Marcos Amy Arsenault Phillip Belman Ana Cardenas Benitez Steven Dominguez Marley Doughty Enricko Enuslay Eliese Holt Amin Kaharlani Anthony Law Monica Muro Frank Pisciotta Tomas Sandoval Geli Turner Jason Varon Cuesta College Chance Alcoser Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Nick Frederick Grossmont Community College Kiana Indian Humboldt State University Brian Fischer

Chico State

UC Davis Sacramento State Sonoma State Cal. Maritime Academy University of San Francisco San Francisco State

UC Berkeley Stanford

UC Merced

UC Santa Cruz

Cal Poly, San Luis Cuesta College

Santa Barbara CC UC Santa Barbara California Lutheran CSU Channel Islands

FIDM UCLA CSU Long Beach Soka University UC Irvine

University of Redlands Chapman CSU Fullerton

MiraCosta UCSD Point Loma Nazarenne

Chase Van Vleet Marilyn Skye Waldrop Jessica Waters Katie Watson Tylre Wilcox

Point Loma Nazarene University Aida Carillo Jasmine Carrillo Evan Killeen

Miramar College Ryan Kerr

Sacramento State University Linsey Brizuela Alexandria Moran

Occidental College Alexis Funaki Palomar Community College Max Ashworth Brice Ayers Teresa Cordada Armando Enriquez Eleese Fleming Maxwell Fonden Fabiola Gonzalez Bahurin Gumeta Lopez Chuy Huerta Jacob Lamirand Blake McDevitt Carter Murphy Adriana Pablo Alan Patino Claudia Ramirez Esparragoza Rosa Rosas Becca Von Zweck

San Diego State University Chase Bishop Gavin Broughton Casey Galleher Moe Gonzales Talon Schmid San Francisco State University Youssef Abdalla Ari Hernan Valen Lambert Corin Luckhardt Jake Pocius David Sparks Santa Barbara City College Jack Hagerty Paige Mitchell Olivia Sandoval

Soka University of America Linden Amundsen Sonoma State University Miriam Bloom Maya Catellanos Ana Daniela Arcely Duron Cody Mayer Jackie Urenda Stanford University Lise MacPhee Gabri Posard UC Berkeley Kyle Cruff Matthew Eliceiri Brice Hagan Lucas Kerr Karina Langli Ileana Lee Johnny Menhennet Josh Perkins Marco Rivero UC Davis Dylan Hendrickson Zach Lara Sawyer Porte Katie Proal Emily Templin UC Irvine Chris Bennett

18 | something different

Cal Poly, Pomona University of La Verne

Occidental

CSU San Marcos Palomar College Marinello Miramar Art Institute San Diego State

UC Los Angeles Kahlo Baniadam Rachel Colbath Ben Ellerbrock Kevin Gallagher Eric Henline Stacy Li Justice Roshala UC Merced David Pliego UC Riverside Samantha Romero Danny Salgado UC San Diego Daniel Ballard Nathaniel Bloom Daniel Clinton Alexander Liddington Anthony Wing UC Santa Barbara Kacen Horner Zitlali Martinez Ibarra Emily Ozorio Madison Richards Julian Sanz Robert Stegman Alex Stellar Gabrielle Sullivan UC Santa Cruz Dylan Aguon Taylor Altenbern Sarah Brady

Dalia Bussell Tyler Chan Madi Colby James Cook Lizzy Cook Ty Goering Sophia Hernandez Nicholas McCrink Lucas Nathan Jasmine Nava Nick Neumann Philip Paris University of San Francisco Rell Berend Cynthia Galindo Elizabeth Ryall University of La Verne Juna Bouchekara University of Redlands Maddie Biehl University of Southern California John Schaar Whittier College Jared Holguin

www. sdamustang.com Western Washington Evergreen State U of Portland Reed College Portland CC Lewis & Clark Oregon State

University of Washington Seattle University Gonzanga University Willamette College Western Oregon University

University of Montana Montana State University

University of Oregon University of Minnesota

Boise State

Marist College

BYU, Rexburg University of South Dakota Grinnell College CU Fort Collins

University of Utah

CU Boulder

UN, Las Vegas

Creighton University

Pratt Institute

Albion College

University of Iowa

Purdue University

Columbia University The New School Culinary Institute of America, NY

West Virginia University

George Washington

Colorado School of Mines

Washington University

Western Colorado University

Indiana University Virginia Tech

University of Missouri Cottey College

University of New Mexico

University of Connecticut

Penn State Northwestern University of Chicago

Brandeis Emerson Northeastern Wentworth

Wake Forest University

Belmont

Northern Arizona University Georgia Institute of Tech Emory University

University of Arizona Southern Methodist University

Auburn University

University of Texas, Austin

FIT, Melbourne

Albion College, MI Larry Flores Auburn University, AL Emily Peters Belmont University, TN Jack Van Cleaf Brandeis University, MA Audrey Nichols Boise State Univeristy, ID James Beiber Brigham Young University, Rexburg, ID Sarah Santore

Culinary Institute of America, NY Pamela Magnarella Emerson College, MA Sophia Farmer Emory University, GA Ruben Diaz

Marist College, NY Tenley Feinberg Montana State University, MT Romy Beigel Colleen McGrath Sophia Schmidt The New School, NY Gabby Garruto

Evergreen State College, WA Caleb Clay

Northeastern University, MA Parker Lack

Florida Institute of Technology, FL Nick Anderberg

Northern Arizona University, AZ Meghan Milliken Kelly Robinson

George Washington University, DC Delaney Duff

Colorado School of Mines, CO Cameron Bridges

Georgia Institute of Technology, GA Eric Hsieh

Columbia University, NY Elise Gout

Gonzaga University, WA Brandon Carroll

Cottey College, MO Madeline Marko-Martinez

Grinnell College, IA Riley Murphy

Creighton University, NE Lizzie Urbina

Indiana University, IN Dustin Sleet

CSU Fort Collins, CO Elisa Barrett Nico Wankier

Lewis & Clark College, OR Jacob Hawkes Alice Wargo Brett Wilson

Northwestern University, IL Elise Echeverria Oregon State University, OR Liana Broyles Michael Barden Pennsylvania State University, PA Robert Miller Pratt Institute, Utica, NY Sydney Busic Portland Community College, OR Josh Parisi

Purdue University, IN Chris Schenkhuizen Monica Stampfli

University of Missouri, MO Gabriel Coffidis Bo Templin

Reed College, OR Avi Gupta Sam Young

University of Montana, MT Elliott Keyes

Seattle University, WA Caroline Daniel

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV Emmy Harrah

Southern Methodist University, TX Jonathan Huey University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Perry Fitchett Jacquelyn Teza University of Colorado, Boulder, CO Daniel Fawcett Troy Pasko Calvin Zikakis

University of New Mexico, NM Eric Hendricks University of Oregon, OR Carly Belin Jaycelin Bert Erin Murphy Hanna Vieregg University of Portland, OR Trisha Goto

University of Washington, WA Erin Filley

Willamette University, OR Samantha Laurent

Virginia Tech, VA Hanna Kobayashi

Marine Corps Grant Rogers

Wake Forest University, NC Kate Shapiro

International:

Washington University in St. Louis, MO Tara Gildersleeve Wentworth Institute of Technology, MA Austin Chester Sarah Hyndman Western Oregon University, OR Andreas Peven Melanie Ruediger Western State Colorado University, CO Clark Thompson

University of Iowa, IA Maddy Fournier

University of South Dakota, SD Parker Rytz

University of Connecticut, CT Vikas Sarathy

University of Texas, TX Allison Sakihara

Western Washington University, WA Arielle Michaelis

University of Chicago, IL Henry Zhu

University of Utah, UT Alexis May

West Virginia University, WV Ryan Culp

University of Minnesota, MN Jake Willing

Institute Marangoni, Milan, Italy Pia Haro Quest University, Squamish, Canada Nina Aganza University of Salamanca, Spain Natali Poalillo Other Plans: Gilad Barach Roxanna Bradford Caity Cecio Westin Flores Hoffman Terry Fonte Evan Hamm James Knowles Jackson Littlefield Roberto Lopez Maxwell Malone Sabin Marquardt Keith Mintz Alia Newman-Boulle Angel Perez Austin Ryan Jacob Tuffs

something different | 19

the Mustang | June 2015

IN TEN YEARS...

Jared Holguin “I will be Dad.”

Lucas Kerr

“I won’t have this rainbow on my butt, or maybe I will.”

We asked seniors where they saw themselves in 10 years. Here’s what they had to say. Look for more at www.sdamustang.com.

Roxanna Bradford

“I’ll probably own a restaurant with my dad.”

Vikas Sarathy

“I’ll tell you in twenty years.”

sdamustang.com Photos by: Caroline Daniel, Cydney Melton, Allie Manis, Vicky Van Der Wagt

Casey Gallaher

“I’ll be leading a small army of lemurs.”

Emily Templin

“I’ll be a doctor, or the female Bill Nye.”

326 students graduating from San Dieguito Academy this year.

226 students staying in California for school next year.

Jackson Littlefield

“I’ll be the American James Bond.”

“ Brett Wilson

“In ten years, I’m going to be in a foreign country, hanging out with kids, maybe in the Peace Corps.”

Rachel Colbath, Hanna Kobayshi, and Sabrina Barry “We’ll still be band geekin it up!”

20 | the middle

Suvin Rajapakse

Josh Perkins

“I’m hoping to be in Seattle living next to the beach.”

Lise Macphee

“I’ll still be asking my mom how to do laundry.”

“I’ll be fresh out of grad school, still dancing to Beyonce, but with a doctrate.”

Carly Belin, Parker Rytz, Tara Gildersleeve, and Dani Ennis “We’ll be living in a nudist colony.”

Caleb Clay and Melanie Ruediger

“I will finally own my own dog.” “I’ll finally be my own dog.”

Dylan Aguon and Jami Mauricio

“One of us will be an international spy and one of us will be a trophy wife. We’re still deciding.”

Marco Rivero

“I will be synthesizing the Elixir of Life.”

Eric Hsieh

“Hopefully not have a bowlcut.”

Tyler Hagen and Adrian Sirio

“We’re going to be self-made quadrillionaires.

Gilad Barach, Megan McEldowney, and Sophia Farmer “We’ll be one big happy family.”

Tyler Knight

“I’ll be cutting open the multiple tummies of cows and fixing them and loving them, and on the side petting dogs.”

David Pliego

“I’ll be in San Francisco, living my life.”

the middle | 21

the Mustang |June 2015

Four Students Dressed to the NINES SDA’s best dressed fashion conquests

Photo by Vanessa Machin

ach day is a blank slate for senior Paige Mitchell, whose style changes from day to day, with dynamic looks that reflect how she feels each morning and are as beautiful and versatile as she is. She often enjoys experimenting with news stores and sites to create her wide range of style. She also often goes to small local shops “because you can always find something unique.” Mitchell frequently scopes out the lates street trends and fashion shows on style.com and pintrest. She then weaves each diverse influence into her wardrobe to create the perfectly blended mix of edgy, cute, chic and vintage. Mitchell feels most confident in loose, flowy, clothing. “It makes me feel free and comfortable, like I can afford Coachella” the blue-eyed babe added. When asked why fashion was important to her, Mitchell replied with “aesthetic”. Story by Vanessa Machin

Photo by Nick Frederick

22 | something different

enior Nick Frederick’s fashion sense is light-years ahead of most teenage boys. Frederick said he enjoys “taking parts of different styles, like street wear and runway-esque experimental type stuff, and putting it together,” however he wants. “I kind of like to break the rules a bit and then make them work,” said Frederick. He gets most of his clothes from Fowlers, his workplace, a boutique in Cardiff. “I think fashion is a great way for people to express themselves without talking. How you dress and how you appear is the first impression you make,” said Frederick. As of now, he does not make his own clothes, but he says that he has plans for the future. “I have a few ideas I want to make happen, but I don’t really have the resources right now,” said Frederick. Story by Julia Wengler

reshman Zell Williams’ swanky style is almost as cool as she is. Her groovy looks combine the best of the 70s and the 90s while still maintaining maximum comfort. Psychedelic with a 90s flair, Williams’ revered fashion sense, (along with her artistic talents and lovely personality) is what she is known for throughout SDA. Williams’ favorite shopping locations are Flashbacks, DAV, and other thrift shops. “They’re original and inexpensive,” she said. As far as fashion icons go, Williams draws inspiration from Lizzie McGuire. “She’s so cute! I love her little hair do’s.” Williams’ favorite clothing item are skorts because it has “the effect of a skirt but the comfort of shorts.” The Birkenstock sandals and baby doll dresses you can often catch Williams rocking on campus are what she feels most confident in. So why is fashion important to Zell Wil Photo by Zell Wiliams liams? “It makes me feel happy to wear something I like. It’s like a sneak peek into my personality,” she said. Story by Vanessa Machin

dgy. Sassy. All her own. Sophmore Carley Fischer channels her inner zest into her outfits to create compositions that drops jaws. When asked what her secret is Fischer replied, “I buy clothes that trick people into thinking I put effort into my apperance when I really don’t.” Well, she’s certainely fooled me. Flashbacks is Fischer’s favorite place to stock up on these effortlessly glamourous pieces. She loves being able to grab cheap finds that showcase the inner diva. This is where she gets many of the dresses you can catch her sporting in the halls. Fischer says she feels most confident in a cute dress and some killer shoes. As for a style inspiration, Fischer deems fashion icon Paul Blart her muse. She certainely channels a Paul Blart vibe in her jean jacket, which, she says, “makes Photo by Vanessa Machin [her] feel like she can kick ass.” This gorgeous gal’s killer looks are an inspiration to us all. Story by Vanessa Machin

www. sdamustang.com

ice cream and

SCREAMS Join us on the melodramatic ride of a lifetime during our adventure in Belmont Park, experienced with sketchy rollercoaster and excited adolescents.

A view of various attractions at Belmont Park. Photo by Maddy Campbell.

he air was saturated with the smell of salty beach air and aromas of various items such as popcorn, cigarette smoke, sweat, and everything deep-fried. The sky was covered in a gray blanket, but one of those really ugly ones made by someone’s grandma. Our ears were filled with the clashing sound of techno music, carousel tinkling, and children screaming.. We had arrived at Belmont Park. The string of people behind the ticket counter seemed to go on forever. We, because we were obviously prepared brought along pre-printed vouchers, although we were not exempt from the time consuming admission line. Luckily, we also didn’t have to worry about the height. Ahead, a child was elongating themself so they could meet the meager 48” requirement. They didn’t end up escaping the unavoidable

limitations of their shortness, but back in line, we achieved a feeling of accomplishment: that we had been short before and we overcame the seemingly unbreakable barrier of four feet. As soon as we put our bracelets on, we confidently made our way out the crammed room, flashing our superior all-ride pass. Many children glared at us with envy, jealous that we had the ability to experience rides without worrying about how many tickets we had left. Once on the carousel, we made our way to establishing our dominance on the royal ostrich and fuzzy bunny. The bunny actually wasn’t fuzzy because it was plastic, but we imagined. Most children chose the stereotypical cavalry but that was because they were basic. Then, in the distance,we spotted something. A winding path led to the entrance of the Giant Dipper rollercoaster that glowed like the hypothetical gates of heaven. Without hesitation, we stepped gracefully onto the ride and prepared for a thrilling experience. We were obviously highly superior to other passengers that were whooping, screaming, and having a good time. However unbearably sketchy and rough the 90-year-old rollercoaster was, we couldn’t keep from enjoying ourselves. Lunchtime had soon come, because sitting on your butt on various rides can be exhausting. First, we made our way to the luxurious crepe station occupied with the biggest jar of Nutella we have ever seen. Seriously, it was colossal. We ordered a Nutella banana whipped cream crepe, which was quickly assembled before our very eyes, like one of those fancy five-star restaurants where the make food in front of you. We quickly downed the perfectly heated and carefully crafted crepe. Eager to luxuriate in the delight of other attractions in the park, we made our way over to the Tilt-a-Whirl, a spinning ride that would make even the strongest of stomachs want to hurl. We waited anxiously behind a man who had stuffed a churro in his pocket and giddily climbed into a car. While the ride was going, we discovered that we weren’t spinning very much compared to other cars on the ride. We ruled out the idea that this ride was geared for ages younger than us and found that shifting our bodies from side to side would give the car enough momentum to spin. Like dainty amusement park ballerinas, we rerode the Tilt-a-Whirl until our hearts were content. Suddenly, the grandma blanket that lined the sky got pulled away and the malevolent sphere of evil fiery rays came out to join us, raising the temperature by what felt like 100 degrees. It was time for ice cream. As we waited in another long line, we impatiently examined the menu. We didn’t have that much of an appetite, so we decided one or two scoops would be fine. When we entered, we were notified that the smallest size was two scoops, so we decided to go with that. Little did we know, the scoops were immense. With combined efforts, we were able to expunge a little over half of the serving. In order to preserve our health, and our stomachs for the rides afterwards, we made forth with with the excruciating decision to throw the rest away. We felt terrible, but as Denzel Washington once said, “you gotta do what you gotta do.” Once we had to leave the park, a melancholic feeling arose upon us. We didn’t want to leave, and we longed for the taste of super sized ice cream, or the feeling of annoying, but relaxing supersized lines leading to epic rides. Until next time, Belmont Park. story by Vicky van der Wagt and Maddy Campbell

something different | 23

the Mustang | June 2015

an insight on INSIDOUS In the press conference with new Insisdious star Stefanie Scott, new details were discovered not only of the experience on set but also of the movie itself .

Quinn reading in the “Insidious 3 movie.” courtesy of .insidiouschapter3.com

or the new horror movie “Insidious 3,” director Leigh Whannell wanted to get the lead actress in the right mood for her possession scene. “He literally locked me in like a dark room and [had me] listen to like Swedish death metal,” said Stefanie Scott. “It was horrifying.” The movie, which comes out July 3, will be a prequel to the previous and beloved Insidious 1 and 2. Scott talked about the movie, including the director’s repeated attempts to scare her, in a telephone press conference with high school students from around the country this month. The movie takes place about eight years before the story of the Lambert family in the first movie of the trilogy. When Quinn Brenner (Scott) senses her deceased mother trying to contact her from the dead, she seeks help from psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye). However, Elise’s unfortunate past

24 | arts and culture

makes her reluctant to use her abilities. After Quinn is attacked by a malevolent entity, her father (Dermot Mulroney) pleads for help from Elise. With support from two parapsychologists, Elise ventures deep into The Further, where she finds a powerful demon with an insatiable craving for human souls. Scott, a former Disney actress, got into making her first horror film. “God, it was so fun,” she said. “ I’m really into any kind of horror, thriller film. It’s definitely my kind of movie ... I love dark creepy things. So, I wasn’t really [nervous] – I was just really excited to be a part of it. I was a big fan of the first two films.” Director Whannell made Scott live some of Quinn’s experiences to connect with the character. “He actually had me go see a psychic for the film, which is what my character does in the movie, which was a really intense experience,” Scott said. “He, like, predicted my future and people that I’d meet, and so far everything that he said would happen has come true, which is kind of crazy.” At moments, the director played songs to put Scott in the mood for the scene she was shooting: “I think that’s what’s so beautiful about it and it’s that, you know, music is such a big part of our lives and emotions that it brings on to you when you listen to it.” When talking about the movie, Scott said that “Insidious 3” is the origin of the story and that it sets up for the two other movies. It goes deeper into The Further, and it’s the darkest out of all in the series. “It’s different because it’s very real and grounded prior to all of the hauntings and possessions,” she said. Most actresses would get a stunt double to do their most dangerous scenes, but not Scott. “I did do all my own stunts,” she said. “It was crazy being in all of the harnesses and being like, yanked across the room from a crane. Stuff like that was really fun. I loved doing stunts, and I’m still alive, so I guess I’m okay.” In horror movies, all reactions always seem so real, but the audience isn’t always aware of all the extreme situations the actors must go through to provide the audience with such lively scenes. “It was overall, like, a very creepy feeling, I think, on set because it’s kept very cold and dark and foggy,” Scott said. “So, it was overall slightly creepy, and Leigh [director] loved to actually scare me with, like, air horns and stuff without me knowing, or like, hide the demon somewhere in the set and have him pop out at different times, so it was a little scary in that way.” In a project of such demands, Scott had to connect on all levels, physical and emotional, with her character, and even had to write a diary as Quinn every day for preparation. Still, Scott didn’t find it hard to separate herself from her character. “I don’t think it was really hard to separate myself from the character because once you yell cut and you have a break, it’s pretty easy, especially in the environment that I was in to just kind of – to kind of just be yourself.” At the end of the press conference, a student asked Scott, “Will you go to prom with me?”, she said “Aw, man. I don’t know” “That’s so cool. I don’t know if I can. I’m sorry. It depends when it is. But I’ll be there in spirit.” With Scott’s sense of humor and sympathetic personality her next project just may need to be a comedy to satisfy our need for the funny side of Stephanie Scott.

Story By Taina Millsap

HERE COMES THE SUN

sdamustang.com

Photo by Allie Manis

The waves are rolling, the sun is smiling, and school is finally over. No more eye-rolling lectures or uninteresting assignments. Summer is a time for relaxation and new memories, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here to help! Here is a chronological list of upcoming events this summer that you just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss! Movies, television shows, music, and more! arts and culture | 25

the Mustang | June 2015

JUNE Photo by insideout.com

Photo by thekooks.com

19 Inside Out

9 The Kooks

he Kooks stole my heart when I attended one of their concerts last September at the House of Blues. They put on a fun, and lively show for everyone. The Kooks don’t fail at getting the crowd singing and dancing as they perform upbeat songs. They keep up high energy for the most part, with exception of a few of their slower hits. Their cute British accents draw you in quick, so if you are in to pop, ska, reggae, or funk, they’re definitely the band for you. This British rock band will perform on June 9 at the House of Blues in San Diego at 7 p.m. Tickets are approximately $40 for general admission. However, there is also a free Kooks concert on the same day at 12 p.m. in the Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club and Bungalows, hosted by FM 94/9. The Kooks will be playing their most recent album, “Listen,” along with a few fan favorites from their older albums. -Cydney Melton

26 | arts and culture

Photo by oitnb.com

2 Orange is 1 the New

Black

f you liked season two of “Orange is the New Black,” featuring the ferocious Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) and the return of the suave Alex Vause (Laura Prepon), you’re going to rejoice for the third season of this Netflix masterpiece. With the elimination of trainwrecks Larry Bloom (Jason Biggs) and “Pornstache” Mendez (Pablo Schreiber) and the welcoming of Stella Carlin, played by the drop-dead gorgeous Ruby Rose, this new season will possibly be the best one yet. Lesbian love triangles and prison drama? What’s not to like! Be sure to grab a bowl of popcorn once the clock hits 12 a.m. to binge-watch this highly anticipated Netflix show. -Mona Karimi

veryone can relate to the hardships of growing up; it’s a very emotional transition. This journey can be difficult for people to talk about, but a new Disney movie has put a spotlight on the shift from a child to a teen. The animated family film, “Inside Out,” features the physical and mental journeys of a tween named Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) as she battles the adversities of moving across the country. This inside adventure of Riley’s life takes place in her head-quarters with

her emotional advisors: Joy (Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), and Disgust (Mindy Kaling). As Riley tries to adjust to her new life in San Francisco, her emotions also attempt to stay calm as Joy tries to keep everyone positive. However, the other emotions take over the controls and cause Riley to feel something other than her usual happiness. This movie also features other people’s thoughts and emotions. We see into the minds of a bus driver and even animals who all

have their own crews of emotions that try to keep the balance. Ultimately, this movie illustrates that it is normal for people to have feelings other than joy. It is important for people to understand that crying, getting angry, or fearing something is a normal part of being human. Letting out emotions is healthier than keeping them pent up to only explode later on in life. “Inside Out” will quite literally be an emotional journey and it will give you the feels. -Courtney Stead

12 Jurassic World

learly the scientists on Isla Nublar haven’t learned their lesson. 22 years after Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) ran from dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park,” the island’s theme park has been reopened and has become a major tourist attraction. The new renovation serves as the basis for “Jurassic World,” the fourth installment of the popular franchise. In an effort to bring

more attention to the exhibits, the park’s operations manager Claire, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, genetically modifies a dinosaur with striking resemblance to a T-Rex that soon becomes the park’s main attraction and the movie’s main villain. The dinosaur escapes, threating the safety of Isla Nublar and of Claire’s nephews, (Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson) who happen to be visiting the island. “Guardians of

the Galaxy” star Chris Pratt, who plays military veteran and scientist Owen Grady in “Jurassic World,” teams up with his coworker Claire to, as history will have it, run from dinosaurs. “Jurassic World” will open in theaters June 12, this time with Colin Trevorrow taking over for Steven Spielberg, who directed the first three movies and will now be executive producer for “Jurassic World.” -Brittany Serbin

sdamustang.com

Photo by edsheeran.com

23 Ed Sheeran Concert

nglish singersongwriter Ed Sheeran will be playing at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. “The A Team,” “Lego House,” and “Thinking Out Loud” are just a few of his best and catchiest songs. Sheeran is famous for his red hair, emotional lyrics, and melodic voice that has captured the hearts of many listeners. Seeing Sheeran live is an opportunity that fans

won’t want to miss. Anyone planning on going can expect to sing along to every song with a crowd that knows all of the lyrics. The X Tour will consist of Sheeran alongside his trusty acoustic guitar performing songs from his latest album, “X.” Sheeran is sure to woo his audience with his soulful music and charming yet unassuming appearance. -Julia Wengler

23 VidCon

hrow your Smosh shirts and brofist beanies in the air for the sixth annual YouTube convention this coming summer. Hosted by John and Hank Green of VlogBrothers fame, this three-day convention allows fans to finally meet their internet idols, from gamers like Markiplier and Game Grumps to comedians

Photo by ted.com

such as Tyler Oakley and Jenna Marbles. This LA meet-up has been slowly growing in size for the past few years, allowing more visitors to meet their favorite YouTubers. Ticket prices vary depending on how many days you attend; visit vidcon.com for more details. -Mona Karimi

26 Ted 2

f you enjoyed this crude teddy bear in the first movie, then you have to find your way to theatres this summer for the sequel. This humorous cast includes Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, and Morgan Freeman.

In this movie, Ted must prove that he is a person so that he and his wife can adopt a baby. The movie concept is admittedly ridiculous, but i’m sure that will only add to its hilarity. Seyfried works as Ted’s lawyer to convince a jury that this speaking teddy bear

deserves civil rights. Unfortunately, the movie is rated R for its poor language, sexual subject matter, and drug references, so most of us will either have to sneak in or watch this movie uncomfortably beside a parent. -Julia Wengler

27 Nickelback Concert

icture this: Avril Lavigne’s dearly beloved, rasping into a microphone with fellow Canadian counterparts. Well, if you’re interested you can be front and center on that action, June

27th at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre (formerly known as the Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre). The concert will feature the band’s newest album “No Fixed Address.” If you’re a fan go grab your

tickets now starting at 30 dollars on stubhub.com; it will be worth every nickel. Make sure you take lots of photographs. -Vanessa Manchin

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the Mustang | June 2015

JULY Photo by anime-expo.org

2 Anime Expo

idn’t get that ticket to Comic Con you wanted? No problem; I have a solution! If you are a Comic Con rejectee, you can attend Anime Expo (AX) instead. AX will be taking place July 2-5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It’s almost as good as Comic Con, and a whole lot cheaper! Just like Comic Con, AX has artist booths, TV

Photo by comic-con.org show previews, cosplay gatherings and more! Anime producers, artists and voice actors will be at the convention. Guest announcements have been sent out saying that Julietta Suzuki (artist of Kamisama Kim), mechanical designers Thomas Romain and LeSean Thomas, and voice actors Sandy Fox (Chibi Usa from Sailor Moon) and Christina Vee (Homura

in Madoka Magica) will be attending this year’s AX. The full schedule has not been posted yet, but more and more guest appearances will come with time. Are you an anime fan? GO! Not an anime fan? YOU NEED TO, START WATCHING! Visit www.anime-expo. org/registration/ to purchase tickets. -Emma Chang

3 Terminator Genysis

“T

erminator Genysis” hits the screen running with more action, more time travellers, and more terminators than ever before. Seriously, everyone save for, like, two people are terminators. It’s getting kind of hard to manage at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I love the terminator series, with its massive destruction and German governors masquerading as killer robots, but this new installment seems reminiscent of Marvel’s way of making a new comic; extremely convoluted alternate timelines. The story starts out much like the very first

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film, Lieutenant Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is sent back in time by the leader of the human resistance against Skynet, John Connor (Jason Clarke), to keep his mother Sarah Conner (Emilia Clarke) safe from the time travelling machines that are always being sent to kill her before Conner can be born. But in this timeline, Skynet was several steps ahead of the humans and attempted to kill Sarah as a child. The human resistance sends their own cyborg just barely in time to protect Sarah, leaving her orphaned from her real parents and cared for by the reprogrammed T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

that serves as her guardian. As a result Kyle, Sarah, and the Govenator must battle against God only know how many new terminators, including a human-terminator hybrid John Conner from perhaps yet another timeline and a younger CGI Schwarzenegger from the original movie. Yeah, I’m not the only one at least a bit lost, right? Nevertheless, I and probably everyone else will no doubt still sit through this monstrosity of a time paradox to get some answers and enjoy a Schwarzenegger on Schwarzenegger brawl to the death. -Daniel Ballard

9 Comic-Con

f you like books, movies, television, or comics in any specific fandom, then you are most likely familiar with the excitement and buzz of ComicCon. This year’s schedule includes a number of interesting panels ranging from comic books to upcoming feature films. Comic-Con has been a hub for pop culture enthusiasts and a roaming ground for fans all across the world. The lineup of special guests includes Kelly Sue Deconnick, writer of “Captain Marvel,” and “Pretty Deadly,” and others such as David Aja, writer of “Immortal Iron Fist” and “Hawkeye.” However, sad news is that Comic-Con has a possibility

of leaving San Diego. As the deal between ComicCon International and the city of San Diego comes to a halt in 2016, the popular convention could possibly move up to a bigger area such as Los Angeles or Anaheim. Although just a rumor, the fact that ComicCon has grown much faster than the city of San Diego can handle is a big factor in the event’s future and where it will be located next year. Even with the looming threat that Comic-Con might have its last year in beautiful San Diego, this year’s convention should be exciting and eccentric as ever. -Grant Sippel

sdamustang.com

17 Tame Impala

A Photo by tameimpala.com

ustralian psychedelic rock band- Tame Impala-has a sound like no other. Warm. Rich. Resonant. Impossible not to sway to. Kevin Parker’s voice is smooth like velvet as it melts into the complex juxtapositions of coinciding beats, warble pedal effects, and soothing riffs. Instrumental layers and voice and weave together through the influxes, lulls,

climaxes and pitfalls of melody and rhythm adding the texture and soul that most modern music lacks. Like an echo from the past, Tame Impala’s uniquely electric and magnetic sound, trippy and ethereal, is reminiscent of 60’s tunes. Listen in for their new album, “Currents”, coming out July 17. -Vanessa Manchin

Photo by minions.com

10 Minions

inions, a movie stemmed off of “Despicable Me,” is expected to be released on July 10 this summer. And no, it is not the third “Despicable Me” movie. If you were a true member of the nonexistent “Despicable Me” fandom, you would know that the threequel comes out in 2017. “Minions” takes place practically everywhere on Earth during the B.G (before Gru) era. In a world abundant of yellow banana loving bean-shaped creatures, voiced by directors Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, the minions strive to find and serve the

most despicable master in the world. Consequently, they somehow end up accidentally decimating all of them. Without a master, they feel helpless and begin to digress into creatures without purpose. That is until one minion by the name of Kevin takes up a mission with his friends Bob and Stuart to find the world’s biggest baddest villain to serve. As a lover of cute senseless minonture beings myself, I am going bananas for this movie and you should too. I know these creatures will soon gru a place in your heart. -Vicky Van Der Wagt

Photo by 5sos.com

18Five Seconds of Summer

verybody wants to be famous, and YouTube is our generation’s way to fame. With over one billion active accounts, people all over the world continue to post videos in hopes of sharing their story and possibly becoming famous one day. Michael Clifford, Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin, and Calum Hoodbooked every day from May 4 to Sept 13, these four Australian YouTube wannabes have become the pop rock band they never thought they could be. “Rock out with Your Socks Out” is 5 Seconds of Summer’s first tour and

their way of promoting their new 5SOS album, with 21 shows already sold out, but it all started with YouTube. In December of 2011, Clifford and Hemmings began uploading videos of them covering their favorite songs onto YouTube and over time Irwin and Hood joined the club. Over the span of the next two years their popularity began to blow up. With nearly one million subscribers, one being One Direction, they soon found themselves on tour opening for One Direction every night. Soon enough,

their subscribers doubled, their Vevo gained double the subscribers than on their original channel, and they prepared to release their first EP containing a total of 3 original songs and 1 remake of “What I like about you.” 5 Seconds of Summer now has a total of 48 original songs and a set list of 19 songs including “Kiss Me, Kiss Me,” “She Looks So Perfect,” “Good Girls,” and more. So if you are interested, go check out the concert on July 18 at the Chula Vista Sleep Train Amphitheater. -Maddie Chao

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the Mustang | June 2015

Photo by imaginedragons.com

21Imagine Dragons Concert

magine Dragons’ upbeat yet emotional sound has earned them worldwide recognition. This alternative-rock band is most well-known for hit songs such as “Radioactive,” “Demons,” and “It’s Time,” which were nearly unavoidable to anyone that listens to the radio. They will be coming to Viejas Arena for their “Smoke + Mirrors Tour.” Imagine Dragons incorporates dark yet in-

spirational lyrics into their catchy songs. They are well known for their use of drums, which adds to the dynamic energy in their live performances. The lead singer Dan Reynolds always brings great charisma to the show. Anyone attending this concert can count on dancing or at least tapping their foot along to the lively music of Imagine Dragons. -Julia Wengler

Photo by papertowns.com

24Paper Towns

f you enjoyed “The Fault in Our Stars” movie or you have read John Green’s books, you are probably already anticipating Green’s next movie “Paper Towns.” Starring Cara Delevingne and Nat Wolff, two very attractive and talented people, this movie is set to do well in theaters.

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The movie follows Quentin’s adventure as he chases after his all-time crush, Margot, after she mysteriously vanishes the day after they go out together. Margot seeks revenge on anyone that has ever wronged her, then she disappears and Quentin works with his friends on a quest to find her. If you haven’t read the

book yet, then you should probably get on that, preferably before the movie comes out. This coming-of-age movie is similar to “The Fault in Our Stars” because it questions the meaning of life. Green perfectly blends lighthearted humor with real substance. -Julia Wengler

sdamustang.com

AUGUST Photo by warpedtour.com

5 Warped Tour

ans Warped Tour is bringin’ sole to San Diego this August. Featuring dozens of bands of various genres, Warped Tour allows people to come together and celebrate the one thing that ties us all together: music.

Bands, new and old, will be playing, including such as Asking Alexandria, Pierce the Veil, and Neck Deep, but music lovers will also receive the opportunity to discover new music as lesser-known bands take the stage.

Photo by fantasticfour.com

7Fantastic Four

his new addition to the original Fantastic Four trilogy will delight young aspiring

superheroes, thrill teenage enthusiasts, and piss off Marvel superfans who will leave the theatre listing 50

The concert is set to take place on Aug. 5 at 11:00 a.m. at Qualcomm Stadium. Tickets cost $38.50 for general admission. This includes meetings and signings! -Kate Sequeira

ways the movie was inaccurate to the comic books. This tale consists of four brilliant-minded teenagers (Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell) who build a machine that will allow them to travel to an alternate dimension. Once teleported, their physical bodies become disturbingly altered. As time goes on, this group of four discovers that they can use their mutations to their advantage, and thus the Fantastic Four is born. Prepare for a movie where you’ll scratch your head at the scientific mumbo jumbo more often than experience the excitement of intense action scenes. Pray this doesn’t follow in the footsteps of all other failed sequels. -Maddy Campbell

Photo by falloutboy.com

9 Fall Out Boy Concert

t feels like we’ve been waiting “Centuries” for the all-star lineup of the Boys of Zummer Tour. Beginning on June 10 in Camden, New Jersey and wrapping up on August 10 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, the one and only Fall Out Boy will be performing with Wiz Khalifa and Hoodie Allen in over 40 countries; they will be gracing us with their presence at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Fall Out Boy is featuring their new album “American Beauty/American Psycho,” which includes their hit songs “Centuries,” “Uma Thurman,” and “Irresistible.” Co-Headliner

Wiz Khalifa will be promoting his new album “Blacc Hollywood,” featuring “We Dem Boyz” and “See You Again.” Even better, Hoodie Allen is the opening act for almost every show. This tour aims to please all attendees. These artists pride themselves on breaking the barrier between rap and other genres of music with their diverse lineup. They are sure to keep their audience members on their toes, always wondering what might come next. It is definitely a must see concert when they roll into San Diego. -Nicole Ramirez

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the Mustang | June 2015

Photo by taylorswift.com

29 Taylor Swift Concert

C Photo by samsmith.com

11 Sam Smith Concert

am Smith is known for his deep and soulful voice, which carries a unique power that is uncanny to most artists in his generation. Songs like “Stay with Me,” “I’m Not the Only One,” and “Lay Me Down” are just a few examples of his artistic skill in getting the listener to experience his pain and

feelings. Smith won four Grammy awards out of his six nominations at the 2014 Grammy ceremony. This included the title for Best New Artist and Record of the Year. The current “In the Lonely Hour” tour was halted when Smith suffered a vocal cord hemorrhage

and was advised to cancel concerts for the next two months. However, he plans on returning to the stage on June 3 in the UK. You can count on Sam Smith to deliver an exquisite performance at this concert so be sure to get tickets if his music appeals to you. -Julia Wengler

12 Shrek the Musical

traight from the swamp to you, “Shrek the Musical” is coming to The Moonlight Amphitheater in Vista. The heartwarmingly endearing tale of an ogre learning to believe in himself and open his heart to others is

32 | arts and culture

guaranteed to be a shrektacular time. If stellar acting, a killer plot line and an ass load of green face paint sounds like you’re kinda scene, you should join the multitude of others ‘ogre the moon’ about this production at The Moon-

light Amphitheater on Aug. 12. Tickets are sold online at moonlightstage.com for $24 - $52 (discount prices for seniors and students are offered). -Vanessa Manchin

oming to Petco Park on August 29, Taylor Swift is dragging along her new boys, Vance Joy and Shawn Mendes, for her newest album release “1989.” Swift will be brandish her new music featuring her worldwide hits “Shake It Off ” among all others and “Blank Space.” With her recent cover of Vance Joy’s “Riptide,” Swift will be featuring the song with him. As if we needed more reasons for 13-year-old girls to melt into their seats, I’m pretty sure Joy’s Australian accent is enough, music aside. In any case, Joy will perform on the ukulele, and even though “Riptide”

is overplayed, it will be so much better live, and the hype will put all the radio-wrongs of ‘too much’ behind us. This world tour also features Mendes, who comes prepared with his recent album “Handwritten,” with tracks like “Life of the Party.” As expected, the concert should be a confetti-fest of overripe colors; Taylor Swift sequined costumes, and the heart-throbbing banners imploring these three artists to marry the crowd. It will be fantastical. Tickets are currently on sale on Ticketmaster starting at $97. -Sarah Willes

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the Mustang | June 2015

exhibit of ARTS

Students showed off their incredible talents on Exhibition Day, SDA’s long standing tradition to celebrate our immense culmination of creativity.

Students paint their hearts away using Jeremy Wright’s car during Exhibition Day. Photo by Brittany Serbin.

34 | arts and culture

he day started out dark, cold and gloomy. Nevertheless, the students of SDA welcomed Exhibition Day with open arms. Students awaited the arrival of the first session. Music flowed all around school. From Sacred Cow in front of the PAC to Soul Juice playing next to the Mosaic, students could choose what they were in the mood for. If they were not searching for music, they could find plenty of other artistic outlets. For all four sessions, students could add to the chalk mandala in the center of senior court. Art teacher Jeremy Wright offered his car and old classroom in senior court to be decorated by students, although some enjoyed decorating each other. “I painted the wood home, truck, sculpture room and my friends face. So you could say I had a fun time,” said senior Sabrina Barry. Spanish teacher Sheryl Bode, also in senior court, volunteered her classroom to be enjoyed as a “discoteca” for the short time that it’s still left standing. Students were allowed to write a parting message on her wall or just let loose on the dance floor. In front of the PAC, some students did yoga, while others made the choice to bypass the yoga mats and head straight for the cupcake station. The good-humored visited the Comedy Sportz games being played in the PAC during sessions one and two. Some students got to experience a whole new type of petting zoo on the softball field, exclusively during session two. Freshman Sophia Zhu and senior Lucas Kerr sat in a corral, waiting to be pet by anyone who was willing to donate a dollar. By the time hour lunch arrived, it really gave meaning to the phrase “sun’s out, gun’s out.” The students were given the opportunity to box each other in an inflatable ring with oversized inflatable gloves. Students were not the only ones who took advantage of the inflatable ring. Wright took on ASB advisor Rod Keilor in an epic battle that attracted fans to cheer on their favorite teacher. Chick-Fil-A served on campus as well as a student-run barbeque. “I worked at the barbeque at the Mosaic during lunch for a business management internship. Me and my friend Richard had a lot of fun grillin,” said senior Clark Thompson. After lunch, we were joined by alumni. “I know a lot of what I came back for was not only to just see the colors and feel the energy of Exhibition Day, but also to see the teachers that I missed because I really do miss them in college. And it’s also just nice to be back on campus, like a place where I had such positive experiences in high school after not being here for a full year. It’s just nice to be back,” said alumnus Kirsten Walz. In the third and fourth sessions, students enjoyed the flea market which featured the works of the many crafty people who go to our school. “We had a booth for Artists for a Cause and we did henna [tattoos] over by the gallery. We had chaos everywhere. Over by our booth it was really, really busy because everyone wanted henna, so everyone was everywhere, there were people in a line, and it was loud. I did it for all four [sessions],” said junior Bella Colletta. A large crowd migrated towards the skate demo in front of the gym. Skaters showed off their best tricks while also putting their helmets to good use. Junior Emma Daughters played her ukulele in front of the library while some fans danced along. Other students tried their hand at rhythm and coordination in the drum circle. As the bell rang for fourth period to start, all the students reluctantly shuffled back to their classrooms for 50 more minutes of school until thinking, “What a way to end the four day week!” -Nicole Ramirez

sdamustang.com

Students gather around with teachers to play with the drums during Exhibition Day. Photo by Nicole Ramirez.

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the Mustang | June 2015

San Dieguito Sentinel Horoscopes Aries (March 29 - April 19) When the Palm Tree sways left and the snow turns chartreuse, stand on three legs and hum the sound of a chicken. -Ancient Proverb Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Why was six afraid of seven? Who cares? Just blame it on global warming. Or Obama. Gemini (May 21 - June 20) You must forward this message to 19 different people within three hours of reading it. Then blink four times and spin around twice. If you do this, you will receive unbelievably good luck, and your crush will kiss you tomorrow. If you do not forward this, a dog will bite you, and your family will be haunted for 17 years. This is not a joke. This is a curse. Your time starts now. Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Be the change you wish to see coming out of the vending machine.

Students in hiding because of non-existant prank. Photo by Emma Chang

Pranks Gone Mild

Absence of senior pranks leaves students and staff paranoid.

he bell rings and the school falls silent once more at the beginning of fourth period--suddenly a burst of laughter comes from seniors all around the school. This year’s senior prank? Nothing at all. Several months of planning, $5000 spent, and numerous fake flyers have left staff, parents, and underclassmen reeling in the awe of what they’ve witnessed. The prank idea came from a Facebook comment thread about potential prank ideas. The conversation dragged on into the early morning with many ideas tossed around. “I originally thought it would be super funny if we just slept in class,” said senior Sarah Tonin. “But then we realized that teachers

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wouldn’t be able to tell the difference anyway.” Finally, Tonin, in a halftired stupor, suggested that they should just do nothing. “They posted a bunch of memes of approval and that was when I knew that I’d peaked in my life,” Tonin said, tear trickling from her eye. For the event, Tonin and her band of “merryfakers” considered a multitude of ways to end the event, including throwing confetti in senior court and playing Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” on loudspeakers. However, these actions were deemed too typical by the group and shot down. “We wanted to be super original – we’re not some kind of copycats, we’re Mustangs,” said senior Adam

Zapple. “I hate that name. At least call us copy-mustangs. Wait, what were we talking about?” Teachers were especially caught off-guard by the non-event, with some even stopping class to count down to zero hour. “I was shivering in fear for the entire day, looking over my shoulder when walking down the hallways, keeping my phone pre-dialed to 9-11,” said English teacher Dee Sieved. “I even punched a student because he was looking at me too long. I was juked pretty hard, as the kids like to say.” “The prank to end all pranks, that’s all I have to say,” said Principal Jim Thorning. “When I was in high school, our prank was to have

a tailgate party in the middle of the campus. It kind of got out of control, and some people started shooting their guns in the air...so any prank where no one gets their limbs amputated is a good prank in my book.” Other seniors were less enthusiastic about the prank. “That was dumb. That was so dumb,” said senior Saul Tea. “It’s the high school equivalent of splattering baby’s blood or whatever onto canvas and calling it art. Except the baby’s blood is invisible ink because NOTHING HAPPENED.” However, Tea recanted her statement after the interview, saying, “I was just bitter that my idea was shot down. Though if anyone needs some chicken heads, you can hit me up.” By Dylan Hendrickson

Leo (July 23 - August 22) A penny saved is just a penny. It will buy you .0025% of a Big Mac. Virgo (August 23 - Sept. 22) If you are a senior, my crystal ball says you will graduate soon. If you are a non-seniors, I foresee you wearing a green shirt at some point in your life. Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) Your horoscope this week will waste your time. Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, a beautiful princess made up a bunch of crap, typed it up, called it Horoscopes, and got an A in Journalism. Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) **censored** Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) Why does it matter how much wood the woodchuck chucks? That is the exact kind of capitalist, consumer-based bullsh*t thinking that is ruining the world! You should be asking WHY the woodchuck chucks instead of selfishly wondering how much Costco’s chucked wood will cost in bulk. Shame on you. Shame on America. Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) You’re going to have the song “It’s a Small World” stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) In a past life you were a smart, successful doctor. You were strong and talented. What happened?

By Chloe Williams

sdamustang.com

San Dieguito Sentinel

Deleted Scenes

he much anticipated school yearbook was distributed last week. It was full of pictures and memories from the past year. However, a few senior pages were removed from the yearbook at the last second due to reasons unknown. One of the rejected pages (featured below) was released to the Mustang and definitely not stolen from the secret yearbook archives under the computer lab.

By Chloe Williams and Emma Chang

Class of 2015 Senior Quotes! Chasse Bishoppe

Praker Laak

Girfen Stoot

“That’s what.” -She

Flourine Uranium Carbon Potassium you Caltech!

I don’t like it when people think I’m a dumb blond. This isn’t even my natural hair color!

Darth Vader

Allex Stelar

Dishal Grogery

What does it matter? You’re just going to misquote me anyway...

Stop asking me! Yes, the weather is fine up here!

What am I doing here? I’m a freshman.

Benn Elenbrook

Calab Gibbsun

Tennli Fineburg

“It’s gonna be LEGENwait for it... and I hope you’re not lactose intolerant because the second half of that word is...

...DAIRY!” -Barney Stinson

I bet you didn’t even realize this was an option :P

Sara Sandoree

Staysi Leehe

Evon Cilean

I look better in person.

“No.” -Rosa Parks

“Alas, earwax.” -Dumbledore

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the Mustang | June 2015

no day at the

BEACH

Summer vacation isn’t all relaxation for many SDA athletes who are beginning club teams and various camps in order to improve for next season.

Sophomore Jonathan Sabouri goes up for a header in the air while playing for his club soccer team over the summer. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Sabouri.

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lthough the season is over for SDA sports teams, it does not spell an end to many of the student athlete’s training. In order to stay in shape and physically improve before next year, many SDA students are gearing up for not just a summer to relax, but to rigorously train through camps, club teams, or individual workouts. Students are planning to build off their performance this year and improve on any of their weaknesses by engaging in summer activities. Many students that play team sports at SDA are planning on joining a club team to continue practicing and preparing for their next high school season. SDA junior Garret Stone who played Varsity Basketball this past year said, “I am currently playing on a club basketball team this spring which will continue throughout the summer.” Stone will also work out with the high school team in the weight room. Similarly, SDA junior Maddie Williams who played on the Girls Soccer team also is playing on a club team this summer where she can regularly practice and compete in tournaments. “I’m on a club team that plays year round so I’ll be training and playing with them,” she said. SDA athletes are also finding other ways to stay in shape and train over the summer such as participating in high school camps. SDA Sophomore Devin Gaan, who played Boys Basketball this year, and is currently playing on a club team said, “I plan on also doing team camps with our school team over the summer. It should be a lot of fun practicing and competing in tournaments against very good teams that will prepare me and our team for next season.” There are many summer camps for high school athletes whether related to school teams or completely aside from them. Athletes at SDA had many different goals they hope to accomplish before next year with the experience that can be acquired during the summer. Williams said, “I hope to improve my individual skills as much as possible before next year.” Meanwhile, Gaan said, “I would like to improve my own skills a lot. However, I also look forward to working with our team and trying to build some chemistry heading into the next season.” Some SDA athletes such as Stone are not just looking to improve their skills but also are looking to possibly attract the attention of potential colleges by engaging in these summer activities. Stone said, “I hope to be looked at by colleges over the summer and hopefully commit to playing somewhere.” Furthermore Stone said he had even began creating recruiting videos which he will continue to do over the summer so that he could send them to coaches of schools he is interested in. Although many athletes are preparing for hard work during a time that many use as a break, many are prepared as they have had experience doing these camps or playing on club teams in the past. Sophomore Jonathan Sabouri, who played in the SDA Boys soccer team, talked about his experience playing club soccer: “I have played for my club team for many years. So, I am used to having many practices throughout the year and it is a lot of fun playing with kids I know.” Summer is typically seen as a time to go to the beach, hang out with friends, or do absolutely nothing. Thus, at times it can be hard for these athletes to stay focused and committed to training and improving. However, Stone tries to stay motivated. “I picture what I can accomplish in my college and my basketball career and it motivates me to work hard to get this opportunity,” he said. “I didn’t want to throw away all of my hard work.” Williams said that regular practices with her club team will keep her on track. “On my club team we practice regularly during the week so it will keep me on schedule,” she said. Although summer will begin and seasons will be over for high school teams, the season is never really over for many SDA athletes looking to share the common goal of improving before next season. story by Andrew Naimark

sdamustang.com

Surfer vs. Skater

Surfer Kacen Horner and skater Brice Hagan battle to the death in the senior edition of Surfer vs. Skater. Story by Chloe Williams. If you’re completely submerged underwater, are you really wet? Surfer: Nah you’re stoked. Skater: Yeah, cuz you’re in water. Surfer, I appreciate the typical Surfer answer, but you had an advantage with this question. As a surfer, you know more about the ocean and what it’s like being submerged underwater, so minus 200 points as a handicap for Skater. This may seem unfair, but, hey, life isn’t fair. For example, Angelina Jolie gets to be married to Brad Pitt, while the rest of us are stuck with the Bill Murrays

of the world. I’m getting off topic. What I mean is that you should have politely declined answering in order to give Skater a fair shot at winning. It’s not my fault the questions were biased. I may have written them but you didn’t have to be a surfer. You could be a skater. Or a basket weaver. The world is your clam. Skater, aca-scuse me? Article 89, Subsection G of the official Surfer vs. Skater rulebook, “Bored Games,” explains that correct grammar must be upheld in all answers. The use of “‘cause” was completely uncalled for. Your blatant disregard for society’s rules

is disturbing and slightly offensive. Minus 60 points. How can there be self help “groups?” Surfer: Because you’re helping yourself by going to the group. Skater: It’s a paradox statement. Surfer, that was a valid and convincing argument. You perfectly summed up one of philosophy’s greatest questions in one sentence. Congratulations, and minus 30 points. Look kid, my job is to pretend to be funny. I can’t do that with you being all smart and stuff. In order for this

Seniors Kacen Horner and Brice Hagan chill’n out, possibly underwater. Photo by Chloe Williams.

relationship to work, you must give me answers that I can use to make you look stupid. As Mother Teresa once said, “It is not enough that I should succeed, others must fail.” In order for me to seem like a good writer, I must brutally crush your will to speak aloud

again. Sorry, that’s just the way it is. Skater, it’s a good thing you’re pretty. Surfer: -230 points Skater: -60 points Congratulations Skater! You win nothing.

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the Mustang | June 2015 Junior Emma Daughers Theater

Senior Carter Murphy Photography

Sophomore Yoni Kruvi Music

Junior Lara Haines Art

Junior Nate Neumann Academics

Junior Serina McKenedree Sports

The Mustang interviewed dozens of students, asking them what they thought the essence of SDA was. “SDA is who you are, not what you are,” said freshman Darian Flores. Sophomore Claire Jantzen took these photos to represent SDA’s essence, capturing what students do in and out of school.

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