The Mustang May 2012

The Mustang

Issue 6, Volume 16

May 11, 2012

The Mustang

Editor-In-Chief News Editor Lindsey Agnew

May 11, 2012

4 news art shortages SDA’s art department is forced to deal with a shortage of supplies.

28 steeze pROM dRESS TRENDS There are several highlighted looks this spring and a number of unique ideas to tailor a trend that will fit your style.

23 Circus animal fun

6 opinions KONY 2012 Everyone knows his name, but was the campaign to find him a stretch?

10 ESSAYs robotics The team of parrot-oxen and their faithful robot left the nest and flew to St. Louis, Missouri for World Championships.

AP TEST HORSEPLAY A testy situation arose when unbridled horseplay interrupted AP Testing at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

26 sports The will to win Most people agree it’s awesome to have Kristen Wiig as a cousin. Meet10 ing Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, and Jerry Bus might be even better. See story on substitute Jon Wilcox.

28 backpage all that jazz SDA’s own jazz cats performed in their first festival along with professional group Coastal Cities.

13 FEATURES COLLEGE FAIR FUN Follow two juniors as they make their way through SDUHSD’s college information night.

Numbers

55 pints of blood 14 centerspread Promposals SDA students like senior Mariko Kobayashi, who made her own masquerade mask, get creative when prepping for prom.

managing editor arts editor Angela Zhang Opinions Editor Laurel Sorenson Features Editor Caitlin Hird Sports Editor Sarah Kochanek EATS Editor Kianna Eberle Steeze Editor Tatiana Skomski CAF Editor Eleanore Hendrickson Photo Editor Jocelyn Lee Asst Photo Editor Emily Maxwell cOPY EDITORS Charlotte Ohrbom and Mae Wright Ads Manager Emma Lindley Advisor Tim Roberts staff writers Linden Amundsen, Natalya Ballard, Katie Berriochoa, John Deane, Elisa Figueroa, Caroline Glass, Tyler Hagen, Emily Hall, Kyle Hoff, Eric Hsieh, Austin Kasselmann, Austin Keillor, Taylor Knudson, Sarah Kochanek, Valen Lambert, Lily LeaVesseur, Tacy Manis, Katie McPherson, Olivia Mock, Cassia Pollock, Dustin Sleet, Katy Swanson, Joseph Swit, Bo Templin, Becca Von Zweck, Ryan Walsh, Anna Williams, Edward Wolanin.

donated during blood drive

14

42 objects on homeroom olympics scavenger hunt list

230 participants in senior olympics

10 seniors who watched

18 arts SDA Inkbook Are you feeling artistically inferior? If you look at these student drawings like this creature of junior Scott Lindquist’s creation, it’ll get even worse.

21 eats Ethnic adventures The foodie team is off to try Jamaican food at Mama Jamaica’s, the land of spice smells and Bob Marley

ferris bueller at school during star testing

36 weeks between

original water day and new date (May 30)

25 school days left in the year

18

Numbers by Lily LeaVesseur and Katie McPherson

Cover by Alynne Powers.

Read about her on page 17.

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

News

The Mustang 5.11.2012

PAGE

03 Students link arms during the Day of Silence to show solidarity for LGBT students. Photo by Lily LeaVesseur.

The Sound of Silence SDA was silent for a day to bring awareness to bullying of LGBT students. Story by Lindsey Agnew.

Students Share their Reasons for Being Silent I am silent in protest of discrimination of any kind. At the end of each day, people still have hopes, feelings, dreams, and someone they love. Some people cannot speak for themselves so I’m getting a taste of how it feels. Stand up for yourself and for those who can’t.

-Emily Murdock, junior I’m silent today because I believe that everyone has the right to live their life happy and free of prejudice and hate and bullying, and marry the people they want to regardless of gender, and be accepted for who they are by their family, friends, and society.

-Sabine Sinclair, senior I’m silent in symbolic protest of those who are forced into silence – either because they have to censor themselves or their identity in an intolerant community, or because they were literally silenced by hate crime. The discomfort of experiencing this enforced silence is a reminder of discrimination, a glimpse into the marginalized lives of the oppressed.

-Sarah Gallagher, junior Today I am silent in protest of the misunderstanding and mistreatment of homosexuals, bisexuals, and all other alternative sexualities. I think today is important because people don’t realize that saying something as simple as “That’s so gay!” is hurtful and wrong.

-Romy Beigel, freshman

T

he halls of SDA were over 200 voices quieter than usual during the Day of Silence.

The purpose of the April 19 event, organized annually by SDA’s GayStraight Alliance (GSA), is to raise awareness of gay rights and to prevent bullying and homophobia, according to senior Lonnie Safarik, the GSA club president.

For the first time, the Day of Silence was followed up with another event – Speak Up, Speak Out Day. “The purpose [of this day] is really to have our school get together and talk about something that isn’t really talked about. Instead of being silent, we are speaking up for what we believe in,” said Safarik. Around 10 students shared their thoughts on LGBT topics during the event, held at lunch in front of the PAC. While both days received generally positive responses, according to Safarik, there were incidences of students being disrespectful towards participants. “I had a lot of people come up to me and thank [the club] for putting it all together,” said Safarik. “But some students yelled profanities at those who participated. There were lots of insulting looks. This was one of the first years that that has really happened.”

Bullying can happen anywhere – even at a school like SDA, which is known for welcoming those who are different.

“Most people at SDA like to pretend that bullying doesn’t happen. Personally, I have heard plenty of hurtful comments towards my friends and other students for being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transsexual. For many students, [the bullying] is something that goes away as they spend more years here at SDA. Still,

I know seniors who are still disrespectful to the LGBT community, and might always be,” senior Kiley Dalrymple said.

In fact, SDA’s reputation as being a very accepting school could result in the bullying that does happen being discounted. “I think that SDA is more accepting than other schools, but I still don’t think that it’s accepting enough. A lot of people give our school too much credit for being accepting, and using that knowledge they chose to overlook bullying and intolerance when it happens before them. It can be detrimental because we think we’re so above it,” said senior Annie Tarabini.

Students harassing others because of their sexuality is not an uncommon occurence. “I know one person who will be outwardly meaner to me because they know I have a girlfriend and who will avoid touching me at all costs,” said junior Rachel Guralnick.

“At the club fair at [the GSA] booth, a guy came up to us and told us it was scientifically proven that being gay was a disease – that’s totally false,” said senior Sabine Sinclair.

Students may not realize how hurtful their words and actions can be. “Some girls in the girls locker room were bashing lesbians, saying mean things, and my friend was really uncomfortable with it,” said junior Eric Griffin.

Disrespectful behavior can include students using “gay” as a derogatory term or shooting mean glares at other students.

“What I witness is not usually direct bullying, but making fun of LGBT people in general. There are a lot of people who use ‘gay’ as a slur,” Tarabini said.

“I think there is more of the silent judging than the outward bullying at our school, at least as far as I can tell. But mean looks can hurt sometimes,” junior Izzie Ojeda said. “[Bullying] is pretty rare here.

It’s happened, but it’s rare,” said Counselor Ann Nebolon. If a student is bullied, the counselors, PALs, and assistant principals are there for support. The counselors can also refer students to an outside therapist who can help them with their situation, Nebolon said.

Amid these stories of bullying, many students feel that SDA’s reputation as an accepting school still holds true.

“As someone whose identity is shaped very little by my sexual orientation, the best part of SDA’s acceptance was not that people are okay with me being gay or bisexual or straight, but that no one really minds, whatever type of person I might like. The freedom to just be a person, regardless of sexual preference, is truly freeing,” said junior Sarah Gallagher.

Junior Brooke Ann Mitchell also found SDA to be a tolerant school. “I have had absolutely no harassment at school about my sexuality, which is incredibly encouraging,” Mitchell said.

Many agree that, while SDA isn’t perfect, it is a much safer environment than that of other high schools. “I think SDA is a very accepting school that lives up to its reputation. It may not always feel it, and it is true that bullying does happen. It happens all the time.

But that’s a reality that no one can escape,” said sophomore Cassidy Mayeda. >Story Continued on Page 16

LGBT Bullying Across the Nation

85% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed at school.

40%

of LGBT students re-

ported being physically harassed at school.

19%

of LGBT students report-

ed being physically assaulted at school in the past year.

72%

heard homophobic re-

marks frequently or often at school.

61% of students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation.

30% of LGBT students missed at least one day of school in the past month because of safety concerns.

Source: The 2009 National School Climate Survey, of 7,261 secondary school students

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04

News

A student looks over the new Zen garden built by the Japanese class. Photo by Linden Amundsen.

5.11.2012

The Mustang

Zen Garden

Graffiti

The Japanese class builds a garden at SDA.

Graffiti sprung up on campus during break.

Students were surprised upon returning from spring break to find a Zen garden outside of room 32.

Of course, the garden didn’t simply magically appear. Instead, five JNHS members lead by junior Jesus Aguilar spent nine hours over three days building the garden.

The Zen garden features pebbles from the beach and other materials donated by Aguilar’s father.

When asked why the students decided to build the garden, sophomore Zak Dah said, “ To make the campus look nice.”

At first, some students weren’t sure what the garden exactly was.

Freshman Casey Galleher, who also worked on the garden, said, “A few students were like, ‘Oh look, someone moved some rocks around’.”

So far, students have had a positive reaction to the garden.

Freshman Jamisyn Atlas said, “I think it’s unique and unlike any other type of garden.” linden amundesen

After spring break, multiple graffiti taggings, including possibly gangrelated symbols, appeared on the walls of SDA overnight. Principal Tim Hornig said, “We’re still at the early stages of trying to figure out why this is happening now, and we have notified the authorities.” There have been between 10 and 20 notable incidents, according to Hornig.

General defacement of property appears to have risen recently. The Cardiff Kook mural by the painting room had grey paint smeared across its face, and colorful handprints were painted near the screen printing room. “The handprints don’t worry me. That’s just kids being kids. It’s the possible gangrelated graffiti that we are seriously working to prevent. We clean it up before school so students can come to a good study environment,” said Hornig.

“Graffiti is not something I think is emblematic of the school, and it’s disappointing,” said Hornig. cassia pollock

Art Supplies Shortage

SDA Enrollment Down

A scarcity of materials causes problems for various art classes.

Enrollment is down at SDA for first time in years.

With art a major part of SDA life, not having enough supplies seems almost ironic, but this is the exact problem that appears to be impacting SDA’s art department. A lack of tools including paint brushes, sharpies, and even shirts for screen printing are making creating art difficult for students.

“We had to cut back on a lot of supplies and try to stretch what we have,” said screen printing teacher Caroline Cesena.

The problem seems to lie in more than just a tight school budget for art. “There is a shortage of supplies partly because of the economy and partly the abuse students have on supplies,” said art teacher Jeremy Wright. “Since they don’t pay for [supplies], it’s hard for them to appreciate them.”

Sophomore and painting student Katrina Olsen agrees. “A lot of people treat the brushes badly and they never restock them, so we’re pretty much just using sticks now,” said Olsen.

Although the possible solution of having students pay for their own supplies was tossed around by some of the art teachers, this idea was rejected due to a California state law which declares that no student must be required to spend money on a public school course, Cesena said.

The lack of supplies and solutions has left students with a growing need. “An artist can be really good, but you need quality supplies to showcase your art. Supplies are your vehicle for communicating a point or idea,” said sophomore Nicole Smith.

In addition to the misuse of tools, the economy has also played a significant role in the lack of supplies. “Parents are not donating as much as they have in the past,” said Cesena, “We rely on the extra funds.”

Another contributing factor to the shortage is the increased size of art classes. With a class being required to have a minimum of 35 students, classrooms are overfilled and supplies overused. “Our budgets have been reduced over the last few years and art class sizes have been going up so we are doing more with less,” said art teacher Neal Glasgow.

No matter what the cause, the fact remains: there are not enough art supplies and some students are eventually forced to buy their own. “Kids have to buy their own supplies. Ones that don’t have the money probably really suffer,” said senior Tim Liedtke.

Although the problem is grave, this is not the first time SDA has been caught short of supplies. “I’ve been teaching for a long time, through good times and bad times, and these economic events run in cycles,” said Glasgow. “The good news is that the SDA Foundation has really stepped up and helped us, and continues to help us get through this crisis.” katie mcpherson

In April, young impressionable eighth-graders, enrollment papers in hand, eagerly rushed up the steps of SDA to get a glimpse of the place they hoped would be their home of education for the next four years.

Over the past decade, San Dieguito Academy has annually had 600 of those eight graders apply to the school. This year however, only 477 eighth graders applied to SDA. The lower number of applicants eliminated the need for a lottery to determine the number of freshmen who would get in, so all 477 eighth-grade applicants were accepted.

“They accepted everybody who applied for the ninth grade as well as any upperclassmen who had siblings already enrolled,” said registrar Bridget Sabin. “The purpose of the lottery was to draw for the wait list for upperclassmen.”

As far as upperclassmen wishing to transfer into the school, only those with siblings currently attending SDA will be accepted. This will leave 42 sophomores, 44 juniors, and 16 seniors on the wait list.

However, according to Sabin it doesn’t look good for those students.

“We do not expect to enroll any more students.” Sabin said.

When asked if the lower enrollment numbers of Freshmen applicants would open the door to letting more upperclassmen in, Principal Tim Hornig responded: “No, it’s going to hinge more on our (SDA) overall size. It will hinge on the amount of upperclassmen coming back. Right now the expectation is that there is not enough room.”

However, the lower enrollment will not result in serious changes in staffing, class sizes, course offerings or budgeting, according to Hornig.

“The ebb and flow of class sizes will work itself out, SDA will open its doors at around 1600 students this fall, it won’t affect course offerings or staff,” Hornig said.

The lower enrollment numbers beg the question of what has caused this to happen. “It’s things beyond our control. Enrollment is down throughout the district,” said Hornig. “I don’t know exactly why. But our goal is to still offer the same great programs. Our goal is to make sure every student gets to go where they want to go.” joseph swit and edward wolanin

News

The Mustang 5.11.2012

SAT Security Increases

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With the increase of fraud in the SAT testing rooms, College Board has taken measures to prevent cheating. Story by Katy Swanson.

I

n response to 20 students arrested this past fall for cheating on the SAT, both College Board and ACT have announced plans to strengthen their exam security. The reform will begin the fall of 2012, and will require students to undergo a more rigorous security process in order to register for the test.

According to College Board, more than 2 million students take the SAT each year. In 2011, more than 138 tests were cancelled due to cheating. To combat this, College Board proposed increased security prior to and during the exam. To register for the exam, students are required to submit a current photograph through an online uploader or by mail. Students are no longer allowed to walk in on test dates, and must have a photo admission ticket as well as a valid photo ID. IDs are to be checked by test proctors upon entering the exam room and when submitting tests.

At San Dieguito Academy, stu-

dents and teachers have mixed opinions regarding these changes in policy. “I think that it’s perfectly acceptable for SAT and ACT to tighten security measures. Cheating affects the curving of test scores, and it can hurt the students who actually take the test honestly,” said Emily Nathan, a junior. “It’s understandable that they want accurate identification, because clearly there are enough students who get away with having people take the test for them.”

Stephen Fisher, an AP Economics teacher at SDA, also agrees that the security reform will be a positive change. “I have proctored that SAT and I can definitely see how issues can arise with students cheating.

When the proctors look at ID cards, sometimes students have changed over the course of the school year, which can make validating the student’s identity more difficult.

Having a secondary form of identification will help keep scores as ac-

curate as possible,” said Fisher.

Priya Dave, a junior, views the new security reform as unnecessary. “I think this is a waste of time.

Some people will always cheat, no matter how strict the rules are, and the risk of getting the SAT scores cancelled is already enough of a turn-off for those who would consider doing it. I’m not encouraging cheating, but I definitely think that all these processes and extra steps are ridiculous and unnecessary.”

“I think that the new SAT policy makes sense, but in the big scheme of things, I don’t think it’s such a big controversy,” said Shiv Mathur, a junior. Mathur, who has yet to take the SAT, believes that the reform will just make the process of signing up and taking the SAT longer and more tedious. But, he understands that that students will come to expect the policy. “It will take a bit more planning, that’s for sure, but once everyone gets used to the policy, it won’t be as big of a big deal.”

Monopoly Man Dane Chapin, a successful entrepreneur, talked to the Business Management and Ownership class about his triumphant career. Story by Catlin Hird.

D

ane Chapin has been an entrepreneur since he was 11 years old. Now, he is the CEO of Zephyr Partners Real Estate, Health Savings Associates, and USAopoly, and has learned how to bide his time and talent balancing a multitude of mediums. Chapin spoke to the Business Management and Ownership class on April 23, where he explained his history, successes, and the difficulties he encountered as an entrepreneur.

Chapin started out with a paper route as a kid, and moved on to taking and developing candid pictures of his neighbors, only to sell the prints for a dollar each. He then started a business to re-string tennis rackets, which paid $6 an hour.

“I got to do it on my own time, so I was working around my own schedule and still getting paid,” said Chapin. He moved onto teaching tennis as a student at UCLA. “I had a specialized skill that was in high demand,” said Chapin, “I was paid twenty five dollars an hour. But, that was thirty years ago. Today, it would be about seventy or eighty dollars an hour. I was the rich kid in school, but not because I had rich parents.”

Chapin’s entrepreneurial spirit never went away, and with a seed investment of $100,000, he and his sister created a business (with a license from Hasbro) to make themed board games, including Simpson’s Clue and Beatles Monopoly. This year alone, USAopoly is projected to make $25 million dollars. “I’d rather make more money than less money, wouldn’t you?”

Chapin remarked when asked why he joined the business world as an entrepreneur.

But, with high reward came high risk. “After starting USAopoly, there were a few years that killed me,” said Chapin. Even in the health insurance business has proved to be a risky business for him. “We covered Bed, Bath & Beyond, and when they went out of business they still owed us half a million dollars. But, they couldn’t pay it because they were bankrupt,” said Chapin.

Even with the risk, he has remained a successful entrepreneur by working hard and staying vigilant. “I found out that the people who are most successful in business are the ones that make the most phone calls. Tenacity and

persistence, those are the two most important things,” said Chapin. He also stressed the importance of working hard. Even though it may be tough, he advised that the way to become successful is to keep priorities straight and make the correct choices to achieve personal goals.

“I may have missed out on some fun and parties in college, but at the end of the day it’s worked out for me,” said Chapin.

Chapin now spends most of his time growing his real estate business, but manages to juggle each of his businesses by working with people who are just as passionate as he is. “I am surrounded by smart people I can trust. We have an intensive process to hire people that will do good work,” said Chapin.

But, it’s not all serious business.

“I love going to work on Mondays, it’s a fun culture. It’s business but there’s a lot of creativity involved.”

“Make yourself the smartest person in the business you are going into,” said Chapin in a word of advice to those wishing to follow in his footsteps.

For more on this story, go to sdamustang.com.

SDAMUSTANG.COM

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An Invisible Movement

Opinions

5.11.2012

The Mustang

Despite the outrage caused by the Kony 2012 video, many have already forgotten about it. Story by Emily Hall.

H

is face has been slapped on posters resembling some pseudo- Pokemon card, the video concerning his evils has been named the most viral video of all time, and the desire to stop him has engendered tears, thousand-strong Facebook events, and cacophonous debates.

We’ve seen Kony’s gruesome story on front pages and on the faces of our peers, awash with the ripe desire for change. Just a few weeks ago, Facebook and Tumblr icons shapeshifted from webcam selfies to a red square proudly advertising Kony’s name in white.

Those couple days were really inspiring. I saw multiple people announcing their dedication to making Kony’s name known and sparking some real change, for once.

We grabbed onto the idea that the

world might be able to do something if we worked together.

It may seem outdated, now, that I’m writing about Kony, but that’s my point. Just a month ago, everyone was hopeful of the fact that this “find Kony” campaign could reach all corners of the globe, and now it’s fizzled to the point of near eradication, all the icons vanished and the inspired declarations fading.

The fact that “Cover the Night” on Friday, April 20 became more suited to the name “Spray Paint the Word ‘Kony’ on Walls and Important Monuments” is one of the strongest testimonies to this extreme loss of momentum, and not to mention credibility, of Invisible Children’s campaign.

It is almost ironic that “Kony” was crudely painted onto a memo-

rial for victims of the Boston Massacre, an event commemorating people who were killed, all the while the whole point of the Kony campaign was to prevent the killings of more children and family members under Kony’s rule.

With the way things are going, it seems as if the Invisible Children campaign is not going to be as successful as its creators hoped, but we can still pull a message out of all this: If we really want to make a difference, we’ve got to find other ways than the internet – after all, the Kony campaign started with an inspiring video on the internet, and ended with a video of its crazy creator on the internet.

If we want to make a difference, we’re going to have to stand up – literally – and find another way to fight for it.

A Sore Subject The Mustang Staff believes that teachers should be allowed to have some freedom in giving grades, but that subjectivity should be removed from their grading styles.

A

t this point in our lives, grades mean everything.

They can be a deciding factor in whether or not we get into our dream schools, they’re the cause of many a family fight, and they can make or break a student’s selfesteem.

At the end of each grading period, students come to teachers, clamoring for the extra .6 percent that could move them up an entire letter grade.

Many are of the opinion that if a student is willing to make the extra effort to talk to their teacher after class and ask for more work, then they deserve the opportunity to make up points they may have missed. As long as they are doing quality work that deserves extra credit, there is nothing unfair about it.

leges that a student who received an 89.4 percent will have the same grade as someone who earned an 80.4 percent.

We disagree.

Teachers shouldn’t offer students the chance to boost their grade at the end of the term. It’s too late and students should be putting in that much effort the entire semester, not just at the end.

This could also lead to subjec-

They should set a standard at the beginning of the year that will apply to all of their students. An A doesn’t have to be limited to a 90100 percent.

For example, if they were to set the threshold at 89.4 percent at the beginning of the year, they would be allowing all students the same opportunity and wiggle room to get an A, while still tailoring the grades to their class and grading styles.

Staff Editorial

These small assignments can make the difference between letter grades. Since transcripts show our letter grades and not our percent in each class, it will appear to col-

tivity that should not be included in grading. Teachers have the opportunity to give students they like the chance to raise their grade, while the others who didn’t come begging for extra credit lose out.

This, however, doesn’t mean that teachers have to grade in a stringent, uniform nature. Subjectivity and possible corruption of the grading system can be removed without forcing teachers to remove all forms of merciful grading.

This way, all students will receive equal treatment and will know what the grade cut off is.

This would lead to fewer students begging for last minute points, and remove the temptation of favoritism in teachers. This is the only way to keep our grading system fair for all students.

Votes in favor of offering points on an individual basis: 7 Votes against offering points on an individual basis: 5 Votes for teachers setting their own cut off for grades: 13

A Peet’s Coffe & Tea in Encinitas was was plastered with posters on April 20 during “Cover the Night.” Photo courtesy of an anonymous Kony activist.

The Best Years?

Due to the amount of pressure placed on high school students, will we be able to live up to the glory associated with youth? Story by Ryan Walsh.

A

s we hurtle through what we’ve been told are supposed to be “the best years of our lives,” it seems nearly impossible to stop and smell the roses. In fact, I can’t even recall the last time I saw a rose bush.

We’re regaled with stories from our parents’ and older siblings of their high school glory days yet we find ourselves tangled in what must be some of the most challenging years.

Teenagers are confronted with AP classes, extracurricular activities, social pressures, and looming college entrance exams.

We are left with little time to enjoy true delinquency and chances to conjure up stories that will become our high school legacy.

Summer jobs become harder to get, college tuition soars, and gas becomes nearly unaffordable.

It sounds like a great time to be a teen entering this big scary world, right?

To think that four short years is all we have to create some of the greatest years of our lives is truly

mind-blowing.

When I’m a father, I want to be able to tell my kids all the great stories of my teenage years, but I’m afraid my stories, up to this point are about as mundane as it gets.

There’s the time I got my bike stolen, and the time I found $12 on the ground walking off to lunch, but other than that, my tales are limited.

I fear I will not have reached the expectations given to be my “best years.” If these years are supposed to be my best, I must be doing something wrong. Maybe what I lack, what we all lack, is a perspective that time brings.

Or maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the expectations are a false representation from what we see in the movies. Maybe the “Fast Times at Ridgemont High’s” sex, drugs, and Rock n’ Roll are just Hollywood’s spin on what a real high school experience is. Either way, I’m not going to try and make it anything other than what I see it as: four years of school.

Opinions

The Mustang 5.11.2012

The awkward penguin dance appears to be a favorite of every freshman class. Illustration by Emily Hall.

Journey to Prom The dance styles of the senior class have grown from stiff and awkward to carefree and effortless. Story by Cassia Pollock.

S

eniors approach prom, preparing to masquerade. We have come a long way since the beginning of high school. Remember when we were celebrating our freshman formal at the House of Blues?

The most common dance move was the awkward penguin dance.

Students stood with their arms and legs stiffly stuck together while they waddled back and forth on their feet.

I’d estimate that sixty-three percent of the girls were dancing the “My dress is too short for me to move my knees” dance. Fifty-seven percent of the girls were also grooving to the “I’ve never worn heels before so my feet feel like victims of a cruel and unusual punishment” dance.

And the boys were standing over by the snack bar, eating everything in sight.

Fast-forward to Midnight on the Midway. That was sophomore year’s formal for me. It was a beautiful night to be on a boat. People were having fun, pretending they were on a cruise. We all screamed like crazy when the DJ started playing the Lonely Island song, “I’m On a Boat.”

It rained a little but that didn’t stop anyone from going outside to look at

the sea.

It was the first year I noticed the popular, “My arms are covered in henna and I can’t escape the crowd” dance. I recall cautiously backing away from the henna design table, when a girl with Hello Kitty henna on her left shoulder slammed into me, or I slammed into her. It all happened so fast that it’s hard for me to say exactly what went down. After a whole lot of napkins, I eventually looked clean again.

Over the years, I have observed that school dances are full of messes. Give students a chocolate fondue table and lots of fruit while they are dressed in expensive clothing and bad things will happen. This was an issue at my senior year formal. People were gradually spilling chocolate fondue all over themselves. Clearly, the Senior Class of 2012 hasn’t developed graceful eating skills but in our defense, fondue is extremely hard to avoid spilling.

This year’s formal took place at the Air and Space Museum in Balboa park. As we went through the doors, security confiscated all the girls’ lip gloss, and an unfair percentage of boys suffered from security

“pat downs.” For some reason there was stricter supervision. I was reprimanded merely for standing on a short fence when I was trying to locate my friends.

Despite the hindrance of stingy security, it was amazing how the senior class had transformed since freshman year. I try to take a mental snapshot of all the dances and capture the general feeling people were expressing. If seniors were dancing like awkward penguins this year, it was generally a sort of inside joke among friends. Random people were doing the disco, the chicken, or the Egyptian. There was a notable trend of people dancing like they were having a brain aneurysm by jerking their arms and legs around wildly.

Students were laughing throughout the night. People simply danced to have fun. No one stopped to say, hey do I look stupid when I do this?

Is this cool, guys? We just rocked out like nobody was watching. The senior class may dance like shameless dorks at prom. After all, we’ve earned that right from all the academic struggles we’ve survived, and there’s no better time or place for us to do it. We’ll be wearing masks.

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Opinions

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When navigating a sea of applications, how multiethnic students portray themselves is completely up to their discretion. Story by Laurel Sorenson

I

sat in my seat foot-tapping and finger-drumming as I waited for the proctor to tell me which boxes to fill on the SAT. Write your name in box one. Write your grade in box two. Write the name of the test site in box three. Fill in the bubbles that describe your ethnicity in box four.

Crap. I’ve reached the first question that I have to think about.

Okay, I’ll mark White. Do I mark Hispanic? Am I a quarter Hispanic or an eighth? Oh great, now there’s math. Alright, I’m only an eighth, but it still counts right? What about Asian? My mom told me not tell colleges that I’m Asian because there are already a lot of Asians at the college I want to go to. These are the issues unique to mixed-race students, especially when applying to college.

Multi-racial applicants also face the question of morality. Is someone with Native American Heritage, but not enough to be an official tribe member justified in referring to themselves as such when filling out an application?

If someone is half Japanese and half African American, is it morally acceptable to classify themselves as African American due to the perceived boost in admission chances? Of course it is.

As a fledgling applicant just learning how to navigate the system of college admissions, I have parents and counselors urging me to take steps that will make me more attractive to colleges. Get good grades, do community service, and be “ethnic”.

When there are so many students vying for enrollment, applicants are completely justified in using whatever advantages they can find. They are not being dishonest, just making the most of an opportunity to get ahead.

According to the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the number of mixed-race families has risen in the past thirty years with a 400 percent increase of marriage between African Americans and whites and a 1000 percent increase in marriages between whites and Asians.

As these numbers continue to grow, children of mixed-race couples are faced with confusion about racial identity, especially when filling out applications. My best friend recently complained that being half Asian and half White was a disadvantage when applying for a summer internship.

I have another friend who qualifies as Hispanic, being half Mexican and half Peruvian, but she is adopted. When considering whether or not to apply for a camp specifically for those of Latino heritage, she wondered if she would meet the camp’s expectations. She doesn’t speak Spanish at home, and she lives in a white, middle class household.

It seems as though children from multiracial families are confronted with unique issues concerning how society categorizes them, and how they should categorize themselves (at least on applications). When I’m with my White friends, I get to be the “tan one.”

When I’m with my Asian friends, I’m the “white one.” When I’m in the Midwest, I’m Mexican. It seems as though I have a diverse enough heritage to qualify for anything, but not enough to really fit.

Seeing as society can decide what people of mixed ethnicities are based on the context of the conversation, mixed-race students are completely justified in portraying their heritage in whichever way the situation calls for.

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The Mustang

The Mustang 5.11.2012

Essays

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Entries in the festival’s Best Dressed Avocado contest. Photos by Kianna Eberle.

The Avocado People Just East of Encinitas there lies another region, centered not around surf culture and the 101 but instead around agiculture, a quaint Main Street, and wide open spaces. This is Fallbrook, home to the annual Avocado Festival, a community fair full of quirky activities, plentiful vendors, cheap avocados, and philosophic takeaways about human nature and community. Story and photos by Kianna Eberle.

A

t first glance, Fallbrook’s Avocado Festival seems just like any other street fair, revved up by its quirky agricultural theme. However, upon venturing out to the Eastern reaches of San Diego County, I discovered that this festival carried with it some heavy implications. Fallbrook and its people take a unique pride in the festival. It seemed every soul in Fallbrook had come out to become a part of Main Street’s spanning, blindly herd-like crowd.

People came to this event to wear themselves out in both a social and a physical sense. It was overstimulation at its most glorious. The end of the booths stretched beyond the horizon. The strange gadgets, including magic magnet balance bracelets and marshmallow shooters, and primarily bacon wrapped or avocado flavored off-kilter comfort foods were never ending.

As I began walking down the West side of Main street, trying to take it all in, there was a heightened sense of emotion permeating the air. I was bubbling over with anticipation, eyes wide, and the crowds only added to my excitement. Despite having to wake up at 7:00 on a Sunday, I was ready to take on the Avocado festival.

I couldn’t wait to see the Avo 500 and Little Miss Avocado contests.

I was hoping to be introduced to awesome guacamole or other innovative avocado flavored goodies. Above all, I was hoping to score a bag or two of the infamously cheap and local avocados.

We took pictures with a llama. I registered to vote. I think I may have even emitted a squeal when I saw the deal I had been most anticipating-- 25 avocados for $5.

We checked out the highlighted activities-- the Little Miss and Mister Avocado contest and the Avo 500, a derby car race for little automotives fashioned from actual avocados.

When approached, triumphant winners of Little Miss and Mister Avocado were nearly mum in the face of fame and glory. When asked how it felt to be Little Mister Avocado, 4 year old Phoenix squeaked out a mere, “Fun.” However, despite all of the nifty gadgets, treats, and contests, my energy and morale began to sink. The ideas behind it all were original and fairly charming, but in the face of sunburn and something akin to overstimulation, I was wearing out.

For native Fallbrookers, however, this was a chance for social communion as well as a time to show off the fruits of one’s labor (both home-grown avocados and children). The events were poorly organized and lacked pizazz. Yet, people connected enough with the avocado itself to really nonetheless give a damn. This was their fortitude, their income, and their community’s cultural icon, delightfully transformed into a chance for relaxation, celebration, and family time.

Fallbrook isn’t unique in its worship of and communion around some strange icon. Every community has its selling quirk, its charming feature. The amount of identity that people draw from this thing, whatever it is, can be immense. Thus, what may have seemed silly and monotonous to me became an enthused exhibit of people grasping for community, affinity, and belonging where they could find it.

Our home towns are all home to something or another. Sometimes it just takes a crowd of townies all coming out despite harsh sun, monotonous races and contests, and bovine crowds, to celebrate that prideful symbol together. Shared identity matters to all of us, no matter where we may hail from or what strange economic mainstay we may hold dear.

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5.11.2012

The Mustang

Robots Take Over Robots may be taking over the world, but luckily they are on our side. SDA’s robotics team kicks butt at regional level competition. Essay by Emma Lindley.

I

n the world of robotics, San Dieguito Academy’s Team Paradox brings energy and spirit to competition with our red-andyellow uniforms and our lovable mascot, the parrot-ox. We know better than most teams that if you don’t express your enthusiasm for technology, you’re missing out on half the fun.

Winning was the other half of the fun.

Playing robot basketball, this year’s game for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition, brought us a vast amount of success.

In the game, two alliances play against each other, with three teams on each alliance.

The robots shoot basketballs into hoops that are placed on both sides of the field, and extra points are awarded if robots can balance alone or with other robots on balancing boards placed in the center of the field.

Initially, the idea of robot basketball made me uneasy, as the team had attempted to play a real, human versus human game of basketball in the beginning of the year. We did not impress.

Despite their lack of basketball expertise, members of the school’s robotics team

were on a bus on April 4, headed to Madera, California to compete in the Central Valley Regional. I assumed that we would win the Spirit Award, just as we did at the San Diego Regional Competition. This award is illustrative of our energy, positive spirit, and vibrant uniforms, so it makes sense that we would receive this.

The regional went better than expected.

Not only did Team Paradox win the Spirit Award, but we also won the competition with our alliance partners, D’Penguineers, from Dos Pueblos High School Engineering Academy in Goleta, CA, and the Beach Bots, from Hope Chapel Academy in Hermosa Beach, CA. On top of that, we won against the Cheesy Poofs, from Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, CA, the overall Championship winners from last year. (Please note that while it is not required to choose a silly name for one’s team, it is common to do so because it gives a team character and a lasting identity.)

Winning the regional meant we earned ourselves an invitation to World Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. With the Madera competition ending on April 7 and Champion-

These intense pieces of machinery were created by our very own students, piece by piece in the metal shop. Such robots can probably shoot hoops more acurately than the average SDA student.

Lonnie Safarik

ships on April 26, we only had 18 days to plan for it.

But thanks to generous contributions from our corporate sponsors, I was eventually in downtown St. Louis, walking with the team through thick, humid air to our hotel at 1 a.m.

I didn’t sleep as much as I would have liked to that night.

Sleep doesn’t matter when one is at Championships, though. It’s more than just a competition for world-class robots, it’s also a convention, a center for team-improvement workshops, and a flood of new cultural experiences.

One can meet teams from Brazil, Israel, Mexico, and other countries from all over the world, learn strategies for robot construction and team sustainability through workshops held by award-winning teams, and see exhibitions of robots from engineering companies.

All of this far surpasses the fascination and sheer excitement one experiences when watching “Antique Roadshow.”

Although Team Paradox did not win Championships, attending the competition was enough to make me feel like I’ve won it all.

I saw successful teams and learned about what makes them work so well, and how our own team can emulate their techniques.

The most rewarding part of the competition however, was realizing how much Team Paradox deserved to be there. Being involved in a robotics team is a big commitment, but every member of our team contributed an immense amount of time and energy, allowing us to climb to incredible heights of success.

Despite baseball-sized hail and tornado warnings we experienced while in St. Louis, this competition has been the most memorable for me. This was my third and last year on the team, and it has been fascinating to watch the team progress and individuals grow and take on new responsibilities. Being a part of Team Paradox has given me more than something nice to put on my college applications.

I’ve gained useful business skills that have helped me get ahead in all aspects of my life, and I’ve made lasting friendships with people who I’m certain will be the engineers and inventors of the future. I am proud to be a member and future alumni of Team Paradox.

The Mustang 5.11.2012

Daytrip Newport Beach

Story and photos by Anna Williams

The Boardwalk A concete stretch of 2.9 miles, Newport’s boardwalk fits the idealistic image of a Southern California recreational strip. Attracting roller skaters, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike, it leads you from 36th street into town. Eventually, you’ll pass McFadden Square, the Newport Pier, and Balboa Pier, after passing a number of souvenir shops, and a local bakery.

Features

Featured for: This prime slice of Orange County real estate known as Newport Beach has been a favorite locale among scores of ocean farers, for its charming small-beach town feel and its spectacular ocean views. A little history: Incorporated in 1906, Newport Beach was once a maritime location, supporting industries such as commercial fishing and ship building.

Since then, it has metamorphosed into a vacation town.

Why go now: Rather than waiting for the summer season, avoid flocks of vacationers by hitting the shores in the springtime. Though the sea breeze can make it a bit chilly, Newport clears up a little before noon, leaving the entire afternoon for sun basking.The look: The wave-oriented community of Leucadia meets upscale summer getaway.

Il Gelato Located right on the boardwalk, Il Gelato can easily entertain your mid-afternoon sweet spot. Though appearing as a traditional gelato shop, an array of specialty desserts such as tuxedo white and dark chocolate covered strawberries can be found. Highly popular gelato flavors include chocolate, vanilla bean, and oreo.

Highlight flavor to try: blood orange. 2110 west ocean front Newport beach, ca 92663; 949/ 675-3632.

Fashion Island After a day of kicking back in this endless summer beach town, spend the night in town for this spacious shopping experience.

Owned by the Irvine Company, it includes a sprawling Nordstrom and smaller, trendy stores such as Sperry and Tesla This upscale, open-air mall also hosts a variety of dinner locations such as Chick Fil-A, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro.

401 Newport Center Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660; 949/ 7212000

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Pier Spanning 1, 032 feet, the Newport Beach Pier is not only a historical landmark; it enthralls those looking to enjoy the vast expanse of ocean, those seeking a fresh catch, or those looking for a fine dining experience at the Newport Pier Grill and Sushi. For a change in perspective: Make the pier a night stop before driving back to Encinitas to see all of the lights on the shoreline. Corner of Oceanfront Blvd and 21st Place.

Getting there Driving distance from Encinitas to Newport Beach: Taking the I-5 north, you can count on being there within an hour and twenty minutes.

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5.11.2012

The Mustang

Fairly Collegiate Adventures Laurel Sorenson followed Emily Nathan during her journey through the SDUHSD College Fair.

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fter pushing past the pack of volunteers selling raffle tickets and giving away pamphlets, junior Emily Nathan made her way into the Exhibition Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The loud roar of future college applicants attempting to make a lasting impression on admissions officers washed over her as she stood back and took in the SDUHSD College Night and Fair.

Every type of student was there, from the dejected skater being dragged along by his impatient mother to the collared shirt and running shoes clad college enthusiasts, already wearing their preferred college’s sweatshirt. Some were at the College Fair in order to take the next step towards the future, just exploring their options. Others, the more brisk paced and ardent of the attendees, were there to make an impression on the admissions officers. Just maybe, their particularly firm hand shake or questions about some obscure program would stick out from all of the other students across the country that the admissions officers had already met.

“I have to pee,” she murmured.

After responding to Nature’s Call, Nathan whipped out her notebook and trusty green pen to take copious, overly detailed notes on all that each college had to offer.

Before she could make it to the first pamphlet covered table, she ran into juniors Cole Teza and Kyle Hoff. When asked what she was doing she leaned in conspiratorially and said,” I’m taking notes in green so my future will grow.”

After the eye rolls, she giggled and headed towards University of Washington’s table. Its pamphlets were spread out neatly and she grabbed two, just in case. Despite Nathan’s feigned sunny demeanor and toothy smile, the admissions officer was too engrossed in conversation with another prospective applicant to notice.

She continued to walk up and down the rows of colleges, commenting on the volume and variety of pamphlets at each table.

“Samford University, that’s where Mr. Chaker went,” said Nathan (he actually attended Haver-

“I feel like my future’s just coming at me.” Junior Emily Nathan

Junior Emily Nathan speaks to the representative from Harvard.

Photo by Laurel Sorenson.

ford). Both of the tables for Samford and St. Mary’s had their pamphlets spread out and displayed enticingly, however neither of them had a crowd.

“I just went to the Stanford table, and I felt like the least Asian.

I felt like such a thug because I wasn’t wearing a collared shirt,” said a passerby to his mother, both of them walking at a relatively brisk pace.

After conversations with the admissions officers from Tufts and Harvard, Nathan stopped and took a breather. The constant enthusiastic head nodding in response to phrases like “great atmosphere,” “small liberal arts college,” and “first rate,” had begun to take a toll, her stamina waning.

“I feel like my future’s just coming at me,” she remarked, running a hand through her hair. The uncomfortably peppy, sweater-clad admissions officer from Harvard had tired her out in a long conversation about being unique. Apparently that’s all it takes to get in. Unfortunately for Emily, Harvard didn’t have any pamphlets. >Story Continued on Page 16

Caroline Glass recorded the experience of Karolyna Landin as she made her way through the overwhelming and unnervingly competitive college fair.

“T

his place is hoppin’!” junior Karolyna Landin jokes as her car slows to a stop, waiting in a long line to enter the Del Mar Fairgrounds along with hundreds of people from around the greater Encinitas area.

This is the competition. And each person here represents 100 more from all over the country, applying to the same schools, fighting for admission. People with better GPAs, more community service hours, and higher SAT scores. But that isn’t even the biggest of her collegerelated worries. Landin has no idea what she wants to do after college.

Her interests range from fashion merchandising to engineering to computers. Schools want people with a plan, right? With some idea of what to do? So where does that leave her?

A crashing din hits her as she enters through the doors of the exhibit hall. It’s the sound of hundreds

Junior Emily Nathan has a conversation with the Tufts representative. Photo by Laurel Sorenson.

“There are so many options, there has got to be somewhere that’s the right fit, and will let me in.” Junior Karolyna Landin

of sophomores, juniors, and the occasional overzealous freshman sucking up to admissions officers and asking questions to alumni.

Tables for each college fill the room, some sparsely decorated (usually the Ivies-you should know what they are already) and others overflowing with pamphlets and posters and free canteens. Students and parents swarm around the more prestigious schools, pushing and shoving to beat their way to the front, while the unknown liberal arts schools from New Jersey are left with a few curious randoms.

Landin makes her way down the line, stopping to check out any school that is not a) religious or b) in the middle of nowhere. Everyone is friendly and welcoming, and willing to answer any questions. Most of them seem genuinely interested in getting her application.

It isn’t until she reaches the Columbia booth, the first Ivy she’s seen, that she gets a glimpse of the intensity that some of the students (and even more of the parents) have for the entire college application process. Kids push and reach across her, clawing for a powder blue brochure, and mothers literally shove her out of the way, attempting to get their precious babies five extra minutes of schmooze time with the alums. At the Harvard booth, she notices the craziest of the crazies. Boys and girls in button downs and dress shoes scribble notes as they converse with the reps.

While waiting in line (for 15 minutes) to talk to the Stanford rep, Landin spots fellow junior Aine Gallahue.

“Some of these people are crazy,” says Gallahue. “There was a guy just going down the line, shaking everyone’s hands.”

But even with a new look into the eyes of her competition, Landin’s fears and uncertainties about college are slowly being alleviated.

She asks each school the question that has been plaguing her: “Is your school OK with people who don’t know what to major in?” >Story Continued on Page 16

Features

The Mustang 5.11.2012

John Deane muses that fonts don’t kill people, people kill fonts.

I

t is 10:21 pm, the night before the multi-genre project is due. After

the typing is done, but before the print button is pressed, a certain amount of formatting

is called for. Scanning the MLA requirement sheet, the author changes the margins to one inch all the way around, adds a header, and double spaces the bulk of the text. Finally, the font is changed from Cocksure to Times New Roman (but not without the author mourning the loss of the former).

MLA (the Modern Language Association that is so endearing to English teachers) requirements dictate what fonts are appropriate by requiring the use of a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are recognizable one from another. These lax guidelines (normally thought to be stringent) really only rule out Webdings and its close relative Wingdings. This leaves many opportunities for choice fonts.

Fonts add a certain amount of pizazz to a piece; they are the keystone species that underlie the superficial, yet

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13 profound tones of the written work. Fonts are an understated workhorse of creativity that can arouse feelings equal to those dredged up by the text itself.

Comic Sans is a chubbylooking, looping font that looks as if it was scrawled by a seven year-old-child. It is a font that would look more appropriate written in crayon than on a typed page. Perhaps this is why Comic Sans was my font of choice for a good sized chunk of school, up until it was decreed that Comic Sans was unfit for publication.

Sixth grade signified the beginning of typing homework on the computer. I was among the first in my class to move away from handwriting my homework and to start typing – likely as a result of my atrocious penmanship. When it came time for me to go through the process outlined above, scrolling through the pull-down font menu yielded a wealth of font opportunities.

For me, Comic Sans was a neurotic love that was a staple of my academic quiver.

But not everybody shares my passion for Comic Sans.

Eventually, Comic Sans overstepped its appropriate uses as birthday card invitations and summer festival call-outs and started to be used for funeral invocations, warning signs, and ambulance lettering. People cried foul and a community of those dedicated to ridding the world of the Comic Sans menace was created-comicsanscriminal.com.

According to the site: “When designing a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign, the use of a heavy-stroked attention-commanding font such as Impact or Ariel Black is appropriate. Typesetting such a message in Comic Sans would be ludicrous… like showing up for a blacktie event in a clown costume”.

Evidently, the fault lies with the misuse of the font rather than with the font itself.

The Comic Sans question still hangs in the air, and it is any (wo)man’s guess where the chips may fall.

Centerspread

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Mariko Kobayashi, senior, spent a Friday night with her friends making masks. Everytime she wears the mask, Kobayashi is annoyed by the glitter that gets stuck to her face.

“My friend Sabrina Ruediger (senior) helped me come up with the idea of asking Margo Taylor (senior) to Prom by syncing up cars on a freeway. There were 4 different cars with letters spelling out “PROM” and Margo was being driven by Perri Calloway (senior). We were all lined up behind Perri’s car, then shot in front of her with some pretty scary driving. I popped my head out the window with a question mark.

They gave me a thumbs up from Perri’s car so I was pretty sure it was a yes.” -Riley DeGhionno, senior

Max Walther, a senior from LCC, filled senior Katherine Ozorio’s car with balloons and hid among them while he waited for her to come back from a sports game. When she arrived, he jumped out with a sign that said, “Prom?”

PROM Senior Alison Ryall made this mask to wear to SDA’s upcoming Prom, which will be at the Grand Tradition in Fallbrook, on May 19.

Other students prepared for the big night by asking their dates in creative ways and by making their own Masquerade attire.

Junior Matt Warren asked junior Cheyenne Bartram using Legos and flowers.

“I guess I should have known when all my friends asked me to go check out the art gallery.

Louis Peiser (senior) painted prom on a board and set it up all nice!”- Naomi Maisel, senior

“Tyler Cashman (junior) sent me on a scavenger hunt of all the places around Encinitas that remind him of us. The last clue was at his house, where I found these candles.” -Lindsey Rowland, junior

“I’ve never sewed anything that big before and I thought it’d be fun to make my senior prom dress. It took over 30 hours, but I worked with my neighbor down the street who makes dresses.” -Loraina Stinson, senior

Jordan Golden, senior, got 16 people together at an assembly to wear shirts that spelled out “Julianna prom with” while Golden wore a shirt with an arrow pointing to himself and stood at the end of the line. “I wanted to ask the perfect girl in the most perfect way I could think of, and what’s more perfect than being asked at the assembly!”-Jordan Golden, senior

“Evan Eichenburg (senior), asked me to Prom when I was at his house. I was waiting outside when he told me to come through the side gate. I found arrows pointing along a pathway through his backyard and onto his deck where he was standing with a dinner set up and a menu spelling out prom.”

-Alanna Berman, junior

“I decided to try and make some paper corsages because my friend Andy Colletta (junior) actually wanted a corsage for his date for Robo Prom in St. Louis during the robotics competition. I usually make corsages with real flowers for formal and the paper corsage was just another challenge so that Andy and his date could have corsages at their prom.” -Victoria Ly, junior

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Fairly Collegiate Adventures Laurel Sorenson Harvard, it seemed, was the talk of the college fair. It was the measuring stick for every question in terms of school size, academics, and of course, reputation. When describing his school, the admissions officer of Tuffs said, “It’s not Harvard, but…” The word “Harvard” was mentioned and the officer of admissions for the University of Michigan grew just the slightest shade of red and said, “Yeah, Harvard’s great if you’re into rankings and stuff, but I’m not. [Choosing a college] is about fit. Go where you feel good.”

One disheveled young man attempted to do just that. While his mother gravitated towards the Ivy League tables, he attempted to drag Mommy away by the hand towards something a little more appealing, like the exit. She wasn’t the only parent attempting to make the most of this experience, whether or not their child was actually interested. On Nathan’s first attempted at speaking to the University of Michigan admissions officer, she had a difficult time edging around

The Mustang

>Story Continued from Page 12

Caroline Glass one woman who was furiously scribbling things down in her notebook, asking so many questions that prospective students grew weary of waiting and left for another table without so much as a pamphlet.

Even if she had made it past this ardent mother of a future college student, there may not have been anything left in terms of university literature. A mother and her two daughters, who looked to be about six and eight years of age, staggered past Nathan, struggling to keep their grips on the piles of brochures they had collected.

Next on Nathan’s list was the Stanford table. By this time she knew how to be assertive and get herself noticed. “I tried to be polite and not sneeze on the admissions guy so I sneezed on the girl standing next to me,” said Nathan. That wasn’t the only great impression she made. After telling the admissions officer from the Albany College of Pharmacy that he looked just like Marshall from the show “How I Met Your Mother” he gave her his autograph.

The Sound of Silence >Story Continued from Page 3 “From what I’ve seen and know from other campuses I know that students here for the most part feel free to be themselves. We foster that on campus here, of creating an environment of respect,” said Nebolon.

In addition to those of students, the actions of many SDA teachers and staff members help to make the school a more tolerant place.

“In comparison to other schools I feel that SDA has an amazingly kind and accepting community. I have heard even teacher’s defend students’ rights to decide their sexuality. That is something amazing in itself,” said Mayeda.

“The resounding teacher support is wonderful to witness. The popularity of the pink triangle ‘Safe Space’ posters in classrooms confirms what SDA students already felt – that their teachers care about them as individuals, and care about protecting their right and ability to freely express that individuality,” said Gallagher.

Most students agree that treating others with acceptance is key to making SDA an even safer environment. “Don’t judge people based on stereotypes – just because you

5.11.2012

find out something about somebody doesn’t mean they’re a different person,” said Tarabini.

“The bottom line is respect. Respect each person having the right to be themselves, the right to be different, the right to not be judged,” said Nebolon.

Many look towards events like the Day of Silence and organizations like GSA to help people become more tolerant of those who are different than them. “I really hope that GSA and clubs like it can help break this stigma that Americans have against gay people, until GSA and clubs like it are no longer needed,” said Dalrymple.

Numerous anti-bullying bills have been circulating Congress recently.

S.506 / H.R.1648, the Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2011, aims to collect data on bullying in schools and set clear prohibitions against harassment.

Another bill is H.CON.RES.40.

This legislation calls on Congress and President Obama to issue formal statements of support for the Day of Silence. Both bills are currently in committee.

And each representative insists that it’s totally fine and really common and you have time. And although the competition is obviously cutthroat, Landin is starting to realize that there are other options besides the Ivies or the UCs.

“You know, I was really worried about all these “better” people trying to get into the same schools. But there are so many options, there has got to be somewhere that’s the right fit, and will let me in,” she says as the college fair draws to a close,

with nothing left but scattered flyers decorating the floor.

There are thousands of schools: private, public, in-state, out of state, that are all options for her. Good schools, the school where she belongs. She will be just fine.

Arts

The Mustang 5.11.2012

Woman of Powers

“I sold the cover painting for $1000 at an auction,” said cover artist Alynne Powers, sophomore. Can’t say we’re surprised. Story by Angela Zhang.

“M

y mom always made me draw when I was little, and I loved it.”

Cover artist Alynne Powers is only a sophomore and has already completed AP studio art, begun researching different art schools to attend come 2014, and established a clear sense of direction with her artwork.

“My art is kind of…very colorful,” said Powers with a giggle. “I don’t really believe in realistic paintings.

Why should you paint something realistic when you can just take a picture of it? I think it’s up to the artist to interpret what it’s saying. I don’t know—I think that’s more interesting.”

But Powers is not only all charm and colors; unafraid of deep and controversial subjects, she tackled “teenage angst” as the concentration of her AP portfolio this year.

“It starts out with things that are not as loud and out there, like grades, or breakups. But then it goes to 16 and pregnant, suicide.

Pretty dark.”

We’re lucky that Powers will be around for the next two years and can’t wait to see how her art grows even more. Powers’s final pearls of wisdom to fellow artists: “If you don’t like your work, people are gonna be able to tell. If you like what you’re doing, people will notice…and they’ll like it.”

Powers is a twenty-first century fauvist: her work is extravagantly colorful and emotionally evocative.

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Inkredible

We passed around a blank journal (lovingly dubbed the “SDA Inkbook�) and asked students to fill some pages with their artwork: here is the result, nothing short of whismical, fiendish, and pretty darn rad.

1. Scott Lindquist, junior 2. Jeff Kuo, senior 3. Mike Guhl, junior 4. Katie Clinton, senior 5. Kira Scott, junior 6. Joey Kobara, senior 7. Kat Wildermuth, senior

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The Mustang

The Mustang 5.11.2012

Mama Jamaica Cafe & Grill 5447 Kearny Villa Rd, Ste. B San Diego, CA 92123 (858) 279-5375 Monday-Thursday: 11 am - 8 pm Friday-Saturday: 10 am - 8 pm

Eats

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Jammin’

with

Mama Jamaica

The crew of ethnic foodies adventure into unknown culinary territory yet again, bringing you a drool-inducing report of an authentic Jamaican meal. It’s full of dreamy jerk sauce, crispy golden plantains, and perfectly spiced tender meats and stewy vegetables that will make your eyes water and your tastebuds beg for a trip down to Convoy. Story by Kianna Eberle.

D

errick Marow, Andra Nordin, and I recently ventured down to the Mama Jamaica Café and Grill in the Convoy area as to enjoy what ended up being, according to Morrow, “one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Period.”

Mama Jamaica’s is a casual place with plenty of tables, the faint sounds of reggae, a menu on the wall, and the option of either ordering at the counter or having Mama herself come out to your table.

It’s a cheery place with lots of pinks, greens, yellows, and blues, fake hibiscus flowers and some bamboo lining the walls, and a huge, colorful rendition of a Caribbean Beach alongside a 3D Michael Jackson poster on the wall. There are your Bob Marley posters, Jamaican flag, and a Marley statue as well, of course.

We chatted with Theresa, presumably the birth name of Mama Jamaica, about what we should order, having never had an authentic Jamaican meal before.

We ended up ordering a whole assortment of things to share: jerk chicken, jerk tilapia (jerk being a traditional manner of seasoning and cooking the meat as well as the name of the spice used), and mango pepper shrimp, accompanied by nearly every side they had: coleslaw, stewed cabbage, red beans and rice, plantains, potato salad, a spiced beef patty, and callaloo, which are stewed collard greens with a delicate and rich spice blend.

The patty came first, accompanied by an extremely sweet and spicy mango dipping sauce. Derrick and Andra reported that it was something like beef stroganoff wrapped in a pastry shell, but with a kick.

Accompanied by Derrick’s surprisingly spicy Sorrel hibiscus drink, it was almost overwhelmingly flavorful.“That patty, the sauce, and the sorrel is a complete trifecta of spice.

Wow,” said Morrow.

Mama Jamaica brought our entrees out next. She chatted a while and suspiciously inquired if we were some sort of food critic.

However, she quickly warmed up and transformed into a jolly Jamaican woman who truly loves cooking and sharing her cultural culinary creations with others.

We all took our forks to the entrée that we most were anticipating. I went for the shrimp, deservedly named their specialty. The sauce was thick and mango-y and the shrimp perfectly tender and not the least bit fishy. It honestly may have been one of the most beautiful intersections of sweet, salty, plenty spicy, and tropical that I have ever experienced.

Morrow and Nordin immediately went for the jerk chicken, breast meat covered in a light brown sauce that smelled of earthy spices and heat.

The jerk sauce had such a depth of flavor. It was extremely savory and the combination of spices tasted downright rich and ancient. It tasted bright and alive, but extremely deep and umami as well.

Andra reported that she was the loving the flavors, but had resorted to dabbing her eyes and nose continually with a napkin she kept balled in her fist.

“I’m struggling with the spice,” said Nordin.

The sides were all fairly simple, but clearly prepared with love and skill. The mild flavors of the cabbage, potatoes, and coleslaw went perfectly with the spicy and unbelievably flavorful entrees.

The calaloo may have been my favorite flavor of all. It took on a similar earthiness as the jerk chicken and truly added a delicious and fibrous richness to all of the other dishes.

Once we had stuffed ourselves with the tropical feast, I continued to feel a faint spicy tingling along with the remnants of the jerk spices and mango sauces on my tongue.

“I feel good. I’m so full, but all of the food felt fresh and healthy,” said Nordin.

“I’m willing to say that this is the best food I’ve ever had. This was one of the most intense meals I’ve had in years, based on flavor and experience,” said Morrow.

“No, ever,” retorted Nordin.

Recipes Martinez Family Salsa It’s a Saturday afternoon and you’re craving Mexican food. Chips and salsa seem like a good fix in your situation. You search your cabinet and find a bag of tortilla chips, but after ransacking the fridge you can find no salsa. Sure, you could go out and buy some, but in the words of SDA teacher and surf team coach Marco Martinez, why not make some yourself “that’s out of this world, not even comparable to store bought salsa.” All ingredients in his special recipe are common household ones, but they come together to form a zesty, delicious salsa with a considerable kick. The most vital flavor to Martinez in this recipe would be lemon: “Lemon really gives it that unique flavor.” This simple recipe has been passed down through and bragged about by the Martinez family for generations, if that’s any indication to how good it truly is. By Kyle Hoff.

Ingredients: 1 big red onion, finely diced 3 - 4 tomatoes A few cloves of minced garlic Salt and pepper (eyeball it and taste it to see if it needs more) Cilantro 1-2 diced little peppers, depending on how hot you want it Juice of 1 and 1/2 to 2 lemons Juice of 1 lime Mix all ingredients. When in doubt, trust your tongue. Taste and adjust according to see what else it needs. If you can handle the heat, put a dash of Tapatio in.

Steeze

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5.11.2012

Q&A:

How often do you work on making your clothes?

I make clothes whenever my machine is working and I’m not busy.

Usually I end up making things in the summer, but half of the time I want to make something my machine go crazy and dies on me.

with Sophomore Annie Smith, Fashion Designer

Describe your process in making these clothes.

Usually I’ll start making something when I have a design concept stuck in my head, and I’ll create a pattern based off of clothing I already have, and then I just work on the piece until I’m done! The things I make are usually pretty simple, so if I power through it, I can get the piece done in a day.

What kind of things do you make?

I usually make simple things, like pencil skirts and tank tops, but I’ve also made a formal dress and I plan on learning how to make casual dresses and shorts.

When did you start making these clothes?

I’ve been designing clothes since I was little and drawing princess dresses, so once I got a sewing machine in eighth grade, I started making my designs. I’ve never gotten sewing lessons or anything though, so every time I start something it’s completely up in the air as to how it’s going to turn out.

What inspired you to start?

I was inspired to start making clothes because my second cousin, Nanette Lepore, is a fashion designer. I’m also pretty picky when it comes to shopping, so making things is just easier sometimes!

The Mustang

Photo Courtesy of Annie Smith.

Who do you usually sell your clothes to?

I tend to sell my clothes to friends, but since my machine has been damaged most of this year, I haven’t been able to make or sell very many.

If anyone wants something though, just hit me up on Facebook or go to my page, Smith Skirts and Shirts!

When did you decide to start selling your designs?

Exhibition day last year inspired me to sell my designs and make a page on Facebook, Smith Skirts and Shirts.

How would you describe the style of your designs My designs are girly, casual, and simple. I like making basic clothing, but giving it some edge with a fabric that has a cool texture or pattern.

Do you plan on pursuing a career in fashion and clothing?

I really want to go to FIDM or Parson’s for college, because I would love to be a fashion designer in the future. If not a fashion designer, maybe a stylist or fashion journalist for a magazine.

Feathers

Hi-Low

Metallic

Bright Colors

If you’re looking for something fun, flirty, and unique, a dress accessorized with feathers is a perfect choice. Whether you choose to go with a full-on feathered skirt or a dress with just a few simple feather accessories, you will surely catch everyone’s eye with this classic yet exciting look.

A feathered dress is the perfect option for someone looking for a quirky twist on a sophisticated style .

Hi-low dresses are a combination of a short cocktail dress and a long evening gown. Short in the front and long in the back, this style of dress is extremely popular in fashion right now. If you’re looking to be trendy on the night of prom, this would be a great choice for you. This type of dress comes in many colors and texture and the length varies from mostly long to almost mini. Have a ball and dance all night long in this trendy and hip take on a classic prom style dress.

If you’re not afraid to stand out, then a shimmery metallic dress is a great choice. Gold, silver, copper, and even black sequined dresses are a great mixture of simple and fun. Because of the sparkly nature of this type of dress, few accessories are needed, which relieves the pressure of having to find the perfect jewelry to accompany your dress. Metallic dresses make big statements and if you’re looking to make an entrance on prom night this is a great choice for you.

One trend that has been popping this year is bright, bold colors.

Instead of having a classic black or white cocktail dress, stand out with a loud brightly-colored dress.

Pink, orange, blue, red, and green are just a few of the most common bright colors that the runways have been seeing this year. What more perfect way is there to incorporate a popular trend of this year than in your prom dress? This style is a throwback to the 80’s.

What is you proudest creation?

I’m most proud of the formal dress I made for an English project in Ms. Leonard’s this year. I’d never made a dress before or worked with zippers or professional patterns, so it was a fun challenge!

Prom Dress Trends: 2012 With prom right around the corner, many girls are searching for that perfect one-of-a-kind dress. With thousands of different options to choose from, narrowing down choices can be quite difficult.

However, here are a few predicted trends for the 2012 prom season. Story

by Tatiana Skomski.

Circus Animal Fun

The Mustang 5.11.2012_

SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE Courtesy of Wikimedia

sdamustang.com

story on a456

MATCHES ON STRIKE Courtesy of Wikimedia

CORDUROY PILLOW MAKES HEADLINES

story on b(-8)

Couresy of Wikimedia

story on y8

San Dieguito Sentinel

area girl overinforms in blog

By Elmae Hendwrightmae

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An area girl discloses an uncomfortable amount of person information on her blog, sources say.

The girl, whose profile name is displayed prominently as “Secsy KittyLuvr,” has been maintaining this blog for over three months after her previous one was shut down, “probably for gross content,” claimed one anonymous reader of the blog.

“My friends and I read her blog every day. To make fun of her of course,” said the anonymous reader. “She never has anything interesting to say.

I know this because I’ve read every word and take notes on it to discuss later on.”

Kittyluvr’s blog, which features photographs, videos, and poetry, all of a questionable nature, is one of the most popular blogs on the social networking site BlogBook.

BlogBook has reported an surge in their users’ disclosure of personal information, despite offering a number of privacy services.

“We don’t take anything down, due to our free speech policy. But our entire staff is willing to say we are really, really embarrassed for her,” said BlogBook director Dee Sgusted.

“I love when kids put their information on the internet.

Especially when they post the answers to their security questions. Man have I gotten rich off of their leniency,” said renowned scam artist Hector Hacker.

“Frankly, I think teenagers put too much information on the internet. People don’t need to read their every thought,” the anonymous reader posted on her personal blog after viciously reading 17 pages of “Kittyluvr’s” blog. “No one cares!”

well, we tried!

200¢

AP Tests at Del Mar Fairgrounds Interrupted by Horse Races

By Maerenore Wrightenson

Due to a mix-up with Del Mar Fairgrounds scheduling, students taking the morning AP Chemistry and English Language and Composition tests were interrupted by the commencement of a horse race on the track adjacent to the testing facility.

Students were first aware of the interruption when the trumpeting that signaled the start of the race pierced the silence of the testing environment.

“I was really confused. I thought that the trumpets were a sign that the multiple choice section was over really early,” said sophomore Stu Dious, who was taking the AP Chemistry test at the time. “But then I heard an unusual amount of neighing. That tipped me off that something was wrong.”

Other students were first distracted by the shouts of the spectators and the announcer.

“They sounded so happy,”

These gentle friends of the land were raced for sport during the AP tests, causing a ruckus. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

said Dee Pressed, with a longing look in her eyes. “I wanted to be happy too.”

Some students, though, had more positive experiences with the mix-up.

“I had been taking all my practice tests with a recording of cheering in the background to inspire me,” said student Moe

Tivated. “My teachers all said that was a bad idea, but it was really helpful there.”

“I was struggling really hard to remember the name of a chemical compound in the chemistry free response,” said student Memo Ree. “But then I heard one of the announcers say the name of a horse that

was the exact answer!” Ree continued, “I think Sulfur Hydroxide won first place too.”

The matter was aggravated when several horses escaped into the testing site, an hour after the races began.

“I mean, at first I found the horses annoying when they kept trying to eat my timed writing,” said Lerna Lott. “But soon I found their presence oddly comforting. Petting the horses helped me to focus on my timed writings. And he ate an introduction that was probably subpar. He gave good feedback.”

Horse race spectator Betty Race, however, was pleased with the way the event turned out. “I won 50 bucks with my unusual bet that one of the horses would score a five on the AP Chem test!”

When asked if he would report the incident to College Board, the test proctor replied, “Eh, those tests are so boring.

These kids had a fun time and that is what truly matters.”

Chefy’s Cooking Korner: Boiled Water in 4 Easy Steps!

Boiled water is a delight enjoyed all over the world. For this recipe you will need a pot, a stove, an eyedropper, and either H2O or water. “Recipe” by Mae Wright. Illustrations by Emily Hall.

1.

Take the pot and set it on the stove. Take care not to spill any air.

2.

Balancing water carefully in cupped hands, lurk near the pot. Have a buddy take an eyedropper and extract the water from your hands until it has all been transferred into the pot.

3.

Apply heat. Wait. La, la, la, la, laaahhh.

4.

Using eyedropper, transfer the water back to your hands.

Take care to avoid terrible injury. You can even lap up the delicous boiled water treat straight out of your hands.

Enjoy*! *Enjoyment is not optional. We’re watching you.

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Circus Animal Fun San Dieguito Sentinel presents:

5.11.2012

The Mustang

Information Graphics

Don’t you hate reading information in big text blocks? Heck, if you do, you’re probably not even reading this right now! In any case, we’ve got the thing for you: important questions answered, presented in handy picture form! No reading necessary! (Kind of.)

Infographic: What are the most awkward words to use in conversation?

89% say:

38% say:

LE G N DA

27% say:

MOIST

By Eleanore Hendrickson and Mae Wright

By Kyle Hoff

The Mustang 5.11.2012

Sports Spring Sports

Katherine Ozorio, senior, runs down the field with the ball in a game versus Torrey Pines on April 27. Photo

by Jocelyn Lee.

Taylor Sills, junior, starts her swing in the game against Mission Vista on May 1. Photo

by Jocelyn Lee.

Softball Reporting by Sarah Kochanek Varsity Coach: Sam Corrao Current Record: 10-13 League Record: 4-4 Player Comments: “I started playing softball when I was seven years old and have not stopped since. It plays a huge roll in my life, and my dream has always been to play in college. As of right now, I am getting scouted by college coaches to get a scholarship and I hope I find a spot out on a college field,” said Marissa Sacco, junior.

Coach Comments: “We are progressing well. We have played a lot of good teams this year. Eight of our 11 losses this year have come against teams rated, at some time, in the top ten teams. We lost a game to Ramona that we were leading into the sixth inning. That was a difficult loss. The only good thing about that loss was we learned we could compete against good teams,” said Corrao.

Statistics: The highest batting average on the varsity team of .545 belongs to Marissa Sacco.

Important Game: The Mustangs play their last game of the season against LCC this afternoon at Stagecoach Park.

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Girls Lacrosse Reporting by Austin Kasselmann Varsity Coach: Chuck Kaczmarek Overall Record: 5-10 Player Comments: “My friend Kai [Schlesinger, junior] made me try out and I fell in love with the sport. We are progressing pretty well through the season and have had huge improvement. I train after school to improve my shots. I am looking forward to maybe making CIF this year. I will definitely miss all the seniors who are leaving and am looking forward to next year,” said Alyssa Navarro, junior.

Coach Comments: “I am looking forward to watching the team get better and CIF. Serra High School was a great win for us and we also had a good close game against Torrey Pines. San Marcos is our rival, because we are close in record, but LCC is our emotional rival. I am looking forward to being in a different league next year,” said Kaczmarek. Next year, the girls lacrosse team will be moved down to Division II, which means no more games against state-ranked LCC and Torrey Pines. SDA also beat San Marcos 7-5 in overtime on May 3.

Important Game: The Mustangs played their last season game against Cathedral Catholic on May 7. They lost by only one goal; the final score was 10-11.

Kevin Gallagher, freshman, defends a Torrey Pines player in a game on May 3. Photo courtesy of Ashley Beltran.

Niko Gilligan, senior, takes a swing during a home game. Photo by Jocelyn Lee.

Boys Lacrosse

Baseball

Varsity Coach: Nicholas Borden Current Record: 5-12 Player Comments: “Some memorable moments from this year were beating Fallbrook twice. As a team, we have definitely bonded and we are all LAX bros for life. A goal for the rest of the season is to win one of our next two games against Torrey Pines or CCA. I definitely want to beat our rival, CCA,” said freshman Mason Bright.

“I enjoy the competition and comradery that comes from lacrosse as well as the stick skills and scrimmaging that we do in practice. Our home game warm up music is reggae,” said DJ Swan, senior.

Coach Comments: “The team is progressing well. We had a few hiccups with injuries, but we are coming off a great double overtime win against Fallbrook and I’m excited for how we will finish the season. We have recently done some team bonding. Through the leadership of Kyle Hoff and Jake Bert [juniors], we took it upon ourselves to clear out the vines that swallowed up the fence [along the field]. It was a good bonus because we found around 30 balls and a bunch of black widows,” said Borden.

Varsity Coach: Jack McDowell Current Record: 16-9 League Record: 10-1 Player Comments: “I didn’t choose my sport, it chose me. I played basketball and worked out during the off season to stay in shape. We do a lot of batting practice and fielding drills which I like because it helps me with my game. I’m looking forward to CIF to see how far we can go,” said Sam Hagerty, senior.

Coach Comments: “I think we are right where we ought to be in this season so far. I am looking forward to making it to CIF’s and I know the players are too. Our biggest win was against San Pasqual. Del Norte was a surprise this season and they are one of our biggest rivals,” said McDowell.

Statistics: Dominic Anguiano, junior, has the highest batting average on the team with a .384.

Important Games: The Mustangs play CCA on May 12 and their last game of the season is against Orange Glen on May 15.

Reporting by Austin Keillor

Reporting by Tyler Hagen

Sports

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5.11.2012

The Mustang

Wilcox finds Magic Johnson

Wilcox with Tiger Woods at La Costa Resort

The Will to Win T

o me, Jon Wilcox seemed like your average prosub, presenting the lesson plan, handing out the typical worksheets that were due by the end of the period, and constantly encouraging kids to complete their work. Meanwhile, instead of plopping down and reading his book, he made a poster. I couldn’t help but ask him what he was doing. Casually, he told me it was a poster for senior Maddy Thunder’s lacrosse game against LCC that night.

Turns out his sister is the varsity LCC Girls Lacrosse coach, but being a former student of San Dieguito High School, he still feels connected to the school (despite the name change to Academy). Plus, it’s a classic brother-sister rivalry.

It’s no surprise that Jon Wilcox’s, or as he’s commonly referred to, Wilcox, is a connected guy. As exemplified by his photos he’s met dozens of stars, scouts informally for the Lakers, is Kristen Wiig’s cousin, and has a professional skateboarder as a roommate. All this, minus being related to Kristen Wiig, (because that’s just lucky...) begun in Wilcox’s seventh grade. “I just got a Texas A&M hat,” he said. Despite his parents lack of interest in sports, he ended up supporting Texas A&M. “I was

Charger Kassim Osgood posing with Wilcox

Kyle Hoff chronicles substitute Jon Wilcox’s extraordinary connections within the sports world.

just drawn to it.” This is the same school he gave his allegiance to throughout high school. He even represented A&M colors when he met Tiger Woods some years later. That hat triggered the beginning of a lifelong involvement in sports with Wilcox.

Fast forwarding to his senior year in high school, Wilcox had developed into quite the golf fan. He and a few buddies heard that a newly announced professional golfer was over at La Costa Resort and Spa. They went on over to see Tiger Woods who had, at the time, recently left Stanford. Woods was supposedly on one of the more secluded back greens. Wilcox and a small group of others waited till the 21-year-old was done with his workout to get autographs. “Now-a-days [Woods’s] known for being very mechanical and robotic, but back

“I didn’t get to this point by being a jerk. . . It always comes back to how you treat people when they could become your boss someday.”

- Jon Wilcox then he was a genuinely nice guy,” Wilcox said, in regards to Woods’s character. “I specifically remember him asking everyone there if they had gotten an autograph.”

This is, of course before, Tiger’s “player stage.” He was still attempting to earn the respect of the sports community here in California, as well as around the nation.

His most prized possession to this day is that picture of him with Tiger that a friend got Tiger to sign it. His rationale? Admiration for being honored to meet debatably one of the best athletes of all time. “You have to remember this is a picture of him before he won any of his 14 major tournaments,” said Wilcox.

Wilcox would progress into becoming a student at Cal

Poly San Luis Obispo – as he jokes, “Another bad sports school with the mascot of a Mustang.” Football player Kassim Osgood attended SLO at the same time as Wilcox. Knowing him in college, Wilcox remembered kidding around with Osgood, saying, “It’d be sweet if you went to the Chargers.” For those of you who know your sports, you know Osgood as being a Pro-Bowl special teams player for the Chargers from 2003-2010. He’s currently a free agent.

A number of years later, Wilcox found himself in an odd situation that would give him an opportunity of a lifetime. Wilcox was teaching at a Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School with his mom, where Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss’s kids attended school. “At the time I was a huge Sacramento Kings fan,” Wilcox recalls. “I distinctly remember my mom saying, ‘You’d better not harass Jesse’ [Buss’s son].” That very day, Wilcox slipped a note to Jesse after he had completed a test saying, “Last I checked, the Kings were five games ahead of you in the Western Conference.” Buss wittily slid one back to saying Wilcox saying, “Last I checked you guys haven’t won the last two world championships.”

Wilcox ended up tutoring Buss for the next 11 years and they became friends. Over time, Wilcox was able to attend many Lakers games in the owner’s box, meeting a variety of famous people. “My reputation at this school is more for being Kristen Wiig’s cousin; people don’t know me for my sports connections,” he said. For most people, having a cousin that’s an SNL star is as good as it gets, but Wilcox admits, “I meet a lot more celebrities with Jesse at Lakers games than because of my cousin.”

Wilcox believes he’s met so many famous people in his lifetime due to his attitude. “I didn’t get to this point by being a jerk,” Wilcox explained. “It always comes back to how you treat people when they could become your boss someday.”

The Mustang 5.11.2012

Sports

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Surfer vs. Skater

They surf! And skate! And surf and surf and skate! Surf surf, skate skate! Freshmen skater Anthony Wing and freshman surfer Nick Anderberg answer questions that have nothing to do with surfing or skating. Story by Eleanore Hendrickson and Mae Wright.

When sign makers go on strike, is there anything written on their signs?

Surfer: Yes, because they make the signs… but no, because they’re on strike.

Skater: No, because if they’re going on strike, then they won’t make signs. They use words. Like Martin Luther King.

Skater, from years of writing essays in English and history classes, we all know that mentioning Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, or Betty White garners instant props, the likes of which no other name-candy can bring about.

But the newspaper is not some measly high school class; no props will be given for name dropping! Minus nothing, Skater, cause we can’t take away from the King. Surfer, plus zero also, because your confusion serves to cancel the points out. I guess that means no points either way. Huh. Has this ever happened before? We’ll just say it has. I’m no trend-setter, not like Betty White.

Why isn’t there mouse-flavored cat food?

Surfer: Because no one knows what mice taste like. Except for cats. But they’re not the ones making the food.

Skater: Because cats like chicken and fish more.

Surfer, we commend that kind of forward thinking here. Cats should be involved in the cat-food making process. Chef cats, we’ll call them, and they will wear tiny little chef outfits and hats! It’ll be great! Good for marketing, too. Imagine the commercial possibilities! Picture it: a cat, in a kitchen, with some cat food.

And the cat is holding a spoon! It’s great!

Sublime idea, Surfer. Plus 29 points and a toy mouse. Skater, we looked up the ingredients of cat food, and it looks like there isn’t much chicken or fish, but something called “beef tallow.” Minus 18 points for making me think about what part of the cow that might come from.

Where do forest rangers go to “get away from it all”?

Surfer: Employee lounge?

Skater: They go under the city to escape all the peace of the wilderness. Too much peace can drive you insane.

Surfer, I think you’re onto something here.

I really can’t imagine anything more relaxing than the cramped atmosphere of an employee lounge: coffee stains gracing every available surface, couches crunchy with longforgotten chip remnants, and several copies of the May 1996 issue of Cat Fancy. At the very least, this sounds way better than Skater’s idea of going underground. I mean, come on, Skater. I think you’d be driven even more insane hanging around underground, what with the mole people, flushed alligators, and shelled mutant reptiles with strangely artistic names. Where was I going with this again?

Oh, yeah, points. Uh, 12 for you, Surfer, and minus 8 for you, Skater.

When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny?

Surfer: There’s a thing called partly sunny?

Skater: It’s partly cloudy when there are

Freshman surfer Nick Anderberg tells off his opponent, freshman skater Anthony Wing, with a menacing look upon his face once the whole shebang was over. Photo by Jocelyn Lee.

enough clouds for it to be cold. It’s partly sunny when it’s hot enough for the sun to break through the clouds.

And I thought you were on a roll here, Surfer. I will now illustrate what partly sunny is for your benefit: Imagine a delicious sunnyside-up fried egg. Now sprinkle some clouds on that egg, and now it’s a partly-sunny-sideup egg. Throw it up in the sky, and now you have it: a delicious partly sunny day. Did that help any? I’m good at analogizing my breakfast! You should see what I can do with hush puppies! But still minus 12 points for getting me on this tangent. Skater, that sounds about right. Cold clouds and hot sun? I think you know what you’re talking about, and I sure didn’t take Earth and Space, so plus 42 points.

How fast do hotcakes sell?

Surfer: As fast as hotcakes sell.

Skater: 0.2 seconds.

I am very pleased by the effort it must have taken the both of you to attain this very scientific data. You must have sold literally dozens of hotcakes! And that’s not to mention all the number crunching and algorithmmaking and math-math in order to come up with these precise calculations. Good work, guys. I like the initiative you displayed here.

34 points for both of you!

Total: Surfer: 63 and a cat toy Skater: 50 Congrats, Surfer! You win nothing.

Backpage

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5.11.2012

The Mustang

Audience applauses for the the soloists who performed. Katie Berriochoa.

Anyone up for some jazz?

Students from all over the district, along with the Coastal Cities Jazz Band, came to perform at SDA’s first jazz festival on April 21. Story by Caroline Glass.

A

s senior Rory Parham took his place on stage for his solo with a professional band, the crowd erupted into applause, sharing their appreciation for the talents of SDA’s musicians.

San Dieguito Academy’s first ever Jazz Festival kicked off on Saturday, April 21. Featuring advanced jazz bands from high schools and middle schools of the San Dieguito Union High School District and even one elementary school, the event drew in parents, friends, and jazz enthusiasts alike.

The bands played not only for a captivated audience, but for a panel of adjudicators, or judges, who gave each band a rating and provided constructive criticism and compliments. After a performance of about four songs, the judges deliberated and SDA’s band was awarded a unanimous superior rating, the highest rating possible.

“I’m thrilled with how it turned out. It’s been a dream and a vision for a long time, and to see the building come into fruition, and to see such district participation, it was a thrill for me,” said band teacher Jeremy Wuertz.

Fellow band mates were as impressed with SDA’s talent as the judges were. “I play in the symphonic band, so I came out to support them,” said senior Natalie Woodward. “It was awesome; they were so good!”

After the performances and critiques were finished, attendees were treated to a professional jazz concert by the Coastal Cities Jazz Band. The 17 performers are some of the best jazz musicians in all of San Diego county, and have played together since 1997. For the 80 people seated on the lawn in front of the amphitheater, the band was lively and enthusiastic, putting all their effort into the jazz favorites they played like “Sing Sing” and the more commonly known “Take Me out to the Ball Game.”

“It’s fun to see a real live professional jazz band, since there aren’t that many,” said junior Aly Baker.

After their official set, five of the best soloists from each school were invited to play with Coastal Cities, including Senior Rory Parham. Each got his moment in the spotlight, performing a short solo while the band played “C Jam Blues” in the background.

Overall, it was a successful and exciting event that will hopefully be continued next year.

Senior Rory Parham, one of five soloists, plays his saxophone with the Coastal Cities Jazz Band.

Photo by Katie Berriochoa.

Students and parents relax on the grass during the free jazz concert. Photo by Katie Berriochoa.

Coastal Cities Jazz Band perform infront of the PAC. Photo by Katie Berriochoa.