SDA Mustang November 2015

11.13.15

Volume 20 Issue II

T H E

M U S TA N G

02 The Mustang 11.13.2015

INDEX Chole Walecki

From the Control Booth A message from your editor in chief.

Cover Artist

School has been underway for over two months now, and the excitement of summer has faded. Fall weather is finally starting to make an appearance, and even in Southern California the leaves are falling off the trees, the days are shorter, and long pants and sweaters are becoming more frequent on campus.

Students have settled into their routines and as Principal Bjorn Paige writes on his blog, “There’s a comfort to November, born of knowing ourselves in relation to the unfolding school year…Classes and campus culture are familiar now, September strangers turned to friends.” (You should read Paige’s blog—it’s full of humorous anecdotes about SDA as told by our principal.)

By now, even the freshmen class knows SDA like the back of their hands. But are you as familiar with it as you think? Check out “How Well Do You Know SDA?” on page 25 to test your knowledge about the campus. And things won’t stay the same forever. “Senior Courtstruction” on page 5 details the construction that will start on Senior Court, which will be fenced off after Thanksgiving and knocked down over winter break. “Goodbye Senior Court” on page 18 pays tribute to the center of student activity that has been witness to countless chalk mandalas, airbands rehearsals, pottery firings over the years.

Thanksgiving is just ahead of us, a well-deserved break after more than a quarter’s worth of school. With a week off, “Holiday Calendar” on page 11 gives plenty of ideas on how to fill the time, as well as “Rancho Panasquitos” on page 14.

However you choose to spend your fall, I hope it’s a good one. It can be a stressful time, with college applications due, sports underway (“Stang Stats” on page 35), and school in full swing with no breaks until Thanksgiving. But it’s also a time of enjoyment, and school spirit.

Halloween and Homecoming week brought a festive spirit to SDA, and with the holidays on the horizon everyone has a renewed spring in their step.

This fall has been a busy time for me, as I’ve rushed to submit UC applications and make sure the paper’s produced on time. But the cooler weather has also brought a sense of calm, and a reminder that I can make it through whatever the final months of the year have in store for me. I hope the same is true for you.

Senior Chloe Walecki has been creating art for a long time, but really started to get into it when she took AP Studio Art at SDA. The painting featured here is from her concentration for the class, which was anatomy. “I was interested in anatomy that people see every day but zooming in and adjusting things slightly to the point where they’re slightly awkward and kind of gross,” Walecki said. “It’s stuff that you see every day but it becomes something you’re not used to.”

Though she likes painting, Walecki has developed an interest in art and photography as well.

Carina Julig

Reiko Inouye Backpage Photographer Senior Reiko Inouye took this picture in the fall. “There were a ton of moths, hundreds of them, coming out of this dead bush, so I thought it would be cool to take a picture of one,” she said.

Inouye has been doing photography at SDA as well as sculpture since ninth grade, and said that being at SDA has helped her grow as an artist. “I’ve had the honor to learn from a lot of the different art teachers at our school, so that expands my view of art and myself as an artist,” she said. Inouye said she also hopes to keep studying art in college.

ROLL CALL The Mustang Staff EDITOR IN CHIEF Carina Julig

SPORTS EDITOR Cydney Melton

STAFF WRITERS Jacob Aere Kate Bilse Gina Checchia Austin Dilley Natalie Haghani Sarah Hernandez Leigh Houck Lindsey King Brook Komar Sarah LaVake Linnea Leidy Zach McInnis Sophia Mock Luke Oldham Nicole Ramirez Megan Scherer Armaan Shah

CAF EDITORS Kenna Osborn Claire Pupping

ADVISOR Tim Roberts

NEWS EDITOR Olivia Olander FEATURES/MANAGING EDITOR Sophie Peeler OPINION/DESIGN EDITOR Maxine Richter ARTS EDITORS Brittany Serbin Vicky van der Wagt pg. 14

pg. 17

ONLINE EDITOR Kate Sequeira ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR Mary Ford

pg. 32

pg. 9

Want to see what these pictures mean? Flip to the page number to get the whole story, and find out what’s going on this month at SDA.

PHOTO EDITOR Allie Manis GRAPHIC ARTIST Sophia Hurley

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 16, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the address below.

San Dieguito Academy Room 16 800 Santa Fe Drive Encinitas, CA 92024

The Mustang 03

NEWS

11.13.2015

Cheating choices

A cheating incident in a math class this midterm season shines light on cheating in an age of smartphones and social networks. Story by Olivia Olander.

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ass cheating on a math midterm in late October led to three full classes retaking their tests. Donn Boyd, the teacher of the Algebra II classes, said a student took a picture of the test key when it was left on his desk and sent it to other students on Facebook Messenger. Other students didn’t get the key, but took pictures of their incomplete tests on their phones and worked out the problems at home. This led to many students receiving uncharacteristically high scores and eventually prompted a new edition of the test to be issued to everyone in Boyd’s classes.

This incident highlights the ease of cheating in an age of SparkNotes and sending pictures of homework. While book summaries and copied answers have always existed, this generation of students has access to the Internet’s infinite answers on their phones.

“When I was in high school, I never cheated on a test,” Boyd said. “However, we didn’t have this kind of technology, and if I had a smartphone and pictures of the test were flying around, I don’t know that I wouldn’t have been tempted to look at it.”

“If you have a phone, you just have access to more information,” said Assistant Principal Briehana Weatherford, on whether the increased use of phones in the classroom could be causing an increase in cheating.

Road to Retake

“I have really good classes, with sweet kids, and honest kids I thought, but that turns out to not be the case,” Boyd said of the classes involved in this cheating incident. But because he administered the same test over two days, he said, someone found the key on his desk in between the two testing days and messaged it to others.

One male student, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that he didn’t have the key, but was sent a picture of the test (without answers) in a group message. “I used the pictures to solve the test questions at home, because Mr. Boyd gave us two days for the test,” he said.

Boyd said he noticed suspicious scores when grading the tests. “As a stats teacher, when something is way out of the ordinary, you notice that... I knew there was something going on.”

He added that before he had even graded all the tests, a mom of a student in one of his classes emailed him saying some of the students had worked together, using the key, during the time be-

does not occur regularly. “I believe this was an isolated incident because this was the only time we were given the opportunity to complete a test in two days,” he said.

What exactly is cheating?

A student uses her phone to take a photo of her Spanish homework. Photo

by Olivia Olander.

tween the first testing day and the second testing day.

This led to some students being questioned. A few admitted to using the key, but information from the administration made it clear that the cheating was more widespread than originally thought.

That’s why all Boyd’s students were required to retake the midterm, rather than just those suspected of dishonesty. “The retake was necessary because a photo was leaked of the test key on Facebook,” said the male student.

However, he did not believe the retake should have been mandatory for everyone: “It was clear who… had not cheated. I don’t think that the kids who did poorly should have to retake it,” the student said.

Another student in one of Mr. Boyd’s classes agreed. “Everyone [who didn’t cheat] should be allowed to keep the score they had, especially because most people’s [scores] were better the first time than the second time... It was a lot harder the second time,” she said.

Aftermath

Though the retake was incon-

venient for some students, Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones said the usual policy for a first offense of cheating would be a zero on the relevant assignment, and a second offense would mean failing the class. Weatherford said that other options, like student conferences, are also sometimes used.

In this case, no other consequence than a retake was given. “I replaced everybody’s final score with the retake final... The administration was behind it 100 percent... I think that everyone truly got the grade that they deserved,” said Boyd.

Despite the use of phones in this incident, Boyd said that he does not believe technology is to blame, and allows students to use their phones on their tests as graphing calculators.

“I’ve been letting kids use phones for years, and I’ve never had something like this happen,” he said. He said that he believes technology makes his class more interesting and wouldn’t want get rid of it and require students to do “mundane computations.”

The anonymous male student agreed that this type of cheating

In any case, the line between collaboration and cheating is sometimes a blurred one, especially when it comes to lesser assignments, like homework.

“It’s definitely cheating if it’s for a test... [but] teachers can’t expect people to not Google answers or ask friends and parents [on homework],” said sophomore Brianna Kantorovich, who was not a member of Boyd’s classes.

Another sophomore, who wanted to be anonymous, agreed.

“I don’t think taking pictures of homework should be considered cheating, as it helps to see a visual if you don’t understand the homework you’re doing. However, I think taking a picture of a test is considered cheating because you should already know the material, whereas when you’re doing homework, you’re in the process of learning.“ She was not a member of Boyd’s class but did say she had used her phone to cheat on a “mini quiz” in her English class.

Science teacher Russ Davidson said he has seen changes in the way students cheat with the emergence of technology, but not an increase in cheating overall.

English teacher Kerri Leonard said, “I think every year I deal with the idea of cheating in some fashion, whether it’s just someone copying someone’s answers, or plagarizing an essay, which happens frequently as more information and resources and information are available online.” “[Using phones for] homework is not a huge problem, in my opinion. For a test, I just don’t allow any phones during testing,” said math teacher Jaewon Lee.

Looking Forward

Other factors than technology also contribute to students cheating. “A bunch of my kids were stressed out about passing the final, because passing the course was contingent on passing the final… The stress level was quite high, [but] it was the wrong thing to do,” said Boyd.

“Many of the students cheated because they don’t understand... the concepts,” said the male student. “On this test it was easy for many people to cheat because all they had to do was go onto Facebook.”

Jones said students cheat for “many reasons.”

“Maybe technology has made (“Cheating,” continued on page five)

CAHSEE Canceled High school students can now receive a diploma without taking the exit exam.

Story by Sarah LaVake.

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his year, the Legislature and State Board of Education have decided to suspend the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). This means current seniors, juniors and sophomores will not be taking the CAHSEE. “The exit exam was aligned to the previous standards, [which have been replaced by new Common Core standards] and since our standards have been updated I think they didn’t want to use a test that tests students on standards that they were no longer using,” said Assistant Superintendent Michael Grove.

Since the test is suspended, the Legislature and State Board of Education are going to decide whether they should create a new test, or possibly use the new Common Core test that juniors took last year, he said. “The state is making decisions about that and until they reach a decision, the test is suspended,” he said.

Grove explained that the last time SDA 10th graders took the CAHSEE in March, 97 percent of the sophomores passed the math portion on their first try, and 96 percent passed the English portion.

However, before they decide on the new test they might have an assessment for these sophomores, juniors and seniors to make sure San Dieguito district keeps its success rate. “I would anticipate that they will still have some sort of an assessment whether it’s using a particular score on an existing assessments, like the [new Common Core test], or if it’s creating a new test, I don’t know,” said Grove.

“I am a little worried because I stuck to the traditional course of math and not Common Core. So I am now wondering if I made the right decision and am worried that I will not be ready for the replacment test if there is one and [if] it is based on Common Core,” said sophomore Everett Leveque.

04 The Mustang 11.13.2015

NEWS

A Missing Piece

Assembly Bill No. 146

Schools urged to cover overlooked history of Mexican Repatriation. Story by Kate Sequeira.

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tudents are provided with plenty of information regarding the Japanese-American internment camps during World War II and the mistreatment of the Okies in California during the Depression. They may not have learned, however, of the deportation of more than 400,000 Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans in California alone during the 1930s.

This may change due to the passing of a law that occurred this October to encourage teachers to cover of this massive deportation and published to include it in history textbooks.

The reasoning behind this bill is that these deportations are often not covered by teachers because they are not included in state standards and most textbooks.

“In general, the history of Mexicans in the United States has been understudied in schools at all levels,” said Curtis Marez, a professor of Ethnic Images in Film at UCSD. “The era of mass deportations was a tragic period of anti-Mexican racism that tore family and friends apart. To not know of that history is to risk repeating it.”

The issues to be covered by the bill have come up in context with recent events as well. “I think [the bill] is an excellent idea since the deportations are not well known.

It is an especially important history to know about since some contemporary politicians want to do the same thing today,” said Marez. “I think it has become an issue in part because of political debates over immigration. Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump has advocated mass deportations and pointed to the 1930s deportations as a model to emulate.”

In the 1930s, California began to deport many people of Mexican descent back to Mexico. According to National Public Radio, about 60 percent of those deported were actually US citizens. This series of deportations took place during the Great Depression, and many living in the United States were worried about employment which led them to look at the Mexicans and Mexican Americans as foreigners.

Whites were given the impression that they were stealing American’s jobs, said history teacher Bob Teisher. “Many Mex-

This photo was taken by Dorothea Lange during the 1930s of a migrant Mexican family having tire trouble. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

ican Americans were living in Mexican communities [and] were still speaking Spanish, and they might not have had their papers, so they’re viewed as foreigners and the government consciously begins to push them out.”

Teisher has already been covering the deportations in his history classes. “They [textbooks] have all these pages on Japanese internment camps, and they have one page on Chinese exclusion, but there’s nothing on Mexican Americans until you get to the braceros program,” he said. “To me that’s a huge exclusion of the facts, so I just know that I’m going to teach it whether the book has it or not.”

“It doesn’t fit. [The textbook authors] want to plug those events into a nice theme of World War II and post-World War II racism. But it doesn’t fall under that, so instead what they’ll do is

they put one sentence: ‘Oh by the way there were deportations in the thirties too, but now let’s talk about the Zoot Suit Riots,’” said Teisher.

A great number of the people deported to Mexico had come to this country legally or had been born here. “I’m not going to say that the border was free range, but it was close to that,” Teisher said. “People from Mexico who came here, they were here legally.

People checked them in and [gave them documents] but you could go back and forth. It was a fluid border, so a lot of the Mexican families who would’ve been here never would’ve kept their documentation. They didn’t need it; nobody’s asking for it.”

The sole purpose of the state standards is to serve as a skeleton of teaching requirements; they are not meant to limit what teachers can include in their class curricu-

lum, according to history teacher Kerry Koda. Therefore, teachers have the ability to cover subjects that are not required. But, because the deportations have not been included in school textbooks and standards, many teachers do not tend to cover them in their classes, said Koda.

According to Koda, AP US History runs on a different set of standards than the regular history classes. Since the class is organized around the AP test itself, which contains more information than the regular state standards require of teachers, it spends some of its focus on the deportations, said Koda.

When students in her class learn of the deportations, the general reaction is surprise. Students can then use their new-found knowledge to influence their own decisions about the world, said Koda.

Background: This new law was proposed by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia on behalf of a fifth grade class from Bell Gardens Elementary School in the Montebello Unified School District, according to the Assembly Floor Analysis.

The Senate passed the bill 29-7 Sept. 2.

Senator Patricia Bates, representative of District 36, which includes the Encinitas area, voted no. “She believes the bill was unnecessary,” said Communicatons Director Ronald Ongtoaboc.

Bates believed it unnecessary because the Mexican Repatriation was already to be covered in the social science framework to be soon looked over by the State Board of Education.

Two days later, the bill passed through the assembly at a vote of 62-10.

Assembly Member Rocky Chavez of District 76, which covers Encinitas, voted in favor. “It is important to recognize historical facts in our country, and just as Japanese internment camps which occurred during World War II are taught in our schools, this should be included as well. I see no problem with giving teachers the necessary resources to educate students about civil and human rights,” said Chavez.

History: During the 1930s, approximately two million Mexicans and Mexican Americans were pressured and forcefully relocated to Mexico from the southwest United States, according to Professor Christine Valenciana of Cal State Fullerton.

The government chose to target Mexicans for stealing the jobs of natural citizens, using government resources, and spending money needed during the Depression, said Valenciana.

They were told they would be better off in Mexico.

There were raids where officials would round up Mexicans, often without checking for papers, and send them to Mexico encourage voluntary deportation.

According to Valenciana, many Mexicans sent back were Americans and forced to adapt to the culture and language of a country they may had never visited.

NEWS

Senior Court-struction How construction of Senior Court will affect your routes to class and logistics around campus. By Luke Oldham.

Northern boundary will be a chain-link fence This north-south walkway in between the gym and the 90s will stay open - This map is outdated and doesn’t show it.

• • •

Construction will start on November 20th, the Friday before November break.

Most of the loud construction will take place during winter break.

The only North-South walkway that will be blocked off will be senior court itself.

Walkway to the shop classes will stay open Some of the walls will be plexi-glass to see through Noise protection wall will run in fron of the 70s *Note: this is not the newest map version, or an official rendering. Newest version is currently unavailable*

The Mustang 05 11.13.2015

“Cheating,” continued from page three it easier, but cheating has always been around,” she said.

She also described cheating as a “societal problem” and said the consequences get worse as the offender gets older, and described how cheating in college could result in a loss of admission.

Boyd agreed. He described his feeling on his issue as “really disappointed,” but said he felt “two ways about it.” He was disappointed in his students, and especially in the original person who photographed the key, saying that if he know who the student was, he would “do all that I can to try to get that student expelled.”

However, he felt similarly to Jones when she said that it’s better to make this kind of mistake now than later.

“Kids will be kids, and I’d rather you make a mistake as a teenager and have to retake a test, than lie on the job and get fired for it when you’re in your 20s, or cheat on your spouse in your 20s or 30s and have a marriage break up over it. Consequences are less the younger you are,” he said.

Additional reporting by Brook Komar, Sarah LaVake, Austin Dilley, and Leigh Houck.

06 The Mustang 11.13.2015

NEWS

UP FRONT

A quick look at the events around the SDA campus Oct. 10 - Nov. 13. Full stories can be found at sdamustang.com.

Clash of Bands

Flagged Down

Students performed in front of the PAC for Battle of the Bands. Story by Kate Sequeira.

Students participated in SDA’s homcoming flag football on Nov. 6. Story by Kate Sequeira.

Caption Teams Discount Belicheck and Alpha Roller Rink compete.

Photo by Austin Dilley.

S The Elements took the stage on Nov. 2, the first day of Battle and the Bands. Photo by Austin Dilley.

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his year’s Battle of the Bands took place from Nov. 2 to Nov. 10 featuring a variety of bands and participants.

Thirteen bands participated in the span of seven days.

Each day held around two performances.

Throughout the week and a half, audiences of students

and judges gathered in front of the Performing Arts Center during lunch in order to watch the different bands perform.

The Pet Rocks were the first to perform on Nov. 2, followed afterward by the Elements.

The last day of Battle of the Bands concluded with

performances from Indigo Coyote and Cordelia Degher.

With the weeks of Battle of the Bands over, students can now look forward to the final, which is set to take place next week on Nov. 19, at 6:30 in the gym.

Entry costs $2 with an ASB card and $5 without.

in order to play the studentteacher game which consisted of four quarters, each against a different student team.

The teams included Tom Brady’s Deflated Balls, Back that Pass Up, Slay Squad, and Dish Duty.

The teacher team won the final game at a score of seven to six.

Coming Up A list of upcoming events on SDA campus.

Night of Frights Homecoming took place Oct. 30 in the gym. Story by Kate Sequeira.

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tudents entered the Homecoming Dance on Oct. 30 dressed in an assortment of Halloween costumes.

ASB put together a variety of activities including a photo booth located in the former wrestling room, a haunted house put together by JNHS, and the movie “Monster House” playing outside.

Towards the end of the dance, seniors Jacob Aere and Reiko Inouye were announced as homecoming king and queen.

Students spend time dancing in the gym during Homecoming. Photo

by Allie Manis.

DA’s annual flag football took place Nov. 6. Forty four teams participated this year as students competed against one another for student victory.

After playing a series of six games, Tom Brady’s Deflated Balls came out as the winning student team.

After the final student game teachers ran on the field

Blood Drive Nov. 17 The Blood Drive is set to take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to give those 16 and older who signed up a chance to donate blood.

Once students make it to the gym, they will fill out a pre-donation form and from there wait their turn to get their blood drawn by the nurses located around the gym.

Ping Pong Tournament Nov. 30 - Dec. 4 The Ping Pong Tournament is to take place at lunch the week of Nov. 30.

Students who enjoy ping pong will have the opportuni-

ty to participate in the tournament. At the end of the week, there will be a winner in each the singles and the doubles tournament.

Nominating Convention Dec. 11 Students competing for student body positions are to present speeches during an extended homeroom in the gym.

Students will be running for all positions including president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, school board representative, sophomore directors, junior directors, and senior directors.

The Mustang 07

OPINIONS

11.13.2015

A Dishonest Proposal

The Mustang has noticed an uptick in cheating, but believes it can be controlled.

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an Dieguito Academy has a cheating problem, and while this is a problem that has always existed, an increase has been noticed this year. However, cheating is not unique to SDA. All schools struggle with it, because given the opportunity there will always be some students that choose to cheat.

Cheating occurs for two main reasons: pressure and opportunity. With the scores students get on tests playing such an important role in their overall grades, some students develop the mentality that they have to do well at any cost. The stress of needing good grades for college applications is intense, and many students feel that if they do poorly on one test then their grade is ruined for the rest of the semester. While this is hardly an excuse to cheat, it is a reason people do.

The second factor that contributes to high rates of cheating is

problem to eliminate, there are steps the school can take to limit its occurrence.

Many teachers use questions from previous AP tests for the exams they give in class. A large number of these test questions and their answers are on the Internet, which makes it more likely that students have either already seen them while studying or can look up the answers while testing. While released AP test questions are valuable tools to help prepare for AP tests, they should not always be used for in-class tests, as they offer students a too-easy way to take advantage of them.

Technology and the Internet are often factors in cheating.

However, instead of restricting technology, the best way for teachers to prevent cheating is to be proactive and alert. If teachers are keeping a watchful eye

on their students during tests, it will be easier for them to see if students are using their phones or computers in ways they shouldn’t be, and if students are being observed it will deter them from attempting to cheat.

The Mustang values the trust that SDA teachers place in their students, and believe that technology in the classroom has many benefits. Making blanket bans on technology might stop some of the cheating but it would have drawbacks as well. Cheating is a complicated issue, and teachers should balance out their trust with the necessary precautions to keep it in check. But in the end, it is students’ responsibility not to cheat.

[Staff Ed]

Cheating can be alluring, but it’s never justifiable. Photo by Allie Manis.

the frequent opportunity students are given to do so. Many classes permit students to use technology, such as phones and computers, in the classroom, which can make it very easy to look up answers. Most students understand

that cheating is wrong, but when they have a question on a test that they don’t know but could look up the answer to on their phone in 30 seconds, the temptation is sometimes too great to resist.

While cheating is a difficult

Staff editorials represent the collective voice of The Mustang.

Test Jitters

Standardized testing has some impractical aspects. By Sophie Peeler.

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et’s be real: when it really comes down to it, colleges aren’t going to accept you if you don’t have good test results.

Sure, being involved in extracurricular activities and hours of community service might help, but grades and test results are ultimately what make or break you.

While this might stress some people out, I’m ok with it. I’m a good test taker, just like others are good performers or athletes. But even so, there are some aspects of the standardized tests we take that are just plain impractical.

And I’m not talking about the CAHSEE or STAR tests, which don’t tend to give people too much trouble since they’re not too rigid. I’m talking mainly about the SAT and some AP tests that will make even the most testconfident student panic the night before.

Firstly, what’s the point of these tests being timed so rigidly?

What does it prove if I can write an essay in twenty-five minutes?

Maybe that I have strong fingers,

but besides that, totally it’s pointless.

I get that these tests need to be timed; it shows that you can think on the spot and make quick decisions. But why not give students enough time to attempt every question? The SAT is notorious for being not only a test of math, reading, and writing, but also speed. And by speed, I mean canyou-finish-thirty-math-problemsin-twenty-five-minutes speed.

Of course, tests need to be completed in a timely manner; in the real world, you can’t just sit and ponder for a couple hours before answering a question your coworkers ask you. But you also need to do decent work. Not just adequate and average, but good and substantial- and that requires a little bit of time. So if colleges want to see students’ best, why not give them the time to put in their best effort?

On that note, another aspect that really gives away how unpractical these tests are is what they actually test. It’s no secret

that the SAT is basically a test of strategy. Any of the prep schools will gives you tips and tricks on how to spot errors in the writing section or how to save time in the math section.

Again, College Board is trying to fix this with their new Common Core layout, but after taking the PSAT this year, it looks like we’ll be trading one evil for another. Making all the questions vague and nonsensical by stuffing them with confusing, irrelevant information isn’t going to make the test any more practical.

I’m ok with the whole ‘strategy’ aspect; I’m a math person.

Give me a formula and I’ll find a way. But that doesn’t stop me from seeing that the principles behind it are wrong. It’s supposed to test intelligence, not how-many-practice-tests-did-I-take-overthe-summer or how-many-vocabwords-did-I-memorize.

And I see that the College Board is genuinely trying to correct this with Common Core, but it’s just not going to work. Stan-

Pencil? Check. Eraser? Check. Stopwatch? Check. Photo by Sophie Peeler.

dardized testing has become so implanted into the education system that trying to uproot it would be futile. I think there definitely needs to be some sort of major reform in the way students are tested for college, not just changing the way test questions are

asked. Rather than having it be comprised of questions that require robotic motions and memorization, these tests should have more stimulating content that is straightforward yet challenges students’ abilities to make inferences on their own.

08 The Mustang 11.13.2015

OPINIONS

Shots Fired

In the wake of the shooting in Oregon last month, staff writer Austin Dilley argues for stricter gun control to preserve the lives of Americans while Lindsey King argues for protecting people’s constitutional rights.

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fter every mass murder, half the county goes into outrage about how guns kill people and all the reforms we need leaving the other half to defend our constitutional heritage.

The argument goes back to history and how guns have been a big part of this country since the foundation. In the very beginning, people used guns to protect themselves. Where the colonist came from there was a constant threat of the British government taking over the rights they had; therefore when creating the constitution, the founding fathers made sure measure were put in place for protection.

As for nowaday, people are wary to the idea that they still have all the rights the constitution put in place. By arguing for less restrictions, the people are fighting for a stricter interpretation equating the rights of the people and of the government. The age-old idea that if you give an inch they will take a mile fights for the fact that too many laws will give the government too much power over the people.

In favor of citizens carrying weapons, in states that have laws allowing concealed weapons, there is a 24 percent lower violent crime rate, a 19 percent lower murder rate and a 39 percent lower robbery rate, than in states that forbid concealed weapons (gun-control.procon.org).

People want guns because it helps them to feel safe. Whether it is a gun in their house or a gun in the holster around the waist, this object has power both physically and mentally. In a survey, a report found that 79 percent of male gun owners and 80 percent of female gun owners said owning a gun made them feel safer (gun-control.procon.org).

The gun ownership is not only for oneself, though. People who live in a home in which someone else owns a gun feel safer as well.

Creating more regulations is just making it harder for good people to get guns. Most criminals get their weapons by illegal means; therefore these regulations wouldn’t even affect them.

In order to stop mass shooting, which has been the reason for the discussion at hand, we need to

tackle where the issue starts from and that is with mental health.

Getting people help will do lots in stopping the murders before they even begin. Further, by educating the population about gun control, there will be no need for stricter regulations. People will be more aware of the repercussions and how to own a gun safety (keeping it away from children) in order to stop accidental deaths.

Overall, giving the government control to get rid of our guns takes away people’s rights. Too much gun regulation enables more criminal activity to prosper. Therefore instead of stricter regulations, we need to focus on the mentally ill and education. ~Lindsey King

[More Freedom]

Gun Statistics: Americans who own guns: 39% Civilian guns: 290 million Government guns: 2.7 milion Guns per capita (100 people): 112 Total number of gun deaths: 33,336 in 2013 World ranking (gun ownership) per capita (100): 1st World ranking (for homicide) per capita (100,000): 13th Gun industry worth: $31.8 billion Stats from: gunviolencearchive. org/

T

he second amendment “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

However, at what point does the safety of the state dictate the level of freedoms people are allowed?

Gun violence is an undeniable problem in America, with near weekly mass shootings in our country; it has become less of a hot button topic and more of a fact of the ‘American Life’. Rather than tackle this issue, the right wing of our political system has simply shoved the second amendment down our throats and warped it to mean that any regulation on guns is an infringement of our second amendment rights.

However the second amendment only states that “The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” How would asking for a regulation of guns be an

infringement of that right?

Take, for example, another large killer of the American people: cars. Approximately 33,000 thousand people were killed in fatal motor car accidents in 2013, as reported by the DMV. To be able to legally operate a car a person must have the car registered, insured, and must carry a license at all time while operating a motor vehicle. Why then would there not be the same regulations on firearms?

People say that restricting guns won’t change anything because violent people will still be able to get guns even with stricter regulations. A good example of this is Australia and how they dealt with guns after a mass shooting in 1996 that killed 35 people and wounded 25 more.

After the incident, the Australian government enacted strict gun control policies which included buying back some 600,000 guns, restricting private sales, that all weapons be individually registered to their owners, and required that gun buyers present a “genuine reason” for needing each weapon at the time of the purchase.

Violent crime and gun incidents were not completely eliminated in Australia however, it did cause a massive decrease in gun related crimes and deaths.

Homicides plunged 59 percent between 1995 and 2006, gun suicides declined 65 percent in the same time. Miraculously, in result to the stricter laws, there hasn’t been one single mass shooting in Australia since the time they enacted gun control.

Even in the face of this reality, the American people have found a way to hold on to the idea that because the Bill of Rights says that the American people should have unregulated access to firearms that they still should. When those laws were written there was a need for the people to arm themselves against a repressive ruler. The laws written by our forefathers are not the laws that the American people need for a modern America. As our country changes and adapts so should our laws and regulations. ~Austin Dilley

[More Control]

Illustration by Maxine Richter

The Mustang 09

OPINIONS

11.13.2015

Hell, no

Women, don’t tolerate less pay than men. By Linnea Leidy

R

ecent statistics show that women earn on average 77 cents for every dollar men earn. While this may seem trivial, look at it in this context: this is the same as if you and your friend each turned in the same exact essay, but while your friend receives 100% on it, you get a C. I would debate the counterargument to this situation, but there isn’t one. There’s no reason why women should be paid less than men. They work just as hard, arguably harder due to the fact that they’re trying to succeed in a society that is hardwired to prevent that.

I think that there are two issues that contribute to this massive problem. Obviously it’s deplorable that women are treated with less worth and value than men for doing equal amounts of work, but the other aspect of this is the fact that it is so hard for females to have their voices heard and be taken seriously in society.

The recent hype about the gender wage gap has come as a result of a short essay written for the feminist newsletter, “LennyLetter”, which is run by celebrities Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner.

Sony leaked some emails regarding their movie productions, and it was brought to Jennifer Lawrence’s attention that her paycheck was significantly lower than those of her costars in the movie American Hustle. She wrote this essay a year after the incident, expressing both her anger in the industry and in herself for not having the courage to speak up earlier.

The demeaning phrase “be seen, not heard” still resonates in our world today, and I think that

By Sophia Hurley this is why, even if women are aware that they’re being underpaid, it’s hard for them to do anything about it. Quite frankly, it seems that people are intimidated by strong, opinionated women.

It has become a stereotype that any girl who argues against the status quo is an aggressive, crazy, emotional, dramatic beast. It’s hard to muster the courage to speak up, because who would want to be depicted that way?

Jennifer Lawrence addresses this in her essay, telling about what happened when she spoke

up: “A few weeks ago at work, I spoke my mind and gave my opinion in a clear...way; no aggression, just blunt. The man I was working with (actually, he was working for me) said, ‘Whoa!

We’re all on the same team here!”

As if I was yelling at him.”

Even though I like to think of myself as strong-minded, I find it really difficult at times to speak my opinions.

The more I think of it, the more it makes me angry, because I seriously doubt that men experience this fear to the same

magnitude. Jennifer Lawrence eloquently stated this in her essay: “I’m over trying to find the ‘adorable’ way to state my opinion and still be likeable! F*** that.”

The additional facet of this issue that upsets me is the fact that hardly anyone seems to know or care, and I’m not speaking about only males. There are many instances where I’ve tried in vain to discuss the inequities in the workplace with other females, who will very possibly end up in a situation where they are bending over backwards at

their job to make a living while being paid less than their male counterparts, yet they seem nonchalant. It blows my mind that people aren’t more up-in-arms about this issue, when it literally goes against the foundation of what our country stands for.

Everyone, regardless of the presence or absence of a Y chromosome, should feel enraged by this, because it goes beyond money and pay. Aside from the economics, this is demeaning and belittling, and no human deserves condemnation like that.

Veggie Tales: My road to the rejection of meat When you think about it, how does meat really get from the factory to the table? By Zach Mcinnis

I

t was in my mother’s old sedan that I took a bite from the chicken that would change my life. There was a beak or something crunchy between the layered meat of the chicken nugget. I noticed it between my teeth, gritty and unpleasant. Then I asked the question I expect every mother dreads, “mommy, where does chicken come from?”

Sighing, she explained to me the horrific origins of the chicken I was eating. She said they were chicken bred specifically to be eaten, battered and fried and brought to McDonalds to

be served to unsuspecting customers like I was. But I’m not an innocent little child anymore, and I know what happens to those animals without any hope of a life beyond the cage.

I learned quickly that the best solution to the problem of unhealthy products in meat is to adopt a vegetarian diet.

Vegetables rich in protein like kale and broccoli can be a healthier alternative to beef, which is high in fat and calories.

You can augment your diet with beans and brown rice for even more added protein.

Yet vegetarians remain few and far between in America, and it’s about time we change the narrative. In India, cows are considered sacred among Hindus, and in many regions in India, the consumption of cow is banned. Buddhists and Hindus consider all earth’s creatures to be the equals of humans, and meat is not consumed if the animal is not treated properly in its lifetime.

Western religions consider humans to be dominant over all animals, perhaps adding to the mindset in America that it is okay to treat animals poorly. If we

changed our beliefs on the matter, then perhaps it wouldn’t be so difficult to see what we are doing; torture.

If businesses didn’t mistreat animals in the name of profit, then I would be entirely okay with our carnivorous friends.

But investigations into the food business and animal cruelty in America beg to differ. More than ninety-nine percent of animals being bred for the food industry are raised in claustrophobic conditions in less-than-sanitary factories all over America, according to the ASPCA.

Many are herded into corridors and brutally slaughtered with electric prodding sticks. They are then stripped of their skin and stuffed into food processors mixed with pink slime, and are shipped off to the highest bidder.

The bottom line is this: If you don’t condone these practices, then you shouldn’t eat meat.

Even when you cook meat, you can see the caked blood from when the animal was alive. For me, whenever I look at meat, I see a sad animal with big eyes staring up at me. I can’t eat it, and you shouldn’t eat it either.

10 The Mustang 11.13.2015

FEATURES

Flashback

Friday at SDA SDA students reminisce about the good old days in television. Story by Nicole Ramirez

Old movies and TV shows from our childhood. Photo by Allie Manis

E

veryone had a favorite TV show growing up, whether it was cartoons on Nickelodeon or quirky sitcoms on Disney Channel. Our generation was lucky to have such memorable TV shows that we would race home to watch after school every day. Here are some of the most unforgettable series: “Suite Life of Zack and Cody/ on Deck” Both the show and its spinoff were hits in the Disney community. The lovable twins stole our 13-year- old hearts with their shenanigans in the hotel and on the ship. Kids either related to the hooligan twin Zach or the nerdy twin Cody. “I loved Zack and his mischievous attitude,” says senior Brooke Russell.

This show was so inspirational that it even brought families together. “It was the one show my sister liked too so we wouldn’t be fighting over the remote,” says sophomore Daniela Burrows.

The most memorable episode? “My favorite episode

was with that ghost lady- it gave me nightmares,” says Russell.

“Wizards of Waverly Place” The Russo family was every young child’s dream family.

Justin, Alex and Max secretly trained to be wizards while still trying to juggle their social lives and high school. “I liked fantasy and magic and stuff.

I was a little kid so I actually thought it was all legitimate,” says freshman Taylor Rudman.

We were all spellbound by the hilarious challenges that the kids faced in every episode that turned out to be pretty relatable.

“My favorite character was probably Alex, because she was very sarcastic and funny; she made me laugh,” says Rudman.

“Kim Possible” This show was the ‘sitch’ among the devoted Disney Channel watchers. “My favorite TV show was ‘Kim Possible,’ because she was super cool and I wanted to be as awesome as she was because she fought crime and everything and she was a cheerleader and she was really popular and that’s

kind of the dream,” says senior Margot Leach.

We were all in awe of all of Kim Possible and her incredible crime fighting skills, but she was also a real teen who had problems like who to take to the dance or getting a good grade on a midterm. “I remember the movie when she got together with Ron. That was the best,” says Leach. According to most people, if you weren’t rooting for them, you weren’t a true fan.

“Zoey 101” Who didn’t want to go to PCA with Zoey and the gang?

“My favorite character was definitely Zoey; I wanted her to be my older sister but I also wanted to be her,” says senior Maggie Lombard.

All of the characters had their quirks, from Logan and his self-obsession to Quinn who couldn’t help but blow things up with her experiments, which made them all the more loveable. Their exciting day to day activities left all of us jealous that we couldn’t go to a boarding school by the beach.

“My favorite episode was

the one where they formed a Frisbee golf team and then they played the reform school,” says Lombard.

“Pokémon” “Back in the day I used to be a really big fan of ‘Pokémon’.

Never played the card games, just liked the TV show. I used to wake up every morning at 7 o’clock, get on Nickelodeon, watch ‘Pokémon’ till like 9 because they would show them back to back,” says sophomore Gibran Mustafa. I guess you could say he had to catch them all. “[My favorite episode of Pokémon] was definitely the one where they go find Mew and they’re like ‘Yo, its Mew’ and then Mew makes a second Mew and its like Mew two!”

Unfortunately, these shows have come and gone like our childhoods. The healthy flood of new shows coming in to replace these iconic series will never live up to the shows that came before them; many students were critical of the new shows.

“I think ‘Suite Life on Deck’ definitely had a better cast than

a lot of the more modern Disney shows. [Also], the writing was funnier,” said Burrows. “[The preteen shows today] just seem weirder, and like, ‘spazzier.’ I like the old shows better,” said senior James Sale.

“Preteen shows now suck.

They are the worst and they should bring ‘Kim Possible’ back…” says Leach. “Now shows are all about ‘Yo, go make out with that dude.’ And that didn’t teach you anything, but shows back then taught you things,” said Mustafa.

But senior Maggie Lombard was spot on in her analysis: “In terms of shows now I think every single preteen show has the same formula. There’s like a really gifted kid, the annoying younger brother, the nosey older sister, the clueless parents and it kind of bothers me. [Plus] like Dog with a Blog...what kind of dog has a blog?”

However, junior Kyra Benowitz sympathized with the new shows. “There are lots of good shows out now too. Lots of kids’ shows are trying to appeal to broader audiences.”

The Mustang 11

FEATURES

11.13.2015

Holiday Calendar

Local activities plus a slew of non-denominational holidays from a HolidayInsights.com to get you spirited in the upcoming season. By Olivia Olander.

Ongoing

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is playing at The Old Globe until Dec. 26.

“Holiday Wonderland at Petco Park”: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in December plus Dec. 21-23.

November

Nov. 21:“World Hello Day” was created in the 70s to promote world peace, and encourages observers to greet ten strangers and spread joy.

Nov. 22: Encinitas Fall Festival -- Kick off the holiday season with a street fair on the 101!

Nov. 23: “Eat a Cranberry Day” -- A Thanksgiving warm-up.

Nov. 26: Thanksgiving -- Reconnect with your family, eat turkey until you pass out into a cloth napkin, and rewatch all those Thanksgiving episodes of “Friends,” because could Chandler be any more stuck in that box? (See season 4.)

Nov. 27: “You’re Welcome Day” -- Created by a blog in 2002, it’s probably the most polite holiday of the year.

“Garden of Lights” opens at the San Diego Botanical Gardens (formerly Quail Gardens) on Dec. 5, and continues every day from 5-9 p.m., except Dec. 24 and 25. Attendees will enjoy music, roasting marshmallows (!), and food.

“Jungle Bells” at the San Diego Zoo opens Dec. 12. It includes special shows and events, and runs through Jan. 4, except Dec. 24.

Dec 3: “Roof Over Your Head Day” -- The perfect reminder to donate to a homeless shelter.

December

Dec 4: “Wear Brown Shoes Day” -- This may be one of those things that only has prevalence on the Internet, but it’s an excellent excuse to wear Uggs or slippers all day.

Dec 4 (3 to 11) - 5 (Noon to 11): Balboa Park December Nights -- Enjoy a multicultural holiday festival with food, performances from the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet and San Diego Junior Theatre, free museums, and over 350,000 guests. Details at www.balboapark.org/decembernights.

Dec 5, 5-7:30 pm: Encinitas Holiday Parade -- The annual Encinitas tree-lighting tradition.

Drink some hot cocoa and reminisce about the years when you had to march in the rain with your scout troop.

Dec. 12: San Diego Santa Run -- Sprint through downtown dressed in your most jolly holiday gear. Run includes both 1-mile and 5k versions. Register at sandiegosantarun.com

Dec. 13th: Ice Cream Day -- Let’s face it, it’s unrealistic to think the temperature will be any lower than 60 degrees by this point in December, so might as well plan accordingly.

Dec 14 -15: Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade -- A parade where you can WALK WITH YOUR DOG. Register for $15 at gaslamp.org.

Dec 16: “National Chocolate Covered Anything Day” -Homemade fondue is always an option, but for the lazy among us (i.e., me), Dark ChocolateCovered Peppermint Joe-Joe’s are a fabulous premade alternative.

Dec 18: “Bake Cookies Day” -If you’ve waited this long to begin your holiday baking, you’re already behind, but it’s never too late to start.

Dec 20: “Go Caroling Day” -Because who doesn’t like serenading strangers?

Dec. 23: Festivus -- Time to put up your Festivus Pole and bingewatch “Seinfeld” reruns. It’s for the rest of us.

Dec. 25: National Pumpkin Pie Day -- Mix this with any other December 25th traditions you may have, or just finish that last piece in your freezer from Thanksgiving.

Dec 26: Boxing Day -- This is a charity-based occassion that’s nationally recognized in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and many other former British colonies, but not the US. Traditional Boxing Day celebrations include filling boxes (get it?!) full of food and gifts and giving them to people who had to work on Christmas, or the poor.

Dec. 27: “Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day” -- Celebrate the yearly tradition of infinite tiny pieces of paper on your kitchen table.

Dec 6: North Park Toyland Parade and Festival: Your second parade of the weekend, because we know you can’t get enough.

Dec 6: “Put on Your Own Shoes Day” -- Just in case you’ve forgotten since Dec. 4.

12 The Mustang 11.13.2015

FEATURES

War & Peace

SDA’s Rob Ross volunteered in the Peace Corps as an English teacher during the Yugoslav Wars.

By Claire Pupping

I

magine leaving everything you know and traveling to a new country tomorrow.

Imagine saying goodbye to your friends and family, to the food you eat, your language, even the activities you like to do. Rob Ross, English, College Apps, and Creative Writing teacher here at SDA had to do that at the age of 25 in 1996 when he joined the Peace Corps and moved to Macedonia.

The first three months Ross spent in Macedonia were dedicated to adjusting to life there.

This is the process all Peace Corps volunteers go through.

The time is given to adjust to the culture shock, learn the language, and understand the way things work in the country.

Students at SDA have the opportunity to volunteer in Spanish speaking countries through Amigos de las Americas. It’s a similar experience in the Peace Corps, you live in another country and during your time there you volunteer your services to the community. SDA students who have participated in, Amigos de las Americas, or have the desire to help people, may look for a future in the Peace Corps.

Ross lived with a young couple in their 30’s who had a four-year-old daughter named Tamara. The couple treated Ross like family, making him lunch and dinners, even washing his clothes.

“Your heart went out to them,” Ross said. “The husband was the breadwinner, but the economy was so bad in the country that he didn’t have enough work to make ends meet. ...You just realize on a very deep level that they are just like anyone else in the world. It’s not because their culture is better or worse. They’re struggling to get by and they’re in many ways just like us.”

Rob Ross and his fellow teachers and students in Macedonia.

Photo courtesy of Rob Ross.

“There was a desperate need [to learn English] because they felt like the Iron Curtain had been pulled off.”-Rob Ross

In the United States, the way we access the world is through the news. Politics, war, and tragedies is the main focus of world news and can lead to stereotypes and expectations of other countries. Volunteering in the Peace Corps gives Americans the opportunity to live in developing countries and see them from another point of view.

Ross said that it was surprising how safe the world is. It’s easy to get caught up in politics but when you travel to these places you discover that people are generally the same, trying to make their way through the world.

Ross said, “Anyone can travel and go and be a tourist but... there’s always that kind of bubble where you are in that tourist zone. That’s what the Peace Corps is very special in doing.

You’re outside of that. You’re not there as military; you’re not there as business to make money. It’s a very rare situation where you are just there to live in another country and be there with people, especially a developing country...How often are you going to go to a third world country and live and work for a long time and really get to know the culture and people?

Those exchanges were the most meaning and powerful.”

Ross’s official job in Macedonia was to exchange new ideas about education with high school English teachers. English class in a Macedonian high school is like taking any foreign language class here at SDA. Ross shared with teachers more active ways of teaching and getting the students involved.

Ross found it surprising that

when you’re in the Peace Corps you really are on your own.

Once you are given your task and completed your training it’s up to you to find things to do outside of your own job.

Ross found adults and children seeking his help to learn English. “There was a desperate need [to learn English] because they felt like the Iron Curtain had been pulled off,” he said referring to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.

“They were feeling more free, they wanted more access to the world, they knew that English was the method to that communication.”

The normal amount of time a volunteer serves in the Peace Corps is 27 months. Ross only spent 24 months in Macedonia because he was evacuated due to a war that broke out in Kosovo, a neighboring country.

The Balkan regions had problems with ethnic cleansing and mass murders throughout the 90s. They had just broken up from Yugoslavia and each country wanted to force out unwanted ethnic groups. In response to this, Nato began bombing Belgrade, the former capital of Yugoslavia and a current city in Kosovo.

Although the Balkan region was split many still felt a strong connection to what was their former capital. Ross said, “The day the bombs started dropping it was just the darkest day of my time in the Peace Corps. And for them too, the country was just appalled, all the teachers I worked with, it was very sad.”

The war started to cross the border of Kosovo. This then put Macedonia in danger and it was no longer safe for the volunteers to remain there.

Ross got a call in the middle of the night telling him to get a taxi immediately and go 300 miles away to the Bulgarian border, where he could meet up with his fellow volunteers.

Ross said that being in the Peace Corps you are suddenly thrown into this extreme sense of loneliness.

On the night Ross was evacuated he says the hardest part was not getting to say goodbye to everyone. He had spent two years in Macedonia building strong relationships with so many people and then was forced to leave in the middle of the night without ever saying goodbye.

The Mustang 13

FEATURES Ross and his fellow volunteers stayed in a town in Bulgaria for one month, waiting to see what would happen. They hoped that the war would settle down quickly and they would be able to return. They sat everyday eating Chinese food (they couldn’t get any in Macedonia), watching CNN International, and just waiting. He said, “Day after day after day, that was the only time in my life where there just was no purpose. The purpose was to wait.”

Finally, all the volunteers were brought together in a room, sat in a circle wondering if they were going to be sent home or go back to Macedonia.

The country director said they were being sent home and Ross said, “ I remember that time.

They brought us in a big room and we were sitting in a big circle… and it was like someone took a pin and popped a balloon and I don’t know, maybe 50 people, just all bawling in a room all at once. It was so much pressure and emotion,it just all came out.”

For Ross and his fellow Peace Corps volunteers the biggest challenge coming back to the States is communicating to other people what their experience was like. It’s such an intense life experience and many people don’t understand

11.13.2015

or think that they do when they really don’t. After being in the Peace Corps Ross says he still craves the adventure of it and that many of his friends and volunteers didn’t move back to the States, they now have jobs in Kosovo and Thailand. It’s hard to come back to the states and settle down after living without knowing what was going to happen every day.

One of the biggest differences Ross found between developing countries and the States is that in the U.S. everything is expected to work. When something breaks, everything stops and the first priority is to find a way to fix it. Whereas in developing countries like Macedonia things are broken all the time and the people are used to keep on going with their day. Ross said, “ I remember going to the bus stop and the bus schedule and I figured it all out. Then this weird old man walked by and said “that bus sometimes doesn’t come,” and it’s like okay I guess I’m waiting until tomorrow. I think it makes you stronger and more resourceful...It’s made me appreciate people more.”

SDA Alumni Danielle Gradisher currently volunteers in the Peace Corps.

Danielle Gradisher at Mindo Camp. Photo courtesy of Danielle Gradisher

“I

have so much more patience now. Working with language and cultural barriers has taught me to listen better and be patient with both other people and myself.”

SDA alumni Danielle Gradisher is a current member of the Peace Corps. She is in Riobamba, Ecuador working at a university teaching English. She was 21 when she first joined in January of 2014 and she was sent to Latacunga, Ecuador to work in a high school there.

Gradisher stayed in Latacunga until September of this year.

She was then moved south to Riobamba, where she is now.

Gradisher was forced to leave her site in Latacunga be-

Visit

SDAMUSTANG.COM

cause of a suddenly active volcano. All the volunteers were moved to the south to Riobamba. Gradisher said, “My saddest memory is definitely having to change sites. My last day in my former site was full of goodbyes and tears.”

Gradisher joined the Peace Corps because she wanted to share the education she had received in the States and she wanted to learn more about other cultures.

Gradisher said that it was hard not to have expectations going in. She had taught English to Spanish speaking students in America and thought that it would be the same teaching in Ecuador.

However, the students were not as motivated to learn the language because it’s not what they speak outside of school.

Whereas the students Gradisher worked with in the States needed to learn the language in order to ask basic things outside of school like “Where’s the bathroom?.”

Gradisher said to the students of SDA, “PC’s motto used to be ‘the hardest job you’ll ever love’ and I think that’s completely accurate. It’s a lot of work to move countries and learn a new language and a new culture and do work that you’ve probably never done before. If you find your niche, though, and work your butt off, it’s so worth it.”

14 The Mustang 11.13.2015

FEATURES

Rancho

Peñasquitos The recent unrelenting heat wave combined with the stress of impending midterms made the promise of Rancho Peñasquitos, a hike ending in a waterfall, an irresistible escape. Story by Leigh Houck. Art by Maxine Richter.

B

efore starting our six mile roundtrip adventure, we drove east on Ted Williams Freeway, took the Black Mountain exit, and then took a right onto Canyonside Park Driveway. Parking there, in the northern lot, does not require a fee.

Additionally, this lot is connected to Canyonside Creek Park and has lots of grassy fields for soccer games and a playground. It could even be a nice place to have a pre-­hike picnic.

We started hiking west from the equestrian center, and watched riders unload horses from their trailers. If you’re a horseback rider, Rancho Peñasquitos would be a perfect place for a trail ride, as many of the trails are not only bike but also equestrian friendly.

If you’re on foot – remember to watch out for horse poo!

After walking for a ways, we took a split off to the right, basically walked in a circle, and found ourselves back on the main trail­. It turns out there are lots of trail off­shoots to be explored for a longer walk. For our hike, we decided to stick to the main trail in order to maximize our time at the waterfall.

John Eichar’s grave is mere steps off the path and worth a look if you’re interested in local history. While rumors abound over Eichar’s fate, you can find out for yourself the tale of a 17th century Bavarian Prince’s grandson who worked as a local ranch hand and was buried in the preserve.

We then walked along a shallow creek surrounded by tall oak trees. The seclusion and quiet of the setting felt almost mysterious; this trail could be perfect for a candy-­calorie burning, spooky Halloween excursion.

For the next three miles we hiked alternately through

forested areas, grassy meadows reminiscent of Big Sky Country, cactus patches, and finally a rocky gravel slope.

We arrived victoriously at our final destination, marked by a wooden sign proclaiming “Waterfall.”A cliff jutting over the falls provided a panoramic vista. We stopped, took some scenic, Instagram-­worthy photos, and admired the creek feeding into the rushing waterfall and surrounding pools.

We clambered down into the creek where there were lots of people, ranging from athletic couples to families toting over­ excited children, playing in the stream, basking on the banks, swimming and enjoying the sunny autumnal San Diego day. Maybe it’s something in the water, but everyone there was very friendly and, if asked, willing to take your photo.

We decided we wanted to reach the largest pool, two tiers below where the largest waterfall flowed from between two boulders. While climbing, with moderate difficulty, over rocks and gravel, we instantly regretted our decision to leave our sneakers at the overlook. The pool was guarded by a crawfish big enough to be the special at Red Lobster, which, coupled with the murky water, somewhat discouraged our desire to swim .

Instead we waded in the silty water and explored the downstream where the water flowed into marshy banks. Climbing back out of the waterfall canyon was difficult-­ watch out for cactus and spiky plants! I ended up with a hand full of splinters.

On the return route along an expansive, grassy meadow­ , a huge, beautiful red tailed hawk landed in a squat tree mere feet from the path. We stopped

for a while to admire the bird before continuing on our way.

If venturing out to Rancho Peñasquitos, we recommend wearing sunscreen, comfy clothes, hiking shoes or supportive sneakers, and bringing sunglasses, snacks, and plenty of water. Leashed dogs are allowed, but make sure both of you are up for a lengthy hike!

Despite signs saying that the main route to the falls is only 3 miles, indicating a 6- mile round trip, we used a phone fitness app that tracked our hike at 7.6 miles.

While we periodically glimpsed houses on the surrounding hilltops while traversing the canyon, as well as an abundance of fellow bikers, equestrians, and hikers, the hike

somehow felt like an escape from civilization. To this point, signs warn against rattlesnakes and mountain lions-make sure you are an alert hiker!

By the time we pulled out of the Canyonside Community Parking lot, we were tired and ready to head home for a hearty dinner befitting the wilderness trekkers we were.

FEATURES

The Mustang 15 11.13.2015

16 The Mustang 11.13.2015

FEATURES

Stand up To Sit Down Students spend hours glued in their desks each week. Recent research shows that it is among the leading causes in multiple health conditions.

It is time for a change in how we look at sitting in school. Story by Brook Komar.

Students’ decisions in class are the change that will revolutionize sitting culture at SDA and through out America. Illustration by Sophia Hurley.

G

etting active is booming in pop culture and today’s society. Workout ideas and health consciousness are a constant strain of thought. We take so many overthe- top precautions for our health it’s almost unnecessary.

What we seem to forget are the mindless activities we do on a daily basis, like sitting. It’s an activity that occupies eight hours of our day. It seems simple and relaxing, but the question that now arises; what is it actually doing to our health?

As teenage students, we spent 85 percent of our waking hours sitting.

It is among the leading causes in lowered levels of health.

According to mayoclinic. org, female students who sit 6 hours a day are 94 percent more likely to die earlier than those who sat less than 3 hours a day. Men are 48 percent more likely to die prematurely if they live a sedentary lifestyle.

An excessive amount of sitting can lead to certain types of cancers, diabetes, and cardiac disease.

“I read an article that said

sitting for five hours straight can decrease your life expectancy, and knowing that I would like having at least a five minute break. There is usually a point in my classes where I’m sitting there and feel like I’m not learning anything. I’ll shut down and zone out, but then I stretch and it gets me back to being focused.” said junior Blake Stoner-Osborne.

Most teachers at SDA have a laid-back bathroom policy which students can take advantage of in order to stand up and stretch their legs. This results in a large loss of class time over the course of the school year. A brief period of time to stand increases energy and releases endorphins.

Allowing students a “free time” or stretch break halfway through the class period would not only let them get the blood flowing through their body, but give their mind some time to rest as well.

“The thing is kids are a sitting culture!” said Spanish teacher, Sheryl Bode “They like to sit and just like fiddle with things, and the lifestyle school

has created makes it so that they don’t like to get up. I always believe habits have to start at home and that the school will reinforce it. The school should be a partnership, working with the parents to make change.”

The culture of sitting has been evolving all around the area although recently, standing option desks have been popping up everywhere from local coffee shops to other schools throughout the district.

Schools such as Canyon Crest Academy and Diegueño have updated their libraries to raised desks that enable students to either sit or stand at.

SDA is experimenting with these in the recently redesigned Flex Lab. The Desks were put in place to allow students the option to stand at while working at the computers.

“Change starts with the students,” Principal Bjorn said, “I think we have to acknowledge that classrooms five years from now should look different from classrooms five years ago.”

Registrar Bridget Sabin is the first SDA staff member to have an adjustable desk,

“Classrooms five years from now should look different from classrooms five years ago.”

-Bjorn Paige

which allows her to stand while working. She suffered from back pain prior to the switch, and says she has noticed improvements since she has taken the initiative to stand.

“I find that I only sit an hour a day,” she said. “I feel so much better standing up. I’m thinking better, and I’m reacting better. The whole world just looks better from standing up.”

Sitting through a hour and a half long lecture becomes excruciatingly painful after only a few minutes. One’s mind begins to wander, and pretty soon you seemingly aren’t even in the classroom anymore. Sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time causes the blood to lose its regular flow and circulation, which makes the thought process slower. Just getting to stand for ten minutes of the class period yields multiple long term health benefits, as well as creating a more constructive learning environment for students. We can become the future of change that we want to see for our health, and it begins when we push in our chairs.

The Mustang 17

FEATURES

11.13.2015

Goodbye

Senior Court I

t’s no secret the SDA campus is not the most glamorous.

From the new brown portables to the rundown buildings of the thirties and beyond, the buildings are not what you call aesthetically pleasing.

Yet there is an honest beauty; a looming creativity that settles into once blank spaces. This is thanks to the colorful student art woven throughout the campus, and most centralized in what is known as Senior Court.

Senior Court is scheduled to be demolished soon to make

way for new and improved buildings. SDA students are bracing themselves for the increase in foot traffic that will occur since Senior Court is a common course for students to get to their classes.

In this little town square, tiny pieces of glass, shattered tile, and ceramics come together into what at first glance is a fish but might be a top-heavy bird. SDA’s sculpture teacher, Jeremy Wright, says that this questionable animal wasn’t meant to be an animal at all, but an abstract shape the sculpture

With new rennovations finally here, seniors and underclassmen alike lose a central piece of SDA’s campus filled with beloved student art. Story by Maxine Richter.

students discovered as they created. He now refers to it as the “tuna bird.”

There is something magical about a mosaic. From a distance, the image looks organic and unified, as one steps closer and really looks at what makes up the crest of the wave, there is no way for the eye to be bored.

In Senior Court, one can play a game of I spy to find the hidden faces, horseshoes, marbles, shells, foreign coin, “IHOP” written on a bunny, shattered pieces of a snowman Christmas plate, or even locker room lock.

A wave mosaic located within Senior Court. Photo by Allie Manis.

As important as the final product, though, is the artistic process in which the mosaic was created. Wright says, “There’s the aspect of making it where you’ll get kids that just aren’t into sculpture, yet they can be a part of a whole.

Which is really what our school is. You can be an individual but no matter what you’re part of a whole. I think that’s what’s interesting about a mosaic is that you can add your own little touches but no matter what it makes a whole picture.” SDA is a community that thrives on

fostering personal uniqueness, and their mosaics portray this.

Wright also says, “It was really interesting because before the mosaics started coming up people would sit wherever. And then when the mosaics started popping up people started sitting next to them for lunch, which just goes to show that there is a need for color.” This can be seen on any given day in Senior Court during lunch period. Students line the walls in various clumps; backpacks and binders sprawled out, PB&J’s in hand, backs resting against the rough stucco, and art above.

Senior court has become part of many students lunch routine; many eat there every day. On a lucky day, they may even be entertained by the legendary marker-war boys. “These two kids always have these marker fights. They had markers and wear these white shirts and they try to get marker all over each other. Their faces and bodies are all covered,” said junior Michala Greenbaum. These boys are the definition of funky, following their love of markers and keeping SDA unique.

Besides existing as somewhat of a gallery and lunch gathering spot, Senior Court has been home to some treasured events, such as Exhibition Day and the SDA Bazaar. Exhibition Day is full of showing off individual talent; whether that’s performing or selling screen-printed teeshirts. More than a showcase, it is a community-building event.

(Cont. onto page 18) Additional photos of Court on page 18 and 19

Senior

The Mustang 18 11.13.2015

The Mustang 19

THE CENTER

11.13.2015

Photos by Allie Manis.

Goodbye Senior Court These photos are of the murals and mosiacs within Senior Court, such as the “tuna bird” (middle photo) and a scene from backstage of a theatre production in the old theatre (bottom left).

(Cont. from page 17) Every Exhibition Day, a chalk mandala is created by any and all students in the very center of Senior Court. While only temporary, this piece made up of multiple patterns is even more fun to make then it is beautiful. So many students in the little community of SDA come together to create it, just as they did the mosaics.

It is bittersweet to see senior court go. While it is very much the heart of SDA, an update is necessary with the old buildings. “It’s interesting because I felt like the staff

and my fellow teachers were more sad for it to go then I was. I was more like ‘oh good, we’ll have another empty canvas to make something!’” Wright said, “I also look at it like there’s the process, the actual making of it, and there’s the product. So all the teachers and staff, they see the product. For me, working with students, the richness isn’t in the product as much as it’s in the process. All those students who worked on it, they have memories, there’s that richness, and you can’t take that away.”

20 The Mustang 11.13.2015

B

y Wednesday morning AVID students will have packed their bags and left on the annual AVID College Trip. AVID is a class at SDA that helps students achieve academic goals, and ultimately go to college.

Every year AVID goes on a field trip to check out colleges that all the student looks forward to.

“It’s my last year so I’m spending a lot of time looking at colleges. I’m really looking forward to getting a feel of the colleges especially because I get to do this with all my friends who all share the same goal as me,” said senior Daniel Nunez.

The students travel by bus and visit a handful of colleges. Some of the colleges the students visited last year were, UC Santa Cruz, Stanford University, Sonoma State University and San Jose State University.

For some AVID students, they will be the first in their family to attend college so it is important that they have the chance visit colleges not only near, but far as well.

“The ongoing goal of AVID is called leveling the playing field. A lot of other kids have parents that will take them to visit colleges. For the most part AVID parents can’t afford to do that, hotels are expensive and they have to work. It’s really important for kids to visit campuses before they choose a college,” said AVID teacher Blaze Newman.

For many of the students, it is their first time away from their families. The college trip gives the students a small idea of what it would be like to be away from home. In some ways it prepares them for things like how to manage money.

“I’ve never been without my family while traveling so I know it will be different. I’m looking forward to learning how to be more independent,” said junior Jessica Mejia.

Many students in the past who have gone on the college trip have found it to be very enjoyable and beneficial in deciding which colleges to apply to. “The trips I have attended in the past helped me minimize my choices. By getting to see many different campuses and different environments, I soon realized what I really wanted,” said former high school student Aracely Duron, who graduated last year and now goes to Sonoma State University.

Typically the classes travel far, on the bus for many hours with occasional pit stops for food.

This year the college trip will be different in many ways. The students will be visiting colleges that aren’t as far as the ones in the past, and the cost to go on the trip is the highest it has ever been.

Among the many colleges they will be visiting are, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly Pomona, University of Redlands, Chapman University and Biola University. But in order to go on the trip a payment of $100 dollars is required, which is a larger amount than previous years. This is because in the past AVID has gotten generous donations; however, this year past donations were unavailable.

Although the students have had to do much more aggressive fund-raising, they are sure the hard work will pay off as they plan to have a great trip, visiting colleges, gaining motivation and building camaraderie. “I met one of my best friends on the college trip last year. He was an underclassmen at the time so I never got the chance to really talk to him before the trip,” said senior Jasmin Funaki.

FEATURES

College Trippin’

Students are excited to visit LA County on a four-day trip touring different colleges.

Story by Sarah Hernandez.

AVID students at UC Santa Cruz tour from last year’s college trip.

Photo By Karina Uribe.

Students touring UC Santa Cruz.

Photo By Ruth Magunson.

Stranford University campus.

Photo By Sarah Hernandez.

The Mustang 21 11.13.2015

ARTS

Stan Lee’s Comikaze Convention...

Some Other Dimension Followers of the Marvel fandom and beyond travel to Los Angeles for the multi-media pop culture convention.

Story by Sophia Hurley.

I

f you’ve ever been to Comic- mersed in their fandoms, share Con, or any other pop culture obsessions with allies, and escape and media convention, you’d whatever was outside those Conknow that it’s a magical place. vention Center doors. Whether A place where cosplayers, comic you were there for Marvel, DC, book collectors, or Sailor Moon, artists, anime lov- “It’s because of SDA that you were there to ers, YouTubers, experience another I can share that openand all nerds alike world. ness with the world” join forces against As one of the - Armand Gutierrez a common enemy: few outsiders par(‘07 SDA graduate) reality. Sometimes, ticipating in the real life is just too convention, I was boring without some occasional able to see things a little differsuper-humans thrown in there. ently than the frenzied fans runAt Stan Lee’s annual Comi- ning around in tights. (I was there kaze Expo, that’s exactly what as a production assistant to interattendees were doing. They gath- view artists and directors). What ered in the Los Angeles Conven- I realized was that, although on a tion Center for one weekend last much smaller scale, much of the month to become completely imComikaze culture can be found r-

ight here at SDA. Because of our creative and open minded atmosphere, artistic minds and “nerds” of all kinds are attracted to our school. It’s a place where students can cosplay during school hours, start an anime club, collaborate on comics in cartooning class, and express themselves without judgment. I have yet to hear about any other high school where it’s normal to walk into an art class and hear kids in the middle of a heated discussion on Brony discrimination.

Armand Gutierrez, an avid convention-goer, budding YouTuber, and SDA alumnus, feels that his high school experience played a big role in guiding him to where he is now. “As a fresh-

man, I walked around SDA introducing myself and hanging with all the different groups on campus,” said Gutierrez. “I became friends with my fellow nerds, the goths, the music kids, the arcade kids (we had an arcade) the dancers, theater kids, the art students, and pretty much everyone.

I learned at SDA that if you know yourself and find what you have in common with anyone, you can become friends. Funny thing is that I never really stopped doing that now as an adult, because I go to these cons and I talk and interview the artists, the game developers, the sales reps, the cosplayers, the writers, and many more.

It’s because SDA was willing to be as open as I was that I now know

I can share that openness with the world.”

Gutierrez isn’t the only one with gratitude for our school’s spirit. “This is an extremely supportive school that helps kids grow up in a safe environment,” said senior Taylor Miller. “Kids are free to express themselves any way they choose and I’ve always really appreciated that.”

Like SDA, Stan Lee’s Comikaze Convention was a safe space for dreamers, readers, and meme-ers of all kinds. Ones who were dedicated to their fandoms, dedicated to their hobbies, and dedicated to whatever it was that gave them an escape from reality.

22 The Mustang 11.13.2015

ARTS

Jon Foreman smiles at the crowd during the performance. Photo by Brittany Serbin.

Foreman Up Front

Switchfoot lead singer Jon Foreman joined the SDA band on stage as a part of his goal to perform 25 shows in 24 hours. Story by Brittany Serbin.

I

n August, Jon Foreman, lead singer of the local band Switchfoot, got an idea he described “crazy.” He was going to do 25 shows in 24 hours, with each performance at a different location around San Diego. The proceeds from the VIP packages and several of the shows would go to Switchfoot’s Bro-Am Foundation, which raises money for various children’s charities around San Diego.

On Oct. 24 and 25, the idea came to life. Foreman started his day by playing at Cardiff State Beach and, 24 hours later, ended at Swami’s Beach. On the way he stopped by his old high school, now San Dieguito Academy, where he was joined onstage by the school band for a performance of several well-known Switchfoot songs. The performance, which lasted about 20 minutes, took months of planning before the process could come together.

The Beginning “They reached out to me in August,” said Wuertz. “They were just explaining the tour, the concept behind the tour, and the fact that Jon wanted to play at his home alma mater, and that he wanted to play with the band.”

At that point, the idea was very general. Over time, they worked out more of the details, such as the songs they were going to play and how many students were going to be involved. By late September, the show was “pretty much a definitive go,” Wuertz said.

The band spent a couple weeks before the performance practicing and watching Switchfoot videos to prepare for the show. “Jon’s an accomplished alumnus, and we knew there would be a pretty big crowd. We didn’t want to let him down musically,” said Wuertz.

However, the band’s own fall performance and the collaboration with Foreman were only two days apart, making it hard to focus on only one event. “Our fall concert was Thursday and this concert was Saturday, so it made for kind of a busy stretch,” Wuertz said.

But that didn’t stop them from carrying out their idea of a collaborative performance. As the day grew closer, they had to take into account any outside factors that could affect the show, such as the time change. “We had to think about the sun,” said Wuertz in reference to planning of the show. “Originally it was scheduled for

The Mustang 23

ARTS actually went through a change of the schedule.”

The Rehearsal On Friday Oct. 23, the day before the performance, the students met second period after the homecoming assembly to rehearse their set with Foreman.

Students rushed around the room setting up their music and tuning their instruments. The scene wasn’t hectic, but there was a feeling of nervous excitement that made it clear something important was about to happen.

Wuertz began by leading the students through a short warm-up and having them play pieces of songs to prepare for the rehearsal, but attention soon turned to the open door where Foreman was expected to walk through at any moment. No one had to wait long.

Foreman soon entered the room, fedora and all, and smiled at the students who were now participating in the program that had encouraged his own interest in music during his high school years.

“Hey, how’s it going?” he asked, paying no mind to the cameramen who had followed him into the room and were now documenting the event on film.

The tension in the room seemed to relax as Foreman recounted how his interest in music began at a young age and followed him throughout his years at Oak Crest Middle School and what was then San Dieguito High School. “I met all my best friends from music,” Foreman recounted before adding, “San Dieguito just felt like an incredible gift to me.”

Foreman took the time to explain how music was, and still is, a significant part of his life before mentioning his 24 hours of shows and opening up to questions, which ranged from “Where did you get your hat?” (from a friend) to “Where do you like to surf?” (anywhere that’s not crowded).

He then followed with his own question: “How many of you are guitar players?” “Once a few raised their hands, he asked, “Can I borrow a guitar pick?”

Once Foreman got his guitar pick and tuned his guitar, everyone started to settle into the rehearsal. During the songs “Company Car,” and “Ghost Machine,” the latter of which had been arranged for the ensemble by senior Max Opferkuch, minor accommodations were made to the tunes’ pace, and instruments were adjusted to fit the music. It didn’t take long for the pieces to finalize, and once they did, it was exciting to see and hear the collaboration come together.

During a musical interlude in“Ghost Machine,” Foreman looked around the room, beaming at the students as they concentrated on their instruments and danced in their seats. His appreciation for being in the moment and hearing his music being played by the students in a place that had so much meaning for him was almost palpable, and once the music stopped, the spectators applauded and shared looks of admiration for the musicians.

The Performance By 5p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, the outdoor amphitheater was filled with people waiting for the performance. Spectators with cameras ready milled around buying popcorn and drinks from the

11.13.2015

concession stand while a drone flew overhead documenting the event.

There was loud applause when Foreman walked onstage, guitar in hand, followed by the SDA band. He told the crowd of the uncertainty he had when first coming up with the idea for 24 hours of shows was, but he was glad to play with the students, who he thought of as very talented musicians.

“The fact that they were alums… that was a big focus of the concert,” Wuertz said about Switchfoot’s history with the school. Foreman shared his own story from when he was a musician at SDA. “My brother and I, we played all sorts of Zeppelin songs and things,” he said. “We made 500 dollars with these two speakers right here.”

The performance opened with Foreman playing a song with several other musicians from local bands before jumping into “Company Car,” and “Ghost Machine” with SDA’s band. Each song was met with loud applause and the click of cameras from the audience.

“I liked the enthusiasm,” said freshman Niklas van der Wagt.

“You could really feel the energy [from the crowd].”

After “Company Car,” Foreman announced his surprise for the SDA music program: “We’ve asked a few of our friends if they would like to support the local scene here, and our friends at Taylor and Fender gave us a whole lot of instruments to give to you guys.” The instruments, which included three electric guitars, two acoustic guitars, one electric base, and two mandolins, were carried across the stage to Wuertz, who thanked Foreman amidst the cheers of the crowd.

“It was such a delightful surprise,” Wuertz said. “It was just a credit to how nice of a guy [Foreman] is, and how genuinely committed he is to the school and the community.” “[Getting new instruments] was super exciting,” said sophomore Samantha Bellier-Igasaki, who performed with Foreman. “I don’t know how to play any of them but it’s super cool.”

Junior Elisha Chen, who was also onstage, had a similar reaction. “I was like ‘We’re getting new instruments? What is this?’ So yeah, it was pretty intense.”

The Experience “I’ve been listening to all his songs,” Bellier-Igasaki said. “I made cupcakes this morning and I was listening to his songs while I was making cupcakes.” “[The experience] was great. I loved it...We got to play with Jon Foreman and the pieces were really cool,” added Chen.

“I think that considering our limited time rehearsing together it went really well,” Wuertz said. “It was cool for us to be part of a different genre; to step outside the traditional concert band arena.

To step into the rock arena was really cool for my student because it’s a different scene; a different experience.”

Future Plans As of now, there are no set plans to perform together again, but that doesn’t rule out the possibility. “[Foreman] suggested that he looks forward to collaborating again in some way in the future,”

Turn It to the Max

M

ax Opferkuch, senior, is the principle clarinetist in SDA’s Wind Ensemble.

Recently, he arranged Switchfoot music for the entire band to play for their joint concert with Jon Foreman.

Q: How did you get selected to write the music for the Jon Foreman concert?

A: I’ve arranged music before, mostly classical music for smaller ensembles. When Mr. Wuertz found out we would be playing with Jon Foreman, he invited me to do one of the band arrangements.

I didn’t have a whole lot of experience arranging music for a full concert band, but I figured it would be a good learning experience.

Q: What went into writing the music?

A: I used a music-writing program called Sibelius on one of the music lab computers, and transcribed the whole song by ear, starting by listening for the bass line and the chord progressions, and then building up the harmonies and melodies on top and assigning the parts to all the different instruments. I have perfect pitch, which helped me identify the notes and chords more easily, and I’m currently taking the AP Music Theory class with Mr. Wuertz which was also a huge help, but transcribing the whole thing by ear and figuring out which parts to give which instruments was definitely a challenge. I was happy with the end result, though, and it was really fun hearing my arrangement come to life when the band rehearsed and played it with Jon Foreman.

Q: How was working alongside Switchfoot front man, Jon Foreman?

A: Playing with Jon was an awesome experience. His music was a lot of fun to play, he’s obviously really into his music and what he does, and I like how he’s so into giving back to the community. For someone as big of a name as Jon Foreman to want to come back to his alma mater high school and play with those of us who are comparatively just stepping foot into the musical world is very cool.

Q: What else have you composed?

A: I haven’t done a whole lot of original composition, but I have done arrangements of pieces, often for clarinet choir. For example I arranged a Bach fugue for clarinet choir this past summer at the San Diego Summer Music Institute.

The performers get ready to start the show. Photo by Brittany Serbin.

By Sophia Mock

24 The Mustang 11.13.2015

ARTS

In The Spotlight Courtney Stead

Austin Killeen

A

ustin Killeen, junior, is a photographer at SDA. He has been passionate about photography since the 8th grade and uses GoPros and DSLR cameras.

Killeen enters photo competitions every year and sells his artwork on the side. He is inspired everyday by his friends, family, and people from his church.

Q: Why did you start taking photographs?

A: I started taking photos because I want to show the world what I see from my perspective. The moment I got my hands on a camera, my photography life began.

Q: What is your favorite subject to shoot?

A: My favorite subjects to shoot are basically anything ocean/beach/surf related, but specifically wave photography. It’s hard for me to describe my style, but I like to experiment with unique perspectives of waves, which makes it easier to recognize my photos because I have developed a style that can be seen throughout all my shots.

Q: How do you get into the zone?

A: I get into the zone when I drive up to the beach and the waves are good and the lighting is good. Everything just seems to be perfect. The beach is such a peaceful place to me. As soon as I get in the water, I immediately get into my zone.

Q: What separates you from other high school photographers?

A: I’m different from other high school photographers because I’m not trying to base my artwork off of anyone else’s work. I like to be creative and come up with my own ideas. Being independent has allowed me to develop my own personal style, and has also helped me produce images that are unique from other ocean/wave shots.

Q: What have you accomplished with photography?

A: Getting my artwork out into the world is always going to be an accomplishment to me. I love sharing my perspective with the world, and I love hearing feedback from people in many different countries. A few other accomplishments of mine are winning photo contests with Encinitas Magazine, Coast News, the Del Mar Fair, and more.

Q: What’s it like to have a career selling your photographs?

A: I love selling my artwork. It can be a hassle at times, but I have always enjoyed selling my photos. It’s fun because I’m always meeting new people, and I’m doing what I love as a career! I hope to be a full-time photographer for my entire life. I want to be shooting for big surfing magazines, and traveling the world doing what I love. In the later future, I want to open up my own photo gallery.

By Sophia Mock

Photo courtesy of Sophia Mock.

Morgan Saltamachio

C

ourtney Stead, senior, is a painter inspired by various elements in nature. In her art, she combines oils and realistic styles to create pieces of art that can usually taker her months to finish, due to her busy schedule. SDA has shaped her artwork and broadened her style.

Q: How would you describe your style of art?

A: My art style is usually realistic, mostly animals and nature. I mostly use oils, watercolor, pastels, colored pencils Q: When did you realize art was a passion of yours?

A: When I started painting with oils I was actually able to make things look realistic and that inspired me to try other mediums.

Q: What is your source of inspiration?

A: The ocean is definitely a huge inspiration for my pieces.

Q: How often do you find time to work on your art?

A: Not often enough. I feel like I never have enough time to finish my pieces. I have literally spent months on many of my paintings.

Q: How do you get into “the zone”?

A: I like to look at art from other people by watching YouTube videos, going to galleries, watching “Face Off,” or looking up artsy stuff on Pinterest. Sometimes I will randomly just jam something out that I didn’t think I could do at some weird time of day or sometimes in the middle of class I will get an inkling to do something.

Q: How do you feel when something you’re working on is going well?

A: I honestly don’t really know if something is going “well” until I practically done with the piece. I usually enjoy the process of making art, but not necessarily the final product.

Q: How do you feel when it’s not going well?

A: I usually stop and let it sit for a while (sometimes days) or I will stop the piece entirely.

Q: How has SDA influenced you as an artist?

A: SDA has allowed me to venture out from my usual style and take on concepts or ideas that aren’t traditional. I’ve also met some amazing artists and have picked up on some of their styles.

Q: Do you want to pursue art after high school?

A: Of course! For the rest of my life no doubt. I may retire 50 years from now and open an art studio to teach people how to draw and paint.

By Vicky van der Wagt

Photo courtesy of Courtney Stead.

S

enior Morgan Saltamachio has been doing Polynesian dance for 14 years. Her interest started when she was young, and she continues to be inspired by her teachers and her drive to never give up on her performance.

Q; When did you first realize your interest in dance?

A: I first started Polynesian dance when I was three. My mom introduced me to it because she had been doing it most of her life. My mom is an inspiration to me, as well as my other teacher Linda. I called my teacher Kumu Ginger.

She passed away a few years ago so my mom and her business partner now continued the halau, or school.

Q: Which dances do you perform?

A: Polynesian dance is a combination of hula, Tahitian, [and] New Zealand dance.

Q: How often do you dance? And where?

A: I practice once a week for an hour and a half and frequently perform at street fairs, private parties, and community events. I love Polynesian dance because it is a fun way to exercise as well as releasing stress. I have now been dancing for about 14 years. My old studio where I danced with my old teacher was over [by] Moonlight. Now I take classes in a rental space by Jack and the Box and Yardage Town.

Q: How do you feel when a dance is going well? How do you feel when a dance isn’t going well?

A: I always try my best to be patient with myself when dancing because there are always things I need to practice, but I can’t give up.

Q: What do you like about dance?

A: My favorite part about dancing is being able to make people happy by doing something I enjoy. The looks on the audience’s faces make me smile even more than I already am. I feel proud to be dancing and confident in myself that I can do anything I want as long as I practice and don’t give up. I love hula because it is unique and it is something that makes me, me. I feel like I belong somewhere.

Q: Do you have any goals for your dancing? What inspired you to make those goals?

A: My goal is just to make people smile and cheer and please others when I am performing. I try to improve on something every week in order to better my skills in that particular routine.

Q: How do you get in the zone?

A: What best helps me get into my zone before I go onstage is just being myself. Polynesian dancing is a way I express myself and that’s what shows onstage.

By Brittany Serbin

Photo courtesy of Morgan Saltamachio.

ARTS

The Mustang 25 11.13.2015

How Well Do You Know SDA? See if you can recognize these objects around SDA? Check your answers at sdamustang.com. By Allie Manis

26 The Mustang 11.13.2015

ARTS

$20 Thrifting SDA students take an adventure to the local thrift store to create two different outfits for under $20. Story by Gina Checchia.

T

here’s a magic in thrift stores: you can get expensive brand clothes, vintage pieces, and one-of-a-kind items all for only a fraction of the original cost. Thrift stores, consignment shops, and resale stores are like a safe haven for high school students that want to expand their personal style and closet, but don’t have enough money to be dropping $80 for a pair of pants from Urban Outfitters every month.

Because so many students shop at stores like these, I wanted to try a challenge where two SDA students go to Rancho Coastal Humane Society

Thrift Shop and try to make a full outfit with only $20.

Seniors Sydney Step and Matthew Cattle came along with me to the Thrift Store to try to create an outfit that represented their personal style and was under $20. Step and Cattle were excited for the challenge, as they both have jobs but need to use a lot of their money for gas, food, and going out with friends; so they both don’t have much extra cash each month to use for shopping.

At this thrift store, all the proceeds go to the animal shelter and the whole thrift store is non-profit, taking clothing donations

Senior Matthew Cattle wearing $8 pants, $6 shirt, and $4 belt resulting in a $18 outfit. Photo by Gina Checchia.

Senior Sydney Step wearing $6 shirt, $6 shorts, and $5 shoes resulting in a $17 outfit.

Photo by Gina Checchia.

every single day to be sold at the store. Having very affordable prices and many different types of furniture and clothing for men, women, and children, this is the perfect thrift store for high schoolers. It’s located in Cardiff only five minutes away from the school.

After she searched for a while to find the perfect thrifted outfit, Step put together one that cost $17 for the whole thing.

She first found a black off-the-shoulder ruched shirt that was a steal at $6, a shirt that is a very popular fall fashion trend right now being sold at stores, like Brandy Melville, for $16. She then found black pleather shorts originally from H and M that were being sold for a mere $6 compared to their retail price being about $25. Finally, she found shiny, gold loafers originally from Urban Outfitters that were $5 compared to their retail price being about $50.

Step’s outfit also represented her personal style because her favorite thing

“Thrifting is the best because you can get cute clothing for way cheaper and get vintage items that nobody else at school will have, but you. It’s just the best concept and I never go wrong when I go thrifting.”

- Sydney Step, senior

to wear is black. “I wear black every day no matter what,” she said.

Next, was Cattle’s outfit, his eye was immediately captivated by maroon skinny chino pants that were his size and only a mere $8; compared to similar pants from Nordstrom that are $50.

To pair with these pants, Cattle found a matching white polo shirt with maroon and black stripes that was $6; compared to Tilly’s striped polo shirts that are $30 each. He couldn’t find shoes that fit, so he kept on his also matching maroon shoes and found himself a striped tan belt for only $4 to pull together the whole $18 outfit.

Both outfits came out to a total of only $35, less money than the retail price of the shoes Step found.

Next time you feel like you need new cheap clothes because you’ve been repeating the same outfits and don’t want to spend $50 on a something that will go out of trend in a week, head to your local thrift store to find one-of-a-kind items that can help you experiment with your style or find trendy pieces for way less money.

The Mustang 27

ARTS

11.13.2015

Beach Goth

SDA kids flock to the Orange County music festival for groovy tunes. Story by Sophia Hurley.

Y

ou walk into the Santa Ana Observatory on a hot, sunny day as oodles of face-painted teenagers and young adults draped in black swarm the area, and a guy wearing a leather corset and a hat resembling male genitalia tries to mosh with you.

Beach Goth, an annual twoday music festival headlined by The Growlers, holds an eclectic mix of artists and genres, each with their own cult following.

With a lineup including Grimes, Mac DeMarco, Juicy J, The Drums, Die Antwoord, Ghost, and many others, it’s an easy jump from surf rock, to rap, to heavy metal, to things you’re not even sure what to call.

Despite the differences between the varieties of musical styles this year, every band had its own “alternative” fan-base, and audiences seemed to be enjoying the show no matter who they were watching.

“I literally couldn’t think of

anywhere else I’d rather be,” said junior Grant Rippey.

Beach Goth sets aside common beliefs about popular music festivals (Coachella) having one sort of “stereotypical” audience (girls wearing flower crowns) and being commercialized for profit.

Instead, it was more on the experimental side, with a mashup of all different kinds of So-Cal subcultures to match the diverse music selection, and the decorations and stage props all appearing homemade rather than sponsored by big corporations. It was more about the music, and less about the money.

The OC Observatory was decorated from head to toe with a Halloween theme on both its outside and inside stages, packed with performances at every turn, and brimming with beach-gothy music lovers. With popular headliners, lesser-known indie bands, a live “Rocky Horror Picture Show”, a reggae lounge, and Halloween costumes galore, there

was a lot to be found in a small amount of space.

However, this came with a little bit of difficulty. As the festival (now in its fourth year) grows and gains followers, the foot-traffic becomes heavier and the crowds become more intense.

“It was pretty hard to get to some of the stages because there were so many people going in different directions and pushing,” said sophomore Kyriana Tarr. “It got hectic.”

On the up-side, unlike some other music festivals, Beach Goth’s three stages were all relatively close together and didn’t require a lot of walking; just some stampeding with strangers. Overall, with its fun and creative atmosphere, phenomenal lineup, and happy audiences, the weekend was a huge success. Plus, while stuck waiting to maneuver your way through the crowd, you could always find entertainment in that one guy wearing that one thing on his head.

LA band Corners lights up the stage at Beach Goth. Photo by Sophia Hurley.

The Inventor of “Hugo Cabret” Award-winning author Brian Selznick holds La Jolla event to promote his new book. By Linnea Leidy.

A

uthor of award-winning illustration-literature hybrid novels such as “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” and “Wonderstruck,” Brian Selznick, was in La Jolla last week to promote his new book “The Marvels.”

The publicity event was held in Sherwood Auditorium inside the Museum of Contemporary Art, which seated an eager audience of about 100 people.

When it came time for the presentation to start, Selznick walked to the podium wearing a classy tuxedo (which he commented on), and began his speech by giving a heartfelt thanks to the people involved in putting on the event.

Selznick explained that he initially didn’t want to be an author or illustrator because they were the occupations his parents told him he should pursue (which gained a chuckle from the audience). He shared that his love of art began at a very young age when his nanny would give him pieces of tinfoil to keep him

Selznick proudly displays his new novel, “The Marvels”. By Linnea Leidy.

entertained, and he would make different sculptures and designs.

Flashing forward to his college years, Selznick became involved with theater and puppeteering, which was very visible throughout his speech because he was extremely animated and entertaining. It wasn’t until his late 20s that he

realized how he wanted to spend his life: writing and illustrating.

His first novel, “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” took years of work and revision. He showed the audience the endless number of revisions and corrections his editor made on his 200-300 rough drafts of the story. More than half of the novel is made up of

incredibly detailed, crosshatch drawings, and he showed us his process to organizing it all.

First, Selznick conducts extensive research to ensure that what he is depicting is accurate.

He often travels to the locations to take pictures that he then bases his illustrations off of. He then begins the process of the actual drawing by making tiny, twoinch models of each and every illustration he’s going to make.

He projected a video showing him flipping through a huge binder where he puts all of these models once done with the final pieces, and explained that his apartment in New York is home to filing cabinets filled with the binders from all his works. He organizes the models into the order he wants them to fall in in the book, and hangs them on what he calls “the wall” in his apartment in La Jolla. Once all laid out, Selznick creates the actual illustrations that will appear in the novel. It then takes another year and a half to finalize all of the drawings.

Selznick also spoke about

the experience of having his novel turned into the movie “Hugo,” which was directed by Martin Scorsese. He shared some slightly illegal videos he took of the set and the filming, and expressed how excited he was not only to have his book made into a movie, but also to see how devoted Scorsese was to keep the movie faithful to the novel.

Finally, Selznick showed a trailer of his new book that he made himself. “The Marvels” is about a boy who is on a ship that wrecks and ends up in a theatrical company in England.

To display this, he put his puppeteering skills to the test to make a stop-motion animation of papers, drawings, and sculptures which can be viewed online.

He also spoke passionately about a museum in England that a large portion of the book is based off of called the Dennis Severs’ House and showed pictures of the rooms that are maintained to look as if its inhabitants have simply stepped out for an hour or two.

28 The Mustang 11.13.2015

ARTS

CAF

San Dieguito Sentinel Naptime...

The Mustang 29 11.13.2015

It is not just for kindergarteners anymore! By Sophia Mock.

N

ew national legislation has mandated a ‘nap time’ in every American high school. This 30-minute period set aside during the school day is reserved for sleeping. Students are allowed to bring blankets from home, but yoga mats will be provided for those who cannot afford one.

“I think it is great! I love sleeping on the cold hard ground in a room full of teenagers!” says freshman Dozy Alldatim.

At SDA, our 30 minute naptime will occur right after third period.

This new law is the result of a new psychological study, Stanford’s Prestigious Adolescent Negligence Key Experiment (SPANK), which studied the daily life of 2,000 teenagers across the nation.

It documented how teenagers spend their time.

School takes up eight hours out of a teenager’s day. Sports, extracurricular activites, and homework can take four hours each.

Part time jobs, internships, chores, family life, mental health, showering, eating, existential crises take at least an hour each.

Over all, teenagers have 28

hours of daily activities, leaving negative four hours for sleep. The Stanford’s Prestigious Adolescent Negligence Key Experiment (SPANK) also showed that teenagers require nine hours of sleep a day, thirteen hours more than what they are getting.

Unfortunately, this ‘naptime’ law has been met with resistance from the school administration. It is expensive to provide yoga mats, and it cuts into classroom time.

Each class loses seven and a half minutes to make room for the 30-minute napping period, requiring the school year to be five days longer.

Additionally, after the boom in pregnancies resulting from the first nap time trial run, new employees have been hired to chaperone, further stretching the public school budget.

“I mean, not everyone is hooking up. We totally do not need chaperones. Like, I’m sixteen years old. I’m basically an adult,” says junior Ned Dingoff.

Angry parents started a petition to abolish the nap time law as a result of these pregnancies. The uncertain future of nap time is keeping people up at night.

San Dieguito students catching up on sleep. Blankets were brought from home for additional comfort. Photo

by Allie Manis.

Teachers Party. Hard.

You’ve been sleeping in and getting coffee; teachers are up to so much more. By Kenna Osborn.

A

s students sit down the ultimate question of, “What did you do this morning?” is asked. There are the students who grumble and moan about sleeping in but still not getting enough sleep, those who got up just as early to get breakfast, and those who forget it was late start and accidentally drove to school by 7:50 a.m. anyways.

Most students forget to ask what their teachers did that morning. Most assume it was something very mundane and teacherly, like eating an apple or grading a test, or going to a meeting.

Well the waters of the rumor mill have begun to flow, because the inside scoop is that teachers actually get together on late start mornings to have a little fun of their own. As students we

are informed that late start is for “teacher meetings,” but apparently teachers have been up to so much more.

From an inside source, who will not be named, teachers have been using late starts to party. Of course they aren’t doing anything that wouldn’t be school inappropriate but the source says each department apparently throws a different kind of party.

The mathematics department literally just spends two hours trying to evenly divide the cost and quantity consumed of bagels, says another totally different anonymous inside source.

To say which department has the “craziest” parties is a matter of judgment. The most dangerous of these gatherings is that of the science department’s, at which there

are constant egg drops, hydrogen explosions, and testing of bridge stability. Sounds like a great time, but not the safest of the departments. “I sometimes feel like they run out of new tricks, like, yes, we get it, science is cool. I try to just stay of the action, because I honestly have to grade papers [...] and last time I got my eyebrows burned off,” said an anonymous source, who is not a fan of science.

The most eclectic of parties is that of the social science department. Because of the wide spectrum of subject matter under this umbrella most of the time people aren’t even really sure what to talk about or who to listen to.

One person described the swift changes of topic of conversation: “One minute I am debating the political views of Alexander Ham-

ilton, the next I am being berated about Freud’s five stages of psychosexual development.” Apparently the only subject not really discussed due to its lack of understanding is economics.

And, of course, the most cynical of the bunch is the English department. Their literature-themed parties run rampant with dirty poetry, talks of existential crises, and whether or not Nick Carraway from “The Great Gatsby” is actually gay or did one teacher just take analysis just a little too far?

These parties have been kept under wraps for a long time, but now your teacher complaining on mornings of late start is no longer justified.

Be aware they are totally lying to you, no need to feel guilty about sleeping in anymore.

A completely accurate visual account of what your teachers are really doing the morning of late start.

Illustration by Claire Pupping.

30 The Mustang 11.13.2015

San Dieguito Sentinel

CAF

The Lottery Blues

It’ s big, bad, and back for blood. By Mary Ford.

I

n effect for the 2016-2017 school year, the newly revamped “San Dieguito High School Academy” will be implementing an all-grades-inclusive lottery system. All students, from prospective freshmen to prospective seniors, must take their chances in earning a spot at the school.

The development comes after a debate about the lottery last year, in which some students, living quite close to the school, didn’t get a spot. Parents then petitioned and threatened to sue over the 20-some-odd-year system. Consequently, everyone was let into SDA. The school board debated long and hard about the best course of action, and decided, in a closed board meeting last month, to force all students to undergo the process once again to ensure

true, unbiased lottery equality and lower the size of the academy.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know,” shouted important board official Sharon Tha’Blaym over a bullhorn aimed at a rowdy crowd of moms dressed in active wear. “It’s quite a change. But the other, quite reasonable, options just weren’t working for us and we really don’t want to be pressed with charge-actually I mean to say that in the spirit of SDA, we decided to branch out, try something new. Peace, love, Bobby Sherman, am I right?”

Another huge factor in the decision to kick everyone out and let them back in again was, of course, school size.

“With the developing construction shrinking the school and student population growing, the number of students at this school

Illustration by Claire Pupping. isn’t sustainable and is actually a liability,” said the new fifth assistant principal Paige Turner. “With the new lottery, we can once again cap

the student population at 1600 and ensure that we also don’t get sued.”

Students at SDA are obviously in shock after this turn of events.

Some are upset that the administration would dare interrupt their social homeostasis while others agree that it’s for the better.

To lessen the blow of this new system, the school administration is holding an event so everyone can celebrate this special new system together This year, because SDA is making it an all-inclusive system, we will be holding a grand event for all to come and enjoy,” said administrator Frank Lee Lion.

“We will put all student names, divided by grade of course, into big glass balls and then proceed to pick out 400 from each grade and read them out loud. The chosen ones will then be called to the stage and cheered on. Food and drinks will be provided by culinary arts.”

Cheesy Horoscopes

If life is a cracker, then all you need is cheese. By Claire Pupping and Kenna Osborn.

Aeries March 21st-April19th Stinking Bishop Cheese. You’re adventurous and this cheese, wow what an adventure. A smelly adventure.

Gemini May 21st-June 20th Ass (Donkey) Cheese Cheese from a Donkey, you heard that right. This $700 hundred dollar cheese is made for the eloquent and intelligent, just like you.

Virgo August 23rd-September 22nd Blue Cheese. Fussy! Blue Cheese is fussy, as are you. Blue Cheese is always where you don’t want it, on your salad or festering at the bottom of the fridge. Use your practicality and don’t be Blue Cheese. I have an automatic gag reflex to you and your smell.

Taurus April 20th-May 20th Wisconsin White Cheddar, it takes 10 to 15 years to age.

Like this cheese patience is your best quality.

Cancer June 21st- July 22nd Brie. Soft and creamy. When your emotions get out of control curl up on the couch with some crackers and brie, they will take all your troubles away.

Libra September 23rd-October 22nd Gouda. A diplomatic yet charming cheese. Your aim to please many which is highlighted by your ability to be on everyone’s cracker.

Leo July 23rd-August 22nd Parmesan. Put that sh*t on everything. Be generous! It’s what you’re good at, cover that spaghetti, burry that lasagna, make it snow parmesan!

Sagittarius November 22nd-December 21st Velveeta. You’re honest and straightforward. You know where you are with an honest block of Velveeta smothered all over your mom’s mac-n-cheese.

Capricorn December 22nd-January 19th Mozzarella. Kind of a bland cheese, but adored by many.

The Italians love you, so does Guy Fieri. You’ll get there someday.

Aquarius January 20th-February 18th Shredded Mexican Cheese. Like the amount of cheese to be expected on a Mexican entree you’re unpredictable. But also like the cheese on a Mexican entree you’re loyally delicious all the time.

Scorpio October 23rd-November 21st Epoisses. A powerful cheese, favored by the likes of Napoleon Bonaparte. Your power and determination is similar to that of Epoisses, which happens to be the stinkiest cheese in the world.

Pisces February 19th-March 20th Cheese on Frozen Pizza. Unreliable, and deceitful. You look delicious. You smell delicious. But psych, you’re not.

CAF

San Dieguito Sentinel

The Mustang 31 11.13.2015

No country for a country fan

An SDA student listens to country music. By Carina Julig.

T

o the great shock of her peers, SDA junior Kahn Tree Fan is a fan of country music. This fact was unknown until this year’s homecoming dance, when a Carrie Underwood song accidentally came on.

“Everyone else immediately started booing the DJ, but she kept dancing,” said Fan’s friend Indee Kidd tearfully. “She was so enthusiastic. We had no idea.”

Fan, a sophomore, doesn’t see what the big deal is. “I like country music,” she said. “It’s cool. I guess a lot of people these days dislike it, but it’s my favorite kind of music.”

Things have been rough at school for Fan since the incident at the dance. “My friends tried to have an intervention for me,” she said. “I went into a classroom during lunch for what I thought was

The San Dieguito Academy Foundation thanks the following for supporting our 19th annual dinner, dance and auction event on November 007, 2015!

It was a fabulous evening and the funds raised support programs that benefit all SDA students.

When you’re out and about, please consider frequenting these generous businesses!

a club meeting, but instead all of my friends were sitting in a circle and they started telling me that I needed help for my taste in music.”

Students have tried to help Fan in less polite ways as well. Some classmates have taken to following her around the hallways blaring classic rock or indie music from their phones and speakers. “It was really annoying at first,” Fan said, “but I realized that I could make them go away by playing country music on my phone with the volume turned up. As soon as they heard the dulcet tones of Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum they ran away screaming.”

For now, all efforts to turn Fan away from her favorite music genre have proved unsuccessful.

SDA students are still baffled as to why he listens to country mu-

sic, and some of them were in disbelief when they heard the news.

“I just don’t get it,” said freshman Muse Iksnob. “Why would you listen to country when you could listen to literally anything else? There’s a whole world of good music out there.

Don’t stop to listening to a guy in a cowboy hat singing about how his girlfriend left him.”

When asked what made other genres of music superior to country, Iksnob declined to comment. “I have to go,” she said. “I have a Death Cab for Cutie concert to catch.”

Fan just hopes the fuss will die down. “Country music is totally underrated,” she said. “Since all this started I found out that there are a few other students who like it. Maybe we’ll start a club.”

Student stands proud for their love of country music. Photo by Armaan Shah.

Hansen’s Surfboards

Charmed on Cedros

Tuscany

Mission Federal Credit Union

San Diego Symphony

Headliner Salon

Norte Inc

Embroid Me, Encinitas

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

Seka Boutique

Allen’s New York Pizza

DaKine

Belly Up Tavern

Swirl Boutique

Rico’s Taco Shop

J.Crew

Cedros Soles

Nicki’s Designs

Boudin SF

Dental Specialty Associates

HIS

Kristin’s Fitness

Potato Shack

SportsClips

San Diego Electric Bike

Yoga Tropics

Brett’s BBQ

Pamplemousse Grille

Pillbox Tavern

Suja Juice

SubZero

Title Boxing

San Diego Beerworks

Soul Center

Sabor De Vida

Big R Audio

North Coast Rep Theatre

Big 5

Beach and Plum Kitchen

Revolution Prep

The Fish Market

Jimbo’s…Naturally

Luna Grill

Spragueland Studios

Company

Shatto & Sons

San Diego Ballet

Weidner’s Gardens

The 3rd Corner

Concept Surf Shop

Daphne’s

Wishing Tree Company

Tony”s Jacal

Encinitas Surfboards

Pandora’s Pizza

Sunshine Gardens

San Diego Zoo

Progression Surf Shop

Pacific Coast Grill

Gibson Lighting

Museum

SportsClips

Patagonia

Pipe’s Café

Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument

Andersons La Costa Nursery

In-N-Out Burger

Dream Dinners

The Huntington Library

Isari Flower Studio

Pamplemousse Grille

Pannikin Coffee & Tea

Tommy V’s

The Madd Potter

Studio 101 Hair Salon

Cardiff Seaside Market

Lux Art Institute

Twigs by Teri

Fish 101

West Steak and Seafood

Gregorio’s

The Spice Way

Hard Rock Hotel

Priority Public House

California Center for the Arts

Swami’s Café

20/20 Grille

Rubio’s

Encinitas Fish Shop

Lobster West

H&M Landing

Las Olas

San Diego Repertory Theater

San Diego Natural History

32 The Mustang 11.13.2015

SPORTS

Luv, Kerr Jennifer Kerr, a talented tennis player at SDA, has earned multiple titles in her career. Story by Natalie Haghani.

J

unior Jennifer Kerr spins her racket to decide who will serve the first game. The racket twists and lands on the side she choose-so she begins the match with a powerful swing.

It’s a sunny Tuesday afternoon and Kerr is competing in her last high school game to qualify for CIF. Currently ranked in the top 10 for 16-year-olds in southern California, Kerr has built a reputation as a notable tennis player at SDA. Playing since she was four years old, Kerr has been nominated for athlete of the month won various tennis awards, and competed in multiple national tournaments throughout career.

The score is 30-15 during the second point of the game against her Del Norte opponent, and by 2:30 in the scorching heat, Kerr has finished three 12-ounce bottles of Gatorade and several Tiger Bars.

The match continues as Kerr

plays the final point to win the tournament and qualify for playoffs.

Outside of playing tennis for San Dieguito Academy, Kerr competes in regional and local tournaments.

“During weekend tournaments, you have an individualistic mindset and it’s a different atmosphere since it’s more competitive, but I love meeting new people and figuring out how determined I can be when I’m playing tennis,” she said.

“It’s great how tennis is so individualistic because if I’m having a bad day, I won’t let the team down,” said Kerr.

With minutes counting down during the fourth and final point of the match, Kerr celebrates an early victory with three overall wins.

She rotates and swings her arm as her racket slams the tennis ball to the other side.

The score is 40-15 and Kerr

Junior Jennifer Kerr begins her match with a powerful swing.

Photo by Caroline Kerr.

has just won her final match qualifying her for CIF and playoffs. She sets her racket down and heads over to the sidelines, her coach and team yelling out well-earned congratulations.

Through sweat and hard work, Kerr is focusing on securing the number one spot in high school tennis and winning CIF. However its not just trophies, and titles for Kerr. She explains “My friends and family are constantly encouraging me to play tennis-there a huge part of why I have so much fun, and love the sport.”

Winning multiple matches throughout the season, Kerr has proven to be a talented and dediacted player. From athlete of the month to competing in national championships, Kerr hopes to continue her winning streak through high school while building a fierce reputation to carry her through future college matches as well.

Breakfast On-the-Go Here are some more tips for a quick healthy breakfast meal for on-the-go students and faculty of SDA. Story by Nicole Ramirez. Drawings by Maxine Richter.

L

ast issue we put out a list of some breakfast recipes that are easy to make while scrambling to read all of that chapter of Crime and Punishment and cramming for the math test that your teacher told you about two days ago. With all of the stress in our lives, eating a healthy breakfast can be a great stress reliever. Hopefully these easy and delicious foods can make those mornings a little bit easier.

Ingredients:

Senior Alex Dewart enjoys protein powder banana pancakes.

Culinary Arts teacher Scott Huntley suggests “Overnight Oats.”

Ingredients:

Instructions:

•

1/2 cup rolled oats

1.

•

1/2 cup liquid of choice (almond milk/regular milk)

Add the oats, liquid of your choice, yogurt, and banana to a jar stir. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 5 hours.

•

1/2 cup yogurt (optional)

•

1/2 banana, mashed (optional)

2.

In the morning, add additional liquid if you’d like to make the consistency.

•

1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional but highly recommended)

3.

Add any toppings that you like.

•

2 bananas, mashed

•

2 eggs, whisked

Instructions: 1. Mix together bananas, eggs, and protein powder until well combined.

•

½ cup Protein Powder

2.

•

Chocolate Chips (optional – or whatever else you want in the pancakes)

•

1 tablespoon butter (or other oil – to grease the pan)

3.

Place a pan over medium heat. Grease the pan with a bit of oil.

Add a large spoonful of the pancake mixture to the pan.

4.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the pancakes.

5.

Once the pancakes start bubbling, you can flip them

6.

Cook for about 1 minute each side, depending how hot the pan is

The Mustang 33

SPORTS

11.13.2015

Getting Fit Quick For those of you who are in between sports, wanting to keep up with workouts, or trying to stay in shape, but hate doing long, hard strenuous exercises, here are some easy to learn exercises that SDA students do to stay in shape. Story and photos by Megan Scherer.

Women’s Workout:

Senior Maddie Campbell’s favorite workout is Brazilian Butt Lifts because “[it] strengthens your muscles in your gluteus maximus,” said Campbell.

Men’s Workout:

Junior Jake Mendes plays basketball and coaches a youth basketball team on the side.

His favorite workout is plank push-ups because “this strengthens the core while working the pectoralis major,” said Mendes.

Skateboards piling up in the office. Photo by Allie Manis.

Reinskated Skate PE will make a comeback at SDA next semester.

Story by Cydney Melton.

S Step One: Put all weight on your hands

Step One: Start in a push-up position

Step Two: Take weight off your back right

Step Two: Slowly lower your right arm, with your left following, and end in a plank position.

Step Three: Slowly lower your back down and replicate the exercise for your opposite leg.

Step Three: Hold the plank for about three

and knees.

leg and bend your leg into a right angle.

Raise your right leg to your personal limit.

(keeping your back straight).

seconds and return to a push-up position.

Repeat with the opposite arm.

DA is known for its diverse culture including its unique PE courses.

Skate PE used to be a course offered, not by many, if any, other schools; however it was taken away for a number of years due to a lack of interest.

This year, skate PE is reinstated and will be facilitated by John Cannon at the YMCA during fourth period, spring semester.

“We got as many kids as we could to sign a sheet to show that kids were interested in restarting skate PE and posted it in the office,” said senior Max Yant, an advocate for the reinstallation of skate PE. “Each day, students will be required to attend class on time, be prepared, [with helmets, pads, and a board] participate, and represent SDA in a respectful, mature manner. Students must have legal, reliable transportation and abide by the rules of the skate park,” said PE teacher Robin Etheridge. “[I signed up for skate PE] so I will receive PE credits while doing something I actually enjoy. A lot of the time I have no time to skate after school, but now I’ll be skating during school,” Yant added.

“Skate PE is an elective class for students which offers a class unlike any other in our dept.

Skating is a very evident culture on our campus and I really hope this resurgence of skate PE represents the athletic, creative and soulful side of skate for our students and school. I also hope our students understand the responsibility they have representing our school in public,” said Etheridge.

There will be an array of skill levels, says Yant, and it will be a great way to get outside of school early and stay active.

Sign up for the class to keep it running next year, added Yant.

34 The Mustang 11.13.2015

SPORTS

Freshman Lanie Weingarten.

Photo by Tracey Weingarten.

Home Court Advantage The tennis team began to play on their new home courts. By Kate Bilse.

Junior Grayson Amthor catches air while surfing.

Photo by Chris Allen.

Freshman Kiersten Noonan spraying.Photo by Jack McDaniel and courtesy of Kiersten Noonan.

Junior Trevor Anderberg hanging ten.

Photo by Sara Anderberg.

Senior Karla Killeen cross steps on her board.

Photo by Sara Anderberg .

Mustangs Surf Oceanside The SDA Surf Team beat their opponent, Point Loma High School, in their last contest. Story by Jacob Aere.

T

he sun was out with hardly a cloud in the sky as the 9 a.m. Scholastic Surf Series contest at Oceanside harbor’s south jetty began. The waves at the Oceanside Harbor were two to four feet with an occasional five foot set. Pop-up sun tents peppered the sand near the south jetty. Family members, friends, contestants and coaches watched as the first rainbow group of rash guards crashed into the water.

Watching the first heat, junior Jill Butler explained how she says a prayer every time before she enters the water.

“I just thank God for my family and the ocean and all I have,” said Butler. She also said how she tries to surf where a contest is going to be held at least once or twice before the real event happens.

As it was Butler’s turn to enter the water, senior Shawn Kaufman

said his favorite part about the surf team is “friends, surfing, and eating donuts.” He also added, “The boys are frothin,” then proceeded to go talk his friends under the team’s pop-up tent.

The winner of the women’s shortboard competition, freshman Kiersten Noonan, explained a quirk of hers is to say good luck to everyone before her heat begins. Noonan is an avid surfer and gets out into the water to practice once or twice every day.

Before she took off to talk with her friends, she shared that as a surfer you “always gotta have fun, know where you come from, and just be humble.”

Another SDA surfer was looking out at the waves and talking to an older man. This sophomore surfer, Jake Hennessy, just won North County Kids Magazine Surfer of the Month.

Hennessy’s favorite parts of

the surf team and surf competitions are the aspects of teamwork, connectedness, and being able to surf good waves without too many people out in the water.

Hennessy says he likes surfing with the team-based Scholastic Surf Series over the individualbased Western Surfing Association because of “friendships … and food.” Henessy’s pre-contest preparation includes skating in the closest parking lot, running around, and surfing a little to get warmed up.

Another horn went off signaling that it was time for the 10 a.m. heat to start up. The surfers took off once again, paddling alongside the jetty to lessen the intensity of the waves they paddled through.

A student said how Coach Marco Martinez was looking out from midway down the jetty with pride in the surfers that he has not only coached to become great athletes,

but great people as well.

The final standings came in around 3:30 after a long day of surfing and were as follows: in men’s shortboard, junior Grayson Amthor took first place and senior Dominic Pazanowski took sixth place. In men’s longboard, junior Trevor Anderberg took first. In women’s shortboard, freshman Kiersten Noonan took second, and freshman Malia Faramarzi took fourth. In women’s longboard senior Karla Killeen took fifth. In coed bodyboarding, junior Austin Killeen took second, and freshman Rory Sturgis took sixth.

The SDA surf team scored 81 points overall, beating their opponent, Point Loma High School, and came in second overall to Carlsbad High School which had 82 points.

The next contest is at the Oceanside Harbor on Nov. 22.

A

fter two and a half years, the tennis courts are finally finished with construction. We are able to play matches on our home courts for the rest of the season, and get home earlier so we can balance our school work better because we don’t have to drive to practice. Instead of traveling to MiraCosta in Oceanside to compete in matches, we will have a home court advantage.

“The team can actually represent San Dieguito Academy on our home courts so we have extra school spirit and motivation,” said senior Alex Weingarten.

The new courts are very nice to hit on and give us a lot more room to do warm ups and practice. I like them a lot better than our old home courts because there are fences that divide the courts so tennis balls do not roll onto other courts and disturb player’s games. In addition, we get a really nice breeze and ocean view from the courts. It is also very motivating to see everybody who has come to support us and cheer us on during our matches.

Having access to home courts allowed us more time to practice. We began moving, communicating, and talking to each other more, picking up momentum for the last part of the season and heightening our moral. We beat every team the second round of league and were tied for first place with Del Norte.

Our last league match was against Del Norte on the home courts. We played a tight match in a competition that came down to the final sets. We defeated Del Norte 10-8, securing our fourth title in a row as league champions, breaking the school record for most league seasons won in a row.

As a senior, I am so happy we won league every year I have been at SDA. Although it was a long wait, I can finish off my last season on the home courts.

I am so excited I am able to play matches and represent the school at our home territory to conclude my high school tennis experience.

The Mustang 35

SPORTS

11.13.2015

Surfer vs. Skater ...wherein underground junior skater Kim Quach and award-winning junior surfer Grayson Amthor attempt to answer some confusing and awkwardly phrased questions. Story by Mary Ford.

W

hat was the best thing before sliced bread?

Surfer:whole bread.

Skater: sliced butter.

Surfer, I wholly agree with your contention. Who doesn’t love bread? Losers, that’s who.

Sorry Celiac disease sufferers, but you really are missing out on a world of opportunity. But unfortunately, eating a whole bread seems a bit unappetizing. Have you ever tried eating a whole bread in one sitting before? Hold up, maybe this could be the next internet sensation. Can’t you see it? No? Look a little more to your left. In all caps: THE BREAD CHALLENGE. 100 points, because that’s probably how many views a YouTube video of me eating a loaf of bread will get.

Skater, Okay. Butter is the best fat. But people can not just consume butter, unless they are weird and want me to be sad for them and concerned for their arteries.

Butter must have its rightful companion by its side, sliced bread.

It’s like peanut butter and jelly, which also includes bread. But to segue, here are some cool butter facts I somehow knew. One: Butter is used in religious ceremonies in Tibet and India. Two: Greeks and Romans put butter in their hair to make it shiny. Three: The Iowa State Fair has annual butter sculpting competitions. You learn something everyday, even if these facts will not get you anywhere in life. I’m sorry. -50 points in compensation.

Skater: Because you are “In-theirstate.”

Surfer, Surfer, Surfer. I understand your bias. I really do. You probably fantasize about Hawaii at night. You dream about barreling through the break at Jaws, whale spotting from your board in Honolua Bay, or bobbing along Pipelines’ perfect crest. Unfortunately for you, we are currently in Southern California, so snap out of it and consume my brilliant writing. I also take offense at the notion that an island floating in the middle of the sea has feelings that are somehow advanced enough to feel personal hurt. Disclaimer: This publication loves all things Hawaiian, even their strange, illogical driving system.

-50 points for the number of illogical miles of highway in Hawaii.

Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?

Surfer: Don’t be mean to Hawaii.

Surfer Grayson Amthor and Skater Kim Quach gaze intensly into the camera. Photo by Delaney Marinez.

Skater... I am metaphorically groaning on the outside whilst squealing on the inside. You have exposed my greatest weakness in this world, puns. Indeed, ‘twas a knee-slapper. So many witty responses are flashing through my brain right now. But alas, this publication is consumed with appeasing the small readership we have held in this bastardous digital world, so I shall refrain. For my pun people in hiding right

now, i just want to let you know that you are living, you occupy space, and you have mass. You matter. -100 points because puns suck.

Surfer: 50 points Skater: -150 points Congratulations, Surfer. You win nothing!

STANG STATS

These five SDA fall sports seasons in the Avacado West League (field hockey only) and Avacado East League (all others) are coming to a close. The rankings are based on league games. By Kate Bilse. Statistics provided by coaches and maxpreps.com.

GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL RANK

1 2 3 4 5 6

SCHOOL

GIRLS VARSITY TENNIS

RECORD

SDA

9-1

DEL NORTE

9-1

ESCONDIDO

6-4

SAN PASQUAL

3-7

SAN MARCOS

3-7

MISSION HILLS

0-10

RANK

Girls Varsity Volleyball team.

Photo by Phil Colla.

GIRLS VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY 1 2 3 4 5 6

SCHOOL LCC

RECORD

1

SDA

8-2

2

DEL NORTE

7-3

3

SAN MARCOS

6-4

4

MISSION HILLS

5-5

5

SAN PASQUAL

3-7

6

ESCONDIDO

0-10

Girls Varsity Tennis team.

Photo by Tracey Weingarten.

Boys Varsity Waterpolo team.

Photo by Russ Johnston.

Cross Counrty on the run.

Photo by Sue Cortellessa.

Junior Molly Vonder.

Photo by Pam Vonder.

RANK

SCHOOL

RECORD

8-1-0

BOYS VARSITY WATER POLO

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER Marco Jewell

DISTANCE Two Mile

TIME 10:35.4

RBV

7-2-0

Phillip Urbina

Two Mile

10:51.8

FALLBROOK

5-4-0

Matthew Zounes

Two Mile

11:41.2

VISTA

5-4-0

Yarisette Sequeira

Two Mile

13:22.2

MISSION VISTA

2-7-0

Michaela Lafferty

Two Mile

13:41.7

SDA

0-9-0

Gracie Williams

Two Mile

13:54.0

RANK

1 2 3 4 5 6

SCHOOL

RECORD

SAN MARCOS

6-0

DEL NORTE

4-1

MISSION HILLS

3-2

SAN PASQUAL

2-3

SDA

1-4

ESCONDIDO

0-5

36 The Mustang 11.13.2015

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