10.07.16
Volume 21 Issue I
T H E M U S T A N G
the mustang
FROM THE CONTROL BOOTH A message from your editors.
As we enter our 80th year at San Dieguito Academy, we see our campus evolving before our eyes. We’ve come a long way since 1936, transforming from a school of tents into
a campus defying its limits and expanding upward. However, more than just San Dieguito is changing. As we approach a new election year, our community and nation face crucial decisions that leave both the fate of our school and the fate of our nation in the palms of our hands. What we do this year defines the next four years of our lives. A contested school board election (“In Their Own Words” on pg. 4) and the ever-present issue of the legalization of marijuana (“Marijuana” on pg. 3) dominate the election cycle in our community.
We can see this new stage join together the small niches of our community as we speak out against the injustice of gender inequality and other issues we see in our daily lives (“Empowerment” on pg. 9). We can appreciate our diverse culture, as we see refugees, such as Addullah Taysan (“Leaving Home” on pg. 15), resettling in Encinitas. This year also brings new faces and new ideas to The Mustang. For us, as managing and online editors, it is hard to imagine walking in the footsteps of last year’s editorial staff; however, we hope to expand the
newspaper, both in print and online, and provide a fresh take on our school as we implement new ways of reaching out to you, through polls and videos. So, as we jump into this year full of promise, we have yet to see how San Dieguito and our community evolves, both in its structure and culture. No matter the results that this year brings, our school, and The Mustang, will continue to stay rooted in its core values and encompass the San Dieguito spirit. -Julia Shapero and Kate Sequeira
MUSTANG POLL: SDA’S FAVORITE CANDY?
The Mustang asked students what their favorite Halloween candy was: Reese’s, Kit Kats, Skittles, Snickers, or M&M’s.
7.25%
7.75%
13.9%
35.1%
36%
The Mustang staff fanned out over campus last week to find out the favorite Halloween candy of SDA students between Reese’s, Kit Kats, Skittles, Snickers, and M&M’s. The final result: Reese’s will be SDA students’ go-to candy this Halloween, with 36% of students voting for the peanut butter, chocolate treat. Despite a close race, Kit Kats finished just behind in second place, with 35.1%. However, Skittles, Snickers, and M&M’s lagged behind substantially, with 13.9%, 7.75%,
and 7.25% respectively. It seems that these candies will not be in high demand for SDA students this year. Winners of the Screamzone raffle for two free tickets are: Wyatt Clay, in Angela Jackson’s homeroom Jackie Sedlock, in Trish Hovey’s homeroom Winners will receive their Screamzone tickets during homeroom.
ROLL CALL
The Mustang Staff MANAGING EDITOR Julia Shapero NEWS EDITOR Olivia Olander ASST NEWS EDITOR Lane Levin OPINION EDITOR Linnea Leidy ASST OPINION EDITOR Mallika Seshadri FEATURES EDITOR Sophie Peeler ASST FEATURES EDITOR Kieran Zimmer ARTS/HUMOR EDITOR Mary Ford ASST ARTS EDITOR Jenna Weinhofer SPORTS EDITORS Brittany Serbin Vicky Van Der Wagt ONLINE EDITOR Kate Sequeira ASST ONLINE EDITOR Sophie Hughes PHOTO EDITOR Patrick Hall BUSINESS MANAGER Hana Chen DESIGN EDITORS Hannah Elias Melody Sobhani
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NIKLAS HOOVER
NOAH WILLIAMS
Cover Artist
Backpage Photographer
Senior Niklas Hoover has been involved in art since he was young. “My dad really got me started because he was an artist and I really just liked drawing as a kid,” said Hoover. Moving forward, Hoover is planning to go to art school for college and has applied to multiple schools all over the country. Hoover had no direct inspiration for this piece featuring a knight on a horse. “I just painted a knight” he said. “I have two horses.”
Junior Noah Williams has loved photography since he was in second grade. “My grandfather is a photographer. He got me little, red $50 camera and I had it for about four months,” he said.” Williams continued updating his camera. The photo of the surfer was the “maiden voyage” of his newest camera, taken after sunset at Table Tops. On getting the shot, Williams said, “You just shoot blindly, and it was kind of just luck.”
index
STAFF WRITERS Nadia Ballard Maddy Campbell Daniel Chagnon Austin Dilley Devin Gaan Layla Gantus Jack Hauser Julia Lucero Audrey Maskiewicz Taina Millsap Lucas Oldham Derek Sleet ADVISOR Tim Roberts The Mustang is the student newspaper of San Dieguito Academy. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper. The Mustang is an open forum which welcomes letters. Letters can be submitted to room 16, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the address below. San Dieguito Academy Room 16 800 Santa Fe Drive Encinitas, CA 92024
oct. 07
the mustang
A Proposition to Permit Pot Proposition 64 looks to legalize recreational marijuana. By Lane Levin and Mallika Seshadri.
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alifornia voters will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana use for those over 21 in the Nov. 8 election. According to the California Voters Handbook, Proposition 64, would make state agencies responsible for overseeing industries that license and regulate marijuana. Additionally, there would be revenue gains from the 15 percent taxation on retail sales as well as some exemptions on taxation for medical marijuana. People previously convicted of illegally possessing marijuana will have their records cleared and and will have the opportunity to be resentenced. Finally, given that smoking marijuana recreationally will still be illegal for teens, the measure promises to ensure no marketing is targeted towards minors. Many standards will be placed on the advertising and packaging of marijuana. Supporters of Proposition 64 believe the legalization of marijuana would be beneficial because it would be regulated and bring in taxes. Those that oppose the bill are concerned about potential healthrelated issues, including the ballot measure’s absence of a standard that judges whether someone is driving under the influence. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996. In 2010, however, 53 percent of voters rejected Proposition 19 which would have legalized recreational marijuana.
Contrasting Views
In the last 20 years, the District of Columbia and 25 states have legalized medical marijuana. Moreover, four states and the District of Columbia have legalized its recreational use. Colorado has permitted recreational use of marijuana for adults since 2012. Following this legalization, a survey conducted biannually by the Colorado Department of Public Health found that 21.2 percent of Colorado students surveyed had used marijuana within the last 30 days, which was less than the national rate of 21.7 percent. The Colorado Department of Public health concluded that legal-
oct. 07
A survey of two SDA homerooms in comparison with a survey by the Public Policy Institute of California.
ization has not increased marijuana usage amongst teenagers. Despite having received endorsements from the California Medical Association, for some, Proposition 64 has been a great cause of apprehension. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug (a category of drugs that are not known to be medically beneficial and are greatly harmful and abused). California state senator Patricia Bates, a Republican who represents the 36th district (consists of southern Orange County and much of San Diego county), opposes the bill. She said in an email that “The AAA Foundation for Highway Safety reports that deaths in marijuanarelated car crashes have doubled since the State of Washington approved legalization. Yet, Prop. 64’s proponents refused to include a DUI standard for marijuana, making it difficult to keep impaired drivers off our highways.” The ballot measure does not provide a DUI standard, but promises that 20 percent of “the vast majority of monies deposited in the fund” would go to “programs designed to
reduce driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs.” Several SDA parents are in favor of Proposition 64. At back to school night, parents stood, tightly packed amongst the clamor of casual conversations. Each mother and father held a crumpled school map and the voices drowned out the music of the San Dieguito Academy band. Amidst the bustle, one anonymous parent interviewee said that the benefit of legalization “is that you take organized crime out of the picture and tax [marijuana], to generate revenue. That will allow you to set up some structure …and some legislation around the use of it.” Dr. Jeanne Jones, assistant principal at San Dieguito Academy, said that the proposition should not pass. Concerned about the bill increasing drug use, Jones said that “if [marijuana] ruins one life, that’s one life too many...because I care about our students.” The proposition, though, has received an endorsement from the California Academy of Preventative Medicine. Dr. Donald Lyman,
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their legislative director, said, “Proposition 64 is a thoughtful, comprehensive measure based on sound evidence-based science that will protect public health and fund vital health programs for California’s youth.”
Teenage Use
Back at the chatter-filled amphitheatre during back to school night, one of the parents recalled attitudes towards marijuana when he was growing up. He said that “the mentality was, if it’s off limits, or hard to get, or illegal, it’s maybe even more attractive.” He hoped legalization would decrease teen use. However, SDA officials and SDUHSD staff worry legalization could increase teenage use. Joe Olesky, of the district’s drug prevention READI program, said last year at La Costa Canyon High School, they “had 8 kids get affected by contaminated marijuana that had PCP, which is a really harmful hallucinogenic.” Beyond the READI program, students in SDUHSD have been reminded of dangers associated with drug dependence and addiction, in freshman health and driver’s education courses.
Proposition 64 places an emphasis on drug education, espeically for minors convicted of possessing marijuana. According to Olesky, drug education would likely “go up” with legalization. Jones said she hopes to “encourage people to develop within themselves coping skills and resilience so that they can face life on their own.”
Moving Forward
Polls released by UC Berkley and Public Policy Institute of California indicate that a majority of Californians are in support of Proposition 64. In fact, 64 percent of potential voters intend to vote in favor. Similarly, the Public Policy Institute of California indicates that 63 percent of people surveyed plan to support marijuana legalization. According to California’s Secretary of State, those who financially endorse the bill have raised $18.3 million in comparison to the 2.45 million that has been raised to reject the ballot measure. Other supporters of Proposition 64 include the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and the California Democratic Party. The California Republican Party is against the measure.
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the mustang
In Their Own Words
The five school board candidates discussed their opinions on funding, the current split on the board, student concerns and more as they prepare for the election. By Olivia Olander. Randy Berholtz
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he San Dieguito Union High School District will elect a new board this November, in the midst of a current split among its members. President Beth Hergesheimer and Vice President Joyce Dalessandro are up for reelection on a contested ballot with three challengers: attorney Randy Berholtz, businesswoman Lucile Lynch and CEO Bob Nascenzi. Whoever is elected will hold partial control over the nineschool district for a term of four years. The election may alter the majority voice of the current board. Over the last year, many votes have been split 3-2 among the board members, with fiscally conservative trustees John Salazar and Mo Muir voting against such items as a wage increase for teachers in December. Lynch is being endorsed by Salazar and Muir, and Berholtz said he is being endorsed by conservative school board members within the district. Meanwhile, current school board clerk Amy Herman is endorsing the incumbents. Herman, Dalessandro and Hergesheimer voted together on the salary issue in December. “I’m concerned for the district and for the students in general if we were to have people that would just vote ‘no,’ whether it’s lack of understanding or just [that] their priorities are based on their ideology. That might shut things down,” said Herman. Other key board issues include the hiring of a new superintendent - the manager of the school district. “At the moment, we are still looking for a superintendent… I think that until after the election we might not know,” Herman said. “I think there might be some concern that anybody coming in would want to make sure they know what kind of board they’re working with.” All quotes are from phone interviews and emails with the candidates.
Qualifications:
Qualifications:
-Businessman -Attorney/law professor “What really sets me apart is that I’m a public school grad and a scholar athlete.”
Endorsements: “I’m being endorsed by most prominent Republican educational people in town.”
-Six years teaching experience -Studied Curriculum Development at Columbia University -Current SDUHSD school board Vice President “My experience and tenure on our school board has provided me with a storehouse of knowledge around the very complex details of governing a district of our size ”
Endorsements:
Feelings on funding:
“I have been endorsed by the California School Employees Association, ...the San Dieguito Faculty Association, all of our former superintendents, school board members from our feeder elementary districts, parents, and many, many others.”
“I’m fine with paying our teachers what they deserve, but I’m not fine with taking money that should be held for education, or kept in a reserve for a rainy day.”
Feelings on funding:
“[I want] to come up with innovative solutions to many of the district’s problems that don’t require large amounts of money… I’d like to get the most educational bang per dollar.”
Why students should care: “If you think about the concept of stakeholders in a school, you have students, you have parents, you have teachers, you have administrators, you have taxpayers, you have the public. For me, an effective board member has to weigh all of those factors into making an important decision.” “I know the value of education transforming people’s lives. I went to school and was a stutterer. I understand what it’s like to be the kid in the back, who can’t answer questions.”
Thoughts on current board:
“The current board majority does not adhere to proper corporate governance requirements... I feel like the current board majority are being bullies. I feel that they’re being rubber stamps for the teachers union, and I don’t like that.” “Two of our current board members have served a long time, it doesn’t look like they’ve ever had an outside job in their lives, or like they’ve ever had to review financial statements.”
The other issues: “I will not be swayed by any one party… My door is always open for anyone to come and talk.” “To me, the goal is not to have the biggest and the best buildings, or the biggest and the best teacher salaries. To me, the biggest way that our district can be successful is to have students who can maximize their potential.”
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Joyce Dalessandro
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“There are many ongoing state and federally mandated programs that are underfunded or even completely unfunded. That being said, because of our practice of fiscal responsibility, our budget is in good shape.” “[SDUHSD} carefully retain[s] sufficient reserves to help us through tight economic times. When our reserves build to excess, it is our responsibility to spend the excess on our students.”
Why students should care “When hardworking, involved, board members... are juxtaposed with board members who display constant negativity, act as micro managers, and who only profess to representing taxpayers, it is really important for students to sit up and take notice.”
Thoughts on current board “After many years of collegial, cooperative and fully committed boards, sadly there has been a marked shift in attitude in the last few years… The numerous 3 -2 votes show tremendous disunity. Three of us are positive, hardworking and dedicated, who do our homework, respect our talented staff, and always have the best interest of students as our goal.”
The other issues:
“We work toward closing the achievement gap every day. We provide many opportunities for students through access to academic support classes and specialty programs, career pathways and through a multitude of electives.”
oct. 07
the mustang
Beth Hergesheimer
Lucile Lynch
Qualifications:
Qualifications
-Bachelor degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, and Personnel -Current SDUHSD school board president
-Attorney, businesswoman -Parent in the district -Co-founded a business that makes educational DVDs and tools -Worked on “boards related to education” in Philadelphia
“I was... elected by all of the San Diego County region school boards to be a Regional School Board Delegate, bringing a voice for all students and our district to the state level. Previous community volunteer work includes positions up to and including President in PTA, Booster and Foundation representation, advocating with our legislators, and serving on a non-profit preschool advisory board.”
Endorsements: “Eighty groups and individuals...from community members and parents, to current and retired board members (including from our feeder elementary districts), superintendents, and other elected officials throughout our district, to the San Dieguito Faculty Association and the California School Employees Association.”
Feelings on funding: “Ongoing state budget concerns and under-funded state and federally mandated programs are additional financial burdens that require our district continue to be fiscally frugal, keeping money as close to the classroom as possible while continuing to seek more stable and equitable funding. Our current reserves are healthy, and are projected to be so for the foreseeable future.”
Why students should care: “Students would have been harmed by some of the ‘no’ votes made if the recommended actions had been defeated. For example, if Prop AA [a bond approved in 2012 to create new buildings] had not been brought by the board to the voters, none of the construction and modernization of our campuses would be occurring.”
Thoughts on current board: “I truly hope to see our board return to a place where we might have differences of opinion, but find unity of purpose as we represent the district.”
The other issues: “[An important issue is] reducing the achievement gap by promoting access for all students to programs spanning the educational spectrum from support classes to honors courses, to arts and music, technical, and occupational coursework.”
oct. 07
Endorsements: -Republican Party of San Diego -Current trustees Mo Muir and John Salazar “Endorsements are coming in because I am speaking out.”
Feelings on funding
On Proposition 55, which would tax the wealthy to fund education: “People are hoping that Prop. 55 is passed so we can reflush our savings account, but the problem is that at the same time that some of these expenditures were incurred, by law we were also required to deplete our savings… We’re having kind of greater deficits, and at some point we’re going to have to figure this out. If Prop. 55 passes, then maybe it’s not as big of an issue, but I think for families, they’re like, ‘Wait a second, why do we want another prop?’ … Where should the focus be?” “Was it right denying the teachers’ contract [to raise salaries]? I would’ve asked to table that, to resolve the teacher-pupil ratio.”
Why students should care “Not all children go to a four-year university right away. Are we preparing them with electives that either help them figure out what they want to do, or help them do what they want to do right after high school?”
Thoughts on current board: “What’s happening [on the current school board] is we’re having a ‘yea or nay’ vote right away, so I would’ve liked to have seen some of [the issues this year] discussed a little bit more… We need to make sure that the parties are talking to each other.”
The other issues: “To support these kiddos who are underperforming, we need someone to kind of be a voice on the board. Right now, no one on the board is really connected to those communities.” “We’re underusing technology. Why are these board meetings not being televised, or at least streamed online?”
Bob Nascenzi Qualifications:
-Former CEO of a software company (Claritas) and several technology-based startups (SupraMed, Inc; Nliven Systems; Extrabux, Inc). -Education: Boston College and University of Pennsylvania -Former member of Canyon Crest Academy Foundation -Currently on Prop AA Independent Citizens Oversight Committee
Endorsements:
“I am not seeking any endorsements from politicians. My supporters include individuals such as Tom Compogiannis, former president of the LCC foundation, Brad Shoen, co-chair of Friends of San Dieguito Schools and former president of the TPHS foundation, and countless parents and teachers across the district.”
Why students should care: “Students should care because it is their future. Students deserve a well-rounded curriculum, good teachers, and an environment conducive to learning and personal development.”
Thoughts on current board: “I think the voting record [of the current school board] reflects partisan politics, therefore disunity. This is supposed to be a non-party race, but I am the only candidate that did not seek an endorsement by a political party.”
Fudning and other issues:
“A vision is supposed to be aspirational. As such, my vision is for the district to be the best high school district in CA in terms of serving all students, not just test scores.” “The most important issue is keeping partisan politics out of school board decisions. Regardless of the issue, each issue should be addressed on its own merits, not some pre-conceived ideology or a rubber stamp of the administration’s proposals. Besides the renewal of the teacher’s contract in three years and authorizing the projects approved by voters under Prop AA, it is hard to predict other issues that will arise. For example, during the election two years ago, who would have predicted that a charter school [such as the one proposed at recent school board meetings]… would be under consideration or that the district would have to hire a new superintendent?”
“If we keep voting the same people in year after year, nothing’s going to change.”
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the mustang
Prop. 55 Tax Would Increase California’s Education Budget Prop 55 would fund public schools by continuing a tax on the wealthy. By Sophie Hughes.
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alifornians will be in voting booths to solidify their opinions on 17 different propositions in November. One of these is Proposition 55, which would extend a tax on high-income taxpayers to the year 2030 in order to give $4 to $9 billion per year mostly to K-12 public schools and community colleges throughout the state. This is not a new tax, but rather a continuation of Prop. 30 that passed in 2012 and is currently set to expire in 2018. Prop. 55 would extend this Prop. 30 tax until 2030 to make sure public schools receive more funding. An individual earning over $263,000 annually will be facing increased income tax rates. Supporting this proposition are organizations such as the California Teachers Association, Association of California Health Districts, along with many school districts and school boards within the state. Opposing Prop. 55 are groups like the California Republican Party, California Taxpayers Association, National Federation of Independent Business, Kersten Institute for Governance & Public Policy, and California State Senator John Moorlach.
Organizations like Yes on 55 help promote their beliefs through webpages and short video infomercial films. Courtesy of Yes on 55.
Pro:
San Dieguito Union High School District’s School Board President Beth Hergesheimer supports Proposition 55 in order to keep school funding as high as it can be. When Prop. 30 began in 2012, the state of California was coming off of multiple years with lower funding: “California schools are poorly funded when compared to the rest of the country,” Hergesheimer said. “Prop. 30 has provided our school district with approximately $200 per student or close to $2.5 million per year that our district currently uses to hire teachers.” Also, no taxes are raised at all. “Prop. 55 maintains current tax rates on the wealthiest Californians to ensure couples earning more than $500,000 a year continue paying
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Oragnizations such as the California Republican Party and Chamber of Commerce opposing Prop 55 call it a “Taxpayer Ripoff.” Courtesy of No On Proposition 55. their share [of taxes],” said supporters in the state voters handbook. Hergesheimer said she hopes that California will “move to more stable funding methods, both in how it generates its income and how it funds our schools,” as the state’s budget system is “volatile.” “We have always made every effort to keep budget cuts away from
the classroom if at all possible...protecting one area might mean larger cuts in a different direction... These could include everything from facilities maintenance and transportation services to teacher hiring, class size, student support services...and staff,” Hergesheimer said.
Cons:
When Prop. 30 was proposed
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in November, 2012, the state was coming out of a recession and had a strict budget. Gov. Jerry Brown said the tax on high-income earners would be temporary, and that the money would go to school districts to prevent severe budget cuts. Voters approved the short-term tax hike. Under Prop. 55, those temporary taxes are now set to be extended 12
years from their termination date. “We have a surplus of billions of dollars in revenue and 10 billion in a reserve fund that can be spent on any purpose,” said David Wolfe, legislative director of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. The HJTA was founded in 1978 to protect taxpayer rights, as well as ensuring that tax dollars are put to good use. “We may have been coming out of a recession in 2012, but you certainly can’t say that now.” “Revenue will continue to go up even if Prop. 55 does not pass,” Wolfe said. “There’s still going to be more money in the state general fund... even if Prop. 55 does not pass.” Since these taxes weren’t meant to last, the opponents of Prop. 55 believe that the taxs should be lifted, especially since the “state budget is balanced...[with] a $2.7 billion surplus and over $9.4 billion in budget reserves.” “You have [people] running around saying that there’s going to be less money for schools if Prop. 55 isn’t approved. That’s not true at all,” Wolfe said. “There’s nothing in Prop. 55 [that] forces any money to go to education.” All of the $9 billion could go elsewhere and no money at all could go to any school district, he said. The Legislative Analyst states that after the “constitutional amendments” are fulfilled, any leftover money received from the tax “would be available for any state budget purpose,” according to the state voters handbook In addition to this, opponents in the handbook say that “Official budget estimates ...show that higher taxes are NOT needed to balance the budget and fully fund schools. California can fund education [and other causes] without new or higher taxes.” “I think [Prop. 55 is] awful for the economy and businesses in particular,” Wolfe said. “It’s completely unnecessary.”
oct. 07
the mustang
Surpassing Scores
English and math scores go up this year
The 2016 CAASPP test scores shows SDA the positives and places to improve. By Jenna Weinhofer.
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he CAASPP test scores thatwere released this summer showed that SDA improved even more than last year. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) replaced Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) in the 2014 and 2015 school year; thus, this test, that is proctored on the computer to juniors in May, was new to many students. SDA Principal Bjorn Paige said that these tests are important to SDA because it gives them an understanding of where they are academically; but, he said that “no number defines SDA; the culture and students do.
2015 versus 2016 Scores
In 2016, the scores showed that 89 percent of SDA students in English and 64 percent in math scored in between “Standard Met” and “Standard Exceeded” while only 79 percent in English and 58 percent in math met those categories in 2015. Paige said that these scores are “a snapshot of what is going on that day and that week with those students.” Likewise, he said that the scores of these two are some what uncomparable because new juniors take test each year, and that it is hard to define how well SDA is doing academically through this one test. However, he said one reason for “[the better results] could be that our students are more familiar with the computer testing, and the implementation of it.” This is why the district has transitioned from pencils to using computers. They want to replicate the new testing environment being adapted. Kerri Leonard, English teacher and English Department Co-chair, said taking these tests was beneficial because “students are asked in college and in work to do things on the computer.” She also mentioned that the topics the CAASPP gives to stu-
oct. 07
dents requires more critical analysis and how to correlate multiple pieces of text into one coherent piece. English teacher and English Department Co-chair Robert Ross also said that the implementation of technology during tests is crucial for what the future upholds. Technology is a productive way to communicate with other people and be creative and innovative, he said. This generation was lucky to have grown up with technology because the shift from paper to computers was a lot easier than they thought it would be, he added.
SDA finished behind CCA, but ahead of LCC and Torrey Pines
Other School’s Scores
In comparison to the high schools in the San Dieguito District, SDA did well, cumulatively scoring second to CCA in the “Standard Met” and “Standard Exceeded” category. While SDA got 89 percent in English and 64 percent in math, CCA received 92 percent in English and 80 percent in math. Paige said he was glad that our school performed well in general, but he said that comparing SDA with the other schools is hard because the demographics are different. “You can look at what are predictors of how well students will do on tests, and one of the bigger [predictors] between schools is family income. . .But with all the situations, we look at what we need to do at SDA to make it the best place for all our students and support them,” he said. Also, Laura Bennett, an English teacher and the English Language Learner Director, said that she has noticed that there is a trend in family income between her English college prep classes and her English honors classes. She said that “some students, when they are younger, do not have the same opportunities as others. If there, for instance, is not someone home to help you in first grade, then you will miss all that curriculum and be behind everyone else.” It is their job to help students close the achievement gap as possible, said Bennett. Likewise, they said that these scores gives the initiative
English Only Speakers scored higher than English Learners
The results were found on the website for California Department of Education. Graphs by Jenna Weinhofer. that the staff need to work together to make SDA the best learning environment for everyone.
English Learners versus English Only
English Learners make up a part of SDA’s student body. On the test in 2016, there was a difference of 64
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percent in English and 65 percent in math between English Learners and English Only Speakers. Bennett said that these scores show how “when reading the questions and answering them, you have to have some level of English to do it proficiently.” At SDA, the staff adopted Eng-
lish Language Development (ELD) standards to help improve English literacy. Their goal is to “make the curriculum accessible to all types of learners,” and, ultimately, help English Learners develop a good understandment of English.
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the mustang
Staff Editorial: Props to the Pot Prop
The Mustang believes that California should legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults over the age of 21.
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s November approaches, one of the hottest topics being discussed is Prop. 64, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. On one end of the spectrum, you have people arguing that allowing the Schedule I drug to become legal will be detrimental to California, while at the other end, you have others claiming that it’s time we change society’s perception of pot to acknowledge that it isn’t as dastardly a drug as it’s made out to be. The Mustang supports Prop. 64, and believes that marijuana should be legalized. Hold on, we know what you’re all thinking: “Well, of course a bunch of reckless teenagers are going to support the legalization of mari-
juana; all they want to do is smoke pot!” However, Prop. 64 would fight the corruption within the criminal justice system, support the Black Lives Matter movement, decrease the power that drug lords and cartels hold, and, after all, still make it illegal for teenagers to use the drug. There is a bigger-picture aspect to this debate. Marijuana possession and distribution charges are out of hand in our justice system. We’ve got people receiving lengthy sentences simply for possessing marijuana, while actual criminals such as Brock Turner serve meager sentences of three months for rape and sexual assault. Our prisons are overcrowded, which only falls back onto taxpayers and requires more tax money to
maintain. Ironically, rightist Republicans are oftentimes the ones who oppose the legalization of marijuana, and yet they constantly complain of high taxes. This is a simple fix. Also, the FBI/Uniform Crime Report shows that African Americans are incarcerated for possession of marijuana at a rate that is dramatically higher than white people are. The criminal justice system is one of the fundamental aggressors against the Black Lives Matter movement, so legalizing marijuana would eliminate people of color being unjustly incarcerated for marijuana-related charges. Ultimately, it’s time for California to wake up—marijuana isn’t going to disappear. Marijuana has
been illegal for years, and it hasn’t made people any less addicted to it; it hasn’t made its use any less widespread. Rather than punishing users for a victimless crime, we should legalize the drug and devote our efforts towards regulating the industry and strengthening our rehabilitation programs, because that’s what’s going to make our state safer. That will instigate some actual change. Powerful drug lords and cartels will be significantly diminished, and people suffering from addiction will, for once, have real opportunity for rehabilitation and recovery. We are not encouraging all Californians to go out and smoke marijuana, but we can argue that the overall benefits from simply mak-
ing the drug legal would be more substantial than any negative repercussions. This proposition isn’t going to lead to teenagers rushing to purchase cannabis—marijuana would still be illegal for teenagers. The reason why we still feel compelled to support Prop 64, though, is because its outcome has the potential to seriously affect our society, and we live in this society. We don’t want to grow up in a state where drug cartels are rampant and African Americans are persecuted at unjust rates. That’s why we are passionate about the proposition. The staff editorial represents the collective voice of The Mustang staff members in reference to current events.
Stanford Stands For The Wrong Cause
Stanford University claims that it’s addressing sexual assault on campus, but really looks to alcohol as a scapegoat. By Linnea Leidy.
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Photo Illustration by Austin Dilley.
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f you get into a car crash, and it happens to be a Tuesday, do you then proceed to blame the incident on the fact that it’s a Tuesday? Do you decide to solve the problem by declaring Tuesdays a major issue, and try to ban Tuesdays from the week? The answer to that should be a very blatant, “no.” Well, that’s the course of action that Stanford University has decided to take in response to the Brock Turner rape case. Turner, an honors student at Stanford University, was convicted of raping an unconscious girl behind a dumpster on campus. In court, Turner blamed his egregious behavior on alcohol, whining, “I made a mistake, I drank too much, and my decision hurt someone ... my poor decision making and excessive drinking hurt someone that night.” Turner was then sentenced to a meager six months in jail—a punishment that he only served half of. If his absolutely ridiculous consequence wasn’t bad enough, Stanford’s reaction to the case wasn’t any better. The school announced that hard alcohol would be banned from campus in an effort to limit reckless, crude behavior. Shall we revisit the car crash example? You can’t blame Tuesdays for a completely unrelated event, just like you can’t blame alcohol for a crime that was completely within your control. If alcohol was the root of the issue of sexual assault, then we’d
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all be hiding in our houses with the doors locked because there are millions of people who consume alcohol every day. However, those same people don’t go out and rape others. Turner has no one to blame for his actions but himself. The victim of his assault put it eloquently in her public letter, writing, “‘You were not wrong for drinking. Everyone around you was not sexually assaulting me. You were wrong for doing what nobody else was doing.’” So, now that we’ve established that the only issue in this case is Turner’s decision to take advantage of an unconscious woman lying behind a dumpster, let’s address how Stanford University responded to all of the controversy. The natural course of action would be to take a in-depth look at the rape culture at the school, perhaps examine the policies and the way that the issue is discussed on campus. That would be the minimum action. Did Stanford do that? No. Instead, they decided to essentially stand behind Turner’s statements and ban hard alcohol, taking the blame off of the rapist and placing it on alcohol as a scapegoat. Take a second to think about what kind of twisted message that sends. It tells potential perpetrators that it’s okay if they slip up and accidentally engage in “twenty minutes of bad action;” It wasn’t really their fault; It was the alcohol messing with their mind. It tells victims that the
actions of those who violated them are excusable. It tells society to take rape less seriously, because after all, it’s the alcohol that’s really to blame. It’s easy enough to read about this situation and think, “Well, that was at Stanford, it doesn’t apply to me.” In actuality, this issue hits close to home for everyone, regardless of age and regardless of gender. This isn’t a rare occurrence. When asked about the situation in an interview, SDA Counselor Anne Neblon said, “...the Stanford example of the rape case happens all the time...date rape happens to kids on this campus. I know that for a fact.” She said that she is interested in seeing the impact that the alcohol ban has on the Stanford campus, and the possible conversations it generates. I think that the worst part of all of these factors is Stanford’s role in it all, because there are always going to be rude, ignorant people who will voice rude, ignorant opinions, and there are always going to be criminals who will rape and assault others. However, Stanford University, being the prestigious school that it is, has the opportunity to use their platform to spread awareness about rape and sexual assault, but instead they’re choosing to excuse perpetrators’ actions and scapegoat alcohol instead. Stanford needs to get its priorities straight, because I can already say that because of their actions, they won’t be receiving my college application this fall.
oct. 07
the mustang
Mind Your Manners Some people have a hard time with basic human decency when it comes to ordering their food. By Sophie Peeler.
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ike a substantial number of other high schoolers looking to make money, I work a minimum wage job that involves a lot of customer service. And like a substantial number of other high schoolers, I’ve also encountered every kind of customer you can imagine, from the quirky and talkative to the solemn and silent. Most customers are manageable, and even enjoyable to serve (especially when they leave a good tip!). But rarely does a work day go by that one of my coworkers or I don’t have to deal with a patron that makes our skin crawl, our blood boil, and our patience deplete. You know what I’m talking about: rude customers. Not to generalize or anything, but the rudest people I’ve had to serve always tend to be middle aged; I’ve also dealt with an equal number of super nice and friendly middleaged people. All I’m saying is that most of the less-than-cooperative customers I’ve served tend to be parent-aged people that act like they do in the student parking lot, thinking that they can stop in the middle of the street to drop off their kid and
everyone else is obligated to find a way around them. Let me give you an example: when someone walks in with their family of seven into the restaurant where I work, and then another lone customer walks in behind them, the family’s order will probably be taken before the lone customer’s. Any idiot could guess, though, that the single person is going to get his meal before the family will receive theirs. Why is that? Well, if we’re going off basic logic, it takes longer to make seven meals than to make one. Seems simple, right? Not to the two parents of that family, who start complaining that they should get their food first since they ordered first. News flash: we’re not going to make every other customer wait so that we can get every employee to slave over your gigantic order. And then, once people get their food, there’s the chance that they’ll find something wrong with it and go absolutely ballistic. Believe me, BALLISTIC. One woman once started screaming at our girl on the register for bagging her food wrong.
She went on to yell insults at her in front of all the other customers. By the end, our employee was on the verge of tears. Mistakes happen, and it’s perfectly reasonable for people to bring back their meal and ask if we can fix something that was done wrong, or remake the food. We’re always happy to fix our mistakes. What’s NOT reasonable is for them to toss their botched food in our faces and demand we remake it, spouting insults as we try to figure out what they’re complaining about. Sure, maybe you’re having a rough day and the last thing you needed was the day-ruining inconvenience of having your meal being made with a mistake (there are people dying the world...). Maybe the last thing you needed was for us to forget to put mayo and mustard on your sandwich. But before you start blowing steam out of your ears, take a look around you. Is the restaurant packed to capacity, with a line out the door? Are the employees rushing around behind the counter, their hands never falling still, their faces glistening with sweat? Do you see people similar to yourself, adding to
Being kind to the people serving your food will cost you a grand total of: $0.00 Photo illustrated by Austin Dilley. the employees’ stress? Being a kind and patient person only costs you a grand total of $0.00. There may be a deeper aspect to this. Because I only work with other teenagers, I’ve only witnessed the ongoing disrespect for teenage employees. Coincidentally, people don’t really like teenagers in general. As everyone knows, we’re reckless driv-
ers, we make impulse choices, and underage drinking and doing drugs is a routine part of our day. So, obviously, we’re terrible workers unworthy of any customer’s respect. Right? Maybe not. The lesson here: just because you’re paying someone for a service does NOT mean you get an excuse to be a rotten human being.
Persistence Over Perfection
Girls constantly see their confidence suffer due to the pressure put on them to be perfect. By Nadia Ballard
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ou’re in school to learn. You have four classes a semester and in each class. If you’re confused in class you have a book and a teacher; both are there to aid your learning- to clear up any misunderstanding. So if that’s the case then why can’t I raise my hand in class to ask a question? Why do I feel so stupid for not understanding? Why do I feel like I’m the only one who isn’t following? Girls have been indoctrinated to be perfect- and not just in appearance, they have been taught to fear failure. Not only has this been instilled into girls from a young age, but this drive for perfection allows no room for mistakes and creates a toxic environment for female students. This poorly affects their academic performance in school, and if girls are never supposed to fail how
oct. 07
Goofy boy feels no pressure to ask question while the girls else around him does. Photo illustration by Austin Dilly. are they supposed to learn? Girls meet confusion in class with lapses in understanding on the test later on. Terror over showing others that they don’t understand a concept in science is what leads girls to keep their hand down
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during class. Boys on the other hand are raised to be brave and strong. They are told to be persistent and never give up. Due to this they see failure as a motivator.Challenges are met with renewed vigor whereas girls are taught it’s better to not try at all rather than risk mistakes. However female power and its rising popularity teaches girls that they are capable of anything and everything. New Disney princess have moved passed damsels in distress; just look at “Brave” and “Frozen”, but girls are still inoculated with a need to be perfect. Children’s media, especially entertainment aimed at young girls has begun to emphasise roles models that that encourage girls. Nevertheless, with so much emphasis on girls to be strong, weakness becomes a trait that is used
against women. The stigma that comes with feeling and being powerless takes away the ability to be and make mistakes. While strides are being taken to give girls positive female role models, the character traits to be flawless and meek, from out-dated princesses like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty still permeate the ideals presented to young girls. Even though Disney has begun to change their ways, others haven’t and some ideas just can’t be put down. From the very beginning, girls are at a disadvantage due to the way they’re raised. A lack of bravery is what causes girls to develop problems with confidence. It’s about time we begin to question what we’re really telling girls is paramount and raise girls to be fearless rather than perfect.
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the mustang
Superhero Movies: Good or Evil?
Seniors Daniel Chagnon and Lucas Oldham argue the pros and cons of superhero movies.
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t is no question that Superhero movies consistently dominate the box office. It seems like everywhere you look there are advertisements for the next big Marvel or DC blockbuster. However, there are differing views on this phenomenon; some people think that the action-packed films serve as excellent entertainment, while others find the multi-million dollar movies to be an insult to the art of film. Luke: As a big fan of the cinema, there are some movies that I find thoroughly entertaining, and there are others that just don’t make the cut. I do enjoy most types of movies, but one thing I can consistently rely on when I go see a superhero movie is that I’ll be entertained. Daniel: Your point is one of stereotypical proportions, Lucas. By calling yourself a fan of cinema, you couldn’t possibly place the generic plots that constitute superhero movies on the same level as those of films that once defined the priceless art form of cinema. Luke: Whether you like it or not, Daniel, Superhero movies consistently dominate the box office; and for what reason? Why do so many people flock to the theaters to catch the newest Superhero epic? My guess would be because these action-packed films offer a great sum of entertainment for the viewer, and people walk out of the theater satisfied and eager to see more. Daniel: Oh Lucas, my little delicate blossom, you speak the truth in your statement of superhero dominance at the box office, but your guess as to why the public flocks to see these flicks is flagrantly false. Superhero franchises are supported by the endless supply of resources that companies such as Marvel and DC provide: several millions of extra dollars to fund marketing for their newest projects. So, no matter the quality of the films, people are essentially brain-
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Lucas Oldham (left) and Daniel Chagnon (right) are locked in an epic duel over superhero movies. Illustration by Devin Gaan washed to go see them after constantly being bombarded with billboards ads, online trailers, and TV commercials: luxuries unavailable to most deserving cinema. Luke: Daniel, it seems like your sentiments are derived from another source. From a business standpoint, if something is successful, and continues to be successful, there is no sense in stopping the production of it. These movies are immensely popular and it is only logical that Marvel and DC keep up with the ever-growing demand. In regards to your opinions on the quality of these admittedly abundant Superhero movies, I ask one question. If the plots of all superhero movies are as bland and dry as you say, then why is it that Marvel movies are so critically acclaimed? Daniel: Mr. Old-ham, you shouldn’t jump to conclusions regarding my views on big business. The point is, superhero franchises have become a monopoly in Hollywood characterized by their infinite potential to produce revenue through the exploitation of every comic book ever made, complemented by the endless releases of repetitive sequels. It is not only corrupting, but consuming the indus-
try, a point which you have yet to recognize. Thus, the nature of each movie’s critiques becomes irrelevant when one considers the nuclear impact of these franchises: they must be regulated to save the reputation of the silver screen. Luke: Daniel, your point is proven wrong when you look at the reviews of most DC movies, which typically don’t get strong ratings. And I also disagree with your stance on the monopolization of the industry. Yes, Marvel movies are very popular and they have the freedom to advertise as much as they want because of this. However, you must understand that no one is forced to see a superhero movie. There are plenty of other films available to see at the theater, but people choose to pay money to watch superhero movies: it is their choice. Daniel: So now, Professor Liberty, we must dissect the science of this whole thing. It’s a basic principle of social psychology that continuous exposure to something makes it a more conscious thought in the brain. Why would companies bother marketing at all if this wasn’t true? Film companies that are capable of advertising by means of mass media have the proven ability to attract
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larger crowds, and that is the threat I am talking about. But regardless of these logistics, I would like to preface one final question to you: what entertainment value do you find in these childish movies? Luke: I understand the basic principles of advertising that you laid out, and with that being said, I believe that there is nothing wrong with a company spreading their product, or in this case, their movie. The quality of each movie will vary, but it will be completely independent from the amount of advertising that it receives. And to answer your question, I find a perfect mix of nostalgic fulfillment, and also fresh, jaw-dropping action that consistently leaves me breathless. I come to the conclusion that you are just a harder person to please than most. Superhero movies are designed specifically to entertain a wide majority of people, regardless of age, yet you are not entertained by them. Maybe you are just stubborn, or you’re the one being childish. Daniel: Wow, I feel like I’m living an inception of a world: being called a child by a child. This confrontational conversation has started to take on a circular form. I’m afraid that we will produce no product of
agreement. You must accept my distaste for movies of this horrid genre, and I must accept your ignorant repudiation of basic statistics and principles of human nature. I am so sorry for the condition of your opinion, but even more so, fearful for the future of the art form I have loved for so long. R.I.P. Hollywood. May your beautiful history radiate in golden beams over the dark ages that are to come. Hopefully the world will come to its senses soon. I am no longer a man of reason, but a man of hope. I’m afraid hope is my last resort. Luke: Daniel Chagnon, a man of hope? I never thought I would see the day in which that comparison was made. Anyway, I guess your vision of the ideal film will fade away with the changing times. Every era of movies has it’s blockbuster hits, and today it is superhero movies. Who knows what tomorrow will hold? All I know is, you can either adapt and learn to enjoy the entertainment of today, or you can be left in the past to cherish outdated memories. While I respect the opinions you have presented, I humbly disagree with them. Until next time Mr. Chagnon… Daniel: If there is a next time…...
oct. 07
the mustang
Teenage struggles
The constant struggle teens face when trying to find places to go that aren’t 21+. By Taina Millsap
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he weekend. Finally, you’re with your friends and all you want to do is go somewhere different, have fun but nothing is open and a lot of concert houses won’t let you in unless you’re 21 +. That is the constant struggle of many teenagers who have their weekend plans crushed over lack of establishments that will admit them. Many teens agree that although high school years are exciting in many ways, they are still frustrating at times when you have few options of where to go on weekends. It sounds hypocritical when you tell 18 year olds they are adults but when they want to go out and have fun they have nowhere to go because they are considered too young to enter certain places, like certain concerts at the House of
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Blues, the Belly Up and other concert houses in downtown San Diego. Many adolescents have to even dislocate themselves to different cities to find places who will let them in. Student Ale Adame gave some insight on one of the issues she faces with Concert houses, she says “It’s really annoying trying to find things to do around town, especially if you’re feeling like doing something different. There are not many options which results [on] us [choosing] to do illegal things sometimes, because it gives us that same adventure feeling. Being restricted from being able to go into concert places has also been frustrating. For instance, my favorite singer from the U.K. plays in the belly up from time to time which is a short 10 minute drive
from my house. However because of the age restriction, when I choose to go to watch him live I have to drive all the way up to LA instead.” The fact that many concert houses and event establishments are 21+ is absurd because although the drinking age is 21 that is no reason to interfere with younger audiences entering for the other aspects like the music or the show. Young adults are the biggest audience to these types of places, so why not open it to a bigger age range? In places like the house of blues they open up to bigger age ranges for some concert, but they could evaluate and make that the majority, likewise with other concert houses like the belly up. The results are often that teenagers turn to illegal activities and things
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that could’ve been avoided if there were more establishments for young adult audiences. The lack of entertainment and places that will let kids in causes them to go to private parties or hang around places that are not the best for a young audience that’s character is still being built. Although teenagers will always be exposed to peer pressure and abuse of drugs and alcohol, it wouldn’t do any harm to give them safer places to hang out at during this time in their lives while they are still really impressionable. One of the difficulties we face in our country as teens is the fact that there is such a stigma around going out at night to concerts and events. Their impressionable minds start to see something forbidden as appealing and although it might not
be something they believe in for a long time it still affects their adult lives and sometimes causes tragic consequences. That is a big reason as to why they seek different options due to them not being allowed to go to many places that would’ve been safer than the options they choose. Since adolescents are at a time in their lives where they are more vulnerable and easily influenced by others they are more likely to get into dangerous and unwanted situations. As I see it, there should be more events that are planned with adolescents in mind, admitting a bigger range of ages and making concert houses open to most people, because in this world of craziness and AP classes, all teenagers would appreciate getting to see their favorite bands play live on the weekends.
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features
oct. 07
the mustang
Our Convoyage
It’s Saturday night, and you’re sitting at home, about to watch yet another episode of “Friends” (or “Grey’s Anatomy”. Or “Stranger Things”. Whatever you’re into). While we applaud you for your dedication to good television, it may be time to try something new. The night is young, and in the realm of San Diego, there’s much to do. Our advice for when you’re in this situation: grab some friends and head over to Convoy Street. If you don’t know what or where that is, Convoy Street is San Diego’s centeral hub for East and Southeast Asian food down in Clairemont Mesa.
SDA girls ate and sang their hearts out at Convoy Street. By Hana Chen and Layla Gantus.
After a struggle finding parking, we started our night at Tapioca Express for some of the best boba milk teas and snow bubbles in the world. We got a variety of unique flavors ranging from jasmine to black seasme. Then we sped down to Karaoke 101 to get our singing on. We had made a reservation for one small room over the phone a day before, and split the $30 cost between the six of us. For those with larger groups, medium and large rooms are also available. Due to parking and slow walking, we ended up being 15 minutes late for our 1 hour reserved time. However, the nice people that worked there let us have the full hour. Thanks Karaoke 101! At karaoke, we got to belt all our favorite Disney songs and throwbacks at the top of our lungs in the privacy of our own room. Colorful lights from a disco ball got us in the mood. There was a great variety of songs; one minute we were rapping “Fergalicious,” the next minute screeching “My Heart Will Go On.” If you see us around campus, we may or may not be willing to perform a rendition of “Breaking Free” from “High School Musical” for you. By the end, our voices were hoarse and cracking like an old lady’s hips. Then came a high-pressure decision to make: choosing where to eat. Convoy is home to the largest variety of the most authentic asian foods in San Diego. Some waits were over an hour. We ended up choosing Tofu House, a Korean restaurant. We were famished and ready for a meal, and were pleased to see that the entrees were only $9 to $10 each. The waiter immediately brought out small appetizers: traditional kimchi, spicy vegetables, and a mild option for the spice-sensitive patrons. The small portions were quickly consumed and we were left waiting for our meals. One meal item was the hot stones, traditionally called “bibimbap,” which are extremely hot rice bowls with different types of meats, vegetables, and seafood, depending on preference. The other was hot stews which were physically boiling in the pot, and came with rice to mix in. On our table were raw eggs that we could crack into the hot stones and stews. Pro tip: make sure to drown your egg in the food. Keep stirring so you can make sure the egg cooks all the way. We devoured everything in record time. When the bill came, we discovered that waiters don’t particularly like it when you tip $10 in coins.
Senior Hana Chen’s go-to drink is taro milk tea, which she always gets with baby boba, a miniature version of regular boba. Photo by Layla Gantus.
After dinner, despite not being able to fit into our pants, we just could not pass up on dessert. We risked our lives and sprinted across the bustling street to Iceskimo, which serves fluffy Taiwanese snow. Think of it as frozen yogurt and shaved ice combined, with delicious toppings. Our choices were Frozen Hot Chocolate and Cookie Monster, both of which we highly recommend. Why did the chicken cross the road? We have a feeling it might’ve been for Iceskimo. So if you can’t afford a plane ticket to Asia, just drive 30 minutes to Convoy Street, where the world of karaoke and new foods awaits you.
oct. 07
features
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the mustang
SD Grad Wins Newbery
Matt de la Peña grew up seeing the world through the eyes of a boy struggling with identity. His family moved from National City, a working class neighborhood bathed in the values of machismo, to Encinitas looking for a fresh start for de la Peña who had been getting into trouble at school. “I loved San Dieguito because it was the opposite of where I had come from,” de la Peña said. “It was so calm and everybody, from the first time I met them, was talking about college.” At San Dieguito, de la Peña was known as a basketball player, eventually earning a scholarship to play at University of the Pacific in Stockton. He wrote, but he kept his words to himself. “Throughout high school, I liked to write spoken word poetry that I showed to nobody,” de la Peña said. “It was mostly stuff about my old neighborhood and what it was like to be in a new neighborhood; it was about growing up mixed race, things like that.”
San Dieguito graduate Matt de la Peña is the first Latino male author to win prestigious book award. By Kate Sequeira.
Now an accomplished young adult author, de la Peña has continued to explore these themes. In January, he was named the Newbery Medal winner of 2016 for his picture book, “Last Stop on Market Street.” Last week, he visited San Diego State University, where he attended graduate school, to speak about his journey of becoming the first Latino male author to win a Newbery Medal, which is considered an Academy Award in the world of children’s literature. “It’s very complex I think,” de la Peña said. “The thing I’m most excited about is [going] to schools and [being] an example to young Hispanic males that maybe think writing isn’t for them and books aren’t for them, [saying] that here’s a place for us in this world too.” “Last Stop on Market Street” tells the story of a small boy named CJ and his grandmother. CJ’s grandmother shows him the good in things as he questions the world around him. “The book is really about the grandmother teaching the grandson to see himself as beautiful,” de la Peña said. “It’s you’re beautiful and worthy and she’s using the context to show him that.” When de la Peña first came up with CJ’s story, he focused mainly on CJ’s nontraditional family. Although his published piece does not dwell greatly on that part of CJ’s life, it is still evident. “Nobody would know this except me, but it’s when he has a dream sequence. He says he saw a family of hawks slicing through the sky,” de la Peña said. “So that’s the traditional family he’s dreaming about, that’s a call out to where his heart is and what he’s wondering about.” De la Peña emphasized the importance of diversity in books. “Now there’s the Newbery Sticker right next to CJ’s picture on the bus. So that’s pretty cool,” he said. “I think maybe a girl that’s four or five right now is less likely to have ill feelings about being Hispanic [or black] because what’s being reflected at her is a little bit more in tune with the population, not totally yet, but it’s getting there.”
“I think real people are fascinating. I usually write about people growing up in working class neighborhoods. I like to write about people struggling a little bit,” de la Peña said. Photo by Heather Waraska.
Before his talk, he held a meet and greet with students from local high schools. A student from High Tech High International commented on the idea of beauty, which he explores in “Last Stop on Market Street.” “[Growing up] as a kid, I saw beauty as the color of your skin, which was always white,” she said. “It was always Caucasian kids [in books and TV] growing up. That’s why I never really felt beautiful. [I felt like] I didn’t want to be Latina.” These themes are especially important to de la Peña in light of the issues surfacing with the coming election. “Some politicians are talking about building walls to keep people out,” he said. “How cool is it that there are some books that are reflecting the people who some people want gone.”
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features
oct. 07
the mustang
Leaving Home Hidden away in the heart of Encinitas, a group of refugee artists are working towards something truly amazing. Story and photo by Austin Dilley. The first glimpse of the Leichtag Refugee Artists-In-Residence program was something I was unaccustomed to: a barn repurposed into a modern Artist makerspace, with an ancient rusted combine adorning the outside next to a sign that reads, Refugee Artists-In-Residence, written in green Arabic letters. On the 65 and a half acre Leichtag Family Foundation ranch, above the Ecke YMCA and adjacent to the San Diego Botanical Gardens, a program between the Israeli artist Rafael Lomas and the Foundation has sprung
Adeeb Maki
Vistor’s at the Refugee Artist and Residence Building
Adeeb Maki When Adeeb was only 6 years old, he tried to draw a galloping horse. Wide eyed and overjoyed, he showed the drawing to his brother. His brother asked him, “Adeeb, is the horse running or standing?” “Well, it’s running,” he responded. “Well then, you can’t draw the horse with stiff legs,” his brother remarked. This is the first memory Adeeb has of art, a memory of home that has stayed with him through his adult life. “I had a rope around my neck, strangling me. I couldn’t do art, so I left Baghdad” he lamented. For seven years, he wrote and published children’s books while living in Jordan. Even though his situation was good, he chose to leave, choosing a safe home for his family. Once in America, he was able to truly become passionate about his art, painting scenes of home. But he missed what he had left; he missed Iraq. So he went back in 2006, 2010, and 2014 but he could never stay. For Adeeb, “Art is like love, you can’t make great art if you’re thinking about making art, it has to come from within you. It’s like love, you will never find it if you are looking for it, but if you are busy living your life your heart will call out to you, and you will find love”. Adeeb is creating plaster casts of suitcases to represent the refugees who have left everything behind, in hopes of finding a better home. Starting from his own suitcase, he’s situated them in scenes representing the transition from one home to another. The most poignant piece is a suitcase drowned in water to represent the refugees who drowned fleeing their homes. Through his project Adeeb is trying to show what refugees flee from, they flee from violence and war, but what they’re leaving behind is their homes, their lives, and everything they’ve ever known in hope of finding something better.
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up, with the goal of creating an invironment in which refugees can feel welcome. Through the Leichtag Foundation’s donation of the land and materials, Lomas has been able to begin working with Abdullah Taysan, a Syrian refugee, merely weeks after his arrival in the United States. With the help of two other artists, Olga Workman and Adeeb Mak, Lomas and the Leichtag Family Foundation are helping to redefine the face of the refugee crisis through artmaking. Their current project is exploring the idea of what home is.
Abdullah Tansay
Abdullah Tansay Abdullah is the center of this project, a syrian refugee artist working with an Israeli artist to create one final project. Abdullah has only been in America for four months, yet he has already built ties and created incredibly moving art. He was born and lived in Daraa, Syria on the border of Jordan. He worked as a crown molder creating decorative additions to people’s homes. In 2013, at the onset of the Syrian civil war, Assad (the current president of Syria) began brutally crushing any signs of rebellion within Daraa. Assad’s retaliation was brutal, forcing thousands of people from their homes and into refugee camps across the border in Jordan. Abdullah was one of these people. He traded his life, work, and home for a refugee camp in Jordan and the safety of his family. This camp is what he, his wife, and his four children, would call home for the next two and a half years. Now, nearly three years later, he is finally making a life for himself in the United States. His children are getting schooling, he has a roof over his head, and he doesn’t have to fear for his life, but it’s not his home. His children for the first time are receiving an education, something he never thought they would. However, it’s not Daraa. It’s not his home. For his first project with Raphael, he chose to construct a tree out of various, random materials he found while clearing out the barn. It’s a representation of the home he left behind, the trees, and the lushness that he remembers of Daraa. When he left, he didn’t know if he could ever make anything again. The tree not only represents his home, it also represent taking something that had died and breathing new life into it.
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the mustang
“One day during practice, Marco, Craig and I got a giant lemon from Craig’s house and brought it back to our coach Gordy… He liked it and appreciated it a lot.” -Senior Ross Urbina, Cross Country. Photo by Sophie Peeler.
“Practicing is a great way to end my day, I could be having the worst day, and still come here and make music. Even if the people are ***holes I still get to make music, and that’s what’s special.” -Senior Ryan Martinez, Personal Band: Almost Restricted. Photo by Austin Dilley.
“My partner and I generally lean to the right, politically, but we can argue for anything, so we won a round where we were arguing for Bernie Sanders, and it was just generally a very fun round.”- Jason Kessler (right) with junior Rokas Veitas (left), Speech and Debate. Photo by Linnea Leidy.
Practice, dude. The long, endless hours eventually pay off, and there’s always some fun along the way. Story by Sophie Peeler.
You know the mantra: Practice, practice, practice- that’s what makes perfect. For different people (especially SDA, where “different” is the best thing you can be), the word practice can mean a variety of activities and hobbies, a lot of which can say something about that person’s personality. Stepping onto campus late after school, you can see that practice doesn’t stop after classes end. From volleyball to theatre to Comedy Sports, there’s no shortage of performances and games to practice for. Even when the sun goes down, our students are working at late practices on the field, in the gym, in the PAC, and in classrooms. And even though they’re working, they’re also having fun. Some of the best stories people have are from team practices, where bizaare events can easily occur. These incidents, whether funny, embarrassing, or cringe-worthy, are often the source of team-bonding, giving everyone a notable memory.
“I got to eat on stage, so during one of the shows I took a bite and peanut butter got stuck in my teeth and I said all my lines with a lisp.”- Senior Thea Farber (left) with junior Lawrynce Cecio (right), Theatre. Photo by Olivia Olander.
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Practice, while often considered a pass-time or after school hobby, is actually an integral part of what helps SDA maintain its creative environment that encourages students to pursue their passions.
“Once during practice, a couple of kids and I were sent away during this game where we were going to guess things, and decided to sneak off to 7-Eleven to get slurpees. The rest of our team was looking for us for 15 or 20 minutes before they just gave up. We came strolling back to practice with our slurpees in hand.” -Senior Daniel Magnuson, Comedy Sports. Photo by Sophie Peeler.
“The best part [of band] is all the time we spend playing things that aren’t our instruments”-Junior Lilia Welsh, School Band. Photo by Austin Dilley.
features
“I usually prefer to practice in my boxers.” - Brendan Hall, Instrumental Music. Photo by Patrick Hall.
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the mustang
Screenshot from Target’s back to school commercial that Jantzen directed.
Jantzen says, “ Don’t stop doing what you love to do.”
Claire Jantzen: Target of Attention Senior directs commercial for Department store setting high standards for future. By Taina Millsap. Imagine having your childhood dreams come true by the time you’re 17. That is what happened to senior Claire Jantzen, who got to direct a TV commercial that aired this summer for Target in an all-kids production of a back to school campaign. Jantzen got into photography when she was 11 years old, and ever since her artistic family has supported her in pursuing her dreams in this field. Social media helped her start taking pictures and videos on her phone and posting them on Instagram. After a while, it evolved. This year, Jantzen worked with Target as part of a small group of kids and teens who did everything from directing to writing the department store’s new back to school TV commercials. The production was a big back to school campaign and Jantzen could not disclose anything about the details before its launch. Jantzen got selected to be one of the directors for Target’s back to school campaign, through her production company, Adolescent. During the process they pitched a handful of editors to Target and then their agency chose who they wanted to work with based on their past projects and portfolios. The idea of the project was to have each commercial based on a story written by a kid, focusing on school supplies and all the creative things that could be done with them. It concentrated on how to go above and beyond and use these supplies in uncommon ways bringing out kid’s creative sides. During the project she had to balance school and work, all while being secretive about this huge part of her life. “I had been working with them for about three, four months straight so it was kind of crazy working with such a huge company and then going to school,” Jantzen said. “It was hard to balance and [also] I couldn't tell anyone …
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but it was amazing working with such experienced people.” The group of kids Jantzen worked with this summer taught her a lot, and reminded her of her classmates at SDA: “Here at SDA a lot of times you work so closely with people who have the same passion as you … so when I was on set it was so much fun to see that again and it felt like home to see kids with other passions working together.” Throughout this project Jantzen learned a lot about group work by collaborating with others while sharing a common goal: “It’s so cool to collaborate with people who are all putting in their efforts to do exactly what you're doing … It all comes together as one big thing and it's so cool to watch it from start to finish.” Jantzen has faced some obstacles during the beginning of her career. “The past couple years it’s been really challenging to keep up with social media and its pressures to post things that people want you to post instead of what you want to make for yourself,” she said. “It’s been hard to stay true to my vision and posting for me instead of for the likes and followers.” Currently, Jantzen is working on a web series telling simple but important stories that speak to her, all within a minute. She wants to pursue film as a career, and although she doesn't know where she will be in 10 years, she knows she wants to be doing something that moves her, like telling meaningful stories and staying true to herself. Many kids at SDA have very strong passions and drive to pursue what they love. Just like them, Janzten is passionate and will stop at nothing to do her best to succeed in what she loves: “Just don’t stop doing what you love to do, whether you're a director or a writer or take photos ...even if it's not creative, if it's a sport or academics. If it's something you have an interest in, just don’t stop because the only person who's going to stand in the way is you.”
features
oct. 07
the mustang
SAVE SA SAV E TRIPLE HAUNT ADMISSION on
TRIPLE HAUNT HAUNTADMISSION ADMISSION with valid SDA Student ID
ADMISSION INCLUDES OUR
3 MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
The screams start on SEPTEMBER 30 and continue on select dates through OCTOBER 31.
Present valid SDA Student ID at the Box Office • One discount ticket per ID.
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oct. 07
features
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the mustang
All The (R)age
A look into San Diego’s best all-ages concert venues. By Kieran Zimmer.
I
t was a tragic experience. A little notification popped up on my phone’s lock screen from Songkick, letting me know that the Oregonian folk/dark metal outfit Agalloch (a band very close to my heart) was playing a show in the San Diego area. Not only does Agalloch not tour often, but their live shows are said to be incredible. Never one to let a concert slip through my fingers, I hopped on my phone, searching desperately for tickets. Within a few minutes I had located the website from which tickets were sold, and was preparing to purchase them when it hit me. This show was at the Casbah. The Casbah doesn’t let anyone in who is under 21. Defeated, I let the news settle in that I was missing the opportunity to see this band, which I absolutely love, perform. And then a couple of months ago, I heard the news that Agalloch had broken up. No more of the folksy, post-black-metal-leaning music I had come to know and love, and no more chances to see them perform. All because of one venue’s policy to not admit anyone too young to legally drink. This is the story of the venues and art spaces which take the pains to save young music fans from that experience. A small group of venues in the greater San Diego area has committed their spaces to an always-all-ages policy, ensuring that fans of all years have a chance to attend live music events. Over the years, these venues have moved location or even faced the threat of closure, but despite this, Soma, The
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Melissa Brooks, singer of Los Angeles surf-pop/punk act The Aquadolls, gets friendly with her fans at Soma San Diego. Photo by Kyrianna Tarr. CHE (Cheap Healthy Eats) Cafe, and the Irenic continue to provide shows that are fun, memorable, and welcoming to all audiences.
Why Go All-Ages?
At a pop or arena rock show, everyone can expect pricey tickets, expensive food/drink, and a seat that puts them what might as well be miles away from the performer. However, is not the way most young people prefer to experience concerts. “These venues I go to are beaten up, smoky and confined,” said SDA Alumni Devon McCrea. “You walk in the main entrance to a darkly lit room, you have to maneuver from people laying and sitting on the ground, the stage is small, and the sound of the instruments are subpar. However, the people going to these shows are not going there for the looks of the place. We go there for the community. I know the people around me will pick me up if I fall in the pit, will catch me if I stage dive, will take care of me when I’m hurt. There is this sense of unspoken connectivity I get at shows that isn’t easily felt anywhere else.”
For the reasons mentioned above, any concert at a small club has so much more to offer than any large arena. Sure, maybe you’ll have a technical difficulty or two, and the lights might leave a little something to be desired, but smaller clubs give a higher level of intimacy that’s nearly unattainable anywhere else. I don’t think any attendee of an arena concert has been able to hop onstage
are perfect examples of the intimacy and sense of unity that smaller, friendlier spaces are able to provide.
The CHE Cafe
Our story begins on the UCSD campus, in a shack that couldn’t stand out more from the drab grey concrete that makes up most of the school. Nestled among the eucalyptus trees in a lonely corner of the campus sits a small, colorful building, adorned with portraits of artists and far-left political slogans. “No gods, no masters” anyone? By day The CHE Cafe serves as an entirely volunteerrun collective, serving vegan food and providing a meeting place for anyone interested in radical politics. By night, the CHE is a legendary pillar of the San Diego punk community, having hosted such artists as Green Day, Rise Against, Converge, and Andrew Jackson Jihad. The venue is uncompromisingly all-ages, drug free, and anti-violent, according to volunteer Danell Zepeda. Despite multiple efforts by the UCSD campus to shut the space down, it has managed to persevere for over 35 years and
“...the people going to these shows are not going there for the looks of the place. We go there for the community.” -Devon McCrea post-show and give a band member a hug without getting tackled by security. However, at places like the CHE Cafe, this is common practice. “I’ve been going to shows regularly since I was a freshmen [in] high school,” said McCrea. “My favorite memories are when I am at a show seeing one of my favorite bands with my best friend and we know all the lyrics to every song they play. We scream out the lyrics in each others face, hold each other close and don’t let go till the song has ended.” Memories like these
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has no plans to stop in the future. The CHE’s volunteers are not only passionate about music, but about preserving their local scene as well, and providing an alternative to bigger arenas and 21+ clubs. “I think it’s vital to have all-ages venues because it’s what our scene depends on. The main audience of shows is teenagers and making a show have an age restriction is just a terrible idea,” said Zepeda. “Kids would do anything to see their favorite band live and when they see a show is 21+ it’s such a sad feeling. By having all-ages shows, it keeps the local scene alive by allowing kids to see the artists that have inspired them for so long. Also, it helps with creating a much more inclusive space for everyone of all-ages.” Any show at the CHE Cafe is an experience that any attendees won’t be able to forget. Depending on the genre, fans can expect anything from people hanging from the rafters, stage-diving, crowd surfing, and sometimes moshing on the stage. In addition to band merch from whatever act is performing, a great selection of local zines is always available, ranging from poetry to activism to vegan recipes. Not to mention, food is always available for purchase and water is free!
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the mustang “I think our safe space policy along with no alcohol or drugs sets us apart from many other venues in San Diego” said Zepeta. “We’ve created a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone to be able to come to which a lot of other spaces seem to fall short on.” “I personally am a huge fan of the CHE Cafe” said Severson. “The main room isn’t even as big as the Mosaic, but they absolutely pack people in there. It’s probably a huge fire hazard. The size is really what appeals to me just because it’s so personal.” Another great aspect regarding all-ages shows is that they provide no shortage of memorable experiences. Junior Sam Goldsmith recalled when he saw the band PUP, and witnessed “Stefan Babcock (vocalist) help a girl stage dive off his shoulders in a garage that was ten feet tall.” Any shenanigans of this type could never have occurred in a 21-and-up club or arena, and it has nothing to do with the fact that they can serve alcohol. All-ages concerts are simply more fun, and allow fans to interact with the band in ways that are unattainable anywhere else.
Kick Out the Slams
While on the topic of audience participation, all ages venues can’t be talked about without mentioning moshing and slam-dancing. “It’s the ultimate freedom of expression,” said junior Jack Severson. “You can just feel the music and just move the way the songs push you. Plus, if you’re not feeling the music, it’s fun to run in circles and body slam people to reduce that caloric intake.” But the fun doesn’t stop there. One great all-ages show can be the defining moment for what someone will listen to for the rest of their lives. As Goldsmith said, “I just think that more exposure is always good for young people, to anything, and one show can be...what gets you into liking music, liking a certain kind of music, playing music, and I just think that that’s a kind of culture that should be more embraced than the idea of [waiting until you’re 21]”
Soma San Diego
The next stop on our journey brings us to Soma San Diego, which is self described as a “legendary punk and hardcore concert venue”, often featuring acts on the more extreme side of things, specifically metal and punk. Sure, the walls and the floor are a bit grimy, and maybe the sound leaves a little something to be desired, but no one should dismiss this space as sub-par. Over the years Soma has had a total of three locations scattered around downtown San Diego, but that hasn’t deterred them from delivering quality all-ages at prices high schoolers can afford. The
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Jakob Nowell of Long Beach rock group LAW feeling the power of the riff. Photo by Kieran Zimmer. venue has, in the past, hosted acts ranging from Black Flag to Pierce the Veil and everything in between, and subsequently has gained a reputation as a premier club for all sorts of rock, punk, and metal acts. Soma also features a mainstage and side stage, allowing for local acts to perform without the risk of having to sell too many tickets, as well as having a larger space for more wellknown touring bands. The sidestage also lacks a barrier in the front row, which, depending on the concert, can enable audience members to stage-dive without consequence and crowd-surf onto the stage. “At a Soma show...you get to be right up there with the band playing, you can look at their face and see their eyes” said McCrea. “You feel so connected with the band that is playing, like they are playing for you. You can’t get an experience like that with a band you love if they are playing in a large venue.” One example of a memorable experience at Soma was shared by Severson, who recounted his experience seeing local band The Garden perform; “They’re two brothers who invented their own type
of music called vada vada. It’s like spoken word poetry over a sort of eerie atmospheric instrumental. When they play live they’re running around the stage and doing karate moves and somersaults and [stuff]. It was insane and one of my most memorable all ages experiences.” Soma, although sweaty and leaning on the side of grimy-ness, is a staple venue. It seems sometimes that nearly everyone remotely interested in music has been to or heard of the place. Just like the other venue previously mentioned, it offers an excellent place for young musicians to play, local acts to perform, and for fans of all ages and backgrounds to congregate.
Broken Scene
While on the subject of younger musicians and their contributions to our scene, this brings to light more problems that 21+ music venues pose. The first and most apparent is that it’s nearly impossible for underage artists to play at any of these places, only limiting their options to get their names out and into the world. Furthermore, it also makes it unnecessarily difficult for local artists to support each other if they can’t
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attend each other’s concerts. “It’s a bummer” said singer-songwriter Lizzie Waters, a junior at SDA. “I have a lot of friends who will be playing shows at the Belly Up, and I’m going to want to go to support them, but I can’t because it’s 21 and older.” This not only presents problems for local fans, but it compromises the spirit of unity that should be present between local artists as well.
The Irenic
Before we journey to North Park for the final stop on this journey, I have to ask, have you ever moshed in a church? Would you ever want to? If you answered yes to either of these questions, The Irenic might just be the venue for you. The Irenic is, you guessed it, a church. This space holds services on Sundays as well as some other times, but by night the space gets rented out to the Casbah and holds all manner of all-ages concerts! The vibe is highly intimate, allowing for audiences to see artists play from much closer than many 21+ clubs would allow. Even though concerts are hosted inside a house of God, that doesn’t stop crowds from dancing, swaying, moshing, and stage-diving
however they please. Another aspect that sets the Irenic apart from other all-ages venues (besides the whole church thing) is that it actually serves alcohol! If any patrons of the event are of 21 years or older, they can purchase beer or wine for prices much lower than $10 Bud Light sold in huge arenas. The Irenic, not unlike The CHE Cafe and Soma, is important to our local scene because it is unique and offers its own unique take on what a music venue can or cannot be. It’s a prime example of a welcoming and accessible space for young fans and musicians, which seems to be a common theme among the purposes of these venues. Without all-ages venues, our local scene would be essentially nonexistent. In a world where most underground bands have fan bases consisting largely of millennials and younger people, 21+ venues deprive hordes of young music fans of the opportunity to see their favorite bands. Places like The CHE Cafe, Soma, and the Irenic have managed to pump life into the scene for years and years, and they are showing no signs of stopping.
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the mustang
Concert Tips: Show and Tell
As you plan to attend your next concert, check out what you should know before you go. By Mary Ford
General Admission vs Seated Ticket
When going to a concert, the audience will either be entirely standing, in seats, or in a mix of both. There are different dynamics to both. Sophomore Kristin Komar said, “When you have seats, there’s a lot more personal space. I feel like everyone keeps to themselves. With general admission concerts, there is no personal space. You are all pushed up against each other and by the end of the show you have someone else’s sweat on you. But you get to enjoy it more because you get much more into the music.”
Singer Lynn Gunn of the alt rock band Pvris performs at the House of Blues in San Diego. Photo by Luke Sparrow. Frontman Mario Cuomo of The Orwells performs stunts for a enthusiasic crowd. Photo by Mary Ford.
ham. “Half the bands I’m into now I didn’t even know until I saw them live. You can make a fun time out of any concert.”
Energy
A pair of general admission tickets. Photo by Kieran Zimmer.
Pricing
Depending on the concert, the price of tickets can vary steeply. Junior Luke Sparrow said, “If you are going to go see One Direction, the price is like $100. If you are going to see a metal band, it’s like $15. Metal is the most common concert to go to. It’s less expensive and there are a good amount of metal kids at SDA. If you want to afford it, get a job. I have a job.” Junior Kennady Tracey said, “Most of the concerts I go to aren’t that expensive. So, I just save up for the ones I want to go to.”
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The energy at a concert can make or break the experience. The audience relies on the band to set the tone of the night, but the band also relies on the audience to keep the hype they create moving and flowing. Sparrow said, “Jump. Headbang. [Don’t] stand there in the audience with your arms crossed, giving the death stare.” “Or you are singing along and jumping around to the music [if it is a larger band],” said Komar. “Sometimes I feel like I am screaming the lyrics back at the singer rather than singing along. The screaming is more fun, but both are good.” Junior Sam Goldsmith, a member of the garage band Rubenstein Drive-By, said “It’s reassuring to see the crowd showing that they are actually present. Dancing is excessive, but grooving and being social is good. It’s a collective space for people to come together and enjoy the music and the moment, enjoy themselves.They should take advantage of that.” However, knowing the band is isn’t a requirement. “You definitely don’t need to know any bands at a concert,” said Senior Laura Dun-
An example of being front-middle in the crowd. Photo by Mary Ford.
Choosing a Spot
If the venue isn’t assigned seating, there is no guarantee of a great spot. Visibility of the band might even be in question. Dunham said, “I always arrive early to a concert to ensure getting a good spot if I want to be in the front. Also it’s just fun to see concert friends before the doors open.” “No matter what the opening band is, I’m obviously going for the headlining band,” said Komar. “I’ll try to get there kind of early, even sit
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through all the opening bands in order to get my spot on the barricade, be as close to the band as I can.” Dunham said, “I like to stand front-middle for bands I really love. It’s insane to be so close to a band and interact with them. Otherwise, I like to stand on the side so I can lean on the wall when my feet start hurting. Its best to be somewhere in the middle of the crowd sound wise though.” If at a general admission concert for the first time, it might be best to take it slow. Dunham said, “If you don’t know what you are doing concerts can be both scary and dangerous.The scariest concerts are the ones at venues that serve alcohol because you have all these huge burly guys thrashing around like idiots with no sense of the people around them. These guys can ruin a show. I’ve been hit in the face and kicked numerous times by guys like these.” Added Komar, “I’ll be right up by the barricade, in the very back, or on the sides. I’ll try to stay away from the pit. You can get hit in the head and [hurt].”
Stage-Diving and Crowd-Surfing
Another common way for audiences to create energy is through stage-diving and crowd-surfing. Sparrow said, “Stage-diving is enjoyable. You get a big guy to lift
The frontman of I See Stars takes crowd-surfing literally. Photo by Kristin Komar.
you over the crowd and take you to the stage, you get on the stage, and then you dive into the audience.” But be careful. “Don’t overshoot your jump...There was this guy jumping off the stage and you could hear him hit the floor because no one caught him...He [got] a concussion. ” Crowd-surfing, where a person is carried over the heads of other audiencew members, is another typical sight at general admission concerts, and can be fun. Dunham said, “I crowd surf almost every concert I go to. If the crowd is dense enough then it’s perfectly safe...You generally end up on stage with the band, which is awesome.”
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the mustang go from there to talk about what else you have in common.”
What’s in the Bag?
Twenty-One Pilots, a band popular at SDA, plays at Viejas Arena. Photo by Kristin Komar.
However, it too possesses its own dangers. Komar said, “One time I was crowd surfing and there was a gap in the crowd right before the stage and everyone just dropped me on my back. I just laid there for a second...and then everyone helps you and pulls you back. But for a couple days after I was like ‘oh, my back.’” Added Sparrow, “But if you aren’t aching, you aren’t having any fun.”
for the same reason: to enjoy the music and have a good time.”
Bands, like Doodlebob, sell merch at shows for profit. Photo by Kieran Zimmer.
An over-excited crowd often turns into a mosh pit. Photo by Daniel Lin.
Moshing
One of the most recognizable staples of audience participation, and possibly one of the most dangerous, is moshing. Moshing is when audience members form a giant center pit, jumping around violently, and pushing into each other forcibly. Said Goldsmith, “There are people who are too violent in concert spaces, but I don’t always mind. The space is just less intense than they are. I’ve started some rowdy fun and moshing; it’s energetic and expressive. But there is crowd killing, where you are running into people avoiding the mosh, and trying to bring them into it which isn’t cool in my opinion because people should be able to decide. Nobody usually gets hurts in these things. It’s a really cool way to get people with high energy together.” Tracey added, “I’ve never really moshed because I’m pretty small. I think I would get crushed ...definitely don’t push people or be rude to people because everyone is there
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Merch
Another interesting aspect of concert-going is the opportunity to buy t-shirts, CDs, hats and other good straight from the band. The products bought are called the merchandise, or merch. “If you are going to buy merch do it after the show,” said Sparrow. “Bands are p***-poor, they don’t make any money. That’s a fact. If you buy merch, it goes straight to the band.” Added Komar, “Once we saw PVRIS and they had signed vinyl. They only had a few. Sometimes if you buy merch and it’s something you can’t really hold on yourself, you can ask them to hold it at the merch table and write your name on it. If they’re not too big of a band, they’ll hold it for you in the back until after the show. But you can’t blame them if you lose it.”
What to Wear
As tempting as dressing up for a concert may be, the general consensus is to leave those high heels and that business casual attire at home. “Dress comfy,” said Sparrow. “You don’t have to dress cute because you are going to be gross and sweaty afterward.”
Kieran Zimmer models the correct concert-going attire. Photo by Austen Dilley.
Dunham said, “I always wear something simple to a concert that allows me to move and stand for long periods of time without getting too hot. A tank top and shorts with sneakers is my go to, or Doc Martin boots to protect my toes from getting smashed.” There also exists an age-old unspoken rule to not wear a band t-shirt to that band’s concert. Following this rue however, is at the prerogative of each individual. Komar said, “It’s not cool [to wear band t-shirts]. I’ve only once worn a band t-shirt and that was when we went to meet them...But if you’re not wearing one, you’re not wearing one. If you are, you are.”
Concert-goers talk while the musicians get ready to perform. Photo by Mary Ford.
Sam Goldsmith, drummer of Rubenstein Drive-By, shares what he would put in his emergency bag when going to a concert. Laura Dunham with Joel Quartuiccio from the band Being as an Ocean. Photo by Iman Willams.
Meeting the Band
Some audience members are even lucky enough to meet the artist they came to see, either through meet-and-greets or by chance. But remember that musicians are people too. “There’s always people waiting outside [to meet the artist],” said Tracey. “Be respectful if they come out. They’ll make an effort to meet as many people as possible but if everyone is pushy and disrespectful, they’ll just leave.” Added Tracey, “I’m a songwriter myself, so I love talking to musicians. I like about songwriting and music and getting advice from them. Most of the time, I get a meet-andgreet. Only if it’s an artist I really love I wait outside after.”
“In my emergency bag I’d have a water bottle because those can be like $10, something just excessive,” said Goldsmith. “[The venues] know you need water and they will make you bleed to get it. So bring water.” He continued, “Bring cash because there is always stuff you want to get. If it’s a super expensive concert and the merch is like 25 bucks for a baseball hat or a t-shirt, you might get hungry and be like ‘oh, I want to get a kit-kat.’” Another thing to put in the emergency bag is stuff everyone in the audience can enjoy. Goldsmith said, “Bands will do this, throw a beach ball or balloons, then start to pump up the crowd. But just know you’re never going to get it back. One time, my band hung a bunch of balloons around the venue and the stage. It wasn’t anything super elaborate it. Audience members can do it too.” I wouldn’t put a camera in my concert bag because it’s just going to get stolen or destroyed. You can whip out your phone for ten or fifteen seconds and be just as fine. “I’d put a dry change of clothes [in my bag] because I’ve definitely come out of a few concerts with a lot of sweat on me that’s not mine. But after a concert it’s nice to get into your car and change your shirt.”
What to Talk About
Concerts also house the opportunity to meet new people over something so uniting: similar music taste. From talking about the band to the concert scene itself, there is always a topic of discussion. When Goldsmith is talking to other audience members, he said that he talks, “a lot about the music, shared music interest, things you like or don’t like about the set. Find something in common about the night or about the band. You meet people, you start off talking about the same concert and the band, and
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Local student band Rubenstein Drive-By often performs shows around Encinitas.
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the mustang
Sentinel
THE WORLD’S ONLY RELIABLE NEWSPAPER
Ask a Senior: Freshman Edition Senior Melody Sobhani helps perplexed freshmen navigate through high school. What do I do if I don’t like my classes?
How do I ask a girl to Homecoming?
Don’t show up. It kinda works... until Leslie asks you where your giant robot dinosaur or 5000 mL graduated cylinder is.
We don’t do that here.
What do I do if my teachers keep getting mad at me? Talk a lot. Eventually they will give up. Trust me, it works.
Where is the best place to go on hour lunch? That’s above your pay grade. I suggest sprinting to Vons and back.
Illustration by: Hannah Elias
However, if you’re set on gettin’ with this girl, just stare at her uncomfortably from behind at the dance. If she turns around, run.
Is there a fire alarm in the bathroom? Only if you act like a freshman.
Why doesn’t my first period teacher make us do the pledge of allegiance?
When is the first party? Past your bed time.
Do you think the construction will be done by the end of the year? The school started under construction, it will end under construction. Day one, 1937, students attend class in tents due to construction. Present day, Ms. Jackson’s students attends class in tents, kind of due to construction. Lawyered.
I have no idea. We always said it before. Why don’t you just stand up and say it yourself ? Start the trend my friend.
Freshman Class Decreed Shortest in San Dieguito History New study released shows incoming students as shortest of all time. By Mary Ford. A new study has been released today, confirming what we have suspected to be true ever since the start of the school year. The class of 2020 is shorter than ever. According to a recent study released by the Academy of San Dieguito Studies (ASDS), the average male freshman barely clears 5’0”. “This is an unprecedented discovery,” said ASDS researcher Fursttnayme Laztnaime. “We had never actually taken height measurements on freshman due to legality measures, but after finding a loophole, we secretly did it during picture day. Wait, I’m an anony-
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mous source, correct?” Laztnaime’s colleague, Doe John, elaborated. “We had always sorta guestimated on the height of the freshmen. They’re surprisingly agile and wiggly, so it was hard to always get a correct measurement. But they always were at least 5’2” on average. This year however, we could put some of these kids back in fourth grade.” The cause of this epidemic remains to be identified, but scientists at the institute suspect spinal compression from heavy backpacks and hunching over cellular devices. According to David, it remains to be seen if half these boys will hit puberty.
John said, “We used to see freshmen coming in and seeming taller than the class before them. We suspected the hormones pumped into their milk. But since all these kids’ moms are claiming their kids are lactose-sensitive, the calcium that is so vital in making their bones grow has been depleted. When asked for a comment from this year’s senior class, a 6’5” football athlete who doesn’t actually go to the school replied, “they are TINY TINY TINY TINY TINY,” as he held an inconspicuously squirming body bag. “You can fit them anywhere. It’s the new school challenge. Goodbye Bottle-
humor
Flipping, hello Freshman Jenga.” With visibility already dismal from the construction going on at school, researchers suspect many more upperclassman-freshman incidents. John reported, “This year,
we suspect a heavy spike in upperclassmen turning corners and mowing down packs of freshmen boys already top-heavy from their pretend-hard course load. They are just so hard to see. Be safe out there.”
Photo by: Mary Ford oct. 07
the mustang
oct. 07
humor
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the mustang
check our website: www.sdamustang.com
leadership starts here There are followers. And there are leaders. Our students develop leadership skills through internships, community service projects, an engaged student government and the annual Leadership Summit. It's all part of the curriculum at San Diego State University. SDSU.edu
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humor
Sentinel
THE WORLD’S ONLY RELIABLE NEWSPAPER
Horoscope of the Month By Nadia Ballard. ARIES In theory birds are are like fat fluffy lizards. You can punch a lizard pretty easily but have you ever tried punching a bird? Go outside find a gooodlooking bird. Take it out, buy it a drink, don’t feed it rice and try punching it. Did you do it? It didn’t work didn’t it? Exactly. TAURUS The object to your immediate right is what you’ll grow up to be. What? Next to you is a grilled chicken pico guacamole chef crafted burger with extra ranch sauce? Well the gods have spoken and that’s your future now. GEMINI Everyone thinks you’re a fake, backstabbing, two faced jackass. But you’ll find that if you look deep in your heart and listen hard enough to what the corporation tells you, you’ll to be rewarded. CANCER If you go to Panda Express right now, the love of your life with be exactly: ten feet from the entrance, two steps to the left, 3 steps away from the northernmost table and 2 spins counter-clockwise. This just in-the love of your life is orange chicken. LEO Take a deep breath, think of bears. Or maybe think of magpies. Those are a type of bird right? It doesn’t matter- breath and taste the pollution in the air. Life is good VIRGO Be sure to be aware of your surroundings, take notice of all the little things around you. Normally you tend to block out the whispering voices and the ominous barks in the recesses of your mind- try to change it up. Afterwards write in your journal about the new things you discovered LIBRA Look long and hard the next time you get a door shut in your face because somewhere in the grain of the wood you’ll find the answers to the universe. Or a splinter. Either one. SCORPIO Find a beetle, any beetle- just find it. Okay you have it? How did you catch it? Did you just snatch it out of a bush? Or did you take it out on a date first and show that beetle the best time of its little beetle life- only to end it with heartbreak and betrayal at the fact that every memory and feeling you shared, was just so you could catch it like an animal? You disgust me. SAGITTARIUS You’ll find that you will be at your most productive during the 3 o’clock hour. This is because this is the witching hour where the most paranormal activity happens. It’s the ghosts that will fuel your productivity. CAPRICORN Your lucky numbers today are 7, 19, 27 and luck doesn’t exist you gullible fool. Horoscopes aren’t real. AQUARIUS When it comes to professionalism and personal values you are , but just know that after the world ends and zombies there will be no place left for your kind. All your talents with be useless unless you have the strength to grow and adapt. And sorry, but you’re just not cut out for the job. PISCES Have you ever tried swimming? Don’t do it ever again; chlorine in a different dimension is used as both an anesthetic and stimulant drug. There’s a giant underground cartel around it. don’t ask me how it works. Just know it’s the kind of stuff that will mess you up. Take no chances.
oct. 07
the mustang
The Next Level. Students at SDA are looking to continue their athletic careers in college. By Luke Oldham. Getting into college is no easy task, but becoming a collegiate athlete takes that challenge to a whole new level. The numbers are staggering; only around six percent of high school athletes will continue to compete at the collegiate level. Even though SDA is not known as a huge sports school, we do have a select few students walking our halls who will continue their athletic careers in college. Senior Jonathan Sabouri, a soccer player, is looking to continue his athletic career in college next year. He currently has multiple offers, including one from UCSD, which he says he is most excited about. Sabouri said that always pushing himself and testing his abilities allowed him to get to where he is today. UCSD is currently an NCAA Division II school, but they recently voted on a transition to Division I, so by the time Sabouri could be there, they will be at the top tier of college soccer. Senior Jennifer Kerr has been on the Columbia University coaching staff ’s radar since she was 13, when a tournament director recommended that the coaches at Columbia watch her record over the years. Ever since then, the coaches at Columbia have been following Kerr and toward the end of her junior year, she committed to the Ivy League school in New York City. Junior volleyball standout Sarah Colla is being recruited by a few different schools as well. She is most excited about her potential future at the University of Portland, which she took the initiative to email first. Colla said that she was glad she did, because once they saw her highlight video, they began talking with her on a consistent basis and they are currently recruiting her. There is a certain level of achievement that comes with being a college athlete; it represents all the years of hard work and dedication finally paid off. For these SDA students along with others, all of the time they have put in over the years and the talents they have acquired have resulted in them achieving this tremendously difficult feat.
oct. 07
New League, New Look SDA athletes are looking forward to school’s new competition. By Devin Gaan.
Girls volleyball takes on La Costa Canyon, one of the new opponents SDA will be facing this year, in a challenging game. Photo by Devin Gaan.
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his past summer, the California Interscholastic Federation(CIF) placed all North County San Diego schools into the same league, meaning that San Dieguito Academy will be facing new matchups this year including La Costa Canyon, Torrey Pines, and Sage Creek high schools. One of the top schools, Torrey Pines, won a national, state, and a record 11 San Diego CIF and 15 League championships in the 2015-2016 season. When asked why CIF made this decision, SDA’s athletic director Scott Jordan said, “Every two years, they redo the conferences. It seems like this time they did it geographically and through districts. So we were put into a conference with the four other San Dieguito Union High School districts. And they threw in Carlsbad and Sage Creek which is their own district too.” The shift in leagues means the landscape of SDA sports has changed drastically. Jordan believes that the biggest difference will be the level of competition. “I think we are going into one of the best leagues in the country. We’re trying to get up
there and compete with them.” For some athletes, tougher competition is seen as a nice wake-up call. Senior Noah Hauptman, a baseball player, said, “I’m happy about it. It’s all about rising to the occasion
we’re in a new league where our opponents are closer and we’ll be playing people we’ve grown up with.” One of the main concerns regarding the sports programs at SDA has been the low fan attendance at
“Playing bigger and closer schools makes people want to attend more and makes the games feel more important. It’s a lot of fun.” -junior John Giovannoni and it should be a lot of fun. It’s a little bit more of a challenge, but I think I’m ready and the rest of my teammates are ready to accept the challenge.” The restructuring of leagues brings another positive factor for all athletes: travel. With geographically closer opponents, sports teams will no longer have to travel to locations such as Escondido to play matches, which some players considered annoying and inconvenient in previous years. Senior Seth Frankel, basketball, said, “I find it exciting that
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games. Jordan said, “Just the thing that I always say is we need people to come out. Our teams always play better when we’re supported. We’d love to have crowds in the stands supporting our team.” With closer opponents, many athletes are hoping that attendance can improve. Senior Maia Nelson, soccer, said, “I think attendance to games will be better since we’re playing schools that a lot of SDA kids have friends at, like LCC, Torrey Pines, and CCA. Hopefully we’ll have more of a turn-out.”
Possibly one of the most important factors for athletes when playing will be pride. As mentioned before, many students have friends at these close-proximity schools who are not only fans but athletes themselves. These coming seasons will see athletes who grew up together playing sports in elementary and middle schools finally playing against each other in the regular seasons for the first time in years. A large number of athletes are looking forward to these matchups, as childhood rivalries and bragging rights will again come alive as games start up. Junior John Giovannoni, volleyball, said, “I think it’s more fun to play against my friends at LCC or Torrey Pines instead of playing people from as far as Fallbrook. Playing bigger and closer schools makes people want to attend more and makes the games feel more important. It’s a lot of fun.” With the tougher competition, there also appears to be a feeling of fear within a few athletes. An anonymous athlete said, “I definitely am not looking forward to playing teams like LCC because I don’t want to be destroyed.” Teams like Torrey Pines recently played schools such as Del Norte that SDA has struggled with in the past and soundly blew them out. Tougher teams naturally brings a feeling of fear, as many players have been playing the same teams such as Escondido and San Pasqual for years. Senior Kim Quach, basketball player, said, “I think the biggest change will be not knowing what to expect.” Although there is a sense of fear, she and other athletes are staying positive. She said, “Though personally I’m scared, I do think it’s good because we have a lot of talented freshmen and sophomores on our team that I think will benefit from a better league.” Overall, athletes are looking towards the season with anticipation. Junior Sarah Colla, volleyball, said, “Honestly I’m really excited because a lot of my club teammates are on the teams we play but it will be hard since we lost a ton of seniors last year. But we’re good this year, so I’m really excited and looking forward to the league. It’s going to be very hard since we’re playing teams like LCC, but it’s going to be fun.”
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the mustang
Back in the Game
Incredible athletes and their incredible comebacks. By Audrey Maskiewicz.
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very year at SDA, amazing student athletes are celebrated for their speed, skill, and natural athletic ability. Freshmen players worship their senior counterparts and especially talented individuals are commemorated for years after graduation, their names whispered in the halls like those of celebrities. However, no one ever takes a moment to appreciate those athletes that haven’t always had it so easy. No one ever recognizes the struggles some students have to endure just to be able to compete alongside their teammates. Injured athletes have to fight physically to regain their status on competitive teams and emotionally to find new ways of succeeding and finding happiness after their identity is taken away from them. These students are few and far between, but they demonstrate the SDA spirit more so than any MVP or D1 player. These students inspire their peers through their determination, strength, and unwillingness to cower in the face of fear. These students are the ones who should be recognized.
Anna’s Story
SDA Junior and competitive horseback rider Anna Lonsway is no stranger to obstacles when it comes to her sport. During the summer of 2015, Lonsway underwent a surgery to correct her scoliosis, an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. Lonsway’s angles measured 55 and 53 in her upper and lower back respectively, creating a perfectly balanced, s-shaped curve. According to Lonsway, when she began to recognize her condition during freshman year, her back “hurt a lot” and she struggled daily with controlling her pain during physical activity. She chose to go through with surgery because she “didn’t want to risk anything” when it came to her health, as the up and down motions associated with riding competitively increased her chances of further injury greatly. On July 27, Lonsway arrived at Children’s Hospital for the operation, and had two metal rods and multiple screws inserted into her back to prevent her spine from growing in a dangerous direction.
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Lonsway does not remember much of the week in the hospital after surgery, but the first few weeks at home were difficult, as she dealt with “a lot of pain when [she] was still recovering.” After minimal time at home, Lonsway returned to school, finding it hard to “sit up so long,” something she never imagined would cause her problems. However, Lonsway took this pain not as an obstacle, but as a way to “recover faster” and become stronger. The pain was completely worth it for Lonsway, who returned to horseback riding after less than a year of recovery. Upon returning, Lonsway found that pain became “one more thing that [she didn’t] need to worry about,” and she could focus on improving as a rider rather than riding in a way that minimized back pain. Today, Lonsway continues to ride and improve every week, forever changed as an athlete as well as a person. According to Lonsway, such a huge surgery has made her grateful to not have had “as many medical problems as [she] could have,” and has taught her the importance of strength in the face of obstacles.
Shayne’s Story
Last year, senior Shayne Busick never imagined her ability to play soccer would be taken away from her. Today, she is still working to make a comeback at her sport. As a junior, during a school field trip to the beach with her AP Physics class, Busick stepped on a stingray while wading through the water, and the stinger “went through [her] achilles.” Unaware of the severity of the sting, she bore the pain and avoided pursuing surgery, hoping it would heal on its own. However, Busick quickly discovered her injury was far more than what she saw on the surface, and she was called into surgery shortly after. Busick’s surgeons assumed the stingray barb would be easy to remove, but after opening up her foot, found it was far deeper than presumed, and “from a twenty minute surgery, it went to a two and a half hour surgery.” For three months after the operation, Shayne was completely unable to play soccer, spending her
time instead doing “lots of physical therapy” and walking around in a “cast for four weeks and a boot for two weeks.” According to Busick, the hardest thing to overcome was regaining confidence in her ability to walk, run, and play her sport, and recognizing that “something good would come out of [her injury] no matter how down [she] felt.” After her experiences, Busick was able to achieve a whole new level of positivity and confidence that she never could have before. To other athletes forced to take time off of their sport because of injuries, Busick suggests they “stay positive and take the necessary steps to get through the healing process.” Though still taking it slow, Busick feels ready to take on whatever soccer and life throw at her.
Maia’s Story
Maia Nelson, another senior soccer player at SDA, is in the midst of her recovery from a muscle injury that she got earlier this year. Her problems began during a heated match against San Pasqual, during which she tore her ACL. After a few weeks of light stretching and physical therapy with athletic trainer Eddie Lara, she went back to playing, and immediately upon her return, tore her meniscus as well. Nelson experienced a moderate amount of pain and a “pinching feeling” in her knee, as well as trouble walking. Shortly after her second injury, she was taken into surgery, during which the surgeons used her hamstring to repair [her] ACL. The operation, though extremely successful, was just the beginning of the long road to recovery Nelson continues to face today. According to Nelson, her particular surgery requires a recovery period of six to nine months, during which she will not be able to play soccer with her team. For her, the hardest part of rehabilitation is “getting the range of motion and strength back” that she had before injury. Because of the long period of time she will be unable to work out, Nelson fears “losing a lot of [her] muscle” as well as the flexibility that she worked so hard to gain during the season. However, she doesn’t use her injury as an excuse to stop doing
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Lonsway riding her horse, Bounder, after spinal fusion surgery. Photo courtesy of Anna Lonsway.
Lonsway’s spine before surgery.
Lonsway’s spine after surgery.
what she loves. Nelson continues to surround herself with her teammates and friends who never cease to amaze her with their patience and willingness to take care of her. To other athletes going through the recovery process, Nelson recommends that they “stay positive” and keep in mind that the “people [they’re] friends with are there to
support [them]” through every step of recovery.
oct. 07
the mustang
The Wall of Dahl
Connor Dahl talks about the water polo team’s success. By Derek Sleet.
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or the past couple seasons, the school’s water polo team has been struggling to perform well. But this year, according to senior Connor Dahl, water polo has, “bumped our game up and has a different mindset then previous years because of the new challenge we are taking on.” Dahl, goalie for the team, talked about how the season was going and how they plan to continue their success. Dahl is one of the captains of the team and changes the course of the game with his saves. He talked about his history with water polo and why he continues to play water polo throughout high school. Dahl has been playing for about four years but this isn’t the only sport he has done. He has played almost every sport over the course of his lifetime. He found a
special love for water polo, though, because he “thinks it is really fun and I love how exciting it can be when the game is really close,” Dahl said. While he does play for a club team on the offseason, Dahl said he really enjoys playing with the school team because of “how there is no division in the team, we are all hanging out with each other.” Coming into the new league, the team was skeptical with how well they were going to perform. But Dahl feels this year the chemistry is higher than it has ever been. And it seems as though it is true, the team is eleven and three so far and is second place in the Avocado League standings behind Carlsbad High School. Dahl then talked about how he prepares for his games and what he
tries to eat beforehand. Before the game starts he tries to eat as much food, usually Mexican, as possible because of the high amount of energy needed for every game. To warm up for every game he does the “500 meter swim, 200 breaststroke, 100 eggbeater, and then me and the other goalie do our own warm-ups.” He then went on to discuss some of his favorite memories while playing for the school. He really enjoys playing Ramona because every game is down to the wire, so it is always really exciting. Although Dahl doesn’t plan to play water polo after high school, he is enjoying his last season and hopes they can continue their success and make it to the post-season.
Connor Dahl makes a save during a water polo game. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rivera.
Colla on the Court
Volleyball player Sarah Colla talks about her accomlishments on the court and being recognized by the Union Tribune. By Brittany Serbin and Vicky van der Wagt.
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Colla spikes the ball during a game. Photo courtesy of Sarah Colla.
oct. 07
unior Sarah Colla’s interest in volleyball first started when she was 11 after watching her sister play. Since then, she has developed her skills as a volleyball player, and is now an outside hitter on San Dieguito Academy’s high school Varsity team. Her favorite thing about playing the sport with the school is competing against San Dieguito Academy rivals like La Costa Canyon because “a lot of people come, and it’s high intensity,” she said. “It’s really competitive, especially when you know people on the other side on the net.” She knows many athletes on other teams from playing for the Wave Volleyball travel team during the club season. She practices with the Wave team two or three times a week, while for school, practice is
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held every weekday. Another one of her favorite things about volleyball is her teammates. “All of my teammates are the sweetest people in the entire world,” said Colla. “Volleyball really connects me to the school and having them around is a really nice thing.” Throughout her athletic career, she has had many accomplishments, like winning the “Athlete of the Week” title at the Union Tribune. She also was named MVP of the Avocado East League as well as the SDA team in 2015. Despite these awards, her favorite memory so far was last year, when the San Dieguito team was co-league champions. Before competing, the team warms up together and listens to their pre-game playlist. Colla’s favorite pump up song is “Here
Comes the Boom.” “It’s been on our playlist since my sister was here a few years ago and it’s just a classic song that our entire team loves,” said Colla. Although many games are won, Colla also has to keep calm and collected when things don’t go as planned. “I just have to keep thinking positive thoughts, shake off any mistakes, and round up the team together because it’s a hard part of the game,” she said. “We’ve got to stay together as a team.” Colla wants to keep playing in college, and is currently looking at schools and trying to get recruited. “It takes a long time, but I’m looking forward to it,” Colla said.
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the mustang
Mustang Stats
After lots of preseason games, these three SDA fall sports are just now entering season games in the Avocado West League. The rankings are based on season games while the records are based on preseason games. By Vicky van der Wagt. Statistics provided by maxpreps.com.
1 2 3 4 5
SCHOOL
RECORD
CARLSBAD
7-2
SDA
10-3
VISTA
6-3
LA COSTA CANYON
6-4
RANCHO BUENA VISTA
7-9
The boys water polo team celebrates after a victory. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rivera.
GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL RANK
The girls volleyball team wins against Olympia in one of their many preseason games. Photo by Sophie Peeler.
SCHOOL
RECORD
1 2 3
TORREY PINES
11-2
LA COSTA CANYON
9-4
CANYON CREST ACADEMY
5-2
4 5 6
SAGE CREEK
9-5
SDA
21-5
CARLSBAD
7-6
GIRLS VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY RANK
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SCHOOL
RECORD
1 2
SDA
3-5
CANYON CREST ACADEMY
3-4
3 4 5
LA COSTA CANYON
11-3
SAGE CREEK
1-8
TORREY PINES
6-6
Should the Chargers relocate downtown? By Jack Hauser.
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BOYS VARSITY WATER POLO RANK
In the Haus.
SDA girls field hockey plays hard against Del Norte. Photo courtesy of Jake Saunders.
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y now, almost everyone here has heard of the plan to build a new stadium downtown for the Chargers. Their proposal for a new state-of-the-art stadium to be put downtown gained enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot, but experts expect the vote to fail. In my opinion, passing on this opportunity would be a HUGE mistake by the people of San Diego. The project would cost $1.2 billion in taxes, which is one of the big reasons it isn’t very popular, but the Chargers organization has a plan that will leave San Diego taxpayers living in San Diego not paying a penny more. In San Diego there is a 12.5 percent hotel tax that all tourists that come to San Diego have to pay. The Chargers want to raise the hotel tax by a mere four percent in order to completely fund the new stadium. To put this in perspective, if you are staying in a room that charges $100 dollars a night, it will cost you $4 more dollars than previously. There is no chance that this change will result in a decrease of tourism in San Diego. I believe that the construction of a new stadium will bring in far more tourism. The amount of publicity a new stadium would bring would put San Diego more on the map than ever before. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go to a place with an amazing beach and football stadium? In order to understand the positives of a new stadium, San Diegans should take a look at the Arizona Cardinals University of Phoenix stadium in Phoenix in Phoenix, AZ, that was built in 2006. The stadium there cost a total of $455 million dollars, which was funded both through taxes and support of the Arizona Sports and Tourism authority. The stadium provides 3,500 jobs, $400 million in economic benefits, an annual Tostitos Fiesta bowl that brings in approximately $140 million for the economy each year, as well as the 2017 NCAA Basketball final four. San Diego voters should also look at what Petco Park has done for our city. Petco made downtown far more relevant than before and also made the gas lamp district a very popular destination for nightlife. Just this year, San Diego hosted the MLB All-Star game which had millions of baseball fans watching. A new football stadium would be something that would improve downtown San Diego even more. The list of positives is virtually endless. This is more than just football, this is about our city. If the vote fails, I would bet my right hand that the Chargers will be moving up north to share a brand new stadium with the LA Rams. Football would most likely leave San Diego for good, and that’s something that would be devastating for our city. The people voting have a decision to make; do they want San Diego to be a part of history, or watch history be made in LA?
oct. 07
the mustang
Surfer vs. Skater
Freshmen Skater Emerson Camargo and Surfer Jackson Butler replace tired cliches with words more amusing. By Mary Ford.
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he best thing since sliced: Skater: Skateboards Surfer: Cheese
Skater, I didn’t know that you could slice skateboards. Isn’t that pretty expensive? From my experience, only the edgy pop punk kids break their skateboards in a haze of sticky skater sweat and ripped up knees. Or is “slicing” some new skating lingo phrase like “boneless fingerflip on the volcano” or a “tre flip fakie on the pyramid hip” which I’m pretty sure don’t actually translate to English? I’m going to give you 10 points, but I’m not exactly sure about that one. Do you happen to have a copy of “The Skater-English Dictionary” on you? We can translate together. Hey Surfer. Straight off the bat, I sincerely love your answer. How sly. How subtle. How tongue-in-cheese. Only those of us with advanced degrees in potty humor will really get what you’re saying, will pick up what
oct. 07
you’re putting down, will be able to walk the walk while you talk the talk, you get me? You posed, although in a different format, one of life’s greatest questions. Who cut the cheese? But instead of merely repeating this tired old joke, you challenged us to move on, to find something beyond what we know and explore that instead. Your philosophical might is astounding. I think I’ve found your life’s calling. So I ask to the reader as well, what is the best thing since sliced cheese? I applaud you in a circular formation while shedding a tear at the onion I’m cutting and awarding you 60 points. Better safe than: Skater: Dead Surfer: Fun Welcome back to my good graces Skater. What a profoundly morbid statement from a freshman skater. You, who presumably have not a care in the world, as your course load is light and so is your attitude,
issued something so universally truthful even us hardened seniors feel moved. Wow. Better safe than dead. Let that sink in. What has caused your cynicism at such a pubescent age? Why do you have my type of humor instead of your peers light, irrelevant, inappropriate, and mildly sexist humor? What has happened to you? Personally, I think it’s all those Disney movies. Do they need to have a parent die in every movie? Kids just aren’t ready for that emotional toll, one that spontaneous musical numbers and predictable plots just can’t fix. Thanks for bringing attention to this very important Disney fallacy. Not every parent must die. Just the ones that do to advance the plot. 60 points. Really Surfer? Better safe than fun? Blasphemy. Everyone here knows that only the safest actions are the most fun. Jumping off a bridge? So yesterday. Flame throwers? Don’t even get me started. Mr. Davidson’s liquid nitrogen lab demo
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Emerson and Butler were found in the Skate P.E. homeroom, volunteered by their peers to answer a few “questions.” Photo by Mary Ford. without gloves, safety goggles, or aprons? It’s your funeral. Those things aren’t safe or fun. But I’m sure that if you give me time to think about it, I can come up with many examples of things that are both safe and fun. Like sitting at home or in your parents’ underground nuclear war bunker located somewhere undetectable on most satellite maps. Sorry, I lost my train of thought. I’ll
give you 20 points because I’m nice and I’m playing it safe. Skater: 70 points Surfer: 80 points Congratulations, Surfer. You win nothing!
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10.07.16
The Mustang