SDA Mustang October 2015

The Mustang 10.09.2015

10.09.2015

Volume 20 Issue I

T H E M U S TA N G

02 The Mustang 10.09.2015

INDEX

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

Welcome to volume 20 of The Mustang. While we’re not as old as San Dieguito, which is celebrating its 79th year, we’ve been around for a while. And like the school, we’re undergoing some changes. As you open the first issue of the year, you may notice that we’ve revamped our style to provide a fresh and engaging look. While all the old favorites are still there (for instance, check out “Surfer vs. Skater” on pg.

30), we’ve added some new features to this year’s paper, such as an illustrated news column (“A Day Without Bells” on pg. 4).

We have a lot of new things this year: A new principal (learn more about him in “Bjorn to The Job” on pg. 12), new classrooms (“P-Quad” on pg. 5), and new tests (“Yes You Khan” on pg. 10). We also have 23 new teachers and administrators, and a new freshman class of 524, a spirited addition to the SDA community. We even have new weather—better bring your umbrellas to school come winter (“Storm’s Coming” on pg. 11).

There are new faces on The Mustang staff this year, as well as new management. After working on the paper for a year and a half, this year I’m the editor-in-chief. While I don’t think I can outdo the fantastic duo that was in charge last year, I hope I can match them in enthusiasm and commitment to bringing you compelling and informative news.

Whether this is their first issue or one of many, everyone on the Mustang staff put their best foot forward for this paper. And whether this is the first copy of The Mustang that you’ve read or one of dozens, I hope that you enjoy what we have for you. We’ll be here throughout the year, online and in print, to share with you the going-ons and the spirit of our school. Let’s see what this year has in store for us.

Carina Julig

pg. 13

pg. 15

pg. 9

pg. 20

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

ROLL CALL The Mustang Staff EDITOR IN CHIEF Carina Julig

SPORTS EDITOR Cydney Melton

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

CAF EDITORS Kenna Osborn Claire Pupping

ADVISOR Tim Roberts

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

Cover Artist Bekah Sullivan, senior, has been an artist for as long as she can remember. “Since I could hold a pencil,” she said. Her father is an artist as well, and he gave her the inspiration to start making her own artwork.

Sullivan likes to paint human figures, but is also inspired by the natural world. She paints and draws, and describes her style as surrealistic. She is currently taking AP Studio Art at SDA, as well as AP Art History.

“I went to Kenya during the summer, and this piece of art is like a composition of all the different animals and plant life that

ONLINE EDITOR Kate Sequeira ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR Mary Ford

I saw,” she said of the drawing featured on this issue’s cover. She used Prismacolors to create the piece, and describes it as “a blend of realism and fantasy.”

PHOTO EDITOR Allie Manis GRAPHIC ARTIST Sophia Hurley

The Mustang is the student newspaper of San Dieguito Academy. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper. The Mustang is an open forum which welcomes letters. Letters can be submitted to room 16, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the address below.

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

The Mustang 03

NEWS

10.09.2015

Lottery winnings

Pros and Cons

Community members weigh in on the issue of “schools of choice” versus boundaries in interviews after the school board enrollment meeting.

“We would like a neighborhood option... Our kids go to a neighborhood school right now that’s right next to SDA, so we want them to go to a high school that’s [nearby].”

After a year of debate and deliberation, the school board decided to continue with the lottery as a way to enroll students at SDA. Story by Olivia Olander.

S

an Dieguito Academy will continue to use a “lottery” for enrollment, and will not draw attendance boundaries like some parents wanted. This came after a three-hour-long school board meeting on Aug. 31, with mixed reactions, as the system is aimed at keeping student choice but could also lead to a population imbalance and kids turned away from their preferred schools in years to come.

This decision comes after parents complained over the last two years that their students could possibly not get into SDA, and in many cases this dissent came from parents who believed students who live close to the school should have priority over other students.

The lottery wasn’t used to exclude any students either year, although for the 2014-15 school year, about 60 students were initially denied admission before eventually all were accepted.

Overall, the school has grown from about 1650 in the 2014-15 school year to 1840, including 524 freshmen, as of Sept. 2 of this year.

The percentage of students who have chosen an academy (San Dieguito or Canyon Crest) over one of the other high schools has grown over the last eight years from 48 percent to 62 percent. Assistant Superintendent Michael Grove, who ran the meeting, expressed concern that the academies might have to turn more people away in the future.

With SDA at maximum capacity this year, he said, the number of students who graduate is likely to be close to the number of students admitted. This year’s senior class has 386 students (as of Sept. 2).

To try torebalance the schools, and to avoid turning away many students, the district’s plan is to attract more incoming freshmen and new students to La Costa Canyon and Torrey Pines. A new proposed schedule, for example, would allow LCC and TP students to take more than the six classes a year. Grove stressed that it will likely not be a 4x4, which has drawn students to SDA and

CCA, but rather some kind of seven-period schedule.

Other programs, such as biomedicine and STEM pathways, are also expected to come to the traditional schools, possibly even by the 2016-2017 school year.

In the school year to come, LCC Principal Bryan Marcus said he wants to see “...a focus on the rebranding of LCC around school culture, around student connectedness, and around us coming together as a family, as a community. I think that kind of process leads us into LCC ‘16-’17 moving into a seven-period bell schedule, which will allow students more flexibility, options, and access to classes.”

As far as the lottery goes, opinions were strong on both sides (see sidebar, “Pros and Cons”), Additionally, being at full capacity means that most classrooms are filled during all four periods, which affects the number of teachers displaced outside of a classroom and around campus.

“With the increased population, I know there’s been an increase of about 25 new teachers, so the library is now housing not only classes coming in but teachers during their prep times that share classrooms,” said new librarian Tara Marquardt.

Overall, many students didn’t have a problem with the lottery system, but some felt the impact of a larger freshman class.

“I think the lottery system is good because then everyone has an equal chance, but there are so many freshmen,” said sophomore Emma Balda. “[There’s] too much traffic.”

Junior Peri Strait agreed. “I hate the portables and the traffic.

I’m late to fourth period so [often],” she said.

In regard to possible issues with freshmen changing the culture of SDA, Balda was optimistic. “Hopefully the people who come to our school are willing to keep the culture the same,” she said, “and not change it.”

--Danica Edlebrock, parent

“The bottom line for me is that choices remain and that each school should be admitting people who live close to it and giving them first choice.”

--Charito Shook, parent

“It was really stressful for those kids that had all gone to Ada Harris together, and Oak Crest together, and now they were being separated… they wanted to stay with their friends.”

--Annie Rump, parent and Ada Harris Elementary employee, on the students who were waitlisted for the 2014-15 school year

“It makes a lot of sense to create a neighborhood school where the neighborhood kids have first priority.”

--John Salazar, school board trustee.

“I firmly believe in choice…

Academic research directly correlates academic success of students with when go they to a place where they want to learn…

Coming up with programs and changing bell schedules is much easier than drawing boundaries.

When I was living outside of the district, I saw the district… go through boundary changes, and... it took a lot of the school’s time. There were teachers who were stressed out, and there was a change in the quality of education that the kids were experiencing… I think continuing on with what we’re doing is best.”

--Jocelyn Broemmelsiek, SDA science teacher

“With [small boundaries around SDA and CCA], you get a two tiered student system. That is, some of the students are the favored ones. They’re the ones who got in because of the privilege of where their parents live, and the other kids are second

class citizens in comparison. And that, I think, sets a bad tone for kids when you’re looking around wondering if the person you’re talking to is one of the ‘special kids.’’”

--George Stimson, SDA science teacher

“I think it’s best when kids get to choose where they go to school. I think we see it here: Every student who is here, chose to come here, and I think there’s something special about that.“ SDA Principal Bjorn Paige

“By offering a choice... students can choose the school culture and schedule that suits their interests and academic pace…

If we chose to divide the district into 4 equal boundaries, there would be pressure to duplicate school programming, schedules, electives, sports, etc., resulting in a loss of distinctive school culture.”

--Amy Herman, school board Vice President

Auf wiedersehen!

J

unior Brook Komar, senior Margot Leach, and senior Helaina Base-Herbs and Austrian exchange students Ivo and Andy socialize and make music on the last day of the Austrians’ stay in California.

Photo by Olivia Olander.

04 The Mustang 10.09.2015

NEWS

Students may get to experience a day without bells this school year. Story by Kate Sequeira.

I

n order to transition into the 21 century, sculpture teacher Jeremy Wright wishes to implement a day without bells: students would not be directed by the sound of the bells between classes but instead be released by the time on the clock.

According to Principal Bjorn Paige, it could be tried before Winter Break.

This would be the first step in changing the structure of the current school system, Wright said.

“My thought is one day, one day out of the whole year, let’s get rid of the bells,” Wright said.

“You can keep on doing what you are doing; you can keep things in categories, but let’s have that as a reminder to move away from the factories.”

Students fully accustomed to the routine of the current school system are the ones most opposed to the idea. “I think the students that worry about it are the ones that are ‘good students.’

[Those that say] ‘teacher, tell me what to do and I’ll do it and I’ll get an A.’ That’s not a good student; that’s a good robot,” said Wright.

Wright believes that such a day could bring about great future changes. One goal is to increase student-teacher collaboration and cross curricular collaboration.

Wright gave some examples: “I work on projects in class with kids that have to do with math, that have to do with science, as well as the visual arts. I deal with

history, I deal with culture, and I think a lot of other teachers find themselves straying into different departments.”

In regards to implementing a day without bells, Paige said, “It is really just a matter of trying to do it well, so we haven’t rushed to do one, but I think that it could very much happen before winter break.”

Community Day Conflict Cancellation of this year’s Community Day sparks mixed reactions among students. Story by Austin Dilley.

C

ommunity Day was cancelled this year “so as not to make kids tired of it,” said Jeanne Jones, assistant principal Community Day is an event that is held typically in the spring and is aimed at bringing students together to connect emotionally and mentally. Also, it was an attempt to show students who may be struggling that there are kids on campus that both care about them and are facing similar

struggles, Jones said.

Jones said, “Community Day started in 2001. It was not offered every year. We often felt that it lost its power if it was held every year. We did not want to dilute the message.”

Some students agreed with the decision to not run Community Day this year. Junior Julia De La Fuente said, “[It’s] better to not have it every year so that it keeps the community vibe of SDA.” One of the issues some students

have had with Community Day not running this year is the worry that due to the increased size of the freshman class the spirit of SDA will not be preserved.

However Alex Overtun, a freshman, said, “Community Day should be something that runs every year, so that new incoming students understand the vibe and SDA doesn’t lose its unique identity.”

Jones said, “SDA has a new feel, full of a brand new class

that is very excited to be a part of SDA’s community backed by a group of brand new teachers who are looking to do the same.”

Yet some students want Community Day to run every year but feel that some students’ negative influence disrupts Community Day, not the event itself. “Community is a good thing to have on campus but the kids that don’t like it kill the vibe and the safe space it gives,” said junior Jack Salz.

Some students such as sophomore Sarah Willes, felt that the spirit of SDA is not dictated by one single day but instead is something ingrained into SDA and will always be a part of the school.

Community is only one day of the school year, where as the community of SDA is year round.

Willes said, “It’s really up to the incoming class to keep the community of SDA”

The Mustang 05

NEWS

10.09.2015

Distant Village The new P-Quad offers many benefits, but they come at a price.

Story by Luke Oldham.

W

ith SDA’s increased population this year, the school needed more classrooms to fit the 524 new students. The answer to the problem was more portables.

The new “P-Quad” was ready by the first day of school this year, and all of the rooms have been filled. Many of the teachers who occupy the new classrooms were moved from other parts of the school; in particular, the 90-s buildings, which are scheduled to be torn down this fall.

Opinions on the new portables are divided and problems, such as distance from the rest of the school, have surfaced. However, there are many positives that accompany the new classrooms that could make students overlook the negatives. Specifically, they are new. This means that they are airconditioned, which has become a highly desired commodity in recent weeks, when temperatures have reached up to 90 degrees during the afternoon. “Students love the air-conditioning, especially during third and fourth period,” said Angela Herrera, a Spanish teacher who displaced to the P-Quad from the 90-s. Not only her students like the upgrade though; Herrera said that

she is enjoying all the new teaching supplies, such as a new computer and desk, which came with the new room.

In addition, the exclusiveness of the part of the school which has become known as “The Village” is abundant. There are new bathrooms, and there is even a separate staff lounge just for the teachers that work down in the village.

The bathrooms have also attained a clever nick-name; “The Meat-lockers” have been criticized for their weird screens that cover the doorway. Principal Bjorn Paige said, “in order to have the ramp we needed some way to screen the doorway for privacy.”

The screens are the only thing that would meet the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements because a wall would not allow wheelchairs to enter.

However, this exclusiveness does come at a price. Some of the big complaints about the new portables are that they are too far away from the rest of the school.

Junior Daniel Chagnon expressed his views when he said, “I have to walk all the way across the school to get from first period to homeroom. Then I have to walk all the way back to get to second period.” This could be a potential

problem for students like Chagnon, who may find themselves being late to classes if they have to trek across the entire school during a short five to nine minute passing period.

Paige said the main problems, including the narrow walkway and the short passing periods, will not go unresolved. Since construction of the tennis courts is being completed, the walkways width has increased four or five feet allowing for a less congested passageway from the P-Quad to the area behind the locker rooms.

Along with this, Paige said that the passing periods will be subject to change once the construction is finished. “If people still aren’t making it to class on time, then we will address it with the board,” said Paige. He did say, however, if the passing periods were lengthened, then that time would have to come out of either homeroom or lunch, because they can’t shorten the class periods and can’t lengthen the school day.

Despite all this, Paige seemed confident that SDA would not need to lengthen the passing periods, and once the construction is finished, it will clear up any problems with congestion.

Students exit the P-Quad through the narrow walkway in between the tennis courts and the classrooms. Photo by Nicole Ramirez.

Bothersome Bathrooms

The long lines and unsupplied state of the school restrooms have students annoyed. Story by Linnea Leidy.

F

emale students around SDA are annoyed with the state of SDA’s bathrooms. The lines stretch from 8 to 10 people long. “They’re always long. [It takes] at least eight minutes,” junior Delilah Forrest said.

“There’s a line everywhere,” said junior Katelynn August.

With the combined addition of the large freshman class, and the recent closure of the bathrooms in Senior Court, lines to get into the restrooms have been winding out the door.

This affects the school at large.

Hallways are blocked from the snaking lines, and students shared how their education is being impacted.

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t have time to stand in [the line] because I’ll be late to class, and the classes are so separated already that I don’t really have time to go to the bathroom,” August said.

According to the 2013 CA Plumbing Code, schools should contain at least one toilet per 30 girls. This means that the campus should have approximately 30 stalls for girls; Currently there are 30, including the bathrooms in the Performing Arts Center (according to a count by The Mustang).

“It takes out a good chunk of class; I get back and they’re on a different lesson,” said sophmore Sarah Willes.

In an interview, Principal Bjorn Paige said: “We opened two more bathrooms up by the Mosaic, the gender neutral bathrooms, which were a good idea for a number of reasons, but having two more bathrooms helps. ...we’re working right now to get more bathrooms open up by the Mosaic.”

Paige explained that the school is planning on relocating the sculpture next to the Mosaic to build new bathrooms across from the gender neutral bathrooms.

“I was out with our construction guys the end of last week looking at plumbing and seeing how soon we could get that done.”

The lines weren’t the only complaint that students had, though.

“It’s always unsupplied, [there’s] never any toilet seat covers or toilet paper,” junior Julia De La Fuente said.

Paige had a response to these issues as well: “We know now that we have to put more toilet paper in there and more of those kinds of things. That slows people down too, so our custodial staff has stepped up efforts to make sure that everything is well stocked so that doesn’t slow people down; because if you have four stalls and only two are working, that’s half capacity.”

“I’ve been working with our district facilities department to make sure we bring in enough bathrooms not just to meet any legal requirement, but to serve student needs. I know they’ve consulted with our architect as well to make sure that the bathrooms we bring in until the new Math and Science building is complete will be enough. Once that new building is up, the bathrooms it holds will have us in compliance with the plumbing code.”

Paige said that he wasn’t positive when SDA could expect the new bathrooms to be built, but that he would announce it as soon as he found out

06 The Mustang 10.09.2015

NEWS Common Core Test Results - Math

Common Core Test Results - English

44

59

25

51

32

50

24

42

Trading Teachers?

Although students can now switch teachers, there hasn’t been much changing. Story by Sarah LaVake

E Standard Exceeded

Standard Met

Standard Nearly Met

Standard Not Met

Charts show the results of each high school of the district: San Dieguito Academy, Canyon Crest Academy, La Costa Canyon, and Torrey Pines. Graphics by Olivia Olander.

Source: caaspp.cde.ca.gov.

Making the grade?

Results were recently released for the first round of new Common Core standardized tests.

SDA scored higher than the state average and showed most SDA students are ready for college, but many are still unhappy with the test. Story by Olivia Olander.

T

he results from the new Common Core tests that the class of 2016 took last year were released Sept. 9. They seem to show that most of those who took the test -- students who are now seniors -- are ready for college-level classes, and San Dieguito Academy fared better overall than most of California. However, there was a gap in results between some demographics.

This test was administered to juniors near the end of last school year. It’s formal name is California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, or CAASPP for short. Its purpose is similar to the old STAR (Standardized Testing and Recording) tests.

According to results posted on the California Department of Education website for the new tests (caaspp.cde.ca.gov), 75 percent of San Dieguito Academy students met or exceeded the new standards in English, and 58 percent met or exceeded the new standards in math.

This is better than California’s overall results, which show that 56 and 29 percent of this year’s

seniors who took the test last year met or exceeded the standards in English and math, respectively.

“We were just doing what good teachers do all the time, and it was nice to see that a test reflected [that],” Paige said of the results.

Despite a good score overall, SDA struggled to bridge gaps between some groups of students.

As far as closing these gaps, Principal Bjorn Paige said that he first needs to go analyze the results before he can move forward. “We have to go into that data,” Paige said, “and figure out what is working and what isn’t working...

We have to go back to [find] some of the causes as much as we’re able, to come up with solutions. I don’t have the answers yet.”

“I’m not sure what SDA can do to fix it but I know that it’s a problem,” said senior Rachel Freeman-Cook on her concern regarding this topic.

However, Freeman-Cook, like SDA students who took the test, didn’t seem concerned about her personal score.

“I thought [the test] was kind

of awful. It was pretty boring, then some of the questions were super easy and then some of the questions were impossible,” she said.

There were, however, some people who disagreed. “It was easy… I don’t remember [much] about it, but it was easier than [the old tests],” said senior Jewels Weinberg.

Senior Margot Leach said that she didn’t care about the results, but the interruption of normal class time near AP tests was inconvenient.

“I think all of us were in the mindset that it was really irrelevant to everything we were doing,” said Leach. “...We were just like, ‘We need to be studying.

Why are we doing this?’”

But Paige said the results from this test indicate that the juniors last year tried harder than juniors in the past: “It’s funny with juniors especially… with these old tests that we used to have, and you would see a drop off in ability [with juniors]. It wasn’t that [the students] got dumber, it was just that you saw that freshmen

and sophomores seem to invest a little bit more, so their STAR scores tended to be higher. Then when you got the the junior year, you saw some of those scores go down, and I think it was in great regard to juniors who think ‘Oh, I’ve done enough of these tests.

I’m done.’ But we didn’t see that same drop off, district wide, last year.”

Paige said he didn’t know what caused this: “I’m still wrapping my head around why… [maybe] it was because this was a test where you couldn’t just bubble in a Christmas tree.”

He did have an idea on how to encourage students to take the standardized tests more seriously in the future, and how to improve results overall moving forward.

“Ultimately, students will try on tests that they value the results on. We see it in AP, we see it in the classroom, so if we have some kind of assessment system where students value the results of it, they’re going to better,” Paige said. “Other than that, I still stick with good teaching. That’s going to pay off in the long run.”

arlier this year after parent complaints, the San Dieguito Union High School District made clear that students could change their teachers if they couldn’t learn well in their classrooms.

Principal Bjorn Paige said the practice hasn’t been used much.

Under the school policy, students have to try to speak to the teacher first, which usually doesn’t happen, or the problem is resolved, he said. If problems aren’t resolved, parents and students meet with an assistant principal who makes a decision on changing the students’ teachers.

“Personally, I think it’s a good idea,” sophomore Nathan Johnson said. “I believe this policy is beneficial, but will be taken advantage of.”

Sophomore Madison Noyes said, “I think the policy is good because some teachers teach in a way that makes it harder for some students to learn and if there is a teacher who is more [compatible] and teaches in a way that helps certain students to learn, then students should be able to request that teacher.”

“I think some people take advantage of the system because they switch out of a teacher’s class so they can have a teacher with less homework just because they didn’t want to do it, but it is also very helpful for some people to be able to switch if a teacher teaches in a way that’s harder for them to understand into a teacher’s class whose teaching style is more suited to the student,” said Noyes.

“As human beings, there’s very high potential that you will have conflict with a teacher at a point in time, therefore I think it’s good to have flexibility to change our schedule,” said senior Brooke Russell.

“Ultimately it will be beneficial but seems like a lengthy process, I’m not sure if our staff can keep up [if many] students ask to change,” Russell added.

The Mustang 07

OPINIONS

10.09.2015

SDA Is At The Limit The Mustang believes that the lottery should be enforced next year.

S

DA has a record number of students this year, with a total of 1,840 pupils attending the school. Of these, 524 of them are freshmen, and many students have worried that the increase in size would change the academy’s culture and overcrowd the school. The Mustang has not noticed any such problems, but does not believe that the school has the capacity to grow any larger. For this reason, the staff of The Mustang thinks SDA should enforce the lottery next year and turn away kids in order to keep school size at a reasonable level even though some students and parents will be unhappy.

The school has faced some problems with crowding this year, with hallways, bathrooms, and parking lots being more packed than ever. The congestion is frustrating, but measures have been instituted to take some of the strain off, such as opening

more bathrooms. Though sometimes inconvenient, the Mustang has not found the increase in students to cause any serious logistical problems.

In the same vein, The Mustang has not seen a change for the worse in the character of the school. Every year, students worry that the changing student population will have a negative effect on school spirit, as the new students are not familiar with the personality of SDA. With such a large class of incoming freshmen, the apprehension was greater. However, the freshmen class appears to be a good fit for the school, and The Mustang finds misgivings about their arrival to be unfounded.

The lottery has not been enforced for the past two years, meaning that all prospective students have been admitted. There was initially a lottery the year the current sophomore class was en-

[Staff Ed]

The increase in congestion in the front parking lot is a symptom of this year’s larger class size. Photo by Megan Scherer.

rolling, but it was later dropped, and none of the students were turned away. The Mustang acknowledges that being denied entry to the academy due to a lottery would be an upsetting experience, but if all students continue to be accepted, the school will become far too big.

The school can sustain this year’s student population, but it should not become any larger.

The past four lottery-free years have been advantageous for us all because everyone got in who wanted to, but after a certain point it becomes necessary to reinstate the process. The lottery has always been a facet of the academy, and while as many students as is reasonable should be admitted, the academy has hit the limit of how many students it can enroll.

Staff editorials represent the collective voice of The Mustang.

Grief With Community Day

Activities from past Community Days are not beneficial, and should be changed. Story by Sophia Mock.

I

have participated in two Community Days in my four years at SDA. It wasn’t run my freshman year, so when it was announced during my sophomore year, I had to ask, “What the heck is Community Day?” I was promised it was going to be just like that one scene in “Mean Girls” where all the girls meet in the gym, apologize for being bullies, and crowd surf in each other’s tears. Fun, right? Wrong. Community Day is the most miserable school day of the year and these are my three main complaints.

Over the Line: Over the line is the activity where students stand on one side of a strip of tape and step over it when a recited statement applies to them. The statements ranged from “I get bad grades” to “I have been sexually abused.”

This activity is supposed to show that you never know what people are going through, so be nice to everyone. Unfortunately, it also shows that the vast majority of the class is suffering in some way or another, making the world seem cruel with no hope for humanity.

It also forces students to rem-

ember horrible things that have happened to them that they would rather try to forget. And I especially don’t want to be remembering all my problems in the middle of 2nd period.

Anonymous Confession Cards: This activity involved writing down facts about oneself anonymously on a card, putting the card in a bowl, and drawing a random one to read out loud.

Some people confessed to being in the closet. Others confessed to being beaten by their parents.

And still others confessed to being sexually abused. A lot of these stories should have been reported, but that was impossible because this was all confessed anonymously.

No one could be helped, and it sparked rumors about which confession belonged to whom. I cannot think of a single healthy outcome from this activity.

Videos of Students’ Dark Stories: One Community Day assembly featured an interview-style video of students giving their life stories. But, the only stories told were the ones about eating disorders, depression, and suicide attempts. I agree that these topics

need to be talked about to reduce the stigma, but the message in the video was one of hopelessness.

SDA failed them as a school, as an environment, and contributed to their suffering.

The purpose of these videos was to show that everyone has issues and you never know what someone might be going through.

Unfortunately, it made SDA seem like a more toxic environment than it is. There should have been videos of some positive experiences at SDA to balance it out.

Community Day’s purpose was to reduce bullying and make SDA a more accepting place.

These activities seemed good in theory, and while some activities were effective, the majority backfired. It was heartbreaking to know that so many horrible things happen to my classmates.

After Community Day, I felt lost, isolated, and I wanted to go home. A lot of students chose to ditch Community Day because of this. Community Day would be greatly improved if we replaced these defective activities listed above with team-building games.

That way we get to know everyone’s name, have some fun, and

These anonymous confession cards contain the unfortunate stories of San Dieguito Academy students. This is a recreation. Photo by Maxine Richter.

raise school spirit. Although Community Day is not running this year, it will run again next year and for years to come. Hope-

fully they will discontinue these activites by then and have a more effective way of improving camaraderie on campus.

08 The Mustang 10.09.2015

OPINIONS

Photo by DonaldJTrump.com

The Presidential Apprentice Can’t stump the Trump. By Lindsey King.

S

o, let me be the first to say that Donald Trump has made some ambitious comments during his run for presidents. He has offended many people, but if we look at the polls, there must be some reason why he is leading as one of the Republican candidates.

Personally I believe it is because he is focused on creating change. He sees the faults of the U.S. and wants to better us as a country.

The change Trump stands tall behind, and has created the most backlash over is, his position on immigration. His statements about building a wall have created an uproar, but I believe that his intent is not actually to build a wall. Yes, he has made real estate plans but his actual plan is to get the thought of fixing our immigration system in the minds of the voters. He wanted the issue to take main stage and now, due to his comments, it has.

Through his negotiating ability, he proposed to build a wall in order to leave room for discussion. All negotiations usually end with a reasonable outcome, therefore the wall will most likelya not be built.

The discussion will end up with a resonable solution to the immigration issue.

Many people get into the U.S. through illegal ways and that needs to change. People

need to come in through the legal doorway. Everywhere else in the world you have to wait your turn and go through the paperwork, why should it be any different here? Overall, I believe Trump doesn’t want to stop immigration. He isn’t going to just send everyone home. He just wants people to come in through the door in an orderly fashion.

Personally, I believe that he is making these comments to get people talking about the important issues. The amount of support he has gotten amid these statements goes to the fact that people truly agree with the change that he is proposing. People want change, and he has a track record of getting things done. A president is there to direct people. The success he has had as a businessman and developer shows that he will be able to create the change the people who vote for him want.

Voting for him are the people who want someone who is different. People love celebrities and his popularity comes from being in the lime-light. This popularity has brought him mainstage.

Presidents in the past have come from long lines of senate seats and governors but since we are still in debt and politics are run by money, people want a needed change. They think that Trump is the man for the job.

Dump the Trump. By Zach McInnis.

Trump Facts: Full name: Donald John Trump Nickname: “The Donald” Date of birth: June 14, 1946 Born: Queens, New York Education: University of Pennsylvania, BA, 1968 Career: Trump Organization, president, chairman, and CEO, 1975Net Worth: 4 billion Spouse: Melania Trump (m.

2005), Marla Maples (m.

1993-1999), Ivana Trump (m.

1977-1992) Children: Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Barron Trump Parents: Mary Anne Trump, Fred Trump Party: Republican Slogan: Make America Great Again!

A

s the presidential bid for the White House begins to heat up, candidates across both party lines have been slamming the Trump campaign for rash and divisive comments towards immigrants. Trump, of course, still has a strong lead over his closest rival, Ben Carson, who has 17 percent of the needed Republican vote to Trump’s 30 percent.

It is no wonder that Republicans love Trump so much, as he “provides a voice” for disenfranchised individuals. But when that “voice” spews racist and antifeminist comments, it becomes a problem for mainstream Republicans trying to reach out beyond their base supporters.

Trump has called illegal immigrants “rapists” and “criminals” in a blanket statement made in Iowa calling for all illegal immigrants to leave America. In a more recent press statement, Trump commented on presidential hopeful and fellow Republican, Carly Fiorina, saying “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?” adding, “Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?”

What kind of message does it send foreign countries when they watch debates that seem more and more geared towards entertainment and less towards logical solutions to America’s numerous

problems? Trump doesn’t seem to understand the difference between tact and buffoonery. He is almost always saying things he shouldn’t, but somehow, the Trump train trudges on against a stream of political attacks by presidential opponents.

I think the big question is, why do people seem to like him? Trump represents a break from the conservative mindset in that he doesn’t allow polls or statistics to sway him in his views like any other politician. He represents a split in Republican doctrine.

The Republican party is clearly divided between moderates and more radical conservatives, and he alienates the more moderate side of the party while pandering to the other.

Base Republicans love this kind of racist, misogynistic rhetoric from any presidential hopeful, and Trump is no exception. His idiocy is an ego-booster to those already downtrodden conservatives.

Democrats are now the majority in America, according to a gallop poll taken in 2013. Thirty-one percent of Americans are Democrats, while Republicans have only 25 percent of the national vote. People are increasingly disenchanted with the Republican party, and with Trump in the lead, it can only go downhill from there.

The Mustang 09

OPINIONS

10.09.2015

Fashion Rejects

After being rejected by every thrift store around, I’m at loss of what to do with my old clothes. By Sophie Peeler.

T

hey say, “A girl can never have too many clothes,”… but what about when her closet starts overflowing with those seventh grade Hollister TShirts and sparkly skinny jeans that are frumpy in all the wrong places? And what about those clothes that look and fit fine, are from good brands, but she hasn’t worn in a year (or two…) because they just aren’t her style anymore?

You may be thinking, “Oh, I’d just bring my used clothes that are still in good condition to a thrift store and make a quick buck.”

Yeah, good luck with that.

It’s no secret that thrift stores are selective, but over the past few years, it seems like they’ve gotten really picky. And when I say picky, I mean so-picky-thatthey-won’t-buy-my-long-sleevetop-in-the-summer picky.

Here in Encinitas, the immense number of thrift stores around is both a blessing and a curse. It raises your chances of making some money off old clothes, but once you’ve lugged your bag around to ten different thrift stores and been rejected by every single one, you begin questioning your entire existence up to this point.

And it seems like each one is looking for something different. While some will only take mainstream brands, others won’t take anything except for the most vintage of vintage. Forget about those Hollister T-Shirts - nobody wants them.

Even if you do know what a thrift store wants, the chances of them actually buying anything are still meager. You could have a bag full of top-brand items and the employee will still give you that pitiful smile as she tells you that they didn’t take anything.

And is it just me, or does bringing used clothes into thrift stores invoke feelings of guilt?

Like, “Oh sorry, I’m not here to shop and make you money. I’m actually here to see if you’ll give me money for some of my rejects.” Usually the employees are pretty nice about it though.

But sometimes that isn’t the case, and they give you a beedyeyed stare as you approach the counter with your three-foot tall bag of pre-owned clothes and then rummage through it without the intention of buying anything, and you’re left to stand there awkwardly shifting from foot to foot.

You could look through the racks of clothes, but without the inten-

tion of buying anything. Let’s be real; once you’ve resorted to thrift store hopping just to make a few bucks, you’re not really in a position to be spending money.

For the items you are able to sway the employees into buying, don’t expect top dollar. They’re all about making a profit. If you leave with five or more dollars for an item, you know someone was feeling generous.

Of course, the reason thrift stores are this picky is because they don’t want to buy clothes that won’t sell. But come on, if I’m only going to get an average of three dollars per article of clothing, I think they can afford to be a little more inclusive. Plus, what am I supposed to do with all these clothes now?

Don’t get me wrong; I’m all about the feel-goods of charity.

But with some items, it can feel sort of annoying to just give it away. I’ve had a couple items that I wore once or twice, realized didn’t look good on me, and then stuck in my closet to gather dust for the next six months. I’d feel like I’m just flushing money down the toilet by just giving away a twenty dollar pair of jeans that I only wore a few times.

So what do you do when you’ve been rejected by the Encinitas thrift stores? Well, you can try selling online. But when was the last time you thought, “Let me hit up Ebay for some back-toschool clothes.”?

There are some websites, such as ThredUp.com, where you can search up the brands of your clothes to see which ones they accept and then pack those up and ship them to the site’s headquarters with a free shipping label.

There are two problems with this: first, when you send the clothes, they aren’t guaranteed to be accepted. They look through them and donate the rejects to charity. If you want them back, you have to pay five dollars for them to be shipped back to you.

Second, at least for this specific site, the money you get for the clothes they DO take is ridiculous.

Like, as in fifty cents per item.

So, basically, don’t get your hopes up with any method you try to sell your old clothes. Chances are, at the end, you’ll still have a big bag of clothes, you’ll have donated it to charity, or you’ll have put the rejects back in your closet because, of course, you might need it again someday…

I’m sure someone will enjoy this a lot more than me .

I think I can probably let this one go to charity...

I paid good money for these; I can’t just give them away.

It may be soft, but its time in the limelight is over

Don’t think I’m going to need to wear this anytime soon .

“Sorry, we’re not taking winter attire right now...”

“It ’s just not the style we’re looking for.”

Art by Maxine Richter

10 The Mustang 10.09.2015

FEATURES

Yes

you Khan

Khan Academy has free online test preparation available for everybody for the new and old SAT. Students can use it as a valuable resource for various reasons, due to its broad range of choices. Story by Vicky van der Wagt

Students can work on Khan Academy whenever, wherever provided they have a computer with internet. Photo by Vicky van der Wagt.

F

acing SATs and ACTs taking place, many juniors and seniors spent a bulk of their summer enrolled in expensive test courses and attending countless review sessions. For many students, this can be stressful because of the high prices that are associated with tutoring and extra classes.

What many students don’t know is that Khan Academy, an online nonprofit learning website, has collaborated with the College Board to make a free and flexible SAT test practice program that is available for everyone, provided they have access to a computer with internet.

For students with busy schedules, Khan Academy serves as a flexible and practical way for test preparation. Once you create an account using your e-mail address, you can choose whether you want to begin practicing for the old or the redesigned SAT, for which exams begin to take place in March 2016.

It will then give you an assessment on a variety of topics

so it can decide which subjects you need to improve on. Khan Academy will generate a list right afterwards, so you can begin on the topics you are least strong in immediately.

Some students have experience from Khan Academy SAT prep from last summer.

“Khan Academy is awesome. I love it because it’s not a huge commitment and you can do it whenever and wherever,” said junior Sonia Rathee.

It also has the capability to serve as a great resource for reviewing information, even if you have already completed a test preparation course. “It’s helpful to go back and access information in case you forgot anything,” said junior Maddy Campbell.

The informational videos can range from a couple minutes to about 15 minutes, so you can easily fit them into your schedule without sacrificing other plans. In every lesson, it provides you with several questions to answer to make sure you understand the material. If you get a certain amount of questions wrong, it

makes you redo the lesson until you understand it so you know the material for sure.

In order to measure your progress and scores, they have 4 available full-length practice tests available to take.

These practice tests contain four subjects: reading, writing and language, math with a calculator, math without a calculator, and offer an optional essay section.

Throughout the different lessons and courses, you can unlock new achievements, energy points, and avatars for your profile. Khan Academy also keeps track of what days you practiced and what you completed so you can keep track of your progress.

It also makes sure to refresh different topics that you may have forgotten over time.

For instance, if you haven’t completed a circle equation course recently, it will recommend it to you.

“I really like Khan Academy because it evens out the playing field for students who maybe can’t afford expensive test courses. Now

“Now everybody can have access to free SAT test prep which makes it a lot more fair.”

-Alyx Stewart, junior

everybody can have access to free SAT preparation, which makes it a lot more fair,” said junior Alyx Stewart.

Although Khan Academy is a valuable resource in studying for the SAT, it also has courses and videos on subjects ranging from commuting to arts and humanities, “I used Khan Academy for math, and it’s really helpful because in their videos you can follow along with the thinking process,” said freshman Linnaea Erisman.

“Khan Academy is a great resource for learning things you missed in school or for simply learning about new topics that interest you,” said junior Delilah Forrest.

Although the existence of Khan Academy is not very popular among many SDA students, it is available for everyone and can serve as a valuable resource for various reasons like test preparation or personal educational endeavors.

The Mustang 11

FEATURES

10.09.2015

M

any surfers around campus are excited about this year’s El Nino. “The waters really warm due to el Niño,” said junior Jill Butler.” For the past two years people have been saying,‘It’s El Nino!

It’s El Nino!’ They keep saying it’s getting bigger and bigger each year, so I’m hoping this is the year.”

SDA’s surf coach Marco, Martinez said, “Right now what’s happening that wasn’t present in the last El Nino of ‘97, is extremely warm water of the coast of California. It’s not only important for kids on the surf team, but for local communities to notice the signs for contaminated water and avoid swimming and surfing right after it. With El Nino in the near future, hopefully people are still conserving water, because it’s one of those things we can’t count on (happening). Its weather, it’s unpredictable; we’re hoping for the best. ” SDA surfer Kiersten Noonan also said “Because of El Nino, the surf could possibly get up to 15 feet in San Diego this winter. This means school teams and local surfers may change their usual surf spots because the waves will disrupt or change sand bars, either benefiting or ruining the waves in that area.” She said, “C St. Ventura, and Santa Cruz are going be insane. Swamis and Seaside will also be good this winter.”

Storm’s

Coming

Surfers are excited for warm water and big swells in anticipation of El Niño this winter. SDA is prepared for the expected heavy rain.

Story by Brook Komar and Natalie Haghani

Affect on Construction

Strong rain and flooding shouldn’t pose problems on campus or for new construction at SDA. Principal Bjorn Paige said, “We have had an event near the tennis courts that’s helped us prepare for the expected amount of rain,” he said, “The courts had flooded from just one day of heavy rain in September. Due to construction, there had been a hose blocking the run-off drain. In order to keep the P-quad from flooding there has been a large pit dug for any excessive rain runoff. Paige said, “That was the one place that we saw water get high, and we were able to identify some of (the reasons) why, allowing us to make adjustments. The campus and the new construction are made so that it can accommodate a lot of water.”

Demolition for Senior Court is planned to mostly occur during both our Thanksgiving and Winter breaks.

“It will not be delayed due to the predicted amount of rain once the construction has begun,” Paige said.

What to Expect

California anticipates a powerful El Nino this winter, expecting to see heavy rainfall, flooding, and destructive mudslides. NOAA Weather Forecasters predict California will see the strongest El Nino this winter since 1997.

What is it?

El Niño is a climate pattern that relates to the warming of the Pacific Ocean’s water temperatures, and the strength and speed of the oceans currents. This occurs along coast lines from Southern California to the tropics in South America. California is anticipating a strong El Niño this winter with heavy rainfall and flooding; however, forecasters are still uncertain that this storm will end California’s drought. NOAA predicts there is a 90 percent chance that the El Nino will hit California in 2015; however, the odds drop to an 80 percent chance that it will continue through the spring of 2016. Students and local residents are preparing for heavy rain and possible destruction El Nino may bring.

Cumulonimbus clouds cover Moonlight Beach after school October 5, following a day of heavy rain. Photo by Brook Komar

12 The Mustang 10.09.2015

B

jorn Paige stands in front of a crowd of high school parents, talking animatedly as he gestures at his PowerPoint presentation. It’s only eight in the morning but the new SDA principal looks twice as awake as the crowd of parents, largely mothers, who sit taking notes or nursing cups of coffee.

It’s the first ‘First Friday with the Principal’ meeting of the year, a monthly meeting where the principal delivers school news to parents. The audience seems eager to meet Paige, who came from Diegueño, and all the seats in the library are taken up.

Paige seems excited to be talking about what’s in store for the school, getting parents up to date (on the construction developments) and, at the end of the meeting, walking them down to the new trailer classrooms. He talks about the various merits of the trailers and explains the development is referred to as the P-Quad. “Not like the ship,” he quips, making a reference to “Moby Dick,” which takes place on a whaling ship dubbed the Pequod. Once an English teacher, always an English teacher.

Paige exudes the same characteristic enthusiasm whether he’s attending the Forum meeting, listening to SDA’s jazz band at Back to School Night, or extoling the virtues of his new school on his blog (titled “Skins of Ill Shaped Fishes,” a “Romeo and Juliet” reference).

During the summer, former Principal Tim Hornig announced his departure after four years at SDA, and after a quick turnaround it was announced that Paige would be stepping into the role. Except for the freshmen who attended Diegueño Middle School for 8th grade, where Paige was principal last year, students had no idea what to expect. But Paige launched himself into SDA life as soon as the school year started.

Paige went to high school in Oregon, where he played baseball and was a cartoonist at his high school paper. From there he majored in philosophy and English at college, and had just begun a PhD program in philosophy at Michigan State when he had a change of heart.

“It was wintertime and I was studying for an exam in medieval literature and I thought ‘I want to do something that’s more relevant, that has more to do with the world.’ So I left there and unloaded trucks for a year and then went into a teaching program and discovered that teaching was really, really fun,” Paige said.

FEATURES

Bjorn

To The Job

New to SDA this year, Principal Bjorn Paige is excited to be working at the academy, and is bringing his trademark enthusiasm and thoughtfulness to the role.

Story by Carina Julig.

Paige in his office. “I always had it in the back of my mind that this would be a good fit,” he said of SDA. Photo by Allie Manis.

“I wanted to make a difference. And teaching has been that; it’s magical.”

-Bjorn Paige

Even though Paige left the world of philosophy, it still has an effect on his worldview and his teaching style. “It’s made me more reflective. So much of philosophy is about perspective, and it’s helped me to slow down and try to see things in a big picture sort of way,” he said.

Paige taught high school English in the Bay Area, and took on a part-time administra-

tion job when he and his wife had their first child, which led to later taking a job as an assistant principal. “I never wanted to be the kind of teacher who left the classroom too early, but after 13 years I felt like I was ready to make that transition,” he said.

Paige and his family moved to the area seven years ago, and he started working in San Dieguito Union High School Dis-

trict as an assistant principal at LCC. “I’m all here now, though!

You won’t even hear me mention the other place,” he jokes, referring to the rivalry between the schools. Though he enjoyed his time at LCC and Diegueño, he always had his eye on SDA. “When we were thinking about moving down here we were looking online at all the schools in this district and I remember my wife saying to me ‘Bjorn, I want our daughter to go there,’ when we saw SDA. There’s a focus on the arts and the academics and kind of an iconoclastic spirit, and that really resonated with my philosophy major background and as someone who sometimes did kooky things as a teacher and tried to have fun with learning, and it really felt like that would be like home. So really from that conversation at my kitchen table at San Raphael I know that this was someplace appealing,” Paige said.

Paige has no major changes he wants to implement at SDA, he is most focused on being a good steward to the school.

“It’s an important job and I don’t take it lightly. I want to be mindful in all that I do; I want to embrace that student-centered culture. I see the legacy that is SDA and I’m just proud to be a part of it,” he said. He hopes to bring enthusiasm, an appreciation for the school’s culture, and a commitment to “keeping SDA funky” to his role as principal.

Paige wants students to take away more than just academic skills from their time at SDA. “I hope they leave SDA with an understanding of more than just academics, but a kindness and a perspective on inclusion and an attitude of respect towards others that really will serve them well in life beyond high school.

I want SDA graduates to be the elected officials around me and the teachers and the people who help make decisions. Because I do think that we at SDA have the opportunity to build humans, not just scholars. That’s always been a part of what happens here, and I think it’s one of the best parts,” he said.

The Mustang 13

FEATURES

10.09.2015

Behind the Improv

SDA students are showing the school the hilarious and entertaining skill of improvisation through the fast-paced, ComedySportz. There’s more to it than one might think. Story by Gina Checchia.

A

n hour before the ComedySportz game found me in the theater lobby looking out the glass windows at a full line of people waiting for the start and anxious house crew members getting the show ready for the night.

In the green room backstage, the players were either standing or sitting down on the big, grey couch talking to the referee, Bryan Green, who was hired from a professional LA team.

They were cracking jokes, asking the referee questions and getting advice for the game that night.

Acting coach Ciara Reiter,

senior, said, “Before a game, we get all the players together and we play some, if not all, the games we are going to be playing that night.

“If we’re like ‘Oh, we are not doing very well with this game,’ we will change it out for another game.”

To relieve the players’ nerves, the referee told them, “Just have fun with it; that’s my main piece of advice.”

The nerves can be very intense backstage. Yoni Kruvi, junior, was seen doing stretches in the hallway.

“It can be nerve-wracking because you never know how the audience is going to react because it is so spontaneous,”

Before starting the show, the team huddles in a circle taking deep breaths. Photo by Gina Checchia.

The blue and red team play against each other in the fastpaced dancing and singing game, “What You Got.” Photo by Gina Checchia.

Reiter said. “Really, the trick to getting over the stage-fright that comes with ComedySportz is having fun with it. If you’re up there having fun with your friends, then you aren’t doing anything wrong.”

The first home game of the year. Sept. 25, was completely sold out. The SDA split in two and played against each other.

Close to game time, players warmed up in the theater scene shop and did pre-show rituals.

They played Zip, Zap, Zop, a fast-thinking improv game, and they huddled in a circle taking deep breaths exclaiming the word, “Beep,” to each other before entering the stage.

“A lot of ComedySportz is getting really hyped up and having tons of energy, but before games we also try to really focus and be attuned to bonding with our team,” Reiter said.

Once they take the stage, the magic starts.

The team captains are called up by the referee to start the game with the interactive game, Foursquare, where the blue team rotates four times in a circle having

“In freshman year, I had a crippling fear of public speaking.

I couldn’t get up in front of a class and do a speech even. I came into high school wanting to change that and ComedySportz helped me get over that fear.”

- Griffin Salmon, senior

to having to act out topics that are given by the audience.

One of the topics was “twins” that Griffin Salmon and Jack Salz played where they started off the scene staring at each other for about ten seconds face to face and the audience went wild.

Later, at intermission, the players sit in a circle with the referee in the middle in the green room.

The referee goes scene by scene for each team giving notes to each individual player on how they could better their scenes in the future, saying, telling players what they could have done differently, and telling them to make “broader choices.”

“I think as improvisers we thrive off of mistakes,” Salmon said. “We’re ready for them and we know that we have each other’s backs. As long as we have trust in each other then it will work out.”

As the players shine under the blue stage lights, players are laughing along with the audience making these interactive scenes exciting for all, resulting in every home show consistently being sold out year after year.

The next ComedySportz game is at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at the Clayton E. Liggett Theater.

14 The Mustang 10.09.2015

FEATURES

Hiking Close to Home

Whether you live in Torrey Pines or Carlsbad, are an avid athlete or more of a couch potato, there’s a beautiful spot to appreciate nature hidden right in your neighborhood. Story by Leigh Houck. Art by Maxine Richter.

CARLSBAD for the relaxed stroller What: Batiquitos Lagoon Where: Trailhead begins in residential cul-de-sac at the end of Gabbiano Lane Why: If you want to enjoy California’s natural beauty but are not the most seasoned of hikers, a stroll around Batiquitos Lagoon might be your speed. The wide, flat path borders the sparkling inlet and benches facing the water conveniently dot the trail at regular intervals.

This is the perfect trail for those who like their exercise with periodic breaks for sitting down to rest, listen to music,meditate, or just watch the fish flying out of the water and the hawks circling overhead.

ENCINITAS for the exercise junkie What: Manchester Preserve Where: Manchester Avenue, the dirt parking lot located just West of Trabert Ranch Road Why: If you want to get your heart pumping without spending hours hiking, the Manchester Preserve is for you. The low-lying, native scrub plants and flowers that line the twisting dust paths make for a hike with no shade whatsoever. A cool day is preferable for taking this trail. Popular with runners, a loop through the main trail (without exploring any of the offshoots) takes around an hour and is under 2 miles. The hot, arid trails coupled with numerous steep inclines and copious stairs promise a vigorous workout in no time.

CARDIFF for the nature lover or endurance hiker What: San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy Where: Parking lot on the left side of Manchester Avenue just West of the I5 for the nature center loop (North Side) OR the cul-de-sac at the end of North Rios Avenue for the longer trails (South Side) Why: If you are the naturalist Hannah Montana and want the best of both hiking worlds, San Elijo is for you.

With an interesting educational nature center and a short loop of trails on the north side, and a maze of longer trails with stunning views on the south side, San Elijo has something for everyone. While there are some hills, the hike overall is not too rigorous. Expansive ocean views in the background and a lagoon teeming with fish, birds and lizards in the foreground ensure an engaging hike for hikers of any age.

TORREY PINES for the active, fresh-air enthusiast What: Torrey Pines Extension Where: Trailhead for the main Red Ridge Loop begins at the cul-de-sac at the end of Mira Montana Drive Why: If you want to enjoy Torrey Pine trees and ocean vistas without paying the hefty parking fee at the State Reserve, the Torrey Pines Extension will be right up your alley. The lesser known loop of trails winds through dusty cliffs topped with, of course, endangered Torrey Pines trees as well as scrub bushes and flowers.

Benches at the peak of the cliffs provide a stunning view of the ocean and a refreshing pause to enjoy the cool marine breeze and the world-famous scenery- without paying a cent.

The Mustang 15

FEATURES

Art Around Town

10.09.2015

“Our town’s street art is really important to SDA’s culture because our school is so based on creativity,” Kajsa Medak.

Artists and building owners talk about the towns murals.

Story by Sophia Hurley.

Royal Liquor mural. Photos by Austin Dilley.

F

rom popular street corners to back-sides of hidden homes, Encinitas and Leucadia are chock-full of murals that enrich our city’s culture and bring life to blank spaces around town. Though these pieces of public art shine with character, what’s even more colorful are the artist’s behind them. Inside are interviews with the artists, building owners, and SDA teachers with opinions on how art around town influences our school’s culture.

SDA art teacher Kajsa Medak

says, “In terms of the process of creating murals, I think that it’s a very individual thing, because creating artwork is an extension of people's personalities in a way. Process is so interesting, because with art, unlike certain other practices, there isn't one right way that things need to happen. It's not as prescriptive, and that's what really makes it interesting. It’s how people can express their style and ultimately communicate their message. Process has a lot to do with that.” These

murals don’t just have an impact on residents and tourists of Encinitas; they influence our school’s atmosphere as well. “I think our town’s street art is really important to SDA culture,” Medak says, “because the identity of our school is so based on embracing people’s individuality, ideas, and creativity among other things. Having the opportunity for students to express that though public artwork is really important, because it’s a way for the artist and the viewer to communicate.”

16 The Mustang 10.09.2015

The Mustang 17

THE CENTER

10.09.2015

Royal Liquor mural by artist Skye Walker. Photo by Austin Dilley.

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House mural on corner of F & 3rd street. Art done by Bleu Avina and Shane Donaldson. Photo by Allie Manis.

eucadia’s Royal Liquor just obtained something special: a new mural by Skye Walker, local artist and resident.

The mural on the north side of Royal Liquor took a total of four days to complete, and “was inspired by mother-nature, the ocean, and our amazing coastline in California,” Walker said.

“The name of this piece is called ‘Remember California’ because it’s a special place that should never be forgotten or ignored,” he said. “I feel really proud to have painted this piece for the community of Leucadia, and the fact that thousands of people drive by the mural on the historic HWY 101 is pretty awesome too.”

Since mural work can be lengthy, Walker loves listening to music when he paints to keep him going.

“I listen to all kinds of music,” he said. “Classic rock, indie, hip hop, some electronic…pretty much everything and anything that sounds good.”

Goddess Vomit

The owner of the house on the corner of F and 3rd street in downtown Encinitas always wanted something beautiful to coat the large, white wall on the side of his house. That wish was fulfilled two years ago on his birthday, when friends of his son [Shane Donaldson and Bleu Avina] left their mark on the “blank canvas wall.” Avina painted the yellow creature taking up the majority of the space, while Donaldson did the water and sea life shooting out of its mouth.

Avina, now living in Los Angeles, “takes inspiration from his Central American heritage by com-

bining hieroglyphics and geometric designs with his own personal style,” the owner said. Though the mural means something different to everyone in the neighborhood, the homeowner says that he likes to see it as “a representation of the Babylonian Myth of Creation, in which a God or Goddess vomits up the world and life from the salt sea.”

Whatever the interpretation, this piece of public art attracts the eyes of many wandering the downtown Encinitas neighborhood.

Beach Scene

The Corner Frame Shop in Leucadia holds a mural done by artist Jerry Calote, who paints based off of his surroundings and the consciousness of both the inner and outer environments. Calote said “In the case of this mural, it’s obvious that a beach scene address

-es the location of Leucadia, and the artist’s brush addresses the fact that the building is a frame shop and art gallery. When I design I try to be original and also concern myself with entertaining the public. This action in itself inspires me.”

The artist also said that, although mural work does not differ greatly from smaller-scale work aside from size, the preparation is a little different.

“The sketch or design of the mural serves two main purposes,” he explained. “It shows the client exactly what their product will look like when done or close to it, and it gives me a plan or diagram to create the work from. I am basically a free hand artist on murals, and I do not use projection or grid systems.”

Corner Frame Shop mural by artist Jerry Calote. Photo by Sophia Hurley

18 The Mustang 10.09.2015

FEATURES

Bull Taco mural by artist Kris Markovich. Photo by Allie Manis.

Mural behind VG Donuts by BERT. Photo by Cydney Melton.

A

rtist Kris Markovich has done street art for Bull Taco in San Clemente, Oceanside, and Leucadia, each one telling its own story.

“The inspiration for the Leucadia mural started more from a motivation that I had, and that motivation was covering up the mural that was on the wall at the time,” he said. “I painted the last mural the year before, and it was a collab with an ex-girlfriend. To me it was a nightmare of a mural, not only because we broke up shortly thereafter and had a fifty foot wide reminder of her, but it was wrong on so many levels. The mural was basically a metaphor for our relationship!”

On the second version, Markovich worked with fellow artist, Pces One. He said “It’s not something that is easy to explain or even talk about without sounding like I’m some eccentric artist with crazy ass thoughts and borderline clinical, but there is something that happens when we paint together. It’s like we finish one another’s thoughts, but in paint, and there is a juxtaposition with our styles that marries perfectly.”

The other inspiration came from the artist’s personal beliefs

on conforming in art. “I’m not really sure if there is some profound meaning by it as a whole,” said Markovich. “You either like it or hate it, but we blurred lines and crossed borders because the mural is seamless with the fact that it’s hard to tell there are two artists involved and that one used only cans and one used only brushes.

“One artist is what people would call a graffiti artist, and the other has no clue where he would fit and doesn’t want to fit it. In short, my personal meaning with this mural is let your actions prove everyone’s opinions wrong and that their opinions don’t mean a damn thing.”

BERT

Behind VG Donut & Bakery is a small mural of a man. A man holding a shark. A man with a piece of that shark in his mouth.

The anonymous street artist, “BERT,” painted this mural as a tribute to a surfer who survived a shark attack. The simplicity and mystery of the mural draws intrigue to the building corner, and the question still remains... who is BERT???

The Mustang 19

ARTS

10.09.2015

Coco Doyle, sophomore, and Madi Doyle, senior

Nate Stewart, senior

Fall Fashion Guide

Students from SDA bring the new fashion-forward trends to life this upcoming fall with a unique spin. By Gina Checchia.

E

ach season that goes by is often accompanied by new popular trends and styles that are “in” for a couple weeks and replaced as quick as the weather changes. With the hot weather delaying the start of fall fashion, there are plenty of new trends being styled around campus from freshman to seniors.

Walking through the hallways, you can see girls of all ages wearing varieties of printed bell bottoms, Birkenstocks, t-shirt dresses, halter tops, denim skirts, ankle boots, arm cuffs, off-theshoulder tops, and flowy highwaisted shorts. Many female students dabble in these popular trends, but few make their trendy pieces stand out in a unique way.

Senior Madi Doyle, and her sophomore sister, Coco, are prime examples of students that take trendy and fashionable pieces and personalize them to be unique to their style.

Madi and Coco shop at stores like Captain’s Helm in Oceanside, Flashbacks, Seaweed and Gravel, Soulscape, and the online shop: Hippie Shop. These popular stores, most of which line Pacific Coast Highway, are what furnish the effortlessly chic and hippie look that these sisters really personalize.

For fall, Madi says, “I’ll be wearing tons of velvet, boots; layers like cardigans, jackets,

scarves, flannels, lots of hats, and beanies.”

One thing that makes Madi and Coco stand out compared to others is their amount of jewelry, which ranges from rings to necklaces and chokers to arm cuffs. Madi is also the owner of an Instagram-run jewelry shop, Hypnotized Hippie, where she personalizes and creates her own jewelry to sell to SDA students.

The girls at our school are not the only ones following the upcoming fall trends and fashion styles. The boys have been recently wearing tons of different baseball tee’s, dickies, printed button-downs, “chubbies” shorts, and many variations of Vans shoes.

Senior Nate Stewart is a well-known skater at our school who transforms these trends into something that is stylish, unique, and put-together effortlessly. Nate is an employee at the local skate and clothing store, McGill’s, where many aspiring skaters and male students go to buy the latest styles of boys clothing.

“I get a fair amount of my clothes from my store, but I also shop at the DAV [Disabled American Veterans Charity Store] sometimes. I care about what I wear; I don’t just put on whatever I can find. I actually care about the way I present my-

self,” Nate says.

This fall, “I’ll probably wear a ton of hoodies, sweatshirts, my jeans, and my denim jacket,” says Nate.

Being an employee at such a stylish and in-trend store like McGill’s, Nate has a lot of inspiration. He gets to see what clothing items are selling the most to kids of our age, gets to help choose what products the store will be stocking, and receives clothing from his store to wear and make his own.

“A decent amount of SDA students come into the store,” he said. “The majority of them have been buying the new popular stretch chino pants. Threequarter-sleeve shirts, and funky printed socks have definitely becoming more popular among the purchases.”

With so many new fall trends and so many students rushing to buy the latest clothing, there is often little room to add your own personalized touch and uniqueness to wearing “trendy” pieces.

Students like Madi and Coco Doyle and Nate Stewart know how to break down the walls of “norm” and create outfits that are special, notable, and truly unique, transforming average pieces. When you walk down the hallways this fall, don’t forget to dress to impress.

Nicolas Cage?

An SDA student’s article: gone viral on Reddit?

22,000 people can’t be wrong...

Read for yourself the story that started it all at sdamustang.com/NEWs

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20 The Mustang 10.09.2015

ARTS

In The Spotlight Laura Gilmore

Sam Goldsmith

S

ophomore Sam Goldsmith is a musician at SDA. He has played the drums for six years and also plays the piano and guitar. Goldsmith is currently in SDA’s wind ensemble and jazz band. He also plays with his rock bands Rubenstein Drive By and Bobby Riggs Tennis Club.

Goldsmith likes to go to “Rocky Horror Picture Show”, practice martial arts, and “do a small amount of confusing music theory homework in homeroom so that my friends think I’m smart for knowing all that stuff.”

Q: What groups have you been involved with over the years?

A: My first band was Corn Chips With Lime in 5th grade.

We played jazz band arrangements of rock songs. Then I joined up with House of Cards, now Rubenstein Drive-By. I play keyboard with my dad’s band Salty Papa sometimes, but they’re not gigging again ‘til next summer. I’m also in a brand-new punk band called Bobby Riggs Tennis Club, and we need a lead guitar so if this gets published and anyone reading this plays good lead guitar (eg double-picking) contact me.

Q: Which group or type of group is you favorite to play with?

A: I like playing with my rock band Rubenstein Drive-By because of the freedom and creativity I’m allowed to have.

The drums are recognized as being just as important as the guitar or bass and are treated as such. Everyone is seen as holding an equal share in the band and is allowed to bring whatever they want to a new song.

Q: Describe your style.

A: I like to compare my style to Keith Moon’s: aggressive, on or just a little behind the beat, spontaneous, and full of explosive but appropriate fills. This reflects in my playing other styles like Latin, funk, or jazz, but I can change to a more repetitive and deliberate style for those genres.

Q: How do you work to create your style?

A: I practice by playing along to songs with drum parts that I like: a lot of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and PUP, because they use abnormal time signatures frequently.

Drumming along to songs like these helps shape my approach to other music I play.

Q: What inspires you?

A: The human brain inspires me. As a drummer, I constantly experience firsthand the mind-blowing dexterity and hand-eye coordination that humans are capable of that blows all other species out of the water. The fact that all the insane things we do are considered normal inspires me, because it makes it that much more of a challenge to be able to do something people find extraordinary. soon, with recordings and more shows to follow.

By Sophia Mock

Photo courtesy of Sam Goldsmith.

Jose Nicanor

M

usician Laura Gilmore, senior, has played the oboe for five years. She loves music, photography, and her pets. Her favorite genre is classical or indie. Gilmore performs in SDA’s Wind Ensemble and is also involved in other prestigious county and state groups.

Previously, she played the piano but stopped in 9th grade to focus more on oboe. Gilmore finds inspiration in her private teacher, Eugene Izotov, and renowned musician, John Mack, both professional oboists.

Q: When did music become a passion for you?

A: It’s hard to pick a definite starting point for me. I would say my passion has grown as I’ve continued playing my instrument. I love the fact that music is a form of self-expression that doesn’t need words to be able to communicate with others.

Q: What groups have you been involved with over the years?

A: I was in middle school band. Starting in 9th grade I’ve been in SDA’s top wind ensemble. I’ve also been involved in multiple honor bands including those within the SDUHSD district as well as a California all-state ensemble.

I have also been in various ensembles within the San Diego Youth Symphony. I am the principal oboist of the San Diego Youth Symphony’s top three ensembles. SDYS toured three cities in China this past summer, which was a really great experience.

Q: Which group or type of group is you favorite to play with and why?

A: I love playing in a full orchestral setting because, in my opinion, classical music is just awesome. I love how much depth the string section adds to a piece.

Q: What inspires you?

A: Success. My past successes were all due to hard work.

Remembering them really inspires me to keep working hard, even when everything just seems so overwhelming and difficult.

Q: How do you get into the zone before a performance?

A: I generally just play my repertoire to prepare beforehand. I also warm up and play some scales. It doesn’t take me very long to get into the zone right before a concert because I’ve already been preparing myself for several months.

Q: How do you feel when you perform?

A: I feel amazing when I perform. I see it as a culmination of my hard work, and I also love sharing music with others. When it doesn’t go so well, it’s easy to be discouraged, but all of my work and learning that I’ve gained from preparing for a concert is always worth it. I try to feel like I did the very best I could preparing before I do a performance.

J

ose Nicanor is a senior at SDA who has a passion for theater. Not only does he act, but he sings in his performances. He had a lot to say about how theater plays a part in his life. Nicanor recently moved to Los Angeles.

Q: How did you become interested in theater?

A: When I was about six years old I went to New York with my family and we were walking around and we saw this flyer that said “Auditions”. It was for a musical so I just went for it. That’s where it all started.

Q: How has your experience been with SDA theater?

A: It’s very coordinated which I like a lot. I’ve been in Mary Poppins and right now I’m actually getting ready for a show in October called “All in the Timing”.

Q: What is it like performing on stage?

A: It’s kind of nerve-wracking, I still get stage fright after 12 years. But I’m also way more confident than I used to be.

Q: Who or What inspires you?

A: One of my favorite Broadway actresses is Patti LuPone.

I saw her in a musical and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. My parents would sometimes take me to go watch musicals she was in. I admired the talent she showed on stage.

She definitely inspires me.

Q: Have you ever had a moment on stage where things didn’t go too well?

A: All the time. We make mistakes all the time, no actor is perfect. One time I was on stage (it was more of a costume mess up) I noticed people laughing at me but I just kept on going. The back of my costume was completely unzipped, I had no idea. The whole audience saw my back and my underwear. I was so embarrassed.

Q: What has been one of your proudest moments in theater?

A: I felt good about Billy Elliot. I had to play a different race, which was really hard. I struggled at times getting into character and I was worried about how the audience would react. I ended up doing really well and I audience enjoyed it so I really proud of myself that night.

Q: Do you have any backstage rituals to get in the zone?

A: Before a show I try to isolate myself. I don’t talk to people on the phone or anything. I just focus on my character.

Q: Do you plan to continue doing theatre in the future?

A: I want to continue with theater but in a more technical way. I want to be a stage director, not so much acting and singing on stage.

By Sarah Hernandez

By Sophia Mock

Photo courtesy of Laura Gilmore.

Photo Courtesy of George Stimson.

The Mustang 21

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10.09.2015

SDA is known for its art and vitality. Here are a handful of talented individuals who make up its art community.

Lara Haines

L

ara Haines, a semi-surrealistic-visual-artist, has been creating art since she had control of her hands, and she isn’t stopping now. She is finishing up her senior year with four art classes and a dream of carrying her passion into her college career and beyond.

Q: What is your preferred medium?

A: I don’t have one. I use paints, graphites, pens, markers, and I sculpt. I use pretty much any medium out there that I can.

Q: What is your source of inspiration?

A: I have really weird dreams and I’m fascinated with their symbolism, so I combine the two and create something based off of that. For example, my most recent piece (shown below) is a representation of a dream I had. In my dream, I felt like there was a bubbling in my stomach. At first, I thought I was sick, but a bright light started coming out of my chest. A crack had grown there and out of it flew thousands of tiny stars. I added a sun behind clouds in place for an eye to symbolize our vague grasps of our place in the universe, but the stars inside of us reinforce the idea that we do in fact have a place.

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

A: It’s kind of hard with all the AP’s that I take, but next semester I have three art classes in a row so I’m very excited to have three hours a day to work on art.

Q: How do you get into “the zone”?

A: All I need to do is to start painting and then everything else zones out and I get involved in the piece.

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

A: When it’s going well I’m surprised because the way things look in my head is generally never the way it turns out.

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

A: I just accept it won’t look like how I want it to and then make the best of that.

Q: How has SDA influenced you as an artist?

A: There are so many artists here that I take inspiration from. Last year, when I was in a class with [Lizzy, Sydney, and Taylor], combining all their styles helped me to develop my own and give me a pathway to where I am now.

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

A: I actually want to become an art teacher because of the inspiration art teachers here have given me. They’ve helped me realize so many things about myself, not just in the art world, and I want to help others do the same.

Niklas Hoover

Emma Strayer

J

A

Q: How would you describe your style of art?

A: I don’t really have a style right now besides a lot of detail work. I’m still trying to find something I really like.

Q: How would you describe your style of art?

A: I’m not sure how I would describe it because it changes depending on what I’m drawing. When I’m drawing a cartoon, it would usually be exactly like the cartoon unless I choose to customize it how I want.

unior Niklas Hoover has a very distinctive, stylistic flair for drawing. Inspired by the everyday things around him, even “pieces of trash,” as he pointed out, Hoover creates whimsical and detailed artwork using a variety of mediums. After graduating, he plans on attending art school to pursue his passion.

Q: When did you realize art was a passion of yours?

A: My dad started drawing with me when I was really little and I’ve pretty much been doing it ever since.

Q: What is your source of inspiration?

A: Anything inspires me, be it a plant or a piece of trash. It can be deconstructed and made into something completely different or it can inspire me to think of something else. I’m also influenced by artists like Sean Andrew Murray, Chet Zar, and Jaw Cooper.

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

A: I try to get in at least a daily sketch, whatever I have for AP art homework and also homework for a class I’m taking at Rev Art Academy. So about an hour or two a day.

Q: How do you get into “the zone”?

A: I have a lot of different music playlists I listen to depending on what I’m drawing. My favorites are Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, and MF Doom.

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

A: I don’t really think about it until it’s finished, but when it is, it’s very satisfying. It’s a sense of completion that I don’t get with anything else.

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

A: I get annoyed and usually burn it. I love to burn things (laughs) because it’s fun.

Q: How has SDA influenced you as an artist?

A: It’s a high school that’s very focused on individualism, and in artwork that plays a huge role on how you create art and what you produce.

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

A: Yes, I am intending to apply to art colleges this year, like Pasadena Art College, and hopefully have an art career in the distant future.

By Sophia Hurley

rt has always been important to junior Emma Strayer. Currently, she finds inspiration in the varying concepts and ideas that cartoons can provide. Since elementary school, her interests have expanded and changed, but she knows she wants to keep art a prominent aspect of her life.

Q: When did you realize art was a passion of yours?

A: I probably realized in 3rd grade that I had an interest in art. In middle school I realized that I had a specific passion for drawing.

Q: What is your source of inspiration?

A: My source of inspiration are probably cartoons. They give me the biggest ideas for different concepts in my drawings.

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

A: I draw at least one sketch a day. It’s a very large part of my daily life and what I do during school. Screen printing and AP art have definitely aided that.

Q: How do you get into “the zone”?

A: I like to be in a quiet place without much distraction.

I usually isolate myself and listen to alternative music or Fall Out Boy with my earbuds.

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

A: When people compliment me, I feel glad that it is appreciated, but usually it really depends. I’m not very confident with my art so I just always try to improve it.

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

A: I feel stressed of course, and frustrated. I feel that in reality, it can always be better than it is.

Q: How has SDA influenced you as an artist?

A: It hasn’t really. It has just given me more opportunities to do art in class and spend more time on it in homework.

I have also used it to release stress.

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

A: Of course, but it’s a difficult field to get into. We’ll have to see when the time comes. If not, I will definitely still pursue it as a hobby.

By Vicky VanDerWagt

By Sophia Hurley

Photo courtesy of Lara Haines.

Photo courtesy of Sophia Hurley.

Photo courtesy of Emma Strayer.

22 The Mustang 10.09.2015

ARTS

Filmmakers occasionally change the facts when they adapt a story for the screen. Photo by commons.wikipedia.org

The Following is(not) Based on a True Story Several recent movies have claimed they are based on true events.

But do they really stick to the facts? Story by Brittany Serbin.

W

hen Alan Turing broke the Nazi code and helped win WWII, he probably didn’t expect his story to be turned into a movie, let alone one that would earn over 200 million dollars worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, and be nominated for eight Oscar categories. He also probably didn’t expect “The Imitation Game” to get so many details wrong about his story either. Although biopics claim they are “based on true events,” how much of what they depict is really true?

“Stonewall” The Movie In June of 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York, arresting several of the gay bar’s members and inciting a riot that would become known as the start of the Gay Rights Revolution. Roland Emmerich’s new movie “Stonewall” follows Danny Winters (Jeremy Irvine), who, after he is kicked out of his parent’s home, flees to New York and finds himself caught up in the Stonewall Riots.

What Actually Happened The release of the movie’s trailer was initially met with protests in the LGBTQ community after people claimed the movie “whitewashes”Stonewall’s history. The film centers on a

fictional white, gay, cisgender (someone who is not transgender) male instead of the transgender members and people of color who played a central role in the riots.

An online petition calling for a boycott of the movie has gained over 24,000 signatures, with the message, “Do not support a film that erases our history. Do not watch Stonewall.”

After the initial protests, Emmerich responded on Facebook, saying, “I understand that following the release of our trailer there have been initial concerns about how this character’s involvement is portrayed, but when this film which is truly a labor of love for me - finally comes to theaters, audiences will see that it deeply honors the real-life activists who were there — including Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Ray Castro — and all the brave people who sparked the civil rights movement which continues to this day.”

“Everest” The Movie Shortly after reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, two groups of climbers were left stranded as an unexpected blizzard stopped their descent and resulted in the death of eight of their members. Baltasar Kormakur’s recent movie

“Everest,” which stars Jason Clarke and Jake Gyllenhaal as group leaders Rob Hall and Scott Fischer respectively, depicts the 1996 tragedy, which was at the time recognized as the mountain’s worst disaster.

What Actually Happened Although Jon Krakauer, one of the climbers who survived the blizzard, wrote the well-acclaimed book Into Thin Air about his experience on the mountain, the movie isn’t based on any previously written material. The writers developed their own script after consulting people with various first-hand accounts, yet it is fairly accurate. One of the more noticeable differences, which has been highlighted by several reviewers and experienced mountain climbers, is that the movie portrays the climb as more dramatic than what occurred. While there are edge-of-your-seat moments that accurately show the dangers of making the Everest climb, there are also moments of tension added for a more dramatic effect, such as the fictionalized rivalry between the two group leaders Hall and Fischer.

After the crew finished filming, it was reported that director Baltasar Kormakur pushed the actors to extremes. At the Toronto Film Festival, Kormakur told

TheWrap’s Steve Pond that he took his crew as high as 16,000 feet, which may have resulted in them getting “so sick they had to evacuate them with helicopters.”

He also shot the film in below zero degree temperature for the first six weeks of production, saying, “I don’t really care for happy actors.”

“Black Mass” The Movie Johnny Depp returned to the big screen in late September as the famous crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger in Scott Cooper’s movie Black Mass. The movie follows Bulger’s story from leader of the Winter Hill Gang in Boston to becoming Massachusetts’ most feared criminal and getting a spot on the 10 Most Wanted list. He had help along the way, mainly in the form of his childhood friend and later FBI agent John Connolly, who would give Bulger information in exchange for intel on the Italian Mafia, another group prominent in the Boston area and a rival of Bulger.

What Actually Happened After the movie opened in theaters, Bulger’s former right-hand man Kevin Weeks accused the film of being “pure fiction.” Weeks claimed that the movie depicts him and other gang members as less capable and in some cases more sympathetic than they really were. He also said many of the events in the movie weren’t chronological and didn’t accurately represent what happened. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Weeks stated, “I just don’t know where they get the right to put events in there that never happened.”

At a press conference for “Black Mass” during the Toronto International Film Festival, director Scott Cooper admitted that the truth is very elusive when it comes to the film, saying, “I don’t think that people come to narrative features for facts.

For ‘the truth’ I think you do go to documentaries for that. But what you do come to a narrative feature for is psychological truth, emotion and deep humanity.”

Co-lead Joel Edgerton, who plays Connolly in the film, offered his insight, saying, “You can never presume to know ‘the truth’ when everybody has an opinion. At some point, you just have to say: ‘This is our telling of our version of these events.’”

More information, including the sources used in this article, can be found online at sdamustang.com.

Ordinarily Unique New rap artists are all beginning to sound the same.

Story by Armaan Shah.

I

f you’re not really into rap music, you may have never heard of rap group Migos or solo artist Future.

These artists originated from Georgia, which is apparently the new hotspot for Hip-Hop judging from the amount of new rappers coming from the area.

I recently created a Twitter account and half of my newsfeed is about these two artists. After all the hype surrounding them, I decided it was time to find out what everyone was raving about.

It felt like I was listening to the same song over and over again with different words. My review: I would not recommend this to anyone. But on the other hand, I urge you to listen. I want to make sure I’m not crazy.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but not a single word Future says in his songs is understandable. Ultimately, his music comes out as a mix of instrumentals and mumbling that vaguely follows a tune.

While listening to his most recent album “DS2,” I honestly wouldn’t have been able to distinguish different songs if there weren’t a pause between them.

Quite frankly, there is no variety.

To more clearly describe their music, it contains words that are usually not fully pronounced, leaving the listener guessing as to whether they just heard “off” or “over.”

Normally I wouldn’t care, but it seems as though other artists in the genre are adopting this new style, including big-name artist: Drake.

Recently, his music has been reflective of the short, choppy verses that Migos and Future have been including in their songs.

Multiple artists are now incorporating the stagnant lines that are signature to the style of Migos and Future.

I am, in fact, not the only one with this opinion. Industry giant Snoop Dogg described this exact problem in an interview with GGN News & G-Unit. “That’s what’s wrong right there, everybody is trying to rap the same style. I don’t know who created it, if it was Future or Migos, but all of them sound the same.”

The only question I have is: What happened to the days when artists had their own unique style that shaped their identity?

The Mustang 23

ARTS

10.09.2015

Reviews For recent movies, albums, and podcasts.

The Scorch Trials

Four Pink Walls

Lore

Phtoto by mazerunnermovies.com

Photo by alessiastumblah.tumblr.com

Photo by lorepodcast.com

T

W

L

he Scorch Trials”, the sequel to the movie based on James Dashner’s best-selling book, “The Maze Runner,” recently came out into theaters on Sept.

18. Starring Dylan O’Brien, this action packed movie rose to the top of the charts the first weekend it was released.

The movie begins as the main character, Thomas and his fellow friends, known as Gladers find themselves in the possession of a powerful organization known as WCKD. Although at first they consider WCKD a trustworthy organization, they soon realize how they have been manipulated and attempt to escape.

The dangers of escaping soon become real because, while the Gladers were trapped inside the maze, the human population was being consumed by a ferocious and devastating disease known as the Flare, which turns the infected into zombie-like creatures which the Gladers refer to as cranks.

During their trek, they make their way through a postapocalyptic type world where remorseless threats like WCKD and vicious cranks continuously arise.

I would highly recommend this movie although the plot isn’t very accurate to the book. For instance, the movie left out crucial mind-communication between two main characters. The purpose of the Gladers after escaping WCKD was also different in that in the book, they were more focused on finding a cure. In the film, they were just trying to survive and find a safe haven.

This movie appeals to all crowds with its variety of themes including jump-scares, action, romance, adventure, and science fiction. It will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat, and keep you excited for the third and final movie in the series, “The Death Cure,” which is scheduled to release on February 17, 2017.

By Vicky van der Wagt

hile “Four Pink Walls” sounds like any other catchy pop song, what makes this album stand out from the others is its lyrics and the messages that they express. The album is written and sung by budding Canadian artist Alessia Cara (whose full last name is Caracciolo), who was originally discovered by her acoustic covers of songs on her YouTube channel, “Alessia Cara”.

While Cara is obviously a talented singer/songwriter, I enjoyed her lyrics more than her voice. Most pop songs these days explore similar themes of superficiality, middle-school “love” stories, and acting-out because of the ever-so clichéd justification “life is short”.

These five songs explore more exclusive and realistic topics. For example, the song that is currently gaining the most recognition, “Here,” talks about being at a party and genuinely hating it: “I would rather be at home all by myself not in this room, with people who don’t even care about my well-being, I don’t dance, don’t ask, I don’t need a boyfriend.”

I found it refreshing that her songs speak of more realistic experiences of being a teenager, because the reality is that it isn’t all black and white. Her lyrics range from being uncomfortable parties in “Here,” to at the same time enjoying the concept of being young and still enjoying other aspects of life in “Seventeen.” Alessia Cara is definitely an artist to watch, because she is talented, spunky, down-to-earth, and creative.

By Linnea Leidy

ooking to impress your friends this Halloween with some unheard of scary stories? Check out the podcast Lore where, “Sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction.” Lore, a podcast narrated, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke, explores the history behind common folktales.

Each episode, narrated in a short 15 to 20 minute span, focuses on an uniquely scary theme, such as vampires, witches, or fae. A historical event relating to the theme is told, such as the persecution of a woman accused of witchcraft or the hunt for a mysterious beast that had ravaged a town.

Mahnke explores the underlying causes to the supernatural events, explaining why a person acted the way they did, what was really going on, and how, in reality, the mysterious events have logical causes.

But in order a tell great story, there has to be more than just great content. The beautiful descriptions of a once clouded past seem to transfer from soft words to vivid mental images.

It’s like history had breathed its damp breath over the window of truth and Aaron Mahnke is there to wipe the fog away. The perfectly timed piano background, the low and slow voice seemingly created for radio, and the subtle pauses between important points adjoin to create something righteous and amazing.

The history folklore in a storytelling setting is refreshing and creates a chilling and high quality indie vibe. The writing is carefully thought out, thoroughly researched, and not overly opinionated.

Lore is one of the highest quality new podcasts out there and more deserving of the public’s attention. If you check out one new thing this month, check out Lore, a free and easily downloadable podcast available now on Itunes.

By Mary Ford

24 The Mustang 10.09.2015

San Dieguito Sentinel WALKING IN THE FAST LANE

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Students late to class! Teachers annoyed! Students annoyed! Everyone is annoyed!

No one will ever be able to walk at a leisurely pace again! By Kenna Osborn.

Y

Students leaving the P-Quad attempt to get through the crowded walkway to their next class before the bell rings. Photo by Claire Pupping.

ou have less than two minutes to get from your homeroom which is conveniently tucked all the way in the thirties, to your second period down in the depths of the P-Quad.

You are panting and sweating, and you’re pushing past every clump of innately slow teens fighting for your time.

Your feet are crying because you’re foolishly trying to break in your new oddly tacky yet trendy leather shoes. Luckily for you, you’ve made it to class on time. You’re still sweating in all the wrong places and will have to reapply your clinical strength Oprah-endorsed deodorant, but nonetheless you’ve made it.

This is exactly what the school board has in mind. They want you to sweat. Going forward in the school year, classes will be made a few minutes longer to ensure that the passing periods are shorter. In effect, this will hopefully make students walk at a more brisk pace to get their hearts pumping, contributing to that daily exercise every growing teenager needs.

According to a hefty amount of general studies, on average 13 to

18-year-olds need at least one hour of exercise everyday. (See our exercise and nutrition advice on pages 28 and 29) At the moment, students are given eight minutes to get from their first period to their homeroom, seven minutes to get from homeroom to second period, five minutes to get to third period from lunch, and nine minutes to get from third to fourth period. As part of this new protocol, all those numbers will be cut in half. For those who have classes that are spread out, you may have to resort for taking swifter steps or even jogging.

Students are concerned that they will not be able to make it to class on time, and going to the bathroom now is simply out of the question unless you are a speed pee-er. This would result in students needing to use the restroom during class, interrupting class time. However, the school board is not concerned about this because class time is being lengthened due to the shorter passing periods, and learning time will not be affected.

“I really enjoy walking fast,” said freshman Lae T. Klass.

BATHROOM BRAWLS

You’ll be urine-ing to get to the stall that actually has toilet paper. By Carina Julig.

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ights have begun to break out in the girls bathrooms, as the long lines are raising tempers and making it difficult to use the bathrooms during passing period. This is especially a difficulty for students who have classes in The Village (officially known as the P-Quad), as it takes approximately 20 minutes and a good pair of hiking shoes to get to The Village from the central part of campus.

The lines to the girls bathroom have always been long, but the situation has been exacerbated this year due to the closure of the girls bathroom in senior court, leaving only one girls bathroom on the main part of campus. Frustrated and scared of being marked tardy, numerous fistfights have broken

out between girls desperate to relieve their bladders attempting to cut in line.

“I tried to nudge my way to the front of the line because I didn’t want to be late for English class, but the girls in front of me started yelling and I had to put someone in a half-nelson in order to get to a stall. I got detention, but that’s better than wetting my pants,” said junior Ineda Pee. The situation has gotten so out of hand that a group of girls broke into the locked senior court bathrooms in order to avoid the frenzy.

“We stole some tools from metal shop and broke the lock off. It’s way calmer in there, but there isn’t any toilet paper, so we have to keep stealing it from the other bathrooms,” said a senior who

wished to remain anonymous. The culprits have yet to be found by SDA’s administration, and the lock has been replaced several times only to be broken again.

The school has warned girls not to scuffle, issuing statements that anyone attempting to fight their way to the front of the line will lose their bathroom privileges and will have to find places off campus to use the facilities. (This has led to the arrival of several port-a-potties on Nardo St., to the irritation of homeowners, who have complained about the smell.) However, the situation has not appeared to improve, as many girls can still be seen showing up to class seconds before the bell with bruised knuckles and smiles of triumph.

Above, Paige Clark and Jill Butler battling it out after Clark cut Butler in the bathroom line. Photo by Claire Pupping.

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San Dieguito Sentinel

The Mustang 25 10.09.2015

THE LEGEND RETURNS

Pumpkin spice makes people unnecessarily excited about fall. By Sophie Peeler.

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fter the humid southern California summer, everyone’s excited for fall… but not because of Halloween, the chilly, crisp air, or sweater weather (although, that last one IS pretty exciting). Sure, those things are pretty great, but what’s the real reason as to why everyone’s so pumped for fall? Two words: Pumpkin Spice.It’s not just lattes anymore. There are all sorts of Pumpkin Spiced beverages to cater to everyone’s individual tastes. So it’s no wonder that coffee houses become swarmed with avid Pumpkin Spice lovers as soon as the first leaf starts changing color.

“We have to hire thirty new people every fall just because of how many more customers we get,” said coffee store owner, Frannie Chino . “They’re all after Pumpkin Spice. They’ve made it into a lifestyle.”

But that lifestyle doesn’t come cheap. Pumpkin Spice enthusiast, Piper King, revealed how the beverage affects her daily life. “Coffee drinks as good as Pumpkin Spice are obviously going to be expensive; you’re paying for quality as well as taste,” she said.

“When you take on the Pumpkin Spice lifestyle, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices. I’m pretty dedicated, so I purchase the drink at LEAST three times a day, and that’s on a bad day. But I’ve learned to sacrifice other things in order to budget my lifestyle, like gas for my car.

I don’t drive anymore- I bike instead. That way I don’t have to pay for gas and can use the money for Pumpkin Spice. I mean, it’s not like I ever need to go anywhere besides my local coffee house!”

The average Pumpkin Spice beverage costs around five

Horror-Scopes

Illustration by Claire Pupping

dollars, so people who lead Pumpkin Spice oriented lives like King are spending over 5,000 dollars annually just on the beverage. Technically, Pumpkin Spice is only supposed to be available during the fall months. According to Chino, though, the high demand of the drink and the hysteria she witnessed when it wasn’t available forced her to change this rule in her coffee house.

“We don’t put it on the menu and make it available

to everyone, since that would ruin the whole essence of Pumpkin Spice,” Chino said. “But we keep a stash in the back room specifically for a few individuals who are regulars here and literally cannot live without it. I decided to do this after seeing one girl have a complete breakdown right in the middle of the shop after being told there was no more Pumpkin Spice. She almost passed out.”

The reason Pumpkin Spice has become such a staple for some people is likely due to its inviting and aromatic qualities. It no secret that it has basically become the embodiment of fall. “I mean, what could be better than a hot Pumpkin Spice latte, especially on an autumn night?” said King. “Like, its cold outside, so a hot latte is a great for that. And it tastes like fall. When you drink something that tastes like pumpkin, what’s the first thing you’re going to think of? Halloween. And when does Halloween happen? Fall.”

Pumpkin Spice has become so popular that its original drink, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, is commonly named by its acronym, PSL. In fact, it even has its own Twitter account (@TheRealPSL) that has actually been verified. It has over 109,000 followers, all of whom are likely eager PSL fans ready to get their hands on the fall-oriented beverage.

At Starbucks, the beverage’s original home, Pumpkin Spice was released this year on Sept. 8, so make your way over to get your hands on one. For those who are just looking for a cup of coffee… well, good luck making your way through the swarms of Pumpkin Spice lovers who will stop at nothing to get their beloved drink.

It’s your month not to be a hollow weenie. By Claire Pupping and Kenna Osborn.

Aeries March 21st-April19th You always want to be on top. You’re a hard worker with a competitive spirit. Hold off on that this month.

You could use a chill pill or maybe two. Take time to relax and let others claw their way to the top. Don’t worry; you can drag them back down next month.

Taurus April 20th-May 20th Your generosity is usually a positive trait. However, you need to stop being so generous and start giving to yourself. Because when you’re generous you start to realize all the things that YOU are giving away. You sit on the couch steaming in your jealousy and planning the ultimate end of all those you are generous too. So stop.

Gemini May 21st-June 20th Your curiosity and passion for new things is what makes you impossible to pin down, emotionally and physically.

This is your month to let someone pin you down. That’s right get tackled, nail yourself to a wall, staple gun yourself to a friend or loved one.

Cancer June 21st- July 22nd While your artistic skills and creativity shines, you have a tendency to avoid rejection at all costs. This month throw that habit out the window; let yourself be rejected.

Ask your teacher for a better grade and feel the rejection.

Try and ask that overly attractive person out, and feel the rejection. Let rejection sink in like lotion or a topical ointment.

Leo July 23rd-August 22nd Your positivity and energy lifts the spirits of many. Your loyalty is the strongest out of all the signs, but this month is your month to break promises and stab backs. Delete your family’s TV shows on DVR. Ditch one friend to go off with another for hour lunch. Just make sure that the back stabbing stays metaphorical.

Virgo August 23rd-September 22nd You need to take a break this month. Like Aries, I’m prescribing some chill pills for you. You’ve been worrying way too much about everything. I mean you are a perfectionist so it always comes out perfect anyways. So what are you worrying for?

Libra September 23rd-October 22nd You despise confrontation, and would prefer to keep things mellow. This month is your month to confront.

Confront everyone about everything. Confront your peers, your teachers, your family and maybe even your cat.

Scorpio October 23rd-November 21st You have a strong spirit although sometimes you hide it.

Let it shine this month. Use all that bottled up energy you have to do something. Something fun and non-destructive. You can get carried away with that sometimes.

Sagittarius November 22nd-December 21st Optimism is one of your many great qualities, although some of your friends may disagree. You can be too much a lot of the time. Next time your friends fail a test, don’t point out to them how much better they are making you look and that they are just being a good friend.

Capricorn December 22nd-January 19th Faith and ambition are two of your most valuable qualities. However, your shyness and self-control have you living in an unrealistic bubble. This is your month to become the outspoken, maybe slightly annoying person.

Start participating in your classes, spout off Shakespeare from memory, make obnoxious jokes that make everyone uncomfortable.

Aquarius January 20th-February 18th You love to have your thoughts provoked; anything that makes you think deeply is your best friend. This month don’t think about anything. Act on every impulse you have. Want frozen yogurt for dinner? Do it. Want to challenge your English teacher’s interpretation of some obscure short story? Do it. Want to make an in-app purchase? DO IT. Pisces February 19th-March 20th Stop being a small fish that follows all the big fish around.

The big fish are just waiting for their moment to turn around and eat you. Before that happens, make your own path. You have new imaginative ideas that deserve to be heard!

26 The Mustang 10.09.2015

San Dieguito Sentinel

SparkNotes, But Worse

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A completely and utterly subjective guide to some of the books you might read in high school. By Claire Pupping and Kenna Osborn.

Freshmen: “The Lord of the Flies” The powers that be have decided that during your first year of high school you are going to read William Golding’s “The Lord of the Flies.” This novel is mental preparation for your dweeby freshman bubble being popped as you realize that your best friend forever will not actually be “forever” because he or she is actually an uncivilized beast at the core. The friend probably just uses you for your glasses and ignores all of your sage advice. Don’t go near any cliffs or boulders.

Sophomores: “Crime and Punishment” & “Catcher and the Rye” Existentialism! Angst! Murder! Russia! Prostitutes! I really hope you don’t see “Crime and Punishment” as “Murder for Dummies.” Also, Holden Caulfield should NOT be your new teen advice guru.

Juniors: “The Great Gatsby” Oh juniors, after reading Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” you may feel inclined to take a huge dump all over every other author you ever read. (Specifically Hemingway--try to restrain this urge.) Gatsby! What a guy! He’s pretty great. You’re not even sure as to why he is deemed “great.” There is a lot of symbolism. The movie sucks. The book is good. A boob explodes.

Seniors: Shakespeare, nice.

Illustrations by Claire Pupping and Kenna Osborn

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Jumping Higher

Emily Kimball never knew how far her volleyball carer would take her. Story by Jacob Aere.

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t just 16 years old, senior kills across the court and down Emily Kimball is a force to the line. All of her dedication to be reckoned with on the volleyball has allowed her to acvolleyball court. complish so much in the sport at Kimball acknowledges that such a young age. Many people volleyball doesn’t come naturally wonder how exactly she came to her and said,“Freshman year to be the star athlete she now is. was bad, it was BAD.” Kimball helped answer these However, Kimball now finds questions with responses regardherself at the forefront of many ing her past, present, and future accomplishments: Her club team volleyball career and life. went to the Junior Olympics, she Looking upon all of these achas helped the school team to a complishments, how have you 13-0 start, was MVP at the Las Ve- seen yourself grow and why gas High School Invitational tour- do you think you’ve been able nament, was the Union Tribune to improve so much since your athelete of the week and just com- freshman year? mitted to University of California “Oh freshman year it was bad, San Diego for volleyball. it was BAD. Well freshmen and All of her success started way sophomore year I was really bad back in her fresham year of 2012. but, I guess by pure luck I made Coming from the small Grauer the really good Wave 16-2 team.

School, Kimball’s mom advised I spent most of the season on the her to try out for the SDA volley- bench and that really motivated ball team to try make friends. me to work harder.When I came For the past two years Kim- into junior year for high school ball has been season, I on the SDA think I was varsity volmore moleyball team tivated [to I don’t think anyone where she succeed] and plays right that’s what thought I would get side, otherpushed me wise known above my this good.” - Kimball as opposite. peers.”

She has made What do tons of close you enjoy friendships with teammates and about playing volleyball as a dominated opponents on the whole? court. Emily doesn’t have any “I like the teamwork and the special training or diet for her suc- friendship you make out of it. I cesses. She simply participates also like how you win as a team. in team practices and believes in You as a single person do not lose herself. the game for the team nor do you Kimball’s practices during win the game for the team.It’s the high school season are every such a combined, group effort.” week day for about two and a What do you get out of playhalf hours and her club practices ing volleyball, are there other for the Wave Volleyball Club are reasons you play? twice a week for two hours. Kim“Volleyball has always been ball’s club team starts when the a nice stress reliever. Even if I’m school team finishes in late No- having the worst day I can come vember and runs until the middle onto the court and nothing else of summer in which she transi- seems to matter.” tions back to high school season.

Do you have any special During club season Kimball game day routines? trains with her team at the Wave “On game days I always have Volleyball Ball Gym, located near to go off campus with the team for the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and lunch, I always have to warm up practices her future left-handed with Christine [Giovannoni], and

“

Senior Emily Kimball jumps with determination to punish another team with her powerful hit and helps push her team to another victory . Photo by Phil Colla.

I have to be on the right side of the court, closest to the chairs.”

Are you superstitious then?

“I’m not superstitious, it’s just during high school season I become really superstitious.”

So you ARE superstitious?

“Well, only during high school season,“ she said laughing.

Do you have a favorite moment with the team?

“The winning serve in the Vegas tournament that we won this year. Megan’s [Scherer] serve danced on the net for a little bit and then it fell down and the other team didn’t get it. I didn’t believe the serve was

going to clear the net, and just to see it go over the net and see everyone react to it was really cool.

It was the winning point, it was amazing!”

Was it a close game?

“Not super close, but we still had some pressure on us as it was the third game. The final score was 15-11.”

What position are you planning on playing at UCSD? Have you been told your role yet?

“I’m committed to play right side, like I play right now.”

Do you have any future goals at UCSD besides volleyball?

“Well my end goal is to become a doctor or a trauma sur-

geon when I get older so I just want to make the most of my experience at UCSD and help myself get into medical school.”

As the final bell of the school day rang, Kimball got up to head in and get ready for their 10th game and 10th win of the season against Rancho Bernardo.

Just like she started the interview, Kimball’s closing words included her awkward giggles and great smile that have helped her be successful on and off of the court.

“I definitely didn’t think I’d get this good at volleyball. I don’t think anyone thought I would get this good, so it’s kind of cool.”

28 The Mustang 10.09.2015

SPORTS

2 Easy-to-make Breakfast Recipes Here are some tips for a quick healthy breakfast snack for on-the-go students and faculty of SDA. Story by Nicole Ramirez. Drawings by Maxine Richter.

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very high school student dreads one thing, waking up early in the morning to get ready for school. Most of us just roll out of bed, throw on some clothes, grab a lunch and run out the door because we are already late. But there’s one thing missing from that routine: breakfast. The adults call it the most important meal of the day but to students, it’s the most inconvenient.

Unfortunately this leads to tired and hungry teens, and no one wants that. That’s why we came up with 2 easy breakfast recipes that are nutritious and quick to make in the morning.

Senior Helaina Rain makes herself some scrambled eggs.

Spanish teacher Sheryl Bode makes quick breakfast toast.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

•

2 eggs

•

1 tsp pf olive oil

•

handful of spinach

•

pinch of cheese

•

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 1. Take a bowl and 2 eggs, whisk eggs together add a little bit of milk 2. Add salt, pepper and cheese into bowl as needed 3. Put pan on medium heat with olive oil 4. Add egg mixture, cook them halfway and add kale 5. Keep the egg mixture on heat for about 5 minutes 6. Heat up tortilla or toast and enjoy!

•

Whole wheat toast

•

½ of an avocado

•

purple onion

•

sunflower seeds

•

salsa

Instructions: 1. Toast a slice of whole wheat bread 2. Smash half of an avocado and spread it on the bread 3. You can slice some purple onion to top it with if wanted 4. Sprinkle some sunflower seeds on top.

5. Top with some salsa and enjoy!

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

Women Workout:

Sophomore Sarah Colla plays on the Girls Varsity Volleyball team. Her favorite workout is doing squats because “it helps strengthen your legs and helps you jump higher,” said Colla.

Men’s Workout:

Senior Tony Sommers participates in track and field. His favorite workout are leg raises for core because “they help lower abs,” said Sommers.

New Man, New Plan Scott Jordon wants more students to get involved in sports at SDA. Story and photo by Cydney Melton.

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Step One: Stand with feet shoulder width

Step One: Lie flat on your back and

Step Two: Sit back, like sitting back on a

Step Two: While keeping your lower back

Step Three: Sit for about three seconds, then

Step Three: Repeat for recommended 45

apart.

chair, while keeping all balance on your back heels.

stand back up by pushing off your heels.

Repeat for a recommended 30 seconds, with 10 second breaks in a set of three.

straighten your legs up and out.

touching the ground, slowly lower and raise your legs.

seconds, with 15 second breaks in a set of three.

he new athletic director and video/film teacher, Scott Jordon, has been working in the San Dieguito Union High School District for 10 years – 10 years at La Costa Canyon High School and the last three years at Carmel Valley Middle School in which he was also working at LCC. Jordan has a passion for sports and, in fact, used to be an official for high school and college baseball, basketball and volleyball.

He decided to make the switch from LCC to San Dieguito Academy because the opportunity opened up.

“It was something I couldn’t pass up. When I heard about it I was so excited,” said Jordon.

Jordon believes the essence of SDA athletics is different from LCC. Unlike LCC being a “sport’s” school, SDA “has a different feel to it. It’s got a great feel. It needs to know its place in regards to sports,” said Jordon. “You are a student athlete here.”

“I feel a rise in sports. We are trying to take it to another level,” he said.

Jordon believes the students have the power to make SDA athletics what they want it to be.

“We need to embrace the sports,” said Jordon.

Jordon plans on looking into a Girls Water Polo Team and is currently trying to gain excitement and interest for the possible addition to SDA athletics. Also, Jordon is looking forward to getting the new tennis courts up and running.

“I’m here trying to be supportive to everybody – the students and the coaches,” said Jordon.

Jordon is excited to attend SDA athletic events to have fun and support everybody this year.

30 The Mustang 10.09.2015

SPORTS

Surfer vs. Skater Junior surfer Tate Thompson, dream crusher, and freshman skater Jess Edwards, conspiracy theorist, debate life’s hardest questions.

Story by Mary Ford.

If Cinderella’s slipper was a perfect fit, why did it fall off at the dance?

what little girl soul I had left. The next lie you tell will be that Santa doesn’t exist.

freedom fighters fight?

Surfer: He was a clutzy dancer.

Skater: Because..it..she...they lied.

Skater, they did lie. They could be watching us. Can you feel the eyes on the back of your neck?

It’s all a conspiracy. I know that publishing this focuses their view on you but just lay low. I think the surfer is one of them. They are everywhere. Don’t let the commies get you. More soon.

Dream Crusher: ISIS

Dear Surfer, please take a moment to ponder. Do you really know this for a fact? Because, in my five-year-old fantasies, the prince was the best dang dancer known to mankind. Yeah, you neglect to think of the fact that he was a prince and he had been royally trained since birth to go on daring adventures and pick up hot princess chicks. Do you really think this tall drink of water wouldn’t know how to waltz? My little cousin’s Cinderella Barbie doll weeps for you.

Minus 10 points for being wrong and minus another 50 for crushing

Skater: Freedom

Skater: Again Skater, you dissapoint. Freedom fighters DO NOT fight freedom. Wait... are you doing something here? What do you mean, you elusive thing you.

Is there truth in your statement?

Because who really has the right to define freedom? Has the human mentality developed to the point of paradox? Are you suggesting that the human psyche wants the freedom to refuse freedom?

100 points to you. Also, check your bank accounts. There is enough money to get you into neutral Switzerland by Monday and tide you over until I get there.

Get it, tide you over. I can’t tell my surf puns to the surfer because he is a dream crusher.

20 points for blowing my mind and almost bringing back my sophomore existentialism.

Dream Crusher, the ease with which you answered that question

If fire fighters fight fire and crime fighters fight crime, what do

Skater Jess Edwards is overshadowed by Surfer Tate Thompson’s glory. Photo

by Mary Ford.

bugs me. So instead of delving into the hidden meaning behind your words, I will assume that

by Isis, you meant the goddess of rainbows instead of the Middle Eastern terrorist organization.

Just giving you the benefit of the doubt here. Anyway, in no way, shape, or form would Isis waste any time focusing on the puny problems of mere mortals such as yourself. You think you are such a big deal? Let me tell you that not

one member of the Continental Congress would dare disrespect Isis like you did. They’d have a little something called cultural sensitivity.

Minus 1776 points for offending our founding fathers.

Surfer: -1836 Skater: 120 Congrats Skater! You win nada.

STANG STATS

These three SDA fall sports are just now entering season games in the Avacado West League (field hockey) and Avacado East League (volleyball/waterpolo) . The rankings are based on season games, however the records are based on pre-season games. By Kate Bilse. Statistics provided by maxpreps.com.

GIRLS VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY RANK

1 2 3 4 5 6

SCHOOL

RECORD

RBV

5-4-1

VISTA

5-7-0

MISSION VISTA

2-2-0

SDA

1-8-0

LCC

9-2-0

FALLBROOK

6-6-1

Sophomore Natasha Hall going head to head with two Helix players. Photo by Karen Arguijo.

GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL RANK

1 2 3 4 5 6

SCHOOL

RECORD

SDA

12-0

SAN MARCOS

11-1

DEL NORTE

6-3

SAN PASQUAL

8-6

MISSION HILLS

7-6

ESCONDIDO

6-7

Junior Kiani Kerstetter diving to save the ball. Photo by Craig Kerstetter.

BOYS VARSITY WATER POLO RANK

1 2 3 4 5 6

SCHOOL

RECORD

SAN MARCOS

11-2-0

DEL NORTE

11-4-0

ESCONDIDO

7-3-0

SDA

5-6-0

SAN PASQUAL

4-5-1

MISSION HILLS

1-7-0

Senior Colin Stewart about to score a goal on Oceanside. Photo by Russ Johnston.

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O G

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d a e l n ca