The Mustang April 2015 by The Mustang Newspaper

April 2015

The Pony

Volume 19 Issue V

April 2015

News

The Pony

right posters moved through the air in front of campus as around 40 parents and kids pumped them up and down on March 17. “NO LOTTERY,” read the signs. “Neighborhood schools matter!” “All Local Kids Deserve to Attend SDA.” These community members, like some others, were angry because the current high school lottery process does not guarantee admission to anyone because they live close to SDA. Some kids could get turned away. However, the day after their protest, San Dieguito Union High School District Superintendent Rick Schmitt announced that everyone who legally applied would be allowed to attend their first choice school next year, including 608 new freshmen at SDA. “It was always hard for me, as a principal of a school, when I see a junior who’s not happy in high school, who wants to be here, but we don’t have room. So this year, when we accepted everyone… to me, that feels right,” said SDA Principal Tim Hornig. This means the projected population school next year 1897 students - will make SDA larger larger than the projected population of La Costa Canyon (1827 students). However, SDA always loses students to transfer during the year while LCC can grow, said Associate Superintendent Michael Grove, a former SDA principal. Over the last 10 years, LCC’s population has trended down, from 2656 students in the 200405 school year to 2013 students this year. On the other hand, SDA’s population has trended up, from 1511 students to 1640 students. Students like freshman Makena Garvey liked that SDA traditionally has fewer students than LCC. “We’re an accepting school, and a lot of people feel more comfortable here because we’re smaller,” said Garvey. Historic Highs “I’m sure some people are thinking, ‘Why did you let all those people in?’ And the honest answer is that we have room,” said Grove. Up until recently, SDA was kept “artificially small,” according

Parents rally outside of school. photo by jon clark, encinitas advocate

Luck of the draw?

Parents protest current lottery system in the midst of an effort to change it. Meanwhile, SDA’s projected enrollment grows higher than LCC’s. to Grove. This means that some classrooms were left unused in an effort to keep the school’s population small. This policy changed when many people starting getting turned away from a school that could theoretically support them. “As a principal, that didn’t feel good to me, to know I had open classrooms, I had room, but I was telling people we couldn’t come to this school… I don’t think we should keep a school artificially small just because some people want it to be small. I don’t think that’s ethical,” said Grove. Next year, the school will be at maximum capacity, which may changes the admission process. “If we have another large group of kids who want to come here -larger than the number of seniors who are graduating -- we’re either going to have to say no to some kids, or we’re going to have to add classrooms to accommodate them,” said Grove.

Another predominant concern with Garvey and others, beyond the logistic issues of a larger population, is keeping SDA’s feeling of community and closeness. This issue was even raised at the Forum last week. Said Hornig, “The challenge will be the kind of relationships that we have at a small school... With 340 or so seniors I feel like I know them all really well, so that would be a challenge with a larger group of seniors, like we might have after 4 years, but the numbers won’t impact classrooms.” More teachers would be hired to support the increasing population and keep class sizes the same. A Change to the System? In the midst of the increasing total attendance, the district administration has been considering making changes to the high school enrollment process over the last few months. The Board of Trustees created a

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committee to gather information about what changes can be made to the system, if any. Any changes would affect next year’s eighth graders. The “information gathering” committee was created after community members raised concerns over the lottery and enrollment process for SDA and Canyon Crest Academy. They have been meeting since November of last year. “We’re literally just studying the issue. We’re not a task force to find the best remedy and make that change,” said Hornig, a member of the committee. Since the current system is almost 20 years old, Hornig said, it’s apparent that they should check if it needs changing. What will it be? “The reality is that we’re looking at everything, from keeping it as it is… all the way to complete boundaries, which is that very traditional piece,” said

Hornig. The group has created five viable options. (See sidebar.) SDA is currently a “choiceschool,” meaning that students have to actively sign up to get in, while in a “boundary school” system, students go to the school that is geographically closest to their homes. The protesters supported a boundary-oriented system. Junior Adam Vernetti saw both sides of the issue. “A boundary school would keep the amount of kids to a good quantity… but a boundary school would cut off too many kids who really need the SDA atmosphere.” Another option the group is considering is a small boundary around each school. Every student within this boundary that wants to get in would be admitted, and those outside would go through a lottery. “Right now, it’s a little unfair that sometimes people who live right across the street might not get in,” said junior Rachel Freeman-Cook. However, the reality is that simply giving “priority” to those who live close to a given school is not technically an option, because it’s against California law, said Grove. The only way to give local “priority” is to either become a traditional boundary school or draw small boundaries around each of the four schools. While a many locals support the latter way, would make it a longer process for those students who want to attend a school that isn’t within their “boundaries.” “[Boundaries] are one way to help kids who live nearby, but it would also change the whole idea of ‘schools of choice’ -- it would pretty much eliminate that idea,” said Grove. Keeping the Culture The concern that some have with this is that the atmosphere of SDA will change if it’s a boundary school, like LCC and Torrey Pines, instead of a “school of choice.” “Everyone who goes here agrees that this is a special school, and everyone who goes here all wanted to be here. We appreciate this school and want it to stay close together,” said freshman Sailor Ayotte.

News

The Pony On the other hand, Hornig wasn’t worried: “Everybody told me that because we had a big freshman class this year, we wouldn’t be the same, and I can tell you that we’re no different than what we were last year.” However, he did say that some of the enthusiasm for things like Community Day and clubs could be “a by-product of the fact kids choose to come. So I think we’d be just fine, but I also think it is one of the big aspects of us that it’s a student’s choice to come here.” And of course, there’s still the possibility that the system won’t change at all -- a prospect that senior Ben Ellerbrock supports. “I think the way it is now works great... Living in Elfin Forest where I do, I’m in the boundary of the district, but not technically in the boundary of any school, so the fact that I get to choose to come to SDA is a blessing.” The committee is now getting information for their meetings from places like town hall meetings and an upcoming

email survey. After they gather everything they need, they will present it to the school board for review. “Obviously we’re not saying one is better than the other right now, we’re just looking at how it would impact things, what it means for Canyon Crest, Torrey, LCC, us,” said Hornig, “it’s kind of like we’re just doing a big research paper, to be quite honest.” Whatever changes are made it’s likely most students will still get their first choice, since in the past over 90 percent of students got their first choice, Hornig said. The next step in the group’s process is a survey of viable options, conducted among all SDUHSD families, and likely some local elementary school families, because any changes made now would affect students younger than those already in the district. The enrollment study group will “ideally” present their findings to the school board in June, said Grove. by olivia olander

April 2015

Option #1 - Boundaries for all four schools

SDA

LCC

CCA

Option #2 - Eliminate all boundaries

SDA

LCC

CCA

The viable options for next year’s enrollment include full boundaries, no boundaries, or small boundaries, as shown in these diagrams. graphics by cydney melton, information from enrollment study group

The Options

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Option #3 - Mix of Boundary & Non-Boundary (Current status)

SDA (Open to all)

LCC

CCA (Open to all)

Option #4 - Add Small Boundary at Academies

SDA

LCC

CCA

Option #5 - Small Boundaries at Each School

SDA

LCC

CCA

April 2015

News

Trading Teachers District staff clear families’ confusion surrounding teacher changes.

fter parents complained that their kids were stuck in classes with teachers they had conflicts with, the school board decided to clarify that changes are possible. The new policy would correct the impression that switching teachers was never allowed. School officials stressed that students and parents need to first make an effort to work out conflicts with their teacher, instead of just asking to switch into a class with an “easier” teacher or to be with their friends. ‘To be honest I think people were confused by the message that comes out which is: no teacher changes ever for any reasons. That’s the sort of perception that is given off,

and I think that’s somewhat intended because if you just say, ‘Open door – yeah, we’ll change your teacher,’ a lot of people would change for no reason,” said Michael Grove, an associate superintendent for the San Dieguito Union High School District. The parents at the meeting made it clear that their kids were unhappy with teachers who they didn’t get along with or couldn’t learn from. According to news reports, they were told they couldn’t switch. Now, the school board is going to write a policy that clarifies that students can switch teachers as a last resort. The new policy will clarify what has been going on at the high schools, Grove said, “If a student or a family is

unhappy with something in a class whether it was a grade or the way the teacher is treating a student, that they have a way to address that concern,” Grove said. He said the outcome might be a teacher change, but students and parents have to try to work with the teacher and principal first before switching. “If you don’t participate in the process and try to solve the problem, we aren’t going to just change your teacher,” he said. As a former teacher, Grove said he would want to work with students first before they were removed from his classroom: “If a student had been moved out of my class because they were unhappy, and I had not been

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The Pony given the opportunity to fix something that I was doing wrong, I wouldn’t like that. I would want the opportunity to improve as a teacher by getting that feedback.” Principal Tim Hornig said he could see some potential problems; “I don’t like the idea of teacher shopping,” he said. “In all fairness, I think kids would choose teachers for some of the wrong reasons, like to be with their friends, or to get an ‘easier’ teacher.” People form opinions about teacher’s based off of rumors, so even before they enter the class, they are already prejudiced against or for a teacher, he said. “We have amazing teachers on this campus; all of them deserve to be treated equally. I feel very comfortable putting kids into any number of classes; I don’t see it as an issue,” he said. Hornig, however, said complaints about fairness or effectiveness have to be addressed. “What concerns me is that people feel as though they are not getting a good or

fair teacher and to me that is altogether something different that needs to be addressed, and when I hear someone express a concern about a teacher, I work on that,” he said SDA school board representative Courtney Walsh, junior, said, “I think [clarifying when students can switch classes] could be very beneficial, but there are some problems including students changing classes just because the teacher gives a lot of homework.” Students seemed to like the idea of having the freedom to switch classes if needed. “I think if you are actually switching for the right reasons, like you don’t understand what the teacher is teaching, then maybe you should be able to do it,” said freshman Taryn Faull. “There should be a week trial, and if the student doesn’t work well with the teacher, the student should have the opportunity to switch out,” said sophomore Claire Jantzen. by sarah lavake

News

The Pony

April 2015

From left to right: junior Bennet Laren, junior Delaney Ryan, freshman Jenna Steinberg, and junior June Hall explain the mechanincs behind a Pythagorean Theorem problem in their geometry classroom. photo by allie manis

Testing Common Core

The past two years, schools all across California have integrated Common Core. Now it’s time to test what students have learned.

his May, high school juniors all across California, including SDA, will begin the first round of standardized Common Core testing. The new form of testing replaces the STAR tests, an annual statewide exam which was taken by students from second grade on. And what do these new tests entail? A world of “explain your work” and “why did you do that” and “testing based on your individual abilities.” Instead of pencil grinding against paper, exams will be taken on computers. Instead of bubbling in multiple choice questions, students will be asked to explain their work and complete opened-ended questions, not unlike the format on an ACT.

Justin Conn, English, and Amy Springstead, Math, both teachers elected to implement the new Common Core standards across the district, explained what exactly SDA is getting itself into. Like most standardized tests, there are two parts to the test, math and English (think STAR tests). There are also two parts to every math and English section. Springstead said, “For the math…you will be answering questions on a computer not on paper...it’s also not just multiple choice. There are a lot of open ended questions...maybe there are ones with more than one answer, select all that apply. There could be matching, there could be ones where you have to create a graph... You have to provide answers. You will also have to write sentences and explain your answer.”

Similarly, The English portion includes the “English Performance Test” and “The Computer Adaptive Test.” Conn said “The computer adaptive test [for English] is mostly multiple choice... The performance task also has a couple of short answer requirements and then a long write. You look at multiple different texts and craft some sort of an argument. You will be writing an argumentative essay based on evidence.” Eleventh graders will be taking the test in the computer labs across campus with their English and history classes over the course of three days. Students have voiced concern over how to get about 400 juniors in those labs. Conn said “[The juniors] won’t be spending as much time

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on the test. You won’t be sitting in front of a computer for four hours a day, four days in a row. It’s being done through eleventh grade English and U.S. History classes...There aren’t a lot of eleventh graders not taking either of those. We are also only dealing with one grade level...I don’t think the computer lab space was a huge issue.” Conn also stated that generally students finished the tests in the class time they were given. A core principle to the new testing is the “depth of knowledge” as stated by Conn. The problem with tests composed only of multiple choice questions was the testers inability to see how much the student knew. `Students must now explain their thought processes as to how they got their answers, as a push towards depth of knowledge.

A new angle of the tests are the algorithms written to manipulate them. As a student progresses through the test, the program is actively grading them as they go. If a student has gotten the past few problems right, the next questions might be at a higher level of difficulty. If a student has gotten the past few problems wrong, the test might present some easier material. In this way, every test is individualized. Conn said, “This is the way of testing moving forward. You also experience this testing type on the GRE for graduate school...It’s like the SAT but way harder.” Springstead said, “If it happens just by chance that Conn and I have the same question on our screen, the way that we answer it [means] we could get two completely different questions based on our responses to that question. It is so adaptive that chances of two people having the same question at the same time are rare.” So for those students with personal testing agendas, the probability of cheating off another tester is very rare. The coding of the test has also been written to freeze the computer so that students are unable to exit out of the test and go google solutions to the problems they are on. Overall, the testing shows how well a school has integrated Common Core and the learning progression. “The test scores tell us how we are doing in comparison to ourselves year after year and in comparison to other schools who are doing the same thing… But because it is so new we don’t know what actually is going to happen. It’s going to take a while for everything to settle,” said Springstead. But why should students care? What matters is that students are being challenged with higher expectations. Springstead said, “The test is a reflection of a student’s school, and it’s a reflection of their teachers, and a reflection of their learning. If they do well, it is showing that our school is doing good things, and is a positive environment for students to learn.” by mary ford

Opinion

April 2015

The Past Gave Us a Present Orwell’s novel ‘1984’ foretold of a society where the authorities saw everything. He was right.

magine a world where the government monitors your every move, wars are never ending, and there is no guarantee whether the history you learn in school is the truth. Well, I hope you were imagining the world we live in today, because news-flash, bit by bit our society inherits these vices. It might be a bit of a stretch to claim that the society we live in today has turned into the totalitarian state that George Orwell prophesized in his 1949 novel, “Nineteen Eighty Four” but the author did have points that

resonate very strongly in today’s technological society. Orwell had surprising accuracy predicting the lengths governments will go to remain in control. Let’s begin with one of the most famous symbols from the novel, the campaign slogan used by the governing party, “Big Brother is Watching You.” The slogan was plastered upon buildings and chanted by news personnel on the telescreens (which were never, ever to be turned off) to remind the public that they were under surveillance 24/7, monitored by friends

and family, the telescreens themselves, and even by thought police. In our society, we give information willingly, though maybe not to the extremes Orwell imagined. Every time you log onto Facebook or search Google, these companies collect the online trail you leave behind, compiling information such as hair color, shoe size, even the hospital you were born in. This collection of data in mass online banks leaves it susceptible to governmental hacking from

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The Pony agencies like the NSA, who then have access to your Facebook and Google histories. The government tracks individuals using various modes of technology. It has warrantlessly surveilled American citizens while compiling “foreign intelligence”, secretly collected call data from the four largest phone carriers in an underground operation called MAINWAY, and hunted down collected communications between foreign officials using large internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo. We didn’t know about these programs while they were going on. It takes anti-establishmentarian programs like Wikileaks and people like Edward Snowden to leak this information in ways threatening their safety. Shouldn’t the members of a free country with a so-called ‘transparent’ government know what their

government is doing? It’s still unclear just how often law enforcement gains unwarranted access to Americans’ cell phones. We do know that the cases are quite numerable, at least in the tens of thousands. Some of them are especially concerning – In 2010, for example, Michigan police officers sought information about every cell phone near the site of a planned labor protest. When America begins to allow the government to tap the social medias, private messages, and personal lives of the average citizen without reprimand then we have reached the Era of Big Brother. This is no longer a dream, visions of a world in the far distant future. This is now, and you better be careful because someone out there is listening and may be taking notes. by mary ford

The Pony

Opinion

April 2015

Band Geeks: Weird & Proud Of It! Stereotyping blinds people to how cool band is.

here are all sorts of stereotypes floating around teenagers’ brains when they hear the word “band.” Most of the time the words “nerd” and “geek” come to mind when thinking of musicians. The thing is, most people think those titles are degrading and low. Teens don’t join band because they don’t think it’s cool. But they’re only skimming the surface of what band really is. If you ask any band devotee about being called a “band geek,” they’ll reply with a smile and say, “We’re

Band Director Jeremy Wuertz takes a selife with SDA’s Wind Ensemble.

freaking awesome,” for there’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. We fly the band geek flag proudly. Like many of you out there, I didn’t want to be in band because of the stereotypes. By fate, I ended up in band. It was fourth on my list for middle school electives. When I saw my final schedule, I was pissed off. But after the first day in band, my mind changed: I had found my peeps. They were smart, weird, a little awkward, sorta insane, but fun. As I began meeting more

and more musicians, I found that band stereotypes referred to the minority of band people. At All-State Honor Band last month, I was able to observe band geek-dom at its finest. There were the people who clapped when someone dropped their music on the stage. There were the angel-faced teens who no one could take their eyes off of. There were the mega shy teens and the extreme outgoing teens.... the popular and the not-sopopular. But every single person there, no matter what they acted

or looked like, were the greatest, most talented “nerds” of our generation. Sure, we may not be the most social people on earth. Some of us express ourselves through music, not through words. Yes, many of us are nerdy and studious. But everyone in band is different. Just because a few of our traits fit the stereotypes people assign to us, doesn’t mean everyone has them. A note to all the people reading this: I want the words “nerd” and “geek” to not be the only

things you think of when you hear the word “band.” Instead, imagine a bunch of fun, talented, committed people who are both in love and proud of the art they work so hard on creating. In the end, I just want to say to my fellow band fanatics, don’t forget to always wear the title of “band geek” proudly. We are definitely a unique, irreplaceable species. For those who don’t think that being a “bank geek” is pretty darn cool, go re-think your life, please. by emma chang

they hear others using these phrases. I am one who believes that emotions are all a matter of perspective and even though somethings are known to be worse than others, one may react to a dead hamster worse than another that lost a family member. With this in mind, realize that I am not trying to stop you from saying “FML” when life seems hard. I am warning you to be cautious of your surroundings

and make sure your friends are ok with you saying these terms. People tend to forget the fact that some people in the world truly do hate their life and overuse these sayings to an extent in which it becomes a habit. As we all know, habits are hard to break but please do yourself a favor and make sure that your friends are not offended by what you are saying. Please be sensitive to those around you. by maddie chao

Exaggerated Emotions Totally just cried over spilled milk ...FML

n our generation we have thousands of sayings, acronyms, and phrases that we hear/say over and over every day. A few I have been hearing lately are FML (F**k My Life), “I hate my life,” “I love this more than I love life,” “Can I just die already” and many many more. Most of the people who use these phrases are only joking or exaggerating their emotions. For example, FML has been hashtagged 7,412,780+ times

on Instagram. Most photos are merely references to memes, broken products, or random selfies. The problem with these expressions is that many people actually feel this way and, as teenagers, many of us are struggling to find happiness in our life. I am not going to lie, I say these phrases more often than I need to. However, it has recently been brought to my attention that those who truly have these feelings, often feel offended when

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Opinion

April 2015

The Pony

Eye Tattoos Opening Eyes Why eye tattoos are bringing the spirit of being unique a step too far.

magine getting a needle stuck into your eye, and injecting a sandy-like substance that colors the white of your eye. Many people undergo this process, sclera or eyeball tattooing, all around the world against the wishes of governments. The inventor of this practice, body art experimenter Luna Cobra, tested it on two friends willing to change their eyes in order for him to expand his art, and since then, the demand for the practice has been growing. Luna warns his clients of the effects the procedure has, but

many wish to go through with it regardless. Although Luna Cobra is a skilled artist, many artists will not have his precision and will create an unsafe procedure. To some, eyeball tattooing was a way to show their fanatical devotion towards the novel and sci-fi movie, “Dune” in which many of the characters have blue eyes. To others, it was a way to express their art-minded personality. To a surprising number, it was to become a memorable criminal. I have nothing against standing out, but this is a step too far.

Many artists, fans, and criminals already have found ways of showing their personality by use of normal tattoos, piercings, and cosplay for the fans. And, if they even want to, they can use contacts. In today’s competitive world, we all want to stand out, but many are willingly going to risk blindness, insomnia, and a plethora of other conditions to do so, by getting an eye tattoo. The process of tattooing is a disgusting one, involving a careful series of injections into the top layer of the eye. The practice is so ridiculously un-

safe, that one wrong move in one of the injections can pierce the eyeball and cause serious injury or blindness. After about four of the injections per eye, many report a burning sensation that lasts for days to weeks, preventing the recipient of the tattoo from sleep. If all goes well, you may happily live as an outcast to society, depending on the color of the tattoo. Some people with the more intimidating colors must resort to crime because no one wants to hire them such as an Alaskan convict suspected of attempted mur-

der of a policeman, who has a black eyeball tattoo. The more artistic ones may have a few good years before they completely regret it. The way Luna describes the benefits, “Eyeball tattoos because YOLO!” The good news is that states are already trying to stop this practice, with complete bans in Illinois and Oklahoma following near-unanimous votes. So, if you want to express yourself, don’t tatto your eye, as there are already a plethora of options that are fun, temporary, and safe. by cole gonzales

photo by stephenbalaban

See page 13 - 17 for more like these in “Fresh Faces, Fresh Talent.”

THE PONY

Feature Editors Brittany Serbin and Chloe Williams

Staff Writers Nadia Ballard, Maddy Campbell, Maddie Chao, James Gonzalez, Sarah LaVake, Vanessa Machin, Taina Millsap, Nicole Ramirez, Vicky van der Wagt, Julia Wengler, and Sarah Willes

Opinion Editor Mary Ford

Advisor Tim Roberts

Arts Editor Mona Karimi

The Pony is the beginning journalism newspaper of San Dieguito Academy. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper. The Pony is an open forum which welcomes letters. Letters can be submitted to Room 98, emailed to sdamustang@gmail.com or mailed to the below address.

News Editor Olivia Olander

Sports Editors Cydney Melton and Grant Sippel Humor Editor Emma Chang Design Editor Courtney Stead Photo Editor Alexandra Manis

Front page art by freshman Lily Callender.

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

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Back page photo by freshman Nicholas Sachs.

opinion

The Pony

Beethoven Was Black Even before Beethoven, society had been erasing traces of black contributions throughout history.

or many people in American society, the idea that one of history’s most honored composers was a black man is baffling and discarded as impossible. Many people have seen the portraits that depict a rosy cheeked Beethoven, of supple mayo complexion and strictly European features, and accepted it without question. They also have been taught that people of color were invisible and non-existent in Germany or Europe in general. With these images of Beethoven that are so easily accepted as 100 percent fact, society has been ingrained with a false history that perpetuates the white-supremacist ideas. Contrary to popular belief, there is outstanding evidence that Beethoven was not only a

person of color, but also of North African descent on his mother’s side and thus would be treated by present-day American standards as a black man. The contributions of people of color in history are almost always erased when a white man can be given credit for them. Ever notice how the ancient Egyptian pharaohs and Queens are shown in popular media as incredibly light-skinned, if not entirely white European, when in reality they were black? Society trys its best to erase historical examples of black excellence from American consciousness through white-washed images and stories. One group of black people that aren’t given the lime-light in the classroom are the Moors, a

people whose black, African culture created some of the most important artistic and mathematical contributions to the world, and is rarely given proper recognition when taught in school. Beethoven’s family came from Spanish-occupied Belgium when a large number of Spain’s occupying forces in that area were descended from the Moors. So Beethoven was German; however, he was a black German. Beethoven’s African roots came from his mother’s side that had the Moor heritage. Beethoven lived in a society where black people would often pass as white. Might I remind you that this was the 18th/19th century and people of color were extremely looked down upon in their racist

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April 2015 to so many that Beethoven be societies. remembered and continuously Thus, it makes some sense depicted as a Mayo-Saxon white as to why so many images of man? Why Beethoven paint is society him as the palest so bent on shade of vanilla erasing black so as to escape people’s discriminahistory and tion. However, essential Beethoven had a contribufew portraits comtions to the missioned that advancement displayed some of humans? of his more black It is imfeatures. portant to Beethoven realize that is said to have Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770- 1827 history is approved of one a portrait that displays some of written by portrait so much his more black features. wikimedia the winners that he would commons and they lie. give copies to his It’s about closer friends and having an open mind and breakfamily. Also, there’s the word of ing free of the ignorance that our almost everyone who ever met the man describing him as black. white supremacist imperialistic Really, white is always thought society had implanted in us since the very moment we came into of as the “default race” and you this world- something that many can’t deny it. Just think back to of us don’t even know we have every book you have ever read were you assumed the characters been influenced by our entire lives. were defaultly white. by nadia ballard Really, why is it so important

The Pony

April 2015

The Phony Pony Horoscopes Aries (March 29 - April 19) Enjoy April while you can because starting in May, Sharknado is happening. Like, for real. Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Guys: Relax, don’t sweat the small stuff. You’ll get the extension for math and still get to play in the game even though you missed practice. This is your week so be confident and strong and good things will happen. Girls: You’ll accidently wear your sister’s make-up on Friday and guess what? She has pink eye. Don’t plan any parties or even bother leaving the house on Saturday because your skirt will tear and your hair will get caught in a spider web. It’s okay though because on Monday you will spill a smoothie on the top that goes perfectly with your now ripped skirt. So... have fun! Gemini (May 21 - June 20) You can do anything. Build a boat, become a dictator, fly to space! You can do it if you have dedication and a couple hundred thousand dollars (Or million, who knows anymore? Back in my day, an entire house cost 50 bucks).

Several CCA and SDA band members lining up on the battlefield. photo by emma chang

SDA vs CCA:

All Out Band War

SDA’s band on the brink of a war that could have cost the school thousands of dollars in damage.

here was a chorus of moans when they saw the results. At the El Camino band festival, SDA and CCA have always tied. But this year, SDA took charge and beat CCA to a pulp. After seeing the final scores, CCA’s band director marched up to SDA’s band director, Jeremy Wuertz. Later on, Wuertz said that CCA demanded a concerto duel and, being a polite gentleman, he accepted their request. The big event happened Sunday afternoon, the sun melting all poor innocent souls stuck outside. The second the bands spotted each other, something went wrong. This was no rematch; CCA had prepared for war! CCA had propped up trombones on music stands, loaded with potatoes. Trumpets were grasped tightly in their hands, just like clubs would be. Behind the trombone canons were

baskets and baskets of rags. Kids were emptying their instrument spit- no, condensation- onto the rags. Clarinet crossbows were set up on the roof, facing downwards. The opposing band surrounded SDA with instrumental weapons at their sides. They even had a piano placed high up on the hill and, when pushed, it could easily wipe out the whole group. CCA’s band teacher was nowhere in sight. Wuertz had still not arrived; the SDA band was on its own. The only things they had brought were themselves, and their lethal instruments. Seeing the look of “we’re sooo going to kill you” on the CCA students faces, SDA immediately got to work. They lined up their cases in a circle, using them as shields. The smaller cases were used for helmets and armor. They quickly propped a tuba up, holding it in place. Sophomore Yoni

Kruvi jumped inside and shouted, “Ready for launch!” The percussion section piled a bunch of woodwinds on the concrete and set them ablaze. Flaming wind instruments would cause CCA’s woodwind section to go blind with rage. A kid took his stand-up bass out and ripped the strings off. He used them as rope to make a lasso. Finally, valve oil was placed in a basket, just a hand reach away from grabbing it and blinding someone with its icky gooey-ness. CCA had just screamed, “Charge!” when the band directors appeared from behind a corner. The shocked look on their faces soon resolved into anger. “WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS DOING!” screamed the CCA teacher. “GET YONI OUT OF THE TUBA!” yelled Wuertz. And that was the end to the almost all-out band war with CCA. by emma chang

Page 10

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Aliens are real; the government doesn’t exist. Leo (July 23 - August 22) If our knees were on the backs of our legs, what would chairs look like? Virgo (August 23 - September 22) Don’t piss off the Easter Bunny this year because I’ve heard he’s having a bad hare day. See what I did there? I’m Harelarious. Libra (September 23 - October 22) Okay. You need to stop jaywalking. No, this isn’t a prediction or horoscope about you being in a car accident or whatever. It’s just really annoying when people jaywalk. I almost hit someone yesterday, and I’m ready to start shoving people out of the road. Just. Stop. This means you. Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) You know that man who walked into that bar? He’s actually still in the hospital. You should send him flowers. Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Join a club. Whether it be Robotics, Key Club, Artists For a Cause, Comedy Sportz, Random Acts of Kindness, or anything else that interests you, it will make you happy. Oh, look that was an actual horoscope. Good for me. Actually, it’s starting to bother me now. How about: Go take a shower, you smell like burnt marshmellows and apple sauce. Capricorn (December 22 - January 19) You may think that “suposably” is a word. It isn’t. Just want to make that clear. Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) I’m especially disappointed in you Aquarius for reading this horoscope because as an Aquarius, you are supposed to be smart, logical, etc, but I guess that just goes to show what a load of crap this moon and stars junk is. I mean, how could every single person born during the same month have the exact same life? Plus there’s no way someone acts a certain way just because some stupid stars are glowing brighter than usual. I have now lost my faith in you. Thanks. Pisces (February 19 - March 20) So, you know how tourists go to the top of tall buildings and mountains, then spend money on crappy telescopes just to see things on the ground close up? Yah, don’t be like that. by chloe williams

The Pony

April 2015

The Phony Pony

t was found. A perfect skull lurking under #43: old, historic, practically dust. Trapped on campus for years without anyone noticing; this corpse was alone. It had been forgotten from every class, it was never on any roster, it dwelled in oblivion. This cranium had seen all, heard all and knew all. But it couldn’t do all. The knowledge was trapped by the surrounding earth; escape was impossible. It was waiting for new life; a breath of hope… discovery. The administration stumbled upon the skull early Wednesday morning. All that remained was dirt, dust, and the enigma of the sullen skull as well as a small note that said “April Fools!” A mysterious figure who is assumed to be a student, fled the scene and left no identification. Police and detectives swarmed the campus but could not find the culprit. Despite this they found the true origin of the skull: a former sophomore student who had drowned at Moonlight Beach 74 years ago. If he had drowned in 1941 than how did his head end up in the 1943 time capsule? Somehow the cranium was retrieved from the sea and secretly

The mysterious 1943 time capsule that has captivated the school. photo by courtney stead

Death to Life The excavation of San Dieguito Academy’s 1943 time capsule outside the principal’s office was supposed to be an April Fool’s prank. The student trespassing the ancient ruins thought it would be just a clever joke. However, this was no game, but a secret tomb.

left to rest in the time capsule. Water marks and barnacles suggest that the skull was in the water for an extended period of about two years before it was locked away. Before students arrived at school Wednsday morning, the 1943 time capsule was haphazardly put back into its home. School administrators have tried to conceal this finding, but they left sloppy clues. Cracks and uneven bumps reveal the location of the crime scene. It was alive. Despite the fact that the skull didn’t breathe or move, it brought life to the unknown. This head reanimated past traditions. Now students want to revive the legacy of the time capsules. Beginning this year, meaningful objects will be set aside for a 2015 time capsule. Who would have know that a corpse was lurking one foot beneath the ground in front of the principal’s office. Hundreds of people have walked over this concealed grave without even knowing. This raises the question: what additional artifacts do the other time capsules hide? When unearthing the guts of SDA, what will the world see? by courtney stead

Surfer vs Skater Cancelled

ost of you have been following the heated debate between the SDA Newspaper Staff and the San Dieguito Unified High School District, concerning the continuance of the popular feature ‘Surfer vs. Skater.’ The District has ruled that “‘Surfer vs. Skater’ has no place in a high school paper, due to the nature of the questions proposed.” According to the District Office, the posed questions in these articles are too thought provoking and therefore distracting to

high schoolers and cannot be in a school newspaper. These distracting questions include “Why does Donald Duck wear a towel around his waist when he never had pants in the first place?” (Vol. 19, Issue II) and, “When companies ship styrofoam, what do they pack it in?” (Vol. 14, Issue VII). The case will be brought before California Board of Education next Thursday for a final ruling; ‘Surfer vs. Skater’ will be cancelled indefinitely due to this debate. by chloe williams

Lost Spider Page 11

• My spider Fredrick was last seen on the San Dieguito Academy campus around Senior Court • He has long hairy legs, big beady eyes, and sharp pinchers • He is about the size of the palm of your hand (you can’t miss him) • If he jumps towards you, he only wants a hug • Please be nice to Fredrick • Don’t kill innocent spiders! • They need love too <3

The Pony

April 2015

Page 12

The Pony

Feature

April 2015

Noah Williams

Fresh Students, Fresh Talent This year, SDA welcomed hundreds of freshmen including writers, actors, photographers, and painters alike; these 13 individuals are essential artists to keep an eye on over the next four years.

by noah williams

Rachel McKinnis

Zoe Salzmann

achel McKinnis, up-andcoming SDA artist, has “a lot of family members that are painters, so I have always painted since I was really little.” McKinnis said that art “lets me express myself.” She gets most of her artwork done in the painting class at SDA, but will “occasionally paint at home.” McKinnis intends to keep painting throughout her life, but plans to “just do it as a hobby.” by julia wengler

reshman Zoe Salzmann draws “basically anywhere as long as I have a pencil.” Salzmann also paints and experiments with digital art on her tablet. Her inspiration? “Lots of random [stuff]. I just kind of think of things and then my brain is like ‘you should draw that,’ and I’m just like ‘okay, why not?’” Salzmann first began drawing in kindergarten when everyone else did. “I just didn’t stop.” by julia wengler

reshman Noah Williams’s eye for photography derived from the need to improve his pictures that were often blocked with the tips of his fingers. His determination to better his skills has led him to become a more accomplished photographer. Williams’s favorite subject to shoot is Mother Nature because of the endless number of possible shots she provides and the unpredictability of them. Photography has changed the way Williams sees the world: “I pay attention to the little things in life.” Williams is a self-taught photographer who has experimented with many types of cameras, including digital and film, though he mostly shoots in digital. Williams takes every single opportunity to capture the world around him, even if that means late at night. “I would probably be more hyper without photography. The camera really slows you down.” by allie manis

profile photos courtesy of students

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The Pony

Feature

Fresh Students, Fresh Talent

April 2015

by lily callendar

Things are changing Now it’s time to

Move on with our lives It’s so hard to Move forward When all you want is to rewind Nothing ever stays just the same

by lily callendar

Time will come and take it away by emma toscani

I know that’s the way that it is Hold on to all that you have Keep the things that make you glad by patrick hall

It’s just a matter of time Till you find that you cannot rewind Now we have to move on by cordelia dellinger by mathew lee

by rachel mckinnis

by robin tavelman

I would always feel something those nights by the fire, but I’ve never quite been able to put my finger on it until now. Maybe it was the way the moon dangled lazily in the summer sky, casting little white shadows down on the glistening water. Maybe it was the way the texture of the water reminded me of my grandmother’s forehead; so wrinkly and aged, yet so comforting, so pleasant, so inviting. Maybe it was how easy it was to get lost in the stars. One moment, I’d be looking up to find the little dipper, and the next, I’d be tumbling head first through a never-ending pool of lights, some big, some small, some fat, some skinny, yet all shining so bright, so perfectly, like a million strings of Christmas lights just before one burns out and kills the rest. Or maybe even it was the way you smiled at me that one night, when your eyes were the stars and I was the waves, crashing and falling for you all over again. by audrey maskiewicz

Page 14

by mathew lee

by zoe salzmann

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feature

April 2015

The Pony

Fresh Students, Fresh Talent

Olivia Hussey

Jenna Steinberg

Audrey Maskiewicz

Patrick Hall

Lily Callender

reshman Olivia Hussey counts dancing as a big part of her life, making it one of her weekly activities. “On a weekly basis I take at least 10 hours of class,” said Hussey. Every week she has to balance her school activities with the time she spends practicing her craft. “This semester has been easier because I have ISPE, so that’s been helpful, but last semester I just basically slept less than I do now... I’ve improved quite a bit over the years because I’ve been taking a lot more classes and I go to a lot of workshops,” said Hussey. In addition to dance, Hussey has taken vocal lessons and musical theater classes. Hussey’s confidence to showcase her work has come from a lot of support from her parents, friends and teachers. “[Dance] has really made me a much happier person... It’s made me passionate about something that I work at constantly, and it helped me better myself as a person.” said Hussey. by taina milsap

enna Steinberg is a new face to SDA, but she would appear anything but new to anyone she meets. She is a very animated person who doesn’t take long to warm up to, and it’s engaging to listen to her talk about her passion for theater. “Barbara Streisand has been my idol ever since, well, I can’t remember. I used to listen to her every night before I went to bed. I went to her concert a few years ago. I want to be just like her,” she said, smiling and blushing like she was talking about a crush. “I take dance classes and I take voice lessons every week,” she said. “I did two years of tap [dancing] and I’m starting up tap again. I’ve taken dance for a long time, just different types of it.” A couple of friends walk across the theater and interrupt her to say hello before she continued. “I would for sure consider continuing this, I love theater. It helps me express my feelings; playing a character is so much fun. You get to explore new things and you meet tons of new people here, so I definitely want to do it as a career.” by maddy campbell

er artsy appearance and vintage vibe allows freshman Audrey Maskiewicz to shine in SDA’s creative writing community. Maskiewicz has worked towards developing her own unique writing style with the encouragement of her peers. “I like to write about what I’m feeling that day. I think it’s easy for me [to write] when I’m experiencing something that’s hard.” Often busy with schoolwork and volleyball, Maskiewicz mainly writes in her creative writing class, where she learns new techniques to improve her poetry. “I don’t know if I can make it as a writer, but I know that I’ll always write, even if it’s not published,” she said. by mona karimi

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amera around his neck, freshman Patrick Hall searches Encinitas for inspiration, “I’ll just be walking; I’ll just be looking around.” He aims to capture “what looks interesting, what I want to see in a photograph, what you usually don’t see in real life.” Hall produces vibrant photographs, striving to perfect his shots. “I think you kind of make new standards; I think your style changes,” he said, in reference to the improvement in his pictures. Hall also expresses further interest in film, explaining that videos are “just lots of photos,” and plans on spending his high school career to refine his photographic ability. by mona karimi

he detailed prismacolor pencil portrait on freshman Lily Callendar’s binder makes it clear that she is a dedicated artist. “I just really enjoy it, so whenever I have a free chance I’m drawing,” she said. On the weekends, she teaches at Martin’s Fine Art Classes in Encinitas. Callendar also experiments with oil paintings, mixed media, and digital art. One thing she enjoys about digital art is “the undo button” because it “is not something you get in real life.” Callendar first began drawing with her dad when she was four and said that art has “always been a part of me.” She plans on taking the AP Studio Art class at SDA next year and go to a school of design after high school. “It’s exciting to show somebody [your art] if you’ve been working on it for a while,” she said. by julia wengler

The Pony

April 2015

Feature

Robin Tavelman

Emma Toscani

Matthew Lee

Cordelia Dellinger

Nick Sachs

obin Tavelman is a freshman at SDA who loves to paint and play guitar. She lights up every room she enters with her sunny disposition, so it is fitting that her art does the same. Her whimsical, psychedelic pictures are vibrant, colorful, and full of life. Dressed head-to-toe in nifty thrift-shop finds Tavelman gives of a definite artist vibe. She uses painting and guitar as a creative outlet and a ways to reach out to others. “Without my guitar and art I would not have many ways to express what I want to say,” Tavelman said Tavelman would love to someday own her art gallery. She aspires to make a career out of “bringing smiles to people’s faces with my art.” by ness machin

mma Toscani’s painting, drawing, and poetry serve as an outlet for expression that she can’t find anywhere else. Her acrylic-stained hands stand as a testament to this. “I use a lot of acrylics when I paint,” she said. “The brand I use the most has got to be Basics- so many color options.” A black pen and some paper is all she really needs, though, to show her talent drawing and writing. Even simple doodles seem to leap off the page. When a creative block hits in one medium, Toscani turns to different forms of art. “I’ll experiment with writing if I don’t feel inspired painting or drawing,” she said. It is important to Toscani that she feels passionate about the content she creates. After all, “true art should always come from the soul,” she said. So does she plan to pursue her artistic talents into adult life? “Yes definitely! I have already signed up for art classes here at SDA next year,” she said. “Eventually I plan to go to an art university and become a professional artist.” by ness machin

reshman Matthew Lee spends “about five hours of taking pictures and thinking about ways to improve a week.” but he always has photography on his mind. “I will bring my camera to many places I go, even if what I’m doing isn’t too exciting. I never know when a good picture is around.” Like all artists, Lee has experimented, “I’ve tried drawing and painting, which were pretty swell, but they were not my cup of tea. [Photography] will be my hobby and passion throughout my life, but I don’t know if it’ll be a career, but that is possible”. Although it may not seem like a big deal, it is always hard for artist to showcase their work. Lee said, “Once I’ve decided that I have a picture I’m willing to share, I’ll show a small amount of people that I know will give me an honest opinion and, depending on their responses, I’ll decide. But even that’s a little rough.”

by maddie chao

Page 17

reshman Cordelia Dellinger has already showcased her musical talent to the school, singing the national anthem at an assembly, along with performing an original song at the first of the Community Day assemblies. She has been playing the guitar and singing since she was five and began playing the piano at age 10. Her love for music comes from her dad, who helps improve her guitar skills every day. When Dellinger begins a new song she starts with the melody. From there, she works on the lyrics, getting occasional help from her dad when she has writer’s block. Dellinger has always wanted to pursue a career in music, and when asked what she would do without her talent, she responded, “I don’t know honestly. I would probably be a pretty boring person. I can’t really imagine my life without music.” by allie manis

ecause he is a freshman, you might think photographer Nicholas Sachs is a stereotypical over-excited, energetic teenage boy, but he is the polar opposite. He is relaxed and laid back, which makes him comfortable to be around and an interesting person to talk to. He has practiced photography for a few years, having taken digital art and multimedia classes in seventh and eighth grade. Now, he continues exercising this talent in Coppock’s photo imaging class. “Even starting this semester with Mrs. Coppock’s class, my skills have improved,” he said. “In college, I want to major in film and videography or photography. This isn’t something that I could see myself stopping for any reason,” Sachs said. “It definitely reflects on how I look at things because I try to look at everything with an artistic angle. I also get a lot of inspiration from my mom because she is an artist.” by maddy campbell

April 2015

feature

It’s About The

MUSIC

The Pony

“Y

ou know what they say: great radio is 90 percent good music, 18 percent DJ magic. I am proud to be a card-carrying member of that 18 percent...” announces Hilary Chambers’s bio from the list of DJ’s that can currently be heard on the popular San Diego radio station 94.9. Rated second among the top 10 radio stations in San Diego by the America Top 10 website, fm94.9 is a fan favorite with its commercial-free Mondays and alternative vibe that embodies the station’s “It’s about the music” slogan. It’s no wonder Chambers is proud to be part of the 108 percent. Even early on, Chambers was one of the few people who always knew what they wanted to become. “It’s funny, even in my high school yearbook someone said, ‘Someday I’m going to hear you on the radio,’ and I don’t even remember telling my friends that was what I want to do,” she said. “I love music, I love listening to the radio. The DJs always seemed like they were characters, like they were creative and they always got to hang out at concerts and events, which is true!” said Chambers on what drew her to the radio.

Past to the Present

94.9 DJ hilary chambers in her studio photo by vicky van der wagt

DJ Hilary Chambers always wanted to be on the radio: “It’s stupid how fun it is.” Even when rock stars drop their pants in front of you.

Starbucks cup in hand, Chambers sat in her studio, a big step up from the small college campus station at UC Irvine where she first got a feel for the profession by being on air from 3 to 6 a.m. once a week. “I would be on air at 3 a.m. on a Wednesday morning and I would say, ‘If there’s anyone listening please call us. What do you want to hear?’ and nobody replied. So yeah, I started out in college radio,” she said. Chambers continued working with school radio and eventually earned better daytime slots. She also began interning at a record label in Los Angeles and a commercial rock station in Long Beach. “Eventually they gave me a specialty show,” she said. “I started filling in when overnight DJ’s were sick and it just kind of snowballed.”

Perks of the Business Backstage concert passes and

Page 18

meet-and-greets with the band seem to be some of the highlights of working with the station. Promotions Director Ciro Sepulveda also cited music festivals as one of the “cool” aspects of working with the radio. Each year 94.9 travels to Indio for Coachella, and attends Warped Tour, just to name a few. “For the most part I’m working when we are there. It’s fun, but it’s also exhausting,” said Chambers. “We usually rent a house and set up a broadcast center on the coffee table.” Once the equipment is ready, bands begin filing in. Interviews move fast with managers tapping their feet impatiently as they try to hurry their bands to all the other stations while fending off the festival rush. “Everybody is in this time crunch because it’s so intense,” said Chambers. But, they are at a concert, and once the interviews are finished everyone is free to enjoy the music. Festivals are just one part of a DJ’s work. Back in San Diego, each crew member has a different job to complete. For Chambers, that job starts around 9:40 a.m. She researches the time and date of upcoming concerts, then records the list as a concert calendar before starting her show at 10 a.m. During the day she plays music, hosts prize giveaways, updates the station’s social media sites, and replies to fan questions, whether online or over the phone. “I may have ordered shoes from Zappos every once in a while,” said Chambers before adding, “But for most of the time I’m focused and talking to listeners online and thinking about what I’m going to say for my next break. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, so I can do this stuff on the fly more.”

Music and Everything In-Between

Contrary to popular belief, the music is not chosen by the DJs. Each day the music director devises the list of songs to play, the order they should be played in, the placement of commercial breaks, where the DJ should add a few words, and when the contests will be held.

The Pony When organizing the day’s plan, the music director Studies have been done determining that listeners will tune in longer if they hear a song that they recognize. For that reason, new and lesser known songs are typically played near or between well-known songs. According to Chambers, songs by Nirvana are often safe, while others, such as new releases or those by new bands, might need a back-up. Current well-known songs are played often to catch listener attention, which is why certain songs are said to be overplayed. According to Chambers, 94.9 will play these current songs about once every two hours, while big stations or Top 40 studios, such as 93.3, will play them twice every hour. Unfortunately, said Chambers, songs performed by women are limited, There cannot be three songs by women in a row. Because 94.9 is considered more of a rock station, the larger audience is male. Therefore the station tries to keep the appeal of its majority.

About the Experience

When Chambers finishes her show at 3 p.m., she finds each day rewarding. Of course, there are moments when listeners complain, either at the music or at the DJs themselves, but overall the job and the opportunities it brings are worth it. “Each day is fun,” she said. “It’s stupid how fun it is, and I still get nervous. Like pinch me, am I in a dream? It’s just so awesome.”

Feature On Routine

Using a copy of the schedule, Chambers is able to write notes and reminders of what she wants to say between songs. In the studio, the songs and commercials are inputted into a computer in the same order as shown on her paper. By putting the computer on auto mode, the inputted schedule runs song after song, song after commercial, still letting her stop the playlist to talk or record over the music. Chambers can also record what she wants to say beforehand, then add the recording to the computer list, letting it play while she leaves to grab something to eat. “Every day I get to be creative,” Chambers said, “Fortunately, on this station, they let me be silly, and I love that. I love the people that I work with – they’re a really good team.” Still, every day doesn’t follow the same pattern, especially when interviewing rock stars. “Years ago I was interviewing Blink 182, and [bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus] pulled his pants down, like completely, while I was in the room,” said Chambers. Although the counter blocked the full view, Chambers completed the interview while Hoppus stood with his pants around his ankles. “I thought it was kind of funny, but the program director was not happy when it was over,” she said. “He ripped the [band] manager and just got so mad. The next day I came to work and there was this huge gift basket with a note saying ‘I’m sorry,’ and it had a bunch of bath products in it.” by brittany serbin & vicky van der wagt

layout of the studio by vicky van der wagt

Page 19

April 2015

feature

April 2015

The Pony

Slide to Power Down

I power down my phone for a week to see if it is a needed advancement or detrimental block in my life.

rom the dawn of cell phone time, adults have always used the mantra: “Back in my day, we didn’t have cell phones…” and then carry on to tell their children that they could do other things besides stare at Snapchats, Instagram posts, and Facebook updates. Unfortunately for our parents, the 21st century is a hardcore technology-driven world with so much more than the 20th century landlines and cell phone antennas. In the present day, cell phones have become a normalcy and without it, life is seemingly unimaginable. Our parent’s mantra should be foregone as today’s society is developing and changing around cell phones. It is now too stressful without a phone to keep up with the fast pace lifestyle forming around each individual. So, deciding to test the theory that life without a phone is more stress-inducing than with one, I attempted to put my phone under lock and key and out of reach for an entire school week.

Monday 8:o4 a.m.

My phone is dead. It died exactly a two minutes after the bell rang--I checked. The black succumbed to the black and even if I desperately try to press the home button, the “charge

plugged in, I would have been able to set my alarm, and I would have woken up in time to start my essential morning routine.

Thursday 11:45 pm

My mind goes back to sixth grade; I remember why I wrote a list of all the reasons why I needed, absolutely and without question, required a phone. The first of several reasons was to be able to call someone if ever I was in need of help. Without a phone to ask my fellow classmates for help, my homework is suffering. It is time to finish everything, and the empty lines within the proofs on my math homework stay blank ( like my lock screen). Alas, my friends will never know that I needed help.

photo by sarah willes

Friday 6:32 a.m. me” symbol blinks at me with a mocking red light. Unfortunately, sticking to my own pact, my phone will stay in the ever blinking stage until after Friday. Eventually, I will have to tell everyone that I am not simply ignoring them because they are annoying; they are annoying because I am ignoring them.

Tuesday 11:18 a.m.

Today reached a low point during the ending minutes of P.E. when I resorted to taking out my phone while waiting for the bell to ring. While still staring at a black blank screen, I pretended to text in order to sooth my wanting fingers and to make myself fit in. Those without a phone stood and blended with the bland pavement and lifeless stone walls. Those who had fished out their phones flourished; they made faces at their phones, laughed and grinned at their phones, or made their phone pirouette in the air if they didn’t feel like turning the phone on. A phone suddenly became a social status lifeline. So, like any normal person, I feigned a quick smile at my phone as if I had received an amusing text and tapped a witty response. The phone screen is still black and dead and boring and my imaginary friend does not text me back but I have

proved my point. To others, I am less lonely than I feel.

Tuesday 3:01 p.m.

There is no more nail polish to pick off of my fingers; what is left of my cuticles remain in devastation as they take the brunt of restless hands. With no phone, I am at a loss. The day’s texts for everyone but me are still rolling in around me. All the buzzes, blings, zings, and duh-dings fill the last 10--9— minutes of class. One buzzer rattles from across the room and I flinch; another rings, and I am reaching for my ghost phone to answer. With no buzzes or blings or even a single ding, my feed is untouched and I am officially out of the loop, to my dismay.

Wednesday 3:53 p.m.

This morning I figured out that my mother had taken my phone charger when she left for L.A. In attempts to reconnect with my long-38-hour-lost phone, I had recently attempted to charge my phone in hopes of a new day. A new day where my phone would have the chance to come alive. Later, I was only to find that the morning’s dawn had stolen the cable plugged into my phone sitting on my dresser. I had a 4 percent battery lifeline with the past day and

Page 20

a half ’s text messages telling me friends had gone through homework predicaments, lifestyle changes, new wardrobes, and rampages about the latest basket case. All these new and upcoming events that I could not respond to and only gaze at from afar as I reined myself back in to a phone-free composure. However, because I was not enraptured with my apps, texts, and until-recently-forgotten selfies, today I saw the shadow girl shuffle into a corner to eat while unbeknownst groups chatter away at school. On the side of the road, I saw the guy who tried to sell his scooter because it was too big for his feet. I saw a lady at Starbucks drinking her coffee with her pet hen. Without a phone in hand, I was able to tune into the world rather than tune it out.

Thursday 7:50 a.m.

Today I overslept. I stared at my phone for about 10 minutes, sat there and wondered why I was late for school for another ten more minutes, and then had a momentous epiphany when I remembered: my phone is still dead and I am 20 minutes late. My alarm clock is buried along with my phone’s cellular grave with a head stone that reads: Here Lies the Social Life That Could Have Been. If my phone had been

My last day. My last 24 hours. My last 1440 minutes. The mission: my phone’s revival ceremony. School hours are long and dreary since I decided to bring my dead phone along for the ride. Sitting in my pocket, lifeless and lonely, the screen starts to collect the dust. Fourth period comes, and I snap. I turn on my phone. The Apple comes into the limelight and promises the world to me and only me. My mistake made, I only allow myself to look at the lock screen. Override and chaos, the maddened texts, emails, notifications, and updates puts up a Caution: Earthquake Zone Here. Seeing me, my friend shakes her head, smacked my hand, and pushes the phone so it slides down the tables, out of my reach. I glared at my friend who laughed and told me I was not allowed to look at it. With her stuck between a glare and a hard place, I ended up putting my phone in my backpack where it would sit throughout the day. Throughout the day of which I still needed to know what today’s homework was and how late my carpool was going to run. When I still needed to tell my group that I will actually “ttyt” because I will have my phone to text tomorrow. by sarah willes

The Pony

Feature

April 2015

“Passionate. Dreamers. Obsessed. Realists. Craftsmen.” This is how the owners of the new Iron Smith coffee shop, Matt Delarosa and Raul Macias, describe themselves.

Raul Macias and Matt Delarosa, owners of Iron Smith, are creating an inviting atmosphere at their new coffee shop in Downtown Encinitas. photo by vicky van der wagt

Brewing Business

f you ever wanted to know what it was like to own your own business, the owners of Encinitas coffee shop, Iron Smith, Matt Delarosa and Raul Macias explain that it’s long, hard work. They often work 16 hours a day to ensure quality, hand-crafted coffee for their customers. The two young owners met rock climbing, and decided to try opening a new coffee shop. “I just said, ‘Hey, want to open a coffee shop?’ And [Macias] was like ‘Yeah!’” said Delarosa. Having constructed 80 percent of the venue themselves, they decided to name the shop Iron Smith as an extension of their hands-on personalities. Their handmade counters and windows were crafted with the mindset that Iron Smith would be more

than just an average chain coffee shop like Starbucks; it would be part of the community. Iron Smith is unlike common corporate coffee shops. Their coffee is bought through direct trade from Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia. This ensures that the farmers get paid a fair amount and that the coffee sustains good quality. Once the coffee arrives in Iron Smith, it is hand-roasted so each batch can be slightly different, depending on where the beans are from. Although they have no prior experience in running a business, Delarosa said, “We are willing to work harder than anybody. Not that we can prove that, but it’s true.” He tells his staff “to make sure each drink is made as if it

was the most important drink 20 years olds or a group of older they’ve ever made.” people, and it feels exclusive. We “I have this delusional, obseswanted to create a vibe that is as sive drive to believe we will be welcoming for a 15-year-old as successful. It’s important to be an 85-year-old,” Delarosa said. obsessed with what you’re doing.” Delarosa said the best part According to Delarosa, workof owning and running a cofing hard is the only way to truly fee shop is “seeing the reaction be triumphant: “Talent is good from the customer, and seeing to have, but skill will get you to that they enjoy it. It’s like giving the finish line. Skill a little gift to each “It’s important comes from hours person.” and hours of prac- to be obsessed The creators of Iron Smith pride tice.” Iron Smith serves about what you’re themselves on its open atmosphere, about 170 people doing.” which fits in easily every day, and is -Matt Delarosa with the Encinitas quickly gaining in community. “To crepopularity. This may be because of the relaxed enviate a coffee shop, you must create ronment, “Some coffee shops you a brand, a culture. The brand must transcend the product,” said walk into and feel uncomfortDelarosa. “We took a roadtrip to able because it is all a bunch of

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figure out how to do this and we found a magic in Portland that we wanted to bring to San Diego.” “[Iron Smith] definitely fits in with our kind of culture; it has an indie vibe, and it’s more of a young adult place, even if it is a bit pricey,” said junior Mark Pabst. Iron Smith has non-coffee options, and has partnered up with Tea Gallery to provide quality tea as an option for non-coffee drinkers. Hot chocolate is another alternative to coffee. Their ultimate goal, Delarosa said, was to not only “do the best we can to make the best coffee we can,” but also to “build a place where we would hang out if we didn’t own it.” by vicky van der wagt & chloe williams

April 2015

feature

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How Well Do You Know Encinitas? What Encinitas landmarks are in these pictures? Check your answers online at sdamustang.com.

by allie manis

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The Pony

Arts

Stage by:

April 2015

Sound by: Makeup by:

Costumes by:

Props by:

From left to right: Seniors Samantha Laurent and Caleb Gibson and juniors Andrew Moore and Will Fletcher starred in a recent production of “Of Mice and Men.” photo courtesy of george stimson

Lighting by:

Out of the Spotlight

People who work behind the scenes aren’t given enough credit for all their efforts. Technicians give some insight about what it’s like to work backstage.

icture this. You walk into the lobby of the Performing Arts Center in order to buy your ticket to go see SDA’s newest production. A few welldressed students cordially guide you to your seat in the theatre. You are thinking about how excited you are to see your best friend onstage in this performance. What you don’t think about are the dozens of students dashing around backstage, making sure everything is set and in order to put on the best show possible. The 10 minutes before the show starts is pretty much the equivalent of rush hour for everyone working behind the scenes. Tech managers run down the halls to make sure people are in their places, the makeup crew puts the finishing touches on actors, and the stage crew prepares

to carry set pieces on stage, wearing all black so as not to be seen. The thing is, all of this has to be done as quickly and quietly as possible to make sure the performance runs smoothly. “It’s a big collaborative effort. Lots of different things need to happen to get a show to happen,” junior Brett Stoner-Osborne said. Once the show starts, everyone lets out a metaphorical (and sometimes literal) sigh of relief. For many technicians, or “techies,” this is some relaxing time to hang out and talk (in low voices) in dressing rooms or the Greenroom, a room that is supposed to be for actors to wait for their scenes, but has turned into a common place for everyone to hang out. The dressing rooms, where most of the technicians spend their down time, are usually loud,

hot, and full of people - unfortunately for anyone who needs to be in and out of there quickly. Despite this, no one seems to mind. There are people bent over in laughter, others talking to someone across the room, and a few just chilling on their phones. Overall, it doesn’t seem like a bad place to be while so much is going on. “I like that it’s not just one person, that it’s a crew, so we get to socialize and talk to people and make friends. It’s fun,” freshman Julie Daughters said. For the other techies, there is hardly any time to relax during the show. Tech and stage managers have to be a thousand places at once, making sure everything is going smoothly. Stage crew members and other technicians wait behind the curtain, ready to take set pieces and props on and off of the stage “as silently

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as possible. That’s why we wear all black, because we’re ninjas of the night,” said Stoner-Osborne. Technicians in charge of the lighting and sounds for the production stay in the tech booth where they control the light and sound effects throughout the show. Although people working backstage have important jobs and tasks to do, they aren’t as recognized as the people seen performing onstage. After the show, people talk about that one actor or actress that was fantastic, but rarely does one say, “That person who gave an actor that costume was my favorite.” Without the work provided by technicians, the actors wouldn’t have any props to hold, set to stand on, or costumes to wear. Shea Fairbanks-Gauladet, a sophomore who worked on costume

crew for SDA’s production of “Of Mice and Men,” said, “You can’t have actors onstage naked. Usually when you’re nervous, you like to think of the audience in their underwear, but you can’t do that the other way around.” Daughters agreed and said, “If they want to look human, then they should be thanking us because we make them look like it.” Despite the lack of recognition, the technicians love what they do to keep the show running easily and as effortlessly as possible. Everyone seems to know that every job is important and essential to keep the production going. Stoner-Osborne said “It’s kind of like the drummer in a band. No one really notices us that much, but without us, everything just spirals into beat-less chaos.” by maddy campbell

Arts

April 2015

The Pony

The Best Man On Earth New TV show brings humor to apocalypse.

T Ela and the prince posing after their wedding photo by disney.com

Cinderella Grows Up The Cinderella tale matures and is presented in a new fashion.

xpensive popcorn, large sodas, chair kicking and memories of Cinderella. This was my experience with the new version directed by Kenneth Branagh, that retells the classic fairytale of Cinderella and the lost glass slipper. The story begins with a very happy Ella, portrayed by Lily James in the new movie, whose beautiful childhood is abruptly interrupted by the death of her loved mother. As time passes her widower father remarries Lady Tremaine who has two daughters, Anastasia and Drizella that eventually make her life awful after her father passes away and she is left with the new family. In the new version of Cinderella. Ella acts more grown up, and the movie itself is more mature and is told in a less childlike, more entertaining way that attracts a new type of audience. In this version, Cinderella meets the prince in the woods, portrayed by Richard Madden, who introduces himself as “Kit” and, even though she doesn’t know he’s the prince, she is still charmed by his manners and personality and when the time for the ball comes she begs her stepmother to go so she can see

him again. The portrayal by Helena Bonham Carter of the fairy godmother’s carachter was kept as an opinionated character. In the new story, the fairygodmother has addition of sassy moments that left me wishing she made more appearances in the movie to provoke additional laughs from the audience. The new version has many additional comedic moments, and the encounter of the prince and Cinderella seems so much more believable as they meet before the ball and don’t fall in love in one night alone. The movie, though still holds the same old dated idea of girls having to get married to have a better life and not being able to change their future on their own. This time, Cinderella has a brief scene where she stands up to her step mother, a moment that made me happy to see her finally take a stand and take control of her own life. The movie ends with a beautiful quote by the godmother “Cinderella continued to see the world not as it but as it could be if you only believe with a little bit of courage and kindness, and occasionally a little bit of magic” by taina millsap

he premise of Fox’s new comedy “Last Man on Earth” (airing Sunday nights at 9:00) sounds like a horror movie – an ill-equipped man must survive on his own after the rest of the population is wiped out. However, it’s more “New Girl” than “Walking Dead,” and makes light of the apocalypse, which up until now has really only been explored as a thriller. The story follows Phil Miller, played by Will Forte of “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” fame, a middle-aged American with a love of alcohol and not much else. Most of the pilot is dedicated to his struggle to find any other humans alive, and his mental descent when he decides that he must really be alone. Though Forte is a talented comedian on his own, it becomes clear within one episode that the show cannot survive with only one character. Despite Phil literally having the whole world to himself, it seems as though there is a number of jokes to be made about his solitude. How many times can Phil possibly do something repulsively unsanitary or flirt with a mannequin? This is why the introduction of a new character halfway through

Carol and Phil looking at their apocalyptic world photo by fox.com

the premiere night is such a relief. The contrast of Kristen Schaal’s character, who is – wait for it – the last woman on Earth, to Phil Miller provides new avenues for humor. The show was best when the two bickered about their contrasting views; Schaal’s Carol Pilbasian remained a lawabiding citizen even without authority, while Phil’s life became a bachelor party once he realized there were no consequences.

Both are reminiscent of real people who live among us, and that becomes more obvious – and more funny – when they’re together. “Last Man” was entertaining and clever. It’s concept could be seen as gimmicky but the show stays afloat, buoyed by a talented, though small, cast. If it stays original, then it will stay enjoyable for many weeks to come. by olivia olander

Apocalypse in a Show I wouldn’t watch this even if it were the last show on earth...

he starring characters of “The Last Man on Earth” on Fox are about as shallow as a pancake drowning in a puddle. This is especially disappointing considering that the show only consists of two characters. Phil Miller travels through North America for a year until concluding he is the only survivor after a virus wipes out everyone. Just before he gives up on life, Carol Pilbasian, the last

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woman on earth, conveniently appears. Similar to the popular movie “Castaway,” Miller finds himself in bouts of insanity, specifically concerning his sexual frustration, which he eventually takes out on a mannequin. The show is cluttered with cheap, immature jokes that are less than impressive for such a well-known network. For instance, Miller wakes up to an extremelly attractive woman

caressing him after he hit his head; of course we find out its in his imagination once he wakws up. Despite the plotline being painfully simplistic, flaws are still abundant in this show. For instance, it is not belivable that everyone is dead when there are no bodies to be found . I would recommend this show to anyone with the desire to kill their brain cells and time. by julia wengler

The Pony

izzy, confused, lost. All you see is darkness. Everything starts to spin. Your head begins to throb. Trainers and coaches swarm the scene and ask you questions: where you live, what your name is, what team you play for, what the date is, how old you are. When you experience these symptoms, you know you have received a head injury. According to Academy athletic trainer Eddie Lara, head injuries are a serious issue in today’s contact sports. Every play, every 50/50 possession, someone could get hurt. Some SDA athletes have received concussions in contact sports, such as soccer and basketball. According to Lara’s source, nata.org, the universal athletic trainer’s website, a concussion is a traumatic brain injury that damages and alters your brain’s specific functions. You receive a concussion when you hit or land on your head with a large amount of force. Long term effects can include chronic headaches, memory loss, difficulties with balance and coordination, and losing concentration easily. Many SDA athletes have been exposed to these situations and have been injured to the point of not playing anymore. Senior Carly Belin, a member of the SDA Girls Varsity Soccer Team, suffered a serious concussion back in her junior year. This was the fourth concussion she has experienced, Belin said. In a club soccer game, Belin was playing goalie during a corner kick. Her opponent went up for a header and collided with Belin’s head, knocking her to the ground where she hit her head again. Belin explains that getting a concussion was not fun. “You just get really dizzy and confused… all the time.” As she was hit, she saw blackness, her head really hurt, and she didn’t know where she was. After the concussion, Belin’s parents and doctors instructed her to sit in a dark room and do nothing so her head could recover. She also said she needed,

Sports

April 2015

Heads Up Mustangs SDA athletes talk about dealing with concussions.

Seniors Gerardo (Yayo) Olvera and Rubin Diaz defend a Carlsbad player as he goes up for the ball in a Varsity home game. photo courtesy of george stimson “lots of hugs,” to help her recovery. Since the concussion, Belin sometimes gets headaches when she does, “too strenuous of homework or athletic activities.” She continues to take medicine every day to reduce the headaches. She had to quit soccer until she stopped having chronic headaches and is cleared by the doctor. After dealing with multiple concussions, Belin is always worried about hitting her head because she is scared she will get another concussion.

Similarly to Belin, freshman Makena Garvey, a member of the SDA Girls JV Soccer Team, recently received a concussion during this past fall season playing JV soccer. While making a save, Garvey jumped backwards into the side post of the goal. After the collision, she said she “was a bit shaken up and out of it.” Garvey finds it difficult to concentrate and move fast with her concussion. Garvey’s doctor told her to get a CT scan of her brain to make sure it wasn’t bleeding. In addition, Garvey was instructed

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to stay away from physical activity for at least two weeks. Her concussion did not affect her social life; however Garvey found it hard to concentrate in class. Senior Kennedy Anderson, alos a member of the SDA Varsity Soccer Team, suffered a concussion during a soccer tournament during the end of summer in 2014. Anderson said, “A girl came up behind me and took my legs out, and I fell straight back and hit my head on the ground.” She doesn’t clearly remember the exact moment, and felt dizzy and

confused. Right after the concussion she felt nauseated and developed a headache. “Everything you do hurts because it all involves your brain and a concussion is like a big bruise on the inside of your skull,” Anderson said. Her doctor told her to rest and not participate in any activities involving her brain, which left her with sitting and doing nothing, or sleeping. Anderson got behind in school a bit, but said, “I just talked to my teachers about my situation and they were super understanding and willing to work around what I could do.” Anderson was only worried for the first couple weeks returning to soccer because she was afraid she might hit her head. Now, she isn’t too worried, just more careful. Lara helps with the rehabilitation process of injured SDA athletes. Lara said he can tell if an athlete has received a concussion right as it happens. He will notice if a player stays on the ground holding his or her head, or has other symptoms such as mood swings, confusion, or change in personality or attitude. Rehab for concussions consists of a lot of rest for the athlete, he said. Also, he makes sure the athlete is not at risk of receiving another concussion, a second impact syndrome, which lasts longer and is more severe than the first concussion. Lara said he keeps the athletes out of harm by keeping them from playing at practice or in a game until the athlete is cleared by a doctor. Also, athletes are sent to professional neurologists who monitor the athlete’s concussion with CAT scans and MRIs to make sure there is no physical damage to the brain. Lara treated around two or three student athletes in the past fall season of 2015. Most concussions occur in contact sports, especially football, which SDA does not have, he said. He mostly works with soccer and basketball players when treating concussions. by cydney melton & grant sippel

Sports

April 2015

The Pony

ith all of the recent hot weather as a constant reminder that spring break is only a few days away, it wouldn’t be surprising that students are already thinking about their plans and activities for the week. Some will be traveling on college road trips and some will sit at home and binge watch TV shows on Netflix for days on end. But for those of us who are still undecided, there is a great activity that everyone can do locally: hike. With the urbanization of our society, we have stopped stopping to smell the roses. This year at SDA, the Outdoor Adventure Club was re-launched by juniors Maddie Campbell and Maxine Richter. For the most part, their “outdoor adventures” are scenic hikes around the area. “I hike because I love to explore the outdoors, and nature relaxes me,” Campbell said. “I hike pretty often because it’s a really nice way to get outside and exercise but it’s not extremely difficult,” added Richter. So, what’s so great about hiking? The most obvious perk is the health benefit you get out of hiking. According to the Center for Disease Control, 17.9 percent of children ages 12 through 19 have become clinically obese and the rate is still rising. “I just want to do my part in keeping obesity rates down because that’s always something important,” said junior Katelyn Herr, member of the Outdoor Adventure Club. Because of its aerobic nature, hiking also helps reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type two diabetes. So whether you are trying to stay fit or trying to keep your health in check, hiking is an easy and fun way to achieve your health goals. Another big benefit, especially for students, is that it is free to hike on most trails. So instead of spending $12 going out to see a movie (let’s be real, more like $20 once you include snacks), you could spend endless hours with the rest of your broke friends enjoying nature. “You can choose who you want to go [hiking] with and it’s about the group, which is why I think Outdoor Adventure Club is suc-

The Batiquitos Lagoon Trail is a great beginner trail, with a beautiful view of the lagoon. photo by nicole ramirez

It’s Adventure Time! At SDA, the Outdoor Adventure Club has revived everyone’s love for nature. It’s simple: hang out with friends and go hike. cessful at getting people to go…,” pointed out junior Aziza Rishmawi, a member of the club. In general, being outdoors with friends makes people happier, according to researchers at the University of Michigan. Hiking stimulates adrenaline and endorphins to give you an energy boost and put you in a good mood. It is also a really easy escape from stress and a great way to clear your mind. In fact, researchers from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education also found that walking increases creativity more than sitting. Additionally, hiking with

friends helps strengthen face to face relationships with people and is a good way to get to know people with similar interests. “I think [hiking is] more popular for our age group as we get older because when we were younger, hikes were something that we were forced to do, but I think it’s definitely something fun to do with your friends,” Richter said.

As an amateur hiker myself, I stumbled upon some good advice to keep in mind for the future: • Use the buddy system; not only is going hiking with friends more fun but it is also a lot safer! • Be prepared but also be respectful; remember you are sharing the trail with wildlife; most trails are on nature preserves, and it isn’t unusual to see a snake or two out on the trail.

“I hike pretty often

because it’s a really nice way to get outside and exercise but it’s not extremely difficult”

-Maxine Richter

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•

It’s better to overestimate your time than underestimate it; as an amateur hiker it’s better to take it slow at first so it may take more time to complete the trail than what is suggested. • Start small; hiking can be extremely beneficial but can also be harder than it looks so don’t try to push yourself to do crazy hikes before you are ready for them. All in all, be safe and happy trails! by nicole ramirez

The Pony

Trails: Easy to Hardcore

Sports

EASY: Batiquitos Lagoon Trail in Carlsbad, CA. photo by nicole ramirez

Batiquitos Lagoon is a safe, flat trail to walk along. Shade is provided by eucalyptus trees along the trail. It’s very family friendly and permits strollers and dogs. The trail overlooks the lagoon and all of the wildlife that comes with it. During the summer, the Batiquitos Foundation offers camps and guided walks to encourage the public to enjoy the trail. The Batiquitos Foundation’s motto is Preserve-ProtectEnhance and they do a great job of keeping it up.

MODERATE: Solana Hills Trail in Solana Beach, CA. photo by christine giovanonni Solana Hills Trail is part of the system of San Elijo Lagoon Trails in Solana Beach. It’s a very manageable hike with lots of shade. There are many variations on the path and it can go from easy and flat to moderate and uphill. It’s a narrow trail but it is stroller friendly. The trail overlooks the lagoon and connects to another trail which leads you out to El Camino Real. It is a great trail to jog or walk along with a friend.

HARDCORE: Outdoor Adventure Club poses on top of Potato Chip Rock. photo by maddie campbell Mt Woodsen (a.k.a Potato Chip Rock) is probably one of the most popular trails to hike. The trail is mostly uphill and there is very little shade, so lots of water and sunscreen are necessary. The round trip is 8 miles but the payoff comes when you reach the top of the mountain. About half a mile from the top, is the famous Potato Chip Rock, a thin boulder in a shape that is similar to a chip. It’s a great place to stop and take pictures and has a great view. Mt. Woodsen is a fun hike to do with a large group of friends but it is one of the more challenging trails even for experienced hikers so proceed with caution.

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April 2015

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