TheBOLT
October 2024
Volume 23, Issue 1
lightningboltonline.com
Sage Hill School
20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
Girls’ FlaG Football beGins First season
Sage Hill’s Newest Sport Proves Its Competitiveness
Girls’ Flag Football defends against Laguna Hills at Ramer Field on Aug. 29. The Lightning won 14-7.
By Amy Choi
With much anticipation, Girls’ flag football finally started as an official CIF sport this fall. With 17 players, including 14 freshmen, the team buzzes with fresh energy under the guidance of Head Coach Nick Peralta. However, as players of the newest sport in the Pacific Coast League, the players and coach face seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
The Lightning have a 6-8 season record after being routed by the Irvine Vaqueros at home on Oct. 2.
“This is the first year Sage Hill has
ever had Girls’ Flag Football, so we are behind. We are behind every single team that is out there,” Peralta said. “Not only do [other teams] have more experience, they have a better understanding of the speed of the game. They have a better IQ of the game.”
Among the team’s highlights this season was when they trounced Laguna Beach at home 25-6 on Sept. 30.
With the team’s initial promotion early this year, Sage Hill hosted events such as an all-school Girls’ Flag Football tournament and interest meetings with Peralta. A flag football summer camp also prepared the new girls’ team for the upcoming season.
“There are three ways you can be competitive in Flag Football,” Peralta said. “Pillar number one athleticism, pillar number two communication, pillar number three organization.”
He believes his team has control over their communication and organization. Every couple of weeks, the team comes together to watch a past game. They see and discuss wrong plays, miscommunications, and solutions to each point. With these two pillars, Peralta hopes that every game will be competitive. He believes that building consistency is the first step to achieving success.
The team’s biggest victory would be having all the players return next season, Peralta said. With 14 freshmen, two sophomores, and one junior, the team has no senior leadership. Still, Peralta sees it as the perfect opportunity for the team to grow and gain experience.
“The experience and the environment [are] more important this first year than records, awards, accolades,” Peralta said. With the growing athletes, he hopes to one day “take over the Pacific Coast League.”
The next game is on the road against Rosary High School on Oct. 9.
Jenny Li | The Bolt
Phone Ban is an Unnecsary Overreach
The Bolt Editorial Board
Sage Hill opened its gates with a twist to the Class of 2028 on Aug. 19. The school introduced a new cell phone policy on campus: freshmen students must turn off their phones and put them in designated holders before the start of each class. This change shocked many students within the Sage Hill community, as a grade-level phone restriction has never been implemented before.
Elected officials and school administrators believe cell phones have left a damaging impact on children, and that phone policies restricting usage may help children better focus and give them the opportunity to learn without outside distractions.
States and school districts across the nation have rapidly adopted policies banning the use of cellphones in schools, with restrictions differing from state to state. Last month Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring public schools boards to ban or limit the use of phones on their campuses by July 1, 2026.
But does Sage Hill really need this phone ban? From our common observation, Sage Hill rarely has an issue with in-class cell-phone use. More likely, students use their laptops to be off-task
instead. The root of the problem is that technology is irrevocably integrated into our lives, and banning phones is akin to putting a band-aid over an internal injury. Teens raised with technology must eventually learn concentration and self-control despite the relentless bombardment of stimuli, and harness their most utilized devices for productive purposes.
This phone ban would make more sense for elementary or middle schools. However, in high school, students should be gaining the life skills they need for successful careers in the future–including productive technology use. Though some argue phones have no place in an educational environment, it’s precisely because schools are educational that they should be addressing and integrating phones into the system. Expecting parents and family to teach this skill at home is unreliable and irresponsible, especially when caretakers themselves may not fully understand how to do so. Schools have the resources to reliably and universally teach kids to use their phones as tools rather than entertainment devices. Perhaps, it’s time for Sage Hill to consider adding new courses or programs, similar to financial literacy or “Wellness Wednesdays.” They could
specialize in teaching students how to harness the power of technology and different organizational softwares with high learning curves, such as Obsidian. Whether or not the phone ban will be permanent, or even extended to higher grade levels is up to debate. Some Sage Hill teachers believe the idea of the phone ban is to get freshmen used to the new reality of high school. The majority of a
dozen freshmen The Bolt interviewed expressed little concern with the phone ban, citing similar rules at their former middle schools. So while some may find the ban restrictive and strange, most freshmen seem to be taking it in stride. Ultimately, the results of this year’s freshmen will have to show for themselves.
We Need A NeW ecoNomic model To SAve The Pl ANeT
By Naomi Tran
Current wealth inequality levels are high. The poorest part of the world only owns 0.75% of the world’s total wealth. The consequences of this trend–increased political polarization, distrust in public institutions, and populist nationalism–foster instability. By prioritizing economic growth, these inequities deplete the planet’s natural resources, disproportionately affecting communities in the Global South. When economic growth comes at the cost of wealth equality and income-security, communities have less capacity to factor in environmental concerns.
Traditional practices to reduce inequality only emphasize redistribution (i.e taxes or transfers), while climate change solutions advocate for plastic recycling and neglecting the systemic factors (i.e lack of sustainability laws) that lead to mass pollution. Progressive solutions, like those in Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century”, advocate for global wealth tax on certain income brackets. However, most economists acknowledge
Tthe infeasibility of such a policy.
These solutions do not truly promote wider access to new opportunities, nor tackle environmental issues at their heart. Fundamentally, the ways nations have pursued climate policies are undergirded by the sole purpose of profit. For instance, many companies have labeled their products as recyclable when, in reality, less than 10% of plastic is recycled. It seems clear that for us to address these crises, we must rethink our entire economic system.
This is where the concept of degrowth comes in–our society should phase out the emphasis on GDP growth and prioritize social equality, environmental sustainability, and good relations between human beings. Though this may seem counterintuitive, degrowth is not the elimination of capital. It seeks to scale down ecologically damaging and socially unimportant sectors such as private transportation, advertising and beef, while promoting necessary sectors like education and healthcare.
The Degrowth movement has already
he Bolt is a student newspaper and serves the public forum at Sage Hill School. Its content - news, editorial, opinion, and feature - is protected by Education Code 48907, the state student rights law and the California Constitution which guarantees all citizens the right of freedom of speech and of the press. Opinions expressed do not represent the views or beliefs of Sage Hill School and its administration. The Bolt accepts signed letters to the editors from members of the Sage Hill community which may be posted as comments at lightningboltonline.com, or addressed to Editors-in-Chief Ava Eimani, Grace Yan and Arya Rawal and put in their mailboxes on campus. These letters may not exceed 150 words or they will be edited for inclusion.
started on a grass roots level. Consumer demand has become increasingly eco-conscious. Today, more than 80% of consumers want companies with a socially-driven mission. In the apparel industry, brands like H&M and Zara have faced growing criticism by consumers rejecting their greenwashing tactics. On the other hand, the apparel company Patagonia, is explicitly antigrowth. They raised $10 million for environmental nonprofits while also providing free repairs for both their own products and those from other manufacturers. Both Nike and H&M have thus followed suit, launching in-store repair facilities. Tesla, on the other hand, released all its patents in 2014 in order to stimulate the use of electric vehicles. Rather than endangering these companies, Patagonia and Tesla are undoubtedly widely successful.
Degrowth also promotes reduced consumption. A de-emphasis on GDP can be paired with a carbon tax on all imported goods and luxurious services. Such policies already exist: recently, the EU imposed a carbon border tax on
THE BOLT
Editors-in-Chief
Ava Eimani (Bolt), Grace Yan (Bolt) & Arya Rawal (Online)
Editorial Board
Maya Desai, Ceyda Shamsai, Taite Nicholson, Katelyn Yeh, Jesse Lew, Mirabelle Jiang, Madeleine Carroll and Jenny Li
Writers Amy Choi, Linda Liu, Jonathan Yan, Nate Yoo, Nathan Tang, Maria Neemuchwala and Sophia Zhou
Photographers Amy Choi, Jenny Li and Tina Tahbaz
Adviser Daniel Langhorne
industrial products like sand and steel. Since climate change disproportionately impacts the countries least responsible for it, degrowth–in minimizing consumption–also minimizes the marginalization of lower-income nations.
By empowering workers and promoting equal wealth distribution, degrowth supports marginalized communities — particularly those in the Global South. These nations face the worst impacts of economic inequality and climate change, making it crucial to create an economy that shifts away from exploitative labor practices. A degrowth scenario would alleviate Southern economies to pursue a more human-centered economic policy focused on the wealth accumulation of all.
Our current economic system is no longer pragmatic when our society seeks solutions for a more sustainable and livable future. Degrowth is the only solution left in our pockets if we want the next generation to enjoy the most basic right: the right to exist.
Grace Yan | The Bolt
Phone jail: a classroom confinment
Senior Cohort Set to CaSt their FirSt PreSidential eleCtion BallotS
By Katelyn Yeh & Taite Nicholson
Senior Shaan Kamdar is among a handful of Sage Hill seniors who will be eligible to vote in their first U.S. General Election on Nov. 5.
As Kamdar prepares to fill out his first ballot, one question is at the top of his mind: will Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump be better equipped to guide the U.S. economy?
“Right now, it is difficult to judge both candidates because of when they were in office,” Kamdar said. “The initial shock of the pandemic, money printing, and trying to regulate the inflation from it, tells a different story from an economic standpoint and a money standpoint.”
Kamdar appears to be in line with 81% of polled voters who said the economy will be the most important factor in electing the next president, according to a study from the Pew Research Center.
With 228,245 registered voters aged 17.5 to 25 as of July 5, Orange County’s youngest voters are expected to play a significant role in the upcoming election.
Easy voter registration and specific socioeconomic and demographic factors have made youth participation in Orange County among the most influential in the nation.
California’s 47th Congressional District, encompassing Newport Beach, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, and Seal Beach, qualifies among the districts nationally ranked as most likely to be influenced by young voters, according to The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. State Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine) and Republican Scott Baugh want to claim the key house seat currently filled by Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine).
Orange County as a whole has seen 184,144 new voter registrations since February 2020, the second largest of any county in California. A significant portion of these new voter registrations represent the voices of California’s youth.
Along with the economy, Kamdar wants to see how the political candidates address the polarizing topics of gun control, immigration reform, and abortion access before making his decision.
“People are too quick to come to conclusions about politics with social media spreading information that is made to create a reaction. Overall, I think there just needs to be more mutual respect between parties,” he said.
Senior Grace Bori won’t turn 18 by Election Day but still thinks candidates should seriously consider the policy changes that Generation Z cares about.
“I wish I could vote, and if I
could I would focus on the issues about equality in access to education and healthcare,” she said.
Declining test scores, public school funding, and socioeconomic differences are all part of the debate over improving America’s education system. The Nation’s Report Card, an organization that assesses students’ knowledge in subjects such as Mathematics, English, Civics, and History, reported a significant decrease in the average performance of surveyed students in 2022 compared to the previous year. Certain students’ pre-existing learning deficits only widened during the pandemic.
Grace’s concerns over healthcare equity are shared by many young voters calling for systemic changes.
“Health in the United States is often, though not invariably, patterned strongly along both socioeconomic and racial/ethnic lines, suggesting links between hierarchies of social advantage and health,” according to a 2010 national study by UC San Francisco researchers.
Grace is among a large population of young Amercians who are concerned about these inequalities and want to see partisan rhetoric removed from the conversation.
“I care about issues regarding basic human rights, and I think they should not be argued in politics,” Grace said.
Editor’s Note: The Bolt attempted to ask multiple seniors who will be eligible to vote about their political priorities. Most declined or didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Faculty Advise Future Voters
Voters face an increasingly complex landscape while navigating elections. Misinformation, political polarization, and variation in campaign funding are all realities that young voters are now facing as they prepare to cast their ballots. Sage Hill educators who specialize in history and social sciences offered their perspectives on handling the difficulties of upcoming elections, as well as how students can become politically involved members of the community.
AP Government and U.S. History teacher Dr. Chris Farrish encourages students to engage in civic affairs well after the election.
“It’s important to understand what being active in politics means,” Dr. Farrish said. “It doesn’t just mean voting. Politics is so much more than that. Being active in your community, organizing your community, talking with people with similar views and different views, coming together, finding consensus, helping people, volunteering — all of this stuff is politics.”
Dr. Farrish expects to tackle issues at the forefront of the 2024 election when they’re relevant in his classes. When
students hear sources and opinions that don’t align with their own, Farrish urges them to understand where the other side is coming from. He argues it’s important for voters to challenge their beliefs and leave room to accept truthful information, even if it forces them to alter their opinion, as part of developing reasonable and accurate arguments.
Directly addressing young voters, Farrish recommended that students explore the range of political options and opinions.
“We say we are a politically divided country but we are divided in a very small spectrum of political choice between the two parties,” Dr. Farrish said. “The
“Being active in your community, organizing your community, talking with people with similar views and different views, coming together, finding consensus, helping people, volunteering — all of this stuff is politics.” - Dr. Chris Farrish, AP U.S. History Teacher
“Sometimes it’s OK just to listen; sometimes it’s OK to say, ‘I don’t know yet.’” - Nicolle Bradshaw,
AP Government Teacher
political spectrum is much much bigger than that and I think the first thing that students should do is move around in that space. Don’t get just kind of hemmed in to blue team or red team right away.”
Before pursuing a career in education, AP Government teacher Nicolle Bradshaw worked for the Bush administration in Washington, D.C. but left politics because she disliked how some candidates deceive the electorate to win. She offered her advice on filtering information and explained the importance of news literacy for students who want to vote in this election.
“I like to have a non-American source as an objective view of United States politics,” Bradshaw said. “You have to check yourself from time to time. It’s important to stay outside of the
eco-chamber and see what the other side is saying.”
Media literacy and the ability to find reliable sources has become increasingly important as more people, especially the younger generation, get their news from social media. A Pew Research Center study found that 39% of people ages 18-29 regularly get their news from TikTok.
Bradshaw emphasized the importance for voters to be able to strip away the talking points both campaigns spin about their opponents’ message, and thoughtfully vote based on their platforms.
“Go to Trump’s campaign website. Go to Harris’s campaign website. That’s where you can see their platform and learn about the positions that they hold. Take your time to do your research,” Bradshaw said.
Staff Photo
A 2024 General Election voter guide issued by the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
Athletics
Girls’ Varsity tennis aces their Way to Victory
By Jonathan Yan Girls’
Varsity Tennis played Northwood and won 13-5 on Oct. 1, continuing their strong performance this year.
Currently, the Lightning have a 8-4 season record.
To start the season, Sage Hill played against Crean Lutheran on Aug. 21. From the first serve and subsequent rally, the Girls’ Varsity Tennis season began with a pop. After a hard-fought battle, the girls ultimately lost with a match score of 9-9, as they had fewer overall victories in games.
The hard practice the team put in during the offseason, paired with the new freshmen, prepared the team to face any challenges they might encounter.
“We are a young team,” Girls’ Tennis Head Coach Whit Kenerson said. “We have four freshmen and four seniors. We are learning a lot right away, and we have to learn a lot to win. The kids are working really hard, so we should be OK.”
On Aug. 22, the team played their second game against Edison High School and dominated the match. They finished with a score of 17-1, demonstrating their individual skills and teamwork. The team displayed their prowess again when they played against Los Alamitos on Aug. 27, finishing the game 16-2.
The girls went on to play Laguna
Hills High School on Aug. 29. The team secured another astounding victory by winning with a score of 18-0.
In the next few matches, the team lost to San Juan Hills 10-8, won against Pacific Christian 18-0, lost to Santa Margarita 11-7, beat La Quinta High School with a score of 16-2, triumphed over Canyon High School 14-4, and crushed Cypress High 15-3.
After the match against Cypress, Junior Ella Wong shared the major factors that influenced their victory.
“When we played Cypress, we had a lot of back-to-back matches, which allowed us to be at the top of our game that entire week,” Ella said. “The year before, we barely beat Cypress (10-8), so I think we all wanted a decisive victory, which motivated us to come out strong and determined.”
Kenerson and Ella both shared some of their goals for this season.
“I am most excited to bond with the team and win some matches. I am really excited to compete and hopefully go forward in CIFs,” Ella said.
“Our first goal is always to make CIFs. It’s tough in our league; there are four top-10 teams, so we have to do well outside of league to make up for that,” Kenerson said.
Their next home match is against Irvine on Oct. 7.
Sophomore Juliet Ro playing a tennis match against Los Alamitos on Aug. 29.
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt
Freshman Alison Wang played a match against Los Alamitos on Aug. 29.
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt
Athletics
Girls’ Volleyball serV e Up K ills on pacific coast leaGUe r i Vals
By Taite Nicholson
With 10 wins and 3 losses, Varsity Girls’ Volleyball started strong this fall because of strong leadership and standout freshmen.
Starting with their success against Tarbut V’ Torah (TVT) on Aug. 27 up to the 3-0 shutout of University on Oct. 1, the Lightning have dominated some games but also faced some disappointing defeats. Notably, they came up short against Portola. With more challenging league games on the horizon, they will rely on their diligence and the supportive culture of the group.
Dan Thomassen, head coach of Varsity Girls’ Volleyball, described the team’s mindset this season.
“We focus on the stuff we can control, our hustle, our communication, and keeping our errors down,” he said.
Junior Captain Amber Wang mentioned that the team studies their opponents’ plays and strategy, allowing them to pick up on their moves before actively competing against them. She attributed their wins to the team’s work ethic and dedication. During the summer, in preparation for the upcoming season, the team spent a substantial amount of time focusing on conditioning. On top of scheduled practices, they made frequent trips to the weight room and local beach volleyball courts, targeting endurance and precision.
“The team dynamic has been impressive,” Amber said. “Although we’re only officially one month into our season, the girls have become really close with one another, and I feel really comfortable around my teammates.”
According to Thomassen, co-captains Bella Giarla, Claire Ca -
Varsity Girls’ Volleyball players encourage
sey, and Amber Wang foster a positive environment where everyone’s opinions and efforts are respected.
Each captain leads with a different style – some by example and others more vocally – but all make an effort to elevate their teammates and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.
“I feel that it is my responsibility as a captain to step up and communicate with the team. We’ve established that nothing said is personal,
and that is definitely one of the reasons why communication with this team has been helpful to our success,” Amber said.
Girls’ Volleyball expects continued trials during their league competition this season. Additionally, the team plans to travel to Santa Cruz for a two day tournament later this fall. Despite their busy schedule, Thomassen insisted that the team’s focus remains in the present.
“Our main goal is just to do our best everyday. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves. We have practice today so hopefully it’s the best practice of the year,” he said. Spectators can expect solid performances this season based on a foundation of diligent practice and a lively team spirit.
The Lightning were slated to play Woodbridge after The Bolt went to print on Oct. 3.
the sW im to Victory: Water polo team findinG stride With neW faces
By Nate Yoo
The Varsity Water Polo team has seen some mixed results to the start of their season.
As of deadline, the Lightning held a season record of 9-5, including an impressive 19-8 victory over Dana Hills. On Oct. 1, the team endured a heart-breaking 10-11 overtime loss in a home match against Laguna Beach.
“I feel like we are where we need to be. Earlier in the season, the two losses were just unfortunate ones, but again, we’re really early into the season. We are heating up for the busy part of the season,” Water Polo Head Coach Pavle Filipovic said.
After a successful season last year, Lightning Water Polo is looking forward to an even more successful season. Filipovic emphasized how they need to continue to grow as a team to achieve success.
“We have some returners, but we have a lot of new players,” he said.
After last season, the team lost standout goalie Billy Ray but are
revitalized with six new freshmen on Varsity, with three or four of those freshmen playing key roles. The Lightning also added a new strong transfer to the roster, Junior Luke Wiechart, who was ineligible to play the first month of the season due to CIF rules for transfers.
“We have a lot of Freshman recruits. They have been doing wonders for us. I am excited to see what we will do in the future,” said sophomore Ethan Guan, who plays center and center defender. In addition to Luke, another talented player this year is senior Dylan Rossman, who is verbally committed to play for UC Irvine next year.
“They are already our two top players and captains,” Filipovic said.
The team needs to help develop the skills of the freshman players through practice and discipline, Ethan said.
“I think we need to be more disciplined in practice, put the effort in, and increase team chemistry and team bonding. I think if we can do
Senior Dylan Rossman (6) and Freshman Aaden Hoang (14) during a break before their next quarter on Sept. 17.
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt
those three things, we can go really far and win the league,” he added. With already a slew of victories against formidable opponents, the
team’s biggest priority is maintaining the momentum they have already built. The team’s next home match will be with Portola on Oct. 8.
Amy Choi | The Bolt
each other before a point on Sept. 18.
Community
Champion Debater Calls For Civil Disagreement
By Linda Liu
Bo Seo, a former coach for Australia’s national debate team and the Harvard College Debating Union, introduced the craft of debate to navigate the differences with others at the Sage Center Speaker Series on Sept. 25.
On Sage Center Orientation Day, Seo stood in front of students and employees gathered in the Peter V. Ueberroth Gymnasium. Later that evening, he took the stage in the Kazu Fukuda Black Box Theatre to speak with Sage Hill family members and some prospective students.
At eight years old, Seo moved from South Korea to Australia without speaking English. Seo found conversation extremely hard, especially sometimes heated disagreements. As one of the few Asians in his new community, he believed that the welcome was conditional on not sticking out so he adopted a very agreeable image in order to fit in with his new community.
Seo was first introduced to debate in the fifth grade. His teacher made a promise that in debate, everybody would get a chance to be heard without any interruptions from others. This opportunity of attention was irresistible to Seo. From then on, he began to participate and switched his focus to debate.
Before beginning his lecture, Seo stated the dictionary definition of debate, “Debate is a formal disagreement on an assigned topic before an impartial adjudicator.” He also invited students to turn to a person sitting next to them and share about a time when the disagreed with someone.
Seo’s first lesson for debate was “Naming the Disagreement,” There are areas of disagreements: Factual, Opinion, and Action.
Seo presented a sentence for a type of disagreement to the audience, “That parents should send their children to the local public school.”
The audiences chose a word that they felt was most important and at the heart of the disagreement.
80 percent said the word “should” was most important, which was very similar to around 60-70 percent of the student’s answers. Their answer for choosing this word was because it offered a sense of choice, which Seo agreed on. Many others also chose “parents” and “children” respectively. Seo commented that these two words seemed “to be at war with each other.” A final word was “local” because it represented proximity, the quality of the school, and matters related to time. Seo revealed to the audience that this argument has many potential focal points and could be a mixture of opinion and action disagreement.
“In debate, disagreement starts with a level of agreement. Agreement on what is disagreed on,” Seo said.
Lesson 2 was “Making an Argument.” There are two basics to an argument, Seo said. It should hold facts and statistics that could support the argument, but also have an emphasis on why this argument should be made. Another part of this lesson are the 4 Ws: 1. What is the argument? 2. Why is it true? 3. When has it happened before? 4. Who cares? Why should it change the other person’s mind?
evaCuateD Family r eturns home , grateFul For sChool
By Nathan Tang Associate Director of Athletics
On Sept. 9, a county public works
During the Q&A section, Seo reflected on how immigration has affected his performance in debate. When he first arrived in Australia, he assumed the role of a listener due to his barrier in communicating fluently in English. This quickly taught him to listen closely in debates.
Through understanding the statements made by others, Seo was able to catch the other teams’ mistakes.
fire started to spread through Trabuco Canyon. As the blaze quickly exploded to 800 acres, authorities ordered an evacuation that afternoon.
At the time, Farzley was sitting in his office on campus.
“My wife had called me and said that [the deputy sheriffs] were making us leave,” Farzley said. “She sent me pictures, and it was pretty eerie because you can see the fire on the hill.”
Though Farzley has lived through several wildfires, none have forced him to evacuate. When his family received the signal to evacuate, they tried their best to stay calm and retreated to Trabuco Hills High School to “find a rally point there.” After the school day had ended, Farzley and his freshman daughter Briana met their family in Mission Viejo and started looking for a hotel.
Farzley described his mindset at that time as “go-mode,” and it wasn’t until his family checked into a hotel in Irvine that he had the opportunity to reflect on what had happened.
He also shared the joy of being with his family in such a difficult time.
“Everything is replaceable, you know, except your family,” he said.
Seo always prepares for potential arguments that the other side would make and tried finding points to counter their arguments.
Seo closed the lecture with an insight into his debater mindset, “Being able to separate myself from the disagreement gave room to reevaluation.”
crew using heavy equipment to block trail access accidentally set fire near a remote-control airplane runway on Trabuco Canyon Road, authorities said. Less than two hours later, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department issued a voluntary evacuation warning for the Farzleys’ neighborhood, Robinson Ranch, after the
Farzley described the evacuation process as “logistically challenging,” as a stream of cars attempted to leave the foothill neighborhoods. “There was just an ocean of random cars parked in double-parked areas in the street,” he noted.
Besides worrying about his home and neighbors, Farzley said that the biggest challenges were grocery shopping without a kitchen and getting clothes for each day. Different commutes to and from their kids’ schools were also a challenge.
Despite the disruption that Farzley experienced, he applauded the City of Rancho Santa Margarita for the way they managed this emergency.
“I actually thought they were amazing,” he said. “In that moment, they were quick, and they got everyone off that hill.”
Families received constant updates from the city management and Orange County Fire Authority, which was very comforting, Farzley said. Their neighbors created Facebook and Instagram pages that posted daily updates about the fire and notified families they could go home.
On Sept. 12, the Farzley family headed back to their house. It was eerie and bizarre driving home with white smoke still swirling around the foothills, he said.
For days, deputy sheriffs prohibited residents from driving in and out of their cul-de-sacs, forcing some to hike uphill to rescue their belongings.
“There were people from the neighborhood who had left their cars at their house when they [evacuated], and now they were kind of becoming the neighborhood Ubers,” Farzley said. He described the community effort of driving stranded people uphill to their houses as one of the most powerful scenes from the fire.
Farzley deeply appreciates the Sage Hill administration for offering to shelter families evacuated during the Airport fire.
“I feel so lucky to work here,” he said. “People were reaching out who didn’t know what our situation was. Just great, and real positive ‘thinking about you’ [messages],” Farzley said.
Mike Farzley and his family were recently among hundreds of Orange County residents who had their routines turned upside down by the mandatory evacuations for the Airport fire.
Jenny Li | The Bolt
Guest Speaker Bo Seo lectures about empathetic disagreement on Sept. 25.
Photo courtesy of Mike Farzley
The Airport Fire rages in open space near Robinson Ranch in September.
Arts & Entertainment
r ev Iew: not even JaCk BlaCk Could save the tra Iler for a MIneCraft Mov Ie
By Jesse Lew
After years of hints and teasing, on Sept. 4, Warner Bros. Pictures has officially released the first trailer for their “Minecraft” film adaptation “A Minecraft Movie.”
From this first look, the plot seems to revolve around four live-action main characters who are transported to the world of Minecraft, which is conveyed using mostly computer-generated graphics, though one scene seems to feature a practically-represented crafting table.
The choice to have live-action characters interacting with a CG environment could certainly work, especially because the environment itself looks good. The villages, the mountains, and the trees all faithfully capture the game’s blocky aesthetic, but have higher-fidelity textures and lighting appropriate for a theatrical release. The message of this movie will likely have something
to do with using creativity to overcome obstacles, which I think is an appropriate theme for the movie adaptation.
Besides a solid theme and a nice-looking world, the trailer for “A Minecraft Movie” gave me very little else to be excited about. While it’s not even a minute and a half long, the trailer is oversaturated with the same predictable, overdone movie trailer tropes that we’ve been force-fed for the last 10 years. They’re all here: an orchestral remix of a pop song, animals making funny faces and noises, snarky Marvel Cinematic Universe-esque one-liners, and an appearance from Jack Black. Amazingly, the trailer for “A Minecraft Movie” somehow also fails at pandering to “Minecraft” fans. The few direct “Minecraft” gameplay references are either the most surface-level nods possible or are simply inaccurate. For instance, at the
30 second mark of the trailer, Jason Momoa’s character crafts an item that seems to be two buckets connected by a chain. Such an item has never existed in Minecraft and cannot be crafted. Whether an attempt to play to the creativity theme or due to pure lack of understanding, this inaccuracy does not bode well for how faithful “A Minecraft Movie” will be to its source material.
Our first look at “A Minecraft Movie” is a bleak one. The only thing the trailer puts on display is a lack of appreciation for the game it’s based on and total conformity to the trite formulaic writing that characterizes the modern kids movie blockbuster. Needless to say, I am not optimistic. I don’t think that such fundamental flaws can be adequately addressed by its April theatrical release.
“Minecraft” was a significant part of my childhood,
and it is extremely special to me and the millions of people whose lives it has touched. It’s disheartening to see a game
Poetry Corner : Ink and InsIPratIon
Welcome to Ink and Inspiration, a new Bolt column dedicated to the power and beauty of creative writing. Follow our journey to explore genres undiscovered, find passion in works of writing, and discover the emotional strength of the simple word. We’ll display student works, introduce up-and-coming authors, and learn about literary geniuses. Sit somewhere cozy, grab a hot chocolate, and enter into the world of Ink and Inspiration. All you have to do is open the page!
More is More
A literary style, maximalism uses elaborate detail and rich description to create long, complex sentences. Authors choose
oPInIon:
to use end punctuation scarcely in this style; instead, they focus on increasing the length of a sentence with unique diction and interesting plot.
In the book “The Golden Porch,” author Tatyana Tolstaya writes the maximalist phrase “lone fruits slept in the corners under a glassy gel” to describe a fruit cake. She demonstrates maximalism by creating extravagant descriptions for simple nouns and using specific vocabulary. A technique used by authors to portray the power in excess, maximalism questions the notion of a typical sentence. Writing a sentence may seem simple, but there are hundreds of ways to go about it. Maximalism adds detail and vitality to a plot.
Maximalism in a Student’s Words
By Maya Desai
Under magenta silk scarves that wave onto a deep blue sky and the puff of clouds across a yellow moon- one the size of the wheel of cheese selling three booths down- reflects a shining market in vibrant spices- cardamom cookies in the air, turmeric powder the color of the sand below, turquoise fish with rainbow scales hanging off a yard of white twine- all under the sound of sellers with loud, worried, and pleasant voices that carry across circus colored tents and untamed, wind-flattened grass into a sky bartering for sunshine. Sizzled venison on barbecues that are burned with
that owes its existence to human creativity, adapted into something so creatively bankrupt.
flakes of meat left from years of cooking scent the air in wisps, leaving the sound of intricate bead weaving- beads large and small, seed and glass beads, jagged and circular- and hammer hitting copper into shapes of the buyers’ dreams- a trojan horse, a piano with three legs, and the subtle outline of a balloon- to the vision of the market. The market sits busy, tiny yet at every corner lies a new adventure- a fountain in the shape of a pegasus, impressionist art hanging off a wall, a maze shrouded by a square of grass- simple yet complex in every hidden edge and all of its colored possibilities.
Courtesy of Sergey Galyonkin | Creative Commons Minecraft toys
Illustration by Sophia Zhou
Courtesy of Whistling in the Dark | Creative Commons
Tatyana Tolstaya is the acclaimed author of “The Golden Porch.”
8
Sage Hill School
Community
Robotics R atchets Up teamwoR k, competition
By Arya Rawal
Known for livening up Town Meetings by piloting their robot into twirls across the grass and foam ring launches that leave students cheering, the Sage Hill Robotics Club is an academic team open to all students interested in engineering or STEM-related fields.
The team uses its preseason to prepare for upcoming events. In the first week of November, the team plans to participate in the Beach Blitz, a preseason tournament that simulates last year’s challenge of picking up and tossing rings into a designated target. Presented by the Gene Haas Foundation, Beach Blitz allies Sage Hill’s Robotics team with two randomly assigned schools. Teams controlling three robots compete against one another.
“One of the best parts of robotics that is unique to the competition aspect is [how] it mirrors what real-world engineering looks like,” senior Robotics Co-Captain Kevin Peng said.
The Robotics Club has six different teams: mechanical, electrical, outreach, business, design, and software. They began the school year by determining leadership roles, setting goals for the year, and hosting training sessions for new members
Once the team receives the competition prompt, all members are open to pitch ideas on how to approach the challenge. The design team uses a computer-aided design (CAD) to create a 3D model of the robot, simulating all movements and materials that would be incorporated into the final project.
Next, the mechanical and electrical team manufactures the parts of the robot from raw materials through laser cutting, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine use, and general manufacturing with power tools such as drills, a miter saw, or bandsaw. After this, they assemble the parts to construct vision, motor, and battery operation systems. With construction completed, the software team ensures that all subsystems are functioning and codes a program that allows the robot to remain autonomous for 15 seconds during the competition. During
“In Robotics, we are one massive family. I’ve found my second home here,” Senior Tony Tan said.
this process, the business and outreach teams manage budget, equipment, and plans for the upcoming year.
Robotics team members find more meaning within the club than just the competitive aspect.
“My favorite part of the team is the
people,” senior Mechanical Lead Tony Tan said. “In robotics, we are one massive family. I’ve found my second home here.”
Faculty Advisor and Physics teacher Beril Tekin mirrored this sentiment.
“My students are my favorite part of
the Robotics team. I get the chance to know them better as people, beyond just the classroom
Business Lead Derek Zuo also noted that the team grows from the unexpected problems they encounter.
“During the competition, we expect things to go wrong,” Derek said. “For us, it is all about how we are able to handle those situations in real life and persevere through those challenges, staying together as a team.”
Electrical Lead Danny Al-Ali said she wants to leave a lasting impact on the team. by building a stable foundation for the years to come.
staff spotlight : get to know anjali sheth
By Maria Neemuchwala
Anjali Sheth has begun her first year at Sage Hill as a School Counselor, focusing on supporting students’ wellness and mental health.
Prior to joining Sage Hill, Sheth counseled at Hewes Middle School in Santa Ana and eventually found herself looking for a new type of experience. This year, she joined veteran School Counselor Lynn Mountain in the Wellness Office on the first floor of the Humanities building.
Graduating from California State University, Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in Earth Science, Sheth initially taught science to eighth graders. “Science was something that always interested me, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to work with kids. I put the two together to pursue becoming a science teacher,” Sheth said.
“During that time I found myself caring about the kids outside of the classroom as people, in a more holistic way, more so than the curriculum I was teaching,” Sheth said. “This was a big
trigger for me to pursue counseling.”
Sheth went on to study at Chapman University, graduating with a master’s degree in Counseling, a start to a new career.
Since her start at Sage Hill, Sheth has deeply enjoyed meeting community members and interacting with talented students.
Counseling taught Sheth valuable lessons and skills in her own life, ranging from the way she communicates with others to how she parents her eight-year-old daughter.
“These skills have all deeply helped me build strong relationships with others,” Sheth said.
Outside of work, Sheth enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching fun movies, exploring new places and dining at restaurants.
“I’m excited to experience life here, see all the wonderful things that happen at Sage, and learn about all the different, unique, programs.” Sheth said. “I’m just trying to take it all in, and enjoy the journey.”
AMY CHOI | The Bolt School Counselor Anjali Sheth was appointed in August.
JENNY LI | The Bolt
Seniors Frank Lin, Senior Derek Zuo, Junior Chandon Heer and Senior Alex Chen participating in the Robotics Club.
experience,” Tekin said.