The Fourth Estate January Issue

Laguna Blanca School - 4125 Paloma Drive - Santa Barbara - California - 93110

Volume XVII

Monday, January 23, 2012

www.thefourthestate.net

Websites Violate Users’ Privacy

Student Attends Social Justice Seminar

By DARIA ETEZADI How many Terms of Service agreements does it take to turn every minor into a virtual criminal?

Despite reports of cyber bullies, Internet hackers, email spammers, and online predators, many still trust social networking sites and other online sites with their personal information.

As such breaches of privacy are gaining more exposure, people are discovering that it just takes one hasty acceptance of a contract between an Internet user and a search engine or a social networking site to make the Internet more likely to work against, rather than for its users.

Mark Zuckerberg CEO of Facebook, the biggest social networking site in the world, is currently in litigation on a lawsuit concerning its “privacy issues.”

Attention is also focused on privacy issues such as Clause (a) of Google’s Terms of Service which states that if you are not of legal age to form a contract with Google, you may not use Google’s products, software, service and websites which makes any minor who uses this search engine a criminal.

Continued on Page 4

Allie Towbes ’14 learns to lobby in Washington D.C.

By ANDREW MCCAFFERY

PHOTO: TYLER HODGES

INAUGURAL TRIP: Freshmen hike towards the Yosemite mountains to kick off their class trip. Page 3.

Former Supreme Court Justice Holds Seminar

By ELISE SCHEUERMANN

O

n the rainy morning of Nov. 12, Ms. Martha Elliott’s AP Government and Current Events classes traveled to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley to hear former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor speak.

They were joined by over 700 students and teachers from the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Reagan’s presidential campaign.

Sandra Day O’Connor was the first female justice appointed to the

United States Supreme Court.

She was appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1981 and served for 25 years before retiring to care for her husband who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

O’Connor explained that she was excited but nervous to be the first female Supreme Court Justice.

“I did not want to be the last,” she said because if she did a bad job she might ruin the opportunity for other women.

“Justice O’Connor’s presentation was very

PHOTO: MARTHA ELLIOTT

Justice Speaks: Sandra Day O’Connor addresses students at the podium at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. inspiring. It’s amazing to see that a woman like herself was able to achieve a goal she her-

self never thought would happen,” junior Monica Watson said.

Continued on Page 4

Laguna Alumni Return for College Panel

By ANASTASIA ANTONOVA

A

lums have lots of stories whether it’s about spending a semester in Florence, Italy like alum Lillie Hodges ‘11, or training at the US Naval Academy like alum Austin Patrick ‘10. Nine alumni shared their stories at the annual Alumni College Panel on Jan. 5.

Having completed the college admission’s process, the panelists were glad that they are done with their college applications, done with SATs, teacher recommendations, community service hours, and finding that perfect college.

The alums, graduates from the classes of ‘08 to ‘11 answered questions about both their high school and college experiences from Dr. Karl Revells, the college counselor and eleventh and twelfth grade academic dean, in Spaulding Auditorium.

Following Dr. Revells’ questions, the audience was invited to ask questions.

The panelists included Gail Goldmuntz ‘08 Miami University in Ohio, Erin Dunn ‘09 UC Berkeley, Sarah Goldmuntz ‘10 Hamilton College, Kristina Horak ‘10 California

Issue 3

PHOTO: ANASTASIA ANTONOVA

Words of Wisdom: Alina Wattenberg ‘10 describes her life at Duke University and gives advice about the college admissions process to the audience.

Polytechnic, Austin Patrick ‘10 US Naval Academy, Alina Wattenberg ‘10 Duke University, Lillie Hodges ‘11 Middlebury College, Elliot Serbin ‘11 Stanford University, and Amanda Schulenberg ‘11 Wake Forest University.

They each gave his or her own response to questions, giving students insights into what

they will be experiencing in a few years.

The first question Dr. Revells asked was, “What practical advice would you give to the students?”

Their general responses suggested learning time management, finding a passion, and getting involved.

Yet not all the ques-

tions were answered in a unified way.

When asked how they picked the right school, the panelists had different stories to tell.

Sarah Goldmuntz said she “chose Hamilton on a whim” and now majors in international relations and minors in biology.

Patrick, on the other hand, knew he wanted to

go to the Naval Academy, which he also told the audience isn’t a school for everyone.

“Keep your options open. You change a lot especially during junior and senior year of high school,” Erin Dunn, who is studying molecular cell biology, suggested students should keep an open mind set during the admissions process.

Next, Dr. Revells asked about any mistakes the panelists made as college freshmen.

Alina Wattenberg— who is double majoring in History and Political Science at Duke—responded by explaining that, as a freshman, she was nervous to talk in class or to her professors during office hours.

“As a freshman, you have a lot to say so speak up,” she concluded.

Elliot Serbin, who is currently and undeclared freshman at Stanford, added that there’s also an increase in diversity as well. He is currently an undeclared freshman at Stanford.

The panelists agreed that the biggest difference between high school and college is the increase in independence.

Middle School Gives Back

AP Government Elections

Dirty Politicians

Partnering with Child Welfare Services to make a merry Christmas. Page 3.

Find out the results and hear from the candidates. Page 4.

Adultery, slander, treason, and assault. Page 7.

Boys Basketball on a Hot Streak

Ms. Louie’s Mural

After winning the first four games, things are heating up. Page 12.

Learn about her 2-month project.

Page 5 The freshmen class spends a week in Yosemite National Park. Page 4.

Resolve to make the world a better place in 2012. Page 6.

Find out about the composting program at LBS Page 10.

Do you have a blog? Read about food blogs and more. Page 11.

Student non-profit brings singer Sara Bareilles to Santa Barbara. Page 5.

Resolutions for the World

Feed the Worms

Why We Blog

Kids Helping Kids

Into the Wilderness

With the 2012 Presidential Election just around the corner, interest in politics is on the rise.

However, few people can claim to have indepth knowledge of how the United States’ political system works, save for maybe Ms. Martha Elliott’s AP Government students.

Even fewer have the hands-on experience lobbying in Washington D.C. as that of sophomore Allie Towbes.

After Thanksgiving Break, Allie traveled to our nation’s capital for the L’Taken Social Justice Seminar, accompanied by 12 other highschool students from her temple, Congregation B’nai B’rith.

The educational program, in affiliation with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, teaches students how to get involved in important political processes and effectively voice their opinions.

“We spent the weekend learning about the process Congress goes through to pass legislation,” Allie said.

Some of the issues that Allie learned about were homelessness, financial reform, offshore-oil drilling, as well as political relations between the US and Israel.

Allie focused on the Student Non-Discrimination Act: a piece of legislation designed to call attention to and reduce the bullying of LGBT students around the country.

After choosing this as her primary focus, Allie received instruction from seminar leaders on how to write a speech and how to be a successful advocate.

She then made presentations to various politicians.

“On the last day we lobbied for California Senators Barbara Boxer (D) and Diane Feinstein (D), speaking to their aids. We also presented personally to House Representative Lois Capps (D-CA).

“Having the opportunity to make a difference in such an important problem was a blessing.

The seminar was one of the best experiences of my life.”

Reckless and Unstoppable New insights into the science of the teenage brain Page 8-9.

Alum Makes a Name in the Music World

Alum takes what he learned in the Jazz Band to a new level . Page 14.

2

January 23, 2012

T

eenagers have long been society’s designated rebels. From Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye we have been labeled reckless, rowdy, think-we-know-it-all youngsters, and our years of maturation have been scrutinized, usually in a condescending manner.

Making sense of teenage behavior remains a challenge for most. In the Oct. 2011 issue of National Geographic, David Dobbs wrote about adolescent behavior through the lens of evolution in an article called “Beautiful Brains.”

This study captured the interest of the Fourth Estate and was chosen to be the subject of our double page feature spread.

While we, the staff, do not encourage reckless behavior by teens, we do understand that we are amidst a significant stage of our lives, which may very well include experimentation and poor decisions in our continuous growth.

Teens’ risky behaviors and troublesome traits are what society focuses on because they are bothersome.

We believe that the teenage brain must be evaluated in two ways, biologically and socially, yet realize the overlap of these two lenses.

First, there is the in-depth observation of adolescent brain composition and function.

The purpose of white matter, which consists of myelin—a mixture of fats and proteins that insu-

Staff Editorial

GRAPHIC: MORGAN RAITH

late nerve fibers—is to boost the efficiency of neural signaling. Studies at Emory University have shown that white matter is oftentimes more developed in adolescents who are a little on the wild side.

At first this seems contradictory; one would assume that engaging in reckless behavior would not correlate with maturity.

However, this is not so, as “reckless” subjects had more white mat-

ter than their cautious counterparts, highlighting a positive relationship between risky behavior and maturation.

In today’s world, we are straying from the norm: the Information Age forces our development to become high-speed and super-sized.

We are speedily abandoning the ways of the past in search of a faster, easier, more efficient way of navigating life.

Instead of looking for guidance from past generations, we have become more tuned-in to tech.

For example, smart-phones with their Internet-capabilities have made it easier to ask Siri our questions than it is to search through the annals of history.

Simply put, we’re experiencing an accelerated version of Darwin’s theory of natural selection, and on a global scale.

However, survival is no longer the goal of our population: we want to be cool, prosperous, and loved. To do this, one must stand out.

In bringing the teen world together, informational highways such as Facebook and Twitter have made our world smaller, and made standing out exponentially more difficult.

Dobbs found that today’s teens “value rewards more than consequences.”

In order to be noticed, we have to go above and beyond, using controversial and unconventional ways to make our statements and thus reap recognition.

Editor-in-Chief Jess Davis Managing Editor

Letter from the Editor

Andrew McCaffery Senior Editors Anastasia Antonova Olivia Berci

Dear Readers,

Caitlin Connor

Politics have permeated the Laguna community over the past few weeks. As the Republican primaries launched, AP Government students developed political platforms of our own.

We worked in two groups, and Troy Ritter and I were nominated as the presidential candidates. Our teams designed new political parties and brainstormed solutions to our society’s most pressing economic, environmental, and social problems (read our ideas on page 4). With posters in hand, we campaigned on campus to gain support from our peers.

On Election Day, each of us gave a 3-minute speech and shared our campaign videos with the Upper School. In spite of sustaining a serious leg injury the night before Election Day, Troy performed admirably and was elected to the presidency of the United States (well, at least of AP Government for the day). Congratulations, Troy!

Ms. Elliott’s AP Government class also traveled to Simi Valley to hear Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice of the United States, speak at the Ronald Reagan Library (see page 1). Justice O’Connor has dedicated her life to educating young people about our government.

While low civic engagement is rampant across all sectors our society, this trend is particularly apparent in my generation. “Only a quarter of students show any kind of proficiency of knowledge in civics. Only seven percent of eighth graders can identify the three branches of government,” Justice O’Connor told us.

If we do not engage in our political system, our government cannot adequately represent young people’s interests. We must educate ourselves; we must voice our opinions.

Laguna’s graduating class will have the right to in the 2012 Presidential Election (excluding the youngest member of our class, Alex Louden). Through activities such as the recent mock-election and from Ms. Elliott’s frequent reminders, Laguna has ingrained in us that it is our civic duty to vote. I encourage the Class of 2012 to continue to develop their understanding of government as we approach Election Day.

Helena Davila Jessie Dusebout Eva Davis Daria Etezadi Zoe Serbin Photo Editor Eva Davis LAYOUT EDITOR Morgan Raith Artist Zoe Serbin Web masters Elijah Bittleson Edward Conk VIDEO EDITOR Ben Furukawa Staff Jacqueline Berci Brandon Bickett Luisa Cameron Caty Lafitte Clara Madsen Aija Mayrock

Jess Davis

Elise Scheuermann Kaylee Strachan

Editor-in-Chief

The Fourth Estate is a public forum for student expression. It is written and produced solely by the journalism students.

It represents the voice of the students and focuses on school events and student life.

The Fourth Estate welcomes guest articles and letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and be no longer than 400 words.

Drop letters off in the main office or e-mail to jess@everybodydancenow.org.

Grace Woolf

Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and/or taste.

Anonymous letters may not be published.

The Fourth Estate publishes seven issues per year, and reaches more than 500 students and faculty of Laguna Blanca School.

We mail issues to our subscribers and advertisers, and we exchange papers with high schools across the country.

The Fourth Estate dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication both in print and on-

line that informs and entertains the student body.

The Fourth Estate accepts both print and online advertising in either black and white or color.

Contact Andrew McCaffery at andrewjmccaffery@aol.com for information about advertising and subscriptions “Follow” us on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook.

Visit our online paper for daily updates: www.thefourthestate. net.

Faculty Advisor Patricia McHale, MJE

Teddy Bear Club Reaches Fundraising Goal to Help Kids with Cancer

The News

January 23, 2012

By GRACE WOOLF

M

embers of the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation Club brightened the season and provided toys and financial support to local youth.

They raised money for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, a local non-profit organization that offers financial and emotional support to the families of children who have cancer in the tricounty area.

Nikki Katz founded TBCF foundation after her friend’s son was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a cancer that attacks the bone and soft tissue, at age three.

The boy’s mother shared her experience of sleeping in hospitals and paying the large medical bills, as well as not knowing how long her son would live.

So far this year, TBCF has assisted 122 families with the various services they provide, including donations of $2,000 to $5,000 based on each family’s circumstances.

Families are also assisted with rent or mortgage payment; auto loan payment; registration, insurance, repairs, and vouchers for fuel; payment of utility bills; medications; treatments; home care services that are not covered by insurance; funeral expenses; and other costs such as health insurance premiums, counseling, childcare, groceries, meals,

overnight hotel accommodations for emergency or extended hospital stays and other day to day financial necessities.

Seniors McKenzie Scarborough, Mackenzie Campbell, Fiona Jessup, and Amanda Harvey lead the club.

“We not only want to raise money for this foundation, but we also want to help the children in ways money can’t—we visit them in the hospital and enjoy spending time with them,” senior McKenzie Scarborough said.

The club leaders like to let the children “finally talk about something else instead of the struggles that they have been facing as a result of the chemotherapy they have been receiving,” McKenzie continued.

The main purpose of the recent fundraiser, the annual Christmas Drive, was to raise money to buy presents for kids diagnosed with cancer.

TBCF gave club members, a group of about 30, a goal of raising $1,500 which they did.

The money went directly to TBCF. “Obviously the foundation’s goal, and ours also, is to receive enough money to pay for every child’s cancer treatment, and their families bills.

This is a huge goal, but the more volunteers we gain and the more donations we receive, dreams can become reality,” McKenzie said.

PHOTO: ANASTASIA ANTONOVA

GIVING BACK: Middle School students gather on Dec. 8 in Ruston Theatre around a table stacked with gifts they’ve purchased for children in Santa Barbara Foster Care homes.

Interact Club and Middle School Send Packages Wrapped with Love

By JESSIE DUSEBOUT

C

arrying bags filled to the brim with gifts, from diapers for infants to Lego sets for elementary school students to gift cards for teenagers, Middle School students lined up on Dec. 8 in Ruston Theatre to participate in Interact Club’s fourth annual Foster Care Holiday Gift Drive.

Every December, as the holiday season approaches, Middle School students and faculty guided by Interact Club members partner with Child Welfare Services to purchase gifts for children who have been removed from their homes and placed into foster care homes, or a foster care group home.

Each student is given a card with a child’s name, age, interests, clothing sizes, and gift requests.

Child Welfare Services brings cases regarding children who are not safe in their homes to juvenile court and place them in

foster care homes.

“The holidays are a difficult time of year for these children to be separated from their family.

Additionally, many of these kids come from financially disadvantaged families and have never had much of a Christmas before,” Ms. Nancy Filkins Russo, a Child Welfare Services representative and the Interact Club’s liaison said.

“Therefore, at Christmas time, the CWS social workers appeal to the community to fulfill gift requests for ‘our’ children.

We are so appreciative of the families from Laguna Blanca that so generously give to enable foster children to have some fun memories at Christmas time.”

Middle School students joined the giftwrapping event on Dec. 9 to wrap all of the donated gifts.

“There are hundreds of children in Santa Barbara who live in foster homes

after having been neglected or abandoned by their parents and when LBS students purchase gifts and clothing for them over the holidays it helps to take the burden off the foster parents and it helps lighten the sadness of living apart from family,” said Ms. Trish McHale, Interact Club advisor.

The holiday gift drive has been limited to the Middle School and the Upper School Interact Club, but next year this event will expand to include the entire Upper School thus reaching foster care families in both the north and south counties of Santa Barbara.

“We had hoped to include the Upper School in the gift drive this year; however, our timing was off. We didn’t give Social Services enough time to put the gift cards together for the North County,” explained Ms. McHale.

Interact Club members

are excited about the opportunity to expand this event next year.

“With the amount of support that the Middle School gives to this event, I think that Interact should go a step further and expand the Holiday Gift Drive into the Upper School,” club member Karinna Carrillo said.

“The Middle School students really take this gift drive to heart. They recognize that, while they have the comforts of a nice home, loving parents, and everything they need and desire, there are so many kids their age who are far less fortunate.

They take a moment to imagine what it would be like to not have a permanent family or the joy that the holiday season brings, and that causes them to open their hearts to these peers of theirs,” said Ms. Dana Martin Middle & Upper School Assistant & MS Advisor.

Against the Elements: Freshmen Trek Yosemite

By KAYLEE STRACHAN

For their ninth grade class trip, Laguna freshmen traveled to Yosemite National Park for a unique outdoor learning and bonding experience.

At the end of November, the freshman class stayed in the park for six days.

Several faculty members accompanied them, including Mr. Tyler Hodges, Director of Upper School Academics and Student Life; Mr. Chris Johnson, Visual Arts department Chair; Ms. Staci Richard, Upper School and Fifth Grade Science Instructor; Dr. Karl Revells, College Counselor and Academic Dean; and Mr. Peter Angeloff, Physics Instructor.

The freshmen participated in team-building activities, went on dayhikes, and visited the Giant Sequoia Grove.

PHOTOS: TYLER HODGES

Through the Woods: Members of the freshman class (top) follow one of the camp leaders through the woods in a trust game. (Right) freshmen Ethan Katnic and Spenser Wyatt emerge from exploring one of the many caves that formed at Yosemite as a result of rock falls.

“It makes you reconsider the amazing beauty of our state,” said Mr. Hodges.

Freshman Christian Kahmann said that his best memory of the trip was “definitely the seminar night about searchand-rescue and the challenge hike to Vernon Falls.”

Yosemite counselors led students during their stay. “It was a great experience because we all got to bond and the counselors were all really nice and made me laugh,” said Maddie Bonser.

The original plan called for the group to stay in cabins at one of the park’s 13 campgrounds called Crane Flat and then move to tents after a couple of nights.

However, due to extremely high winds, they had to stay in the Yosemite Lodge.

“Crane Flat was my favorite place to stay because we could all hang out, even though the rooms at the lodge were nice,” MacKenna Connor said.

“Bonding with people” was one of their favorite parts Elia Doussineau and Bryn Jewett said.

“Seeing, Yosemite Falls, one of the world’s biggest waterfalls was very cool,” Cole Strachan said.

In addition to bonding with their peers, students were able to get to know faculty better, all while experiencing the incredible landscape.

Mr. Hodges said that the trip was “extremely successful.”

“The scenery was awesome. The nature was thriving. The ability to make friends was endless,” Parker Rusack said.

Has Online Privacy Become Nonexistent?

Continued from Page 1 By using Google, minors are violating the terms of this clause and subsequently, can be identified by the government as criminals who are misusing the Internet.

Similarly, Facebook has broken that trust by allegedly altering users’ privacy settings and distributing personal information to third parties.

In college applications, students find reason to take precautionary steps to keep up a respectable reputation and present themselves well.

“I feel like that’s wrong and unconstitutional.

Personally, I don’t want

the government to be looking at my stuff especially when I’m not a terrorist. It’s unconstitutional and shows a lack of respect for their citizens,” senior Kai Gamble said.

California colleges are accepting fewer students as they deal with the economic crunch and other colleges are following this trend.

As college acceptance rates decrease, and the number of applicants increases, Internet security and the integrity of privacy settings are on the decline.

In fact, the Electronic Privacy Information Center is going so far as

to sue the Department of Homeland Security for violating the people’s right to privacy by trying to enact a program that would m0nitor activity on Facebook and Twitter.

“I think the Constitution should be respected in all things. So, when that violates people’s privacy, it’s a problem.

Anyone with any degree of skill can get [my personal information] as is shown many many times . . . no, [I don’t trust the Internet because] I don’t have control over it, and I’m not involved in protecting it,” history teacher Mr. Kevin Shertzer said.

Do You Trust the Internet?

40%

Do NOT trust social networking sites or Internet servers with their personal information.

22%

DO trust social networking sites and Internet servers with their personal information, but have NOT made use of the privacy settings on Facebook.

10%

Say it depends on the circumstances.

*Based on 116 Laguna students’ responses to a poll distributed in assembly.

4

January 23, 2012

News

AP Government Elections 2011

By EVA DAVIS & DARIA ETEZADI

For the past several years, Ms. Martha Elliott’s AP Government and Politics class has put on a mock election, complete with campaign videos, a live debate, and election speeches. Two candidates are selected and the remaining members of the class are divided and assigned positions in the campaign. This year it was Troy Ritter against Jess Davis. Following a jam-packed campaign, the results were in and Troy Ritter was elected president with Jess Davis trailing very close behind.

“Jess We Can”

“In Troy We Trust” Presidential nominee Troy Ritter based most of his party platform on national issues.

On behalf of the Ritteran Party, Troy advocated for better living conditions in overpopulated prisons, stricter enforcement of border patrol, and preventative measures against the over drugging of orphans in the foster care system.

VS.

As the representative of the Jesstopian Party, presidentialhopeful Jess Davis ran a campaign based on the interests of the Santa Barbara community.

An activist for the renewal of education, the environment, the arts, youth leadership, animal rights, senior citizens, and youth, the Jess We Can campaign communicated its party platform through Facebook, posters, and political advertisements.

A Lesson Science Students Get a Look Inside a Game Preserve in Civics from Chief Justice Sandra “It’s like if someone Day killed your brother, or sister.”

O’Connor -Keenan Stears

By MORGAN RAITH

S

Continued from Page 1 O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, is working towards her mission to educate the youth of America about government.

She spoke at the Reagan Foundation’s Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Learning Center’s Speaker Series for Students.

This foundation organized her talk and the question and answer session with local high school students.

In addition to her live audience, her presentation was available online where people could submit questions via twitter or text.

O’Connor also created iCivics in 2006, an online program aimed at middle school students, the year she retired from the Supreme Court. iCivics is filled with games to help students become more educated on civics and government.

Her goal is to inform the youth of today so that they can lead the country of tomorrow.

At the Reagan Library after O’Connor’s presentation, students munched on boxed lunches and had the opportunity to tour Air Force One. “Getting to see Air Force One was unexpected because I didn’t know we were going to get to see it before we went on the field trip,” senior Lauren Conk said.

Air Force One is the official airplane used for transportation of the president.

Ronald Reagan’s Air Force One is a Boeing 707 that was customized to meet all his needs.

After his two presidential terms, the plane continued in use until 2001 when former president George W. Bush decommissioned it and it came to its final resting place inside the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

“I’m glad that Ms. Elliott scheduled this field trip because it was an opportunity that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” said junior Karinna Carrillo.

tories of wildlife on the African Savannah filled Ms. Staci Richard’s classroom as the AP Biology and AP Environmental Science classes heard from researchers about their experiences in South Africa.

Alumna Melissa Schmitt ’08 spent a lot of time away from high school to help her parents, both coral reef ecologists, complete research in the field.

When it came time to pick her senior project, Melissa knew what she wanted to do.

After searching online she finally settled on a game capture project in Kimberly, South Africa called The African Conservation Experience.

She skipped AP exams, took a game ranger

course on location, and spent the next month helping relocate animals in and out of their habitats.

When she was 17, right before her senior year, she worked on a game reserve next to Kruger National Park called Garonga.

While there, she met Keenan Stears who was a game ranger and safari guide for Mala Mala, another game reserve.

Keenan joined Melissa’s presentation to the AP science classes. This was his first trip to the U.S. He explained how many reserves are fenced to keep the animals in as much to keep people out.

Poachers still prove to be a major threat even to protected wildlife in the Savannah.

Part of his job was to control brush fires. He spoke about a recent fire that burned out of control

threatening the habitat of large predators such as lions and leopards.

Though Keenan mostly works to protect the wildlife, he and other conservationists are now faced with an unexpected problem.

Elephants have no real natural predators and

are able to reproduce without the threat from the large cats.

Their population has become so large that the ecosystems of the reserves they live on cannot support them.

Ecologists who work so hard to protect elephants from poachers and strengthen their population, must selectively slaughter individuals by a process called culling.

Culling of solitary males is not always a problem, but when one elephant in a herd is killed the rest of the herd becomes aggressive and angry towards humans.

“It’s like if someone killed your brother, or sister,” Keenan said.

Melissa is a senior at

UC Santa Cruz studying wildlife biology.

While in California, she continues her work with large animals by tracking and collaring mountain lions.

Next October, she will move back to Africa with Keenan to work with elephants and to get her masters at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa where she previously studied for a semester during as a junior.

Both Melissa and Keenan want continue to help the reserves have a higher carrying capacities for the elephants.

“I have loved my time in Africa- it is an everchanging and interesting place to live and travel.

The wilderness is incredible and filled amazing wildlife.”

Student Organization Fights Maternal Mortality W

ith the help of participating schools in the Santa Barbara area, Youth For Direct Relief, the youth branch of the locally based organization Direct Relief International has raised, at the moment, a total of $4,600 through its “Change. A Life. 100 Day Campaign.”

The objective of the fundraiser was to have every student at each participating school donate a total of $25 over a period of 100 days, which translates into each student depositing 25 cents per day.

In a developing country it only costs $25 to give an expectant mother the proper pre-natal care and to help her deliver her baby safely.

This specific campaign will provide certified midwives with a specialized DRI midwife kit.

The kit contains everything from a stethoscope to sanitary pads to surgical instruments. The kit also provides midwives

with enough supplies to perform a caesarean section birth if necessary.

The campaign will give expectant mothers and their babies a chance at a healthy future without worrying about infections caused by insanitary environments or lack of access to proper medicine.

DRI is able to maximize the amount of donated funds they receive.

When spent by the organization, one American dollar can pay for more than its face worth in medical supplies due to the discounts the organization receives from its partnering licensed health care providers.

Most births in the United States cost over $2,000 in medical bills, but through its partnerships with medical suppliers DRI has lowered the cost of delivering a baby to just $25.

The supplies are packaged and shipped to highly qualified doctors practicing in impover-

By MORGAN RAITH

PHOTO: CLARA MADSEN

SETTING GOALS: Club copresidents Allie Laffite and Morgan Raith display students’ estimates back in September of how much would be raised by the Upper School during the “Change. A Life. 100 Day Campaign.” ished regions around the world. DRI allows many of these doctors to treat patients who would not otherwise have access to any form of medical attention.

Each school in support of the campaign has a club dedicated to awareness of the cause and fundraising strategies.

With the help of individual donations, bake sales, Jogathon booth donations, and advisory competitions through Dec. 16, 2011 the club, lead by copresidents Morgan Raith and Allie Laffite, raised $900 for the cause.

“I feel like it’s really important and not very

difficult for our community to give back to the less fortunate.

Having this opportunity for our school to participate in a fundraiser like this is a perfect example of how simple it is to do and how beneficial it is to those in need,” said Allie.

Profile

Ms. Louie’s Mural Graces St. Mark’s Chapel

A

rt instructor Ms. Delphine Louie recently completed the daunting task of painting a six by twelve foot mural for Saint Mark’s Chapel in Isla Vista.

To start, she met with Father John Love to decide on the subject of the mural’s content.

“Father John said that he’d like to have a mural of Saint Joseph because he isn’t often recognized beyond the nativity scene where he is depicted with

By MORGAN RAITH his wife the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus,” said Ms. Louie.

She did initial sketches of Saint Joseph standing or sitting in different positions.

She also tried sketching him with Mary and Jesus, but she decided to paint him by himself to emphasize his individual importance.

Saint Joseph is often portrayed as an older man next to the Virgin Mary who is usually depicted much younger,

but Ms. Louie and Father John both agreed that it would be better to portray him as a younger man because of the involvement of college students at the Chapel.

Ms. Louie was responsible for commissioning a model and creating his costume.

“I got one of the parishioners from the young adult Sunday night mass to model for me.”

Another challenge was finding the right costume, which happened to take place in October during the Halloween frenzy.

“I found a few pharaoh costumes, but no robes that looked right.”

She finally settled on two three-dollar bed sheets that she sewed together.

“My fashion school dropout past came in handy.”

Also included in the background of the mural are local landmarks: The Stork Tower—located on the USCB campus —and the historic Santa Barbara Mission. Saint Joseph is situated in the center of the two icons.

“The viewer is asked to reflect upon his or her role as a believer to live a wellbalanced life.”

Ms. Louie spent two and a half months painting the mural on and off for about three days per week.

She has had considerable experience

PHOTO: DELPHINE LOUIE

with chalk mural painting.

Prior to this commission, Ms. Louie participated in the 225th anniversary I Madonnari chalk drawing festival at the Mission.

She was also selected to participate in a chalk festival in Italy a few years ago.

“I have done tons of chalk murals, but this was my first mural in oil paint. I was very nervous.”

Another artist had previously attempted to paint a mural in the same spot so there was already an orange background, which contrasted nicely with the blue robe she painted on Saint Joseph.

She said that one of the best parts about the project was having people approach her while she painted to tell her what Saint Joseph meant to them.

“It gave me a much more personal perspective on the project.”

Despite the support of chapel members in Ms. Louie’s project, one of her initial challenges was packing up her supplies between the Mass service schedules.

Father John decided that her presence wasn’t causing a disturbance and she was allowed to paint through Mass.

Ms. Louie was able to pray between shifts of painting and, “felt very at peace,” in St. Mark’s Chapel. “I now make the cross when I walk into a Catholic church as a sign of respect.”

January 23, 2012

5

Kids Helping Kids Brings Sara Bareilles to the Granada Theater

By CATY LAFITTE One hundred AP Economic students, 10 years, and one goal: to help underprivileged communities across the globe.

San Marcos High School’s senior AP Economic students, taught by Jamie DeVries, created a non-profit organization called Kids Helping Kids (KHK) in 2001.

KHK has raised over $500,000 total throughout the 10 years it has been in progress.

In just a decade, the organization went from a high school penny drive to many fundraisers such as a benefit concert to support the Santa Barbara Unity Shoppe and the San Marcos High School community.

For the first time last year, KHK went international, and sent a portion of their proceeds of $165,000 to Rwanda to help build a preschool.

In addition to the concert last year, San Marcos hosted a rummage sale, a 5K run, and a live and silent auction.

This year on Jan. 7, Grammy-nominated Sara Bareilles and Tyrone Wells performed at the Granada Theatre, along with a brief showcase of the San Marcos’ “Royals Got Talent” winner, live and silent auctions, and an electric bike raffle.

Kids Helping Kids asked singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles to perform at the benefit concert by creating a video of them singing her song “Uncharted,” just like the actual music video.

“We are so lucky that she responded so well to it this year and was interested in performing at our event!” Kelly Shara, CEO of Kids Helping Kids said.

Kids Helping Kids not only supports the Unity Shoppe, but as of last year when they received their 501(c)(3) non-profit certification, they can also expand to helping students in the San Marcos community that are facing economic hardships. They also support international causes such as donating to help start a preschool in Gisenyi, Rwanda.

“Year after year the fundraisers are successful because of the hard work of the 107 students involved, and the generosity of our community.”

The concert was the first pop concert that Laguna sophomore, Margaret Lazarovits, ever attended. “It was a great concert, and I’m so happy it was my first one. People always say ‘the music is so much better live,’ and it really is.”

Looking Through the Lens of Eva do Couto

By CLARA MADSEN

W

hile enrolled in two schools and reaping recognition in both, senior Eva do Couto continues her passion for photography.

Eva recognized her passion for photography at a very young age, and her interests were furthered in seventh grade when she began her formal studies at the School of Cinema and Performing Arts (SOCAPA).

The SOCAPA is a school for those whose passions lie in the depths of creativity, specifically in photography, film, and acting.

It has two campuses—one in New York and the other in Los Angeles. Eva currently participates in the New York campus.

Generally, students attend the school over the summer and participate in a summer camp.

“Ever since I met her in seventh grade, Eva has always been documenting all of the school activities,” senior Elise Scheuermann said.

During the summer after ninth grade, Eva embarked on a journey with other photography students to the English countryside to expand their photography skills and capture the landscape of England.

“It was really fun. I made friends that I still see six years later. It was an adventure, and I captured some of my favorite pictures.”

This is Eva’s sixth year as a student of the SOCAPA. Eva began participating in solely the summer program, but by ninth grade she was vigorously working during the school year as the teacher of her summer camp took a special interest in her and persuaded her

At the end of each quarter, Eva turns in a collection of 20 to 50 photos in a formal portfolio that capture a specific theme. This quarter’s book captures hands.

Eva has also created books featuring babies, elderly people, technology, and nature. She also has created a photo book focusing on colors.

Currently, Eva is working on a three to six month project that documents fellow student Zoe Serbin’s life.

Eva is working on both a film and a Polaroid project.

The Polaroid project is called “Me in My Space” and it includes a series of photos of Eva’s house, room, family members, and her backyard, and the film project contains a series of black and white portraits taken solely with natural light.

Eva attributes her love of photography to the

Summer attendees work in unison to help one another to reach success.

While doing so, the photography and film students further better their understanding of their passion.

Photography students learn about composure, how to work with low light and natural light, how to set up a photo, and so on.

Also during the summer program, cinema students participate in summer trips that provide the opportunity to capture incredible scenes.

Eva’s talents are recognized by fellow students.

to work with him as her mentor during the school year.

Each week she works with her advisor via email and submits assignments—photos that she’s has taken and edited over the past seven days.

Eva has been honored as the Most Valuable Photographer for year one (beginner), year two and three (intermediate), and year four (advanced).

She has also received the Teen Ink Photo of the Month for June 2010, January 2011, April 2011, and October 2011.

School of Cinema and Performing Arts.

“It has given me a mentor and it’s been really nice to be learning about something that I might want to pursue as a future career.”

Eva is also the president of the Invisible Children Club and after attending the Invisible Children conference in San Diego in August, she realizes that she wants to become a Visual Journalist.

“I really like the ability to portray stories and events of people’s lives in different ways.”

6

January 23, 2012

The Opinion

By JESS DAVIS & OLIVIA BERCI A New Year brings about a new opportunity for reflection. What will 2011 be remembered for? How will I, as an individual and as a member of my generation, remember 2011? What mattered this year? What shouldn’t have mattered? In setting resolutions this year, let’s turn our eyes to the world. It isn’t fair or realistic to demand that our country’s leaders solve all of our current issues in the year 2012. As individuals and as a country, we need to focus not only on our personal growth, but also on our growth as a society.

We need to learn from our mistakes and evolve. We each have the power to better our world. I resolve:

Take to the streets and to the polls: Drug cartels, cruel dictators, income inequality, unjust autocracy, and ineffective leadership motivated millions of people throughout the world to reject traditional forms of leadership and take to the streets in protest.

From the Middle East and Europe to the United States, we united against injustice. However, as alternative forms of civic engagement such as public demonstrations skyrocketed, fewer Americans voiced their opinions at the polls. Last year, populations across the globe demanded what we, as Americans, consider a right--the right to choose our leaders and hold them accountable. A democracy can only be effective if its citizens are engaged. Unless Americans of all demographics, backgrounds, and experiences vote, our government cannot adequately represent its people. As protesters in cities across the nation gathered to oppose the polarization of wealth in the top 1 percent and to demand better opportunity for the other 99 percent of the population, less than 60 percent of us participate in general elections. We value our right to demonstrate. From the inception of our country, our appreciation of free speech has been ingrained in our philosophy. However, to simultaneously protest elitist policy and to not vote is hypocritical. Let’s resolve to be engaged citizens both on the streets and at the polls in 2012.

Value the news over the Kardashians: The Republican Presidential Debate on Sept. 10 stands as the most-watched GOP debate of the 2012 campaign season, drawing 7.63 million viewers. Socialite Kim Kardashian’s televised wedding special broke records in October with 10.5 million viewers. The E! broadcast raked in $15 million for Kardashian. How does that reflect on us as a generation? Over the past year, the media has proven itself as an incredible resource for positive social change. In TIME magazine’s Person of the Year introduction, released in late December, writer Ric Stengel wrote “technology allowed us to watch, and spread the virus of protest, but this was not a wired revolution; it was a human one”. It was the soul of those who protested that translated into the media coverage of the Arab Spring and uprisings against Mexican drug cartels. That was news that informed. It was news that inspired upward democratic movement across the globe. It was revolutionary. The year 2011 was irrefutably a wired year, but as we move into 2012, let’s maintain the integrity of the news we value. The media glorifies bad model celebrities, teenage motherhood, and $18 million weddings; is that what we value? Media moguls are out to make bank and entertain. If we care about what is honest and important that too will be rendered in our news.

Give until its gone: After crisis, communities across our nation and globe become

hyper-aware of the issues at hand and come together to aid those who have been wounded or displaced. But as time passes, we begin to mend the emotions experienced by witnessing such tragedy; our attention span wanes. Our support tapers off far before the real healing is finished. The 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in Japan spurred a frenzied push for uniting as a student body to fundraise for victims of the disaster, but that seemed to fade all too quickly. What if we had preserved that response? This year, lets maintain our outward outlook. We should look to those times of dire need as a model of how to frame our view of giving--of community support. How can we translate that energy without a crisis to motivate us? Our own local community may not have recently suffered from a great natural disaster, but look around. I mean really look. Santa Barbara is wrought with issues of huge divide and homelessness. We need to work to mend those wounds until they are fully healed.

Lower the thermometer:

100,000 Australians were left homeless and 35 were killed after a freak storm caused the Brisbane River to flood. This tragic event was followed by a terrifying category 5 cyclone that affected people across the continent. Australians--who have first-hand experience of the dangers posed by increased world temperatures--fully understand the significance of climate change, and they are implementing innovative programs to prevent it. While the majority of Americans have finally accepted that global warming does in fact exist, many are hesitant to accept its significance. We have made some progress in the last year, and, for the first time, the majorities in both the Democratic and Republican parties believe that climate change is real (although only 34 percent of the Tea Party acknowledges its existence). Global warming is here; it is already affecting people throughout the world; and it will be one of our most daunting challenges in the next 100 years. While our government has implemented some climate change policy, we cannot only rely on leaders in Washington to solve this crisis. We all must change our lifestyles and adapt.

Wire for good:

“Welcome back Egypt #Jan25” tweeted Wael Ghonim, marketing manager at Google who became a symbol of the revolutionary movement. Ghonim was held in captivity for nearly 12 days by the Egyptian government under Hosni Mubarak for organizing protests.

“Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event),” tweeted a local man in Abbottabad, Pakistan who unknowingly live-tweeted the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound. “My daughter her name is sarah m. rivera,” tweeted Daniel Morales, who was able to use a prepaid cellphone to create a Twitter account through Underheard, an initiative to help homeless residents in New York city speak for themselves. He posted his cellphone number and a photo of her at age 16 and was reunited with his 27-year-old daughter, Sarah Rivera, when she called him the next day. These are the stories that transformed the image of what social networking is and can be. When Ghonim was released, he told an Egyptian network to not focus the cameras on him. "I'm not a hero. The real heroes are the youth who are behind this revolution...we're going to clean this country of this rubbish," he said, "I think the most important lesson there was that you give people simple tools and they will use them in good ways." All the good that Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube brought about this year was, unfortunately, muddled with classless acts of outward spite and ridicule. While we were using social networking as a forum for help and a mecca of information, at the same time, our generation was posting and commenting without thinking before we typed.

Sitting behind a computer screen doesn’t give us an out to be lewd or hurtful. As we move into 2012, let’s maintain the constructive power of social networking and use it as a tool for uniting behind social justice.

ART: ZOE SERBIN PHOTO: ANASTASIA ANTONOVA

The Opinion

January 23, 2012

7

The Language Behind Economic Inequality

By JESS DAVIS

Conservative leaders have learned to frame their world views to appeal to a voter’s selfimage. As a result, many Americans are supporting elitist economic policies and the Democratic Party is in crisis.

W

ould you choose to live in a country where the upper 1 percent of the population owns 34.6 percent of wealth and the bottom 40 percent owns a mere .3 percent?

The majority of Americans who responded to this question—which was posed by recent research conducted

by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Norton and Duke University Professor of Psychology and Economics Dan Ariely—answered “no.”

It seems implausible that this type of economic inequality can persist in a democracy, but these statistics represent the wealth distribution in the United States.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has prompted close examination of the extreme wealth inequality that exists in our country.

According to Professor Ariely, the gap between the wealthiest Americans and the poorest is larger than at any time since the Great Depression, and the middle class is steadily waning.

Of the people who were surveyed in Norton and Ariely’s research, almost all thought that wealth should be more equally distributed.

Interestingly, progressives and conservatives both shared this belief.

In spite of this, conservative economic policies have increasingly shifted wealth towards an elite few.

Under the Clinton Administration, the fraction of total growth captured by the top 1 percent of the American population was 45 percent. Under the second Bush Administration, the total wealth captured by the top 1 percent of Americans grew to 65 percent, moving Americans further away from the concentration of wealth that the majority proposed was

ideal in Norton and Ariely’s study. Yet, George W. Bush was reelected, and his tax reform policies were extended.

Why do Americans who are not in the top ten percent of the

positive images in the mind of the listener—images of the economically burdened receiving necessary relief from their financial hardships.

In reality, Bush’s tax relief

inheritance taxes as a cruel tax on death.

In adopting the “tax relief” and “death tax” phrases, Bush used a technique that conservatives have followed

GRAPHIC: ZOE SERBIN

The gap between the rich and the poor is larger than at any time since the Great Depression, and the middle class is steadily waning. population continue to support conservative financial policies that create this inequality?

The answer may lie in the language utilized by the Republican Party.

Over the past few decades, conservatives have made a conscious shift in the way that they communicates ideals and policies.

For example, President George W. Bush adopted the phrase “tax relief” to describe tax cuts for the wealthy. This language evokes

plan primarily benefited the upper 1 percent of the American population. This group of people was not desperate for relief.

Bush also strategically chose the phrase “death tax” to describe taxes on inheritance.

Republicans created this phrase because of the effect it has on the listener—the words death and tax both have a negative connotation, and by using this language the Republican Party has shifted public opinion to view

religiously over the past few decades—he is speaking in frames. In Don’t Think of an Elephant!, George Lakoff, a professor at UC Berkeley, defines frames as “mental structures that shape the goals we seek, the plans we make, the way we act, and what counts as a good or bad outcome of our action.”

The purpose of frames is to appeal to listeners’ world views—to utilize broad yet persuasive language that causes the listener to identify with the morals and values of the speaker. In the 2000 election, Al Gore repeatedly explained that Bush’s tax cuts would primarily benefit 1 percent of the population.

Gore and his strategists

DIRTY POLITICIANS: an Evolving Social Epidemic?

By EVA DAVIS For years there has been a trend that has run so rampant through the political world in the United States that it has evolved into a social epidemic.

When news breaks of a senator, governor, or presidential candidate being involved in scandals, we are no longer shocked.

Has this become expected?

Are we jaded?

Scandals span from longterm adulterous relationships (sometimes resulting in a child) to involvement with "high class call girls," to emailing, tweeting, or “sexting” explicit photos from someone other than their partner.

Aside from the fact that these things are morally wrong and have the power to devastate lives, there is another aspect that must be evaluated.

While it is true that "everyday people" commit similar acts, these people aren't the ones responsible for running our country.

Events such as this past year’s revelation of the existence Arnold Schwarzenegger’s child who was born out of an extramarital affair between the former California governor and his housekeeper not only sent the media into a tizzy, but also resulted in the end of his 25-year marriage to Maria Shriver.

In addition to this, if he had any plans of running for office again, his plans should be considered soiled.

While this is still a fresh new year, but it is easy to see that the same politician scandals have come around.

With presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's infidelity being a topic brought up at several Republican debates, it raises a very interesting question: if these representatives cannot or choose not to stay loyal to their life partners, does that mean they are incapable of, or would elect to, act in ways that are not loyal to our country?

It's a controversial question with various responses.

Some argue on the side of the aforementioned point of the connection between the loyalty to one’s spouse and their country.

Others say that there is no connection and that a politician’s personal life is completely separate from their work life.

I’ve come to the conclusion that for years there has been a trend that has run so rampant through the political world in the United States that it has evolved into a social epidemic.

Many people associate those who are unfaithful with adjectives such as “sleazy” or

figured that since his democratic tax plan benefited a broader sector of the population than Bush’s, “everyone would vote in their self-interest and support him…but conservatives still opposed him,” says Lakoff.

Lakoff discovered that 35 percent of the lower and middle class Americans who support conservative financial policies believe that someday they will be in that top 1 percent of the population— despite proof of the rarity of social mobility.

How do we explain the thought process of the other 65 percent of voters who are aware that they will never directly benefit from conservative financial policies?

The opposition to Gore’s targeted middle class taxbreak by this group reveals a fundamental idea behind Lakoff’s studies: people do not necessarily vote for the candidate whose policies they will benefit most from.

First and foremost, people vote for their identity and their values. Essentially, people vote in their self-image rather than their self-interest.

It may be that their self-image coincides with their selfinterest, but if not, their selfimage prevails.

In order to enact policies that will lead to broader wealth distribution, Democrats must reframe their ideas and goals.

As seen in Norton and Ariely’s study, Americans want more equitable wealth distribution; they want the wealth concentration in the top 20 percent of the population to be 52 percent lower than it is.

To gain the necessary support to enact legislation that would benefit lower and middle class Americans, Democratic leaders must explore ways to motivate voters to identify with progressive world views.

Top Political Scandals of 2011 Anthony Weiner tweeted a

photograph of his underwearclad crotch to a female college student. As more women came forward with photos of the congressman, Weiner eventually admitted having relationships with six women.

Herman Cain, the Tea Party

star, once considered a favorite to be the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, dropped out of the race after being dogged by multiple allegations of sexual harassment and a claim of an extramarital affair.

John Ensign, former US

Senator, resigned in April after an investigation into his affair with his best friend and former top aide’s wife and his alleged attempts to cover it up.

Solyndra,

“scumlike.”

While I am not in support of infidelity in any way, there are public figures viewed as good or great people who have committed adultery.

In 1989, King’s close friend and fellow civil rights leader Ralph Abernathy wrote of Dr. King’s long-term infidelity that allegedly lasted until the very night before his assassination.

I don’t condone or support infidelity, but I also don’t fully agree with judging a politicians

professional c a p a b i l i t y solely on a fact from their personal lives. For this reason I don’t agree with such issues being brought up in debates. People who run for office should consider their past and present choices and if caught in a sticky situation should tell the truth about what they’ve done in the offchance that it will make them seem more “human” and relatable to the public.

a failed solar power company that received a half-billion dollar loan guarantee from the government, became a political lightning rod this year. It went bankrupt despite the financial aid. One of Solyndra’s major investors was an Oklahoma billionaire who raised between $50,000 and $100,000 for Obama during the 2008 election.

Fast

and Furious The Justice Department is under fire for failing to catch a program under which U.S. guns were allowed to flow illicitly into Mexico. The guns turned up in numerous crime scenes in Mexico, and at least one of the weapons was recovered at the scene where U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was gunned down. source: ABC News

8

Double

UNPREDICTABLE & UNS

THE TEENAGE BR

LAYO PHOTOS: ANASTASIA WATERS, CASEY STATISTICS: REHAB-INTERNA LIV

A Memo to My Parents

By OLIVIA BERCI

In the 2008 contemporary equivalent to “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Charlie Bartlett,” Charlie is a social pariah who craves popularity and learns to win friends and influence people by becoming a prescription drug dealer.

Charlie administers Ritalin, Xanax and Prozac, obtained by studying physicians’ reference books, and then visiting psychiatrists, feigning symptoms the doctors are only too quick to treat with medication. In one scene, Charlie and his business partner, Murphy, mass-dispense Ritalin to the student body and turn a dance into a frenzied free-for-all with shirtless girls running down the halls.

While Charlie Bartlett presents teenage recklessness at a near fanatical level, the comedic plot coalesces into a character-driven depiction of teenage angst, idiocy, and haste—a depiction rooted in the importance of social connection amongst teens.

Teens adapt more easily to things than adults do because adolescent behavior creates learning experiences that lead to social opportunity.

Author and journalist, David Dobbs emphasizes that teens seek social rewards, and in engaging in their social inhibitions, teens actually adapt to become more independent.

Teenage brains drive evolution and a decline in social recklessness would risk human growth. A memo to my parents; my behavior that you may perceive to be uninhibited is really an expression of social recklessness— an expression necessitated for the advance of human evolution.

A month ago, I would have laughed at the idea that the risks taken and mistakes made by my peers and me was driving evolution.

As a teenager, I’ve made decisions that went against my best judgment, and I think anyone would be hardpressed to find a teenager who hasn’t.

The idea that the choices I knew I shouldn’t be making progress human evolution sounds like some psychosomatic theory that, in actuality, doesn’t make any sense.

But, when I read more about the studies, the idea started to click.

Dobbs argues that “teens gravitate toward peers… to invest in the future rather than the past.

We will live most of our lives, and prosper (or not) in a world run and remade by our peers.

Knowing, understanding, and building relationships with them bears critically on success.”

Although the reckless things teens do amongst their peers may horrify parents and teachers, the fact is that because teen brains embrace a massive reorganization, teens adapt rapidly to new situations.

Teens’ “passion for same-age peers merely expresses in the social realm the teen’s general attraction to novelty: Teens offer teens far more novelty than familiar old family does” (Dobbs).

While the human developmental pattern, completed only in the mid20s, is uniquely human, and may seem to be one of our most dangerous traits, our adult selves would suffer without having experienced the impulsivity of our teenage recklessness.

Dobbs argues that the “reorganization” that teenage brains undergo makes the entire brain a much faster and more sophisticated organ.

Due to specific differences in their brains, those who sensation-seek—seek excitement and take risks—undergo social growth at a more rapid rate than others.

With this logic in mind, teenage brains, and the recklessness they foster, actually drive evolution.

Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker’s paper, “A History of Violence” for the Edge Master Class of 2011 also focuses on evolution. Pinker’s claim is that violence has been in decline since prehistory.

Pinker’s argument, at first, may seem to contradict the idea that the “jackass gene”—the recklessness that Dobbs argues drives evolution—survives.

However, this recklessness is simply morphing into something less violent— something socially driven.

We are increasingly determined by our social success. Our population growth is exponential, and there is more emphasis on social reward than ever before.

The development of social recklessness was inevitable with the increase in access to our peers.

In some respect, humans need to seek sensation, and, specifically for social sensation.

Social sensation is what ultimately drives modern natural selection. Those who succeed in our increasingly socially defined world put themselves in new social situations.

Ultimately, social impulsivity fosters the spread of ideas and furthers our species. The idea that teenage behavior promotes social impulsivity leads one to conclude that, logically, a decline in teenage behavior would risk human growth.

Because the idea is logical, does that make taking risks okay?

More often than not, the “bad choices” I make don’t seem as dangerous or detrimental to me as they do to my parents and other adults.

Recklessness is an inherent trait of not only my generation, but of the teenage generation that came before me and the one that will succeed this generation of teenagers.

Teenage recklessness shouldn’t be excused, consequences play into the learning process, but it also shouldn’t be stifled.

e Page

January 23, 2012

STOPPABLE

RAIN

41% of

American 12th graders have

drunk in the past 30 days been

8% of

YOUT BY ZOE SERBIN A ANTONOVA, EVA DAVIS, RENEE Y VENTURELLI, TIM NELSON : CENTURYCOUNCIL.COM, ATIONAL.ORG, NYTIMES.COM, VESCIENCE.COM

American high school students reported using

cocaine

9

Misunderstood Mentality

T

By JESSIE DUSEBOUT

hroughout the years, home and into a university. teenagers have evolved The brain develops at a rate into a retrospectively that allows us to be prepared condemned generation to tackle the lives ahead of us marked by endless criticisms and help the world advance. of our socially irresponsible What does this mean for behavior. the parents of teenagers?

In fact, the modern teenager Should they sit back and use seems to have justified playing the hands-off approach in the hooky, talking back to parents, hopes that their teenagers will and attending parties where make a positive contribution drugs and alcohol are present. to society?

It’s no wonder that adults Or should they play the role view “Generation Gimme” as of the protective parent and a reckless bunch; especially guard their children from the since fatal car accidents, dangers of the world? alcohol poisoning, and drug Either way, we need to overdose are receiving more remember that while it may attention from the press. be scary to even think of Let’s face it - we often entrusting your child in a world regard social full of danger, acceptance as hurt, and false our top priority, “We often regard hopes, it’s also and as a result, to social acceptance necessary we tend to direct keep in mind our attention as our top priority, that they hold away from the and as a result, the future in consequences of their hands as we tend to direct t o m o r r o w ’ s our actions.

H o w e v e r , our attention leaders. while it is not With postfrom the high easy for parents away school to identify the consequences of e d u c a t i o n positive aspects enrollment at our actions.” of teenagers’ its peak, it’s r e c k l e s s obvious that our behavior, David generation is Dobbs’ National Geographic intelligent; with the increasing essay “Beautiful Brains” shows availability of youth leadership a different side of the teenage programs, our generation is brain and explains that beginning to see how great of “without them, humanity might an impact we can make on the not have so readily spread world. across the globe…Engage them We have the power to shape during adolescence, and you our world into the place we light a fire.” want it to be – all we need now Adolescent brains, while is enough support to do so. reckless, also bring the change But, with new information and progress that created the becoming available through world we live in today. imaging studies, scientists “The adaptive-adolescent now know that the brain, story casts the teen less as once thought to have finished a rough draft than as an developing by the end of the exquisitely sensitive, highly preteen years, continues to adaptable creature wired develop through the teenage almost perfectly for the job years. of moving from the safety of With breakthroughs being home into the complicated made daily, we can hope that world outside,” says Dobbs. someday we will figure out the I find it fascinating that the cause of teenage recklessness brain is perfectly wired to and how it truly affects our adapt to major events in our world. lives.

But for now, let’s embrace Specifically, how our the power we have to break surrounding environments down stereotypes and prove slowly influence our brains ourselves as the influential throughout high school so we people we really are and to the can prepare to move away from future all we have.

40% of

42%

American high school students have tried

of American

teenagers

ages

15-19 have had

sex

marijuana

10

January 23, 2012

Middle School

Worms anyone? Lars Davenport, Clara Svedlund, Owen Barrett, and Suzanne McFerran give us the word on the worms.

By LUISA CAMERON

T

he worm team, Lars Davenport, Owen Barrett, Suzanne McFerran, and Clara Svedlund, have started a composting program here at LBS. What inspired this project and how did you get started?

Well, [Lars and Owen] were living at UCSB, and we noticed how much food waste was going straight to the trash.

We wanted to develop an environmentally inspired proje c t that addressed the problem of food waste.

GRAPHIC: LUISA CAMERON

We brought our compost project to Laguna Blanca because it seemed like a good base in that it would allow us to reach a greater audience.

Can you tell us exactly what composting is?

Composting is just mimicking nature’s process of breaking down organic material. It’s beneficial because compost contains the full spectrum of plant nutrients, helps soil aggregate, and feeds diverse life in soil, such as bacteria, insects, worms, and much more!

Can you explain the process of “feeding the worms?”

Worms will eat food of any shape or size, but the whole process goes a

lot faster if the food is broken into smaller pieces.

We collect food from the compost bins every Friday, bring it down to the lower campus, and put it into the compost tumblers. We leave the food in the tumblers for two weeks; this starts to get the food to break down so it’s easier for the worms to digest. After that, we shovel the composted food into the Verma Composting Unit and the worms start eating!

Why worm-composting as opposed to traditional composting?

Worm composting is far more efficient than traditional composting, and worm castings (poop) create the highest quality organic fertilizer.

How have you liked this experience so far?

We think it’s great; the reduction of waste at this school has been significant, and it’s better to feed the worms than to throw out the food!

So far, it has been a learning experience for us as well as the students.

Behind the Scenes: More on Mr. Moore

Are more kids participating in lower school or upper school?

The lower school is definitely generating more food waste. Some of the bins were being emptied into the trash accidentally at the middle school, so there was some miscommunication there. But the lower school has more adult supervision going on and it is easier to get the littler kids to put their food in the right place. Also, the fact that maybe middle schoolers are eating their whole lunches while the lower school isn’t finishing as much food might have something to do with it. But overall, more general education about the composting program has to happen, and we need to figure out how to get the older kids excited.

What are your plans for the future?

We hope to get more people excited about recycling, and we would love to see composting take place at more schools throughout Santa Barbara.

What’s your favorite part about composting at LBS? Getting to see the huge amount of food that we are able to divert from the landfill (already 75 pounds per week)!

We love how excited everyone is about the program. We’ve been talking to students, parents, teachers, and the community; everyone seems to be incredibly interested and motivated.

What is the most commonly found food item in the bins?

Orange peels and bread!

Diggin’ Around: Svedlund and Davenport search for worms in the composting box.

PHOTOS: LUISA CAMERON

Birds, Bugs, and Blood Vessels: Science Fair

By JACQUELne Berci

Zachary Moore, explains his Peace Corps past

By JACQUELne Berci As a young American in his twenties, Mr. Moore signed up to serve in the Peace Corps simply because he could; he had the opportunity and decided that if he was ever going to do such a positive and altruistic thing, now would be the time.

As he went through the application process, Mr. Moore stated the only thing that he wanted was to go somewhere coastal and English-speaking, having taken only German in school.

With a degree in civil engineering and a waitering job on his resume, he was placed as a physics teacher in Ghana, Africa.

“At that point in time I had never really traveled out of the country, so Africa was a very mind bending experience for me,” Mr. Moore said when asked about his first impressions of going to Africa.

After arriving in Ghana, his first meal was fish head stew.

Later, he was introduced to his new house made out of mud and the pit that would function as his rest room for the next two years.

Mr. Moore admits that he did have some reservations and described his first impression of Ghana as “eye-opening.”

He mentioned the food was hard to deal with and that “you traveled like everyone else packed into a minivan—armpits to elbows with twenty people in it.”

Have you run into any difficulties?

Mostly just logistical and equipment stuff, but also helping students and teachers discern what can and cannot be composted.

Helping Hands: Mr. Moore Before diving helping and having fun with in with his job, the students he taught physiMr. Moore spent cal science to in Ghana while nine weeks in an serving in the Peace Corps. intensive training camp learning the Not to mention the fiflanguage of the natives, teen something diseases Fante and becoming ac- he contracted while he climated to the culture was there such as infecand customs. tions, worms, malaria, “The language was schistosmaisis, etc. not really that much of Despite the health a problem. The kids I complications, the trip taught spoke pretty good had a very positive effect English, and the classes on Mr. Moore. were taught in English— “You gain a lot because it was functional enough you learn a lot about to make it work.” yourself in a challenging Mr. Moore described situation, you learn a lot the job with great enthu- about the world. I was siasm, “the principal was just a young 20-year-old so happy I was there, the guy who had a very U.S. kids were great, and the centric view of the world whole job itself was just and realized there is a amazing.” whole bunch of stuff goIt later led Mr. Moore ing on out there, you gain to go back to school a whole new perspective for his master’s degree of the world.” in teaching, which the “If you want to see the Peace Corps paid for, world while also making and to become a physical a difference, Peace Corps science teacher. is a great program to do The hardest that with. ” part was the loneliness; he was the only Englishspeaking person for 30 miles, and the bus into Ghana is four hours. “You could go spend a weekend with another Peace Corps volunteer but all you would end up talking about would be the food you missed.”

On Feb. 28, seventh and eighth graders will gather together for their Science Fair project presentation.

Project topics range from bird feeders to blood vessels, anything that interests the individual student.

Each student’s topic must fall under one of the categories below Out of 65 seventh and eighth graders 48 were polled.

Graphics: LUISA CAMERON

“I am going to test how the crowding of plants affects plant growth.

-Will Buchanan, 7th

“I’m in it to win it!”

-Chandler Aubrey, 8th

Feature

11

January 23, 2012

Why We Blog B

log.

The word has become a general term enveloping all forms of visual media and is still growing with the rapid expansion of the World Wide Web. I like to think of them as the “Seinfeld of the Internet”— seemingly random, but there’s something most everyday people can relate to in every one.

Blogs are a place where everyday people like you and I can write paragraphs upon paragraphs about really anything and hey, maybe we will get famous for doing so.

When the internet was just a small seedling of what it has become today, blogs as we know them did not exist. Now, however, they have broken all restrictive boundaries and are used for almost every subject and almost any form of media.

Art, photography, music, food, children, cute things, sad things, funny things, things nobody cares about—you can bet there’s a blog about it. And not just one blog, but many.

And probably a video blog, or vlog, about it too.

Why is it that these narratives written by every day people have recently become so popular?

Most of them offer nothing

of substance, are poorly written, and will have little effect on you as you move forward in your life.

In fact, I’d say a good 97 percent of blogs on the Internet are about nothing and will never be read on a widespread basis.

That other three percent, however, hangs over us.

That other three percent is some strange form of connection to a greater society.

That other three percent is acknowledgement and confirmation from the outer world that your opinion is shared.

Most of the blogs I’ve read are written by people in their teens and twenties.

Of course, there are outliers, but the majority of popular blogs are written by younger people.

The Internet provides us with the platform to reach those who share similar interests. It also grants us the tempting mask of anonymity.

And even if you aren’t writing a blog but are just reading them, finding someone who shares your views and who is reaching millions of people can be very inspiring.

I think the reason behind why we blog is simple; we want to be heard, understood, and related to—even if it’s for something that lacks substance.

By ZOE SERBIN

ART: ZOE SERBIN

Blog Reviews

By ZOE SERBIN & DARIA ETEZADI

A

By Deb Perelman

By Colin Hagendorf

By Allie Brosh

llie Brosh’s rudimentary drawings from MS Paint combine with her brilliantly spun reallife tales make this blog creative and entertaining.

She somehow manages to weave her engagingly animated yet ‘sloppily’ drawn depiction of herself into text to create an easy, readable flow.

Her posts range from her youth to her present adult life, and are the perfect blend of hilarity and touching prose … and the occasional profanity.

Some of her stories are relatable, such as her innate fear of spiders and her struggle with depression— which she still somehow sheds in a positive light.

Some are just downright ridiculous, such as when she brutally clubbed a suffocating fish to death to “stop it from suffering.”

No matter what she creates from her wacky, uncontrollable mind, Allie Brosh’s “Hyperbole and a Half” is sure to leave you laughing.

Smitten Kitchen

Slice Harvester

Hyperbole and a Half

F

or reasons I cannot explain, the combination of a slab of baked dough partnered with a layer of tomato sauce and sprawls of melted cheese has become one of the most popular food item among even the pickiest of eaters – especially Colin Hagendorf.

Also known as the Slice Harvester on his blog, Mr. Hagendorf has come to learn that a simple slice of quality pizza is hard to come by.

Among the tens of thousands of pizza parlors in the country, Mr. Hagendorf claims that practically every single one of these restaurants is guilty of fraud.

Their crime? Selling “New York” Pizza that looks, smells, and tastes nothing like New York Pizza.

In an effort to expose these imposters, the Slice Harvester spent two-and-a-half years of his life combing through 362 pizza joints in Manhattan.

At the end of his quest, Mr. Hagendorf gave the only perfect score to Pizza Suprema, leaving a legacy behind as arguably one of the most dedicated pizza reviewers in the country.

C

lean. Clear. Crisp. “Smitten Kitchen.” Is one of the most polished, beautiful food blogs I’ve ever seen.

Each post begins with a beautiful picture of the completed recipe, then launches into a narrative about how Deb Perelman, chef and blogger, has chosen to post that particular recipe.

The pictures are focused and stunningly lit, even on the Internet, a reader can see every bit of texture and detail.

Posts are funny, sweet, and just downright wellwritten. And, let’s not forget, helpful. The fact that she runs the entire blog out of her tiny, 42-squarefoot kitchen with the help of her husband as photo assistant makes “Smitten Kitchen” even more endearing and quaint.

This blog is filled with recipes of every genre for every craving imaginable. If you’re not sure what to make for your vegan, gluten-free grandmother, “Smitten Kitchen” has the answer.

Brief Freshman Selected as Finalist: Qualifies for SBIFF 10-10-10 Filmmaking Competition While most freshmen are still finding their niche in life and settling into high school, a select few already have a clear-cut idea of what their passion is.

Miles Crist is one of these few.

During a 2011 summer trip to Europe, Miles created a five-minute film called “In Motion” with footage taken from a car while driving through tunnels and on a boat in water.

As part of the 10-10-10 competition for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Miles will work in partnership with script writer to create a 10-minute film.

Look for a profile on Miles in our PHOTO: CRIST FAMILY next issue.

12

January 23, 2012

Sports Sports Commentary

By BRANDON BICKETT

Boys Basketball Team on Hot Streak A team with returning players leads with confidence. Returning coach Sal Rodriguez said “almost all of our main players are re-

turning this year. I am looking forward to one of our best seasons yet.”

Having won their first four games, the boys basketball team is well on their way to the CIF playoffs.

With five of the players on the team being seniors—Brandon Bickett, Justin Shand, Luke Judson, Troy Ritter, and Logan Elder—the team has a veteran presence on the court which will doubtlessly lead them to the top of the condor league.

The team has lost 3 of their last few games, one being in overtime to division 2AA team Hueneme, the other was in double overtime to Thacher, and most recently to Cate.

Injury has taken a toll on the team, as both seniors Luke Judson and Troy Ritter are out for the season with ankle injuries.

In order to have a successful month of January, the team will have to rethink its strategy, and look to the newcomers, utilizing the size of freshman Stephen McCaffery.

Girls Basketball Struggles to Advance Following the departure of last year’s seniors, the girls basketball team is

looking to recruit and rebuild.

Led by senior Eva Davis, who thinks it can be a fun year despite the loss of the seniors, says “We have a young team, but when the freshman are juniors and seniors they will have a really good chance of a great team.”

The official league games against Thacher, Cate, and Providence Hall are still to come.

Returning coach Chris Foster added, “We need a lot more players. Right now we only have around 5 or 6 players, most of whom have either never played basketball or are freshmen. We are looking to rebuild.”

The team lost starting point guard junior Zoe Serbin due to injury, as well as junior Marla Bonser due to illness. The loss resulted in a 66-4 loss to Santa Paula. The girls are working on building their fundamentals, strengthening their younger players, and progressing successfully through the season.

Dribbling Down the Court: On home court, Senior Logan Elder dodges the defenses of a Cate student.

PHOTO: ANDREW McCAFFERY

Letter Perfect Stationery & Paper, Ink

Soccer Teams Dribble through Rough Times

By Caitlin Connor

PHOTO: JAMIE ROSENBERG

Just for Kicks: With a home advantage, senior Becca Braly overcomes the opposing forces of Viewpoint.

A

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3325 State Street

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breakthrough to the rough start for girls soccer has yet to display itself.

After going through “hell week,” an intense training session, the girls started the season by playing their first game against Carpinteria High.

The start of the game was a toss up; it was anyone’s game. But Carpinteria got on a roll, resulting in a 0-4 loss for the Owls.

Bouncing back from the loss, the girls went on to play in the three day Grace Brethren Tournament.

The first game was played against public high school Rio Mesa. Neither team made big headway until Rio Mesa made the most of a turnover and broke away to score the only goal of the game.

Both sophomore Tiana Bonn and senior Morgan Raith came extremely close to scoring game tying goals in the second half.

The next game of the tournament was played on home turf where senior Becca Braly scored an opening goal and gave the Lady Owls the lead through the first half.

The second half turned out to be a game-changer as Viewpoint picked up the pace to score three goals on three shots, ending the game with a 1-3 loss.

After another home game, and a dis-

appointingly close 1-2 loss the team ended their tournament with a 0-3 season record.

The tournament was disappointing, as Laguna didn’t pick up any wins.

The next game the girls played against Bishop Diego.

“It was another frustrating loss, but all of our preseason games have helped prepare us for the season,” mid fielder Morgan Raith said.

Next, they played Villanova and got their first win of the season. Getting a 6-1 lead and not backing down the girls broke their loosing streak for the season. They now stand at 1-5 record.

Boys soccer, however, has yet to see such luck. Starting the season with a loss of two seniors due to injuries, the team is young, comprised of mostly freshmen.

Struggling to have enough players, the boys team has only played two games this season. Both losses.

Their first game against Orcutt Academy was a blowout despite how hard the boys worked. It resulted in a 0-4 loss.

Their next game against Midland was more of a nail-biter, but they were not able to pull through and in the end it was a 1-2 loss.

Sports

13

January 23, 2012

Winter Sports Schedule

By KAYLEE STRACHAN

DATE OPPONENT

LOCATION

TIME

BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL 1/21

Oakwood

Home

12:00 p.m.

1/25

Cate

Cate

4:30 p.m.

1/28

Providence Hall Providence 3:30 p.m.

2/1

Besant Hill

Home

5:00 p.m.

2/3

Fairmont Prep

Fairmont

3:00 p.m.

BOYS JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL 1/25

Cate School

Cate

3:00 p.m.

1/28

Ojai Valley

Ojai

3:00 p.m.

2/8

Thacher

Thacher

4:00 p.m.

2/10

Dunn School

Home

5:00 p.m.

Reality Vs. Fantasy

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL 1/24

San Marcos

San Marcos

1/28

Providence Hall Providence 2:00 p.m.

2/1

Thacher

Home

3:30 p.m.

2/4

Providence Hall Home

2:00 p.m.

2/8

Cate School

3:15 p.m.

Home

1/25

Thacher School Home

3:15 p.m.

2/1

Cate School

Home

3:30 p.m.

Dunn

2:00 p.m.

2/4

Dunn School

2/8

Thacher School Thacher

3:15 p.m.

2/10

Dunn School

4:00 p.m.

Home

BOYS VARSITY SOCCER 1/19

San Marcos

SMHS

3:00 p.m.

1/25

Ojai Valley

Ojai

3:15 p.m.

1/28

Midland

Home

3:00 p.m.

2/1

Thacher School Home

3:15 p.m.

2/4

Dunn School

2:00 p.m.

Dunn

On Consoles or courts, on a team or the couch, the controversy continues

TBA

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER

ART: ZOE SERBIN

By HELENA DAVILA

I

n the past 10 years, video games have gone from simplistic time wasters such as Tetris and Centipede, to full blown interactive digital sports games. “ The line between video games and sports is really beginning to blur,” said junior Bryana Schantz.

With the introduction of gaming consoles, like the Nintendo Wii and the XBox 360, gamers throughout the world are able to play their favorite sports within the comforts of their home.

This sudden shift in the world of gaming emphasizes the growing trend of technology and the way it can impact the future of sports.

Nintendo was surprised to hear in 2009, after the release of their first console, that the popular game had been in high demand in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Those with a passion for sports, but no longer the endurance, were able to play tennis, go bowling, even wrestle, without leaving the house or their seat.

Although always popular since its introduction, interactive gaming found its true niche with the introduction of motion sensors.

No longer were gamers restricted to buttons; now you could swing bats, throw balls, and swim laps simply by going through the motions, giving the gamer a sense of ‘playing the sport.’

It can be argued that digital and interactive gaming

is the future for sports. It’s cheaper, safer, and one can play opponents all over the world with the touch of a button.

It’s true. Playing tennis in your living room against an opponent living in China is quite possible.

Yet ask any true athlete, and they’ll tell you playing a sport is not just about going through the motions of playing.

It’s the camaraderie of the team, the thrill of playing a game that cannot be transferred through a screen.

It’s true, fantasy gaming has it’s place. Thousands of gamers and athletes alike spend countless hours fiercely battling their opponent via TV screen.

Yet, it’s impossible to replicate the smell of a fresh soccer field, the pop of a spiked volleyball, the rush of adrenaline you get when playing a sport you love.

“When you’re younger, video gaming seems more important, but once you reach your teens, the interest in playing actual sports grows,” commented freshman Stephen McCaffery.

Yes, fantasy sports are here to stay. Gamers will continue to battle it out, and the industry of digital gaming will continue to grow.

Yet, true sports are also here to stay. After all, there’s a reason fantasy sports are called fantasy sports.

A sport is not just about going through the motions of playing.

14

A&E

January 23, 2012

Alum Creates New Sound and Makes a Name in the Music World

By GRACE WOOLF You’re in a foreign place—Amsterdam to be exact—playing your music for thousands of people. Your just about to start; you get that last set of butterflies in your stomach, the last big nervous breath, the last quick look across the crowd, and then you start.

You blow them away.

With his days on the school jazz band behind him, alum Tim Nelson ‘06 is now making music for a new audience.

“My real introduction to music was the Laguna Jazz Band in fifth grade when I started playing trumpet.”

Although well known for its academics, Laguna has a growing reputation for launching musicians.

“We all had to pick an instrument and since everyone else took the drums and the other piano players were much better at readying music than I was, trumpet seemed like a good second option. I played trumpet pretty seriously all through high school.”

Nelson, under the stage-name BetatraXx, is a classical/ electronic music DJ. This kind of music usually involves “big drums, distorted synthesizers, and orchestral instruments (which are also very often distorted).”

He has a growing fan base in California of mostly 17-25 year olds.

“The sound I’m creating is a very new sound to most people, but it is also very much a sound that is developing out of Los Angeles and is expanding very quickly into Europe and the rest of the world.”

PHOTO: www.betatraxx.com

Mixing the Beats: Timmy Nelson, also known as BetatraXx, playing at a concert in Chicago, Illinois.

Tim is helping change how music sounds and has joined in making electronic music one of the more popular genres of this generation.

From his own experiences, Tim gave advice to aspiring musicians, “I think as long as you’re realistic with yourself there is nothing wrong with trying it… Then being able to take criticism

Concert Review: International Pianist Stirs Controversy

By DARIA ETEZADI Once the lights were dimmed and the whispering voices were hushed, it just took 88 keys and a vision to sweep an audience off its feet.

But, over the years, it has taken a 300day tour, 13 albums, up to eight hours a day of practicing, and a relentless passion for music to bring French pianist Hélène Grimaud to where she is today.

While Santa Barbara’s lovers of classical music were gathering in the Lobero Theater the night of Nov. 8, most anyone could notice the tension in the air as the audience awaited the appearance of Grimaud, who happens to be one of the more controversial pianists known to the musical world.

Her performance did nothing short of defying conventionalism.

Though the program consisted of

pieces ranging from the Classical Period to the Contemporary Period, Grimaud’s interpretations of three different Sonatas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Alban Berg, and Franz Liszt, and one of Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances were colored with dramatic pedal changes and intense dynamic ranges.

Her passionate intensity comes to no surprise in light of Grimaud’s belief that “[music] is the ability to connect with your universe which is beyond our world as we know it.”

After her first piece, the Mozart Sonata, Grimaud’s passion translated into an unmistakable and distinctive voice that carried through her entire performance.

Yet, at the same time, many listeners found themselves struggling to find the words to describe how her music

is equally important. When someone tells you they don’t like something it is important to ask why and improve upon what you do. Of course you don’t have to act on every suggestion or criticism (sorry Mom and Dad).”

A milestone that Tim considers very significant was the show he played at South By Southwest in Texas “because

that was where my manager and everyone I work with now found me.”

“I just recorded a track with Foster The People that will come out as well as some other really big songs.”

Nelson thinks “these releases are really what’s going to blow up my career and they’re just about to happen… So close!”

resonated with them. I myself, the you believe in, and be true to what you supposed reviewer, seem to be at a loss are as a musician, give the best of what for a technical description of the notes you’ve got in that moment. That’s all that filled the Lobero Theater that you can worry about.” evening.

Grimaud introduces a fresh But I do know this: Grimaud’s music perspective to the music industry of comes from the soul, and because the 21st century with her personalized of this, her performances and performances are deeply felt bond It takes a lot of less technical and with her pieces. more passionate It takes a lot courage to be able to and heartfelt. of courage to stand before millions be able to stand There’s no doubt that she can and to expose intimate before millions establish a bond of audiences all between herself, thoughts and feelings. across the globe the music, and her and to expose audience. some of your most However, just as passion tends to intimate thoughts and feelings that inspire individuality, so does it defy surface at the sound of a certain chord conformity and thus, stir up controversy progression or tonal imitation. Yet, about whether or not people like Grimaud does it almost everyday with Grimaud are overstepping boundaries the grade and ease of a true pianist. in expressing their emotions so freely. “[Music] touches everything, it’s not Despite the fact that many people don’t only about the audience. I think it’s the agree with Grimaud’s interpretation ability to marvel at things and to take of the music she plays, Grimaud says, them as they are and to react to them “all you can do is be honest, do what in a totally fresh way.”

&

By MORGAN RAITH & ANASTASIA ANTONOVA Dancing teenagers and early 20-something-year-olds cram against the barriers that hold them back from the stage where their idol stands.

They jump up and down as the DJ memorizes them with bass and flashing lights on larger than life speakers and screens.

This is the scene of a crowd that has come, not listen to the incredible vocals of a favorite artist or a favorite guitarist’s mind blowing solo, but to watch a man dressed as a mouse scramble beats into music.

This is the culmination of a new age music genre just about as old as our generation and maybe even just as “uncivilized.”

Some would argue that the sub genres of what is known as techno, like dub-step, trance, house, and electronica aren’t actually deserving of being called music.

However, this world is changing, our generation is

making the changes, and this is what it sounds like.

Different genres of techno have developed out of the electronic keyboards of the 80s disco fad.

Since the early 90s, DJs across the US and Europe have been experimenting with mixing and distorting instruments and voices so much that they now sound like the mechanical melody of a microchip.

Uniquely, this new noise has grown up and evolved with today’s younger generation, but this isn’t a new phenomenon.

When rock and roll developed in the 50s it exploded with popularity in the ears of teenagers. It was new and exciting, but most importantly something they could call their own.

The popularity of modern sound possibly stems from its representation of new revolutionary ideas.

Young people want to express themselves in ways that are unique.

A Commentary on Evolving Music Styles

44%

26% 30%

* 92 Students Polled

Graphics: Zoe Serbin

Indie music has been considered the music of choice for a very small group of people.

The name “indie” came as a nickname for independent musicians, but nowadays, it encompasses anything that isn’t considered mainstream.

However, indie bands and singers are becoming more and more popular.

Certain indie musicians have had their moments of fame and that number of musicians is increasing.

Some classic examples include Foster the People topped the charts with GaGa and K.Perry, and front man for Bon Iver, Justin Vernon, who made collabs on Kanye West’s album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”—which made its debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200.

Foster the People and Vernon are extreme examples of popular indie bands, but indie stemmed from music that was virtually unheard of on the radios and top music charts.

Whether it was the lyrics of 60s groups such as Vel-

vet Underground, or the punk rock instrumentation of postBeatles era groups, the roots of indie music have one thing in common and that’s experimentation. They experimented with different sounds and didn’t conform to the pop music standards of their time.

Today, indie consists of almost anything that’s different from the top pop songs. Indie kids love the genre for its experimentation, quirky personas, and poetic lyrics, while pop-lovers find appeal in the genre’s funkiness.

When pop artists throwout the same up-tempo and careless-lyrics, an indie song that isn’t about “last Friday night” and uses only, an acoustic guitar, for example, will draw praise.

Indie is on the rise, and it has both itself and the predictable qualities of pop music to thank.

As much as the devoted fans might not want to admit, indie music might just start to overtake the radio stations, and essentially become the popular, overplayed thing it rebels against.

Lifestyle

Our Top

51

1. Fresh Tomato Cocktail

2. Strawberry Pina Colada

4. Mango Mojito

5. Strawberry Margarita

Combine 3 lbs tomatoes, 1 small fennel bulb, 2 celery ribs and 2 tsp of fine salt in a blender. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Mocktails

By HELENA DAVILA & OLIVIA BERCI

3. Crantini

January 23, 2012

2

Combine 7 oz. pineapple juice, 2 oz. coconut cream, 1 cup crushed ice and 1/2 cup of crushed strawberries in a blender. Garnish with cherry.

3 4 5 Combine 3 1/2 oz. cranberry juice, 1/2 oz ginger ale. Chill for half an hour and garnish with a lemon twist.

“Poison apple, my Pretty?”

As the produce industry continues to grow, are suppliers cutting too many corners?

By ELISE SCHEUERMANN Arsenic in apple juice is just the latest bad news for American consumers. It was found that 10 percent of apple juice on store shelves contains arsenic levels higher than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deems safe for human consumption.

These levels were discovered in Motts, Apple & Eve, Gerber, and Juicy Juice products. The main confusion surrounding this issue is that there are two types of arsenic; organic and inorganic.

Organic arsenic is naturally occurring and not harmful, whereas inorganic arsenic is a poison and is toxic to humans.

Organic arsenic is an element that is often found in seafood. It is impossible to evade and considered harmless.

On the other hand, inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen that can cause skin, bladder, and lung cancer;

Combine 1/4 cup club soda, 3 tbs mango juice, 2 tbsp simple syrup and crushed ice. Stir gently and garnish with lime wedge and mint.

15

Blend 12 ice cubes, 1 lb fresh strawberries, 1/2 cup orange juice, and two tbsp of simple syrup until smooth.

Garnish with lime wedge.

PHOTOS: JESS DAVIS

For older children and adults, the range is only and has also been linked to Type-2 Diabetes. eight to twelve ounces a day.

It is a weak acid that is usually found in contamiYet inorganic arsenic is still a problem nated ground water and because currently, the FDA has no regupesticides or insecticides. lations regarding arsenic levels in fruit This was the type of arsenic juice.

However, they do have standards found in the apple juice. for bottled water.

Inorganic arsenic In bottled water the limit is 10 parts is found in apple juice per billion (ppb) per one liter. Several squeezed from foreign apbrands have been tested, and Motts was ples. This is due to a lack found to contain 16 ppb, Apple and Eve of pesticide regulations in 11 ppb, Juicy Juice 22 ppb, and Gerber other countries.

36 ppb.

“I didn’t know there was These levels are all above the stanarsenic in apple juice, but dards for bottled water, meaning they I’m not worried because are harmful to humans and should not I don’t drink much apple be consumed. juice,” senior Vera Lopez An FDA investigation is underway. said.

They have been testing more brands. In It has been found that inthe meantime there are three key ways organic arsenic will not be to safeguard against this harmful toxin. of much harm unless you First, do not drink excesses of fruit are already committing anART: ZOE SERBIN juice.

Second, always buy organic. Third, other dietary crime. always check the juice’s country of origin, It is recommended that children unand be wary of other nations’ regulations, der six should drink from four to six or lack thereof. ounces of juice a day, no more.

16

January 23, 2012

Back Page

Saying Goodbye to 2011 ~

Students from AP English Language, English 9 and English 10 captured their year in six words. They were encouraged to take creative initiative and compose their six words on a post-it however they liked. Entries were selected by The Fourth Estate staff based on legibility, relevance, and humor.

Thank you Dr. Tidey, Dr. Donelan, and Ms. Hill for your participation.

~