Lancer Express 4.3.12

Lancer LE Express

Carlsbad High School 3557 Lancer Way Carlsbad, Ca April 2012 volume 25, issue 6

YOUR SERVICES WILL BE TERMINATED AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. Page 12-13

currents

april 2012

volume 25, issue 6

calendar

april

p h o t o

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Battle of the Bands

h i g h l i g h t

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ASL Show

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gaby wagner

Ban the “R” Word Assembly

9-13 Spring Break

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ASB Prom Fashion Show

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Junior Sherilynn Estes gets her blood taken during the blood drive on March 21 in the gym.

Many students volunteered to donate blood to the American Red Cross, joining the 3gaby inwagner 100 Americans who do. Every two seconds, someone in America needs a blood transfusion, and donating just one pint of blood saves up to three lives. ASB sets up the drive and hosts the American Red Cross twice a year.

Course selection forms due

Reminders for Seniors

KAYLEE PITTS I staff writer

JESSICA JENKINS I staff writer

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ttention seniors— we know your life or students continuing to attend Carlsbad has been hectic. In fact, you’ve probHigh, the time of year has come again to ably heard the phrase “Attention seniors” select courses for the 2012-2013 school year. a thousand times by now.

Students should have received class selecYet, here is another friendly reminder tions forms with spaces to provide class names for the rest of the year. and codes of the selections. If students did not Yearbook distribution will be on June receive these forms, they should promptly see ou y 8 for seniors and you cannot have any g their counselor or visit the guidance office. pin previous fines in order to pick up your As well as filling out a hard copy of class Kee ated on yearbook. selections with a parent signature, students must pd pus u The Knott’s Berry Farm trip will be on proceed to Aeries Portal and complete the online am s June 12. Seniors must report to buses by c submissions. A link to Aeries may be found on e 7:45— you may not drive yourself. All seissu School Loop’s home page. Letters with the code niors must turn in a check-out form if they to enter Aeries were sent to students’ homes to do not attend the Knott’s Berry Farm trip; explain the process to parents. Course selecfailure to turn in a check-out form means tions must be completed by April 6. you can no longer participate in the graduation ceremony.

Many students struggle with selecting courses when preThe senior pancake breakfast and year book signing will be sented with so many choices and being weighed down by the on June 13 from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. in the gym. Pancakes are stresses of life after high school. Course selections begin to $7 but you are free to come even if you don’t purchase breakseem like a life or death decision. fast.

“I recommend students talk to their current teachers to see A mandatory graduation practice will be held on June 14— which courses will be appropriate,” counselor Kate Dendy said. not participating in graduation practice will take away the chance “A rigorous schedule that is manageable would be best.” for seniors to walk in the ceremony.

It is suggested students challenge themselves in areas they Graduation is on June 14 from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Entry is feel comfortable in and at an amount they can handle when open to all, and people may begin entering the Lancer Stadium choosing their future courses. Choosing a few challenging at 4:00; however, there are no reserving of seats beforehand. courses, as well as several fun ones, will help with students’ All seniors should look forward to this exciting day, the day overall stress. where you can leave high school behind and begin a new phase “I think students should balance their schedules with courses of your life. So hopefully for the last time, “Attention seniors”— they can handle,” Dendy said. “Ultimately, students should really you’re almost there! listen to what their teachers advise.”

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currents

volume 25, issue 6

april 2012

GSA stands up to stop derogatory slurs natasha mernard

Junior Cameryn Miller proudly displays her part in the Words Hurt campaign, by creating a series of artistic photos portraying the message.

KAILI MASAMOTO I editor

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ometime soon in the future, students can expect to see posters around campus produced by photography and graphic design in support of GSA’s newest campaign Words Hurt, meant to raise awareness for verbal bullying.

“GSA is trying to get the word out that using words like ‘gay’ in a derogatory manner is unacceptable,” junior Cameryn Miller said.

However, this campaign is not just about using the

word “gay” in a derogatory manner. It also encompasses words such as “retarded” and any words used with the intent to hurt someone.

Graphic design teacher and GSA co-advisor Mrs. Krista King went with GSA to the Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership conference where she became inspired to start a campaign meant to raise awareness about verbal bullying.

“They asked us, what are you doing in your schools to stop the saying ‘That’s so gay?’ because kids say that all the time and it’s really offensive,” King said. “I was thinking ‘Wow, [Best Buddies] did such a great job at banning the R word and creating awareness so what can we do for our school?’”

Senior Olivia Adam is a member of GSA and came up with the title of the campaign.

“We were throwing around names like ‘stop the slurs,’ because it’s really an anti-bullying movement,” Adam said.

“People always say ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,’ when actually words can hurt more.”

Once they finalized the name, GSA began the work of producing images to spread awareness. King asked her classes to create a Words Hurt project and she chose the best ones to help with the campaign. One poster is a photo collage made by Miller.

“I gathered friends and people from the photography class and took pictures of them with Words Hurt written on their hands, covering their mouth,” Miller said.

However, some people were resistant to the idea of their images being used.

“Some of my friends didn’t support it because they don’t support gay rights,” Miller said. “But I asked them if I could still use their picture because [this campaign] is not about gay rights, it’s about all words used to offend people.”

Another poster created by senior Davis Yanda features half of a face covered in cracks, haunting eyes peering out from behind the text, Words Hurt.

GSA is hopeful that simply increasing awareness about the effects of using words to describe certain people with a negative connotation will eliminate the problem.

“I don’t think people say things like ‘that’s so gay’ to be hurtful, it just becomes a habit and they don’t even

Speech and Debate turns up the heat

JESSICA JENKINS I staff writer

T

he Speech and Debate team continues to succeed after coming home with many wins from the State Qualifications Tournament in March. The team took a majority of the allotted spaces given to the San Diego and Imperial Valley Speech League (SDIVSL), moving CHS forward to compete in the State Tournament.

“We also won all of our Individual Events league tournaments, including State Quals,” senior Shannon McIntee said. “We have the largest amount of competitors going to state from our league.”

The team’s overall positive attitude and determination brought them prepared to State Qualifications where they competed individually and as pairs in a variety of events in order to continue onto the State Tournament.

“This year has really been exceptional,” McIntee said.

“We won Winter Classic for the first time which has a huge number of schools from about four states competing.”

A total of 80 competitors were chosen from a large number of schools within the San Diego Imperial Valley area. Carlsbad High occupied almost half of the students chosen, dominating the competition.

“We did extremely well, better than we have ever done in speech and drama categories,” junior Davin Curtis said.

Individually, students also achieved high rankings within their events. Many members placed and helped the team win the overall School Sweepstakes Award.

“I won first in my partner debate with Cooper Wood in

Public Forum,” Curtis said. “And I won second in Original Interpretation where I give a speech formally delivered by someone else.”

In fact, Curtis recently ranked number one for Speech and Debate in Southern California by the National Forensics League. This impressive ranking is based on the number of points he earned during competitions.

Natalya Phillips placed first in Dramatic Interpretation, Shannon McIntee and Devin McDaniel in Duo Interpretation, as well as Yujia Pan in Expository.

Several students also received honorable mentions, boosting the team’s overall enthusiasm and hyped attitude. Curtis won Competitor of the Year for the second time, and McDaniel won Speaker of the Year out of the entire league.

“It was gratifying,” Curtis said. “It put to rest any concern that my work wouldn’t pay off.”

Speech and Debate continues to have a very successful and productive year. With all of its outstanding individuals working together, its success as a team is bound to be outstanding as well.

“Now we are just preparing for State,” McIntee said.

“We hope to have as many people break past prelims as possible.”

For the entire team, the experience proved to be worth the effort and time.

“I am really proud of the work everyone has done over the year,” McIntee said. “It’s been the best competition season ever.”

Senior Davis Yanda uses his design skill to create a poster in order to promote and spread acceptance and awareness.

understand what they are saying,” King said. “Then when you realize you are hurting someone’s feelings, you can make a change and stop it.”

GSA hopes to involve more clubs in their Words Hurt campaign in the future because it is a cause that many students can support as it aims to make school a safer, better place for everyone.

“Kids can be so mean in high school and unfortunately they don’t realize it,” King said. “[High school] can be the best time of your life or it can be the most scarring, depending on whether people are nice.” photo courtesy of minnia curtis

Sophomore Blair Rohring prepares for an upcoming round of national extemp. at National Quals on Saturday March 31 at Claremont High School.

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volume 25, issue 6

currents

april 2012

The run-around on the C-bad 5000 KAYLEE PITTS I staff writer

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n April 1st, many people came from around the country to participate in the Carlsbad 5000. The Carlsbad 5000 has been called the Boston marathon of 5ks, and for good reason. The legacy of this well-known race is outstanding—16 world records have been set throughout the 27 years of the Carlsbad 5000.

Unlike most marathons, the Carlsbad 5000 offers multiple races which categorize runners by age and personal preferences. People can walk with friends, jog with a baby stroller, race in their wheelchair, strive for personal records, and attempt to beat world records in elite races.

blocked off in preparation for the race, which takes place in the morning. “ It’s really inconvenient because all the roads are blocked and it’s hard to get to the beach,” North-Cole said.

Despite the one down-side of the event, the Carlsbad 5000 gives people the opportunity to walk, run, and volunteer in their community. The race brings together a multitude, providing for a truly unique Carlsbad experience.

Adrienne Barela ran in the Carlsbad 5000 for five years and plans to participate in the future.

“I like to cross the finish line—just to know that I accomplished something” Barela said.

“There’s a lot of people but they have different mile groups so you can run with people your own pace,” junior Brianna Miller said.

The Carlsbad 5000 draws runners from around the world due to its famous reputation. In fact, past runners have been from places as exotic as Kenya, Canada, Ethiopia, and Belarus. “ People all over the world come to set new records,” freshman Natalie North-Cole said.

The event has grown substantially since it’s beginning, now welcoming thousands of participants each year. The popularity of the Carlsbad 5000 led to one down-side for residents: traffic congestion.

Parts of major roads such as Grand Avenue, Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad Village Drive, and State Street are

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natasha menard

On March 31, hundreds of kids ages two through twelve lined up for the Junior Carlsbad 5000, where they ran between a quarter mile and a mile, except for the two-year-olds, who ran in the Diaper Dash and toddler trot.

over 8,600 participants from around the world in 2011

Scientists discover oxygen on Saturn’s moon Dione

JESSICA JENKINS I staff writer

S

cientists confirmed the presence of oxygen on Saturn’s moon Dione on March 4. After revisiting the site many times with various tools, scientists claim the oxygen surrounding Dione is extremely sparse, equivalent to being 300 miles up from Earth and five trillion times less dense.

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope suggested the presence of oxygen when it detected ozone (03). In 2010, the orbiting satellite Cassini used a plasma spectrometer to detect a very small amount of oxygen within Dione’s exosphere. On April 7, 2011, scientists proceeded with a closer investigation and obtained samples to confirm suspicions.

“I think discovering oxygen anywhere is really amazing,” junior Erika Leal said. “It shows our society is getting closer to discovering other places to live or maybe find life other than on Earth.”

Dione, one of Saturn’s 62 moons and also the largest, is composed of a solid core enclosed by frozen water.

Ions released by Saturn bombard Dione’s icy surface and displace molecular oxygen ions into the exosphere, resulting in the thin layer of oxygen. Other moons of Saturn possess sub level lakes and other essentials needed for life, leaving scientists optimistic of eventually

finding a location capable of supporting life. Students with open minds and creativity bring their fresh outlooks and education forward to develop their own opinions of the future of science.

“There may be life somewhere,” sophomore Sam Horan said. “But with just a small amount of oxygen probably not.”

While many are optimistic to the discovery of oxygen on Dione, others remain skeptical to the assumptions made. The idea of oxygen eventually presenting life proves to be a controversial topic.

“They jump to conclusions when they found oxygen,” Horan said. “Finding oxygen doesn’t mean there is life, get your hypothesis straight.”

Although the discovery of oxygen on Dione does not suggest the capability of supporting life by itself, some believe it is a step towards discovering a place that does. Others also think that with the passage of time and change in conditions, it is possible that the oxygen and carbon within the bodies of water may form building blocks for life, eventually developing a new ecosystem of some sort.

“I definitely believe that with time we will discover some new life,” Leal said. “Outer space is so big that there is bound to be something living out there and scientists are definitely on the right track.”

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currents

UCLA receives Academic CHU staff writers record numbers MICHELLE TILLY RUDOLPH E of applicants KATE JERMAN I editor-in-chief

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arch 23: for many CHS students, the day of reckoning. UCLA announced their admission decisions and students waited breathlessly as 3:00 in the afternoon came...and went with nothing to be found on the website. After a delayed announcement, UCLA finally informed students of their admission status around 6 pm.

However, many of the students who applied, found the moment to be unsatisfying. With a record number of students applying for admission this year (over 91,000), few CHS students found a congratulatory note from UCLA. While very few students were waitlisted. Senior Nick Low found himself on the waitlist, even as a member of men’s varsity tennis, marching band, AP student, and over a 4.0 GPA. However, having received an indefinite decision, Low was upset that the school did not tell him outright whether they had a spot for him or not.

“Honestly, I’m a little peeved. I wish they would just tell me yes or no, instead of making me wait another month or even two months until I know whether I can go to the school or not.” Low said.

“It was the number one school I wanted to go to. And I’m super sad I didn’t get in because I was super-qualified, but apparently I’m not super qualified.”

Overall, every UC received an increase in number of applications and system-wide a total of 160,939 freshman applications, a 13.2% increase from the previous year (UC Office of the President). UCLA, UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley all showed a 12% increase in number of freshman applications, with the applications coming from a more diverse pool of applicants. The UC system’s change from 4% ELC to 9%, and the Class of 2012 is the first to not have required SAT subject tests contributed to the increase, as well an increase in applications from out-of-state and international students. For students who did not get in, acceptance at other colleges has lessened the blow.

“Well UCLA wasn’t my top choice, so I’m going to be a lot more depressed tomorrow if I don’t get into Berkeley than I was about UCLA,” senior Jeremy Synder said.

For the students who did get accepted, UCLA promises a top-notch education and the opportunities available as one of the top schools in the nation.

Senior Emily Law was overjoyed to receive her acceptance from UCLA. “I feel like really happy because it’s a really good school,” Law said. “I feel like it’s in the right place, right time, so a lot of the educational advantages, especially in science, that are happening, and just to get offered is a huge honor.”

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volume 25, issue 6

League buzzes to playoffs

veryone always questions if what we learn in school applies to real life.

For Academic League students, every lesson in class means an opportunity to soak in more knowledge and excel during competition. From chemistry to Shakespeare to mental math, Academic League students must apply what they learn in school to answer trivia questions as fast as possible.

“I like it because I like trivia,” senior Emily Law said.

From the end of January to the beginning of April. Academic League teams compete against other high school teams every Thursday evening. In this Jeopardy-like setting, five students from each school attempt not only buzz in before the other team, but also answer the question correctly to gain more points than the other team.

“Academic League is an adrenaline rush. You compete with other people who have the same mind set and basic knowledge, but the winner is the person who can weed out that one single clue and buzz in and get the points,” Law said.

And despite the intense atmosphere at every competition, everyone in Academic League has an enjoyable time preparing

for the big match.

“I like whenever we’re playing the teachers, because it’s really competitive,” senior Piyush Prakash said. “But at the same time there’s lots of joking around and it just adds to the fun.”

Academic League competitors have learned not let the burden of knowledge stifle their personalities.

“I love the people-they are so funky.

Everyone is so off-beat in their own way,” Law said.

Academic league also has two supportive, committed coaches: Mrs. Peacock and Mr. Glazer. Both coach the JV team, while Mr. Glazer works with the Freshman team and Mrs. Peacock mentors the Varsity contestants. Both coaches sacrifice their time at lunch and after school to help the team reach their full potential.

“We love our coaches,” Law said. “Mrs. Peacock has an excellent sense of humor, and it takes pressure off the situation so we can play our best.”

Combined effort of teachers and team members has led the Varsity Academic League this year, once again, to the privilege of attending the county playoffs.

The Academic League team currently ranks second in the North Division of North County Academic League.

“We’re going against Torrey Pines High School for the 1st round. It’s going to be tough,” senior Piyush Prakash said.

The team will compete on Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m., at Torrey Pines High School. No matter the outcome, this year’s team has a great future ahead of them. UCLA, UCSB, Berkeley, and University of Chicago have all already accepted senior Yujia Pan. Meanwhile Cal Tech and Columbia have invited Law to join their prestigious schools.

Despite the new beginnings, the team feels excited for the one last chance to play together.

“For us it’s special because we’ve been together for four years and it’s our last chance to go to championships,”Law said.

Sample Academic League Questions: (http://www.qunlimited.com/tossup.html) 1.) Complete these lines taken from Martin Luther King’s tombstone. Free at last/ Free at last/ Thank God Almighty . . .

2.) To the value of the first prime number greater than 30 add the value of the first prime number less than 125.

3.) “He gives his harness bells a shake / To ask if there is some mistake. / The only other sound’s the sweep / Of easy wind and downy flake.” Who wrote these lines?

1.) I’m free at last. 2.) 144 3.) Robert Frost

april 2012

Exceptional seniors join ranks of National Merit Scholars KATE JERMAN I editor-in-chief MICHELLE CHU staff writers TILLY RUDOLPH

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natasha menard

Lancer Express: Do you want to explain what National Merit scholarship is and how you got it?

Sara Rubinstein: Basically when you take the PSAT you’re automatically entered into the National Merit Competition, and then depending on what state you are in and your score, you become National Merit Commended, and then if you get a higher score, you are entered into the National Merit semi-finalist category. And then you have to submit an essay application, and then you find out in the beginning of February if you made the National Merit Finalist.

Piyush Prakash: Then, you get scholarships either from the colleges or

ne Saturday morning every fall, sophomores and juniors take the PSAT in preparation for the SAT. While many blow off the importance of this test, two seniors Sara Rubinstein and Piyush Prakash excelled at this test; Rubinstein scoring a 229 and Prakash scoring a 223 and qualifying as National Merit Scholars. Both Prakash and Rubinstein are AP students, who qualified in the top 10% of their class.

The difficulty in achieving the status of a National Merit Scholar can vary from state to state, as students are compared to others from their home state. With one of the largest populations of states, California is one of the hardest states to qualify in, making Rubinstein and Prakash’s achievement all the more impressive. corporate sponsors.

SR: Or from the National Merit corporation.

LE: How many National Merit scholars are there?

PP: 15,000 in the country.

LE: How is it going to affect where you’re going to college?

PP: It can a little bit because a lot of schools will give a really ridiculous amount of merit aid to people who only get to be a semi-finalist. Higher up private schools, they don’t really care too much.

SR: It looks good on your college apps and some public schools will give scholarships. Some schools offered me full ride scholarships because of National Merit.

natasha menard

LE: Where do you think you will go to college?

SR: I’m going to go to either Brown or University of Chicago.

PP: I’m probably going to UCLA. LE: What do you want to study?

SR: I’m probably going to study political science or international studies.

PR: I’m going to study aerospace engineering.

LE: What other things to you do outside of school?

SR: I do Speech and Debate, Amnesty International club, Future Voters of America, and I like to read.

PP: I do Speech and Debate, Academic League, and martial arts.

editorial

volume 25, issue 6

april 2012

Carlsbad, y u no make appropriate memes?

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editor-in-chief ...paris kate jerman

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

n March 27, a new page appeared on Facebook titled “Carlsbad High School Memes.” When redirected to the page, hundreds of images depicting popular internet memes relating to CHS flooded the page, visible for the public to enjoy, comment, share and “like.”

With over 800 “likes” overnight (and number approaching the thousands as we speak!), memes and their makers now rule supreme on campus as everyone tries to think of the latest-and-greatest.

Some Facebook users did not even know about memes before looking through the massive amount of submitted pictures on the instantly-popular web page. A meme is a popular trend carried through the depths of the internet by a relatable, often-witty phrase. Lately, these memes have been characterized by large text in all capitals over pictures of characters such as “Y U no,” “Socially Awkward Penguin” and our friend to the right, “Scumbag Steve.”

They also use a very aggressive humor that glorifies or draws attention to something by criticizing it.

Yeah, they might be “funny” or “lol-worthy,” but some also border on offensive and slanderous. And as pretty as the word “slanderous” sounds, its meaning could mean some serious trouble.

Slander: false and damaging statements. Slander: speaking falsely about someone, threatening their reputation.

Slander: some of the memes on the CHS meme page.

While, admittedly, a majority of the memes are harmless and HI-LARIOUS, others border on slander. Worse, and something students don’t seem to realize, teachers and administration HAVE seen them.

Every student is entitled to their opinion about their teachers, but when they choose make that opinion public (and often highly exaggerated), they tiptoe a very fine line between an opinion and a highly offensive statement that could cost a teacher their respect, or even their job. And lest you forget, you get to sit in that teacher’s class the day after they read your offensive meme about them.

Teachers work extremely hard in the classroom to provide the best possible education for their students; but most importantly, they’re people who have feelings, too. Would you want someone making memes attacking you? It’s offensive. It’s mean. But most importantly, it’s slander.

Not all of the memes make fun of teachers, though. Some sarcastically describe situations common and relatable to CHS students. Some humorously address the seagull situation, or cleverly comment on the construction progress. Those memes that involve inside jokes and other things unique to CHS are perfectly acceptable; in fact, students and staff alike make ones just like that. And judging from the colossal number of “likes” each meme gets, the memes clearly brighten everyone’s day.

editors ...seattle shannon casey alex gnibus kaili masamoto staff writers ...havasu michelle chu katrina comaroto stefan cooper kathleen dooley allie gordon ramona gutierrez chase heck jessica jenkins jennifer kim hannah kirsch kaylee pitts tilly rudolph garrett snyder robert sweeney photographers ...cabo andrew daRe natasha menard gaby wagner Hey, we even know you’re probably going to go home and make some memes complaining about this article. Go right ahead. We can take it.

But it’s not until a student’s meme cruelly makes charges against the school’s staff that the student enters illegal territory.

Yes, illegal.

Slander. Is. Illegal.

Breaking the law and ruining reputations? Is that really worth those 100 “likes” you get on your meme?

Quit making ruthless, heartless, attacking memes about our school’s teachers and administration. Make a meme, sure. Go for it. Memes not only provide some comic relief from the daily life, but have brought together CHS as a community. But do not make a meme that hurts someone else, or even one that could POTENTIALLY hurt someone else.

Hurtful memes equate to totally lame memes.

Plus, do you really want to know what your teachers say about you?

Frivolous Facebook statuses L

A series of unfortunate events

et me start off by saying that I love technology. The internet is not ruining culture or making us weak or anything like that. With the internet—and that includes social networks—people can more easily and quickly access data than ever thought possible. However, I have noticed a trend that I can’t help but cringe at whenever I see it: when people, usually teenagers, pour their every emotion publicly on their blogs or social networks.

Listen, everyone gets sad sometimes—depressed about a breakup, emotional about that recent “F” on their math test. And I feel your pain. It’s not like I want you to just suck it up and quit complaining. Sometimes it’s necessary to let out your feelings and talk to the important people in your life.

But I lose all my sympathy for you when I realize an unfortunate fact: the only way you know how to handle the issues in your life is to let it all out on the internet, just begging for people to “like,” “comment” and “reblog” it.

All I can ask is “really?” Sad lyrics as your status? A picture

HANNAH KIRSCH I staff writer

lancer express staff ...spring break destination edition

on your tumblr of someone crying in the rain? Or worse: that ridiculously vague post that just begs to be commented on, so someone who you’re not even friends with will inevitably ask “waht happenned gurl?!?”

Remember when something bad happened and teens would confide in someone they trusted? Unfortunately, instead of talking through problems, the solution nowadays has become writing worse dayy everr today D: I don’t even wanna talk about it on their Facebook. Feeling better yet?

And that’s the problem. The goal isn’t to feel better. It’s to let everyone know just how crummy you feel, 24/7.

If you really need to blow off some steam, and often turn to the internet to complain, making your own, secret blog might be the best option. Keep it to yourself. Then you can still make your posts as vague and depressing as you want but without annoying those 500 people-you’ve-talked-to-once (also known on Facebook as “friends”) who just don’t want to hear it.

And if you actually want to make a change and maybe feel better, actually confront the people and problems that are making your life totally uncool. Or complain somewhere it counts… like the opinions section of your school newspaper.

designers ...europe julia flickinger nic flores eric tarter artist ...chicago tina li business ...new york dylan donn jalen lovato adviser ...the couch mrs. ryan

Lancer Express would like to apologize

for mistakes in the article “Boys and girls

lacrosse faceoff” in our March issue.

Corrections:

Spencer Harden received a scholarship to

SDSU. Danielle Protzeller was not a goalie

and is not attending Cal Poly SLO. Spencer Beyer is a junior and plays middie. His

brother, Mark Beyer, is attending Wagner

College on a scholarship. Both the teams

work hard and display talent. The purpose of the article was to compare and contrast.

Editorial Policy As a public forum for student expression, Lancer Express welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to the refuse inappropriate or anonymous letters. Letters must be directed to room 3104 or to the editor-in-chief. Lancer Express adheres to a strict policy regarding propriety of all photos and text. Controversial advertisements and opinion articles do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire staff. Both sides of any issue are welcome here. Letters, questions, or comments by emails to lancerexpress@gmail.com are welcome.

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april 2012

opinions

The dirty h-word takesL over

to understand). The artistry and grace with which you create belies the worldweariness that holds your soul captive.

And then, to make it even worse, someone calls you that word.

For example: You’re in the middle of a heated debate, fueled by a caffeine driven rage at their ignorance, challenging your obnoxious opponent with erudite wit and skillfully tearing their argument to pieces.

You have almost triumphed. You’re just about to prove Bon Iver to be an artistic genius. And then. THEN. Your opponent throws that word at you. That dirty, dirty word.

And silence falls.

The CRUELTY of it. How unfeeling can this person BE? Why do they do this to you?!?! You are not a h-h-hhhipster! You are an individual who just so happens to enjoy perusing the deep recesses of the locally-owned record store while eschewing any sort of Top 40 artists, dressing in thrift stores finds, listening to music that no one’s heard of, buying all their food at the weekly farmers market, buying jewelry from former slaves, watching old silent films and playing acoustic covers of Bon Iver for open mics at hole-in-the-wall coffee shops. It’s your personality goshdarnit! And they have NO right to judge you! Everyone knows that your glasses are R-E-A-L. You do NOT just wear them for fashion cred! You are SO NOT a hipster! (Well okay, maybe you are. But STILL. They can’t call you that!

mid the holidays, time changes, and March Madness, its been easy to overlook a more somber observance this past month. March 11 commemorated the one year anniversary of the Japan disaster, when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami destroyed a sizable portion of coastal Japan. During the disaster, the Fukushima Power Plant, near the small town of Date, experienced a nuclear catastrophe, adding to the devastation and causing incredible environmental damage for miles around.

Following the disaster, more and more

local Carlsbad residents have come to remember that we’ve got one of those nuclear plants by the sea ourselves, just a few miles away. That’s right, the dreaded San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Due to its seemingly insecure location, the station has come under the eye of public scrutiny more than once in its 44 year lifetime. However, as residents of the area surrounding the plant, we can’t jump to illogical conclusions about its safety. The fact is that there is no imminent danger from San Onofre, so long as we keep ourselves informed.

Now, most residents have driven past the plant’s two containment domes, located just a few miles from Camp Pendleton. Perhaps you’ve made a few jokes about the suggestive appearance of the facility, or read one of the numerous articles written about it’s supposed

KATE JERMAN I editor-in-chief

ife’s been hard for you lately.

You know why.

Everywhere, people are copying you.

Adopting your moustached, beanie-wearing, Portlandiaobsessing, quirky ways. And it sucks.

It’s hard to be a hipster when being hipster is so mainstream.

It might be hard out there for a pimp, but lately, it’s been real tough for a hipster.

Local coffee shops aren’t your safe haven anymore—they’ve been overrun by crowds of teenagers laughing uncontrollably and having a good ol’ time. Do these people not realize that coffee shops are for pondering?!?! For slowly savoring a triple espresso? For self-reflection?

For moments of epiphany and furious scribbling as you realize how to end your poignant memoirs? No more is your refuge from the harsh, fake and bitter world . . . all that remains is a commercialized corpse of the spot you once wrote your most soulbaring poem ever.

But it’s okay. You can make it through this. Your Macbook and DSLR let you create true art and express your inner turmoil for the masses to see (but never truly understand or appreciate of course.

Your tortured soul is far too complex and exquisite for the mindless sheep

volume 25, issue 6 photo-illustration by andrew daRe

Senior Peter Schrupp pauses in his natural habitat, a tranquil meadow, and shows off his original hipster style while pondering the emotional turmoil a daisy endures as the wind buffets it about.

You’re only allowed to call yourself that! In the secrecy of your own head!)

People just need to understand! Calling you a hipster is derogatory! And mean!

And cruel! And horrible! It is NOT okay!

You are an individual and you will not be labeled by a conformist society because they can’t deal with the scope of your intelligent, quirky and magnetic personality

within the tiny peanut of a brain that they possess. Really. They’re just so ignorant.

Now, you may be asking who is this girl who knows so much about my life? And who does she think she is labeling me like that?

And all I will say is: you are a hipster.

But I’m not. Oh no, me?

I’m indie.

problems. However, I’m quite certain that most of you have no idea how important San Onofre is.

Alright, let me hit you with a few facts.

Despite what The History Channel and environmentalists might say, nuclear power plants aren’t big, ticking time bombs; and of all the stations in California, San Onofre is one of the safest. The site where the reactors are located was chosen by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1968 as the least seismically active spot in the area. The proximity to the ocean is merely for cooling, and both reactors are designed to withstand a magnitude 7.0 earthquake. Operators are retrained regularly, and evacuation protocols are in place for the area surrounding the facility. In case you didn’t know, the plant is vital to Southern California, producing a whopping 2,200 MegaWatts that powers 20 percent of our local homes regularly.

Not to mention that nuclear power is clean energy.

Now hopefully we’re past the “oh man, that thing could blow up and like, kill us” mentality, but I should hope that you’ve formed some sort of opinion regarding the plant. I mean, nuclear reactors are definitely not entirely safe, especially given the seismic activity in our area.

So, the question arises, are you a responsible citizen if you are not thinking about this?

Well, in reality, you shouldn’t HAVE to care, it’s the responsibility of the operators

of the plant to care for it, but given the possibilities, it might be in your better interest to at least know if it’s in working condition.

Speaking of, all the plant’s reactors have been shut down due to deteriorated coolant pipes, and it potentially won’t be operational again until summer. Surprise.

Problems such as this are common for the plant (no, there’s still no danger at all of us blowing up, although you should be prepared for rolling blackouts), and hardly anyone pays it any heed. Having a nuclear plant nearby is only as frightening as we allow it to be, and besides, there aren’t any better alternatives.

It would take 1,000 industrial 5 MegaWatt wind turbines to even come close to producing the same amount of energy, and that’s at the price of around $7 billion (not to mention a wind farm would take up much more space than the facility). Solar and tidal energy are equally impractical, and merely dismantling the reactors would cost millions of dollars.

So if you’ve come to the conclusion that we need to get rid of San Onofre, you’re not thinking rationally, the plant is far too important to our lives. What we need to do is keep a close eye on the facility, and make sure that any problems are taken care of in a safe manner. Having a nuclear power plant in our vicinity is a privilege, and in the digital age there is no place for huge safety hazards to hide, we only need to pay attention.

CHASE HECK I staff writer

San AOnofre: A local Fukushima?

andrew daRe

The San Onofre Power Plant sits on the coast by Camp Pendleton.

8

K

KATE JERMAN I editor-in-chief

ONY 2012. It’s been spamming your news feed, making headlines and stirring up debate. The video released by Invisible Children went viral on March 8 and immediately began to sweep the inter-webs with countless people sharing the video to raise awareness of the atrocities committed by Joseph Kony and the LRA in Uganda and surrounding countries. Media coverage from all spectrums exploded and KONY 2012 became the hot topic of politicians and teenage girls alike.

Now, while I absolutely agree that Joseph Kony and the LRA need to be stopped, I don’t think that Invisible Children is the way to do it or the organization to give your money to if you want to make a difference. With the influx of publicity the KONY 2012 video brought, Invisible Children has come under scrutiny for their business practices and where their money actually goes. And what’s been revealed is eye-opening for a lot of people who

opinions

believed they were sending their money to children in Africa.

Opponents immediately accused Invisible Children of wasting money and giving exorbitant salaries to executives, while children in Africa continued to fall prey to Joseph Kony and the LRA. According to their website, Invisible Children has a “three pronged” approach. So following their financial plan, only 37% of the money they raise actually goes to helping Africans. Not a lot for a charity that claims to be all about helping child soldiers in Uganda. Invisible Children denies any claims that they’re misusing funds by stating that they are primarily dedicated to “raising awareness” instead of giving aid.

An organization only undergoing internal auditing, and refusing an independent (and unbiased) auditor screams shadiness.

Sounds like a cop-out to me. Practically every other charity manages to gives the majority of their money to the people they claim to help. Yes, salaries and administrative costs are unavoidable, but they shouldn’t take up 16% of the budget. A charity should be focused on getting as much money as possible to the people they support—not spending insane amounts on “marketing” and

“travel” expenses. If Invisible Children really wanted to make a difference like they claim, they would get educated and realize that making a difference isn’t about whipping Facebook-addicted teenagers into a frenzy, but actually making a tangible difference in people’s lives .

Now Jason Russell, one of the three original filmmakers and a current member of the board has been arrested for public nudity, vandalizing cars and obscenity—classy Invisible Children, real classy.

Think of the children! What things he might be exposing them to! “Dehydration” and “stress?” I’m thinking more along the lines of narcotics. If anything, Russell’s behavior has proved that Invisible Children is a charity stumbling in their journey and before they take money from anyone else, they need to take a step back and evaluate who they are as an organization, the change they want to make and what ideals they represent.

Invisible Children may have a noble cause (who wouldn’t want to help kidnapped children in Uganda?) but they misrepresent themselves and what they do in order to earn more money—an action I cannot support.

KONY 2012 The man, the charity, and the uproar W

HANNAH KIRSCH I staff writer

e’ve all heard about this Kony 2012 campaign. But in case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s what’s been going on.

In March, Invisible Children, Inc. (makers of the chilling documentary Invisible Children that documents the enslavement of child soldiers in Uganda) released a half-hour documentary film promoting their efforts to “make Joseph Kony famous,” leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (a group of rebels who have been known to kidnap hundreds of children and force them to fight as soldiers). The documentary went viral within days of being released and has now been viewed over 50 million times on Youtube.

Of course, when any sort of charity or organization tries to expose issues and bring some awesomeness to this sad, sad world, a skeptical opposition almost always forms. If Invisible Children, Inc. is Batman, then the skeptics are the Jokers (minus, of course, the Joker’s inherent “cool factor” and amazing fashion sense).

Within a month of the Kony video’s release, all of this skepticism became so overwhelming that Batma—I mean Invisible Children— posted a “Critiques” page on their website addressing every issue brought about by critics and skeptics.

Critics often point out the financial murkiness of the organization. The opposition claims that only a third of their

finances go to helping people on the ground—and yes, this is true. However, this organization is not dedicated to sending money directly to Africa.

They have a three-pronged approach that divides the funds to (1) help people on the ground (37.14 percent of funds), (2) produce awareness programs crucial to exposing the monstrosities executed by Kony, through points such as documentaries, conferences and political advocacy (25.98 percent), and (3) awareness products like shirts, posters, and DVDs (9.56 percent). Saying “only one third of their funds help people on the ground” sounds bad, but by looking at the whole picture, you realize how the funds are being used by this pretty remarkable group.

Now, those percents did not add up to 100. This is an organization, so some funds must go to employee salaries, administration and rent—basing an organization in San Diego is not cheap.

Every year they receive an “unqualified opinion” in their audit report, meaning that their auditors (or financial reviewers) have determined that their statements are “free of material misstatement and are in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles of the United States” (invisiblechildren.com). In simpler terms, they aren’t fudging anything when they say where their money is going. Complete honesty.

Opposition to the Kony 2012 movement also likes to poke at the way Invisible Children goes about this whole stop-Kony thing. How much change can posters and bracelets really bring about, especially when facing off against a ruthless war

leader? Is clicking “share” on Facebook really going to save some poor child from being a sex slave, or a solider, or worse... dead? How effective can “slacktivists” (the term for people who just post videos calling for activism on their Facebook) really be?

Actually, pretty darn effective. Last year Obama actually sent a small army group to Africa to help organize governments in the region to implement programs saving children and rebuilding war-torn areas.

Others complain that the 30-minute documentary contains outdated information and ignores apparently new trends in the area: Kony’s numbers have dwindled, the LRA no longer takes nearly as many kids as they once did and Kony fled Uganda over six years ago. But that wasn’t the point of the video. Before March 5, 99.9 percent of the kids at Carlsbad High could not have told you who Joseph Kony was, or what he did, or where he did it.

Now they know.

The point of the video was to make Kony famous so the appropriate people would bring him to justice. Just because his numbers have dwindled and he’s no longer in Uganda does not mean that his past actions have disappeared. He could dismantle the LRA today and start building shelters for the homeless and he would still deserve to go to jail for his crimes.

That is the point of this video and this cause—to finally bring a terrible man to justice.

april 2012

soapbox

volume 25, issue 6

Thoughts on Invisible Children and Kony 2012

“I see Kony as another development in the Invisible Children issue.

It makes people care about the issue.” davin curtis junior

“Regardless of the real intentions, they are an excellent example of how to raise awareness about a social concern.”

devin mcDaniel senior

“It is well-intentional. A great debate whether it is a just organization or not.” sage naumann junior

“I think it’s a good program, but the facts are misleading. People get caught up without researching.” shannon mcIntee senior

“It’s important that people know what’s going on because many people don’t..” alexa lahargoue senior

9

spotlight

april 2012

Kony2012 30,000 children abducted

by LRA (over 30 years)

The number of LRA forces number in the

hundreds

6 years since Kony was seen in Uganda

Charity Navigator gave Invisible Children a

3 out of 4 stars

STOP AT NOTHING 40

Invisible Children employs people at its headquarters, and over 100 Ugandan professionals

9048

cc

85,498,432

Shannon Casey, Kate Jerman, Hannah Kirsh

P

eople’s home pages, dashbooards and news feeds eurpted March 5 with a screen-capped video of an earth.

The half-hour long video distributed by Invisible Children intended to “make [Joseph] Kony famous” certainly succeeded; the video quickly went viral with millions of views overnight, making it one of the most influential videos on the web right now.

The video has received much criticism for not only content but context. The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), the organization which Joseph Kony heads, has moved out of Uganda into central Africa and has not been at large for over half a decade. Additionally, a majority of the money raised by Invisible Children does not go directly to Africa; only approximately 30% of the money generated by IC goes to programs in Uganda.

Although cloudy in some respects, the “Kony 2012” phenomenon does show us that one video can change the way people think and the significance of social media.

Comments

Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary

“We congratulate the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have mobilized to this unique crisis of conscience.”

Michael Wilkerson, journalist who worked and lived in Uganda

“It would be great to get rid of Kony,” he wrote in a post on ForeignPolicy.com. “He and his forces have left a path of abductions and mass murder in their wake for over 20 years. But let’s get two things straight: 1) Joseph Kony is not in Uganda and hasn’t been for 6 years; 2) the LRA now numbers at most in the hundreds, and while it is still causing immense suffering, it is unclear how millions of well-meaning but misinformed people are going to help deal with the more complicated reality.”

March 8, 2012:

March 5, 2012:

Invisible Children posts “Kony 2012” on Youtube, and it quickly goes viral after many celebrities spread the word on the issue.

10

§

Related Charities Other options to make an impact in Africa

••• Youme Clothing

Mission: To take rags and make them into resources What they do: The Carlsbad-based company collects clothing and travels to Uganda and Swaziland to trade the clothing they collect for the broken down clothing of the poverty-stricken population.

Youme then takes the clothing they collect from other countries and, with the help of volunteers, sew it into patches on shirts and sell the shirts to raise money.

For more info: youmeclothing.com

•••

students attending Invisible Children secondary schools

09:31 / 29:59

uploaded by:

volume 25, issue 6

“Kony 2012” races past the 35 million views mark, while Invisible Children is hit with criticism surronding the video saying that they have manipulated the facts and exageratted the clout of the LRA. Invisible Children addresses these comments with a “Critiques” page.

World Vision

Mission: To transform com munities through child sponsorship What they do: World Vision connects people who wish to donate with a child in a third world country who they can sponsor for a small amount of money each month to help support a child living in poverty.

For more info: worldvision.org

••• Falling Whistles

Mission: To raise awareness and work for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo What they do: Falling Whistles sells whistles at local stores (like Nordstrom’s and Tilly’s) to raise money for the people of Congo. The money is used to help prevent children from being forced into the military and violence and to rehabilate children escaping from the front lines through education, art, sports, music and other therapeutic programs.

For more info: fallingwhistles.com

March 9, 2012:

§

The Obama administration joins Oprah Winfrey and many others in throwing out support for Kony 2012.

§

March 15, 2012 Jason Russel, the co-founder of Invisible Children is hospitalized after running through the streets of San Diego in his underwear.

Invisible Children says Russell was suffering from “exhaustion, dehydration and malnutrition.” His wife said that he was being treated for “brief reactive psychosis.”

volume 25, issue 6

Y

our services will be terminated at the close of the current school year. It sounds harsh, accusatory, hopeless.

Unfortunately, notices reading this exact text were delivered to some 200,000 teachers in California—109 in the Carlsbad Unified School District alone. While society values education significantly, we never seem to have enough money

Students and teachers attend the school board meeting March 28.

SHANNON CASEY I editor GARRETT SNYDER staff writers JENNIFER KIM NATASHA MENARD I photographer

to fund education sufficiently.

This leads to large deficits and, consequently, budget cuts.

CUSD has avoided drastic cuts in the past couple of years, especially when compared to neighboring districts who lay off dozens of teachers annually. But, with a quickly diminishing budget, Carlsbad must now make cuts to stay within the $80 million dollar

budget. Pink slips, the deliverer of the dreaded, your “services will be terminated,” are required by the state to be sent by March 15 so that teachers have the opportunity to possibly find a new job for the next year. Unfortunately, because pink slips are sent out before the

feature

budget for the next year is finalized, the district often must send out an extreme amount due to uncertainty about the actual amount of money the district will have the following year. Even so, this year’s amount of pink slips has been extreme in comparison to the past years, leading to the outrage of students and teachers alike.

(cut here)

RESPONSES

A

Juniors Alex Miller and Katie Bradshaw march in front of school Wednesday, March 28 before school in opposition to the proposed cuts to the 2013-14 budget.

variety of community members responded quickly after the issuing of pink slips to 20 percent of the teachers. Although many other district’s communities have resorted to protests in front of the schools, Carlsbad’s students, teachers and parents have responded in unique ways in hopes to have their voices heard.

To continue their plea, teachers attend board meetings, while the teacher’s union hopes to finalize negotiations with the school board.

After the teachers’ show of support for their RIF’ed colleagues through the wearing of pink leis to illuminate the strong bond between teachers, teachers mostly focused attention back on their students. However, they did not anticipate the outcry they would receive from the student body.

Through the medium of social networking, junior Marielle Partido has banded many students together with her creation of an online petition to protect our teachers and stop the construction of Sage Creek High School.

“I’m staying optimistic, but the whole budget cuts issue caused me to take things into my own hands,” Partido said.

12

days originally

In addition to the petition, the creation of a student union by CHS students sparked a strong system of support when they voiced their growing concern for the situation prior to school on March 28.

“The school board is supposed to work for us, but they are no longer looking out for us, so we must look out for ourselves,” junior Sage Naumann said.

The union sought a more active role in the decision making when they presented six different arguments to display the discontent the student body feels at the school board meeting on March 28. Each speaker from the union focused on aspects of the issue most disappointing in their mind, but the last member, senior Nico Raisbeck, presented a petition that had been signed by almost 740 students earlier that day.

“My purpose is to show that the students are united under one cause,” Raisbeck said.

Although each response to the layoffs experienced various degrees of success, they all displayed the value the community places on its teachers and participants hope they will impact the school board’s decision.

z CUTANEWS.ORG

e

Senior Sydney Stevens (left) and senior Pearse Early (above) speak out against the proposed budget cuts at the school board meeting on March 28.

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT AT BOARD MEETING Senior Jeremy Snyder on cutting art programs “Colleges rely on these extracurriculars to enhance your capabilities. So by cutting [art programs], you are hurting the future’s chance of getting into a good school, to having a productive future and ultimately giving back to the community that they grew up in.”

Junior Lynette Belsky on defending the teachers “[Teachers] have enriched my education more than I could ever express to you guys in three minutes. My teachers have served more to me than someone who assigns me homework. They have served as guides—encouraging guides, who have done nothing but enrich my education. I wish I could confidently stand here and say that the future alumni of Carlsbad will have the same experience or relationships with their teachers as I did, but as of right now, I don’t believe that to be true.”

Senior Pearse Early on CUSD budget decisions “And now I have to stand here and defend these activities’ very existence, while the school board continues to wistfully spend as they please to finish and sustain irrelevant projects and positions. I have to defend my teachers who helped me along my path and helped me find a direction in my life while Dr. Roach can take a salary increase over the last 8 years.”

Lancer Express: Where does the funding for schools come from?

Asst. Supt. Devin Vodicka: Within the state, the funding for students [varies] from district to district. In Carlsbad, we get less money per student than Oceanside, less money per student than Vista. There might be a perception that, in Carlsbad, our schools are better funded than other places. We are just above Ramona and slightly behind Fallbrook and San Ysidro in terms of funding per student. That’s another contributor to our challenges Supt. Dr. John Roach: The local money is our local property taxes. Then there’s some state funding for special programs, some tiny amount of State lottery money. Then, the federal [funding] would be the No Child Left Behind Law and I.D.E.A., the funding for special needs students.

DV: Our current challenge is really driven by a drop in property taxes, a big drop in State aid, a drop in federal aid—all of our funding sources have gone down from the peak, which was like 2009-2010.

LE: Some people believe that teachers should be spared and other administrative positions and district office positions should be cut or reduced salary-wise. Can you comment on this?

JR: I think that what we did begin doing three years ago was, as people left positions, we just didn’t fill them. It appeared to me that we ought to do this together- we could take 10% or a 5% or a 7% cut for all of us. If principals make more money, their cut is greater, but it’s at the same percentage as the custodian who makes less money. I just believed that it was a more fair way to do that, rather than just eliminating the number of administrators. You couldn’t solve our problem by eliminating all of us. We could all go away and there’d still be a deficit.

LE: People are confused about the difference between the Proposition P money and the district money.

JR: Well, it’s all district money now. But, Proposition P was an item on the ballot in November of 2006 and it authorized the district to issue general obligation bonds in the amount of $198 million. And that money could only be used for capital improvements in the school district and only on the specific ones that we listed on the ballot in 2006. So, that $198 million can’t be used for anything other than what that language on the ballot said. In simple terms, we can’t use that money for this problem.

Junior Sage Naumann and senior Pearse Early speak to fellow students about the school board meeting in order to raise support for opposition against the school board’s proposed cuts.

1

The original projections for a maximum student population of 4400 for the 2013-2014 school year have dropped to 3275. Because of this, many challenge the need for a 2013 opening of SCHS.

2

Before students even arrive, CUSD estimates the preliminary cost to open Sage Creek would be $293,822.

Operation of Sage Creek would cost $1.4 million its first year with students.

3

With class sizes being increased to an average of 38.5 and a significant number of teacher layoffs, opponents question how we will staff, fund and operate two comprehensive high schools.

LE: What is the process for rescinding pink slip notices?

JR: We’ll have a meeting and see how many we can rescind now. Then, Mrs. Norton will contact the people and she would withdraw, or rescind, the notice.

Asst. Supt.Torrie Norton: And we’ve begun the process with retirement letters or resignation letters that are effective June 15. We’ve received seven of those today, and so, therefore, we have rescinded seven layoff notices.

In fact, I just signed one for a math teacher at Carlsbad High because we had a math resignation.

JR: We have bargaining next week with the two unions. If, in fact, we reach agreement, we eliminate the deficit, then we find out how many of those pink slips need to stay enforced because of the increased class size; that’s the cut that’s made already.

More information on the district budget is available at carlsbadusdbusiness.blogspot.com

thelancerlink.com

G

THE DISTRICT’S PERSPECTIVE

THE SAGE CREEK HIGH DILEMMA

ly

april 2012

Scan the QR code or visit www.thelancerlink.com for the entire interview with district administrators, along with more information on the budget crisis.

13

arts & entertainment

volume 25, issue 6

april 2012

“Bully” seeks to stop bullies while fighting R rating KAILI MASAMOTO I editor

A

ccording to the Bully Project, “over 13 million American kids will be bullied this year, making it the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation.” The new documentary “Bully” gives a human face to bullying. The film already received rave reviews and more than its share of controversy. Directed by acclaimed Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker Lee Hirsch, the film focuses on five kids and their families who were affected by bullying.

Alex, a twelve-year-old boy is mercilessly tormented everyday but tells his parents people are just “messing with him.” Sixteen-year-old Kelby was alienated by her former friends and teachers after she came out as a lesbian. Fourteen-year-old Ja’Meya awaits the results of her court case after bringing a loaded gun to school to ward off her tormenters. Then there are the parents: David and Tina Long and Kirk and Laura Smalley whose children committed bully-related suicide. They now fight for justice from the school system and raise awareness about the consequences of bullying. The stories and situations featured in the movie are real, maybe too real for some people.

The MPAA rated the film R because of the language. One scene contains six uses of the f-word. However, Katy Butler, a Michigan teenager, started an online petition to change the rating to PG-13. She was bullied as a lesbian teenager in middle school and felt the R rating “[robbed] many teenagers of the chance to view a film that could change their lives and help reduce violence in schools.” Many supporters of the PG-13 rating argue the language in the film is nothing that students have not already heard in school and worry the R rating will limit the film’s intended audience.

“Everyone has heard that word for the most part,” senior Andrea Abbott said. “It’s real and it’s happening so you need to deal with what’s actually going on. To censor the word or take it out would seem ignorant.”

Director Hirsch also refuses to omit the language, saying it’s essential to the story.

“I think swear words add a sense of intimidation when used in bullying so I think it would lose some of the shock [if taken out],” freshman Nathan Lewis said.

After losing their appeal to the MPAA, directors decided to release the movie unrated

R movie

Bully Hunger Games

Twilight Dark Knight

R E A L LY ?

does “Bully” deserve such a harsh rating? rating R PG-13 PG-13 PG-13

questionable content six “F” words 22 kids killed by other kids

sex, graphic violence, bloody video-taped torture,man impaled by pencil

instead of changing the language. Hirsch hopes people will choose to see the film and take away the main message.

“The biggest takeaway from this film is that each individual can stand and make a difference,” Hirsch said to the “Daily Beast.” “And that’s awesome. If you stand up for someone who’s being bullied, you can change their reality, you can change their life and that’s the power that you have.”

While Hirsch’s intentions are applaudable, can a movie actually help stop bullying?

Prior movements to eliminate bullies have not been successful, leaving some students skeptical.

“I don’t think bullying is something that will stop immediately once we make a movie about it,” Lewis said. “It’s something that needs to be managed more by people in school to see if they can decrease how often it occurs and the affect it has on students.”

However, sophomore Emma Findlay remains optimistic.

“It will be very effective because if people are aware of the issue they can tell friends to stop if they know anyone who is bullying,” Findlay said.

The documentary “Bully” opened March 30 in a limited release. Check out the website thebullyproject.com to take a pledge to stop bullying and for more information about the movie and dates when the movie will play in Carlsbad.

Do you think a movie with multiple cuss words should be rated R? “Sometimes there is no other word to explain something, so using a derogatory word is necessary.”

Isabelle Lee 9th

“It’s just words. It shouldn’t affect people.”

Erik Wilson 12th

Tiani Calip 12th

“They are very commonly said in schools. The words express emotion of a character and even a certain time period, like ‘To kill a Mockingbird.’”

Damin Curtis 9th

Amanda Navarro -11th

“Yes, some of the words are hurtful to others. Little kids start repeating those words.”

“If there is an overabundance of bad language, the movie should definitely should be rated R.”

Nerd alert: Stephen Hawking comes to “The Big Bang Theory” ALLIE GORDON I staff writer

C

BS’s comedy “The Big Bang Theory” prepares for an unusual guest star.

Producers of the show announced that on April 5, world-renowned theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking will make a cameo on the nerdy sitcom.

According to a CBS press release, Hawking will star as himself and pay a visit to Jim Parson’s character Sheldon Cooper.

Hawking suffers from motor neurosis disease which renders him almost completely paralyzed. He communicates through a speech generating device; however, the illness did not keep him from achieving major feats. Famous for his book “A Brief History of Time,” Hawking is probably one of the most brilliant minds of our time. More than that, he guest starred on several other shows already including “The Simpsons” and “Futurama.”

“It’s pretty big to have someone so famous like that on the show,” junior Emma Chong said.

If you’ve yet to indulge in this geeky guilty pleasure, “The Big Bang Theory” centers around five main characters: two physicist roommates, Leonard and Sheldon; their

equally geeky scientist friends Raj and Howard; and their beautiful neighbor and aspiring actress Penny. The nerdiness and awkwardness of the boys contrast hilariously with the practical Penny as they become entangled in incredibly geeky mishaps, from robot battles to first romances.

“It takes all the nerdy aspects of everything scientific and puts jokes in it to make it funny,” Chong said.

Despite the fact the stars of the show are geniuses, they remain relatable and endearing. Hawking serves as a perfect fit with the cast– the creators describe him as a “dream guest star” for the show (ABC News).

“The Big Bang Theory” has seen many other equally geeky guest stars before Hawking, including “Star Trek” actor Will Wheaton (a.k.a. Wesley Crusher) and Marvel comic creator Stan Lee. Just a week before Hawking’s appearance, Leonard Nimoy (better known as Spock) also starred in the show, supplying the voice of an action figure.

Celebrity appearances often boost shows ratings, but “The Big Bang Theory” hardly needs it– they’ve beat out “American Idol” this season, proving nerds truly do rule the world.

15

volume 25, issue 6

arts & entertainment

april 2012

Cinépolis brings luxury to Carlsbad moviegoers

photo courtesy of kaili masamoto

KAILI MASAMOTO I editor

W

hen UltraStar Cinemas closed in La Costa, many moviegoers bemoaned the loss of a convenient local theater. On Feb. 10, 2012, Cinépolis took UltraStar’s place, offering a new luxury movie experience. Have you been secretly dying to go, but the ticket prices or overheard rumors dissuaded you? I decided to find out for myself if Cinépolis lives up to the hype.

Background: Cinépolis was founded in 1971 in Morelia, Michoacan and has since spread throughout Mexico, India, South America and recently the United States. There are only two US locations but luckily for us, we have a location right here in La Costa.

It’s movie time: The first thing that strikes you as you enter Cinépolis is the vibe: less old, popcorn-infused-movie theater and more light and airy, ultra-modern restaurant/ bar which just happens to include a theater. At five o’clock on a Sunday night, the clientele was definitely more adult heavy although there were some teens. While you can dress casually, I recommend dressing up a bit to add to the overall experience.

I bought my ticket online, but you can also purchase tickets from the concierge desk or use a self-serve touchscreen kiosk to view trailers and buy tickets. Ordering tickets online allows you to reserve specific seats, eliminating the need to arrive thirty minutes early. However, come early in order to enjoy the bar and comfortable lounge which are equipped with free WiFi. A courteous employee escorted me to my seat, and let me tell you, the price of the ticket is worth it just for those seats. Electric, fully reclining leather chairs are grouped in twos with an adjustable center console if you’d rather transform it into a romantic love seat. Even when fully reclined, there is still plenty of space between Address: 6941 El Camino Real, Carlsbad CA each row. As the previews rolled, I 92009 browsed their in-seat dining menu which Website: http://www.cinepolisusa.com Ticket prices: Adult -$19.50 includes such movie theater classics

Child/Senior-$17.50 as popcorn (although they offer flavors now hiring like caramel, spicy chili, and zebra) and

candy, with more surprising options like acai bowls, sushi, paninis and caprese salad.

Two theaters, soon to be theaters 1 and 2, are 21 and up because they serve beer and wine. Make sure when reserving tickets not to choose a 21+ theater because a doorman checks IDs before you enter those and you must be 21, no exceptions.

On the recommendation of general manager Mike Reed, I decided to order the Angus beef sliders ($14). His other favorites are the chocolate Godiva cheesecake and Icees.

Pushing a call button on the side of my chair sends a signal to the kitchen, summoning a server who promptly arrived to take my order on her tablet, then delivered the sliders about 10 minutes later. These waiters are the equivalent of theater ninjas, discreetly slipping between rows dressed in all black so as not to draw attention to themselves.

Most people ordered food during the beginning of the movie and the servers were not a distraction.

Happily munching on my sliders, I settled into my seat to enjoy the film. Maybe it’s just me, maybe I am as delicate as the princess who can feel a pea under all those mattresses, but normally I am shifting around in my chair halfway through the movie because I cannot get comfortable. This time as the credits rolled, I discovered to my surprise I had enjoyed the entire movie in glorious comfort.

Overall, Cinépolis is an amazing experience. Even the restrooms are nice —wooden stall doors, a sitting area and large shiny mirrors lend a classy touch while they are also very clean (people clean the bathrooms every thirty minutes.) The walls of the corridor will also soon feature the work of local artists. Saturday nights are the busiest so if you want to go on those days, try to reserve tickets ahead of time. For guaranteed seating, Mondays through Wednesdays are the best. Reed encourages all high school students to check out Cinépolis.

“This is the wave of the future–to order from your seat, to have full service,” Reed said. “We are pioneers.”

Verdict: Check Cinépolis off your bucket list. Luxury amenities, high-quality service, and the chairs make this a great place for a fun date or special occasion. While the tickets are not cheap, don’t let the price deter you from coming. From the looks of the crowded theater, Cinépolis is here to stay, and I am eagerly saving my money until I can go again.

From the high-quality cuisine to the modern architecture and design, Cinépolis transcends the typical movie theater experience.

Cinépolis

photo courtesy of kaili masamoto

“The Fault in Our Stars:” more than a teenage love story ALLIE GORDON I staff writer

M

ost teenagers don’t have the time to sit down and read a book. Reading outside of classroom literature has become almost obsolete; however, if you do take the time to pick up John Green’s latest novel The Fault in Our Stars, you won’t be able to put it down.

Both deeply touching and surprisingly funny, The Fault in Our Stars completely changes the way you look at cancer. The book follows the meeting of two terminal teenage cancer patients– the practical, slightly morbid narrator Hazel Grace, and the delightfully romantic Augustus Waters. Although the two do fall in love,The Fault in Our Stars is not a love story. Teenage romance makes up part of the plot line, but it goes deeper, delving into the core issues of life and death, the meaning of existence, and the precious value of every second.

More than anything, The Fault in Our Stars stands out because it is real. For one, John Green does not glamorize cancer and dying. He doesn’t flinch from the pain or the suffering that comes from cancer. The book reminds the readers that cancer is no romantic struggle. It hurts. It’s messy and painful and brutal and ugly.

However, Green also pokes fun at cancer, or at least the stereotypical view of it.

Somber tones and inspired suffering exemplify your typical cancer-novel. In contrast, Hazel and Augustus crack jokes about cancer, mock the overly sentimental, and

continue on their sometimes absurd journey of life with enthusiasm– despite the fact they’re very conspicuously dying.

These characters seem just as real as anyone you’d meet on the street. No romanticized, idealistically brave heroes here. The cancer patients often lash out– bitter, angry, and afraid. Yet, they remain solidly likable characters.

Green writes with his typical, emotional zeal and wonderful vocabulary. His trademark witty dialogue and sarcastic narrative earns laughs from the readers. You fall in love and cry along with Hazel on her journey. But The Fault in Our Stars still differs remarkably from his previous popular young adult novels.

This novel is not light reading. Rather, it challenges and pains the reader. It looks in depth at questions and trials everyone faces, cancer patient or not– Why am I here?

Does my life matter? What comes next?

Throughout the novel, Augustus constantly searches for more meaning, a deeper understanding of life. He grows frustrated in his impossible quest; Hazel, on the other hand, realistically accepts the fact that life is life. No one understands everything. We live, we die.

The Fault in Our Stars brims with both impossible sadness and incredible joy. This book relates to anyone who fears oblivion and yearns to make a mark on the world. In other words, every single one of us.

17

espacio latino

soapbox

april 2012

Si pudieras collecionar algo, que sería?

Manejando algo diferente RAMONA GUTIERREZ I staff writer

N

“Yo coleccionaría monedas porque son parte de nuestra historia e interesantes.” joel rodriguez grado 9

arendy gomez grado 12

“Yo coleccionaría tarjetas postales porque me encantaría tener algo de todo las partes que he ido porque me encanta viajar.”

“Si pudiera coleccionar algo serían regalos que he recibido porque todos tienen un recuerdo importante.” maria espinosa grado 11

“ Yo coleccionaría las tapaderas de refrescos porque me recuerdan de cuando era niño en México.” javier lopez grado 12

volume 25, issue 6

o es típico que a una chica le gusten los carros, pero con Celeena Castrellon del grado 12, los carros son su pasión. Con una pasión de carros clásicos, Celeena esta abriendo las puertas para las chicas en el mundo de los carros.

LANCER EXPRESS: ¿Cuándo te comenzaron a gustar los carros clásicos?

CELEENA CASTRELLON: Yo desde que estaba chica me han gustado los carros clásicos. Mi padre se ponía a hacer modelos pequeños de carros actuales y eso hizo que yo también quisiera saber más sobre los carros clásicos.

LE: ¿Qué es lo que te gusta más sobre los carros clásicos?

CASTRELLON: Para comenzar el ambiente que los carros clásicos traen es algo me gusta porque no cada día se puede ver uno de estos carros. Estos carros son únicos y nadie puede producir uno igual como otro porque toman años para que se miren originales y como del tiempo que primero se habían hecho.

LE: ¿Cuantos carros clásicos tienes?

CASTRELLON: Yo tengo un 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline Deluxe. Este carro me lo regalaron mis padres para mi cumpleaños hace un año y medio y se llama “Sixteen Candles” o dieseis velas. Es como mi bebe. Si estoy estresada no mas me siento en mi carro y ponga mi música de oldies y ya todo se me va de la mente. A veces, no más me meto en mi carro para andar por la ciudad y disfrutar la vida.

Pero toda mi familia tiene carros clásicos como mi padre tiene un 1985 Monte Carlo y un 1962 Impala. También mi hermano mayor tiene un 1960 Chevrolet Impala. Básicamente, los carros clásicos es entre la familiar.

LE: ¿Has puesto tu carro enfrente de un público?

CASTRELLON: Si, yo he puesto a mi carros en shows de autos. Yo intento de ir a un show de autos cada fin de semana porque me gusta ver los autos y me gusta competir Con mi trabajo no se puede atender cada uno pero voy a los shows de autos más grandes. Una parte donde metí mi carro es en el show “Cruise for the Cause” en Otay Ranch para una buena causa de la comunidad. Eso era una experiencia muy grande porque había

como seiscientos carros.

LE: ¿Hay un año en específico de los carros clásicos que te gustan?

CASTRELLON: No hay un año que me gusta específicamente, pero me gusta ver los carros de durante 1940 hasta 1960 porque es cuando los carros tenían su propia persona y los carros se miraban mas elegantes. Durante esas épocas, yo quisiera visitar para ver todos los diferentes estilos de carros que a mi me gustan.

LE: ¿Has ganado algo cuando pusiste tu carro enfrente de una audiencia?

CASTRELLON: Si he ganado trofeos y uno de los que estoy muy orgullosa es cuando gane segundo lugar en una competencia que tenía seiscientos carros y a mi me dieron el premio de carro mas original porque las partes de mi carro son todas del carro de cuando primero salió.

Es difícil encontrar un carro con todas partes originales y yo mantengo mi carro bien.

LE: ¿Cómo cuanto cuesta para mantener un de estos carros?

CASTRELLON: Pues, estos carros duran años con los mecánicos, pero al fin verlos bien pintados y en la calle vale la pena de cualquiera cantidad de dinero.

LE: ¿Hay un carro que un día quisieras tener?

CASTRELLON: Yo pienso que si no es un Chevrolet no vale nada. Con esta frase estoy indicando que yo quisiera tener carros clásicos de la marca Chevrolet. A mi me fascinan todos los carros de Chevrolet entre las épocas que indique porque se nota todo el esfuerzo que las personas ponen para que se mire bien el carro.

LE: ¿Qué te espera en el futuro con tu pasión de carros?

CASTRELLON: Me gustaría ser una fotógrafa profesional de carros porque yo creo que se mucho sobre de como tomar fotografías de diferentes ángulos. Me inspiró Esteban Oriol para que en futuro yo siga la fotografía. También pienso cambiar la imagen de como la sociedad mira a las personas que tienen carros clásicos.

La sociedad piensa que estas personas son cholos que no saben más que estar en la calle causando problemas.

Celeena Castrellon es una estudiante que esta quebrando todas las barreras para que el mundo mire a los carros clásicos diferentemente. Ella mira su futuro con su carro y haciéndolo parte de su familia.

Celeena Castrellon modela con su carro Dieciséis Velas que ha ganado gran premios en las competiciones de automóviles clásicos.

Tiempo para jugar en el parque RAMONA GUTIERREZ I staff writer

“Yo coleccionaría fotos porque son recuerdos que uno puede ver en el futuro.”

A

julie aramburo grado 10

18

ntes el parque era una parte en donde niños chiquitas juagaban con sus padres pero ahora es una parte en donde amigos se unen para disfrutar de muchas actividades que el Parque Pine ofrece.

El Parque Pine en el barrio de Carlsbad se ha hecho en un lugar popular para muchos adolecentes porque ellos se pueden juntar para jugar deportes.

“Desde chico, siempre me ha gustado el fútbol porque a todos mis amigos y

familia le gusta,” dijo Roberto Osuna del grado 9. “En Pine Park puedo estar con mis amigos jugándolo mientras sentirme satisfecho con mi vida.”

Cuando primero estaba Pine Park hecho hace mucho tiempo atrás, originalmente no había un campo de fútbol, pero con la remodelación del parque ahora hay uno para que muchos disfruten del campo cada día.

“Lo que me gusta mucho de Pine Park es que puedo jugar el fútbol con mi hermano menor y mis amigos en un ambiente

similar como a los de los profesionales,” dijo Alejandro Zarate del grado 10. “Yo por eso vengo aquí casi cada día después de la escuela y a veces en los fines de semana porque es un parque cercas de cualquier cosa.”

El Parque Pine ha estado en Carlsbad por pocos año y ha dejado resultados positivos. Después de todo lo que ha hecho la ciudad para limpiar la imagen del barrio, el Parque Pine será otra gran adición para toda el gente la la parte histórica de la ciudad de Carlsbad.

M

eatless adness

volume 25, issue 6

M

student life Benefits: Vegetarians eat more antioxidants, which help prevent cancer.

Drawbacks:

ALEX GNIBUS I editor ROBERT SWEENEY I staff writer

any of us can’t imagine a life without meat. Yet some students spend their lives evading meat every day. These vegetarians face the daily challenges of a diet without meat, whether ordering in a restaurant, eating at a friend’s house or buying food at school.

Those students without meat in their diets take drastic measures to stay replenished and maintain their health despite the difficulty of finding alternative sources of protein, iron, calcium, and other necessary vitamins for a balanced diet.

Vegetarians have different reasons for choosing a diet without meat. Some do it because they feel strongly about animal rights.

“I don’t like to eat animals. It doesn’t make sense to me,” freshman Talia Cain said, a lifelong vegetarian. “I’d be grossed out to think that it once had a face.”

Yet others choose a meatless diet for the health benefits. Many people believe that a menu without meat on it has far more nutritional value.

Despite the health benefits, however, pursuing a diet without meat has its drawbacks.

Vegetarians have to be careful they get crucial vitamins and nutrients in their system, and without meat, it’s easy to miss out on things like protein. However, according to vegetarians, a balanced diet is easy to maintain.

“When I was younger, I used to get headaches a lot,” Cain said. “But I learned that there are other solutions, like nuts. People generally assume that all I eat are vegetables, but there is so much more to eat.”

Other challenges besides the nutritional drawbacks include uncomfortable dinners at friends’ houses, restaurant menus without vegetarian options, and avoiding food that may have hidden meat in it.

“When you order soup, you have to make sure it’s vegetable broth and not chicken broth. You never know what’s going on behind the kitchen doors,” Cain said. “When you go to friends’ houses, sometimes you have to say, ‘Yeah, I can’t eat that, sorry’.”

april 2012

Healthier skin: Vegetarians eat more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamins that contribute to skin health.

Lacking in protein, iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin B-12, which is found in animal products.

There’s more danger of becoming anemic.

Eating no meat might be less satisfying for those who previously enjoyed the taste of meat.

Healthier heart: Vegetarians, on average, consume more nuts as a supplemental form of protein. This helps cholesterol.

Some take their meatless diet even further by taking the plunge, going the extra mile and going vegan. Vegans, like vegetarians, don’t eat meat. But unlike vegetarians, they avoid animal products altogether. That means no milk, no eggs, and no gelatin-- and people might be surprised at what it takes.

“Cereal, bread and pasta are all things vegans can’t eat,” senior Kara Breyer said, who has been a vegan for 4 years. “I would suggest that people research what is and what isn’t vegan, and make sure you won’t get sick or have allergies.”

After doing the research, anyone considering a vegetarian or vegan diet should give it a try.

“I would just say go with your heart and try it out,” junior Sierra Gilley said, a vegetarian for her entire life. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something really good.”

Making your menu meatless:

For those of you considering going vegetarian or vegan, here are some ways to make sure you don’t miss out when it comes to your favorite places.

When you’re craving this...

Instead of this...

Get this!

Taco Bell/Rubio’s

Taco

Bean burrito

Subway

Ham/Turkey Sub

Veggie Delite sandwich

Panda Express/Chinese takeout

Chicken Bowl

Stir-Fry

Domino’s Pizza

Pepperoni Pizza

Pasta Bowls

In-N-Out

Burger

Grilled cheese, fries and a shake

CHS Students On: GOING MEATLESS

“Me giving up meat is like telling the world to get off Facebook. It’s not happening.” tanner zachry junior

“If you’re careful about getting all your vitamins in, you’ll be fine.

It’s easier than you think.” ally mason sophomore

“I eat no animal products, no diary or meat, no eggs, so it’s a plant-based diet. My stomach is never upset, and I never feel sluggish.” zach grove freshman

“It’s dumb. Your body needs real food to survive.” jacob evans junior

“I didn’t like meat to begin with, so it’s easy to cut it out. I just feel better and more energized.” tessa gordon sophomore

19

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volume 25, issue 6

profile

april 2012

Teen Modeling: a snapshot of Asia Lee Henry MICHELLE CHU TILLY RUDOLPH KATRINA COMAROTO

staff writers

gaby wagner

F

reshman Asia Lee Henry was at the “right place at the right time” when her modeling career took off. Although she is a newbie to the modeling world, she has a passion for it, planning to pursue mainly high fashion and possibly runway jobs for years to come. Lancer Express sits down with Asia to discuss how she started modeling, what she does at shoots, and her take on the world she’s now involved in.

Lancer Express: How did you get into modeling?

Asia Lee Henry: I was in the right place at the right time. I was 12 when I went to a party and someone’s mom was from the agency there and told them about me. So they looked into me, but I didn’t want to since I was so young at the time. We didn’t really think I was ready, but once I hit 14 we started looking into big agencies. But I had marching band, I wouldn’t have time to go to a really demanding agency in LA; that wouldn’t have been in my best interest. So we looked into No Ties, which specifically looks into what jobs are best for you, and how to manage your time, and they’ll look out for you. So we decided to sign with them first.

LE: What does modeling involve?

ALH: If you sign onto an agency, they send you a bunch of jobs like photo shoots and runway shows; there are so many different things you can get hired for. There are also casting calls where a client wants a specific girl, like one with blonde hair and blue eyes, then the agency sends those girls and the client picks out who he wants. And through that process you get a job. Casting is a lot of driving and a lot of time, but it’s worth it in the end.

LE: Did you take any classes prior to your modeling job?

ALH: I had no experience and I really don’t think you need experience. Never ever pay money to learn to model. Number one, the agency helps you. Number two there are scams. I’m constantly learning more from their advice.

LE: Is the industry as cutthroat as people say it is?

ALH: That’s funny, I’ve been to a few photoshoots, group photo shoots and agency parties, and it’s not like that. I’m really good friends with all the people, like makeup artists and photographers. And every girl I’ve met so far is really nice—and the men are too, except some of the male models are very conceited.

LE: What is the best part of modeling?

ALH: There’s so many things about it I like sitting in the chair and getting your hair and makeup done and, you know, taking pictures. I’ve learned it’s an experience and it takes time, and I’ve gotten good at portraying myself in any way that the photographer wants me to be. My favorite part is probably seeing those results. I enjoy capturing a certain look that one person wants to display to a bunch of people.

LE: What’s has been your favorite experience as a model so far?

ALH: I did a beauty shoot with intense makeup. It was extreme, and it got published in a Vietnamese high fashion magazine called Depth. No one recognized me.

It was such a beauty shot that I loved it. It was probably my favorite so far.

LE: Have you ever had to do something you didn’t want to do?

ALH: No, the photographers are normally very polite and respectful about things. They are very respectful to the models. They want you to portray what they want,

gaby wagner

so they have to be respectful.

LE: Are you under any strict rules or regulations?

ALH: I have a three year contract until I’m 18. Once I am done I can go into a bigger agency if I want, but there are no really big rules about it. You just have to stay true to yourself and be who you are, because that’s what you are as a model.

LE: Do you have plans to continue your modeling career after your contract ends?

ALH: I plan on pursuing modeling till I am 18, but I really don’t know what’s going to happen. If my career takes off, then that’s my priority; however, I definitely want to continue.

LE: What outside activities do you do?

ALH: I am in the Carlsbad drumline and am an intern for the Keep a Breast Foundation, which is a nonprofit spreading awareness for breast cancer. It’s a big part of my life. That’s all I did during my 7th and 8th grade summer, everything from filing things to packaging “I love boobies” bracelets to go all over the world. It takes a lot of time but I’m very devoted and I believe in its cause, so I’ll be there whenever they need me.

21

sports

april 2012

volume 25, issue 6

Softball standouts bound for college STEFAN COOPER I staff writer

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. 250

#4

Dani Cowan

.36

Pitcher

#21

Shannon Casey I layout

New changes make this season a whole new ball game KATHLEEN DOOLEY I staff writer

T

he birds are chirping, the sun is shining; flowers arise from their wintery slumber. The smell of hot dogs and Cracker Jacks wafts around our no longer raw, crimson noses. Spring has arrived, and we all know what that means: baseball season is coming at us in full swing.

The time has come for us to buy our tickets, primp our gear and prepare for the long season which awaits. With Spring Training pumping hope into our veins, fans know this year will be the year: the year we will hold that Commissioner’s trophy, the year we will be able to taste the karats dripping from the tips of all thirty flags, the year we will be world champions.

The year we will be victorious.

Years ago, my father explained to me that in baseball – as in many things – money is everything. Money buys the players, the support and sometimes even the trophy (as shown by the purchase of the LA Dodgers for over $2 billion -- that’s nine zeros). As distraught as I was to discover that the game I had believed to be all about honest talent was, in reality, a game of strategy and capital, I was even more forlorn to unearth the fact that my beloved San Diego Padres were indeed the low man on the totem pole when it came to cash.

But hey, maybe there is hope.

The format for Major League Baseball changes periodically, and with opening day set for Thursday April 5, baseball fans everywhere can expect a few alterations in

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the MLB playoff system.

As any baseball aficionado would know, within each of the two leagues, there are three division champs who compete against each other for a shot at making it to the World Series. Ever since this format was set in place in 1994, alongside the winners from each division was the Wild Card team, or essentially the fourth place team. Having the Wild Card slot allowed the fourth place team from each league another run at winning it all.

So great, two more teams got a shot at the title, two more cities held on to every ounce of hope they had and in turn, an additional quarter of the original money was grossed from the excitement of the Wild Card teams’ fans.

This year (the one where we’ll be victorious, remember?) has a few changes that could possibly shake up the competition, and hopefully give some of us little guys our big break. This upcoming 2012 MLB season plans to include two Wild Card teams per league instead of the lone team in the past. The road for the fourth and fifth place team is not easy, though. To earn the opportunity to make it to the next round of playoffs, they will play a single, all-determining game to earn the title of the official Wild Card team.

So now, we’re up to ten teams with a shot at winning it all and ten cities practically crying from the excitement of being able to see the World Series in the distance.

Two years ago, in the 2010 MLB season, our very own Padres came within one game of winning the National

League West Wild Card slot. In the last game of the season, we lost to the San Francisco Giants, and although we had a record of 90-72, we were one measly game behind the Atlanta Braves’ record of 91-71 dubbing them 2010’s official NL West Wild Card team.

We almost had it! We would have won it all…right?

Maybe. And that is exactly the benefit of this alteration in the Wild Card structure. Had the rules been as they are now in 2010, the Padres would have gotten one more shot in a one-game playoff with the Braves. In the new system–despite our lack of funding–we could have made it further toward the illustrious title of World Series champions if only we had that once last chance. . .

Maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but as a Padres fan, I can only hope. And speaking for any team, a second shot is never a bad thing.

With this adaptation in the MLB format, a new aspect of strategy has come into play. With two additional playoff slots available, a lot of teams will have a chance of making it in the last month of the season. So even though their dreams of winning will be diminished eventually, the excitement of playoffs will stretch across the country.

A little bit more stress had been laid across the teams, as well as their obsessive fans: more tears will inevitably be wept, more nails bitten down to nubs. But with a whole new facet added to the game comes a lot of added hope.

Now all we need is a little luck.

We’ll show them, Padres fans. Let’s play ball.

volume 25, issue 6

sports

april 2012

Student athletes get right on track KATHLEEN DOOLEY I staff writer STEFAN COOPER I staff writer

VERSATILITY

Track and field has grown to become one of Carlsbad’s most versatile sports.

With what seems like an endless variety of events, track attracts a myriad of students with a passion for running, jumping and throwing, as well as students from other sports who want to hone their athletic skill and maintain a fit physique.

“Track is definitely way cooler than all other sports,” junior Scott Snow said.

“The track community is very accepting and there are kids from all different facets of the school.”

Each of these students has his own reasons for joining the Carlsbad track family, many finding the sport to be in great contrast with other sports.

“Track is more relaxed than other sports -- definitely more relaxed,” senior Jason Perrault said. “With track you can develop as an athlete, and in other sports you need to have the right skills already.”

LIFESTYLE

Track requires a significant amount of an athlete’s time, energy and commitment in order to achieve success. As an extremely strenuous sport, track demands long hours at practice, balanced eating habits, and what seems like an unnatural and excessive consumption of water to all of us non-runners and jumpers.

“It dictates my entire life,” junior Christian Freeman said. “I have to eat the right food, get the right amount of sleep, drink the right amount of water and things like that.”

This may sound intense -- and it is -- but with the difficulty of track managed, athletes are able to transfer the discipline learned in the sport to their everyday lives. Usually, sports and extra curriculars only add to the stress and the already packed schedules of students, but those in track claim the opposite.

“When I got on varsity Cross Country and Track, my grades dramatically increased,” Freeman said.

A number of track athletes have noticed similar changes in their lives; senior Jason Perrault agrees.

“Track has taught me to relax and stay focused in competitive atmospheres and tough situations in my life,” Perrault said.

Track has become a lifestyle for each and every CHS student that belongs to the Carlsbad track family. It has become second nature to the track athletes, and it is clear that all of these students love their sport.

COACHES

To guide and challenge all those in track is a team of exceptional coaches.

They serve as mentors and teachers, as well as role models for the athletes.

“The coaches are great,” Perrault said. “[Coach] Cooper is a good guy—really pushes you and believes in everyone. He is definitely the reason why I am where I am—I owe him that.”

Although many events in track are individually based, the athletes, while being independent, can always rely on their coaches to support and train them in order to embody their full potential. When an athlete has true passion for their sport, the coaching comes easily.

“I love all of the coaches. I love running and jumping and have had a lot of coaches to help me all along the way.” sophomore Julia Haselhuhn said. “They help me achieve my best in track all of my future goals.”

They way track works changes from one athlete to the next. For some, achieving success means a ton coaches and fellow athletes to work and train alongside of as a team effort. Other athletes take a more individual approach, keeping the social aspect of track separate.

“I really only have my one coach, and she is fantastic,” junior Christian Freeman said. “She really cares about how each of us does.”

Track events: Sprints: Distance:

100m 200m 400m 800m 1600m 3200m

Throwing: Shot put Discus Hurdle:

100m (women)

110m (men)

300m Relay: 4x100m 4x400m Top: Landing after an impressive triple jump, senior Jason Perrault quickly exits the pit so volunteers can measure his jump.

Bottom: The distance team has incredible speed and endurance, as exemplified by junior Christian Freeman as he rounds the curve during the 800 meter race.

Right: Senior Zoe White competes in the 100 meter women’s hurdle at a track meet.

Far right: State Champion senior Bree Jemison throws the discus, a weighted disc. Jemison recently set the new school record at the Mt. Carmel Invitational.

photos by natasha menard

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photojournalism O

april 2012

Combined concert inspires middle school students

ANDREW DArE I photographer NATASHA MENARD I photographer

volume 25, issue 6

n March 22, CHS band students performed alongside Aviara Oaks Middle School, Calavera Hills Middle School and Valley Middle School Bands. The band continues this tradition every year to give middle school students a taste of the high school band experience. CHS Wind Symphony started off the night, with the middle schoolers joining in later. Color Guard, Drumline and Jazz Band also performed.

Left: Middle school and high school drummers play side by side at the end of the concert.

Below: Students from the jazz band perform jazz classics “Shake, Rattle n’ Roll” and “Birdland.”

Left: Drumline puts on a show for a crowd of middle school students and other spectators.

Above: Junior Marielle Partido flips a rifle during the color guard’s routine.

Right: Conductor Mr. Greg Anderson leads the combined group of students in three songs.

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