LANCER ex PRESS
the we h ave issues.
In this issue: 3 Zombie Walk 12-13 Common Core 14 Ansel Le Foundation 16 Student Interweb 20 Hockey
high school carlsbad, ca november 2013 volume 27, issue 2
2 news
photo highlight
november 2013
photo by jessica streich Colorguard performs their competition set with band at half time during the senior night football game on Nov. 8. Cheer and Lancer Dancers also performed during halftime. Before the game, members of football, cheer, lancer dancers, athletic trainers, band and colorguard were honored either with signs or by walking down the field with selected escorts. A 42-0 victory over Vista ensured that seniors ended their regular season on a high note.
Nov / Dec Community 11/ 14-16
On the Razzle (Fall Play)
11/19
Chatting with CHS
11/ 25-29
Thanksgiving Break
11/30
UC and CSU Application due
11/24
Encinitas Fall Festival
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Turkey Trot
ceanside will be hosting its eighth annual Turkey Trot on this coming Thanksgiving. Anyone is able to sign up to participate in either the five mile run, the 5k run/walk, or, for those (who think they are) in top shape, the combo run which is a combination of both the 5k and five mile runs. Starting at 7 AM in the Oceanside harbor, the five mile run goes over the San Luis Rey bridge and finishes along the beach at the Oceanside amphitheater. The 5k run/walk is the more popular of the two, with many crazy costumes to be seen. There is an incentive for bringing a costume, the three participants with the best costume are given a $50 certificate to the local restaurant 333. Aside from the main run, there are many things to entertain yourself with at the turkey trot. From live music by local artists to the art show and plenty of stands and booths, the Turkey Trot is a noteworthy Thanksgiving tradition. The Turkey Trot is a nice idea if you’re looking for a fun, new tradition to participate in or even if you’re trying to burn off those calories that you’re sure to gain come Thanksgiving dinner.
Highlights
42-0 Victory on Senior Night
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ast Friday, Nov. 8, seniors from football, band, cheer, athletic trainers and dance teams marched down the 50 yard line as the Carlsbad community honored them. ASB members lined the field with flags as they cheered on seniors and their escorts. Each senior received a plaque that was personalized with his or her name and sport. During halftime, band and color guard united to create an entertaining performance while the cheerleaders debuted a new routine senior team members choreographed. Following the cheer performance, Dance busted out one of their famous routines. Sparkles were a common motif as senior dancers wore tiaras and senior cheerleaders wore bows that illuminated in the stadium lights. Drumline and dance cooperated to perform a stomp during the quarter break between third and fourth, and drumline again took the stage when they excited the loud crowd with a drum-off. Luckily, the game ended just as a fog-bank rolled in. Although the onset of the fog provided a mystical spectacle, the lack of visibility would have hindered the team’s play.
Sports
Carlsbad fall teams make CIF
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he girls varsity tennis team is wrapping up a successful 2013/14 fall season. The girls finished second in their league this school year, only losing matches to Ramona High School and bitter rival La Costa Canyon High School. They won ten matches out of their 13 match season, qualifying them for CIF. This also marks the team’s return to CIF play after a few years without having any athletes in the competition. Senior Victoria Zaks and junior Delaney Phanco are playing doubles while senior Jiana Huang is playing singles in San Diego at Barnes Tennis Center. Huang’s next game will be Nov. 12 and Zaks and Delaney’s game will be on Nov. 14. Other Carlsbad teams that have made it to CIF this year include boys waterpolo, boys and girls cross country and a few golf players. Additionally, football has made it CIF. For the first round of play-offs, Carlsbad received a bye week and will play the winner of the Grossmont-Otay Ranch game. The Lancers came in fourth place in their division and third place in league.
news 3
lancer express, volume 27, issue 2
Zombie walk returns to San Diego chloe young staff writer
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SAD, BAD, RAD
ombies of all ages were released into the Gaslamp District for the famous San Diego Zombie Walk on October 26th. The walk has come a long way since it started seven years ago. What started as a fun idea with friends has broadened into an event that attracts close to 500 people. These walks benefit multiple charities including the San Diego Food Bank, Toys for Tots and local military families. Recently, they started promoting increased awareness for Donate Life California. “It’s important for everyone to register as an organ and tissue donor, as more than 118,000 people are currently on the waiting list for an organ transplant in this country,” San Diego Zombie Walk founder Jennifer Muzquiz said. Putting aside the irony of zombies promoting organ donations, learning about this important issue in a zombie infected area gave participants an educational, yet memorable experience. But the new theme: zombifying your favorite movie or TV character added something new. A zombified Snow White, Superman and Teletubbie were only a few of the many unconventional zombies staggering around the Gaslamp District. This new theme revamped the excitement in all the participants at the event. “My wife and I were stoked to have ‘The Walking Dead’ themed costumes,” first time participant Richard Lindstrom said. “It took us basically all day to prepare, but it was worth it.” People celebrated Halloween in many different ways, some not so family oriented, which made it hard for families to find events that were appropriate for children as well as adults. Unlike the Monster Bash in the Gaslamp District, the Zombie Walk catered to people of all ages. Teens, adults, children and even pets were more than welcome. “We were looking for a good family
photo by jacquelyn nakamura San Diegan residents Olivia Montgomery, Henry Leon and Violet Gardino offer free ironic hugs to the observers of the Zombie Walk. They were just a few of the hundreds of zombies which invaded the streets of the Gaslamp District.
event,” participant Megan Makowski said. “Finding Zombie Walk turned out to be something really fun for my family.” Teenagers especially were drawn to the gore and excitement that these drooling, brain-eating creatures offered. The students at Carlsbad High School were shocked, yet intrigued by this strange event. “When I heard about Zombie Walk, I thought it sounded like a great idea,” junior Jayna Wrisley said. “After all, you should always be prepared for when the zombies attack.” The increased popularity of zombies in many TV shows and movies lent to the multitudes of people coming out to the event. An article in the Washington Post discusses the overwhelming presence of zombies in pop culture. “Warm Bodies,” “World War Z” and “The Walking Dead”
are only a few of the examples of where zombies have been sinking their teeth into pop culture. “It is clear that the zombies are not going anywhere,” Zombie Walk coFounder Eddie Baddeo said. “Unlike vampires and werewolves, this zombie trend isn’t going to die down anytime soon”. As fun as zombies are, they are taken very seriously by some of the zombie aficionados. During the Zombie Walk, some of them would not speak or break character for the duration of the walk. “I came promoting for my company, but I never expected how seriously people would take it,” makeup artist Emily Fletcher said. “Some of the zombies looked like they belonged on an episode of ‘The Walking Dead.’” One thing was for sure, not all the
zombies at the event were new to the experience. Many had gone to some of the other Zombie Walks this year, especially Comic-Con, which has close to 3,000 participants every year. “My friends and I have always gone to the walks at Comic-Con,” two year Comic-Con zombie walk veteran Charlie Hamilton said. “This is my first year coming to the Zombie Walk in the Gaslamp District, but I think it was way more than I expected it to be.” For those who missed the Gaslamp District Zombie Walk, don’t fret. You do not have to wait until next Halloween to go to one of the walks; the Comic-Con Zombie Walk is coming up this summer, so mark your calendars. One quick warning though, full immersion into the world of zombies is unavoidable for all future participants and observers.
With zombies on the brain, we decided to take a look at the best and worst zombie themed movies and TV shows.
Warm Bodies
Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies
The Walking Dead
Hollywood has done enough Romeo and Juliet remakes without throwing zombies into the mix. In this sad movie, a zombie named R falls in love with a human, named Julie, by eating her ex-boyfriend’s brains and experiencing his memories of her. There is something very wrong with a girl if she falls in love with the zombie that ate her ex. In a very cliche ending, their love ends up saving R and the other zombies.
The title alone is enough to put this movie into the bad category. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln has to fight the menace from his past, zombies. Wasn’t it enough making one of our most memorable presidents a vampire hunter? Making him hunt zombies is just going way too far. Overall, the acting was mediocre and the zombies were just predictable with the stereotypical gore and blood everywhere.
Finally a zombie show filled with interesting plot twists. If having a zombie apocalypse wasn’t enough, a new disease had to be thrown in along with a sprinkle of betrayal and of course, a dash of relationship issues. Cheering on your favorite characters, like Michone and Rick, is a must, but waiting for your least favorite characters to die also has a certain appeal. Sunday nights are not complete without The Walking Dead to give you nightmares.
SAD
BAD
RAD
4 news
november 2013
Wish for Kids takes its efforts to the streets lauren t’kint
C
staff writer
arlsbad hosts the largest single-day street fair on the West coast, attracting thousands of locals and visitors for a full day of attractions on Nov. 3. With over 900 booths taking over a large part of downtown and Grand Ave, a large variety of food, vendors, and artists were present. Among the booths represented at the event, Wish for Kids made a big splash at the street fair. “This is the fifth time that Wish for Kids has held a booth at the street fair, it’s a great fundraiser,” Senior Yasaman Samsamshariat said. Representing Wish for Kids in her 2nd year as president, Samsamshariat is very excited about how far the club has come. In order to get everyone involved in the fundraiser, members earned community service hours by baking the cookies sold at the booth. Baking over a 1000 cookies for the day of the event, members of Wish for Kids manned the booth while trying to attract tourists looking for a cheap treat and a heart for charity. “For only $1, customers can buy two cookies, with all donations going directly towards making Levi’s wish become a reality,” senior Loni Merrett said. This year, the club has the honor,
and responsibility, of granting a wish to a child sponsored by the Make a Wish Foundation. Suffering from a life threatening illness, this child is 4 year old Levi. Dreaming of going on a Disney Cruise, Wish for Kids puts on a series of fundraisers throughout the year to make his wish come true. At the end of the year, they will hopefully have the chance to meet Levi and give him their special gift. “These kids have had such tough childhoods, and the club gives us a way to give them something special that they will remember for the rest of their lives,” Samsamshariat said. Approaching the booth at noon, fairgoers were greeted by 10 smiling members of Wish for Kids. They all were very animated about the event, calling out into the droves of tourists walking by, asking them to help support the cause. Boxes of cookies lined the table, all labeled with the club name and type of cookies. Waking up early that morning to set up, members were rewarded with a pancake breakfast provided by Kiwanis Club, which has been participating in the fair since it’s start up 39 years ago, and raises over $10,000 a year for local youth. “We had a lot of people who just wanted to donate without even buying the cookies. It was cool to see people reaching out who weren’t involved with the club,”
photo by mikayla ferraro At the streetfair, club members work at the Wish for Kids booth selling cookies. With the money raised, Wish for Kids is a step closer to making a child’s wish come true.
junior Chase Helmers said. Making over $1300 in a single day, the fundraiser was a huge success. Making a child’s wish come true helps inspire members to continue their success, seen in their plans to put on a talent show and car wash. VP and active member of the club since freshman year, Loni Merrett has a direct connection with the Make a
Wish Foundation that proves the impact their funds can have on the sick children involved. “I joined Wish for Kids because the Make a Wish foundation made my wish come true when I was younger and I think it’s important to give back so other kids can receive their wish too,” Merrett said.
Green Club plants for tomorrow butterfly,” Muilenburg said. The Green Club is constantly searching staff writer for new, insightful ways to minimize environmental pollution. The Green he beauty of the butterfly is often taken Club is attempting to set an example for for granted and many people don’t environmental consciousness and gather realize the immense impact these wingedsupport for their club through the milkweed creatures have on our everyday lives. Here project. This is a push for change that Green at CHS, the Green Club is making an effort Club hopes will help support a halt in an to create a more suitable alarming problem sweeping environment for these We need to preserve ecosystems all around the vital pollinators, all with our environment to world. a crucial plant named protect our future “We have seen a decline milkweed. generations from in pollinating insects it’s “We’re giving everyone in suffering from our called the Pollinator Crisis,” Green Club milkweeds so that mistakes. junior Damin Curtis, Cothey can plant them in their President of Green Club homes and communities, said. and hopefully we will be With honey bees able to plant some at CHS,” disappearing and Monarch junior Matt Muilenburg, Co-President of butterflies declining in vast numbers, the Green Club said. Green Club is seeing the significance in their Although this might seem a minor attempt to buffer the consequences of this contribution to Mother Nature, Muilenburg crisis. The reality is that by helping these affirms its benefit on the broad-scale is butterflies, people are saving themselves. anything but that. “One out of every three bites of food “Milkweeds are a plant that Monarch which enters your mouth is pollinated by an butterflies thrive upon since they are high in insect, ” Curtis said. nutrients and low in leaves which really tends By having a hand in saving the pollinators to the transformation from a caterpillar to a of our ecosystem these students, in turn,
emilio gonzalez
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matt muilenburg
take part in saving generations of humans for years to come. That is the point which Green Club is trying to make, that ignoring the call of help from Mother Nature has its repercussions. That we must plan for the future of our race. “We need to preserve our environment to protect our future generations from suffering from our mistakes,” Muilenburg said. Members of Green Club believe that taking action in one’s community to serve the ecosystem is not a chore, it is an obligation which every person has been assigned since the day he sets foot on earth. “I think we can’t rely on others to save the environment, if we want our environment to survive, we have to do something about it ourselves,” junior Reece Bryan said. Green club attempts to deliver the message that people should not trust others to do their part in saving the environment from being torn apart. The only way to progress as a green society is to insist that if people want this planet to survive they have got to step up and do it on their own, and even something as simple as planting some milkweeds makes a difference. “We can’t expect the environment to support us, if we won’t support it,” Bryan said.
Green Club Information •
Co-Presidents:
Damin Curtis
Matt Muilenburg
•
Officers:
Shane Coopersmith
Kellar Moore
•
Club Mission:
“Trying to find solutions for CHS to reduce our impact on the environment,” junior Damin Curtis said. •
Club Meetings:
The Green Club meets every Tuesday during lunch in room 3108.
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6 news
november 2013
Students stand up against drugs jacob luna
The members of both ASB and PLUS were aware of Red Ribbon Week’s staff writer importance and how much of an impact it has on students. very year, hundreds of teens and “This is a week that we dedicate to young adults are harmed, injured standing against drugs, being drug free and even killed either directly or and making safe decisions.” Oas said. indirectly by drugs or alcohol. To Returning from the weekend, help combat these incidents, schools both the students and the staff were across the country participate in Red met with the school Ribbon Week, This is a week we draped in red. There an annual event dedicate to standing were red ribbons celebrated since wrapped around it’s formation in against drugs, being trees and poles, and 1985. Students drug free and making tied to fences and and staff alike safe decisions, gates throughout the came together to campus. help spread Red “We were trying Ribbon Week’s to spread the word by message through wearing red and covering our campus a plethora of activities and events. in red,” senior ASB president Courtney For Red Ribbon Week 2013, ASB Benner said. “For the football game, we and PLUS put their best foot forward had 48 disposable red balloons released and created a host of new ways to grab and they represented how many kids die people’s attention and educate students. “Every single day we had a spirit day,” every hour of the weekend because of bad choices being made.” senior class president Maddy Oas said. The main goal for ASB was to “Monday was wear red day, Tuesday was demonstrate how teenagers can superhero day, Wednesday was wear your favorite hat day, Thursday was wear negatively impact their lives by using your halloween costume day and Friday recreational drugs and alcohol. “It is a week to raise awareness about everyone wore purple.”
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alcohol and the use of drugs,” junior Tiffany Smith said. “Red Ribbon Week helps students to choose the right paths in life and make good decisions.” Red Ribbon Week’s principles and goals are directly focused on helping kids and teenagers learn and develop good habits, by showing them the dangers of illegal substances. “I think it is really important to raise awareness against underage drinking and drugs because it has affected our school and our community,” Smith said. “It’s important for us to help educate the students and make the right decisions.” The Red Ribbon Week campaign has reached millions of families across the U.S because its message is relevant to all children and teens’ safety. Both students and staff are motivated to help promote this campaign so that everyone becomes informed about drugs and alcohol. “It’s good to let the students know what the consequences are, and how it affects not just one person but also affects the whole community,” Benner said. “We were trying to spread photo by sawyer gilley awareness about the effects of bad Senior Trevor Dean shows his school spirit while raising drug decisions and how teenagers can be awareness. By dressing up on superhero day, Dean fights off the negatively impacted by them.” negative impacts that come wth drug use.
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lancer express, volume 27, issue 2
The sun never sets over College Board editorial board
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A hand on every college related test
eddy Roosevelt was known as the Trust Buster in the turn-of-the-century America for his crusade to break up companies’ monopolies in various fields of business. The Standard Oil trust, the Steel trust, the Sugar trust, the Tobacco trust and many others bowed down to the moose-riding president. After this vigorous persecution of monopolies, America breathed a sigh of relief, sure that this issue had been dealt with forever. After years of fair market play, one monopoly arose out of ashes of its predecessors: College Board. Filling out their dreaded college apps, many seniors begin to see that most of the standardized tests they have taken in the course of their high school careers are all from the same company: The College Board. The College Board company is an umbrella that in itself contains the SAT, the PSAT/ NMSQT, the SAT Subject Tests and even the AP exams. It is the Costco of test administration— you need it, they got it. The only problem is that while Costco has high competition from other chain stores, the College Board has very little. Try to remember a time that you took a standardized test that wasn’t a subsidiary of College Board. Sure, there was the CAHSEE, but that was made by the California state government and there isn’t even a column for it on the Common App; it’s only used to graduate high school, not to get into a college. With that crossed off, the list of College Board competitors comes down to exactly one. The ACT proves to be the only test to stand up to the College Board monopoly. But this, too, is very limited in what it can do to battle the great beast. While both are in the same price range, just below 50 dollars, the ACT is rarely used as the sole standardized test sent to colleges. Most of the time, students who take this test only use it as a supplement to their SAT, not a replacement. If they get a better score on the ACT, they will use that as their primary score, but if it translates into a lower SAT score,
lancer express staff editor in chief: kelsey aijala section editors: julius koch vlad korobkin garrett snyder
business: alison casey
staff writers: calla blawusch natalie cortez eri flores kayla fraga emilio gonzalez john hankforth riley hoffman samuel horan jakob karlsson olivia langen tanner layton jacob luna
editorial 7
they won’t even bother sending it. Not quite the competition that you expect. But this is the best you will get. When it comes to the Subject Tests, again the ACT provides the only rivalry, but this time even weaker. If you applying to the Ivy League schools and other top tier universities, Subject Tests become an important way to distinguish yourself from your competition. Instead of taking the SAT Subject Test, you are allowed to take the ACT with the Writing portion and
this will be treated the same. Two problems arise here. First of all, the people doing the ACT with Writing also take Subject Tests so this again isn’t a practical alternative, rather a supplement. Second, the SAT Subject Test has a 20 tests to chose from, something to fit the needs of every student. While the ACT offers no choices at all. Though a viable competitor to the Subject Test on paper, in real life, the ACT does not even come close to stacking up against the almighty College Board. And finally, the AP tests. College Board has the ultimate monopoly in this field since no one, not even the ACT, offers competition to them. This isn’t just a test
madison mcmurray brooklyn o’neill david rubinstein jenny simpson lauren t’kint savannah wardle chloe young tyra wu artist: stephen sweeney
photographers: elise chen mikayla ferraro jacquelyn nakamura kyle veidt
design: tyler dresser zack spanier
for students—it’s also a year long, rigorous school course. It does have a great reward—a three out of five or above, on the AP test in any of the subjects offered will save you thousands of dollars in college by giving you credit in the respective subject. So what are the repercussions of College Board’s almost virtual monopoly in the field of standardized testing? If you are planning to go to college, you will probably be paying the College Board in one way or another. You have no other option and there is no competitor to drive down prices; when a company gains an unfair advantage in its market, it can stop catering to the customers’ specific needs and focus more on revenue. With prices of $50 for the standard SAT test, $90 for the AP test, $25 for a Subject Test (and $24 extra needed to supplement a language section to a listening section) and other outrages fees for late registration, changes to test, scores by phone and verifications of multiple choice answers and essay, the minimum you spend is already 50, but the maximum could hit triple digits. It almost seems as if the students aren’t the consumers anymore, but rather the assets for the College Board to cash in on. Additionally, they can test any skills and information that they choose. If you aren’t good at them, you can always turn to a different test where you can maximize your skills. Oh wait, you can’t. These tests act under the ruse of demonstrating mastery of a certain subject yet mastery comes in many forms, and this is just one of them. If other companies can break through the monopoly and offer alternative tests for students that colleges agree to accept, a more academically diverse group of students will be able to separate themselves from their competition: just as College Board has done to theirs.
editorial policy As a public forum for student expression, Lancer Express welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to 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.
8 opinion
november 2013
Cosmic classes can cultivate change david rubinstein staff writer
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strophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson recently claimed that America has stopped dreaming: stopped dreaming of the future and stopped dreaming of the endless possibilities to be explored in the universe. America, and the rest of the world alike, has had to make tough choices as to what to prioritize in the upcoming future: whether to make space travel and the sciences a priority or ground our resources here, on our own planet. Sadly, most countries have chosen the more short-sighted approach and focused almost all their resources on our lonely planet and considered the rest of the universe almost as an afterthought. We witness this lonesome reality right here at school, where we see classes for all different types of students. There are classes for graphic designers, artists, computer programmers, English enthusiasts, psychology fanatics, history buffs and anthropology lovers. But not one class for those fascinated by the universe outside the realm of Earth. Not one class for cosmologists that wish to study the whole universe, not one class for planetologists who want to learn about planets in our solar system, not one class for radio astronomers who use radio-telescopes to study the universe and not even one class on the basic history of our universe. Astronomy is such a broad topic it is ludicrous to claim we could not have at least one class on one of the vast subcategories. No other field has as much possibility to do good for mankind, and no other field has led to the advances in our civilization more than flight and space travel has. Don’t believe me? Allow me to enlighten you. When considering the most important aspects of their lives, most students will mention the touchy, feely parts first and
claim their family or their friends are most important to them. But after the emotional parts, most students will claim their phones, their computers or cars represent the most necessary components in their life. And every one of these components are either dependent upon, would not exist without or are made infinitely better because of the space program.
making their lives easier, and space exploration is simply the natural extension of this process. Why limit ourselves to our current state of technology and feel content with driving to see Grandma Betsy for some milk and cookies in Los Angeles when we could fly to see Grandpa Jim for some barbecue on Mars? The Space Race of the 60s and 70s,
Consider the emotional first. Think of how easy it is to keep in touch with your family and friends now versus how difficult that must have been before the twentieth century. People couldn’t just hop in their cars and drive to their friends or families house and they certainly couldn’t drive to the airport. Civilization has always been advancing and striving to create state-of-the-art technology for the selfish purpose of
the only time humanity prioritized the cosmos, gave humanity technology that is integral to most every person’s life. Better software for both computers and smartphones is of course one of the most important advances that is a direct result of NASA’s research, but there are more lesser known, yet equally important inventions and advances brought about as a byproduct from NASA’s work. Let’s examine the typical bedroom
Why are these classes not a thing? Intro to Engineering
Grade Level: 9-11 Prerequisites: Algebra1 and Geometry Course Description: Through hands-on projects, students apply engineering standards and document their work. Students use 3D modeling software to help them design solutions to solve proposed problems and communicate solutions to peers and members of the professional community.
Aerospace Engineering AP
Grade level: 10-12 Prerequisites: Pre Calculus and Physics H Course Description: This course explores the evolution of flight, navigation and control, flight fundamentals, aerospace materials, propulsion, space travel, and orbital mechanics. Students analyze, design, build aerospace systems and develop problem-solving skills to apply their knowledge of research.
for students: you have your bed, your desk, speakers and some form of sports equipment and probably, even though your mom told you to take them off as soon as you walk inside, your shoes. NASA gave us, or helped improve on, all of that. That bed with its comfy tempur foam, the desk with its handy portable lamp, those speakers that play tirelessly, that football helmet with the shock absorbent foams that keeps the player alive when hit and those tennis shoes with their air chambers, or maybe if you are super cool, Velcro, have all come from none other than the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I do not claim to know what great contraptions will come in the near future because of our cosmic exploration, in the same way we did not know what would be discovered in the 60s and 70s. But just as we now know what was discovered and created, future generations will know what we discover and create right now. Yet future generations will not be as fortunate as our current generation is if we do not allow ourselves to explore the cosmos. And that exploration starts now. People often claim they know what they want to do with their lives at a relatively young age, and if we do not offer any classes on astronomy or engineering until college, we can not expect students to spring towards those fields. For although some students might be fascinated and awestruck by our cosmos, they are either not offered a chance to study them, or are too scared to commit to a major they have had no experience with before. Instead of stifling scientific advances by diminishing our focus on the cosmos, we can catalyze a scientific and technological boom greater than anything the world has seen before. All we have to do is provide the opportunity for scientific growth to occur, something we can achieve at CHS by offering cosmic classes.
Astrophysics (H or AP) Grade level: 11-12 Prerequisites: Algebra 2H and Physics H Course Description: This course introduces several basic concepts of modern astrophysics, such as: Stellar classification; solar system and planetary motion; stellar evolution and nuclear fusion; messages from the cosmos and how laws of physics are used to reveal mysteries of the universe.
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10opinion
november 2013
Wake up and smell the coffee tyra wu
staff writer
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s we get into the swing of the school year, there’s one thing that every high school student is sure to have on hand: a caffeinated drink. Whether it be a Starbucks coffee or a Rockstar energy drink, these pick-me-ups act as a lifeline for sleep-deprived students. Yet in simplest terms, caffeine is a drug. The more you consume, the more you crave a caffeine boost. That headache and moodiness on the days you skip your daily java? Yep, that’s those pesky withdrawal symptoms kicking in. According to a medical study conducted by Johns Hopkins medical campus, all it takes is a meager 2 ½ cups of caffeine a day to become addicted. Most people drink caffeine because they claim it makes them feel more alert and puts them in a better mood. Yet this increase in attentiveness is actually the caffeine triggering a release of adrenaline, the source of the “fight or flight” response that allows you to quickly respond to threats. This speedy response is great when a bear is chasing you, but is less ideal for daily tasks. When this adrenal high wears off later, all you’re left with is fatigue— rather anticlimactic if you ask me.
During sleep, the brain recharges and sorts through memories, allowing you to wake up with a clear and refreshed mind. When you consume caffeine, you not only miss out on crucial recharging time, but also enter a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation and overcompensation with caffeine. Additionally, caffeine has a sixhour half-life which means if caffeine is consumed at 8 AM, there will still be 25 percent remaining at 8 PM. Any caffeine still in your system at night further disrupts the sleeping cycle, making it harder to fall asleep. The cure for sleep deprivation has now become the cause. Not only does caffeine cause physical symptoms, it also causes chemical alterations. As caffeine enters the system, it takes the place of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that regulates several basic body functions. As caffeine is consumed regularly, adenosine receptors build up, causing unpleasant effects like headaches, irritability and tiredness. In other words, caffeine changes the chemical composition of your body with every cup you drink. More caffeine brings more headaches, something that is not welcome during a midnight cram session. Yes, most people would argue that caffeine is simply an irreplaceable part of a high school student’s life, but trying to get work done
with a pounding headache and a case of the grumpies is as effective as falling asleep on your keyboard. So what does all this harrowing information tell us? Instead of getting rid of the “barely alive” state most people enter after a late night of studying, caffeine may be causing it. Rather than drastically (and unrealistically), cutting out caffeine completely, try cutting consumption down
to one cup a day or substituting the daily cup of joe with a healthier alternative. Substitutes like tea or fruit allows for the same infusion of energy without the side effects. By reaching for a natural alternative instead of the usual caffeine shot, students can avoid the “day after” zombie-like state and still get an energy boost.
The Darwinism of today’s libraries julius koch
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editor
ibraries, Siberian tigers and landline phones all have one thing in common. They are all in danger of extinction. It’s 2013; yet, libraries feel like it’s taken a page out of an eighteenth century novel. In an age of rapid cultural change, a failure to evolve can often lead to complete and total irrelevance. At the moment, libraries everywhere, including our own, just isn’t keeping up with the digital revolution. Before the invention of a little database called the Internet, libraries were the premiere source of information. If you wanted to know anything about anything, you would go to the library. That is why Alexander the Great, when he wasn’t conquering the world, spent his free time building the Library of Alexandria.
Many people believe that the Internet makes the library obsolete. In order to prove this statement false, the library system needs to capitalize on the things that make it unique in today’s society. Studying environments are timeless. A free book lender allows students to save a whole lot of money, especially with rising textbook prices. The need for an intellectual atmosphere is timeless. Libraries aren’t obsolete, just old and in need of a makeover. One approach would be to get inspiration from the places that students attend on their own time. Popular study destinations like Vinaka and Starbucks do more than just serve drinks to attract people. The key lies in the warm atmosphere. People feel comfortable bringing laptops, listening to smooth jazz and discussing their work with their friends while a whole fleet of hipsters serves you delicious treats. The idea that the library needs to be silent has been outdated since the invention of the headphone.
As technology further integrates itself into the educational system, libraries need to adapt. The computers found in our library, besides having very restrictive Internet access which prevents students from accessing necessary research sites, are equipped with outdated software and programs. Rather than making using the Internet more intimidating by placing invasive web-blocks, the district needs to accept the Internet for what it is and stop fighting against the digital age and ultimately accept the change in culture. This fear of vandalism has led to a decline in computer accessibility; it’s inefficient to take away everybody’s privileges because of the actions of the few. University’s libraries could also serve as models of how certain changes can be beneficial. UCSD and many other college libraries have divided their library into sections of ranging acceptable volume; USC among others has a system of group study areas available for reservation. Our library’s current design doesn’t promote student leisure. By altering
the accepted rules of the library and improving Internet accessibility, it can become an environment that fosters creative, efficient and innovative student thinking.
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12 november 2013 december 2012 12
featur
Common Core challenges curriculum
S
tudents may not need to take a derivative or analyze Shakespeare beyond their high school years, but teach analytical and critical thinking skills that these lessons teach reinforce. These key skills necessary for college, career and beyond are the ones taught by Common Core. The Common Core introduces a new national standard adjusted to better prepare students for life beyond High School. The new standard will reduce the size of the curriculum to a narrower range of topics. The standards are more concise allowing for greater cohesion between the student and teacher. By reducing the raw size of the curriculum, students will have more time to practice important skills and better absorb the content being taught. CHS and other schools throughout the nation will have to go through an adjustment period as teachers shift their lesson plans to prepare students for this new method of testing. To ease the transition, school districts in California have received $1.25 billion with the caveat that this funding will only be spent on implementing the Common Core. Teachers Lisa Papera and Paul Isabell represent CHS in the Common Core Expenditure Committee. The committee meets to decide on where to allocate funds proportionate to needs in the district. The ramifications of Common Core are not clear. It will be a few years before educators can accurately gauge the significance of this change or the success. However, the goals represent a symbolic shift from educating for content knowledge to applicable knowledge to be used in the outside world.
Mr. Spanier “I think the Common Core represents what we do in our English classes when we’re at our best. Moving our focus even more to critical reading and a studentdriven inquiry process will strengthen our students’ readiness for college and life.”
Ms. Purnell “Some of us are used to racing through the curriculum, rapid firing standard after standard trying to get students to the end mark. Now, we get students a greater understanding of concepts.”
feature
lancer express, volume 27, issue 2 kelsey aijala
editor-in-chief
john hankforth staff writer
erianna flores staff writer
brooklyn o’neill staff writer
zack spanier
graphic designer
13 13
Goals of Common Core: 1) A greater focus on skills and key points so that once the student has graduated high school they are able to relate their knowledge back to the core. 2 )Teachers are encouraged to dig deeper into subjects rather than rushing through standard after standard. 3) Giving students a flexible education that cna adapt to their needs. 4) Shift focus to essential standards to deliver an education that provides a pathway for students into college and career. 5) To broaden students’ ability to use logical arguments and the english language to make their points. Long Term Changes: 1) Establish and implement the new digital response based testing program called Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA). 2) Use SBA to adjust taught content and how it’s presented to students to prepare them for college, career and beyond. 3) Use SBA to help students on an individual level acquire a better understanding of their own education. 4) Establish a national standard, passed by 45 states so far. 5) Intergarate curriculum, all standards now have a literacy component. Students will see an increase reading
Mr. Walker “Imagine a lab where there is an initial experiment wherein more can happen. Last year, we had more forced directions, but now, science is not so much a cook book. Students are given some creative license now.”
Mr. Isbell “Ultimately, what students will do now is create their own plausible narratives of history using primary sources. The goal of history is less about dates and facts, and more about training critical thinking, judging reliability, and determining validity of argument.”
14mini feature
november 2013
Looking back while moving forward
A reflection on the life of Ansel Le
madison mcmurray
A
staff writer
n extremely motivated debater. A driven student. A gentleman whose eloquence and kindness stood out among his peers. A boy with big dreams and even bigger ideas about the universe. All of these qualities characterized Ansel Le, a former student here at Carlsbad High School. Devoted to his studies, Ansel participated in Speech and Debate while taking a number of advanced placement and honors classes. “Ansel had a perfect balance. He knew how to pursue the educational topics that he loved and truly was interested in, and then applied [what he learned] to his life,” junior William Xheng said. Premature death is a depressing and unnatural experience for anyone to encounter. Especially so when a promising life is cut short so unexpectedly. Unfortunately, students at Carlsbad had to face this tragic reality when thensophomore Ansel Le suddenly passed away last year. An abrupt death, the loss of Ansel left a hole in the student body and in the hearts of those close to him who were unable to say goodbye. This article is not about Ansel’s tragic death though, or about the struggle that his friends and family must face every single day. This article is about all of the positives that came out of Ansel’s life. The stamp on the world that he left through the life he lived. The actions from his passing that have a worldwide impact. “The idea of taking some sort of event that may be very tragic, and turning it into what lessons you can learn, how you can move forward, turning it into something with a motivation to change lives,” junior Yaseen Hashmi said. Thanks to Ansel, many students here at CHS can say that they work harder as students. His friends thank him for the push to take more advanced classes and work harder as students overall, since education always came first with Ansel. “Everything he did he had a purpose for, and so because of that, what I drew was an extreme drive,” Xheng said. “A drive to achieve, to become better. To always better myself, to always achieve greater success in life.” Another contribution from Ansel’s life includes the can-do positive attitude he possessed that is currently reflected in his peers. This attitude pushes others to take risks and drives them to reach for success
in every aspect of their lives. “He was never one to turn down a risk. He was never one to turn down something that would help his life or hurt it. It didn’t matter to him, he just went for it,” junior Conner Shaw said. In tribute to their son, Ansel’s parents started the Ansel Le Foundation. With their very own Facebook page, the Ansel Le Foundation dedicates its time to honoring the life of Ansel through contributing 100 percent of all donations to help underprivileged children’s educational related programs. “The Ansel Le Foundation is to preserve his memory while also trying to influence society and the world in a positive light that Ansel would’ve wanted,” Xheng said. Aiding children’s educational programs, the Ansel Le Foundation has achieved tremendous initial success by funding the construction of two bridges in the small town of Ca Mau in southern Vietnam. As a part of the “A Bridge to School” program, these bridges were specifically designed to outlast the heavy monsoons that plague the area and prevent the village’s youth from reaching their local elementary school. “I recently got to see the pictures of what they’ve done overseas and they made a lot of children’s lives easier and a lot of children’s lives better by valuing education,” Hashmi said. “I think the greatest lesson you could’ve learned from Ansel was the value of an education, and
“
photo courtesy of the ansel le foundation A child from the village of Ca Mau, Vietnam poses next to a plaque near one of the newly reconstructed bridges that memorializes Ansel Le. Children like the one in this picture can now safely reach their school thanks to the Ansel Le Foundation.
discuss how Ansel’s dreams and hopes inspired the writer, how Ansel’s passion for learning changed or enhanced the writer’s ability to achieve their educational goals, and how the writer envisions themselves in 10 years as a result of knowing Ansel. “It allows students to express how they feel and what they learned from a great man like Ansel,” junior Kevin Xia said. Available to students from ninth grade to freshmen in college, the essay contest rewards a $500 check for first place, a $300 check for the second place winner and a $200 check for the third place winner. This contest serves to push students through the pain of loss and express how friends define us, how they weav themselves into our lives and bring us to greater realizations and achievements. “People have to take the perspective not just of a grieving friend but rather of a human being that can learn from others. That is an important lesson to learn, especially as a teenager,” Hashmi said. Through all of the people Ansel has helped, from friends, students and teachers to people he never even knew, his life and actions produced endless benefits. Compelling students to reach for success, teaching kindness and a gentlemanly demeanor to his peers, ensuring the education of children overseas, bringing together a village. Ansel brought a sense of unity and purpose to his community, local and global. He played an important role in
Life’s true purpose is constant progress for everyone by the hand of anyone.
” ansel le
to be able to give that to many children is very valuable.” With the construction of the two bridges, these children access their school with ease now and can focus on their education. Since its unveiling, these bridges have become a local hot spot for villagers to gather at and a play area for the younger ones. They even brought together two elder best friends, unable to see each other for years due to the safety risks of the severe weather coupled with their age. “The betterment of society is always important, and any foundation that does so is completely beneficial,” Shaw said. In reflection of Ansel’s life, his parents decided to hold an essay contest, also through the Ansel Le Foundation. For the first “Ansel’s Vision and Dreams Essay Contest” the prompt asks students to
many people’s lives--and always will--and with these accomplishments during his life and in his name, we receive that bit of closure knowing that Ansel Le’s time here will never be forgotten, either by those that continue to celebrate his existence or through the kindness and love that has been spread throughout the world in his vision. To Ansel, we thank you for your time here with us, and remain eternally grateful for every lesson and explanation, whether about life, academics or the details of the sixth dimension. “Life’s true purpose is constant progress for everyone by the hand of anyone,” Ansel Le said.
Additional Information: For additional information on entry and instructions to the essay contest, work the Ansel Le Foundation is doing or support about Ansel Le, check out the Ansel Le Foundation’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AnselFoundation or the tribute website to Ansel Le at http://lovelyansel-com.webs.com/
student life15
lancer express, volume 27, issue 2
New clubs spring up on campus
Bringing more diversity to the school
jennifer simpson staff writer
Rugby Club
Leo’s Club
Club Leaders: Coach Porter, Coach McAllister About the Club: Introducing a new sport to Carlsbad High for the first time, Rugby Club strives to represent the school on a new playing field entirely. It’s focus is to create a team which will help set the foundation for future players and admirers of the sport to come together and rejoice in all things Rugby. The season begins in November continuing through February. Future players are welcomed to join at any point in the season. Why you should join: Love football, but hate wearing those heavy pads? Enjoy the freedom of soccer, but miss the exhilarating hard hits of a close contact sport? Then Rugby Club is definitely the club for you. Coach Porter hopes to spread his rugby knowledge to players willing to learn the fundamentals and join in on the fun. Future events: Every first Tuesday for the months of November, December, and January Senor Grubbies will be hosting a fundraiser for the Rugby Club. Why it started: Having played rugby for almost 25 years, Coach Porter has gained a vast amount of knowledge and greater appreciation of the sport. By obtaining these qualifications and being a Carlsbad local, Coach Porter thought it was about time for the younger generations to experience this enticing sport.
Club Leaders: President Sage Homer, Vice President Caden Homer About the Club: A primary goal for Leo’s club is to become actively involved in the community through assisting organizations and fundraisers for the hearing impaired and the blind. Lion’s Club International is an active big brother for this club, helping guide students with outside advice and experience. The Leo’s club president meets with Lion’s Club once a month to discuss new ways of benefiting those in need as well as debriefing on their current state as a club. Why you should join: What’s better than finally finishing that pesky community service requirement? Actually enjoying giving back to the blind and deaf community. This club’s main focus is to participate an active role within the community and volunteer with enthusiasm. Future events: The Turkey Trot in Oceanside November 28th Why it started: Club President Sage Homer wanted to created a new outlet for kids hoping to gain more community service hours and witness first hand the rewards of giving back to others. After hearing about the charitable outlet of Lion’s Club International, Homer decided to contact the organization and establish a new club opportunity for Carlsbad High students.
Creative Writing Club
Engineering Club
Club Leaders: President Talia Cain About the Club: This club allows students to step out of the restrictions of regular English classes, and fully experience writing in a more open light. Introducing new ideas and stories to the group enables stimulating entertainment and personal growth for each writer or individual interested with the concept of creative literature. Why you should join: Ever find yourself playing out stories in your head? Enjoying the freedom of expressing your own individual thoughts on paper? Creative Writing Club is right up your alley. This club offers students the opportunity to explore their own capabilities and gain new perspectives on literature. Made up of a variety of students open to creating new relationships and connections, Creative Writing Club is a perfect opportunity to dive into the wonderful world of writing. Future events: The club is currently organizing projects such as selling pencils and having used book sales, or even scheduling once a month movie days welcomed to everyone. Why it started: President Talia Cain wanted to establish an environment where students are comfortable enough to fully express themselves and receive positive feedback from others passionate about writing. By following this vision, Cain established Creative Writing Club which meets every odd Thursday in room 3104.
Club Leaders: President Kunal Purohit About the Club: This club enables experience and exploration for students who enjoy mechanics and engineering field or are curious to learn more about the operating systems which control today’s society. The club consists of friendly students who are willing to collaborate with others and explore the unique world of engineering. Why you should join: This club offers hands on learning for students who enjoy mechanics and engineering field, and perhaps hope to pursue a career path along these lines. With new interactive projects and experiments, students can look forward to exciting experiences which contribute to their overall understanding of engineering. It is also for students who are interested in gaining new knowledge within a fun and supportive club environment. Future events: There will also be monthly new projects such as an alien light projector and other interesting experiments. Why it started: President Raj has been fascinated with engineering and the contributions the field has made to society for many years. Hoping to actively participate in the exploration of engineering, Purohit decided to form a club with a variety of other students with a similar passion as well as willing to sparking a new interest for engineering among the student body.
SOAPBOX
Why should students join your club?
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You can improve your writing skills. We want people who aren't necessarily writers to be exposed to creative writing. talia cain, 11 creative writing club
”
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You get community service and you get the pride and joy of helping the needy. sage homer, 11 leo’s club
I can guarantee that you'll leave with something more important and useful that you can use in real life.
”
kunal “raj” purohit, 10 engineering club
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Just seeing how big football is and all the other sports are here, I think it would be awesome if we could get Rugby to be that well. james fuimaono, 12 rugby club
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16student life
november 2013
The student interweb
and how we are all connected
livi langen
staff writer
C
onnections exist everywhere. It is said that every person on the planet is separated by just six degrees. Theoretically, any two people on Earth know each other indirectly, through friends, friends of friends and so on. If this is true for the planet, just imagine how it applies to a school. With approximately 3000 students at CHS, it is easy to feel small. The best way to feel involved in the school and community is through joining clubs, sports and organizations. By signing up for these activities, the “degrees of separation” shrink and the school’s seemingly vast environment becomes more accepting. “By trying new things, you can meet new people and make connections,” junior Grady McDermott said. “It’s the highlight of high school. Without extracurricular activities, school isn’t as fun.” With continually growing diversity
throughout the school, students have nearly endless opportunities to get involved. From service clubs to the performing arts, there are hundreds of organizations in the community that need new participants. Speech and Debate Club allows students to build confidence through improving public speaking skills. Green Club encourages students to protect the environment and form new friendships. “If you’re looking for ways to expand your circle of friends, definitely join something,” freshman Caroline Carterette said. “Find a club that meets every once in a while, try out for sports, sign up for an elective class. You’ll
“
start recognizing people in the hallways and the school starts to seem more familiar.” When friendships like these grow, students make connections with each other and the school’s little community thrives. Instead of feeling ostracized, students feel proud of their differences. Reluctant students can leave their comfort zone because any amount of talent is cheered on. “You never really regret joining something you care about,” sophomore Miranda Tomaneng said. “If you’re kind of hesitant to join a club or sport, just try it. What do you have to lose? You’ll feel more comfortable on campus when you have
We can all come together through the things we care about. Even though our school is big, we’re really like a small community.
”
hannah kellermeyer
people supporting you.” It is never too late to join a group. In fact, new clubs and organizations crop up throughout the year. High school provides a plethora of simple and accessible opportunities. Being involved in school activities exponentially improves social and intellectual aspects of student life. Students must take the initiative to get involved in order to feel like they are a part of the school. “It’s just like that ‘six degrees of separation’ idea. Everyone on the planet is connected in some way, just like how everyone in the school can be drawn together,” junior Hannah Kellermeyer said. “Of course we all have our differences, but we can all come together through the things we care about. Even though our school is big, we’re really like a small community.” Grady McDermott
Hannah Allen
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18arts and entertainment
november 2013
Film festival brings Hollywood glam to Carlsbad kayla fraga staff writer
T
he relaxed vibe of Carlsbad is much different from the flashy aura associated with Hollywood. However, for one weekend co-founders Michael and Ruby Callihan worked to transform the Omni La Costa Resort into the La Costa Film Festival, giving Carlsbad a taste of Hollywood glamour. Over the weekend of Oct. 24-27, the festival showcased over 20 films, shorts and special events. The Callihans brought the community together in support of the arts and The Boys and Girls Club, which received all of the net proceeds from the festival. “It was kind of an epiphany. There used to be this old Hollywood field here and so we thought, ‘Why not bring Hollywood here?’” Michael Callihan said. “We have a lot of talent in this area and we need to showcase it.” Program coordinator Nancy Collet, along with many others, worked to contact filmmakers to bring in films and draw attention to the launch of this festival. Aside from the Omni La Costa Resort, Cinepolis and the Carlsbad Dove Library served as additional venues for film screenings. Actor Andy Garcia represented Schubach Aviation, which worked with the festival along with many other sponsors. “A festival starting out is very much like making a film. I know how hard it is to do this so I felt a natural sympathy for anyone starting a festival and trying to organize all of these screenings so I wanted to support them as best that I could,” said Steven Bernstein, writer, producer and director of Decoding Annie Parker. The festival opened with a premiere gala, which featured local vendors at the Taste of North County then followed by the film screening of The Short Game. This documentary follows the stories of eight of the worlds best child golfers. It was produced by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel and went on to win best feature at the awards ceremony on Sunday. In addition to having major producers for the films, the festival attracted special guests such as actor Andy Garcia and Mrs. California Stacey Beltran.
“As a school teacher, I appreciate all the talent of students who want to pursue filmmaking and I believe we need to support not just athletes and the academic students but all types of talents students have,” Beltran said. The festival promotes the idea that talent comes in many different forms and all should be acknowledged. Prior to the screening, Keith Blackburn gave a speech by mayor Matt Hall proclaiming October 24th as the La Costa Film Festival Day in Carlsbad. “The La Costa Film Festival aspires to bring a new cultural experience to Carlsbad through a greater appreciation of the art of filmmaking. Our four days of special events at Carlsbad will allow the La Costa Film Festival to showcase the beauty and variety of experiences available from one of America’s greatest destinations,” Mayor Matt Hall wrote. Besides featuring the full length films of major names like Berstein, Timberlake and Biel, the La Costa Film Festival also showcased short films including the work of student filmmakers. In addition to featuring their own film in the festival, the Callihans offered a cash prize to both the student and their school for the best student produced short film. Junior Brandon Chase and Senior Jason Phillips of Canyon Crest Academy won with their film “Routines” which was screened at the festival. “The founders of this festival came to our school and encouraged us to submit so I sent in this film around August. We’re the high school winner so we feel very honored to be here and meet all of these amazing people,” Phillips said. Though this was the first year for the La Costa Film Festival, it incorporated the laid back, friendly essence of Carlsbad into a cinematic ambiance setting it apart from other more flashy film festivals. The community provided a great amount of support for the festival, which will hopefully continue in the following years. “Every film festival has its own little focus and passion. What we’ve found here is really an embrace of art,” Callihan said. “This is a destination festival. It’s not a matter of just bringing in great movies; we also want to showcase all the great things in the area.”
photo by kelsey aijala Co-founders Michael and Ruby Calilihan pose for cameras on the red carpet during the premiere gala at the Omni La Costa Resort. The Calihans donated all of the net proceeds from the festival to the Boys and Girls Club.
Winners of the La Costa film festival: •
The documentary The Short Game took home the Jury Prize for Best sports feature. It follows the lives of eight of the best seven-year-old golfers in the world as they train for and compete in the World Championships of Junior Golf.
•
Slomo received the prize for Best Short. It looks into the life of a neurologist who abandons his career and trades his lab coat for a pair of roller blades and his IRA for a taste of divinity; transforming into Slomo
•
The winner of the local high school competition is the short film Routines, co-directed by Canyon Crest Academy senior Jason Lee Phillips and former CCA student Jason Lee Segal, who is now at Chapman University. Canyon Crest Academy will receive a cash prize from the La Costa Film Festival for its distinguished Envision Cinema program.
photo by kelsey aijala Spectators wait for the premiere screening of the opening night film, The Short Game. This documentary went on to win the Jury Prize of Best Sports Feature at the awards ceremony on Saturday night. Before the screening, spectators heard from the founders of the festival, its coordinators and councilman Keith Blackburn.
arts and entertainment 19
lancer express, volume 27, issue 2
Successful showcase sets stage for DTASC calla blawusch staff writer
A
ctors waited in the wings as the finale number of a horror scene wafted hauntingly through the CAC. It was the last rehearsal before the big performance, yet costumes and props were nowhere to be found. In any other production, this would have been a disaster. This time, it was welcome. Students in Advanced Theatre constituted this rehearsal for the Fall Festival Showcase, which premiered on October 22, 2013. The production highlighted several different groups, which went on to perform at a unique competition the following weekend. “For the past thirty-four years, our theatre program has been participating in the Drama Teacher’s Association of Southern California Festival (DTASC),” Theatre Instructor Monica Hall said.“The showcase is a chance to have everyone see our monologues and scenes before we go to competition. Since it’s two hours away up in L.A. most people can’t go with us, so this is a chance for people to appreciate all the hard work these students have put in.” Although theatre is famous for putting on massive productions throughout the year, the showcase is nothing like a normal play. The students split up into small groups according to specific genres and perform a myriad of theatrical literature. “What’s different about the showcase is that we actually get to write our own scripts which is different than a play where you get it handed to you,” senior Valerie Maybaum said. “It’s cool because we get to create our own ideas so there isn’t a specific director.” DTASC challenges students with strict requirements in eight categories. Each category differs by genre, number of group members and even time limits on scenes. “Under category one there is a technical theatre, which is broken up into three parts,” Hall said. “One entry is sets and lights, there is a costume design entry and a graphic and publicity entry. The theme this year is science fiction.” This year, a Czech play by the name of R.U.R was the inspiration for the technical entries. Written in the 1920’s, R.U.R. famously introduced the word “robot” into languages all over the world. Technical theatre faced the obstacle of communicating the apocalyptic themes of R.U.R. through their designs, which ranged from miniature set pieces, to teeshirts produced as advertisement for the play. “The second category is audition monologues. Each person has to prepare two contrasting monologues: one serious, one humorous,” Hall said. One of those has to be a classical piece pre-1920’s while
photo by kyle veidt
Actors point at junior Talia Cain, who brings to life the disturbed and powerful outcast Carrie. Open Musical performed Carrie, the musical as part of the eight-minute large event.
photo by kyle veidt
Group Humorous gets laughs with their rendition of Mina Tonight.The eight-minute scene told of the wild adventures of a Southern TV host
the other is after the 1920s.” John Norall and Jordan Simpkins took on the monologues, which were absent of props and costumes entirely. Norall performed Servant of Two Masters and Bontche Schweig while Simpkins did The Lion in the Winter and The Casket Comedy. Both individuals performed alone, and had to rely on themselves to communicate switches between characters and nuances through their voices and gestures. “In the five minute event we have an all-female cast that has to be a theme from a play. We also have AFI’s Top 100 screenplays which has to come from the AFI’s list,” Hall said. “Finally, we have Retro Radio which is also part of the fiveminute category, and it’s based on a show done live on the radio.” All Female Cast performed a humorous
piece entitled Parallel Lives, which empathized with those having to deal with well-intentioned but utterly annoying family members. The AFI Top 100 group impressed the audience with their thoroughly entertaining rendition of Lord of the Rings. Racing against the clock, the groups only had five minutes to complete these scenes and could use nothing but fold-out chairs as props. Although they could not sing lyrics, they could use their voices and chairs as “sound effects” by pounding on the chairs to create drama or whistling the Lord of the Rings theme song. Retro Radio took on The Hitchhiker, which turned out to be one of the highlight performances of the night. Utilizing techniques similar to those used in beat-boxing, the actors related a chilling ghost-story complete with the revving
engine of a car, a speeding train and even a pumping heart. Needless to say, the groups in the five minute event had to master teamwork and timing. “My group specifically is a group of the biggest Lord of the Rings nerds in the whole class and that’s what we tried to work on,” senior Adam Gilmore said. “We bounce ideas off each other so we accomplish some great ideas and some terrible ideas but sometimes that leads to even better ideas so there is a very strong team dynamic. We rely on each other a lot to produce a great scene.” The last event was another multiplegroup category, featuring Mina Tonight, Five Kinds of Silence and Carrie, the Musical. “In the large event we have Group Humorous: a six-person group with an eight minute scene and Group Serious, which is also a six-person group with an eight minute scene,” Hall said. We also have open musical which is a group of up to ten people and it’s an eight minute excerpt of a musical” Group serious brought Mina Tonight alive by making deft use of their chairs to create moving props, all the while simulating an outrageous TV show in South Carolina. Mature and uncomfortably realistic, Five Kinds of Silence stunned the audience with the group’s tale of an abusive father haunting his wife and daughters from beyond the grave. Finally, Carrie, the Musical ended the show with a bang. Contorting into impossible positions, the actors sold the choreography and Junior Talia Cain gave a first-rate performance as the creepy and powerful outcast Carrie. At the DTASC competition, Carlsbad Advanced Theatre executed better than ever before, with Technical Set and Lighting Designs claiming first place. AFI’s Top 100 Screenplays came away with second place for Lord of the Rings and Open Musical received fourth place for Carrie, the Musical. Each group that placed high enough earned a certain amount of points for Carlsbad High. Overall, the theatre program placed an impressive overall fifth in sweepstakes, out of nearly eighty other schools. “I think the most nerve wracking part of the whole thing is probably, well, a lot of times we worry because we don’t really figure things out until the last minute,” Junior Megan Ohlin said. “It’s scary because we’re backstage whispering to each other ‘Okay do this do this do that’ and a lot of times you’re just stressed about messing up a line right before you go on. The best part of theatre though is the camaraderie and the friendships you get to have in the class and how it’s a theatre family. Everyone sticks together no matter what.”
20sports
november 2013
Hockey team gets an eh+ riley hoffman jakob karlsson
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An inside look at our very own roller hockey team
staff writers
arlsbad High School is well known for it’s strong athletic prowess in many areas. Throughout the school’s illustrious history, Carlsbad has won trophies and championship galore in plenty of sports all across the board. However, no one would expect hockey to be a recent area of success in this beached out southern California town. A sport that is normally thought to be played in the northern parts of the globe, where icy conditions are far more prevalent, here in sunny San Diego, the sport is played on wheels. Roller Hockey, although extremely similar, certainly has its differences from the ice game, such as being played on in-line skates rather than the bladed variant meant for ice. “Roller hockey is a little bit slower,” senior Mark Huckaby said. “We play sort of a more street type game, only on plastic tile so you slide better.” Along with the different mode of transport, the style of play itself is also quite different. While many ice hockey games involve a more physical type of game-play, roller hockey tends to be much more about technicality and momentum. “It’s a little less intense hitting wise,” sophomore Coleman DePretis said. “But you can be a lot more fancy with the puck and kind of just put your head down and go.” Playing a sport on wheels also adds to the entire atmosphere of the game. With a high capacity for mistakes to be made, the entire game is played with high levels of tension. “Hockey is the fastest team sport there is,” Huckaby
said. “You have to be able to get knocked over and then get yourself back up in literally two seconds, or else you’re jeopardizing a goal on your own side of the rink.” The lack of hockey players in Carlsbad means that the team has been playing with each other since they first entered the game. This lead to a strong team chemistry which is one of the squad’s greatest attributes. “We’ve all been playing together since we were super young,” DePretis said. “The older guys like Hank and Mark had a team at Valley, but I was never quite old enough to actually play on the team with them.” Even though the players are aware hockey is not a well known sport at Carlsbad, a recent Loud Crowd appearance at their game versus San Pasqual seemed to provide them with some optimism. “Loud Crowd showing up when we played our rivals was probably one of the sickest things that has happened in my hockey career,” senior Hank Kollar said. “We all pretty much agreed that that was how we won the game. Everybody was really hyped and having them out there really made a huge difference.” Carlsbad’s roller hockey team has been slowly making a name for itself in the community for the past few years, and shows no signs of stopping this year, with a team that looks like they can hold their own. “This year we are young. We’ve got young blood with a bunch of sophomores and freshmen, but we’re a lot faster and we’re pumped up and ready to go.” Huckaby said. “There are a couple CIF teams that look good though, such as Mira Mesa, who jumped down to our division this year because they lost some players, but we’re certainly
still ready to bring it.” Although the team has been working with each other for so long, there are many varying ages among the many players on the team. With strong players from every class at Carlsbad, the team is looking to stay as consistent as -they have the past few years. The team has changed a lot from previous years, but it seems to be only a minor bump in the road for members of this year’s team, as even with such a young team, the players still know exactly who to look to for leadership. “We definitely lost a lot of players,” Kollar said. “Without the other guys, we seniors on the team have really had a lot more work this year, but with the younger guys coming in we’ve got a very strong team this year. We’ve got solid skaters top to bottom.” Love of the game drives the dedicated team to do they do every day and keeps them out there no matter what else they have going on. “When you check someone it’s like smacking them in the face,” Huckaby said. “You’ve gotta throw all your body weight into this one hit, and if you mess it up you get yourself hurt, but if you do it right, some kids won’t come up. It’s a feeling of power. It’s brutal.” For many players, the rink is their center of being. A spot of nirvana that simply allows them to forget their inhibitions and just live life. “In the rink is where everything goes away,” Huckaby said. “I snap into hockey mode and everything goes away. Not a lot of people have seen me like that. Hockey is a whole new world.”
The Basics of Roller Hockey • Played on a flat rink enclosed by boards that are usually at least 6 feet in height. • Object of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team • Each team has a goalkeeper who stands in front of the goal and uses his glove, stick, or any part of his body to stop shots on goal • Along with goal keepers each team has 4 regular players, 2 forwards and 2 defense-men • The forwards primarily attempt to score goals, while defense-men primarily attempt to prevent the other team from scoring. • Rather than a ball, as is common with most sports, the game is played with a cylindrical, plastic puck which is pushed around by the players using sticks with a curved blade at the end • All players wear a variety of pads to protect their bodies, along with a helmet to protect their heads, and in-line skates for movement • Unlike ice hockey, roller hockey is missing the two main penalties: icing and offsides • Any penalty infraction causes the offending player to be placed in the “penalty box” where they are forced to sit for a certain period of time • This gives the opposing team a “power play” where they play with one player more than the other team until the penalty is done • Penalties include tripping, high sticking, holding, and many other different infractions
photo by Mikayla Ferraro Freshman left wing Jake Porter shoots goalward in a Lancer victory against Poway. The team recently went through playoffs with a 5-2 record and beat the number one seeded San Pasqual.
sports 21
lancer express, volume 27, issue 2
Football player takes leadership off the field natalie cortez staff writer
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hulking figure and monster on the football field, Jordan Perez shatters expectations by going above and beyond, acting as role model to his peers and a leader in the classroom. Perez verbally committed to a scholarship from Stanford on July 26. He spent his summer working out and practicing with the team’s football program and returned to CHS to play his last year of football as a captain on the varsity team. Even though football impacted his life greatly, Perez has been able to keep a strong, steady mind not only on the field, but also in class. “It’s all those little things [he does] that let you know he’s going to be very successful in life because he knows how to work with people,” Mr. Spanier said. Perez is not only a member of the varsity football team, but he is also part of AVID. The AVID program helped Perez create a foundation for his college path, helping him achieve a higher standard academically. Perez joined AVID in the second semester of his sophomore year after being recommended into
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the program by Mr. Tamayo. He takes advantage of the peer interaction in AVID and the additional tutorials and time for work. “It’s really good to prioritize your classes and get some work done that you couldn’t get done at home,” Perez said. “Tutorials help you get information you couldn’t get at home because there are five or six other kids in your group that are taking the same classes as you and help you with problems and you can also help them too.” In addition to his leadership on the football field, Perez has taken on a leadership position in school. He prepares for each class, taking the initiative to keep other classmates in line during AVID tutorials. His focus on schoolwork influenced his peers in both football and AVID. “He’s been a model of integrity and hard work since I met him when he was a sophomore… I think the most important thing a leader needs to do is be a model of what the expectation is. You lead by example.” Mr. Spanier said.
He’s been a model of integrity and hard work since I met him.
photo by elise chen During the game at El Camino on October 21, Senior Jordan Perez, a wide reciever, runs to recieve the ball. Varsity football earns a spot in the CIFs after defeating the Vista Panthers on November 8.
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mr. spanier
Since AVID helped Perez with preparing for college, Perez had time to focus on being a member on the football team and his future studies. He plans to incorporate his love of sports and healthy living into his studies at Stanford. “I’ve always just been interested in the body and how it works. I really like kinesiology, how the muscles work together in the body and ways to treat them if they’re hurt naturally,” Perez said. In order to prepare for his future in college and football and college football, Perez takes the extra step by choosing to eat healthy and taking special care of his body. A part of this step includes cooking in his free time, preparing nutritional and healthy meals for himself. “I kind of taught myself [to cook],” Perez said. “I like the nutrition part of it because our bodies run better when we eat healthier food.” With all his support and guidance from those around him Perez has been able to stay grounded. He advises to students and athletes to maintain a secure balance between both sports and homework. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Even if you have a lot of pride, just ask for help because it’s going to help you more than not asking for it.” Perez said.
Skate PE shreds across Carlsbad tanner layton staff writer
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eeply-rooted with a large skating culture, Carlsbad attracts skaters from across the country. Every town corner is filled to the brim with their floppy hats and when hearing the sound of wheels on pavement one knows to watch out. It’s a way of life growing in population, and the Skate PE class allows skaters to showcase their personalities through heelflips and McTwists. Currently practicing at Carlsbad Skate Park, the class is set to permanently move to the skatepark at Alga Norte Community Park, opening near Bressi Ranch in late December or early January. Geared towards old and new skaters alike, the park is a highly anticipated part of the Carlsbad skate scene. “It’s a lot bigger and more well-rounded to different types of skaters,” sophomore Matthew Aijala said. “It has bowls that are real bowls for vert skaters and more open street courses for street skaters.” Not only will the skatepark be larger than students of the class have experienced, it will be geared more toward a ranging variety of skaters. The park is set to feature both challenging elements
photo courtesy of tony lee Sophomore Jordan Heyer performs a hardflip during the Skate PE class at Carlsbad Skate Park, located near the Safety Center. He is one of the many skaters utilizing the class.
for skilled skateboarders and an area for beginners near the playground. “The bigger park will mean more ramps and way more room to improve my skating,” senior CJ Larson said. Students take advantage of the class by doing what they enjoy while at the same time receiving PE credit. This unique feature of Carlsbad High separates itself
from not only conventional PE classes, but also from surrounding schools. “I like how you aren’t ruled by a normal sport where you have someone telling you what to do,” Aijala said. “Skating here, you get to go and have fun and do what you want, and still get physical activity.” The class serves as a platform for skaters of all styles to showcase their talent
while learning something new every day about the tricky craft. “I like the class because it forces me to go out and practice every day,” Larson said. “That way, I get better each day.” Given the immense population of skaters at CHS, fewer than 30 actually decide to take the class and have the chance to skate during school. Looking not to get cut next year, the class aims for more than 40 students to remain at CHS. Embodying the self-expressive aspect of skating, as well as the strides taken to jump a longer gap or land an elusive trick, the Skate PE class should be considered by all skaters. “I film skateboarding so the class has helped me in that way,” senior Andres Garcia said. “It can help you in a way more than skating.” Skate PE epitomizes the novelty skating has become throughout Carlsbad. Students refute the common relation skating has with the laid-back Southern Californian lifestyle, realizing the class is a privilege and taking advantage of the opportunity to develop their finesse. “You always want to try to do stuff because you’re at the same park every day,” Aijala said. “There’s always something you wanna go bigger or get better at.”
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sports 23
lancer express, volume 27, issue 2
Fall athletes compete for the last time
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ith the fall season coming to a close, teams focus on leagues and CIFs. Water polo, tennis, volleyball, football, golf and cross country have pushed themselves through the season to get where they are today. Tennis, football, volleyball and water polo claimed spots in the CIFs and soon will compete against the best teams in their
leagues. The team finished 8th place in CIF and Alana Uriell is moving in to CIF regionals as an individual player on Thursday, Nov. 14. Cross country completes its season and now awaits CIF confirmation. As many seniors compete for the last time as high school athletes, they can look back with Lancer pride.
Below: Jordan Perez scrambles to evade the El Camino lineman in order to help the defense stop El Camino’s offense from running the ball. The Lancers defeat the El Camino Wildcats 30-7 to bring their record to 7-2.
photo by elise chen
photo by kyle veidt Above: Sophomore Kate Carter kicks the turn toward the finish line at Buena Vista Park on Nov. 8 during the JV Cluster meet, this year’s last regular season meet. The boys team finished first and the girls team finished third. The post-season begins on Saturday, Nov. 16, with the League Championship at Kit Carson park.
photo by jacquelyn nakamura photo by alex ramirez Above left: CIF playoffs have arrived for women’s tennis. Senior Brooke Hollman serves the ball for a strong start against Vista. Senior Jiana Huang will play singles at Barnes Tennis Center for the first round of final playoffs on Tuesday November 12. Junior Delaney Phanco and senior Victoria Zaks, who play doubles, are also playing November 14th.
Left: Haylie Bantle tees off in a golf match against La Costa Canyon to determine which school team would play at CIF. Although Carlsbad lost, Haylie was one of the few chosen team members to compete in CIFs.
24lancer in the crowd
november 2013
Jones discovers new dance floor garrett snyder savannah wardle editor staff writer
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emy Jones strolls into mundane rooms and brings them to life. He finds ordinary articles of clothing and makes them extraordinary. He chooses to run when he can walk. He dances to the music of his soul even in the silence of a classroom. A unique wardrobe, captivating presence and downright disregard for social norms, all embody this junior. His methods of self-expression, while a bit outside-of-the-box, seek not to please others, but rather to fulfill his passions while simultaneously inspiring those around him. Jones discovered his love for dance at a young age when his father began teaching him how to swing. The passion did not strike him until his sophomore year and, despite being introduced to it at an early age, he chose not to pursue it initially. A junior, Jones moved here during the second semester of his freshman year. He spent his previous 14 years living in Washington where he saw beauty in things less appreciated. “I really miss the rain and dreary [weather] of Washington. It was so beautiful and green,” Jones said.
mother, who sings for the elderly and runs Little Bird Piano Academy for preschoolers, successfully instilled a different form of art in him by teaching him how to play the piano since age three. And Remy is not the only child prodigy: he is the youngest of six musically gifted and unique siblings. “I like to think of myself as a collection of my family’s interests,” Jones said. Continuing Jones’ prestigious resume, he became a Boy Scout at age eight and is now close to becoming an Eagle Scout. This, along with Taekwondo, fulfilled his childhood and defined him prior to dance. Upon receiving his black belt, Jones chose to explore new fields of martial arts and still studies them in his time away from the ballroom.
Despite his accomplished childhood, he is less sure about where his future will lead him. “I had always wanted to be an astrophysicist but now I’m not so sure and I think that’s a good thing because I don’t need to make all of my decisions right now,” Jones said. In the near future, however, Jones would like to enter in some swing competitions and learn the basics of tap and jazz. But for now, he finds inspiration from his hero Dick Van Dyke, a comedian, dancer, writer, actor and singer. “I want to be an entertainer that can do everything; hopefully, I can make clumsy seem graceful and falling look spectacular,” Jones said.
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I want to be an entertainer who can do everything; hopefully, I can make clumsy seem graceful and falling look spectacular.
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remy jones
Last year, Jones met some of Carlsbad’s very own break dancers who helped him realize the emotional benefits dancing offers. Today, whether in swing, ballroom or hip-hop, Jones shows off his electric and infectious personality. “I love being in front of people and entertaining in any way; I really want whatever I do to bring a smile to people’s faces,” Jones said. With this in mind, Jones takes a ballroom dance class he stumbled upon when looking for an extra Algebra course at Mira Costa. Rather than spending his time in a Math class that semester, Jones capitalized on the opportunity and let his true passion loose. He attends class every Monday and Wednesday for two hours to better his swing, foxtrot and waltz. “I’m just now exploring the fact that I can dance,” Jones said. Jones is also an active member in Chamber Singers, Improv Club and Go Club. This year, Jones is taking on a minor role in the fall play “On the Razzle” and he continues to involve himself in the Mormon Church by attending Mormon dances. Jones received his knack for swing from his dad, an aerospace engineer, who has always enjoyed dancing. His
Junior Remy Jones shows off his moves in Lancer Plaza. Jones incorporates his martial arts skills in his newly-discovered passion, break dancing, which makes Jones’ dance unique and completely his own. photo by mikayla ferraro