first issue of the 2010-2011 school year

Students Allegedly Threatened With LAWsuit · Page 05

MLLCCNEWS.COM

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ENTERTAINMENTAlumnus Releases Album

SPORTSGridiron Report

NEWSTraffic Frustration

Q&A With Comedy Sportz Freshmen Adjust to New Surrondings

November 2010Volume - Issue 2 La Costa Canyon High School 1 Maverick Way, Carlsbad, California 92009 5

2 | MavLife | November 2010

Editor In Chief: Hunter VurbeffManaging Editor: JP HorriganVisual Editor: Sarah FavreauNews Editors: Cara Connor and Alex HamSports Editors: Sean Bentley and Andrew MurrayEntertainment Editor: Ally Allen and Jake BarnesOpinion Editor: Liliana AlanizCopy Editor: Joanna Tang

Staff Writers: Jordan Bernard, Kenya Caines, Kiely Doherty, Cassidy Feeney, Maggie Hammock, Breonna Mabry, Lisa Mazzone, Alex Meeks, Lau-ren Sonken, Kristen Afams, Danielle Calder, Trace Dimeff, Erika Dobrovic, Steven Fahy, Jordon Freiler, Rachel Hutchison, Will Jones, Katrina Kellen-berger, Brenna Lyles, Loretta Martinez, Tara McQueen, Keren Moore, Jessica Stevenson, Rebecca Sykes, Tanner Ta-guchi, Nick Theriault

Adviser: Suzi Van SteenbergenCover illustration: Hunter Vurbeff

contact us:1 Maverick WayCarlsbad, CA 92009(760) 436-6136 ext. 6020email: [email protected]

www.LCCNews.com

Mav Life is the student newspaper of La Costa Canyon High School. La Costa Canyon High School student me-dia products are public forums for student expression. Students are responsible for their work in print publica-tions, online content and video broadcasts, as well as in other products, none of which are subject to adminis-trative approval. Students make all final content deci-sions. Media programs follow educational best practices as defined by the National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Student Press Law Center. In addition, student media programs work to follow all copyright laws and avoid libel, slander, and infringing upon the rights of others. Unsigned editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper staff, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective. Advertisements do not necessarily represent the newspaper’s viewpoint. MavLife, an open forum, welcomes signed letters on pertinent issues from the community, which may be submitted to room 804, via e-mail or to Suzi Van Steenbergen’s mailbox in the administrative building. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

MavlifeNews

Editorials

The beginning of the school year has brought upon a multitude of changes to our campus. Anywhere from lost teachers, lost classes, to new rules and traditions, it seems that our school of yesteryear is forever sealed in the pages of the 09-10 yearbook.

If a stranger were to walk on campus he or she would witness a High School hit hard with the toll of educational budget cuts and loss of staff that has crippled the school system state wide.

It seems in this time of fi-nancial peril, we as students have decided to take the back seat in the dealings of our edu-cation. One does not see spir-ited protesters lining the inter-sections as was done for gay rights before the prop 8 voting. Yet the state is robbing us once again of our rights, only this time to a good education.

The editorial staff at Mav-life stresses to current as well as former students to not let these most recent cuts damage the future of our school. When the economy returns to a state of where normalcy, we as stu-dents must stress to our dis-

trict that we return funding to our school that was lost in our recent financial crisis.

One of the most significant changes that budget cuts have had is the loss of staff and facul-ty on campus. Anywhere from grounds keeping to adminis-tration, the financial downturn has created a staff riddled with holes. This leaves students and the remaining teachers with classes that average forty stu-dents and, in many cases, ex-ceed fifty students.

In a time where educational reform is as pressed as ever we implore the school district to carefully consider the situa-tion before cutting corners on our education to fulfill a bud-get quota. Our education sys-tem is the foundation and rock on which society functions. To cut funding to our schools now may seem like an easy option for a state government pressed with tight budgets and pivotal elections looming, but slash-ing education is not an option.

Nevertheless, cutting fund-ing to the schools is destroy-ing the very foundation of our society. One could relate our educational system to a meta-

phorical tree of knowledge. At first, cuts to our budget may not seem to affect us, just as de-stroying the roots of a tree will not kill it instantly. Yet as time passes the tree will shrivel and die, our society fold upon itself. For this simplistic reason we cannot allow the politicians of today to decide our fate of to-morrow. With their own office in danger, one can only imag-ine the chaotic future that they will bring about but will most likely never see.

As we have stood against the government’s judgemental and reckless endeavors in the past we as students must take a stand against increased school budget cuts before politicians cripple our education and so-ciety itself.

Email and call state officials imploring them to hear your voice, tell your parents next time around to vote against education cuts. When the time comes to vote yourself, re-member that just because you are not in school doesn’t mean it isn’t harmful to you to cut ed-ucation. Think of society, think of your future.

Budget Cuts Destroy Education

In the wake of the recent election we as students have witnessed in the last ten years a myriad of political corrup-tion, lies and hatred. In our history classes we are taught of censorship in years past by fascist, communist and even democratic governments.

One would think and hope that our own campus is free of such over arching govern-mental entanglements and hardships.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

In October, students on campus who created com-pletely harmless and non-inflammatory senior shirts, claimed to be threatened by ASB with a lawsuit if they con-tinued distribution.

The very notion that a stu-dent organization such as ASB

is even remotely related to the “banning” of anything on campus raises a significant issue. ASB is not our admin-istration and in no way has power over students. They do not control discipline, they cannot suspend students and cannot institute school regu-lations any more than the new Appropriate Dancing Club can.

ASB exists to promote school pride, calculate the budget and plan school events. They are not a dicta-torship or even a democracy to govern students. ASB advi-sor Ms. Wood and elected of-ficials are in no way entitled to control student content even if it does diminish school spirit.

It should be noted that ASB has in no way a right to sue anyone based on distribution

and even the notion of repre-sentatives of the student body suing students is unbeliev-able.

ASB confirmed and then later denied the allegations of threatening to sue and halt distribution and has since remained distant on the situ-ation. After our journalists investigated, ASB hastily re-versed its decision to not allow the student-created shirts.

However, while many now frequently wear the student-created senior shirts on cam-pus, the damage is done. By restricting and threatening students, ASB has discouraged students to express them-selves my making threats.

It’s a sad day on our cam-pus when students are dis-couraged to express school pride by the very organization created to support it.

ASB Censorship Is UnacceptableThe opinion of the staff written by the Editor In Chief

A La Costa Canyon student was arrested for alleged public drunk-enness during the LCC football game vs. San Clemente High School on Friday, September 17, 2010. No information about the accused stu-dent could be released because the student involved is a minor (age 17 or younger).

The juvenile was removed from the stands after exhibiting inappro-priate behavior. The student was escorted by a school official and another police officer to Officer Co-bian, the new school resource of-ficer, who made the actual arrest. Although no alcohol was found on the student, the arrest at the San Clemente football game caused the administration to ban bringing in bags at the following football game against Redlands High School on September 24, 2010.

While little information could be gathered about the specific ac-tions involved in the incident. The actual actions of the student that was removed could not be revealed, as well as which officer and school official removed the student. No school property was damaged in as-sociation with the student’s alleged intoxication. As is school policy, the student was referred to the READI program as an alternative to sus-pension.

The Recovery Education Alcohol Drug Instruction Program (READI) helps students involved with drugs and alcohol. The program is run by two substance abuse counselors Jo-

seph Olesky and Tiffany Findel.Mr. Olesky explained the specif-

ics of why students get referred to the READI program and what stu-dents will accomplish during the program.

“You can be referred to the READI program for being intoxicated, in possession of drugs or alcohol, or you can refer yourself if you realize you need help, and your parents can refer you as well. Phase one of the Readi program lasts two days. The course is physco-educational and we discuss how drugs and alcohol affect the brain, the body, and future experiences. Phase two requires six

weeks of group discussion every other week, 10 hours of communi-ty service within 60 days, recovery meetings, and completing a relapse prevention packet.”

Mr. Olesky also expressed that the READI program is optional, but the program erases the suspension off a student’s record. However, suspensions may still be active for sports teams or extracurricular ac-tives. If a referred student chooses not to do the program, record will show that a student has been caught using or in possession off illegal substances and a five day suspen-sion will be issued.

Mr Olesky added, “The pro-gram is designed to change lives. If you just get suspended what do you get out of it?”

Principal Ruggles, in response to the arrest, said, “I’m disap-pointed with the student’s deci-sion. It is against the law for stu-dents to use substances like that. I become a little angry when stu-dents break Ed Codes and laws.”

Principal Ruggles made clear that the school is doing all it can to prevent incidents like this from occurring. “We have a cli-mate committee made up of staff, parents and students that solve issues at the school. “Climate” refers to the climate of the class-room. Are students learning, are they happy? And, most impor-tantly, are they safe?”

When asked if an arrest is a frequent occurrence at LCC Princi-pal Ruggles replied, “I wouldn’t say that it is frequent, but I won’t deny

that it happens. It is a problem, and it needs to stop. Stopping it starts at the family level, expressing the seri-ousness of contraband.”

“If students are under the influ-ence of alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car, it is a death sentence. Students should never be involved with contraband at any time. Also, when applying for college students are asked if they have ever in trou-ble at school. This student would have to answer ‘yes’,” Principle Kyle Ruggles warns.

Student Arrested at Football GamePublic drunkenness results in the arrest of student

Students in the crowd are enthusiastic as they cheer their peers on. Photo courtesy of Delancy Vaccaro.

Tanner TaguchiStaff Writer

News

November 2010| MavLife | 3

In an attempt to bring change onto the campus, Principal Kyle Rug-gles has decided to draw attention to the word “respect.”

He selected this word after he was inspired by a student forum last spring. The forum was organized by senior Breonna Mabry in an attempt to bring change to campus. It helped people to express what they felt and thus lead to a better environment.

“Respect is a nice start but the administration has to do something with it, such as bringing challenge day back and other activities,” Mabry said.

During the forum, Ruggles no-ticed that a lot of students discussed the lack of respect received by their peers. After the forum, he met with Mabry to discuss ways to promote a more positive environment. Ruggles

decided to make a word of the year in response to this issue.

“So far I have seen a nice feel around campus about the word re-spect and that students are being more respectful of themselves and others,” Principal Ruggles said.

Ruggles and the staff are working cooperatively to create harmony on campus by creating the “Student for Student Safety” program. The pro-

gram would consist of one student representative from each grade to discuss issues and ways to help stu-dents feel more secure with Ruggles. Similar to the student forum, this program hopes to promote more re-spect on campus. Principle Ruggles and the staff are still in the process of creating the program. They plan to present to the district in the near future.

Ruggles Declares “Respect” as Word of The Year Kristen Adams and Lorreta MartinezStaff Writers

Students and staff work to demonstrate respect on campus

Beginning high school is chal-lenging time in one’s life. Amongst fear, anxiety, and excitement, freshmen are challenged to quickly adapt to their new surroundings. The relationship between freshmen and senior students is supposed to be one of respect, but bullying is possible as well. Each freshman’s experience is very different. “In high school, you get more re-sponsibility and independence. You don’t feel as confined and people seem friendlier. I met a lot of senior girls through my older sister. I am impressed that a lot of the seniors treat me well,” Laurel Bonsack, freshman, said.

The differences between high school and middle school can be overwhelming for some. There are many new events to experience in high school, and freshmen seem to be adjusting well to the new sched-ule filled with various activities. “High school has been life-changing for me. The large campus and number of students gives us so much more to do. Upperclassmen try to get me to do the craziest stuff! I guess they’re not necessarily good examples, but they do treat me like family,” Timmy Milikin, freshman,

said.Seniors do not always have the

best perception of freshmen stu-dents. They tend to think of fresh-men as immature.

“They’re all very short, and very cocky. I don’t have classes with any freshmen this year, but in my other years I remember them being extremely immature. Even though I don’t really think anyone at this school ever reaches a high maturity level, freshmen are definitely low on the scale. The upside of being a senior is we get to stay away from the freshmen, but I do feel like se-niors are pretty hard on them when the two grades interact,” Michael Taylor, senior, said.

Seniors may doubt the fresh-man’s potential, but their teachers see them in a different light. Per-haps this is due to the fact that they have seen freshmen grow up over their years in teaching, and have faith in their progression due to past examples.

“I’ve taught every grade in my Spanish classes. Freshmen appear smaller, younger, and tend to be a bit more immature than my other students. On the first day of school, my freshmen students always seem

very timid. I think this is because they are amongst the elder students of the school. They begin the year being very afraid and insecure, but throughout the course of time I always see my students bloom! I do not believe much bullying takes place due to grade separation on campus. Never in my classes,” Em-ily Longiaru, Spanish teacher, said.

Freshmen appear to be enjoying

their experiences so far. Many may think that freshmen are subjected to bullying, but some seniors have been treating them well and accepting them into the school. Although some may feel that they lack a sense of maturity, the fresh-men do add an important aspect of respect in regards to age to the school’s atmosphere.

News

Unusual Clubs Grow On CampusDifferent ideas spark interest for students to start clubsBreonna Mabry

Staff Writer

A new wave of trendy ASB-sponsored Clubs is sweeping the campus, and these organizations appear to be for everything but helping students get into that Ivy League University.

“Zombie Survival Club, Ap-propriate Dancing Club, Treasure Hunting Club, Cereal Club, and Club America are just a few of the different clubs that showed interest for this school year,” ASB Com-missioner of Clubs Drew Toolson said. “The thing about these clubs though, is that they usually fail, because they often lack substance, therefore running out of activities and things to do.”

Many are hoping this will not be the case for these entertaining clubs. Zombie Survival Club Amer-ica, and Cereal Club had the most

sign-ups during club rush this Sep-tember. Students claim they were amused by the titles, club officers, and banners hanging above the stu-dent center. And many even signed up solely because they thought the organization was a joke. What many people fail to realize it that to start an ASB club there must be a purposeful mission statement. To many officers however, their “silly sounding” clubs are more than laughs, smiles and butcher paper.

“Obviously our school has issues with appropriate dancing. A lot of students just don’t know you can have fun without being vulgar and touching one another,” Katarina Ublehor, copresident of the Appro-priate Dancing Club, said.

The Appropiriate Dancnig club focuses on old traditions and highlights the idea that its okay to

be conservative on the dance floor. The officers state that their mission is to create a scene where students are free to be themselves, while maintaining a family appropriate environment any mother would ap-prove of.

“While the rest of the school is ‘taking it off’ with Ke$ha, Ap-propriate Dancing Club is putting it all back on,” said Blaire Bender, copresident of the club.

This new club is not alone in its attempt to create a fun but purpose-ful organization.

For example, contrary to popu-lar belief, Zombie Survival Club focuses more on health than it does science fiction. The club hosts regular “Manhunt” events, in which members race from one part of town to another avoiding being captured by “chasers”, or meta-

phorical zombies. “These meetings are gener-

ally geared towards getting kids in shape, because our events encom-pass intensive running,” says club officer Bronson Young. “The harsh reality however, is that it is the fit cross country runners, the ones that usually win the manhunts, that would be the ultimate survivors of a Zombie Apocalypse.”

But all jokes aside, the clubs, like many others, are focused on service to the community- whether it be through organized exercise, promoting of morals, or just giving students a break from their every-day stresses. So maybe the clubs will fail or maybe they will run out of things to do. Only time will tell.

Freshmen Adjust to New SurroundingsUpperclassmen welcome younger students

Cassidy Feeney and Lauren Sonken Staff Writers

Freshmen actively participate in Mr. Ritchie’s English class. Photo by Cassidy Feeney.


November 2010 | MavLife | 5

News

When two dissatisfied seniors decided to design their own senior shirts, neither expected the waves of backlash and criticism from the Associated Student Body.

Every year ASB creates a senior class shirt sold exclusively to the senior class. The process began during the summer when ASB created a Facebook page invit-ing seniors to solicit suggestions on possible slogan ideas. Some seniors assumed that ASB was em-powering them to vote on the shirt design, which was not the case.

In fact, ASB did not end up using any of the suggested shirt ideas.Ultimately, ASB hired Ryer Flaker to design the image. After see-ing the that Flaker created, ASB officers considered changing the design, but miscommunication and lack of time left the shirts unal-tered.

“We were unaware that the printing process would take so long and we weren’t able to add the amount of detail we wanted. Given the unforeseen timeconstraints we were happy with it. We just straight up ran out of time,” Chris Leigh, senior, said.

Student Designs New Shirt

The rushed effort to design the shirt resulted in many seniors ex-pressing discontent upon viewing the final image. Several students were upset that our school’s name was not printed on the shirts.

“The senior shirts were pretty bad. They didn’t capture the es-sence of the Mavericks. So we came in to fix it. We were only planning on making twelve and then it just exploded,” Sam Owen, senior, said.

Frustrated with ASB’s choice of senior shirts, Owen decided to create one of his own. Owen con-tacted Brooke Hartley, an alumnus with a degree in graphic design from the University of Arizona, to help create a new shirt. Owen’s design contains the slogan, “The Good Life” on the back paired

with an image of sunglasses and the Maverick logo. on the front

Controversy Erupts

While popular among seniors and staff on campus, the shirts solicited disapproval and even threats from ASB. According to several ASB stu-dents, after Owen started selling the shirts, ASB Advisor Kailtin Wood discussed the situation in

an ASB meeting. At that meeting, Wood allegedly stated that ASB could potentially sue Owen for using the Maverick logo without permission. Several ASB students were upset with Owen’s actions.

“I was confused on why they would want to break the unity that ASB tries to create for the Senior Class through these shirts. It brings our morale down; even our own members bought the shirts. I think the reason they did it was to bash on ASB,” Secretary Katarina Uebelhor, senior, said.

After the meeting between

Wood and the ASB students, a member of ASB approached Owen and warned him that ASB could take legal action against him.

“[An] ASB individual threatened me with the possibility of a lawsuit, said there were copyright viola-tions, legal issues, and that I was infringing on the duties of the ASB class. They told me that ASB was contacting my parents and that I could be prosecuted,” Owen said.

ASB Advisor Denies Law-suit Threat

Wood denies all accusations of even mentioning a lawsuit and denies that ASB ever intended to press legal charges.

“It is possible that a student misinterpreted the agenda that day. ASB never intended for this to be a legal issue,” ASB Treasurer Jenna Maffucci, said.

ASB asserts that the student who approached Owen was either misinformed or seriously mis-taken. However, because of the individual’s position of authority in ASB, many people believed that the threats against Owen were plau-sible.

“It’s just frowned upon to use the Maverick logo without permis-sion,” Wood said. “What’s ironic is that they are taking money away from their own [ASB] fund.”

As it stands now, there is no lawsuit, no parents have been contacted, and no students have been called in for questioning. According to Wood, the Maverick logo is in the public domain, which means that anyone can use it. As long as Owen sells the shirts off campus, the Administration cannot do anything to stop students from wearing the alternative shirts.

Students Threatened Over Senior ShirtsHarmless student expression is restricted by ASB

Danielle CalderStaff Writer

Design by Hunter Vurbeff. Photos by Jessica Stevenson

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News

New Fitness Center Nears CompletionFitness center will be open to staff and students every day

Kenya Caines and Steven FahyStaff Writers

A new fitness center is in the process of construction that will change the way students exercise on campus. “The LCC Fitness Center will be open for all students to use after school, and is designed with the students and others in mind, not just our sports programs. Even the teachers will enjoy using the facility,” Athletic Director John Labeta said. This will be a major change in comparison to the old weight gym, which was mainly for the use of boys’ teams, with very few girls ever using the equipment. However, the new fitness center will be much more welcoming to both boys and girls, whether they play on a sports team or not. “It is nice that now they are extending the gym past the football and wrestling team and letting everyone use it. Girls’ basketball will definitely benefit from it because we need more than just plyometrics in practice to get strong,” Jaycie Rowe, junior, said. Not only will the new center be open to a more

diverse group of people, but it will also include a variety of new exercise equipment that will allow students and staff to expand their workouts. “The current gym only has 10-15 benches, and you can only bench press and do squats. We need new machines with more variety,” TJ Grisafe, junior, said. The new fitness center will offer such equip-ment as free weights, universal machines, cardio equipment, and much more. The $270,000.00 project, jointly funded by the Foundation and the District, is expected to be completed by the end of October, at which time it will be open to the Maverick community. Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of open-ing the facility to our school is that it will provide an environment for students and faculty to work out free of charge, which will especially benefit students whose families cannot afford member-ships at local gyms. In this way, the gym will not just stand as a school facility, but as a gift to our whole community.

Every school day, 2,376 students drive, ride, or walk to school. With only two entrances for all vehicles and pedestri-ans, the traffic can snake from 1 Maverick Way all the way to Rancho Santa Fe Road, as well as create a line on Calle Acervo and Calle Barcelona. Students surveyed said that they spend, on average, be-tween 10 and 15 minutes wait-ing in traffic on a daily basis. The level of frustration is high for these students, which con-cerns Principal Kyle Ruggles. “I don’t want students to be frustrated when they come to school because when you’re frustrated, that’s when acci-dents happen,” Ruggles said. Ruggles believes that it would be nice to have another entrance to the school for the convenience of the students, but it makes it easier for him-self and the assistant principals to monitor the traffic with the

present situation. School safety is one of the administrators’ top priorities. The Carlsbad Police Depart-ment has only issued 17 tickets since September 2009, yet some students believe more should be given. Principal Ruggles and Vice Principals have been going to third period classes to bring awareness to the rules one must follow while driving on school property. “I’ve seen many dangerous things happen in the parking lot such as speeding, people getting cut-off, and even stu-dents driving on the wrong side of the road,” Heidi Poppelton, junior, said. When a car count was taken, it was found that before 7:00 am there were almost no cars coming into school. After 7:10, the test was stopped because cars were entering too quickly to get an accurate count. “To avoid the traffic in the morning, plan ahead and think

about leaving home sooner to get to school,” Ruggles said. However, students may not be able to get to school earlier and continue to be stuck in traffic. Some students blame the parking situation. But, ac-cording the Assistant Principal Mark Van Over, there are more than enough parking spaces for students with parking permits. The school is doing more to improve the careless driving that causes traffic jams. The “Start Smart” program, being created by Principle Ruggles specifically for LCC, is designed to teach new drivers to become cautious and careful drivers. “Car accidents are the result of careless driving. The course will help students be more defensive drivers...it will let students get a view of the con-sequences of careless driving including pretty graphic pic-tures involving teenage casual-ties,” said Ruggles.

Congested Traffic Causes FrustrationAdministrators Worry That Anxiety Leads to Careless Driving

Ally Allen and Tanner TaguchiStaff Writers

By 7:10 a.m. traffic is bumper to bumper from campus to Rancho Santa Fe Road. Photo by Tanner Taguchi.

The fitness center should be complete with weights and equipment by the end of October. Photos by Jake Barnes.

Now barren, the fitness center will soon be filled with state of the art equipment.

School District Uses Classified Employees To Fill PositionsKiely Doherty and Nick TheriaultStaff Writer

News


After the news hit last spring of the removal of the librarian posi-tion, students filing into the Library this year are surprised to find a helpful hand in research, books and study time.

“I thought we weren’t going to have a librarian this year but when I went in to do homework, I saw someone there to help the students” Katarina Uebelhor, senior, said.

However, Lauren Valentino, new to our school’s staff this year, is not a Librarian. The correct term for her position, as named by the San Dieguito Unified School District, is “Library Technician.” Ms. Valen-tino, who oversees the Media Cen-ter, helps students with research, order books, makes reading recom-mendations, and takes care of the library, yet despite her extensive training, she isn’t technically cat-egorized as a “Librarian.”

“I have a lot of tech duties like fixing passwords and creating the library website. I help with book searches and recommendations and I am responsible for media center care. A restriction I have is that I

can’t teach any classes”. Valentino, said.

In the face of budget revisions of $2.8 million last year, our school district made the decision to cut the position of Librarian. Many teach-ers, as well as outspoken students, voiced their opinions on the pivotal importance of a school librarian in a student’s learning experience.

“The thing that is irreplaceable is [Mrs. Talmage’s] set up and orga-nization of the academic research process.” Matt Cunningham, Eng-lish teacher, said. The database and other resources were cut along with her position and her knowledge of library functions.

The media technician is an ex-ample of the recent effort to employ classified workers rather than certi-fied workers. Certified positions are those that require certificated proof to teach where classified positions include attendance staff, custodial jobs, and food service where the cer-tified proof isn’t required. The idea is to remove the job that requires a teaching credential, a more expen-sive position, and put in a classified

position with a different job title and less of a cost.

“My job is to insure the equity of the position so the classified worker won’t be doing the same job for less-er pay,” Ron Tackett, the president of the classified emplyees union, said. Because the classified work-ers titles are different from that of a certified employee, the job expecta-tions vary as well.

There have been similar situa-tions to that of the library techni-cian. In EL learners’ classrooms, the bilingual instructional aids posi-tion was cut was replaced with AVID tutors.

“AVID tutors were the best solu-tion for a bummer situation” Mrs. Groseclose, AVID Coordinator, said. AVID tutors are students do not have the same training as a bilingual in-structional aid and are still in col-lege. Thus, they are temporary em-ployees, which excludes them from benefits like a permanent salary and health insurance.

“The least fluent kids needed bi-lingual aids and a librarian so these cuts are hurting those who really

need the help” Mr. Cunningham, EL teacher, said.

The seemingly decreasing num-ber of employees, whether classi-fied or credentialed, proves to be upsetting for both students and staff. Reductions have been made in most areas of the school from custodial help to the attendance office depart-ment to number of classes avail-able. The resources students have relied on are dwindling because of a limited budget.

“It is beyond the administration here. Funding problems are at the state level; Something is going on in the state of California, really.” Mr. Cunningham said.

Though the root of budget cuts may be distant, the effects are very close. The San Dieguito Union High School District has used classified workers in the place of certified workers, like that of our new library media technician. Changes are be-ing made on state and local levels and as a result, students and staff face a new structure in the school system.

The school’s budget has taken major hits this year, as many have already noticed with the massive class sizes throughout the school. One of the most devastating blows to some students is the cancellation of the French II class.

Declining enrollment reduced the already small class to a point which is considered too small for a functioning class. A French II class was planned with 24 students, based on the enrollment at the end of last year, though it was difficult to get approved. When the enrollment re-duced to 15, it was impossible.

“It is regrettable that the class had to be cancelled, but the bottom line is the class cannot function with only 15 students, especially with the tight budget,” said Principal Kyle Ruggles.

Similar issues have occurred in other language classes. Only 17

students enrolled in Japanese II, 19 students in III, and 4 students in IV.

Because they were too small to func-tion independently, they have been

combined into one class.“It is unfair that kids have to pay

the price for that [budget cuts elimi-nating classes], but we were put in a

position where we had no choice to do these things,” said Assistant Prin-cipal Mark Van Over.

Students who enrolled for the cancelled French II class are now forced to seek other ways to take French, either online or at a com-munity college. Some students, too eager to wait or unable to take the class off campus, have had to start their language studies over and switch over to Spanish I or ASL, where there haven’t been any prob-lems with classes being cut.

“I feel for the students,” said Lynn Heyman-Hogue, the French teacher. “It’s just a fluke that French II is not being offered this year.”

There are 42 students in French I this year, so French II does look like it will be back next year. However, according to Van Over, because of this year’s cancellation of French II, it is unlikely French III will be scheduled for next year.

French II Class Cancelled Will Jones and Trace Dimeff Staff Writers

Declining enrollment results in dilemma for students

School District Cuts Corners

Declining enrollment reduced the already small class to a point which is considered too small for a functioning class. Photo by Jp Horrigan

Gridiron Report: Halfway Mark

From initial enthusiasm to crushing losses, the football team has endured numerous challenges during the first half of the season. And through all of it, they still have a winning record.

“We expect to dominate every team,” Michael Albert, senior, said. “Unfortunately, the losses we have had just showed that we beat our-selves.”

The first part of the season has given the football team a little bit of everything. Under the leadership of head coach Sean Sovacool, the team has experienced varying emotions each week. After winning their first two games on the road by a combined margin of 64-7, the team found itself in an unfamiliar position as they fell to San Clemente and Redlands High School back-to-back at home by a combined margin of 13 points. Both times, the team attempted to tie or win the game on the final drive, only to find a stiff defense to impede their progress.

“They were tough, to be sure,” So-

vacool said. “But, I don’t look at them as losses because our team gained experience and knowledge from those games. Losing is when you quit, and our guys never quit.”

With back-to-back losses in mind, the team refocused its efforts on playing fundamental football as they beat Fallbrook High School 28-10 on the road. Compared to previous weeks, the team was more success-ful and showed more willingness to run the football. The team racked up 249 rush yards after only getting 199 rush yards in both of their home games. As a result, the offense found more balance and consistency, rath-er than relying on quarterback Gar-rett Krstich’s arm as they had in their previous two games.

“I think we just need balance on offense,” Isaac Maquet, senior, said. “We just need to stick with what’s working.”

The identity of the team is still very much in doubt. They are unde-feated on the road, while they have a losing record at home. However, they

have been able to exemplify compo-sure even when faced with adversity. Such confidence stems from Sova-cool, who looks for a winning season in his first year as head coach.

“It’s just competitive and fun,” Sovacool said. “I can’t wait to start playing against the rest of our league because I’ve never coached against them before.”

The team now prepares to face El Camino after they defeated Carlsbad and Rancho Buena Vista by a com-bined margin of 79-39. As the season starts to head towards the playoffs, the team looks to improve on the weaknesses that hindered them so far and take some momentum into the postseason.

“I just look for us to improve on our overall consistency. But more specifically, I look for us to improve on a better running game, organiz-ing playing assignments and protect-ing kicks on special teams,” Sovacool said.

Andrew MurrayEditor

Football team begins the season with a slow start

The newest man on campus, Sean Sovacool, has taken center stage this fall advocating and dem-onstrating dreaming big and work-ing hard as the new head football coach.

“It’s not the end result, it’s the process,” Sovacool said. “So it’s pro-cess oriented. It’s not about winning the game. It’s about how you win, and why you want to win.”

Sovacool stresses the importance of determination, effort and dedica-tion, creating an environment con-ducive to harboring success amongst his players. He realizes that this pro-cess includes new methods (and a little tradition-breaking) in order to win.

“You know you gotta be tough, it’s going to always be demanding, and I do demand a lot from them. This is a very talented group of guys. There’s a lot of room to grow, which is excit-ing,” Sovacool said.

Every football player seems to

agree that along with a change in coaching came a greater push in training. Sovacool sees promise amongst his athletes and admits that he does insist on more rigorous training in order to reach the team’s full potential.

Another change Sovacool has made, in keeping with the new coaching style, is that players must wear ties on days of away games.

“I love Coach Sovacool. In pre-vious years, everyone thought the team was cocky,” Erik Nelson, se-nior, said. “It may be a little over-board, not to be allowed to hand out jerseys to people, but I understand.”

Although at first the team was uncomfortable with the change in game day attire, for the most part, they agree with the image Sovacool wishes to portray for the team.

“To be a teacher you must lead by example. That’s why I’m wearing a shirt and tie. If I’m going to ask them to do it, then I’m going to do it,” ex-

plains Sovacool.Growing up with his own role

models, Sovacool knows that moti-vation comes through the examples of others. His desire is to inspire and encourage the boys by being a re-spectable leader. Consequently, he wishes for his athletes to set a posi-tive example for students around campus, exemplifying class, respect, and school pride.

“It’s important to have a role mod-el. They need to learn to embrace and enjoy the struggles that come with this demanding sport. There is no strength without struggle,” said Sovacool.

For anyone who has spoken to Sovacool, it is apparent that his pas-sion for the sport is a very important aspect of his life.

“I’ll have as much fun as anyone out there,” Sovacool said. “When it isn’t fun, it’s hard to work. It’s not easy to work hard, so the trick is to enjoy the hard work.”

Maggie Hammock and Brenna Lyles.Staff Writers

New head football coach’s system has been put in place

Sovacool brings a new attitude and work ethic to the team. Photo by JP Horrigan.

Players on the sideline hang their-heads as they suffer a 28-21 defeat at the hands of San Clemente. Photo by JP Horrigan.

The Sovacool Era Begins


Sports

Sports

Miss Tex: A Cheer for ChangeNew cheerleading coach has enthusiasm and goals for the squad

Iniguez (left) has sought to add more excitement and energy to the cheer squad. Photo courtesy of Samie Gilford.

Jessica StevensonStaff Writer

Change is being brought to the spirit of our school through the new head cheer coach, Kristen Iniguez, also known as “Miss Tex.”

She is originally from Texas and has lived in San Diego for the past 11 years. Having 15 years of cheer and dance experience, as well as 10 years of coaching experience, she is equipped for the position. She is a certified NCA Coach (National Cheerleaders Association) and is UCA “5 Star Certified”. She is also AACCA certified (American Asso-ciation of Cheerleading Coaches & Administrators) and is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations.

“Miss Tex is spirited, passionate, and committed,” Lauren Mynderse, senior, said.

Coaching the varsity squad, she has painted a new vision for the spirit team and their purpose on campus. With pep rallies, a new mascot, and a different objective, there has been a shift in the focus

of cheerleading at school. She has much to offer to the school. Her goal is to involve the crowd into the ex-citement of the game, with everyone on their feet, supporting the student athletes.

“The players feed off of the crowd’s energy, so we need to make sure our

energy is high and that we keep the crowd’s energy high as well,” Ini-guez said.

With two losses in the first few home football games, the players ap-preciate this support and energy. Ini-guez shared that the crowd involve-ment is school spirit at its best, and

the mascots, signs, megaphones, and interaction with the band are all factors that are contributing to this new feel that the coach is aim-ing for.

“I think it is a really positive in-fluence for our squad, having Miss Tex with us. It’s definitely a new style of cheering, where a lot of ef-fort is put toward getting the crowd involved,” Martha Grimes, junior, said.

Cheerleaders are expected to be the spirit leaders of the school, and Iniguez is putting them up to that title. She is counting on them to be leaders and promote this spirit at school events, such as the reintro-duced pep rallies.

“Tex loves the team and is very committed to her job as the cheer coach. She puts all of her effort into building a very strong cheer program we can all be proud of. Many cheerleaders, parents, and students have noticed how we have improved as a team,” Megan Black, sophomore, said.

Kenny Stills and Will Swanner draw attention on the next levelAlumni in the Sports World

Tara McQueenStaff Writer Graduates from the 2010 class, Will

Swanner and Kenny Stills, have gone on to excel in their athletic careers beyond high school.

Catcher Will Swanner was drafted by the Colorado Rockies, a Major League Baseball team. Wide receiver Kenny Stills is now playing college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Will Swanner was committed to playing baseball with his brother, Michael Swan-ner, at Pepperdine University. That was the plan until the Rockies convinced him to start his professional career with them.

“You got to follow your dreams and if you get an opportunity like I have you got to take it because you never know what’s going to happen. Just work hard every day to get better and it will happen,” Swanner said.

This summer, Swanner’s success with the Advanced Rookie affiliate team of the Colorado Rockies, the Casper Ghosts, has impressed many scouts. In 18 games for the Ghosts, Swanner had a batting aver-age of .303, with seven home runs and 13 RBIs in only 76 at-bats.

“Playing ball at 18 is amazing. I am liv-ing my dream at such a young age, and I love it. The guys here are amazing and I feel like one of them,” Swanner said. “I mean I play against people that are six years older than me but I just feel like I belong here. I know I do, so I just let my skills take care of the rest.”

Kenny Stills, while only a freshman, has accomplished his goal to be a starter for the Boomer Sooners. He graduated a semester early to get an early start on practicing with the team. Even though Stills was well-prepared and hardwork-ing, he said the training is a lot harder than in high school.

“You can’t underestimate anyone, be-cause everyone is just as good [as I am].”

Kenny Stills has made great contribu-tions to the undefeated Sooners so far. He has had 13 receptions for 170 yards in the first four games of the season. Like any football player, Kenny’s dreams are to go into the NFL, but he is prepared for any-thing.

“You have to work hard and never take anything for granted because any play can be your last play,” said Stills.

Kenny Stills eyes the end zone after catching a pass against Florida State. Photo courtesy of Kenny Stills.

Swanner has been a standout player for the Casper Ghosts. Photo courtesy of Will Swanner.



Set for SuccessCertain student athletes won’t have to worry about college admissions

Alex MeeksStaff Writer

The large leap from high school to college is beginning to make seniors anxious and excited for their futures. Constantly, we see upperclassmen stressing about numerous college applications while our teachers are bombarded with writing many recommendation letters. The few selective seniors who have already committed to a college or university however, are not nearly as worried about their future college careers. As standouts in their prospective sports, they have already accepted scholarship offers from colleges seeking talent for their athletic programs. Here are just some of the students committed to playing a sport for a college.

College: University of California Los AngelesSport: Volleyball

“I was so happy to get into UCLA. The cam-pus is so pretty, and I’m very excited to play volleyball for such a well known university.”

College: Duke UniversitySport: Baseball

“Duke was my number one choice. There’s such a good balance between academics,

sports, and other fun. I can’t wait to go to the basketball games.”

College: University of New MexicoSport: Soccer

“I really like the school because it’s differ-ent from here. The buildings have adobe

walls, and I’m just really excited to be expe-riencing a new place.”

College: Cornell UniversitySport: Baseball

“Cornell is my dream school, and I feel so lucky to get this opportunity to play on a

prestigious divison one team.”

College: University of San FranciscoSport: Basketball

“I’m excited and happy. It took a lot of effort and a lot of practices, but it was all worth it.”

College: Princeton UniversitySport: Lacrosse

“I’m excited to play lacrosse at a division one level. I really like that the school has a

reputation for having both strong academics and sports.”

Karsta Lowe

Eric SanschagrinMadisen Irwin Trent Swart

Brianna MartinezMatt Hall

Photos by Jake Barnes.

Sports

Having a very successful season so far, the cross country team traveled to Stan-ford University to compete in the Stanford Invitational, a nation-wide meet known for hosting some of the top high school talents in the country.

This year marked the 37th anniversary of the Stanford Cross Country Invitational, and only the second year our school has hand-selected a team of thirteen deserving athletes to make the trip up to the presti-gious race. The opportunity to compete in such an event is considered a great ac-complishment amongst the Varsity runners on our cross country team, who have put in many hours and hundreds of miles over the past three months towards receiving the coveted spot. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams are currently ranked amongst the top 10 in California according to dyestatcal.com.

“It was a really great experience, and we were up against some talented opponents, but the end result was very rewarding,” Janell Steigerwald, junior, said.

Upon being asked how their overall experience at the Stanford Invitational was, a majority of the gifted runners agreed they really enjoyed the experience and felt lucky to be given the chance to compete at such a unique event. The race, endured in 95 degree heat and humidity, was tough, and

the competition was even tougher, with top athletes from across the state as well as Washington and Nevada. Despite these in-timidating factors, the team approached the starting line with confidence, for both they and their coaches knew they were ready.

As the races concluded, the coaches and athletes were proven right. In the girls’ race, freshman Emma Abrahamson fin-ished the 3.1 mile course in third place, fol-lowed closely behind by sophomore Kelly Lawson in fourth, leading the team to a sixth place finish overall, and giving them a new rank of ninth in the state for Division I.

As for the boys, junior Darren Fahy finishing in a solid fifth, followed by senior Rhett Baynes and junior Eric Causey, both finishing 22nd and 27th respectively.

These three runners, along with a key performance from junior Ryan Hershey, led the team to a fantastic third place finish, propelling their team ranking to tenth in the state.

“Finishing 3rd for the boys was very spe-cial. These guys have worked really hard as a team the past four years, and I am really proud of them. For the girls, it tells me that we have another really special group that could challenge for a state title,” coach Bill Vice said.

Runners Meet the CardinalCross country team fares well at Stanford’s annual meet

For more, go towww.lccnews.com

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The number alumna Kenny Stills wears as a wide receiver for the Oklahoma Sooners. It was also his number in high school.

Emma Abrahamson led the cross country team with a third place finish in the Stanford Invita-tional.

Above, Darren Fahy leads the pack at the start of the race. He finished fifth. Below, the girls finished sixth, and the boys third, overall. Photos courtesy of Eion Fahy.

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Opinion

If You Really Knew MeA student speaks out on the separation between cliques on campus

Breonna MabryStaff Writer

In a perfect world, in a perfect high school, life at La Costa Canyon would be much like that final revela-tory scene in the popular

teenage drama Mean Girls. Exclusive cliques would cease to exist and we’d all be spirited, respected, and involved with the campus community. The only issue

here is that this is real life.Take a look across our

campus during lunch on a typical day- it is plain to see the division amongst the

community. You’ll notice a large group of band members having a pow-wow in the meadow and the “popular” kids make sure they’re the center of attention by plotting themselves on the stage in the middle of the stu-dent center. If you’re a student, you’ll probably overlook the teachers as they organize them-selves with other faculty of their same subject.

“It’s not that people aren’t nice; they just don’t communicate,” Shelby Grider, fresh-man, said.

The real issue here is why we find it difficult to communicate. For

most people, communi-cation is a virtue only hon-ored when amongst those who are just like them.

“If you look different, if you dress different, if you listen to different music,

anything, you’re on your own,” Emily Fleet, senior, said.

It is fair to acknowledge that humans are most comfortable and confident amongst their friends. In other words, people with whom they share common interests and relate to on a deep emotional level. It is not like we consciously

choose to separate our-selves; it’s just something that happens when one

gets ‘caught up’ in the comfort that comes with inclusiveness. Breaking out of a group that you’ve developed self-esteem in is recognizably challeng-ing, and we often choose to leave the job of the “conversation initiator” to someone else.

“I wouldn’t go out of my way to hang out with some-one new,” Tomer Zekzer, sophomore, said. “I mean, if someone wants to hang with me, they can just call me.”

Our school recently won a MTV and Cox Network sponsored “Chal-lenge Day”, a six and a half hour event solely aimed to provide youth and their communities with experimental work-shops and programs that demonstrate the possibil-ity of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth and full expression. It is through this event that our cam-pus can learn that we aren’t really “so different” from one another. But

even after we participate in “Challenge Day” we must continue to develop our re-lationships with our peers.

But, we all have the op-tion to choose to be igno-rant. To not take “risks”. But before you choose that approach, ask yourself this question: When you gradu-ate high school, when you have that diploma in your hand and your walking down the field, will you regret not knowing the names of all those called before you?

The Emergence of Madame MaverickThe new female mascot is a crusader for feminism

The throbbing bass lures a large crowd to the student center for the first prep rally of the year. I push my way through the crowd preparing to see a mass of students surrounding the foot-ball team. But among the ath-letes stands a new mascot. She is female and shaking her hips animatedly to the blaring beats. She seems proud to be the new motivator with a sparkly outfit and opposite gender.

When I think of a maverick, I think of male cattle, so I was slightly confused to see the mas-cot sporting a sequin bow, on her horns (which are a trait of bulls, not cows), that match her green and gold skirt. But according to Dictionary.com, a maverick is an unbranded cattle, either male or female. So, the female maverick is a perfect symbol for our trail-

blazing, nonconformist animal representative. She is a ground-breaking symbol of equality in a convenient way to shock the stu-dents for a new football season.

The female bull, an oxymo-ron itself, might be a statement against the patriarchal structure of institutions such as sports. She might be a way for students of all interests to relate to the school now that the mascot defies natural assumptions. She struts proudly, whatever her intentions are.

But Lady Mav isn’t alone. The old mascot still shares the limelight. They trade off making school appearances. At the first football game, the female mav-erick made her introduction and then throughout the game, the male maverick showed up while she disappeared. This new tag-

team in fringe vests sporting the school colors of green and gold definitely adds a dynamic twist to the traditional mascot role. Not one, but two; not just male, but also female. Our mavericks challenge the definition of a high school mascot.

I encourage our new mascot as she rebels against gender expectations and I hope that our Lady Mav inspires other mas-cots to go female. Wouldn’t it be exhilarating to see a girl falcon cheering her crowd? I support the underground movement of equitable representation among genders in the mascot world. I think that we should be proud of our new representative to bring a winning spirit to the team with the ardor of feminism.The female mascot

struts her stuff in the ASB room.

Photos by Kiely Doherty.

Illustrations by Breonna M

abry

Kyle DohertyStaff Writer

12| MavLife | November 2010

Opinion

The overfilling of class-rooms, tearing of textbooks, and cutting of teachers are things that all California pub-lic high school students are experiencing. It’s frustrating that our high school education is being jeopardized because of a poor economy. But after 12 years in the public school system, a majority of students dream of the college life with challenging classes, new people, and no reminders of curfew. Many of these fantasies take place at a University of California campus. Unfortu-nately, the budget cuts don’t stop at high school. The UC schools are also being hit hard.

For the UC schools, 2010 will be record breaking; more out-of-state and international students will be attending these schools than ever before. These numbers haven’t jumped because of a desire to expand the culture on campus, but in-stead because of money starved universities. The UC schools

are taking more transfer and out-of-state students because they pay a higher tuition than in-state students.

I find this outrageous Why should my chance at getting into a college be determined by the tuition I pay? Residents of California deserve an equal if not higher chance at getting into a UC. After all, our parents are paying taxes to support them. This controversial effort to raise revenue reflects on the UC system’s true goal, which is to provide a public and afford-able education, directed at resi-dents of California. They are more interested in the money they get from the students than what the students’ intellect and talent can bring to a campus.

Tuition has already been raised by almost 8% for in-state students, a tragedy in itself. California residents should feel comfortable knowing that if they work hard in high school there is a high chance that they will be able to attend a UC and

not burn a hole in their pocket by doing so. The UC schools are increasingly making this a less attainable goal, which is unfortunate.

This depletion of money in our economy is turning into a depletion of hope. When stu-dents see the low acceptance rate and high tuition prices, an affordable, enriching college experience seems out the ques-tion. By accepting more trans-fer and out-of-state students the UC schools are driving away their original intended applicants.

The economy is becoming an unavoidable determinate in many situations, but these schools that we uphold as prestigious universities should learn to work through these problems fairly. When will the UCs realize that jeopardizing Californians’ chance at getting in is not the way to feed their revenue? Hopefully very soon.

UC Rejecting CaliforniansFewer students from Californian high schools are accepted into UCs due to budget woes

Jordan BernardStaff Writer

Map from the University of California system website.

Is Club Rush Effective?Sign ups at club rush give a false sense of membershipLauren Sonken

Staff WriterAt the sound of the bell

students rush out of their classrooms like recently freed prison convicts. However, un-like other lunch hours where students quickly find their friends and disperse, the day of club rush is one of spontaneity on campus. Spirit and excite-ment is escalated to its highest, and every clique in the school is located in one spot.

The event signifies the offi-cial start of the school year, be-cause it formally indicates that clubs from the previous years are starting back up. Curious eyes roam around the student center as each student attempts to find a club to perfectly suit him or her. Over thirty clubs participated in the club rush this year, and most received an overwhelmingly positive turn out.

The real question lies behind the event’s purpose-whether members that sign up on the day of club rush will continue to be involved. As the

president of Best Buddies club, I always find myself feeling frustrated after the first meet-ing following club rush, be-cause students are not always faithful attendees as the year continues. One may infer that the excess number of sign ups at club rush signifies a success-ful club, but the sign ups are usually just a result of a stu-dent who wants a piece of free candy. The club rush is point-less in many ways, because it simply adds a false sense of club membership to a president that desires more members.

“Club rush is very construc-tive. If signing a few papers and inviting your friends means you can start a club, I think the process is very simple and accomplish-able for all types of students.” Blaire Bender, Asso-ciated Student Body President, said.

It is clear that clubs are an important addition to our campus. They add unity to the school, but the fact that stu-

dents may sign up for reasons on the day of club rush other than the purpose behind the club is extremely bothersome.

“Of course presidents have to know that the people who signed up for their clubs at club rush will not be at every meeting. But for me, it’s nice to know people are interested and might stop by once in awhile,” Bender said.

Perhaps the club craze is just a temporary excitement for most students, or perhaps the sign ups reflect a serious dedication to a particular club. Either way, I think students need to be aware that their sign ups reflect their views on dedication. The club rush needs to be taken more seri-ously so its effectiveness can be fulfilled. Despite mixed feelings, the club rush does bring harmony to the school in a rather thrilling fashion. Hopefully club presidents see a sense of dedication from their members this year.

Chris Leigh and Grant Dugger battle it out in a game of chess during Club Rush.Photo by Blaire Bender.

November 2010 | MavLife |13

Opinion

Mavlife Horoscopes

Our community could benefit from the program

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a kill-ing rampage at their high school in Columbine, Colorado, killing 12 students and 1 teacher, before taking their own lives. Rachel Scott was the first person killed in the

Columbine massacre. The massa-cre was derived from social issues at the school and was carried out by two students who felt like they did not belong. This problem is prevalent in many schools and often goes unaddressed.

In order to keep Rachel’s spirit

and philosophy alive, Rachel’s father and brother created the program Rachel’s Challenge in an effort to unite school communities and foster a sense of camaraderie amongst high school students. Ra-chel’s family believes that with Ra-chel’s “acts of kindness and com-passion coupled with the contents of her six diaries,” they will be able to bring together all different social groups and make every high school student feel that they are loved and respected.

When Rachel’s Challenge volun-teers visit high schools, they begin by playing a one hour presentation about Rachel’s life and personal beliefs. This presentation includes spell-binding video footage of the Columbine massacre, as well as interviews from former Columbine High students and family members of students slain in the massacre. Following this video presentation is a 90 minute interactive train-ing session led by both adult and student leaders who show how to keep the feelings generated by the assembly prevalent throughout the year. The presentation stresses the importance of being compassionate towards everyone, regardless of the way people talk, dress, and act.

Although it is not likely that our school is on the verge of tragedy, we still face the same issues of judgement and cliques. These

cliques are formed every day by simple judgements. Until you get to know people, where they come from, what problems they have to deal with, and simply their personalities, it is impossible to label them. It is extremely difficult to permanently eliminate these problems, but we still need to take action in trying to rid our school of social barriers. Rachel’s Chal-lenge would be very beneficial to our school community in removing these social barriers.

Similar to “Challenge Day”, this program is very effective in teach-ing students how to learn to accept everyone for who they are without immediately labeling them. Our school has yet to have a program like Rachel’s Challenge, but with all of the social issues that are present in our school, this pro-gram would be useful. It would be beneficial to raise awareness about this program because it has the potential to make a positive change at our school. Bringing the pro-gram to our school would help our community grow closer together and ensure that every student feels like they belong. With Rachel’s Challenge, there is hope that the chain reaction of kindness that was so important to Rachel Scott would be integrated into our school com-munity.

When Rachel’s Challenge volunteers visit high schools, they begin by playing a one hour presentation about Rachel’s life and personal beliefs.Photo courtesy of the Rachel’s Challenge website

Cassidy Feeney and Maggie HammockStaff Writers

Rachel’s Challenge

See what will Novemeber hold for you

Scorpio - The person sitting across from you in english class will provoke great tur-moil in your life. Be sure to wear orange on Tuesdays.

Sagittarius - End all your sentances with arius and all your friends will leave you.

Capricorn -Look out, a se-cret admirer in your math class will soon send you a sign of affection. Don’t forget to wear deoderant!

Aquarius - Your happiness is intertwined with the num-ber seven. Buy tighter fitting pants.

Pisces - You will be alone for the most of this month. It’s okay, don’t ask, don’t say, everything lies in silence.

Aries - You will be invited to your secret admirers party, don’t attend. They know you like them and are planning to publically embarrass you.

Taurus - Make two grins grow where there was only a grouch before, this will lead to a happier, more accom-plished life.

Gemini - Invite someone who likes you to a party, then try and embarrass them pub-lically. Don’t worry, they’ll like it.

Cancer - Buy your closest friend a present, remember as the purse is emptied the heart is filled.

Leo - Sit in on a seperate class, learn something new. If you want the rainbow you must put up with the rain.

Virgo - Take a picture with someone you don’t know, and post it on facebook, maybe you’ll make a new friend. Libra - You can always find happiness at work on Friday.


Photography by Jean-Paul Horrigan

Photography

November 2010 | MavLife | 15

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Goodbye/Hello“Luke Walton”UnsignedGrade: B

Come Around Sundown“Kings of Leon”RCAGrade: B

The British post hardcore band Bring Me The Horizon hits harder and faster than ever with their newest album, “There is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There is a Heaven, Let’s Keep It a Secret”. The album starts with “Crucify Me.” The track begins with a haunting intro and cuts straight into a brain damaging guitar riff. As the album continues, songs begin to blur together, from “Anthem” to “Home Sweet Hole,” The only exception is “F*ck,” with vocals from You Me At Six’s vocal-ist Josh Franceschi. This cliche word-title stands out from other similar tracks, using raging anger not seen on any other song from their third album. Even though it seems like a blur of one long song, “There is a Hell..” is worth a listen for fans of post hardcore.

Luke Walton released his debut album, “Goodbye/Hello,” and finds a unique niche in acoustic pop. A comforting album for the romantically minded, it mostly mimics the lyrical themes and the style of his celebrity crush, Taylor Swift. Yet he proves himself to be versatile with the catchy “A Good Girl” and the more metaphorical “Pre-school.” His songs flow with a melodic infusion of new age in-struments and classic strings that lets one float on a cloud of bliss. While his tone of content is suc-cessful in “Dead End Love,” it is short-lived in his final song, “Mis-sin’ the Way.” Overall, the album fails to move past the feeling of a High School student with a guitar and a lot of feelings, but still plays well.

Stevens has ditched his banjo for electronic beats in his first full-length album in five years. Although a bit startling for the average fan, the change was a success. Many of the tracks are solid. A couple songs, such as “Too Much,” drag on too long and begin to sound jumbled with the various instruments and synthesized sounds. However, there are some real gems sprinkled throughout the album. The first track, “Futile Devices,” begins with a calm, electronic feel that slowly builds up and incorporates piano, banjo, and beats seamlessly. The Age of Adz shows that Stevens is an evolving artist and is worth a listen for both old and new fans alike.

After two years of work, Come Around Sundown outshines any other previous Kings of Leon al-bums. The album starts in a gloomy state with “The End” and “Pyro,” both intense, emotional tracks that resemble songs like “Notion” from the 2008 chart-topper Only By The Night. However, it leaves the dark state early with “Mary,” a simple yet heartfelt love song. As the album continues, the band sticks to their formula of simplistic melodies. To make each track an individual, the songs become themed. “Back Down South,” as the title implies, creates a southern feel to the track. “Pick Up Truck” ends the album with a story of regret that sums up the emotion of the entire album in one hard, yet re-deeming, tale that you have to hear to feel.Will Jones Jake Barnes

Music

The air was stagnant. Bodies crushed together, arms and heads stretching upwards giving the audi-ence the appearance of a flock of birds awaiting feeding time.

Despite the bright, piercing lights on stage, the theatre was pitch black. The anticipation could be felt in the air as the audience waited for Vampire Weekend to take the stage.

Beach House, an independent rock duo, opened the show. After the opening band played its final song, the restless attendees continued to wait over thirty minutes for the main act.

After a chorus of boos and cries for the show to start, the crowd erupted when the band pounced on stage and opened with “Holiday” from their newest album, Contra.

The song immediately changed the mood of the show. The crowd

began to dance in unison and the music took control of the mob. Many of the songs contained per-sistent piano solos and high vocals from the band’s lead singer, Ezra Koenig.

Some participated in failed at-tempts at crowd surfing while others soaked those around them with wa-ter to escape the heat. The band did a spontaneous three song encore.

“The quality of the music and the atmosphere made it one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to,” Nicole Haiduck, senior, said.

The show was a success. Their catchy lyrics and stirring beats made the ticket well worth the purchase.

“Vampire Weekend was a fun concert. They’re much better live than on their albums.” Danielle Friend, senior, said.

Vampire Weekend Shines LiveDespite delays indie band pleasesLauren Sonken

Staff Writer

The band wowed fans and newcomers alike. Photo courtesy of Søren Solkær Starbird.

Ally Allen

Jake Barnes


Despite the glamorous facade created by the pro-gram’s live broadcast, Ameri-can Idol isn’t as idealistic as it seems. Contestants are forced to go through various grueling auditions before the viewers get to see it live. Lindsey Peck, senior, had a first-hand encounter with the process.

“Ever since I was twelve, I have always wanted to try out for American Idol. My friends were there to push me into this audition,” said Peck.

Peck’s passion for singing was strengthened by the support of her family. She has received no formal training, but desired to take advantage of the audition. However, tryouts were not as simple as one would imag-ine. Peck waited in line from 5am-8:30am on the first day

to register, and then from 5:30am-3:30pm the next day to audition. Roughly three to five thousand people were there.

“I sang the song ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz. It was probably not the best song choice, but this trip was so last minute that I decided to go with something that I

knew very well,” said

Peck.

Because the audition an-nouncement was last minute, the turnout was smaller than expected. Peck was sur-rounded by great talent. The producers of the show kept the singers for entertainment

purposes, but in reality, a large majority of the people auditioning can really sing. The judges look for various factors in their contestants, and much talent is rejected.

Many people believe that shows like American Idol are very picky and tend to base results on looks. This program will move people onto the next round, even if

they are poor singers, just because they are entertain-ing. People with genuine talent will get cut from the program before the “entertaining people” do.

“I would definitely try out again. It’s a good way of understanding business and how not everything is fair. All you can really do is keep trying until one day you get lucky and everything falls in to place,” said Peck.

Entertainment

Auditioning For a DreamStudent attempts to be the next American Idol

Cassidy Feeny and Lauren SonkenStaff Writers

With school starting and students rummaging through their closets to find something to wear, many new trends have been born. Fashion around the world is constantly changing, as is the fashion at school; it is almost impossible to keep up. The inspiration behind fashion is always a wonder students have while admiring others style.

“Where we live inspires the way I dress. Since California is so ‘beachy’ and fun, I like to wear clothes that show off that lifestyle,” Catherine Garruto, senior, said.

Weather influences what students will wear and with summer ceasing, fall is soon to arrive and many are antici-pating the style of the season ahead.

“I think there will be a lot of continuations this season.

Boots, small handbags, and skinny belts will still be popu-lar,” Camille Berry, senior, said.

The season may bring many trendy pieces in women’s fash-ion, but men’s fashion is time-less.

“Men’s style doesn’t change as often as girls’ does, so there will probably just be more jackets this fall,” Vince Coletti, junior, said.

This season may not be style-altering, but there are always essential pieces that are worth all of summer’s savings. Those few pieces in our closets are considered a staple to our wardrobe and can complete al-most any outfit. For fall, there is nothing more chic than blazers, lace blouses, and dark washed denim.

“My favorite thing in my closet is my over-sized Uniq cashmere sweater, I wear it ev-ery chance I get. I am in love.”

Ali Madurowicz, junior, said. Local shops are flourishing

with garments that will influ-ence the styles of students and people in our community. With malls in reach, there are acces-sible shopping opportunities to take advantage of.

“I usually shop at random boutiques and thrift stores on the 101 or in the Forum, but really you can find cute things where you least expect them,” Garruto said.

There are also more trendy places to find pieces for the upcoming seasons.

“I shop at Urban Outfitters and Forever 21,” Allison Beach, senior, said.

A good sense of style can be acquired in different ways, but ultimately weather, media, and other students shape the way one dresses. It seems as though every day is a fashion show on campus.

Fall Into FashionA deeper look into this season’s clothing trendsJessica Stevenson

Staff Writer

The season may bring many trendy pieces in women’s fashion. llustration by Jessica Stevenson


{“All you can really do is keep trying until one day you get lucky and everything falls in to place.”-Lindsey Peck (12){

Senior Lindsey Peck has dreamed of being on Ameri-can Idol since she was 12. Photo by Cassidy Feeny.

Upcoming ConcertsSoma San Diego House of Blues (San Diego) Viejas Arena (SDSU)

The new school year has brought us more homework, less sleep, and endless extracurriculars. Fortu-nately, it has also brought back Comedy Sportz! To get the scoop on this year’s Comedy Sportz team, we interviewed the self-descibed, dashingly handsome Alex Felder, senior, and the chivalrous Kyle Gaan, senior.

What exactly is Comedy Sportz and what can people expect at a game?Felder: Comedy Sportz is a family-friendly competitive improv game. People can expect to laugh a lot and attractive females will sudden-ly find that they have an irresist-ible urge to give me their phone numbers. Gaan: What he said.

Why should people attend?Felder: Do you like to laugh? Do you like to laugh with your friends? Do you like to breathe oxygen? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, then Com-edy Sportz is what you’ve been looking for!Gaan: Comedy Sportz is proven to lower your cholesterol and de-crease the risk of heart disease.

Are there any new activities that Comedy Sportz is doing this year?Felder: We have our own cheer-leaders, our own pep band, our own fan club, our own action figures, new leaders, new players, new games, new commercials, and

new villains. Most of those things I totally just made up. Which ones? Come to Comedy Sportz to find out.Gaan: We finally got rid of that one Felder kid.

What has been your favorite Comedy Sportz moment?Felder: My favorite moment would probably have to be when I fought that bear on stage. And won. With nothing by my fists and courage.Gaan: My favorite moment was when that one girl asked me out

after the first Comedy Sportz game of the year.

Any other vital information people should know about you guys?Felder: Comedy Sportz has really changed our lives. Improv like this builds confidence, character, and public speaking skills. And it’s fun. Delicious and nutritious. Plus, it gets us three times the ladies as we used to get. But when you think about it, three times zero is still zero, so I guess we’re not doing

so well after all. Also, Kyle tried to poison me once, but I knew about the poison and I absorbed it into my bloodstream so I can use it later by shooting it out of my eyes like a toad.Gaan: By the time you finish read-ing this hypnotic text you will find me irresistible. And handsome too.

Comedy Sportz games are on the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 pm.

Comedy Sportz Brings The HumorExclusive interview with the duo behind the laughs

Jordan Bernard and Brenna LylesStaff Writers

Kyle Gaan and Alex Felder strike a pose. Photo by J.P. Horrigan


Entertainment

Stone Temple Pilots - 10/26

Gorillaz/N.E.R.D. - 10/28

Reel Big Fish/Gold-finger - 11/03

Paul Oakenfold - 10/19Flyleaf/Story of The Year - 10/22

Nevershoutnever!/The Maine - 10/24Reel Big Fish/Goldfinger - 11/03

Ingrid Michaelson - 11/04

Four Years Strong - 10/23

Bring Me The Horizon/August Burns Red -

10/30Jeffree Star - 11/11

Back Page

1. On average, how many cats are eaten in Asia every year?Speed Farris: 50,000Josh Thomas: 2,345A: 4 Million. Close but no cigar. 0-02. How many spiders does an aver-age person eat in their lifetime?Farris: 1,000Thomas: 7A: Eight. Both incorrect 0-03. Where was St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland Born?Farris: Ireland?Thomas: IrelandA: In Scotland. He was captured at age 16 by Gaels and taken to Ire-land, where he was sold a slave. 0-04. What were Cinderella’s slippers made of in the original verision of the fairy tale classic?Farris: GlassThomas: GlassA: Fur. The score remains 0-0

5. What position do must college football players play to receive the Davey O’Brien Award?Farris: QuaterbackThomas: Safety!A: Quarterback. Finally! Score one for Farris. 1-06. What team hired the NFL’s first professional cheerleading squad, in 1972?Farris: DolphinsThomas: Saint Luis RamsA: The Dallas Cowboys. 1-07. What was the name of the seaport hometown of comic strip hero Pop-eye the Sailor?Farris-...CapecodThomas-...PassA: Sweetwater. That was a toughie. 1-08. How long does the average teen spend of Facebook in a week?Farris: 20 hours

Thomas: 14 hoursA: 31. The score remains. 1-09. Who founded Walmart?Farris: Mr. WallThomas: The WaltonsA:Sam Walton. Way to go Josh! It’s a tie 1-110. What percent of Americans ad-mit to not showering every day?Farris: 20%Thomas: 13%A:7%. Both incorrect 1-111. Who said these words: ‘I am the president of the The United States and I am not going to eat anymore broccoli’.Farris: George H.W BushThomas: ClintonA: George H.W. Bush Keep it up Far-ris! 2-112. Which 20th century war was dubbed as ‘forgotten war’, even after 54,246 U.S. deaths?

Farris: The Korean War? ...no... VietnamThomas: WWIA: The Korean War. Oh no! So close! But both are incorrect 2-113. Which fruit was forbidden for Hawaiian women to eat by law?Farris:Pineapple Thomas: KiwiA; Coconut. Both incorrect. 2-114. Which famous document starts with ‘When in the course of human events...’?Farris: The Declaration of Indepen-dence!Thomas: he Declaration of Indepen-dence.A” Declaration of Independence. Way to end strong!Mr Farris wins 3-2!

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Edited By Hunter Vurbeff

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