Entertainment Sports

January 14, 20111401 Artesia Blvd.Vol. LXI Issue 5www.lavistamchs.com

TWO POINT PLAN : MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews speaks at the workshop on Jan. 12 for the new ath-letic plans. Two groups put forward athletic plans that would each allocate money and space differently.

LeLand Lesnever/La vista

District holds athletic plan workshops

See ‘Plans’ on page 2

Mira Costa’s auditorium undergoes renovations due to MBPOA funding

See ‘Auditorium’ on page 2

By Zack rosenfeLd

news editor

and diane Lee

staff writer

A Mira Costa student was ar-rested off campus after school on Dec. 7 for allegedly threatening a school administrator.

Mira Costa administrators said that someone close to the student reported the student’s criminal in-tentions to the Mira Costa admin-istration. The administration then contacted the Manhattan Beach Police Department, who sent out an all-points bulletin to locate the student. The MBPD found and arrested the student immediately, sending him or her to jail with bond set at $500,000.

“The school was informed of this threat after school. We noti-fied the police immediately and the student was found with the same dangerous materials de-scribed by the person close to the alleged student,” Principal Ben Dale said. “He or she will be fur-ther disciplined based on the Edu-cational Code, not the penal code, if he or she decides to come back to school.”

According to Dale, the MBPD immediately placed the admin-istrator under protection, and the administrator was given a restraining order against the stu-dent. The student is currently un-der an investigation and may not legally attend school until the in-vestigation is over.

“The student was released from custody over the winter break and is currently staying home,” School Resource Officer John Loy said.

There is a possibility that the

Mira Costa student allegedly threatens administrator

LeLand Lesnever/La vista

SWEEPING CHANGES: The Mira Costa auditorium foyer has been under con-struction since the beginning of the new year.

student will not go to court be-cause of the complicated course this case has taken. The person who initially reported the stu-dent’s intention now denies that the student ever had such plans. If a court case does become neces-sary, it would occur in February.

“The case has become very messy. It’s like an episode of ‘Jerry Springer.’ The person close to the student who reported the case is breaking down and saying different things from what he or she has said before,” Dale said. “Everything is confusing with the lack of information available.”

According to Loy, if the student is found guilty, he or she may serve up to eight years in prison. The amount of time would depend on what the jury charges him or her with and what the judge decides to do based on the jury’s verdict. If the student is found innocent, the MBPD will drop the charges, and the student may come back to school but not necessarily Mira Costa High School.

“My position is that the student should not come back to Mira Costa, not because of punitive reasons but out of concern for the student,” Dale said. “It seems a lot of students already know who the student is and with the restrain-ing order on the student, he or she will have a hard time functioning normally at school.”

Since the investigation is still going on, no public record from the MBPD is currently available.

La Vista decided not to print the alleged student’s name because of the pending investigation and also decided not to use the administra-tor’s name at the request of Mira Costa officials.

OpinionShould Costa bring Powderpuff

back, or should we be out of a game?

Umami Burger’s name may con-fuse, but it makes up for it with great food.

Page 5 Page 12

By Joani GiLLam

and maGGie roBak

staff writers

The Manhattan Beach Unified School District school board, Manhattan Beach Athletic Foun-dation, and community members met on Jan. 12 to discuss MBAF’s two proposals for the improve-ment of the athletic facilities.

The two options were presented in order to receive public feedback in the community workshop. Plan A was created by a committee of members who represent various Costa sports teams. The second plan, Plan B, is a revised version of Plan A based on feedback re-

ceived by the MBUSD board. “When the rough designs of the

athletic plans were announced, many people realized that there was no community input, so stake-holders got together and made a viable solution through Plan A,” Manhattan Beach Youth Athletics President Andrew Hunter said.

There are benefits and concerns that athletic representatives have pointed out regarding each plan. Plan A maintains the baseball field as it currently exists and adds a separate multipurpose field. Plan B, though more expensive, at-tempts to maximize field space with the creation of two multipur-pose fields.

“When we came up with the two proposed plans, we wanted to get everyone’s opinion,” MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Mat-thews said. “There were some legitimate complaints and it was necessary to make changes. Now, we need public feedback so we can come up with a compromise that is best for all athletes.”

Both Plan A and Plan B would keep the same number of tennis courts, provide two softball and two baseball fields and attempt to provide enough practice space for field sports such as soccer, foot-ball and lacrosse.

By reGan estes

staff writer

The foyer to the Mira Costa auditorium is currently undergo-ing renovations to improve its outdated appearence. However, the entire auditorium will not be renovated due to lack of funding.

The improvements include upgraded lighting, sound equip-ment, renovated carpet, new wall coverings, a new ceiling in the hallways, and a newly painted in-terior and exterior.

The renovations to the foyer are separate from the improvements being funded by Measure BB. The Manhattan Beach Property Owners Association, a private

group, donated the money. “We’re hoping it will be a good

incentive for people to want to fix up the rest of the auditorium and make it a true theater,” dra-ma teacher and Performing Arts Department co-chair Carol Mat-thews said.

“They generously provided about $500,000 for the improve-ments. Many of the members of the association regularly attend the high schools plays, concerts etc,” Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Steve Romines said.

The foyer is being renovated because the donors specifically wanted the entrance to be im-proved and changed.

“The donation could only cover the costs of the foyer and some improved lighting and sound equipment,” Romines said.

Members of the Performing Arts Department are optimistic that the auditorium’s changes will have a positive impact for the whole school.

“We practice a lot in the foyer because it has great acoustics,” sophomore choir member Mau-rice Welch said. “I think it will make for a more pleasurable ex-perience to sing and to practice in the foyer and maybe even draw a larger crowd to our drama events and concerts.”

OnlineJoel Zimmerman (commonly known as deadmau5) proves he is better at mu-sic than math.

The Mustang boys soccer team beat the West Warriors

in a fierce game, ending in a score

of 3-1.Page 16

News2 La Vista January 14, 2011

‘Plans’ continued from page one

‘Foyer’ continued from page one

By ABBy WAtkins

neWs editor

College Board modifies exams for several Advanced Placement courses

SPO-BOT GETS REPROGRAMMED: Dan Sponaugle teaches his fourth period AP biology class. With the AP test chang-es in the near future, he will be forced to change his curriculum to primarily focus on essay writing.

Orchestra invited to SCBOA performanceBy AvA klein

stAff Writer

The Southern California Band and Orchestra Association chose Mira Costa’s strings symphony orchestra to perform several songs for an audience of music educa-tors from Southern California at California State Long Beach Col-lege on Jan. 22.

Musical educators will see the orchestra present a reading ses-sion, upon which the symphony strings orchestra will play 12 different musical pieces. Three of these 12 pieces have been re-cently composed.

“I am thrilled to be playing in the SCBOA reading session. It is such an honor to be performing for people that are so passionate about music,” sophomore violin-ist Kami Brawer said. “I am re-

ally proud of orchestra, and this is a perfect reward for all of the hard work we put into our music.”

This is the first time Costa has ever been chosen to perform a reading session for music teach-ers and the SCBOA.

“To even be asked to perform in this event is an honor. There are so many high schools that have such talented music programs, and to be selected for this is just amazing,” orchestra director Pe-ter Park said.

The strings symphony has not begun preparations for the SC-BOA performance. Rather, it is concentrating on preparing for its scheduled orchestra festival in March.

According to Park, finding time to dedicate to the SCBOA upcom-ing performance has been chal-lenging. He plans to work with his students on the three pieces

College Board has planned sev-eral changes to Advanced Place-ment tests, some of which will take effect as early as this year.

College Board plans to revise the content of the exams so that they focus more on analytical thinking rather than memoriza-tion of facts. These changes will be implemented gradually over the next several years and across subject areas.

“I do not see how they have removed any of the content,” AP U.S. history teacher Bill Fauver said. “What they’ve done is com-plicated the subject by asking too much of students who have zero experience with what they’re learning. These classes are intro-ductory courses.”

College Board has always pro-vided a list of subjects that need to be covered for each test, but it will now begin to provide a more in-depth curriculum in conjunc-tion with the new exams. This signifies a shift in College Board’s involvement in the structure of the course. These new outlines would allow AP teachers across the country to unify their stan-dards and better prepare students.

“It’s good to give teachers a better idea of which direction to go in,” AP biology teacher Cath-erine Barden said. “It will make it easier to get through all of the academic material if we know

what to expect.”The AP French language exam

is among the first to be revised, with changes taking effect in 2012. The new exam will focus on real-life interaction and orga-nize material around six themes considered essential to the sub-ject, such as “contemporary life” and “global issues.”

“I think it will be hard learning a whole new AP test, but I'm ex-cited to learn about French culture rather than just grammar,” junior Joelle Boxer said.

In 2013, new versions of the U.S. history and biology exams will be implemented. Though College Board will not release the specific revisions until next month, the overall intent of these changes is to reduce the amount of material covered and increase the depth of questions.

“They are organizing history around themes, which is a very mature way of looking at his-tory,” Fauver said. “AP students still don’t have a firm grasp of chronology. They are making his-tory teachers’ jobs harder by ask-ing students to do more than they are able to.”

The biology exam will also gain a greater focus on labora-tory work and math. Though the multiple choice section will be cut to 55 questions, there will be nine free-response questions, five more than in past years. In addi-tion, students will be allowed to use a calculator on the exam to

help them complete five addition-al math questions.

“I think that if they go to more essays we’re going to need small-er classes so we can actually grade all the tests,” Barden said. “It will change how we teach the class.”

Physics, chemistry, European history, and art history will be the last exams to be revised. Col-lege Board has yet to release any specifics regarding these changes, which will take effect in 2014 or 2015. The English and calculus

exams are not set to be changed in the near future.

In addition, College Board an-nounced in August that starting with the 2011 tests, students will no longer be penalized for in-correct answers on the multiple choice sections of exams. In the past, a quarter of a point was de-ducted for every wrong response.

“Since the tests are graded on a bell curve, it won’t make that much of a difference to the scores,” senior Levi Schoenfeld

said. “But it will be nice to not have to worry about whether to leave an answer blank or not.”

These changes to these AP ex-ams are geared to help further College Board’s ultimate goal of creating college classes in a high school setting.

“Until I see the exact changes that will be made, it’s hard to know whether they will be good or bad,” Fauver said. “I’ll be interested to see what College Board comes up with.”

next week.“Few high schools can prepare

three brand new pieces in such a short amount of time. However, I know that my students are ca-pable of doing this,” Park said. “I am eager to see how the students take on this challenge. We always have to keep up with our perfor-mances and be ready for the clos-est one.”

Many students feel that this is an extremely fortunate chance for music. There are many high schools that the SCBOA could have selected, but due to musical talent, it decided that Mira Costa was the most qualified.

“Although preparing for this concert will take a lot of time, I think it will be worth all of the practice in the end. It is really great that we were chosen to per-form,” sophomore violinist Matt Campbell said.

One of the most important as-pects of this upcoming perfor-mance is that the students will be playing for musical experts. These experts are teachers from around Southern California who are in-terested in improving the current music programs at the schools where they teach by learning from other musical groups.

“We are giving back to the com-munity and helping these teachers learn about new music literature, and hopefully they can watch our orchestra and be impacted. This performance is a service to expand the educators’ music pro-grams,” Park said.

According to Mira Costa Prin-cipal Ben Dale, the changes will enhance the quality of the per-forming arts.

“Performing arts will be great. The renovation is a step in the process of making the facility match the great programs,” Dale said. “Part of the experience of at-tending a performing arts event is appreciating the quality space.”

The renovations are important not only to the members of the MBPOA and Performing Arts Department, but also the whole school as well.

“All the school including the performing arts will be proud of the new, creative and very at-tractive entrance. It is something everyone can be proud of,” Rom-ines said.

MAdison sWArt/lA vistA

MAdison sWArt/lA vistA

FINE-TUNED: Sophomore Cynthia Pham and seniors J Johnson and Tristan Koester will be participating in the SCBOA performance.

“Lacrosse is growing rapidly. We have about 60 guys who have nowhere to practice on Thursdays during their season. Lacrosse and other field sports need space to practice,” boys lacrosse coach Chris Jewett said.

Supporters of Plan A raised several concerns about the safety, space and cost of Plan B. The plan includes 200 feet of new retaining walls on Meadows Avenue in or-der to maintain the varsity base-ball diamond as it is currently situated. This raises the cost of Plan B to over $1 million, above the MBAF budget.

“My major concern in Plan B is safety. With all the different types of sports being played, it would be hard to keep balls and other equipment for injuring oth-er players,” varsity softball player Meghan von Behren said.

On the other hand, proponents of Plan B feel that it offers an-other valid option that utilizes the maximum amount of field space.

“Lacrosse and other field sports are constantly fighting for prac-tice space. Plan B helps solve that problem. We need more empty space, and Plan A doesn’t address the future,” lacrosse parent Mi-chael Marinelli said.

After considering all of the sug-gestions, Matthews will make a recommendation to the MBUSD board. The board will then vote and approve an athletics master plan for submission to the Depart-ment of the State Architect.

The board would like to decide on the final plan by Feb. 2 in order to start construction this summer and avoid negatively impacting sports during their seasons.

“Mira Costa athletics is not ranked 15th in the nation because of a single sport. It is because of the entire athletics program,” MBAF President Gary Wayland said. “This master plan is a com-munity effort, and with every-one’s support, we hope to create the best situation for all athletes.”

3La VistaJanuary 14, 2011

MBUSD authorizes new drug sniffing dog program

News

GOING OUT WITH A BEEP: Student favorite and maintenance and operations staff member Marvin Choi is retir-ing from Mira Costa after 30 years of service on Jan. 25. Check out the story on www.lavistamchs.com

By Diane Lee

Staff Writer

LeLanD LeSnever/La viSta

The Manhattan Beach Unified School District school board au-thorized a new drug prevention policy at its Dec. 8 meeting that will authorize drug sniffing dogs to search Mira Costa classrooms in order to discourage students from bringing drugs, alcohol, and weapons on to campus.

Dr. Rocky Wilson, People At-taining Complete Equality advi-sor and math teacher, first devel-oped the plan when he realized that Mira Costa is one of the few schools in the area with drug dogs that do not search classrooms. He presented his idea to Mira Costa Principal Ben Dale during a meet-ing in October.

“I was very surprised and im-pressed because it is rare that a community group would support such a bold move,” Dale said. “I believe that the community sup-port speaks for the commitment and partnership between the city of Manhattan Beach and Mira Costa and helps to ensure a drug-free environment.”

Wilson then introduced the plan to the school board, where the board unanimously voted to authorize it. Prior to this policy, the dogs were allowed to search

CalendarCampus

Jan 17: No school for Martin Luther King Junior Day.

Jan. 19: Club Day at lunch in the new quad.

Jan. 19, 20: Talent show tryouts will be held from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the audi-torium; additional tryouts may be held on Jan. 21.

Jan. 20: Principal and Superintendant Meet and Greet. The Cooney Family will host Principal Ben Dale and Superinten-dant Dr. Michael Matthews at 1310 18th St. in Manhattan Beach.

Jan. 14 and 20: Scholorship Notebook Information Meetings in the College and Career Center at lunch.

Jan. 26-28: Final Exams will take place; school begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 12:21 p.m.

Jan. 31: Second semester begins.

Jan. 31: Neptunian Women’s Club Music and Writing Contest deadline for submis-sions.

Jan. 31-Feb. 4: AP Exam Registration at lunch at the student store.

Feb. 3: The Talent Show will begin at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

Feb. 7: First Semester Grades are posted online for parents and students.

Feb. 9: Late Start for students; school be-gins at 10 a.m.

Feb. 7-11: AP Exam Late Registration at lunch at the student store.

Jan. 18: Manhattan Beach City Council Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Jan. 18: “Barefoot in The Park” by Neil Simon opens at the Hermosa Beach Play-house. Order tickets for $35-$40 on the Hermosa Beach Playhouse website.

Jan. 25: Hermosa Beach City Council Meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Jan. 30 and Feb. 6: The Teen Center Big Bear Snowboarding Trip. The bus will leave at 5:30 a.m. and return at 9 p.m. Ticketes are $65 and must be purchased four days before the trip date. To sign up contact Senior Recreation Leader Brianne Sternad at (310) 802-5426.

Vocal ensemble members senior Viet Tran, freshman Karli Halberg, and sophomores Stephanie Spencer, Elissa Wells, and Mad-ison Hall were accepted into the American Choral Directions Association national honor choir. They will perform in Chicago in March.

Senior Hunter O’Brien and juniors Court-ney Ung and Brighton Hernandez marched as part of the Pasadena City College Tour-nament of Roses Honor Band on Jan. 1.

On Jan. 9 the marching band performed at Disneyland. They were selected after sending in a recording of last year’s marching show.

most areas of the campus, such as locker halls, but never the class-rooms specifically.

“The reason we authorized this plan is not because there has been a sudden increase in the amount of students who are bringing drugs to school,” school board Presi-dent Bill Fournell said. “We au-thorized it because it is a program that will strengthen the policy we had before.”

The new program will be im-plemented in the spring. Random rooms will be chosen, and admin-istrators will ask students to step outside their classrooms for a few minutes while the drug dogs search inside for harmful and il-legal materials or substances. Students will be required to leave their backpacks and personal be-longings in the classroom.

“All canine visits are random, and only the company knows what days they will come. Even the Costa staff won’t know what day the visits are,” Wilson said.

The drug dogs are trained to de-tect scents of not only controlled substances, but also alcoholic beverages and explosives, includ-ing flammable liquids.

Wilson hopes that these fea-tures will help to make the cam-pus safer and send the message that MBUSD takes a zero-toler-ance stance on drugs, alcohol and

weapons. “Even if this new program just

discourages one student from us-ing drugs, I feel like it will still have been a success,” math teach-er Linda Gesualdi said.

However, some students be-lieve that the program is an in-frigement on their rights, as earli-er, their personal belongings were

not searched.“If you look at the backbone of

the idea, you are using an animal as as tool against a teenage stu-dent at a public school.” said ju-nior Connor Toscano. “Such mea-sures should only be used if the drugs are suspected of being used on campus, not possession.”

This program will be reviewed

at the end of the year in June and discussed by administrators. If they decide that it has been suc-cessful, the plan will be renewed for following years.

“If a student will think twice about bringing illegal substanc-es on campus, it will be proof that the new drug dog plan has worked,” Dale said.

Community

Mustang Shoutouts

4 OPINION January 14, 2011 La Vista

Editors-in-ChiEf

AdAm RobAk

Leo ShAw

Managing WEb Editors

JASon boxeR

dAinA RAmA

Copy Editor

LAuRA VAughn

Managing Editor

TReVoR ThoRpe

nEWs Editors

Robin JAnoTTA

ZAck RoSenfeLd

Abby wATkinS

opinion Editors

kyLe ALLen

eRic Zheng

cASey ZiRbeL

EntErtainMEnt Editors

RoSe gRAneR

duncAn gRegoRy

AudRey mckenZie

fEaturEs Editors

ALex pARducci

keLLy ReThmeyeR

ALLie RoSen

thEME Editors

kATie bARgeR

ALec LAuTAnen

connoR wRighT

sports Editors

dAnny keLLeheR

hAnnA mcguiRe

emmA RoSenbAum

CalEndar Editor

ALLie cAmpbeLL

WEb Editors

iSAAc Siegemund-bRokA

ShAnnon hAgedoRn

cARLy monTAn

ikTAe pARk

arts Editor

keeLy muRphy

photo Editor

JAcqueLine pehA

businEss ManagEr

wiLL wong

assistant businEss ManagEr

LiSA duckeRS

CirCulation Editors

benJAmin whiSTLeR

JeSSicA wu

troublEshootEr

wiLey dAViS

advisEr

mike mcAVin

staff WritErs

dAVid copeLAnd, bRAden cuRRey, RyAn eRickSon, RegAn eSTeS, dyLAn fAiR, RyAn fRAnkLin, ZAne

fRAnkLin, JAck fRiedmAn, ZAck giLL, JoAni giLLAm, JuLiAnA hofT, AVA kLein, eLiZAbeTh kneiSLey,

SAndoR kopiTZ, dAwAn Lee, hAiLe Lidow, kATie mcgRegoR, nicoLeTTe oLSon, michAeL poweLL,

mAggie RobAk, LogAn SchLoSSbeRg, eRicA SchneideR, JuSTin TAm, mATT wAh,

eRin weLdon

photographErs

kendALL buSby, Lindon chen, cARinA gLASSeR, wiLL goodwin, LeLAnd LeSneVeR, mAdiSon SwART

Editorial board

kyLe ALLen, JASon boxeR, Robin JAnoTTA, dAinA RAmA, AdAm RobAk, ZAck RoSenfeLd, Leo ShAw, TReVoR ThoRpe, LAuRA VAughn, Abby wATkinS, eRic Zheng, cASey ZiRbeL

LA ViSTA iS The STudenT newSpApeR of miRA coSTA high SchooL. iTS conTenT, which iS The ReSponSibiLiTy of The LA ViSTA STAff, iS noT SubJecT To AdminiSTRA-TiVe AppRoVAL. unSigned ediToRiALS RefLecT The opin-ionS of The newSpApeR, whiLe opinion coLumnS RepRe-SenT The wRiTeR’S View onLy. AdVeRTiSemenTS do noT neceSSARiLy RepReSenT The newSpApeR’S ViewpoinTS. LA ViSTA, An open foRum, weLcomeS Signed LeTTeRS on TopicAL iSSueS fRom The mchS communiTy. They mAy be mAiLed To mike mcAVin in The AdminiSTRA-Tion buiLding mAiLbox oR emAiLed To LAViSTAopinion@gmAiL.com. LeTTeRS mAy be ediTed foR LengTh And cLARiTy. foR Ad RATeS, pLeASe conTAcT ouR buSineSS

mAnAgeR AT LAViSTAbuSineSS@gmAiL.com

Editor’s NotE

staff Editorial

by AdAm RobAk

ediToR-in-chief

These are trying times to be a student in California. On Monday, new Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a budget that slashed nu-merous programs, most notably 20 percent of the funding for California’s already-suf-fering universities.

Luckily, primary and secondary schools were largely spared from these cuts due to their rapidly declining funding. However, unless California’s taxes increase over the next five years, high schools and primary schools across the state will have their funds cut enormously.

Because of these destructive cuts, it is evident that we as Mira Costa students need to take full advantage of the opportu-nities that we still have.

Despite our criticism here at La Vista about administrative and program flaws throughout the years, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District provides its students with unparalleled educational opportunities relative to most California schools.

In the MBUSD, we have the third-best API in California and are offered nation-ally-ranked programs in everything from Model United Nations to sports teams.

Because of this, those of us in MBUSD have to gain some perspective on our state’s education situation through this fiscal disaster. In the our district, we have faced cuts over the past two years that have resulted in fewer teachers and vanishing programs.

The lone consolation is that our situa-tion could be much, much worse. Yes, no cuts to the district’s programs are ever good. However, because of our high test-ing scores and the contributions of organi-zations like the Manhattan Beach Educa-tion Foundation, we haven’t had to bear the brunt of any drastic cuts.

Without the financial contributions from the MBEF, our district would have had to cut over $4 million from its budget last year.

In comparison, most districts around the state don’t have education foundations and, therefore, have limited opportunities to succeed.

In fact, a few months ago the Los An-geles Unified School District, in addition to contemplating program cuts, considered cutting Friday as a school day because it was simply too expensive.

If the new California leadership does not begin to prioritize education in a mean-ingful way, public schools will be left to economically fend for themselves, further lowering California’s abominable, next-to-last state education ranking.

It is tempting toward the end of my four years at Mira Costa to bemoan the lost pro-gram opportunities due to state-wide bud-get cuts.

But it is far more satisfying and realistic to be appreciative for the relatively stable education we receive at Mira Costa. At the same time, we need to hope that other students around the state will soon have a chance to benefit from a similar education-al environment.

With new leadership in Sacramento, I can only hope for future students and my-self, as a prospective beneficiary of Cali-fornia’s university system, that education reform will be a top priority.

Be glad we’re not on Gov. Brown’s chopping block

the information for the course before tak-ing the AP test.

MBUSD’s calendar gives earlier-start-ing districts an unintentional advantage because these other schools actually allow

students to learn material for the AP tests in a more reasonable time frame.

Currently, many teachers at Mira Costa

With winter break behind us and the new year in full swing, it is time for the Manhat-tan Beach Unified School District to make a schedule change. The current MBUSD calendar is not practical with regard to test-ing and does not sufficiently allow students to participate in summer programs.

The district calendar is decided upon in a series of meetings between MBUSD and the Manhattan Beach Unified Teach-ers Association. Under the current calen-dar, school begins at the end of August or early September and ends around the third week of June. This means that first semes-ter ends not before winter break, but in the final week of January.

MBUSD should consider altering its calendar so that school begins earlier in August and ends earlier in June, conse-quently placing finals in the week before winter break. This would allow students to experience a carefree winter break devoid of homework, projects and studying for finals looming in January. In other words, winter break would truly be a break.

The Los Angeles Unified School District recently approved a simi-lar calendar for its 2011-12 school year. Its second semester will begin on Jan. 9, directly after winter break.

Although LAUSD is one of the first local districts to make this change, a large number of stu-dents favor this “early start” calendar.

According to a La Vista poll of Mira Costa students, 57 per-cent believe that finals should occur before winter break.

The current schedule not only places finals awkwardly after winter break, but it also fails to suitably coincide with Advanced Placement tests in May.

If the school year started earlier, AP stu-dents would have more time to learn all of

MBUSD needs to establish a more accommodating and convenient calendar for all of its students

keeLy muRphy/ LA ViSTA

are forced to rush through content and as-sign students large amounts of work over breaks so that students will be prepared for the exam.

In a class such as AP biology, students not only feel pressured by the first semes-ter’s approaching finals over winter break, but they must also cover all the new mate-rial on their own. It is in the best interest of the district to rectify this unfairness by altering the school calendar to start in mid-August.

The current calendar also limits the abil-ity of students to partake in various sum-mer programs. This year, the El Camino College and UCLA summer sessions be-gin the week of June 20, the same week as Mira Costa’s final exams.

Many students decide to take summer classes at colleges either for pleasure or to fulfill graduation requirements.

The current schedule impedes these opportunities because stu-dents cannot miss final exams nor can they afford to miss one week of a six-week summer class. If school ended earlier, students would have the opportunity to make the most of the sum-mer classes available at lo-cal colleges.

Although the district calendar for the 2011-12 school year is already definite, the calen-dar for the 2012-13 school year has not yet been finalized. This gives MBUSD an op-portunity to reevalu-ate the practicality of the present calendar and consider its conse-quences for students.

Starting the school year earlier would have overwhelming benefits for the student

body. The district needs to realize that there is a time

when it is nec- essary to break tradition in order to serve the best interests of stu-dents.

OPINIONJanuary 14, 2011 5La Vista

Pro/Con

Should Costa bring Powderpuff football back?

Should MCHS bring back the Powderpuff game?roving rePorter

Pro: Con:

By Diane Lee

Staff Writer

When Mira Costa’s former principal Julie Ruisinger decided last year to can-cel the Powderpuff game for the current 2010-11 school year, many students were disappointed that they would not be able to play in the annual dance team fundraiser. However, Ruisinger made the right deci-sion in choosing to end Powderpuff foot-ball at Mira Costa.

Costa’s current English teacher Shan-non Vaughan started Powderpuff games 20 years ago when she was the coach of the dance team. Powderpuff has become known through the years for participants’ competitiveness and fondness for pranks. Students have vandalized opponents’

houses in the past, and the game itself has become dangerous due to the

rough and occasionally violent in-game conduct between the teams.

According to Vice Principal Paula Spen-ce, Powderpuff participants vandalized op-ponents’ homes on the eve of last year’s game, ranging from basic toilet-papering to the significant damage of property and the writing of vulgar and malicious com-ments around a junior student’s home.

Vandalism is considered a misdemeanor and can result in jail time for the perpetra-tor, even when that person is a minor.

When the administration was informed

of the incident, it decided to proceed with the game for that year without the seniors involved in the prank but discontinue the event for future years.

The Powderpuff game should not be brought back in the future because it cre-ates unnecessary hostility and promotes cruel behavior. Competition is a good way to promote hard work and sportsmanship, but in recent years Powderpuff has pro-moted unsportsmanlike behavior, illegal activities and violent conflict.

Aside from simple vandalism, the mali-cious comments left on the junior student’s house are also considered a form of emo-tional bullying. According to the American Humane Association, emotionally bullied students are more likely to develop men-tal illnesses like depression, which can last

well into adulthood and can greatly impact a person’s life.

Another detriment of the Powderpuff game is that it can cause many injuries on the field. The rivalry between the teams brings about rough play.

Vaughan created a behavior contract and a medical release

form 10 years ago to minimize the roughness, but these have not

sufficiently restrained the players.Additionally, according to Spence, the

administration has made attempts to work with Powderpuff players to reduce the hos-tility of the game with little success.

Those who support bringing back Pow-derpuff argue that the games build class spirit. Instead of building class spirit, how-ever, the games have built dangerous and violent animosity between the two classes.

There are other ways to build class spirit without endangering students and promot-ing both illegal and immoral behavior. Student government and the dance team can cooperate to create a new way to raise money for the dance team and provide a fun way for each class to bond.

The Powderpuff game should not be re-vived at any point in the future. It incites student conflicts, threatens to break the school’s unity and has had disastrous con-sequences for many of its participants. For the safety of students and the prevention of student misdemeanors, Powderpuff should forever remain a part of Mira Costa’s past.

By KriSta roBertS

Staff Writer

Like many other events that brighten our school year, the Powderpuff football game has been a long-standing tradition at Mira Costa and should continue to take place.

For upperclassmen each fall, roles are reversed for the Powderpuff game; girls are given the chance to play flag football and boys cheer them on from the sidelines, all in order to raise funds and boost school spirit. The issue, however, is that Powder-puff has created tension between seniors and juniors each year who play against each other.

According to School Resource Officer John Loy, last year Powderpuff participants were involved in various acts of hazing and vandalism related to the Powderpuff game rivalry. As a result, the administration de-cided that there would be no Powderpuff football game indefinitely.

Hostility and animosity between classes are detrimental to our school, and it is up to the upperclassmen to set an example for the rest of the student body to follow. Ath-letes are representatives of our school, and like all other sports teams at Mira Costa, the students who participate in Powder-puff should be expected to represent their school appropriately.

If the administration wishes to take a stand against hazing, a consistent school policy should be implemented.

Currently, there are teams like the cheer-leading squad and soccer team that use haz-ing rituals to initiate new members, yet the administration does not reprimand these teams. It is hypocritical to take such an ex-treme stance against Powderpuff without equivalent actions toward other teams.

The main objective is consistency, and the administration needs to clearly state its stance. Either it should castigate any and all perpetrators of hazing or leave the orga-nizations alone to practice whatever tradi-tions that they wish.

As of now, however, their inconsistency means that those not involved might not get to participate in a friendly game of flag football with peers.

With a uniform and strong stance on haz-ing, the administration could use Powder-puff as an educational anti-bullying experi-

Powderpuff game brings school together Negative impact of Powderpuff hurts MCHS

“I think Powderpuff should come back because people that weren’t involved shouldn’t be

penalized.”

rachel AzafraniSophomore

“Bringing it back right now would be too soon.”

Quincy Howertonenglish teacher

“I didn’t do it last year and I probably wouldn’t do it this

year, but it’s a fun thing to do.”

tawny garnerJunior

PhotoS By MaDiSon SWart/ La ViSta

“I think Powderpuff should come back because people who didn’t have the chance to do it

should have that chance.”Kristen o’Brien

Seniorelizabeth Khorasani

Senior

“I participated last year and we shouldn’t have to suffer because

of the seniors last year.”

KeeLy MurPhy/ La ViSta

ence. Powderpuff could shed the baggage of its past and be used to prevent hazing. Students would be strongly deterred from participating in malicious hazing rituals through a system of stiff individual pun-ishment. Instead of reprimanding an entire class, focus on stiff punishment for indi-viduals that abuse the Powderpuff game.

Though the vandalism that occurred in previous years was an unfortunate and in-appropriate development, the upperclass-men this year should not have to face the consequences.

It is unjust that students uninvolved in last year’s criminal activities should face consequences for the actions of others. Punishing current seniors who were not involved in the incidents surrounding last year’s game and current juniors for whom

it was unlikely to have been involved isn’t a constructive way to handle the situation.

Eliminating powderpuff is just another way of diminishing the little school spirit we have left. For example, according to ASB, upperclassmen voted over-whelmingly against a Winter Formal dance this year.

Playing in the Pow-derpuff game encourages students to take pride in our school. Players from each team bond and create fun high school memories from the experience.

Powderpuff can be a fun event in a monotonous school year. The long-es-tablished game can build more school spirit, bring students closer together and raise funds for school activities. Although Powderpuff has proven to be problematic in the past, its future could prove to be a learning experience for the school.

6 OPINION January 14, 2011La Vista

DSniatiohStahdard

Drug-sniffing dogs invade the privacy of students

Obama’s actions deserve recognition

Proposed changes to AP classes will benefit Costa’s students By Eric ZhEng

OpiniOn EditOr

For many of Mira Costa’s stu-dents, the College Board’s Ad-vanced Placement tests create an extremely strenuous schedule with countless hours spent study-ing, memorizing and cramming.

Fortunately, proposed changes to AP classes, starting with AP U.S. history and biology, for the 2012-13 school year will be final-ized February. These revisions will lessen the burden on students while increasing understanding of the subjects.

College Board’s main revisions include decreasing the amount of content, creating a more analyti-cal exam and changing the focus of AP classes. The proposed revi-

sions will improve AP classes and the students’ experience.

These changes address a dis-turbing trend regarding AP class-es; more students are failing AP tests and fewer universities are giving college credit for AP class-es. For example, according to the New York Times, the mean score has dropped from 3.18 to 2.63 out of a possible 5 points since 1997.

To better prepare students for college, the College Board’s pro-posed revisions will completely change the current AP biology and U.S. history classes and the way they are taught.

First, the proposals will reduce the breadth of content covered on AP Exams. The decision to reduce the sheer volume of infor-mation will allow students time to

comprehend material rather than just memorize.

Changes to the amount of con-tent will also make AP classes much more similar to college. Some of Costa’s biology and his-tory teachers believe the topics

covered in AP biology and U.S. history are generally covered much more thoroughly in two or more years of college classes. Rushing through content in an AP class is not effective in helping students develop the necessary skills to excel after high school

College Board also plans to alter the exam. The new Biology exam will feature more math-

based free response questions and fewer multiple choice questions, causing students to develop valu-able analytical skills.

In addition to the reduction in content, College Board plans to shift the focus of these classes.

For the first time ever, College Board will release course outlines with a stan-

dard curriculum for teachers.These outlines are planned

to center around interactive ac-tivities, in-depth comprehension questions and experiments to de-velop the critical thinking skills needed for college.

But, despite any potential ben-efits, the College Board should not attempt to define the structure of classes; the curriculum frame-

work should only be decided by teachers. The College Board should not be allowed to dictate curriculum for the entire nation.

By reforming the AP system, College Board is taking a step to improve AP classes and students’ learning. Reducing content allows students to obtain more valuable skills and knowledge, but dictat-ing curriculum is the problem; it does not help students learn and should not be College Board’s re-sponsibility.

However, it is clear that the current AP biology and U.S. his-tory classes need to be revised. Through addition by subtraction, the College Board can make AP biology, U.S. history and hope-fully future classes more satisfy-ing and educational.

Top Ten ways to prepare for finals

10. Use Angry Birds to sharpen your physics skills.

9. Shun your friends and becme an ascetic. It worked for Sid-dhartha Gautama. Think about it; you could be the Buddha.

8. Take up the Uberman sleep cycle. Google it.

7. It’s all about the vitamins; pound two cups of fish oil per day.

6. Think about filling out that “recall generator” for AP biology.

5. Find the most awesome Hawaiian shirt ever and hope it gains you points in Knutson.

4. Create an intense studying schedule, and then ignore it.

3. Have Yeezy teach you. He’ll take your study game to a whole new level.

2. Fill in “Key” on your scantrons.

1. Study? Wait, we have a three day weekend...

- LEO Shaw/ EditOr in chiEf and KyLE aLLEn, Eric ZhEng, and caSEy ZirBEL/ OpiniOn EditOrS

By dyLan fair

Staff writEr

To the untrained eye it may seem that President Barack Obama has not lived up to the expectations of his first term. However, this is not the case.

When he entered office, Obama was faced with a handicapped economy and plethora of inter-national issues inherited from the previous administration.

Although Obama has presided over a tumultuous two years dur-ing the first half of his presidency, he has also made progress worthy of re-election throughout his first term.

Since taking office in January 2009, Obama has kept many of the promises of his campaign.

In two years, Obama has suc-cessfully obtained the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT), pushed the START treaty through Congress and secured the passage of substantial health care reform.

Possibly the most significant progress Obama has made is

the signing of the American Re-covery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, widely known as the stimu-lus package.

The bill provided $288 billion in tax cuts and has helped create over 2.1 million jobs since Dec. 31, 2009. In addition, the act has provided $224 billion to support education and healthcare.

Many have contested the ef-ficacy and the necessity of the package, claiming that the $787 billion price is too high.

In the lame-duck session of 2010, Obama signed the New START Treaty, which reduces warheads in the United States and Russia. The treaty initially drew Republican opposition, but 13 Republican senators ultimately voted across party lines in sup-port of the treaty.

During the lame-duck ses-sion, Obama initiated the repeal of DADT and the passage of the 9/11 first responders bill, which provided aid to rescuers and their families injured in the attack. Eight Republican senators crossed

the aisle to repeal DADT.Obama has been very support-

ive of national health care reform. The Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act has provided affordable insurance to 11 million children since February 2009.

While critics of Obama’s health care efforts claim that the new system will be inefficient and that the individual mandate is uncon-stitutional, it lays a foundation that ensures a basic standard of health care and leaves the door open for future reform.

Also, according to Reuters, the healthcare overhaul will cut the federal budget deficit by $138 bil-lion over 10 years.

Although he entered office with a very long to-do list, Obama has been as active as any president in recent memory.

If the president can issue as many reforms in the next two years as in the last two months, he truly deserves a second term. Obama’s attempt to put the well-being of the country over his ap-proval rating deserves applause.

By david cOpELand

Staff writEr

The Manhattan Beach Unified School District finalized a new drug dog search policy for Mira Costa and Manhattan Beach Mid-dle School in its Dec. 8 meeting that breaks through another level of student privacy and needlessly creates tension between the stu-dent body and administrators.

This new policy allows drug- sniffing dogs to not only search hallways, lockers and parking lots, but also classrooms. The new policy compensates for a loophole in the old policy that did not allow drug dogs to search stu-dents backpacks by removing this limitation completely.

Under the new policy, a class-room is picked at random, at which point a drug dog, an ad-ministrator and a dog handler will enter the room and search for contraband.

The administrator will instruct

all of the students to leave their backpacks in the room and vacate the classroom while the dog sniffs for illegal substances.

The introduction of these ani-mals into a classroom environ-ment is far too aggressive to be implemented.

The American Civil Liberties Union has criticized random drug dog searches, claiming that drug-sniffing dogs are better suited to crime scenes and that bringing them into schools creates an at-mosphere in which students feel like suspects.

In the Supreme Court case New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985), the court ruled that privacy may be ob-structed to create a safe learning environment.

The court determined that when assessing a search or seizure in the school setting, it would balance whether the search was justified when it was started, and whether the search was reasonable in its scope. According to the court,

school officials need “reasonable suspicion” to search students.

If someone makes an effort to hide something, or to make it private in any way, then interfering is consid-ered “an unlawful search.”

However, a dog sniffing b a c k -p a c k s is le-ga l l y n o t c o n -s idered a search because there is no breach of container, like a backpack.

Although this new policy does not violate the Constitution, it is unjustified. According to the California Department of Educa-tion, the number of students dis-ciplined at Mira Costa for drug-related offences has not varied greatly over the past five years.

the number of students disci-plined for drug-related offenses has decreased over the past five years.

Obviously, this situation calls for a balance of safety and pri-vacy, but the search of students’ backpacks is too extreme.

Not all Mira Costa students are criminals, and they should not be treated as such. Mira Costa is an educational institu-tion and should not treat its stu-dents like convicts.

Additionally, students would be greatly distracted from the classroom environment by be-ing treated as suspects. If the searches truly are random, then classes could easily be searched during tests or presentations, greatly disrupting the school’s learning environment.

Even though technically the searches are constitutional, they signal a blatant loss of trust be-tween school officials and the student body.

If anything, the numbers have decreased from a high of 43

students in 2004-2005 to just 18 last year.

It is unwarranted for the school board to institute a classroom drug dog search simply because other schools are also implement-ing the measure, especially when

Decreasing the amount of content in AP classes will help students develop valuable analytical skills.

KEELy Murphy/ La viSta

7FEATURESJanuary 14, 2011 La Vista

South Bay Adult School makes good use of Costa at night

NIGHT AND DAY: The classes offered by SBAD include yoga, volleyball, foreign languages and home improvement. The school is open for a fall, winter, spring and summer quarter that meets from 5:30 until 10 p.m during the week.

Lindon Chen / La Vista

By CarLy Montan

Features WeB editor

To many people under the age of 18, adults seem to know how to do almost everything. The truth is, there is always something new to learn. The South Bay Adult School at Mira Costa instructs parents and other adults in the community in everything from playing the recorder to the origins of humor.

The SBAS started in 1918 and has been held at the Costa cam-pus for more than 25 years. With more than 10,000 students enroll-ing annually, SBAS has 14 avail-able locations to attend.

“I like the South Bay Adult School because it gives the com-munity something to do other than sit on the couch and watch television; it helps them be pro-

“I think it’s great that we finally have an opportunity to take a course that’s a bit more relevant to now than

other sciences.”

Rachel AzafraniSophomore

active,” Costa program secretary Irma Ruiz said.

Classes such as yoga, foreign languages, kitchen remodeling and stock management are avail-able for anyone over the age of 18 to take.

However, Costa students that are 17 and need to receive cred-it for a language can also do so through the adult school. They must consult with their counsel-ors before signing up.

“People come to learn some-thing fun on top of learning some-thing new. There is a wide variety of classes so you can better your mind, body and soul,” Ruiz said.

Because of the large number of classes, there is a large amount of teachers as well. Many are certi-fied teachers, but some are volun-teers or members of the commu-nity with substantial knowledge

of a particular subject.“We have been affected by the

recent budget cuts, but that hasn’t stopped the people of the com-munity from wanting to get in-volved,” Ruiz said.

The profits made by the SBAS are evenly distributed to both the communities of Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach as well as the administration. Although money has been short, the teachers re-

ceive a pay that is usually used for class supplies and items for their lessons.

“Because the money is split into thirds between the administration, Costa and Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach, everyone ben-efits,” SBAS high school supervi-sor Tim Kearns said.

Since the SBAS is located on school grounds, its office likes to get students involved every year. The students need to be academi-cally strong and able to help out in the office. They act as custodi-ans and student aides by opening the classrooms and performing other tasks.

“We hire students to work, but we want to make sure they can do their school work as well as working,” Kearns said.

Seniors Chris Bickel and Seth Hartnell split the job and work

two nights a week for four-hour shifts from 6 to 10 p.m. Since both are seniors, there will be job openings next year.

“It’s a good job. It’s very sim-ple and I even get to finish my homework while I’m on the job,” Hartnell said.

The SBAS is open for a fall, winter, spring and summer quar-ter each year and from 5:30 to 10 p.m. daily.

To get involved, visit the SBAS office located next to the nurse’s office on the Costa campus, or log onto their website: www.south-bayadult.org.

“Being able to work at the adult school has given me a new kind of responsibility that is different than anything I’ve ever done be-fore. It’s really valuable to learn how to manage a job and school,” Bickel said.

LeLand LesneVer / La Vista

BABY ON BOARD: Catherine Barden is taking a maternity leave and will be replaced by Jessica Whitlock.

Barden trades biology books for baby bottlesBy niCoLette oLson

staFF Writer

A new member of the Barden clan is on his way. Catherine Barden, Costa’s Advanced Place-ment and College Preparatory biology teacher, is expecting her first child and will soon be taking a maternity leave beginning on Jan. 21.

“During the begining of my maternity leave, I will finally have the chance to get the baby’s room ready,” Barden said. “Over-all, I’m really excited about what is to come.”

Barden’s substitute, Jessica Whitlock, will take her place for the remainder of the school year.

Whitlock holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in biology from Syracuse University and a Master of Arts Degree in urban education from Loyola Marymount Univer-sity. Whitlock previously taught in East Los Angeles.

“My first impression of Jessica wasthat she seemed extremely eager to start teaching the stu-dents and that she is a hard work-er,” Barden said.

Barden is confident that her students will do well on the AP biology test despite her absence.

Whitlock has already taught AP biology in the past.

Barden plans to return from her maternity leave to teach full time at the beginning of the 2011-12 school year.

“Even though I think it will be a challenge to adapt and to ad-just to the substitute’s teaching methods during the middle of the school year, I feel quite confident. It’s good to know that the new substitute has taught AP biology before and that she has the same credentials as Mrs. Barden,” ju-nior Jenna Tong said.

AP environmental science class provides new option for studentsBy ZaCk GiLL

staFF Writer

A new year brings a new class. This fall, for the first time ever, Mira Costa students will be able to take a new science class: Ad-vanced Placement environmental science. The class will combine a wide variety of fields of science and culminate in an AP exam.

Enrollment for the class will begin with sign-ups in April. The class will be taught by earth science teacher Karl Kurz with possible assistance from marine biology teacher and Science De-partment chair Harold Coller.

“If there are three or more classes, Coller may be a co-teach-er. This is my first time teaching the course and co-teaching is the most effective way to teach a new class. I can get feedback with ev-erything I do,” Kurz said.

AP environmental science will be open to any student who passes chemistry CP with a B or higher. This means that most stu-dents who take AP environmental science are likely to be juniors, although it is open to seniors and possibly sophomores who are able to meet the prerequisites.

“It’s preferred that students have an earth science background, but I’m expecting new students I’ve never had as well.” Kurz said.

Depending on their academic track, students are funneled into various science classes during their junior and senior years.

Kurz says sophomores who take chemistry or honors chemis-try often go on to take AP biol-

ogy or AP chemistry, and seniors can take various physics courses. Kurz believes that AP environ-mental science can be a substitu-ite for all of these classes.

“I’m not sure what science class I’m going to take next year, but it’s good to have options. I know a ton of people who don’t think they have the skills for AP chemistry and want an alternative to AP biology,” sophomore Tom

Wissel said. “AP environmental science seems like an interesting and logical choice for them.”

AP environmental science fo-cuses on a wide variety of dif-ferent forms of science mate-rial, with emphasis on everything from biodiversity in a population to energy consumption.

“I think it’s great that we final-ly have an opportunity to take a course that’s a bit more relevant to now than other sciences,” sophomore Rachel Azafrani said. “With the environment in the state that it’s in, I want to learn as much as about it as possible.”

The AP environmental science course will give an opportunity for students to pursue another AP science course option while teaching a curriculum that re-flects current global environmen-tal affairs.

“This is a class that combines AP biology and earth science. It’s going to be completely different from any class we have ever of-fered here at Mira Costa,” Kurz said. “I think this is is a class that will be meaningful to the lives of students because it explores what’s really going on in the world around them.”

“I like the South Bay Adult School because it gives the community some-thing to do other than sit on the couch and watch

television.”

Irma RuizProgram Secretary

NIGHT OWL: One of the teachers at the South Bay Adult School instructs his class. Some teachers are certified while others are community volunteers.

Regions of the brain: the guide to who you areThe makeup and function of the human brain are

concepts of complexity and power. Therefore it is no surprise that the ways in which the mind pro-cesses information and stores new facts vary from person to person. The way students learn has been a major focus of educators over the years, and finding the ideal methods for maximum comprehension is always a priority for planning lessons and classes.

The most well-known contributor to differences in how students learn is in the concept of the “right” and “left” brain. The physical lateralization of brain function contributes to basic differences in what subjects students excel at.

So-called “right brain” students are more adept at taking parts of concepts and thinking about them as a whole, and are more inclined to creative set-tings, such as art and music classes. “Left brain” students are more analytical and logical and, as a

result, generally prefer math and science classes.

However, there are many subcategories of learning types, the most common of which involve visual, auditory and tactile stimuli.

Visual learning is

the most popular style, making use of graphic ele-ments such as concept maps and flowcharts.

Auditory learners process information better in forms such as lectures and ascertain the true mean-ing of spoken information through nuances like changes in tone and accents on words.

Tactile learners, also known as kinesthetic learn-ers, are the “do-ers.” They learn best by having physical motions associated with information. They like first-hand experience to allow them to fully grasp a concept. These students may prefer things like chemistry experiments and skits.

“I’m mostly a visual learner but for me, hearing something also helps me understand the material; if i can’t remember something, I say it out loud or write it again to help me remember,” said Junior Taylor Dominguez.

According to the VARK model of learning styles, visual learners make up roughly 65 percent of the population, auditory learners account for 30 percent and tactile learners comprise five percent. There are many methods to determine what type of learner students are, but the most effective ones combine visual and auditory aspects, like combining a lec-ture with a PowerPoint presentation.

These characteristics also carry over into study habits. Visual learners study best by having a large projection of information, such as an entire multi-

plication table instead of individual flashcards. Auditory learners do best by taping lectures in-

stead of taking notes and reading aloud to review. Study groups and mnemonic devices are also help-ful to auditory learners. Tactile learners study best by doing some sort of physical activity at the same time, like chewing gum or squeezing a stress ball.

Many of these methods are present here at Costa. AP European history and CP world history teacher Gregory Kloes makes fervent use of both visual and auditory aspects in his classroom. Lessons are com-prised of a combination of lectures and graphical el-ements such as statistic graphs, with students often analyzing historical artwork as well. This combina-tion, according to Kloes, provides the best way for students to learn information and targets almost all of the different learning variations.

“If students can combine pictures and images with the information they’re being presented, they’re definitely more apt to remember what they need to know.” Kloes said. “With the combination of lec-tures and graphics, I really think I can capture and teach to the greatest range of students possible.”

French teacher Laurie Gonalons targets the tactile group by encouraging students to take fields trips to be-come better acquainted with French culture. In

fact, this year, Gonalons’ French 7-8 class went to the French Decorative exhibit at the Getty Musuem to obtain a first-hand experience of French culture and art.

“Allowing the kids to actually see French art is very important in order to get a full understanding of the French culture. The actual experience lets the kids see in a different way and actively engages them,” Gonalons said.

The concept of multiple intelligences is used to further categorize a student’s inclinations toward different types of education. There are nine catego-ries of multiple intelligences, and each deals with a different element of learning.

The different intelligences are designed to cater specifically to different learning styles. They in-clude: spatial, linguistic, logic-mathematical, bodi-ly-kinesthetic, musical, naturalistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and existential intelligences.

“Personally, I like hearing lessons better. The oral and language parts of classes are usually the ones that I find the easiest to understand,” sophomore Ari Howorth said.

Through all of these methods, educators through-out Mira Costa hope to further the amount of in-formation students comprehend and retain. Once

teachers can cater to how individual students learn, the school experience can be more ef-ficient and lasting.

Imagination: The ability to easily form

images and concepts in the mind through a non-sensory experience,

such as making a mental image. Imagination is a key aspect of fic-tional writing and other creative

arts such as sculpting and painting.

Art Awareness:

The natural inclina-tion toward the visual arts to help compre-

hend new infor-mation.

Insight: To give good advice and

to be able to put yourself into hypothetical situations.

“Giving advice just comes natu-rally; I can imagine myself in the

other person’s shoes,” sopho-more Braden Currey said.

Almost all of the elementary schools

(except Meadows El-ementary) have introduced

the SMART Board in many classrooms.This new technology is basi-

cally a white board compatible with the teacher’s computer and the Internet. This board enables the teacher to create power points, notes, and word documents while teaching the class.

The board is touch screen as well , which makes teaching much more efficient.

It gives students a more cre-ative and different way to learn

in the class with the SMART Board’s interactive touching, sounds and videos.

“The SMART Board absolutely helps with auditory and visual learners; it has colors, shapes, lessons, and even tests that allow a more interesting

lessons,” Grand View elementary teacher Laurie Desmond said.

Music Awareness:

The ability to be musically talented and to have an ear

for rhythm, pitch and tone.

Mathe-matical Skills:

A natural understanding of quantity, structure,

space, and change

Logical Reasoning:

Determinining the outcome or conclusion of a situation or problem

by assembling given facts and compo-nents. Logical reasoning plays a large role in the math and science fields, as logical

conclusions are the ultimate goal of both studies. Logic is also used in

computer programming.

Written Language:

A representation of thoughts or ideas with

organized written text.

Scientific Skills:

Techniques and methods of gaining understanding of the natural world and its func-tions with observation and

experimentation.

Languages:Common verbal com-

munication in which the spoken word is used to

share ideas.

“I’m a right brain learner. I learn by listening to music and picking

up random clues.”Dina Mitchell

Freshman

“ I’m a left brain learner. I use logic to solve problems.”

Mckenzie BeckerSophomore

“I’m a right brain learner be-cause I think of information in a

creative way to memorize it”Jordan Johnson

Junior

“According to a quiz I took on ‘Oprah’, I’m both a left and right

brain learner.”Alysse Margolis

Senior

“I appeal to each kid’s learning type. I lecture and show pictures

relating to the criteria.”Wayne Knutson

Econonmics/ History Teacher

Medulla: control of heart and lungs

Cerebellum: thoughts, actions and memories

Temporal Lobe: auditory recongition and speech

Occipital Lobe: visual processing and sight

Parietal Lobe: move-ment and balance

Frontal Lobe: manages reason, problem-solving and emotion.

4% 11%22%

13% 14% 36%

What controls the brain?

Compiled by Katie Barger, alec lautanen and connor Wright / theme editors

photos by lindon chen and madison sWart / la Vista

Teachers are now using SMART Boards in order to bring les-sons to life.

Courtesy of newlandmedia.Com

50%

80%

Students that study aloneStudents that use flashcards

Students that study in groupsStudents that use flashcards

19%

64%

What study

habits are

common

among teens?Courtesy of serendip.brynmawr.edu and tltgroup.org

10 La Vista FEATURES January 14, 2011

Senior D.J. Stanfill sings song of success at Grammys, NFAA

LeLand Lesnever/ La vista

By Lisa duckers

staff Writer

SING-A-LONG: Country Lovers Club was created by junior Zane Curdes to share his appreciation for country music. The club meets Tuesdays in room 51.

Love it or hate it, country mu-sic has come to Costa, and so far it’s a hit.

Junior Zane Curdes recently started a club that has grown out of his appreciation for coun-try music. Curdes, junior Vice President Alex Harrold, junior Secretary Kelsey Herrera, and ap-proximately 15 members gather in room 51 on Tuesdays to listen to and discuss their favorite musi-cal genre.

The Country Lovers members meet weekly to plan fundrais-ing events and activities while listening to their favorite artists. Curdes came up with the idea of finding other country enthusiasts to work together to raise money for good causes while enjoying their common interest.

“My sister introduced me to country music about two years ago. My goal for this club is to help others while introducing this genre to other Costa kids,” Curdes said.

The group plans to fundraise by holding garage sales, car washes and bake sales. The club’s goal

Country music finds a new home at CostaBy erica schneider

staff Writer

Madison sWart/ La vista

CRESCENDO: Senior D.J. Stanfill has been invited to sing with the Grammy Foundation Jazz Ensemble and will receive special training in Miami.

For Mira Costa senior D.J. Stanfill, singing at the Post-Awards Grammy Celebration last year was the chance of a lifetime.

In the coming week, he will not only have the opportunity to

return to the Grammys, but he’ll also get to perform in the 2011 National Foundation for Ad-vancement in the Arts Young Arts Program in Miami.

In 2009, Stanfill, along with 600 high school students, auditioned to be a part of the 2010 Grammy Foundation Jazz Ensemble. From those students, he and 27 other musicians were selected to take part in the program. This January,

he will repeat that experience for a second time.

“D.J. is an extremely passionate and curious musician gifted with great talent and has the smarts to back it all up,” choir director Mi-chael Hayden said. “There is no doubt D.J. will be extremely suc-cessful in the Grammy Jazz Choir and with the NFAA YoungArts Program. His love for jazz and performance and his skills will serve him well and will inspire those around him.”

Surprisingly, Stanfill, who was a natural at playing the piano and trombone when he was younger, never really focused on singing until he started high school. Once he started singing all the time, it became hard for him to stop.

“I took up vocal jazz at the end of sophomore year. Since then, I’ve been singing a lot more,” Stanfill said. “I never really de-cided to take up singing, but I have been doing it for as long as I can remember, in small vocal groups, in the car, in the shower, wherever.”

Throughout the week leading up to the Grammys in February, Stanfill and his fellow musicians will perform at events including the Person of the Year Awards for Barbara Streisand. They will also perform at the official post-awards Grammy celebration.

The group will also have the opportunity to record an album at Capitol Records during the week members are there.

“We don’t know all of the guest artists yet for this year, but we’ll be performing with some of the most well-known names in jazz,” Stanfill said.

In addition to the Grammys performance, Stanfill was one of three jazz vocalists chosen to

participate in the 2011 NFAA YoungArts program in Miami this January.

There, he and 150 other young talented artists from around the country will perform and receive training from artists in different areas of artistic expression.

Additionally, all the young art-ists that were selected by Youn-gArts will have the chance to be nominated for an award given at the White House with the oppor-tunity to perform at the Kennedy Center and exhibit at the Smith-sonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.

“I’m very excited but also a little nervous,” Stanfill said. “It’s a small chance, but I’m going to try for it as hard as I can nonethe-less. To sing at the Kennedy Cen-ter and to receive a presidential scholarship would be incredible.”

Even though he has been granted these unique experiences, Stanfill says he still has a long way to go in terms of improving his singing. He hopes that these upcoming experiences will help

him learn more.“At the next upcoming events,

I really hope to learn as much as I can about music and myself,” Stanfill said. “I look forward to all of the exciting new things that I will get to learn when I go to both programs.”

is to donate their earnings to country music organizations and charities.

Groups that the club is hoping to support include The Country Music Foundation, which is dedi-cated to preserving memorabilia and teaching about country mu-sic’s development as an art, and the Academy of Country Music, which supports the Lifting Lives Foundation.

“Our club is new; therefore, we haven’t figured out exactly which groups we will be working with. However, we’ve recently begun researching possible organiza-tions to support,” Herrera said.

The club members enjoy listen-ing to a variety of country artists, but focus primarily on current country rather than old school. In other parts of the U.S., country music attracts large, loyal audi-ences and the club officers are hoping to draw more Costa stu-dents into this growing fan base. Interested students are encour-aged to join.

“It’s hard to find people, that like country music, so its nice to have a club at our school that is dedicated to it,” junior Katie Saunders said.

Charitable Couture Club combines fashion and serviceBy Logan schLossBerg

staff Writer

carina gLasser/ La vista

HELPING OUT: Members of Charitable Couture Club plan to use their love of fashion to help others. They meet every other Tuesday at lunch in room 223.

“I’m really excited to get things started and I feel that as a club we have so much potential to change and enrich people’s lives.”

Robin GreenPresident

A new club for students that share a passion for fashion and a desire to help others can now be found on Costa’s campus.

Charitable Couture Club is a Costa club that allows students with a common interest in fashion to come together and stay con-nected with all of the news and events of the fashion industry.

President sophmore Robin Green leads the club every other Tuesday during lunch in room 223. The club is sponsored by the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising located near, downtown Los Angeles and

TOMS Shoes located in Santa Monica.

With a love for helping others and for fashion, Green decided to start a club that would incorporate both.

“Starting the club means a lot to me because fashion is my life, and I also love to volunteer,” Green said. “I’m really excited to get things going with all of our upcoming events. I feel that as a club we have so much potential to change and enrich people’s lives.”

The club’s members also want to make major contributions to the community. They are planning community service ideas to help out. One project they are doing is collecting clothing for families in homeless shelters. Another is a clothing drive of prom dresses for girls who can’t afford them.

Since the club is a balance of fashion and service, it ties in fash-ion to all its community service projects.

“I really enjoy helping people out, and I think the idea of col-lecting prom dresses is really

great because it incorporates both fashion and service,” sophomore Audrey Davis said.

The members of Charitable Couture Club feel it is important to interact with other companies and organizations; therefore, they have paired up with FIDM, the official sponsor of the club.

“One of my friends started

the club, and I decided to join because it sounded like it would be a really fun opportunity,” sophmore Abby Salk said. “I’m most excited about getting to go on field trips to cool places and to help donate items to people who need them.”

TOMS Shoes is also involved with the Charitable Couture Club.

TOMS is a footwear company that donates a free pair of shoes to Africa with every purchae made. The company plans to provide guest speakers who will come to the club and speak about the fash-ion world.

“I’m looking forward to get-ting involved with TOMS Shoes and doing fundraisers to help peo-ple in the world who don’t have shoes and clothes like we do,” sophomore Lauren Watts said. “It’s doing good things for the community, but also having fun with friends at the same time.”

To be considered an active member in the Charitable Cou-ture Club, a student must comply with some minor standards. They must attend at least 80 percent of the meetings and participate in all community service activities. Also, any student who wants to join must maintain a 2.5 grade-point average to be a member.

“The fact that Charitable Cou-ture Club reaches out to people that need clothes and other neces-sities and works with other orga-nizations is great,” said Choi.

“I never really decided to take up singing, but I have been doing it for as long as I can remember, in small vocal groups, in the car, in

the shower, wherever.”

D.J. StanfillSenior

January 14, 2011La Vista ENTERTAINMENT

The X-Games are an exercise in spectator-driven competitionBy Rose GRaneR

enteRtainment editoR

The upcoming Winter 2011 X-Games provide an opportunity to reflect upon the true nature of large-scale sporting competi-tions.

The X-Games are less impres-sive than the Olympics and cer-tainly have a much smaller fol-lowing than, say, the World Cup. However, they are simultaneously one of the most overlooked and important cultural phenomenon that have arisen within the past thirty years.

The reason they are so popular is ultimately based on who com-petes and what competitions are featured. The sports featured are notoriously “lowbrow” ones.

No one could argue that “Snowboard Superpipe” (essen-tially a giant half-pipe construct-ed out of snow upon which tricks are performed) or “Snowmobile: Speed” (exactly what it sounds like) are as classically respected athletic ventures as polevaulting and the like.

In this sense, the X-Games strike a blow in favor of the com-mon man. As inspirational and impressive as professional sport-ing events and the athletes who compete in them are, there is no question that it is personally vali-dating to witness groups of true athletes compete purely for per-sonal enjoyment rather than ma-

11

CouRtesy a.espnCdn.Com

I Throw my feeT up In The aIr someTImes: The X-Games offer spectators the chance to watch athletes like them-selves who compete for sheer personal enjoyment rather than for material gain. The X-Games unique appeal draws thousands of fans every year.

CouRtesy shaunwhite.ComCouRtesy supeRCRosskinG.Com

terial gain.The X-Games as an institution

are of high relevance to Los An-geles residents; our weather en-ables us to take part in the same sports featured in the summer X-Games all year ‘round. In fact, the summer X-Games are held in Los Angeles. Beyond that, though, the y are of high significance to any-one due to simple relatability.

Consider the Olympics: they are, of course, an incredible tra-dition and a fascinating spectacle to behold. They inspire a sense of national pride in all who observe them. It is widely acknowledged

that becoming an Olympic ath-lete requires an absurd amount of dedication and self-sacrifice.

However, as universally-loved as the Olympic Games are, the X-Games serve a function that they simply can’t. The X-Games be-gan in 1995, backed by a simple idea from the marketing think-tank at ESPN Industries--people play all sorts of sports that aren’t sanctioned by most major com-petitions. Might those people be interested in attending a competi-tion featuring those sports?

At the first X-Games, about 200,000 people were in atten-

dance, and a franchise was born. More than 10 years later, the X-Games have expanded to include a “winter” portion (the first two years the X-Games were held, they focused on summer sports only) as well as Asian, European, and Global divisions.

The appeal of the X-Games can be easily summed up when viewed in context of its competitors’ relative celebrity status. Nearly everyone in touch with modern pop culture knows who LeBron James is; few people know who Nate Holland (the 2010 Winter X-Games Snowboard Cross gold

medalist) is. The X-Games are largely about enthusiasm for the sport itself, not enthusiasm for the people who compete in it.

A more practical demonstra-tion of this is ease of attendance. One must leave the country in order to attend the World Cup (and, most often, the Olympics as well), and actual attendance is expensive. Sporting events exclu-sive to the United States, such as the Superbowl, are equally diffi-cult to attend and pay for.

The X-Games, on the other hand, are simpler to attend (they transfer locations around the U.S. from year to year and season to season) and watching them on television gives one a distinct ad-vantage because they are filmed from above. The X-Games are an event that was created, if not entirely by the people, then cer-tainly for them.

This is the true beauty of the X-Games. Athletes that only ada-mant fans of a particular sport are familiar with become folk heroes of a sort to those fans.

These athletes’ sheer ability to perform is not what makes them admirable. What makes them so appealing to their fans is the fact that they perform a particular sport well. In essense, the sport itself is more appealing than any individual player.

The 2011 Winter X-Games will take place from Jan. 27-30 on ESPN.

Coen Brothers’ ‘True Grit’ remake impresses viewersBy Isaac sIegemund-Broka

entertaInment WeB edItor and Zack gIll

staff WrIter

The Coen Brothers’ “True Grit” is a beautiful and complex genre piece that is successful in all that it attempts to be. Magnificent act-ing, directing, and cinematogra-phy characterize the film as both a stunning visual and thematic work and as a strong contender for many Academy Awards.

In the film, Reuben J. Cog-burn (Jeff Bridges) is an aggres-sive U.S. Marshall—indecent and

courtesy shockya.com

Shining bright: “True Grit” allows viewers to experience a true western, a genre that has fallen almost entirely by the wayside in the past 30 years.

January 14, 2011La Vista ENTERTAINMENT12

merciless but somehow likeable. Underneath a shroud of drunken-ness and resentment he is truly amiable and compassionate. Cog-burn’s composed vigor and skill as a marshall builds a certain mystique and strength that Bridg-es’ exceptional acting conveys.

Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross (Haliee Steinfeld) becomes bent on revenge after an outlaw by the name of Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) kills her father. She finds Cogburn and they, along with Texas Ranger Le Boeuf (Matt Damon), set out to find and kill Chaney. Steinfeld plays her first

major role superbly, relating a prudent, strong-hearted and ad-mirable character.

With the addition of Brolin’s grizzly and belligerent portrayal of Chaney and Damon’s humor-ous but sweet hubris as La Boeuf, “True Grit” contains some of the year’s best acting.

The Coen Brothers are notori-ous for convoluted, cynical and confusing themes often centered on the pointlessness of life. “True Grit” deviates from this label slightly and dabbles in multiple ideas (it could even be considered merely a genre picture if not for the peculiarity of the Coens).

Various themes of life, na-ture, adulthood and violence are thrown around as Ross stumbles through the brutality of her world while trying to keep her head above water. However, the Coens refrained from getting too eccen-tric, adhering closely to Charles Portis’ 1968 novel “True Grit” on which the movie is based.

The Coen Brothers are masters of their craft, so it’s no surprise that the writing and direction of “True Grit” are outstanding. From Damon’s prideful obsession with

his position as a Texas Ranger to Steinfeld’s passionate rants, the dialogue in “True Grit” conveys nuances about each character while maintaining a general flow to the film. Under the guidance of the Coens, Bridges, Damon and Steinfeld imbue their characters with idiosyncratic forms of heart and pathos.

If the Coens supply the vi-sion fueling “True Grit,” it is cinematographer Roger Deakins that truly brings that vision to life. Deakins has worked with the Coens since 1991’s masterful “Barton Fink” and is more than

familiar with their style. In every collaboration with the Coens, he brings the visual flair needed to bring their often confounding and labyrinthine screenplays to life.

“True Grit” is Deakins,’ as well as the Coens,’ most impres-sive film to date. From its muted color palette to impressive, unob-trusive lighting (a feat of its own, as the great majority of the film takes place outside), this film is perfect for the big screen.

Each cinematic aspect of “True Grit,” is a feat in of itself. The film is rated PG-13 and playing in theaters everywhere.

Several of the 2010 Golden Globe nominees for Best Picture can be described by the phenom-enon known as “Oscar baiting.” More and more films are being created with the ultimate goal of receiving an Oscar in mind. Though such superficiality may be extremely off-putting, it can-not be denied that in this case, everyone wins.

Movies made with only mate-rial gain in mind tend to be terri-ble. Movies replete with romantic cliches and predictable punchlines aren’t inherently terrible, but def-initely are not of the same sub-stance as, say, “Inception.”

There is a formula of sorts for making an Oscar-winning movie. It requires esoteric, emotionally impactful and often shocking sub-ject matter, somewhat famous ac-tors, a high-class score and artsy cinematography and filters.

“Black Swan” is an excellent example of Oscar bait. The sto-ryline is stereotypically intelli-gent—a beautiful woman brought down by her own perfectionism. It is suspenseful, but quietly so—boisterousness and theatricality take a backseat to vivid, haunting imagery.

Watching Natalie Portman struggle to conquer her own neu-roses, while music from Tchai-kovsky’s original ballet recom-posed by Clint Mansell plays in the background, nearly forces the audience to feel emotionally con-nected to the story.

“The Fighter” is another prime example of a predetermined Os-car-bait movie. It is another heart-warming, inspirational sports movie that centers around a bro-ken down and once-great fighter, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale),

EditorS’ takE

Umami Burger: worth an ‘Mmm’By aBBy WatkIns

neWs edItor

and rose graner

entertaInment edItor

“Umami” is the Japanese con-cept of a “fifth flavor” (the others being sweet, salty, sour and bitter) that patrons find in hearty, meaty foods.

Although umami is a concept that chefs have been familiar with and accepted as legitimate for many years now, it has only recently begun to become part of Western food culture.

Umami Burger in Hollywood is one of the first restaurants in the Los Angeles area to focus heavily upon the umami flavor. Its seemingly simple concept be-lies a host of rare and fascinating flavor combinations.

Take, for instance, the Earth Burger. Its individual compo-nents, mushroom and edamame patty, soy aioli and truffle ricotta, sound like a purposeful antithesis to the common notion of burgers. However, when combined, these elements create a flavorful, com-plex and distinctly umami flavor

try it: Los Angeles concept restaurant chain Umami Burger is the first of its kind to focus on bringing “umami” flavor, a somewhat esoteric and highbrow concept, to the masses.

courtesy starchefs.com

courtesy celeBrItyWonder.com

an opEn rangE of abilitiES: The Coen Brothers’ film “True Grit” features exceptional acting, writing and directing .

that is wholly unique to the res-taurant.

The side dishes offered at Umami Burger tend to be more familiar than their entrees but are nevertheless unique and un-expected in their own way. For example, sweet potato fries are a staple at many restaurants, but the cinnamon seasoning that Umami Burger adds to them (rather than salt) gives the dish an interesting twist.

The Umami Burger menu consists of a unique selection of burgers and sandwiches ($9 to $11 apiece), sides like tempura onion rings and house pickles ($3 to $5 apiece), and various nonalcoholic beverages and des-serts (all in the $2 to $5 range). A number of meals ($14 to $17 each) that each include a burger, side and a choice of beverage are also available.

There is a prevailing notion amongst some that in order to truly appreciate cuisine, patrons must take a highbrow attitude toward it. Bacon, for example, can be consumed copiously, but only if accompanied by a proper

amount of self-aggrandizing iro-ny.

Salads are delightful, but those that involve iceberg lettuce or a dressing that isn’t a vinaigrette should be scoffed at. Baked goods are tasty, yes, but they are also subject to trends. (Pies are the current craze; cupcakes are so two years ago.)

On the contrary, Umami Burg-er has a near-universal appeal. Its somewhat esoteric concept (as well as the fact, in and of itself, that Umami Burger is a concept eatery) is carried out with such at-tention to flavor as well as aesthet-ic that the restaurant is enticing to both the all-too-common brand of Los Angeles food snobbery and a simple interest in good, hearty cuisine alike.

The four Umami Burger res-taurants are located in the greater Los Angeles area. They can be found on La Brea Ave., Holly-wood Blvd., North Cahuenga Blvd., and Broadway in Santa Monica. All locations are open at 11 or 11:30 a.m. Refer to www.umamiburger.com for more infor-mation.

courtesy 1.Bp.Blogspot.com

On Academy Award ‘baiting’who trains his young, up-and-coming brother Micky to success. The older brother also has an ad-diction to cocaine, which gets in the way of his relationships and training, but in the end, the two brothers prevail.

The Oscar “formula” has its failings. For instance, despite careful observance of the Oscar-worthy formula (a team of tal-ented writers and producers) and a cast of accomplished and highly respected actors, “The Tourist” did badly at the box office and with critics.

Accordingly, some movies that don’t follow the exact Os-car recipe—director Christopher Nolan’s recent fantasy and sci-fi films come to mind—still win big when it comes to awards shows.

This is why Oscar baiting is one of the few materially-moti-vated artistic undertakings that should not be written off as super-ficial and creatively invalid.

Movies that are made to win Oscars don’t receive them consis-tently enough for modern film to ever homogenize entirely. There will always be producers who take risks on iffy movies because of the rewards they may yield.

Beyond that, Oscar baiting doesn’t push more legitimate films out of the way. Oscar nomi-nations for best picture have been recently (and controversially) increased by five whole films. Where there were five, there are now 10. Whether or not this should have been done is a con-troversy in and of itself.

For now, audiences may rest assured that this is one of the few moves made by studio executives that will ultimately benefit the consumer.

ENTERTAINMENT

CAKE develops a classic, familiar soundBy Alec lAutAnen

theme editor

Frontman John McCrea prom-ised something “very different” and “finally classy” with alter-native-rock band CAKE’s latest album, “Showroom of Compas-sion.”

McCrea has made a noted de-parture from the standard rock elements and trumpet sounds of previous albums. But in spite of this, it retains the same high level of vocal quality and instrumental nuance that have made CAKE so

well-known.“Showroom of Compassion” is

a depature from CAKE’s typical sound of McCrea’s harshly mo-notonous half-speaking voice and the band’s distorted guitar riffs. It adds elements such as vocal to-nality, new instruments and more comcal themes to create an album that, while repetitive at points, is

The Fab Five reTurn: CAKE venture back into public view for the release of their fist album in seven years, “Showroom of Compassion.”

By ZAck Gill

StAff Writer

One of the most memorable scenes in first-time director Der-ek Cianfrance’s film “Blue Valen-tine” is also one of its simplest: in an attempt to prove that she is funny, Michelle Williams’ charac-ter tells Ryan Gosling’s character a joke so offensive that everyone in the movie theater either laughs or gasps.

“Blue Valentine,” from The Weinstein Company, is filled with seemingly dozens of moments of spontaneous feeling such as this one. Without a single murder or explosion, “Blue Valentine” man-ages to be the most intense and cerebral film of 2010 due to im-pressive writing and two great lead performances from Gosling and Williams.

“Blue Valentine” follows the entire relationship between lov-able loser Dean (Gosling) and the academically ambitious Cindy (Williams). The narrative is non-linear and jumps between various times in their relationship.

The film opens upon the cou-ple’s married life, with a daugh-ter in elementary school and a relationship in shambles. Soon after, the film traces the origins of their relationship. The broken-hearted, romantic Cindy meets high-school dropout Dean at her

‘Blue Valentine’ paints a realistic portrait of love

courteSy c4.Ac-imAGeS.mySpAcecdn.com

grandmother’s retirement home. After Dean pursues and success-fully woos Cindy, they encounter a new hurdle: unwanted preg-nancy.

The best aspect of “Blue Valen-

nuTs To soup To nuTs: “Blue Val-entine” is the story of a romance told out of chronological order.

courteSy dAemonSmovieS.com

tine” is the actors’ performances. Both Williams and Gosling give among the best performances of 2010, especially Gosling’s ex-pressive portrayal of Dean. Films with shouting matches can often come off as overwrought and over the top. In “Blue Valentine,” the tension between both actors

feels completely natural. When Williams and Gosling yell at each other, the audience believes it.

The chronology of “Blue Val-entine” is a story structure that has been overused within the in-dependent cinema medium. How-ever, it’s a structure that the film manages to use successfully.

By establishing the tone right away with the unstable marriage (this is not a happy film, folks), the film gains mood and weight from the beginning adds further depth to Dean and Cindy’s re-lationship through the intricate back-story.

“Blue Valentine” is surprisingly well-filmed and at times visually arresting. Shots in the film often reflect the claustrophobia of Dean and Cindy’s marriage, with char-acters coming in and out of focus and popping up in corners of the frame. “Blue Valentine” was par-tially shot with a handheld, but this doesn’t detract from it; rather, it makes “Blue Valentine” seem more gritty and natural, which greatly benefits its tone.

Perhaps the thing that makes “Blue Valentine” most famous is its scandal with the Motion Pic-ture Association of America. The film originally received an NC-17 rating and is the first film to ever be successfully appealed to an R rating without any edits.

It is insulting that the MPAA

wants to keep young cinephiles away from art, especially when “Blue Valentine” is less sexu-ally explicit and has more artistic credibility than a comparable film like the R-rated “Black Swan.”

beauTy and brains: Gosling ex-pressed concerns that the NC-17 rat-ing was largely misogynistic.

courteSy cdn.BuZZnet.com

“Blue Valentine” features stun-ning performances from Gosling and Williams. First-time director Derek Cianfrance made one of the more promising feature de-buts the film world has seen in a long time. The film is rated R and is playing in limited release in New York and Los Angeles.

hear Them roar: “Compassion” debuted on Jan. 11.

courteSy nodAtA.tv

a unique and interesting addition to the CAKE discography.

CAKE is an alt-rock band from Sacramento. “Showroom of Compassion” is their sixth album and the first on their own record label, Upbeat Records.

This is CAKE’s first release since 2004’s “Pressure Chief,” and the seven-year gap between albums is the longest in the band’s history. “Showroom of Compassion” contains material drawn from singer and songwriter McCrea’s entire life, with songs written as long ago as 1974 and

as recently as 2010. The album opens with cold

staccato guitar on “Federal Fund-ing” and quickly builds to an os-tentatious but pleasing trumpet section that is supported heavily by the the band. The track fea-tures frequent use of exaggerated vowels in McCrea’s voice, the repetition of which eventually be-

comes irritating. The album’s lyrics are themat-

ically complex. At some points, they express longing for those missed. At others, they express discontent with the returning lov-er’s behavior. Tracks like “What’s Now is Now” and “Long Time” deal with the former, while “Sick of You” and “Easy to Crash” show the singer’s loss of compas-sion for those he loves.

It may sound as though Mc-Crea and company have created an album full of cliches about unrequited love, but this is not the case. The record they have produced is enthralling because eclectic choices in instrumenta-tion, such as the distinction of piano along with hard guitar, trumpet and even a string section on “Italian Guy.”

These opposing elements culminate in the songs “Bound Away” and “The Winter.” These two tracks present what appears to be opposing viewpoints between two exes, lyrics complemented by appropriate instrumentation.

“Bound Away” tells a folksy story of someone leaving to trav-el the world, while “The Winter” shows the somber holiday of the one left behind, complete with solemn piano choruses and a bluesy trumpet solo.

The music on “Showroom of Compassion” matches the lyr-ics well and other aspects such as funk-inspired bass lines in tracks like “Mustache Man,” and the instrumental track “Teenage Pregnancy” make “Showroom of Compassion” stand out. Thank-

fully, CAKE accomplishes this while still retaining the qualities they’ve always been prized for: energetic trumpet sections and

McCrea’s distinct voice. Where “Showroom of Com-

passion” is lacking is in its ex-cessive use of hard, inharmonic guitar openings. Some vocal elements, including drawn-out vowel sounds from McCrea and the lengthy chorus repeats near the ends of some track, are need-lessly overused.

“Showroom of Compassion”, when taken as a whole, is a testa-ment to CAKE’s extreme musical talent. Coming from the same era as still successful bands like Wee-zer and Wilco, CAKE are a tes-tament to the longevity of good music and a talented band. Ap-proaching their 20th anniversary, CAKE continue to develop their musical sound, with good results.

“Showroom of Compassion” is available on iTunes for $9.99 and anywhere CD’s are sold.

La Vista13

Restaurant Hotlist

1.

What: The Waffle exclusively serves waffle-themed dishes.Where: 6255 W. Sunset Blvd.Taste: Like a foodie-friendly version of IHOP-- sweet, salty and greasy.

What: Authentic, approachable and affordable ramen.Where: 24231 Crenshaw Blvd.Taste: California Ramen tastes nothing like Ramen noodles-in-a-cup. It offers a world of complex flavors, textures and styles.

What: A fondue restaurant where guests order different fon-due dishes, including appetizer, dinner and dessert dips.Where: 21525 Hawthorne Blvd.Taste: There is a rich variety of fondue meals including cheese, broth, and chocolate bowls.

The Waffle

Ramen California

courteSy WofflehouSe.com

courteSy roSeiScool.WordpreSS.com

3. The Melting Pot

What: One of the recent Los Angeles food truck popups, serving artisan ice cream sand-whiches.Where: Check @COOLHAUSTaste: Unexpectedly delicious (and just plain unexpected) ice cream sandwiches.

4. Cool Haus

What: On-the-go gourmet burgers and sliders truck.Where: Check @BabysBBTaste: A flavorful and diverse selection of delicious burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, fries and more.

5. Baby’s Badass Burgers

courteSy chriSGlASS.com

courteSy fArm3.StAtic.flickr.com

courteSy SouthBAyfoodieS.com

2.

January 14, 2011

January 14, 2011SPORTS14 La Vista

Adam Perez runs his way to 23rd place in USATF National Junior Olympics

When the shot is fired and the race begins, cross country run-ner and Mira Costa junior Adam Perez is in his element as he races toward the finish line. Perez re-cently experienced a victory on a scale much larger than he had ever imagined on Dec. 11.

After placing 23rd in the Unit-ed States Track and Field Nation-al Junior Olympics in Hoover, Alabama, Perez was named an All-American cross country run-ner. Although Perez has worked hard for his accomplishments, he never expeected to do as well as he did.

“I focused on each race during Junior Olympics, and I was re-ally surprised how well I did each time,” Perez said. “Becoming an All-American and placing 23rd at Nationals was an eye opener. It gave me the confidence that I can compete in higher competitive meets and do well.”

Perez began running while at Manhattan Beach Middle School but did not take it seriously until he reached Costa. Both of his par-ents ran when they were younger, which made him want to give the sport a try.

Growing up, Perez’s only ma-jor influences in running were his

By Regan estes staff WRiteR

parents, but he now lists Chris Solinksy, the American record-holder for the 10,000 meter race, as his idol.

“I look up to Chris, and being able to meet him [at Junior Olym-pics], shake his hand, get an auto-graph, take a picture and talk with him was the coolest thing ever,” Perez said.

Robert Fish, Perez’s cross country coach this past season, has great respect for Perez and his running achievements

“Adam’s got a terrific work ethic and he always gives his best effort. He’s certainly motivated,”

Fish said. “He should be one of the best runners in the league next year,”

Outside of running, Perez vol-unteers in the kitchen at Hope Chapel and helps the environment as a member of the Ecology Club. While Perez does enjoy his other hobbies, there is nothing he likes more than running.

“I learned that I have lot of strength in me, and once I break through my mental wall, things are easier. From my Junior Olym-pic experience I found that if I set my mind to something, I’ll do well,” Perez said.

Costa Wrestling places fifth in Santa Fe TournamentBy Ryan fRanklin staff WRiteR

The Mira Costa wrestling team hit the road on Jan. 8, to com-pete in the Santa Fe Tournament, which included participants from North and South Torrance, Re-dondo, Santa Fe, Valencia, John Glenn, Imperial and California High School.

The Mustangs finished in fifth place, while California won the tournament. They are currently 0-1-2 as a team.

“I’m very pleased with how we competed because it’s the best finish we have had all season,” senior Joey Beck said.

Beck wrestled at a competitive level throughout the tournament, finishing 3-1 after losing the semi-final match to South Torrance. He finished third in the 135-pound weight class along with Senior Justin Tam, who finished third in the 152-pound division.

CaRina glaseR/la Vista

aDaM IN HIS ELEMENT: Junior Adam Perez competed in the USATF Junior Olympics in Hoover, Alabama. He has been named an All-American runner.

The team played its first home match of the season yesterday against West Torrance, but results were unavailable at the time of publication. The team will travel to Santiago High School on Jan 15 at 9:30 a.m. and looks to take home its first title of the season.

Junior Jake Rosenfeld and freshman Jake Shapiro finished fifth in their weight classes, while senior Weston Carico and junior Tyler Emery finished second.

“I thought I wrestled really well during my first two matches, and was really confident going into the next rounds,” Carico said.

Although the season has started out shaky, nothing is stopping the team from working hard.

“I really believe that it was an overall successful tournament that made schools notice us. With our best finish of the season in the tournament, hopefully we have rallied our momentum for the rest of the season,” Carico said.

leland lesneVeR/la Vista

HEaD To HEaD: Senior Westin Carico and junior Tyler Emery (left) placed sec-ond in their respective weight classes in the Santa Fe Tournament on Jan.8.

January 14, 2011 SPORTS 15La Vista

TEAM RECORDS (as of Jan. 13)

Weston CaricoWrestling

Senior Carico won two rounds in the Santa Fe Tournnament on Jan. 8, finishing second in the 145-pound weight class.

Elliot OzerBoys Basketball

Senior Ozer had 16 points against West on Jan. 11, including a clutch free throw in the fourth quarter. He also had eight rebounds.

Kylie NakamineGirls Basketball

Senior Nakamine scored 19 points in Costa’s win against West on Jan. 11. The team will take on Re-dondo tonight in Fisher Gym.

Kendall RichterGirls Soccer

Despite a yellow card in the game against West, senior Richter fought back with strong crosses and runs as center midfielder.

Charlie PittsBoys Soccer

Senior Pitts assisted Costa’s sec-ond goal of the game against West. He has six goals and four assists this season.

Emma FioreGirls Water Polo

Fiore, a senior, stopped the Palos Verdes Sea Kings from scoring any goals throughout her time in goal in Costa’s loss on Jan. 12.

TOP PERFORMERS

La Vista has reached issue five. A staff of 70ish high school students has pieced together a 20 page newspaper every three weeks for almost an entire semes-ter. Over 2,400 students have read a cumulative total of about four articles, and we here at BOOYAH believe we can call you guys our friends by now.

As friends, it’s time we let you in on some important informa-tion: BOOYAH actually is an ac-ronym.

Senioritis, however, has stopped us from figuring out what it stands for. We’ve racked our brains in an effort to string together six coher-ent words, but we’ve failed. So far we’ve got “Bring On Oce-

lots Yeah Archaeology Hey” and “Breakfast Oughta Organize Your Arsenic, Harold.”

Hopefully we’ll figure it out by the end of this article. For now, back to sports. The regular season for almost every sport began this week, and La Vista is here to de-liver hard-hitting coverage on the most wildly entertaining of all of them: kiddie basketball.

Opening night for Manhat-tan Beach Youth Basketball was a grand time for all parties in-volved. A broken scoreboard posed some adversity, but players didn’t let it faze them. You don’t lay down a participation fee of $120 for nothing, and these high schoolers don’t mess around. One

game even went into overtime; it was out of control.

As usual, the shoe-price-to-skill-level ratio was off the charts. Including money for warm-up out-fits, the amount spent on MBYB’s high school division comes to about 100 times the total MBUSD budget. Pledge Day can wait. We need our padded walking-from-the-car-to-the-gym sandals.

Unfortunately, our own desire to ball must submit to our yearn-ing to talk smack about balling, so here it is: our acronym. Boys On Occasion Yammering About Hoops. B.O.O.Y.A.H. would like to thank you for making it this far. We just added the fifth tally to our “stories read” count.

Sport Overall Bay LeagueWins Losses Ties LossesWins Ties

Girls Basketball

Boys Basketball

Girls Soccer

Boys Soccer

Wrestling

Girls Water Polo

10 6 - - - - 8 9 - 1 - -

10 2 3 1 - - 8 1 2 1 - -

- - 1 - - -

9 3 - 1 1 -

We share our true identity... and talk sports

Purcell’s skills bring in college interest

SeahorSe: Purcell tears through the water during a practice for the girls wa-ter polo team. She is also on a club team and the Costa’s swim team.

Madison swart/La Vista

By Matt wah

staff writer

Costa senior Marisa Purcell excels in versatility and skill in the water, heading both the girls’ swim and water polo teams.

Water sports have played a large role in Purcell’s life from the age of six, leading her to wa-ter polo as a freshman.

“I had to play as much as possi-ble to understand the game more. I even joined a club team and tried out for the Olympic Development Program,” Purcell said.

Purcell’s drive, determination, and natural skill only add to her family’s aquatic legacy.

“My mom participated in the UCLA rowing team. My dad was part of the UCLA swim and water polo team where he won a NCAA championship,” Purcell said.

Purcell’s success has drawn the attention of numerous univer-sities. Schools such as Princeton, Harvard, Brown and UC Berkeley are all knocking at Purcell’s door.

“In a school I am looking for

the right balance of academics and athletics,” Purcell said.

The girls water polo season has just begun, and despite hav-ing few seniors on the team, Pur-cell is confident in its prospects.

“Some people would say that younger players are harder to play with, but I have found that they have this fire to get better and succeed,” Purcell said.

Jon Reichardt, the varsity wa-ter polo and swim coach, thinks highly of Purcell.

“Marisa has always been a leader in and out of the pool,” Re-ichardt said.

Purcell enjoys competitive swimming, but water polo gives her a break from the monotony of practicing continuous laps. Un-like swimming, water polo intro-duces a team aspect.

“I love the interaction with teammates because you constant-ly learn from one another. I per-sonally I can’t get enough of it,” Purcell said.

By Zane frankLin

staff writer

Costa defeated the West Tor-rance Warriors at West, 40-34, on Jan. 11 in a low-scoring fight to the finish.

The first half was highlighted by a steal and layup by junior Cooper Pugnale, a block by senior Thomas Johnson and a fadeaway jumper by senior Elliot Ozer. The game entered halftime at 21-18.

“The game was a defensive struggle; we had a pretty tough time on offense,” Ozer said.

Thanks to free throws from Ozer and Johnson, along with re-bounds and defense by Pugnale, the Mustangs took home the win.

“We didn’t want to lose the

Bay League opener, and we want-ed to send a message to all the other teams,” Pugnale said.

Ozer led the team with 16 points while Johnson followed with 11 rebounds and one block. Pugnale scored six points, had 10 rebounds and blocked four shots.

“I’m really impressed by Cooper. I thought he had an all-around perfect game tonight,” coach Henry Myar said.

With an overall team record of 8-9 and a Bay League record of 1-0, the boys will look to con-tinue their win streak when they play Redondo at home tonight at 7 p.m. at Redondo in their second Bay League match of the season.

“The Redondo game will be really important. Our goal now is to win Bay League,” Ozer said.

Boys basketball wins first Bay League game

Carina GLasser/La Vista

run the floor: Junior Cooper Pug-nale goes up against a West defender in the Mustangs’ victory over the War-riors. He had six points, 10 rebounds, and four blocked shots.

DIGITS

15number of points scored by sophomore Ashley Reese off the bench in Costa’s loss to Bishop Montgomery on Jan. 7. She also had 11 rebounds, giving her a double-double.

1number of opportunities sophomore Melina Cohen needed to score off a corner kick for the girls soccer team. The goal proved to be the difference-maker, with Costa pulling out a 1-0 win.

number of times girls water polo player Marissa Purcell snapped the back of the net in Costa’s loss to Palos Verdes. Hat trick plus birdie equals... bird trick?

total amount of blocks recorded by junior Cooper Pugnale in the boys basketball team’s win over West on Jan. 11, a highly unusual number for a guard.4

5

SportS16 La Vista January 14, 2011

By Sandor Kopitz

Staff Writer

The Mustangs continued their success against the West Warriors on Jan. 11. The team won its first Bay League game of the season at West, 3-1, and improved its over-all record to 8-1-2.

Costa was off to a fast start, scoring two goals within the first half of the game. Senior forward Augie Diaz played aggressively and scored an early goal. Se-nior forward Charlie Pitts then gained control of the ball in the box and placed it right at Diaz’s feet, giving him a second goal.

“The strikers and mid-fielders have made scoring easier for me all year long by constantly send-ing me perfect passes, and today was no different,” Diaz said.

The Mustangs were able to score again when Diaz hooked a corner kick into the box allowing senior Joe Valenzuela to strike the ball into the back of the net to give Costa the lead, 2-0.

West scored off a header to trim the lead to 2-1 in the second half. Despite Costa keeping the lead until the end of the game, coach Gary Smith saw where the team could improve.

“Today’s game was a little sloppy. I thought we could have played a little better, but I’m still proud of the win,” Smith said.

A kick high over the middle of the box led senior Mathias Gess-er to head the ball into the back of the net to put Costa up 3-1 late in the second half, putting the game away.

“Two of our goals came on set plays, which we work on con-stantly. It is nice to see what we work on in practice be carried out in the games,” Smith said. “Ma-thias’ header was great, and Joe’s goal off of that deflection was ab-solutely beautiful,”

In addition to Diaz’s and Pitts’ contributions, junior goalie Teddy Sampson aided the team

Girls basketball continues strong seasonBy JacK friedman

Staff Writer

The Mira Costa girls basket-ball team opened its Bay League season with a game against West Torrance on Jan. 11. After losing three of their last four games, the win came at a crucial time for the Mustangs. The girls won the nail-biter 52-50, boosting their current record to 10-6.

Due to numerous turnovers, the game started out shaky for Costa. The girls suffered a nine-point deficit by the end of the first quar-ter, but a late 8-2 run left the girls trailing by only four at halftime.

“By the third quarter, we start-ed playing smarter and really im-proved our defense. This helped boost our confidence throughout the game and led us to the win,” coach Craig Takahashi said.

Seniors Kylie Nakamine and Joelle Herron helped the Mus-

tangs stay alive against West. Nakamine led the team with 19 points, including two three-point-ers near the end of the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Herron dom-inated the paint, contributing 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“We really played as a team and stayed poised at times of ad-versity,” Herron said.

The game ended with a missed three-point shot from West, giv-ing Costa the down-to-the-wire two-point victory

“I’m really happy to come away with a win, especially against such a great team like West,” Takahashi said.

The team looks to continue its winning streak tonight at Costa’s Fisher Gym against the Redondo Seahawks at 6 p.m.

“As long as we handle the pres-sure better and play as a team, I have faith that we will do fine in our next game,” Nakamine said.

Armed And reAdy: Senior Joelle Herron goes for a shot up against two defenders in the girls basketball team’s close 52-50 win over West on Jan. 11. Herron was responsible for 12 of the Mustangs’ points.

Will GoodWin/la ViSta

Will GoodWin/la ViSta

Boys soccer wins against West in Bay League game

The girls had a rough start to their game. Costa started with a deficit in the first period that did not slow for the rest of the game. Despite two goals scored by se-nior Marisa Purcell, Costa end-ed the first quarter behind with a score of 5-2.

Palos Verdes did not let up un-til the final period, when Costa made three goals within the last five minutes.

“Our last period was a great

By emma roSenBaum

SportS editor

The Costa girls water polo team traveled to Palos Verdes High School on Jan. 12 for its second Bay League game. After winning its first league game, stakes were high for the Mustangs. Despite a strong effort, Costa suffered a 14-8 loss, making its current re-cord 9-3 and its Bay League re-cord 1-1.

Water polo loses to Palos Verdes in second Bay League gameimprovement from our first. We played well for the last three pe-riods of the game,” coach John Reichardt said.

One of the three goals was scored again by Purcell, who end-ed the game with a total of five goals.

“I definitely had to work hard for my goals. However, I was able to set up some good shots because of good passes that my teammates gave me,” Purcell said.

No goals were scored on Costa in the last quarter due to solid goalkeeping by senior Emma Fiore. During the quarter, the Sea Kings played a defensive game, having to stop more and more of the shots coming from the Mus-tangs.

“We had a great defense. It was a great game despite our loss, and I feel prepared to play them again in a couple weeks,” Fiore said.

In addition to contributions by Fiore and Purcell, sophomore

Jacqueline peha/la ViSta

Quick Feet: Freshman Madison Miketa runs the ball down field in the Mustangs’ 1-0 victory against the West Warriors on Jan 11. They will play against Palos Verdes tonight .

Soccer narrowly defeats WestBy ryan ericKSon

Staff Writer

The Mira Costa girls soccer players not only used their heads to make smart passes, but also to contribute the go-ahead assist when they played West Torrance at home on Jan. 11, winning 1-0.

The first half started out slowly, neither team scoring by the first half. Badly in need of a goal, coach Patty Perkinson decided to make a change by bringing sophomore Melina Cohen off the bench. This substitution proved to be the spark that the Mustangs greatly needed.

With 28:25 left in the game, freshman Mandy McKeegan drilled a corner kick into the box. Kimby Keever then headed the ball to Cohen, who placed the ball in the back of the net.

“The ball fell right in front of me and I just let my feet do the rest. I am extremely happy that I was given the chance to help the team and contribute to our first

Bay League win,” Cohen said. The goal in the early part of the

second half energized the Mira Costa defense, which helped it maintain the shutout throughout the game.

“I think that our whole team is coming together as a produc-tive unit, and with the schedule getting tougher as we start to get into Bay League play, this is a re-ally important quality to use in games,” Perkinson said.

The anchor of Costa’s defense, senior goalie Dana Eisenhower, had 10 saves in the game, the most important of which came with five minutes left to play. When West had its best opportu-nity of the day on a fast break that would have tied the game at 1-1, Eisenhower made a diving save to seal the narrow victory for the Mustangs.

With this win, Costa improves its record to 10-2-3 overall and 1-0-0 in Bay League. The Mus-tangs’ next game is at home to-night against Palos Verdes, who

Pool PlAy: Junior Taryn Nakamoto moves the ball into the offensive position in Costa’s game against Palos Verdes.

Sarah Christ aided the team in scoring two of Costa’s eight goals in the game. Both Purcell and Christ scored goals with only one minute left to play. Junior Sam Horn also had an important assist on Christ’s second goal.

“We weren’t mentally prepared for this game, but we picked up the pace at the end and came to-

gether as a team. I’m glad I could help the team,” Christ said.

Costa’s next game will be on Jan. 19 against Peninsula at home. Reichardt looks forward to the team’s upcoming games.

“We are playing catch-up now with our pool issues over the week but I still have high expec-tations,” Reichardt said.

WAtered doWn: Sophomore Sarah Christ goes for a goal in a Bay League game against Palos Verdes on Jan. 12. Costa lost the match 14-8.

greatly with four blocks in the game, contributing greatly to the Mustangs’ 3-1 win.

“We played hard and gave mas-sive amounts of effort. West did have more possessions, but they didn’t do much with it,” Sampson said. “When our chances came, we made moves right away. Our back four did an amazing job keeping us ahead.”

Costa has been on a winning streak moving into Bay League. Their next game is at home against Redondo at 6 p.m. tonight.

“We learned a lot from a good team, and we look to improve off of this victory and to play well in Bay League,” Smith said.

Smith looks forward to the coming games because of the team’s improvements and what it has learned so far from the teams it has competed against.

“A 3-1 win on paper looks good. But we have a lot to work on, and this game really could have been played better,” Smith said.

just WhAt i kneed: Senior Alex de la Espriella traps the ball for the Mus-tangs in their win against West on Jan. 11. His ability to run the field played a great part in Costa’s 3-1 win.

emma roSenBaum/la ViSta

is also 1-0-0 in Bay League play. Costa looks to take the momen-tum of this most recent win into the rest of its Bay League play.

“We are getting great contribu-tions from every single player on this team, and it is good to see this quality of unity developing, espe-cially because we are getting into Bay League, ” Perkinson said.

Will GoodWin/la ViSta