When one hears about a secret menu, most get a feeling that they know a dirty secret that they shouldn’t know about. It gives them that feeling of living on the edge. Secret menus are something not too many people know about and can have amazing and

delicious foods that stay below the radar. These yummy foods are a great way to try

something new.

1.Starbucks: Starbucks serves some amazing drinks that not many know about. A popular one is the Biscotti Frappuccino. It’s a regular frappuccino

with a biscotti blended into it; adding a delicious cookie crunch. This drink is perfect for Starbucks lovers who are looking for a new caffeine fix.

2. In-N-Out:

Animal style fries and burgers may not be a secret but they are considered to be a part of the secret menu at In-N-Out. They con-sist of cheese, grilled onions, and extra spread, adding an even more flavor to the already amazing burger or fries. In-N-Out also has a Neopolitan shake which is a classic mixture of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate.

3. Jamba Juice: Home to great fruit smoothies, Jamba Juice serves many interesting and delicious drinks. With several different types of Gummi Bear flavored drinks, Jamba Juice has a large variety of choices to choose from. Some of the drinks on the secret menu include drinks ranging from “Sour Patch Kid” to Peanut Butter and Jelly” Jamba Juice offers a plethora of crazy drinks to chose from.

Shhh! Secret menus revealed

SanMa

rin Pony Express

NUSD ends segregation by color Green and gold gown tradition gone for Class of 2014

Photo by Natalie Dybeck

Vol. 46, No. 3 • Novato, CA • January 2014

By Daniel HardmanReporter

YAYS & NEIGHS Scan the QR Code belowand check us out on

Facebook!

a YAY to Google Chrome books at school. I heard they even startup before the period ends.

a YAY to the Seahawk Richard Sherman’s Stanford Communications degree serving him well. “ The best cornerback in the game” is one classy guy.

a YAY to making achievable New Year’s resolutions in 2014. I plan to gain 5lbs, start smoking, put down the books, and emotion-ally detach myself from friends and family.

a YAY to the new cafeteria. Now we can finally say “You can’t sit with us,” à la Mean Girls.

a NEIGH to writing 2013. My teachers think I’m turning in late work.

a NEIGH to failed New Year’s resolutions. Better luck next year.

a NEIGH to the flu season. We’ve made it through Y2K, the Rapture, and the Mayan Apocalypse; prepare yourselves for flu season 2014.

a NEIGH to Ski Week anticipation. If it were up to me it would be Ski Week every week.

a NEIGH to Russia’s appeasement of homophobic terrorist groups. Google it.

Vol. 46, No. 3 • Novato, California • January 29, 2014

Pony ExpressPony ExpressSanMa

rin Why space matters

Page 14Matt Erbentraut

Page 12Beauty standards

Pages 8-9

Since 1968, San Marin’s gradu-ates have been released into the world segregated by color: boys have always worn green and girls have always worn gold on graduation day. Novato Unified School District site and district adminis-trators have resolved to take color differ-ences out of San Marin and Novato High School’s graduation ceremonies. Starting

with the graduating class of 2014, San Marin and Novato seniors will receive their diplomas dressed in uniformly col-ored graduation gowns, regardless of gender. With the passage of California’s School Success and Opportunity Act last August, which protects the rights and well-being of transgender students in California, gender and LGBT equality is now more relevant than ever. NUSD’s new policy change serves a dual purpose: to support NUSD’s gender transitioning

students and to demonstrate the equality of NUSD’s graduating students regard-less of gender.San Marin senior and self-identifying lesbian Serena Figueroa, while not plan-ning to change her actual gender, wants her classmates to understand the impact of choosing a graduation gown color as an extension of gender. “I wouldn’t be just picking which color I’d look better in; I’d have to choose a gender identity in front of the whole school. Taking

He teaches. He raps. And now, San Marin’s STEM and AVID teacher, Mr. Nick Williams, is an award-winner. Aftering competing against 8 other nominees from Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Solano counties, Williams has won Re-gion Four’s Educator of the Year Award last November. He will continue on to the State competition in early March, competing against 11 nominees from around California. The award is organized by the California League of High Schools (CLHS), an organization that promotes school reform and seeks to recognize

educational excellence. Since beginning teaching in 2006, Williams has been in-volved in two alternate forms of edu-cation: college-preparatory AVID and science-oriented STEM “He really supports an environ-ment of academic curiosity” said nomi-nator Mr. Littlefield, who previously nominated Ms. Norinsky in the 1990’s. “The way he talks really engages us, its not like he’s reading off of a textbook.” explained freshman and STEM student Maille Weinstock. His enthusiasm for science is most visible in William’s alternate per-sona, MC Dub, who raps about topics such as star formation and earthquakes, while sporting gold chains and purple

By Jason FreebergReporter

By Ben RosenbaumReporter

By Lauren BollingerEditor-in-Chief

San Marin’s widening achievement gap harms all students

Nick Williams raps up 2013 with a win STEM and AVID teacher wins Educator of the Year

Traditions altered for gender equalitySan Marin seniors to graduate in same-colored gowns

See “COLOR CHANGE” on page 2...

See “WILLIAMS” on page 2...See “GAP” on page 2...

Students throw their hats in farewell to San Marin’s traditional green and gold graduation gowns, ringing in a new era.Photo by Natalie Dybeck

The divide between San Marin’s high and low scoring students is widening—42% of juniors and se-niors received at least one D or F in 2013, and that statistic has been in-creasing an average 1.5% since 2007. The average GPA of the student body, however, has only dropped 0.2 points in that same time frame. Our high scoring students compensate the school’s GPA by taking more Ad-vanced Placement and Honors classes than ever before as the bottom drops off. This gap may not seem harmful, but the behavioral, economic, and ra-cial factors behind the achievement gap only harm San Marin in the long run. With 42% of San Marin stu-dents in danger of not passing their classes, the school is not able to offer interesting electives. D’s and F’s of-ten result in retaking the failed class-es. Then it is difficult for the school to offer new extracurricular classes such as Mandarin, Cooking, or Com-puter Classes due to teachers needing to re-educate half the student body. Our students are also divided during school, leaving regular classes without many of their fellow student leaders. Clearly, this gap affects all students at San Marin. Separating our low and high scoring students puts the struggling students at a disadvantage. For social studies teacher Mr. Spinrad, the prob-lem is a lack of leadership in his regu-lar classes. “With a growing number of AP and Honors classes, our leading students are pulled out of the regular classes, and my World History classes are left without those peer leaders,” said Mr. Spinrad. Advisory, tutorials, PLUS program, and CSF and college student tutors in the library are useful tools offered for the lower scoring stu-dents that need the extra help or guid-ance. Mr. Krakora stated, “the school has been trying to build a bridge of connection between the lower scoring student to the school”. School statistics show that the economically disadvantaged are edu-cationally disadvantaged as well. Stu-dents with a household income near the federal poverty line are eligible for free or reduced lunches and the aver-age GPA of students qualifying for the free or reduced lunch program is 2.5*.

Williams as his alter-ego, MC Dub.Photo courtesy of Mr. Williams

•January 29, 20143 NewsNews

“COLOR CHANGE” continued...

“GAP” continued...

gender out of graduation gown choice makes more of a difference than you think it does. It does have meaning,” commented Figueroa. She continued, “I’m happy because I don’t have to make such a huge statement during graduation...I won’t have to worry about being judged by anyone on this special day just because of the significance of what I’m wearing—I’ll just be able to have a good time.” In response to the School Success and Opportunity Act, a subtle force behind NUSD’s policy changes, transgender Huffington Post journalist Parker Marie Malloy, who has become a leading voice of the LGBT community after personally transitioning genders during high school, stated “This bill does one very important thing: it lets trans and gender conforming students know that they’re normal, that they don’t have to feel like freaks, that they can be themselves.” Molloy goes on to cite the astonishingly high suicide-attempt rate of trans individuals: a disturbing 41% of transgender teens have attempted suicide, compared to the general population at 1.6%.

Forcing transgender students to choose a graduation gown color could have implications beyond subtle backstabbing whispers and “lighthearted” teasing; it could also lead to dangerous and homophobic outbursts from others. On November 5, 2013, Luke Fleischman of Berkeley’s Maybeck High School was the victim of a homophobic outburst that became life-threatening. Fleischman, a transgender student who felt comfortable enough to wear a skirt to school, was set on fire on a public transit bus by a fellow student— set on fire for making a statement. Fleischman suffered serious 3rd degree burns and wasn’t well enough to return to school until early December after several surgeries. Regarding the possibility of a similar incident occurring at San Marin, senior Sara Tong, commented, “You have no idea how people will react to such a huge statement. Even though we are a really open school community, you can never be too sure of what’s running through people’s minds.” A gender neutral San Marin graduation would prevent any unexpected homophobic outbursts from

occurring during the ceremony. Tong continued, “These changes aren’t just random, they will be directly helping the LGBT community.”

Julia Kempkey, NUSD’s Director of Secondary Education, stressed that the changes are “not just for students that are transitioning, which is certainly an important part of this new policy. More specifically, it is also an update in our ceremony to reflect the equality of the graduates regardless of their gender.” Kempkey equated these changes to the progression from “past policies requiring females to wear a dress or skirt or males to wear pants.” These policies will ensure that San Marin students, after their four years of work, will experience a graduation ceremony where students are “recognized for their achievement rather than their gender,” as Kempkey emphasizes.

Many view these policy changes as a unique opportunity for San Marin’s graduating class of 2014. Tong stated, “I’m really proud to be part of the class of 2014. We’re breaking an outdated tradition in exchange for a new standard of tolerance and support for our class and for classes to come.” When asked what she would like to say to her fellow classmates, Figueroa commented “I’m really glad we’re all grown up enough to accept who other people want to be.” For those students who are worried about losing the visual green-and-gold-toned effect of San Marin’s traditional graduation, know that the unisex graduation gown will still incorporate both green and gold into its design. College graduates receive their diplomas in completely black graduation gowns, regardless of school color and gender; San Marin’s future graduates will be able to celebrate both gender equality and school pride in a similar fashion. High school graduation signifies an entrance into the real world: the real world where both men and women are working together to prove equality from the workplace to education to the military. What better way to embrace this coming-of-age than by endorsing San Marin’s new-found sense of gender desegregation of its graduation ceremony?

puffer jacket. Inspired by a high school biology teacher who lectured as famous scientists, Williams created the character to make complex scientific concepts more understandable to students.

“I’m super excited about science but I want that excitement and that energy to be accessible to students.” explained Williams.

Though most students are surprised by this alternative teaching style, he admits, his verses appeal to those with other learning styles.

“Sometimes you’ll remember lyrics better than you’ll remember lectures.” he said.

His rap-lectures are also a great way to let off steam, added freshman

and STEM student Amritha Somasekar. “After working really hard on all our projects, it’s a fun way to review topics.”

Williams also encourages students to take responsibility for their education.

“He tells us that no idea is completely crazy, anything is possible with the right amount of work,” said Somasekar.

“He even encourages us to contact real companies. He always says, ‘its okay if they hang up on you, you’re trying to make a difference,” said Weinstock.

With only seven years of teaching under his belt, Williams definitely has a bright future ahead of him.

“WILLAMS” continued...

Photo courtesy of Adam LittlefieldMr. Williams and Mr. Littlefield at SF’s Olympic Club with an award official.

The average GPA for all other students above that income level is 2.9*. Mr. Krakora elaborated on the issue, saying, “I don’t see it as being solely the result of certain economic groups. Although those [economically disadvantaged] students must be recognized as needing special attention, the problem is more inclusive than that.” If the gap was purely a money issue, then all poor students would be in the regular classes—but that is not always the case.

Ethnicity may also play a large role in the achievement gap. Some minorities thrive while others struggle academically in San Marin: 68% of Caucasian juniors and seniors are enrolled in at least one AP class, while only 13.6% of Hispanic students and 3.3% of African American students follow suit. Other minorities such as Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese students lead San Marin with average GPAs of 3.6, 3.5, and 3.4 respectively*. African American and American Indian students trail with 2.5 and 2.2 GPAs*. (Filipino and American Indian student populations are very small, so their statistics cannot be directly compared to the larger ethnic minorities.) This academic racial gap may also be amplified by economic problems as well; the two often play a joint role in income inequalities nationwide.

The problem may also lie in student and parent apathy. “Many of our students are not shown why to care,” said Mr. Krakora. Advisory leader and senior Gilbert Kwong has also noticed this trend in his advisory class. “There are a couple of students who don’t care about their education at all. It seems as if they see school as a hangout spot, “ said Kwong. “I have had some success with those students as I’ve discussed their futures and passions and then channeling that into their education.” Even with encouragement from teachers and peers, the number of students attending afterschool tutoring in the library is far below what it should be for our growing D and F list. Mr. Spinrad believes another possible measure would be mandatory after-school tutoring. “Some parents don’t seem to enforce studying at home, so the school may need to,” he stated. Sophomore Bart Benedict, a student enrolled in Academic Support, said, “Most take that class as a free period; and don’t fully take advantage of the time.”

The causes of this growing gap could be behavioral, racial, economic, or any combination of the three—the data can only prove so much. But the effects of the achievement gap are definite and very real—and the solutions, such as tutoring and PLUS, can have only limited results. San Marin’s students and faculty must open a discussion and make decisions together for this issue that directly affects everyone at our school.

*Unweighted GPAs for 2013-2014 juniors and seniors only.

Pony Express StaffEditors-in-Chief Lauren Bollinger and Sumaiya Mubarack

News Editor Natalie DybeckFeatures Editor Chloe Cheng Opinion Editor Rachel DeFilippisCenterspread Editors Angela Ding and Lauren O’ BrienA&E Editor Camille PflugradtSports Editor Nicole ZonaBack Page Editor Paige TaulAdvertising Manager Jason FreebergCirculation Manager Ben RosenbaumCopy Editors Ashley Altmann, Nick Corbani, Paul Gan, Daniel Hardman, Collin Moore, Obed Ventura and Daria Zadorozhnaya Advisor Scott MacLeodPrincipal Adam Littlefield

ReportersAshley Altmann, Thomas Brawley, Savannah Brown, Ty Callihan, Therese Cullen, Kiana Escandon, Jonathan Fritz, Daniel Hard-man, Collin Moore, John Vavuris, Brittany Wheeler, Grace Won, Daria Zadorozhnaya

Note: All members of the Pony Express Staff, not only reporters, write articles for the paper.

The Pony Express is published by the journalism class at San Marin High School. The Pony Express seeks to provide a public forum for student expression and encourages letters to the editors. No unsigned letters will be accepted; however the author’s name will be withheld upon request.

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•2

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January 29, 2014NewsNews

Sometime this August, every class took the time to read not only the class syllabi but the new school wide policies as well, prepared to kiss teacher leniency goodbye. These schoolwide rules include writing apology letters when students misbehave in class, teachers confiscating cell phones until the end of their work day, no hats in class, and more uniformed consequences for dress code violation. If students are tardy, the teacher has the option of making the student write an apology letter, stay in for a ten minute detention after class, or take points off in participation. These policies, though reiterated with more emphasis, seem to vary in their enforcement.

The tardy letter policy seems to be enforced the most sporadically. Social studies teacher, Mr. Obstarczyk, explains that this is because there are other options in the policy to use. “It’s [the tardy letter] not a mandatory thing, this way or no way, it was a more of an agreed upon suggestion, so we have some teachers sticking to the letter of it and some are not. My opinion on it basically is, if it works for you then use it. I personally don’t use it, I haven’t felt like I’ve needed to, I have my other things i do for people who are chronically late.” Students have mixed feelings about this system. Junior Jeremy Nuyens said, “I think that the tardy apology letter is a very good concept and I understand that it is suppose to teach the students to truly understand the harm that being

tardy does, but it becomes more of a waste of class time than a lesson.” Senior Sarah Rankin sees the upside saying, “I actually like the tardy apology letter rule because students won’t have to get 0.5% off of their grade every time they’re tardy now.”

In the past, students who were constantly late had grades that quickly suffered. Concerning a change to the new tardy policy, science teacher, Dr. Lafevre-Bernt says, “We can’t have any language in our syllabus that indicates or implies in any way that tardies will have any effect on credits or grades.” She finds a flaw in this system, pointing out that, “ Technically, if you’re a good student, you can just do the homework and all the assignments and never come to school. I think that this could have

negative implications for attendance.” Principal Adam Littlefield confirms the policy change. He said, “There is a change to the credit loss policy. In the past, students lost credit due to unexcused absences. Upon review of some district policies that were changed, there was a decision to no longer reduce credit for unexcused absences. There will be other consequences, but those have yet to be determined.”

The dress code policy explains that if a student violates dress code, they will be asked to wear their PE clothes to cover up. “I think that most teachers ignore the dress code, maybe its because they give up or because they have bigger fish to fry.” explains junior Olivia Murillo, “When I think about the dress code rule, it’s kind of weird because I would never want to dress so inappropriately that a teacher finds it distracting, that’s kind of gross.” On the hat side of dresscode Dr Lafevre-Bernt said,“They’re supposed to write a letter of apology if they wear a hat, I just say ‘take off your hat’ there’s no consequence.”

Students support the newer cell phone policy. Nuyens said, “Taking a students phone until the end of the day is pretty effective. People are so attached to their phones that it is practically a heartbreak when they get separated from their cell phone.” Even if students find the policy strict enough, some teachers disagree. Dr. Lafevre-Bernt said, “my phone policy was stricter than the school policy, so I think my policy was better. My policy was that I kept the phone over night. Coming back at the end of the day is a minor inconvenience, but not having your phone after school or in the evening, made it so students wouldn’t have their phones out ever again”

There may be mixed reviews on the new policies, but they seem to be paying off. Principal Littlefield says“These policies should be posted on a yellow sheet in classrooms. The success of these rules are dependent on students following them and the enforcement by staff and other students. While I haven’t looked at all of the data we collect, I can say that the number of referrals sent to the office of students having or using their phone has dropped dramatically.”

By Lauren O’BrienEditor

New policy goes up in flamesClassroom rules for tardiness and dress code are not enforced

Last year, the freshman and the juniors were pulled out of class to put the new “Smarter Balance” test program through a trial run, effectively starting the imminent assimilation of the Common Core Standards into San Marin’s educational system. However, when asked about the new program, senior Sebastian Bauer said, “It was horrible. The test itself was badly-made; a lot of the questions were dead ends and I couldn’t go anywhere with them.” His thoughts were echoed by sophomore Hannah Wagner, who said, “It was kind of hard; I didn’t like it very much.” After

the mess of bad reviews from students, it’s been established that although San Marin isn’t ready to be taken by storm, it’s starting to see signs of rain.

The English Department has taken up the challenge of starting the educational movement. This year, rather than the numerous essays of varying prompts in separate English classes, there will be one synthesis essay for each grade level in which students will have to combine various sources in order to make an effective argument. As Philosophy and English teacher, Mr. Swedlow mentioned, “Students will be progressing towards the type of complex writing that college professors assume students have in their first year, which

is often not the case.” Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the English Department moved towards this path of their own accord. However, there will definitely be more integrated work with other departments in the future in order to give students access to a wider range of projects, writing, and tests that will better exemplify the goals laid out by the Common Core Standards. When asked about how he felt about the new tests, Swedlow said, “This sort of interdisciplinary thinking is very standard in many college classes, as well as jobs, so it’s a good move.”

The implementation of these new standards next semester will benefit not only students, but the staff as well.

As Mr. Swedlow said, “The goal is for us to get a sense, as a department, of how well our students are actually doing, and then change our teaching content and practices as we analyze similar findings.” The teachers hope to paint a clearer picture as to what it is that is working in the current curriculum, and what is not, so they can make sufficient adjustments. It is a search-and-destroy operation for holes in the current curriculums of not only English classes, but other departments as well.

For the sake of both our school system and our students, the Common Core Standards are finally taking the stage.

English exams uphold Common Core StandardsMandatory synthesis essay prepares students for assessment tests

By Angela DingEditor

Photo by Savannah Brown New classroom policies are not enforced by teachers.

•4 January 29, 2014NewsNews

A huge change is coming to education in California. In this state, and 44 others around the country, schools will be teaching according to the new Common Core Standards. Along with these standards comes a new standardized test hat will replace the STAR Test. The Common Core Test is going to be administered this year and it will look very different from what students are used to. Mr. Littlefield described it saying it had, “more critical thinking and problem solving, not memorization and calculation.” These standards are aimed at improving the United States’ ailing education system. According to the Common Core’s website the standards are, “robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.” This is much needed. A recent report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that the US ranked 17th in Reading and 26th in Math. In order to ensure that teachers are teaching up to the standards, they will receive training

throughout the semester. The new standards are aimed to help enhance a students ability to write for a certain subject, like history or math. Math teacher Mrs. Taggard said, “In math we will be actually writing and you are going to truly substantiate and prove your work.” She also said the tests will have more emphasis on word problems. The English test will be focused on reading and writing. An important component of the Common Core’s testing is that it will be administered online. Last year, the freshman and junior classes both participated in a first run of the test. Sophomore Aryanna Hamzehloo said the test would help in certain subjects. “In English, when we had to write an essay, it was hard but it helps because you have to think about what you’re going to say on the spot.” One worry was that the technology would not be capable of doing the online portion efficiently. Many students had problems with technology when the test was given last year. Common Core will be conducted online, as opposed to the paper method of previous STAR tests. The switch to technology-based exams reflects a popular trend in high school education.

Advisory, a 30-minute community-building class, was met with optimism at the start of the school year, but after its first semester, that optimism has faded and fatigue has started to set in. This is evidenced by increasingly opinionated reviews of Advisory from both students and class leaders alike. Some believe in pushing through resistance to Advisory while others have not taken a shine to it and would like to see Advisory discontinued. Many class leaders have seen improvements in their classes since the beginning of the year. Senior Zane Roegiers, who’s liked Advisory from the start, said, “My Advisory class has improved in terms of discussion; there is no day that our class doesn’t laugh or have a good conversation.” Senior Sarah Rankin agrees with Roegiers,

saying that her class “gets along because most people in our class are willing to participate in activities, and although we talk about serious issues, we joke around and have fun.” A common feature of successful classes seems to be welcoming atmospheres despite the discussion of weighty topics. Rankin’s suggestion to struggling classes is to “have more potlucks or try to make things a little less serious every now and then.” At the same time, other class leaders have been experiencing difficulty creating an engaging environment. Junior Lucas Hassett said, “We aren’t able to speak comfortably about a predetermined topic. A challenge we have is finding something we all want to talk about.” Senior Valeria Luna expands, saying, “Most students don’t want to do the planned activities.” Luna concurs with Rankin’s view that Advisory should occasionally be light-hearted, saying, “Our best classes have

been on days where we just play games. That way, everyone gets to participate.” An anonymous senior said, “I have a class with a lot of potential, but no one takes anything seriously. If students start to believe Advisory isn’t a waste of time, then it will be worthwhile. It’s all up to the students.” In addition to Advisory leaders, students have differing views. Senior Kenny Cottrell said, “It’s gotten better by getting to know the people in my class. And we’re starting to do study hall, which I find pretty helpful. I don’t mind discussions, but I do prefer study hall over them.” Junior Sophie Block, who’s expressed qualms about Advisory in a previous issue of The Pony Express, said, “I think it’s gotten worse. In the beginning, they gave us topics to discuss, but now I feel like they ran out of ideas. Wednesday classes are ridiculously short, and I don’t like having announcements only a few times a week.” She continues,

“I really hope they decide to discontinue Advisory.” Block feels that one of the only ways Advisory could be improved is if it’s turned into study hall. Many students seem to share the idea that study hall is a good use of time. However, freshman Jeanine Hughes said that she wishes Advisory would “have more discussions and less study sessions. I love when my class gets into a deep discussion.” Vice Principal Norinsky said that second semester is different from first semester because “we are implementing tutorial-like college-study groups once a week.” There will be a shift from a mostly discussion-based Advisory toward a more tutorial-based one, although discussions will still take place once a week. Your very own Pony Express will be distributed during Advisory, encouraging discussion about topics pertinent to the school community. While there are varying opinions about Advisory, it is important to continue to push through the difficulties and to remember the true goal of Advisory. Rankin said, “I think it’s important to participate in Advisory and push through resistance because the goal of Advisory is to build community, self-esteem, and friendships, and I think that will ultimately help our school a lot.” Norinsky stated that the goal of Advisory is “to make education a personal experience for every student. [The program] has evolved and will continue to evolve as time progresses. The concept of Advisory has not changed, but activities will continue to change, hopefully, to meet the needs of our students.”

By Obed VenturaReporter

By Chloe ChengEditor

Advisory continues to spark controversy

Common Core puts SM to the testNew online standardized exams to replace STAR testing this spring

English teacher Mrs. Greene and her Advisory class conduct a Socratic Seminar.Photo by Lauren Bollinger

Common core testing on the computer. Traditional pencil and paper testing.Photo by Savannah Brown Photo by Grace Won

Opinion• January 29, 20145 Opinion

Public displays of affection are “kissing” people off

If this problem were a disease, it would be an epidemic. If it were a shooting, there would be mass media coverage. But politicians and lawmakers don’t act enough on the one problem that kills more of our teens than anything else. Car accidents killed 3,291 American teens in 2011—accounting for more than one third of teenage deaths for that year. Automobile crashes kill more American teens than guns, drugs, homicide, or suicide. Many eager 15 ½ year old teens think the driver’s education process is daunting and time consuming. But

there’s something even worse about the licensing process: it is too easy. The current U.S. licensing test is a 60-year-old creation. Over that 60 year span, cars have gotten faster and the interstate highway system has become much more complex. These changes are worsened when teens fumble around with their phones, CDs, food, and other driver’s seat distractions. But if you can drive on slow suburban roads, look over your shoulder when crossing the bike lane, and back up in a straight line, then apparently you’re fit to drive on your own. There is no apparent need to test entering or exiting a highway, parallel parking, or a real emergency braking scenario.

When compared to other developed nations, the California driver’s process hardly prepares the test takers. England’s behind-the-wheel test includes a virtual “hazard perception test”, an hour-long drive in real world traffic, and advanced maneuvers like a full panic stop. Half of British first-time applicants pass, compared with the Novato DMV’s 78% passing rate and Petaluma’s 82%. The Finnish license exam requires the driver to put the car into a four-wheel sideways slide on a wet skid pad and then recover—I can hardly parallel park! Nearly all developed European nations require that students drive in inclement weather for a determined number of hours. That’s not the case in California, and because of that, most of those 3,291 teenage fatal crashes in 2011 were due to a teen’s inability to recognize hazardous driving conditions. Some of our licensed Mustangs have also noticed the flaws in the driving test. Junior Lena Strickling has been driving for over a year and said that after the test, “I still had a lot to learn. I knew the basics and could get to places safely, but I still didn’t have a lot of experience in situations that don’t happen very often like car accidents, getting pulled over, or emergency vehicles coming through.” Senior Ben Rasmussen said, “They never tested the freeway section, so when I came out of the test, I hadn’t really practiced it.” Strickling also said, “Driving around downtown Novato isn’t very hard or challenging, especially when you take your test during the hours that no one is out.” San Marin drama instructor Mrs. Kislingbury has taken it upon

herself to warn her students every year about the dangers of reckless driving. She lost her beloved son, Drake Cain, in a reckless driving accident in 2003. Drake was behind the wheel but his girlfriend, Julie Morrow, was attempting to get the car airborne by driving at high speed off a bump in the road. The car lost control upon landing and Drake was thrown from the car as it rolled for the length of two football fields. “I will call your parents if I see you speeding. I’m trying to save your life, not get you in trouble” said Mrs. Kislingbury. She always wants students to learn from the unfortunate example that she has to bear. Every day during lunch hour, students clamor about, getting into their cars to zip out for a delicious meal. However, licensed students often zoom through the parking lot and to the entrance at speeds that are hardly appropriate for school. In addition, drivers tend to think a little too lightly about the safety of other students walking off-campus. I have witnessed cars entering or exiting the parking lot and close in on walking students under the facade of a light joke with friends. This always leaves me wondering what would happen if the driver had accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake. A little joke is common between friends, but this situation is different; although they may be your friends, playing “jokes” like these could end someone’s life. A driver’s license is a privilege, not a right. Realize the grievances you would cause your friends and family just for your selfish second of thrill. As Mrs. Kislingbury would remind you, “remember Drake.”

Licensed to kill: The driving test fails to prepare

Imagine this: you are walking towards your locker and as you are approaching, you realize that there are two people sucking face against your locker. You could stand there awkwardly waiting for the two love birds to notice you, or you give a subtle, “cough, cough,” to drop a hint. Either way, you probably don’t want to be in that kind of situation. But sometimes I’m just turning the corner of a building, only to find two people getting busy against the wall. Hasn’t anybody ever heard the

expression, “Get a room?” Couples need to realize, no matter how cute they think they are when they’re making out in public, they’re not, and it’s can be pretty gross from the outside perspective. Now, I’m not saying that couples shouldn’t display PDA at all, because when I see couples holding hands and being all giggly with each other, it can be the cutest thing in the world. But I am seeing more and more couples sitting on top of each other on campus, almost having sex with their clothes on. As an anonymous senior said, “It ruins my appetite when I see people at lunch making out with each other.” Not only is it

disgusting, but it can make people feel a little uncomfortable. I can only imagine how staff members feel about this. When Mr. Littlefield sees students kissing he usually says, “You know you’re going to get a disease.” Or if there’s enough room between a couple holding hands, he will squeeze himself between them to make his point. Mr. Littlefield says the fatherly side of him comes out when he sees couples together and he loves to embarrass them. But holding hands and hugging isn’t the problem. I feel that students can still show their love, just in more private ways, such as making out in a car or in the comfort of a house, not in the public eye.

It’s always awkward when you’re with a group of people and a couple acts like they’re the only ones there and they start kissing. I know I’m not the only one that feels this way; an anonymous sophomore agreed, stating, “It’s so annoying when one of my friends is in a relationship and they’ll just start kissing their boyfriend or girlfriend and act like I’m not standing in front of them.” Not only can it be annoying, but it can remind people who are single, that they’re single. So just remember this: couples out there, when you’re sucking face, I know you think you’re cute but you’re not; so please just stop.

By Jason Freeberg and Angela Ding

Reporter and Editor

By Brittany WheelerReporter

Photo courtesy of Hailey Lamphere

Illustration by Paige Taul

In mid-December, a car crashed into the San Marin garden.

January 29, 2014 • FeaturesFeatures 6

New fast food establishments are constantly being built, such as the newly opened JJ’s Burgers in The Square and the In-N-Out in Vintage Oaks. Over 300,000 establishments exist in the U.S., which is approximately twice as many fast food restaurants as there were back in the 1970’s, according to an article on the Obesity Action Coalition website. Americans love fast food. According to the movie Super Size Me, one in four Americans visit a fast food restaurant every day, and Americans spend a staggering $110 billion on fast food every year. “I am simply astonished that Americans spend so much money on junk food,” said sophomore Manny LaCarrubba when he heard about the shocking statistics. Health teacher Ms. Torres says

that fast food has too little nutritional value and too many calories, and she is absolutely right. For instance, a Taco Bell Nachos Bell Grande contains a whopping 770 calories. Add a Fresco Chicken Soft Taco and a 16-ounce Dr. Pepper drink to that, and one would be consuming over a thousand calories in a single meal. That’s about half the amount of calories that an adult male needs per day. Additionally, fast food is considered the epitome of empty calories because of its high calorie content and low levels of nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. “A healthy meal comprising 400 calories can be way more satisfying than even a 700 calorie fast food meal,” said senior Matt Erbentraut. That is because foods high in fiber release energy slowly, according to an article on MedicineNet. Low-fiber foods such as junk food release only short bursts of energy, making the consumer feel hungry sooner. People who eat large amounts of junk food and lead an unhealthy lifestyle are much more likely to experience type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart attacks, stroke, osteoarthritis, and more. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 600,000 people die from heart diseases in the United States annually, which is about one in every four deaths. If fast food is so detrimental, why do people still eat it? Freshman Neil Gainer answers, “People in America love fast food because it is very cheap and tastes great.” Before deciding to eat fast food, one should not only consider its low cost and good taste, but also weigh the consequences of having it, particularly if it is consumed in large amounts.

Unsung hero: Lucy Yezi Li

“I don’t know what I would do without her!” exclaimed art teacher Ms. Mozzetti when asked about sophomore Lucy Yezi Li. Li is yet another one of San Marin’s unsung heroes. She is very involved inside and outside of school. During school, Li is always willing to lend a hand and help both students and teachers. “She comes in every day to the art room, washes brushes, fills paint bottles, and cleans up. She is a leader at her table and quietly helps other students achieve to the best of his or her ability,” said Mozzetti. Li immigrated to the U.S. in 2007 from Nanning, China and as a bilingual speaker, Li tries to accommodate students who need help understanding English homework. “Sometimes I help sophomores Carrie Jiayi Chen and Jiaming Ma with translations on English homework. Or I will just explain the concept that they don’t get in greater detail,” said Li. Ma immigrated to the U.S. last year during November and does not yet speak fluent English. Li added, “I help Jiaming by translating instructions during art class, sometimes translating other school materials into Chinese, and giving him my notes to translate into Chinese through the dictionary. However, I help Carrie Jiayi Chen a lot more with homework.” After school, Li is very involved with San Marin’s Robotics Club. She said, “I like building and designing things and working together in groups to accomplish a common goal.” Li is the secretary of the Robotics Club and “was a key person in the construction of [the club’s] 2013 robot,” according to Mr. Sousa, the Robotics Club advisor. Sousa also added, “She is always there to do what is needed and willing to accept ever-increasing responsibilities.

Her attitude and drive make her a role model to all of the other club members. Lucy is awesome!” Li is a very helpful and kind student. She helps staff and peers alike succeed in their classes. She is very involved in the school and in the Robotics Club; she is also a member of the Taekwondo Club. Although Li enjoys helping people, she sometimes experiences stress and frustration when trying to help. However, “I feel that it is the duty of every person to care about the society that you live in and try to improve it,” says Li, “and that is why I help people. And in the process of doing so, you also learn valuable lessons just as the person that you are mentoring does.”

Photo by Grace WonLucy Yezi Li helps out in art class.

We can all agree that San Marin has great programs such as STEM, AVID, and smARTt, but if we had extra funds, it would be interesting to see how those funds could be used to improve our classrooms and campus. When asked what they would like to see happen at San Marin, several faculty members and students said that we should improve technology and implement new programs like home economics, woodshop, and college preparation. This past holiday season, San Marin’s PTSA partnered with Gift of Knowledge, providing SAT/ACT prep resources, drug and youth counseling, campus beautification, and other essential needs for the students. “It’s a great charitable tax deduction and directly benefits students at San Marin High School,” said PTSA President Maggie Baxter. Programs can also be funded by a variety of grants that support improving nutrition, improving access to technology, and improving curriculum. Students need technology in the classroom to access websites, tutorials on class subjects, and much more to help them learn. Principal Littlefield

said, “For most classrooms at San Marin, technology is used as an instructional tool. The teacher uses it to present information to students. My vision is to transform technology into more of a learning tool where students have access to technology just as they currently do with pencils, binders, and textbooks. I believe all students should be able to gather, analyze, and present information

on multiple platforms, whether they are Windows-based, Linux-based, chrome books, tablets, Macintosh, or others.” Many teachers and students thought that home economics and woodshop should be brought back to our high school curriculum. “Home economics teaches wonderful life skills such as learning how to cook, sew, and budget. This helps prepare students for

life outside of their parents’ home,” said math teacher Ms. Taggard. Woodshop could focus on the building trade and architectural design. “It would be great if we could get local contractors or architects to mentor us and help us figure out if this is something we would like to do in the future,” said sophomore Colton Freemantle. These courses would be a great way to prepare students for their future and help them become independent individuals. Another idea is to have a four- year program that would help students prepare for life after high school: a program that has students considering prospective careers, shows them the paths that would get them there, and introduces them to colleges that will help them on their way. Counselor Ms. Brandi said, “Yes, I agree that a program that helps students prepare for their post-high school future would be fantastic. One idea could be to have a guest speaker series during lunch where students can opt to attend and learn about different careers.” Sophomore Mia Barnes added, “I think that would be a great program because I don’t want to panic my senior year. I would like to have a solid plan for life after high school.”

By Ty CallihanReporter

Illustration by Paige TaulStudents and staff contemplate various ways to spend school funds.

By Natalie DybeckEditor

Fast food epidemic spreads

By Paul GanReporter

New fast food establishments swarm Novato, reflecting a nationwide trend.

Photo by Paul Gan

Mr. Littlefield and students dish on possible ways to use school fundsFrom technology to technical education

• January 29, 2014 7 FeaturesFeatures

There are students at San Marin who participate in community service jobs in order to get their required service hours, but there are other students who do it for the pleasure of helping their community and the people who are in it. A good example of one of these students is junior Jocelyn Lezama who has been nominated by the program Lift Levantate for the Hearts of Marin Volunteer Leader award, which recognizes devoted individuals who volunteer at nonprofit organizations. She has been working for this program for seven months and has received over 80 hours from it. Lezama said, “I was really shocked when they told me I was

nominated. I didn’t think that I was going to be rewarded for just doing what feels right in the community.” She volunteers every Thursday from 3-7 PM. At this program, she serves food to low-income families who don’t have enough money to buy food. Lezama has also tutored English as a second language at the Community of Christ Church since freshman year. In addition, Lezama volunteers at the Novato Wellness Center where she educates people about nutrition and the benefits of eating healthy. Lezama said, “I like to volunteer because I think that it is the right thing to do, and I also just want to give back.” Sophomores Sam Weber and Cole Snyder take part in a program called Rest. It is a food drive for homeless people who don’t have anything to eat, and it takes place at The Quest Church

every third Thursday for three hours during the winter. The volunteers make the food and serve it to approximately 40 people. Snyder said, “My mom helps coordinate Rest, so she convinced me to come one time, and ever since that first time, I’ve felt better as a person. I want to help these people in need; some of them are very sick, and I want to help them through their hard times. Also, if anyone is interested in helping Rest, we are more than happy to take in volunteers.” Weber said, “Some of these people have really crazy stories since they are having a tough time, so not only is it morally rewarding, but it’s also nice to be able to listen to these interesting stories.” This is Snyder’s second year and Weber’s first year volunteering for the program. Sophomore Dawsen Bacho volunteers for a program called Kinder

Academy and has participated in it for three years. This program helps children who didn’t go to preschool get a sense of what Kindergarten will be like and takes place over the summer in all elementary schools throughout Novato. Bacho works at Lu Sutton Elementary School and Olive Elementary School. Kinder Academy takes place Monday through Friday from 8-11 AM. Bacho plays with the children, helps them with their writing, and aids the teachers that work there. “At first, I did it to get my necessary service hours, but I ended up really enjoying working with the kids, which is why I still do it.”

Note: Community service opportunities are posted in front of the counseling office.

Photos by Chloe Cheng(From left): Sophomore Sam Weber, junior Jocelyn Lezama, sophomore Cole Snyder, and sophomore Dawsen Bacho.

SM Mustangs’ New Year’s resolutionsBy Ashley Altmann

Reporter

Stop procrastinating.

Sophia Neuweiler, freshman Alison Purvis, freshman Angel Magana, sophomore Sofia Uribe, sophomore

Keith O’Brien, junior Mark Wang, junior Chris Skidmore, senior Anonymous, freshman

By Thomas BrawleyReporter

Volunteers give back to community

Try harder in math.

Be able to fly a unicorn.

Smite a flock of ravens on all of

my enemies.

Save enough money to buy a 1966 Pontiac

G.T.O.

Bulk up and get back on the

road to Rio.Quit smoking.Be more like

Mr. Watson.

Photos courtesy of Google Images

• January 29, 20148 Reflecting On Our Reflection

Society has set such high standards of female beauty that very few can claim the title ‘beautiful’. Every day, people see videos and pictures of beautiful models with perfect bodies on the TV, and computer, magazines, and plastered on billboards everywhere they look. These kinds of media are unavoidable because no matter where you go they’re always there. Sophomore Jessica Whitaker said, “When you look up walking down the street, the odds are that you’ll see a beautiful girl or a handsome guy with amazing cheekbones and a perfect body. Then you’ll automatically think to yourself how you’d want to be like them.” As the media’s portrayal of girls’ body image continually spreads, girls focus more on the physical view of themselves and others. Women are expected to look and dress to society’s standards. Almost nothing seems to be good enough to impress society . How you dress and the amount of makeup you wear can label you. Tabloids always claim to feature the ‘ideal women’ but even the models or celebrities on the front cover do not look like themselves. The media raises all these flawless models to the top and brings girls’ self-esteem to the bottom. Sophomore Amairani Roman said, “It makes my self-esteem drop to zero, negative even.” The media pressures girls into thinking they’re not good enough and judges them for not meeting society’s standards. Whitaker said, “I never could

see myself as one of the gorgeous girls that I look up to and I never will. I obviously want to be comfortable and that’s what I strive to do and soon enough I will, but I will always be insecure.” It has also become normal, and at times expected, for women to wear makeup when out in public. When you go out, the chance that you will notice most of the women you encounter wearing makeup is high. Some women use it to cover up anything they see as an imperfection, whereas some use it because it makes them feel better about themselves. Sophomore Jackie Peron said, “If I’m just going to school or out, I feel my best wearing a little makeup, but if I’m just going to play soccer or go to the gym then I won’t wear makeup.” Beauty standards affect how women look at themselves and their peers. Not all women identify themselves as beautiful. When asked if she believes that she is beautiful, sophomore Victoria Malatesta said, “There are certain things about myself that I like and others that I don’t. When I look in the mirror I’m usually pretty happy with what I look like, but when I go out in public I automatically lose all of that confidence and feel uncomfortable in my own skin. But there’s also the beauty on the inside. I try to be an accepting person and have an open mind because to me that is what makes someone beautiful without considering looks at all.” Women are judged openly by their peers, acquaintances, strangers, and even family members. Judgment happens on a daily basis. Body image also affects the mental health of women and can lead to eating/mental disorders

such as anorexia and bulimia. Many girls strive to obtain the ‘perfect’ or ‘ideal’ body that the media portrays and they will do anything to reach that goal even if it means going to the extremes of starving themselves. Celebrity Jennifer Lawrence said, “In Hollywood, I’m obese. I’m considered a fat actress... I’m never going to starve myself…” What some people are unaware of is that most pictures of models are photo shopped. Senior Sarah Rankin said, “The problem is that the people in magazines aren’t real. With computers and technology, the media has the ability to change anyone’s appearance. So the ‘beautiful’ women and ‘perfect’ men that girls and boys look at in magazines are just unrealistic enhancements of the actual person.” Models are used merely as a template – the real magic is done after the photo shoot on a computer – yet they are still looked up to as ‘ideal women’. Beauty has different meanings for everyone. By definition beauty is the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind. An anonymous junior said, “I think beauty is something that everyone has, but in different ways. I also think it has more to do with personality than appearance.” The ideal body for a woman is so warped by the media that women find themselves striving towards unrealistic goals pertaining to their physical appearance. Senior Julie An said “I don’t think the ideal body is supposed to be like a supermodel’s. But I think a healthy body would do.” Although society emphasizes physical beauty, everyone is their own type of beautiful.

By Savannah Brown and Grace WonReporters

Reflecting On Our Reflection

Reflecting On Our Reflection Januaruy 29, 2014 • 9

He is tall, athletic, likeable, and almost always clean-shaven. He never has a hair out of place. His smile is whiter than snow, and there’s not a hair to be found on his perfectly sculpted back, chest, or six-pack. This is the “ideal guy.” He is “mansome”, according to our pop culture. Sophomore Levi Smith said, “Well, from what I can see, you have to be tall, good looking, athletic. It’s hard to imagine a perfect guy.” Not to mention that this mold is also just about the exact opposite of what it was 40 years ago. The picture-perfect guy, back in the 1970’s, would’ve been perceived as geeky and feminine. They do share a few features; both are tall and fit, and of course, have great smiles and nice faces. The Mr. Right of 1973 is a different breed altogether. All natural, as hairy as possible, and with a longer, feathered haircut - not to mention that his body doesn’t put The David to shame. When asked what he thought, freshman Eric Zhou said, “[You should] wear what you want.” Needless to say, styles and fads change over time, but exactly how much can actually be pretty surprising. Opting for a more classic idea, senior Jack Ludwick said he’d prefer the twenties as an era of style. But starting with the “Au Natural” look of the seventies, style evolved into the eighties rocker guy -think Bill and Ted- taking geometric patterns, music taste, and fluffy hair to a whole new level. Men still didn’t “manscape” but excessive hair became something less desirable. Then, the advent of sexually ambiguous stars like Boy George, Prince, and David Bowie left pop culture with the idea that boys didn’t have to be manly to be attractive. By that time, the 90’s had rolled around, and with them came the emergence of both mainstream hip-hop and Seattle grunge. And so flannels were broken back out, pants were sagged, and faces shaved. A more ironic character for men was popularized, one where a guy was better groomed in the body, thanks to the slow start of hookup culture, yet less put-together in his clothes. Wearing designer labels was to be looked down upon, now that Nirvana ruled the airwaves. Finally, we come to the early two-thousands, and to a much more recognizable guy.

He’s definitely very well groomed, and uses plenty of well-advertised products. And as the iPhone rolled out in 2007 suddenly, the Internet was everywhere, and so were the advertisers and media, telling you EXACTLY who you were supposed to be. Guys were to have sculpted bodies, and thanks to popular reality TV shows like “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”, the idea of shaving more and more of that body, dressing in brands, and of course, having the latest tech, became totally mainstream. And so finally, we come to the boy we see in Men’s Warehouse and Abercrombie commercials today.

By Olivia LamontReporter

Photos by Angela Ding and

Lauren O’Brien

Reflecting On Our Reflection

January 29, 2014•10Arts & EntertainmentArts & Entertainment

Avery AbelTrader Joes

Sierra RothermichPanera Bread

Nick NazarianHarvest Market

Ellie CantorHigh Tech Burrito

Jackson CroweRedwood Bagel

7 minutes 7 minutes 10 minutes 13 minutes

MenuBagels,

smoothies, sandwiches, etc.

Ranging from classic bean and cheese to shrimp

tacos.

Pre-made salads, wraps, and other healthy options.

Pastas, soups, salads, and

bakery items!

Harvest Market, Starbucks,

Subway, and Mary’s Pizza.

Best thing about it

“I’ve been getting their ‘Itty

Bitty Beanie’ burritos since I

was an itty bitty!”

“There’s a variety of inexpensive healthy things

and a Starbucks next door!”

Welcome back to the wizarding world of Harry Potter. On September 12th it was announced that J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros studios will be joining forces once again to create a new Harry Potter movie spinoff series. This series will follow Newt Scamander, fictional author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a required first year textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The new movie series - set in New York City during the 1900’s, 70 years before the Harry Potter series takes place - will follow Scamander throughout the adventures he embarks on while in the process of writing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Rowling said, “Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for seventeen years, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world.” News of the new series quickly spread through the social media, exciting Harry Potter fans all around the world. Kathryn Ruberto, sophomore, said, “I am interested in seeing what it will be like, so yeah. I’ll go see it. I don’t know what to expect, so I won’t make any high expectations for now. I’m excited about seeing more magical creatures and more Harry Potter lore.” And although Rowling’s new series will not be centered on the boy who lived, he will never be gone, not as long as those who remain are loyal to him.

So much food, so little time: Lunchtime choices at SM

By Camille PflugradtEditor

San Marin’s Netflix picks

Paige McIntoshOne Tree Hill

“I love the show and the character Nathan Scott is

really hot.”

Cam MoylanBlue Mountain

State“It describes the crazy life of college football players

and it’s really funny.”

Mr. PhilpotLouis CK Stand-Up

comedy“He’s original and edgy and always comes up with new

material.”

Ms. TorresParks and Recreation

“It’s funny and it deals with politics and government in

a comedic way.”

Photos by Daniel Hardman and John Vavuris

The series that lived

HP back in theatres By Savannah Brown

Reporter

Cartoon courtesy of Google ImagesBy Andrew DingReporter

“I like that it’s a family run

buisiness and the food comes out

quickly and tastes good.”

“I like that it’s a family run

buisiness and the food comes out quick and tastes

good.”

“It’s better than the school lunches and you can go there if you don’t have your license.”

Travel Time from San Marin

Walking: 7 min.Driving: 2 min.

Arts & EntertainmentArts & Entertainment11• January 29, 2014

“We are inspired by life. We love living and we want to share that with the world, even the hard stuff,” said seniors Jake Scott and Zane Roegiers who have been pursuing this goal through rapping and hip hop for about four years. Started as a hobby in eighth grade and transitioning from garage free styles to 30 hour weeks in a recording studio, Scott and Roegiers are taking their “hobby” to the next level through their upcoming album Primary Colors. Scott and Roegiers have had a few mix tapes in the past and are always focused on taking things to the next level. Scott had always had an “obsession” with hip hop. The first time Roegiers rapped was at a summer camp going into freshman year and once again a few weeks later with Scott on a trip in Lake Tahoe. Also on this trip was Roegier’s cousin Max Delaney. Having been older and more experienced he motivated them to want to be better. As they continued practicing and writing they realized they wanted to form a group, which they named after a significant graffiti they’d noticed multiple times in San Rafael, “Unlyke Most”. “We are unlike most in basically every way. We’re two white rappers in Marin who love hip hop,” as explained by Scott. Roegiers added, “Everyone’s ‘Unlyke Most’ if you think about it, that’s why the world is dope.” Scott branches out from Unlyke Most by participating in San Marin’s Rock Band. This after school class allows Scott to work on his hobby of playing the guitar and participate in performances as well. “It’s a group

of students who love music no matter the genre or style getting together to practice what they love.” as said by Scott. Roegiers recently took part in a cypher in San Francisco with other local rappers. A cypher is a video recording of multiple different rappers to one beat. They each take turns performing their prepared lines in front of an audience all while being caught on tape. Roegiers’ cypher took place on Hippy Hill in San Francisco. “I bugged people till I got in! It was

just something I wanted to go to and do my thing, ” Although the two experiment in other areas, Unlyke Most is their main focus. Their upcoming album Primary Colors includes 16 original songs about their friendship, relationships, and experiences. They believe in breaking the rap stereotype of vulgar material and encourage themselves to write realistically instead. Scott said, “Life isn’t about money

and all the things you hear artists rap about today. We write about the struggles we’ve been through and what we’ve built on the way.” The album features friends of the duo on certain tracks as well, for example San Marin senior Chloe Gasparini. “It’s super fun working with them. I’ve never seen them take something so seriously and I’m excited to be a part of it.” said Gasparini. Another friend that collaborated in the album is senior Damon Moore, who is painting the

cover of their new album which is of the three bleeding primary colors. To promote the upcoming album, Unlyke Most performed at the Hopmonk Tavern in Vintage Oaks. They are also planning an upcoming performance at the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma, which will be there biggest venue yet. They’ve made a music video, shot and edited by San Marin senior Jesse Northen and taken photos all to support the new album. Previous mix tapes are on both Spotify and Youtube as well as their Facebook page all under the name, “Unlyke Most”. Once the album is released both Roegiers and Scott plan to continue their rapping. Roegiers plans to be

in the industry whether it be performing or producing, or both. Scott said, “I will make

music for the rest of my life no matter if I make it or not.” This driven and inspired pair have put in much effort into their music and plan to continue doing so. Their next album, Primary Colors, to be released in February, is a big step in their music careers and this is just the beginning for Unlyke Most. To find out more go to Facebook.com/unlykemost1 or Soundcloud.com/unlykemost1.

The smARTt (San Marin Arts and Technical Arts) program is a familiar name to the San Marin community. Many would be able to recognize the talented individuals involved, who strive to go above and beyond in order to achieve their goals, improve themselves, and gain experience within their field of choice. These students are able to create works of art that not only appeal to the aesthetic visions of its viewers, but also to the curious minds that long to discover inspiration. They are recognized by their teachers, friends, and fellow students as being a standout from the rest. One aspiring artist is Jacob Mason, a San Marin junior with a passion for his craft. “He is a very dedicated student who cannot wait to get into class and get started on his work,” says Mrs. Fisher, Jacob’s teacher and art instructor at San Marin. “His

perspective is unique and eye catching. He creates beautiful work and his love for the art-making process is clear to all who have the opportunity to be in class with him.” Furthermore,

Mason has also been making an impact outside of San Marin. Having entered and placed for his artwork in events such as the Marin County Fair, Mason

is challenging himself to compete and share his creations for the whole community to witness. When asked his opinion on being nominated, Jacob Mason responded that he felt proud of himself. Though there is much to be said on the quality of the work itself, a great deal of his success is credited to his genuine passion for his art. “I like to paint,” says Mason. “It makes me feel good. I paint things I see that are beautiful to me.” A particular piece of artwork that Mason is proud of is ‘Haiku’, which he describes as “a mixed media project where we painted a Japanese lady and used fabric scraps to make a kimono” with an original haiku added to the top the piece. Having received unwavering encouragement and support from his parents and teachers, Mason has expressed his intentions to continue along in the smARTt program again next year, and possibly branch on into Art College and artistic pieces for movies later on in the future.

By Daria ZadorozhnayaReporter

smARTt Mural at BirkenstockBy Camille Pflugradt

and Nicole ZonaEditors

smARTt Upcoming Events

● Lenaea Drama Festival: January 31-February 1

● Winter Music Showcase:February 14

● Spring Musical “Beauty and the Beast”: March 14-16 & 21-23

smARTt standout Jacob Mason shows his true colors

New album dropping and it’s Unlyke Most

Photo courtesy of Ms. Fisher

By Kiana Escandon-CapannaReporter

Four talented San Marin students painted a wild life mural for Birkenstock in return for hours and free shoes. Birkenstock reached out to San Marin in early September and asked if students could transform one of their boring grey walls into a work of art. Ms. Fisher, San Marin’s Art teacher, referred to senior Samantha Urban who then took the lead on the project. Urban had taken a mural painting class over the summer at the Academy of Art and is also currently taking sculpture and AP Art at San Marin. Ms. Fisher, when asked about Urban said, “She is passionate, organized, reliable, and extremely artistic.” Along with Urban, three other students who individually signed up helped with the project, Quinton Ashley Angela Ding, and Olivia Murillo, all seniors at San Marin. Murillo said, “I volunteered because I thought it would be a fun way to get hours done, and work on a kind of art on a way larger scale than I had ever worked on before.” Students taking AP Art must complete a certain amount of hours. Along with Murillo, Ashley also saw this project as a great opportunity to gain hours. Ashley said, “I volunteered so I could complete my art hour requirement for AP Art. I also thought that doing such a large scale project would be exciting and challenging.” They started working on the mural in mid-October and completed it over Thanksgiving break. Urban said, “We wanted to be inspired by Marin wild life.” They started out with a basic sketch of a deer and a turkey, and elaborated from there. Instead of getting paid with money, Birkenstock returned the favor of painting the mural by providing each student with a complimentary pair of Birkenstock shoes. Ashley said, “Birkenstock was nice enough to size our feet and give us a voucher to buy a pair of their shoes online.” In the end everyone was pleased with the artwork. Murillo said, “Overall, it was definitely a positive experience, the people at Birkenstock were really nice about it too! They would always see us and say how great it was coming along.” Turning an old grey wall into a beautiful piece of artwork, San Marin students give back to the community.

Photo by Gabrielle Castro

Mason in front of his sidewalk art of a sunflower.

Roegiers and Scott in a picture from their promotional photoshoot.

SportsSports January 29, 2014• 12 1313

Racing along many top competitors and being sponsored by all sorts of different companies, Matt Erbentraut, Senior at San Marin High has come along way in his biking journey. Matt first got into biking when he was in sixth grade. “ I got interested because of one of my friends Sebastian Bauer, I would always try and learn from him and we would ride around Novato and hit jumps or go on little trails here and there,” Said Erbentraut. When Matt got to his freshman year he got a little deeper into the world of biking and started XC racing which is cross-country mountain bike racing. Erbentraut said “I started racing XC my freshman year and then in my junior year I moved to my full focus being Enduro racing.” Enduro racing is the form of downhill racing that are predominantly off road and

the goal is to make it to a predetermined destinations as fast as possible over harsh terrain and other obstacles. Biking has been a huge learning experience for Matt whether it be competing in hard competitions or watching the pros do what he wishes to do sometime in the near future. “There is always something to learn on every ride, whether it’s pushing yourself and finding the line between staying up right or crashing. There is always something to improve on, always.” Erbentraut has definitely discovered the pain that goes with crashing and that has helped him become a better rider. When asked if he has any fears of falling or getting hurt Erbentraut replied with, “Little injuries like dislocating and breaking wrists, getting cut and scraped up and even the most recent puncture in my thigh, it’s all stuff that can heal up fairly quickly or be worked around so I can still ride. It’s the big things like breaking my neck or collar bone or back or something like that that I fear

doing. I work out to help prevent from getting injured but it’s always a possibility to have a real bad crash.” Matt’s latest injury is a puncture wound that he got from falling in one of his races. Along his journey through the world of biking Matt has picked up a few sponsors along the way that give him different kinds of gear to use. “The biggest sponsor I have is Marin Bikes, they picked me up my sophomore year and have been incredibly supportive. In 2014 they have given me the opportunity to travel around the U.S. and Canada and race professionally in Enduro races. I also get great support from Kali Protectives for helmets and pads, SR Suntour for Suspension, and Ergon for Hydration packs. Other companies such as Continental tires, Sram, and Oakley hook it up with product as well,” said Erbentraut. Matt Erbentraut has come along way since the sixth grade and is well on his way to do many great things.

San Marin senior discovers his trail

Fresh new faces on Varsity sports

At 5’7’, Makiah Brumbaugh seems to blend right in with San Marin’s Varsity volleyball team, height wise. But age wise, Brumbaugh, along with 3 other girls on the team, are freshman. Every year, a handful of freshmen are talented enough to earn a spot on one of San Marin’s varsity teams. Depending on the team, the chances of a freshman getting on varsity ranges from rare to occasional. This practice can sometimes prove unpopular with upperclassmen that may be passed over. Coaches defend picking freshmen, believing that if the freshmen have earned their spots, there is no reason for hostility. Age disparity would also seemingly cause conflict, but freshmen on varsity report otherwise. “The older girls made all us freshman feel welcome,” says Brumbaugh. While awkwardness between freshmen and older players is an issue every now and again, playing time is something freshmen players will almost always contemplate before their season. Some varsity teams come with guaranteed game time and others cannot promise any coveted spot, depending on the talent of the rest of the team and the team’s size. Many freshmen take their spot on varsity willingly and stand by their choice while others wish they could go back and stay on JV. Brumbaugh, so far, hasn’t had any regrets. “I knew getting to play varsity would improve my game and as it turned out I was the starting setter so I was fortunate enough to get a lot of

playing time.” A vast majority of girls’ teams have had freshman playing for them, whereas on the guys’ varsity teams, freshman players are rare. JV football coach, Tony Mowers, says “I don’t see freshmen on varsity as much in football because to go from youth football to varsity is a giant jump.”So far this year, Tarik Bajramovic, freshman on the varsity soccer team, is one of the few guys that knows what it’s like to play with the older boys. “I like being on varsity, and I get a good amount of playing time.”Last year’s freshman basketball star, Calvin Geraci, known for breaking San Marin’s record for most 3 pointers made in a season, still looks back and feels thankful to have been on varsity. “Going onto the team, I didn’t know just how beneficial playing up would be. Now, I have a lot of experience to take with me into my sophomore season. It was a lot of fun along with a lot of hard work.” An anonymous San Marin athlete disagrees and feels that remaining on the lower team, is the better option. “Last year I got asked to play with varsity. It’s not every day a freshman is asked to play at that level, so I said yes. But I never got the amount of playing time I hoped to get and honestly, it was embarrassing sometimes.” A good amount of athletes that are benched more than played generally feel unmotivated.Earning a spot on varsity may seem like the biggest deal in high school sports, even to players as young as freshmen. But, one of the greater challenges is deciding if moving up is ultimately the best choice. There are arguments of it every season; Is the glory and challenge of playing on Varsity more rewarding than the playing

time and experience you get playing on JV? The desire for a letterman jacket could be a deal breaker for kids who are weighing out the pros and cons of playing on varsity teams. While varsity rewards 20 points to each player at the end of a season, freshman and JV sports only give 10. These points are used towards a San Marin block letter patch (40 points), that once earned allows the player the option of ordering the actual letterman jacket which can cost from $300 to $500. Moving up to varsity as a freshman may seem like the better choice to some, while others may want to hold back and play for JV. Deciding what team to play on really depends on the player, the sport, and your personal preferences of the game.

By Therese Cullen Reporter

By Daniel HardmanReporter

Matt Erbentraut performing a jump at Big Rock Ridge in Marin County.

Illustration by Ashley Altmann

Photo courtesy of Sebastian Bauer

13•January 29, 201413 SportsSports

Girls’ Basketball Winning Twins Seniors Erica and Kathrine Gonzalez have been playing basketball for San Marin for their entire high school careers. Both are on the Varsity team for the second year in a row. “My favorite part about basketball at San Marin,” reflected Erica, “are all the good memories I made and the friends I have gained through it.” Girls’ Varsity coach Dan Lucia said, “Both [Erica and Katherine] are standout academic athletes; they bring tremendous leadership and willingness to do what it takes to keep the team together and focused on our goals; individually they are extremely committed and hardworking; and they lead by example every day in practice.” After playing with the same group of girls for four years Katherine said, “I’ll definitely miss the team. When you come together every day for two hours or so, you sort of become a family. I’ll also

miss my coach very much, he’s been helping me since freshman year and it’s going to be hard to leave it all behind.” These two sport standouts are very skilled, “Erica can be a deadly shooter on the offensive end of the court; Kathrine is becoming a player we can count on defensively which is the core of our team,” said Lucia. Katherine added, “I think one of my greatest memories was freshman year when I made a three-point shot at the buzzer to tie the game and go into overtime.”Calvin Geraci Sophomore Calvin Geraci has been on Boys varsity for two years in a row. Mr. Craig Pitti, Boys varsity coach, said “As a freshman last year, Calvin led the MCAL in 3 point shots made. He broke our school record for 3’s made in one season. This year as a sophomore, he leads our team in scoring at 16 points per game. He has become a strong defensive player and has become a better rebounder.” Geraci’s greatest memory of San Marin basketball is, “Last year when

I had seven 3-pointers against Novato.” His goal this year is “to at least make the semi-finalswww of play offs.” Geraci believes that the team can make play offs by, “playing as a team and not getting on ourselves when we’re losing.”Eddie Ferrigno Junior Eddie Ferrigno is playing his third year on San Marin’s Wrestling team. “Eddie is a hard worker and a great leader for the wrestling team,” said wrestling Coach Dan Donaldson, he added, “[Ferrigno] worked hard in the off-season by going to wrestling camp” which Ferrigno said was one of his greatest wrestling memories. “My favorite part of wrestling is the sport itself because I have yet to find a more mentally or physically challenging sport,” said Ferrigno. He hopes to wrestle in college especially at Michigan or Minnesota. Ferrigno added, “I show up every day and work extremely hard to improve and better myself each and every day”

Sports standouts: Winter sports athletes

Varsity Boys’ basketball season recap

By Natalie Dybeck Editor

Photos courtesy of Marin IJ and Eddy FerrignoUpper left: Calvin Geraci, Bottom Left: Eddy Ferrigno, Right: Erica Gonzalez

Basketball season has arrived and the ceiling is higher than ever this year. After an impressive run in last year’s playoffs, the team is ready for another great year. Last year they went 21-12, struggling a little in the beginning of the season but finishing strong. They lost to Marin Catholic in last year’s semifinals for MCAL in a close, exciting game. From there, they went on to NCS where they pulled off an incredible upset of the #2 seeded, Campolindo. Next, they played #3 seeded El Cerrito and lost by 1 in a hard

fought game. The Mustangs then went on to the state tournament and played Sacred Heart. Unfortunately, they lost but not before an incredible playoff run. Experience will play a large part in this year’s playoff run as a large majority of last year’s players are returning, including five seniors. The Mustangs are projected to be one of the top teams in MCAL. While they had a nice season last year, the expectations are even higher this time around. “We are hopeful to be one of the top teams in the league and are very capable of better things this year,” said Craig Pitti, the Mustangs’ coach. Pitti also feels they have another

advantage besides experience. “We have 7 players that are 6’3 or taller. It will be very hard for some teams to match up against our size,” said Pitti. The Mustangs, so far, have had a slow start to their season. They were plagued with the flu and injuries to many of their key players. While they sit at 8-11, 2-5 in MCAL, and have recovered from most of these unexpected misfortunes, they are still getting back to their full potential. When at full strength, the Mustangs are a team that opposing high schools have to keep on their radar. The season is young, and there is still plenty of time to turn their season around.

By Nick CorbaniReporter

January 29, 2014 OpinionOpinion 14•

An incident occurred in October where a man on a San Francisco Muni bus pulled out a pistol and started to play with it. After drawing the gun from his side multiple times and aiming the gun down the aisle, a shot was fired into the back of a San Francisco State student getting off of the bus. Unfortunately, none of the passengers noticed the gunman until he shot the gun, mainly due to the fact that every person on the bus was more absorbed in what was going on with their smart phone or tablet than what was happening on the bus.

When discussing the Muni bus shooting, District Attorney Anthony George Gascon said, “These weren’t concealed movements – the gun is very clear. These people are in very close proximity with him, and nobody sees this. They’re just so engrossed in texting and reading whatnot. They’re completely oblivious of their surroundings.” Over the past few years, we have become too fixated on our phones. It seems that knowing what’s going on in your phone is more important than knowing what’s going on in your surroundings. People are too easily putting themselves into danger because they are so distracted by their phones. We need to realize

that overusing our cell phones is a larger issue than we make it out to be. Everyday I see students attached to their phones. It’s as if they can’t go five minutes without looking to see if they have a new text. You can’t focus on a lesson when you have the constant distraction of a vibrating phone in your pocket. I think it is even worse when I see a teacher using their phone during class. You would think that adults would have much greater self control, but cell phones have become addicting to all ages, not just high school students. As much as I critique them, I think that cell phones are an amazing piece of technology. It’s

mind blowing that we have access to so much information right at the tips of our fingers. However, we abuse the power. Instead of exploring the internet to increase our learning, we use it to watch cat videos and scroll through pages of Facebook posts. It’s time for us to start using our phones the way that they should be treated. Rather than looking at endless amounts of selfies on Instagram, look up new and upcoming photographers and artists. Instead of texting someone, sit down and actually have a conversation with another human being. Stop letting your cell phone take advantage of you, use it to your advantage.

Plugged in but disconnected: Cell phone dependence worsensBy Ashley Altmann

Reporter

Photos courtesy of Google Images

To infinity and beyond: Why space still mattersPhoto courtesy of Google Images

Newspapers have been replaced by cell phones as a common way to pass the time.

Gone are the days when people were glued to their television screens, witnessing the most pivotal step mankind has ever seen when Armstrong’s boot hit the surface of the moon. But Chris Hadfield knows how to sell a space program and he’s no monotonous door-to-door salesman. He’s an astronaut. He did more of a service to his planet than just his 5 months aboard the International Space Station; he has light a spark of interest in space that hasn’t been ablaze since the moon landing in 1969. Through his in-space YouTube cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” that has since gained almost 20 million hits and his use of social media like Twitter and Facebook, Hadfield is giving everyone the opportunity to fly along on his great adventure. From his YouTube channel, he answers the ever-pressing question of how astronauts pee in space and documents his zero-gravity shenanigans with a childlike glee that is contagious for anyone

who watches. By harnessing the power of a video camera and a few hashtags, this mustachioed, guitar-strumming astronaut has presented space in a way that the public hasn’t seen it in decades. As budding astronomer and STEM student Scottie Fischer put it, “We still have one of the biggest and best space program in the world, but it needs to sell itself more.” Amongst more pressing issues on our own planet, from Obamacare to environmental policy, exploration of other planets can often seem like a frivolity. But many technologies arose from our first ventures into space, including the artificial heart and the MRI machine. However, as according to a YouGov 2013 poll, 94% of people think the US space program should be maintained, 92% don’t want it to be publicly funded. Essentially, while the American public recognizes these accomplishments of our space program, it has no desire to pay for it. There is a discrepancy between the innate desire to explore and the willingness to actually do it. This is why it’s critical to maintain a long-term perspective to

truly assess the astronomical value of space exploration. “I understand the pressure today to cut funding to programs, like the space program, to focus on apparent, pressing issues, but the return on investment is the highest of any program we have,” junior Gabby Skarka said. And the largest “return” our country can gain from space comes from the educational and motivational value it can have on students. Space exploration is primarily important for how it inspires people,” STEM teacher Mr. Williams said. “It grabs people’s interest and can lead to more students being interested in science and math.” Ms. Havel, Biology and Earth Science teacher as well as self-proclaimed space enthusiast, teaches a two month long astronomy unit, saying that it’s the section that her Earth Science students get most excited about. Personally, it’s easy to question why I have to grapple for hours with physics practice problems about hypothetical objects flying through hypothetical air. But then I envision the physics needed to perfect the

trajectory of the spacecraft on the Apollo 13 mission; without the correct reentry angle, it could have skipped off the atmosphere like a rock on a pond or burned up during the descent to Earth. Suddenly the pencil scratchings littering my paper seem so much more powerful.So in a country ranked 26th in math and 21st in science out of 34 countries, a source of inspiration like a well-funded, ambitious space program is critical to inspire students to innovate; people with rocket fuel in their blood to solve the issues in the world around them can then best tackle the “pressing issues” that are hoarding all the funding to begin with. Space is our wondrous and infinite backyard that contains more possibilities for exploration and discovery. It allows humankind to satisfy its most primal urges to discover, and inspires us to excel in our endeavors, whether they are landing on Mars or finishing our homework. The feat of venturing “where no man has gone before” is a noble one, and one we should prioritize for our generation, and generations to come.

By Sumaiya MubarackEditor-in-Chief

PenultimatePenultimate• January 29, 201415

The reason why we hate the sound of our voices when recorded is because our skull changes the resonance of our voice from within and creates more bass. When we hear a digital recording of our voice, although slightly unfamiliar to ourselves, its exactly how other people hear it.

If you put a piece of pineapple somewhere in your mouth it will start “eating you,” because pineapple has proteins that degrade meat.

On Titan, Saturn’s moon, the atmosphere is so thick and the gravity so low that humans could fly through it by flapping “wings” attached to their arms.

Crows recognize human faces and hold grudges against those they do not like.

A subway ticket machine in Moscow now accepts 30 squats as payment to get people in the spirit of the Winter Olympics.

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months, and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

The strongest muscle in the human body in proportion to its size is the tongue.

A cockroach can live nine days without it's head, before it starves to death.

When a person dies, there are 7 minutes of brain activity left. It’s the mind playing back the persons memories in dream sequence.

Orcas (killer whales) can kill sharks by torpedoing through the shark's stomach from underneath, causing the shark to explode.

The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter in the alphabet. (Developed by Western Union to Test telex/two communications)

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, and purple.

Studies show that if a cat falls off of the seventh floor of a building, it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falling from off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself.

Scientists have recently discovered that our skin prunes when in warm water because of an evolutionary function and adaptation to warm and wet environments .The wrinkles in our fingers and toes are optimized for providing a drainage network that improve grip.

At this point in time many students may have heard or even used the term geek to describe someone or even themslevs. But what does it really mean? Traditionally when someone mentions a “geek” the first thing that comes to mind is someone who is a fanatic of a particular subject from school, is part of the chess club (in fact they are the president), and has a very particular getup: a pocket protector, glasses with the center taped, and pants pulled up to their ears with suspenders as the cherry on top. “A geek is someone who prioritizes schoolwork over social interaction” says sophomore Zane Jackson when

asked what he thinks a geek is. Junior Ella Anderson answered with a similar response, a geek is someone who concentrates heavily on school instead of a social life. It seems as though our “social understanding” of what a geek is, is as broken as the glasses we imagine them to wear. As stated in Webster’s Third International Dictionary a geek is “A carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act includes biting the head off of a live chicken or snake.” As a person who studies quite often I don’t remember biting the heads off of live animals for entertainment being part of the assignment. Geeks performed in geek shows with traveling circuses as opening acts or as a part of freak shows.

Freak shows usually consisted of people with biological rarities or special talents like sword swallowing or fire breathing. The definition has been morphed into a term used to describe someone who is a fanatic of a particular subject like math or history. Originally the term was meant as an insult if you were not a geek, since during that era being a circus performer was not an esteemed profession. Working hard to achieve good grades in school is always an admirable thing .And while I usually read my physics book or write an article for the Pony Express for homework, some students may be filing their teeth for a circus show. It might be out if the ordinary, but who am I to judge?

Don’t let it ruffle your feathers

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Find out what it really means to be a geek

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