December 20, 2012

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

FEATURE

SWAT MUST GO ON:

HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA:

7 WONDERS OF THE BAY: The bay has pretty

Despite last year’s SWAT incident, the trip is planned for this winter.

(7)

Need some holiday spirit?

Snuggle up with Mirador’s holiday spread. (10 & 11)

incredible sights, some that rival even the Seven Wonders of the World. (9)

Volume 55, Issue 3

December 20, 2012

Recent Fire Burns Orinda House

by Katie Hoskins and Reese Levine

nearby fire hydrant. According to the timeline released by MOFD, a continuous Following the house fire at 28 El Gavilan water supply was established at 6:52 a.m.

Way on the morning of Nov. 25, questions and the main hoses turned on at 6:53 a.m., arose about the response time of the Mora13 minutes after the original dispatch was ga Orinda Fire District. On Nov. 30 MOFD completed and seven minutes after the first released a timeline of the response and a engine arrived on scene. It took firefighters full audio recording. several hours to extinguish the blaze.

The Otsmaa family owns the home, but One of the major problems firefighters at the time of the fire they were away and faced was the narrowness of the streets in some friends were taking care of the house the area, making it more difficult for the for them. The Otsmaa’s son, Mikk, gradufire engines to maneuver. On the audio reated Miramonte last year and now attends cording, one engine can be heard saying Bucknell University. the ladder truck would not be able make it At 6:36 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 25, a to the fire, and later asking dispatch to send 911-dispatch center received a call about a arriving engines on specific streets. house fire at a residence in Orinda. Within “A computer is programmed what type Photo: L. Berndt two minutes of receiving the call, the dis- The Otsmaa’s house burned the morning of Nov. 25. The cause of the fire has not of equipment goes to each type of call,” patcher sent out alerts to seven vehicles rec- been definitively identified, however it is thought coals from a BBQ started the fire. Bradley said. “The computer recommendommended by the computer. ed the ladder truck for this call, but the fire“Our goal is to be at a fire within six minutes of a completed dispatch,” Fire Chief fighters were familiar with the roads in the area. There are only a small number of houses Randall Bradley said. Engine 43, which is located at a fire station about three minutes in this district where road sizes are a problem, but we could probably still do a better job away from the scene of the fire, did arrive on location approximately six minutes after programming the computer.” receiving the dispatch.

Once the fire was completely extinguished, the investigation into the cause of the fire Debbie Berndt’s house is next door to the one that was destroyed in the blaze, and she could begin. MOFD conducted the investigation jointly with representatives from the was the first one to report the call to the dispatch center. insurance company that insured the residence.

“I felt really personally scared that our house was in danger,” Berndt said.

“We weren’t able to 100 percent say what caused the fire but the probable cause was The first priority once the firefighters arrived was to make sure everyone was safely hot coals in the barbecue on the wooden deck on the first floor of the home,” Bradley said. out of the house. Then they acted to protect surrounding homes. Engine 43 deployed fire “We eliminated all other possible sources of ignition.” attack lines, which are hand-held fire hoses, around the house.

How the hot coals managed to fall out of the barbecue and onto the deck may never be The second engine to arrive, Engine 45, began establishing a water supply from a known, but the investigators are almost certain that was the cause of the fire.

Bully Survey Results: Are We Bully Free?

by Elizabeth Chenok and Ellie Poling

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Results are in for the bullying survey, and for the most part, Miramonte is bullyfree. The school-wide survey was taken by 595 of the 1352 students. The survey asked questions about physical, verbal and online bullying.

“There are new laws on the books about bullying, so a lot of districts and schools are examining their policies that they have toward bullying,” Principal Adam Clark said. “Before we were going to look at programs and curriculum, we wanted to find out what our current students thought about bullying right now.”

The majority of the students said that they feel safe inside and outside the classroom on the Miramonte campus. Clark said that there are rarely fist fights at school, but is concerned with the small number of students who did not feel safe.

According to Clark, teachers do care about their students and want them to succeed. About 70 percent of students said their teachers were concerned with their success, 30 percent neutral and five percent disagreed.

Cyber bullying was notably the largest form of bullying at Miramonte. “I think that digital citizenship should be added to the curriculum. Once you write something, it stays there forever,” Clark said.

According to the survey, Facebook was the place that students had been cyber-bullied the most. Next was texting, then Twitter and lastly Instagram. A larger percentage of girls have been cyber bullied than boys at Miramonte.

“Colleges look at kids’ social media accounts and employers. Asking employees for their Twitter accounts has become common,” Clark said. “I think that students need to be educated about it.”

According to girls, if they had been bullied on campus, it was mostly in the classroom.

“We don’t have kids pushing and shoving each other or cussing in class, and I don’t see

that very often, so we want to work with our teachers to listen to those side conversations,” Clark said. For boys, they said they were bullied most at brunch and lunch.

The students who have been bullied were asked to check all that applied for why they were bullied. Forty-two percent said they have been bullied because of their appearance, 23 percent because of their ethnicity, 16 percent grade level, 15.5 percent religion, 10.5 percent sexual orientation and 34.8 percent other. Students may have checked more than one reason. This year, the Diversity Club has been making an effort toward making all students feel welcome, especially the LBGTQ community, and held homophobia awareness month in November.

“It was a completely anonymous survey, so there is no way we can find out who the students who took it were, but we want to know, find the kids and let them know that there are adults on this campus who care for each and every person,” Clark said. “We hope that every student has one teacher that they can relate to.”

According to Clark, just because most students have not been bullied, does not mean that it’s not a huge concern for the school.

“We’re not a perfect school, and there’s lots of young people here. Part of going through high school is making and learning from mistakes. We hope the added curriculum will help kids learn ways to avoid making those mistakes.”

Gra p

hic : E .C he no k

If you or anyone you know has been bullied at Miramonte, please contact an administrator or counselor. They are here to help.

Miramonte High School Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid, Orinda, 750 Moraga Way Ca Permit #301 Orinda, CA 94563

2 News 12/20/12

Mirador

Understanding the Fiscal Cliff: An Inside Look

By Katie Hoskins

If you have listened to the morning news or glanced at a newspaper in the past few months, odds are you’ve seen or heard something about a so-called Fiscal Cliff. Some of you may be wondering, what exactly is this Fiscal Cliff? How did we get to this point? Is this a sign that the world will indeed end tomorrow?

The Background: In case you didn’t tune in to any Romney/Obama debates this past election, our country is in debt, a lot of debt. Funding and maintaining the hundreds of government programs and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has driven us into a dire state of fiscal (economic) instability. In the past, Congressmen and the President have attempted to aid the situation through various pieces of legislation. But many of these temporary fixes will end at the end of this year, a time that has come to be known as the Fiscal Cliff. The use of the word cliff in describing the situation refers to the sudden and drastic severity of possible spending cuts and tax increases to the economy.

Take a step back: To really understand how this whole situation came about, we have to look back a few years at what created this debt. First came the Bush Tax Cuts, which, as the name suggests, cut individual tax rates.

Upon inception, the cuts were scheduled to end in 2010, but the expiration date was extended to 2012 at the end of last year.

Next came the Simpson-Bowles Commission in 2010 when Obama presented a $4 trillion deficit reduction plan that failed to make its way through Congress. Soon after, Congress seemed to make some progress when both houses agreed to spending caps that will decrease the deficit by $1 trillion over the next 10 years.

But more had to be done. So the Budget Control Act of 2011 came about, establishing some spending cuts up front and the infamous “supercommittee,” a group of 12 bipartisan members charged with creating a $1.2 trillion deficit reduction plan.

To ensure that the group actually produced something useful, congress created the sequester, or the impending combination of massive across the board spending cuts and tax increases for all Americans. If the group failed, the sequester would take place Jan. 1, 2013. The group did indeed fail and now, 11 days before the sequester is scheduled to take its toll, Congressmen and the President are scrambling to find a way to somehow avoid the Fiscal

Photo: Sheneman/ MCT Campus

The Fiscal Cliff threatens to cut down on holiday spending. It could also potentially push the United States economy into a downward spiral.

Cliff.

The Sequester Itself: Starting on Jan. 1, there will be $500 billion in tax increases for everyone and $200 billion in spending cuts for almost all programs. The Congressional Bu­­­­dget Office estimates that if Congress fails to pass an agreement and we do fall over the Fiscal Cliff, the United States economy will shrink by .5 percent and unemployment will rise from 7.9 to 9.1 percent. Such numbers could send us spiraling back into the recession we still seem to be recuperating from, a fear that is driving discussions between Congressmen and Obama as we speak. Let’s look at the details.

The Tax Increase: In the United States we have tax brackets so that not everyone pays the same amount, but rather their share based on their income, among other factors. Sometimes, legislators will alter tax rates for only a few brackets to gain sufficient revenue. But starting Jan.1, everyone in the United States will see an increase, no matter what. According to the Tax Policy Center a “typical middle class family of four would see income taxes go up by $3500.” Among the hardest hit groups are college students, who will face a 37.5 percent increase. While this may seem like a dramatic statistic, the actual amount will total about $308 per student.

Analysts fear that an increase in taxes will drive people to spend less, causing businesses to invest less, which would slow our entire economy. One solution that Obama has put forward is to raise taxes on the wealthy, those whose incomes top $250,000. The problem with that proposal is that in order to implement it, the legislation must pass through both houses of Congress, including a Republican-run House of Representatives.

Why Republicans Disagree: The Republican platform is against tax increases for anyone. Some congressmen have even signed the Republican Taxation Pledge, which began in 1986 under the Reagan administration. Signers of the pledge promise to oppose any and all legislation that involves any tax increases for as long as they hold office. Signers include Speaker of the House John Boener of Ohio, one of the main players in discussions with Obama.

Spending Cuts: The sequester also includes massive $200 billion spending cuts for both defense related and non-defense programs. There are some programs that will not be cut, including Social Security, veteran’s benefits, military personnel, Medicaid the Children’s Health Insurance program and other programs for low-income families.

According to a statement issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget, “the sequestration would result in a 9.4 percent reduction in non-exempt… funding and an 8.2 percent reduction in…nondefense funding.” Programs in which such cuts are implemented would undoubtedly decrease the functionality of such programs.

Among the departments that fall under the nondefense category, is the Department of Education, which helps fund public schools and other student related programs.

California would be among the hardest hit states, suffering an 8.8 percent cut on average for funding, some of which is used to fund special education programs here at Acalanes Union High School District.

Cut to the Chase: The economy of is infinitely complicated and the upcoming Fiscal Cliff only complicates things further. But the bottom line is that no one really wants us to fall over the Fiscal Cliff. In the same statement, the White House Office of Management and Budget said: “the Administration strongly believes that sequestration is bad policy, and that Congress can and should take action to avoid it.” Hopefully our senators and representatives will find a way to do just that.

Tis the Season to Volunteer and Spread Holiday Cheer

by Maya Sherne and Youngjoo Ahn The holidays seem like the perfect time to indulge oneself with Christmas music, bright lights and gifts. However, the holidays can also be a time for volunteering and helping others, and some Miramonte students experience the joy of giving back to the community during the holiday season.

Miramonte students find a variety of ways to give back. One way students can help less fortunate children is by donating gifts to Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots is a national organization that has been providing Christmas gifts for children since 1947. At Miramonte, this program is school-wide and toys were collected from each fourth period class.

“I think it is the spirit of the season,” senior Derek Lin said. “December is a time of happiness, the atmosphere is happy and it’s a time of giving.”

“Donating makes me feel warm and tingly,” senior Nathan Danziger said. “It’s the whole spirit of the holidays to give gifts.”

Leadership has been in charge of this program for years. In the spirit of friendly competition, the class that collected the largest amount of toys received a prize. “Toys for Tots is a great way to share with children and outreach to the community,” Associate Principal Jan Carlson said.

Classes are also finding other ways to give back to the community. It’s been a tradition for public speakers to organize a community service project before Winter break. This year, they are organizing a can food drive to benefit Contra Costa Food Bank.

This fundraiser lasts for two weeks and is a competition between each of the public speaking classes. Winners will receive a prize to be determined later.

“Two years ago, we started doing them every year,” Fundraising Coordinator junior Evan McAvenia said.

Key Club, a club that provides volunteer activities for high school students, has a busy volunteer schedule during the holidays. Students can volunteer by planting daffodils or sending out books and letters to prisoners. A favorite among students is Christmas carolling.

“There’s nothing like volunteering, helping, and giving to those who cannot always support themselves, especially since we live in a such a privileged neighborhood,” Key Club officer junior Julia Shen said. “Volunteering during the holidays is a great way to experience the tough times that other people are going through. The most rewarding thing about volunteering is the appreciation of your presence and the feeling that you’ve made a difference in a community.”

Many students that otherwise don’t have time to volunteer find the winter holidays a great time to help out. “I signed up for Key Club so that I would have more motivation to help the community despite my busy schedule. I realized that volunteering is a great way to give back to the community while still having fun with friends,” junior Nikki Kyllonen said.

“Volunteering is definitely a rewarding way to spend the holidays,” Kyllonen said.

Photo: Y. Ahn

This year, Miramonte Public Speakers collected cans to donate to people in need for their annual winter volunteer project.

Mirador

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Managing Editor

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Feature Editor

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Columns and Reviews Editor

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Breaking News Editor

Staff Writers

Young Joo Ahn, Drew Anderson, Courtney Attard, Colin Bean, Elizabeth Berndt, Lauren Branagh, Simone Britto, Colleen Burke, Kelly Cheng, Elizabeth Chenok, Dominique Clark, Caroline Colwell, Natalie Condon, Kaitlin Fenn, Hannah Friel, Jack Garrett, Maddie Geary, Joey Goodreault, Jack Kovalik, Hank Larsen, Kate Laughton, Claire Marvin, Sofia Marinac, Nadine Masarweh, Heidi Maupin, Matt Metheny, Alexander Mills, Jessie Osterman, Ellie Poling, Kyle Rechnitz, Meghan Rogers, Bailey Smith, Jackie Steele, Molly Swain, Arianna Tong, Natalie Vigo, Davis Walker, Natalie Wapniarski, Elena Wasserman, Kenyon Watson, Cassidy Waters

12/20/12 Opinion 3

Editorial

No More Boys vs. Girls Rally This year, Miramonte has opted against having the annual Boys vs. Girls spirit themed rally out of respect for the community of students that identify themselves as transgender, or “gender neutral.”

Across the nation high schools have been making huge strides, especially over the past decade, towards the acceptance of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Allies (or LGBTQQA) community. There are now over 5,000 Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs in American high schools registered with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

There is no denying that these organizations offer much needed support to teenagers. The mission of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is “to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.”

However, abolishing the annual Boys vs. Girls Rally altogether is drastic, unnecessary and simply not an effective step towards creating better understanding between the different genderrelated groups within Miramonte’s high school population. The rally encourages the boys and girls from all four grades to wear blue and pink t-shirts, respectively. These t-shirts are sold earlier in the week by the Leadership class. The boys and girls compete against each other in a series of fun activities in the center of the gym as the two opposing sides on either end of the gym look on and cheer in encouragement. This rally has been going on for several years and generates not only a friendly rivalry between the two genders but also provides a rare opportunity for the usually separate lower and upper classmen to come together in a shared cause.

Banning the traditional Boys vs. Girls Rally only serves to limit the rights of all students and dilutes the message a free thinking school wants to promote—that everyone should be comfortable to assert their individual proclivities in whichever way they so choose.

By not having the rally, Miramonte is only avoiding the transgender community instead of addressing or including them.

If the rally were to continue, transgender individuals could choose to participate on either side or not at all, like many other Miramonte students already do.

There have been great advances in transgender awareness in regards to law and policy as it relates to the school setting. However, at present there are only three states have laws that formally ban discrimination and harassment of transgender students in schools: Minnesota, New Jersey and California. While this number is unacceptably low, federal law has imposed strict regulations on school systems that don’t protect lesbian, gay and bisexual students from harassment.

For example, in the 1996 case Nabozny v. Podlesny, the Seventh Circuit in the United States Court of Appeals ruled Graphic: G. Nevins that schools must provide equal protection against discrimination for all students. This ruling, among many others, proves that positive and meaningful strides are being made in the direction of equality for all students.

While everyone should be in support of the rights of all students, forbidding a fun and harmless activity made to bring the student body together is not a valuable course of action.

The Editorial Board Voted 8-1 against the ban of the Boys vs. Girls Rally

Editorial Cartoons of the Issue

Melissa Quiter Mirador

Faculty Adviser

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Placing truth, accuracy and objectivity first.

Letters to the Editor: Editorials reflect the opinions of the majority of the Mirador’s editorial board. Editorial topics are chosen by a consensus of section editors. The Mirador solicits letters to the editor. Signed letters to the editors can be sent to mhsmirador@gmail.com or placed in Mrs. Quiter’s box. Unsigned letters will not be published but names can be withheld by request. The editorial board reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length.

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4 News 12/20/12

Mirador

City Builds New Sidewalks Gas Prices Affect Mats

by Caroline Colwell

The City of Orinda began construction on the new Moraga Way sidewalks on Oct. 8.

The new sidewalks stretch from El Camino Moraga to Ivy Drive on the west side of the street. The five-foot wide pathways are divided between a bike lane as well as a pedestrian pathway.

The new pathways were voted on by City Council, which held several meetings with members of the public during its development. The plans for the Moraga Way Pedestrian Pathway Project were proposed at the City Council meeting held Jan. 24, 2012 at Miramonte High School.

On June 9 City Council approved the final plans and specifications for the projects, and on Aug. 21 City Council met and authorized the construction contract.

According to the City Council Notice of Proposed project, “it is an important walkway link to both an elementary school and to a high school within this residential area.”

The sidewalks provide a safer path for the elementary school children walking to Del Rey Elementary.

“Overall I’m glad they built them, if not for me, then for the younger kids who walk,” junior Matt Cohen said, who uses the paths every morning on the way to school.

“The only time I felt threatened was when cars would pass other cars that were turning by driving in the bike lanes.

Many would just ignore me. It’s also nice not worrying about bikes.”

The project also includes pedestrian landing areas defined by curbs on each corner. Local residents are frustrated by these new additions.

“I have two issues with the new sidewalks,” junior Caie Kelley said. “The first is that they are completely unnecessary and a waste of funds. The second is the new curbs on the corners. If I’m driving from Miramonte they force me to take dangerously wide turns, while coming towards Miramonte I block traffic while I wait for oncoming traffic to clear.”

Because the new sidewalks block cars from going around turning vehicles, traffic buildup has increased on Moraga Way.

“The purpose of the turn restrictions is to prevent cut through and speeding traffic to the side streets,” Orinda City Engineer Janice Carey said. “Students can always leave for school a little bit earlier to miss traffic slowdowns.”

With the new sidewalks, the City of Orinda now prohibits parking on the west side of Moraga Way between El Camino Moraga and Ivy Drive.

“I used to park on Moraga Way every morning,” junior Claire Ramer said. “Now that I have to park in the J-Lot, I wait at school an extra 15 minutes just to avoid the traffic leaving school.”

Construction costs alone were estimated at $224,396, while total estimated expenses amounted to $319,241.

Total funding was $340,930, and came from money collected through park dedication fees, local traffic impact fees, gas taxes and through grant funding from the Safe Routes to School grant program.

Many Orinda residents are frustrated by the use of funds for the new sidewalks.

The curbs on either side of the pathway inhibit drainage and make the walk to school more difficult when it rains.

“When it rains more water congregates on the path and it’s like walking through a huge puddle,” Cohen said. “But even with the minor annoyance of the puddles I think it was definitely a good idea.”

Photo: S. Britto

Juniors Hannah Li and Caie Kelley walk on the new sidewalks.

by Bailey Smith and Elena Wasserman

It’s no secret that gas is not cheap. With prices hovering around $4 a gallon, students who pay for their own gas are constantly finding themselves without extra money. During the winter, gas prices temporarily decrease to promote holiday shopping.

Despite those few weeks when students pay less for gas, gas prices affect students tremendously. For those lucky kids whose parents pay for their gas, their families still bear the high cost of fueling another car.

The amount of money spent on gas depends on how large one’s vehicle is. For a student driving a Volkswagen, a full tank of gas costs $40 - $50. For a student driving a Suburban, a full tank of gas could cost as much as $90, the price of an iPod Shuffle.

High gas prices limit students from certain activities based on how much it will cost to get there.

Students will choose a restaurant based on its vicinity rather than its quality. Also, the amount of money spent on gas discourages students from driving. From an environmental perspective, this is a positive effect.

“Having to pay for my own gas makes me more frugal. I don’t want to drive because then I have to spend that much more money,” senior Brian De Luna said. “If I want to chill with my bros, I either have to mooch off of someone for a ride or make compromises like going to Maya Mexican Grill in Orinda instead of Gordo’s in Berkeley because it’s closer.”

Some students have extracurricular activities and must drive wherever their practice or class may be.

“I take classes at DVC, play softball and carpool, so I have to fill up my tank about once a week,” senior Breanna Correll said. “Every extra mile I spend driving stings a little because I know that soon I will lose even more money just going out to get ice cream with my friends.”

Mirador

12/20/12 News 5

New Restaurants Take Residence In East Bay

by Natalie Condon and Cassidy Waters The East Bay is notorious for its variety of local and high quality restaurants. Recently, Lamorinda has added to that assortment of delicious food with the openings of three new eateries: Yan’s Restaurant, Chick-Fil-A and Susie Cakes.

Yan’s Restaurant opened at the end of October, replacing Hsiang’s at its prime location near the Shell gas station in Orinda. The restaurant specializes in Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine and features favorite dishes like honey walnut shrimp and orange chicken. It moved to Orinda after closing in Lafayette, but also has locations in Alamo and Walnut Creek.

On Nov. 8, Walnut Creek welcomed new fast food restaurant Chick-Fil-A, originating in Georgia, with high

Photo: C. Waters

hopes and goals from its management and customer base.

“I was super excited to hear Chick-Fil-A was coming to the Bay Area after trying their food in Texas,” senior Rebekah Ent said. “I wasn’t disappointed. The service was quick and the food was delicious.”

The restaurant offers food for every meal, but is most famous for their various chicken sandwiches.

It also features a drive-thru which allows for a convenient way to indulge in some comfort food at any hour of the day.

Attempting to compete with Orinda’s renowned Republic of Cake is the popular bakery, Susie Cakes, in Lafayette.

Susie Cakes had its grand opening on Oct. 27, attracting a wide range of customers eager to try the all-natural desserts made from scratch.

“We wanted to find a location that met all our criteria,” manager Sondra Arledge said. “This Lafayette store is perfect because there aren’t a lot of other bakeries in the area and the town seems very welcoming.”

Susie Cakes received huge praise upon its Photo: C. Waters arrival. The bakery was already notorious before

Photo: C. Waters

Bottom: Chick-Fil-A’s drive-thru entices customers to drop by on the go. Center: Susie Cakes’ festive sign draws in those with a sweet tooth. Top: Yan’s well known logo adds to their popularity in Orinda.

opening in Lafayette due to their other locations in San Francisco, Marin and Menlo Park. In addition, the holiday season brought in numerous customers craving seasonal treats.

Its advantage over ROC and other cupcake boutiques is the numerous baked goods it offers in addition to cupcakes. Between the various cookies, cakes, bars, pies and puddings, their most popular items are the Red Velvet Cupcake and Celebration Cake.

With the addition of Yan’s, Chick-Fil-A and Susie Cakes, the Bay Area’s food industry continues to thrive.

Walnut Creek Ice Rink Opens WC Welcomes Anthropologie in Time for Holiday Season

by Maddie Geary and Jack Kovalik

Aspiring to be the next Kristi Yamaguchi? If so, be sure to swing by Civic Park in Walnut Creek to practice your double axel.

Walnut Creek on Ice offers an exciting holiday activity with its winter ice rink. Open since Nov. 13, the rink will be available for skating until Jan. 13. This is a great activity to partake in at least once as the climate gets colder and the Christmas spirit rolls around.

A number of Miramonte students enjoy the ice skating rink, one of them being senior Sophie Fuller.

“The ice rink is a great winter time activity because it’s something you don’t normally get to do, especially here where it doesn’t snow,” Fuller said. Fuller plans on going back to the rink this year because she had such a fabulous experience with her friends last year.

Others enjoy skating, but have technical difficulties once they hit the ice.

“I was so bad at the beginning, but by the second hour I improved a lot through hard work and determination,” sophomore Mia Harnett said. “I could make it around the rink without stopping or falling. It was a life changing experience.”

Harnett was not the only Miramonte sophomore who

had trouble with skating.

“When I first got on the ice I was mortified. I was positive I was going to die or at least lose a finger or two,” sophomore Spencer Hardwick said. “I prayed to God before, after and during.”

For those constant skaters, there is a Frequent Skater Pass, new this season, that can be purchased at the rink.

Each pass costs $99 and is good for 10 visits. There is also the option of renting out the rink for special occasions such as a birthday party or fundraiser.

Sophomore Betsy Fellner had a funny and traumatizing experience during her trip to the ice skating rink many years ago.

“In third grade I broke my arm at the Walnut Creek ice skating rink,” Fellner said. “I think it’s because my legs are different lengths so I couldn’t find a balance. Whenever I tried to move I would just wipe out.”

General admission is $11 on weekdays and $15 on the weekends. On Saturdays, the rink is open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m., and on Sundays it is open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.

“I love the ice skating rink. I used to play ice hockey way back in the day, so I am always down to go to the rink and laugh at people who can’t skate,” sophomore John Diamantidis said.

Photo: J. Kovalik

Both novice and experienced ice skaters look forward to the opening of the ice rink every year. The rink is covered by a canopy to protect skaters from the rainy season.

by Sofia Marinac and Molly Swain

On Sept. 14, the popular clothing store Anthropologie opened in downtown Walnut Creek. The Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Locust St. location is bustling with busy holiday shoppers this time of year.

With its stately wooden sign and towering glass walls, the new store is the perfect combination of modern and classic, not to mention the prime parking lot right out front.

Even after crazed Black Friday shoppers rampaged the store, Anthropologie seems to have survived. The floor plan has been organized with taste and decorated with plenty of festive cheer.

There was a lot of buzz in Walnut Creek about the grand opening in September, but many shoppers living outside the city didn’t hear about the hot new location until recently, just in time for holiday wish lists. Junior Ariel McLean was one of these shoppers.

“What? Anthropologie in Walnut Creek? That’s so smart of them. Everyone loves the store and that’s such a good location. Before if I wanted to shop there I’d have to go all the way to San Francisco. I can’t believe I didn’t hear about this sooner,” McLean said.

But if you don’t have cash burning a hole in your pocket this year, Anthropologie is still the perfect place to window shop. Its unique inner architecture and creative displays are perfect for those who love to look but wouldn’t dare touch. And for our shopaholics, make sure and check the sale rack first. There’s always a gem or two hidden in the separated sale room, especially in regards to home goods.

Anthropologie, Free People, and Urban Outfitters are all owned by the same company. They are all conveniently located in Walnut Creek, resulting in convenience for all holiday shoppers.

“I know I can count on Anthropologie to find the perfect gifts for friends and family,” sophomore Mariel Salem said. “It’s always really tasteful and cute. Also, I didn’t know that it’s owned by the same company as Free People and Urban Outfitters. That’s so funny because they’re all in Walnut Creek.”

1556 Mount Diablo Blvd.

Walnut Creek CA Mon-Sat 10am-9pm Sunday 11am-6pm

Mirador

6 Opinion 12/20/12

Fake Christmas Trees Create Controversy

The holiday season is here and every family is on the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. However, with the wide variety offered these days, it is often hard to decide which type to purchase. The debate over a real, traditional Christmas tree versus a trendier, fake tree is a problem faced by many.

PRO:

by Hank Larsen

CON:

Photo: M. Goodreault

Photo: D. Conner

It’s clear that Christmas isn’t the same without the rich, piney smell of a fresh Douglas Fir filling the home with joyous holiday cheer. From a practical standpoint, artificial Christmas trees are not worthy of their bad reputation. Though a real tree has been a tradition in America since the 18th century, artificial trees come with plenty of benefits.

One of the most significant reasons people opt for fake trees may surprise you: guilt.

Having to sacrifice the life of a young, happy tree for decoration is very unsettling. The environmental impact of fake trees is much less than that of real trees, which appeals to a lot of Americans these days. With all the talk of global warming and carbon footprints, why buy a tree that will last a few weeks and then be cast out dejectedly onto the curb soon after Christmas?

On average, an artificial tree lasts six years. Real trees, on the other hand, barely make it through the Christmas season. Most have to go through the hassle of buying a tree, setting it up and continually watering it, and then taking it down after Christmas. A fake tree requires a fraction of that effort.

As far as cost and convenience go, artificial trees are a better investments when we look at our economy. The recurring purchase of a real Christmas tree each year becomes excessively costly when compared to a reusable artificial tree.

Topping 17.4 million in North America in 2007, fake tree sales are still only about half of real tree sales. But doesn’t everyone get tired of the seemingly endless amount of pine needles that get everywhere? On top of that, fake trees are much easier to transport home than lugging a giant Douglas Fir on the top of the car.

Safety, a primary concern for most families, is better with fake trees than real because of their flame-retardant composition. This means that fake trees will catch fire less easily than real ones. Subsequently, all the elegant Christmas decor won’t run the risk of fiery havoc that could ensue.

All Christmas tree farms do is grow a bunch of Christmas trees, cut them and sell them for hundreds of dollars when anyone could cut one down themselves. At least fake trees actually have work put into them to give them their realistic looks and character. Priced well below real trees, fake trees are much more affordable for families on a budget that still want to share the magic of Christmas.

For those suffering from allergies, artificial trees won’t give off any irritating scents that might provoke sneezing through the Christmas season. Furthermore, they don’t require watering and they’ll never rot, making for worry-free holidays.

Fake trees can be set up much earlier and left up for much longer, so Christmas can start whenever, and come January there’s no pressing need to take the tree down. In this way, putting up the tree is only a minor commitment, and the majority of the time can be spent thinking of others and sipping hot cocoa by the fire.

Most importantly, can you get a regular Christmas tree in such colors as sleek silver and hot magenta? I don’t think so.

by Courtney Attard That time of year has come when the Christmas decorations come out. Colorful lights, shiny ornaments, peppermint hot chocolate, gingerbread houses, fragrant Christmas trees… but wait. Many have decided to replace their aromatic, authentic, luscious Christmas trees with fake, brittle, plastic ones. Artificial trees are a no-no. Real ones are the way to go.

The holiday season is a jolly time, but this can be ruined by a phony, synthetic tree eating up space in your living room. Fake trees defeat the fresh, natural, traditional purpose fulfilled by real ones.

Additionally, fake Christmas trees have a greater negative environmental impact than real ones when all aspects of their life-cycle are considered. Artificial trees are made from a non-renewable source, petroleum, and hurt our environment by clogging up landfills.

Also, approximately 85 percent of fake Christmas trees are imported from China, adding to their overall carbon footprint. This also means that fake Christmas trees bring minimal benefit to the home economy.

Real Christmas trees, on the other hand, can be recycled and used in soils, playground materials, trails and fertilizers. The Christmas tree industry benfits the rural economy and provides jobs for Americans.While sustainable Christmas trees return to their organic environment after the holiday season, false trees return to consume storage space in your household until next year.

Many families enjoy bonding through the traditional experience of going to a tree lot and picking out the perfect Christmas tree, and there are so many unique options to choose from, as each tree is different. Christmas trees are a symbol of holiday spirit, so let the tradition of your family be brought alive with the fragrant memories created by natural Christmas trees. A traditional Christmas tree by the fireplace brings the joyous holiday spirit to a household that simply cannot be brought by a fake one. Even after an artificial tree is all lit and decorated, it still looks somewhat fake.

There is no need to feel guilty about a natural, recyclable Christmas tree with energy efficient lights and authentic decorations.

This Christmas, have fun with your Christmas tree. Get a permit, go to a forest and chop down your own perfect tree with your friends and family. Listen to holiday music while you decorate your tree with ornaments, tinsel and lights. Embrace the sweet smell of pine and create holiday memories with your one-of-a-kind tree. Enjoy the pine needles on the floor - they’re part of the fun.

Christmas trees play a central role in American culture. Many families have Christmas tree businesses with returning customers every year. The Christmas tree industry employs over 100,000 Americans anually which is a big economic factor to consider. These tree farms are not only traditional, but they are also good for the environment.

The media has exploited the commercialization of Christmas’ authenticity. A fresh tree is one thing you can do to keep your family’s Christmas true.

High School Relationships Cause Hardships in College

by Natalie Condon As graduation rolls around the corner, the question on every couples’ mind is: should we stay together in college? Everyone has heard the rumors of how difficult post-graduation relationships can be, but then again, we can make it work, right? Wrong. Although some love can prevail, the distance will ultimately tear apart once untouchable love.

College is a new experience for everyone, with new friends, activities and classes. Understandably, new college students become so enthralled with their new lifestyles, they forget to maintain their old relationships.

The excitement of meeting new people can often lead them astray from their initial intentions.

Photo: Handout Of course, everyone intends to be faithful. However, Will Harry and Taylor stay together when he leaves it is easy to be put in a social situation where these for college? Probably not... and they will never ever priorities are forgotten. Cheating is a huge reason for get back together. not staying together in college. Trust plays a huge role in any relationship, and with two people sometimes to end the relationship right there. thousands of miles apart, it is hard to maintain that bond.

Another potential problem with college relationships Without enough trust, jealousy or uncertainty are enough is the immense change people go through in the new

environment. If they maintain high school relationships, they can miss out on that growth from being a high school student to becoming a college student. Although these relationships may feel like a safety net for some people, they shouldn’t hold themselves back from meeting new people or becoming a new person.

College is a growing experience, and when couples only see their partners occasionally, who’s to know if they will like that person after four years have passed?

And even if they do, there is always the option of getting back together after they both graduate.

While it’s possible to travel back and forth to see each other if the colleges are far apart, doing this can really take a toll on both grades and social life. Seeing each other one or two times a month isn’t necessarily going to reconnect couples after weeks of being apart.

Between school, sports and a social life, finding time to even contact each other will be hard enough. Without talking or seeing one another often, a strain will be put on any relationship. It is possible for some people to find the loves of their lives in high school. However, there’s a whole new world waiting for you after graduation.

Mirador

SWAT Must Go On

After last winter’s fiasco, it was questionable whether or not SWAT should continue

by Bailey Smith It’s here. The Summer Winter Actions Tours, commonly referred to as SWAT, is scheduled to take place Jan. 2 – 5 in South Lake Tahoe. Fortunately, SWAT El Niño 2013 will continue this year despite a negative incident that occurred last January.

On last year’s trip, students from the Acalanes Union High School District were on a bus with students caught in possession of marijuana and alcohol as they crossed the border from California to Nevada.

Students were witnessed smoking during a rest stop in Elko, Nevada. Bystanders called the police, and when the authorities arrived at the scene, they were faced with two choices. Either arrest 250 students, or confiscate their drugs and let them off with a warning. Fortunately for the students, the police chose the latter.

Now the question is: should the SWAT trip be carried out this year after the catastrophic series of events that occurred last January?

It is unfortunate for 250 students to be blamed for the wrong choices of a few students. Clearly, not every student was partaking in illegal activities. It was the decision of a handful of students to transport illegal substances on their vacation, not that of every student.

SWAT El Niño 2013 should not be canceled based on the poor judgment of students from the previous year. It shouldn’t

be assumed that history will repeat itself.

Hopefully, students going on the trip this year will have better judgment and know not to make the same mistake as their peers from the year before.

Especially after what happened last year, students should recognize the grave consequences that could be presented to them if they fail to comply with the rules a second time. The students going on the trip this year should be smart enough to make the right choices.

Furthermore, parents aren’t paying nearly $500 to send their kids off on a three-day vacation that consists of rampant partying and the consumption of illegal substances.

SWAT El Niño 2013 has stated that they are a zero tolerance trip. They present students with a behavior code prior to departure stating that they must comply with this zero tolerance policy. This code must be signed before students leave.

The most important goal for SWAT is to provide a fun experience for high school students, filled with skiing and snowboarding, while also ensuring worrisome parents that their children are under the watchful eye of professional and responsible staff.

SWAT clearly intends to provide a safe environment for students, but the students bear responsibility to protect themselves as well. The SWAT experience will be what you make of it. Will it be a positive or negative experience?

You decide.

12/20/12 Opinion 7

Column: Maya Sherne discusses the Sandy Hook shooting

Wanting to Give You a Hug

Growing up, whenever I was upset, my mom would hug me tight and “squeeze the icks out,” and somehow, this act of love always made me feel better. But now that I’m older, and exposed to much more than my five-year-old self, the icks are sometimes too big to get rid of. They must be controlled, tolerated and suppressed.

I’ve tried all these techniques, whether with school stress, or social problems, and the icks usually go away. But it’s harder when the icks are a part of your life. When they are so deeply rooted into everything you do, so uncontrollable, so intolerable and so exposed, that there is nothing to do except let them consume you.

It’s difficult to imagine what it would be like to die. As teenagers we talk about death all the time. It comes up in everything we do: stories we read in class, movies we watch on the weekends and conversations with friends. Death is a natural part of life, so naturally, we understand it. We learn that death should not be feared, that death is unpreventable, so when the time comes we should greet our end with open arms. But what if that is not the case?

Last Friday, Dec. 14, my core belief that death should be accepted was destroyed. I was in Spanish, taking a test when I looked up surprised as I heard my teacher gasp. She informed the class that there had been a shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut. Our class looked around, surprised, stunned, but the severity of this tragedy didn’t register. We continued with our test, and quickly forgot about the disruption. Tragedies like this have become so common that nothing seems to phase us, and that in itself is not only astonishing, it’s disturbing.

Two hours later, during journalism, I got a phone call from my older sister. I called her back, curious as to what could have been so important. She told me that she had heard about the shooting and “just wanted to say how much she loves me.” I smiled, grateful that she had thought of me, quickly caught up with her, and returned to class.

After school, I received a text from my mom, “wanting to a give you a hug.” This text moved me, it haunted me and it made the shooting relatable and personal to me.

I imagined myself in that school. Panicking, shaking, wanting only for my mommy to come squeeze the icks out.

I wanted to wrap my arms around every child that hid in a closet for an hour terrified. I wanted to give a hug to every parent that is no Go to mhsmirador.com to longer able to kiss their child goodnight and continue reading Maya’s every sibling that would never have the chance column and others. to tell theirs how much they love them. . .

Mirador

Feature

Feature 8 12/20/12

7 Wonders

of the Bay Area

Photo: K. Wolffe

by Karmi Chan Drawing inspiration from the list of the Seven Wonders of the World compiled by experts, Mirador set out to catalogue the Seven Wonders of the Bay Area.

Using rigorous selection criteria, we have created a list that will stand the test of time itself. Like Mt. Everest, Mt. Tamalpais rises majestically from the Bay. Like the Pyramids of Egypt, the Golden Gate Bridge is a feat of human engineering and perseverance. We invite you to enter, and be amazed.

Mount Tamalpais Where: Marin County Standing an impressive 2,571 feet high, Mount Tamalpais is the highest peak in the Marin hills. With over 100 miles of trails, Mt. Tam is the perfect place for hiking, biking, horseback riding and picnicking. It is home to canyons of redwoods, waterfalls, streams and cavernous grasslands. On a clear day, visitors can view the Farallon Islands, the Marin hills, San Francisco, the East Bay and even Mt. Diablo. The striking views from anywhere on the mountain enhance the beauty of the peak itself.

Golden Gate Bridge Where: San Francisco California’s most legendary icon is the breathtaking suspension bridge that links San Francisco to Marin County. The towering orange-red engineering masterpiece is one of the world’s most historical landmarks.

Famous for its stunning Art Deco design and striking surroundings, this icon attracts visitors from all over the world. Everyone should find a day to walk across the Golden Gate and take in the stunning surroundings of the Pacific Ocean and the Bay.

Photo: K. Chan

Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve Where: Oakland Located in our backyard, Sibley Park is home to an extinct 10 million year old volcano. Round Top, the highest point at Sibley, can be spotted from the East Bay hills. Besides the volcano, Sibley has four elaborate labyrinths located near trailheads. Each of these labyrinths is a spectacle to view and fun to walk around. Sibley Park is full of rolling hills to climb and grass to frolic about in. Making friends with the many cows is a worthwhile activity, as they can lead you to secret spots that are well off the beaten path.

Only a quick 10-minute drive away, Sibley is well worth a visit.

Grizzly Peak Where: Oakland/Berkeley Hills Grizzly Peak is famous for its glorious panoramic view of the Bay Area. The drive to Grizzly, through the curving hills of Berkeley, is an adventure in of itself and is the perfect time to play an amusing game of jello. Whether you visit during the day or during the night, Grizzly is the perfect spot to clear one’s head and to breathe in the fresh air. During the day, Grizzly is the perfect place to have a picnic with the picturesque background of the fiery red Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. At night, the sky is adorned with glittering stars and sparkling city lights.

Grizzly Peak is a must-see for Bay Area residents.

Campanile Where: UC Berkeley Campus UC Berkeley is home to the iconic Sather Tower, more commonly known as the Campanile. Built in 1914, this tower is Berkeley’s most distinguished symbol. The third tallest bell and clock tower in the world, the tower stands a magnificent 307 feet tall. From the observation platform on the eighth floor, visitors are provided with the magnificent view of Berkeley’s campus and the entire Bay Area.

Redwood Regional Park Where: Oakland Located in the hills east of Oakland, Redwood Regional Park is home to magnificent redwood trees. This park hosts the largest group of redwoods located in the East Bay. The park is the perfect location for serene picnics surrounded by nature. This hidden redwood forest has countless trails dispersed throughout it.

Visitors journeying through these trails often encounter deer, rabbits, squirrels and raccoons. All Bay Area residents should venture into the forest and immerse themselves in the serenity and majesty of this forest.

Photo: K. Chan

Marin Headlands Where: Marin County The Marin Headlands are part of a mountainous peninsula most recognized for its picturesque views of the Bay Area and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Headlands is home to phenomenal sea cliffs and beaches. One of the Golden Gate National Parks, this immense and diverse wilderness has magnificent hiking trails. While hiking through the peninsula, one is surrounded by beautiful landscapes and panoramas of the bay. Another huge perk of the Marin Headlands is that it is never crowded.

Photo: H. Friel

Mirador

12/20/12 Feature 9

Truth Revealed: Santa Isn’t Real Everyone remembers the scarring moment that crushed their innocent childhood dreams: the day when they discovered Santa Claus isn’t real. If you didn’t know Santa is a figment of our imagination, now you do. Sorry. But you’re not alone! Read below for some stories that your fellow classmates have shared with us.

by Kate Laughton and Natalie Vigo

“Maddy Bush told me that my karoake set from ‘Santa’ had been sitting in her closet for two months.” -senior Lauren Dougherty

“My mom says ‘if you don’t believe, you don’t receive’ so Santa and Mrs. Claus are in full force at the McAvenias.” -junior Evan McAvenia

“By nine my mom kept telling me to leave the room and go to bed.” -sophomore Maddy Bates

“Hazel Catron told me.”

-junior Grace Moran

“I kept asking my mom how Santa got through the alarm system and she was all hormonal because she had just given birth and snapped at me that he didn’t exist. I was 5.” -sophomore Mariel Salem

“Santa always had my mom’s hand writing.” -Science teacher Manoa Koepp

“Jack Fellner told me...” -sophomore Betsy Fellner

“My mom gave me the sex talk and then told me Santa wasn’t real. Scarring moment in my life.” -junior Maddy Miller

“I was in the backseat of my car and some lady came up to my mom and started talking about how she still had to write her Santa presents with her left hand.” -sophomore Greg Pietrykowski

“What...Santa isn’t real....?

-sophomore Dylan Hoff

“I’m the youngest of six kids, I was always skeptical of Santa.” - History and Spanish teacher Meghan Flores

“I saw it on Family Guy.” -freshman Aren Aghababian

Photos: K. Laughton and N. Vigo

Is the Lie of Santa Claus a Good Idea?

by Meghan Rogers No time is more important in childhood than the winter holidays of December. Christmas lists are thought of months in advance and sent as soon as possible to the North Pole. Although the idea that you may be receiving your most desired toys is great, more of the holiday excitement is rooted in the iconic Santa Claus. At least once in their lives, children eagerly have stayed up past their bedtime to sneak a peek at the jolly old man they believed in, but never actually saw. This is a fundamental and necessary element of the holidays.

Although telling kids that Santa exists is a form of a lie, it is not malicious or wrong. Telling children that Santa exists is important because without it children would not learn many important lessons.

If Santa Claus were not a shared belief, children would know their parents were the ones giving gifts. This might promote appreciative feelings towards parents, but altogether defeats the true lesson behind the large man in red.

Photo: R. Rucker/MCT

Santa is not a symbol of gift manufacturing or wishgranting. Rather, he represents the family elements that

tie us all. Parents tell their kids he exists not because they’re trying to lie to their children, but to prolong their innocence and childhood. When kids stop believing in Santa, it marks a maturity milestone in their life.

As they mature and realize Santa doesn’t exist, it becomes a strict rule not to tell the younger kids the truth.

Their new job as older kids is to keep the younger kids believing as long as they can, allowing them to mature on their own without outside influence. When they become parents themselves, they will remember the fond memories they had of Santa and pass it on to their children. This is the unspoken cycle of Christmas.

“In my house we’re not allowed to talk about Christmas gifts or anything like that in front of my little brothers,” sophomore Robert Morrison said. “I always go into a separate room with my parents when we talk about it.”

Seeing is not always believing. Santa teaches us responsibility, faith, and encourages curiosity. These are all lessons that will be often tested in adulthood. Although telling children that Santa exists is a bit of a lie, it is harmless and beneficial to their childhood.

Mira

10 Holidays 12/20/12

What’s Your Christmas Style?

by Alison Pietrykowski

Which Christmas lights do you prefer?

Multicolored lights

White lights

Which present would you rather receive?

A handmade card with sentimental value

Homemade

If the majority of your Christmas decorations were made by you in the third grade, you have a handcrafted Christmas style. For you, Christmas is a time to show someone how much you care by making them something with your special ingredient, love.

Since spending your hard earned money isn’t ideal and leaving your house to go Christmas shopping can be overwhelming, you prefer to stay home and craft beautiful presents with your own two hands.

Close your eyes and picture a Christmas scene. What comes to mind?

A toy drum, a teddybear, or a rocking horse

Classic

If you find yourself reaching for the classic red and green ball ornaments, you have a traditional Christmas style.

You like to stick to the classics, such as simple white lights adorning your house. Gigantic blow-up Santa on the roof? No thank you. You like to keep it simple and classy, letting the true meaning of Christmas shine through.

A bright blue tree with as much glitter as physically possible.

Funky

If you love the wild ornaments that really d resemble much of anything but sparkle the stars, you have a unique Christmas s Light up penguins and deer are your weak and you often find yourself thinking “the m lights, the better.” You dream of decorating y house like Marth May Whovier’s and c sit on Santa’s lap at the mall forever. For Christmas is a time to let your inner star shi

Bob’s Christmas Trees Serves Community

by Cameron White

ador

12/20/12 Holidays 11

Best Christmas Songs

by Maddie Nicolaisen

Everyone needs a soundtrack to help get them in the holiday spirit! Whether you’re decorating the Christmas tree, or lighting the menorah, these tunes are the perfect accompaniment.

• All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey • Mistletoe by Justin Bieber • Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire by Nat King Cole • Anything by Michael Buble For more of Maddie’s Best Christmas bucket list, check out mhsmirador.com!

don’t like style. kness more your could you ine.

Enter for ideas on what to get your family and friends for the holidays!

by Claire Marvin

Unwrapped: A Guide to Present Wrapping

by Youngjoo Ahn and Kelly Cheng

Step 1 Cut out some of your favorite wrapping paper and place your object in the center whether it be the limited edition signed copy of One Direction’s new album, a lava lamp, or your mean neighbor’s cat.

Step 2 With the flip of a coin, choose whether you want to start by folding the left or right side of your wrapping paper. This might just be the most important decision of your entire life.

It defines you, so choose wisely. Once you’ve chosen which side you want to start with, fold it over the top of your present.

Step 3 While holding down the first side, fold the other side of the wrapping paper the same way. Make sure you are still holding down the first side while folding the other side. Once both sides are folded, tape them together.

Step 4 Once you’ve folded the top, you need to fold the edges. Fold the left and right corners of one side inwards so that the remaining wrapping paper will form a triangle. Then put your trusty Scotch tape to work. Tape the triangle you just made to the surface of the box. Do the same for the other side. If life gives you bad tape, we recommend throwing it at the same neighbor you took the cat from.

Step 5 After the blood, sweat, and tears that came from strangling your wrapping paper into place, stick an abnormally large ribbon on top of it. Make sure to Instagram it before giving it to one of your most precious friends. Write a thought provoking card too.

Step 6 If all else fails, use a gift bag. We won’t judge.

Photos: Y. Ahn

Mirador

12 FEATURE 12/20/12

Students Against Destructive Decisions Attempts to Change Miramonte Culture SADD Club focuses their efforts on educating students about safe practices regarding alcohol

by Liz Berndt Every year, high school students die at parties because classmates are afraid to call 911. Every day more than 10 high school students die in drunk driving accidents. Lowering these statistics is the basis of the Students Against Destructive Decisions Club.

“I want to be clear, our club is NOT a club against drinking,” SADD Club President junior Bennett Stehr said. “We simply want to inform students of the different ways to avoid horrible tragedies, like Joe Loudon’s death three years ago.” Joe passed away at a party his sophomore year. The cause of his death was never confirmed, but there is a possibility he would have lived if 911 was called sooner.

The most recent SADD Club meeting focused on a presentation given by Bill Loudon, Joe’s father. This was the first time he spoke in front of a group about Joe. He emphasized how one bad decision had ended his son’s life and said, “Don’t make your parents be the ones up here giving this speech.”

His words brought many students to tears, although most in the room had never met Joe. The pain Joe’s death brought the Loudon family was very clear and moved every student, parent and teacher present.

To finish the meeting, Stehr emphasized the goal of the club and the importance of new laws passed to protect party-goers. “Joe’s situation is one we can learn from,” Stehr Graphic: L. Berndt

SADD Club founders (left to right: Drew Anderson, Bennett Stehr, Matt Metheny, Will Fuller and missing Steven Shepard) attempt to change Miramonte culture with planned events.

Graphic: M. Sherne

Teenage drinking statistics provided by the Students Against Destructive Decisions website. Percentages based on studies done by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

said.

Many students do not know about the laws passed to protect a drunken party attendee in the case of an emergency. If a student has passed out at a party, call 911.

Because of The 911 Good Samaritan Law in California, no one at the party will be brought to the police station with charges of possession or consumption of alcohol and/or illegal substances.

Additionally, if a student finds themselves alone and intoxicated, they can call Orinda Taxi (925) 253-8294 (TAXI) to pick them up. The taxi will take them home no matter what time of the night and wherever they may be.

The club’s mission is to spread of information and awareness. In addition, they will host free events on campus, open to all students.

Principal Adam Clark has made it clear he supports the SADD Club and will attempt to help Stehr and other club officers in any way he can. He has offered to open the theater for a movie night and possibly the pool or gym for an end of year event. The goal is for students to come together and have fun safely. Clark is excited about the club’s potential

Final Exams: Advice From the Trenches

by Jack Kovalik and Ellie Poling

Finals are coming early this year and students will immediatly find themselves in the midst of Dead Week upon returning from break. So, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a break from the holiday fun to hit the books over vacation. Here, teachers and experienced finals-takers give tips on how to study successfully.

English Teacher Steve Poling English teacher Steve Poling’s final usually involves a form of in-class writing. To prepare for a writing final, he suggests organizing thoughts and writing down important quotes. Cramming is never a good method.

“It’s important to prioritize how much time studying for each final will take, and how much it will affect your grade,” Poling said.

Upperclassmen

MATH TEACHER BRIAN HENDERSON Math teacher Brian Henderson explains that the difference between a math final and any other core subject final is how the techniques and material flow.

“Sometimes a chapter’s concepts carry over into the other chapters. But other times one chapter has no relation to the next. It’s not a subject that you can necessarily piece together easily,” Henderson said. He also suggests spending a week studying a little bit each night.

Upperclassmen have solidified study methods after multiple years preparing for finals. “Study a lot during dead week, make sure you have all your materials organized, and just be ready,” senior Drew Holland said. Holland also emphasized the importance of studying past tests and quizzes if your teacher allows you to.

Similarly, junior Kyle Visher said, “Organize all your notes from certain subjects into folders, and just treat it like a big test so you don’t get overly stressed.”

Chemistry MOORE

Teacher

Photo: E. Poling

The Miramonte library is a great place for Miramonte students to study and focus for finals. Tutoring is available throughout the week if you need some extra help preparing for finals.

Spanish Teacher Carla Unroe

JENNIFER

Chemistry teacher Jennifer Moore suggests taking a focused approach when studying for any science final.

“Science isn’t like most other subjects. It doesn’t require you to define words. It is more crucial to be able to apply the facts you learn,” Moore said.

Moore also advises students to put all technological devices away for 30 minutes at a time in order to focus on the material they are working on. Another tip for studying in any subject is to have all relevant materials present so you won’t waste your time looking for them.

Photo: A Pietrokowski

Although finals can be a stressful time for Miramonte students, upperclassmen recommend staying calm and focused in order to have better final results.

History Teacher James Lathrop History teacher James Lathrop suggests that students in history classes prep for finals, or any test, by reading over material covered in class at home every night.

Spanish teacher Carla Unroe explains that the difference between a Spanish final and any other core final is the amount of components. There is usually a listening, speaking, writing, reading and grammar section. “ In order to be prepared for each one of these sections, it requires a lot of studying,” Unroe said.

Unroe also provides quizlets for every chapter, and the book provides online video practices. Online resources are a big part of studying for finals, but you have to be aware that you are not using your technology for the wrong reasons.

“I think the most important thing for studying for a foreign language final is starting early and to take 20 minutes every night to study,” Unroe said.

Mirador

12/20/12 Feature 13

LARP-ers Bring Magic Back to Miramonte

by Julia Govan, Julia Hass, Ali Pietrykowski and Kate Wolffe Inspired by the Live-action Interactive Role-playing Explorers (LAIRE), a fictional club in the movie Role Models, club founders seniors Griffin Schram, Derek Lin and Eric Gee created the Live Action Role Play (LARP) Club. Once a month Schram, Lin and Gee get together and set a date and theme for their club meeting. This meeting takes place at either Miramonte or the Orinda Park and club members are invited to join their peers for battle.

Earlier this year at Club Day, the founders were unsure of how their club would be perceived by Miramonte students. They got around 200 sign ups and were “pleasantly surprised.”

The first LARP was a Medieval themed battle that took place on Oct. 28 at Miramonte.

“It was a great success. Around 30 people showed up prepared to battle,” Schram said.

On Dec. 1 club members were invited to come out for the second LARP, which was Star Wars themed and also occurred at Miramonte. The boys hoped to get at least 50 participants and promoted the event by handing out informative cards to students and teachers.

“If we’re lucky, maybe a girl will even show up,” Lin said.

The boys were indeed lucky. For the first time in MHS LARP Club history, girls attended a battle.

“We got to be princesses and the boys tried to capture us. That was fun, but then it turned into them trying to kill the princesses so that kind of went downhill,” senior Leah See said.

When starting the club the founders were concerned that the administration would be opposed to the idea of a club that meets once a month to battle. But because they ask all participants to bring safe weapons (such as ones crafted out of styrofoam), the club was approved.

“LARP is an incredibly fun experience, one that everyone should be a part of,” Gee said.

Their next meeting will be towards the end of the month, so look for an email from the club founders or email mhslarp@gmail.com with any questions.

Photos: C. Pearce

Clockwise from bottom left: Joey Forman leaps into the air preparing to strike Ryan Childers with his sword crafted from foam. Griffin Schram follows the LARP rules by putting the arm that Nathan Danziger has “severed” behind his back. Coco Pearce and Maddy Cuyler show off their weapons of choice as Schram takes a warrior like stance behind them. Griffin Schram, Derek Lin, Kevin Swimmer, Jack Morris and Forman prepare for battle.

Matadors Push Through AP Euro Students reap benefits of a challenging college-level course

by Nicola Gonzales AP Euro. Most students shy away, scared of the heavy workload, befuddling tests and vague free response essay prompts. However, those brave souls who enroll in the class don’t regret it in the end. They leave the course with lots of useful knowledge, like the fact that Isaac Newton had his meals sent up to his room for three months straight, and a bond with their teacher and class that’ll last forever (in the form of a Facebook group).

This school year, there are only two Euro teachersKelly Ginnochio and Paul Fitzgerald. In previous years Xavier Frippiat taught as well. Although the course may be rigorous, Euro veterans exude a sense of accomplishment afterwards and are glad they took the class.

The subject matter of AP Euro beats that of almost any class, going deep into European politics, scandal, and ways of life. The time period that the class covers is quite extensive, covering information from the 13th century all the way up to present day.

The class helps students develop skills like time-management and effective textbook reading.

“Where else can you learn about 19th century circumcision, crazy Russians who may or may not be having an affair with the queen, and the common trends shared by new monarchs,” junior Gabe Ostler said.

“Honestly, my favorite part of Euro was the lectures given by Andrew Fix, especially his heavy breathing and amazing voice. Other than that, Frip’s sassiness was always entertaining and Kady’s baked goods were awesome,” junior Julia Duncan said.

It remains true that the class is extremely difficult. The main problem that most students face is trying to keep up with the reading. Euro survivor and senior Drew Holland laments that he never did the reading, and encourages current and future Euro-ers to actually read the text. It’s no lie that the full year consists of abysmal test grades and essays that make you want to go home and cry.

“

“My favorite moment in Euro so far is when I got a B on an essay. It was probably the best day of my life,” sophomore Emily Byrne said.

The AP test is also something that no one ever looks forward to. Some of the teachers held study sessions the Sunday before the test, and surprisingly, they weren’t awful. For example, in Frip’s class, the students would all give him around $2 and he would bring bagels and coffee for them that morning. Everyone would then “enjoy” (not really) a morning of studying and practice tests and essays.

“The class prepared really well for the AP test, I just didn’t really prepare with them,” Holland said, explaining his thoughts on the AP test.

“At least in Fitz’s class, we prepared really well, except we never wrote a single DBQ,” junior Andrew Rosenzweig said.

Ostler agrees that the class prepared him for the AP test stating that, “My only studying was taking the class, and I got a 5, so I’d say yep, the class prepared me.”

Most previous survivors recommend actually reading the book and highlighting effectively to succeed in the class. Try not to fall asleep, and attempt to insert something important into your class discussion.

Also, don’t read directly from the text in your class conversation and try to formulate your own thoughts, if possible.

Euro also forms bonds that can only be related to those of a close family. The memories created there are made from unintentionally stupid comments such as “Si! Oh sorry! I was thinking in Spanish!” and junior Noah Goldstein’s infamous “Hey Frip, can I say something about 19th century masturbation?”

“Our class and Mr. Fitz were hilarious. We would have really interesting class discussions,” Rosenzweig said.

One of the best things of Euro was hearing the incoming sophomores worry, and thinking about how much trouble they’re going to be in next year. However, if you maintain a good system of reading the book, and reading it multiple times, you can be successful.

Where else can you learn about 19th century circumcision?

- Gabe Ostler

”

Mirador

14 Feature 12/20/12

Average Joe of the Issue: Mia Harnett

by Kenyon Watson and Colin Bean

To choose the “Average Joe of the Issue” Mirador writers Kenyon Watson and Colin Bean frolicked to the attendance office to choose a random name from the list of enrolled students. Implementing the tried and true system of opening the class binder and jabbing at a name, they came upon sophomore Mia Harnett.

Although Harnett might seem like just another redhead, she is an extremely unique person.

You may recognize her from prancing around with the varsity lacrosse team, or even trying to communicate with her dog. Harnett is not just an Average Joe, but is easily one of the most interestingly average people Mirador has come across yet.

This comedic redhead has very different relationships with many people including her crazy dog named Nicki, named after Nicki Minaj, with whom she has a very close relationship.

“I basically can speak to my dog,” Harnett said. “And sometimes I can make her copy what I do. I get really close to her face and stick out my tongue, and then Nicki does it back. It is awesome.”

Harnett recently finished her first season of cross-country, and was MVP of the Frosh/Soph girls squad.

“We would go on runs that were so long, and everyone would finish long after Mia,” sophomore Lily Longton said. “Mia can run hours on end, and won’t even be tired.

It is crazy.”

Harnett also made the Miramonte varsity women’s lacrosse team her freshman year and plans to try out again this upcoming season. When Harnett is not practicing lacrosse for Miramonte, she is playing on the top Triple Threat team, known as the Green Team, which is a competitive, traveling, year-round lacrosse club.

She also has many other hidden talents and unique characteristics that few know about. Harnett will dream about something really random and then the dreams actually start to happen a few weeks, or months, later.

“I will be doing something and have a Déjà vu moment, and realize it happened in my dreams. It is really quite

“

It was scary.

I could neither scream nor breathe.

”

Photo: K. Watson

Harnett brightens the halls of Miramonte with her spunky personality and joyous disposition.

frightening because it is almost like I am psychic,” Harnett said.

In addition to these Déjà vu dreams, she once suffered from a serious lucid dream syndrome attack.

“I was laying in bed and fell asleep. The next morning, my mind woke up but my body didn’t wake up. It felt like I was trapped inside my body and there was 1000 pounds laying on top of me,” Harnett said. “Then I just started crying in my brain, but I didn’t actually cry because I couldn’t. I could neither scream nor breathe. It was terrifying, then finally I regained conscienceness after about 30 seconds.”

Harnett and many of her friends believe that this “1000 pound” weight that was “on top of her” is actually a ghost that lives in her sister’s old bedroom.

“I swear there is a ghost in the room right next to her, that travels through her vent and sits on her at night,” Longton said. “Her house is definitely haunted.”

Harnett claims that her house is not haunted, but she has heard something that sounds like a bowling ball rolling around on the wood floor in her sister’s room.

Outside of her haunted house life, Harnett likes to go on long runs, shop, hang out with her best buddies, eat Chinese food and listen to music from a variety of her favorite artists such as Jack Johnson, Miike Snow and Passion Pit.w

Photo: O. Chang

Harnett, standing with fellow runner sophomore Sid Bagga, receives a cross-country award.

Mia’s Favorites

Sea Creature: Dolphin After School Munchie: Chips and Salsa Leisure Activity: Playing with her Dog Attribute of a Man: Unique Belly Button Just Dance Tune: Move Your Body Chill Spot: Her Bed Side of Face: Left Side Starbucks Order: Chai Tea Latte Shoe: Crocs Harry Potter Spell: Wingardium Leviosa!

Men Dominate Enrollment in Computer Science Course Although there are a myriad of opportunities for those entering into the field of Computer Science, few female students choose to take advantage of the courses offered at Miramonte

by Kate Wolffe and shown examples of what they need to

do. It’s a hands-on course where students In this modern day and age, technology are assigned to write a code that does someis becoming more and more prevalent. Subthing simple, and from there create a more sequently, those who choose to study comcomplicated program, perhaps a game. puters and the art of computer science are “We’re working with a software called finding a plethora of opportunities awaiting Greenfoot right now,” Powell said. “It comthem when they graduate school. In order bines programming with pictures to create to provide students with a pathway into this games and characters, which is really cool.” field, Miramonte offers two popular courses: However, it’s not just games and many AP Computer Science, and it’s prerequisite, enjoy programming by itself. Senior Theo Intro to Computer Science, both taught by Davis compares it to a kind of art. math teacher Cynthia Boyko. Spots in these “I really enjoy programming; it’s fun. classes are coveted, but unfortunately not by I am able to be creative in a practical and female students; there are only six in the two structured way,” he said. classes combined.

Davis plans on pursuing Computer SciWhy do so few young women choose to ence when he attends Cal Poly in the fall take advantage of this opportunity? of next year. Powell also aspires to contin“A lot of the people taking the class have ue her work with computers; she hopes to spent, and enjoy spending, a lot of time on work with the Air Force on cyber-security Photo: K. Wolffe the computer, and I don’t think that’s the when she graduates college. natural tendency for girls,” junior and AP Senior Caitlin Powell has not let the copious amounts of boys in her AP ComJunior Nikki Kyllonen stresses that girls puter Science class deter her from pursuing her dreams as a cyber security Computer Science student Jacob Radoff should only take the class if they are truly analyst for the Air Force. said. interested in working with computers, but Senior Caitlin Powell, the only girl taking AP Computer Science this year, agrees. She Boyko predicts that computer science courses will become mandatory at universities recounts asking her girl friends to take the class with her two years ago, only to be told within the next four years, and the ladies of Miramonte should get a leg up by starting in that the class looked too boring. “I’m so glad I took it though, I’ve definitely made a lot high school. She advises girls to take the course and familiarize themselves with the ins of new friends and learned a ton, especially in Intro,” she said. and outs of computer technology.

Boyko has a different opinion. “I think a lot of girls don’t really know what it is,” “If you want to be able to talk in a business setting, you need to know code,” Boyko she said. She explained that in the course, students are given guidelines for a program, said. “Don’t limit yourself from working in so many places.”

Mirador

12/20/12 sports 15

Athlete of the Issue: Coco Pearce

by Julia Hass For most Miramonte students who decide to take on the burden of high school soccer, the experience is a grueling one. There are daily practices in the rain and cold, not to mention the lengthy games that occur twice a week. However, for Coco Pearce ‘13, high school soccer is a welcome break from the even more intense club soccer that she participates in for the rest of the year.

From the week high school soccer ends to the week high school soccer begins, Pearce is playing year-round, highly competitive soccer on the renowned Lamorinda United team.

“I’ve been on the Lamorinda team since I was eight years old. I tried out because my sister was doing it. I had no idea what I was signing myself up for,” Pearce said.

For the past 10 years Pearce has been on a team with girls just as committed to soccer as she is.

“We work extremely hard, but it’s an incredible feeling when that hard work pays off. I’d say that’s why I’ve stuck with soccer as long as I have,” Pearce said.

Though Pearce has seen many girls come and go, there has been only one other girl who’s been on the team as long as she has.

“My team has grown really close over the past few years because we’ve been through so much together, mainly suffering, but some really good moments too,” Pearce said.

A huge part of the Lamorinda experience has been Pearce’s coach, Mohammad Mohammad, who is also the head coach of women’s varsity soccer this year. His unique training techniques and infallible teachings, though extremely rigorous, have shaped her soccer style and made her the player she is today.

Mohammad has also been instrumental in getting Pearce’s team where it is today. They’ve traveled as far as New York to play, and in 2010 were named 4th in the nation. Because of this, many of the girls on the team have had their choice of top-notch colleges. Pearce has spoken to such schools as Yale University and Pomona College about possibly playing for them next year, but she hasn’t yet made up her mind.

“I’m not totally sure if I want to play soccer in college.

It’s been such a huge part of my life that it seems weird to think of just giving it up, but at the same time it’d be nice to have just a more relaxed college experience,” Pearce said.

For now, Pearce is enjoying her fourth and final season

Photos: Left: A. Pietrykowski, Right: D. Fessenden

Left: Pearce smiles bashfully for the camera.

Right: Pearce prepares to send the ball soaring through the air with a well placed kick.

on Miramonte’s women’s varsity soccer team as center mid. The position necessitates the skills of communicating, keeping an open vision of the field and being in stellar shape, all of which Pearce has mastered over the her extensive soccer career.

“We have a really good lineup this year, a lot of freshmen and a lot of energy, and I think all of the seniors are excited about doing really well for our last year here,” Pearce said.

Pearce is hardly contained to her athletic life. Pearce has maintained an extremely high GPA, has taken the most grueling of Miramonte’s classes and has an impressive number of hobbies in spite of the amount of time she devotes to playing soccer. She has a passion for knitting, cooking and playing the guitar.

Pearce can most likely be found doing one of these activities off the field or just living life.

Fun Facts About Coco Pearce Nickname: Hot Coco Height: 5’8” Position: Center Mid Favorite Color: Grey Favorite Food: Marshmallows Favorite Drink: Bubble Tea Favorite Musician: Joni Mitchell Favorite Animal: Beluga Whale Favorite Soccer Team: Ajax Favorite TV Show: Whitney Favorite Quote: Bazinga!

Favorite Book: East of Eden

Cheering Section for Men’s Basketball Gets Loud

Photo: I. Lee

The sixth man cheers loudly for the Mats. The team went on to win the game against JFK Fremont by a score of 74-29.

by Drew Anderson and Matt Metheny Last season the Miramonte basketball program was galvanized by the always entertaining student section. As the team and fans gained momentum, the sixth man was born.

The sixth man is a group of students that are dedicated to the Miramonte basketball program that shows up to games and cheers loudly for the teams. They make the opposing team feel intimidated while always being respectful.

The group may have started as a relatively small demographic, but the sixth man continued to grow, and by the end of the year it included many students of different grades and genders.

“What separates the Miramonte sixth man is the fact that the entire school shows up regardless of grade and everyone is expected to come and be loud,” original sixth man member Alex Gutierrez ‘14 said. “DFAL doesn’t know what’s going to hit them this year.

We’re expecting big things from everyone.”

This year, however the sixth man is already established, rather than last year when it grew throughout the season.

“The difference between this year and last year is that this season the sixth man is already huge to start the season. We have some good things in store for this year,” Mac Watson ‘14 said.

The sixth man is also supported fully by the players, coaches and administration, and is a great way of showing school spirit. The sixth man can also have an impact on the game and gives the Mats adefinite advantage.

“The sixth man nation really provides us with great energy and they do a great job of getting in the opponent’s head. We go where the sixth man goes and we attribute much of our success to the sixth man,” varsity player Kiran Shastri ‘13 said.

The administration supports the sixth man, but wants to make sure they behave in an appropriate, positive way.

“Once they establish a leader I want to have a meeting with them to set expectations to make sure what they are doing is appropriate,” Principal Adam Clark said. “I want lots of fans to come out and be loud. I fully support them but I just want to make sure they keep it positive.”

During the offseason the sixth man increased its public relations when an anonymous member created a Twitter dedicated to the sixth man.

The account informs followers of game times and news on the basketball team and sixth man. The sixth man Twitter handle is @SixManNation.

It is evident as well to the coaches that the players enjoy having the sixth man at the games and gives the team an advantage.

“I think the sixth man can give us a big home court advantage. We hope they’ll show up in larger numbers for our league games. I know the players feed off of their energy,” Assistant Varsity Coach Steven Dyer said.

So far this season the team is 2-2 and hopes to improve on that record when they go to San Luis Obispo for a tournament before Winter Break. While there they will face good competition that will hopefully prepare them for the league season which starts in January.

“The competition in San Luis Obispo is always great, and there are a lot of good teams from all over the country. Hopefully the teams we face will prepare us well and be a good experience for the team as well,” Dyer said.

The sixth man is a fun way for students to show school spirit and benefits the team as well.

16 Sports 12/20/12

Mirador

What to Expect For NCAA Basketball

Find out the major contenders and expectations for the 2012-2013 NCAA basketball season

by Joey Goodreault The NCAA men’s basketball season is now on its way. Teams will be competing day in and day out for that prestigious bid into the NCAA tournament, also known as March Madness. These players have spent blood, sweat and tears to prepare for this long journey. You should expect nail-biting games and plentiful upsets throughout the season. Here are my predictions for the 2012-2013 NCAA men’s basketball season.

Top 4 Contenders Indiana: Indiana is this year’s number one team in the rankings and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be.

Cody Zeller is a phenomenal big-man and is considered a contender to be the top player in the nation. Plus, Christian Watford is an explosive small-forward who has proven to be an elite player in the country. In addition to these two leading the way, the Hoosiers also have a stellar backcourt consisting of Jordan Hulls, Maurice Creek, Victor Oladipo and Yogi Ferrell, which will be one of the deepest in the nation. Indiana is the squad to beat this year.

Louisville: I have Louisville as the second contender for the National Championship in this year’s March Madness.

The Cardinals are led by Peyton Siva, Gorgui Dieng and Chane Behanan who are top players in the Big East, but it’s the role guys who will propel Louisville. Russ Smith, Kevin Ware, Montrezl Harrell, Luke Hancock and Wayne Blackshear are going to be essential to their success.

Kansas: The Jayhawks have always been an elite program in the NCAA. They consistently go far in the tournament. This year I expect nothing less. Kansas will be led by Elijah Johnson who will run the point and Jeff Withey who returns as one of the nation’s best shot-blockers. They also have Ben McLemore who has superstar potential and should blow up this season. Don’t expect Kansas to fall off anytime soon.

Duke: One of, or if not, the most historica programs in college basketball, The Duke Blue Devils, will once again be a top March Madness contender.

They have experienced leadership provided

by Seth Curry, Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly, but also young talent in freshmen Alex Murphy, Marshall Plumlee, Rasheed Sulaimon and Amile Jefferson. That will give Duke that extra spark to make a deep run in the tournament. Notably, Plumlee is also a candidate to be the top player in the nation. With all these weapons, Duke will no doubt be an absolute threat this year.

Dark-Horse Gonzaga: The Bulldogs should surprise some highprofile programs with some of the best mid-major talent in the nation. Kevin Pangos and Elias Harris are elite players, despite not being part of a major conference. In addition to great coaching and an extraordinary fanbase expect Gonzaga to be a tough matchup for any team.

Biggest Disappointment UCLA: While UCLA does have the best young talent in the nation, I see this team faltering in the tournament.

Leadership is vital to a team’s success and the Bruins lack this. Although UCLA is full of potential, I just don’t see them coming together and going far in March Madness.

Photos: R. Sugg/MCT

Top: Duke forward Mason Plumee drives to the basket against a Delaware defender. Bottom: Kansas guard Ben McLemore celebrates after scoring.

Mirador

12/20/12 Sports 17

Two Way Street “twice the editor, none of the Y chromosomes”

Sports Editor Georgia Briskey and sports enthusiast Hannah Friel talk about the BCS Championship, the existance of women sports reporters and their sport Holiday Wishes this winter

What do you want for Christmas?

Georgia: For Christmas this season, I would love for the NHL lockout to end. It is officially winter and with no ice hockey, what other cold sport are we supposed to watch? Nothing makes me happier than watching the Boston Bruins literally smash the Vancouver Canucks into walls.

Zdeno Chara is the most impressive player in the NHL whacking in 12 pucks in the goal last season and 14 the season before that. It would warm my heart to see him and the rest of the NHL players get some time on the ice.

Hannah: After an undesirable record of 3-9 this past season, Cal head coach Jeff Tedford was fired in November. It was announced last month that former Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes has agreed to fill the position.

What I’m asking for Christmas is that Dykes will be able to lead the team more effectively, not only athletically but also academically. When Tedford was coaching, only 48 percent of football players who entered Cal between 2002-2005 graduated; the rate was the lowest in the PAC12 during that time.

My hope is that Dykes will not only recruit players with solid academics, but will also focus on the idea of working hard on the field and in the classroom. Furthermore, I hope that Dykes will assess the team’s strengths and weaknesses

properly in order to achieve a better record for the 2013 season.

Who will win the BCS Championship, Notre Dame or Alabama?

Georgia: The Fighting Irish will fight ‘till the very end! No question Notre Dame will win the BCS Championship against Alabama. With coach Brian Kelly’s non-stop hunger for winning, Notre Dame’s defense and offense bring their game to the table. Manti Te’o serves as the best defender with 105 tackles this season and Everett Golson leads the passing attack each game.

This team can’t lose and I know they won’t lose the BCS Championship.

Hannah: I am fully confident that Alabama will win the BCS Championship over Notre Dame. Notre Dame hasn’t faced a team like Alabama yet, so they won’t be able to match up as effectively as

they normally do. First off, the Crimson Tide’s defense is incredible considering they lost some key players last season. Not only do they have the well developed QB AJ McCarron, but also running backs Eddie Lacy and TJ Yeldon, who have both rushed over 1000 yards this season.

The Crimson Tide needs to control Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt of Notre Dame. Alabama will be able to stop these players, because their combination of size and speed is something that the Fighting Irish haven’t seen yet.

Thoughts on women being sports reporters?

Hanngia Frielskey: Women are breaking all the social norms nowadays and in sports it is becoming more and more apparent. Tuning in to different sports programs and seeing women hardcore debate the men dressed in fancy suits brings tears of joy to our eyes. However, there are a few exceptions. These are the women who are used mostly because of their good looks to boost TV ratings.

For example, Erin Andrews. Standing in the middle of a vast stage dressed in skinny jeans and high heels, it is clear the show is not about sports.

Meanwhile, her Sports Program co-hosts, Lover Boy one and two, gawk at her after hearing the simple word of “freethrow” or “fumble.” We’re all for knowledgeable women sports reporters, but not for women just used as eye candy.

Photos: D. Steinlicht/MCT, K. McKoy/MCT

Fall Sports Outshine NCS Competition

by Katilin Fenn and Kyle Rechnitz Football: The Mats crushed Tennyson 35-7 in their first game of NCS play, but faced a tough 59-6 loss in the quarterfinals to second seeded Marin Catholic. A quick touchdown gave Miramonte the lead at the start of the game, but they failed to score again. Quarterback Drew Anderson ‘14 was 16-34 for 188 yards. The Mats ended the season with a 7-4 record.

Men’s Water Polo: The Mats took the CIF NCS Division 1 title for the second year in a row in a thrilling 9-8 win over San Ramon Valley. Tyler Kirchberg ‘13 scored the winning goal in the last seconds of the game. “I was surprised I got the ball, but once I had it I just forgot about the time and situation and my instincts kicked in.

Everyone went crazy. It was amazing,” Kirchberg said. In NCS play, the men’s team defeated Liberty, Monte Vista and Acalanes to reach the championship game. They finished the season with a 19-9 overall record.

Women’s Water Polo: The girls ended their season with a 10-7 loss to Campolindo in the NCS semifinals. “We improved a lot from last year but I still think we could have done better,” Emily Byrne ‘15 said. “We’re going to keep working hard and see if we can make it to the [NCS] championship next year.”

Men’s Cross Country: Tyler Hanson ‘13, Dillon Read ‘13, Jimmy McFeely ‘13, Mark Tamminga ‘13, Charlie Zamanian ‘14, Miles McCaulou ‘14 and Photo: A. Zamanian Dennis Finger ‘15 won first place The men’s cross country team smiles after winning first place in NCS. (From over 19 other school in their NCS left) Coach Brad Alban, Jimmy McFeely ‘13, Miles McCaulou ‘14, Dennis Finrace. Hanson, Read and McFeely ger ‘15, Tyler Hanson ‘13, Charlie Zamanian ‘14, Mark Tamminga ‘13, Dillon placed Read ‘13 and Coach Alison Zamanian. in the top 10 finish, coming in 4th and running a personal best of 15:32. out of 132 runners. This is the “I’m extremely happy about the season. All the hard first year the boys have won training paid off. I did my best everyday and that idea kind the NCS championships since of spread to the whole team. There were some juniors and 2001. sophomores that really stepped up,” Hanson said.

“I didn’t think it was possible because we were seeded fifth,” Women’s Cross Country: The girl’s placed 6th out of Hanson said. “But then I heard 15 teams in NCS competition. Ariel Thomas ‘13, Ashley our coach at the last mile Kawaguchi ‘13, Andrea Tamminga ‘14, Lindsay Buckel yelling that we were in first ‘14, Camille Anderson ‘14, Sarah Rockwood ‘15 and place. I crossed the finish line Sondra Abruzzo ‘15 made up the varsity team. and couldn’t believe it.”

The first place NCS finish Women’s Tennis: After a dominating season in qualified the boys for State. league play, the Lady Mats lost in the first round of NCS They moved up one place to Amador Valley 5-2. Doubles teams Kady Richardson from last year at the State ‘14 and Cece Andrews ‘15, and Georgia Briskey ‘13 and Photo: C. Cordoza Championships, earning 8th. Maddie Geary ‘15 both won their matches, but it wasn’t After a nail-biting victory over San Ramon Valley High School, the men’s water Hanson was the first Matador to enough to carry the team through to the next round. polo team poses with their first place hardware.

Mirador

18 Sports 12/20/12

How Do You Get Down the Mountain?

After years of skiing, Davis Walker has turned to snowboarding and doesn’t look back. Walker believes snowboarding is the future of winter sports. Out with the old, in with the new.

Photo: K. Visher

Born and raised a skier, Lauren Branagh has no desire to try snowboarding. Two is always better than one and Branagh is a true believer that boarders have no place on the mountain.

Photo: M. Branagh

by Davis Walker

by Lauren Branagh

There’s no doubt that snowboarding is a better winter pastime than skiing. As a past skier and current snowboarder, I have experienced the pros and cons of each sport. My experience with snowboarding has been much more rewarding.

Snowboarding is much better for freestyle. Snowboards were designed by a generation of surfers and skateboarders who cared deeply about tricks and style. The flexibility of the snowboard allows the middle of the board to bend and pop, like an ollie on a skateboard.

This allows for easier height gain for rails, jumps, and pipes. Skies simply don’t have this ability, considering the bindings are in the middle of the skies and skies are rigid and not meant to be flexed.

The opportunities for tricks on a snowboard are endless. One can perform boardslides, 50-50’s, all different kinds of grabs, and especially spins, with ease. Grabs on skies simply don’t look as good, and are not really plausible considering most skiers are carrying a pole in each hand. Additionally, there is no “backwards” for snowboarding. When snowboarders land a 180, they are simply doing the same thing they were before with a different foot forward. When skiers execute the same trick, they have to land backwards at a high speed, which is dangerous and inconvenient. It’s like driving a car in reverse.

Snowboarding is not only better for freestyle, but powder as well. Originally called the “snurfer,” the snowboard was designed by surfers whose goal was to glide down the hill while effortlessly executing S-turns. The tip of the board is easy to keep out of the powder, which prevents getting stuck in powder, one of the most hated occurrences in winter sports.

Some people say they dislike snowboarding because it is harder and more time consuming to get off the lift and strap on one binding. For me, this was not the case. When I was 10 years old, I was attempting to get off the lift with skies on. One of them got caught, and my knee was twisted, sending a jolt of pain to my right knee. I immediately went to the ground, writhing in pain, and passed out shortly after. Next thing I knew I was riding down the hill on the back of a snowmobile. I later found out I had torn cartilage in my knee and would need to be on crutches and painkillers for two weeks. So, in reality, getting off the lift in skies is no easier or safer than getting off the lift on a snowboard.

In addition to this, skiers tend to have an uptight, unfriendly attitude towards everyone else on the mountain, especially snowboarders. They think they are better simply because their sport has been around for longer and they are stubborn. Because of this snobbery, there are several mountains that only allow skiing, but none that only allow snowboarding.

This is also translated to their riding etiquette, or lack thereof.

“Skiers are always flying down the hill,” senior Cevae Nava-Lewis said, “And they know snowboarders have to take S-turns but they don’t realize that just because they didn’t fall doesn’t mean I didn’t.”

Snowboarders, on the other hand, are very mellow and friendly. They love to have fun and try new things, and are a generally a younger and happier crowd. They can often be found chilling out in the ski lodge, sipping a hot chocolate, always willing to initiate a conversation with other friendly resort goers.

Skiing: The sport that has it all. Snowboarding: The sport of the copycats. Aren’t two always better than one. Two edges, two poles, and two tracks?

Picture this: you’re coming to the top of the chairlift, snow is grabbing at your cheeks, you’re bundled up and ready to drop into the bowl for an awesome powder run. All you have to do is merely get off the chairlift and begin. No wait no hassle. Unlike skiers, snowboarders straggle off the chairlift, then have to bend over and clip in and try to get speed on a flat area to catch up to those who are waiting for them.

When you first learn how to ski, you spend the majority of your time in “pizza” moving down the mountain in a V shape. When you first learn how to board, you spend the majority of the time on the ground, moving down the mountain on your backside.

Skiing provides a larger range of motion; your feet are connected to two skis giving you a more natural feel, instead of being attached to one board. The feeling of carving down the hill, being in complete control on your skis, is incomparable.

Ski resorts are called ski resorts, not snowboarding resorts, for a reason. Most parks didn’t even allow snowboarders until recently and some still don’t, like Deer Park in Utah.

Moms who are skiing with their children aren’t on the look out for the skier that will run into their kid, but rather the out of control boarder who will tackle their child like a linebacker.

Any real skier knows that in order to find the best snow, hiking is required. With skis you don’t even have to take them off for a hike, unlike boarders who have to unbuckle and carry their board the whole way.

Once you reach your destination there may be a tight valley to navigate. Skiers have the advantage of being able to make tight, sharp, controlled turns, conquering the mountain like a walk in the park. Whereas on a board, there is only one way to go, straight down, which can never end well.

On skis you have the ability to ski any kind of terrain, some of which boarders can’t necessarily board, and do many kinds of tricks. There is no feeling like carving through fresh powder making tight fast turns the whole way.

Another advantage of being a skier is the broad range of skis. There is a different kind of ski for every type of condition, mountain and event. There are regular, powder, groomer, fat, racing (slalom and G.S.), snowblades, and many more skis for specialized use.

The majority of mountains offer only ski racing teams. The few that have snowboard teams offer far less options for competition. Many aren’t even taken seriously, unless they’re freestyle, which the ski teams also compete in.

Over the years, skiing has evolved into a sport for all ages and is now called a classic mountain sport.

For these reasons and many more, skiing is clearly better than snowboarding. There is no comparison to making quick fast turns down a fresh groomer on two skis instead of one board.

Snow Bunnies and Skiers: Coexisting Mountain-goers speak out on what they think of this particular category of snow aficionados

by Molly Swain and Sofia Marinac

Now that winter is here, Miramonte students are heading up to Tahoe for the snow. Skiing and snowboarding used to be seen as a manly activity, but now girls are participating in the fun. However, some girls, “snow bunnies,” would rather hang out in the lodge, play in the snow, or sit by the fire with friends than shredding down the mountain.

According to Urban Dictionary, a snow bunny is “a girl that goes to the mountains to wear cute ski/snowboard clothes, to drink hot chocolate, and hit on the hot ski lift boys. Usually not very good at skiing/snowboarding.”

And here at Mirador, we’d have to agree. When hitting the slopes, some girls find it hard to balance the fun of wearing fluffy pink hats and carving down the mountain.

Sierra Ryder ‘14 and Lily Longton ‘15 have been skiing their whole lives.

“A snow bunny is someone who comes to the mountains only a few times in their life,” Ryder said.

“They stick out like a sore thumb because they think they look really good decked out in the fufu pink, furry outfits, when really they are wearing the dorkiest outfits possible.”

Longton believes that a snow bunny is “someone who just goes up to dress like they ski but they really don’t and just try to party and talk to cute guys who ski or snowboard.”

Don’t worry if you weren’t blessed with the awesome snow sports gene; being a snow bunny is the perfect alternative, even for guys! There’s plenty of ways to have fun in the snow without putting in a good workout. Sledding, snowball fights and making snowmen are other ways to spend your time in the mountains.

Paige Powell ‘14 considers herself a snow bunny. Her favorite part of the snow is playing, building snowmen and other similar activities.

Photo: M. Swain To Powell, a snow bunny is somebody who dresses Snow bunnies and skiers can have just as much fun this winter. Just ask junior really fun and cute to go skier Sofia Marinac and junior snow bunny Molly Swain. to the slopes, although she may not be the best skier or term. “Although I see myself as a snow bunny, you’re more likely to see me in my brothers’ hand-me-down snowboarder.

“I like to ski with friends,” Powell said. “But I go up snowboard pants and ripped gloves, so I wouldn’t be with my dad and he is an extremely dedicated skier, which, under the cute outfit snow bunny category,” Powell said.

“I can’t say that being a snow bunny is good or bad,” I, admittedly, am not. So if he’s skiing, I’m running around Longton said. “But if people are coming up to ski then the snow.”

Powell does not see snow bunnies as a derogatory it’s a good thing.”

Mirador

12/20/12 Entertainment 19

videogames of our youth

by Devin Mottier

THINK BACK TO THE DAYS OF SIMPLICITY, FUN AND NO AP CLASSES. THIS PUTS YOU SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR CHILDHOOD. BACK WHEN YOUR BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS MAKING IT THROUGH PIZZA PASS OR TRAINING YOUR NINTENDOG TO IMPRESS ARCHIE AT THE AGILITY, DISK SHOWS. REMINISCE A LITTLE AND CHECK OUT THE BEST VIDEO GAMES FROM THE NINTIES AND BEYOND. Britney’s Dance Beat (2002) Play as Britney Spears and her fabulous backup dancers in this spectacular game. All of Britney’s early songs are available, and who doesn’t want to listen to those?

Zoombinis (2001) Nintendogs (2005) Not only is Zoombinis incredibly Train dogs, play with dogs, fun, it also teaches kids to consider the talk to dogs. It’s all the benefits for a group rather than just fun of having a pet without themselves. any of the responsibility.

Mario Kart (1996) Race as your favorite Mario characters in this action-packed game.

Dodge bananas, turtle shells, and get the gold. Warning: Rainbow Road is impossible.

Pokemon (1992) Let’s be honest for a second, Pokemon is every child’s joy. Ash Ketchum is the ultimate role-model as you search through caves and tall grass, just watch out for Rattata..

Backyard Baseball (1997) Hit homers, throw some pitches and run around the diamond as your favorite fun-sized baseball players.

(Go Red Sox and Pablo!)

Putt-Putt (1995) Explore the various worlds of Putt-Putt in one of the most fun games in town.

Learn the importance of resposibility by searching for Putt-Putt’s lost dog while having a great time.

Photos: C. Burke and D. Mottier

Teachers Give the Scoop on Teen Dating

by Jack Kovalik and Hannah Friel

Believe it or not, Miramonte teachers were once high school students. And yes, they too went through the heart-wrenching highs and lows of high school relationships. The Mirador interviewed wise souls to learn some excellent tips and advice to help you succeed with your special sweetie.

Dan Appel, Algebra 2/ Trig, Pre-Calculus: My general advice is that dating in high school is never quite as serious as you think.

Don’t make life decisions that are 5-10 years down the road based on something that is happening right now.

Mr. G, campus security: Don’t date anyone. I have two girls of my own, and you know dads don’t like their daughter’s little boyfriends. I am very protective, and some little kid is trying to weasel their way into my daughter’s life.

Odie McCain, former science teacher: Enjoy all pursuits and remember to have fun in the moment. Also, appreciate what you have, while you have it.

Karen Lamberti, English 3: My first piece of advice to boys and girls, men and women, would be to date someone who they think is really fun and full of life. Not always easy to do with young people. Often times our hormones are in charge and we are taken to a certain type of person so there’s that physical attractiveness, but I would advise you to really look beyond that.

Gavin Kermode, 3-D Art: Don’t take it too seriously and enjoy yourself.

Stan Heard, Video Production and English 1: Go out with someone who likes you.

Karl Kosciuch, English 2, 4: Don’t get married until you are 30. Take your time choosing your partner, because if you live until you’re 90, and you probably will, realize that you will spend 60 years of your life with that person.

Carla Unroe, Spanish 1, 3, 4H: Dating is a positive experience for high school students because I think it exposes you to the reality of real world relationships. Kids feel a variety of emotions, from sadness to first time feelings of love and commitment. Emotions can get amplified in high school with relationships so you have to be very careful, but I’m all for it.

Photos: H. Friel and J. Kovalik

20 last page of the last issue 12/20/12

Mirador

December 21, 2012

The End of the World?

by Kenyon Watson and Hannah Friel

This could be the last Mirador issue you ever read, because according to the Mayan calendar and other calculations, the world will end tomorrow, Dec. 21, 2012. This conspiracy has spread through the Lamorinda community, but also all over the world. The 2009 film titled 2012 informed many people about the rumor and even changed opinions of what is in store for the world tomorrow.

Many theories have been formed about how the world will end, but there are roughly eight main theories: “Planet X” colliding with Earth, shifting of Earth’s magnetic poles, a sun supernova, disruption of gravity by “Planet X,” alignment with the center of our galaxy, global warming and floods, seismic disturbance such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and finally, shifting in the collective consciousness of humanity.

However, according to NASA, the world will not end, and instead there will be another winter solstice. NASA claims there is no scientific evidence to support any myths of the world ending in December 2012.

Although we Mirador staff writers are not scientific experts, we were able to find some loopholes within the conspiracy. While the Mayan calendar will end, it did not include leap years, so if this myth is really true, the world should have ended over a year ago. Furthermore, Australia is 19 hours ahead of us Graphic: G. Nevins here in California, so if the world was supposedly going to end on Dec. 21, 2012, wouldn’t it already have ended in Australia?

The myth of the world ending started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet that is hiding behind the other side of the sun and was discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012 and linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice. Astronomers and scientific

experts declare that there is absolutely no evidence that a natural disaster or an apocalypse of some sort can be predicted for a certain date, so it is highly unlikely that anything will happen.

Because of the movie 2012, many students’ opinions on the world ending have been changed. In the movie, New York City floods during October, and this past October, New York City really did flood.

“The thing that really creeps me out about this whole ‘end of the world’ ordeal, is the fact that NYC really did flood, and that cannot just be a coincidence,” sophomore Stephanie Sloves said. “At first I didn’t think anything would happen on Dec. 21, but after watching the movie, I realized that I could die, and I really don’t want to die. But I suppose that if everyone else died, which most likely won’t happen, I would not want to be the only person living, because that could just get creepy.”

Sophomore Haley Stanten strongly believes the world will end. “I full heartedly believe every single molecule on earth will be incinerated.”

Mirador decided to find out how Miramonte students and teachers feel about this subject by creating a survey. According to the survey, out of 11 classes and 324 students and teachers, 40 people think that the world will end on Dec. 21, 63 people think that a natural disaster will occur, but the world will not end, and the remaining 221 people believe that the world will not end and everyone will live.

“Personally, I don’t think the world is going to end, but just in case, an Armageddon party is in order,” junior Will Lake said. “But I do believe that there is going to be a earthquake or other natural disaster that is going to affect a ton of people.”

The senior Solit twins, Nick and Matt, have firm beliefs about what’s to occur tomorrow. “We both know that the world is going to end. We don’t know how, most likely a zombie apocalypse, but it is going to end, and we are prepared. If you want to know more about the world ending, and it will, follow both of us on twitter. @nickysolit and @CubanMsslCrisis.”

Photo: K. Watson : oto

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Junior Peter Swan

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Seniors Matt and Nick Solit