Falconer September 2023 Issue

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Parking Power

TPHS to have solar panels in parking lot by fall 2024

Caroline Hunt ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In July, SDUHSD began the construction of a nearly one-megawatt solar carport canopy in the TPHS student parking lot, the latest development in an ongoing effort to expand solar facilities across the district.

The canopy, projected to be completed in Sept. 2024, will power 93% of TPHS energy needs with renewable solar energy. Construction is paused during the school year but will resume next summer to complete the system.

“I’ve been wanting [solar at TPHS] for quite a while,” Assistant Principal Robert Shockney said. “It does a lot of benefit [to] offset what we spend here.”

The TPHS solar carport canopy is the newest development in an SDUHSD 2021 solar expansion project.

Before coming to TPHS, SDUHSD built solar panels at four of the district’s 11 campuses: Canyon Crest Academy and La Costa Canyon High School in 2010, Earl Warren Middle School in 2018 and Carmel Valley Middle School in 2019.

“Solar panels for schools keep energy costs low,” John Addleman, the district Director of Facilities Planning, said. “The accumulated savings from solar make a significant impact on a school’s budget over time [which] may leave more room in the budget for essential school supplies and necessary classroom improvements.”

The projected first-year savings of the TPHS solar carport canopy is $204,947, according to Addleman.

“In a place like California, where there’s an abundant amount of sunshine, it makes complete logical sense to integrate solar panels into every open

space we have,” AP Environmental Science teacher Brian Bodas said. “A lot of times there are people that are unconvinced [about] solar power…But when you show them, ‘Hey, here’s the bottom line. Here’s what it’s gonna save you.’ I mean, you’re walking away from free money.”

An added financial benefit comes into play before and after school as the panels continue to absorb and generate energy.

“[During] off-peak hours [when] the school is not in demand—like four o’clock… now we’re feeding back in the grid,” AP Environmental Science teacher Michael Rall said. “So we’re supplying energy to the grid that’s renewable [and] perpetual.”

TPHS’ solar project, along with other current and future solar projects across the district, is being executed

by SDUHSD in partnership with ForeFront Power LLC, a San Franciscobased solar energy and battery storage development company. According to Addleman, ForeFront Power LLC provides the capital required to construct the solar facilities as part of the Renewable Energy Aggregated Procurement Program.

The REAP Program, offered by the School Project for Utility Rate Reduction — a joint powers authority that works with public agents to reduce utility costs — helps California public entities, including public schools, “to secure transparent, pre-negotiated project pricing and terms.”

Beyond financial and environmental advantages, the carport canopy aspect of this solar project carries its own set of benefits.

continued on A2

PANELS AND PARKING: TPHS staff and students’ cars currently sit in the TPHS parking lot for the duration of the school day, unsheltered from the sun. As of Sept. 2024, a one megawatt carport canopy will be fully installed and functioning in the parking lot to harness the sun’s energy in order to improve TPHS energy efficiency, while simultaneously giving shade to vehicles.

PHOTO BY HOPE DENNIS/FALCONER, ILLUSTRATION BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

“My car won’t get as hot if I park under the solar panels,” Julian ElAnsary (11) said.

In addition to shade, the solar carport canopy promises the protection of cars against paint degradation and bird droppings. The presence

of an alternative energy source on campus can also be used as a learning opportunity for students.

“[The solar carport] provides an opportunity for students to learn more about environmental responsibility and renewable energy,” Addleman said.

Jayda Modir (9) was excited by the environmental aspect of the panels.

Sept. 6, 2024

the expected finish date

“It [will be] nice because it’s good for the environment ... and it’s also functional,” Modir said.

Both Bodas and Rall plan to integrate the solar canopy system into their APES curriculum in the coming years.

“We will walk out [to the parking lot] to go check it out,” Bodas said. “I would want [to] talk about the [panels’]

3 out of 4 high schools in SDUHSD will have solar panels by 2024

TPHS will have a 1 megawatt solar car port canopy

generating capacity because it’s hard for people to conceptualize.”

Rall agreed.

“I’ve already got two trips in the parking lot planned this year,” Rall said. “It’s part of my belief that you can’t interact with the environment from a classroom. So … we’re gonna go out and see [the] solar panels.”

$204,947 projected savings in the first year

ELD program adapted to meet federal guidelines

Sophia Gorba and Hinano Kato FEATURE EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER

Changes have been implemented to the SDUHSD Multilingual Learner Program (formerly the English Language Learner Program) this school year to be in accordance with the California Department of Education’s Federal Program Monitoring guidelines.

As per new state guidelines, students who have been in the United States for less than two years and who score a 1 — the lowest score — on the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California qualify for ELD 1. The course consists of two periods that include instruction on English language and reading and writing skills. The ELPAC, a required state test given to students whose primary language is not English, is used by schools for class placement.

Prior to this year, Multilingual Learner students had access to four levels of ELD classes — ELD 1, ELD 2, ELD 3 and ELD 4 (though ELD 1 and 2 were a combined class). In addition to being enrolled in an ELD language class, they had access to sheltered classes in other subjects, including world history and biology.

Now, students who would have previously enrolled in an ELD 2 class or higher are legally required to be enrolled in grade-level college preparatory classes for all of their core curriculum subjects. Students in ELD 1 are now placed in Structured English

Immersion classes, instead of sheltered classes.

“[SEI classes] are very targeted to support our newest students to our district that need the most support for language proficiency and acquisition,” Dr. Brieahna Weatherford, the SDUHSD Director of Teaching Learning and Education, said. “Our other students who have higher levels of proficiency…are accessing their core content area classes with their peers, which is a huge celebration.”

MLL students who score higher than an ELPAC level 1 are still enrolled in designated ELD classes for their ELPAC level; however, they have the option to opt out of them.

In their college preparatory courses, they are scheduled in cluster classes — periods where groups of MLL students are in one classroom with English proficient students. Teachers of classes with at least one MLL student are legally required to meet college preparatory content standards and the California ELD standards at the same time.

These alterations to the program are intended to make sure all MLL students in the district, including the 151 MLL students at TPHS, receive the support they need while having access to the same core curriculum as their peers, according to Weatherford.

“The hope is that we move more students into English proficiency, providing support to all students along

the way who need it,” TPHS Assistant Principal Tracy Olander, who oversees the MLL Program, said.

Some think that this change will be positive for MLL students by allowing them to interact more with their peers.

“If it’s done well, it could be a chance for students to be integrated in the school environment in a healthy way,” Roxzana Sudo, an ELD 2 and ELD 3 teacher, said.

However, there are worries about how current MLL students will handle the transition, especially when put into college preparatory classes with native English speakers.

“In our ELD classes or sheltered classes, everyone is pretty much the same level … but now when they’re in a class with native speakers they are really going to be conscious about what they are saying,” Joanne Serrano, an ELD 1 teacher, said. “They may not feel comfortable to ask questions or volunteer in class because they are like ‘What if I don’t say it the right way?’”

Kristen Cullen, an ELD 4 teacher, echoed Serrano’s concerns.

“Our students need to advocate for themselves; how do you advocate if you don’t know the country, the policies, the culture or what to advocate for?” Cullen said. “That’s what [MLL teachers] are here for — to support them. I don’t worry for the long term, I just want [MLL students] to have enough support to reach their potential.”

Adding to concerns about this

transition is the fact that the structure of college preparatory classes differs greatly from that of ELD classes, according to Cullen.

“The pacing is a lot different for an ELD student,” Cullen said, adding that the class is more individualized to the students’ reading and writing level.

These concerns came into play in ELD 4 student Rarity Chen’s (11) experiences in college preparatory classes so far.

“Everything goes fast,” Chen said. “No one will wait for you, and you have to work by yourself a lot.”

However, Chen also said the classes are a welcome challenge.

“It is a good change, sometimes you have to put yourself in a strange situation so you improve a lot,” Chen said. “I’m trying to get used to [the college prep classes]. It will get easier in the future.”

To facilitate this integrated teaching, MLL Program Leads have periods dedicated to assisting the teachers of these cluster classes by suggesting ways to modify assignments to make them more accessible for MLL students, according to Serrano.

Additionally, a new class, Advanced English Language Literacy, has been introduced to further support MLL students through their transitions. The class, taught by Serrano, is equivalent to four English credits at MiraCosta College as well as for elective credit at University of California schools.

Youth Global Climate Strike

Information from Executive Director of Planning Services John Addleman

TPHS students gather in the quad to join a global climate strike, in support of Fridays for Future, a global organization for youth climate activism. Organized by two student members of Youth4Climate, the strike brought participants together on Sept. 15.

PHOTOS BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

global update

OCEANIA HAWAII

On Aug. 8, residents of the County of Maui were seen fleeing their homes while trying to fight for their lives. A fire that took over more than 2,000 acres of Maui and killed 97 people — with the death count still rising — was reported to be “an avoidable tragedy” in a Wall Street Journal story. As the fire ravaged through the residential neighborhoods of West Maui, many citizens acted quickly to evade danger by driving out of town through the only paved road, rushing in “a desperate race for safety,” according to the Washington Post. As of Sept. 5, there are 385 missing people that have been reported, according to Maui Now. State officials estimate damages to be around $6 billion, according to CNN.

The last match of the Women’s World Cup was played on Aug. 20, but the effects of this tournament are still being felt by co-hosts Australia and New Zealand. In 2020, both countries greatly restricted access through their borders, but by hosting this tournament, they showed the world that they are open again for tourism. FIFA estimates that $570 million was generated by the Women’s World Cup, which will boost the economies of Australia and New Zealand. To accommodate tourists traveling to see the games, Air New Zealand added more flights to transport an additional 6,000 people, according to Air New Zealand’s Domestic General Manager Ian Walker.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE SUDAN

The Russo-Ukrainian War continues to drag on as the total number of troop casualties nears 500,000, according to U.S. officials in The New York Times. Since launching its counteroffensive in June 2023, Ukraine has regained 115 miles of territory from Russia, according to CNN. Attempting to garner support for Ukraine, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky appeared inperson at the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York on Sept. 12. Zelensky is also expected to meet with President Biden and members of Congress in the Capitol on Sept. 21, which comes at a time when Americans’ support for Ukraine is waning.

Tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces and an opposing organization, the Rapid Support Forces, came to a head on April 15, 2023 when war broke out in Khartoum State, Sudan. Fighting began when negotiations about the future of the Sudanese government increased and tensions between the country’s current leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo grew. Airstrikes, artillery and gunfire, concentrated in the heavily populated Khartoum State, have displaced more than 3.5 million civilians. The Associated Press reported in May that 600 people had died in the first month.

SDUHSD responds to post-COVID absenteeism rise

Anna Opalsky EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

More than two years after students returned to full in-person learning following pandemic-era closures, absenteeism rates in California remain up from pre-COVID-19 levels. In response, SDUHSD has increased interventions and support to bring students back to campus.

During the 2021-22 school year, 26% of TPHS students were chronically absent, meaning they were not on campus for 10% or more of the days they were expected to attend, according to the California Department of Education. This marks an increase from pre-pandemic levels of 9% chronic absenteeism during the 2018-19 school year.

“People got comfortable at home,” Assistant Principal Robert Shockney, who oversees attendance at TPHS, said. “We did have quite a bit of trouble getting kids back to school.”

At the district level, 22% of students were chronically absent during the 2021-22 school year compared to approximately 8% in 2018-19, according to the state. At the state level, these rates worsen, with 30% of public school students reported as chronically absent — three times pre-pandemic rates.

In response to these rates, SDUHSD

has created a district-wide tiered approach to absenteeism interventions, according to Shockney.

While multiple campuses, including TPHS, employed similar interventions prior to the pandemic, this year marks the first time they are “centrally formalized” across the district, Shockney said.

This “strengthened” system involves three levels of intervention when a student is flagged as being repeatedly absent, all depending on the number of days missed, Shockney said.

The first level, initiated after 12 truancies or absences, involves letters sent home alerting families of the absence and offering support.

If those letters go unanswered, a tier-two response is initiated, which calls for a Student Study Team meeting to discuss steps forward, composed of a counselor, social worker and assistant principal, according to Kylea Sheils, a full-time social worker at TPHS.

This level is where “we connect home to school,” Shockney said.

The highest level of support, initiated after 15 days of absences, involves a referral to the district office, where a School Attendance Review Board is called to assess absenteeism cases and provide further student support.

“Typically we want every student

to go through as many interventions before we get to the point where we have to send them up to different tier levels,” Sheils said.

There are multiple channels through which absences are flagged, including by the attendance office and teachers and in monthly meetings between assistant principals and Sheils.

Once a student is flagged as being repeatedly absent, each tier provides varying levels of support.

“It’s very individual-based, connecting students to community resources in the area,” Sheils said.

These services include nutrition, social-emotional resources, transportation options and bilingual communication.

“It’s important for the community to know that we put in our best effort to make sure students’ needs come first,” Sheils said. “We’re not automatically assuming that they’re missing school because they want to.”

In addition to Sheils’ interventions as a social worker, which include home visits initiated by the tier-two SST meeting, TPHS and the wider district have increased support in the past few years to address student attendance.

Sheils, who was hired this year, joined a growing support staff at TPHS, which recently added a seventh counselor.

Beyond campus-level support for the general student population, resources for specialized populations have grown at the district level within the past year to include a Coordinator of Multilingual Learners and Bilingual Community Liaisons, who partner with school site administration to communicate with families who speak languages other than English.

At the district level, 29% of Multilingual Learner students were chronically absent in 2022, compared to 23% at TPHS.

Similar trends in higher rates of absenteeism are seen in other specialized populations, including lowincome students, of which 37% were chronically absent in 2022.

Moving forward, TPHS and the district are looking to decrease absenteeism rates. Associate Superintendent of Educational Services Bryan Marcus said district leadership is developing strategies into the Local Control and Accountability Plan — a three-year plan to support positive student outcomes — to address absenteeism.

“If our kids aren’t showing up, they are not as likely to graduate from school and our number one priority is to equip every kid in this district to graduate from high school,” Marcus said.

INFORMATION FROM CNN, FIFA, NY TIMES, AL JAZEERA, BBC, WALL STREET JOURNAL, MAUI NOW, WASHINGTON POST

Falcons go abroad: summer accolades

Gabbie Gonzalez, Ellie Koff and Joy Ma STAFF WRITER, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR AND OPINION EDITOR

Darmin Tarasewicz

Darmin Tarasewicz (11), a prospective student of politics, spent two weeks in Ghana this summer during a law and human rights internship with Legal Aid and Amnesty International, both non-profit, international organizations.

The program was split into two one-week sessions. The first week, Tarasewicz was under the supervision of Ghana’s Legal Aid Commission in the country’s capital, Accra, and involved handling legal paperwork and providing basic legal advice to petitioners. The second part of his internship was administered by Amnesty International and focused on bringing awareness to menstrual equity in Ghanaian middle schools and educating people living in poverty about home remedies for medical ailments.

“Kids were going through puberty [and] many of them lacked resources like pads or tampons,” Tarasewicz said. “We talked to them about how periods are natural and shouldn’t be seen as taboo.”

One of seven interns who were chosen via a highly selective application process, Tarasewicz’s most memorable experience was when he was almost able to attend the trial of a Ghanaian man accused of murdering a taxi driver. The trial, set for July 26, was dismissed because the parliament of Ghana abolished the death penalty on July 25. For Tarasewicz, witnessing this legislative action was an added layer of experience to his internship, as Legal Aid and Amnesty International expressed contrasting views on the national ban.

“It’s interesting that Legal Aid [was] fighting [against the ban of] the death penalty, but Amnesty is saying it was a great idea, that it improves human rights in Ghana,” Tarasewicz said.

Tarasewicz plans to pursue a political science and international relations degree in the future.

“This program really exposed me to inequalities not just in society, but also in government and politics,” Tarasewicz said.

Alisha Patel

A four-year student of the TPHS Spanish Language Pathway, Alisha Patel (12) traveled to Santa Elena, Ecuador for a four-week Spanish immersion program in June through the nonprofit organization Amigos de las Americas.

Following her acceptance into the program, Patel joined the San Diego Chapter where she connected with volunteers and Amigos alumni in the area. Leading up to the trip, she honed her Spanish-speaking skills and trained for different scenarios in Santa Elena.

“It was tradition for me to go,” Patel said.

Her father, brother, and other family members have also participated in programs through Amigos, making her experience particularly special.

“I was most excited to meet my host family,” Patel said.

Patel spent the majority of her time living with a local Ecuadorian family; she especially enjoyed conversing with her host mother. Patel also taught local children through games and activities with emphasis on community health, civic participation and leadership. She created these activities with her Amigos community partner Liana Franco, a teenage girl from the Bay Area.

Patel enjoyed aspects of her everyday life such as forming relationships with the local children, playing soccer and most of all, playing Uno.

“There wasn’t a single night we didn’t play Uno,” Patel said.

As her four weeks came to an end, Patel was honored with a community despedida:; a traditional Spanish farewell.

“At the end we took a humongous group picture,” Patel said. “They all kept coming up to me and telling me not to leave.”

Reflecting on her travels, Patel said that she Amigos “completely shifted” her perspective. She highly recommends the program to other students wanting to explore new cultures and gain new experiences.

“It made me grateful for everything I have, especially for the little things like spending time with family and spending time outdoors,” Patel said.

Luca Antonelli

For three weeks this summer, Luca Antonelli (11) sailed through the islands of the Bahamas to earn his Iron Diver certification with the organization known as Naui. To qualify for this experience, Antonelli completed a similar diving program in the British Virgin Islands last summer, earning four open-water diving certifications through diving lessons and final assessments. Joined by 20 other certified divers between the ages of 13 and 20, Antonelli lived on a 70-foot boat and completed 39 dives. He earned the Iron Diver certification by attempting every dive offered throughout the trip.

“I really enjoy the silence [of diving],” Antonelli said. “It gives you time to think by yourself. You really feel at peace.”

When a diver goes beyond 100 feet, their body goes into a state called nitrogen narcosis, which Antonelli describes as a state of euphoria.

Antonelli said that his favorite part of the trip was swimming with nurse sharks; beyond diving, he also enjoyed experiencing Bahamian culture. During the trip, the ship docked for two days, during which Antonelli and his peers were able to explore the islands. They spent these days hiking, eating at restaurants, swimming with pigs, and immersing themselves in Bahamian culture. Antonelli enjoyed cracked conch, a Bahamian staple that is made by battering and frying tenderized conch meat.

“Bahamian culture is super cool because everybody is incredibly respectful,” Antonelli said. “It’s an island culture, so everyone knows everyone. It’s a completely different feeling from being a tourist somewhere else because everyone is really welcoming.”

The maximum depth that Antonelli reached while on his trip in the Bahamas was 151 feet where he was able to stay for 35 minutes. While down there, Antonelli enjoys watching the sea life as well as communicating with his buddy using hand signals.

“ I love sitting down there, with a buddy, looking at cool [stuff].” Antonelli said.

District honors TPHS students for anti-drug program

Eric Lee ASSISTANT FEATURE EDITOR

Seven students from SDUHSD spoke and were honored at a Sept. 12 SDUHSD board meeting for their work in a Latino youth outreach program focused on preventing drug and alcohol abuse.

Organized through the San Dieguito Alliance For Drug Free Youth, the group, composed of 11 students, is known as the Changers. Five of the members are from TPHS.

“It feels nice to know that we’re being taken seriously,” Kyra Dominguez (12), a member of the Changers, said. “They’re acknowledging [issues around drug use], bringing awareness and keeping themselves informed.”

During the board meeting, the students shared information about

the program’s mission and recent campaigns they held.

In their latest campaign, “Sticker Shock,” the Changers partnered with several local alcohol retailers

in Encinitas, Solana Beach and Carmel Valley to place stickers on alcohol products warning that alcohol consumption under 21 is illegal, in order to discourage adults from supplying

alcohol to underage drinkers.

“I think it’s really important that [the board] recognize [the Changers] because usually if adults [tell] teenagers to not drink, they would not pay attention, but if they hear it from their own peers, they may be more inclined to not drink underage,” Andres Sotelo (11) said.

They also spoke about their retail education campaign, in which students went to local tobacco retailers to see if they were selling flavored vapes or cigarettes, which are banned in California.

“I love their commitment to making their community better,” Barbara Gordon, the adviser for the Changers, said.

Gordon has worked with the San Dieguito Alliance for 35 years.

THE CHANGERS: Aria Cheatom (12), Andres Sotelo (11), Kyra Dominguez (12), Daniela Aranda (12) and Daisy Dominguez (10) smile for the camera. They were recognized at an SDUHSD board meeting for their work in creating an anti-drug community for teenagers in San Diego.

Darmin Tarasewicz (11) traveled to Ghana over the summer for an internship. He hopes to use what he learned while he was there in his future caree in political science or international relations.

Alisha Patel (12) traveled to Ecuador over the summer as part of a Spanish immersion program. She stayed with a host family for the four weeks she was there.

Luca Antonelli (11) traveled to the British Virgin Islands to earn his iron diver certification. He lived on a boat with 20 other divers, where he dove more than 150 feet under the water.

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

Falcon Accolades

2023 College Board National Recognitions

Kyra Dominguez: NHRA*

Lauren Linares: NHRA

Rylan Kim: NIA**

Scarlett Taylor: NHRA

Sophie Rosenblum: NHRA

Valeria Vasquez: NHRA

Adam Miller: NHRA

Anisa Anaya: NHRA

Clara Caetano Lopes De Almeida: NHRA

Fabiola Theberge: NHRA

Jacob Martin: NHRA

Joaquin Pruneda Paz: NHRA

2023 College Board National Recognition Awardees

Ortiz-Davis joins administrative staff at Diegueño

After nearly two decades at TPHS, former English teacher Staci OrtizDavis started her new job as assistant principal at Diegueño Middle School on Aug. 18.

A veteran member of the TPHS English department, having taught college prep, honors and English Language Development courses, OrtizDavis cited a desire for a challenge as the motivation for her move to administration.

“I’m just really excited to take on the challenge of something new and to grow as a person,” Ortiz-Davis said. “I am familiar with what is expected of me, and I have previous experience which has given me the skills to do the job, but it’s something new and so there’s a learning curve.”

Ortiz-Davis said she received a “warm welcome” her first day at

Diegueño.

“I just happened to arrive at the start of lunch, so they handed me a walkie talkie and a trash bucket and I ran outside for trash duty,” she said. “The students saw me and they all ran up and asked, ‘Are you the new assistant principal?’”

Although Ortiz-Davis was at first unsure of how she would connect with students without being a teacher, she was reassured by other SDUHSD assistant principals that “you can impact the lives of and connect with students” without being “in the classroom.”

However, that is not to say that she will not miss her connection with TPHS students.

“To have the opportunity to teach students their freshman year and be able to witness their growth and their maturity … is such a special gift for a teacher and human being, and I’m

going to miss that,” Ortiz-Davis said.

Ortiz-Davis was able to forge that connection by being very “personable with her students,” according to Emma Schreuder-Welte (11), a former student of Ortiz-Davis.

Another former student of hers, Celestine Chinnappan (10), echoed this sentiment.

“She’s not just teaching; she also likes sharing her personal life, and she’s very kind,” Chinnappan said.

Her students are not the only part of TPHS Ortiz-Davis remembers fondly.

“The staff — they’re priceless,” Ortiz-Davis said. “I just had lunch with teachers in the English department, so when I say they’re family, I mean that in all sincerity.”

Although she is excited for her new job, Ortiz-Davis said her departure was “bittersweet because Torrey Pines is home to me.”

“You know the saying ‘auf

wiedersehen’ in German? That does not mean goodbye, that means ‘until we meet again,’ and that’s how I feel about Torrey Pines,” Ortiz-Davis said.

TPHS celebrates 50th anniversary in the community

MeLina Toppi-DeLeo STAFF WRITER

In honor of the TPHS 50-year anniversary, the TPHS Foundation has planned many campus-centered activities for the 2023-2024 school year to connect students, parents and alumni in the Falcon community.

The first of these many activities is the annual Homecoming tailgate, which will be held in front of the PAC on Oct. 6 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with lots of activities for everyone to enjoy.

According to ASB Athletics Commissioner Declan Flanagan (10), a second-generation Falcon, TPHS ASB is also planning to bring “the chaos” to the Homecoming football game with microphones and more music to keep the student section engaged, even after halftime.

Later in the year, the foundation will host the Falcon Festival. On Nov. 4, students will be able to share their clubs and sport teams with their families.

“There will be bands, food trucks and student-run booths,” Traci Acers, president of the TPHS Foundation, said.

The festival aims to allow parents, alumni and prospective students to see

what it is like to be a Falcon. According to Acers, the foundation will also use the gathering to support TPHS with fundraising for student organizations and the foundation.

Following the festival, there will be a party in March 2024 for parents and alumni to celebrate the anniversary. The event will include music and food, along with fundraising for classroom and student enrichment.

Much of this outreach to the TPHS community is a joint effort between the foundation and campus administration.

“I’ve been trying to reach out to alumni via Facebook … to get a database of people … to share memories and share where their lives are now,” TPHS Principal Rob Coppo (‘86) said.

Since its establishment in 1974,

TPHS has been an anchor of the surrounding community. Many alumni return to TPHS as faculty or enroll their children. To these Falcons, this anniversary is more than just a number.

“When I was growing up, I had so many dreams of going here,” ASB Social Media Commissioner Grace Livingston (10) said. “It’s exactly as I imagined. When I saw my brothers and their friends here, it made me really excited for my time at TPHS.”

Livingston has been around the school her entire life, as her father and older siblings all attended TPHS. Growing up going to football games, dance competitions and school plays, Livingston has watched the campus flourish over the years.

“When my dad went here, it was

just a little school, about the size of the learning commons. Now there are a bunch of new classrooms and fields, and I think that’s really cool because my dad gets to watch me grow with the school,” Livingston said. “I think it’s really cool that my family has gone through a lot here.”

A graduate of TPHS himself, Coppo hopes that this year students will get the opportunity to really celebrate TPHS and what makes the school so special.

“Any time you get a chance to celebrate something you’re a part of, it gives you a little more personal connection to it,” Coppo said.

To many, being a Falcon is more than just being a student. In Coppo’s eyes, it means having high expectations for yourself and for others.

Flanagan agreed.

“I think [being a Falcon means] being proud of the school, representing and embodying what it stands for,” he said.

While Falcons look to the past to celebrate this milestone, it also marks a new era for TPHS.

“It’s exciting to celebrate history,” Coppo said “But let’s not lose sight of what’s going on in the future.”

Sophia Gorba FEATURE EDITOR

NEW SCHOOL: Diegueño Middle School Assistant Principal Staci Ortiz-Davis poses with her new school mascot. Ortiz-Davis began her role as of Aug. 18.

*National Hispanic Recognition Award

**National Indigenous Recognition Award

PHOTO COURTESY OF STACI ORTIZ-DAVIS

The palm trees inside the zero are an ode to the original three palm trees that grew in old Del Mar in the early years of TPHS.

50-year logo designed by TPHS Principall Robert Coppo and TPHS parent Greg Weisman

Amid a housing and affordability crisis in California, Senate Bill 10 — a proposal to expand single-family housing in “transit-rich areas” and “urban infill sites” to accommodate up to 10 units — is an initiative with tangible benefits that go beyond just improving housing.

While passed in 2021 at the state level, the city of San Diego planning commission initially voted against SB 10 but then recommended a working group analyze implementation of the bill before it comes back for a vote by the commission before potentially going to the San Diego City Council for a vote.

“Transit-rich” areas are those in which the majority of land is with a half mile of existing or planned public transit, including rail, ferry or bus. “Urban infill” is the process of developing vacant or under-utilized parcels within existing developed areas, according to the City of Sacramento community development plan.

SB 10 must be implemented, as its proposed changes to housing will provide quality public education, reduce local crime, expand access to public transportation and create more job opportunities for Californians.

As the cost of living continues to surpass income levels, the San Diego housing crisis has hit ground zero. Apartment List reports that the overall median rent in San Diego stands at $2,451 — over 100% higher

than the national median of $1,200. According to job search website Zip Recruiter, most annual salaries in San Diego range between $39,000 and $85,617. Given California’s current scarcity of developable space, SB 10’s easing of zoning restrictions for housing will reduce cost per square foot, making a dent in soaring rent and sale prices.

Low-income families moving to newly-rezoned areas benefit from access to highly ranked public schools in affluent areas where higher property taxes fund those schools.

Those who would likely be housed in urban SB 10 buildings currently may be living in areas like Southeast San Diego, where over-policing and climbing crime rates are dramatically different from areas such as La Jolla, Poway and Rancho Santa Fe. Those areas have San Diego’s highest average household incomes, lowest diversity and virtually no deadly police encounters. SB 10 dissolves criminal and racial class lines by integrating families with diverse backgrounds into safer neighborhoods.

Opponents of SB 10 who spoke during the planning committee hearings cited a desire to protect historic sites and prevent highdensity housing.

However, the San Diego UnionTribune reports that San Diego Co. built fewer homes in 2022 than in 2021, even amid initiatives to build denser housing. Therefore, California’s building integrity will not be compromised in adopting SB 10.

And concerns about preserving historic sites, remnants of California’s colonial history, are rooted in exclusivity and classism, and they come amid a 14% hike in homelessness in San Diego, according to Pacific Research Institute.

California cannot turn down a tangible solution to the housing crisis for the sake of preserving gentrified history.

With the median price of San Diego homes reaching $835,000 as of June 2023, the San Diego Planning Commission unanimously voted against the inclusion of Senate Bill 10 in Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed housing package on Aug. 3 before deciding to have a working group study it in advance of a second vote.

SB 10 would allow for the construction of multi-family buildings with up to 10 units and three stories to replace single-family homes in “transit-rich areas” and “urban infill sites” as written in the bill. The bill has been met with both opposition and support among San Diego locals.

While SB 10 is a noteworthy attempt at tackling California’s severe housing crisis, its approach overlooks the consequences of applying a uniform solution to a multifaceted issue. Such consequences include failing to address the diverse needs of different communities, detrimental effects to quality of life and the environment and the possibility of inflated property values and rent pricing.

San Diego is a diverse city, both geographically and culturally, yet SB 10 will fall upon the city as a whole. The city contains a mixture of urban and suburban communities with varying population densities. With land being eligible for zoning regardless of size, SB 10 risks amplifying problems in densely populated areas. If not carefully implemented, SB 10 may also harm the economically

disparate areas of San Diego. For example, in such areas, SB 10’s promise of affordable housing could boost demand for housing, causing property values to surge and posing the risk of gentrification. These are just some ways the blanket solution of SB 10 fails to address housing in San Diego’s unique communities, in turn exacerbating housing problems.

Additionally, SB 10 has the potential to decrease quality of life and damage the environment. SB 10’s housing details do not specifically address the complications that come with additional homes: transportation difficulties, lack of parking and infrastructure strain. No parking spaces are required for homes built within a half mile of transportation, making both parking and commuting difficult for residents. SB 10 also says land can be covered with concrete, which could detrimentally impact the environment, as well as the health and well-being of residents. Additionally, San Diego is a coastal city with inland and seaside communities; SB 10 does not consider factors like erosion and rising sea levels. With its focus solely on increasing housing, SB 10’s lack of precautions will lead to overcrowding, worsened noise and pollution, congested traffic, the disappearance of green spaces and the possible loss of architectural diversity.

While proponents of SB 10 argue that increasing housing is a sure way of boosting supply to meet demand and achieve affordable housing, that is not a guarantee. In reality, the possibility of inflated property values under SB 10 assures quite the opposite outcome: a heightened threat of more expensive housing and gentrification, with no safeguards to mitigate these concerns.

San Diego is in desperate need of a remedy to its growing housing crisis, but it will not find one in SB 10. A more cautionary, nuanced approach is imperative to form an effective solution that resonates with the city.

California Senate Bill 10 is a proposal to expand single-family housing in “transit-rich areas” and “urban infill sites” to accommodate up to 10 units. Although S.B. 10 is a broad solution for a culturally diverse city, it should be passed on account of its ability to provide quality education, create more accessible public transit and reduce crime rates.

ART BY JOY MA/FALCONER

Sarina Feng STAFF WRITER

Hope Dennis STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Pressure to recite the Pledge breaches our freedom

The root of the problem is that it is a clear violation of the same ideas preached by our country’s founders and protected by our Constitution.

EDITOR

The first day of school: a student rolls out of bed, shoving notebooks and writing utensils into his backpack for his first period AP U.S. History class. Thirty minutes pass, and the student saunters to his seat past the red, white and blue flag. The bell rings — morning announcements from the loudspeaker follow. When the robotic voice says “Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance,” the student glances around, meeting several of his peers’ unsure glances, before forcing himself to stand to recite the demanding pledge.

From the moment they enter preschool, students in the U.S. are routinely led in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. One might assume that this practice is foundational to education and U.S. patriotism, proving no actual harm done, but that is incorrect. Pressuring students to participate in reciting America’s oldest beliefs is not only a breach of trust and respect, but free will.

The First Amendment guarantees Americans freedom of speech, which does not include pressuring people to say things they may not want to. Even with this safeguard in place, 40% of students still report feeling obligated to say the pledge, according to Gallup, an global analytics firm. In other words, nearly 2.4 million children feel pressured not to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Since the twentieth century, there have been court cases that ruled both in favor and against the coercion of people — specifically students — to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

In the early twentieth century, Supreme Court case Minersville School District v. Gobitis established the ability of public schools to require students to salute the flag and say the pledge. It was not until 1943, in the Supreme Court case Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, that students’ rights were minimally returned; by allowing students to refrain from reciting the pledge yet still including a voluntary recitation before learning, students were then able to decide for themselves whether or not they wanted to chant a pledge known since preschool. In a formal statement at the conclusion of the case, Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson claimed that “no official … can prescribe what shall be orthodox” in religion,

personal opinion or the courtroom.

Later, as one of the most recent and widely publicized Supreme Court cases regarding the pledge, Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow highlighted the inequalities faced by those who believe in a religion other than Christianity (the belief of the Founding Fathers) or those who do not practice religion at all. Newdow argued that requiring students to recite and listen to the line “under God” (added in 1954 by President Eisenhower) violates the freedom from state religion rights of students who do not believe in God, but the Court ruled in favor of the religious phrase in June 2004. Students feeling obligated to speak the religiously motivated phrase — no matter their religious beliefs and political values — further spotlights the clear violation of citizens’ ability to determine what they

ART BY SOPHIA GORBA/FALCONER

want to believe and speak to the public. Some may argue that although there is an expectation of compliance in reciting the pledge, there is no actual violation of any rights, as students are not being consciously forced to stand and recite. But this pressure instilled within the education system is not about forcing students to submit to national values — the issue is about protecting students from the culturally insensitive morals of our Founding Fathers. Students — nay, people — should not have to feel guilty for conforming to the expectations first formed in the U.S. centuries before, which are both outdated and closed-minded.

Instilled in Americans from a young age, the forced delivery of a historically narrow and biased pledge in public schools strips U.S. citizens of their recognition and free will.

The AMPTP must put writers and actors over profit

For the first time in Hollywood since 1960, two unions — the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors GuildAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists — have gone on strike simultaneously. The WGA strike, comprised of 11,500 writers, began on May 2 followed by the SAG-AFTRA strike, comprised of 160,000 actors, on July 14. Both organizations went on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, a trade association that represents more than 350 American television and film companies — including Disney, Warner Bros. and Hulu — in arrangements with worker unions in the entertainment industry. The demands made by both unions reveal an undeniable truth: writers and actors need to be properly financially compensated for their work and protected from the rising threat of artificial intelligence threatening writers’ positions. This is the only way to ensure healthy working conditions in the

entertainment industry going forward. A major request of the strikers centers around fair wages. Seeking reparations for inflation, the SAGAFTRA demanded an 11% increase in rate in the first year of a contract, 4% in the second year and 4% in the third. The AMPTP counteroffer on July 12 instead proposed 5% the first year, 4% the second year and 3.5% the third. While the AMPTP defended this downgrade by pointing out how the last time the union got a 5% wage increase was in 1988, just because it breaks the precedent does not mean that it is justifiable. Rent is high — especially in Hollywood — and people need to be able to afford to live where they work. A studio cannot produce films if there are not enough actors in the area to hire in the first place.

Further, as AI continues to improve in various fields of media, it cannot be allowed to substitute for the work of humans. In the initial 2023 contract between the SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP, the AMPTP allegedly proposed that studios be allowed to scan the digital likeness of background actors and use AI and Computer Generated Imagery, or CGI, to add them to scenes without consent nor financial compensation, according to the SAG-AFTRA. The WGA’s originally insisted on restricting the use of AI to write or rewrite literary and source material, which was rejected by the AMPTP, according to the WGA. While there is currently sparse objective information available to the

ART BY OLIVIA WONG

public regarding negotiations, due to confidentiality, if what the unions say is to be believed, the AMPTP is attempting to devalue workers to the point of making their jobs obsolete.

While AI can replicate patterns in writing, it is only a crude imitation lacking real passion and intention. Writing and storytelling have been fundamental aspects of human society for thousands of years; we must not give up the integrity of human creation in exchange for profiting off of mediocre amalgamations of other people’s work.

Opponents of the strikes may say that workers’ expectations are “too high” and that they should just take the counter offers given by the AMPTP that offer a solid middleground on pay, along with considerable improvements to the regulation of AI. However, the strikes’ perseverance are completely justified. According to the WGA’s

negotiating committee, the AMPTP has yet to offer protections against the use of writers’ work to train AI to create new content. If the AMPTP was really listening to the WGA, they would know that they are looking for full protection, not just partial. In regards to pay, these studios with net worths in the billions have the funds to sustain significantly increasing pay in the industry, but they do not because it hurts the main objective — profits. They only offered to increase contract pay rate by 5% because they knew that the strike would harm them greatly if it lasted too long.

The livelihoods of writers, actors and other industry professionals, along with the future of Western entertainment hang in the balance as the unions and the AMPTP are at a standstill. If studios cannot properly meet the demands of the very lifeblood of entertainment, then the entire industry will fall.

Liv Weaver COPY

Eric Lee ASSISTANT FEATURE EDITOR

PERSPECTIVE MARTIN LEE

“Fear of missing out,” commonly referred to as FOMO, is defined by the anxiety of, or as the name suggests, the fear of one falling or being left behind by their peers. Though it can be said that everyone experiences this feeling at least once in their lives, I would like to think that I have a unique experience with this social phenomenon.

I crossed the vast Pacific Ocean on an early flight that cut through what felt like endless darkness when I was six years old. Many of my memories from my first few years in this strange new land are a blur. I remember when my family lodged in a hotel for a few months until we could find a place to stay. I remember when my mother tried her best to do laundry in the cramped space of that room while I watched American TV playing strange American cartoons. I remember the first time my father, a struggling engineer at the time, brought home a rotisserie chicken from Costco; it was so big that it almost matched the size of my entire torso. And there I was, dedicated to the idea of absorbing America through every pore of my body, every second of the day. But no matter how hard I try, I can never remember feeling that I truly belonged in this American land. That was the first time I experienced FOMO.

Elementary school was, and remains in my memory, the hardest time in my life. Driven by FOMO, my only wish was to become a true red, blue and whiteblooded American, rejecting my Korean identity. I picked up basketball to play with American boys, made American friends and ate American food at home religiously, despite my mother’s protests. But still, I could not shake the FOMO out of my body. Because at the end of the day, my skin was not getting any whiter, my hair was not getting any blonder, nor did my family have the luxury of throwing birthday parties like my peers did.

As for my time at TPHS, I would surmise that my case of FOMO had reached its peak. All my life up to my junior year of high school was focused on one thing and one thing only: to fit in. But the fact of the matter is, there is no such thing as “fitting in.” You can’t just fit in with a group that comes from generational wealth when you’re an immigrant whose parents had to run a coin laundry. You can’t just fit in with students when their parents have attended Ivy League colleges, make seven-figure salaries and have connections to other elites when you’re an immigrant who only has his immediate family. But that’s

what I realized: it’s only natural. For all these years, my FOMO had trained me to want to fit into the “crowd.” In exchange for temporary relief, I was not only selling my individuality, but my life. By the time I snapped out of it, I had already spent nearly all of my teenage years living the life of someone I wasn’t.

To be honest, I had no plans for the future up until my senior year. Though it seems ridiculous now, I was instead constantly looking over my shoulder, fixated on the progress of others when I really should have been concerned with my own.

I think a lot these days about the case of lemmings committing mass suicide by jumping off cliffs. Though a myth, the story is one that I lived through myself. I was following my peers, overloading on AP classes, committing to extracurriculars just because my friends did them and destroying my mental health with no real benefit. Naturally, I couldn’t keep up with the peers I was tailing. If I was a lemming, they were swans; the cliff was a deadend for me, while it was a runway for them.

But the funny thing about life is that it doesn’t end when you fail; it moves on. Even if it may feel like it, it’s

Thoughts on Psychology

On Aug. 3, the Florida Department of Education banned AP Psychology due to its infringement on the state laws against teaching foundational content on sexual orientation and gender equality.

The Falconer interviewed five TPHS students who have taken or are currently taking AP Psychology.

never the end of the world. Failing and missing out sucks, but it also gives you perspective that winning and fitting in doesn’t.

Looking back, I don’t think I would have had as much passion for life as I do now if not for journalism. The conventions the Falconer staff went to in Los Angeles and San Francisco reignited a life-long dream of mine that I had lost so many years ago. Visiting new places and experiencing different cultures taught me that the world is gargantuan, and people find a way to live fruitful lives one way or the other— as straight-A students or not.

They say that it’s a small world, but I disagree. TPHS is a small world; life is not. Though important, high school is a grain of sand compared to the outstretched beach I’ll travel for the rest of my life.

As for my life-long dream, I made the decision to graduate early so I can travel to Europe and Asia during the spring, even if all the money comes out of my pockets. I want to see the world in its grandeur and the people that star in it. Some may think that missing out on the TPHS senior experience is a shame, but quite frankly, I simply don’t care anymore. The only FOMO I have now is missing out on living my own life.

What is your opinion on the statewide ban of the AP Psychology course by the Florida Department of Education?

Sexual orientation and gender identity are intrinsic facets of psychology; to ban a course statewide purely because it discusses these topics is direct, deliberate censorship of evidence-based education based on decades of scientific research.

Hannah Feng (12)

Educating the future generation should be the number one priority, and banning it would only cause a bigger problem in the future, especially in today’s society.

HaiMy Nguyen (12)

AP Psychology is a class where people learn about behavior, mental processes, and development; it’s not fair to exclude talk of how sexual orientation and gender can influence someone’s development as that is part of what the class is meant to teach.

Krisha Visanakarrala (12)

I think the ban is very bad and it shouldn’t be implemented. Nobody should be restricted from learning due to discrimination.

Daniel Hong (12)

Banning [AP Psychology] in Florida takes away the opportunity for people to learn more about themselves and human nature.

Anna Ding (12)

Former staff writer Martin Lee shares his experience with overcoming “fear of missing out” (FOMO) and discovering his passion for traveling the world.

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

Pictured: front row: Hannah Feng (left ), Anna Ding (right); back row: Daniel Hong (left), HaiMy Nguyen (center), Krisha Visanakarrala (right)

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER INTERVIEWS BY SNEHA LELE/FALCONER

There’s a demeaning feeling about not being listened to. It’s dispiriting and enraging to feel like one’s voice has no weight or power — like no matter how desperately one tries to be heard, the static interference of greed and selfishness in our society drowns it out. This is how the youth of our country have felt for countless years, as our cries for governmental climate action and regulation of fossil fuel companies continually have fallen on deaf ears.

And yet, our generation gets criticized for speaking out. We are dismissed by those who have the capacity to take concrete climate action but refuse to do so, as “conformative activists,” i.e. young, naive kids who merely complain about the way things are but don’t take direct measures to address them.

That changed on Aug. 14.

In the landmark court ruling Held v. Montana, a group of 16 youth climate activists and symbolic protestors from Montana proved to the world that the young generation will not back down in the fight for its future. The message their victory conveys is clear: if our current leaders will not take immediate action against the climate crisis, our future leaders will instead.

The roots of the case extend back to 2020, when 16 youths, then between two and 18 years old, sued the state of Montana over a provision in its Environmental Policy Act. Called the MEPA Limitation, the provision prohibited Montana state agencies from considering the climatic impacts of fossil fuel projects when deciding whether to approve them or not. The youth plaintiffs claimed that the detrimental ecological effects of those projects, made easier to approve by the

STUDENT VOICES

Montana climate decision grants youth activists a rare win

MEPA Limitation, violated their right to a “clean and healthful environment,” as stated in Montana’s state constitution.

In what was the first youth-led and first constitutional climate case in the nation’s history, Judge Kathy Seely ruled in favor of the young plaintiffs, pronouncing the MEPA Limitation unconstitutional, and, in the process, creating powerful waves of change that will have resounding impacts on the climate fight, far beyond Montana’s borders.

To the youth of our country, this case is a huge deal.

It represents a decisive shift from the seemingly endless cycle of bitter frustration and gnawing anger that has tormented our consciences for so long, as we watch our governments remain in passive while our planet slowly withers away.

It’s a defiant, youth-led stance against the rapacity of an entire state. It’s a powerful source of inspiration and hope that our generation can grasp onto, a reminder that we have the power to make real change in our society.

But many question how big an impact the case will have: the ruling grants Montana’s decision-makers the ability to consider the environmental impacts of proposed fossil fuel projects, but it does not place pressure on them to actually refrain from approving those projects.

And yet, in addition to the profound emotional impact of the case and its high likelihood of inspiring increased youth-led climate litigation, the technical terms of the ruling hold great implications for future climate suits.

The 16 youth leaders sued Montana for violating their right to a healthy environment. This is a revolutionary

What are your thoughts and emotions about the landmark youth climate court ruling in Montana?

We, the Falconer staff, are dedicated to creating a monthly newspaper with the intent of encouraging independent thinking, expanding our knowledge of journalism, and providing the TPHS student body and community with a truthful, unbiased news source, in accordance with our First Amendment rights.

3710 Del Mar Heights Road San Diego,

approach to advocating for climate action.

The fact of the matter is that most people do not feel obligated or motivated to take on governments or oil and gas corporations. Framing efforts for environmental action as a “fight” — a constant battle against colossal fossil fuel conglomerates — can drain the public of their motivation to contribute to the climate movement.

But Americans love their rights. And they hate when they’re taken away.

Portraying the evils of fossil fuel companies as violations of one’s fundamental right to a healthy environment could be a much more effective way of spurring the public to speak out and take action.

This concept also shifts the burden of climate action from the public to the true culprits of the climate crisis: the producers. If a healthy environment is a basic civil liberty, fossil fuel producers will have to limit their ecological impact for fear of being brought to court and facing consequences— something the Montana youth showed

I think it’s extraordinary to see how young people have taken a stand, put their foot in the door, and action has been taken. I think a ripple effect will take place, and states will pursue similar lawsuits.

- Nafis Aboonour (12)

could be successfully accomplished.

All of this is, of course, assuming that a state’s constitutional right to a healthy environment exists. As of now, only six states have such environmental rights.

But that is quickly changing.

According to the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, many states have expanded efforts to establish environmental amendments to their constitutions in 2023.

The success of Held v. Montana could energize these efforts, paving the way for extremely effective legal channels and granting climate litigants the locus standi to combat fossil fuel companies in court.

Our generation doesn’t need to wait for avaricious politicians to pull their heads out of the sand. We don’t need to wait for our calls for change to be answered by dismissive governments.

We are that change. We can take matters into our own hands.

For it’s there that the future of our planet lies.

- The Falconer Staff

I think that this is amazing. It’s great to have young voices heard in court and on top of that, more consideration of the environment that we all live in.

- Nadine Malhis (12)

Kathryn

Rami

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Staff Writers Photographer Adviser

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ART BY OLIVIA WONG

cardiff greek festival

“92!

Number 92!” cuts through the resounding clang of laughter and music.

Gyro order number 92 is handed over from the white gyro tent. Inside, volunteers are hard at work preparing orders over steaming grills heaped with tender meat.

A few of the volunteers at the gyro stand, like Filippos Tsironis (12), Emanuele Ammirati (12) and Anisa Anaya (12), are TPHS students. Their stand is one of many white and blue tents that sprawl along the grounds outside the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.

This is the 43rd annual Cardiff Greek Festival, held on Sept. 9 and 10. The two-day celebration acts not only as an annual fundraiser for the church, but a place where everyone — old and young, vendor and customer, Greek and not — can get a taste of authentic Greek culture.

“The festival is a way to honor and respect my heritage,” Anaya said. “There’s not much Greek culture in San Diego, so the festival is really important to me.”

Anaya has been going to the festival since she was five. Her family has strong ties to the event; her grandmother is on the organizational board and Anaya herself has been volunteering there for years too. However, “this is the first year that other Torrey Pines kids that I know have been doing it,” she said.

The festival is a culmination of the effort of all members of San Diego’s Greek community. Near the gyro stand, a couple, Peter Fellios and his wife Connie, adjust what is left of their food selection at the Deli Market, a small stand with a white and blue striped canopy.

A woman passes by the tent, calling out to the Fellios couple. She’s searching for a special type of imported Greek olive, but all of the couple’s supply was sold out the previous day.

“Yesterday, the food area was so packed with people you could barely move,” Peter said, pointing towards where the TPHS students were working. “We had thousands of people coming.”

This is a reflection of the festival’s rapidly growing popularity: the two-day event attracted 12,500 people, according to its official website.

But it’s not only the number of people attending that has grown over the years — the festival itself has, too.

“Every year, [the festival] is different,” said Andreas Letsos, who runs a high school-accredited Greek language school in association with the church that offers lessons for kids in grades K-12, as well as adults. “It gets bigger every year.”

With this expansion comes an incredibly diverse array of stands and activities. A local band plays live, authentic Greek music. Vendors sell everything from corny t-shirts (“If your sweetheart is Greek, raise your glass. If not, raise your standards.”) to

Greek flags and jewelry. The smell of Greek dishes like souvlaki, loukaniko and feta fries permeates the air. Each facet of the festival combines to create an embodiment of Greek culture.

“We try to make it a mini village of Greece,” Connie Fellios said.

This pocket of traditional Greek heritage transports the community to a home away from home, a place where the Greek community can return to its roots.

“[The festival] is about enjoying spending time seeing the adults do old traditions, like the traditional dancing and music,” Ammirati said. Ammirati is part Italian and part Greek. But because his dad is “first generation Italian,” he’s “more in touch with [his] Italian cultural side.”

“Going to the Greek Festival, I also get to learn a lot about my past and my family from the Greek side and how things are done culturally,” Ammirati said.

The festival provides this point of connection for many in the community.

“It continues the traditions, in culture and also in food and music,” Letsos said. “From volunteering, I’ve gained a sense of community, of belonging.”

Greek culture, at its fundamental core, lends itself to fostering this feeling of togetherness.

“If you haven’t experienced the culture, you have to,” Tsironis said. “It’s inclusive and we want everybody to join in.”

Tsironis has been going to Greek festivals his whole life, since he was a newborn in Australia, where he grew up. According to him, these festivals are not as common in San Diego. Because of this, the Cardiff Greek Festival holds particular significance, according to Tsironis.

“You get together once a year, twice a year in festivals like this, and yeah, it’s special,” he said.

These rare opportunities for connection are necessary for the small but tight-knit San Diego Greek community to preserve their culture.

“When you don’t celebrate it and do things with it, you forget it,” Tsironis said. “So it’s more about keeping the culture alive and showing others what it’s about.”

Over the years, more and more people outside of the Greek community have been attending, according to Ammirati.

“You gain a lot of perspective [going to the festival],” Ammirati said. “You understand the warmth that comes with other cultures and how Greek culture is super accepting. Even if you’re not Greek and you’re at the Greek Festival, they treat you as if you’re Greek.”

Whether it’s joining in on the dancing or eating a gyro from Anaya, Ammarati and Tsironis’s stand, participating in the Cardiff Greek Festival is a way to appreciate the beauty of a rich culture. It’s a place to celebrate the simple joys of life and appreciate the people we share them with.

by Adriana Hazlett and Rami Kabakibi

AT THE FESTIVAL: (pictured left to right) Iason Tsironis, Emanuele Ammirati, Anisa Anaya and Moi Tejeda pose while working at the Greek Festival held from Sept. 9 to 10.

BEHIND THE STANDS: (pictured left to right) Peter Fellios, Connie Fellios, Ellie Kompan and Tom Kompan pause as they work, selling food products at the festival.

LINKING

UP!

When Erik Shamsedeen (12) ran onto the football field at the Aug. 24 home game, trailing streamers for an ASB-run game of flag football at half-time, he embodied a lesson he had shared with his freshmen mentees about an hour earlier: “Be an extrovert for a little bit.”

Shamsedeen is a mentor with the TPHS Link Crew, a campus initiative aimed at supporting freshmen in their transition to high school through connections with upperclassmen. Prior to the Aug. 24 game, Link Crew hosted a tailgate for freshmen and their upperclassmen mentors, or Link Leaders.

The tailgate was a festive gathering. Shamsedeen brought paint to decorate his peers’ faces and passed pizza around to the participants.

“[The Link Leaders] really tried to get you into the Torrey Pines spirit,” Kayte Ellison (9), a tailgate attendee, said. “I wasn’t super thrilled about the football games, but they helped me to understand how fun it is.”

Some mentors branched off with their freshmen, sitting around the TPHS Performing Arts Center to prepare them for the scene that would greet them in the student section; a popular advice topic was the grade-based hierarchy of student section seating.

“There are a lot of unspoken rules [during a TPHS football game],” Link Leader Anaclaire Fox (12) said. “I think it can be a little intimidating because you don’t want to step on anyone’s toes.”

But this gathering was more than just a social affair or advice session; it marked the beginning of a new era of student support at TPHS.

The TPHS Link Crew is a branch of a nationwide peer mentorship initiative by the Boomerang Project, a national organization aimed at fostering student connection. While TPHS has housed Link

to Angela Willden, a Link Crew Coordinator and TPHS chemistry teacher. Willden took over Link Crew at the same time she took on TPHS PeerAssistant Listeners in late 2022. That year, she ran a successful freshman orientation through the program but was unable to continue Link Crew into the school year.

“It was one person trying to do this really massive thing, so [Link Crew] faded,” she said.

But, recognizing the need for freshmen support, Willden recruited two other teachers to the cause and stepped down from Link Crew Lead Coordinator, choosing to focus on PALs instead. Now, under the leadership of English teacher Olivia Bogert — with the help of math teacher Annie Polan — Link Crew is set to expand, connecting freshmen to upperclassmen throughout the year with monthly events like the tailgate.

throughout high school.

“We think that with extra staff and mentors … we can give [freshmen] tools early and improve their odds of success,” Willden said.

With these stakes in mind, this year’s Link Leaders began their work even before the first day of school, at freshmen orientation on Aug. 14, during which mentors met with groups of five to 13 freshmen in classrooms.

“When incoming freshmen come for the first day of school, they’re nervous … so during the orientation, they get paired with a bunch of random people so that they can start building those connections,” Polan said.

For Ellison, the orientation was her introduction to a large campus, as she previously attended Earl Warren Middle School, which has a student body approximately one-fifth the size of TPHS.

“It was a little overwhelming, but it was also pretty exciting,” Ellison said. “Coming into school on the first day, I knew where I was going, which was really helpful.”

Beyond establishing a familiarity with TPHS, the orientation was the first opportunity for Link Leaders to meet their assigned mentees.

“The program at its core works because it’s students helping students: juniors and seniors helping freshmen,” Bogert said.

With more regular events, those connections can help students find community at TPHS or, like Shamsedeen, “to be extroverts.”

“The data tells us that the most at-risk group of high schoolers is freshmen,” Willden said.

In fact, the Boomerang Project reports both academic success and attendance in freshman year have proven strong predictors of a student’s success

“The thing about Link Crew is you’re not just doing outreach to freshmen; you get to be their friend throughout their high school journey,” Shamsedeen said.

For Shamsedeen, this goal of Link Crew — what Bogert describes as “students helping students” — is what he believes has made his time at TPHS meaningful.

“I know a lot of people have the personality of an introvert,” he said. “But the thing about football games and school events is they are why you want to have friends.”

The Aug. 24 game was

As a new class of Falcons adjusts to TPHS, a group of upperclassmen is working to make their transition to high school more smooth. The Falconer takes a look at the Link Crew program and how it creates a welcoming environment for TPHS freshmen.

The program at its core works because it’s students helping students.”

Olivia Bogert LEAD LINK CREW COORDINATOR

PHOTOS BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

Shamsedeen’s first time in the student section, but by following his own advice to his mentees, he donned an extroverted personality to make the most of the night.

“I had friends in ASB who were on the field and they invited me down,” he said, describing his ticket to the halftime flag football game. “[That is why] you always have to stay in contact and share your interests … with anyone you meet.”

Following the football game, Bogert plans to host one social event and one academic follow-up each month for freshmen and their mentors. The next event will be at Dave and Buster’s on Sept. 21.

While these events are exclusive to freshmen and their mentors, Link Crew does not operate alone on campus.

“We’re trying to establish three sets of leaders on campus,” Willden said. “We have our ASB leaders; they get us excited to be Falcons. PALs is the social-emotional connection and now we’re trying to create a set of leaders who are focused exclusively on the freshmen.”

The unifying factor of these groups, Polan said, is a focus on peer connection.

“They’re students who want to help other students,” Polan said. “They care about others’ high school experience and want to do what they can to enrich that experience.”

Embodying this commitment to TPHS, there are many students who participate in multiple of these groups.

Fox, a member of PALs, is one of these students.

“It’s nice to have a student who’s your own age who you look up to or who can relate to you,” Fox said, describing her motivation for joining Link Crew and PALs.

Talena Ladendorf (12), who helps plan Link Crew events as the program’s PALs liaison, echoed this sentiment.

“We help students at Torrey Pines find their place and be a part of the community,” Ladendorf said. “We help them feel like Falcons.”

As Link Crew enters its new phase, Link Leaders hope that a community continues to grow among freshmen. Through small moments of school unity — from connections formed during orientation to the line of freshmen waiting to get their faces painted before the football game — Link Crew mentors are investing in the future of TPHS.

For Shamsedeen, this investment is a desire to leave a legacy of connection at TPHS, whether it be to motivate a student to join Link Crew or to inspire another to play flag football at half-time, he hopes he “leaves an impact on his freshmen.”

by Anna

Opalsky

It’s nice to have a student who’s your own age who you look up to or who can relate to you.”

Anaclaire Fox (12) LINK LEADER

We help students at Torrey Pines find their place and be a part of the community.”

Talena Ladendorf (12) LINK CREW PALS LIAISON

The thing about Link Crew is you’re not just doing outreach to freshmen; you get to be their friend throughout their high school journey.”

Erik Shamsedeen (12) LINK LEADER

We think that with extra staff and mentors…we can give [freshmen] tools early and improve their odds of success.”

Angela Willden LINK CREW COORDINATOR

t a c h e

r r a u

t e h c a e e r e u t a f e

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t r

“It’s literally impossible to be a woman.”

As Gloria (America Ferrera) gave her climactic monologue on the hardships of womanhood in the 2023 blockbuster hit “Barbie,” I couldn’t help but sigh. Her speech, while undoubtedly moving, wasn’t anything revolutionary — more like a cliched regurgitation of what feminists have been saying for decades. While I merely nodded along in agreement with Gloria’s monologue, the older woman sitting beside me had a stronger reaction.

“Oh my God,” she muttered to herself with wide, teary eyes glued to the screen.

In this response lies the importance of the “Barbie” movie; while critics have shunned “Barbie” for its lackluster attempt at celebrating feminism, the movie’s message about the patriarchy — albeit watereddown — is important because it brings conversations about feminism out of radical activist spaces and into the mainstream. No matter your age or gender, the movie’s message touches everyone in some way. While the movie falls short of how far feminist theory and activism has come, any portrayal of feminism on the big screen is impactful.

Directed by Greta Gerwig, an artist known for exploring themes of girlhood, motherhood and feminism in her work, “Barbie” has been well received by audiences, achieving a 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Some loved the movie’s pretty pink visuals, others liked the catchy soundtrack and many appreciated its feminist message. Yet, though Gerwig has said “Barbie” is “most certainly a feminist movie,” many critics question the movie’s feminism. There are many details throughout “Barbie’’ that deliver a questionable message in terms of feminism. For instance,

Barbie’s fate: Throughout the movie, Barbie grapples with her purpose, ultimately deciding to leave Barbieland for the real world and become human. So, Barbie leaves a place where she is respected in order to live somewhere where she is constantly objectified and harrassed? All because “humanity is special?” And the one thing she is shown doing in the real world is going to the gynecologist? As put by gender studies scholars at Women’s Agenda, by making this storytelling choice, “female identity is reduced to being a biological phenomenon.” Further, the Barbies gain back control of Barbieland from the Kens by luring them with docile behavior, suggesting the problematic message that women use sexual prowess to hold power over men and that women can benefit from the patriarchy — a

women to a trite moment when the Barbies trick the Kens by acting confused about “The Godfather,” “Barbie” is so chock-full of reductionist stereotypes that the movie feels more tone-deaf than radical — or even productive.

system specifically designed to oppress them.

The most glaring failure of “Barbie” are the portrayals of Allan (Michael Cera) and Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon). Both characters clearly lie outside of the gender binary of Kens and Barbies, but this difference is never meaningfully explored, resulting in a missed opportunity to address gender and sexuality as it relates to the patriarchy. And with such an obvious message about the struggles of women throughout the movie, this oversight almost feels pointed. Allan’s non-hetero sexuality is constantly alluded to, but never addressed. The audience is forced to wonder: ‘Is this representation?’

Rather, Allan and Weird Barbie are used for comedic relief, resulting in failure of intersectionality within the movie’s message.

Undoubtedly, “Barbie” scratches only the surface in its portrayal of the patriarchy. Widely lacking in intersectionality — defined as an analytical framework for understanding how a person’s various social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege — the movie’s message is mild, clearly made more palatable to appeal to the general public. From its “edgy” quips about women hating

While the patriarchal themes of “Barbie” are certainly superficial, the movie’s feminist message has also been criticized in the opposite way as well, with many seeing the film as an “anti-male” flick. For instance, Piers Morgan, in the New York Post, wrote an article titled, “If I made a movie that treated women the way Barbie treats men, feminists would want me executed.” Yet, one must ask, is that not the entire point of the movie? Barbieland is a satirical alternate reality to the real world, one where all gender roles are reversed. One is not meant to applaud the absolute dominion that the Barbies hold over Barbieland. Instead, the jarring inequality of Barbieland is meant to highlight the problems with such an unequal social structure in order to criticize patriarchal society — even if this criticism is meekly expressed. The movie is not meant to serve as an insult to men, but rather a mirror in which to consider the gender-informed power dynamics of modern society.

Despite its shortcomings, “Barbie’’ and its subpar feminist message are important to the social conversation about the effects of the patriarchy. While the movie certainly is not radical nor revolutionary, any depiction of feminist theory is impactful if shown on the big screen. When a mainstream movie discusses such topics, the message reaches a wider audience, transcending demographics of age and gender. From the validation the woman sitting next to me in the theater felt to the outrage expressed by Morgan in the Post, these reactions are evidence of a larger conversation, one that shows that we have a long way to go in furthering the feminist movement. Thus, “Barbie” can serve not only as a springboard for more conversations about feminism in the mainstream, but also as a sign that there is more work to be done.

by Kathryn Reese

MATTEL Barbie:

The movie is not meant to serve as an insult to men, but rather a mirror in which to consider the genderinformed power dynamics of modern society.”

A FRESH CANVAS

Since 2016, TPHS art classes have been housed in portable classrooms, tucked away in the back of the campus next to the football stadium. Now, those classes are on full display.

In August 2023, TPHS unveiled its $12.3 million new visual arts building, located behind the Falcon Eatery. Housing four classrooms, the Prop AA-funded building includes new art supplies and facilities for drawing, painting, sculpture and ceramics courses.

“[The building] provides a space that allows for better concentration,” Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair Katie O’Brien said. “[There is] better lighting for drawing and better technology for the students to see the visual references I display.”

The building marks the newest development in years of construction to support the arts at TPHS. In 2018, TPHS added a dance studio to campus to house Dance PE and competitive team practices. In 2019, the Performing Arts Center debuted to showcase the theater department.

While the TPHS campus expanded to support the performing arts, the visual arts remained in temporary portables, which some reported were cramped and lacked proper ventilation.

“The portables have been okay for a temporary situation … but they have felt subpar when it comes to the best environment for students getting inspired,” O’Brien told the Falconer in 2021.

During the same time, ceramics teacher Scott Jay told the Falconer that the portable classrooms also had potential safety hazards.

“Ventilation can be an issue, as the space is small, and there isn’t a ceramic-grade ventilation system in place to keep the dust from building up in the air,” Jay said of the portable facilities in 2021.

Now, after nearly a year and a half of construction, students and teachers report the new building has better supported their artistic pursuits.

“Everything is just so much nicer,” Sofia Balistrieri (12),

a student in Painting, said. “The old building had been used for so long; it gave a bad perception of how Torrey thinks of art, and it was just so…crowded.”

Balistrieri previously took drawing in the portables.

Eden Boatcher (10), a student in ceramics, agreed with Balistrieri.

“My favorite part about the new buildings is that I don’t feel claustrophobic anymore,” Boacher said.

Beyond improvements to class environments, the building also provides the visual arts program with a venue for future art shows, O’Brien said. The next art show will likely be at the end of May, she noted.

The visual arts building, which has been under construction since April 25, 2022, is still awaiting additional facilities updates, according to John Addleman, the district executive director of Planning Services. Remaining construction is expected to be completed by late November, and the classrooms will not be fully furnished until winter break.

Even with more improvements to come, students have already seen a shift in their artistic potential at TPHS with the addition of new equipment, including more storage and new televisions to project demonstrations. This allows them to take their creativity to another level.

“It creates opportunities for students to create pieces they were unable to do in the old building and creates a space where art can finally be expressed the right way,” Boatcher said.

The visual arts building addition comes amid an era of new construction at TPHS, underwritten by Prop AA funds. Last year, TPHS unveiled the Innovation Building, which sits adjacent to the arts building and houses Career Technical Education classes like computer science and engineering. As students adjust to the new art classrooms, construction is underway on athletic facilities, including modernizations to locker rooms and practice fields.

Joining the ranks of these improvements, the new art building “showcases the arts as just as important as any other subject,” according to O’Brien.

by Macy Swortwood

VAC-800

VAC-800 visual arts center

PHOTO BY HOPE DENNIS/FALCONER

PHOTO BY HOPE DENNIS/FALCONER

New Highlands RESTAURANTS IN THE REVIEWS

My journey as a cupcake connoisseur began at age seven, when I, flipping through channels on the hotel room TV, stumbled upon my first episode of “Cupcake Wars.”

I was immediately smitten and continued a devoted binging of the series until its finale five years ago.

So, when I heard that a “Cupcakes Wars” champion was setting up shop down the street from TPHS, you could imagine my elation. After more than ten years at its quaint store in Pacific Beach, 2013 “Cupcake Wars” winners, PURE Cupcakes, relocated to the Del Mar Highlands Town Center in July 2023.

After perusing their decently diverse selection, I picked four different cupcakes to sample: Red Velvet ($3.75), Strawberries Galore ($4.75), Nanerfluff ($4.75) and

Toasted Coconut ($5.25).

Beginning with the Red Velvet, I found the dense texture to be weighty and unappealing, though the luscious cream cheese frosting complemented the rich chocolate taste pleasantly. Even after the tiniest nibble, I already felt stuffed.

Next, as I bit into the Strawberries Galore, all I could hear was the voice of my beloved Florian Bellanger (the fiercely-French judge on “Cupcake Wars”) ringing through my head: “ze hrosting is too sveet.” Even for myself, someone with a terrible sweet tooth, I found the cake and buttercream overwhelmingly saccharine. I wish the strawberries themselves had been used more liberally; just a touch of freshness would have cut through the sugar and elevated the pastry to a completely different plane.

The Nanerfluff was a pleasant surprise, albeit the texture, which was similar to that of the others. It was redeemed by a complex flavor palette: an earthy banana cake, salted Reese’s peanut butter filling and an airy marshmallow buttercream.

I rounded out my tasting with one of their limited vegan and gluten free options—the Toasted Coconut. I was wholly disappointed by both the sandy texture, as well as the grainy frosting that left a disagreeable aftertaste.

Perhaps my standards are too high, but overall, I found PURE Cupcakes to be merely average. There was nothing memorable, as the cakes were mostly indistinguishable from something you could buy next door at Ralphs. In my opinion, one

can make a cupcake much fluffier and more flavorful at home.

by Natalia Mochernak

...........................Pure Cupcakes .........................Pressed Juicery

Having grown up in Carmel Valley since I was just four-years old, my childhood exists in two categories: the Before and After of the modernization of the Del Mar Highlands Town Center. Among many of the changes made in the shopping mall — from Christmas trees and igloos to the reconstruction of McDonald’s — comes a very fresh addition to the many restaurants in the area: Pressed Juicery.

For me, trying the new juicery was a family affair. Joined by my parents, I walked into the store, where I was met with a refreshing welcome and a feeling of calm.

Although the atmosphere of the store relaxed me, I couldn’t help but feel that it was somewhat barren. Sleek and clean, the shop’s only seating was four chairs

alongside a counter nearest the main entrance window. If a larger group of customers were to try out the restaurant, there may be more of a problem, as the small restaurant did not have any outdoor seating; fortunately, my party only consisted of three. Despite this, the servers’ friendly and knowledgeable disposition added extra charm to counteract the seating arrangement within the secluded outlet.

Overall, the very wide variety of options to choose from stuck out to me. Ranging from soft serve to multi-day juice cleanses, the menu consisted of healthy and delicious alternatives to typically high-sugar treats. My family and I ended up ordering a large Superfood Acai Bowl ($11.95), Size 2 Freeze with toppings ($8.50), Dragon Fruit Hydration juice

($6.95) and the Greens Hydration juice ($6.95). As the largest item, the Superfood Acai Bowl consisted of acai, blueberries, coconut flakes, crunchy red raisins and sliced bananas. The entree was not only filling, but fresh in taste. Our second pick, the Freeze, came in a relatively small cup, swirled high with vanilla and chocolate plant-based soft serve and topped with almond butter, granola and strawberries. While I was hoping for a nice contrast between the two flavors, the vanilla and chocolate flavors both inhibited a light and creamy taste, with the vanilla somewhat watered down and milky and the chocolate tasting of hazelnut. Finally, the two drinks to accompany our meal were also very unalike. Just as the rose-colored Dragon Fruit Hydration tasted more

of pink lemonade, the Hydration Greens was distinguished by its tangy cucumber flavor and dark green pigmentation.

Even though the smaller shop was easily overshadowed by its bustling and even newer neighbor, Sweetgreen, the fantastic service, serene atmosphere and hearty alternatives made Pressed a destination I am sure to return to. by Liv Weaver

Welcome to an oasis where fast food is made healthy. Sweetgreen, a build-your-own salad chain, opened its third San Diego location in the Del Mar Highlands Town Center this summer. Founded in Washington D.C., this chain gained popularity in Los Angeles and is now making its mark on San Diego, to the excitement of locals.

While Sweetgreen aims to redefine fast food as fresh and nutritious, I was at first dubious of the chain, thinking it was nothing more than an overhyped, overpriced salad bar.

How good could a salad be? I could make the exact same thing at home without spending $20. Well, I was wrong, my friends. Yes, I can make a salad at home. Yes, it is probably overpriced. Bu it is the best salad you will ever have.

Not only are Sweetgreen’s salads delicious, but you can feel good eating them: Sweetgreen promises local, sustainable and fresh produce that builds “healthier communities by connecting people to real food,” according to their mission statement.

Furthermore, they claim to be committed to becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2027. They are a part of the Better Chicken Commitment, a science-based chicken welfare policy, which maintains a devotion to bettering animal welfare throughout the food industry.

Now, returning to the food, Sweetgreen supplies set menus with occasional limited-edition bowls. However, I recommend the customizable route. Your bowl starts with a base, then four free toppings,

any other premium ingredients desired, and up to three tasty dressings. While employees will offer to mix your bowl, you’re guaranteed to see some topics fly out in the process, so I would not recommend it. Plus, half the fun of eating a salad is the obligatory shake of the bowl before diving in.

After sitting outside, I took the lid off of my bowl, a mouthwatering aroma unleashed into the air. My perfected order sat in front of me, consisting of arugula, shredded kale, quinoa, carrots, chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, tomatoes, hot roasted sweet potatoes, roasted tofu, warm portobello mix, crispy rice, miso sesame ginger dressing, and pesto vinaigrette ($18.45). Each ingredient compromised its own flavor in order to come together as

one incredible tasteful explosion to the very last mouthful.

While it may sound dramatic, this salad changed me. As a vegetarian, no salad would ever be good enough again; I will never think more highly of another salad than of Sweetgreen’s. Sweetgreen is my Chick-fil-A and for all that it is worth, you heard it here, Sweetgreen is better.

by Elsa Goodman

................................Sweetgreen .....................Omomo Tea Shoppe

Oreo brulee green milk teas, avocado smoothies and tiramisutopped lattes. Creations like these reward customers of Omomo Tea Shoppe who navigate the long line winding into the boba shop.

Omomo Tea Shoppe, which opened this summer in the Del Mar Highlands Town Center, offers high-quality specialty drinks with an emphasis on simple ingredients. Their menu consists of specialty drinks, milk teas, fruit teas and the Creamomo, a tea topped with cheese or tiramisu.

Although the long line might discourage some from trying this new spot, I was surprised by how fast it moved. When ordering, customers can select their ice and sugar levels. Several of the drink bases were previously prepared and

refrigerated, contributing to the short wait time.

While Omomo’s specials set the tea shop apart from many others, I found some flavors and textures to be overwhelming. The base tea in the Camo Thai ($5.75) was enjoyable, but the addition of caramel brulee contradicted this flavor and overpowered the drink, a trend I also found in the Oreo Brulee Green Milk Tea ($6.50). Although I was let down by the first two, I was highly satisfied with the Taro Paste Fresh Milk ($5.75). The combination of taro paste with whipped milk created a light and subtly sweet concoction.

While the Watermelon Green Tea ($5.75), from the fruit tea selection, was refreshing and perfectly sweet, the Avocado Smash ($6.75) was a

disappointment, especially since it was offered at Omomo’s highest price. Its texture and flavor reminded me of baby food; I was left craving a piece of bread or tortilla chips to accompany the “drink.”

The Angry Matcha ($6.25) and Black Jade Milk Tea ($5), while exceeding the Avocado Smash, were not revolutionary by any means either.

The Cocoa Latte ($6.00) ended my Omomo experience on a good note. The rich cocoa mixed with sweetened milk and cheese foam was neither too sweet nor too bitter, a refreshing anomaly in Omomo’s menu.

Overlooking the fact that relatively few drinks at Omomo impressed me, I was captivated by their tall and slim reusable and dishwasher safe cups.

Whether to taste-test a tiramisutopped tea or snag a reusable cup, Omomo Tea Shoppe is worth a visit. I recommend sticking with Omomo’s more basic drinks, With Omomo Tea Shoppe’s extensive menu and customization options, customers are sure to find a drink they love, although it might take a few attempts.

by Gabrielle Gonzales

.........................Xin Chao Eatery

If you have a sweet spot for the best Vietnamese delicacies in the area, but hate having to take the long trek down to Kearny Mesa to find them, then this new addition to the Del Mar Highlands Town Center is just for you!

Stepping into Xin Chào Vietnamese Eatery feels like crossing a threshold into the vibrant streets of Hanoi. The restaurant’s interior exudes a warm and rustic allure along with charming muted lighting and upbeat music. But the cozy atmosphere can be overwhelming during busy hours, as the tightly-packed tables may leave some diners yearning for a bit more personal space.

The service at the restaurant is exemplary — the staff are wellversed on menu items and eager to assist with recommendations for

those new to Vietnamese delicacies. While there might be occasional delays during rush hour, their attentiveness and hospitality make up for it.

From the distinctive sunsetorange Thai Tea ($6) to the aromatic Filet Mignon Pho ($17) and delicate Tofu Summer Rolls ($8), this restaurant invites diners to embark on a delightful journey through Vietnam’s diverse flavors and textures.

The Thai Tea’s tawny hue immediately signaled at the richness of its flavor, which did not disappoint. A perfect blend of strong black tea, sweet condensed milk and cardamom and star anise, this drink was balanced impeccably. Served over light ice, it provided a refreshing escape from the heat,

making it a perfect refresher for a warm afternoon.

For a light appetizer, the Tofu Summer Rolls are a visual and textural masterpiece. The delicate rice paper envelopes fresh, crisp vegetables and silken tofu, creating an enchantment of flavors and sensations. The accompanying peanut dipping sauce does not disappoint, introducing a delightful nutty sweetness.

For aficionados of Vietnam’s iconic pho, Xin Chào offers a bowlful of comfort and contentment. The broth is a symphony of flavors — rich, fragrant and deeply satisfying. Thin slices of succulent beef are cooked to perfection, melting in your mouth with each bite.

From sipping on their piquant Thai Tea to savoring a steaming bowl

of pho and relishing tofu summer rolls, this restaurant promises a memorable adventure for all selfacclaimed foodies.

If you are yearning for an authentic culinary adventure without leaving Del Mar, Xin Chào Vietnamese Eatery is an excellent choice. I promise: your taste buds will be sure to thank you for your voyage.

by Joy Ma

TPHS Field Hockey Strikes Back

Ari Rosenthal STAFF WRITER

Worldwide soccer star Lionel Messi announced that he would sign a monumental deal worth upwards of $150 million with Inter Miami CF on June 7.

On July 21, Messi made his highly anticipated debut against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup, a tournament played with all the clubs from Major League Soccer and Liga Mexico. Messi went on to win the Leagues Cup, scoring 10 times, giving Inter Miami their first-ever trophy.

TPHS varsity field hockey (3-2) defeated Canyon Hills High School (41-1) with a close final score of 2-1 at home on Sept. 15.

Although TPHS got off to a rough start 11 minutes into the first quarter having to defend their goal against a penalty corner shot for CHHS, the Falcons quickly bounced back. Not only did they defend their goal, but Hayden Roddis (12) crossed the field to take a shot on the CHHS goal,resulting in another corner shot for TPHS. Avery Austin (12) hit the ball clean into the circle for Sophie Rosenblum (12) to take a shot on goal only to be blocked by CHHS defense. Another corner was awarded to TPHS with the same unfruitful results.

The first quarter concluded with two more attempted shots on goal through corners for TPHS; CHHS successfully cleared the ball both times.

At the outset of the second quarter, both teams came out with a bang, resulting in a high ball, and a subsequent danger call for CHHS. Soon after, CHHS was able to enter the circle and very nearly scored on TPHS, which was saved by a foot foul.

TPHS was then awarded a corner shot about 11 minutes into quarter two, with Morgan Christie (10) shooting on goal — a shot that was deflected.

TPHS was soon awarded another corner shot, which resulted in a goal by Morgan Christie (10) and assisted by Rosenblum.

A corner shot was awarded to CHHS soon after but was blocked by the sterling defense of Alex Silver (12). Although the TPHS defensive line players, including Silver, gamely protected the goalbox time after time, CHHS was able to find a hole in TPHS’ defense and score by way of a corner shot.

Despite this blip, TPHS continued to make short, accurate passes to each other across the field and effectively clear the ball out of the circle.

“We played together, which was one of our goals [for the game] and I think we connected really well,” Kyla Byer (12) said.

Coming together paid off for TPHS. With 23 seconds left in quarter two, TPHS took a corner that resulted in a goal by Sydney Meltzer (11), assisted by Rosenblum and secured a 2-1 TPHS lead before halftime.

For many of the players, that second goal was a turning point in the game.

“After the first goal, we backed down a little bit and they scored right after,” Ellie Kuehnert (11) said. “After the second goal we realized we needed to keep up the energy and I think we realized that we got [this].”

Heading into the third and fourth quarters, TPHS knew that they only had to hold CHHS off — something much easier said than done against CHHS’s offensive line. Still, TPHS showed skillful technique in manipulating the ball away from the opposing side.

For Head Coach Courtney Spleen, the team’s “ability to stay composed” and “not get panicked playing under pressure” during the second half was a standout moment for her team.

Despite losing two games earlier in the week, TPHS managed to keep their heads in the game.

“It would’ve been easy to come in with a bad attitude, but the girls had a great attitude, great work ethic and great energy all around,” Spleen said.

The Falcons had three more attempts on goal in the third quarter. On the other end of the field, CHHS was able to bring the ball almost entirely up the field, despite the attempts by TPHS players to stop their progress.

Kara Dunlop (10), the goalkeeper, was able to save the day and get the ball out of the circle. With 14 seconds remaining, the crowd began to shout for the “Abby Special,” referring to a technique perfected by Abby Raysman (12) to maintain possession of the ball by dribbling close to her body in order to run down the clock.

Cheers erupted from the TPHS stands — the game was over. They had won with a final score of 2-1. TPHS lost to CHHS in the CIF finals last year, and this game was their redemption.

“[It’s] great foreshadowing of the rest of the season,” Kuehnert said. “We played together and we played hard, and that’s what we’re gonna do in the rest of the games.”

To attract the attention of the global superstar, Inter Miami had to offer Messi an extremely appealing deal, making him the highest paid player in MLS history with a close to $60 million annual salary.

According to NBC Sports, Messi’s contract also includes shared profits with Apple and Adidas, as well as an option to purchase a minority stake with his new club.

Messi’s influence on the MLS has stretched far beyond his abilities on the pitch. For instance, his arrival to the league has had a huge impact on jersey sales. According to ESPN, Inter Miami has sold the most merchandise of any team in the MLS in the few months since Messi announced his signing. Inter Miami’s ticket prices have also increased by over 1,700% compared to the previous season, according to CNBC.

While people may have scrutinized Messi’s decision to play in the MLS, his influence on the league will have long-term impacts on American soccer. When looking at the big sports leagues in the United States, many people consider the MLS to be subpar due to its lackluster ability to acquire worldwide stars. MLS’s rapid rise in popularity, shown in the rise of its average ticket prices and the doubling of MLS Apple TV subscriptions since Messi’s announcement on June 7, has been no coincidence. The MLS needs players like Messi in order to be on par with the nation’s other, more popular sports leagues.

For soccer fans worldwide and especially throughout the United States, Messi’s arrival in the MLS is extremely exciting. His arrival to the league will undoubtedly change the way that other countries view the level of soccer in the United States. This is incredibly important given that the 2026 World Cup, which will be played across North America, will establish the United States as a country that has the fanbase and infrastructure to be comparable to the more popular leagues in Europe. The first step in heightening U.S. soccer is Messi’s arrival. His profound impact on the world of soccer in the U.S. is a feat that only the GOAT could achieve.

Cassandra Love STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

SIDELINE SWEEP: Alex Silver (12), outside defender, flicks the ball up the sideline to a teammate. After a close game, TPHS came out with a 2-1 win against Canyon Hills after an 0-2 week of play.

HUDDLE UP: TPHS gathers to talk strategy. Redemption was on their minds since TPHS lost the CIF Finals 2-1 to CHHS in Nov. 2022.

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

Victory, Marred.

At 6:53 p.m. Australian time on Aug. 20, 2023, Jenni Hermoso was having the best day of her life.

At 6:54 p.m., she was not.

Aug. 20 marked the Spanish womens national soccer team’s win in the final of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand, outplaying the English Lionesses 1-0. As the final whistle rang through Sydney’s Stadium Australia, the Spanish players and fans alike erupted into a frenzied tempest of ecstasy.

driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part. Simply put, I was not respected,” Hermoso said.

Soon after, a letter signed by 81 players, including the entire World Cup-winning squad was released, describing the actions of Rubiales as “violating the dignity of women.” The joint statement, released via the players’ union, FIFPRO, expressed the players’ decision not to “return to a call-up from the national team if current leadership continues.”

Public response was instantaneous, and two new hashtags circulated widely across social media: #ContigoJenni (With you Jenni) and #SeAcabó (It’s Over), a movement many media sources have compared to that of #MeToo.

FIFA provisionally suspended Rubiales from all national and international football activities for 90 days on Aug. 26. Yet, the federation, which has only six female members of its 140, continued to back Rubiales — even going to the lengths of threatening to sue Hermoso for defamation on Aug. 26.

These past weeks of muddled messiness prove yet another moment meant for celebration of female achievement marred.

Those same fans, along with tens of millions across the globe, also watched as the president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, grabbed Hermoso’s head and forcibly kissed her on the lips during the medal ceremony. On Aug. 21, the Royal Spanish Football Federation released a statement on behalf of Hermoso in which she seemed to dismiss Rubiales’ actions: “[The kiss] was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture ... The president and I have a great relationship — his behavior towards all of us has been outstanding.”

Claims were later made by European media group Relevo that the words were not, in fact, Hermoso’s, but those of the Spanish Federation’s communications department, circulated without consulting Hermoso herself.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation held an Extraordinary General Assembly on Aug. 25 where Rubiales spoke for more than half an hour claiming he was the victim of a “social assassination” orchestrated by “fake feminists,” and insisting that his kiss with Hermoso was completely consensual. Throughout the speech he continuously eerily echoed: “I will not resign.” Even more jarring was the resounding applause and standing ovation in response to Rubiales’ speech from the predominantly male audience.

Almost immediately, Hermoso released her statement on social media in retaliation, asserting that Rubiales’ words on the incident were categorically false and confirming Relevo’s claims: “I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-

Corruption is nothing new within the crumbling federation –- in September of 2022, “Las 15,” a group of 15 female Spanish players, privately sent identical letters to the RFEF stating that they would refuse call-ups for the national team because of their distrust of coach Jorge Vilda. The RFEF made no changes in management then, and look at where we are now.

Why was it that it took a World Cup win along with a televised sexual assault for women’s voices to be heard? If someone in a position of power like Rubiales felt comfortable acting in such a way in public, who knows what is going on behind closed doors?

On Sept. 5, Jorge Vilda was fired. On Sept. 10, Luis Rubiales resigned. However, even after these two men were removed, the 81 women have still refused the national team. They understand the dangers of making Rubiales and Vilda the scapegoats. This is not about them. It is not over yet. Change must be institutional. But Spanish women’s soccer is just the tip of the iceberg. A survey by FIFPRO found that two-thirds of the female athletes who competed in the World Cup qualifying matches had to take unpaid leave from a second job to compete and 29% reported not being paid for playing for their national teams. And yet in some ways, these controversies, though painful, are signs of growth. People care about women’s soccer and problems can no longer be swept under the rug. The record-breaking statistics from this World Cup proves that. The mass flow of support for Jenni Hermoso shows that.

Women’s soccer shall no longer be ignored. Se acabó.

by Natalia Mochernak

I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulsedriven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part. Simply put, I was not respected.”

Jenni Hermoso SPANISH WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER

Concussion treatment program piloted for TPHS athletes

SPORTS EDITOR

A concussion treatment program is being piloted for fall sports at TPHS, providing student-athletes with an initiative aimed at minimizing injuries that keep them away from their classrooms and sports.

The program is run by TBIVirtual, a company specializing in concussion care that has ties to TPHS. TPHS alum Brian McGuire (‘95), the vice president of TBIVirtual, approached TPHS faculty late last school year with a proposal to bring concussion education to his alma mater. Alongside Ryland Wickman, McGuire brought the program to the TPHS Foundation. Wickman serves as the chief athletic adviser for TBIVirtual and works at TPHS as a special education teacher, junior varsity softball coach and varsity flag football coach.

The program was piloted at TPHS through a partnership between TBIVirtual and Sway Medical, a mobile platform that offers baseline testing for balance, cognition and function abilities. It can be accessed by students via an app that tracks their health and communicates that data to their athletic trainers, coaches and parents.

“This partnership…gives us so much more data about [students’] balance, memory [and] reaction time,” TPHS athletic trainer Zayna Green said. “Having that information can help us better adjust the students’ classroom

environment while they’re healing, and it will help them heal as safely as possible.”

The process starts with a baseline $5 assessment from Sway Medical, which can be accessed via a personalized code given to the student upon registration. This registration process is run by Green.

Along with the baseline assessment, athletes can take a five-minute screening during a game to determine if they should immediately return to play after a collision or play-related head injury. The mobile app can also track symptoms post-injury by utilizing the “return to play” feature.

With this data, Green can refer athletes to TBIVirtual for concussion treatment. Depending on the injury, TBIVirtual treats athletes using one of three methods: circadian therapy, brain inflammation therapy and mind/body therapy. Depending on which protocol best fits, treatment prices range from $250 to $1,500.

Attempting to create a safer environment for student-athletes, the program aims to allow athletes to pursue their sports while protecting their health.

“I think ultimately we’re going to see some very positive results,” TPHS foundation director Joe Austin said. “We’re going to see more students returning to play and returning to learn more quickly and with less adverse effects.”

Not only will this be a positive addition to athletes’ physical wellbeing, but it will also contribute to more positive mental states, Green said.

“The partnership is really providing our student athletes with expert level care,” Green said, noting that mobile health tracking will decrease the waittime for injured athletes to be assessed, which is especially important with head injuries.

challenging both physically and mentally. Beyond the terrible symptoms, it is frustrating being limited from school, sports and extracurriculars,” Schroeder said.

Over the course of a few months, Schroeder experienced three concussions. The time she was required to take off from school and sports was very difficult, considering her varying symptoms dictated how much time she needed to heal.

“Brain injuries are unlike your typical broken bone injuries because there is no way of tracking how bad the injury is, how long it will take to heal, or if the brain is even healing,” Schroeder said. “The worst part about the recovery process for me was not even being able to think straight”

TPHS rugby player Michael Sullivan (12) dealt with similar issues after a concussion.

“I think [this program] will help people heal faster, because many people don’t do the right things with a concussion and end up hurting themselves more,” Sullivan said.

Many TPHS athletes have struggled with concussions in the past that have affected their ability to participate in the classroom and on the field. One of those athletes is TPHS field hockey player Lucie Schroeder (12).

“The recovery process was very

If the TPHS pilot program is successful, the program’s administrators aim to expand the mobile health assessment across SDUHSD schools and later throughout the nation.

“I really hope that this catches fire at TPHS and that other schools follow soon,” Austin said. “[It’s important to us] that students have this information and get better as a result of it.”

New flag football team names Wickman head coach

As the first CIF girls flag football team at TPHS begins its historic season, Ryland Wickman, a former professional football player and coach, has stepped up to the challenge as the team’s head coach.

Wickman, who played football, lacrosse, track and soccer in high school, went on to play college ball at Sacramento State. He went on to play six years of professional football with the Canadian Football League. He also coached high school football for about 13 years, including stints at TPHS and La Costa Canyon High School. Prior to being tapped to coach flag football,

he had been coaching softball at TPHS for 12 years, which he will continue to do. Wickman is also an educational specialist for the special education program at TPHS.

Approached by TPHS Athletic Director Charlenne Falcis-Stevens about the position, Wickman saw coaching flag football as an opportunity to reconnect with the sport he played for so many years.

“I’ve been itching to coach football again,” Wickman said. “I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to get in there coaching football again without as much of a time commitment as boy’s football now.”

With nearly 100 girls trying out,

Wickman decided to keep everyone for the inaugural year of the program, splitting the girls into varsity, JV gold and JV cardinal teams.

Now, with 97 players split into three teams, Wickman said he did not expect as much interest for the new CIF sport. Wickman described the experience as “very exciting and awesome.”

Wickman has two assistant coaches, Julia Johnson and Pamela Kalinoski. Johnson has worked at TPHS as a psychologist for around 11 years and Kalinoski has been assistant head coach for TPHS varsity girls soccer for the past two seasons. Coaching a new sport, Wickman said he is currently developing his approach to mentoring

the team.

“It’s awesome, because I’ve been lucky to coach many athletes here,” Wickman said. “When I’m coaching the boys [football team] I’m a little louder and then I’m a little more tame with the girls [softball and flag football teams]. But other than that, I go in with the same intensity.”

Wickman is thrilled to be the coach and hopes to build an exceptional program for the very first CIF flag football team at TPHS. So far the team has seen victories against Vista High School and Scripps Ranch High School, getting off to a 2-0 start. The team’s next game is against Santa Fe Christian on September 21 at home.

RING SEASON: The varsity flag football team huddles with Ryland Wickman during an afternoon practice. Starting the season strong, the team defeated Vista High School last week 36-6.

Makaylah Gerling

Nadia Fadlu-Deen STAFF WRITER

ALL SMILES: As he mentors his team, Wickman prepares to take on Santa Fe Christian. His team has had a great start to the season, winning their first two games, both away from home.

“The recovery process was very challenging both physically and mentally. Beyond the terrible symptoms, it is frustrating being limited from school, sports and extracurriculars.”

Lucie Schroeder (12) TPHS FIELD HOCKEY PLAYER

PHOTO BY HOPE DENNIS/FALCONER

PHOTO BY HOPE DENNIS/FALCONER

Anna Ding

girls tennis

september 6, 4:37 pm

camera: sony alpha a6300 lens: tamron 17-70 mm

iso: 160

exp: 1/2000

f/stop: f/4

photo by Anna Opalsky

f/stop f/stop

Current Changes/Convictions

Production of Inordinate “CHAOS”

Aggravated Assault of a Freshman

Conspiracy in the 1st Degree against R. Coppo

Foul Stench - Class A Felony

Indecent Exposure (Backwards Foot at FNL)

Cyberbullying of the LCC Maverick

Disturbance of the Peace (location: Testing Center)

Concealed Carry of Lethal Confetti Cannon

Solicitation of Falcon Pride Without a Permit

Failure to Appear to Mandatory Feather Cleaning

Stalking of Senior Class Pres. Matt Conway (12)

Inciting “Steak for Dinner” Riot

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