Falconer November/December Issue 2022

Caution in the Commons

TPHS Learning Commons opens after flooding closure

Makaylah Gerling STAFF WRITER

The TPHS Learning Commons reopened on Dec. 5 after being closed for more than two weeks due to a water heater failure that led to significant flooding in the B Building.

The water heater, located near the north staff bathrooms in the upper level of the B Building, broke early in the morning on Nov. 16, according to Principal Rob Coppo.

Upon arriving at TPHS that morning, Assistant Principal Rebecca Gallow recalled seeing water “cascading” down the staircase in front of the B Building.

The Learning Commons and the upper mezzanine of the B Building were closed following the flooding, as district maintenance staff worked to

clear the water that had accumulated on the floor. According to Coppo, there were approximately one to two inches of standing water in the building. Classes in the B Building were unaffected by the flooding and remained in session.

Coppo said that repairs were made in a much faster manner than he expected. The restoration crew, as well as a private flood repair company, worked through Thanksgiving break to ensure that the Learning Commons would be back up and running for students.

The crew’s fast course of action allowed for very minimal water to seep into the walls which significantly lowered the risk for mold and other larger problems, Coppo said. According to Gallow, the restoration crew replaced damaged portions of the wall in the

lower section of the Learning Commons. Additionally, the technician crew ordered new computer monitors to replace those damaged in the flooding, according to Coppo.

“I would say that if anything, it continues to teach us flexibility, resilience and … how to handle things like this and how to process through it. It’s a life lesson,” Gallow said.

According to Coppo, all of the staff members who were unable to access their offices in the Learning Commons were moved into the administration building, with a couple of exceptions.

Students like Hannah Feng (11) and Sophie Richardson (11) used the Learning Commons daily prior to the closure.

Before the flooding, Feng arrived

at school around 7 a.m. every day to study, as she found it to be a productive environment. Feng is a volunteer for TPHS Peer Tutoring and a member of the TPHS Science Olympiad, which both meet in the Learning Commons. She reported that most meetings came to a halt during the closure or were moved to other locations on campus.

“It’s definitely been a weird shift because it was so routine for me. It felt like muscle memory going in every morning and getting a lot of work done,” Feng said.

Richardson, another TPHS Peer Tutoring volunteer, said that the closure prevented students from receiving academic support for their upcoming finals.

LEARNING INTERRUPTED: Computers and desks sit piled together in the TPHS Learning Commons while maintenance crews worked to fix damage from a water heater failure on Nov. 16. that caused extensive flooding in the area. After more than two weeks of closure, the Learning Commons was reopened on Dec. 5 without any major water damage, according to TPHS administration.

PHOTO BY COLE FROST/FALCONER

“Since it’s reopened, it’s much easier for students to find [tutors] if they need help, especially so close to finals, and we’re able to keep a designated meeting place,” she said.

Feng agreed.

“It’s great to have students getting tutored in the morning and after school again,” she said. “I’ve been going back inside every morning ever since it reopened and it feels exactly the same as it did before the flood.”

Hannah Feng JUNIOR

TPHS to construct all-gender bathrooms on campus

Liv Weaver STAFF WRITER

The first all-gender bathrooms at TPHS will be available to students on campus, likely in two years, according to TPHS Principal Robert Coppo.

While the bathrooms are still in the planning process, Coppo has proposed six revised facilities including two in the main quad, two by the locker rooms and two in the football stadium. Allgender restrooms can be used by anyone regardless of their gender expression or identity.

Coppo’s blueprint involves a complete redesign of multiple existing restrooms on campus, including the bathrooms in the main quad.

“We’re looking at making them more retrofit,” Coppo said. “If it means blowing the staff restrooms out completely and carving a pathway leading to the stalls, it wouldn’t be that difficult.”

Some restrooms will not be changed, including those located in front of the gym and in the B Building.

“Every student deserves to be valued and respected, to have a private bathroom, regardless if they are straight, gay or trans,” Coppo said.

Coppo’s purpose for adding allgender bathrooms on campus resonates with Syd Nauss (12), a gender nonconforming student,.

“Even though it seems like such a small thing, it’s vital to make students

feel heard, seen, recognized and cared about at school,” Nauss said.

Many students have voiced their support for the idea. The TPHS Gender Sexuality Alliance sent an email to Coppo and spoke with him about constructing all-gender bathrooms earlier this year.

“I’m glad to see that [Coppo] got back to us recently and is working with us to create a more inclusive, supportive school,” Xan Spitsberg (11), a member of the GSA, said.

According to a 2021 national survey by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, 45% of LGBTQ+ K-12 students reported avoiding school bathrooms because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable.

These feelings are also prevalent among some TPHS students.

“I feel out of place whether the bathroom I’m in says ‘boys’ or ‘girls’ on the door … during the day I tend to avoid the bathroom at all costs,” Nauss said. “No matter where I go, I know I’m not in the right place, so [an all-gender bathroom] would be really amazing to

see sooner rather than later.”

Bri Cathcart (10), a non-binary student, agreed.

“Torrey Pines really prides itself on inclusion, and having a gender-neutral bathroom would be more of an act rather than just words,” Cathcart said. “It would take a lot of anxiety away from having to use a bathroom, which is just such a vital part of every single day.”

While California requires schools to have some form of an all-gender bathroom, it does not regulate how campuses provide them.

At TPHS, students are allowed to use single-stall staff restrooms, which are required to be gender-neutral by the California Health and Safety Code. These can be found in multiple spots around campus, including the nurse’s office, counseling center and administration building.

Despite these positive projections, there are still concerns.

“Inevitably, people are going to take advantage of it and turn it into something bad,” Nauss said. “Especially

with all of the hate speech and rhetoric and hate symbols on the bathroom walls last year, there’s definitely the danger of people taking it as just another avenue to be hateful toward queer students.”

While some students are wary of the potential misuse of all-gender bathrooms on campus, Coppo believes that they are a step in the right direction.

“The more we talk about [hate] and confront it, the less likely anything will happen,” Coppo said. “We want Torrey to continue to be a No Place For Hate zone. That’s why the TP pledge is so important; it reminds us to take pride in each other, no matter how we identify.”

Even though Nauss, Spitsberg and Cathcart will have graduated by the time the new bathrooms are fully opened to students, they still see them as an advancement toward the support of students and staff on campus.

“After all, it’s not a bathroom only for trans people,” Cathcart said. “It’s just a bathroom that includes them.”

FALCONS FACE A FLOOD: A maintenance worker repairs the electrical system in the TPHS Learning Commons. While the Learning Commons avoided major damage, including mold in the walls, computer moniters had to be replaced and sections of multiple walls were rebuilt.

PHOTO BY COLE FROST/FALCONER

feels exactly the same as it did before the flood.”

TPHS students find creativity in classroom projects

Hannah Meltzer and Lexi Lamb STAFF WRITERS

Personal Identity

In an effort to challenge her students to express their identities using twodimensional art, TPHS art teacher Katie O’Brien assigned her AP Art students the Personal Identity Project.

Students were given two weeks and minimal instruction, allowing them to let their creativity take over.

“[Students] need to brainstorm on their own identity and what that means to them … [the project] involves inner reflection based on culture, ethnicity, personal experiences, passions [and] interests,” O’Brien, who teaches several visual and performing art classes at TPHS, said.

Each student approached the project differently.

Paloma Ezzet (12), a student in AP 2D Art and Design, used photography to express how deep emotions can be portrayed through facial expressions.

Initially, Ezzet was unsure of how she wanted to structure her project. After drawing inspiration from Pinterest, she ultimately decided to photograph Maddy Miller’s (12) eyes, aiming to convey 12 emotions, some of which included loneliness, frustration and exhaustion.

“There are so many different facial expressions that you can explore and display through the entire face and body, but the eyes are the window to the soul,” Ezzet said. “They can say a lot about a person and the way they are feeling.”

Katie Schlesier (11), a student in AP Drawing, took a different approach, painting to depict how her ethnicity has shaped her as an individual.

“Two flags are in the background.

One is the German flag and the other is the Portuguese flag,” Schlesier said, noting that she painted herself and grandparents in front of the backdrop.

O’Brien said that she enjoys the project because she is able to see her students in a new light.

“I like to see how they portray themselves,” O’Brien said. “[The Personal Identity Project] helps me get to know them better on a deeper level.”

She also hopes that the Personal Identity Project enables AP Art students to discover new aspects of themselves.

“I hope students … develop their own art style and just improve their ability to make art that is expressive and unique to them,” O’Brien said.

Music Video

Replacing typical slideshow presentations, a staple of many classrooms, with music video productions, TPHS College Prep Chemistry teacher Alexandra Anthony introduced her classes to a new activity — the Music Video Project.

The project challenges students to creatively apply an assigned trend on the periodic table to a catchy tune and entertaining video. All three of Anthony’s College Prep Chemistry classes participated in the project.

Last year’s project test run was a success, though many students wished they had done the project earlier in the year.

“[The chemistry teachers who assigned the project last year] took the feedback into consideration and this year we did it a lot earlier and I think a lot of them are getting closer and making friends they will have the rest of the year in class,”Anthony said.

Averi Kwok (10) and her group

did their project on ion charge. They decided to adapt their research on ions to the lyrics of “I Spy” by KYLE.

“I thought [the project] was way more interesting and fun to do [than only doing a write-up] because we got to be creative with it and everyone could do it in their own way,” Kwok said.

Kwok was not the only one who enjoyed working with her peers and blending each person’s creativity into a project. Survey results from this year’s project reflection showed that 84% of students said they were able to create better relationships with classmates while working on the project.

In addition to students, Anthony also said she loved watching her students’ creations.

“It is fun to see the different talents that I don’t typically get to see in a chemistry classroom come to play in this project,” Anthony said.

Upon returning from Fall Break, each group’s video was presented to the class. Anthony hoped students came out of the Music Video Project with both new friends and new knowledge.

“Sometimes you have to burst out of your bubble and then you will make really great friendships that will last for years,” Anthony said. “You can have fun while learning.”

Social Norms

TPHS Sociology teacher Jeana Crossland began the school year by challenging her students to step outside their comfort zones and try something new. She developed the Social Norms Project — an activity designed for students to either break a social norm in public or to people watch and observe different behaviors.

Students created projects ranging from grocery shopping in formal clothes

to eating a whole pie in class.

Alexa Moran’s (12) project was inspired by a viral Tik Tok trend with students referring to their teachers by their first names.

“I remember seeing a trend on TikTok a while ago of students calling their teachers by their first names and thought it would be fun to do. So I started to plan out how to fit their names into a sentence,” Moran said.

Going into the project, Moran said she felt nervous: finding the right way to slyly add in their first name was more difficult than expected.

“I had trouble finding a way to say their name without making it too obvious, and the anticipation of not knowing what their reactions would be was terrible,” Moran said.

The reactions Moran received from teachers were different from what she had anticipated.

“Many teachers did not notice when I said their first names. Mr. Montgomery questioned me, but was laughing the whole time and didn’t seem to mind too much,” Moran said.

Students then journaled about how it felt to have people watch them as they broke a social norm.

“The ideas were interesting and there were definitely some highlights,” Crossland said.

Both Crossland and Moran said the project was a success.

“It was something so different from typical school projects,” Moran said. “Getting to do something that is outside of class and a bit more fun made this project one of my favorites.”

Crossland hopes to assign the Social Norms Project to future sociology classes, even if it involves a smidge of embarrassment.

Averi Kwok (10) (left)

Alexa Moran (12) (right)

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

Interim superindent resigns, leadership short-staffed

Anna Opalsky NEWS EDITOR

In a decision that surprised many, Tina Douglas resigned from her SDUHSD interim superintendent position on Nov. 18 amidst a staffing shortage in the district office, despite previously saying that she would remain in the position through June 2023.

Douglas plans to return to her associate superintendent position in business services. While she initially gave her 10 days notice, she later extended her stay as interim superintendent, announcing plans during a board meeting on Nov. 29 to return to her previous role by Jan. 31 or sooner if the district finds a new interim superintendent before then.

The board, which recently added three new members, plans to begin its search at the next meeting, on Dec. 13.

At the time of her unanimous appointment to interim superintendent in April, Douglas was the district’s fourth superintendent in one year. The previous superintendent, Dr. Cheryl James-Ward, was terminated over the summer after making controversial comments about the Asian American community in the district in April.

In a message to district staff apologizing for her resignation, Douglas explained why she had taken the interim position.

“I felt very strongly that what we needed to help us through yet another transition was someone from the inside,” Douglas said. “It has not been easy and I knew that going in.”

Douglas’ resignation came after a motion to appoint the district’s Executive Director of Planning Services, John Addleman, to fill her business services position failed to pass at a board meeting on Nov. 17. When Douglas was appointed in April, a consultant was hired to help her with her business services position. However, during the Nov. 17 meeting, Douglas said that Addleman had been “carrying the load” of the position, without compensation, since May.

“For me, it wouldn’t be fair to continue to have John do the work if he’s not going to be compensated for it,” Douglas said during the Nov. 17 meeting.

Board President Maureen Muir and Vice President Michael Allman supported the motion while Katrina Young opposed.

“I think we should defer on this one to Tina and if she thinks [the motion] is the right thing to do, I’ll support that,” Allman said at the meeting.

Young justified her opposition to the motion by citing other unfilled positions in the district office.

“There are also others that are also shouldering extra burdens,” she said

at the meeting. “My strong preference would be to look at our district structure in a holistic manner and an equitable one and make sure that we’re … giving those supports to everyone that needs it and not just one department.”

With trustee Julie Bronstein’s absence from the meeting, agenda items required a unanimous vote to pass and the motion failed. The next day, Douglas sent her resignation to the board.

Young said that she did not know of Douglas’ intentions to resign at the time of her opposing vote, noting that knowing of the resignation “certainly would have affected my thought process and I definitely would have put that into consideration.”

There were 13 unfilled positions in the district office at the time of the Nov. 17 meeting, including four in administrative services and six in business services, according to Young. Notably, the associate superintendent of administrative services position was left empty after the resignation of Mark Miller in November when he accepted a position in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District as the director of human resources. There is currently no plan to fill Miller’s position, according to the district’s Communications Coordinator Miquel Jacobs. Both Bryan Marcus, the associate superintendent of education services, and Douglas have

Meet the new SDUHSD board members

been filling in for him, Douglas said at the Nov. 17 meeting.

While the district is currently interviewing to fill these vacant positions, “everybody … right now is feeling overwhelmed,” Douglas said during the Nov. 17 meeting.

Young, who advocated for a more “holistic” review of vacancies before positions were “backfilled,” said that filling the positions could be an opportunity to review the needs of the district, specifically, the consolidation of positions in education and administrative services. This consolidation was recommended in a review of the organizational structure of the district office by the School Services of California, which was presented at a board meeting on June 23.

During the Nov. 17 meeting, Young attributed the vacancies, in part, to the pandemic, saying that the district office was “hugely impacted.”

TPHS student School Board Representative Julia Liu (12) agreed.

“Our staff is working really hard to bring us back … from COVID,” Liu said. “Going forward, our district is going to be better.”

When the new board meets in December, they will also begin a search for a permanent superintendent. Currently, the district hopes to have a new superintendent in place by the end of June, according to Young.

Caroline Hunt FEATURE EDITOR

Jane Lea Smith Area 3

Rimga Viskanta Area 1

Phan Anderson Area 5

Yoshino Watanabe speaks at Jane Goodall ceremony

Jacob Zhang EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Not many people get to meet their heroes. Yoshino (Yoyo) Watanabe (11) is one step closer to meeting her’s –the world-renowned ethologist Jane Goodall – after she was invited to speak at Goodall’s Templeton Prize Celebration Ceremony in Los Angeles on Sept. 25.

Watanabe represented the Roots and Shoots National Youth Leadership Council of the Jane Goodall Institute, a program empowering youth to make a positive change in their local communities. She spoke about a supplies drive fundraiser she and fellow NYLC member, Adelaide Kesseler, organized for the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

“It was such an honor to be [at the ceremony] because there were so many people who have done a bunch for their communities,” Watanabe said. “It was super inspiring to meet all of them.”

At the event, Goodall received the 2021 Templeton Prize – valued at over $1.5 million – for her revolutionary work studying chimpanzees, which began in Africa in 1960. Goodall attended virtually after testing positive for COVID-19.

Watanabe’s interest in the Roots and Shoots program began in 2020 after watching a documentary about Goodall’s life and research. She quickly found herself awestruck not only by Goodall’s work, but also by her dedication in a field dominated mostly by men.

“At the time, [Goodall] was the only woman who went on the type of endeavors that she did to Africa. And she did that all alone,” Watanabe said.

Aside from her animal shelter fundraiser, Watanabe completed Roots and Shoots projects promoting proper cultural representation and female empowerment.

Paying tribute to her Japanese roots,

she posted videos on YouTube of her playing the koto – a 13-string Japanese harp – to help her viewers de-stress during the pandemic.

She later baked sweets using passion fruits from her backyard for a local women’s homeless shelter.

All her projects, Watanabe notes, are at a local level, which reflect the founding principles of Roots and Shoots.

“Helping the community can mean

basically anything, no matter how small or how big,” she said. “Seeing a lot of leaders these days, it seems like the only way you can help a community is to do something huge ... but it is totally not [like] that.”

One day, Watanabe dreams of helping as many people and animals as she can. But first, she will start with the smaller things – the things right here at home.

Community college enrollment declines in California

Joy Ma STAFF WRITER

Community college enrollment in California has dropped by 18% – a loss of 300,000 students – since the 201819 school year, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Established in 1967, California Community Colleges is a postsecondary education system serving more than 2.1 million students at 115 campuses, according to the Community College League of California.

MiraCosta College, a community college in San Diego, saw a 15% drop in enrollment from the 2018-19 school year to the 2020-21 year, according to MiraCosta enrollment data. While the most significant declines occurred during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment had been declining since 2013, with an overall drop of 20%.

This enrollment drop can be

attributed to multiple factors, including pandemic-related economic and social pressures and increased enrollment at four-year universities, according to admissions experts.

A survey of former community college students in California by the nonprofit research organization RP Group found that 33% of students reported they had not re-enrolled because they prioritized work and 22% because they prioritized taking care of dependents.

TPHS Special Education Instructional Aid Sandra Ramales views work and familial strain as a major reason for enrollment declines.

“People are barely starting to recover economically, so leaving their job to go back to school must not sound like the greatest idea,” Ramales said.

To address those enrollment barriers during the pandemic, MiraCosta allocated funds for technology and student finances, including $1.75 million for approximately 1,300 laptops and 1,200 hotspots, according to Kristen Huyck, director of public and governmental relations and marketing and communications at MiraCosta.

The pandemic also affected college enrollment in ways beyond economic strains. In recent years, 80% of private four-year universities have gone either test-optional or test-blind, according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing. Now that testing is less of a factor in the college admissions process, many students, especially those with lower scores, have shifted their education goals to four-year universities, according to a study released by Vanderbilt University.

“Students who may have previously not scored well on college entrance tests like the SAT or the ACT could apply to these four-year [colleges] and have a higher chance of getting in now,” a TPHS counselor said.

In the same years that community college enrollment declined, applications to the University of California system increased, reaching an all-time high in 2022, according to

enrollment data from the UCs. In 2021, the UC suspended its use of SAT and ACT scores for admissions until 2025.

In addition to financial and personal reasons, some TPHS students believe that a stigma associated with attending community college is a reason why some dismiss it as an option.

“I think there is a terrible stigma around the idea that a community gives you less of an education than a four-year, especially in California,” Lillie Rietman (12), who plans to attend community college, said. “The high schools here tend to try and get [students] to push for a UC or a fouryear college without shedding light on the fact that community is another amazing option for those that are unsure of their major or don’t have the financial funds.”

Madalyn Ladendorf (‘21), a student at MiraCosta, agrees.

“Personally, as someone who applied to 30 schools as undecided, I’m glad that I got to go to community college, figure it out and have really close relationships with my professors and peers,” Ladendorf said.

Enrollment is a major factor that determines how much funding

higher education at the University of Southern California, told the LA Times that community colleges may be forced to lay off faculty and cut services if the downward enrollment trend continues. Pandemic relief funds, available until 2025, have temporarily lessened the harm of enrollment declines on community colleges.

“We have no idea what’s going to happen,” Melguizo said, noting “that [it] will be really bad” if the decline continues.

However, the LA Times reported that the declining trend could be slowing, as a national study of community college enrollment found that enrollment had only dropped by 0.4% this fall from the year before. Huyck said that MiraCosta has seen a stabilization in its enrollment this year, and is looking towards a potential uptick.

Both Ladendorf and Rietman stress to TPHS students that attending community college is an option seniors should consider.

“It’s not about how good of a student you are or how much money you have. It’s about accepting that community college is not a lower level or just a step between high school and a four-

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: Yoshino Watanabe (11) (center) speaks with guests at the Templeton Prize Celebration Ceremony this September. Watanabe was featured for her local advocacy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YOSHINO WATANABE

EDITOR

After months of legal setbacks, millions of Americans are awaiting a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on a student loan debt forgiveness program brought forward by the Biden Administration.

Announced in August, U.S. President Joe Biden promised $10,000 in student loan forgiveness for borrowers making less than $125,000 a year and $20,000 for students who received Pell Grants, a federal grant given to low-income students.

While the battle over the legality of student loan forgiveness continues, Biden’s program has raised other questions around the cost of higher education and how a plan to address student debt should fit into the longstanding equity debate in education. While forgiving student loan debt fails to address the root of the problem — increasingly high tuition costs — it is a step in the right direction that will help more than 40 million Americans, according to the Biden Administration.

Firstly, the cost of a college education has increased disproportionately to the federal aid available to students. While the cost of four-year college more than doubled in the past 20 years, the maximum amount of money offered by Pell Grants has only increased by 20%. In the 1970s, Pell Grants covered 75% of the cost of a public four-year college, compared to just 25% now, according to the Washington Post.

By effectively reducing the amount of aid available to students amid rising education costs, the federal government has put graduates who left school with debt behind their wealthier peers.

As reported by the Biden Administration, 90% of forgiveness will go to Americans earning less than $75,000 a year. While those in the upper end of this income range may not feel drastic effects from the $300 a month offered by the plan, it could greatly benefit those at the lower end by expanding their life choices, including options to buy a home and start a business, which will, in the long run, benefit the economy.

However, some critics warn that a hypothetical increase in spending by those forgiven of debt will stoke inflation, which is nearly at its highest rate in 40 years, according to the U.S. Labor Department. In reality, economists say that because student loans were already on pause for more than two years due to the pandemic, debt forgiveness will not cause mass spending or any subsequent increases in costs.

Admitting that it would help many Americans, some then argue that debt relief disenfranchises those who did not attend college due to financial limits or those who already paid off their debts.

While student debt forgiveness will only affect those who currently have debt, there will continue to be those who cannot afford to pursue a college education and those who need to save to pay off their debts. Until a plan to address high tuition costs is put in place, student debt forgiveness is an immediate remedy for those affected by reduced need-based financial aid and those who lost their jobs during the pandemic.

Pertinent to the current U.S. productivity and revolutionary when accompanied by long-term reforms, this debt relief program is a major step toward more equitable education.

On Dec. 1, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments concerning President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, leaving millions of Americans anxiously awaiting a decision.

In August, the Biden Administration announced a three-part plan in hopes of alleviating the pain of high college tuition and making the student loan system more manageable for working families. The plan included up to $10,000 in debt cancellation to people making less than $125,000 and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients — a federal grant given to low-income undergraduate students.

As legal battles have progressed, the Biden Administration’s plan to reduce student debt has raised a multitude of questions surrounding the status of student debt in this country. While this plan would improve the living standards for more than 40 million Americans, according to the Biden Administration, it fails to target valuable resources toward the individuals in our country who need them the most and does not address the problem of student debt from its root.

One of the many concerns of the plan is that it does not benefit the people in the country who need it most. According to The Brookings Institution, almost a third of all student debt is owed by the wealthiest 20% of households and only 8% by the bottom 20%. A large share of student

debt is owned by educated, white, financially-secure students, meaning that broad debt relief policies like this one, although they may appear to be progressive, are not actually targeted at the people who really need support and resources. Compared to the current poverty line in the U.S., $70,000-a-year for three people in a household as reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the $125,000-a-year cap detailed in the plan is far too high and encompasses a large portion of individuals who do not truly need the resources provided by the plan.

Oftentimes, the individuals who are in need of the most resources in the country do not take out student loans to begin with, knowing they cannot pay them back. According to the Education Data Initiative, in 2022, 58.4% of student loans were taken out by middle-income students.

Looking at the financial positions of the majority of individuals taking out student loans, it is clear that Biden’s plan will not address the root factor that influences disadvantaged communities’ decisions to take or not take out loans: sky-high education costs. According to NPR, the plan is projected to cost $400 billion over the next 30 years, yet these resources fail to effectively address the problem of expensive education. Furthermore, the individuals most affected by these costs — those not taking out student loans because of their financial situation — will not receive any of the benefits that the plan would offer.

Though Biden’s plan has good intentions, it fails to make higher education more affordable and ensure that students do not end up in a position of needing their debt relieved in the first place. While this plan would improve the living standards of 40 million Americans, it is crucial to consider the financial positions of that group’s majority, and how many people who truly need support in the country are not included in it.

The Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plan, announced Aug. 24, was blocked by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in November after a group of states challenged its legality. On Dec. 1, the Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments for the case in February 2023. While the plan fails to address the root cause of student debt, it is necessary to support students until more long-term reforms are instated.

ART BY KATIE MCVEIGH

Anna Opalsky NEWS

Dixie Wallerius EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Billionaire wealth built on exploitation of the people

Martin Lee STAFF WRITER

Through its rose-colored glasses, America wrongfully sees billionaires as the heroes of capitalism, poster children of the United States and self-made geniuses. In reality, billionaires like Elon Musk and Sam Bankman-Fried are just crooks in disguise that steal from the average American. Society must face the reality that billionaires are not gods and symbols of hope that should be idolized, but rather thieves that should be shunned for stealing the jobs, right to work in a safe environment and money directly from the pockets of the average American.

When it comes to Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter and Tesla, and Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO and founder of FTX, mainstream media may as well be their public relations team. The New York Times celebrated Musk as a visionary who “makes innovative products that work well [and] delight customers…” while Forbes fawned over Bankman-Fried as the “do-gooder” of crypto world with a “Robin Hood-like philosophy” three months before FTX collapsed.

As a critic and obsessive user of

Twitter, Musk offered to buy the platform for a whopping $44 billion, thinking he could fix its “mistakes.” Though one would expect billionaires to be savvy investors making calculated decisions like a chess grandmaster, Musk is most definitely not. Not only did he spend $44 billion on a company only worth $13.316 billion, but Twitter had also been bleeding money for the past six years. Realizing his blunder too late, Musk tried pulling out of the deal, but Twitter threatened him with lawsuits to make sure Musk followed through with his promises.

It did not take long for the 15th most internationally used social network to descend into absolute anarchy. According to the Network Contagion Research Institute, an organization dedicated to identifying and forecasting cyber-social threats, within hours of Musk’s Twitter takeover, the usage of the n-word increased by 500%. As an attempt to recuperate from losing billions following the purchase of Twitter, Musk monetized verification on Twitter and fired nearly half of the staff. It did not take long for fake accounts imitating companies like insulin giant, Eli Lilly, to wreak havoc. One tweet from a verified account that looked like Eli Lilly’s real company account was all it took for the pharmaceutical giant to lose $15 billion in one day, scaring other pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer to stop advertising on Twitter.

One thing Musk excels at though, is creating terrible working conditions for his employees. Following investigations by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),

from 2014 to 2018, Tesla’s plant in Fremont, California, has racked up 54 OSHA violations — when a company or employee ignores safety hazards. In contrast, BMW, Ford and General Motors have a combined total of only 18 OSHA violations in the same time period.

Bankman-Fried is yet another example of fanatical belief in a tech guru gone wrong. For many, cryptocurrency is seen as the golden ticket out of a life of mediocrity. Countless rags to riches stories flood social media feeds, crazing over the insane investment returns on Bitcoin.

In 2018, Bankman-Fried, through his trading firm Alameda Research, made as much as $25 million a day by first buying Bitcoin in the U.S. and selling it in Japan where it was valued at 10% higher, according to Reuters. Using the funds he acquired from the trades, Bankman-Fried founded his cryptocurrency FTX in 2019, which quickly garnered the interest of investors. Countless investors believed FTX to be the next big thing. However, their hopes, dreams and savings had already dissipated by late 2019 when Bankman-Fried started secretly siphoning billions of dollars from his customers’ accounts to Alameda Research, who used the money to fund their own trading. Two years later, when it was uncovered that $451 million was withdrawn from FTX in one week alone, mass hysteria spread

amongst investors, causing a bank run when shareholders tried withdrawing their money all at once. Since Alameda Research had recklessly used their money, all transactions were frozen solid. At the end of the day, the biggest losers of the disaster were not the trading firms with hundreds of millions of dollars. Instead, it was the small, independent investors who trusted the company all just for Bankman-Fried to say, “I’m sorry, I should’ve been better.”

Billionaires do not accumulate net worths higher than the GDP of entire countries by doing a net good for society. These are individuals whose paychecks are based upon how many customers, workers and loopholes they can exploit. If America does not recognize that billionaires are the byproduct of a broken system immediately, the average American will suffocate under the weight of billionaires’ relentless

BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

Social media perpetuates harmful beauty standards

Love STAFF WRITER

A recent trend on many social media platforms involves content creators making videos of themselves unfiltered, looking less than desirable with their glasses on or acne visible, and then proceeding to show themselves all glammed up a second later with a full face of makeup.

On one influencer’s post who participated in this “glow-up” trend, a viewer sarcastically commented: “As someone with glasses and acne, this made me feel great! Thanks!!”

The comment portrays how many viewers feel when watching these videos: unworthy and not good enough. Through participating in trends such as these, social media influencers perpetuate the idea that individuals need to wear makeup to cover up anything that is not perfect.

While influencers may think that their actions have no impact on their viewers, in reality, the stark contrast

between their unembellished and beautified appearances on the screen promotes harmful societal expectations of how women should look. In fact, 88% of women compare themselves to what they see on social media, according to the therapy center Emotion Matters. While many women feel that they need to live up to what they see on social media, a person should not feel the need to replicate heavy makeup to have high self-esteem.

Social media that is angled toward western society perpetuates beauty stereotypes such as fuller lips and unblemished skin. Ads depicting “perfect color match” foundations that cover up imperfections make people — especially girls — believe that they need makeup to feel and be beautiful.

In fact, women who consistently wear heavy makeup see themselves differently with and without it on, according to an article in the peerreviewed scientific journal Plos One. The study, which focused on the effects of self-esteem and makeup usage, found that women perceived themselves as “more feminine, attractive, more satisfied with their appearance, and as having higher self-esteem” when they had makeup on.

While some may view this as a positive thing, which it is to a certain degree, wearing heavy makeup should not act as a solution to low self-esteem. Instead of having women and, more

disturbingly, young girls change their appearance in order to match beauty standards and feel better about themselves, society needs to accept that beauty has nothing to do with how much makeup someone wears.

It is not just the women wearing makeup who see themselves differently. An article on PsyPost, a psychology and research website, states that “the amount of makeup a woman wears can influence others’ perceptions of her.”

The effect makeup has over how someone is viewed by society can even lead to a “subtle form of dehumanization,” according to the article. When the participants of the study wewre given photos of women with heavy makeup, they reported that the subjects had “less humanness.”

When women choose to wear makeup, they are shunned by society for wearing too much makeup, but when they do not put on any, society does not find them attractive. No matter what women do with their makeup, they cannot win. The problem is not inherently with the makeup but instead with the standard set there for how women should look.

Young girls and women should not need to wear a full face of makeup to feel good about themselves. It is time that society learns to accept that there cannot be a “one size fits all” mentality for attractiveness and that heavy makeup would not be necessary if there were not unrealistic beauty standards.

Some celebrities, however, are intentionally choosing not to conform to societal beauty standards. Alicia Keys and Alessia Cara went to the Video Music Awards without makeup and Kim Kardashian went makeup-free at Paris Fashion Week.

Having celebrities embrace their natural beauty without makeup and limiting beauty transformation videos on social media could help women shake free from the beauty standards that confine them.

Despite what you may see online, it is perfectly acceptable to wear glasses or have acne: they do not make you any less beautiful.

Cass

ART

ART BY ADRIANA HAZLETT/FALCONER

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE MICHELE KIM

»Entertainment Editor Michele Kim shares her experience with over-apologizing and how she has found confidence and pride in who she is and who she has become.

Hi! Sorry, am I in the right place? No, sorry, it’s not Michelle, it’s Michele. M-I-C-H-E-L-E. Sorry to bother you but I…

“Sorry!”

… I used to apologize all the time.

Standing at five foot four with lanky limbs, an awkward stature and eyes constantly glued to the floor, I was far from the picture of confidence at the beginning of high school. My internal stiffness was reflected on the outside through how I acted and most importantly, how I spoke.

It was not always like this. When I was younger, I was a prolific public speaker, even giving a speech to the entire sixth grade when I was elected school president. However, it seemed my days of fearlessness halted in

middle school when I developed the habit of finding humor through selfdeprecating jokes.

“I hate myself,” I would often say jokingly. Or not? Externally, these jokes validated my deepest fears by turning them into what I thought were small, insignificant quips. I soon realized that the accumulation of so many negative words had a terrible impact on me — but it was too late.

All of my verbalized angst took a toll on my mental health and confidence, and soon, it showed through other aspects of my life too: over-apologizing.

Apologies can show empathy that we understand how the other person feels when we make a mistake that hurts them. At a certain point, though, apologies can go from a sign of empathy to a sign of sunken self-esteem. Constantly over-apologizing affects

one’s leadership and authority.

In fact, over-apologizing conditioned me into thinking that other people’s mistakes were my fault. I apologized because I thought I needed to back off, because I did not feel like I deserved to have a voice.

I did not even feel like I deserved to have my name spelled properly.

And so, stereotypically expected to be timid and unassertive, it was easy for me to spiral out of control with apologizing.

The thing is, at my core, I am anything but timid and unassertive.

I started small, cultivating my public speaking through activities I grew to love, like the Falconer and Speech and Debate.

More and more, I saw myself cutting out all those “um”s, “uh”s,”and definitely the “sorry”s. I began

carrying conversations and talking unapologetically.

Throughout my four years in high school, I learned how to use my words to boost my self-esteem instead of crushing it.

When I changed the way I spoke, I saw these changes manifested in myself. My newfound confidence allowed me to take on things that would have been impossible before. I also learned that other people’s mistakes were not my fault nor my responsibility.

Although the gradual building up of my decimated mental health and courage was not always perfect, I can audaciously say that I am proud of myself four years later.

By the way, my name is spelled M-IC-H-E-L-E.

Oh, and one more thing.

I’m not sorry.

GUEST EDITORIAL MIA CHEN

I never knew how to fold a paper airplane correctly. Every prototype I had ever created had either flopped or spiraled to the ground.

Ever since I can remember, I have always pondered the mystery of flight. Everytime I traveled, I would sit in the airport and watch planes takeoff. How can a colossal metal tube with wings fly? Since my mother is a flight attendant, when I was 12, I was granted the opportunity to talk to the captains and get a first-hand view of a Boeing 747 cockpit. Seeing hundreds of buttons, screens, panels and most importantly, the heavenly view at 40,000 feet, is what first sparked my interest in aviation.

I wanted to apply my passion for planes in everything I did. When I joined Science Olympiad in middle school, I participated in an event that focused on building gliders, which gave me a basic understanding of the physics behind how planes fly. Throughout high school I continued participating in hands-on building events, specifically in constructing aerial prototypes out of light balsa wood. I remember so vividly

the first time I successfully launched my plane and gazed at it as it circled the gym. That was when I knew I wanted to pursue aviation.

In my sophomore year of high school, I took a leap from making airplanes to actually flying one.

Fueled by my love for aeronautical sciences and aviation, I took an introductory flight: a short flight with a licensed flight instructor who introduced me to the basics of flying. I got into the small four-seater plane with the instructor in the co-pilot seat, my mother in the back and myself in the pilot-in-command seat. As soon as we finished pre-flighting, we lined up next to the runway for takeoff.

I felt the adrenaline pump through my entire body as I held onto the controls and realized that we were flying. As we breached the different layers of clouds, I felt a sense of bliss and peace, despite the fact that the engine was roaring. I loved every second of the flight, from take-off to landing and parking the plane away. This flight was the moment I realized I wanted to be a pilot.

I started my private pilot training

right after the introductory flight, at age 16 in my junior year. Around three to four times a week I would go to my flight school, Pinnacle Aviation Academy, and train at Palomar Airport. I would fly Cessna 152s, which are twoseater-propeller planes.

Controlling the plane at first was difficult as it was a new feeling I had never experienced before. Unlike a car, a plane has four forces acting on it: lift, weight, thrust and drag, which allow me to climb, descend, accelerate and decelerate. The learning process consisted of many hours of just flying from point A to point B and making sure I had full control of the plane.

As my training progressed, I moved on to learn how to perform emergency procedures in the cases of engine failures, engine fires, wing-tip fires and avionic (electrical) failures.

Throughout my training, I have experienced heavy turbulence and two avionic failures when I lost the ability to communicate with Air Traffic Control. None of these events have faltered my confidence or given me cold feet in becoming a pilot.

I have also flown many long-haul flights to San Bernardino and Long Beach that required days of preparation and flight planning. Before every long distance flight, it was crucial for me to map out the routes I would be flying, calculate the amount of fuel and oil needed, list the frequencies to put in my radio and read over weather forecasts.

Choosing the aviation route as my career, I knew it would be challenging to balance my flying with school, the countless risk factors I would face and the commitment it would take to achieve my license. What was once just a dream of becoming an airline pilot, is now a reality. At the age of 17, I am an official private pilot and I will continue capitalizing on the opportunity of being the youngest female pilot in my flight school.

Overall, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity of learning how to fly. Cruising around the world and chasing the horizon have been some of the most therapeutic experiences in my life. My training has taught me to be resilient against unforeseen obstacles, but to also look around and enjoy the view.

“So sorry I’m late!”

“I’m really sorry!”

PHOTO BY LOLA NEWLANDER/FALCONER

Senior Mia Chen shares her journey to becoming an official private pilot - from folding paper airplanes as a child to flying Cessna 152s.

»

PHOTO BY COLE FROST/FALCONER

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIA CHEN

STAFF EDITORIAL The UC system must address the needs of its graduate students

On Nov. 14, what The Guardian is now calling the largest strike of academic workers in U.S. history began across ten University of California (UC) campuses. Since then, postdoctoral scholars and academic student employees, including teaching assistants, graduate students and academic researchers, have formed picket lines — human boundaries of strikers poised at the entrances of UC campuses –– and marched on and around UC campuses.

It is clear what these impassioned students and researchers are crying for; their demands are fairly simple –– higher wages ($54,000 a year for graduate students and $70,000 for postdoctoral students), improved systems for child care, parental leave, transportation and healthcare.

With a workload so vast –– graduate students and academic workers being responsible for teaching classes, grading papers and conducting research –– these demands are entirely justified. This is what makes the current average wages of graduate students, $24,000 per year, so ridiculous. Factoring in the astronomical cost of living in UC cities, these low wages are quickly eaten away, forcing many students to work multiple jobs or sleep in their cars.

So it is with signage emphasizing that “living wages are a right not a privilege,” the strikers draw a distinct line: that a university cannot be worldclass if it fails to support its students. As the people who will go on to teach the next generation, the UC’s graduate students call foul.

These clear demands have indeed

found success, mainly in the form of a tentative agreement reached on Nov. 29 between the UC and the population of striking postdoctoral students and academic researchers, granting this population significantly higher wages.

However, to some employees of the UC system, the strikers’ demands seem to be irresponsible, dramatic and ultimately hasty oversights of the capabilities of the UC system.

This holds some truth, as the wages students are fighting for are steep, competing with or even surpassing some private universities and graduate student wage pacemakers like Stanford.

Though the UC board has remained resolute in its stance on not raising the wages of some 32,000 graduate students, something is inherently different in this November’s strike from previous graduate student outcries. No matter how much UC officials stamp their feet, a few things are almost ironically clear: by not supporting their students, the UC system is effectively preventing others from attending classes and completing midterms. Students are not in classrooms, midterms are being canceled and the future of UC class structures remains foggy.

Amid this chaos, The Falconer wonders what can actually change. High school students nationwide can attest to the insurmountable desire to apply to and attend one of the nine UC campuses, and it seems unlikely that a student accepted to one of these world-class universities would decline to attend based on the inequitable treatment of graduate students.

Moreover, concerns about the effects

FIGURES

of such drastic wage increases are pertinent to the eventual effectiveness of the strike. A number of faculty members bring up how the increase in graduate student pay would adversely affect them, as more than 60% of the striking workers’ salaries are paid primarily from the federal grants acquired by faculty, according to the L.A. Times. However, most faculty members who expose this problem instead pose other solutions, like lowered tuition costs or requesting larger federal grants from the government.

Still, even for a corporation-style university system like the UC with a monstrous multi-billion dollar budget, there is a surprising inability –– or perhaps indisposition –– to make changes in the way money is spent on their campuses.

But there is one unavoidable factor in these recent strikes: the enormous

scale and volume of them, 48,000 voices strong, challenging the UC system in its entirety. They are a necessary move on the part of UC students.

Perhaps the best option to ease the worries of faculty and struggling students is to stage a reset of the UC’s spending priorities. The shifting of funding from parts of the UC administration budget to the disadvantaged graduate students could provide a relatively easy form of aid.

It is steps like this strike, enacted by passionate students, that will allow the UC campuses to truly advance and continue to produce the research and students that are currently changing the world. It is becoming clear to onlookers, students and administration alike that the UC system can not and will not exist sustainably without the changes this strike is fighting for.

-TheFalconerStaff

ART BY TISYA NAIR

Falcons said they support the recent UC strikes.

of Falcons said the recent strikes have tarnished the reputation of the UC system.

ART BY CLAIRE HWA

Boys Don’t Cry

He might sit behind you in class. You’ve probably walked past him in the hallway. Maybe he’s your best friend. But how well do you really know him? He is the product of a society that sees emotion as weakness and traditional masculinity as strength. He hides behind novels and films that preach stoicism and indifference, bolstered by the “sigma male” and “GymTok” movements. From “Fight Club’’ to “American Psycho,” he finds comfort in hypermasculine characters that reinforce the age-old saying he has been taught to follow: boys don’t cry.

“Males have historically been stereotyped as being stoic and strong, therefore it is less acceptable for them to be emotional,” TPHS counselor Chanelle Lary said. “By masking [their feelings], there might be more of a need for positive mental health than they are aware of.”

According to the World Health Organization, one man dies from suicide every 14.4 minutes in the United States; men are 3.9 times more likely to die by suicide than women.

Men in the U.S. are disproportionately impacted by poor mental health; yet, the stigma surrounding male vulnerability persists.

One man trying to eliminate the stigma is Billy

Garton Jr., who founded the You Choose Movement, a program aimed at empowering young men with mental health struggles to retake control of their lives. Garton was motivated by his own experiences with depression as a professional soccer player in England.

“From the outside looking in, I was living my dream. But I was the most alone, sad and depressed I had ever been in my life,” Garton said, “I hit rock bottom.”

When he needed it the most, Garton reached out. He called the mental health hotline.

“I knew something had to change,” he said.

Rather than chasing his lifelong dream of professional soccer, Garton chose to return to the United States, where he embarked on a “five-year healing journey.”

Sadly, Garton’s story isn’t uncommon. Millions of men globally suffer from the same issues that prompted Garton to rethink his approach to his mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, 9% of all men in the U.S. struggle with diagnosed depression or anxiety.

Nonetheless, viral social media movements that promote hypermasculinity through physical strength and aggression, continue to ostracize males who seek support through therapy, while

celebrating those who may mask their feelings. According to Forbes Magazine, the sigma male trend limits masculine expression.

Beyond poor emotional habits, those trends

represent a direct link to the far more sinister incel community.

Involuntary celibates, or “incels,” seek revenge against society for the standards that deny them female attention, to which they feel entitled. They are responsible for numerous terrorist attacks over the past decade, primarily targeted at women. According to the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism, incel-related attacks in the U.S. and Canada have killed 40 to 50 people.

“Assault, murder, theft, abuse; the world is suffering at the hands of unhealed men,” Garton said.

Despite the persistence of negative stereotypes surrounding men seeking mental health treatment, movements to destigmatize anxiety and depression have gradually gained mass support.

“In this day and age, there is a larger awareness of mental health,” Lary said. “If you’re better able to gauge how you’re feeling, then you are better able to manage your emotions.”

To that end, the TPHS Peer Assistant Listeners organizes Red Ribbon Week and Yellow Ribbon Week to spread awareness and resources regarding anxiety, depression and suicide. PALs puts on Welcome Wednesdays, Challenge Days and Stress Less Weeks – school bonding activities meant to establish a support system for students.

“What we’re trying to do at PALs is ... make sure people don’t feel alone,” PALs President Lindsay Van Winkle said.

However, the issues surrounding men’s mental health are institutional. Well-intentioned, seminars and conferences will not alone bring about the change necessary to alter the way male emotions are perceived.

“Obviously we know our events won’t change everything,” Van Winkle said, “There’s still a lot more work to do.”

Ron Tal (12) agrees. As an AP student, member of the TP Academic Team and TPPlayers, Tal is no stranger to academic pressure. Like countless others, he struggled with poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Guys should feel more comfortable with their feelings and expressing those feelings with others,” Tal said, “We can’t stay stone-faced all the time.”

As younger generations start families of their own, maybe it’s time we stopped expecting men to remain “stone-faced.” No more “suck it up.” No more “be a man.” Maybe it’s time we see that men can express their emotions just the same as women do. Maybe it’s time we acknowledge that boys do cry. And that is okay.

by Cole Frost and Sophia Gorba

Guys should feel more comfortable with their feelings... We can’t stay stone-faced all the time.”

Ron Tal (12) STUDENT

nice to meet you. nice to meet you.

Daffodils for Disability

Just as the yellow trumpets begin to emerge from the burgeoning greens, so has the Daffodils for Disabilities club blossomed into a supportive community for students enrolled in the TPHS Special Education Department.

The club’s founder, Aleyna Laba (12), had the idea at the start of the school year to alleviate prejudices that students with disabilities face on campus. She witnessed first-handed this discrimination, growing up with her father, who sustained a spinal cord injury.

“I have seen the prejudices people with disabilities face through my family,” Laba said. “I knew that was an issue within my school and community that I could try and solve.”

Each month, the club members volunteer with different organizations focused on special education while cultivating a close-knit group on campus with these students. During a club meeting in October, the club spent time with students in the program. The lunch period was spent playing board games, working on classwork and forming connections in a “judgment free-zone.”

“Befriending the students who have learning disabilities and getting to know them on a level that goes beyond their learning differences is what [makes the club] so valuable,” Laba said.

The club collaborates with other nonprofits like Hope for the Warriors and Easterseals. Through activities like creating uplifting cards, they aim to support children and adults with disabilities.

Many students have joined Daffodils for Disabilities after being drawn to the club’s involvement in an underrepresented community on campus.

“I wanted to make a

difference in my community and do something where I can help other people with disabilities,” Alisha Patel (11) said.

Patel’s goal has motivated her to encourage other students to treat their peers respectfully to break down barriers to a more inclusive student body.

Just as the full-bloomed yellow trumpets dance happily in the wind, the Daffodils of Disabilities club will continue to spread compassion and bring awareness to the Special Education Department at TPHS.

want to be inclusive, have fun with each other and make new friends,” the club’s secretary, Mikalah Hanna (12), said.

The club’s inclusivity attracts participation from the TPHS student body.

“I have only been part of the club since the end of last year, and there is already so much inclusivity,” Aleyna Laba (12), the club’s vice president, said. “People tell their friends about our meetings, and they end up coming back again.”

Anahi Lazaro (9), a student in the special education program, joined Best Buddies this fall.

“[I joined Best Buddies] to become friends with others and meet new people,” Lazaro said.

The time spent in the Best Buddies program builds memories and close friends. For that reason, Best Buddies hopes to have a greater presence on campus.

“I want to spread the word of the club to get as many members as possible that are willing to show support,” Laba said.

(12) STUDENT

Best Buddies

Upon entering Room 13 or 14 on Tuesday during lunch, students spend time dancing together while others watch movies, marking the beginning of new friendships and connections.

Best Buddies is a club that works to provide these memorable moments. The organization pledges to build one-on-one relationships with students with developmental disabilities.

The TPHS club branch shares this philosophy. At the beginning of each meeting, members pair up with students from the Special Education Department. After a series of icebreakers, they engage in multiple community activities.

“I enjoy the love and sense of support that there is. We all

In a bustling classroom where friendships last, Best Buddies promotes inclusivity and provides a safe space for a variety of individuals.

COAST

Many students at TPHS have post-graduation plans of going to college, taking a gap year or backpacking through Europe, but these plans may look different for students in the special education department.

Community Opportunities for Adult Students in Transition is an initiative within SDUHSD that provides a further level of education for these students.

MaryJeanette Lindebak, a special education

I enjoy the love and sense of support there is. We all want to be inclusive, have fun with each other and make new friends.

Mikalah Hanna

This month, The Falconer takes a look at a couple TPHS programs that merge the general and special education programs on campus –– Daffodils for Disability, Best Buddies, COAST and Sparkle.

MaryJeanette Lindebak, a special education teacher at TPHS, can date her time teaching young adults back to 2001, when she helped found COAST.

“The program is for students who still need support and probably will never have a full time job or be able to go to college,” Lindebak said.

COAST provides students from ages 18 to 22 the essentials of a college-level education for free. Funded directly through SDUHSD, the program is a popular option for students. There are currently 45 students enrolled at COAST, gaining about 12 new students each year from both TPHS and LCC.

“You could say about 95% of students [from TPHS] decide to go to COAST after their senior year. This year, there’s 46 kids in the program, so it’s quite a few students that should be going,” Lindebak said.

Students at COAST are offered the chance to hone the skills necessary for living more independently after high school.

“[COAST’s] agency might ask: what job skills are [our students] going to be able to do? From that, they work with the parents and students on what the best fit for that student is,” Lindebak said. “Maybe there’s a local volunteer placement for them. Or maybe they could take on a more mobile, hands-on job that fits their needs.”

After two decades of the program’s existence and five years retiring from her position as an on-site teacher, Lindebak reminisces warmly on her time at COAST.

“I got to start the program and I taught there for 16 years. I absolutely loved that program and everything that it stood for,” Lindebak said.

Sparkle

The TPHS Sparkle program gives all students a chance to shine. As an all-inclusive cheer team on campus, Sparkle works closely with the TPHS cheer team to promote inclusivity and kindness.

At Sparkle meetings, attendees build relationships and make

memories. Each member of the cheer team is paired up with a special education student as each other’s “buddies.” Together, they practice cheers and chants that are performed at pep rallies and sports performances.

The buddy system gives general education and special education students a chance to form relationships that would have otherwise been lost. For Farhan Labbafi (11), a student in the TPHS Special Education Department, Sparkle gives him an opportunity to connect with his peers.

“My favorite part [about having a buddy] is being able to hang out during lunch,” Labbafi said.

To Indie Fraser (12), president of the Sparkle Program, these connections are the secret to the Sparkle Program’s shine.

“You’re with that [same] buddy for the whole year so [you can] really form a bond with them,” Fraser said.

At the meetings, special education students are given the opportunity to showcase their dance moves.

“We form a circle around them and cheer them on,” Fraser said.

The buddies in the program often practice for weeks before a performance, so they can perfect the choreography for their big debuts.

The Sparkle Program hopes to perform at girls basketball games and the Spring Sports Pep Rally.

In the past, Sparkle has taken their performances off campus to Miracle League, which is a non-profit that provides children with special

needs a chance to play baseball in an organized league. This allows students in the special education program to be mainstreamed into general education programs and activities.

“I get to create memories throughout high school.” Labbaffi said.

Through Sparkle, all students can make meaningful memories, cheering, laughing and dancing together. by Jerry Wu, Liv Weaver and Ellie Koff

Jessica Huntsberger TEACHER F E ATURE: Jessica Huntsberger TEACHER F E ATURE:

Before the morning bell rings, students can be found milling around the language building, chatting as they follow the sweet scent of fresh crepes to Room 302. Escaping the morning chill, they step inside the class and are immediately greeted with a warm smile and an animated ‘Bonjour!’ The room emulates coziness; decorated with vibrant art, handwritten notes, cultural knick knacks and twinkle lights. Here, one cannot help but feel at home. However, this feeling would be utterly incomplete without the heart and dedication of the room’s caretaker — Jessica Huntsberger.

Huntsberger has been teaching French for 14 years, but as a student taking French classes, she never imagined that it could be her future career. However, fate took its course, and after years of other jobs and ventures across the globe like living in Brazil, Huntsberger found her true calling. And thank goodness she did.

Huntsberger definitely has a large fan base on campus.

“Ms. Huntsberger has an incredibly good heart,” Principal Rob Coppo said. “She teaches for exactly all of the right reasons.”

Huntsberger has created diverse communities of acceptance in countless corners of campus. She advises a plethora of clubs, from The Frenchies, to Wellness Club and Chess Club. She also coaches the TPHS Varsity Academic Team, providing her unbridled support, even willing to suffer through immense agony every time the team answers a French spelling question incorrectly. No matter what role she is taking on, Huntsberger pours her heart into it.

“Ms. Huntsberger brings passion into everything she does, and makes you love what you are doing too,” long-time Academic Team member and Chess Club President Ron Tal (12) said.

With an open and positive mindset, Huntsberger brightens the lives of everyone she knows.

“Ms. Huntsberger has a great energy and is so upbeat,” Colin Cornforth, history teacher, said.

Students of

Huntsberger learn much more from her class than grammar or what French pastries are the tastiest. Huntsberger instills important values in her students like empathy and how to build long lasting relationships.

“I hope if my students take anything away from my class it is that people come first,” Huntsberger said. “Before we can be scholars, we have to be good humans.”

Students also cherish Huntsberger for her genuine desire to get to know them beyond the classroom. She remembers little things like a dog’s name, birthdays and embarrassing moments too.

Huntsberger is the kind of person that is there for people in every walk of life. When you get into your dream college, she is your biggest cheerleader. If you are struggling with something, she is the first to offer a tissue and a shoulder to cry on. She has a magical sense of intuition of knowing when something is wrong.

“She

always somehow knows if I am having a bad day and will drop off a spontaneous coffee or come up with something fun to do,” longtime friend and history teacher Lisa Tellers said.

Even in her curriculum, Huntsberger takes into account the struggles students may be facing. Huntsberger has introduced

Ron Tal (12) STUDENT

something she calls ‘The Wellness Circle,’ a monthly activity through which her students have the opportunity to share anything anonymously.

Julia Hicks (11), French student and president of The Frenchies club, loves the Wellness Circle because of the way it brings her closer to both her classmates and Huntsberger.

“I think everyone in her class feels a deep connection with her and each other,” Hicks said.

It is undoubtable that Huntsberger has had a profound impact on people all over TPHS. However, through helping others discover their path in life, she has also found hers.

“In college I learned about the Japanese concept of Omoi. It is the intersection between what you are good at, what you can provide and what you need,” Huntsberger said. “My Omoi is creating a sense of belonging, only not just for others, but also for myself.”

At TPHS, Huntsberger has uncovered her Omoi: her fate, destiny and true meaning.

by Natalia Mochernak

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by Adriana Hazlett

20 22 20 22

Gemini Rights

Gemini Rights

by Steve Lacy

by Steve Lacy

Steve Lacy’s sophomore studio album is a melodic bouncy castle of R&B, funk and rock. Through frank, candid lyrics, Lacy’s buttery voice delivered some of the catchiest tunes of the year. The inescapability of “Bad Habit” is definitely a testament to that.

Midnights

by Taylor Swift

Midnights by Taylor Swift

Entering yet another era this year, Taylor Swift dropped “Midnights,” an airy, mellow pop collection underlined with a synth sound. Like being swathed in subdued jewel tones and hazy sunlight, “Midnights” lyrically captures Swift’s late-night musings and reflections.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

By Kendrick Lamar

By Kendrick Lamar

Heavy with passion, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” is Kendrick Lamar’s first album in five years. With dense verses, precariouslystacked rhythms and relentless flows, Lamar returned to what he does best: unloading his conscience in a sometimes-jarring, alwayspowerful way.

OF THE YEAR

Dancers line the walls of the dance room in support of their friends and fellow performers, waiting for the Expression Session to begin. Although nerves are running high on the night of the big show, so are their spirits. Everyone puts on their best performances, for the weeks and months of their efforts are coming to a close. As the curtains open, they hope that the show will be one no one will forget.

The Expression Session kicked off with a mellow rock song, “The Learning Ground,” presented by the fifth-period Advanced Dance class. The dancers moved in perfect sync, and you could feel the song’s steady rhythm in the way each beat and note was met with a move of equal force.

A shift in tone, “Barbs,” was performed by the Varsity Small Hip Hop Competition Team with flashy lighting to reflect the high energy and excitement of the song. The dancers followed suit, each and every move backed with clear intent and power, expressing the heavily percussion-based nature of the song.

Riley Testa (12) performed the first solo of the night to “Where the Wild Things,” which she choreographed herself. Testa’s precision and technical mastery were apparent, dazzling the audience with impressive jumps and turns. Many of the movements were focused on leg and footwork, displaying great flexibility and fluidity.

Regan Guirguis (12) and Libby Bezdek’s (12) vocal rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was as comedic as the vocals were astounding. The natural chemistry was apparent in the playful back-andforth banter between them, and the beautiful harmonies made it enjoyable to watch and listen to.

Caitlyn Van Hoose (9) began her solo, “Harmless Monster,” by unrolling herself from a blue, satin cloth from stage left. The way she contorted her body seemed impressively inhuman, fitting the theme of the song. It ended with her returning to the cloth, reflecting how monsters traditionally appear at night and vanish by day.

To conclude the first act, the Medium Varsity Contemporary Competition Team performed “Dark Waltz,” which left me completely enamored with how the pitch-black dresses and deep, dark-blue lighting made them appear almost as silhouettes.

The heavily story-based “Parameter,” performed by the Varsity X-Small Contemporary Competition Team, stood out to me the most. A sense of paranoia was created by a scene of dancers in black lurking in the shadows as a solo girl in white fearfully swiveled her head around, wary of her surroundings but without a subject to pinpoint her worries on.

Overall, all the dance teams nailed their performances, putting the mastery of their art on display refined through hours of preparation and training. The wide variety of styles of dance made

it so that there was something interesting for everyone to watch, and the talent of each dancer shone clear and bright under the lights of the stage.

by Eric Lee

A work of art is truly successful when the viewer can see a piece of themselves in it. “Our Town,” a quintessential American play about love and loss, masters this mirror-like effect perfectly, describing a town so universal, so relatable, that any viewer could imagine his, her, or their own town in its place. TPPlayers’ performance of this iconic play was no different –leading the audience to reflect on their own homes and the people close to them. With its raw acting and touching message, “Our Town” was one of their most impactful productions yet.

“Our Town” is a play about the fictional town of Grover’s Corners and the deeply-connected lives of the people living in it. The story mostly follows the relationship between George Gibbs, (Jack Renda [10]) and Emily Webb, (Ryen Mortimer [11]). As the story progressed, the audience watched as the two formed a budding friendship in their youth, to their wedding day and eventually to Emily’s death in the final act. Though the first two acts are slow-paced, the wait is worth it when the story culminates in a heartwrenching message as Emily reflects on her life and all she should have appreciated from beyond the grave.

On the surface, the

play’s production appeared very minimal. The scenes were bare, with few props — only a few tables and chairs sprawled across the stage — and there was very little sound. The understated quality even carried over into costume design. Matt Lee (12), the costume designer, assembled a simple yet impactful wardrobe, with the outfits having a classic American feel. This bareness was oddly fitting for the play’s character-led plot; it allowed the audience to focus on the characters’ development and interconnecting relationships. “Our Town” is not flashy; it is unassuming and raw in its presentation. It is a play for theater lovers, for those who appreciate the mastery of simple storytelling without extra embellishments.

The production’s minimalistic approach was complimented by the immense presence of the cast. Each actor perfectly fit their respective role, truly embodying the people they played as their mannerisms and demeanors melted into those of their characters. Libby Bezdek (12), who played Mrs. Gibbs, had an especially inspired performance; the audience was alive with laughter at her comedic lines and hushed at tender moments between her and her daughter, Emily.

“Our Town” is a play about people and their lives. It exposes the human experience of failing to appreciate the world around you while you have the chance. As a sparse crowd watched characters that regretted not valuing the beauty before them, an eerie parallel hung in the air. Just as Emily did not cherish her life, the appreciation for theater is dwindling. When this art form has such a capacity to make one feel so much — to see a snippet of their life captured on stage, even if for a moment — it is a pity more do not appreciate it. Productions like “Our Town” from TPPlayers certainly accomplish this pivotal ability of theater. Even if it was for an intimate crowd, they created magic on stage with this performance.

by Kathryn Reese

photos by cole frost/falconer

photos by anna opalsky/falconer

December Nights, Balboa Park

Made up of a seemingly-endless array of entertainment, food and holiday finery, Balboa Park’s December Nights is an exciting, dazzling experience.

The event spanned over Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3, lasting for almost the entirety of the two days. It consisted of vendors selling everything from Filipino shortbread cookies to charms for Crocs, a multitude of performances on four separate stages throughout the park and a festive spattering of holiday decorations, most notable of which was the giant Christmas tree bedecked in red and gold lights on the Organ Pavilion Stage.

On said stage, there were 16 performances throughout the two days. The first one I saw was Naruwan Taiko, a group that performs choreographed pieces to Japanese taiko drums. Bathed in orange and yellow light, the crowd watched as they beat their drums, sometimes softly and other times violently, all while simultaneously executing synchronized body movements. I thoroughly enjoyed Naruwan Taiko, especially because I had never heard of taiko before. After that, the House of Scotland Pipe Band took the stage, and donning Santa hats, played Christmas music in the twangy, humming tune of bagpipes. It was very enjoyable to hear traditional Christmas songs in a new, original way. As the pipe band marched off stage, the Ballet Folklorico El Tapatio de San Dieguito dance ensemble twirled on, where they began to perform beautiful Mexican folk dances. Most eye-catching were the dancers’ stunning, multicolored costumes that were entertainment in and of themselves as the performers spun and swirled them around.

And if even those performances were not varied enough, the smaller Gator by the Bay stage on the other end of the park hosted its own mini “Louisiana food and music festival,” as the large banner above the stage dubbed it. The upbeat country music spilling out onto the street pulled me toward this stage, where the Back Pocket Whiskey Fellas, with an instrument line up of the

91% 8% 1% 1%

fiddle, banjo, guitar and accordion, were playing. Their music was especially high-spirited and fun, with people (including myself) dancing, swaying and clapping along.

From the sounds of Louisiana to the smells of the globe. As I migrated toward Balboa Park’s international cottages, the scents of native foods from India, Mexico, Germany, Iran, Korea and more greeted me. For each country, there were small vendor tables laden with food, and in passing, I heard more than one person remark on how delicious it was. The very long lines were also a testament to that.

by Adriana Hazlett

Falconer Presents... Falconer Presents...

Las Posadas, Old Town

A chilly night could not dull the high spirits and glowing hearts of the mass of people who gathered around Old Town’s Heritage County Park on Dec. 9, 2022. Friends and families came together for Old Town’s 64th annual celebration of a centuries-old Mexican Catholic tradition — Las Posadas or “The Inns.”

Traditionally celebrated over nine nights, from Dec. 16 to Dec. 24, Las Posadas commemorates Joseph and Mary’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of shelter in different inns where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus.

Though not on the exact dates, Old Town’s rendition of Las Posadas does not stray far from the traditional. Just like in cities all over Mexico, volunteers dressed up as the characters of this Biblical story: angels, shepherds, innkeepers, the Three Wise Men and Mary and Joseph themselves. In Old Town’s Las Posadas, astride a real donkey, Mary and Joseph’s journey brought them to six different stations. Though the park itself was completely dark, Mary was illuminated atop her donkey by candles that were given to participants at the beginning of the event, adding an ethereal-like quality to the moment.

Once Mary and Joseph arrived at each station, volunteers as well as participants engaged in call-and-response verses. Most magical of all though, was the continual singing of “Pidiendo Posada,” a traditional song of Las Posadas. The singers’ light and breathy harmony filled the park, touching the hearts of listeners and bringing tears to many eyes. Even those who could not understand the Spanish lyrics still sensed the genuine emotion of the ballad.

The adventure ended with one last verse, the moment where Mary and Joseph are finally offered shelter by a generous innkeeper. “Enter, holy pilgrims, receive this corner, for though this dwelling is poor, I offer it with all my heart.”

Whether you are Catholic, of a different religion or are not religious at all, this verse contains a message for everyone: the greatest gift you can give is to

be compassionate and a willingness to help those in need.

To wrap up the celebration, attendees headed back to the Mormon Battalion Historic Site for customary Las Posadas refreshments like tamales, pozole and ponche. In the spirit of giving, guests were also offered the opportunity to participate in a service project sorting and packaging donated items for the food bank at the Old Town Community Church.

Las Posadas is an evocative, truly beautiful celebration of love and kindness that everyone should witness at least once in their life, whether in Mexico or at Old Town’s annual celebration.

by Natalia Mochernak

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

PHOTO BY NATALIA MOCHERNAK/FALCONER

Filipino Lantern Festival, Southeast San Diego

I was not expecting much upon entering the Educational Cultural Complex’s industrial-gray brick walls, but I was pleasantly surprised by an extravagant array of colorful neon parol lanterns, welcoming vendors and warm smiles at PASACAT’s 26th Annual Parol Lantern Festival.

The Philippine Performing Arts Company’s mission, according to its website, is “to preserve and promote Asian Pacific culture through the arts.” This motto summarized my experience in no better words.

Although I have never been to the Philippines, the little packages of snacks and candies inside of Nanay Puring’s Sari-Sari Store, one of the vendors, evoked an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and reminded me of my childhood living in Southeast Asia.

Another vendor hung up hysterical parodies of commercial brands with a Filipino twist. I broke out in laughter when I saw a hoodie with the huge letters “Adobo” instead of the brand name “Adidas.”

Undoubtedly, though, the star of the show (pun intended) was the parol lantern-making workshop.

A parol is a star-shaped Filipino ornamental lantern, traditionally made with bamboo and colored plastic film. They are symbols of goodwill and hope that are usually hung up on door frames and apartment roofs during the fourmonth-long Christmas season in the Philippines.

A workshop instructor led me to a table surrounded by a plethora of parols of different shapes, sizes and colors. Standing nearby was a wholesome group of laughing families brought together by a common culture.

My mind was immediately set on one goal: to make the best lantern at the whole event.

As determined as I was, I soon realized that I had completely underestimated the difficulty of making these lanterns. My hands fumbled with the straws and I lost hold of the pipe cleaners again and again. After many frustrating

attempts at making a somewhat-decent parol, I convinced myself it was time to move on.

Overall, the parol lantern-making workshop was a humbling experience, but it is nice to have an odd-looking but genuinely homemade parol on top of your Christmas tree at the end of the day, is it not?

All in all, I am grateful for PASACAT’s promotion of the Asian Pacific culture, and I have never felt so welcomed and acknowledged in such a wholesome environment. Parol in hand, I exited the event gleaming with pride and joy. Thank you, PASACAT, for bringing back what I thought was long gone: the warm, comforting feeling of being home.

by Joy Ma

...A Worldly Winter ...A Worldly Winter

Christmas Hannukah Kwanzaa Russian New Year

Falcons' #1 favorite winter beverage is hot chocolate...

Most Celebrated Holidays at TPHS*

... followed by #2 sugar cookies and #3 mashed potatoes.

Falcons love spending their winter most by watching holiday movies.

PHOTO BY ANNA OPALSKY/FALCONER

Master of Her Craft

STAFF WRITERS

Aside from academics, to say that athletics are the heart of TPHS culture would not be far from the truth. At the center of it all, athletic trainer Zayna Green is the support that studentathletes rely on for physical therapy, first aid, emergency care and injury evaluation. Since joining the TPHS community in November 2021 as the official athletic trainer, studentathletes have already accepted her not only as a trainer, but also as a friend and role model.

Raised in a family rooted deeply in sports like soccer, swimming, volleyball and basketball, Green’s rich background in sports motivated her to pursue a career in athletic training. She was further encouraged after seeing her high school friends suffer from torn ACLs.

Initially, Green had her eyes set on a career in physical therapy, but after seeing her friends get injured, she realized that her place was on the court and field, amidst the organized chaos of the game. With the inspiration of her high school athletic trainers, she saw that athletic training was a good balance that satisfied her talents, passions and desire for a job in health care.

“I had two really good athletic trainers at my school,” Green said. “I had normal injuries and didn’t have anything too crazy, but by just being around the environment, I got to a point where it became hard to leave, and I knew at that point I wanted to do something in health care.”

Green attended San Diego State University, where she got her bachelor’s degree in athletic training. Then she earned her master’s degree in sports and exercise physiology from the A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

During college, Green interned for FC Tucson, a minor league soccer team. She later transitioned to full time employment with the team, as she took on a larger role that entailed more responsibilities. Her next job was with the Army Navy Academy in Carlsbad, her first job at a high school.

TPHS officially hired Green in November of last year as an interim athletic trainer. She did not hesitate to take the opportunity as she knew that her home was in San Diego and that she wanted to work at a larger school.

“Genuinely, there is nothing like TPHS, especially in Southern California. To have so many different teams that have a history of being successful and value getting better,”

Green said. “A lot of [our athletes] want to play in college, so it is really nice working with high school athletes who want to work hard and get better.”

There are five pillars of athletic training that Green practices: physical therapy, first aid, administrative work, emergency care and injury evaluation. Not only does Green provide students with physical care, but she is also seen as a trusted adult on campus, according to TPHS soccer player Natalie Chrismore (12).

“She is someone that always knows when to crack a joke and exactly what to say. [She’s also] able to help a lot of athletes not just physically, but also emotionally and has been there for a lot of different people through a lot of different issues,” Christmore said. “She’s contributed heavily to our sports medicine program and our TP pledge.”

TPHS ASB runs an internship program that started last winter called Torrey Pines Sports Medicine. While options on campus for students who are interested in healthncare are limited, the program offers students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, like CPR and first aid training.

“When Zayna came in, my friend Reese Peterson started the internship program, and I came in and talked to Zayna and joined in on the program,” Alexis De Fina (11) said.

From her prior job where she oversaw the internship programs, Green gained the crucial experience to help lay the foundations of the athletic training program at TPHS. As a result, Green has created a truly unique environment rich with medical learning opportunities that are not available in classes like anatomy and physiology.

“I like the experience, you get to see so many different sports and athletes, and so there are a lot of different injuries. I get to see so many things that I would otherwise have no opportunity to see in the classroom,” De Fina said.

Though her time at TPHS has just started, Green has already cemented herself as an integral part of the school community. After years of temporary athletic trainers switching in and out, student-athletes are more than happy that she is here to stay.

It’s finally that time of year again. And no, we’re not talking about the holidays. For the Falconer Sports editors and avid football fans alike, December means one thing: NFL playoff predictions.

While most are hanging Christmas lights, we break down the statistics to deliver our top three playoff locks, fringe teams and sleepers.

Slotting in at our number one spot, the Philadelphia Eagles have soared past the competition to cement themselves as a sure-fire title contender. With quarterback Jalen Hurts playing at an MVP level and an offensive line that might just be the best in the league, these guys are the real deal.

The Kansas City Chiefs snag the second guaranteed slot. This team lives and dies by Patrick Mahomes; if he maintains this level of play over the next few weeks, the Chiefs have virtually no ceiling.

Finishing off the category, the Buffalo Bills look to make it all the way this year. With Josh Allen at the helm of a highly dynamic offense, anything is possible.

Opening up the fringe category, the San Francisco 49ers rise above the competition. Despite some inconsistencies in play and performance, third-string quarterback Brock Purdy is putting on a show – and we love a good underdog story.

Next up, the Seattle Seahawks make an interesting case. With quarterback Geno Smith as the projected Comeback Player of the Year, this team has more than enough talent and depth to make it.

Wrapping up the fringe category, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to top the highly mediocre NFC South. After an embarrassing loss to the aforementioned 49ers, we’re not sold on Tom Brady’s Bucs. Don’t be surprised if this team drops out of the picture come January.

Opening the sleeper category, the Jacksonville Jaguars may have the spark. With quarterback Trevor Lawrence looking like a future superstar, this team can only go up.

The Chargers are yet another team to look keep an eye on. With a relatively easy schedule and strong momentum, they could sneak in.

Last but not least, the Panthers could make an admittedly unlikely playoff run. The route to the playoffs will not be easy, but with quarterback Sam Darnold playing at a relatively high level, this team’s momentum and grit might just push them into the postseason.

Cole Frost SPORTS EDITOR

STRICTLY BUSINESS: Trainer Zayna Green watches from the sideline as the boys soccer team takes on St. Augustine High School. There were no injuries in the contest.

TPHS recently hired Zayna Green as Athletic Trainer. Already, she is proving herself to be a valuable asset on and off the field.

Makaylah Gerling and Martin Lee

It is 3:31 p.m. at 15th Street in Del Mar. The sky is a blanket of pristine blue. The sun continues its celestial tumble toward the horizon, extending tendrils of gold through whispery clouds. Sandpipers curiously wander along the wet sand. A seagull playfully swoops and spirals overhead.

The ocean seems to be content today. Its rhythmic breathing is slow and measured. Waves spread themselves thin with a gentle hiss before being pulled back in by the steady inhalation of the sea.

The dynamics of this ever-changing environment are fascinating and awe-inspiring for the spectator watching from the shore.

But it is just another day in the life of the TPHS Surf Team. This environment is a part of its soul.

“It’s mostly just peace,” Jorge Acevedo (11), who started surfing when he was six years old and has been a member of the team since his sophomore year, said.

“For me, [the ocean] is a place where I can go and think as well as have fun. It’s my happy place, you know?”

The other members of the team certainly do know. To them, surfing and the ocean are integral parts of their lives that affect their mood, attitude toward life and response to stress.

“I feel like surfing is definitely an essential part of my day, and if I don’t surf during the week, I get more stressed out,” Claire Conover (12), the captain of the girls surf team, said. “School is stressful, and everyone has lots of things to do, but taking a little time to do some physical exercise and spend some time in the water is always really helpful.”

For many members of the team, the ocean is a refuge of sorts. It is a place where they can tune into the frequencies of their own thoughts without the static interference of the outside world.

“You feel disconnected from what’s on land but reconnected to your own thoughts,” 5-year surf team coach and adviser, Austin Wade, said. “There’s less noise. It cleans the soul out a little bit. You always feel better after getting into the ocean, whether it be physically if you had a good exercise, or mentally if you were able to think without the outside noise.”

The team meets once a week at 15th Street, at 3:30 p.m. on Staff Collaboration Wednesdays or at 6:30 a.m. on Student Connection Wednesdays, and is composed of three parts: a recreational club that anyone can join and the boys and girls teams for more advanced surfers, who compete in five competitions a year against local high schools.

But at its core, the team is just a group of local kids who truly love to surf, and even more so when they are with each other.

“It’s a bunch of buddies just having a good time and hanging out,” David Velasco (12), a captain of the boys

team and a member since his freshman year, said.

The welcoming environment of the ocean in which the team so often immerses itself is reflected in the way they interact with each other. The spirit of the ocean is shared by all of them.

“[The team] is very chill and not super judgemental,” Conover said. “Everyone’s there to have a good time and get better. If I mess up, it’s okay, I just get back on the wave and try again. I definitely love that environment.”

Or, to put it in Wade’s terms: “everyone seems to just enjoy the excuse to go surfing once a week.”

For Acevedo, the team provided him with a home away from home.

Growing up in Rosarito, a coastal town in Baja California, Acevedo was constantly around the beach. After joining his cousins at a surf camp they were attending, he “ended up just falling in love with surfing.”

After moving to San Diego a couple years ago, Acevedo said he missed his surf friends in Mexico. But the surf team welcomed him in, helping him bridge his past and present life through his eternal love for surfing.

“It was pretty great because a lot of the kids at the surf team introduced me to so many more spots and just showed me a new perspective to surfing as well as competing,” Acevedo said. “There are times when it’s better to be alone when you just want to chill, but it’s definitely super fun to surf with friends.”

That is what the surf team is all about: connecting people through their shared love of the ocean and surfing, washing away all barriers between them until only pure passion and kindness is left.

The surf team is different from any other sports team at TPHS. It is not as intensely competitive, and is not excessively publicized to the student body.

That is exactly how they like it.

“It’s not a traditional sport,” Wade said. “We have so many amazing athletes at Torrey Pines and so many amazing programs. But the surf team just gets to function on another level and it’s not so serious; it’s more relaxed.”

The team also welcomes anyone who is interested in surfing, no matter their skill level. They are just cool like that.

“It’s for all levels,” Conover said.

“You don’t need to be a really good surfer to join. You just need to be interested in getting better.” Wade echoed this.

“We take anybody and everybody as long as you have your own surfboard and wetsuit to push in waves,” Wade said.

For the surf team, that is all that matters.

The salty sting in the air. The sun’s gentle caress. The blanket of blue above them, and the one stretching endlessly before them.

byRamiKabakibi

DAY IN THE LIFE SURF Team SURF Team

PHOTO BY COLE FROST/FALCONER

Qatar’s human rights abuses cannot be ignored

Elsa Goodman STAFF WRITER

The 2022 World Cup is in full swing, and the world is flaring over the human rights abuses that underlie this year’s tournament in Qatar.

Qatar’s track record with women’s and LGBTQ+ rights has not been admirable; homophobia and misogyny are recurrent within the country. The World Cup should not have been held there.

As soon as the first whistle blew on Sunday, Nov. 20 in the first game between Qatar and Ecuador, a facade masked certain Qatari laws in an exceedingly patriarchal system. As reported by United Press International, women living in the country must procure a male guardian’s permission to marry, study, drive and travel. Moreover, women’s application for divorce is restricted as wives are expected to obey their husbands and prioritize homemaking; men can file for unquestioned divorce. Domestic violence and rape are not criminalized, and reporting abuse is often frowned upon, according to United Press International. Additionally, sign-off from male guardians is needed on some reproductive health care needs.

Homosexuality is also criminalized in Qatar; any LGBTQ+ person may be

fined, sentenced to prison up to seven years, or worse, be sentenced to death.

According to the Human Dignity Trust, Qatari law does not allow people to campaign for LGBTQ+ rights either.

The discriminatory social systems have enraged fans across the world. Activists, players and comedians have protested in opposition to Qatar’s deplorable human rights record. Joe Lycett, an English comedian, shredded £10,000 in protest against David Beckham (former English soccer player) who allegedly signed a £150 million deal with Qatar to be an ambassador of the World Cup, according to CNN. Beckham faced immediate backlash for the deal, and has yet to speak extensively on the subject.

Global impressions of Qatar have never been favorable. The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and Qatar have not addressed the treatment of women and LGBTQ+ lives in the country enough.

During a press conference in November, Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, said, “I think that for what we Europeans have been doing in the last 3,000 years, around the world, we should be apologizing for the next 3,000 years, before starting to give more lessons to people.”

Times have changed; morality,

science and common sense have progressed. Still, Qatar’s policies towards human rights are outdated and bigoted. I do not turn my back on the West’s own oppression; the lack of women’s and LGBTQ+ rights is worldwide. Regardless, Qatar’s level of intolerance is inexcusable, and the country’s prejudice puts lives in danger.

By no means am I criticizing Qatar’s homophobia and sexism without recognizing that the West has, and does, have plenty of discriminatory policies as well.

The World Cup has shined a light on the systemic oppression taking place. Since 2010, when Qatar was confirmed as the official host for the 2022 World Cup, controversy has been ever present. There have been many concerns for migrant workers’ health, freedom and working conditions. Between 400-500 migrant World Cup workers deaths have been estimated by ESPN, and many workers are underpaid. Since the World Cup preparation began, Qatar has abolished the Kafala system, a widespread power structure used in the Middle East, governing the relationship between migrant workers and their employers. The dismantling of the Kafala system has influenced new reforms to be considered, but changes are yet to be made.

Qatar’s violation of human rights is inexcusable and intolerable. Educating, informing and protesting for the basic human rights of every human on the planet is our duty as citizens of the world. Supporting such countries with hosting contracts should stop.

Macy Swortwood STAFF WRITER

In San Diego, where the weather is mild year-round, it is difficult for many to find a passion for winter sports such as ice hockey and figure skating

Kids and teens who have a love for these uncommon sports must go to difficult lengths to get the practice they need to succeed in their sports.

One of these students is TPHS figure skater and varsity dancer, Nora Boumsellek (11). Boumsellek’s practice schedule is demanding; she wakes up early almost every day and drives to the Westfield UTC ice rink where she practices for an hour and half before heading to school.

With her practices being so strenuous and time-consuming, she must manage her time to balance her extracurriculars and academics. She does so by prioritizing her schoolwork in her minimal free time, keeping a set schedule of her practices.

“To wake up at 4:30 every morning I go to sleep at 9:30 so I push myself to finish all my homework once I get back from school,” Boumsellek said.

Contrary to popular opinion, hockey and figure skating are common in California; competitions are easy to find, and the competitiveness is very high. Kyle Tracy (11), a competitive ice hockey player, frequently attends tournaments and games in and outside of California.

“Hockey is spread out in California so finding competitions is not hard. We are able to compete for club and high school teams playing in season and playoff games, along with tournaments throughout the year,” Tracy said.

However, TPHS does not offer ice

sports as an option for these students. Boumsellek has a love for both dance and figure skating so she is also a part of the TPHS Dance Team while continuing to follow through with her other commitments.

Reaching the skill level needed to go professional in ice sports requires a lot of discipline from a young age. Most, if not all of these athletes started when they were younger, and most tend to drop out by the time they are old enough to have social lives, making such activities rare in high school.

¨Figure skating is something that most people start at a very young age and it is unexpectedly [the level of] discipline. which usually stops people from continuing.” Boumsellek said.

Committing to be a student athlete for these sports is not offered at many colleges. Instead of Division I dreams, many ice sport athletes have the main goal of competing in the Olympics or going professional.

“Going pro is a dream of any player, but it requires you to be at a high skill level, going to a junior league, college team or overseas and then getting drafted,” Tracy said,

Tracy plans to pursue that process to go pro and continue playing hockey throughout his life. On the other hand, Boubsellek wants to prioritize other areas of interest and take a break from ice skating after high school.

Winter sports such as ice skating and hockey take time, dedication, constant commitment and a lifelong passion. Although TPHS does not officially offer them as sports to represent the school, these students still find a way to prioritize the winter sports they love all year round.

PHOTO FROM GETTY IMAGES