April Issue

LA VISTA Mira Costa

High School’s

1401 Artesia Blvd.

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

A pril 19, 2019 | I ssue 8, Volume 69

@LaVistaMedia

LaVistaMCHS.com

Mental Health Awareness Week Art Contest Winner: Senior Renee Boettner’s

Isolation

Boettner used acrylic paint on canvas to create her piece, “Isolation,” in which she captured the idea of disconnection. The figure in the glass represents someone who feels trapped by their life circumstances, and the hand symbolizes the surrounding community supporting this struggling individual.

Boettner participated in the contest hoping to paint a piece that others could relate to and find comfort in; through “Isolation,” she wanted to express that everyone feels isolated and lonely at some time in their life.

Scan this QR code to view “The In Between”

Film Contest Winner: Senior Cooper Roth’s

The In Between

Roth made “The In Between” to express his thoughts and observations as a teenager and to communicate to his audience that they are not alone in their feelings, he said.

After writing the poem, Roth spent over 17 hours planning, shooting and editing the film and finished within two weeks.

Although Roth did not initially make the video for Mental Health Awareness Week, he heard about the Mental Health Awareness Art Contest from a friend and decided to submit his film because it fits the overall theme.

“

To me, mental health is one of the most important things in life,” Roth said. “It is so important that we recognize mental health for the change it can have to a person no matter how many positive things they have in their life.”

“

We should support one another when we struggle to fight individual battles, and reaching out to friends and family when we are in pain should not be embarassing or shameful,” Boettner said. “Struggling with an invisible illness should be recognized as equally debilitating as fighting a physical one.”

Students start conversation about mental health on campus

By Greta Nerad News Editor

M

ental Health Awareness Week took place from April 8-12 in order to create a more open conversation about mental health on campus.

Beach Cities Health District student representatives, junior Ella Scalabrini and seniors Izzy Stein and Amanda Costley, collaborated to organize the school-wide event. Throughout the week, students participated in activities and had the opportunity to use resources to improve their mental health.

“Mental health awareness is important because almost everyone knows someone who suffers from a mental health issue,” Stein said. “It’s not something to be ashamed of, and I want more people to recognize that.”

Teachers passed out purple Mental Health Awareness Week wristbands last Monday, and on Wednesday, Costa students and staff wore purple to unify the campus.

“I saw a lot of teachers around campus with their purple wristbands on, and every staff member I saw on Wednesday had pur-

Opinion

5

Visit page 5 to see how new federal legislation will affect Planned Parenthood.

ple on,” Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale said.

“There’s a lot of awareness of [mental health] and there’s a lot of appreciation for it.”

During lunch on Tuesday, the student organizers hosted yoga in the Mustang Mall, where a yoga instructor led a session for students to relax and unwind.

The purpose of this event was to teach students how to bring out their inner strength and set aside the negative things within, Costley said.

“It’s definitely important to create a conversation, and right now we are doing reactive things to try to help kids who are already struggling, but as we go on to the future it’s going to be really important to create proactive things to help prevent mental health problems in schools,” Costley said.

Mental Health Awareness Week also partnered with Link Crew’s Costachella event on Wednesday. During the event, local health and counseling resources set up booths available to students. Link Crew decided to promote mental health during Costachella to add more meanPhoto By Kaelie ing to the Macaulay event, Link Crew teacher Maddie Hutchinson said.

“The topic of mental health has been seen as taboo for a long time, and it was wonderful and necessary to have open dialogue about it,” Hutchinson said. “Bringing resources onto campus and encouraging people to have these discussions was a very positive addition to the day.”

In This Issue: The Highlights of La Vista Features

6

Read about Senior Nathalie Sung’s artwork in RAW Artists’ latest show.

Arts

13

La Vista reviews food, performances and art from Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.

The organizers also held a visual and cinematic art contest, in which students could submit artwork to express their creative interpretation of mental health and open a constructive conversation about the topic.

School officials reviewed the artwork and chose a winner for each category.

Senior Cooper Roth won the film category with his video “The In Between” and senior Renee Boettner won the visual art category with her painting titled “Isolation.” Costa Vice Principal Dr. Deborah Hofreiter announced on April 11 that these students won the first prize award of $100, and that those interested could see the artwork in the cafeteria display case.

“It feels awesome to know that the judges understood the message I was trying to get across, and being rewarded for it is just a plus,” Roth said.

Costa has ample school resources available to those struggling with mental health issues, including school psychologists and a marriage and family therapist, Dale said.

“Up till now, we’ve done quite a bit, but there’s always more to do,” Dale said.

“What they did [last] week was tremendous, the student organizers did a fantastic job.”

Sports

16

Learn about how Costa’s girls beach volleyball team dug up another win.

2

La Vista

News

April 19, 2019

Mira Costa Drama, Tech Department places second at annual Fullerton Festival

NEWS FLASH

Author Julie Lythcott-Haims hosts book talk at Costa Author Julie Lythcott-Haims held a book talk on March 24 and 25 in the Costa auditorium for her novel “How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success.”

Lythcott-Haims discussed topics including the different types of helicopter parents, academic pressure on students from parents and the stress of the college application process.

“When it comes to college, we pry into our childrens’ decisions to make them feel like they have to give you the right answer on college,” Lythcott-Haims said. “This isn’t a competition; this is their life.”

Karli Wallace

Manhattan Beach Fire Dept. selects new chief, Daryn Drum The Manhattan Beach Fire Department selected Daryn Drum as their new fire chief on April 8 after a year’s search to fill the position.

As the 13th fire chief of Manhattan Beach, Drum will take over for interim leader and Police Chief Derrick Abell. Drum has worked in emergency services for 30 years.

“Being a firefighter is such a wonderful and fulfilling job for me,” Drum said. “The job not only provides an incredible sense of family but also a sense of community, and it has given me a connection to my community.”

Kareena Dhillon

Drama, Tech to put on spring musical “Drowsy Chaperone” Mira Costa’s Drama and Tech Department will be performing their spring musical “Drowsy Chaperone” from April 26 to May 4 in the auditorium.

The play is about theatre in the Jazz Age. Junior Tucker St. Ivany plays the narrator, Man in the Chair, and senior Hannah Ryan plays the Drowsy Chaperone.

“I’m extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to have this role, ‘Man in the Chair.’ He’s someone who I can relate to,” St. Ivany said. “What’s unique about my role is I actually get to interact with audience members and talk straight to them Karli Wallace

Organizers present first Costa STEM Night in the cafeteria Mira Costa faculty, students and guest organizations hosted the first Science Technology Engineering and Math Night on March 26 in the cafeteria.

The event included demonstrations, interactive activities and discussions about the importance of STEM fields in the world today. Attendees learned about STEM related topics and participated in demonstrations with local engineering and science companies, such as Northrop Grumman.

“STEM is a hugely growing field, and it is predicted that there will not be enough people to fill the STEM jobs for quite a while,” Costa’s Technology and Engineering Lead Leanne Weaver said. “It is important to let people know what is out there and how cool STEM is.”

Erin King

By Andonia Goergen Staff Writer

T

he Costa Drama and Tech Department placed first and second in the Tech Olympics competition, as well as second in the musical theater and classic ensemble category on March 22 and 23 at the annual Fullerton Festival.

This year’s festival hosted approximately 60 schools with over 150 judges, making it one of the largest high school theater festivals in the country. The festival takes place at Fullerton College and first took place in 1981.

“The students enjoy it because we get a chance to venture out of the South Bay and present our theater to other schools,” senior Stephanie Sala said. “We also get to see other amazing schools.”

The schools competed in 15 categories such as musical, technical theater, costume and makeup design.

Drama students performed monologues, scenes, improvisation games, and musical scenes.

“It’s an incredible experience to perform for other schools, and we learn so much from watching other schools,” senior Drama

LAUGHING OUT LOUD: (From left to right) Drama students sophomore Francesca Barile, senior Lily Kohler, junior Ansley Rowell, senior Carson Billingsley and junior Emma Gray perform against Team TBH at the Dessert Theatre on March 21. Costa’s Drama and Tech presented various pieces in order to prepare for the Fullerton High School Theatre Festival. Photo courtesy of Sophi Boylan President Sophi Boylan said. “Adding the competitive element to theater is a whole other ball game, and to be exposed to that is an incredible opportunity the Drama and Tech Department has.”

The Mira Costa Drama and Tech Department held its annual Dessert Theatre on March 21 in Costa’s small theatre prior to the Fullerton Theatre Festival. The stu-

dents created all of the scenes for the event. In addition to the performances, students sold desserts to attendees.

“It’s another opportunity to perform, especially for friends and family who don’t get to see all the hard work we put in,” Boylan said. “It’s also one of the few times we can perform out material in front of an audience before competition.”

Among the scenes per-

formed was a musical theatre piece called, “A Chorus Line” and a classic ensemble piece titled “The Imaginary Invalid.”

“We get to showcase to everyone all of the hard work that we have been putting into these pieces,” Sala said. “Also, it’s a way for us to have a performance before the actual competition.”

Choral Union, Vocal Ensemble play at Cathedral Concert at American Martyrs Church

Choir, vocal ensemble students perform various pieces at the Cathedral concert

cert for the Choral Union after touring, it was really nice to show our music to our friends and family in the South Bay.” The concert was open for the whole community to attend. Tickets cost $25 at the door and were free for students who showed their

By Sam Bell I.D. The concert beStaff Writer gan at 7:30 p.m., and lasted about two hours. ira Costa’s Choral “The main focus is to Union and Vocal Encreate music and perform semble performed on March what we have worked so 26 at the Cathedral Concert hard on for the commuat the American Martyrs nity as a whole,” Stanley Church. said. “Also [we wanted] The Choral Union and to share our love of Vocal Ensemble make up the music as a group.”

Costa’s advanced choirs.

The Choral Union The Choral Union consists sang a total of six of 48 students, and Vocal songs as one choir and Ensemble consists of 34 stuan extra two songs dents. A total of 400 people with Vocal Ensemattended the event, including ble. They performed students, teachers, parents several religious and and community members. classical songs such “For my choir, Choral as “Preludium” by Union, this concert was IN PERFECT HARMONY : Costa senior Monet Yazbeck sings during Rodger and Hammore to show gratitude for the Cathedral Concert at the American Martyrs Church on March 26. merstein, “Ave Maris our town,” freshman Leah Costa’s 48 student Choral Union and 34 student Vocal Ensemble Stella” by Eva Ugalde, Szabo said. “We just came performed various pieces at the event. Photo by Julia Alley “Crossing the Bar” by back from touring to San Gwyneth Walker and Jose, and we were able to display that “I think this concert was differ- “Stars” by Ērik Ešenvalds. we are so thankful that our families ent from the rest because it was cool “I know everyone has been workwere able to send us on these trips, to hear choral music in a space that ing very hard all year, making the as well as perform for them what wasn’t the auditorium,” Szabo said. music sound way beyond our years we worked on while we were gone.” “Also, since it was the first con- and very professional,” Szabo said.

M

Both the Vocal Ensemble and the Choral Union have been preparing daily since September, Costa junior Olivia Stanley said. This event combined two of Costa’s choirs together with their different musical pieces. Choir groups had the chance to perform in a new space with different acoustics, Stanley said.

La Vista

News

April 19, 2019

3

MBX funds Mira Costa’s second annual Costachella Link Crew organizes Costachella festival with live music, raffles and prizes.

about sexual assault and the upcoming Denim Day on April 24, when students are encouraged to wear jeans to stand with victims of sexual assault.

office hours while Melochromatic played during P.M. office hours.

Student DJ Cole Ficklin also played during lunch and at the end of P.M. office hours.

There was also a separate wall that had a “Teacher shout-out” prompt, which allowed students to write something positive about one of their teachers.

By Josie Collier Executive Features Editor The MBX Foundation funded Mira Costa Link Crew’s second annual Costachella during A.M. and P.M. office hours on April 10 in the Mustang Mall.

Costachella is a school-wide event with the goal of raising school morale, junior Link Leader Lemony David said. Mental health awareness was a prominent focus of the event this year, and Costachella partnered with Mental Health Awareness Week to emphasize the importance of social and emotional wellness at Costa.

“It was wonderful to partner with such an important cause,” Link Crew adviser Maddie Hutchinson said. “I’m glad that so many resources were available for students to explore and to learn from and take to utilize in any way that they feel is necessary.”

Local South Bay organizations, including the Children’s Health Center, the Beach Cities Health District and Freedom4U, set up booths in the Mustang Mall. Costa students also set up a booth in order to raise awareness

BEEN THERE, DONE RAT: (From left) Rat Band members, juniors Tony Arcos, Dexter Brown and Liam Coggon, perform on the Costachella stage. Students gathered in the Mustang Mall to watch the various student bands take the stage and share their talents. Photo by Drew Rohm “My favorite booth was the one about families understanding and supporting their LGBTQ+ children,” junior Link Leader Ginger Mcguinness said. “I just think that it is really needed at Costa so it was nice to see a booth like that.”

Costachella featured music from student bands, including Business Casual, Rat Band and Melochromatic. Business Casual and Rat Band played during A.M.

“Performing at Costachella was amazing,” Rat Band member and junior Dexter Brown said. “My favorite part was our last song when everyone was cheering. It was so rewarding and exciting.”

Costachella also had a dream wall where students could anonymously respond to prompts, such as “I don’t feel embarrassed when,” “If I could not fail I would” and “I’m inspired when.”

“My favorite thing [was] the dream wall because you can see people’s certain opinions about things, and some are funny and others are relatable,” David said.

“It shows the kind of connections we have at Costa, and how people are able to relate to each other even if they do not know each other.”

Costachella also provided food to students wearing the purple

mental health awareness wristbands, which teachers handed out to homeroom classes earlier in the week. With the purple wristband, students received free ice cream from Kinecta’s ice cream truck. Link Leaders also handed out lunch from Mendocino Farms to faculty and staff with funding from MBX. “My favorite thing about Costachella [was] the sense of community and everyone participating, enjoying themselves and having a fun time,” junior Kelly Shea said. “I also like that the music is local band groups from Mira Costa itself and that people have a chance to express themselves and show off their music to their peers.”

Students could also participate in a raffle during A.M. office hours to win prizes such as Soulcycle classes, Rabano or Yogurtland giftcards and weekend two Coachella tickets. During P.M. office hours, Link Leaders and Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale announced the winners.

“Costachella was great this year, and I’m really proud of all the students who worked on it,” Hutchinson said. “At the end of the day, Costachella is meant to highlight the diverse talents and passions on this campus while giving students an opportunity to share their own personal voice and opinions, and I think that we accomplished that goal and engaged more students.”

4

La Vista

OPINION

April 19, 2019

Editor’s Note

College admissions scandal reveals extremes of process Mira Costa High School 1401 Artesia Boulevard Manhattan Beach, California (310) 318-7337 ext 5233 April 19, 2019 Volume LXIX, Issue VIII www.lavistamchs.com Editors-in-Chief Claire DuMont Naomi Tsuang Managing Editors Michael Todd Alde Nguyen Copy Editors Kaelie Macaulay Madeleine Powell Brian Kaiserman News Editors Kyra Williams , Executive Greta Nerad Sheridan McKnight Opinion Editors Kareena Dhillon, Executive Garrett Allen Features Editors Josie Collier, Executive Bella Macleod Arts Editors Grace Dietz, Executive Skylar Jones Theme Editors Karli Wallace, Executive Emilee Ray Sports Editors Tess Whittet, Executive Cole Garvey Sammy Miller Jade Trejo, Online Photo Editors Sarah Toomey Photo Managers Julia Alley Drew Rohm Business Managers Tiffancy Feng, Executive Mailan Nguyen Assistant Online Managing Editor Linnea Wee Adviser Keely Sweeny Editorial Board Claire Dumont, Naomi Tsuang, Alde Nguyen, Michael Todd, Kaelie Macaulay, Madeleine Powell, Kyra Williams, Greta Nerad, Sheridan McKnight, Kareena Dhillon, Garrett Allen Staff Writers Clare Beezhold, Sam Bell, Faith Bolin, Jillian Cherry, Mia Cho, Kimya Danael, Saul Droutman, Megan Garringer, Andonia Goergen, Ben Hacohen, Tess Heagy, Zoe Howard, Cassandra Kellum, Erin King, Mikas Marinos, Penelope Misceo, Lauren Mittleman, Taylor Philips, Soren Schauer, Sofia Schnurer, Doug Speicher, McKenzie Sussman, Maddie Tello, Sophia Vaughan

By Claire DuMont Editor-in-Chief

A

s the school year comes to an end, Costa seniors are beginning to commit to their college of choice, where many of them will spend the next four years. Now that the stress of applying and hearing back from colleges is over, I can only hope that seniors get excited about where they are going, but also take these next few months to cherish their final days before they leave.

For many students, the college application stress begins at the end of junior year, when they tour colleges and start to decide where they are going to apply.

From that point until December or January, seniors are consumed with thoughts of the future, perfecting their essays and

Administration must address students’ mental health

C

osta’s Mental Health Awareness Week began on April 8 with the goal of promoting mental health awareness and opening conversations on campus. Beach Cities Health District representatives and seniors Izzy Stein and Amanda Costley and junior Ella Scalabrini organized Mental Health Week because they felt the need to bring mental health to the forefront, Costley said.

While the efforts of the students involved were admirable, Costa’s administration needs to do more to help students who are struggling with their mental health. They need to bring awareness to these issues, rather than brushing them off and leaving students to pick up the slack.

Costa’s administration should better utilize the resources available on campus to better support students and eliminate the need for students to try and tackle a seemingly insurmountable issue such as mental health on campus.

Administration and staff members showed a Signs of Suicide video on Wednesday in classrooms to all freshmen

Mission Statement: LA VISTA is committed to providing only the highest quality reporting while maintaining a strict standard of journalistic integrity and providing its readers with relevant content.

and new students. All students watch the video at one point during high school to let them know they have resources to seek help.

The Signs of Suicide initiative is a step in the right direction, as it attempts to get students to ask for help if they need it.

However, students face multitudes of challenges as they progress through their four years of high school, and only showing the video during a student’s freshman year may be unhelpful if they find themselves struggling as a sophomore, junior or senior.

According to a study by Live Science, one in every five teenagers struggle with a very serious mental health problem, namely anxiety disorders, panic disorders and social phobias. These problems prevent students from feeling mentally healthy on a day-to-day basis, impacting all aspects of their lives.

Costa implemented the stress room in 2017 as a safe place for students to go when they are overwhelmed. While this room has provided a space for students who feel overwhelmed, its effects are often

Voices of Costa Does Costa do a good job in addressing mental health on campus?

Katherine Zisette Freshman

“

Andrew Bessera Junior

“

I feel that Mira Costa does a good job in helping people in need.

They are always looking out for students who may be need support and assistance.”

counteracted before they can begin to be helpful. Many teachers and students do not take the stress room seriously, with some teachers even discouraging students from taking advantage of this resource.

For over 2,500 students enrolled at Costa, there are seven counselors, three school psychologists and one Marriage and Family therapist, according to Principal Dr. Ben Dale. However, many students are unaware of these professionals who are available to help them; Costa should promote these resources and encourage students to utilize them should they feel the need to.

In order to improve Mental Health Awareness Week, there should be mandatory events for all students rather than optional ones. This would allow all students to participate in the activities and become informed, rather than just a few who are passionate about the cause.

Mental health struggles do not have a catch-all solution, but the administration has the ability, as well as the responsibility, to promote mental health awareness and for the benefit of its students.

How well do you think Mental Health Awareness Week was coordinated?*

Kailey Dunne Sophomore

I think Mira Costa does a good job addressing mental health.

Teachers give their students a lot of support during Mental Health Awareness Week.”

signed letters to the editor on topical issues from the

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great options to find out what their best fit is. Seniors get to have a much deserved break after the pressure and stress of applications is over and they get to think about their future. These thoughts about their future are inevitably combined with thoughts of sadness or fear of leaving. I encourage my fellow seniors to think deeply about what they are going to miss next year, whether it’s specific friends, family or even their favorite local places to eat, and make an effort to cherish them before they leave.

It can be a scary transition from our high school and hometown to a whole new place, but it is important for the Class of 2019 to know that they are not alone. All of the seniors are facing the stress of leaving home, but taking time to appreciate what we will be leaving next year is the best and only way to make the change easier.

Staff Editorial

Disclaimer: LA VISTA is the student newspaper of Mira Costa High School, serving 2,700 students in grades 9-12. Content, which is the responsibility of the LA VISTA staff, is not subject to administrative approval. Unsigned editorials reflect the opinions of the newspaper, while opinion columns represent only the writers’ views. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of LA VISTA. LA VISTA publishes 10 issues throughout the school year on a tri-weekly basis and distributes 3,000 copies to both Mira Costa classrooms and subscribers. LA VISTA is associated with the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and welcomes MCHS community. They may be mailed to Keely Gabbert in the administration building mailbox or sent to lavistamedia@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Please contact lavistamedia@gmail.com for any issues regarding corrections.

supplements and submitting them to colleges, eagerly awaiting their next batch of applications for the Class of 2023. After applications are all submitted, seniors are able to breathe a short sigh of relief, knowing that all of their work is done and the only thing left to do is wait for the results.

The whole month of March sends the senior class into a frenzy, sharing rumors about who got in where and when certain colleges are releasing their decisions. Most conversations overheard on campus contain the word “portal” or the question, “Do you know when [certain college] comes out?” It is an understandable obsession, as everyone feels the anxiety and stress of waiting for their results.

Now, most seniors have decided and committed to their final school, and even those still deciding are choosing between

“

I think it’s unnecessary because everyone has their own problems and is already aware of it. They don’t need to be reminded of their issues at school too.”

Not well

Okay

Very Well

Do you feel comfortable talking about mental health?*

Justin Armijo Senior

“

I feel that Mira Costa does address mental health awareness because they are always announcing and showing their appreciation for the cause of mental health.”

Yes

No

*La Vista surveyed 200 Costa students, with paper surveys and an online survey, in regards to Mental Health Awareness Week at Costa.

OPINION

April 19, 2019

La Vista

5

Change to Spring Dance promotes inclusivity on campus

By Kareena Dhillon Executive Opinion Editor

M

ira Costa High School’s Associated Student Body has changed the name of the annual Sadie Hawkins dance to Spring Dance to encourage inclusivity on campus.

The Associated Student Body Executive Director Lisa Claypoole made the decision to change the name from Sadie Hawkins to the Spring Dance, with the goal to promote inclusion and acceptance, according to junior Commissioner of Special Events Ella Lee. However, the general population of students were not given a say in the decision to change the name of the dance, so it is unclear whether it will garner positive feedback from students. A small change in the long held tradition will not af-

fect its meaning.

No one has objected to the change thus far, Lee said. It should be a given that every school has the kind of environment that offers equal opportunities for its students; it is no longer expected that the female students ask the male students and everyone has the freedom to ask anyone, Lee said.

Everything else about the dance will be virtually the same, proving that a simple change can have such a positive impact on the students who identify with different genders. While it may not seem like a significant change to most students, it can help students who have previously felt ostracized by the pressures of the dance and the social community at Costa.

Costa has also made efforts in the past to help students who are gender non-conforming. Around campus, there are gender neutral

bathrooms to allow all students the privacy they deserve. The bathroom is one stall and all students can use them freely.

Costa has also adopted one uniform color for gowns at gradua-

tion to dissuade students from feel- to one.

The decision to change the ing like they must choose a gender to identify with. The decision led name of the dance will hopefully to outcry last year considering stu- make the event more inclusive and boost student attendance, Lee said.

Removing the pressure behind the name is a positive change towards creating a welcoming environment within Costa. ASB has done their part in improving student inclusivity by addressing school dances.

This is just one step in the many that Costa has taken to remain inclusive. There is also discussion about changing Homecoming Court to Mustang Monarchs so that there is no stigma against having same sex couples on the court.

This change has not been finalized for the next school year, but it is a proactive effort on the behalf of ASB director Claypoole. These changes are positive and should be Courtesy of Kareena Dhillon dents were not given a voice in the encouraged by all students as well decision to move from two colors as the administration.

Planned Parenthood funding is important, should not be cut

By Megan Garringer Staff Writer

I

n mid-February, the Trump administration announced a new federal rule stating that organizations who provide abortion resources, namely Planned Parenthood, would no longer receive government funding for familyplanning, according to The New York Times. This cut in funding will prove disastrous to people in the United States.

Along with providing abortion services, Planned Parenthood provides Sexually Transmitted Disease testing, birth control, screening for reproductive cancers, vaccines, condoms, sterilization and more. Even for those who don’t support abortion, these services are crucial to general reproductive health. Planned Parenthood has made an impact on struggling families and teens who are not self-sufficient, both of which can be found on Costa’s campus.

In the South Bay we are fortunate to have several Planned Parenthood locations in Lawndale as well as the Los Angeles area.

This rule does not ban abortions outright; abortions can still be performed legally, but the procedure must be kept from Planned Parenthood’s records and activities.

For many years, companies have been prohibited from using government funds to support abortion. This rule is the most recent step by the Trump administration to shift the direction of federal health policy in a conservative direction, insuring abortions will be done in separate facilities from the rest of Planned Parenthood’s services. The organization has been in service for over a century, and they are only expanding their influence to other countries around the globe. According to

a Guttmacher report, nearly 4 in 10 women report that Planned Parenthood is their sole source of health care available.

Although it doesn’t affect every student at Costa, some students do not have affordable access to health care. A basic right to protect one’s body should not have to be

kept under wraps and treated like something to be ashamed about.

Given the amount of good Planned Parenthood does for the country and women everywhere, it should be given the liberty to conduct safe and logical medical practices for those in need. Doctors should not have to put women’s well-being aside to follow a law; the professionals at Planned Parenthood are trained experts on abortion and pregnancy and their judgement should not be hindered by conservative pro-life supporters who have no connection or experience with the cases. Doctors need to be able to give full care and attention to each and every woman, but not being able to discuss abortion

prohibits that.

Planned Parenthood President Dr. Leana Wen argued, “Imagine if the Trump administration prevented doctors from talking to our patients with diabetes about insulin. It would never happen. Reproductive health care should be no different.” Women deserve the right to make their own decisions about their body without influence from lawmakers. Not being able to have access to important resources inhibits women from taking care of the most important thing in life: their personal health. Planned Parenthood provides valuable resources on STDs, depression and vaccinations. This federal law, known as the “protect life rule,” separates family planning agencies from abortion clinics, which will only have negative impacts.

With the major cuts in funding, companies like Planned Parenthood will have to raise their prices to continue supporting the 1.6 million people it currently cares for. Moving forward, this means more women with a low-income lifestyle will not have access to basic reproductive health care that should be a basic human right.

AP Capstone offers important opportunities for students in the real world

By Mia Cho Staff Writer

C

ollege Board’s Advanced Placement Capstone program uses a cross-curricular approach and is designed to develop critical thinking skills for the students who participate. At Costa, Capstone is divided into two classes: AP Seminar and AP Research, which are taken over the course of two years. English teacher Stacy Cabrera teaches the program in a series of after school classes. This elective class should be encouraged as students benefit from a multitude of opportunities that are outside of their core classes.

Even though this program is

not offered at most high schools, it is beneficial in aiding the development of skills that are often neglected in required courses.

AP Research teaches students how to research constructively, write and gain important skills for the future. Students choose a topic to explore and then present later in the semester. Each year, the AP Seminar class focuses on a specific theme. This year, students researched about the ethics behind important issues in America, such as physicianassisted suicide. Next year, the theme for AP Seminar will be social and restorative justice.

The multidimensional aspect of the class prevents students from feeling limited to using only skills taught in the individual

class, Cabrera said. Considering this aspect of learning is not extensively taught in core classes,

“

Even though this

program is not offered at most high schools, it is crucial in developing skills that are often neglected in required courses...”

AP Capstone gives students the opportunity to grow.

The program also helps students build relationships with mentors and advisors. When students choose their topics for their research papers, they often need

the assistance of a secondary advisor who specializes in the topic of choice. Cabrera is working on building a relationship with professors at the University of California, Los Angeles in order to help students establish professional relationships with experts within their area of interest. This is beneficial for students who are passionate about subjects not offered as classes at Costa.

Students are encouraged to submit their work for academic writing contests, scholarships and professional publications.

This gives students an advantage, considering they are provided with an opportunity to navigate their way through a professional environment. In addition, successful completion of both AP

Seminar and AP Research allows students to be eligible for awards from the College Board.

Students who successfully complete the course with a score of 3 or higher on the AP exam receive the AP Seminar and AP Research Certificate. The AP Capstone Diploma is awarded to students who receive at least a 3 on both the AP Seminar and Research AP exams, as well as four other AP exams of their choosing.

Although it may not be a widely offered course throughout the country, AP Capstone offers many opportunities that only serve to benefit Costa students.

AP Capstone should be kept as an elective class at Costa as it allows for students to explore current issues in the real world.

6 La Vista

FEATURES

April 19, 2019

Senior Dowdee displays painting at the Resin Gallery Placement Studio Art and is currently taking Advanced Placement Art History. She also took painting last semester.

“I’ve learned a lot from the Costa art ver since she was a child, Costa se- classes because they have been able nior Fiona Dowdee has always had to keep me concentrated on a goal,” a crayon or a paintbrush in her hand. Dowdee said. “I enjoy my AP Art HisDowdee has always been encouraged tory class because it’s really cool to to express herself creatively since both learn about my favorite art on a more of her parents have Master’s Degrees historical and intellectual basis. It helps in fine art. Dowdee’s artwork is cur- me also discover different styles and rently on display in the latest exhibit at techniques to adopt into my own work.” the Resin Gallery, a permanent gallery Dowdee’s latest project is a series of show exhibiting collections of local art. large scale portraits made with oil paint.

“I’ve been painting since I was a little Each large portrait is accompanied with kid,” Dowdee said. “I’ve been artistically in- a smaller canvas, depicting an abstract clined from a really young age. My parents or still life scene. The project focuses on have been a big help in critiquing my art and identity and how people see themselves. helping me make it better and nurturing my Dowdee has painted Costa students Emmi creative spirit. Over the years, I’ve been get- Ayers, Cole Fishman, and Kat Donovan. ting more heavily into painting and fine art.”

“They are a mixture of realism and stylAt Mira Costa, Dowdee took two years ization; each portrait represents the physiof Advanced cal embodiment of that particular Dowdee’s portraits person and the backgrounds are colors that match the person’s personality,” Dowdee said.

“The bigger painting is how I see them on the outside and the paired piece is a representation of

By Kaelie Macaulay Copy Editor

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FLOWER POWER: Senior Fiona Dowdee paints a still life picture of flowers in the Costa art room.

Dowdee has taken many art classes at Costa including AP Studio Art and AP Art History and will further her artistic skills at the Otis College of Art and Design next year. Photo by Sarah Toomey how they see themselves on the inside.”

After seeing one of Dowdee’s pieces at a Costa art show, the Resin Gallery chose Dowdee’s painting to be the student art piece for their monthly show. Dowdee also received the Rotary Craftsmanship Award for her accomplishments in art.

“It’s really weird to see myself in a gallery, and I mean weird in the best way possible,” Ayers said. “The painting totally captured my spirit, and the fact that she didn’t make my skin perfect or my face perfectly symmetrical adds to my essence more because we aren’t perfect.”

Dowdee will attend the Otis College of

Art and Design in the fall and hopes to have her pieces in as many galleries as possible in order to expand her audience. In the future, Dowdee aspires to open an art supply store cafe that hosts live music shows and gives young people a creative outlet.

“I love having my art up in galleries because I can see it as a viewer instead of an artist, and I get a glimpse into what other people see,” Dowdee said. “Gallery shows are the best way of growing as an artist. Getting more people to show your art to is how you share your ideas and feelings about the public. It’s a very powerful thing.”

Senior Sung’s art is featured in RAW Artist’s IMPACT show graded and learning just for the purpose of learning.”

Sung applied to the Ryman arts program, a three semester long non-profit organization that provides professional fine arts classes along with college and career planning to talented youth in southern California. Sung joined the program in order to improve and fine-tune her skills.

“During the second semester of Ryman Arts, there was a lot of watercoloring, figure drawing and basically just trying to do things quickly, all of which are not my strong suit, so I got to work on improving these skills,” Sung said. “Being in a class where I was surrounded by like-minded people also allowed me to be myself and made learning much easier and more comfortable.”

Painting Prodigy: Senior Nathalie Sung paints a portrait at her home for a project with Ryman Arts. Sung has After posting pictures of been taking art classes with Ryman Arts, a non-profit organization and has featured her art at one of RAW’s art her new art pieces on her art Instagram account, Sung shows. Photo courtesy of Nathalie Sung. received an email from “After that, I took classes there ev- RAW Artists asking to feature some of

By Mailan Nguyen ery Saturday until sophomore year.” the art in their show called IMPACT. Assistant Business Manager As an eighth grader at Manhattan Beach “Through the Ryman Arts class Middle School, Sung took advanced art and after all the lessons and help I rom making arts and crafts to which allowed her to be in the Art 2 class got with my drawing, I definitely nopresenting at an art show, Mira as a freshman at Costa. By her sopho- ticed a huge difference in my work.”

Costa senior Nathalie Sung uses art more year, Sung was able to advance Sung said. “It pushed me to stop foto express her thoughts and feelings. into AP Studio Art, which enabled her cusing on making everything perfect.”

RAW, a network that spotlights inde- to work on her own style and see other According to Sung, her art is usupendent talent in visual art, film, fash- students’ creative processes, Sung said. ally a form of realism or hyperrealism. ion and music, featured Sung in one “Because of AP Studio Art, I was “Being in this art show is a huge opof its recent shows called IMPACT. given a lot of opportunities, and one portunity for me because I can get more “I’ve always liked arts and crafts of those was being able to try out for connections and just have my name as a kid, and when I was about eight I an art program called Ryman Arts,” out there,” Sung said. “Even though I started taking classes at a studio called Sung said. “In these classes, there were haven’t developed my own style yet, to Kids Art and that’s what started to get no grades; I got to learn and practice be recognized for my work has made me me really interested in art,” Sung said. without the pressure of having my art more comfortable to try different styles.”

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Sung’s Sketches

La Vista 7

FEATURES

April 19, 2019

Meet Mira Costa’s Student of the Year nominees Compiled By McKenzie Sussman/Staff Writer, Taylor Phillips/Staff Writer, Julia Alley/ Photo Manager, Faith Bolin/Photographer, Doug Speicher/Photographer

Carson Billingsley

JUST FOR LAUGHS: Senior Carson Billingsley performs in the Christmas Comedy Sportz match. Photo Courtesy of Anthony Moore

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hether it is cracking jokes or debating on foreign politics, senior Carson Billingsley can be found making an impact on the Mira Costa community.

Billingsley has been a part of Model United Nations, Costa musicals, Comedy Sportz and Improv Club over his years at Costa. He also co-founded the Storytelling Club, volunteers with the Habitat for Humanity club and organizes community

service events at the Manhattan Beach Community Church.

“It’s an honor to be nominated, and it means that my accomplishments at Mira Costa are recognized,” Billingsley said. “I’m proud of the way I have excelled in Model UN and the way I have mentored young students.”

Billingsley continues to help his peers in order to help them succeed and believes he has brought different groups of students together at Costa because of his diverse interests. Next year, Billingsley plans to major in bioengineering.

“I feel grateful, and it was nice to know that my hard work was recognized,” Billingsley said. “I think I was nominated because of the positive contributions I’ve made in my classes and the way I’ve represented Mira Costa in my activities.”

Kevin Chen

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Nisha Chatwani

e n i o r Kevin Chen found a rhythm between a rigorous academic schedule and impressive musical abilities, earning him a nomination for Student of the Year.

Chen is the MUSICAL MELODIES: Senior Kevin Chen c o n c e r t m a s ter for Mira practices the violin in the Mira Costa Costa’s Ororchestra room. chestras and the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra, in addition to being a concert violin soloist.

“I wouldn’t say I did anything really special other than pursuing what interests me and devoting all my time to those activities,” Chen said. “I never went out of my way to appear as someone I wasn’t to influence how I’m viewed in the eyes of others.”

Chen also has a love for science as the co-president of Science Olympiad and as an independent medical researcher. He has participated in the Garcia Summer Research Program, which gave him the opportunity to research how biomaterials can treat periodontitis, a common gum disease. In the fall, Chen will attend Stanford University and pursue a major in STEM. “[The nomination is] a super gratifying feeling and the biggest honor I’ve had in my time at Costa,” Chen said.

“It’s symbolic of all the hard work I’ve put in throughout these last four years both inside and outside of school.”

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mpowering female students across campus, senior Nisha Chatwani encourages social inclusion and female participation in computer science and STEM. Chatwani is involved in the Girls Only Coding Club, Girls Advancing in Leadership in Stem and Club Harmony.

“I am honored and humbled to be nominated,” Chatwani said. “I am happy to see that Mira Costa has chosen to highlight the importance of tolerance and social inclusion.”

Chatwani started Club Harmony her sophomore year at Costa in order to raise awareness about different backgrounds, cultures, identities, religions and abilities. As the president of the Girls Only Coding Club, she en-

Bryce Verket

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enior Bryce Ve r k e t ’ s talents in music, biotechnology and community service have earned him a nomination for Student of the Year.

Verket has been a member of Biotech since his sophomore year. Verket is also a member BIO-GUY: Senior Bryce Verket cleans a of Costa’s jazz test tube for his Biotechnology class in band in which order to prepare for a lab. he plays the alto saxophone. After volunteering for a local community groups in Hawthorne, Verket has also pursued his passion for community service as an Eagle Scout.

“My project was going over to a children’s facility in Hawthorne and building these four wooden raised beds that kids could plant vegetables on,” Verket said. “I learned about the facility through my brother when he was earning his Eagle Scout award.”

Verket feels lucky to be nominated, and although not many people know him, he believes that he has made an impact at Costa, Verket said.

“I think I am nominated for this award because I try my best to make the people around me happier and enthusiastic,” Verket said. “I always try to make sure that they aren’t setting too low of a bar for themselves, and I always want to make sure I’m there for them.”

COMPUTER GENIUS: Senior Nisha Chatwani embeds LED lights in Mustang Stampede shirts for her latest technology project. courages female students to enroll in computer science classes. In the fall, Chatwani will attend the University of Southern California and will major in computer science.

“I think each of my classmates contributes something special to the class of 2019,” Chatwani said. “Perhaps my nomination was in part due to the friendships and connections I have made over the last four years, [which is] a constant source of inspiration.”

Denzil Tintut

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enior Dezil Tintut is marching to the beat of his own drum during halftime at football games and in different community service groups across the South bay.

Tintut has been a member of the MarchJAMMING: Senior Denzil Tintut plays the ing Band for vibraphone in the band room to prepare all four years at for Marching Band practice.

Costa and plays percussion. He is also a member of the Global Teen Force, an organization that creates care packages for homeless shelters.

He also volunteers with the Charity Water club, in which he raises money for a charity that builds wells in Africa.

“I learned about the clubs through my friends,” Tintut said. “Some of my friends were running these clubs, and I thought they were interesting so I decided to join.”

Tintut feels that his relationships with his teachers helped him earn the nomination for Student of the Year, and that he has not just been nominated for his grades but for what he has done around campus. In the fall, Tintut will attend Cooper Union and major in Civil Engineering.

“It makes me happy that teachers recognized me, and I wasn’t really expecting [to be nominated],” Tintut said. “I really like talking to my teachers, and I don’t think that [the award] is based on academics, but it is also about what you do in the classroom.”

The five nominees for Student of the Year received their nominations after extensive voting and discussion from all academic departments. Departments voted for their top candidate at the Ed Council meeting on March 21. The winner will be announced during the All Awards Ceremony on May 29.

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THEME

La Vista

April 19, 2019

La Vista’s Annual photo Contest winners 2019

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Compiled By Karli Wallace/Executive theme editor, Emilee Ray/theme editor

Best Overall

“Sock it to me”

Staff Pick

EditorS’-in-Chief Pick

By Darby McDonald, 11 “I think the photo really encompasses and symbolizes power in a way because it has a boxing glove in it.”

- Mia Cho Staff Writer

Editors’ Pick “Son’s Gonna Rise”

By Azaan Esmail, 12 “I took this photo while volunteering in Uganda. One boy ran more freely than the rest. He motioned for my brother and I to follow him up the inside of the crater and as we neared the top, I snapped this shot in hopes of capturing his free spirit and joy.”

- Azaan Esmail

Best Thing “Steady, Jelly”

By Skylar Roginson, 11 “This photo was taken at the Long Beach Aquarium. I thought the jellyfish looked so angelic; so, I took a picture.”

- Skylar Roginson

“Herd Mentality”

By Azaan Esmail, 12 “I like the contrast of this photo, like the way the white stripes on the zebras pop against the grass.”

- Madeleine Powell Copy Editor

Best Place

“Metamorphosis”

By Azaan Esmail, 12 “The effect of the caterpillar in focus with the blurred background draws the eye to the center of the photo. The green background creates a vivid image that complements the caterpillar.”

- Naomi Tsuang and Claire DuMont Editors-in-Chief

Best Person

“The Grand Canal in Venice”

“Morning Routine”

By Rahul Singh, 10

By Liam Barberi, 12

“Out of all the cities in Italy, Venice stuck out to me as my favorite because there is no other place in the world like it because it is so unique.”

- Rahul Singh

“For this photo, I tried to channel a Californian vibe.

I woke up at 6:45 for this with a couple of friends to get the real lighting of the sunrise.”

- Liam Barberi

10 La Vista

FEATURES

April 19, 2019

April 19, 2019

La Vista 11

ARTS

Broad exhibit successfully shows struggles for equality among people of color

By Clare Beezhold

Staff Writer

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he “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983” exhibit showcases the vibrant contributions of black artists during the Civil Rights Movement.

Featuring the work of more than 60 influential artists, the exhibit includes photography, paintings, sculptures, assemblage art and murals. This landmark exhibit is a rare opportunity to see era-defining artworks as it examines the influences from the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, as well as minimalism and developments in abstraction.

London’s Tate Modern Museum organized the exhibit, which first opened in 2017. From London, the exhibition traveled to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas and then to the Brooklyn Museum.

The gallery pays respect to the 1971 Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibition “Three Graphic Artists,” Noah Purifoy’s assemblage art and works from LA artist Betye Saar.

During the Civil Rights Movement, artists engaged in widespread debates on the role of art.

While many discussed what it

meant to be a black artist, some rejected definitions altogether.

The artists in “Soul of a Nation” are profoundly aware of their political views, and each takes an aesthetic position in relation to them. The gallery includes a call for equality in response to ongoing injustices, and highlights a powerful surge of pride in cultural heritage. Viewers can feel the passion for change through the pieces and the messages portrayed on each canvas are breathtaking.

One of the featured LA artists in the exhibit, Noah Purifoy, found inspiration for his assemblage art in monumental events, mainly the Watts Riots in Los Angeles. These riots played a central role in both the black assemblage movement and efforts to elevate the work of black artists in mainstream institutions. As the father of the Black Assemblage Movement, Purifoy scoured the streets of Watts almost immediately after the riots in order to collect a combination of items to include in his art. Purifoy successfully managed to find beauty in the debris from the riots and transformed that rubble into stunning works of art.

Similarly, after a career in design, LA artist Betye Saar turned to assemblage, often obtaining materials from local flea markets and garage sales. She then recycled the derogatory images of black people that she found and transformed them into works protesting racism. The racist depictions

Illustrated by Charlotte Samuels that Saar found at flea markets and in curio shops appalled her.

Now, she uses her inspiring artwork to shock viewers through her ability to transform a figure such as Aunt Jemima, the nation’s most recognized Southern figure, in her piece “The Libera-

tion of Aunt Jemima,” refacing her with radical black nationalist imagery.

One of the pieces on display is an oil painting by Archibald Motley titled “The First One Hundred Years: He Amongst You Who Is Without Sin Shall Cast The First Stone; Forgive The Father For They Know Not What They Do,” which was painted between 196372 amongst Civil Rights turmoil. The heartbreaking scene is an allegorical history of the nation at its symbolic best and worst.

Some symbols include assassinated leaders, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and former presidents John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln hovering over a lynched body. There is a profound message conveyed through the fine details that allude to segregation, as well as placards which simultaneously argue for black and white power, perfectly displaying the tangled history of race in the United States.

A series of photographs taken

by Lorraine O’Grady in 1983 titled “Art Is...” is also on display.

The photographs are the ideal closing to the exhibit and depict O’Grady’s involvement in the Harlem African American Day

Parade. Of the 400 photographs taken that day, the artist only selected 40 of the images, which all convey a range of emotions and complexity that O’Grady aimed to make visible. In the photos, she displays large gold frames in the float and hired 15 dancers to carry smaller gold frames disembarking from the float to interact with the crowd.

Some of the onlookers in the images react enthusiastically while others look less than impressed.

The images are a perfect way to experience both the strides U.S. citizens have made and the work that still has to be done in terms of race in America.

After experiencing the moving pieces on display, it is obvious that this landmark exhibition is a rare opportunity to see era-defining artworks that changed the face of art in America. Viewers can be sure to walk away from this exhibit with new knowledge of the nation’s troubled racial history and a look into these artists’ political visions and sense of cultural pride.

“Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983” is on display at The Broad Museum until Sept. 1. Admission to the art gallery is $12-$18. For more information regarding this and future exhibits, visit thebroad.org

12 La Vista

ARTS

April 19, 2019

Khalid speaks out about the harsh reality of life in new album ‘Free Spirit’

By Linnea Wee Assistant Online Manager

K

halid’s newest album “Free Spirit” encompasses the R&B singer’s original mellow sound while establishing his new mature state of mind.

The 21 year-old singer-songwriter recently released his sophomore album, “Free Spirit” after the release of his debut collection “American Teen” in 2017. “Free Spirit” is a strong album from Khalid, and stays true to his R&B style, while also showcasing his soulful lyrics which focus on life and love.

The album includes Khalid’s hit single, “Better,” which was released earlier in his 2018 EP album, “Suncity.” This track, as well as the rest of the songs in the album, abandon Khalid’s young naiveté and show the artist’s new understanding of life as of 2019, standing in contrast to 2017’s “American Teen.”

Khalid’s memorable vocals continue to give his music the ease and originality that makes him famous amongst young Americans. The tranquil music highlights the talented singer’s rich voice, as the calming beats never overpower the vocals.

The use of subtle electronic elements adds to the songs’ unique sounds without overwhelming,

while also reminding viewers of Khalid’s original style.

Khalid’s new music speaks to many young listeners who are experiencing conflicts with life, love and mental health struggles, and he successfully inspires them to keep fighting for what they want. Khalid’s ability to connect to his audience with both his feelings and his lyrics makes the music more personal to him and his audience.

The album also includes Khalid’s self-reflection on his life and career. Khalid reveals some of his mental health issues through this release, including depression and a struggle to realize his self worth. Although some of Khalid’s older tracks have a lively appeal, the songs on “Free Spirit” explore more serious topics and are vividly more sad and pensive.

The first track, “Intro” sets the melancholy tone for the album as the song explains, in detail, Khalid’s difficulty with accepting himself throughout his hardships. He mentions

trying to find a balance between the heaven and hell in his life, as well as the pleasure of love and relationships that he struggles to attain. By highlighting his struggles in this track, Khalid successfully allows listeners to dive into his personal life as he paints a thorough, vivid picture of a day in his perspective.

The track “Free Spirit” explores how common problems in life have repressed Khalid’s young spirit. He expresses how an individual’s naiveté and simple way of life disappear once

they are introduced to the brutal reality of becoming an adult.

The emotional track displays Khalid’s exceptional growth as a songwriter, as his lyrics have completely transformed from being simply upbeat to being more thought-provoking.

Khalid collaborated with Grammy award winning singer-songwriter John Mayer on a track called “Outta My Head (with John Mayer).” The two artists’ soothing voices are layered throughout the song, creating refreshing vocal contrast.

This track is upbeat and energetic, which is a major difference in comparison to most of the other songs.

One of the only pieces of criticism for this album and Khalid’s vocals is that the songs all sound extremely similar. If listened to one after the other, the tracks’ sounds mesh together, making it very hard to recognize the differences among them.

However,

Illustrated by Natalee Park

the artist’s trademark sound as a soul singer is a strength as long as his songs aren’t played directly after one another.

Although “Free Spirit” is meant to be sorrowful in its view of growing up, some would claim that the artist is not being completely true to his music style. Khalid’s debut album “American Teen” was a passionate display of his talent, and those who were expecting the singer to build his career on that same youthful fervor may be underwhelmed with “Free Spirit.” However, according to Khalid’s lyrics, such as “I don’t know how to save him, I can’t even save myself,” he never intended for these new tracks to be entirely upbeat and happy, as the main focus of his album is actually how unhappy he feels.

“Free Spirit” is a progressive collection for Khalid as a young artist, with a career that is also growing and expanding.

The change in Khalid’s tone and song topics is refreshing, despite the album’s overall somber tone. The artist’s famous rock and blues sound is fantastically expanded in “Free Spirit.”

Right Hand Music Group released “Free Spirit” on April 5.

The album is available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube and can be purchased on platforms such as iTunes.

La Vista 13

ARTS

April 19, 2019

COACHELLA

La Vista takes a look at Weekend 1 of the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12-14.

Compiled by Skylar Jones/Arts Editor, Garrett Allen/Opinion Editor, Photo Courtesy of Coachella.com

Music W

Art

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ith 10 different stages, concertgoers were never bored. Artists at each stage had a different genre of music, providing viewers with the opportunity to listen to all kinds of music at Coachella. Headliners and big name artists played at the biggest stage, the Coachella Stage, and DJs were constantly playing at locations such as the Dolab and the Yuma. The Sahara Stage doubled in size from last year, allowing for more viewers to enjoy a variety of performers such as Kid Cudi, Fisher, Diplo, DJ Snake, Mac DeMarco and Dillon Francis. Other stages include the Gobi, Outdoor Theatre, Mojave and the Sonara.

oachella featured colorful visual art scattered throughout the festival grounds.

This year, festival employees set up vibrant pillars with an array of colors on Coachella’s vast fields, along with gigantic cacti structures that loomed over attendees. Artist Patrick Shearn returned with an updated version of his 57-foot long moving astronauts, drawing in visitors for a quick photoshoot. The massive art structures provided an aesthetically pleasing background for attendees who wished to photograph their time at the festival. This artistic aspect allowed guests to see that the music festival focuses not only on music, but also on visual art.

Lineup T

Food

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he lineup for Coachella was extremely diverse and included several different genres. Each headliner performed a different music style, from hip hop, indie to pop performances from Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande. These artists brought in large crowds, increasing Coachella’s attendance.

In addition to the upbeat performances from headliners, upcoming artists including Diplo, Khalid and Billie Eilish also made an appearance and successfully excited guests with their stellar performances. The variety of artists that performed at Coachella this year kept viewers entertained for the entire festival and made this year one of the best in terms of music variety.

ith over 100 different vendors, Coachella offered a variety of food ranging from tri-tip sandwiches to ice cream-filled donut holes. Food was sold from 12 p.m. to the end of the festival at a reasonable price, ranging from $10-$20.

A large slice of pizza was the most popular choice, selling for $8, with tasty tomato sauce and the choice of cheese, vegetable or pepperoni toppings. Another in-demand snack was BackyardBowl’s acai bowls, which came in six different options. On top of that, people also enjoyed the delicious tacos, which sold for $12, and churros, which sold for $6.

Illustration by Tess Whittet

Courtesy of Coachella.com

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ame Impala blew the audience away with mesmerizing graphics along with flawless vocals, successfully bringing their songs to life.

Fans were thrilled when lead singer Kevin Parker performed his two new songs “Borderline” and “Patience,” after singing some of his previous hits, “Eventually” and “Let it Happen.”

Courtesy of Coachella.com

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J Zedd put on an unforgettable show on the last day of Coachella. He performed a variety of his mixes, such as “The Middle” and “Happy Now,” and songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Halfway into the set, Zedd surprised viewers with guest star, Katy Perry on stage to play their hit song “365.”

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Courtesy of Jack FM

set for everyone, Weezer came out and played an electrifying performance on Saturday. Weezer played all of their classic songs including “Island in the Sun,” “Beverly Hills,” and “Say it Ain’t So.” Weezer also brought out Tears 4 Fears who played “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

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SPORTS

La Vista

April 19, 2019

Mira Costa MADNESS

By Sammy Miller Sports Editor

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creaming, cheering, crying, buzzers going off, busted brackets...you know what that means. It’s March Madness time!

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament began on March 19 and finished with the championship game on April 8. Over the course of the tournament, sports fans across the nation crowded around televisions, phones and computers to see if this is finally the year they filled out a perfect bracket. Mira Costa students are no different, as the madness continued in the halls of the school.

“I love how there is so much energy and excitement at Costa during March Madness,” junior Alana Rieg said. “Everyone is watching the games and rooting on their favorite teams which is awesome.”

It’s estimated that Americans create more than 70 million brackets for the tournament each year. In a survey, 47.9% of Mira Costa students said that they made random choices when choosing who they believed was going to win.

Some Costa students on the other hand, Did you make a bracket this year?

were very careful when creating their brackets and conducted research before filling them out. This allowed them to see trends like 12-seeds beating out 5-seeds in the first round of the tournament. There has only been one game in which a 16-seed beat a 1-seed since 1985 and it occurred last year when the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) beat the University of Virginia.

“I watch a lot of college basketball so I basically pick the teams that looked best so far,” junior JD Sanchez said.

Another popular activity for viewers is to take part in a bracket pool. These pools collect participants’ money and create a pool of cash. At the end of the tournament, whoever has the best bracket wins the money. The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that the average bracket entry fee is $29 and they project that a total of $2 billion is wagered in pool play alone. There are many Mustangs who participate in pool play with fans across the country online but also there are students who create pools with their friends. Junior Tyler Antrobius created a popular March Madness pool with a group of over 50 Costa students.

“I created a bracket pool because What did you use to make your choices on your bracket?

Results from over 70 students

THE KAISERKING: Senior Brian Kaiserman made his March Madness bracket on March 17 before the first ball was tipped off. Kaiserman correctly chose Virginia as the winner of the tournament. it’s always fun to create brackets and see how they do against your friends,” Antrobius said. “I like making brackets because it makes every game meaningful and interesting to watch.”

Last year, Virginia was a 1-seed and found themselves on the wrong side of history after they were beaten by a 16seed in the first round. However, this year they avenged their loss in a huge way, ultimately winning the National Championship against Texas Tech. Out of the students surveyed, only one Mustang picked Virginia to win the Championship.

Senior Brian Kaiserman chose the Cavaliers to win it all, making him $370 richer.

“I chose Virginia because I am a big believer in Kyle Guy and their stellar defense,” Kaiserman said. “Watching the Championship game was one of the best nights of my life.”

The madness finally finished up on April 8 after the Cavaliers defeated the Red Raiders to earn the coveted title. These two teams battled it out

and in the final seconds, Virginia’s DeAndre Hunter hit a three-pointer to tie the score at 68-68 and force overtime.

The Cavaliers came out on top, clinching the title, with a score of 85-77.

“I think that it is super cool that a team with so much pressure to do well actually pulled out with the win,” junior Ella Erich said. “I am also super happy that Coach Tony Bennett won and his dad was able to be at the game.”

Mira Costa students are now closing out their March Madness tabs on their computers and trying to get back the money they lost in pool play, leading to lot of march sadness. Basketball fans around Costa and the rest of the nation will now draw their attention to the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs, to see which professional team will claim the championship title.

“I think that college basketball is awesome because so many people who never seem to pay attention to sports join in on the watching.” Erich said.

Costa baseball takes down Oaks Christian However, both teams played well on defense in the next two innings as neither team put a run on the board. At the end of the fourth inning, Oaks Christian still led 2-0.

“After we walked into the dugout coach Keith called all of us outside to talk to us about fighting until our last out, which helped us win the game,” junior Jackson Meignout said.

The Mustangs finally broke through during the fifth inning. Costa rallied with a few hits and a home run by Karros, which put Costa on the board and cut the deficit to 2-1. The sixth inning was a stalemate as neither team could add to their score.

“Coach Costley really wanted all of us to keep our heads in the right spot and talked with Kyle for a couple minutes before his at-bat, about how he could help the team by playing small ball,” Meignout said.

In the last inning of the game, Karros hit a walk off double and brought in

By Jade Trejo Online Sports Editor

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espite trailing in the final inning, the Mustangs rallied to earn a big win against the Oaks Christian Lions.

The Saturday game saw the Mustangs defeat Oaks Christian 3-2. Junior Kyle Karros led the team with a home run and a walk off double.

“I’m super glad I was able to help out the team and drive in some key runs in the last inning,” Karros said. “[Jared Karros] threw a great game and it’s just a huge team win especially with the Redondo game and CIF playoffs right around the corner.”

The Mustangs struggled in the first two innings as they were unable to score any runs and gave up two runs on defense. The second inning ended 2-0 with the Lions in the lead.

“We had a kind of slow start, but Oaks Christian is a tough team and overall we played well,” sophomore Jonah Storey said.

S tam pe de S tats Team Records as of April 18 Sport

Streak

Overall

Win

Loss

Tie

4

Girls Beach

14 2

12

3

Won 2

Boys Lacrosse

-

Girls Lacrosse

5

9

-

Lost 3

Baseball

18

-

Won 5

Boys Tennis

14

7 4

-

Won 3

Boys Volleyball

Won 3 Won 3

HEY, BATTER BATTER SWING: Junior Kyle Karros waits in the batters box for the pitch. The Mustangs defeated the Oaks Christian Lions in the Redondo Union Baseball Tournament on Saturday. Photo Courtesy of Jason Meignout sophomore Jonah Storey and senior Chase Meidroth for two runs and for the win. The game ended with a Mustang victory 3-2.

“Kyle’s hit allowed us to get the win,” Storey said.

“As a team we played well and this was a big win for us.”

The Mustangs played Centennial High School on Wednesday at Centennial

where the team defeated the Apaches 12-0. Costa is now 18-7 overall and 7-0 in Bay League and holding onto a five game winning streak. They play Centennial again today at home.

“We played a good game start to finish,” Meidroth said. “Good way to get rolling into Redondo and CIF time with a solid win verses Christian Oaks.”

The Rundown Boys volleyball fell to Redondo Union High School in five sets on March 28 at Redondo Union.

Boys tennis defeated Redondo Union High School 16-2 in the Bay League Doubles on Wednesday .

Lacrosse defeats Sierra Canyon Trailblazers 14-10

By Cole Garvey Sports Editor And Garrett Allen Opinion Editor

T

La Vista 15

SPORTS

April 19, 2019

he Mustangs defeated Sierra Canyon High School in an away game on Tuesday, beating the Trailblazers 14-10.

“We started off really strong right out of the gates,” senior Max Geoghan said.

Costa came out strong, scoring four quick goals in the first two minutes.

The team’s offense moved the ball around well and spread out the Trailblazer defense effectively.

“Our team really stepped up for this game, and a lot of our players got going early,” Geoghan said.

Although Costa’s faceoff man and wings dominated in the second quarter, the Sierra Canyon defense applied intense pressure to

Costa’s attackmen. The Trailblazers created many transition opportunities and scored three goals despite many key saves from sophomore goalie Kieran Barksdale. The Mustangs went into halftime up 6-4.

“Our defense was also strong as we were communicating and playing physical,” sophomore Jack Sizemore said.

Costa started the second

quarter with three quick transition goals. Seniors Josh Maruyama and Max Geoghan played well in the quarter, scoring multiple goals and picking up key ground balls. However, Sierra Canyon’s offense put up three more goals in the third. Junior Lucas Menendez ended the quarter off by stinging a corner and giving the Mustangs a commanding 10-6 lead.

LINE UP OR SHUTUP: The Mustangs line up before the faceoff against Sierra Canyon. After a hardfought game, the Mustangs prevailed, winning 14-10. Photo courtesy of Tom Garvey

“Our offense was on fire as we were moving the ball quickly and taking the shots they were giving us,” Sizemore said.

The fourth went well for the Mustangs, as they secured four goals early in the quarter. Costa’s ground ball play was huge throughout the game, and Sierra Canyon’s offense was limited until they scored four consecutive goals within two minutes. The Mustangs buckled down in the final two minutes, winning 14-10.

“Our defense was able to lock down their best player on offense,” senior Jacob Fernandez said.

Costa is now 13-3 and played the St. John Bosco Braves yesterday in the last regular season game of the year.

“As long as we come out ready to play as a team, it should be a great game,” Maruyama said.

T O P P E R F O R M E R S

Junior Tim Dzhurinskiy Boys Tennis Dzhurinskiy led the Mustangs to victory on Wednesday against Redondo Union.

Junior Lucas Menendez Boys Lacrosse Menendez scored six goals in a home game against Pacific Palisades High School.

Junior Dain Johnson Boys Volleyball Johnson had multiple blocks and kills in an away game against Palos Verdes High.

Junior Jenna Ortega Softball Ortega hit a grand slam in a rivalry game against the Redondo Union Sea Hawks.

Junior Kyle Karros Baseball Karros hit a homerun and a walk off double in a home game versus Oaks Christian.

16 La Vista

SPORTS

April 19, 2019

Girls beach volleyball earns another win against the Dolphins The Mustangs capture their 91st consecutive win at Dockweiler State Beach against the Palisades Charter High School Dolphins.

By Cassandra Kellum Staff Writer

M

ira Costa’s girls beach volleyball team dug up another win against Palisades Charter High School, beating out their opponent with excellent offensive shots and defensive plays throughout the game.

The team played their second tournament of the year on Saturday at Dockweiler State Beach. After a long battle against the Dophins, Costa took the victory and proved to be an unstoppable offensive force in all of their matches, sweeping the Dolphins.

“Many of our players couldn’t play this weekend, so finding players to compete was a little tough, but overall the tournament was a success,” sophomore Ava Gallien said.

In the first match against the Dolphins, also from years of playing together and the Mustangs came out firing with Gal- working as a team. They also have gained lien and junior Olivia Bakos. The duo experence by playing on the same club performed well on offense, racking up team. most of their points with excellent serv“I think that having a tough serve i n g , coach Nancy Mason said. helped us gain a big lead throughout both “On the road to winning, of our matches, setting us up for the win,” o u r coach provided Gallien said. helpful tips throughFreshmen Jenna Colligan and Savanout the t o u r n a - nah Standage came out strong in the fiment, which nal match against Palisades, helped us win,” defeating their opGallien said. ponents 21-8 in The Mustangs took both of their the lead early in the first sets. Colset of the second match ligan and and never looked back Standage due to smart tips and also relied kills to the back on imprescourt. Gallien and sive servBakos finished the ing to earn first set 21-9 with the victory. good serves and The coaches Senior high energy, Galpulled the Riley Hazelrigg lien said. In the freshmen up second set, they to varsity Photo by Sarah Toomey relied on smart due to their shots and managed skills, work to have a strong balance of over-sets and ethic and the need for kills that contributed to another 21-9 win. players because many Gallien and Bakos owe much of their varsity players were out success to their strong chemistry, which of town. is not only a result of being cousins but However, due to windy

conditions during the game, players had to take extreme caution in order to keep the ball in the court.

“The tournament made our team more confident since we have not played in many tournaments this year,” Standage said. “It felt good to come back on top.”

The Mustangs’ win against the Palisades Dolphins solidified their 91st consecutive win, earning them a first place ranking in Bay League. The team plans on remaining calm and staying focused during practices in order to reach their goal of 100 consecutive wins, Standage said.

“With many practices and help from our coach, we will continue to perform game-like drills to prepare us for future matches,” Gallien said.

Costa will play Santa Monica High School and Notre Dame High School at Dockweiler State Beach tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. The team plans to continue high level practices to prepare them for their next tournament, Gallien said.

“Our coach, Nancy Mason, is really good at calming us down before a game, and we will continue to follow that during our next tournament,”

Mira Costa track sprints past West Torrance at their recent meet

By Sophia Vaughan Staff Writer

A

fter a series of intensive meets, Mira Costa track faced the West Torrance Warriors in their third dual meet of the season.

Costa hosted West Torrance on Tuesday at Waller Stadium. The meet featured events such as the 200, 400, 800, and 3200 meter sprints. Hurdles, discus, high jump, long jump, and pole vault were also included. The dual meet was a friendly match between the two schools with the purpose of preparing the Mustangs for the upcoming Arcadia Invitational. Although it was a friendly meet, it was still an important one for Costa’s seniors, who competed in their final regular home meet of the season.

The Mustangs performed well across the board, taking first in two boys events and four girls events. Combined the Mustangs also raised their overall score by taking second and third in 13 other events, which helped contribute to their defeat of the West Torrance Warriors.

“It was difficult because a lot of our seniors are injured right now,” junior pole vaulter Makena Nakaji said. “But I was happy that we still did well.”

The Mustangs struggled in the 200 meter but still managed to place third in boys and fourth in girls. Senior Jules Barrieu led the boys, and sophomore Katherine Halkias led the girls with her strong showing against the Warriors. However,

Costa began to take control of the meet win to our season as a team.” bing second in the high jump. Junior in the 400 meter first when senior Amari As the Mustangs entered the 100 me- Rory Schelly also managed to tie for Fraiser placed for the girls while also ter hurdle, Costa continued to control second place in the long jump. setting a personal record of 1:00.55. the meet. Top performer Fraser took her “Pole vault struggled a lot this meet,’ The Costa boys also performed well in second win of the meet with a time of Nakaji said. “Most of our seniors who the events that they competed in. Bar15.23. Sophomore Nicholas Liou also typically place are out with injuries so it rieau led the Mustangs by taking secplaced well, earning a was a challenge going in, but I was still ond in the event, which improved the second place finish for proud that we worked hard.”

Mustangs’ overall score in one of the the boys, increasing Costa finished strong in the Women’s most important meets of the season.

Costa’s lead head- Varsity Long Jump, with 0.senior Sadie “The team did a really good job of ing into discus. Beaumont adding another win for the being very supportive of one another Costa again girls. Junior Kobe Miyake also added a during the meet and working together d e l i v e r e d third place to the boys record, rounding to perform well and win this meet,” as junior out the meet and giving the Mustangs an junior long jumper Katelyn Lowry J a c o b edge against the competition. In total, said.

Elison Costa’s girls and boys placed first in six Costa’s performance only contook events, second in 11 events and third in tinued to improve from first eight events. there, as sophomore for “I was happy with my performance Dalia Frias the because I got to set a new personal retook first in cord,” third place long jumpSenior the women’s er Lowry said.

800 meter with Amari Fraser The Mustangs, now a time of 2:23.77.

3-11, will compete in The Costa boys also the Mount Sac InviPhoto by Sarah Toomey took first in the 800, with junior Alex tational at El Camino Fiorito dashing across the finish line College today and tomorin 2:04.07. Although the Costa boys boys. row. The events will last two days, bestruggled in the 3200 meter, junior Despite the ginning at 5 p.m. today and at 9 a.m. toElla Scalabrini took second, keeping Mustangs strug- morrow. The Mustangs hope to improve the Mustang winning streak alive. gle to place in on their triple jumps and overall times “I improved my technique and I the women’s pole before entering into the California Intergot my personal record, so it felt vault or women’s scholastic Federation Playoffs according really good,” junior long long jump, the Costa to Lowry. jumper Jaesal Soma said. boys managed to keep “I have high hopes for our team with “We compete against the momentum going with the CIF prelims approaching,” Soma West a lot and it felt junior Casey Meyer reaching a said. “Everyone’s been working very good to add another personal best of 19’ 4.75” and grab- hard.”