January 2016

La Costa Canyon High School

MavLife

January 2016

One Maverick Way, Carlsbad, CA 92009

Volume 10 Issue 4

Celebrating 20 Years

Kali Anderson

A black and white photo of the campus, taken when the school first opened in 1996, is held agaisnt a current photo of the campus in order to illustrate the ways in which LCC has changed over the past 20 years.

20 Year Anniversary Prompts Teacher Appreciation

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he year is 1996. LCC has been an establishment for less than a week and trouble has already arisen in the newly paved parking lot. A young Bill Vice, complete with a full head of hair, comes upon a group of freshmen vandalizing the parked cars with shaving cream. Scrawled across the metal are the words “LCC: large concentration camp.”

“That’s the way kids perceived their lack of freedom,” Vice said. “I

think, for those kids when we first started, they didn’t know what our tradition was going to be.”

2016 will mark the school’s 20 year anniversary. A landmark for the tradition, based on community and culture, that LCC has developed since those early days of vandalism and resentment. According to staff, students have changed dramatically over the course of twenty years and have developed a prominent sense

of community and positivity.

“I love my students,” Vice said.

“I love the community, I love the culture. It’s changed. I’ve seen a lot of changes in 20 years, but the more things change, the more things stay the same.”

Many of the school’s current staff have been here since the very first day. According to most, these long-standing teachers are the glue that holds the school together. Their

experiences provide insights that help other staff members to better LCC. “Experienced, older teachers build community,” science teacher June Honsberger said. “I think that the staff we have right now is the best we’ve ever had.”

The milestone has prompted action from administration.

Principle Bryan Marcus is on a mission to celebrate the anniversary

and make some major changes to the way things have looked for the past 20 years. Among these changes is the bell schedule that will be introduced next year, which will break the block schedule that has defined the school since 1996.

Continued on Page 2

ASB and Leadership Aim for Community on Campus L

a Costa Canyon is continuing to strive for a better culture, connection and community on campus. One of the most prevalent ways we are doing this is by adding a Leadership class in addition to our ASB. While they are separate classes, the two work together to create a harmonious and vibrant way of life for students and staff.

Leadership and ASB collaborate together to make LCC a more memorable place by coming up with ideas and events to get the students and staff involved.

ASB pursues the main events, such as dances and donations, while Leadership classes make the advertisements and help create ideas to help build a connection between the students. They both work together to make LCC a better place and for students to go home and have memories from the events that take place.

“Leadership helps ASB through creating a more positive culture on campus” ASB and Leadership teacher Casey Rector said.

Leadership is a separate class from ASB where they develop ideas and strengthen communication

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Liam Lucewicz

An ASB Student paints a banner in order to promote school spirit around campus.

GG Buhaenko

Two students work hard on leadership skills and schoolwork in ASB class.

IN THIS ISSUE

NEWS 2

OPINION 4

Feature: Shooting for Safety

Mavlife reporters take a hard look at gun violence in schools.

PAGES 8-9

FEATURE 8

SPORTS 10

skills and campus events. They are currently workings on ideas for the upcoming Community Day in February where they will have to use their communication skills that they have learned in the class.

The day is dedicated to bring the attending student body together in hopes of cultivating a connected campus.

Both the ASB and Leadership classes focus on the goal of contributeing to LCC continuously through the school year.

Students can expect to innovate ideas and improve communication skills while participating in an ASB or Casey Rector Leadership class. The purpose for both classes is to gain leadership and communication skills while providing events for the campus.

“Leadership contributes to the campus by trying to make it a better community for everyone by coming together making new activities,” senior Cetara Anspaugh said. “There’s lots of helping around the campus.”

Although both Leadership

Leadership contributes to the campus by trying to make it a better community for everyone”

EXPLAINER 13

ENTERTAINMENT 14

Team Spotlight: Cross Country

The Hungry Maverick

PAGE 10

PAGE 16

Both the boys and girls take home CIF and State honors.

The MavLife staff tastes some of the best french fries in the area to find out which restaurant has the best salty snack.

and ASB strive for the same requirements to fulfill the students with memories, there are several differences. Leadership is more of a class that is accessible to everyone, whereas people in ASB are selected to become a member of the class.

“Leadership is a class and you can sign up and take the class, whereas ASB you have to be interviewed and be elected into it,” sophomore Margot Oury said.

“ASB runs and organizes all of the dances that we have, but Leadership doesn’t.

The two classes help each other in contributing to the overall personality of the school. ASB and Leadership both stimulate a growing cultivation of culture that is passed on between each grade level. This cultivation provides a cohesion amongst all attending students and staff.

Sophia Imparato Staff Writer

Jan/Feb CLASS 15 STHEATER HOW

20-22 FINALS 25-26 NO SCHOOL

27-30 1

ONE ACTS START SMART

3 BAND CONCERT

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News

January 2016

2016 Welcomes a New SAT for High School Students

Photo by Kalli Anderson

Changes will be made for the SAT starting in March.The test will be shaped to follow a curriculum-based test and will have fewer sections.The new format will also be changed to the old 1600 point scale.

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eginning on March 5th, 2016, the College Board will officially implement testing for the new SAT in order to effectively assess how prepared a student is for college.

The old SAT, a test examining math and english concepts, is often critiqued as a study-based test, not a knowledge-based test.

“The idea of the SAT in general will always have that ‘learn and drop’ process,” sophomore Marina Keller said. “It’s not like we’re taking something away from it; it’s just about getting good scores that colleges can look at. Colleges don’t have the time to individually look at kids, so SAT scores are the main deciding factor that they can base their opinions off of.”

The College Board has listened to critics, has made alterations, and has come up with a brand new test that includes both major and minor changes. It is has since strayed from its original design that notes how well a student attended classes and prepped; it has now been designed to truly test a student’s knowledge.

Based on a New York Times article, the president of College Board is advocating for a more equal system that test students effectively for college preparedness.

“It may not be our fault, but it is our problem,” president of College Board David Coleman said in the article.

According to the Washington Post, the amount of people who took the ACT in 2012 surpassed the amount who took the SAT that same year. More and more students are shifting to the ACT’s common core based questions. This was most likely an eye-opener for the administrators on the SAT board, who have since worked to better model the test.

“I prefer taking the ACT; it’s really fast while the SAT has like fifteen parts,” senior Alex Scott said. “The SAT is, low-key, its own little government establishment test. I wish there were questions that weren’t culture based. I wished there were questions that objectively tests my brain’s knowledge.”

The overall changes are simple to note. As stated previously, the SAT will be shaped to follow that of a curriculum-based test. There will now be multi-stepped questions and emphasized critical reasoning skills. There will also be fewer sections with longer amounts of time; however the questions will imply thorough thinking. On a positive note, there is no penalty for incorrect responses and the test will have four answer choices instead of the previous five.

Surprisingly, the SAT will be available in digital format. It is even expected go back to its original 1600 scale, replaced in 2005 by the 2400 scale.

The Critical Reading and Writing sections will be combined to compose 800 possible points in the new “Writing and Language” section. Lucky for some students, the essay portion is now optional. A student can choose to take a threehour exam without the essay, or a three hour and fifty minute exam with it. While students are not required to take the essay portion, they are certainly encouraged to do so.

“We should not be encouraging students to make up the facts,” Coleman said. “Now I’m all for creativity and innovation, but I don’t think that’s quite the creativity we want to inspire in a generation of youth. If writing is to be ready for the demands of career and college, it must be precise, it must be accurate, it must draw upon evidence.”

There will be more evidence based questions by which students will be asked to support their answer with cited evidence from specific passages. Vocabulary words that are memorized specifically for the SAT won’t be focused on any longer. There will be a greater emphasis on more practical words that are used in a college and career setting.

“These tests should be geared towards subject applicable to life beyond high school and beyond college,” junior Brianna Straley said. “Career oriented vocabulary would be a very beneficial replacement for the seemingly irrelevant and random vocabulary currently embedded in the SAT.” As for the math section, composed of the latter 800 points, almost everything will remain similar to its initial state prior to the test alterations. The main difference includes a ‘no-calculator’ section and a heavier focus on a narrower range of topics rather than on abstract logic questions. For example, there will be a fairly significant emphasis on complex equations, proportional reasoning, data interpretations, and functions.

The College Board announced that the new math section, “allows greater assessment of students’ understanding, fluency and technique.”

Colleges plan to accept both current and redesigned SAT scores so the class of 2017, 2018 and 2019 won’t be negatively impacted. However, if one should feel the need to take the current SAT, there is still one last date on January 23th, 2016.

“I will most likely take the opportunity to be tested on the new SAT, especially if my PSAT results are good,” junior Irena Dezazzo said. “Compared to the old SAT, I prefer the ACT, but I will have to find out how my performance went and compare the results.”

Jasmin Sani Staff Writer

20th Year Anniversary For LCC Is Celebrated

Photo by Kalli Anderson

As the 20th anniversary of LCC is celebrated, teachers and students look back to when LCC first opened in 1997. Since then, LCC sports have won many titles for CIF and the Avocado League Campionship.

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[continued from page 1]

“This 20 year landmark has allowed us to reflect on the last 20 years and say ‘how do we want to rebrand ourselves?’”

Marcus said. “I think that some of the work in celebrating 20 years is rebranding the school by looking at the bell schedule and seven period options,” While changes are brewing on the horizon, many staff members believe that more should be done to commemorate this occasion.

“We should focus on celebrating 20 years!” Honsberger said. “It’s a big landmark; we’ve got to do something.”

Ideas include engravings on the class of 2016’s diplomas to honor the anniversary, planting trees to celebrate and help the environment, in addition to reaching out to earlier classes.

“One of the things that really intrigues me about this landmark date is that we can start really connecting with our alumni that have graduated,” Marcus said. “I think that’s something that we haven’t really done a good job of. I know that the Foundation is working on that, but I’d like to create a tighter bond there.”

The next few years will be aimed towards improving the school, according to administration. However, this year is an opportunity for teachers to reminisce over 20 years of memories.

“There was a day that a truck drove on campus that the police were chasing,” Vice said. “I am lecturing and this truck goes flying by during third period and then a cop car was right behind it. It was because some guy was syphoning gas from across the street, and police chased him so he drove on campus.”

The biggest way that teachers are celebrating the anniversary is by showing their appreciation for the school, other staff members and students. Staff have used this opportunity to express the reason why they chose LCC in the first place and the reason why they have stayed through thick and thin.

“I really love the staff here and I really love the students,” Honsberger said. “It’s just such a great community. I think that our community really appreciates our academics, and our athletics, and all of our arts. This school is so strong and this admin team is the best we’ve ever had.”

The staff and admin have put in effort to keep LCC running for 20 years. To most, the anniversary is a salute to them.

“The people who have been behind these walls and these doors, they matter,” Vice said.

Brittany Bloom

Assistant News Editor and Copy Editor

3 News Gender Neutral Bathrooms Are Offered at LCC Schools in the San Dieguito Unified School District have created safe bathrooms for gender neutral students.

MAVLIFENEWS.COM

G

ender neutral bathrooms are starting to become as common as gender segregated restrooms. These restrooms are unisex to accommodate all genders. Some schools and businesses have adopted these facilities as a step towards allowing people to use whichever bathroom they deem fit for themselves.

The strive for equality continues throughout the world as society adapts to become more accommodating for all.

“Students that want to should be able to use the bathrooms we have set on campus,” senior Nicole Timofeevski said. “But before we build more, we should first educate and foster a more accepting environment on campus to start with because there’s no reason for bullying to occur.”

Equality for everyone is still in progress for most nations. Unfortunately, according to Washington Post, 41% of transgenders have attempted suicide and they are at a much higher risk to experience bullying and depression as compared to those who identify with their biologically given gender.

With these unfortunate numbers increasing, gender neutral bathrooms could possibly serve as a haven for some. The intense need for these separate bathrooms are intended for the respective users.

Establishment of these restrooms are a step forward in our greater culture, connection and community.

“It would give a safe space,” senior Jennifer Kelly said. “It’s only a small change, but [having gender neutral bathrooms] would make people feel more included on campus.

We can’t neglect students at our school solely because there are those who would disagree.”

High school is already condoned as one of the most difficult times to “fit in.”

With a simple space, such as a bathroom, our school can offer an area for transgender and questioning students to utilize without

Photo by Kalli Anderson

SDUHSD adopts gender neutral bathrooms for the benefit of students in high school. Both Torrey Pines and Carlsbad High have created these bathrooms.

the fear of question as to what gender they bathroom to use, it would make it easier on identify with or what others label them as. them to focus on school.”

While a separate gender neutral Our gender neutral bathrooms are bathroom may seem currently located in the miniscule to some, the Administration Office near the I think gender presence of the facility front of campus. They are in shows a considerate and use for both staff and students. neutral bathrooms respectful surrounding It is a single stall consisting of a are an important body on campus. Schools toilet and sink; similar to many like Carlsbad High have other bathrooms in places such facility to have.” established gender neutral as grocery stores, gyms, malls bathrooms on their grounds Nicole Timofeeski and other public settings. and have noticed a strong “We have [gender neutral alliance and support system bathrooms] in effect now,” amongst the students.

Principal Bryan Marcus said.

“The bathrooms will make people more “We work on a case-by-case basis with our comfortable,” senior Rebecca Karp said. “If counseling department and also with our people didn’t have that inner turmoil of which students and their families to ensure the

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overall safety and making sure that all students feel connected with the school.”

The installment of these unisex bathrooms are aimed to ensure the safety of users. It is not meant to single out or segregate genders but rather provide a safe place for people in question. It is a small token of respect and encouragement for all people by their peers to choose their identity without being assigned one by society.

“I think gender neutral bathrooms are an important facility to have,” Timofeevski said. “It’s a facility that could be considered a human right.”

Erin Sumabat Staff Writer

Update: New Bell Schedule for 2016-17 School Year

The final bell schedule includes teacher collaborations, support periods after classes and “brunch” instead of “break.”

L

a Costa Canyon High School is going through a lot of changes in the competition between neighboring schools, and the schedule isn’t a new contestant. Although, in the last issue’s newspaper the new schedule is mentioned, it has been once again re-formatted, This time it is here to stay. The new and improved schedule is planned to take effect next year, and has been discussed in the LCC’s community for over a year and a half now.

“Our current bell schedule has been the same bell schedule since 1996,” principal Brian Marcus said. “We, as a staff, want to devise a schedule that is going to prepare students not only for their current years and the years to come, but to be prepared for college.”

LCC’s new schedule isn’t a new thing to the San Dieguito Union High School District, it has been introduced and used by other schools, such as Torrey Pines.

“Torrey Pines is also changing their bell schedule and both school sides have been working collaboratively with each other,” Marcus said.

Marcus explains that Torrey Pines will have a different schedule compared to LCC’s.

Torrey Pines schedule will be customized to fit that particular school environment, while La Costa Canyon’s schedule will fit into theirs.

“Some [students] are busy after school, and some don’t get home till seven or eight o’clock at night, and start studying till eight to 11 which is just not good,” Marcus said. “What we want to do is design some support time, so the students can leave the classroom with a better understanding of their homework.”

The new bell schedule was designed so students can better understand what teachers are covering in class. With the new schedule, they can personally ask questions while they’re with the teacher, instead of not understanding it at home and becoming stressed out.

“One of the things we are really working to do is something I call the three C’s.

Connecting with students, building school culture and connecting the students to the LCC community,” Marcus said.

Even though the classes are around 80 minutes, they also have 30 minutes to do homework for that class, make up tests and study.

“Some of the changes to the new schedule was us, as a school staff, working in more support time with the students throughout the week,” Marcus said.

One of the things added to the new schedule is bringing back MavNation (LCC’s news source) and collaboration every other Monday for the staff.

“Every other Monday we are consulting with the staff, so instead of late starts, we are going to have an ‘early-out’ every other monday,” Marcus said. “Every other Monday, school finishes at 1:22 P.M., and the students get out an hour and a half early.”

Brunch has been a main topic for many of the students in LCC. In response to the change, Marcus said instead of just blatantly calling it “snack” they took the name “brunch.”

Freshman Mary Sullivan shares her opinion on the new school schedule.

“If I can’t keep up with the schedule that we have now, how am I supposed to remember the new and much more complicated schedule?” Sullivan said.

Craig Griesemer, who is for the new schedule change, informs students that the new schedule is better than the old, because the students have more scheduling options.

“I would inform that having a seventh period as an option is better than having six periods, and no flexibility,” Griesemer said.

To prevent the mistakes that Diegueño Middle School had with their tested bell schedule, the LCC staff is looking for the expectations that are needed to help forgo the schedule.

“We are working as a staff, to see what the expectations are,” Marcus said. “At Diegueño [the schedule] was so new to the

Week 2

Week 1 1 Brunch 3 MavTV Lunch 5 Collaboration

Time

Monday

1:29 0:10 1:29 0:20 0:35 1:29 1:08

2 Brunch 4 6 Lunch 7 7 Support

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1:20 0:10 1:20 1:20 0:35 1:24 0:31

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1 Brunch 3 5 Lunch 7

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Time 1:20 0:10 1:20 1:20 0:35 1:24 0:31

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Graphic by Jade Harabedian

students. We wanted to see how kids would react to it.”

Marcus informs the students to take advantage of the new bell schedule and the support time built into each class.

“We are gonna see kids that are gonna take advantage of this opportunity, because there are more parameters, more guidelines,” Marcus said. “For the kids that don’t take

advantage from this, we are going to create strategies, so we can help them too.”

Hunter Mcgahan Staff Writer

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Opinion

AExploring New Year, But Likely Not a New You the irony behind New Years resolutions and why nobody meets them course, some people are determined and do achieve their desired goals when they set their New Year’s resolutions, but an overwhelming majority fails to accomplish their intended objective.

Jack Stevens Staff Writer

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ew Year’s Resolutions. A vow one makes in order to better oneself, whether one wants to lose weight or get more organized.

Many people hold these traditions, and many attempt to keep these resolution throughout the year.

However, they are commonly broken. People believe that they can hold their New Year’s resolutions, but many people do not have the self responsibility to keep them. People believe that they can better themselves, but they eventually realize that keeping their resolutions is harder than it sounds.

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It is not impossible to have a New Year’s resolution and keep it. Many people do. 8% of the United States population may seem small, but that is still 25 million Americans, in comparison to the 318 million currently in the country. If people are serious in reaching their objectives, then they certainly can.

Staying focused and working hard at your goal can really help, and can get you to finish what you have been striving for.

If people are serious about improving themselves and are determined to reach their goal, there is nothing stopping them.

However,the self is the hardest obstacle to push past. The only thing that prevents people who make their resolution is their self control and if they can control themselves and work on their resolution, they can accomplish it.

Many people hold these traditions, and many attempt to keep these resolution throughout the year.

However, they are commonly broken.

According to statisticbrain. com, only 8% of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions are successful in achieving their resolution.

This data is clear in saying that people inherently do not want to actively work to better themselves, and will eventually quit on their resolutions before they reach their goal. Of

New Year’s Resolution

Design Editor: Jade Harabedian Feature Editor: Kailey O’Connell Sports Editor: Connor Hines News Editor: Emily Brown

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Graphics Editor: Daniel Stuart

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Staff Members share their NewYear’s resoltuions for the upcoming year

“My new years resolution would be, because I just turned 18, become the adult I am supposed to be now and take more responsibility. I have not been spending as much money lately as well, so I feel good about that”

Erin Sumabat - Staff Writer

“My new year’s resolution is to be the best I can all the time, so I never have to have a new year’s resolution”

Sydney Kay - Staff Writer

Sammy Sinatra - Staff Writer

MavLife 2015-2016 Staff Editors-In-Chief: Aneleise Frandsen, Cassie Amundson

MavLife Staff New Years Resolutions

“My New Year’s Resolution is to be more positive”

January 2016

Opinion Editor: Cooper Gee Entertainment Editor: Reilly Tiglio Photo Editor: Kalli Anderson Social Media Manager: Kara Gibson Copy Editors: Kailey O’Connell, Brittany Bloom Adviser: Stacy Hardcastle Senior Staff Writers: Kennon Aarnes, Gillian Chaffer, Chad Crilley, Bryce Gallagher, Soren Gregory, Danielle Lee, Amanda Mester, Calvin Zeljack Staff Writers: Trevor Ferguson, Sophia Gambale, Claire Granich, Jenna Husong, Sophia Imparato, Sydney Kay, Hunter Mcgahan, Jasmin Sani, Samantha Sinatra, Acacia Southwell, Jack Stevens

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avLife is the student newspaper of La Costa Canyon High School.

LCCHS student media products are public forums for student expression.

Students are responsible for their work in print publications, online content and video broadcasts, as well as in other products, none of which are subject to administrative approval. Students make all final content decisions.

Media programs follow Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Student Press Law Center standards. In addition, student media programs work to follow all copyright laws and avoid libel, slander, and infringing upon the rights of others.

Unsigned editorials represent the opinions of the editorial board, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective.

Advertisements do not necessarily represent the newspaper’s views.

Opinion

MAVLIFENEWS.COM

Editorial: Finding a Balance in the Gun Debate

In the string of events that has played out over the past year concerning campus shootings, there is one common element that connects such horrific accidents to a more political and widely disputed platform. The common element is none other than ownership of a firearm or gun. Just as the debate has reached an extremely wide scale it has also, in turn, polarized both sides- and in many cases to a dangerous fault. This polarized debate commonly targets the likes of an environment such as a school, to which is a place that should in all ways protect it’s attending students and staff, but how should it go about doing that? That is the question that should be catapulted into the public sphere and truly discussed, instead of remaining stagnant on either side of the gun control debate.

Speaking more presently, it is also very important to be reminded that in any case, student safety is a top priority and in the case of a campus shooting, every student must be aware of the best way to remain safe and protected from any potential harm. This present ideology is the root reasoning as to why drills are practiced routinely as well as utilized in such an event. In order to better our campuses defenses against any potential gun-related threats, an open discussion about gun control and its limitations or uses should be ongoing, so as to reverse the current narrative. Doing this will push us to look forward towards bettering the safety of all students on campus.

It is easy to produce a quick answer in relation to school, such as implementing a currently debated defensive tactics.

Some of these include allowance of guns in classrooms for emergencies. Taking a more passive approach, another debated suggestion is to simply integrate lessons in school that target the issue of treating others in a kind way and alarming students of the dangers that come with wielding a gun. Both suggestions hold great ideas, and it these suggestions that will move the gun control discussion forward, instead of locking it into a specific mindset.

The phrase, “ The best defense is a good offense” is a perfect summation of why practicing safety techniques on campus proves to be a powerful force against those who would choose to endanger a campus. If we can take one thing from recent history alone, it would be this: in order to properly protect our campus and peers we must come up with the best solutions that maintain the safety and peace on campus we luckily have kept each and every day.

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It is easy to produce a quick answer to this issue in relation to school, such as implementing a currently debated defensive tactics.”

The Power of Senioritis: An Underclassman Perspective The School Wide Epidemic from a DifferentViewpoint school on a regular basis, for it could stop you from graduating at the right time.Your hard work, determination, and four years of high school will pay off if you just wait six more months.

If you work through senioritis, you won’t have any.

Kennon Aarnes Senior Staff Writer

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s each year goes on, school gets harder and harder to keep up with.

Homework, friends, sports, family- it’s difficult to keep a steady life without being consumed by school and stress.

Just as school gets harder every year, students tend to normally get lazier by senior year, knowing that they just have to survive this year and then their life will finally take off.

Finishing off those final credits needed as the year slowly ticks by, filling out college applications, and getting ready for the future: the list of things goes on and on. All of these things are on a senior’s mind, instead of focusing on a small homework assignment or coming to a class that is just filler.

As a sophomore, I already feel lazy and procrastinate my homework until 9 ‘o’clock at night, and I still have two more years to go.You may not think you will get it, but it may creep up on you when you least expect it. This is the power of senioritis.

As the anticipation to start your life and get out of high school increases, you may start to not do assignments here and there. What harm can one assignment do to your grade right? At every high school, there is senioritis present, especially during the months of January and February.

Is there any way to get over the impending doom of senioritis? Well for starters, you can not skip that one assignment, for your GPA could drop so low that colleges may reconsider letting you enter. And don’t ditch

6

Opinion

January 2016

Staff Opinions on Wider Issues Syrian Refugees Fight For Entrance and Freedom in the States

Gender Neutral Bathrooms: Their impact on a school campus

Gillian Chaffer Senior Staff Writer

With the recent events regarding Syrian escapees, the government has been at waralmost literally- with Syrian individuals trying to enter the United States through boats, rafts and other sources of travel. The answer to this situation is not black and white. Both sides of this issue have pros and cons, but the nation needs to remember that our goal as a unit is to not only help our own citizens, but others who need our help and security.

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Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Egypt. America does not realize what these individuals are actually escaping from: possible death, injury, and being torn apart from families.

For us to not allow these people in means that we are letting these Syrians die.

The biggest fear that has been expressed is the worry that some of these individuals are members of ISIS. The fact of the matter is, most of the Syrians are escaping harsh conditions that they face everyday in their country. Yes, there will be danger, just like there is danger in everything. These refugees are not terrorists; there are possible ISIS members or supporters trying to enter America, and it is our job to protect the country. Terrorists aren’t just from one country, or one region of the world.

We must step in and give all we can to help those who need it, no matter the stereotypes towards these human beings that are not true. There are people who may enter with them, and we cannot always prevent this, but we must have this risk to ensure their safety.

We must step in and give all we can to help those who need it, no matter the stereotypes towards these human beings that are not true.”

These people that are coming over to the US are men, women, and children who are escaping a failing economy, controlling government, and an excessive amount of violence and loss. The world seems to turn away from those who do not speak our language, those who do not understand many of our policies, and those who have racial stereotypes. Those who assume that all of these individuals are terrorists are engulfed by the fear that these people will, in fact, harm America and its citizens. Fear is not what should run our government. Fear is not something that should be the main concern of our president, military officials, or citizens.

Fear becomes almost like fog: it changes people’s views on social issues even if there is a clear choice. Unfortunately, this choice is not clear.

ISIS attacks have mainly been happening in the Middle East. Many Americans are not aware that there have been over 2,000 murders, massacres, rapes, kidnappings, and other events that have occurred in Iraq,

America’s job is to protect their people and land-but we cannot limit refugees from coming into our states.Yes, security checks will be needed, just like with every person trying to enter. Unfortunately, most of these places that they are escaping from do not These people do not want to hurt us- they are the ones who are being hurt.

Together, refugees can become part of our society. Hopefully in the near future, America can become their home away from home.

Danielle Lee Senior Staff Writer

“Where’s the bathroom?”

tential risk of assault more than it could benefit students on school campuses.

An inquiry that appears to be this simple has proven to be a feat for those who identify along the transgender spectrum or those who are gender nonconforming individuals, especially on school campuses.

At LCC, there is an unsaid restraint against gender neutral bathrooms because of social concerns, as there would be at any school. However, LCC is on the right track for supportive attitudes towards transgender and gender nonconforming students through the LCC Gay Straight Alliance and other forms of campus activism. I am hopeful that our campus will be able to integrate gender neutral bathrooms in the future without the repercussions of negative attitudes from students.

Pushing for gender neutral bathrooms has become a popular and new form of school campus advocacy, with many students hoping to lessen gender segregation and introduce a form of inclusion and welcoming.

“

A bathroom is no different than any other public space where people want to be left alone and feel comfortable.”

Introducing public gender neutral bathrooms to school campuses presents a list of potential problems.

In making this decision, it needs to be considered which alternative will outweigh the other in terms of benefit versus harm.

Arguments against gender neutral bathrooms have often presented the potential problem of sexual assault. Many people who support the development of gender neutral bathrooms want to also maintain sensitivity for those who are survivors of assault that may feel unsafe in a bathroom where a person of the other gender may be present.

However what many people fail to realize is that sexual assault can--and does--take place among all genders and other identities in society. All victims of assault deserve the same sensitivity. Preventing gender neutral bathrooms from developing will not minimize the po-

With many arguments against public, multi-person gender neutral bathrooms, I believe that single-person, easily accessible bathrooms should be made available on school campuses.

These would ensure that all students have access to a safe space, with no risk of feeling uncomfortable due to another person during use.

A bathroom is no different than any other public space where people want to be left alone and feel comfortable. If that is our main concern, why should one gender’s comfort be treated as more important than the other? Should we be comfortable with that idea? Are we comfortable with that?

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Hundreds of schools.

Fifty states.

Twenty students.

One gun.

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ock the doors. Shut the blinds. Turn off the lights. Hide.

Huddled together in the dark classroom, no one dares to move, speak, or even breathe. Minutes pass, then hours.

Forty pairs of anxious eyes pick the room apart, searching for an everyday object that could be used for self defense–a fire extinguisher? Stapler? Textbook? In tense silence, students and teachers wait for a bell, a phone call, a text–any kind of signal to let them know when it’s safe to come out of hiding. For some, unfortunately, this signal never comes. This is a lockdown: a safety drill that’s become a little too real.

The term “lockdown” is most commonly known as a security measure taken during an emergency to prevent people from leaving or entering a building. These procedures serve to educate students on what to do in a dangerous situation, especially due to the recent rise of mass shootings in America-since 2013, there has been an average of one school shooting per week. What can be done to reduce the amount of victims traumatized, injured, and killed from these attacks?

CURRENT SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

First and foremost, teachers emphasize the routine school safety drills. According to Principal Brian Marcus, there are a fixed number of six practice lockdowns per year.

“As soon as the class rosters have been set, I go through my safety procedures,” history teacher Doug Heflin said. “I explain to [the students] why we do everything that we do and try to get it into them with a little bit of repetition.”

Lockdown drills, which include actions like taking cover and staying away from the windows, require oversight by a teacher to be carried out properly.

“What we do now depends on how seriously the teachers take [lockdowns],” senior Gabi Yamout said. “Most of the kids just do what they’re told. Maybe we don’t keep quiet enough, but everyone does [the procedure] pretty much the same way.”

Marcus assured that administration constantly looks for

“We can practice only for the best case

scenario. Other than that, we have to think on our toes. There’s no planning for everything, as we’ve seen in all these shootings.”

Doug Heflin new ways to make the school a safer place. Between several Carlsbad Police officers, student resource officer Eric Prior, campus supervisor LoriLynn Branson, and others, there is always a multitude of protective forces present on campus.

In addition to the Public Address (PA) intercom system used for announcements like the Pledge of Allegiance, more methods of communication have been implemented this year to ensure a safer school environment.

“We upgraded and spent close to $8,000 on our walkie talkies,” Marcus said. “We now have over 25 walkie talkies all over campus that our staff has access to. I think that made a big impact because if we can’t communicate clearly as a staff or reach people, then that’s an issue.”

In emergency circumstances, communication can certainly go a long way. However, some means of communication have notable disadvantages.

“We’re supposed to check our emails or look for a Remind 101 message, but I don’t usually have my phone out,” Heflin said. “If my phone buzzes every two seconds with messages while I’m lecturing, how should I know one from the other?”

Despite all the precautions taken, any lockdown situation has a certain factor of unpredictability, which can limit the amount of drills.

Columbine, 1999 Teenagers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold from Columbine High school killed 13 other students and before killing themselves.

Umpqua, 2015 Gunman Chris Harper Mercer shot and killed nine people and injured seven others at Umpqua Community College near Roseburg, Oregon.

Oikos, 2012 Former student One Goh shot and killed seven people and injured three more at Oikos University in Oakland, California.

Santana, 2001 In Santee, California, student Charles Andrew Williams from Santana High shot and killed two classmates and wounded 13 others on the campus.

“We can practice only for the best case scenario,” Heflin said. “Other than that, we have to think on our toes. There’s no planning for everything, as we’ve seen in all these shootings.”

Administrators acknowledge their liability to defend students in a state of emergency.

“I’m semi-obsessed with safety because I really am responsible for these kids’ lives,” Heflin said. “I’m the adult in charge; I’m the parent on duty.”

IMPROVING CAMPUS SAFETY

In a survey MavLife conducted on how safe students feel at school, the results varied. Out of the 227 students who responded, 52 percent felt “safe,” 24 percent felt “very safe,” 18 percent felt “moderately safe,” and a low five percent felt “not safe at all.”

71 percent said that they felt “safe enough” during lockdown drills, while only two percent said they felt “extremely unsafe,” unprepared for a real emergency. What does La Costa Canyon lack for those two percent to feel that way?

Administration may have made efforts to improve communication on school grounds, but some areas of the school aren’t as up-to-date as others.

“The band room doesn’t get announcements,” senior musician Michelle Gould said. “If Mr. Marcus were to get on the loudspeaker and say there’s a shooter on campus, we wouldn’t know.”

Similarly, some believe the layout of the school as a whole contributes to feelings of unsafety.

“We have a very difficult setting,” Heflin said. “There are so many ways to get in and out [of the school]. If someone really wanted to, they could probably climb over these fences and gates.”

One way to discourage break-ins is to modify the entire geography of the campus.

“A suggestion has been having the main entrance being the office to get into campus,” Heflin said. “It might keep bad guys out if they know they need to walk through the office to get on campus.”

Years ago, during one of the more serious lockdowns in the school’s history, a burglar drove on campus and then fled out the fire road. Aside from this occurrence, facing intruders isn’t a typical scenario for La Costa Canyon. Some consider the school’s surroundings more secure than other areas in the region.

“I feel like we live in such a safe neighborhood,” senior Gabi Yamout said. “The crime rate is really low, so campus feels like a safe place to be.”

All schools are different–different sizes, different designs –but most classrooms are similar. What’s the best way to protect students inside a generic classroom? Some ideas offer a quick fix, but are simply unrealistic.

“The big new suggestion the experts are giving us is to barricade the door, but it wouldn’t be practical to practice on a school day,” Heflin said. “I can’t imagine doing a lockdown drill and having to throw all of the desks against the door.”

WHAT ROLE DO GUNS PLAY?

Because shootings have become so common, a widely discussed topic has been whether or not to arm school staff for protective purposes. Taking this course of action, however, would require a certain amount of preparation.

“If every teacher has a minimum of ten hours of training every year to have a gun in the classroom, I’m all for it,” senior Max Eibel said. “But no one should have a gun unless they’re somewhat trained.”

On the other hand, how much protection would guns realistically offer in an emergency? Certain downsides to keeping firearms handy on campus call this into question.

“It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Heflin said. “If [a gun] is under lock and key somewhere with a combination, by the time you get it, it’ll probably be too late to use it anyway.”

Map of School Shootings 1991-2015

Some worry that America’s lack of gun control in general plays a crucial role in the amount of mass shootings countrywide.

“I think that the better solution would to have more gun control so that criminals don’t have guns to begin with,” Yamout said.

Between thousands of stores and weekly gunshows that take place nationwide, guns are readily available for purchase.

Some believe guns are too easy to obtain in the US, which causes them to, often times, fall into the wrong hands.

“The most frightening thing is the fact that interest groups like the NRA (National Rifle Association) have stopped every single bill since 1993 with the Brady Bill,” senior Alex Scott said. “If you’re on the FBI’s No Fly List, you can go and buy a gun today.”

When buying a gun, background checks only occur in store purchases, allowing other kinds of sellers to avoid the process entirely. Those who do conduct in store purchases, however, may not always use proper judgement when selling people guns.

“Most countries that have had stricter gun

control have seen massive decreases in crime.

The more guns there are, the more people are going to die.”

Gabi Yamout “The people who work at gun stores are clearly for the Second Amendment–they want people to have guns,” Eibel said. “It’s not like they’re pushing guns into peoples’ hands, but I think they’re less likely to turn someone away.”

Various cultures, depending on the location in the country, differ on how acceptable it is to own a gun. Freshman GG Buhaenko, who lived in Dripping Springs, Texas for eight years before moving to California, experienced a lifestyle change regarding guns.

“I come from a town where everyone has guns,” Buhaenko said. “We even had a shooting team at school. Coming here was a complete culture shock.”

In California, on the other hand, an individual can’t legally carry a gun without a Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) license, which can only be issued by a California county sheriff or chief of police.

“There are states where you can have a loaded gun on your hip at all times and that’s perfectly fine,” Eibel said.

“Personally, I think that’s a good thing, but it has to be for the right people, for the right reasons. In California, you can get a concealed carry, but you have to prove to someone that you’re in danger 24/7.”

But what if the Second Amendment, which declares the right of the people to keep and bear arms, hadn’t been written? Without guns entirely, America would certainly be a different nation.

“European countries function pretty normally without guns, so it can clearly be done,” Eibel said. “But I don’t think you can have a country like ours, take everyone’s guns away, and have it go peacefully.”

With or without guns, violence in the US is inevitable.

Perhaps one day, a solution for mass shootings will be discovered. Until then, authorities will continue the search for the best protective measures to take during school lockdowns.

Kailey O’Connell Feature Editor Jade Harabedian Design Editor Claire Granich Staff Writer Kalli Anderson Photo Editor Red Lake, 2005 At Red Lake High School in Red Lake Minnesota, shooter Jeffery Weise shot five students, a teacher, and a security guard, and wounded seven others before taking his own life.

University of Iowa, 1991 Graduate student Gang Lu shot and killed four people and injured two others at the Uni­versity of Iowa. He took his own life in the in­cid­ent.

Virginia Tech, 2007 At the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, student Seung Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people.

Westside, 1998 In Jonesboro, Arkansas, students Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Golden pulled a fire alarm at Westside Middle School, and then opened fire on students and teachers. Four students and a teacher were killed and 10 others were injured.

For citation information, please see mavlifenews.com

10

Sports

January 2016

Varsity Cross Country Excels in Fresno Though the boys had a great finish to the season, the season as a whole didn’t go as swimmingly as they would have liked. Time and time again people doubted--even the runners themselves.Yet, they continued to prove each other wrong every step of the way.

“A lot of people didn’t see us accomplishing what we ended up accomplishing, but that was our goal from the beginning of the season,” Johnson said. “We were going to win CIF and we did it very handily, beating every team in every division; so that was fun.”

Bryan J ohnson,12

“A lot of people didn’t see us accomplishing what we ended up accomplishing, but that was our goal from the beginning of the season.”

As for Johnson, 2015 and his senior season marked the first season he had been expected to step up and take on a true leadership role on the team.

“My biggest motivation was to achieve my goals,” Johnson said. “You become addicted to running after a while, and we all have a really good time running together.”

Johnson turned out to be one of many who stepped up to guide the Varsity team in their respective senior years.

“We had a really strong set of seniors with Josh Litwiller, Bryan, Isaac Diaz and Joel Sandoval, who all really brought the team together,” Lyles said.

Cross Country standouts Josh Litwiller (left) and McKenna Brown (right) performed well at Guajome Park and all season long.

T

he words “CIF Champions” murmured across campus as the fall sports season began, and it’s the exact message both Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country teams had on their minds for the entire year. With this goal in mind, the two teams went on to compete in CIF and State championships with a competitive mindset.

The team expressed widespread excitement as they progressed to state, proud to represent the Mavericks as a whole.

“I was ecstatic when I found out we were going to state,” junior Jarod Lyles said. “It’s a blessing to go as a team.”

The Varsity boys would run in 2015 without three main components: Alex Merder, Eric Lawver and Steven Terris.

“The biggest thing we overcame was losing three really talented kids last year and it was up to us to fill those voids,” senior Bryan Johnson said.

In every season there comes a point when an athlete begins to realize the fate of their team. For the boys’ team in 2015, it was at the Avocado West League finals.

“In League finals we had a phenomenal showing, but we knew we would do amazing in CIF [playoff] competition,” Lyles said. “We ended up winning the CIF Championship by a lot of points.”

Photos by Nadia Scott

For others, the CIF win presented a much more emotional moment.

“When we won CIF I teared up a bit,” Johnson said. “It was so exciting to finally do that.”

The Varsity boys were still not done after winning the CIF San Diego Section Championship, as the CIF State Championships in Fresno loomed ahead.

“Personally, I ran my best race ever at state,” Johnson said, who finished ninth in the CIF Division III State Championship, with a total time of 15:30.4.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the team the entire year; when adversity presented itself, the team came ready.

“Our early season didn’t go as we wanted, but as the season progressed we got a lot better and we stepped up huge,” Johnson said.

For Lyles, an early season injury proved to be only a minor setback in a milestone year for the junior.

“I was out for a week and it took away my fitness level, but I was able to regain it with the help of my team,” Lyles said.

“We have had a lot of people that had to overcome injuries, but we still finished second in the first two league meets.”

Unsure if the team would pull together and win the final meet, a strong team effort led the boys to victory.

Sarah Abrahamson, 12

“My biggest motivation was to achieve my goals. You become addicted to running after a while, and we all have a really good time running together.”

Specifically, senior Josh Litwiller proved to be the most crucial and consistently strong runner on the boys’ side, who finished fourth in the CIF Division III State Championship race with a time of 15:19.3.

“He came out of nowhere and ran beyond what Steven and Darren Fahy ran in some races,” Johnson said of Litwiller.

“He is very talented.”

As for the rest of the team’s state championship results in the Division III race, Isaac Diaz finished 58th (16:13.1), Jacob

“Cross Country” continued on page 12

Maverick Rugby Program Looks For More

rugby,” junior Reese Prefontaine said. “After the past two years, we are now in the highest division of play.”

With the respect that rugby has now started to garner, a question is posed in regard to whether or not the team has added pressure on their shoulders.

“It hasn’t necessarily added pressure, but it’s made us more excited to show people what we can do as a program,” Prefontaine said. “Beating teams like Cathedral and Torrey Pines has really started to show people what we can do.”

Up to this point in the season, the boys’ team has impressed as they went undefeated, winning three scrimmages against San Marcos, San Pasqual and the Cathedral Catholic Dons, who are viewed as one of the best rugby programs in the county.

In the Mavericks’ first regular season game, they blanked all-time rival Torrey Pines by a score of 40-12. The win marked the first time the boys’ Varsity team had bby ournier beaten the Falcons in Maverick Rugby’s short history, as the Falcons had previously dominated the Mavs in the last two years, including last year’s 52-7 debacle at Torrey.

Photo: Kalli Anderson Senior Danyela Aviles secures a tackle in a Lady Maverick Rugby practice in December.

While many people initially think of rugby as a boys’ sport, many schools, including La Costa Canyon, have started adopting a girls’ hile it has yet to fully make its mark on campus at La Costa Canyon, the Maverick Rugby rugby team. During this first year program has quickly gained momentum in the past few years. Since its introduction in with an added girls’ team, the Lady 2013, the team has gained immense respect across the county.

Mavs have faced their fair share of “From the first year we had started, we were in the lowest division of play for high school

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“It was hard getting girls interested because they knew that nothing about it and I didn’t have as much information as they thought I had.”

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Sports

MAVLIFENEWS.COM Rugby from page 10

much information as they thought I had about the sport from what the coaches gave me,” senior Abby Fournier said. “The girls would have questions that I didn’t know the answer to and it was tough to three-way communicate the information from the coaches, to me, to the players.”

When a sport is not a CIF sanctioned one, it can often kill a team’s motivation and prove to be detrimental to the team’s success. With rugby, though, it seems as if both the boys and the girls play for much more than a CIF championship. The team continues to center their focus and intent on pride, spirit and a simple love for the game.

“There is definitely a family feeling to the whole team,” Reese Prefontaine said. “The coaches have taken the players under their arms and have taught us the right values and ways to play the game” The league has now grown to six teams and the competition has increased steadily as the team has progressed over the last 3 years.

Reese Prefontaine, 11

“There is definitely a family feeling to the whole team. The coaches have taken the players under their arms and have taught us the right values and ways to play the game.”

“From the first year we started, we were in the lowest division of play for rugby in southern California at the high school level.” Reese Prefontaine said. “Now, we play with the best teams in county and are viewed as a successful team.”

As for the Lady Mavericks, the season has begun modestly. In a recent tournament, the team compiled a record of 2-3, not including their intrasquad scrimmage.

The Mavericks came away with two wins against Mira Mesa and three losses against national powerhouse, Fallbrook.

Despite the loss, the team remains faithful in their unwavering bond and commitment to each other.

“We have become close as a team already, and it feels like a true community sport,” junior Erin Hardin said.

“We are doing charity events, we are doing team building activities and we have a group text together if we ever need anything.”

Now that LCC welcomes both a boys’ and girls’ club team to campus, the program is viewed as a wonderful addition to the LCC athletic family--and it is here to stay.

Soren Gregory

Staff Writer

Remaining Winter 2015 Notable Matchups

1/22 Boys’ Basketball vs. El Camino (7:00) 1/29 Girls’ Basketball vs.

Carlsbad (5:30) 2/4 Wrestling vs. Carlsbad (7:00) 2/10 Girls’ Water Polo vs.

CCA (7:15 @ YMCA) 2/12 Girls’ Soccer vs.

Rancho Buena Vista (5:15) 2/18 Boys’ Soccer vs.

Carlsbad (5:15)

Maverick Wrestling Hopes to Return to Winning Ways as New Year Begins with New Talent L

La Costa Canyon is well-renowned for its athletic success.

While many primarily think of football, baseball and basketball as breeding grounds for success, another sport that has been consistently dominant and has produced numerous champions is the wrestling program.

Wrestling may not be followed or talked about as much on campus, but with numerous accomplishments, awards, and championships, the program deserves respect. The Maverick wrestling team is lead by head coach Dwayne Buth, who is in his 18th season as the team’s head coach and his 19th year with the program.

In order to build a successful program a team must have talent, and it is essential that the team believe they can succeed.

Dwayne Buth

“A lot of the individuals started to believe they could accomplish something on a state and national level.”

“I think a lot of the individuals started to believe they could accomplish something on a state and national level,” Buth said. “You’ve got to believe it before you can achieve it.”

However, like all things, it takes time to develop a successful program. It took eight years before the first wrestling state champion emerged.

“We got our first state champion in 2004, Ryan Williams, and that same year we had Jeff May finish second in state,” Buth said. “A lot of people couldn’t believe it. It is an amazing accomplishment.”

While becoming a state finalist is an immense achievement, it may be even more so in regard to wrestling.

Most CIF sports have close to five divisions in order to separate the small, medium and large schools.

Wrestling has just one.

“I believe we’re the only sport that has one division,” said Buth. “When we finished top ten in the state out of 1,000 schools a lot of the wrestlers couldn’t believe it, and once we broke that ice we started to believe.”

Since 2004, La Costa Canyon has developed into one of the top wrestling programs in the state. The Mavs have had many individual state finalists and champions.

Notable wrestlers in the program’s history include Elliott Dennis, who went on to take second in the state, Brian Grubbs, who would become a state champion and High School All-American and recent alumni, Ian Baker.

“Ian Baker who was one of our more recognized wrestlers nationally,” Buth said. “He was the first ever national champion in the school district.”

In many cases, the Maverick Wrestling program has had a great influence on the developmental skills of athletes, turning around a number of high school wrestling careers.

“When Ian Baker came in as a freshman he was a skinny, scrawny kid. His record was 8-17 as a freshman,” Buth said.

“Nobody would have thought a kid who went 8-17 as a freshman would go on to be a state and national champ. He believed in the coaches, he believed in the program and he

11

believed in himself.”

Moreover, La Costa Canyon’s track record for state qualification is one of the best in the district, as the program boasts a total of 53 state qualifiers to date.

To put it into perspective, there are between 80 and 90 schools in the San Diego Section and a school must finish in the top three in order to qualify for state, all while competing under a single division.

The program has additionally produced 12 state placers and five state finalists and finally three state champions. The state champs are Ryan Williams, Brian Grubbs and Ian Baker.

Joining them as state finalists are Jeff May and Elliott Dennis.

In fact, the Mavs have had someone finish as a State Qualifier five times by four different people. Ian Baker has finished both first and third in the nation, Ryan Williams finished sixth in the nation and Brian Grubbs finished eighth in the nation and current wrestler Kai Kramer finished eighth in the nation two years ago.

Another big contributor to the Maverick’s continued success is their help from the community. “The parents along with the community support, along with alumni that come back to help and the assistant coaches and the staff all help,” said Buth. “Without the parents and the community we wouldn’t be what we are.”

Community is a big part for all High School level sports and the Mavs have been beneficiaries of some generous contributions. It takes a multitude of money to travel and be able to compete at the level that the wrestlers do. It is 100 percent true that the program wouldn’t be what it is without the help it receives from the community.

It can almost go without mention how much of an impact the administration can have on a program’s success. The parents and admin are very active in helping out the wrestling team achieve all they have. “They [the parents] believe in the program and they fully support us,” said Buth. “Another reason is our administration and the school board they’ve let us travel to tournaments such as the Reno Tournament of Champions where we just had Kai Kramer, who was the third AllAmerican in the school district history. We’re able to go to the National Tournament’s. So without the school administration and school board support we wouldn’t be able to do that. So, no matter how good we are and how good we might be, if we didn’t have that support from the district and administration we wouldn’t have that opportunity and they wrestlers have made the best of it.”

As for the 2015-2016 year, the team’s expectations may understandably not be as high.

“This year we may not do as well as a team, but I think we have quite a few young guys who are developing and will be successful in the future,” Buth said. “We have a handful of guys that have high goals and high hopes for the season.”

The current roster has two wrestlers ranked in the state.

Kai Kramer is ranked number four in the state and Alec Baker is ranked fifth.

Andrew McDonald is the heavyweight on the roster and has been thought to have a good chance at state qualification.

The roster shows signs of light as the 2016 year begins, and as it has consistently been one of the best in the state, the team is expected to continue to compete at the highest level of competition in San Diego.

Calvin Zeljak

Semior Staff Writer

Maverick wrestler Aidan Baker in the annual Hamada Classic held at La Costa Canyon on December 11th and 12th. For Baker, wrestling is more than just a sport, as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and national champion, Ian. Photo: Kalli Anderson

12

Sports

Litwiller, Brown among top performers in 2015 CIF competition; momentum to carry into 2016 with underclassmen talent Stanford finished 68th (16:20.0), Jarod Lyles finished 69th (16:20.1), Joel Sandoval finished 99th (16:43.6) and Gavin Aleshire finished 137th (17:14.7).

On the girls’ side, the Lady Mavericks finished second overall in the Division III race with a total time of 1:32:30. McKenna Brown finished in 10th place as the top Maverick with a time of 17:56.1, followed by Kristin Fahy in 20th (18:19.0), Rachel Ereso in 29th (19:39.6), Riley Prohaska in 30th (18:41.2), Michaela Fromme in 45th (18:53.9), Sarah Abrahamson in 46th (18:55.1) and Keely Boyd in 50th (18:55.9).

“Our goal all season was to win state.

We ended up getting second, only missing out on first place by six points,” said senior Sarah Abrahamson, who has already committed to run at Southern Methodist University this fall.

After finishing eighth in Fresno a year ago, an extra sense of urgency and motivation was felt by the team in 2015.

“We wanted to win; I think getting on the podium was the biggest goal, so I think second place was still a big accomplishment,” Abrahamson said.

Sarah Abrahamson, 12

January 2016

For the Lady Mavericks, qualifying for state competition was as much of a celebration as that of the final outcome.

“Getting to Fresno meant a lot to us,”Abrahamson said. “We were happy and proud of each other above all.”

As students and fans look ahead to the 2016 fall season, the Varsity team will lean on sophomore Gavin Aleshire and freshman Jacob Stanford on the boys’ side, while the girls will expect great things from McKenna Brown and Kristin Fahy, both of whom stormed onto the Varsity team with great success in 2015.

Trevor Ferguson

Staff Writer

Want More MavLife?

-Visit www.mavlifenews.com for more coverage, the most frequent updates, video stories, breaking news, and the Mav of The Week

“We were happy and proud of each -Follow @MavLifeSports on Instagram, other above all.”

Twitter, and Periscope for the latest news, It was especially challenging to compete against fellow teammates for state qualification on the girls’ side, which was jampacked with fast runners in the 2015 season.

“We had a really good top eight so it was really tough seeing what the top seven would be like,” junior Michaela Fromme said. “It was undoubtedly a tough competition to see who would go to state.”

scores, and updates in Maverick Athletics -Live broadcast coverage of Maverick Athletics is carried all year long on the “MavLife Sports Stream” on Ustream.com

Photos by Nadia Scott

The La Costa Canyon Maverick Cross Country will lose some of their lead runners in the fall of 2016 but will rely on the likes of Gavin Aleshire, Jacob Stanford, McKenna Brown, and Kristin Fahy to lead the tradition.

The Explainer

MAVLIFENEWS.COM

“

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You want to not feel like you’re threatened everyday. But to feel like you’re not threatened, you have to not threaten others. You can’t fight war against war.

” Q+A WITH:

-LCC student Jasmin Sani

T

he attitudes of American people regarding the Muslim community have dramatically shifted in this century, changing most drastically amidst the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Since then, national security has increased exponentially, from extensive Transportation Security Administration (TSA) surveillance to heightened background checks. The global fear surrounding the recent Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other terror attacks has led to proposed policies of tighter borders.

The wariness towards refugees also heightened last year, as more than one million migrants crossed into European borders.

Germany, led by Chancellor Angela Markel, has received the most migrants. The issue inherent in this is the fact that many of the refugees come from the war-torn country of Syria, a place where ISIS forces are currently fighting the government. But now, fear of the refugees has some roots. It was learned that ISIS, who generated the Parisian terror attacks that killed 130 people, used the migrant paths through Europe to get to the city unnoticed.

This issue that was brought forth spurred fear in several other countries, including the United States of America, that ISIS would attempt to sneak more of their members through the mass amount of refugees entering other borders and perform yet another violent attack. Many countries in Eastern Europe have been hostile in opening their doors. As of November, Poland has banned migrants from entering. Austria has installed barriers, and Hungary has closed their borders.

France, the Czech Republic, and Germany have kept their borders open to the influx of migrants.

America is another country that has been in serious debate over whether to accept refugees, as it has been a major topic in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Many Republicans and GOP Presidential candidates believe that the migrants could pose a serious threat to the national security of the United States. Some candidates believe that in fear of Muslim immigration, America should close its borders to all Muslims until the situation can be properly assessed. In response, President Barack Obama and several Democrats believe that America should be open in accepting Syrian refugees.

Nonetheless, both parties agree that security measures need to step up in the United States, especially in light of the attacks on San Bernardino. Because of this, there are government bills that have been created in response to terror attack crises. A very notable one in great debate is the VisaWaiver bill. Previously, the Visa-Waiver program was enacted in the 1980’s in order to increase travel and tourism to the United States through an advanced screening system that allows people to visit the US for 90 days without a visa. Currently, there are 38 countries (30 from Europe) allowed to use this program. Now, people are worried that the bill may make entering the country too easy. In response to this fear, the new waiver bill, introduced December 3, would give America more opportunities to screen people entering the country.

Although both the Senate and the House of Representatives have a very similar bill, there are differences in how to determine who is too “dangerous” to be allowed to use the waiver program.

In the House bill, the proposal is that anyone who has traveled to Syria, Iraq, Iran, or Sudan since March 11, 2011 (the beginning of the Syrian Civil War), would not be allowed to use the program. The Senate bill would only place certain restrictions on those who have traveled to Syria and Iraq in the past five years. But unlike the House bill, the Senate has suggested the idea that biometric screening (a measurement of physical characteristics) be a requirement for all members of the visa waiver program intending to leave their home country.

Despite the shifting outlook on people of Middle-Eastern background, America has been open in assimilating their culture into the melting pot that is the United States in recent years. For example, the Muslim American Society (MAS) is a nationwide, non-profit organization. It has programs enacted in order to engage in everyday society through actions such as community service. It also presents the comfort of making friendships with others part of the Islamic culture. There is a chapter in Mira Mesa, San Diego.

The Muslim American culture has shifted in response to several terror attacks. So in this confusing time, it is up to everyone to decide how to respond, while considering the ideals America has always stood for.

GLOBAL OUTL  K

Muslim, 0.60% Buddhist, 0.70%

INTERNATIONAL

Other, 18.60%

Jewish, 1.70% Christian, 1.60%

Protestant, 51.30%

Mormon, 1.70%

Roman Catholic, 23.90%

U.S. Religious Affiliations Other Religions 1%

Folk Religionists Buddhists 6%

7%

Christians 32%

Hindus 15% Unaffiliated 16%

Recent terrorist attacks in Paris spark worldwide fear and governmental debates on terrorist activity and action against ISIS and other extremist groups. It raises questions about the feasibility of inviting refugees into other countries as many citizens fear a terrorist invasion.

NATIONAL

The United State Government debates moral and political policies concerning the immigration laws for refugees. Political candidates voice their opinions as a crucial component to their campaign for the United States presidency.

STATE Due to recent scares, like the San Bernadino shooting, the government is under a lot of pressure to protect the American people. Despite no sure connection to terrorist groups, fear is widespread and many Californians are fearful of continued violence.

Muslims 23%

Jews 0%

World Religious Affiliations LOCAL Information from: World Factbook CIA website Pew Research Center

Aneleise Frandsen and Cassie Amundson Editors-in-chief

A sanctuary for many, the Muslim American Society works with people to reduce religious profiling and has expanded across the country.There is a chapter located in Mira Mesa, San Diego.

Jasmin Daneshian Sani

What is your background in the Middle East?

I have extended family in Iran. They are not really allowed to visit anymore and they’ve been trying to get Visas for the past ten years. It takes a long time in general, but now that they’re putting this [the Visa-Waiver Act] up, it’s a lot harder to visit. I’m allowed to go there because I was born in America, but they’re not allowed to come here without strict restrictions. I’m 80% Persian, 10% Turkish, and the other 10% Russian. So everything is from over there. My parents were born in Tehran which is the capital of Iran. My parents got married and then my dad had an opportunity to come here, and built a life in America, and got support here to allow my mom to come because you really can’t come into this country without connections.

What differences have you noticed between here and the Middle East?

Here, everything is less strict. Over there, everything is school, study, family, sleep. In Iran there are websites you can’t go on. The Internet is slow. Iran doesn’t want you to see these things and realize how bad they are. Everything is more straightforward. There’s not as much of a “you can be whoever you want to be” ideal.

I’ve only been to Iran a limited number of times. I really like to go back and forth. Over there, it’s all about background, the different types of food, the different types of places, the huge monuments that were built so long ago. America is the new. America is the “wild child,” I guess. Iran is ancient and very culture-driven. Everything is based on tradition. I like having the mix between both.

How has the increased fear of Middle Eastern culture affected your lifestyle and that of your family?

They could come here but it would take a long time.

I would have to go there more often. Which I feel is more of a threat for me to go there than for them to come here.

Most of Iran’s population is really nice. It’s a very sad and negative transition to have to go through that. It’s more of the government who puts on this scary face. And because the citizens there don’t have a say, that whole the whole country is depicted and judged based solely on the government’s actions.

What would you say to those who are scared?

I know that this is a really big deal. And I know that you are scared for your families. And you want what’s best.You want to not have to feel like you’re threatened everyday. But to feel like you’re not threatened, you have to not threaten others.You can’t fight war against war.

ni /20

a 0/22

rius 2/18

es 4/19

us /22 20

rius o2/21 ni 22 6/20

orn -1/19 a 0/22 s /19

rius 2/18

/22 us 20

rius o2/21 ni 22 /20

orn a 1/19 s0/22

/19

rius 2/18 us 22 20

rius o 2/21 22

orn 1/19

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cancer 6/21-7/22

January Horoscopes

Entertainment January 2016 Senioritis Hits Students Hard

scorpio 10/23-11/21

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20)

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ou are determined Pisces, and this will help you in 2016. Aim high this year with your goals. Mercury and Venus are aligned to help you strive with a big accomplishment.

pisces 2/19-3/20

Aries (3/21 - 4/19)

Y Aries 3/21-4/19

ou are a hard worker, Aries, and this will continue to payoff for you in 2016. Success will be a result as long as you stay true to yourself and what you believe in. gemini taurus 5/21-6/20

4/20-5/20

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20) hange is coming your way in this new

C

year, Taurus, and you must embrace it. If you are able to balance your ambitious side with caution, success with prevail. cancer leo virgo libra gemini taurus

7/23-8/22 4/20-5/20

8/23-9/22 5/21-6/20

6/21-7/22 9/23-10/22

Gemini (5/21 - 6/20)

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he new year will be filled with many new friendships for you, Gemini.You must practicecapricorn acceptance, as that will lead to stronsaggitarius aquarius virgo scorpio libra and unexpected friendships. cancer gemini ger bonds 11/22-12/21 12/22-1/19 1/20-2/18 8/23-9/22 5/21-6/20

9/23-10/22 6/21-7/22

10/23-11/21

Cancer (6/21 - 7/22)

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ptimism, is key for the coming year Cancer. Focus on your family and loved ones, capricornas they aquarius matter most to you, andpisces it will lead to scorpio libra 12/22-1/19 1/20-2/18 2/19-3/20 your utmost happiness. cancer 10/23-11/21 9/23-10/22 Aries 6/21-7/22 3/21-4/19

taurus 4/20-5/20

gemini 5/21-6/20

Leo (7/23 - 8/22)

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he new year will bring out a new side

Seniors should cherish their final events at LCC

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anuary 4th, the day the seniors of LCC returned from winter break, marked a very important turning point in their high school career. Not only is it now the year of their graduation, but the start of the dreaded senioritis.

Senioritis is best described as a nonstop, lazy attitude toward school and the loss of all motivation. In ignoring their surroundings and coasting through the school days, seniors are missing out on every last amazing event they will get to attend. This epidemic is due to the last 12 years spent in public education, and now having to crawl past the finish line.

These feelings, although common, are more serious than usually described. Seniors may get too wrapped up in hoping the days pass quickly to get to graduation, and miss out on what is considered cancer to be one of the most memorable parts of their lives.

In order to battle senioritis, making the rest of senior year 6/21-7/22 count is the new goal.

Graduation day is closer than seniors think, and there’s a bucket list of things to do, with the constant pressure of making memories riding on students’ backs.

This bucket list includes many things such as the senior boat dance and prom, just to name a few. These events are in place to help remember and cherish the last few months before scorpio delving into the real world, and taking on adulthood. This 10/23-11/21 realization of the unknown to come opens seniors’ minds to the big picture of senior year, and allows students not to let the seconds slowly slip by.

Before break, graduation and all of our senior activities seemed so far away, but now with the new year beginning, these events are quickly approaching. Being a senior and realizing pisces these are the last few months left in school everyday with 2/19-3/20 friends and the set routine you have been in since the 1st grade, will soon change.

The first of these last senior events, which, along with everything else coming up, will be the final Winter Formal.

Formal will be on Saturday, February 6th and ranks high on the senior bucket list. In addition, the most important dance of all, prom, is coming up. Seniors will spend time finding dates or experiencing the night with friends, dancing and making memories cancerfor the last time.

Y

ou are bright Virgo, and 2016 will be bright for you too.You will stand out for pisces saggitarius your charm capricorn aquarius this year, embrace it and use it to 2/19-3/20 11/22-12/21 12/22-1/19 1/20-2/18 move forward with new ideas. virgo scorpio libra cancer 9/23-10/22 6/21-7/22

8/23-9/22 gemini 5/21-6/20

10/23-11/21

May 21 PROM ENIOR ASSEMBLY June 2 S9:55am-11:55am ENIOR AWARDS June 2 S7pm-9pm June 7 BOAT DANCE 6:00pm

June 10 GRADUATION 4:00pm

A Classic Rock N’ Roll Music Review

In 1980, heavy metal vocalist, Ozzy Osbourne released the album Blizzard of Ozz. This was Osbourne’s first solo project separate from his other successful band, Black Sabbath.

Blizzard of Ozz was one of the two albums recorded prior to pisces the death of his beloved metal guitarist, Randy Rhoads, who 2/19-3/20 unfortunately died in a tragic plane crash in 1982.

Van Halen’s Lamborghini as he revved the engine. After he witnessed someone on top of a building deciding whether to commit suicide, David Lee Roth said that inspired him to write the lyrics to the song “Jump”.

2. “Machine Head” by Deep Purple Rod Evans (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitarist), Nick Simper (bassist), Ian Paice (drummer), Jon Lord (keyboard)

Libra (9/23 - 10/22)

In March of 1972, the English hard rock band, Deep Purple, released their sixth album, Machine Head. Deep Purple is considered a huge part of the earliest developments of metal, rock and even blues. AllMusic (also known as All Music GuideAMG) critic, Eduardo Rivadavia named Machine Head “One of the essential hard rock albums of all time.”

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21)

Later in 1989, Kerrang! magazine recorded Machine Head No. 35 amongst the “100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time.” The band’s recognition doesn’t stop there. During a British albums poll, metal artist Ozzy Osbourne, chose Deep Purple’s Machine Head, as one of his top ten favorite British records of all time. Through the years, their accomplishments in the music industry have earned them millions of fans across the world.

One of Osbourne’s famous singles, “Crazy Train” has a random title, yet meaningful background. Rhoads was obsessed with trains, and one day at the studio he was messing around reativity is flowing through you Libra, and with his guitar pedals when his bass player, Bob Daisley, said to this is a key thing you will use during the him, “That sounds like a train. But it sounds nuts. A crazy train.” capricorn new year. aquarius Use this creativity topisces embrace your One of the most well-known metal song titles was born and the 12/22-1/19 1/20-2/18 2/19-3/20 rest was history. While many still believe that this song is about social skills are you will attract many new cancer scorpio libra insanity, as many of Osbourne’s other songs are, “Crazy Train” is cancer admirers. gemini 6/21-7/22 10/23-11/21 Aries 9/23-10/22 taurus actually about the Cold War. 6/21-7/22 5/21-6/20 3/21-4/19 4/20-5/20

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he new year marks a new state of mind for you Scorpio.Your heart will take the lead, and this is good, as you can look into aquarius with a new angle. Find balance scorpio problemspisces 1/20-2/18 2/19-3/20 leo virgo between your head and heartcancer and you will also gemini libra taurus 10/23-11/21 6/21-7/22 7/23-8/22 find success.

8/23-9/22 5/21-6/20 9/23-10/22 4/20-5/20

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21)

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ou are adventurous, Sagittarius, and adventure follows you wherever you go.

In 2016, growth will be big for you.You will pisces change and mature, but make sure to keep saggitarius capricorn aquarius 2/19-3/20 virgo scorpio libra cancer gemini 11/22-12/21 12/22-1/19 1/20-2/18 8/23-9/22 your spontaneity.

10/23-11/21 9/23-10/22 5/21-6/20

SENIORS

Jenna Husong Staff Writer

6/21-7/22

to you, Leo. Those around you will feel aquarius pisces the happiness and beauty you bring to every 1/20-2/18 2/19-3/20 scorpio situation. virgo Keeping a bright attitude will attract scorpio leo 10/23-11/21many new companions this year.libra cancer 7/23-8/22 8/23-9/22 10/23-11/21 9/23-10/22 gemini 1. “Blizzard of Ozz” by Ozzy Osbourne taurus 6/21-7/22 5/21-6/20 John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne 4/20-5/20

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22)

Also, during the month of June, all seniors are invited to the senior assembly and senior awards on Thursday, June 2nd, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. The last and final dance is the senior boat dance, an exclusive last night to connect with the graduating class. It will take place on June 7th at 6 p.m. And finally, our last time all together will take place at graduation. The day we have been working for since before we can remember will be here on June 10th, at 4pm. Twelve years have led to the day and despite the nervous feelings, those 12 years, those 4,380 days, have prepared us for it.

6/21-7/22

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19)

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low and steady wins the race Capricorn, and you are a genius when it comes to doing this. Take on this new year with strong stick by them through the whole capricorn goals, and aquarius pisces year.

This will result in your prosperity. scorpio libra 12/22-1/19 1/20-2/18 2/19-3/20

The total length of the album is thirty nine minutes long and contains 12 songs. Many of Osbourne’s hit singles have lengthy guitar solos, riffs and quite meaningful lyrical backgrounds. All of these qualities helped earn him and his band, Black Sabbath, the legacy of being the greatest metal band inscorpio the world.

10/23-11/21

3. “1984” by Van Halen David Lee Roth (vocals), Eddie Van Halen (guitarist), Alex Van Halen (drummer), Sammy Hagar (guitarist), Michael Anthony (bassist)

pisces Van Halen is an American rock band that was established 2/19-3/20

in Pasadena, California in 1972. Their sixth studio album, 1984, sold twenty million copies to the United States and was the last album produced with lead singer, David Lee Roth, until 2012 when the band released A Different Kind of Truth, which featured all four original band members.

There is no doubt that Van Halen was the most popular rock band in the world. In 1983, Van Halen performed a 10/23-11/21 9/23-10/22 90-minute set for the US Festival and shortly after, Guinness Book of World Records marked them as the “highest paid band of all time.” However, in 1984 when the album 1984 was ove is always in the air this year for you released, the band had reached their climax in popularity and Aquarius.You are urged to branch out and commercial value. talk to new people, which could lead you to aquarius some unexpected pisces love interests. Stay open In the summer of 1984, Van Halen released the album’s 1/20-2/18 minded!

2/19-3/20 third single, “Panama”. The particular song featured heavy guitar riffs and included a sound recorded from the tailpipes of Eddie

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18)

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A vast majority of metal fans share the critical love and appreciation for classical music and studies show that they are attracted to both classical and metal music because they both contain dramatic and meaningful tones. In fact, Rod Evans (lead singer) mentioned that one of their songs from the album, Highway Star, was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach’s classical 18th century melodies.

Amanda Mester Staff Writer

  

MAVLIFENEWS.COM

15

Entertainment Teacher vs. Student

Leo Fletes

Jeremy Korn

Question

Fletes

Korn

1. How many hours do cats sleep a day?

16-20 hours

12 hours

2. What is the only animal with four knees?

3. How many noses does a slug have?

Camel

Answer 16-18 hours

Fletes starts off strong getting the first point of the game!

Cats sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day.

LF: 1, JK: 0

Elephant

Horse

Looks like they were stumped by this one! Fletes continues in the lead. An elephant is the only animal with four knees.

LF: 1, JK: 0

4

Slugs have four noses.

Jeremy ties the game by getting this one right!

4

2

LF: 1, JK: 1

4. How long does it take a sloth to digest food?

5. How many teeth can a snail have?

2 weeks

6 hours

8 hours

Both competitors were very off on this one! It takes a sloth 2 weeks to digest food. The game remains tied.

LF: 1, JK: 1

100

350

Stumped again! Snails can have 25,000 teeth.

The competitors end on a tie.

LF: 1, JK: 1

25,000 teeth

FINAL SCORE = Fletes: 1, Korn: 1

Formal Dance Preview: The Winter Games of 2016 F

ormal 2016 promises to be better than ever. This year, formal is a dance fit for champions (literally). Located in downtown San Diego at the Hall of Champions, formal is scheduled for Saturday, February 6th, and ASB members are promising a night to remember.

When choosing a formal theme, the ASB members decided to choose one that everyone would enjoy. This year, the theme for formal will be based on the Winter Games, in honor of the 2016 Olympics coming up this summer.

Formal will include many new features other than dancing and a DJ, that will keep students entertained throughout the night.Even with a lot of students attending formal this year, not all of them will be following the theme with their attire. Some students find that the theme sets the tone for the night, others merely use it as an expectation for the decor of the venue.

This year, ASB member Margot Oury shares her insight and opinion on what the night will entail.

“We have little podiums around the area where people can stand and take pictures on, and we will have a lot of sports related games available to everyone who goes to play, and there might be a snow machine,” Oury said.

Along with other sport themed decorations and activities, ASB also plans to set up a red carpet for students to walk in on, just like athletes in the Winter Games. ASB members are confident that this year’s dance will be one of the best dances ASB has put on.

“We’re making it better because it’s going to be in a better place and we have a better theme so we have more to work with,” Oury said. “We have more things to do and we’re working with a new entertainment company and they’re really good.”

As the big night approaches ASB members are growing more excited and anxious to share all of their hard work and efforts with the rest of the student body.

“It will bring lots of fun memories and you shouldn’t miss out on it,” Oury said.

Formal marks the first dance of the season, where according to LCC tradition, girls will ask their date Sadie Hawkins style.

Freshman Paul Barnhouse is looking forward to experiencing his first formal dance.

“I’m feeling pretty excited,” Barnhouse said. “A lot of my friends are going. It will be nice to hang out with them, eat, and dance.”

Ticket prices this week are $50 with an ASB card, and $55 without. Beginning January 28th, prices will increase to $55 with an ASB card, and $60 without. Ticket purchase includes a Maverick beanie.

Sophia Gambale Staff Writer

Interested in reading more MavLife stories?

Visit

www.mavlifenews.com for more information and coverage of school events.

16

January 2016

The Hungry Maverick Guacamole Edition

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he Hungry Maverick is an evaluation done by the MavLife Staff, to find the community’s best tasting food, drinks and deserts. For this issue, MavLife staffers were in the mood for some chips and guacamole from around Encinitas and Carlsbad! We decided we needed to grab some from your favorite shops Mexico Viejo, Harvest Ranch, Jorges, and Ricos. See who won below!

Reilly Tiglio

RATED: 5/5

Entertainment Editor

Harvest Ranch

162 S Rancho Santa Fe Rd E50 Encinitas, CA 92024 (760)-944-6898 ocated just across from The Pancake House with a little spicy kick at the end.” off of Rancho Santa Fe Road, Harvest Ranch serves as a small market with special food items Our staff had nothing but great things to say along with regular grocery needs. Harvest Ranch about this guacamole. Whether it was the texture, should definitly be known more by our community the appearance, the smell or just the overall taste, because their guacamole turned out to be our class our class unanimously decided that this guacamole favorite! was one of the best they have ever had.

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“This guacamole is chunky and full of flavors,” sophomore Kennon Aarnes said. “The cilantro made a nice twist as well as the tomatoes and lime,

RATED: 2/5

“It’s packed with flavor,” senior Kailey O’Connell said. “ I would definitely recommend this come Super Bowl Sunday.”

Mexico Viejo

3235 Camino De Los Coches #100 Carlsbad, CA 92009 (760) -633-2290 n LCC student staple it seems, located just The guacamole definitely holds the pure and down the street from campus, Mexico Viejo fresh avocado taste but many thought that it was is known for its big burritos and delcious crunchy too bland to be considered guacamole. rolled tacos. The quality and taste of the guacamole was highly anticipated so our staff decided “Overall I just wasnt pleased with the lack to test a staple ingredient from this local lunch of other flavors in the guacamole,” junior Claire time must stop.

Granich said.

A

“This guacamole tastes like its just solid avocado,” senior Erin Sumabat said.

Rico’s Taco Shop

165 S El Camino Real # L Encinitas, CA 92024 (760)-944-7689 ico’s Taco Shop, is the local hot spot for some avocado in it.” of the best tacos and burritos around town.

Located just ten minutes from the beach, or less, Unfortunately, much like Mexico Viejo’s students love stopping here for a lunch time meal guacamole, the flavor was just avocado, and that’s any time of the year. The staff of MavLife decided it. Students were dissapointed by the flavor of to put its guacamole to the test in order to see if this guacamole and felt it didn’t hold up to its it could live up to their delicious tacos. expectations.

“This guacamole was super creamy,” adviser “This guacamole looks fresh,” senior Sammy Stacy Hardcastle said. “I thought it tasted more Sinatra said. “I like how you can see the chunks of like avocado flavored cool whip.”

R

RATED: 1/5

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Jorges 267 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 942-6809

ocated off of El Camino Real, Jorges is known for its chicken soup, and its ability to cure everything from a bad cold to a bad mood. Everyone knows that Jorges is known for its chcken soup but our staff decided to put its guacamole to the test to see if it lived up to its delicious reputation.

“The flavor of the guacamole was decent but I had to overcome the appearance in order to

RATED: 1/5

enjoy it,” sophomore Kalli Anderson said.

Unfortunately, Jorges’ guacamole did not hold the same delicious flavor of its highly regarded chicken soup. Many of our staff members said that the appearance reflected the taste as well.

“This guacamole looks watery and disgusting,” junior Jade Harabedian said.