December Mavlife

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MavLife News 14 La Costa Canyon High School

Brenna Lyles Staff Writer

Students donate to help others

1 Maverick Way, Carlsbad, California 92009

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Torrey Pines Survivor Controversy

Volume 5 - Issue 3

December 2010

Cross Country Succeeds

Cross Country team qualifies for Nike Nationals, takes second in state

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n the morning of November 27th, under the fall-colored leaves of Woodward Park in Fresno, California, fourteen boys and girls of the Cross Country team competed in one of the most important races of their lives, the CIF State Cross Country Championships.

Despite the chilling, wet conditions on that Saturday morning, a state-ranked group of runners took the field with a fiery desire for victory. The LCC girls’ team finished second in the Division I California Championship with 110 place points and an overall time of 91 minutes and 5 seconds. Their overall time was the third fastest ever recorded on this 5-kilometer course, which also qualified the girls for Nike Cross Nationals, a meet of elite teams and individuals from across the country in Portland, Oregon on December 4th. The first ever LCC boys’ team to compete at state ran an overall time of 79 minutes and 58 seconds, scoring 260 points, and placing an impressive eleventh within Division I. To read more about the girls’ cross country team turn to page 10.

News

Editorial

MavLife Editor In Chief: Hunter Vurbeff Managing Editors: JP Horrigan and Sean Bentley Visual Editor: Sarah Favreau News Editors: Cara Connor and Alex Ham Sports Editors: Sean Bentley and Andrew Murray Entertainment Editor: Ally Allen Opinion Editor: Liliana Alaniz Inovations Editor: Jake Barnes Copy Editor: Joanna Tang Staff Writers: Jordan Bernard, Kenya Caines, Kiely Doherty, Cassidy Feeney, Maggie Hammock, Breonna Mabry, Lisa Mazzone, Alex Meeks, Lauren Sonken, Kristen Abams, Danielle Calder, Trace Dimeff, Steven Fahy, Jordon Freiler, Rachel Hutchison, Will Jones, Katrina Kellenberger, Brenna Lyles, Loretta Martinez, Tara McQueen, Keren Moore, Jessica Stevenson, Rebecca Sykes, Tanner Taguchi, Nick Theriault

Adviser: Suzi Van Steenbergen Cover Photo: JP Horrigan

contact us: 1 Maverick Way Carlsbad, CA 92009 (760) 436-6136 ext. 6020 email: MavLifeNews@gmail.com

www.LCCNews.com

The opinion of the editorial team

Response to ASB

MavLife would like to ex-

tend a thank you for the letter written by Chris Leigh and Katarina Uebelhor in regards to the November edition of MavLife News.

On that note, we disagree with the accusation that our paper and hard work is “not investigative journalism” and based off of “hearsay and rumor.” Staff writers and the editorial team work hard on investigating and double-checking facts. The possible inaccuracies that may be found within our newspaper are primarily, but not solely, our fault, especially with this particular senior Tshirt story. ASB does hold some blame because of the lack of accessibility and elusiveness when attempting to acquire information. This lack of transparency was noted in the interviews where the sources were interviewed twice for this particular article. The follow up interviews for the clarification of facts contradicted the first interviews, thus, creating inconsistencies and supposed “misquotes” in the published article.

With that said, we would like to address the editorial, in the previous issue. While Editorials often represent the whole of our staff, we apologize for the labeling of previous editorial as “The opinion of the staff

written by the Editor in Chief.”

While the editorial was indeed written by Hunter Vurbeff, the opinions expressed do not entirely represent the entire MavLife staff.

We would also like to acknowledge a slight conflict within the news article. When the article references the process of the Senior Shirts by ASB one could take it out of context that ASB did not involve students. The slogan “The Chosen 1’s” was proposed by senior Emily Fleet. We apologize for the confusion that occurred when deciding if ASB took into account student representation. ASB has often in the past used student ideas such as the theme for the Homecoming Dance which was voted on by students. None of the proposed shirt ideas were used but ASB did use student’s slogan. While what was printed was factual we regret the context in which it was written.

In addition, ASB claims that the editorial was not fact-based when it was actually supported by the information acquired for the news article. Although containing a harsh tone, the facts included are accurate.

We agree that the wording was offensive to an extent, but we must establish that an editorial is an opinion piece. Perhaps this article did not have enough evidence to support all statements,

but it still contained them.

We would also like to point out that the goal of journalism, regardless of whether it is investigative or not, is not about giving “pats on the back” and reporting on ASB students’ job descriptions. Rather, responsible journalism is about reporting controversies, events, unique opinions and the latest news. The purpose of journalism is to present a view of the world, and there is no article with a completely unbiased tone. Sometimes what is reported is not what the public agrees with, but that is the point. It is to expose and make available different ideas, even if those particular articles may be perceived with the purpose to “aggravate and antagonize.”

At last, we’ll take you up on that offer to ride “on the wings of Pegasus” and put behind us these “over arching entanglements.” The truth is journalism needs the cooperation of ASB in order to provide true and accurate information for the campus community. We hope to repair the contract that was broken, and to have ASB and Journalism work together to make the campus a wellinformed establishment.

Mav Life is the student newspaper of La Costa Canyon High School. La Costa Canyon High School 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 educational best practices as defined by the National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Student Press Law Center. 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 newspaper staff, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective. Advertisements do not necessarily represent the newspaper’s viewpoint. MavLife, an open forum, welcomes signed letters on pertinent issues from the community, which may be submitted to room 804, via e-mail or to Suzi Van Steenbergen’s mailbox in the administrative building. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

The MavLife 2010-2011 Editorial Staff.

2 | MavLife | December 2010

Respectfully, The MavLife Editorial Staff

Editorial

Dear MavLife,

ASB students respond to November 2010 Editorial

“Our qualms lie neither with criticism nor exposé, but with misquotes, inflammatory nature, sensationalism, and half-truths.”

Never are the countless hours of preparation for dances exposed – only the

anxiety and scalds our hearts with sadness, we are simply forced to

take action. Our qualms lie neither with criticism nor exposé, but with misquotes, inflammatory nature, sensationalism, and half-truths.

Anybody that wields power is, justly, subject to excruciating scrutiny by one or many forms of media.

However, conversely, it is the duty of said media to be scrupulous in research and unbiased in opinion. In our humble opinion, this contract which governs the governing of every institution was broken – shattered, and left for dead – when La Costa High School’s Journalism Class published not one, but two dubious articles in their November 2010 issue of “Mav Life.” The first of these articles is in fact an editorial by one “Hunter Vurbeff,” which compares our high school’s ASB class to a Communist and Fascist dictatorship which, combined, killed at least 40 million,

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controversies surrounding the theme are mentioned.

Never are our efforts to promote improved club participation highlighted – only the unbeneficial district policies that ASB is bound to abide by are cited. Never have ASB’s attempts to place power in the students’ palms been recognized – only our socalled “overarching government entanglements” have been emphasized.

Indeed we need not recognition. We are not motivated by fame, glory, or praise. However, when we see an act of injustice so gross and twisted that it churns our stomachs with

initiated the Holocaust, and all but eradicated free speech and peaceful op-

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“We seek

the evidence provided in the article to support any and all allegations is based purely on hearsay and rumor – not investigative journalism.

We seek justice. Not in retribution but in future unbiased, investigative journalism. We do this for prudence, for the simple, selfevident reason that journalism whose only purpose is to aggravate and antagonize has no purpose in society. Let us look forward to a brighter future, of compatibility in our respective roles in the community – each of us spurring the other on like two gears in a machine designed to produce pure, unadulterated righteousness, riding on the wings of Pegasus into a golden sunset of Maverick Pride.

This we shall do, and we shall do it well.

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The intricacies of human interaction have greatly changed since our ancestors walked the uncivilized paths of Pangea, however the fundamentals remain steadfast. Among these is the brain’s innate sense of altruism – repaying a good deed with a good deed. Yet La Costa Canyon High School’s journalism class seems immune to eons of environmental pressure and human evolution. Never in our four years in ASB have we seen one article that gives so much as a pat on the back to our tireless efforts to better the lives of our fellow Mavericks.

justice”

position. ASB has not killed any person, instigated genocide, or stifled any form of free speech. No interviews with ASB members were conducted in the case of the editorial and those provided in the latter article are misquoted. However, even the misquotes make no admittance to a lawsuit in any shape or form. There are several more falsities among which is the fact that the Facebook page constructed to hear students’ opinions did in fact provide our senior class slogan “The Chosen 1’s” – which, in our humble opinion, is the definition of giving student’s a voice. Thus,

Respectfully, Chris Leigh and Katarina Uebelhor Senior Class President and Executive Secretary

Dear ASB,

MavLife’s Editor in Chief responds ever, in the future I can assure ASB that MavLife, in addition to covering the rest of our campus will put increased efforts in covering all of ASB’s activities.

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Danielle Calder “is based purely on hearsay and rumor – not investigative journalism” is not only insulting and hurtful to the writer but also diminishing

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MavLife is a student run program with the mission to inform students and the surrounding community of campus happenings. While I believe that ASB is crucial for our school to function and an integral part of making High School more enjoyable, MavLife is not a public relations department for our school. MavLife follows strictly the journalistic ethic that we do not write stories based on whether or not we “owe” a subject a certain favorable story.

That said, the letter from Chris Leigh and Katarina Uebelhor states four times that MavLife has “never” published a positive story on ASB. Yet, if the writers would glance at our last issue they would see “Forever Young” by Taylor Olson, which one might argue is a “positive” story on the doings of ASB. How-

“The accusations that the reporting of Danielle Calder “is based purely on hearsay and rumor – not investigative journalism” is not only insulting and hurtful to the writer but also diminishing to the credibility of ASB itself.”

While I do not concede that MavLife has inaccurately covered ASB events in the past, we will continue our efforts with increased intensity to print accurate and unbiased news stories. The accusations that the reporting of

to the credibility of ASB itself. Calder spent weeks gathering information and speaking with numerous sources for the article and her story underwent careful revisions to ensure credibility. It should be

noted that Calder did indeed notice the possible confusion the wording on the Facebook issue could create (see MavLife editorial on page 1) and did change it before publication. It is my responsibility that Calder’s edits were inadvertently omitted.

I respect and deeply admire the members of ASB, especially the top elected officials, and acknowledge their hard work despite infrequent praise. Even though I stand by my opinion in November’s “editorial” I apologise for my harsh diction.

I can only hope that ASB will understand that I meant nothing personal and I see the individuals in ASB as perfect examples of the type of Maverick that we all strive to be. For that I commend ASB. Hunter Vurbeff, E.I.C.

December 2010 | MavLife | 3

News

Amigos de las Americas

Following up with the students who traveled to Latin America over summer Lauren Sonken Staff Writer

While

some students looked forward to spending their summer lazily on the beach working on their tans, others anticipated their departures to Latin America working on aiding various third world countries.

Six students participated in a program that sends roughly 700 American students each year to Latin America, Amigos de las Americas.

According to the Amigos program, the organization is a program that allows high school students to exercise their leadership capabilities in Latin American countries.

To the students who traveled out of their homes thus arriving at a new one, the program meant much more than community service for their college applications.

“Amigos is a program where you live in a foreign place for two months, and you’re the only American there,” Kassie Davey, senior, said.

Davey traveled to the Dominican Republic where she worked with community members on environmental health, leadership, fitness, nutrition, and the organization of a double latrine.

“Amigos brought out qualities I didn’t know I had, like patience, leadership, and appreciation. Walking away, the lifelong friends I made changed my life much more than I had anticipated. I came home with a Godchild, new language-speaking abilities, and confidence I previously did not have,” Davey said.

The Amigos program served as

Kassie Davey traveled to the Dominican Republic over summer, where she worked closely with the community to improve living conditions. Photo courtesy of Kassie Davey.

a personal renovation for many of the participants involved. Attributes were discovered that gave the Amigos alumni confidence for various areas in their lives.

“I have become more positive, self assured, and now I never second guess myself. I went to Panama with one partner. There was little comfort and I was forced to be independent,” Rebecca Appel, senior, said.

“It completely changed my life. I met so many cool people, and I definitely want to stay in touch with all of them. ” In addition to positive person-

ality angles, participants also gained perspective on their future goals.

The program not only looks good on college applications, but additionally gives advice on college direction.

“The program helped me focus my life purpose. I want to focus on Spanish in college. I taught the kids in Nicaragua how to work with media equipment. It was hard to explain but they got it after a while. In the end, the community and I finished a project where we created a film about the history of Nicaragua,” Amanda Appel, senior, said.

Because of the short time restric-

tions, everything participants do is done wholeheartedly. Purposeful actions lead to strong relationships.

“I made friends that you just can’t make in school. You come in as a stranger so everyone in the town gravitates to you, it’s kind of like being a mini celebrity!” Adelle Bender, senior, who traveled to Panama, explained.

Relying on cell phones and computers makes the transition to living in Latin American countries fairly difficult. However, the change showed members they can remain content amongst these conditions.

“Amigos made me stretch my boundaries and realize that you can survive on the bare necessities,” said Alex Buckingham, senior.

Buckingham taught summer camps for local youth, built a library in her Ecuadorian community, planted hundreds of trees, and painted a mural.

“I loved sightseeing the beautiful countryside, and loved the fact I called it my home. The only downside was knowing I had to leave,” Buckingham said.

Immersing oneself in an entirely new culture is a difficult task in itself, let alone with the addition of a language barrier. The Amigos de las Americas participants started their school year with a broken heart over, aching not for more sleep-in time but for their new families across the globe.

Speech and Debate Gains National Recognition The team is ranked in the top 100 schools

Rebecca Sykes Staff Writer

Throughout the years, sports

have been given the main focus when it comes to recognition on campus. The speech and debate team is not as well known. Despite this downplay, the team has recently ranked in the top 100 teams of the nation.

“Our team is ecstatic that we ranked in the top 100 schools, top 3%, again this year. We work hard for national recognitions, and this ranking is a testament to the

achievements and efforts of our entire team and our coaches,” Brian Castelloe, senior, said.

Competitions are held at either universities or high school campuses over the weekend. All of the speakers compete in preliminary rounds in their respective events, and if they do well, they advance to elimination rounds, culminating in a Final Round.

“We take competing very seriously. Spending the weekend with friends is one of the greatest perks

4 | MavLife | December 2010

about tournaments,” Castelloe said.

There are three main areas the speech and debate team focuses on: policy debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate, and speech. Policy Debate is a two on two debate concerning a question of government policy.

Lincoln-Douglas debate is a one-onone debate concerning a question of morality. Speech involves three types of speaking: public address, oral interpretation, and spontaneous speaking.

“In debate, the National Forensic

League assigns the topics for the year. While, in speech, speakers have complete freedom when selecting what they want to speak on,” Joanna Tang, senior, said.

On December 3rd through December 5th, the team assisted Ms. Cartwright in hosting the 40th annual San Diego Winter Classic Invitational. The tournament attracts hundreds of competitors from several states. This competition is the team’s main fund-raiser and usually earns over $15,000.

News

Frustration Over Parking Tickets Students stress over increased ticketing

Kiely Doherty Staff Writer

Busy school mornings never

fail to bring long lines of cars and frustrated drivers.

Among the usual chaos of the parking lot is a recent construction project. The availability for student parking seems to be dwindling. Though students are quick to blame the outside obstacle, staff points to ignorance of the basic conduct in the parking lot as the issue. Construction zones aren’t the only source of a messy parking lot.

“The main issue is that people without parking stickers take up the spots for the ones who have their sticker,” Campus Supervisor, Lori Branson, said.

Branson works with Officer Cobian, who was unable to comment, on managing the lot. The problem, they have found, is students who fail to comply with the rules.

Students resort to parking in staff spots, perpetuating student and staff frustration.

“If there is no room, we will make room but I have driven

around the lot five or six times a day and I’ve seen open spots for parking” Branson said.

The construction on the solar panels has been reduced to taking up one row at a time so it shouldn’t provide an obstacle for the student drivers. Officer Cobian and Lori Branson follow protocol to ticket violators and students continue to get tickets. The problem, from the view of the staff, is with the drivers who choose not to follow the rules by parking in staff spots or failing to have a parking sticker. But the drivers have said otherwise.

“I tried to buy my parking sticker but they aren’t giving any more out” Libby Sharpe, senior, said. She tried to follow the procedure but wasn’t permitted and is left to face a ticket or park elsewhere. The problem between expectation of the student drivers and the reality of the parking lot make it difficult to follow and frustrating to regulate.

“There is miscommunication among staff,” according to Branson.

So the problem is beyond urgent

Officer Cobain issued over 25 tickets on one day, due to students parking without stickers, or in the staff lots. Photo by Kristyn Kawaja.

drivers and construction zones. The whole structure of the parking lot poses an issue. The communication is lacking among those who regulate and the amount of students abusing the system is threatening to what should be a logical function.

The parking lot should be a con-

venience for students and staff to reach the campus efficiently. Most recently, it has become a place of frustration for the students receiving tickets.

Manhunt Draws Police Presence An overwhelming number of attendees worries authorities

Brenna Lyles Staff Writer

A huge assembly of teens from

across North County arrived at the Magdalena Ecke YMCA in Encinitas on Saturday, November 5th for a tag-meets-hide-and-go-seek game better known as Manhunt; but to the dismay, so did the police.

Manhunt is a popular tag-like game of “chasers” and “runners” closely resembling a wide-scale version of Sharks and Minnows.

The simple object of the game is to make it from point A to point B, one side of town to the other, on foot in around 2 hours without getting tagged by designated “chasers” who have the luxury of patrolling the streets in vehicles. The most recent game on November 5th started at the YMCA with an endpoint at Stagecoach Park, a 4.1 mile course.

“According to the police, the

main reason for their appearance (with five squad cars and a canine unit) was their safety concerns for the roughly 600 teens who showed up for Manhunt,” Wanfang Wu, senior, said.

The event usually draws around 200 Manhunters from a Facebook event posted by organizers, such as Bronson Young, and Wu, around two weeks prior to its date. This time the event had been advertised over four weeks in advance, almost tripling in the number of attendees.

The event drew including students from Torrey Pines, Carlsbad, and Cathedral.

Furthermore, the police officers decided that the first mile of the course provided unsafe sidewalk options. If runners were to take an alternate route, they may potentially cross into “gang infested territory,” according to Wu. Although,

they did not shut down the game, the officers strongly advised organizers to do so.

“The officers were very angry and verbally forceful with us. They did not want anyone to get hurt, for instance, if they were to J-walk.

So we decided to move the game to Stagecoach, for a mini Manhunt through the park,” said Wu. Around 100 players relocated to the park for a smaller version of the game. Yet many of the students who showed up were left disappointed that the larger-scaled game was never played out.

As for future Manhunt events, attendees can expect to see a Facebook post closer to the planned date and limit of around two hundred players per game to prevent excessive crowds. One may also find thoroughly planned routes in safer areas of town and, potentially,

Organizers put all the information on Facebook to inform particpants of location and time. Picture courtesy of Wanfang Wu.

required liability waivers in order to participate. These precautionary actions will prevent future police run-ins and hopefully make for a better, safer Manhunt scene.

December 2010 | MavLife | 5

News

Torrey Pines Survivor Controversy Students wonder if the repetitive cheating is necessary Breonna Mabry Staff Writer

Friday night lights gleamed

over Torrey Pines football field as Survivor competitors Andrew Bertha and Janell Steigerwald prepared for what would be the biggest controversy of the night.

“This has been the most intense year of survivor. Emerging from tonight will be the story of a champion,” Bertha, senior, said.

Little did he know, his preparation would stand no chance against our rival school’s deceit.

The survivor competition against Torrey Pines is a reoccurring battle between the high-schools’ top athletes. Competitors are chosen via victory of a rigorous obstacle course challenges and demonstrated example of their endurance. The final match versus Torrey Pines is typically an obstacle course across a 100 yard football field. This year the event was held at the home of the Falcons.

“Endurance and strength.

Whoever has those two attributes is gonna bring home the gold,” Brianna Massas, ASB commissioner of activities at Torrey Pines, said.

The course was devised of several athletic tribulations, but controversy arose when the competition reached the water balloon toss.

“Contestants were challenged to toss a water balloon over 20 yards to their opposite sex teammate who is to catch five of the balloons inside of their specially constructed helmet,” said Massas.

As the water balloon toss came to, onlookers awaited the challenge of contestants catching five balloons in a small construction hat. Controversy came about however when Torrey Pines failed to complete the task in its entirety.

“We were told we only had to pop five balloons on our heads, not actually catch them,” said Garrett Stubs, Torrey Pines competitor.

The rival crowd, sporting mystic black tees to contrast our school’s solid white attire, went wild as

Steigerwald and Bertha prepare themselves for the obstacle ahead. Photo by Breonna Mabry.

Steigerwald successfully caught five ballons in her helmet during the disputed event, as the Falcons only allowed five to hit the helmet. Photo by Breonna Mabry.

6 | MavLife | December 2010

their schoolmates took the lead in the race. Torrey Pines officials refereeing the event blew their whistles with a loud screech as our opposing competition made their way through the finish line, ahead of Bertha and Steigerwald.

“I never had a reason to hate TP until tonight. They blatantly cheated, and took the rivalry to an unnecessary level,” Callie Coleman, sophomore, said.

After Torrey Pines ASB officers were addressed, the only explanation for their school competitors actions were that there must have been a misunderstanding.

“LCC can wipe their tears with my red and gold towel. There was just as much misunderstanding this year a there was last year when LCC stole our rightful victory from us,” Noah Wasserman, Torrey Pines senior, said.

Torrey Pines justifies their misunderstanding with the idea that our school cheated as well in previous years. Many have voiced that revenge is the sweetest option in this dilemma, and juniors at La Costa Canyon shows determination to “take back the title” the next Survivor go around. Most seniors however, stand firmly behind the idea that if returning deceit with more deceit is the option students are considering, they are failing to look ahead at the big picture of the ordeal.

“A wise man once said, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” Grant Dugger, LCC senior, said.

Dugger along with dozens of others in the senior class, was seen praising and applauding his peers Bertha and Steigerwald as they made their way off the field, cheering their intense and impressive efforts, despite the loss and controversy.

“In the end, it wasn’t about revenge or frustration, but about pride in the athletic performance of a fellow Maverick,” said Dugger.

News

Student Spotlights Brian Castelloe: Nationally ranked speaker

Brenna Lyles Staff Writer

Brian Castelloe, senior, has spent his past

four years speaking and debating his way to being ranked an impressive 9th in the national by the National Forensic League.

“I am just proud of all of the time, work, and passion I’ve put in to attain that. Junior year, I won the 2010 Berkeley Invitational in Original Oratory, which for me was huge, since I hadn’t advanced past Quarterfinals the two years before,” said Castelloe.

Castelloe decided to enroll in the Speech and Debate course his freshman year, after realizing his passion for politics and arguing. He’s been pursuing Speech and Debate ever since, with a focus on Speech, while immensely progressing and gaining a love for the art. Since, he has traveled out-of-state, attended numerous speech and debate competitions, and encountered a variety of topics and issues.

Although Castelloe has spoken on everything from aerial wolf hunting to stereotyping based on family structure and the death penalty, his favorite topic was a speech he gave as a junior year on the business of a teenager’s schedule.

As he is a role model to many of his fellow speakers and debaters, Castelloe himself looks

up to college speakers, Vivian Lam and Ola Abiose.

“I adore them. Some speakers will just use a lot of fancy gimmicks and tricks to try to win, but they always kept their speeches genuine, real, and ultimately, very human. And their speeches truly inspired me to live a better life,” Castelloe said.

Furthermore, Castelloe credits a fellow speaker and winner of the 2009 Harvard Invitational, Melissa Dunn, for his success. When it comes to speaking he believes it is most important to “speak from the heart,” a motto she told him on the day of her victory.

“I’ve discovered that expressing myself, completely and truthfully, and ultimately saying what I truly want to convey, is the absolute best quality about the spoken word. And it is through this mentality that I have been able to attain the success that I have,” said Castelloe.

Castelloe plans to continue speaking and debating throughout college, carrying with him these standards and values that he has gained during his time on the Speech and Debate team.

His experiences in Speech and Debate have taught him immensely about himself.

Castelloe plans to continue spekaing in college. Photo by Brenna Lyles.

Chris Leigh: Early acceptance to Naval Academy Steven Fahy Staff Writer

Senior Chris Leigh was recently accepted into

Leigh looks forward a career in the Navy, potentially as a SEAL. Photo by JP Horrigan.

the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Leigh, Senior Class President and avid Associate Study Body member, has long sought the day he would receive the highly respectable honor of acceptance.

“I have wanted to be in the Navy since the seventh grade, and around freshman year I decided I wanted to attend the Naval Academy,” Leigh said.

Though he admits most of his drive to be in the Navy comes from self aspiration, he owes some of his inspiration to his family’s past.

“My dad was in the Navy, so some of my ambition [to be in the military] comes from him,” Leigh said.

In his years after the Academy, Chris hopes to become a United States Navy SEAL. Regarded as being the most highly skilled and trained unit in the world, Navy SEALS are known to work on land, water, and in the air. However, it is their various special operations and unique underwater missions that really set them apart

from other military positions.

“After their four years at the Naval Academy, the students go through what is called service selection, where they apply for a certain position within the Navy. After I finish there, I would ideally like to apply to serve as a SEAL,” Leigh said.

However, leigh could not have been given this great honor without his impressive high school background, including four different sports and two varsity team honors, four years involvement with ASB, and 4.67 GPA. “I think that from my time at LCC I gained some great leadership skills from ASB. In addition, I learned how to work well under time constraints,” Leigh said.

Each of these vital pieces of knowledge will benefit him when he leaves for Maryland late this coming June. As he begins his classes and training, he will face mental and physical challenges unlike anything he has most likely ever faced. However, he will come out of this experience with the skills and knowledge needed to serve the country.

December 2010| MavLife | 7

News

Band and Color Guard Win Major Competiton Kenya Caines Staff Writer

Members celebrate their recent success

The Marching Band and Color

Guard have won first place in the Rancho Buena Vista Tournament and the Scripps Ranch tournament.

This a huge accomplishment for the Band and Color Guard because it is the first time they have won in a major competition.

“I think it really helps the band unify in a way. We all got a taste of what it is like to be victorious over other bands, and how all of our hard work, sweat and tears got pulled into the performance. Overall it just felt amazing,” said Senior Nathan Zieg, who plays the French Horn and Mellophone.

The Band and Color Guard competitions are set up where school marching bands and color guards must compete simultaneously in front of judges preforming to their best ability.

“Everybody performs a half time show that people normally see at the

football games, and then it is taken to a tournament where everyone gives that production and you have a panel of judges and what they do is they judge based on musical performance, visual performance, and also the general affect which is the blend of the two: the music and the design package,” Ms. Mattison, the band instructor said.

In order to prepare for the tournaments and preform well for the judges, practicing altogether and individual practice is needed. Practicing together often takes a lot of time and hard work, considering the Band and Color Guards consist of over 60 people.

“To put it all together and to march together and to make the forms together and to really connect together takes a lot of time to organize. We have a large amount of people that we all need to be there to help march,” said Zieg.

Band practicing for an upcoming event. Photo by JP Horrigan.

Homecoming Court

Catching up with Kaitlin Connors and Alex Felder Jessica Stevenson Staff Writer

What was your reaction when you found

English and Mrs. Lax warned us that Juliet’s boobs were going to pop out. When they did, I laughed- all by myself.

out you won Homecoming Queen/King?

Kaitlin: I was so happy!

Alex: I was happy, but it wasn’t too shocking because ASB kept dropping hints.

What are the aspects you look for in the opposite sex?

Kaitlin: Definitely have to be funny. Gotta be dank. Good buns. But overall, just a good personality.

Alex: Someone who is smart and likes to read.

She has to be able to make me laugh and, I can easily talk to for hours.

Why do you think you were nominated for the Homecoming Court?

Kaitlin: Because I love everyone!

Alex: I think that a large part had to do with being one of the faces of Comedy Sportz. I’m a pretty nice guy too and have a good sense of humor.

If you were given the chance to travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Kaitlin: I don’t want to go anywhere. I just really like Encinitas.

Alex: It’s between Japan and Britain- I take Japanese so I have a sense of their culture, but Britain would be cool too. Or Atlantis.

What Movie Star did you dress as for Homecoming?

Kaitlin: Audrey Hepburn Alex: Indiana Jones Share one of your worst habits or qualities.

Kaitlin: I’m very loud; I get sent out of Zyb’s class on the reg.

Alex: I’m lazy and procrastinate everything.

Share an embarrassing moment.

Kaitlin: (Laughing) Well once I peed myself, but who cares?

Alex: We were watching Romeo and Juliet in

Connors and Felder were both pleasantly surprised with their victory as Homecoming Queen and King. Photo by Jessica Stevenson.

8 | MavLife | December 2010

What period would you travel to if you had a time machine?

Kaitlin: Probably yesterday because Trish made a scrumptious cena.

Alex: I could say Medieval Times, Actually I would go to 1985. No, I would just be Marty McFly from Back to the Future.

Sports

Gridiron Report: Season In Review Football team makes a strong playoff run, but comes up short This year, the team experienced

Andrew Murray Editor

The team had a hard time breaking away from the pack this year.

They finished with a winning record, but did not have as nearly a dominating regular season as last year. Photo by Tanner Taguchi.

an up and down season full of excitement and disappointment. In the end, despite their 7-5 record, the team fell short of its ultimate goal of a CIF championship.

With former head coach Darrin Brown leaving LCC, the team looked for new leadership from first year head coach Sean Sovacool. The players were quick to find a harder training regime and stricter rules to follow compared to previous years.

“Having a new coach was interesting,” defensive end Nico Rodriquez, senior, said. “He just brought more energy and enthusiasm than Coach Brown did.”

The team endured significant struggles compared to last year when the team went 11-1. A team full of new offensive and defensive starters across the board found adversity throughout the season.

“I feel that certain individuals could have stepped up and help improve the team’s fortunes,” Rodriquez said. “If you got to have it, you have to want it.”

The team would have been 8-4.

However, a student was ruled ineligible to play in games against San Clemente and Chula Vista. The student claimed to have lived in the community when in reality he lived in San Marcos, a violation of CIF San Diego section rules. As a result, The team was forced to forfeit their win against Chula Vista in order to avoid forfeiting more games and potentially missing out on the postseason.

Aside from controversy off the field, the team experienced dramatic drops in offensive and defensive production compared to the year before. This year’s offense averaged 26.6 points per game compared to last year’s 35.4 points per game. The defense held their opponents to 19 points per game, more than the 16.9 points per game average they gave up last year.

A noticeable lack of production seemed to show up in the running game. With Seth Hanson and Weston Manner gone, the offense struggled to find consistent production on the ground. The team instead relied on the arm of quarterback Garrett Krstich, who threw for 1,964 passing yards, 27 Touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.

Despite the team’s improved aerial attack, the offense found more difficulty in moving the chains without a powerful ground game. The overall rushing yardage of the team was 1,397 compared to 2,520 yards the year before.

A disappointing end to the season spells the end for most of the players high school playing careers, having now played their final game in a school jersey.

“I’m going to miss playing with everyone,” Nelson, said. “Some of these guys I’ve been playing with since third grade. These guys are my best friends and I’m going to miss playing with them.”

The season saw another above .500 season that dealt with dramatic changes from the year before. With Sovacool now settled with a year of experience under his belt, the team is prime for success in the future. With better play and effort, the team should focus on winning more CIF championships and reestablish gridiron dominance.

Beach Bowl Streak Continues

Krstich lead the team to a fifth consecutive crown against Torrey Pines Tanner Taguchi Staff Writer

The

fans were cheering at the top of their lungs, boldly displaying their schools colors. Our visiting fans, in white, and Torrey Pines fans, in black, were there to support their teams through temperatures of 54 degrees Fahrenheit.

“We expected them to be good. I mean they were undefeated,” said senior running back Erik Nelson. “We were really pumped for the game. It is a really big rivalry that goes all the way back to Pop Warner.”

The big rivalry game was held at the Falcons’ Ed Burke Field, and coming into the game, Torrey Pines had a perfect record of 9-0, while our team was only 5-4. The Falcons were definitely the clear favorites to win the game, yet our team was able to pull off a dramatic come from behind win.

Both defenses came out fighting, as shown by a scoreless first quarter.

The game continued slowly until the Falcons scored with 8:56 left in the

second quarter. The team quickly answered with an Issac Marquet rushing touchdown. They got the ball back again late in the first half and settled for a field goal by Garret Greenway with only nine seconds remaining. The two teams went to the locker rooms with a score of LCC 10 - TP 7.

Torrey Pines was first to score in the second half going up 14 -10 off a John Cabot 1 yard run with 8:03 left in the 3rd quarter. That was the only score during that quarter due the stellar defense shown by both teams.

The team eventually answered with a touchdown by Erik Nelson with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter, giving them a 17-14 lead. Torrey Pines came back fighting with a 10 yard touchdown made by Kevin Cuff putting Torrey Pines back on top with a score of 21-17 with 6:47 left in the fourth quarter.

The team was in trouble deep in their own territory after they turned the ball over. However, they regained

possession after a Torrey Pines fumble which set up what woud be the game winning drive that ended in a touchdown pass from Garrett Krstich to Nick Frausto. The score was now 24-21 and only 1 minute and 55 seconds were left in the game. With seconds on the clock, Torrey Pines went for it all with a long pass that was broken up by LCC, bringing up fourth down. Torrey Pines went for a final “Hail Mary” play that was intercepted by Mike Arkans, ending the game.

After the score was final, hoards of the “white-out” fans rushed onto the field cheering and embracing the team. They claimed the “Beach Bowl” surfboard, the prize given to whichever team wins the regular season rivalry each year, for the fifth season in a row. Sovacool proudly held up the trophy to his team, bringing loud cheers and screams from the fans.

“It feels good to win. It feels all the better beating them in a rivalry game,” said Sovacool.

Sovacool hugs the Beach Bowl surfboard the team was awarded for defeating Torrey Pines. Photo by Tanner Taguchi.

December 2010| MavLife | 9

Sports

Players to Watch

Breonna Mabry Staff Writer

These athletes stood out from the pack this fall

Annie Lovell- Field Hockey

John Razmajoo- Water Polo

Natalie Bausback- Volleyball

This field hockey Junior Olympian has been playing since the sixth grade and has since proven that her gentle demeanor is just a front for her substantial and aggressive athletic ability. She has been awarded MVP in several field hockey tournaments, and the Union Tribune’s “Athlete of the Month.”

Photo courtesy of Annie Lovell.

Despite having only played since his entrance into high-school, John Razmajoo has obtained several athletic achievements including being awarded second team allleague, being a competitor in the Junior Olympics, and now being one of the top scorers in the league. Photo courtesy of John Razmajoo.

Six foot two middle blocker Natalie Bausback is a force to be reckoned with. She has been unstoppable, with 186 kills , 86 blocks and 109 digs in her high-school career so far. The best part- she is only a junior. Photo courtesy of Natalie Bausback.

Just Do It

Girls’ Cross Country team goes to Nike Nationals, takes second in state

Brenna Lyles Staff Writer

On the morning of November

27th, under the fall-colored leaves of Woodward Park in Fresno, California, fourteen athletes of the Cross Country team competed in one of the most important races of their lives, the CIF State Cross Country Championships.

Despite the chilling, wet conditions on that Saturday morning, a state-ranked group of runners took the field with a fiery desire for victory. The girls’ team finished second in the Division I California Championship with 110 place points and an overall time of 91 minutes and 5 seconds. Their overall time was the third fastest ever recorded on this 5 kilometer course, which also qualified the girls for Nike Cross Nationals, a meet of elite teams and individuals from across the country in Portland, Oregon on December 4th.

The first ever LCC boys’ team to compete at state ran an overall time

Lawson (4th from the right) is awarded a medal for finishing 4th in the state championships in Fresno, California. Photo by Brenna Lyles. of 79 minutes and 58 seconds, scoring 260 points, and placing an impressive 11th within Division I. “State was very fun and a great team bonding experience. The race, though, was tough and very fast because the course was so flat,” said Ryan Hershey, junior.

Every runner agreed that this particular course may have been one of the fastest they had ever raced on.

This was due to Woodward Park’s ex-

10 | MavLife | December 2010

tremely flat terrain containing just a few small, rolling hills and one “Killer Hill” that was “not-so-killer” after all. Both weather and course conditions proved to work in favor of a few talented individuals, including Kelly Lawson, sophomore, who placed 4th in her race and Darren Fahy, junior, who placed 11th.

“Even though the race was hard, and it was cold,” Lawson said, “I was happy with the results. I definitely

wasn’t expecting to get 4th, even though my goal was to finish in the top ten, so it felt nice.”

Lawson’s outstanding performance included an amazing race to the finish, jumping from sixth to fourth place in a matter of 20 meters by out-sprinting two of her fierce opponents. One of those opponents was heavily favored: Rancho Bernardo’s Molly Grabill, who was recently ranked third in the nation by Milesplit.us, a high-school competitive-running network.

“Those who competed at state, and even those who didn’t, worked really hard all season to get there,” said the team’s co-captain, Gabi AlShamma, senior. “Everyone who went gave it their all, even though some had more weight on their shoulders than others. [We’ve] come a long way as a team.”

Sports

Fall Season Wrap-up A closer look at each team’s performance this past season Sean Bentley and Andrew Murray Editors

Varsity Girls’ Volleyball:

Coming off a year in which the team claimed its sixth straight title, this year’s team faced enormous expectations once again. As with last last year, the team pulled off another CIF championship while going 34-3 overall. Their seventh straight title was won against Patrick Henry.

They went into the state playoffs as the number one seed, but they lost in the first round to Redlands East Valley.

Varsity Football: After

starting the season off 2-2, the team headed into the playoffs strong, winning five of their last six games, including a great come from behind win at Torrey Pines to bring their undefeated season to an end.

They defeated Hilltop easily in the first round of CIF, but lost convincingly to Oceanside in the next round.

Girls’ Volleyball had a lot of reasons to celebrate this year. They won a CIF championship for the seventh year in a row and finished with a winning percentage over .900. The balloons would soon pop, however, as they were stunned in the first round of state playoffs. Photo by Tanner Taguchi.

Varsity Girls’ Tennis: The team took advantage

of being in the new Avocado West league and won the league title. They finished the regular season with a winning record of 8-7. The team was the fifth seed heading into the CIF Division I playoffs and won their first round match over Eastlake. In the next round, they tied Vista in terms of sets won, but lost in the tiebreaker in which the number of games each team won was counted.

Cross Country:

Boys’ Water Polo:

The team finished 8-10 overall and 4-6 in their conference. In the first round of the playoffs, they lost to Rancho Bernardo by a score of 11-6.

Led by standouts Darren Fahy, Ellie Abrahamson, and Emma Abrahamson, the cross county team realized unprecedented success, winning their first ever San Diego Section CIF title. The journey didn’t stop there as the team finished second overall in the CIF state championships and earning a birth in the national championships in Oregon.

Varsity Girls’ Golf: The preseason ranking had the team at number four in the county, despite losing their top three players from last season. They lost to rivals Torrey Pines and Carlsbad, ending the regular season with an even record of 9-9.

Field Hockey:

Emma Abrahamson (left) and Ellie Abrahamson (right) practice in preparation for the Nike Nationals. Photo by JP Horrigan.

A team full of returning starters launched itself to significant success this season. With outstanding play from players like Lauren LaBar, Jenna Maffucci, and Blaire Bender, the team took the league by storm with a 17-8 record. The team won the first round of the CIF playoffs by beating Bonita Vista High School 2-1. However, rival Torrey Pines became their eventual downfall. After being shutout 1-0 in a crucial match up during the regular season, a 20-2 TP team once again thwarted LCC in a 1-0 second round match up.

The field hockey team fought hard all season, but TP ultimately became their kryptonite. Photo

by Nick Theriault.

December 2010| MavLife | 11

Photography Photography by Jean-Paul Horrigan

12 | MavLife | December 2010

Opinion

Senior Survival Guide By: Breonna Mabry

Keep Your Choices in Mind Decisions on applying to college

Seniors. Class of 2011. Top dogs. Elders. Whatever you call us, we can all be identified by one virtue - our LAST year in high school. For most, it’s exhilarating to know that the last three years of secondary school are almost behind us.

We’ve long payed our dues: freshmen discrimination, finding our “niche”, standardized tests and having our mommy’s drop us off in the morning (mine still does). While a portion of us are simply trying to enjoy the last stages before starting our voyage on the “new path” that awaits us, many are just eager to get the heck outta here. And with all the stresses, and demands to perform, this last year is becoming increasingly overwhelming for most of the class.

So what do we do? How can we survive the final stretch?

Don’t fret, because for the next few months the guidance you need to survive will be outlined specifically for your support.

December Tip: Don’t get too exited, too soon.

Once you know you’re almost at the secondary education finish line it seems as if high school (more so the school portion) is completely irrelevant and you do almost anything to avoid it. We get excited, anxious, and quickly become completely focused on one thing- college. We know not what its like to look back on high school and our last years and wish we had done things differently. So, will we regret the fall freak out, and countless sleepless hours that come with college applications? Will we wish we didn’t spend the spring slacking because we were “at ease” knowing that we already got into the college we desired? We don’t know.

I went to 2010 alumna, Haley Hilton for some words of wisdom. Here is her story : “I wish I hadn’t avoided enjoying being a senior. Graduation day came too slowly with every passing day, but by the time it came, I wasn’t ready. I’m not saying high school is the pinnacle of your life but it’s nice before you start paying bills, cleaning up after yourself, and skyping with your best friend who is now 300 miles away...

Drop the crap your senior year. High school is more of a mentality than an institution and you should really use your last year to grow (I mean, you had three years to fight, be immature and hold on to things that don’t matter) because the person who you become your senior year is the person who goes to college. And the people in college? Well, they don’t care who you were in high school, only who you are now. You know those stupid signs that at least one of your teachers always has, that stupid one that says something along the lines of “It won’t matter what you wore, if you were the head of the football team or lead cheerleader or had a bad haircut” yada yada yada? Its so incredibly true it turns out...

Enjoy your senior year, take your time, and take a look at yourself and those you surround yourself with, and do everything to make yourself happy and make it last. I wish I had.”

So, class of 2011, what exactly can we learn from this?

Well, from this we can learn, that there’s more to high-school than nice clothes, varsity sports, and GPA. High-school, especially your senior year, is about finding yourself. I’m not saying that college apps should be forgotten, or that you should completely put a halt to planning a future. All I’m saying is take your time.

My tip for you: don’t get too excited for college just yet.

Take a breath. Settle down, and enjoy this ride while you can. Because high school, and the experiences you make in it, are more important that you can even imagine. Watch the clock, and treasure the ticks, because we have but a few few more moments to cherish.

Collage created by Ally Allen and Kiely Doherty KielyDoherty Staff Writer The college application process seems to be never ending, from browsing schools online, to finally making a Common Application account, to perfecting the essay. We spend countless months trying to prove ourselves on pieces of paper, and after we have submitted, we wait.

We imagine the next year at a new school with a new routine and a new group of friends. We wait and we hope and we create the ideal world that college seems to entice.

We constantly check the mailbox and email inbox for the acceptance.

Some will receive the good news and others will have to re-asses their future. Applicants have the choice for how early they will see the results.

But getting results earlier comes at a price. Early decision,a binding choice that indicates that the student must attend that school if they are admitted, should be carefully considered.

Early decision means getting the answer earlier but it also means restricting your choices to one campus.

A limited but more immediate choice is the result of early decision.

Everyone knows those people who have had that one school in mind since elementary school. For those whose rejection to that school would seriously undermine their health,

early decision is perfect. They can prove their dedication to that school and receive an answer earlier to provide sanity in those anticipating months.

But not everyone has one dream school. Early action is another choice that allows for earlier notification without the commitment. Still, early action seems trivial. There is no commitment involved, no real sacrifice yet you can find out a little bit earlier. Maybe that lack of commitment works for some, but I think it should be one way, early decision, or regular decision.

Students who aren’t dedicated to just one campus shouldn’t be confined to the early decision. To me, college is about opportunity so I don’t want to limit my choices when just beginning this whole process.

Regular decision is simple. For the undecided and the unsure and those not ready to commit, regular decision is the most reasonable. I think that the different decisions suit different people. For those with one school in mind, early decision would show their exclusive interest but for those who haven’t made a final decision on where they will be next, regular decision keeps choices open and seems like a good idea.

December 2010 | MavLife |13

Opinion

Blood Drive Returns to Campus Students donate to help others

Lauren Sonken Staff Writers Although students on campus participate in various events that simply benefit our campus or the individuals themselves, the yearly blood drive is one that actually aids the community. Once a year, ASB provides students over the age of seventeen with the opprotunity to donate blood. When the donation time comes around, the chance is both rare and frightening for many students.

Although medical technology has discovered numerous life-saving discoveries in the past century, there is no replacement for blood. The necessity for blood will never cease to exist, especially since the average human body consists of roughly six quarts of blood. During medical emergencies the most important part of dealing with each patient’s particular problem is the attempt to save his or her blood. Donations can aid trauma victims, patients going through surgery, men and women with cancer, and countless others. Each donation of blood can save up to three lives.

I think the idea of donating blood is extremely frightening due to the idea of getting prodded by needles. However, if one can get past the fear, the experience is not painful or scary whatsoever.

I have had many friends with donation anxiety go through the process and end up feeling fine.

Courtney Soule gets support from her friends Clarissa Foster and Nicole Gilbert at the blood drive.

Photo courtesy of Laurel Bonsack Other than the obvious aid to those who need blood for physical reasons, participating in the blood drive is gratifying for the donors as well. The accomplishment of dealing with needles and wires is a great obstacle for some to overcome, and the simple satis-

faction of realizing that with age comes opportunity to give back is fulfilling to others. If one meets the given requirements needed to donate their blood, I think the opportunity is extremely beneficial for all members involved in the donation processes. Although the

opportunity to participate in the blood drive has already passed, one can contact the American Red Cross association at 1-800-REDCROSS, for more details on blood drives throughout the year.

Silly Bandz Epidemic Rachel Hutchinson Staff Writers

New bracelet fad overtakes campus

Provided by Silly Bandz Free Shipping Blog

14| MavLife | December 2010

Silly Bandz have officially taken over the wrists of students on campus.

It seems like students can’t get enough of the excitement provided by the variety and trading aspect. I am part of the students who don’t wear or care for them. I find students who wear them and shop online kind of annoying.

Surprisingly, at certain elementary schools in places like New York, Texas, and in Massachusetts, they have been banned because of distraction.

Usually, bracelets tend to have simple concepts, but these particular bracelets are supposedly complex.

Each individual bracelet represents a different idea and can express different feelings or portray characters. For example, there are bracelets that have peace signs which can portray support

for living a tranquil life. I suppose they have a good concept. However, they’re very silly and, quite frankly, worthless. Banning the bracelets is a bit ridiculous because they are harmless as long as students can be mature and not distract their peers. But I suposse if they didn’t it wouldn’t be a fad.

In a way, Silly Bandz have made an impact on our school but not to the point where they have become a huge problem. Although some students can be immature, most act normally when playing or trading them. The only reason they have become a new fad in the first place is because of the “shiny new toy” aspect that captivates students.

Hopefully, those students will get over them soon.

“Dress to Impress” Danielle Calder Staff Writer

Opinion

Student dress code has ambiguities

While walking around La Costa Canyon, I can expect to see either a bra strap or pair of boxers hanging out of students’ clothes. Although these sights are against dress code, little action is taken to prevent such attire.

The dress code is short and ambiguous. Although the dress code mentions nothing about: the length of skirts or the amount of skin allowed to show, students are still “dress coded” for reasons such as these. This leaves one to wonder, what is appropriate school attire?

The dress code states: “Clothes shall be sufficient to conceal undergarments at all times.” This is the only specific instruction that mentions the amount of required clothing students must wear. If students were to follow the letter of the law, as defined in the dress code, they would theoretically be permitted to wear anything as long as there was fabric covering their underclothes.

Although it may not be defined in the dress code as inappropriate, students are still called in for clothing

that the administration finds distracting.

The dress code fails to outline the consequences that might arise when students do not comply with the specified regulations. Generally, when a student wears something distracting, the student is called in by administration and is asked to change. If the offence continues, parents are contacted and the student could eventually be suspended.

The dress code also states: “Students’ clothing must not present a health or safety hazard or a distraction which would interfere with the educational process.”

This statement can be interpreted a variety of ways. Principal Kyle Ruggles admitted that it is difficult to enforce the dress code because it lacks specificity. He also said that the school administration has plans to review the dress code and add clarity.

In early November, Mr. Ethridge reprimanded a student for wearing a shirt that contained inappropriate language. The student was instructed

to change, which he did.

A girl’s shorts so skimpy is they look like undergarments much more distracting than a minor curse word printed on a student’s shirt that could be heard several times a day.

“We want to prepare students for life after High School. Dress for success at LCCHS,” said Ruggles.

Dress Code Shoes must be worn at all times.

Clothing, jewelry shall be free of writing, pictures and any other insignia which are crude, vulgar, profane or sexually suggestive or which advocate racial, ethic or religious prejudice or the use of drugs and alcohol.

Hats, caps and other head coverings shall not be worn indoors.

Clothes shall be sufficient to conceal undergarments at all times.

Horoscopes Just for kicks*

AquariusThere is going to be a pop quiz in your math class this week...wear green and success is undoubted.

Capricorn- This semester has felt like you’ve been tied down to a chair while being poked tire-iron over and over: It has been a true test of your endurance: You are about to go crazy. Hang in there.

Virgo- Reaching for the largest apple before it is ripe will only get you a week sick in bed; avoid hasty decisions and wearing blue on Thursdays.

Sagittarius- Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and others, you are the statue. Always remember to keep your head up and never fry bacon in the nude.

Leo- Your secret admirer is going to give you a clue this week: Act accordingly and have cereal for breakfast.

Libra- A word of advice: good things happen to those who wait, but great things happen to those who pursue.

Scorpio- End all of your sentences with “orpio” and you will be granted a great, untold fortune... (Fortune not valid until the end of the century.

Sorry, no refunds.)

Gemini- Your soul is like a tea bag: its strength is brought out with hot water.

Drink well.

Aries- You have a hole in your in your life that needs filling. Though a long and hard task, the end result in doing so will be very rewarding. Prepare yourself.

Pisces- Draw a picture of yourself and put it up as your Facebook profile picture. How you see yourself is more important than how others see you.

Taurus- He who laughs at himself will never run out of things to laugh at.

Laugh at yourself at least five times this week and wear blue socks as often as possible.

Cancer- A first love is like a first instinct: you can doubt it, you can regret it, you would be stupid not to follow it.

*In case it was not obvious enough, the above horoscopes are made for entertainment purposes only.

December 2010 | MavLife | 15

Entertainment Kenya Caines Staff Writer

Arsenic and Old Lace

Fall play displays theater students’ talents

Abby and Martha Brewster played by Brooke Farnum and Emily Fleet, respectively. Art courtesy of Rebecca Graham.

The fall play, Arsenic and Old Lace, tells a story of two old women, Abby and Martha Brewster, who kill lonely old men, as an act of kindness, by poisoning them with a certain mixture of toxic chemicals. As the play developed, it was revealed that all of the Brewster family is crazy. The family consists of Teddy and Jonathan Brewster, Abby and Martha’s nephews, then Mortimer, who is the brother of Teddy and Jonathan. He has yet to find out whether or not he is crazy, seeing as though it runs through the genes.

“The play is really wacky and fun and it accommodates the farce. I play Officer Brophy and my partner is Officer Klein. We aren’t necessarily bad cops, but rather just silly and goofy,” Kiana Jackson, junior, said.

Arsenic was preformed brilliantly. The plot of the story was extremely obscure compared to other productions, which made the play very intriguing. The actors and actresses did a great job making the story twisted yet funny at the same time.

Music

It is also an interesting fact that the play is not much different from its original version, written by Joseph Kesselring.

“It has similar lines from the original, but we did change a few things to make it more relevant for high school students to understand it. Also ,the characters aren’t very different, but Paige Santangelo, who played Dr. Einstein, really made it her own,” said Jackson.

All of the maniac characters in the story were very well played and nearly certifiably insane. They were interesting to watch no matter how crazy they were. Although the play had some serious scenes, it seems the actors had a lot of fun preforming it. The play was highly intriguing and charming enough to see repeatedly. It was simultaneously humorous and mysterious. The high quality of acting, engaging story line, and odd characters exemplify the talents of our theater department and shows promise for more great plays to come.

Check Out I Fight Dragons

Video games have played a big role in American Pop Culture since the early 1960s, evolving from simple black and white missile defense games to 3D high definition games where a simple movement of the controller can alter the entire game mode.

Every type of game imaginable has been created at one point or another from war games re-enacting the civil Suddenly Yours Sidewalks Hours From It war to the popular Guitar Hero series All Star Weekend Matt & Kim Holy Fiction that simulate performing in a rock Hollywood Fader Label Nile Music band, but it wasn’t until very recently Grade: D+ Grade: AGrade: B+ that controllers and outdated conThe album Sidewalks was recently Houston natives Holy Fiction shows All Star Weekend’s album Suddenly soles are hacked to utilize the noises that games contain to supplement released by Matt & Kim, an indie promise with their debut album, Yours is a fast-paced Electra pop music. I Fight Dragons is one of the rock band known for their limited Hours From It. This shorter album, album. The themes include love, bands to utilize this style, otherwise palette of keyboards and drums. only eight tracks, combines an friendship, and having fun. The known as chiptuning, to take familiar The new album breaks away eighties feel with the most recent songs would appeal to a youthsounds from popular games from the slightly from the rougher sound indie rock effect that is dominant ful audience, but are immature Gameboy Color and Nintendo Enterof previous albums and favors a in albums such as Kings Of Leon’s for a high school crowd. All of the tainment to separate themselves from more polished feel. Songs such Only By The Night. Lyric remains sounds in the album were familthe ever expanding music scene. The as “AM/FM Sound” and “Good of the eighties show distinctly in iar and highly unoriginal. The band’s April 2010 debut EP, Cool Is for Great” exemplify a feel-good the first track “Iron Eyes.” Lyrics band’s music sounds passive - if Just A Number, and their first album, sound that dominates their album, in the song seem like they would one were to play their music at a while “Northeast” gives a slower come off of an Oingo Boingo or party, it wouldn’t grab anyone’s at- Welcome To The Breakdown, contain songs such as “Money” and “No One calmer feel. Orchestral strings A-ha album, fun to sing yet hold tention and it would just be in the Likes Superman Anymore” that stand occasionally complement their a true, emotional meaning that is background. Although the lyrics out thanks to the chiptuning, along songs, but ultimately the same impossible to fake. The genuine themselves are very inspiring, the with the clear talent of this young Matt & Kim dominates the sound- emotion in tracks such as “Golden sound is to annoying to listen to. band. scape. This lighthearted album City Lights” and “Exit” make Holy All Star Weekend is better at writquickly captures the mind in its Fiction stand out, and it gives their ing poetry than good music. Overrhythm and leaves listeners in a album the individuality that musi- all the album isn’t worth listening mood in which they can’t help but cians and bands strive for in this to when students have so many smile. time were bands are sprouting up options.

- Tanner Taguchi - Will Jones everywhere.

- Jake Barnes

16 | MavLife | December 2010

Entertainment

The Beginning of the End Fans flock to Harry Potter film

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been translated into 69 languages. The world became fascinated with the wizard and his life that so many wished were their own. Hopeful readers began to wait expectantly on their eleventh birthday, waiting for an admission to Hogwarts so they could fraternize with their favorite witches and wizards. All of the books held top-spots on best-sellers lists for months and ended up competing against each other for the fastest selling book ever. With the books as popular as they were a movie was inevitable.

Rather than the book-made-into-a-movie flop, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was an ultimate success, becoming the number two film of all time. The other movies all followed suit becoming instant classics that brought in box office success.

The final chapter, The Deathly Hallows, holds the spot as fastest selling book worldwide with more than 400 million copies sold. The book, so action packed and anticipated, was split in two as a way to elongate the series that has captured the world.

The making of new Harry Potter material may be over after July 15th, 2011 when part two of The Deathly Hallows premieres. But, the magic will continue as long as fans believe in the boy who lived.

The seventh Harry Potter movie made $125.1 million on its opening weekend.

duels almost seem real. The moment the lights dim the theatre is hushed, silenced in awe of the phenomenon. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 premiered at midnight on November 18th marking the beginning of the end.

The Harry Potter saga began 12 years ago and is now available in 200 territories and has

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Jordan Bernard Staff Writer It’s a scene right out of the movie: dozens of excited fans sport lightning bolt scars and round black glasses impersonating “the boy who lived”. The line stretches around the corner of the movie theatres despite the fact that friends are huddled in circles rather than in single file. The moment the doors open it’s a mad rush for the best seats; the best view into a world us muggles only get to see through the films. Wands are whipped out as viewers pass the time by dueling each other. Realistically nobody is stunned by the shouting of stupefy and nobody is disarmed by expelliarmus being exclaimed but the magic in the air makes the

Did You Know That...

• Hermione Granger’s original surname was Puckle?

• Fred and George Weasley were born on April 1st?

• There is a tombstone in Isreal of a British soldier who died in 1939 named Harry Potter.

• The Harry Potter Brand is worth roughly 24 billion?

• J.K. Rowling, the author of the series, is the first person to become a billionaire by writing books?

• Quidditch is also known as Ikarosfairke?

• The official Hogwarts school motto is draco dormiens nunquam titillandus, the Latin translation for “never tickle a sleeping dragon”?

• Voldemort worked at Diagon Alley after he left Hogwarts?

• J.K. Rowling was not financially stable before Harry Potter was published?

Vintage Lace and Faded Denim

Jessica Stevenson Staff Writer

A spotlight on Camille Berry and the fashion of November

“I think the most fun is taking favorites from each style or trend and creating your own.”

Photo by Jessica Stevenson

Style icon and senior Camille Berry emphasizes some of fall’s trendiest styles in her everyday wardrobe. With a combination of lace, denim, and other vintage-inspired pieces, her look is inspiring and provokes second glances.

Berry is influenced by the display windows and advertisements of Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters. She shops at Forever 21, Marshall’s and stores on the 101 because they are known for having great bargains. Her style is vintage-inspired while still trendy. Her wardrobe is filled with dresses and the essential accessories to pull together a complete outfit.

In her first featured ensembles, Berry is wearing faded denim cut-offs, a pale cream-colored sequin top, white textured oxfords, and vintage sunglasses. The denim was popular in the 1960s and will continue to be with future generations.

Oxfords were seen frequently in the 1920s and are now being sold in various thrift and department stores. Traditional, two-toned, heeled, or textured oxfords can now be purchased at Urban Outfitters, Steve Madden, and Nordstrom Rack. The old-fashioned sunglasses are still in style and complete any vintage-inspired looks.

Berry’s second featured look (see photo) incorporates the youthful feel of the white lace dress

with the rustic look of the denim jacket and is finalized with the renowned oxford shoe. The juxtaposition of a feminine dress and jean jacket creates the perfect compliment. Highlighting her figure, the form-fitting white eyelet dress plays up the look, while a flower accessory possesses just enough lure without overdoing the outfit.

Topping off each of her outfits are vintageinspired jewelry consisting of many skinny gold bangles and a woven gold bracelet styled watch.

Jewelry is an essential addition for a more feminine look.

“I think the most fun is taking favorites from each style or trend and creating your own...I like to mix preppy with artsy with vintage. And who said you have to empty your wallet to get a great outfit?

It’s more impressive when you can put together an ensemble for cheap. I live at Marshalls...you just have to be willing to scrounge,” Berry said.

This feature is the first of many. If you want to be featured, all you have to do is discover the fervor to dress through expression. The positively eyecatching outfits are the effortless looks that are not overdone.

December 2010 | MavLife | 17

Entertainment

Musicians Weigh in on File Sharing Bands voice their 0pinions on music theft

Jake Barnes Editor For three months of each of the last sixteen years, an average of one hundred bands, both young and old, join forces to travel between the United States and Canada to create a haven for punk, hard-core, power pop, and scene music fans - Vans Warped Tour. MavLife sat down with various bands to discuss the controversy of sharing music.

In preparation for this event, kids will do whatever they can to know their bands, and what better way is there than to listen to their music? Some will spend every dollar that comes their way on their favorite bands’ newest albums, while others don’t spend a cent on music

only way to do so is to feel economic return, enough so as to keep paying for their music production and touring costs.

“The technology is new, the philosophy behind file sharing is old. You can’t share anything without asking someone’s permission.

That’s like sharing my car without asking me,” Art Alexakis, lead singer for Everclear, said.

Warped Tour performers appeared split on the issue of music sharing. While performers like Everclear and Dropkick Murphys voiced mostly against file sharing, several bands were almost in support of sharing of their music.

The Skank Agents, a local “Put it on whatever, Limewire, ska band, were more than exI don’t care! Honestly, you are cited for people doing our job. That’s free to share their music. promotion.”

“Put it on -Wade Morris, singer. whatever, Limewire, I don’t care! at all. Despite the amount spent on Honestly, you are doing our job. an album, listeners will know the That’s free promotion,” Wade Mormusic all the same. ris, singer of The Skank Agents, While some bands not only apsaid. prove of but advise the sharing of The Skank Agents, along with their music, some bands, usually other smaller bands like Breathe the more infamous or legendary Carolina, Mayday Parade, and Of ones, would prefer that their music Mice And Men, were more than be purchased so that they can happy for someone to send their continue sharing their music with music out to the viral world. In fact, listeners around the world. The most bands that were interviewed

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Art Alexakis and Dave French of Everclear performed at Warped Tour 2010.

Photo by Sarah Favreau. promoted the sharing of their music, all with the similar three wishes. Each band wants to be known, for people to listen, and for fans to drag their friends to their shows.

Not every band stated a solid opinion on the topic. For example, Closure in Moscow and Hey Monday, were ambivalent on the topic of file sharing.

Alex Lipshaw, guitarist of Hey Monday, explained that he doesn’t worry about people who download his music. He feels that stressing about fans downloading their albums would drive him insane. Lipshaw went on to say that

if someone who did download his music felt that they liked the songs enough, then the newest EP, for example, would only be around seven dollars.

“It’s something that you have to take into consideration when you become a musician nowadays. There’s no easy way to avoid that stuff, it’s impossible, as of now. That’s just how it works,” Lipshaw said.

While bands tended to feel differently about file sharing, every musician stated that they needed some sort of support, whether it be buying an album or seeing them on tour.

Upcoming Concerts Soma San Diego

House of Blues (San Diego)

Dec 11 - The Higher Dec 17 - Casino Madrid Dec 18 - Allstar Weekend Jan 15 - We Came As Roman Jan 21 - Best Coat / Wavves Jan 29 - Underoath / Thursday

Dec 15 - Billy Idol Dec 16 - Kottonmouth Kings Jan 11-12 - Thirty Seconds to Mars Jan 13-14 - REBELUTION Jan 22 - Dashboard Confessional Jan 23 - Guster

For more dates, check out www.mavlife.com.

18 | MavLife | December 2010

Photography Photography by Jean-Paul Horrigan

December 2010 | MavLife | 19

What is the number one phrase searched for on Yahoo.com?

Valentino- How to get rich quick Moody- How to lose weight A: How to tie a tie. Ouch, off to a bad start. Next quesiton!

What is the main course in the traditional Christmas Dinner in England?

Valentino- Goose Moody- Turkey?

A: Pig head with mustard sauce. Both incorrect. Score remains 0-0 What is the most dangerous animal in the world (to humans)?

Valentino- Bears Moody- Sharks A: The common house fly.

The bacteria carried by flies kill more people than both of those animals combined.

Score 0-0 What does Hanukkah translate to in Hebrew?

Valentino- Celebrating faith… or something like that

BRYNN MOODY

LAUREN VALENTINO

Back Page

Moody- …um…Pass..

A: Dedication.

Score 0-0 What is the maximum amount of times any piece of paper can be folded evenly?

Valentino- SEVEN! Moody- 27 A: Seven. Way to go Ms. Valentino! Score is 1-0.

Who decides whether Santa has been naughty or nice?

Valentino- Mrs. Clause ;) Moody- Kids A: Chuck Norris. Trick question…but seriously ;) Score remains 1-0 What are the actual dimensions of a 2 X 4?

Valentino- 2 ½ x 4 ½ Moody- 2 ½ x 4 ½ A: 1 1/2 x 3 1/2. Both Incorrect. Score remains 1-0 What are the colors of Kwanza?

Valentino- Red… yellow… orange…harvest colors Moody- Gold, Blue, Green A: Black, Red, and Green.

20| MavLife | December 2010

Kwanza colors are not the same as LCC’s. Score remains 1-0 What is the full name of the city Los Angeles?

Valentino- Some conquistador, I’m sure Moody- Los Angeles, California A: El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula. Both Incorrect 1-0.

In the TV show Friends, in an effort allow his Jewish son to still enjoy the joys of “Santa Clause,” Ross attempts to rent a Santa costume. What costume does he rent instead?

Valentino- Abraham Lincoln Moody- Clown A: An armadillo. Both incorrect. What a shame! That was a GREAT episode.

Almonds are a member of what fruit family?

Valentino- Legumes Moody- Peach A: The peach. Finally, score

one for the student! Score 1-1 What is Bob Dylan’s real name?

Valentino- Pass Moody- I have no idea who Bob Dylan is...

A: Robert Zimmeman! Both Incorrect. 1-1 Name one practice of FESTIVUS. Valentino- Something nature related Moody- Pass.

A: Building an unadorned aluminum “Festivus pole,” “Airing of Grievances,” “Feats of Strength,” and the labelling of easily explainable events as “Festivus miracles.” Both incorrect. 1-1 What is the name for a group of unicorns?

Valentino- A mosh pit Moody- What? A herd?

A: A blessing. Final Score 1-1.

It’s a TIE!