Volume 2 Issue 1

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

MONDAY, SEP. 23, 2024

Goodbye, Brat Summer

PHOTO BY: ISABELLA POSEL

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News

The Democratic National Convention 2024

BY ARIA KHAITAN

Between August 19 and 22, the Democratic party shook Chicago and the nation at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) as they joined together in celebration to nominate Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for the Democratic ticket of the 2024 presidential election. The convention was rich with iconic figures, passionate and moving speeches, and surprise performances bringing Democrats of all ages and states to life and energizing them to contribute to the cause and do their part to vote in November.

With the presidential nominee being a half black and half Indian woman, this convention is not like any other that the US has ever experienced, and Kamala Harris is making history as her name spans the ballot in all 50 states.

The task that the Democratic Party faced when approaching the convention was in no way easy considering the shifts that the party has been through these past couple of months.

With the nomination abruptly changing from President Biden, who has been the face of America for the past 4 years, to Vice President Kamala Harris, it was hard to tell whether the Democrats would be able to stay a united front. However, not only did the convention exceed the expectations of unity, it brought new hope for excitement and true passion which was no better conveyed through the speeches of Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and Joe Biden.

Former first lady Michelle Obama and former president Barack Obama delivered speeches on the same night. The speeches simultaneously reminded the nation of the foundation of this country and moved them to do their part and take action to get Kamala Harris elected. Fierce and firm, the Obamas were not playing any games at the DNC and their words were clear-cut and hard to disagree with.

When deterring voters from reverting back to Trump, Obama claimed “we do not need four more years of blister and bumbling and chaos. We have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse.”

The next night, Joe Biden took the stage, receiving a long standing ovation as Democrats thanked him for the sacrifice he made for his party and country.

Strongly endorsing Kamala Harris and presidentially passing the torch to his partner, Biden brought teary eyes and a pride to Democrats everywhere as they chanted “Thank you, Joe” and he assured them “I gave my best to you”.

Closing out the DNC, in 35 minutes Kamala Harris delivered one of the shortest and most influential candidate speeches in history. In her short and simple remarks, Harris gracefully accepted the nomination for President of the United States and reminded the nation to move forward “as Americans” instead of being so harshly divided.

“Being the first black and South Asian woman to accept such a high honor, Kamala reached the hearts of so many in the nation who look just like her and have, for the first time, seen themselves in such a promising position for one of the largest roles in the world.”

From Gen Z, to Millennials, to Boomers - voters of every age group came out of the DNC feeling hopeful and energized for the upcoming election. The nature of the DNC was unique in the way it was able to touch people of all generations and close the age barrier that tends to arise in politics and campaigning. Kamala Harris’s campaign strategy has been geared towards Gen Z as a whole, with her brand being “brat” and her PR team working overtime to make content on TikTok. However, there was a balance between those political memes which tend to allure the younger voters and the long, impactful speeches that reassure the older generation.

To further delve into the unique nature of this year’s DNC, it seemed to take on an energy of a show or a concert which further increased the feelingof togetherness and excitement that echoed throughout the arena. During the DNC roll call, DJ Cassidy featured a chosen song for each state to represent themselves, amping up the, in theory, boring convention to something more akin to a concert or festival. From our very own California, we heard “The Next Episode” by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, “California Love” by Tupac and Dr. Dre, and “Alright” and “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar.

“Each state chose easily recognizable and fun songs to dance and sing along to and had congresspeople, representatives, and even past presidents up on their feet.”

Coming out of a massively successful DNC this year, the Democrats have the task of shifting their attention to November and focusing their energies on getting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the Oval Office.

Voters across the nation still have concerns that need to be addressed

PHOTO CREDITS: GETTY IMAGES

Other states featured beloved songs by cherished artists, such as Hawai’i’s “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars, Louisiana’s “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled, and Michigan’s “Lose Yourself” by Eminem Most surprising of all, however, is Georgia’s notable roll call where Lil Jon himself made an appearance at the convention in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, singing the one song you cannot stay seated for- “Turn Down For What”. Simply watching a clip from this moment, it is genuinely difficult to tell that you are watching a clip from the Democratic National.

Convention. and accounted for. By no means did all of these issues get swept away in the bliss of the DNC. PHOTO CREDITS: GETTY IMAGES

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With the race between Harris and Trump looking extremely tight and polls teetering every day, it is difficult to predict the outcome of this historic presidential election, putting a lot of pressure on both parties to rally the nation.

In a signifant jump in polls for the Harris-Walz ticket, there is no doubt that the Democratic National Convention was a massive success for the Democrats this year and voters across the country are feeling the hopeful vibrations that emanated from Chicago. However, the party is over, and there is a lot of work to be done.

“I Voted!” by misa uchiyama

After an eventful summer, November 4th is coming up soon, with voting beginning in only a few months. Social media is becoming more prevalent in politics from brat summer to presidential debate clips, and teenagers are consequently able to consume political news more easily.

ASB members, the League of Women Voters, and social science teachers are collaborating to bring civic engagement directly to students in a time where young voters can have a large impact on political outcomes.

On September 24 and 25, ASB and the League of Women Voters will host the CCA Votes, which is a voter pre-registration and registration opportunity for students 16-18. It will occur in the lower quad during lunch and CCA students will be eligible to register by providing their driver’s license, California ID, or the last 4 digits of their social security number.

However, in a heavily polarized society that fuels the dramatic narrative that US democracy is on the brink, civil engagement can seem intimidating. It is true, voter turnout for the younger generation has increased in recent years. The issue is that there is still a significant portion of the population uninvolved or unwilling to vote.

Stuart Pollock and Sarah Aguilar, co-heads of the Social Studies Department at Canyon Crest Academy, who were also involved in the planning of the event, talk about the role of young voters and students in politics today. “Keep searching out information,”

said Aguilar referring to students considering voter registration. They have been working in their senior government classes to integrate real-life politics through activities in the classroom such as “Friday Politics,” and urge students to become involved and engaged with the politics around them.

“It is true, voter turnout for the younger generation has increased in recent years. The issue is that there is still a significant portion of the population uninvolved or unwilling to vote.”

After all, it’s no longer a drill - real voters are among the students.

“Even if your preferred outcome doesn’t happen, that participation drives the conversation,” said Pollock, when talking about the benefits of voting. While young voters have created their unique place in politics over the recent years, this place could always expand. “If they participate, that message is more widely heard.

That has the ability to influence

policy. That has the ability to make change,” Aguilar said.

The voter registration event is an accessible opportunity for students to take one of the first steps in civic engagement, even for students who are not old enough to vote for this upcoming presidential election. There are clear benefits to registering, but ultimately, as Aguilar says, “Your vote is your voice.”

photo credit: canva

Club Day Preview by margaret zhang

Starting a new school year means entering another term of a Rory Gilmore core study era, especially for Canyon Crest Academy students. As students meet their new teachers and begin their study grind, CCA’s ASB has many exciting events planned.

Each term, their goal is to become more united than the previous year.

With this motivation in mind, Canyon Crest Academy’s annual club day preparations are buzzing with excitement as our very own ASB Clubs Committee files and begins to create this infamous event to introduce all of our amazing clubs on campus.

On September 20th, any CCA registered club (ranging from academic societies to sports teams to creative groups), set up booths.

photo credit: cca asb

Each one is decorated with colorful banners and eye-catching displays to attract students to become a part of their club. Club Day is a great opportunity for all grades to join and learn about all the different clubs of CCA. It also allows for both clubs and students to expand their recognition at CCA and continually integrate themselves into CCA’s vivacious community.

But, how does club day benefit students? At club day, students can both find and join a community that shares their personal interests. It can also help with college applications (since taking part in clubs at school looks good on a college resume) and aid students in creating a bigger network of friends with people that share the same interests. Personally, I

“But, how does club day benefit students? At club day, students can both find and join a community that shares their personal interests. ” that I found my group of friends from clubs at school and learned a lot about random things from the clubs that I joined in my freshman year.

Our CCA ASB clubs commissioner, Ben Du, strongly believes that club day benefits CCA’s community building. “As one of the most important events each year, it is an opportunity for students to explore CCA’s 200+ clubs. It’s also a great place for clubs to recruit new members.” He shared.

Every year, CCA’s club day is a huge success and one of the best events of the school year. Ben Du expressed that his favorite part of club day is walking in the mosh pit that forms in the lower quad and taking people’s candy from each club.

It isn’t just ASB that makes preparations for club day. Each club has to formulate a plan to ensure their success. Our biggest business club at CCA, DECA, has thoughts for their club day table. One of their presidents this year, Kaelyn Liu, believes, “I think club day is a really helpful way for students at CCA, especially freshman, to find clubs and see whether it’s a good fit for them! It’s not that easy to convey the vibe of a club through text, but the vibe is an integral part of whether it’s something people want to be a part of! Aside from recruitment, club day also just allows people to learn more about something they were unfamiliar with and be more in tune with the community and the achievements/ interests of their peers!” Each year, DECA just keeps getting bigger and better. Their main source of marketing and promotion is from club day.

This year, club day is no doubt going to be a success and a great way for everyone to ease into the new school year, especially freshman who don’t know a lot about CCA and our clubs!

photo credit: cca deca

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The Malarkey Presidential Polls: Don’t Waste Your Time

BY FINLAY TAGGART

With a highly polarizing presidential election coming up, everyone is going to get bombarded with information and graphs and polls, with no way of knowing what is what and who is who. Polls, something that seem to be constantly reported on and in the center of attention. So, let’s get into why they are a waste of time.

60% is a failing grade. Funnily enough, according to a polls have had a historical 60% accuracy when predicting who will win, just one week before the presidential election. If I got a 60 on a test, I probably wouldn’t tell my parents.

“If the poll is taken further from the voting day, the accuracy drops to 40%. Not even a coin flip.”

Many news organizations, such as the Washington Post, report on their own polls repeatedly before the election. Yet most have a margin of error so large that it is effectively

useless. Recently, on Sept. 9th, a poll from the Washington Post came out suggesting that Kamala had a two point lead in Michigan, or two percentage points ahead, yet the important asterisk is, “Our polling average has Harris leading by 2 points, but estimates from our model range from Trump +7 to Harris +9.” This is stated in their running poll update article, Who is ahead in Harris vs. Trump 2024 Presidential Polls Right Now? This effectively renders that poll useless due to the huge overlap once the margin of error is accounted for.

According to Pew Research Center, a typical presidential poll sample of 1000 people results in a +/- three percent sampling error, which is typically reported because it accounts for the discrepancy between polling a sample versus everyone. However, what is often not reported is the three other types of error that, when added to the sampling error, results in margin of error typically double the reported sampling error. These are the nonresponse error, in which one demographic is less likely to respond, the noncoverage error, in which not all the target population has a chance to get sampled, and finally the measurement error, in which the respondents might not answer truthfully or understand the question fully.

Originally here, I was going to have a paragraph explaining where to find

more accurate and honest polls, and what to do with that information. But, after researching, polls really aren’t that helpful at all to the regular voter, except to check broad claims from a candidate, such as, “this demographic supports this bill, cause, and policy.” Other than this use case, polls should never even have the opportunity to impact your vote. Don’t get peer pressured because a poll suggested that your party generally supports a policy or candidate.

PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

New Teachers BY isaBELLA POSEL

PHOTO CREDIT: isaBELLA POSEL

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PHOTO CREDITS: THOMAS AGASE

Make your own educated decisions.

The real reason presidential polls are pushed out so much is to fill the 24 hour news cycle that is drilled into the consumer. After all, it wouldn’t be news if the media was actually honest about their margin of error. If you are not dissuaded from polls or want a fun little prediction, FiveThirtyEight Interactives has honest and clear polls for your enjoyment.

Opinion

When Does Fall Start?

By Arthi Chandra and Emma Libman

Picture this: the warmth of oranges and reds surrounds you as you walk across an empty path. The air is cold and wet frost is laying across the soft green grass that surrounds you.

Friendly smiles meet your gaze as pumpkin spice and warm apple cider aromas fill the air. This is what many people picture when they think of the fall season, and is typically what is portrayed all over fall-themed Instagram pages, Pinterest boards, movies, and TV shows. But it begs the question, when does this season officially begin?

“Friendly smiles meet your gaze as pumpkin spice and warm apple cider aromas fill the air. This is what many people picture when they think of

and the evening. My family has ular bestseller as soon as it’s released. the fall season” ing this little tradition where every Sunday But with the San Diego heat There is large debate about when this season officially begins, with many choosing to express their opinions on social media platforms.

An overwhelming amount of people mark their calendars for September 1st to start their Gilmore Girls binge, bring out all of their fall decorations, and sip on a nice Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Ava Baker, a Junior at CCA says, “September 1st is definitely the start of fall.

August is a summer month and school usually starts in September, which marks the end of summer. ” Others wait to bring out the fall festivities until after the autumnal equinox arrives.

This time usually occurs on September 22 or 23 when the Sun is directly above the Equator, dividing night and day into equal portions. Junior Gabriel Avanesian exclaims, “Scientifically, fall starts at the autumnal equinox because it’s when the earth is at a certain point around the sun. There are four every year, and that’s what marks the change in seasons”. Others such as Principal Brett Killeen argue that you can tell when it is fall based on a change in the environment. In late August he says, “I feel like it’s fall even though it’s warm during the day. I like that little ‘fallesque’ and crispness in the morn-

Why Summer?

we have picnics at the beach, and I’ve been noticing some differences in the air and feeling a change in seasons”.

“There is large debate about when this season officially begins, with many choosing to express their opinions on social media platforms” On August 22nd, Starbucks released its Fall menu featuring the notorious Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Fall bakery items, and more. Many consider the release far too early to start the season. Others countdown the days till the menu’s release to begin their festivities. Despite the fact that the release dates for this menu vary every year, it becomes a pop-

Why Fall?

being able to extend itself to late September and sometimes early October, is there even a real Fall season in San Diego? Beach days and summer weather usually don’t end after September 1st, and even in the “cold” months of November and December, you can still find surfers shredding the waves in their wetsuits. With many people opting to wear shorts and tank tops to battle the heat waves during September, when does “sweater season” even begin?

Because the start of the fall season is heavily debated, many people find summer the more appealing season. Summer vibes extend its way into the so-called fall season, leading San Diegans to think of summer as not just limited to June-August. Most of the time in San Diego, it still feels like summer even when it’s over because the hottest season of the year extends to September. Many prefer summer because of the warmth, short clothes and pool days, as well as the ability to enjoy swimming in the ocean.. On the other hand, winter and autumn both share common traits such as long clothing, rain, warm food, and fun holidays. Many have a preference for those seasons even though it only occurs for a short time where we live.

An Alternative to U.S. Colleges

By Diana Gomes

College Application season is upon us and high school seniors are frantically scribbling ideas for an essay that will make them stand out.

Others are searching for scholarship opportunities as they are worrying about how they will afford an education. Competitiveness seeps into every classroom, hanging over each student.

A common goal floats in everyone’s mind: to be in those few top ranking universities in America with frighteningly low acceptance rates. But what many don’t know is that an Ivy League in the U.S. is not their only option.

Many might be surprised to find that Europe has thousands of bachelors and masters taught in English, which means that the stress of learning a new language or limiting your search to countries that speak your second language is unnecessary.

European countries aim to keep tuition low and affordable so that everyone has the opportunity to pursue higher education. Harvard tuition for the 2022-23 school year was $57,261, not including textbooks, supplies, and living expenses. Over four years this adds up to $229,044 plus four years of living expenses, four textbooks, and four supplies . While some fam-

ilies may be able to afford this, that isn’t the case for most Americans. On the other side of the world, however, the tuition cost for undergraduate international students ranges from €0 to about €20,000 per year, with the average being around €3,000-€8,000.

Countries such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have higher tuition rates, around €15,000-€20,000, as well as more expensive living, but those numbers still remain under the average tuition in the U.S. In Norway, Germany, Greece, and other European countries, most public universities are entirely free for both EU citizens and international students. This only leaves students with the responsibility to pay their living costs and nothing else.

“In Norway, Germany, Greece, and other European countries, most public universities are entirely

free for both EU citizens and international students” Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons Not only is tuition affordable, most undergraduate degrees in Europe are only three years. While in America the first one to two years are spent taking general classes, education in Europe is a lot more concentrated. Typically the first year is the only one spent on mandatory classes, leaving the other two for students’ majors. This does mean that students will have to declare their majors earlier in their college career. While this may not be a benefit for students who want to explore career possibilities, for those who know what they want, a three-year bachelor degree can be an appreciated time saver, especially for students who want to pursue a master’s degree or even a PhD. While U.S. universities are known for their Greek life, European universities have an entirely different student cul ture. There is an absence of fraternities and sororities, but an abundance of student organizations and events dedicate

d to enriching the student community and enhancing academic life. However, most European universities don’t have dorms or on campus living. And if they do, it is typically difficult to find a room each year. This means that students are responsible for finding their own housing in the city, which can be a laborious process, especially in countries with housing shortages such as the Netherlands. Yet the cost of rent for a studio or one bedroom apartment generally remains under the cost of a two or three person dorm room with shared bathrooms. Additionally, European cities were built around people and public transportation, rather than cars, and so, allow for easier travel. Students also receive large discounts on public transportation. In one semester, a student can see most of Europe by train!

Studying in Europe may seem like a drastic option but it is worth considering and incorporating into your higher education plans. Don’t be afraid to explore the world.

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How to Make Informed Voting Decisions

By Ava daniels

For many seniors eligible to vote across the country, the election can be an incredibly confusing and stressful process. The question of who to elect can be so overwhelming and time consuming that many potential youth voters back out of it all together. According to CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), only 23% of youth voters actually cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm elections. Despite the difficulties, it is crucial that seniors participate in the election. A voter’s voice can make politicians work on issues that concern them the most, and allow them to be prioritized in government. It is equally important that seniors make an informed decision that aligns with their personal values. It can be difficult to figure out the right choice for you.

So, if you’re a senior, here are a few easy steps that can help inform you.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Step 1: Compile a list of your values. The first step when making an informed decision in politics is to make a list of which issues are “hot button” or important to you. Whether it be climate, lower taxes, healthcare, or the border, it is vital that you discover

causes that you’re passionate about. If you are unsure about where to start, try making a list of five to seven issues that concern you or have concerned you in the past. The US Department of State has a great section on their website called “Policy Issues” that breaks down several of the hot topics in our country right now, and it can guide you throughout your informed decision making.

Step 2: Check the bias rating of all your news sources and factcheck politicians. It is important to receive your news from sources that are reliable and not biased toward any particular party. When you are researching specific candidates or reading an article about them, it is important to know where the information is coming from.

There are several websites that can check the bias rating of certain news sources. It is also equally important to determine if politicians are making accurate statements and claims. You have to remember that the goal of every politician is to get elected so they may exaggerate the truth in some situations.

One source that I highly recommend for media bias is “Media Bias Fact Check” because it gives a relatively accurate look into many sources of news.

But, I encourage you to find your own websites or resources to cross-examine claims. For fact-checking politicians, I recommend Politifact, which has a system that is easy to understand and provides the information in an interesting way. FactCheck.org is also a good option for individual fact-checking.

Step 3: Research candidates

and their issues. It is important to research the candidates and figure out what their qualifications are. Doing extensive research on possible candidates will help you get to know them and their politics. It can also help to research their plans for policy if they are elected so that you can envision what their next four (or eight) years are going to look like. You can go about this by checking out the website, social media, or even Wikipedia pages (though keep in mind that the information on Wikipedia might not be entirely accurate) of the candidate you want to research. Another important thing to look at is the people and groups who have endorsed the specific candidates. This can give a good look into the issues that they support, as well as the type of people that support them. Some helpful websites include Project Vote Smart and OpenSecrets.

Step 4: Tune into conventions and debates. One of the key ways to become an informed voter is tuning into political town halls, conventions, and debates. These events are ways for political candidates to answer questions about the major issues and compare how they are going to handle said issues. The best part is the fact that you can watch the debates on multiple platforms, including YouTube. The full debate can be watched live on YouTube or in clips later. The first 2024 presidential debate is going to happen on September 10th, 2024 on ABC at 6 PM (Pacific Time), while an unconfirmed one may occur

on September 25th, 2024. As for the vice presidential debate, it will take place on October 1, 2024 on CBS. Step 5: Check out helpful voting websites to inform you and teach you how to register to vote ahead of time. Checking out websites dedicated to voting will bolster your confidence in your abilities to become an informed voter. There are several websites that you can access that will continue to allow you to grow your list. LifeHacker.com has a great list of many of these websites such as Vote411 and Vote.org, which will help you know if you’re a registered voter. Being in the know about your own voting situation is key to starting your journey to become an informed voter.

You can also check out YouTube videos teaching you how to register to vote, as well as providing extra information on how to expand your knowledge of candidates and the electoral process.

Even though their love story seemed to be over, news broke in April of 2021 that the couple rekindled their relationship almost 20 years after their initial split. Their reconciliation was very exciting to fans, especially those that had been following their relationship from the beginning.

Soon, Bennifer 2.0 was everywhere, whether they were on a stroll together or kissing on red carpets, fans were obsessed. In fact, the rekindled romance was starting to mirror its 2000s counterpart in terms of public interest.

Jlo” newsletter on April 8, 2022. Unlike their first relationship, the couple made it to the altar this time. They wed in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022 and things seemed picture-perfect for the couple (though there were occasional rumors that they were having issues in their relationship, mainly due to Affleck’s tendency to look miserable in photographs). Lopez released her album “This Is Me… Now”, which served as a direct sequel to her album “This Is Me… Then”; an album focused on her 2003 romance with Affleck. Along with the album, Lopez also released a self-funded movie; acting as a visual album for “This Is Me… Now” and a documentary covering the process of making it. In the documentary, people noticed cracks in the seemingly “perfect” dynamic between Affleck and Lopez, mainly their views on how public

they wanted their relationship to be.

A few months after the release of Lopez’s project, fans began to notice that they hadn’t been spotted together for a long time. They were eventually seen together after 47 days, which was new for the normally public couple.

Despite their joint appearance, sources were still alleging that there was tension between Affleck and Lopez.

This speculation continued for months, with the couple’s solo appearances and the continued reports about their issues. Eventually, the rumors were confirmed; Lopez filed for divorce on Aug. 20, listing April 26, 2024 as their date of separation. This divorce came only months after the highly publicized documentary monetized their love story. So, it begs the question, did the move to market their relationship cause Affleck and Lopez’s downfall?

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Did Marketing Cause Bennifer’s Downfall?

By Lilah Daniels

Actor Ben Affleck and singer/ actress Jennifer Lopez have been the center of public scrutiny over the past few weeks amid rumors that they were experiencing marital issues and heading for divorce. For those unfamiliar with the couple, Affleck and Lopez first met in early 2002 on the set of their critically panned movie “Gigli”, where they played love interests. At the time of filming, Lopez was still married to her ex-husband Cris Judd (they finalized their divorce in 2003, a few months before “Gigli” hit theaters).

Shortly thereafter, Affleck and Lopez, who began to be known as “Bennifer”, got together and became one of the most iconic and talked about couples in Hollywood. Only a few months after they met, Lopez and Affleck got engaged. Due to the insane interest in their relationship, the prospect of their upcoming wedding caused a tabloid frenzy. They were constantly stalked by the paparazzi and were frequent subjects in gossip magazines. Lopez later admitted that the couple “didn’t try to have a public relationship,” but unfortunately, they were “together at the birth of the tabloids.” All of the excessive scrutiny eventually caused the couple to pause their wedding plans and eventually break up. They both started dating other partners (Lopez married singer Marc Anthony and Affleck married actress Jennifer Garner) and seemed to fully move on from their extremely public relationship.

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“All of the excessive scrutiny eventually caused the couple to pause their wedding plans and eventually break up.”

Lopez told People magazine, “I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him,” adding, “It’s a beautiful love story that we got a second chance.”

A year later, they were engaged again, which Lopez announced in her “On the

Photo credit: Getty Images

Did Marketing Cause Bennifer’s Downfall? Cont.

By Lilah Daniels

Once the couple got back together, they were absolutely everywhere. The public was constantly seeing photos of Bennifer 2.0. The couple looked extremely happy and were seen at many distinguished industry events together (a notable example being the Grammys). Social media also allowed them to show more of their relationship. Notably, when they got married, Lopez was able to show photos of their wedding and frequently post about their love story. This allowed people to see the couple in a different way than in the early 2000s. The attention was nonstop, which would be overwhelming for anyone. However, it seems that Lopez used the media frenzy to benefit her many careers, with her new relationship inspiring her to go back into the studio and create a new album, make a movie, and release a documentary about their relationship.

This documentary, titled “The Greatest Love Story Never Told” and her album “This Is Me… Now” are one of the most prominent examples of Lopez attempting to publicize and market her relationship with Affleck.

The album was entirely inspired by the couple’s rekindled love and in a scene from the documentary, Lopez shows her team of musicians a book of love letters that Affleck gave her. The book contained all of their correspondences over the years where Affleck refers to their relationship as “the greatest love story never told”, hence the title of the

documentary. Affleck seems extremely uncomfortable with Lopez sharing the letters that he gave her, as he revealed in the documentary. “I did really find the beauty and the poetry and the irony in the fact that it’s the greatest love story never told. If you’re making a record about it, that kind of seems like telling it,” he said in an interview with the cameras. Affleck also expressed that he initially had requested that he and Lopez keep their relationship off of social media, eventually conceding “Then I sort of realized it’s not a fair thing to ask. It’s sort of like, you’re gonna marry a boat captain and you go ‘Well, I don’t like the water.’” It seems, if the documentary is a reliable source, that the couple’s relationship started to crumble over their disputes over how much of it they wanted to share.

However, it is important to note that Lopez’s team has claimed that Affleck had the majority of control over the documentary and that he was the one who encouraged Lopez to share the letters. These reports are unconfirmed and don’t seem to be in line with previous statements or what was shown and said in the documentary, but it is impossible to know what is actually true. In fact, Lopez’s team has released many articles claiming that Affleck was the main antagonist in their relationship. When Lopez is searched up, most of the articles surrounding Affleck paint him in a negative light. Again, all of these articles have the potential to be telling the truth, but they also could be showing only one side of the story in order to make one party (Lopez) look good.

“Affleck and Lopez’s rekindled relationship ended so fast, and when looking at their history, it is apparent why.”

Affleck and Lopez’s rekindled relationship ended so fast, and when looking at their history, it is apparent why. Their approaches to publicity are completely different, which is an important issue to agree on when so many people are invested in the relationship. Though of course, this probably wasn’t the only issue, marketing a relationship when the other partner is clearly uncomfortable with sharing anything at all is a recipe for disaster.

Hopefully, both Lopez and Affleck are able to find someone that will agree with them on these fundamental issues, or perhaps, maybe they will be on the same page in another 20 years?

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Managing Editor: Carrie Krummen

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Feature

Fall Food Review

BY KATHERINE PFEIZER

CCA students have to unfortunately accept the end of summer, (where any tan starts to fade), we have to now welcome the color orange! To embrace as leaves begin to fall, the best way to greet this new season is to understand the meals because one thing all of us can agree on is that we enjoy food! So, in this article, I will give commentary to different fall-related foods and beverages to get us ready for this year’s autumn season!

The first food category, there is of course pies! There’s different types of pies, apple, pumpkin, and pecan!

Even though there is such a variety of pie, these three give the true vibes of this new season! So to begin, the best type of pie for fall is pumpkin pie, and the reason is because the pie can ever go wrong, like baking with premade crust only takes 20 minutes before you pop it in the oven! I most enjoy how sweetness of pumpkin pie is not an overloada as we! All you need is a crust, eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and milk! The pumpkin pie baked in this photo was by John Kanell’s delicious homemade pumpkin pie recipe and highly suggest others to use that recipe! The flavor was wonderful and the addition of peaches despite how one would assume that peaches would be an odd choice, but the taste came all together! Next, we have apple pie, which goes second below pumpkin, although apple pie is not bad, pumpkin just has so much fall flavor that gets you in the mood for this season! Apple pie is incredibly diverse nevertheless, there are different types of apples, different ways to design the top crust, and toppings like ice cream or whipped cream.

Next there is pecan pie, the pie tastes delicious, however, it is just way too sweet, and if you do not really enjoy pecans, the pie is not your calling. All in all, as fall begins, ordering these pies will be wonderfully easy, so you do not need to worry about making your own when you can just get them at the store!

PHOTO CREDIT: KATHERINE PFEIZER

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Next, there are savory fall foods, in which there is sweet potato, butternut squash, and of course the vegetables and squash of the season.

There are more savory foods but typically those fall ahead in the thanksgiving umbrella. Henceforth, for sweet potato and butternut squash, they’re alright solid foods, however, if you do not enjoy that sweet potato flavor, they will not be your favorite. Butternut squash has a flavor that is semisweet and nutty and definitely savory. The flavors give such a fall nature, and a great way to embrace the season! And if you do not enjoy the taste of plain sweet potato, give a try to sweet potato fries! They are simply so great to eat plain, like regular fries sometimes you need ketchup or ranch to compensate, but with sweet potato, you can just

PHOTO CREDIT: KATHERINE PFEIZER

And lastly, I cannot leave out

To conclude, as we have to

try to make the pumpkin spice latte, the taste is amazing, allows money to be saved, and allows you to share!

ly this article does well to give the essences of fall, and take some inspiration or research other fall related recipes!

“A pumpkin the pumpkin spice latte. Although this welcome fall, all of us CCA students is not a “food” but a beverage, that does need to feel the emotions and love for matter because everyone knows the fall, and create that response to try spice latte reci- not craze. The latte is typically sold in dif- out fall food! Through different pies, coffee places, however, because squashes and the versatility of pumppe is very simple ferent of the seasonality of the drink, there is kins, and the easy recipe to make a an expense that will lead you to to recreate, mix often have a dent in your wallet by spending much only on this drink! And for this “The sweet flaany traditional soreason, make the drink yourself because preparation is much easier than a vor of pumpkin fall spice flavors, the person will typically believe!A pumpkin spice latte recipe is very simple to any milk , espres- recreate, mix any traditional fall spice pie is not an overflavors, any milk , espresso than mix and finally top the drink off load, and incrediso than mix to- together, with powder and whipped cream! This no less than ten minutes! Just be bly easy to bake!” gether, and finally takes in preparation and buy the ingredients you can make so much for a steal of pumpkin spice latte, try to spend some top the drink off soa price and potentially share with your time making something yourself! Crefriends and family as well! The hype ating anything gives such an awarding with powder and is understandable and the drink gives feeling, so spend some time this weekyou the vibes of fall and allows you to end during the season of fall to find whipped cream!” feel the theme of the season! Anyhow, something to make, and that! Hopefuleat it by itself, and taste all the flavor!

Other meals you can make with sweet potato is also pancakes, pies! In addition, as for mac and cheese, the creamy cheese and macoroni just gives off such a fall vibe despite the meal being a delightful treat all season long! So therefore, there are many diffrent fall savory foods that you should give a try and taste!

Moveroverr, fall always welcomes the best harvest food! The main reason is the season of pumpkins! As mentioned before, you can make pies, but they are such versatile foods, for foods there’s pumpkin soups, spicy pumpkin pork noodles, pumpkin sage pasta, pumpkin hummus, muffins, breads and so much more! Pumpkins allow so much creativity because as you can make a puree with the pumpkins, they leave the skin! And here you can make so many eco-friendly deocrations such as make carvings, add candles inside and just put the pumpkin outside of your house! Just make sure if you use an actual pumpkin to preserve the shape as you scoop! And here you will have a delishous dish as well as decorations which is so cool!

PHOTO CREDIT: KATHERINE PFEIZER

Coffee Chats: Mr. Killeen Edition

BY ZOE TRUONG AND SAGE PARK

A: “I really like hot coffee. Just black. Dark roast.”

Q: Do you have a favorite music artist or genre?

A: “I grew up in high school in the 80s.

So I love the 80s. Sometimes when [I’m] just chilling, folk 70s. My favorite artist that I feel like I can get a groove to is Tom Petty. Sometimes [when I’m] in the country mood…James Blunt.”

PHOTO CREDIT: SAGE PARK

Sit-down conversations over coffee – coffee chats – they have a tendency to open your eyes, and maybe your hearts, to the person sitting across the table from you. They provide a space for people to be vulnerable – to be informal with one another in a way you usually wouldn’t be allowed to. And so, in our coffee chats, we talk to CCA staff members about topics ranging from their preferred way of drinking their coffee to their “I made it” moment. For our first edition, we interviewed Mr. Killeen, our principal! Here, we touched on his hobbies, self-care, preferences, and his role as principal. Some questions will be featured in the column, but not all. To hear the full interview, be sure to check out our podcast on Spotify!

Q: How do you like your coffee?

Q: Have you taken the 16 personalities? Which personality type are you?

A: “Yes, I have taken it. I remember the J – one of those rare ones. INFJ.” Q: How do you like to unwind over the weekend?

A: “I like to ride my bike. I used to run, but I’m not able to run anymore.

So I switched to cycling, and I’ve been road cycling…I used to do triathlons, and so I road bike, I mountain bike, and I ride what’s called cyclocross…. it’s fun, it’s dangerous, it’s expensive, but I like it, and I’m able to have some downtime and just enjoy the beautiful scenery of San Diego County.”

Q: Describe what a typical day in your life looks like.

A: “Every day is different…my calendar is super diverse. So anytime that I get to be in classrooms or meet with students like you, it’s the favorite part of my job, because I was a teacher, and so that reminds me of teaching tomorrow with homeroom I get to be a homeroom teacher. It reminds me of what it’s like to teach so today is a diverse day like any other day, and that’s what I like most about my job, is they’re just totally different. Some days I’m here late, like tomorrow I’m doing sports coverage with tennis and field hockey, which is cool. And some days, if I get out of here a little early, I’m able to do things that are good for my balance and my family, and I just try to mix it up.”

Q: Have you had any encounters with students outside of school?

A: “Yeah, definitely. And, you know, it’s funny. We recognize each other, and just kind of, it’s a warm exchange, usually…I was in the canyon recently mountain biking, and there were a couple of students, I recognized them as students on the trail, and they got off the trail. And said, ‘Oh, you don’t have to move.’

And then they’re like, ‘Mr. Killeen.’

I didn’t think they’d recognize me in my get-up, you know, cycling attire.”

not perceive you as a foreboding figure?

A: “I try to wear fewer ties. We don’t want to look like we’re military, cops, or authority figures. Remember, we’re teachers, that’s why we got into this.

We just want you to know, number one, we care. We’re here to support you and don’t be afraid. We want you to come talk to us. We’re human beings, hopefully here for the right reasons.”

Q: What are your go-to grounding habits when you face turbulence?

A: “My job requires me to be an extrovert, but I’m more of an introvert, personally…and a little shy. So I need… downtime to recharge, and I know that about myself…you shoulder [responsibilities], and you go home at the end of the day…beaten down. And then I realized, let it wash off your shoulders.”

Qr Code to our podcast!

Q: How do you make yourself seem more approachable to students and

Body is Tea: The Loss of Subcultural Language

BY Sierra Huang

I was scrolling on TikTok this past summer when I first encountered the phrase ‘body tea’ in the comment section of a dancing video. Upon reading the comment, I did a double-take.

Most people are familiar with tea, a term coined by Black drag queens in the 1990s, as gossip or spilling of information. We saw a rise in the usage of this term during COVID-19, when images of Kermit sipping Lipton Tea began populating meme pages. Everyone was asking, “So, what’s the tea?”

In recent months, however, it seems as though ‘tea’ has come to mean something along the lines of ‘good,’ making ‘body tea’ a compliment about one’s physical attractiveness. The shifting definitions of commonplace terms like ‘tea’ reflect just how quickly language can evolve, a phenomenon that has only been exacerbated by social media in recent years. Yet, it seems as though this change is happening a little too quickly.

Before the era of digitization, language used to give us identity. Visit any elementary playground, skate park, or even locker room and you can hear how slang differs from place to place. I am able to subconsciously pick up cues about a person’s background based on whether they address me as “dude” or “miss.” In person, these word choices are essential to defining who we are.

Now, this is all changing. Social media algorithms are constantly bombarding us with dictionaries of new terms. Millennials are exposed to Gen-Alpha lingo, high schoolers are privy to the slang of middle-aged workaholics, and so on. We are gaining access to all kinds of slang. Although this has obviously expanded communication, it has simultaneously flattened our interactions. Online, anyone can use the slang that once helped us differentiate into groups. As a result, the words we use no longer indicate where we come

from. Slang has become an empty vocabulary that is homogenizing us all.

This is especially problematic when the vocabulary in question includes phrases such as ‘body tea.’

‘Tea’ falls under a branch of the Black dialect known as African-American Vernacular English, or AAVE. The origins of AAVE can be traced back to slavery, in which Black slaves developed their own community of language

form of solidarity against “The origins of spaces–a the racism ingrained in America.

In recent years, however, too AAVE can be much AAVE has become lost in the vast sea of meaningless online expresWords like ‘tea,’ ‘period,’ ‘slay,’ traced back to sion. and ‘it’s giving,’ have all been mislaas “TikTok Lingo” when in realslavery, in which beled ity, they have been used by marginalcommunities for decades. Without Black slaves de- ized recognizing this history, the richness of jargon is gone. And, what’s veloped their subcultural more, using words like ‘tea’ no longer indicates membership in any speown communi- cial community. Just that someone’s been accumulating hours on TikTok. As our online presences are ty of language largely defined by icons, it is imperative that we retain sense of identity to converse with while navigating thea internet.

If we’re going to become increasingly reliant one another.” on technology, the language we use to converse with one another. AAVE is a marker of identity within Black spaces–a form of solidarity against the racism ingrained in America. AVE is a marker of identity within Black

PHOTO CREDIT: Sierra Huang

PHOTO CREDIT: Sierra Huang

must give us the same individuality we experience in person. This doesn’t mean that we must be completely barred from saying certain phrases, but perhaps, we can all put a little more thought into the words we use.

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by hayden chang

brat summer:

Neon green was undeniably the color of summer of 2024 as people flocked to social media to participate in the Apple dance or post edits of Kamala Harris to “365.” However, Brat wasn’t the only hit from this summer, with artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Don Toliver, and Billie Eilish all dropping long-anticipated albums in the past few months. After listening to over a 1000 minutes of these albums and probably ruining my Spotify Wrapped in the process, I have opinions. Brat Summer is over, so let’s see how these albums measure up now.

1. Hit Me Hard and Soft Billie Eilish Favorite Song: “Chihiro” Least Favorite Song: “Bittersuite” The past three years have been the quietest for Billie Eilish’s music releases and fans were left clamoring for her third studio album after she dropped the hit Barbie single “What Was I Made For?” in summer of 2023. Considering the album is #1 in this ranking, it was clearly worth the wait. Hit Me Hard and Soft is a noticeably more mature album for Billie, feeling like a mix between her edgy debut When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? and soft pop album Happier Than Ever. As her first release after her public coming out in November, Hit Me Hard and Soft is a deeply personal album for Billie and takes the listener along through the highs and lows of her life during her hiatus. Surprisingly, my favorite song, “Chihiro,” was probably the least personal of the album. It tells the story of the main character in the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away, who journeys to the spirit world to undo a porcine curse cast upon her ignorant parents. With its heavy background synths, abstract lyrics, and vague chorus, this is one of the songs on this album that felt like it was made to be listened to as art, rather than typical radio pop. It covers themes of solitude and loneliness, using Chihiro’s journey as a metaphor for Billie’s feelings. The dark and moody tone of the song transitions smoothly into the lighter “Birds of a Feather,” which is the most popular song on the album for good reason. It is a much needed break from the more serious songs before and attempts a more traditional radio pop sound with a great execution by Billie despite its contradiction to her usual style. It’s also somewhat of a preparation for the next three, much more devastating songs about heartbreak. Shifting from a story about getting with her best friend’s ex to the pain of unrequited love to a guilty confession of not loving her significant other, “Wildflower,” “The Greatest,” and “L’Amour de ma Vie” are an emotional tour de force of ballads and are stunning to listen to back to back. With many ballads in modern pop often coming off as contrived and unremarkable, these tracks are a breath of fresh air.

However, despite all of the positives of this album, it admittedly suffers with

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poor pacing, with weaker songs at the beginning and end and her best material sandwiched in between. But in the grand scheme of things, the flaws are tiny and unimportant in comparison to the whole album’s excellent writing and production, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what Billie Eilish will release next.

2. Hardstone Psycho - Don Toliver Favorite Song: “Tore Up” Least Favorite Song: “Hardstone National Anthem” Don Toliver opts for a darker sound than his usual albums in Hardstone Psycho, incorporating electric guitar riffs and maintaining a consistently strong, grungy production. If the entire album was Disc 1 and Disc 2, it would easily be my favorite of the summer. Disc 1 has a strong start in “Kryptonite,” which has a double-sided approach consisting of a faster beat in the beginning then transitioning into a slower flow in the second half of the song. Don Toliver really uses his voice to its full potential in this song and the electric technique of the production adds a unique element that distinguishes it from previous albums like Lovesick. “Tore Up” is another solid song on this album, with its excellent production being a standout.

It’s usually easy for artists to have their voices drowned out by strong background production, but “Tore Up” does it effortlessly and the heavy guitar is a distinctive addition. Onto Disc 2, “Bandit” is a great choice for a single and an easy favorite on this album. The Tame Impala sample at the beginning is a compelling hook and the transition into hard beat was a pleasant surprise.

The grungy guitar riffs align well with the album’s aesthetic, making it one of the only songs that stays true to the biker vibe he attempts throughout the album. Later in the disc, Travis Scott gets a feature in “Ice Age,” but it’s a pretty boring verse that doesn’t fit super well with the rest of the disc. The song has a fun switch-up with Don Toliver’s verse at the end and smoothly shifts to a more hype energy that artistically juxtaposes Travis’ more chill vibe. Disc 3’s songs are all forgettable.

“New Drop” has some clean synths that are satisfying to listen to, but it’s definitely a more low energy track and its weak lyrics don’t help. The production also takes a notable dip in quality in “Hardstone National Anthem,” where his vocals are washed out by the bass in the background. As a whole, Hardstone Psycho is easily Don Toliver’s best work to date and the backto-back bangers at the beginning of the album are more than enough to earn its number two spot on this ranking.

Favorite Song: “Everseen” Least Favorite Song: “Girl Song”

4. Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan

Many have been anticipating Beabadoobee’s next album after her Valentine’s Day single in February and hit collab with Laufey in October.

She promoted the album by dropping a single each month before the album release, generating a lot of hype on social media. Similar to Sabrina Carpenter’s album, those three singles were all amazing and possibly the best of This is How Tomorrow Moves. It opens with the lead single, “Take A Bite,” where Bea describes her toxic tendencies as well as her desire to repeat those damaging behaviors. This song is really good and probably one of my favorites from her discography, with a fun pop rock vibe that continues throughout the album. “California” is even better, taking on a more energetic tone as Beaboobee explains her frustration with her current lifestyle and desire to return to simpler times. Despite a strong beginning, the album drags for a bit of the middle. I was also ambivalent about “Girl Song,” a fan-favorite from the album. On one hand, it distinguished itself from the rest of the album as a unique piano ballad that was likely the most personal to Beabadoobee. But despite the meaningful subject matter about body image and insecurity, it was a little on the nose in a way that felt disingenuous. “Everseen” was the second single released before the album and while I wasn’t a fan initially, it became my favorite off the album.

I think it was necessary to bring back some energy after the monotonous songs before. Especially with the recent controversy surrounding her ex-boyfriend and the following breakup song “That’s the Way Things Go,” it’s nice to hear a happy love song from Beabadoobee. The song is definitely a lot more mainstream and not even close to her peak in Beatopia and Fake It Flowers, but the upbeat production was fun to listen to. I feel this way about pretty much the whole album: not as good as her past albums, but not bad at all.

Favorite Song: “Red Wine Supernova” Least Favorite Song: “California” Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is Chappell Roan’s most recent album and first after her single, “Good Luck Babe!,” blew up on social media. Chappell Roan is easily one of the artists most attributable to the pop revolution that has taken over summer 2024, known for a quirky, produc tion-heavy sound that we all got used to hearing on the radio in the past few months. Starting off with “Femininomenon,” the album immediately establishes a tone of hyper-pop chaos and energy that remains constant throughout.

However, the song itself, while effective as an introduction, was mediocre and I got unbelievably sick of the chorus by its third repetition to the point where I never want to hear (or type) the word “femininomenon” again. The wordplay is just not as clever or funny as Chappell thinks it is and it’s too on the nose to be the commentary on heterosexual dating culture that it was intended to be. Luckily, the next song on the album, “Red Wine Supernova,” is significantly better and my favorite of the ballads on the album, most of which are pretty weak.

The acoustic guitar is a welcome break from the over-enthusiastic production from the track before and Chappell’s vocals are really able to shine in the chorus as a result. She picks up the beat at the bridge and shifts into a catchy, chantable verse that perfectly merges with the final repetition of the song’s original chorus as a conclusion. The next few songs are pretty forgettable. “Coffee” is a slow ballad that negatively sticks out in an album full of colorful pop. I could totally see myself enjoying this song if it were sung by Laufey or Mitski, but the calmness of the song doesn’t flow at all with Chappell’s voice, despite being an improvement over her screaming. Speaking of, “HOT TO GO!” is one of the most annoying songs

3. This is How Tomorrow Moves - Beabadoobee photo credit: joseph okpako on getty images

reviewing 2024’s albums on this album, which is sad because the beginning is great. The song starts off with a fun, rhyming verse that immediately gets ruined by the chorus’ chant.

No matter what critics are saying, it’s not the new “YMCA” and more childish than quirky. Maybe it’s just me being sick of its overexposure on my social media, but this album was not as endearing or fun for me as it was for most.

5. Brat - Charli XCX Favorite Song: “Talk talk” Least Favorite Song: “Everything is Romantic” Brat is the album that has defined 2024 the most and the one I listened to the least prior to this review.

Charli XCX brings an energetic hyper pop that’s messy and unlike the polished pop music we’re used to hearing in recent releases. This is definitely going to be a hot take, but I was not a fan of this album. The autotune gimmick is overdone and the EDM sound is nothing new, especially when Charli herself has released amazing electro pop in previous albums like Crash. Still, I have to begin by giving credit to the standout songs on this album, which are all essentials on my summer playlists. “Talk talk” is my favorite song on the album because it gives Charli room to show off her vocals by toning down the background production while still maintaining the energy of the album.

Brat struggles to be effortless, trying too hard to create cult classics and prioritizing neon green social media content over the actual music on the album.

With the middle of the album mostly consisting of uninspired filler and having a complete tonal shift, it could have been removed with little impact on the album’s quality. I have mixed feelings about “Apple” since the chorus is objectively catchy and one of the stronger ones on this album, but it’s almost not worth it because it means listening to the terrible first verse. Brat overall has a lot of great tracks and would be a significantly better album if those songs weren’t overshadowed by the gimmicky, EDM-style Charli attempts.

6. The Secret of Us - Gracie Abrams Favorite Song: “Close to You” Least Favorite Song: “Good Luck Charlie”

three songs are where the album peaks with “Risk,” “Blowing Smoke,” and “I Love You, I’m Sorry.” “Risk” has a satisfying guitar looping in the background that pairs well when combined with her messy, obsessive lyrics. While Gracie’s sloppy lyricism usually hurts her music, a flaw that is egregiously noticeable later in the album, the lyrics being all over the place contributes to her manic portrayal of herself in this album, as she sings about her desire to be in a relationship and weighing out the risks associated with a confession.

The bridge is easily the best part of the song and my favorite part of the album, as it feels the most personal to Gracie even if it takes inspiration from other artists. Unfortunately, this is the best the album has to offer. The next song, “us.” is an awful collaboration with Taylor Swift that completely kills any momentum built up from the last three tracks. Their voices don’t work well with each other and I genuinely struggled to get through the chorus because it’s so awful. The production from Jack Antonoff was also annoyingly overdone, overpowering their voices to the point where I couldn’t hear what they were saying at certain points of the song. I was honestly just waiting for the songs near the end of the album to be over so that I could listen to “Close to You” again. After all of these mid tracks, “Close to You” is refreshing because it’s just so good. The lyrics are sharp and bring passion that the album desperately needed earlier, making it a banger of an outro. I think Gracie has a lot of potential, but she needs to spend less time being an industry plant and more time writing her own songs to actually progress as an artist.

7. Vultures 2 - ye and Ty Dolla $ign Favorite Song: “River” Least Favorite Song: “Bomb” As a fan of Kanye’s pre-Donda music, this album is probably my biggest music disappointment of the year.

A lot of fans and hardcore Kanye defenders were giving him the benefit of the doubt after his release of the subpar Vultures, but this last minute August album release just confirms that Kanye has officially fallen off. It’s almost analogous to his public reception in the way that he goes from highs like “Runaway” and “Blood on the Leaves” to atrocities like “Bomb” and “Husband.”

photo credit: scott dudelson on getty images The sloppy production and lyricism on Vultures 2 reads like Kanye was forced to release this album, causing it to be bloated with content and unfinished.

Half of the songs feel like filler and the album would benefit from a shorter runtime similar to his 2018 album ye.

Also, I still think Ty Dolla $ign is anodd choice for a Kanye collab and his vocals don’t merge with Kanye’s nearly as smoothly as past collabs like with Kid Cudi in Kids See Ghosts. However, the album still has its standouts in “River” and “Field Trip,” which sound closer to Kanye’s usual tight production and instrumentals in contrast to the rest of the album. “River” features Young Thug and creates a haunting contrast between Young Thug’s verses of enjoying a materialistic and promiscuous lifestyle and Kanye’s verses calling for the release of Larry Hoover and Young Thug (both jailed in widely-covered cases). Ty Dolla $ign then concludes the song by asking to be tak en to the river, serving as a metaphor for the clearing and washing away of sins. Young Thug’s contributions are essential to “River” and “Field Trip” is the same with Playboi Carti, Don Toliver, and Kodak Black. That’s about it for the highlights on the album and there are so many lowlights that I’m not going to be able to cover all of them in one review. First off, “Bomb.” You only need to read the lyrics to know how bad the song is. It mostly consists of North West repeating the word “bomb” over and over again, only interruptedwith Chicago’s verses that are some

After the release of “Close to You,” one of my favorite pop songs of 2024, I was optimistic about The Secret of Us. However, the album itself was unoriginal and reeks of influence from artists like Lorde and Taylor Swift.

Gracie opens with an extremely repetitive song “Felt Good About You,” which brought nothing into the album except bland lyrics that almost entirely consisted of the title. It feels like she was really proud of the chorus and couldn’t think of anything else, so she repeated it for the whole song. The next

how worse. This is probably the only song that is genuinely unlistenable on this entire album ranking. Kanye next moves from unlistenable to mediocre with “Sky City.” As a fan of the unreleased version, I was actually excited for this one, but the official release of this song is easily the worst version I’ve heard. I’m 99% sure that Kanye used AI for his verses because of how uncanny and unlike any of the past versions they sound. Pretty much all of Kanye’s songs sound like AI on this album and he would benefit from taking some more time off to focus on his next release. Overall, I’m disappointed and I’m not sure if a Kanye comeback will ever be possible at this point.

Summer of 2024 had some great albums and I’m looking forward to seeing what all of these artists are going to come up with next!

Read The Rest Here!

photo credit: katja ogrin on getty images 11

Stay Filming, CCA: CCA-TV’s 30th Season

BY Audrey song

Sees all, knows all. CCA-TV has long been an integral part of Canyon Crest Academy, and this fall marks the premiere of its 30th season. Hosted and produced entirely by CCA students, it’s our school’s primary source of weekly news, advertisements, and entertainment, a Thursday homeroom staple.

Yet it’s no secret that there’s a certain love-hate relationship students have with the show. CCA-TV has garnered a reputation for being mildly to brutally cringeworthy, and unfortunately, it is usually the main hosts who have received the brunt of this negativity. Whether fair or not, this kind of reception seems inevitable when two people are tasked with keeping the attention of an entire high school.

“CCA-TV has long been an integral part of Canyon Crest Academy, and this fall marks the premiere of its 30th season.”

This year’s main hosts, Isaac Lee-Greenblatt and Andrea Cesarini, both seniors, are distinctly aware of this notoriety. “I want to make CCA-TV interesting again,” Lee-Greenblatt remarks. “Past CCATV hosts generally haven’t used their power as much as they could.”

The “power” he speaks of refers to the main hosts’ jurisdiction in directing the flow and content of each week’s episode. CCA-TV is created in the Advanced Video Film class, where students are split into groups of four and tasked with filming projects for each week. There are three total host groups—Main, Arts, and Sports—who introduce each segment within their respective sections. The vast majority of groups, however, are not affiliated with any hosts and work independently on their own stories, alternating between shorter “twenties” and more in-depth spotlights.

Once groups decide on their topic, the main hosts are tasked with organizing each segment to create a cohesive episode, and then production begins.

A typical schedule for filming each week is as follows: Thursdays, reviewing and discussing improvements for the previous week’s episode and beginning pre-production; Fridays, wrapping up pre-production and beginning filming; Mondays, finishing filming and beginning editing; Tuesdays, presenting rough cuts to the class for feedback; Wednesdays, polishing the final product to send out the episode for homeroom the next day.

Clearly, the turnaround on each episode is very rapid, so it should come as no surprise that each episode might fluctuate in its quality

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or appeal to students. The fact of the matter is that film is an already difficult medium to execute well, and the short time-frame and sheer volume of content makes producing CCA-TV an even more arduous task.

The hosts, however, are prepared. Even before being selected as main hosts, Lee-Greenblatt and Cesarini had dozens of ideas for the season, only a few of which they were willing to share. “CCA-TV Night,” Lee-Greenblatt has repeated cryptically for the past weeks. When asked to elaborate, he only stated, “It’s CCA-TV. At night.” Certainly intriguing, Mister Lee-Greenblatt.

This type of secrecy is a hallmark quality of CCA-TV. Leading up to each season, the same question arises: who are the hosts? It’s a (mostly) well-kept secret, and this year, the competition to be said mystery duo was particularly steep, with no less than three groups auditioning to be main hosts. Interested individuals submit a one minute video showcasing what they can bring to CCA-TV for the season, and the class votes on who they want to see fill the role.

Lee-Greenblatt and Cesarini immediately emulated a very different vibe from past CCA-TV hosts in their audition. Writing an original song, their video was decidedly “crunchy” and alternative, and their lyrics cheekily called out CCA-TV’s aforementioned reputation (in rhyme, of course). This same style can be seen in their intro sequence for the new season, chock-full of grungy, distorted visuals and trappy audio. It’s a departure from the usual action shots and ambient music we’ve seen in dozens of previous seasons, and promises a certainly unique direction for Season 30.

The sports and arts hosts are also promising. Dominik and Matthias Penzes, a pair of junior twins, helm the sports segments, and their chaotic energy and creativity cement them as a decidedly comedic duo. The arts hosts, Patrick Jang and Audrey Song, two Conservatory seniors, are experienced in cinema and many other art forms, and integrate their own styles and humor into each of their segments.

Song also looks very fashionable and cute in her segments, although my opinion might be slightly biased.

But even if a student isn’t a host or part of a host group, that doesn’t mean they have no impact on the show; if anything, every so-called “normal”

photo Credit: Audrey song

group is really what makes up the foundation of CCA-TV. “I’m part of one of the non-host groups,” says Emilie Berkowitz, a sophomore. “It’s

doing a live recording of our news cast for our final project.” Updates to the CCA-TV studio are also in the works. LED lights, a new professional

photo Credit: Audrey song

really cool to meet more people who have more skills in film… and to feel like I’m really part of something.” Berkowitz’s most recent project? One of three teasers for the new season. “My group made a teaser about interviewing people to hear rumors about what’s happening with the hosts. Our teaser is going to be the third that comes out.”

Berkowitz’s ideas don’t stop there.

“I’m really excited to try our own recurring segment and hopefully get it into one of the episodes.”

The segment is meant to be Olympics-themed, with students from different grades participating in different challenges to win prizes. “That’s all we have so far,” Berkowitz laughs.

Rough or not, it’s this kind of communal creativity that defines CCATV. Having been in a non-host group myself last year, I was a creator of the recurring segment “Raven’s Wardrobe,” filming fashion talks and fit checks every other week. It was incredibly gratifying to see my segments air, even those not a part of Raven’s Wardrobe.

At the end of the day, that’s what CCATV is: not an endless battle for approval from the school population, but rather an avenue of creativity and self-expression for any interested student.

And this year, developments in the class itself promise to add to these experiences. Andrew Norbeck, teacher of the Advanced Video Film course, was proud to announce that starting this semester, the class can now offer students college credit through Palomar College. “The major change this year,” Norbeck states, “is going to be

set, improved equipment all promise to enhance production even further.

These kinds of real-world experiences and resources are a key trait of CCA-TV. The quick turnaround mentioned earlier? “Every week we try to treat this like a studio experience so students have hard deadlines,” Norbeck explains. “It’s a lot of work to coordinate interviews, reach out to contacts, and if something falls through, they have to have a back-up plan. No matter what happens we still need to have our projects ready for Thursday.”

“Clearly, the turnaround on each episode is very rapid, so it should come as no surprise that each episode might fluctuate in its quality or appeal to students.”

But it’s worth it. “It’s so fun to see students tap into their voice and their different styles,” states Norbeck. Students also create bonds with their group members, enhancing their creativity further. “I feel like I’ve gotten a good connection with people here and I can probably work with them in the future,” Berkowitz says.

If students are interested in being a part of CCA-TV, they must first take the Introduction to Video Film course. Then, they can apply to Advanced Video Film in later semesters.

If you want to have your story featured on CCA-TV, visit their website and fill out the story idea form.

And if anyone is worried that the 15th year of the show will be lackluster, fear not. “I’m him,” Lee-Greenblatt assures me. Him he is, and it’s safe to say that CCA-TV’s 30th season will be quite the interesting ride.

Entertainment Is Pop Music Here to Stay?

By Julia Piekarski

As the leaves begin to change, the breeze chills and the mornings get foggier, fall inevitably chases away hot girl summer. Students settle into their dreaded routines of waking up early and studying all night. They are forced to forget or at least move on from the memories of summer’s warm air and clear skies. This past summer, the energetic bops kept hotties alive and entertained. Bangers from Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan made up much of the summer’s soundtrack and sparked a long-awaited pop resurrection. Now the question is: as the season changes, will the music?

Summer 2024 saw the return of many mid-2010s trends, such as skinny jeans, boots, stripes, and other “Tumblr era” styles. It’s clear that music-related trends followed the same course. Perhaps the most prominent artist of the summer, Charli XCX, made a huge comeback. If anyone remembers, back in the day, she ruled the 2010s with songs like I Love It and Boom Clap.

Now her new album Brat has begun to revive the dance-pop genre altogether. The resurgence of pop introduced new artists like Renee Rapp and Troye Sivan, while also bringing back old favorites like Sabrina Carpenter, Lorde,

Lady Gaga, and Billie Eilish. These talented artists made the summer one to remember. Finally, after what seemed like far too long, trending music was danceable. Even on the radio back in the day, DJs like Calvin Harris or David Guetta transformed music with their high-energy mixes, producing similar sounds to the ones heard in current trending music. Now, local DJs like DJ Marc Thrasher are also contributing to the resurrection of pop, remixing current music to bring back the house and club genres of the 10s.

Art Credit: Julia Piekarski

Despite pop’s inspiring comeback over the summer, sadly, in my personal opinion, pop will not be as

prominent as fall comes around. I don’t think the genre will disappear altogether, but it will slowly fizzle out, unable to compete with the calmer fall energy that people tend to pursue in sweater weather. I predict popular artists such as Lana Del Ray, Phoebe Bridgers, and Clairo will take the place of trending summer artists with the changing of the seasons. Brat summer will be left in the past and ultimately replaced by a girl in red fall.

However, in some cases seen in the past, pop artists have slightly altered their approach to songwriting and genre to keep up with the seasonal trends and avoid being deemed irrelevant. Artists such as Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift arguably have made music for every ‘vibe’ or seasonal aesthetic. Over the summer, Billie’s newest album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” provided more danceable music, for example, with the song “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE.” Other songs from her past such as “TV” and “come out and play” are more low-key and better complement the subtle, brisk tone of autumn.

Taylor Swift has similarly mastered this strategy, and notably much earlier than Billie Eilish. As an artist, she has transformed her personal image and

genre numerous times. Her pop album, “Lover”, perfectly captures the joyful essence of summer. The alternative sister albums, “evermore” and “folklore”, are much deeper and explore themes of creating balance in life between the old and the new, the way fall does retrospectively. Well-rounded pop artists create music for all seasons, about all of their emotions, troubles, and experiences. Songwriters that only make fun, upbeat, or hyper music are bound to fade away as the seasons change.

After all, fall is all about letting go of the old to make room for the new.

lie, Gerard, Richard, and Steven each represent different aspects of the teenage mind in this dramatic yet comedic coming of age movie. The beautiful setting and soundtrack combine to create a deep experience for viewers. If you want a film that can bring laughter and tears, this is the fall movie for you!

Hollow. The show, which ran for 7 seasons, has all the 2000s sentimentality as each character brings their own unique makeup to this dynamic Connecticut town. Some of each season’s best fall episodes are as follows: Season 1, Episode 7 “Kiss and Tell”, Season 2, Episode 4 “The Roadtrip to Harvard”, Season 3, Episode 9 “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving”, Season 4, Episode 9 “Ted Koppel’s Night Out”, Season 5, Episode 7 “You Jump, I jump, Jack”, Season 6, Episode 6 “Welcome to the Dollhouse” and Season 7, Episode 18 “Hay Bale Maze”. Even though we all wish we could grab coffee at Luke’s, watching Gilmore Girls in the fall is the closest we can get!

“Brat summer will be left in the past and ultimately replaced by a girl in red fall.”

Hopefully, the artists we have all come to love over the summer will find a way to meet our expectations and stay relevant as autumn approaches.

5 Best Movies to Watch This Autumn

By Ava Baker

Fall is an undeniable magnet for fun holidays, colorful decorations, and pumpkin spice assortments. Yet unlike other seasons, we only have movies about holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving within the season, but nothing to celebrate the actual Autumn season. If you want to settle in to watch a movie that brings the strong fall emotions we all enjoy, here is a list of the top 5 movies for autumn:

Art Credit: Ava Baker

5. Winnie the Pooh (2011) There is something so undeniably magical about old Disney films that make them the most charming seasonal movies. “Winnie the Pooh” is the last Disney film drawn in the old animation watercolor style, allowing it to retain the same timeless nostalgia.

Filled with our same favorite childhood characters, Christopher Robin and friends go on classic adventures in the Hundred Acre Woods to stop the devious Backson and to find Eeyore’s tail. Winnie, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit,Kanga, and Roo capture our hearts yet again in the scenic 2011 animated musical. Not all movies need to have the deepest, life-changing effects; some should just be fun! This

“Winnie the Pooh” movie along with “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” and “The Tigger Movie” make for classic fall vibes, which is perfect to enjoy in any of the -mber months.

4. Twilight (2008) The fourth movie on the list is Catherine Hardwick’s “Twilight”.

It takes place in the rainy town of Forks on the Olympic peninsula, the ultimate fall town. It is the original supernatural love triangle saga, starring Bella Swan. At the beginning, Bella is trying to adjust to small town life.

As she tries to settle in, she continues to notice strange things occurring around her while uncovering secrets about the Cullen family; secrets that change her life forever. This romantic fantasy movie stars household names such as Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, and Anna Kendrick. The whole film has a blue filter, creating the perfect setting for a cozy rainy autumn day movie. The entire 5-movie saga (based on the book series written by Stephanie Myers) is a great choice for a fall movie marathon with its 2000 nostalgia! Also, the movie’s soundtrack is full of fantastic finds to add to your fall study playlists.

3. Dead Poets Society (1989) At an elitist boarding school in Vermont, John Keating is hired as the new English teacher who aims to bring light to an otherwise bored junior class. Taking place in 1959, a group of students revive an old club that encourages them to choose their own paths and gain perspective in their lives. Neil, Todd, Knox, Char-

2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) As the school year comes to a start in August, everyone needs a romcom to help them through it. Gil Junger’s “10 Things I Hate About You”, is a great option. The film takes place in Seattle at the start of a new high school year. Kat Stratford, played by Julia Stiles, is decidedly “unapproachable” to her peers due to her bold and feminist ways. She is brought into the world of high school romances through her popular, socialite sister Bianca and a complicated dating rule set by their father. This movie has icons such as the late Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Gabrielle Union. It serves as a rendition of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” in a 90s setting. The whole film is filled with the autumn aesthetic, from the music to the fashion, all the way to the books Kat reads!

1.5 Honorable Mention: Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) If you are looking for a fall favorite to last you from September to November, go to Netflix and turn on “Gilmore Girls”! Starring Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham as Rory and Lorelai Gilmore, this show emanates autumn in the cozy town of Star’s

1. Little Women (2019) Greta Gerwig’s 2019 revamp of “Little Women” is a creative combination of flawless casting and thoughtful direction that causes it to be number 1 on this list. The film stars Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Eliza Scanlen, Florence Pugh, and Timothée Chalamet. The film works to modernize Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel.

The heart-warming movie delves into the past and present lives of the March sisters as they grow from girls to young women. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy create a cozy picture of family life in their 1860s Concord town. As we watch the girls grow and blossom, we cannot help but root for these characters as they each embark on new chapters of life, which are explored much farther than the previous movies. Autumn in Massachusetts is portrayed through the movie’s vibrant oranges and yellows and its invigorating characters.

13

A Realistic Guide to the San Diego Zoo

By Isabella Posel

Visiting San Diego’s expansive and much acclaimed zoo? Don’t tour like an amateur! Plan your visit today with tips and tricks from a zoo-pro .

On Hoofed Mammals The hoofed animals of the safari can be a sight to see! Gazelles, giraffes, those half-zebra things. Once you’ve seen the sight, however, you’ve pretty much seen it forever. Those things aren’t changing in between trips! It’s a mammal, it’s hoofed, it’s been around for years – no need to refresh your memory. The wing of the zoo holding them is truly massive, not remotely shaded, and way off to the side of all the other exhibits. Once you end up there, it’s over! The seemingly miles of hoofed mammals start to blur and, if it’s a hot day (let’s face it, in inland San Diego, it usually is), after the first 20 or so similar looking creatures, you are going to wonder if you haven’t somehow looped back to the beginning.

Photo Credits: Isabella Posel

Now you’re just going to look at the antelopes and fellow ungulates forever. There is no escape from that wing of the zoo. If you know what they look like, no need to confirm. Skip it!

The exceptions to this rule being if the (actually not hoofed but still familiar)

elephants have been up to anything interesting or if you want to see the giraffes’ weird, long tongues (getting tickets to feed them is a great gift, by the way).

You have to be selective about what you see. The San Diego Zoo is 100 acres with over 12,000 animals. We can’t see them all. So, let’s stick with something a little more fresh. On that note…

On Prioritizing Think to yourself - what do I really want to see? Make a list. Keep it short. Pick about three animals that you have your heart set on seeing (Canada lynx, big anteater, one of those things with the long tongues that you’re always seeing on Instagram).

While navigating your way between these animals, you’ll see enough of the other exhibits. For instance, the monkeys are pretty unavoidable. And at some point, you’re inevitably going to try and find a water fountain and end up by the polar bears. When you get overheated, the reptile room is completely shaded and right near the exit.

By picking just a few animals to prioritize, you’ll have reasonable expectations, clear goals, and a path to follow.

On Navigation Now it’s time to navigate that path. Whatever you do, do not try to use the aviaries as a shortcut! It may seem tempting. It’ll seem like the quickest way to carve a direct path. It will not work. You will get so, so lost. Not only is it impossible to make a straight path through the aviaries, but you will lose

any sense of locational awareness that you may have once possessed. The voices telling you to just walk right through the aviary are likely the spirits of past visitors who made the same mistake and now serve as sirens, luring eager adventures to the same tragic fate.

Likewise, try not to rely on the zoo’s app. Maybe I’m just incompatible with technology but the most circles I have ever walked in has been while using the smartphone interactive map. I advocate for a mix of a paper map, guessing, and occasionally flagging down an employee. You might still end up disoriented and confused, but remember, this is why you should only plan to see a few animals. You get your fill while making wrong turns.

Photo Credits: Isabella Posel

Don’t be afraid of the buses!

Beyond the tour buses that you can buy tickets for, there are free “Kangaroo Buses” that will take you around parts of the park. It won’t leave you right at the front of the park, but it will save you from a few large hills.

If you like the sky tram, it does also do a very nice job of taking you from the arctic exhibit back to the front entrance. It usually has a long line, but

great views and is included with admission. This will cut your navigation efforts way down and save energy.

On Trip Duration If you start planning the zoo as an all day endeavor, it’s going to be over before it ever begins. I see people packing sandwiches for eight hour trips with fully stocked backpacks and a mind full of ambition, and my heart sinks. Don’t do this. Plan for about three hours. The second you start thinking about lunch, it’s time to get out of there. For the perfect length outing, eat before you go and bring a protein bar.

The protein bar, or protein bar equivalent, should be the only sustenance you need. Once you burn through that energy, catch the Kangaroo Bus and call it a day. Staying too long is a sure fire way to ruin an otherwise amazing trip. The incredible animals you saw will blur in a mixture of heat, children’s screams, bloody blisters, and a memory of endless hooves.

Pick your must-see animals, pace yourself, and don’t be afraid to leave.

In conclusion Be excited! The San Diego Zoo is world renowned and filled with amazing animals, like the recent reintroduction of the Giant Pandas, Xin Bao and Yun Chuan. The zoo is an amazing advocate for animal protection and conservation, and whatever you do during your visit, you’ll likely walk away amazed. Take advantage of value days, discounted memberships for residents and those under 17, and enjoy yourself!

Autumn Trends: New and Old

By Skylar Phelps

14

With summer taking its annual leave and fall taking its place, new (or consistent) trends and ever-changing styles have brought a new wave of 2024 fashion. From fashion staples, to some styles and pieces making their comeback, to the debut of new crazes this year, fall fashion is taking a turn. The question remains: will these cozy clothes be hot or not?

Every fall season there’s always those returning staples that are essential to everyone’s fall wardrobe.

One of the main pieces is scarfs. Scarfs can range from chunky to skinny, and some even have patterns. These unique qualities allow for them to elevate your fall look. Another fall staple is sweaters. Sweaters make a return every fall season because of their versatility when styling. They can be paired with jeans, shorts with tights, under a big coat, or with a skirt. Fall sweaters create an effortlessly comfy, classy, look, no matter what piece you pair it with. These pieces have coined the term “sweater weather” and have quickly become a reminder to everyone about the start of the fall season.

Fall also comes with a surge in neutral colors. For example, dark brown, beige, black, and more vibrant autumn hues of green and orange shades are very popular and reflect the essence of the changing leaves. Patterns also slowly make their way into our clothing, mainly plaid. We always have our consistent trends for the season, but the

question at hand is: what is making a comeback this fall? The answer: skinny jeans. Skinny jeans have always been a hot topic around the world, with every generations’ opinions changing on whether they appreciate skinny jeans or not. Though I’m here to say that skinny jeans are making a comeback. Paired with knee-high boots, a tiny top, and a big coat, skinny jeans are giving their baggy opponents a run for their money. Styled correctly, they can give off a clean, classy look without crossing the line into the Karen autumn look (which consists of big hats and the frill boots).

Throughout the past few years, our society has constantly experimented with implementing the early 2000s into our current looks. For example,the fall leopard print seems to be making a comeback. It already made its debut in summer and it’s here to stay for the fall. Leopard print can elevate a boring outfit and make it bold. However, with all the new styles coming in this fall, who knows how long they will be considered “in” for? Swaddle season is also on the rise, which provides a comfortable cashmere wrap that appeals to people who want to look fashionable and feel warm. Layering is another trend taking its place with the new fall fashions. From scarfs, to boots, to patterns, and a new classic trench coat with a modern twist. Combining functionality with presentability, this new look offers a high neck silhouette, creating a more contemporary style.

In the end, all of these trends are never certain about our society’s opinions on fashion, since they always seem to be changing. However, the

Photo Credit: Julia Piekarski

question has been answered: fall fashion this year will be hot until we decide it’s not.

Sports

CCA Student Scores a Spot Overseas

By Brianna Morrison

Photo Credit: Anna Scipione

CCA may not have a men’s football team. However, we do in fact have an incredible football player — that is, the other kind of football. The one that is the world’s most popular sport, with 3.5 billion fans throughout the globe. Thomas Maurer, a junior at CCA, is making a name for himself across the pond in England where, yes, soccer is called football.

The best football players in the world play in Europe and Thomas will be joining them as he navigates the youth ranks of the English football pyramid. Throughout English football, each club has various levels of youth development teams to grow their future players for the top level club. As elite juniors grow and improve in these professional teams, they move up levels and hopefully integrate within the first team.

Thomas Maurer grew up in a British-American hybrid, until he finally ended up at Canyon Crest

Photo Credit: Anna Scipione

extremely grateful for it,”Thomas states.

One of his sports idols growing up was Petr Čech, a goalkeeper for Chelsea FC. Čech had suffered a serious head injury but stayed persistent and was able to win the UEFA Champions League and four Premier League titles. Čech’s stellar work ethic is one of Thomas’ main sources of inspiration. Thomas believes that putting in the hard work distinguishes good players from great players. He comments, “The thing that separates people is the willingness to work hard and put in the extra effort. It’s about not being afraid to put in the hard work, push yourself, and never give up.”

Applying these lessons, Thomas has been able to begin his journey towards professional football’s highest level. His goalkeeper coach at RSF Attack Soccer got him in contact with agents in the UK and after multiple trials, Thomas is heading back across the Atlantic in pursuit of making his football dreams come true. “It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but I’m looking forward to getting into that environment and building on myself and hopefully realizing the potential that I have,” he states.

Thomas is especially grateful for the people who have helped him get to this point in his football career.

He comments, “The most valuable lesson is to be grateful, which is one of the most important things you can do. I am grateful for having this opportunity because the situation I’m in right now is incredible and I want to thank my teammates and coaches who have supported me along the way.”

Good luck, Thomas! We all look forward to following your career.

“The thing that separates people is the willingness to work hard and put in the extra “It’s going to “As a goalkeeper, effort. It’s about be a lot of hard Thomas played not being afraid work, but I’m for Albion and to put in the hard looking forward Attack teams work, push your- to getting into here in San Diself, and never that environego as well as give up.” ment” playing for CCA his freshman year.”

Academy after the Covid pandemic settled him in Southern California. He attended CCA for his freshman and sophomore year, and is now continuing his education through an online platform while he plays professional football in London. As a goalkeeper, Thomas played for Albion and Attack teams here in San Diego as well as playing for CCA his freshman year.

In addition to providing bonding experiences with teammates, sports give people a plethora of opportunities. Thomas has enjoyed these benefits, and more, throughout his life.

“Football has always been one of the things constant in my life and it has given me a way to get perspective on life and to get out some emotion. It has been very good for me and I’m

Photo Credit: Anna Scipione

CCA Sports Fall Sports: Cross Country, Boys Water Polo, Field Hockey, Girls Tennis, Girls Golf, Girls Volleyball, Girls Flag Football Winter Sports: Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Girls Water Polo, Wrestling

Spring Sports: Badminton, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Boys Golf, Boys Volleyball, Boys Tennis, Track and Field, Baseball, Softball, Swim and Dive, Girls Beach Volleyball, Gymnastics

15

CCA’s New Althetic Director: Mr. Brown

By Shea Salel

Photo Credit: Shane Brown

This year, Mr. Brown transitioned from working purely as a business teacher to taking on the mantle of CCA’s Athletic Director. He plans to change CCA Athletics and hopes to see more school spirit around our sports. The main change Brown is making this year is introducing an internship program. This program will give students more opportunities to work in athletics in roles other than being a player. As a business teacher, Brown has insight on how to run CCA Athletics effectively and in a way that will benefit all student-athletes.

As this is only his first year as Athletic Director, Brown is not planning on making any drastic changes to the coaching staff or the sports in general. This year, his primary contribution to CCA’s Athletics will be the new internship program, which already has potential with its 20+ applicants

and 9 spots available. The three different internships that are available are social media manager, film production manager, and brand ambassador. The social media managers will be those in charge of the @canyoncrestathletics Instagram account. Their job will be posting for the teams and highlighting student-athletes. The work will be split up between three interns, who will post for their assigned sports. Some of the things Brown is hoping to feature on this platform are gameday highlights, player spotlights, and game reminders.

Along with this, the other internship opportunity is for film production managers. These interns will be in charge of making highlight reels for the teams and will hopefully capture quality footage for CCA-TV. These students will most likely be those who have taken film classes with Mr. Norbeck and can foster a connection between CCA Athletics and CCA Film.

The final internship opportunity is brand ambassadors. These interns will be the ambassadors for all CCA Athletics and do things such as going to games, passing out flyers, and wearing merch. These will be the “hype men” for all of our sports. For more information on how to apply and about these internship opportunities, make sure to email ccaathetics@sduhsd.net.

In years prior, a group of student-athletes would band together and talk about the sports going on at the time and how to get them more exposure. These students were called “So CCA,” and Brown plans on bringing

Athletes of the Month

By Emiko Matsuda

tegic rest to ensure peak performance.

Looking ahead, Luca aims to break school records and make a mark in track events, particularly the 2-mile, with a goal of 8:50. While he plans to leverage his running achievements for college admissions, his aspirations for professional running are secondary to his academic and personal goals. Luca’s dedication and strategic approach make him a true standout in our athletic community.

Photo Credit: Luca Caruso

Luca

Caruso (Cross Country) Luca is a junior (11) at CCA whose passion for running is as strong as his dedication. From early childhood, Luca was influenced by his father, a former runner, and made the pivotal decision to focus on cross country/track and field. This meant that he had to leave soccer behind in his freshman year. His commitment has paid off, with a standout moment in his career being his recent victory at the Raven Invite, where he achieved a personal record and outpaced top competitors from across San Diego.

Luca’s journey from a rookie in 9th grade to a gifted athlete highlights his growth both physically and mentally. He has refined his training regimen to perfection, incorporated endurance runs with specialized workouts, and has created a detailed pre-race schedule.

His disciplined approach includes a balanced diet, pre-meet routines, and stra

16

Photo Credit: Hailey Church

Hailey

Church (Field Hockey) Hailey, a junior (11) at CCA, has made impressive strides in field hockey since starting in 7th grade.

Currently a key player on the varsity team and a standout on the U16 and U19 HTC California High Performance club teams, she exemplifies both talent and commitment. Her journey has been significantly shaped by her club coach, Mika, and the guid-

back a similar group that he named “The Flock.” These students, whether it be the captains of the team or leaders within the sport, would designate an athlete of the week and create a newsletter. This would help Brown achieve his goal of giving athletes more exposure within our school, resulting in more awareness throughout our student body of the talented athletes at CCA who often go unrecognized.

Brown’s current favorite thing about CCA Athletics is that “our student-athletes are overlooked and they shock you how athletic we are, since we are not known for our athletes.” He already enjoys being an Athletic Director because he can be a teacher for just our athletes and is always able to be around sports. The sport he wants to bring the most attention to this year is girls’ flag football because it is growing very fast in San Diego. Because of this,

ance of senior teammates, reflecting the strong support system she’s built.

Among her memorable experiences, Hailey recalls the grueling 6 AM mile runs as a freshman, which established her dedication to the sport. Recently, she has made headlines by attending three national tournaments, showcasing her skills at the U16 and U19 levels.

Balancing a demanding schedule of practice, games, and training— both at CCA and with her club—Hailey prioritizes physical preparation through stretching and hydration, while also focusing on mental strategies like visualization and goal setting. Despite the challenges of managing field hockey, academics, and other activities, she excels through effective time management and self-compassion.

Looking forward, Hailey “aims to help my [her] team competitively in the playoffs and is thoughtfully navigating my [her] college recruiting process,” weighing her future in both field hockey and pre-med. Regardless of the path she chooses, she plans to keep playing at a club level to maintain her connection to the sport.

Katja Dunayevich (Cross Country) Katja Dunayevich, a senior (12) at CCA, has been a dedicated member of the cross country and distance track teams since her freshman year. She was inspired by her mom, a former high school runner, who introduced her to the sport during the pandemic. Katja has grown to love running, citing her mom as her biggest influence and greatest supporter, one who attends every meet

Brown has worked very hard to get girls to try out and create Varsity and JV teams, while also growing the exposure of the sport. Another sport that Brown is trying to bring more attention to is basketball in the winter. As the boys’ Varsity basketball coach, he loves the sport and is planning to “tap into student fan groups to show our school spirit.”

Overall, Brown is planning on implementing these alterations that will help our school athletes get lots of exposure, and our sports will hopefully become more popular.

“Our sports will hopefully become more popular.”

Photo Credit: Katja Dunayevich

and provides pre-race reassurance.

One of Katja’s most memorable moments was traveling to Seattle for a race during her sophomore year, where she enjoyed competing in a new environment and bonding with her teammates. Her proudest achievement came last year when she qualified for the cross country state meet individually, overcoming her nerves to reach her goal.

Katja’s training routine includes running 6-8 miles a day, as well as incorporating workouts, long runs, and strength training. She balances academics and running by reviewing class material with teammates during easy runs. Her goals for the season include helping her team qualify for the state meet, and post-season, she aims to improve her time in a half marathon with her team. Looking ahead, Katja plans to continue running in college and aspires to compete in marathons, with dreams of running in the NYC and Boston marathons.

World Series Showdown

By Jadyn Hecht

Unfortunately for Dodgers fans, the Padres have had a very successful season. As the World Series is coming up in the next couple of weeks, the San Diego Padres are slowly closing the gap between their and the Los Angeles team’s wins.

The World Series is an annual tournament in Major League Baseball among teams in the U.S. and Canada. It takes place throughout October and in the beginning of November. It starts with a best-of-seven playoff between the champions of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). In the end, the top team from each league faces off, and the first to win 4 out of 7 games claims the World Series champion title.

The Padres and the Dodgers are rival teams who have proved to

be 2 of the top teams in the National League. While I have lived in San Diego my entire life, I am also a lifelong Dodgers fan. Needless to say, I have kept a close eye on the standings. The Padres had around 80 wins by the end of Aug. and were second place to the Dodgers (over 80 wins). Both teams have played well consistently throughout the season and are still within striking distance of a playoff spot. As tensions rise, it’s hard not to be completely invested in which of these teams, if any, will soon win the World Series.

Still, it’s important to consider the Dodgers’ competition. The Padres came very close to a postseason spot last year, and most of their starting lineup hasn’t changed. They have a reliable set of hitters and fielders, including Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny

Photo Credit: Shea Salel

Women and the NFL

By Carys Oyvetsky

The National Football League (NFL) has been a region mostly dominated by men for almost a century since the league’s debut season. But women have been taking the organization by storm ever since Kathryn Smith became the first female fulltime special teams quality coach in 2016 for the Buffalo Bills. Nowadays, women are filling important coaching roles and taking on leadership positions that are crucial in pushing each and every team on the path towards an esteemed Super Bowl ring.

Leading up to the 2024 season, 15 women hold full-time coaching positions throughout the organization.

Although this percentage seems small, it is a huge step towards the future of opportunity for women in the NFL. One of the most well known and most experienced is none other than Jennifer King, who is on her way to making her debut with the Chicago Bears as a full-time assistant running back coach starting the first regular season game against the Tennessee Titans.

Graduating from Guilford College with a degree in sports management in 2006, King took her passion for sports to play professional football. She spent 12 seasons as an All-American quarterback and wide-receiver for the Carolina Phoenix. Following her football career, she decided to take on a coaching role, becoming the first African American woman to hold a primary position as a coach for the Eagles in Week 15

during their 2020 season. However this was only a temporary position.

Following the 2020 season, King became a full year coaching intern. She began working with the offensive staff during the offseason and assisting Randy Jordan with the running backs during training camp and throughout the regular season.

Before returning to the NFL to work with the Chicago Bears, she took a few seasons starting in 2021 to work with the University of Washington. Here, she helped Antonio Gibson get 1000 rushing and receiving yards in his college career, making him the first running back to achieve this since Adrian Peterson did in 2018.

Her addition to the Bears in 2024 for the upcoming season makes her crucial to the offensive line coaches and the team in general. “Jennifer King is an exceptional leader and passionate coach who will be a positive addition to the Chicago Bears,” says Kevin Warren, president and CEO of the Bears. . “Jennifer has established herself as a hard worker, pioneer, and trailblazer.”

The Baltimore Ravens is another team that has been opening positions for women in the NFL by establishing a dynamic trio of full time female coaches. Kaelyn Busky, Marianna Salas, and Megan Rosburg have been gaining respect in a predominantly male sports organization. They have become the most female dominated staff of any team in NFL history. Busky works as an assistant strength and con-

Machado, and rookie Jackson Merrill.

One of the current faces of the franchise, Fernando Tatis Jr., is an incredibly enthusiastic and charismatic player on the team and has been there since 2019. His past few seasons have been rough due to suspensions and injuries. This season has not been much different, as Tatis was just recovering from a stress fracture recently. Despite this, when cleared, he still manages to be a strong hitter and outfielder and is very exciting to watch.

Manny Machado has had one of the worst starts to his season of his career. Despite this, he is very consistent both offensively and defensively.

Not only does he have an impressive amount of “runs batted in” (RBIs), but he also has the most career home runs in Padres franchise history. At 32 years old (which is considered old in the MLB), he shows no signs of slowing down. He is said to be a positive mentor and team leader as they hope to proceed to the postseason.

The Padres franchise has had great plans for Jackson Merrill since he graduated from high school. He was drafted by their minor league teams and has grown as a player since then. This year, Merrill was pulled up to the major league and has thrived. He has had a bright rookie year with an impressive amount of RBIs, home runs, and versatility in the infield as a shortstop, second base, and third base. The “rookie-of-the-year” hopeful is a promising candidate to shape the Padres future.

While my loyalty to the Dodgers remains unwavering, there’s no denying that the Padres have assembled a formidable lineup with a mix of seoned veterans and exciting young ditioning coach, Salas a coaching research fellow, and Rosburg as a head coach and defensive assistant going into her third season with the Ravens.

The head coach of the Ravens, John Harbaugh, believes everyone deserves the chance to pursue a career in coaching with the organization, no matter their gender. “There are a lot of women out there that are interested in football, that are really talented, that can help us be a better team,” he remarked in an interview with the Today Show.

Photo Credit: Shea Salel

talent. The Padres have proven they are a serious contender and have fought to earn their spot in the World Series. The standings predict a nerve-wracking finish to a remarkable season. Personally, I’m still hoping it’s the Dodgers year.

heart, the Ravens crushed the Browns 28-3. . “Just seeing how we can impact them while being ourselves is a powerful thing,” she later stated. Rosburg and the other two women have gained not only respect from the players, but a feeling of mutual trust and support.

Each and every one of these women who have been given the opportunity to be a part of the organization not only do it for themselves, but for the next generation of girls so that they get the opportunity to

Photo Credit: LORI Krummen

Working with the team for the past three seasons, Rosburg is crucial to the success of the players. Her motivational words leave an impact on each and every one of them when they go play their hearts out on the field.

According to The Athletic, Rosburg left a lasting impression on the team leading up to the game against the Browns during the 2023 season by saying, “Every good story has a villain!” That day, keeping her words at

achieve their dreams. In an interview with The Today Show, Salas explains her motivation for putting so much effort into the team each and every day, and her persistence that has allowed her to get where she is today. “I think about what it says to women and girls now to be able to see any of us on the sideline or to see us out at practice.” In a sport heavily dominated by male authority and opportunity, these women are the doors to the future.

17

Faculty Fantasy Football

By Carrie Krummen

Photo Credit: Carrie Krummen

Ah, September — the month filled with sipping Pumpkin Spice Lattes, stepping on crunchy orange leaves (well, not so much in SoCal), and transitioning to cozier, more insulated outfits. But one fall activity stands above the rest: crushing your enemies (translation: family, friends, coworkers, etc.) in Fantasy Football!

In case you’re unfamiliar with Fantasy Football, it consists of drafting American football players from the National Football League (NFL) to form a unique team (hence the name Fantasy Football).

Starting September 5 and continuing for about 16 weeks, competitors set their lineups against other fantasy teams to score the most points possible. Each week, the competitor with the greatest number of points wins. At the end of the football season, competitors with the most wins face off against each other in championship games to determine the ultimate winner of the league.

Aside from winning, the most intriguing pull factor of joining Fantasy Football is competing against people you know. As it turns out, earning bragging rights within a circle of people who are close to you is one of the most motivating incentives out there. (Personally, I play in a 16-person family league in which my pride — and a sparkling trophy — are on the line.)

“There’s a reason I’m the defending champion.”

Naturally, my interest was piqued when I first heard about the 12-teacher Fantasy Football league that occurs within the walls of our very own Canyon Crest Academy.

The committed contenders include (but are not limited to) Mr. Siegel, Ms. Sevilla, and Mr. Zerwekh of the science department; Mr. Hare of computer science; Ms. Corallo (also known as Bri) the athletic trainer; and Ms. Aguilar of history and psychology. After speaking with Mr. Siegel, the league commissioner, and these other devot 18

that he “tries hard and talks a lot.”

Even Mr. Hare himself is aware of his excellence in the league. “It’s hard to talk trash when you’re so much better than everyone else,” he affirmed. Will this pattern continue for Mr. Hare in the ongoing season?

On the other end of the Fantasy Football totem pole, Mr. Zerwekh intends to climb his way out of the losers’ bracket. “[I’m] about to go from second worst to first.

Let’s go!” he declared. Well, this journey certainly won’t be a cakewalk for him. Still, one fundamental truth of Fantasy Football is that anyone can take home the glory regardless of football IQ or experience. Mr. Zerwekh’s presumed ascent to the top isn’t as improbable as some may believe, but he must put ed teachers, I learned more about in the work. Will Mr. Zerwekh pull the dynamics behind the facul- off a record-breaking winning seaty fantasy league at CCA and can son — or will he set a new record as confidently say that this year will the teacher most likely to finish last? feature some fierce competition.

“Don’t get your hopes up!”

Mr. Siegel warned. “There’s a reason I’m the defending champion.” With a recent championship win under his belt, Mr. Siegel is the teacher to beat. Last season, he etched his name into the history books of the teacher league when he beat Ms. Boyle in the final round. Although he was promised a burrito for his win, he has yet to redeem Speaking of football IQ, alhis prize. Does Mr. Siegel have though Ms. Corallo (commonly rewhat it takes to double his earnings ferred to as “Bri the athletic trainthis year — or will he fall short? er”) may not have the most Fantasy Perhaps Mr. Siegel’s reign Football experience, her expertise as champion will be challenged by in helping student-athletes at CCA another teacher from his own sci- navigate injuries is second to none. ence department. “I’ll be happy Perhaps this qualifies her as the if I win, but I’ll be happier if Mr. most experienced staff member in Siegel loses,” Ms. Sevilla asserted. the realm of real-life football. (Flag football counts, right?) Despite being a relatively new constituent of the faculty league, Ms. Corallo means business. She, too, is in the club of teachers who want to dethrone Mr. Siegel. “I hope [Mr. Siegel’s] lacrosse team has more success than [his] fantasy football team,” she remarked. Will Ms. Corallo be able to Dubbed by her coworkers as one put forth a performance just as good of the “most competitive” teachers as her injury recovery programs? in the league, Ms. Sevilla attributes Finally, Ms. Aguilar and her strong performances to her her team, OldManRiver, sound uncanny ability to pick her players like a force to be reckoned with. based on numbers alone. During The team name in itself is a definite the draft, she scrutinizes player sta- power-up! Partially relying on autistics and refrains from selecting to-draft, Ms. Aguilar received one out of bias. However, one source of the highest post-draft grades in informed me that Ms. Sevilla’s draft the league. (This is quite a contrast received a grade of “D” (on the from Ms. Sevilla!) As Ms. Aguilar A-F scale!) this year. Does this “D” put it, “Working at CCA is awesome. mean a “Doubtful” performance What makes it even more awesome for Ms. Sevilla — or will she turn is when you have defeated a coit around in a “Dazzling” manner? worker competing in a fantasy sport Another experienced con- you know very little about.” Unfortender is Mr. Hare, who wins a high tunately, her season has been off to a proportion of games and has, in shaky start. “For the record, I lost in fact, won a championship in a pri- week one to Mr. Shakeri … It’s not or season. A frequent victor of the about where you start, but where Daily Bulletin song contest in Pe- you finish. OldManRiver will be riod 2, Mr. Hare is known for his number one!” she exclaimed. Will competitive nature. It comes as no Ms. Aguilar cruise to victory — or surprise that his fellow teachers re- will the rest of her season be as turport his eagerness to win, stating bulent as a white water rafting ride?

Of course, there are six other competing teachers with viable chances to win the championship title, but due to time constraints, I wasn’t able to meet with all of them. Nevertheless, these remaining six shall henceforth be dubbed the “dark horses.” Does someone in this elusive, exclusive group of teachers have what it takes to race all the way to the finish line?

“Does someone in this elusive, exclusive group of teachers have what it takes to race all the way to the finish line?”

“It’s hard to Well, folks, this concludes my preview of CCA’s ongoing teachtalk trash when er Fantasy Football league. While anticipation of the final results in a few you’re so much months may induce excessive football-watching, smack-talking, and better than ev- enemy-sabotaging behaviors among teachers, the essential element of the eryone else.” competition remains true: anyone

“I’ll be happy if I win, but I’ll be happier if Mr. Siegel loses.”

can win. The good news? We get to enjoy the journey as it all plays out.

“Working at CCA is awesome. What makes it even more awesome is when you have defeated a coworker competing in a fantasy sport you know very little about.”

Photo Credit: LORI Krummen

19

Crossword Crest Academy

By Carrie Krummen

ACROSS: 1. Abbreviation for Vanderbilt’s industry 3. Rupert the Raven’s role, but remove the first letter 8. Sound made by snakes 12. Intercontinental Home of flaPjacks 14. Padres pitcher who most recently pitched a no-hitter 15. First four vowels of the alphabet 16. Not all, not none 17. Ballet, acro, tap, jazz, etc.

18. Expression of tiredness 19. Music genre encompassing bluegrass, country, and folk 21. You write tons of these in college applications 22. “a” + Barnes & Noble product 23. “i” + braces dentist (incidentally, happens to be an office in 4S) 25. ___que du Soleil 26. Nationwide Popular Radiogram news coverage 28. Temperature during 50 across 31. Phantom of the ____a 33. President of The Hunger Games, but remove the last letter 34. Part of Mexico that contains Tijuana, Ensenada, and Cabo San Lucas

35. Repetitive phrase in “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” 38. The capital of this country is Quito 40. Basically a slurpee 41. Zodiac sign for late July to early August 43. School that a person once attended = ____ Mater 44. Greek prefix meaning “new” 45. SAN, LAX, JFK, etc.

47. Sound made by sheep 50. Charli xcx’s brat ______ 51. Wanders 53. Stashes 56. Citizen of the “Emerald Isle” 58. SpaceX’s competition 59. Submarine sandwich with Italian meats, but the last syllable is misspelled 60. Not moving 61. Driver who plays Kylo Ren 62. Former Justice Scalia of the Supreme Court, but remove the last two letters 63. I ____ an arm and a leg for this! (past tense) 64. Expression of surprise 65. Adolescent, but repeat the last letter

66. Shortened agreement used in texts DOWN: 1. Plural form of a kite’s classic shape 2. “Oh _____, _____, wherefore art thou…”

3. “Back in Black” artist 4. Ocean + atmosphere 5. Pirate ship weapons 6. Sesame Street trash can dweller + “ene” 7. Used to practice hitting in baseball/ softball/golf 8. Fine = If you ___ __ 9. The seven ____ = The ocean 10. JoJo of Dance Moms 11. Company that sells TVs, cameras, electronics, etc.

12. Oscar _____ plays the character from 32 down 13. “But” in Spanish 20. I was right! = _ ____ it all along!

21. Expressions of indifference 24. Silver medal number + Lightning McQueen species 27. Olympic qualification round (informal) 28. Reason for being grumpy = I ___ _ ___ ___

29. “Eye” in Spanish 30. Thick, dark, liquid coal 32. Daring pilot in Star Wars VII, VIII, and IX 34. Loud collision noise 35. Reason for earning a gold medal 36. Solid form of water 37. Female protagonist in Harry Potter 39. Synonym for super; beauty brand 42. Jim Croce’s “______or (That’s Not the Way It Feels)” + “e”; verb for performing surgery 45. Three letters used to represent Australia at the Olympics 46. California’s northern neighbor 48. Earhart of aviation 49. Snow White has lips __ ___ as blood 50. Shrek’s home environment 52. “o” + tiny bite 53. Grab 54. Voila! = __-__!

55. “Bears” in Spanish (feminine) 57. Nickname for Linda 59. Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the ___