mark october

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W e l c o m e , this is The MArk. The MArk is a forum for students to share their best work:

This is your place for freedom of expression- to share your work with the community.

This is proof that not everything at M-A can be graded.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Johnson

Flash Fiction

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ou are at Starbucks, sitting on a worn coffee-colored sofa, in your favorite corner by the window. You’re supposed to be doing your calculus homework, but you get distracted listening to the muted patter of the raindrops on the windowpane.

For no specific reason, one of the drops catches your eye. It is a medium-sized raindrop, average in all ways. It rests lightly on the glass as the larger, plumper ones whiz past it, racing each other until they hit the bottom. Scattered across the glass are even tinier raindrops, so small that they can only hover, trembling, on the window’s surface until a larger one engulfs them with the intent to propel itself rapidly downward. You see your chosen raindrop struggle to join the others in the race across the glass, and you silently cheer it on once it finally begins its descent. With the tip of your index finger, you trace its angled path down the window’s surface, your fingerprints staining the foggy glass. You hope that it will succeed in reaching the bottom, you feel tense when it encounters an obstacle on its journey downward, you quiver with suspense as it dodges the drops that threaten the fulfillment of its goal. And when it is only six inches from reaching its ultimate destination in the bottom right hand corner, another droplet charges at it head-on and swallows it.

So your raindrop never makes it to the bottom, never realizes its greatest aspiration.

And though it was just an average raindrop, neither monstrously big nor pitifully small, you feel a certain compassion – empathy, even – because of all that it went through. You stare at the raindrops, the diversity of shapes, sizes, and abilities, the manner in which they interact, dodging, colliding, and merging, the way that they individually compete to reach the bottom only to coalesce, inevitably, into one giant puddle. There is something beautiful in the frustrating futility of their efforts. So beautiful, yet so melancholy. So melancholy, yet so beautiful.

Your name is called. You hear the barista shout your order – a nonfat, double chocolate frappuccino with whipped cream. As if it mattered.

On the way to get your drink, you notice that all the tables are full. You see a girl from school, you can’t remember her name, but she is waiting for a table and you invite her to sit with you. You talk with her. She is somewhat funny, though not especially witty, reasonably intelligent, but not brilliant in any way. She is a decent human being, exceptional in not being exceptional at all. She will grow up, have a family, be a good mother and a good wife, bring joy to some and disappointment to others.

She is perfectly flawed, perfectly human, lovably perfect. And suddenly, you feel a wave of compassion for her, and for the man who made your drink, and for the teacher who gave you your calculus homework. Suddenly, you love every single person in that room.

Rebecca Strehlow

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PHOTOGRAPHY Mao Mei Sonkin

b boobies ?

by Max C. Goldenstein

It’s a known fact that everybody loves boobies.

I’m speaking, of course, of the bracelets. Try walking down one of Menlo-Atherton High School’s many wings without seeing someone wearing a multi-colored, rubber wristband reading “I b Boobies.” These silly accessories exploded from a small article of clothing into sought after treasure to wear around one’s arm. People seem infatuated with the entire fad. Available in several different colors and shades, these “Boobies” bracelets have easily become the new Livestrong bands.

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However, these bracelets symbolize a much more serious matter than expressing one’s love for certain, female body parts. “Keep-abreast.org” has started producing and distributing these bracelets in order to raise much needed awareness for breast cancer. And what better way to do so than write a quirky message on a circular piece of rubber (especially during October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month anyone?).

The breast cancer awareness does not just stop at the students.

Rachel Andres, Teacher of the Year in the Sequoia Highschool District, is a strong opponent to the malicious disease. In fact, she took part in a 3-day walk of 60 miles in support for awareness.

So obviously, when inquired about the bracelets, she had great response. In fact, it turns out she has a large array of exciting Breast Cancer clothing. Not only does she own a simple “I b Boobies” bracelet but shirts that read“Save the Tata’s” and “I burned my buns for boobies!”

But with tongue-in-cheek humor such as this, certainly questions of appropriateness come up. Students have begun spreading fact-less rumors – spread in response to the “Keep-A-Breast” controversy in Fresno and Carlmont – that the Menlo-Atherton administration is cracking down on the bracelets.

The Fresno county District, for a period of time, did not “b” boobies. The Fresno Bee said that, “[The administration] confiscated forty bracelets.” Conflict over the issue continues today with valid arguments from both sides.

To those curious: no, there will be no action taken against M-A’s bracelet wearers. When questioned about the school’s views on the wristbands, Mr. Zito responded saying, “Our policy is going to be to tread lightly on it”. He made it clear that while the bracelets do somewhat go against the designated dress code, they are neither offending anyone nor disturbing anyone’s educational experience. As Zito continued, “It’s that whole balance of having a little bit of a sense of humor.”

Whether people wear the bracelets to make a statement, or simply to wear rebellious accessories, they are still helping out a worth while cause. Breast Cancer has affected multitudes of people and every bracelet makes a difference. “It’s really close to my heart,” said Christina Galliano, one of Menlo-Athertons teachers, “If we can find a cure to one cancer, we can find the cure to others.”

PHOTOGRAPHY J.P. Nash

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Can you you find find the the changes? changes?

Can The following pictures have ten differences.

Can you find and circle them all?

1) The girl on the right’s shirt is turquoise. 2) She has a bracelet. 3) The girl in the middle is missing her belly button. LOL. 4) Her headband is purple. 5) Her pants are missing the white stripe. 6) Her sunglasses are gone. POOF! 7) The water gun has blue parts . 8) The water gun is missing part of the label. 9) The tree in the upper right corner has more branches. 10) The curb is gone.

PHOTOGRAPHY Keara Haldeman

low mark Permenant lights postponed for the football field

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So like, the “Amazing Race” game at homecoming rally...?

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high mark New bell Schedule

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Homecoming at a museum... again

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M-A wins the homecoming football Death of Cowboy Giants make the game against The Thursday, rise of Postseason!!!

Kings Academy!

Intellectual Tuesday

A+++ Mr. Estrada stays another year!!

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Soon

My mother’s garden has grown gray and cracked Under his fixed heat Unwavering ‘til winter, her favorite roses count on soon water.

Buds hide and rest, cold colors to warm.

Her roses

They are not the only ones who wait.

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POETRY Addie Brian ART Maria Ikonomou PHOTO Suzie McMurtry

POETRY Addie Brian PHOTO Emily Johnson 15

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Cartoons

by Philip Whitman

just couldn’t describe my childhood without mentioning Bugs Bunny. For me, Saturday mornings were a time of pure happiness – a tumult of giggles and laughter.

Some of my fondest memories come from those mornings, sitting on the couch with my dad and my brother, cramped with laughter. Cartoons, while not the centerpiece of my childhood, were a streak of brilliant color, brightening it. Bugs Bunny, the Cookie Monster, Optimus Prime, they were all figures in my childhood remembered with a nostalgic fondness. It’s the same for many others. For my father, he remembers the Flinstones and the Jetsons – for my younger brother, SpongeBob Squarepants and Thomas the Tank Engine. There’s a golden age for nearly every individual – a time of simplicity and happiness, cream-pies and cookie eating. And at one point, we all grow up. We watch the shows we grew up on, fade into the unknown – unwatched, forgotten, cancelled – as our childhood ends. Just like us, cartoons age. The animation industry has undergone a progressive change of style and values as its audience has changed. This article celebrates the history of the cartoon and its impact on the mind of Americans in the past century.

1832 was a simpler time. There was no such thing as Technicolor or cathode ray tubes, just good, wholesome paper. The first animations were delivered by phenakistoscope, spinning wheels of paper with images, or frames, printed at points on the outside 16 of the circle. When

viewed through a slit, the spinning wheel displayed an animation, created by the individual printed images.

Despite its simplicity, it was the first invention to make a moving image – a technological breakthrough using principles of light explored by physicists such as the great Newton. From the phenakistoscope, more complex devices appeared. The phenakistoscope was soon succeeded by the flip book, then the zoetrope, and finally the praxinoscope, more commonly known as the first projector. Pioneering animators released cartoons similar to those today, more than mere repeating movements, but shorts with distinct beginnings and ends.

And as soon as animators established the technology for animation, cartoons became less of a scientific feat and more of a means of expression. Animators became entertainers rather than inventors. And, in some ways, cartoons became an art form as well as form of entertainment; it became a method of satirizing society and reflecting the thoughts of an age.

One such animator began his career in the rear of a small office building in Los Angeles. It was only a few years before the beginning of the Great Depression when Walt Disney was just beginning to build himself a studio. The stock market had not even crashed and Disney was still struggling to start his business. His first attempts to create a marketable cartoon series were often shot down by multiple setbacks. He lost the rights to

one of his first creations as well as the majority of his staff. But Disney had talent and a vision and finally, in 1928, Walt Disney released the first, full-length cartoon with synchronized sound: Steamboat Willie. The cartoon lacked both dialogue and plot. It followed a mouse as he rides a tugboat, moving cargo, beating animals, and dancing senselessly. But despite the cartoon’s apparent simplicity, Steamboat Willie was met with tremendous success. Disney’s triumph was not a product of thoughtful criticism or witty humor. Instead, his audience enjoyed the joyous and carefree nature of his cartoons.

Disney’s later releases brought more of that hopeful elation, victories over the gloom and melancholy of the Depression.

The singing and the dancing were all distractions from the decade’s misery, as well as a ray of hope for better times. Disney’s efforts brought cartoons into the mainstream and established the animation industry we know today.

From its humble beginnings in 1930 to the present, the animation industry has delivered to a vast American audience an equally expansive range of programs and shows.

Cartoons became a means of influencing the youngest generation of Americans. Cartoons weren’t necessarily restricted to entertainment and often times served other purposes. During

World War II, Bugs Bunny showed his patriotism by telling children to urge their parents to buy war bonds to fund the war effort. During the cold war, Rocky and Bullwinkle worked to keep the ‘jet fuel formula’ from the fiendish but inept Natasha Fatale and Boris Badenov, agents of the fictitious country, Pottsylvania. Over the years cartoons have shifted with the mind-set of the American public. The Jetsons captured the excitement sparked by the space race and the lunar landing.

Schoolhouse Rock reflected a decade of education reform. And today’s, Ni Hao, Kai Lan, shows the increasing influence of China on American culture. Cartoons have changed with American culture – grown, changed. From slapstick comedy to political undertones to moral and educational enrichment, cartoons have delivered to the youth a variety of subject matter, which is often indicative to the American mind-set.

But cartoons are still cartoons. We can’t just analyze the impact of Rocky and Bullwinkle by the amount of references it makes to the Soviet Union. We can’t judge the worth of Mickey Mouse by the number of viewers he’s reached. No matter its purpose, a cartoon is only as valuable as the happiness it has spread.

From a spinning wheel of printed pictures to a feature-length, IMAX movie, the cartoon has become an essential element of modern 17 culture.

by Anna Argente and Tevita Langi That’s hella chill rogue!! Students hear these words tossed around the hallways on a daily basis. These words are so commonly used that a lot of us don’t stop to think how they came about. Menlo-Atherton High School has brought out its own personalized Bay Area flavor.

A foreigner to the area just don’t understand our slang. And even some parents think slang is not proper enough and shouldn’t be used.

English teacher Ms. Strub says “slang is way for a disenfranchised group to be exclusionary.

Since the 1920s, at least, youth in America have adopted their own music, clothing styles and language in order to shock and offend adults.”

However, what these ‘haters’ do not realize is that slang is used to be more relatable to one another. Some parents, try as they might, just can’t get it right. They try to pick up on teenage trends. Abbreviating everything does not make you cool.

Time has been a huge aspect affecting what kind of slang people use. Over the years at Menlo-Atherton, there has been a wide range of slang words that people have used to express

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themselves. Strub continued to explain how “When I first started working here (in 1995), kids used “my bad” all the time. Thankfully, the phrase has faded away.” I’m sure many of you will agree. Slang words are derived from words that are used a lot in pop culture and relate to things that are popular for the time. Once disco clubs became lame, so did the word “groovy”.

Today students at Menlo-Atherton High School can be heard saying a variety of slang words. If you are not from the Yay Area then you may have a hard time deciphering the language. Slang is like a code that students speak because most adults and law enforcement don’t understand. To us, speaking this way is just like our own version of “Freedom of Speech”. Having a different way of speaking shows that Menlo-Atherton has its own unique style and contributes to what our students have to say.

d School - Old School - Old School - Old School - Old School - Old School - Old School - Old School - Old School - Old School - Old Sch

M-A SLANG

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Old School Slang • KOO • HIP • PEACE OUT • HIZZIE/HOUSE • DISSED • GRILL • HIGH FIVE • GROOVY • ESIE • HOMIES • PO-PO/5-0/THE MAN • SICK/TITE • HELLA • SCANDALOUS • WHACK • ILL • LAME • SCRILL • GNARLY • FAR OUT • CLOCKIN • SLIPIN • BUSTED • LICK • TO-UP FROM THE FLO-UP • BOUNCE • THAT’S ICY

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New School Slang • WOOFIN’ • CHILL • BRO • LAX • SUBBO • WOPIS • PIZZ • GIGGIN’ • TRIPPIN’ • CHILL/CHILLIN’ • SOLID • ACE KOON • WHAT’S GOOD? • WHAT’S CRACKIN’?

• BLUH/BLOOD • CUZ • SET TRIPPIN’ • CHECKED/PUNKED/SUCKA/MOLLY WHOPPED • HOOT/HOOPTY HOOT • NOCK • SNITCH • TRICK • DROP TOES • MAC • BLACK AND WHITES/5.0/ROLLAS • GANGA/TREE/SKUNK/MARYJANE • ROGUE • AIGHT • WHOOPTY-WOO • SMACKED/SPANKED • BANGIN’ • FLYIN’ HIGH/BLASTED • ROCKED/TRUCKED/BREAKIN • BUCKET 19 • FRESH

h o r o s c o p e s If you’re a....

Scorpio (Oct 23- Nov 21): This month is a little uneasy for you. You are tor n between focusing on school and your social life. Halloween is the per fect chance for you to forget about school and hang out with all the people you haven’t seen in a while. Take a break from essays and just eat a ton of candy. By the way, your love is probably a Cancer.

Famous Scorpio: Katy Perry, Matthew McConaughey,Owen Wilson

Aries (March 21- April 19) This month is the perfect time for you to show your true self with a creative Halloween costume, but don’t get carried away. Be careful on Halloween night when having fun. Also watch out for those random opportunities to increase your knowledge about those around you. Famous Aries: Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Hayden Christensen MatLanter

Taurus (April 20- May 20) There is a strong chance for you to increase your income this month. Your career and financial opportunities seem to be popping up all over the place.

Unfortunately your friends might become uneasy with you, don’t become greedy and make sure to remember your friends.

Famous Taurus: David Beckham, Pierce Brosnan

Gemini (May 21- June 20) This month might not be your best this year. You will have a hard time with your friendships. It might be time to mix things up from last year. Take a few chances. However this is a great time to find that perfect soul mate you have always dreamed about. Remember your schoolwork as well.

Famous Gemini: Johnny Depp, Natilie Portman, Shia Labeouf

Cancer (June 21- July 22) You might want to slow down this month, let others around do there thing and help when you can but don’t stress your self out like your used to doing. Relax focus on your self, you don’t need to always be there for your peers, they will live with out your constant help.

Famous Cancer: Tobey Maguire, Chace Crawford, Harrison Ford

Leo (July 23- August 22) This is the perfect time for you to go outside of your comfort zone and make a few changes in your life. Begin a new project and stick with it. From this you will find a possible soul mate. On the other hand this will take up much of your time and don’t forget those who have always been there for you.

Famous Leo: Daniel Radcliffe, Dustin Hoffman

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your financial problems have not gone unnoticed. You will come into a large reward soon. This could potentially lead you to rekindle a lost friendship. Go out on the edge and mix things up in your life. Change up your schedule and the way you usual carry out your daily life.

Famous Virgo: Charlie Sheen, Hugh Grant, Nicole Richie

Libra (September 23- October 22) You are in a great position to go enjoy your self. You are secure in your studies and social life. Go enjoy your self and have fun. Every once In a while you need to show your fun side to others. Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone, let loose.

Famous Libra: Matt Damon, Hugh Jackman, Usher Raymond, Zac Efron, Eminem

Sagittarius (November 22December 21) Lately you love life has been disappointing. Don’t give up yet.

There is someone out there you just don’t know it yet. Someone you never expected will appear and be a little awkward at first you will come to realize you want this person to be more than friends.

Famous Sagittarius: Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Foxx, Jake Gyllenhaal

Capricorn (December 22- January 19) a lot has been on your mind recently a lot of which has to do with a special person. Take a risk, go for it, and talk to that special someone you have had your eyes on. You never know what your missing until its gone. Remember you have nothing to lose.

Famous Capricorn: Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Patrick Dempsey

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Be careful as the upcoming holiday comes around the corner. There are high suspicions that an unfortunate occurrence will happen to you unexpectedly. Don’t let that stop you from having a great holiday celebration but be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Famous Aquarius: Shakira, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Jordan

Pisces (February 19- March 20) You have been holding back lately unsure of who you can trust and who is just playing you. Don’t be afraid to let your self go and have a great time Halloween. Put on a creative costume that makes you feel comfortable and rock that outfit. Make others notice you Famous Pisces: Eva Longoria Parker Carrie Underwood, Chuck Norris

Olivia Baker

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I mm u n e Suzie McMurtry

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rather small M-A student walks along the green towards the “men’s” bathroom. He transfers his purple laminated bathroom pass from his hand to his mouth to hoist up his sagging jeans. As he held that pass between his lips, I thought, what a great way to transfer diseases. The particular plasticcovered pass each of us holds, hopefully in our hands, probably makes thwat journey about 10 to 40 times a day. Teacher’s desk, to hand, to countertop, to hand, to..oops..floor.

Now some would say that they “don’t care about germs”, and I might be one of those people.

But to think about the places these little plastic sheets have been doesn’t make me feel very good when even thinking about touching one.

We must consider what could be a better and potentially safer choice. Maybe a handwritten note or access to student stamp cards. Also, if you were to take a look in the back of your planner, you would see that the whole back page is dedicated to hallway passes. This could be very effective. But the decision to use this paper is not one made by students or administration, but is completely “up to the teachers”, AVP Judy Duran says. This

is not a popular choice. Nothing seems to be very convenient or to improve the cleanliness of the situation. No pass? Hmmm. But it would be so easily abused… Maybe we just avoid putting said pass in our mouths?

Keyboards, doorknobs, borrowed pens, desks, these things we touch at school constantly are covered with just as many germs, if not more, than these bathroom passes. Now while this immediately comes off as a negative aspect of school, these germs may be saving your life. Being exposed to certain germs now, as adolescents, could make us immune to infections and diseases later in life that come from those same germs. If every student slathered his or her hands with the hand-sanitizer that seems to be in every classroom before and after every excursion to the restroom, then maybe I wouldn’t have seen such a problem with this boy’s actions. But, maybe by putting that pass in his mouth, he will be less affected by the germs and bacteria on that plastic sheet. But wait. Here he comes out of the bathroom. As he walks towards pride hall he slides his hand along every locker that runs down the side of the green, holding the pass in his free hand.

21 PHOTOGRAPHY Suzie McMurtry

By Gabrielle Busque

M-A’s Famous Alumni

The MArk: How has attending Menlo-Atherton High School influenced your life?

Daniel Engelhardt: I very much enjoyed my experience at M-A. I found that the education prepared me for my time at UCLA. Also, the size of the campus and student body helped me develop skills to work with various types of people and handle myself in large groups. Just as importantly, many of the teachers provided a solid base of support and I continue to remain in contact with a lot of them, and have found them to be equally supportive post high school.

MA: Is there anything that you learned at M-A that you really appreciated?

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enlo-Atherton’s famous alumni are vast and ranges from athletes to writers. Lucky for us, The Mark was able to talk to two of the most recent famous alumnus who have achieved their dreams and lead successful careers.

Cheryl Burke, a sensation in the dance world, has won the show “Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS) several times. She has secured her place as a prominent member of the series, appeaing as herself on “the Ellen Degeneres Show”, “The View”, “The Tyra Banks Show”, and “Oprah”, as well as others. She has been on the Disney series “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody” as the character Shannon, and also choreographed “Toy Story 3”.

The MArk: What is the most prestigious or amazing experience that you have had in terms of your career so far?

Cheryl Burke: By far, the most influential experience in my life has been to be able to be a cast member on Dancing with the Stars. DWTS has afforded me the opportunity to start my own dance studio chain, Cheryl Burke Dance, associate with companies that 22 me to build my brand and form alliances with enable

charitable organizations as a way of giving back to the community.

MA: Have you accomplished any of your high school aspirations or dreams so far in your career?

CB: My dream while I was in high school was to be a professional dancer so yes I’ve been able to accomplish that.

MA: How did dance affect your life in high school?

CB: My parents always made sure that school came first but I did have to sacrifice a lot of things that regular students get to do for dance training.

MA: If you could tell one thing to the students of M-A regarding following their dreams, what would that be?

CB: It would be simply to have dreams and set goals. Without those two things what sort of drive would you have to succeed?

Daniel Engelheardt may not be a household name yet. But, his new film, “Alpha and Omega 3D” has definitely earned him recognition by many of M-A’s students. Being the production manager of such a successful movie has been the experience of a lifetime for him, and he even took the time to tell us about it.

DE: I’d say my favorite class was Government with Mrs. Martinelli because the curriculum was so vast in scope, in fact it inspired me to be a political science major at UCLA. Doing her final research paper substantially improved my analytical thinking as well as my research and writing skills. These skills have been invaluable, both in my career and

a feature length film, which I accomplished with Palo Alto, CA. Also, I always hoped to work at Lionsgate, which I am doing now. I have been very lucky in my career so far.

MA: Is there anything that you know now that you feel would have been important to know in when you were in high school?

DE: I would say not underestimating the value of what is being taught. During high school some classes felt boring or irrelevant, but I have found that for the most part if I did not take a class seriously, at some point I had to play catch up to make up for it.

“Explore your interests and find something that you are passionate about” -Daniel Engelheardt throughout

MA: How has being the production manager of such a successful movie as Alpha and Omega 3D affected your life?

DE: I learned a lot from being involved with “Alpha and Omega” and it has given me the opportunity to continue to be involved with Lionsgate.

Hopefully the lessons I learned will allow me to expand my role on our next project and provide a foundation on which I can college. continue to build my career.

MA: What is the most prestigious or amazing event or experience that you have had in terms of your career so far?

DE: The most exciting event for me was when we premiered Palo Alto, CA at the Tribeca Film Festival.

It was a true New York City red carpet experience, photographers and all, with the entire cast in attendance and the screening was overbooked to the point where I had to give up my seat. This was the culmination of a lot of hard work and it was such a thrill to see the goal my partners and I had when we started the venture finally realized. This led to the sale of the movie, which was another major milestone.

MA: Have you accomplished any of your high school aspirations/dreams so far in your career?

DE: Yes, in high school I hoped to eventually produce

MA: Any advice to the students of M-A about high school in general?

DE: My advice would be to explore your interests and find something that you are passionate about. I think it has been a real blessing for me to know what I wanted to do from such an early age. It allowed me to start laying the groundwork for my career in high school and definitely accelerated the process of achieving my goals.

MA: Did you know what you wanted to be (for your career)when you were in high school?

DE: Yes, I started pursuing a career in entertainment in high school.

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what animal

by Roger Upton

are you?

Add up the score of your answers as you complete the quiz, your totals at the end will show you your results.

1. You are hungry, what do you do?

1: Eat a small snack 2: Eat a ton I have a huge appetite 3:I don’t usually eat during the day 4: Wait for someone to bring me my food

day?

2. How do you normally spend your 1: Flying 2: Swimming 3: Eating 4: Sleeping

3. If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

1: No where I don’t like vacations 2: Somewhere with a nice beach 3: Anywhere with a forest 4: The African Savannah

4. What is your favorite hobby?

1: Hanging out with my friends 2: I like playing sports 3: Swimming in my pool 4: Playing Music

5. If you could be any animal

what would you be?

1: Lion 2: Eagle 3: Shark 4: Camel

4-7: Llama crest dolphinSquid The lcd for short, or llamateuthis infernalis, literally meaning ‘llama slash dolphin slash squid,’ is a small deep-sea cephalopod that lives in tropical to temperate waters. Unique retractile sensory Filaments that share commonalities with squid, dolphins, and Llamas alike, place the lcd in its own order. If ever encountered, the lcd’s are very fond of pineapple upside down cake 8-11: Hogwartian string Fish or Hogwartius grallator is a deep-sea FIsh named for its unusually long pelvic and caudal wands that allow it to spend most of its adult life standing on the ocean FLoor casting spells. It faces the prevailing current and eats by extending its pelvic FIn outward and waiting for small hippogriffs to drift towards it, at which point it reels them in towards its mouth.

12-15: Octalion or octium lionorum, literally meaning octopus of lion makes up the Swimmingius suborder, together with Lobsters, they make up the Pilosa order. Gaining their name from their diet of Small Amphibians, the octalion is commonly found in swampy parts of Central America.

16-20: Blatypus The Blatypus or Platypusinus Spectrum is the largest species of bat found in North America with a wingspan of nearly seventeen feet, this carnivorous nocturnal hunter weighs anywhere from one to seven kilograms. Found in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and parts of vanuatu, this mammal usually eats amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and small children. One offspring is produced each year and the male will generally sleep with the mother and child wrapped in a cocoon of its own wings.

SKETCH Maria Ikonomou

Editorial: Lighten Up!

By The M-A Bear News Editorial Board

Was it so surprising for our residential neighbors to wake up one morning and find themselves living next to a high school? M-A was founded in 1951, but perhaps we should have known that fifty-nine years is too short of notice to spring something like football games on the locals.

Yes, the Sequoia Union High School District brought in temporary lights in an attempt to sidestep the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that prevents or at least delays the installation of permanent ones. Yes, the town of Atherton has the right to bring this to a judge’s attention. And yes, the judge’s decision was perfectly reasonable. However, the very nature of the report itself is superfluous, because it can only show what we already know: students will be at school.

According to Protect Atherton’s Residential Character (PARC), the report is needed to evaluate the “potential harm to the neighbors of increased traffic, increased noise, increased influx of gangs or other non-residents, increased crime, and infiltration of bright lights, all during the evening, night, and weekend hours when no such harms presently exist.”

So let’s examine their concerns.

Traffic. Is the traffic for football games really going to be worse than traffic for the basketball games we hold at the exact same time? Or for the classes we attend every day? There will be traffic. But there is no reason to believe that Atherton can’t handle three evenings a year for which traffic is no more than on any school morning or afternoon.

As for the noise and “infiltrating” light, we hardly think that a football game that takes place before the noise curfew will cause more disruption than night games at Woodside, Sequoia, or thousands of other high schools in normal parts of the nation.

As for the gang members and “non-residents,” could these “non-residents” be the East Menlo Park and East Palo Alto students that pass to and from the Atherton neighborhood to get an education every single day? The same “gangs” who, though they attend Menlo-Atherton High School, do not have a 94027 zip code to their name?

Surely the only thing keeping them from pillaging your homes was the poor lighting.

PARC’s lawyer Anna Shimko claims that Menlo-Atherton “[has] not justified the need for the late use of the lights at all.”

However, Shimko seems unable to comprehend that winter sports are played in winter. Night falls at about five pm. Coaches have repeatedly explained in innumerable public settings that our new, later start time pushes games and practices into the later hours of the evening.

PARC has heard these reasons before, and ignores them.

In doing so, they deny the importance of having sports at all.

Instead of creating deliberate delays in an inevitable process, our neighbors should let the temporary lights stand. What better way to evaluate environmental impact than to see their effects firsthand?

Apparently there is no room in Atherton’s “residential character” for a high school football game. If given the chance, based on their intolerance for normal school functions, PARC would injunct Menlo-Atherton itself.

Photography J.P. Nash

PHOTOGRAPHY Laurin Noguchi

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PHOTOHRAPHY Mao Mei Sonkin

cast(e) list

by Bridget Magana

Back in the year 1989, the TV show Saved By the Bell was the typical standard for American high school student stereotypes. Your typical characters in the show were Zach Morris, class clown, Screech, the weird nerd, or Lisa, the gossip queen. TV stereotypes were obviously based off of real life- caricatures for the people one could find at their own high school. But today, teens watch a different type of TV- Gossip Girl, 90210, the O.C., Hell Cats, The Hills, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and One Tree Hill. These shows do not contain as “innocent” material as Saved By the Bell, where the most scandalous episode contained a character’s first kiss.

Today it is unusual if there is not twenty minutes of make-out scenes in the weekly show. There is an outrageous contrast between the portrayal of morals and naivety of the 1980’s teenagers and the teenagers of the 21st century for instance. For instance, the main characters of 90210 have done everything from hit and runs to having sexual affairs with women three times their age. This contrast calls us to question why our social acceptance has changed so dramatically since the era of Saved By the Bell. The media has had a heavy influence on the change of teenage ideals and stereotypes. These stereotypes aren’t necessarily bad, but do we want lustful and irrational behavior to be so prevalent in our lives? Will teenagers become less innocent, and will children in middle school be influenced at an earlier age? The thought of a 12 year old in middle school doing what a high school student does now is really frightening. The recent trend in reality TV must make us think about our change in values, people are becoming overly exposed to an increasingly unrealistic lifestyle. In shows like these, the main characters look perfect, after every crime they commit. Unfortunately, 90210 really influences teenagers to act like the characters in the show, even though we should know better.

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27 PHOTOGRAPHY Jp Nash

Family

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rison is a frightening place, not just because of how it looks, but also because of the people that are in there.

They like to prey on the weak in there. If you show any type of weakness, they will dominate you.

Most people who end up in prison are there because they were in a gang. They most likely joined a gang because no one was there to raise them at home. They depended on the streets to raise them.

I know this because I have an uncle who is in prison. I went to go and see him this Labor Day weekend and he was very happy to see me. The last time he saw me, I was four years old. It’s been eleven years.

When I saw him, I didn’t know that he was my uncle. The only way I knew it was him was because he was my other uncle’s twin brother. My uncle is in a maximum-security prison. There are four levels in which your security is based. My uncle is in a level four security prison, the highest level.

We were inside of a small area filled

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r

Photograghy Prescott Foland

Behind s

with a bunch of other people who were there visiting their family members. You and your family were allowed to go outside, but it was an even smaller area than the visiting room and surrounded by walls, guards, and barbwire. The visitors didn’t care about how much space there was for them to spend time with the their loved ones. They’re just happy that they get to spend time with them.

In the area outside, there was an old couple that didn’t do anything the whole time but walk around in circles holding hands and staring at each other. To me, that means that no matter where they are and how far apart they are, love will always get them through tough times.

While we were visiting, I noticed a big light flashing in the background. Suddenly, the guards yelled, “everyone get down on the ground”. We were on the ground for about ten minutes. While we were on the ground, about ten to fifteen guards ran inside to where all the prisoners were. When the guards ran inside, the door was open. There had been a fight. One of the two men was

being carried out on a stretcher. The other man was tasered, and then taken to solitary confinement. My little cousin that came with me was afraid, but my uncle held her tight, and told her that it was going to be ok.

After everything was over, I looked at my uncle. I didn’t tell him, but I was thinking to myself that he has to go through this everyday. It must be hard. Mainly because every corner you turn you must watch your back and be ready to defend yourself. This meeting showed me that in prison there are always people watching you, just waiting for you to slip up. These people are lucky if they get a visitor twice a year. Some people haven’t had one visitor since they’ve gotten their sentence. Because of this, people in prison end up forming their own family, a gang. They do this because they need someone to have their back.

But what people don’t get is that prisoners are still people—not animals. They are just people that have had a rough time getting through life. Its just that they made the wrong decision that changed the outcome

of their life. What most people need to see is that it’s really easy to do what’s wrong and hard to do what’s right.

Students need to know that prison isn’t a walk in the park. They need to know that it’s actually hard. You may think that if you go to prison, you’ll be a gangster when you get out. You must also realize the fact that there is always a chance you won’t make it back out.

You must also know that when your doing time, your family is doing time with you. And that what ever affects you, affects you family. They’re going to be the ones that will always love you and comes and visit.

People may say, “yeah, I got your back, I’ll always be there for you”. But what they don’t understand is that those are just words, and that no matter what, your family will be the one to be there to support you, always.

Why did I share this with you? Well because my uncle doesn’t want me to follow in his footsteps, and I hope that you won’t either. I hope that you take the advice that he has passed on to me.

Tevita Langi

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PHOTOGRAPHY Brooke Delly

by Jeff LaPlante

M

enlo-Atherton has had multiple traditions that have either continued for generations, or only just sparked. Rallies are considered an older tradition, where the Fashion show and the Guatemala trip are traditions that are only just forming. M-A is unique because of these distinct traditions.

Though over the years, these traditions tend to alter, their essence is present during the school year.

Over the decades, rallies have changed from the performances, to the MCs, etc. About 15 years ago, rallies were considered much more interactive. According to Mr. Amoroso, the old MC at the rallies said they would start off with him entering the gym with Mr. Giambruno and Mr. Fontana, and throw a football back and forth.

Amoroso had access to Woodside High School, and to get students excited for the sports events he would have a student dressed in a Wildcats mascot, and have another student dressed as a Bear, fight. The crowd would go wild, and the team would cheer as well.

Next, the MCs would set up a piñata of the opposing mascot, and smack it with a baseball bat until it burst. To top it all off, the MCs would hoist up the Homecoming King and Queen on a throne and they would be carried throughout the gym. The focus during the rallies back then was based on interactions with the crowd, where as today, it is more performances and games and songs playing.

Though both rallies are incredible and fun, they have drastically changed from about 15 years ago. Before rallies, the leadership students attempt to organize a spirit week before the rallies, to get students excited about the even that I about to occur. Seeing students dress in eccentric clothing, or express a certain theme gets

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students excited about the rally.

The M-A Fashion Show is another ongoing tradition that been going on since 2003. This year, the main delegates Jill Smith, Suzanne Amato, and Karen Armstrong put on a fundraiser for M-A by showing off the styles of local stores. As Jill Smith put it, “We like to put the kids in clothes they’re comfortable in”.

Jill Smith has been working with fashion show productions for 4 years, and her main objective is to always help the seniors flaunt their cool outfits in a fun performance. Jill Smith’s goal is to recreate the energy that she had in the old gym with a platform that she no longer has. With last year’s theme being M-A in the Street, students are anticipating what this year’s theme will be.

Over the years, they have had about 200 volunteers helping with or participating in the fashion show.

The trip to Guatemala led by the non-profit organization Global Visionaries has also been a tradition that is worth continuing.

Students on this trip experience life from a third world country’s perspective. Students from M-A meet up with students from Colorado, and join together in their host family’s house. The roommates bond over the experience, and it is not a trip you’ll forget. It’s not all fun and games though, because for the two weeks that you’re there, you go through about a week of working with construction, reforestation, or the hospital. All groups contribute to the community, and make an incredible difference in Guatemalan society. This inspirational trip began in 2000 and has continued to inspire many Guatemalans and M-A students alike.

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How A Sports Physical Saved PSATs, SATs, and GPA. These are the most common words a typical high school student will hear about. But EKGS, Echos, MRIs, and Open-Heart Surgery? Not so much. During the summer of 2009, I was introduced to this new set of vocabulary.

I made the M-A Dance Team my freshman year, and I had to have a sports physical; something that should have been just a normal visit to the doctor’s office to get my papers signed off. Prior to the preparticipation physical exam, I was thought to be totally healthy. I had played competitive soccer since I was 5 years old, and there was nothing that made me question my health. I thought nothing of this check up, and honestly, I thought it was a waste of my time. At the exam, it was noted that I had exceptionally high blood pressure, and the next thing I knew, I was at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital having a battery of tests on my heart. I had to have multiple EKGs, which is an electrocardiogram that displays my heartbeat. Then, I had to have an Echo (echocardiogram), which shows the action of the heart using ultrasound waves to produce a visual display. Upon further evaluation, my cardiologist explained that I was either going to have open-heart surgery, or a less complicated procedure that involved a stent. After the MRI, I was found to have a type of congenital heart disease called aortic coarctation, meaning I needed immediate open-heart surgery.

On July 28, 2009, I underwent corrective open-heart surgery. I was kept in the Intensive Care

Unit, and after eight days, I was finally sent home. Three weeks before starting freshman year of high school, I was still recovering from surgery.

Although it has already been more than a year since the surgery, I still have restrictions on

what I can do. I cannot lift weights, or do push-ups, and I cannot play competitive sports that would risk contact to my chest. If I were to do these things the result could be fatal. I also am restricted to carrying a maximum weight of 20 pounds. Something as simple as carrying a backpack at school is still an issue because of this.

After digesting this entire situation that I just went through, I realized that making the Dance Team and having my sport’s physical literally saved my life. I am one of the rare kids whose life was saved by a routine pre-participation physical exam. By going through the many screening exams, they discovered my heart disease that has been present since birth but had gone undetected until adolescence.

As my cardiologist says, “[Lauren] is a positive example of exactly why that process – which otherwise often feels cumbersome to everyone involved – exists”. I cannot express enough the importance of going to have a routine check-up and pre-participation sports physical is. Although you might think having to

Desert Spring

By Conrad Yu

I dream I am in a desert, Where ubiquitous are the dunes.

Forget clear blue water, Because the sand sets the mood.

Endlessly and hopelessly, I’ll walk on for days and days.

I’m trapped inside my little glass, Until I find some shade.

Mirages tease me and soothsayers appease me, But I know they’re all just untruths.

They can change or contort the shape of my face, But my heart is caught in a loop.

A misstep causes me to tumble, And I fall off my beaten path.

Falling down I smash my leg, What have I done to deserve this wrath?

But the misstep causes me to stumble Upon a desert spring.

Though caught in an ocean of sand, This oasis remains green.

Oh Sihaya my desert spring, I have traveled so far in despair.

Please let me rest in your comforting shade, Where I’m protected from dry air.

Oh Sihaya my beloved desert queen, Soothe me, for I am all alone.

Everywhere I’m an outsider, But with you I’m safe at home.

take time away from your day to go have a sports physical may be a complete annoyance and a waste of time, it could also save your life – just like it did for me.

-Lauren Smith

32 ILLUSTRATION Maria Ikonomou

PHOTOGRAPHY Laurin Noguchi

33 PHOTOGRAPHY Rachel Fox

Guess Who?

2.

Figure out which baby photo belongs to which current M-A teacher.

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Answers in key below

“When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher” -Ms. Woodcock

5.

4.

“When I was younger I wanted to be an undercover cop” -Mr. Kryger

“When I was younger I wanted to be a pediatrician or an interior designer for the rides at Disneyland” “When I was younger I want-Ms. Payne ed to be a translator for the United Nations” -Ms. Galliano

8.

7.

6.

11.

9.

12.

10.

13.

“When I was younger I wanted to be an actor” -Mr. Senigaglia

14.

“When I was younger I wanted to be a meteorologist on a Spanish television show” -Ms. Snow

“When I was younger I wanted to be an engineer” -Ms. Otsuka “When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher” -Ms. Ryne

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“When I was younger I wanted to be superman” -Mr. Amoroso

“When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher” -Ms. Todd

“When I was younger I wanted to own a martial arts studio” -Mr. McBlair “When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher” -Mr. Snow “When I was younger I wanted to be a doctor” -Ms. McMills

“When I was younger I wanted to be a nurse” -Ms. Andres

KEY 1: Mr. Kryger 2: Ms. Snow 3: Ms. Andres 4: Ms. Galliano 5: Ms. Payne 6: Ms. McMills 7: Mr. Senigaglia 8: Ms. Ryne 9: Mr. McBlair 10: Mr. Amoroso 11: Ms. Woodcock 12: Ms. Todd 13: Mr. Snow 14: Ms. Otsuka

1.

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Fashion Then and now...

Fashion evolves with time, trends go in and out of style, and people pull inspiration from past decades. This shoot is a glamce at a few of M-A student’s unqiue senses of style. Taken around M-A’s campus and surrounding community, this shoot aims to feature the different fashions around our campus.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Mao Mei Sonkin DIRECTOR Sofia Gutierrez-Dewar 41

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e h T

Flaming Lips...

“Next time we are playing on the

From the second the 27-year old band (led

by Wayne Coyne) walked onto the stage to the second they stepped off it, confetti was patrolling the skies, strobe lights were attacking the audience, and large balloons were careening off the heads of the concert-goers, rendering the classic concert beach ball ineffective and creating an overwhelming experience for the audience.

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Formed in 1983, the band hails from Oklahoma, has 13 albums to date and is one of the most intense and awe-inspiring live acts ever. Now touring behind their latest album, Embryonic, the Flaming Lips have pulled out all the stops. The show opened with the Lips tradition of lead singer, Wayne Coyne, rolling around on top of the audience in his signature “space ball”, and from there the concert just got crazier. Giant hands with lasers shooting out of them, a megaphone with fog flowing out of it, and a strobe light hung from the neck of Mr. Coyne created the illusion of being in a world where only music and pure fun exist. However, the music itself would have created this feeling. The setlist drew heavily from the new album while still including older classics like Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1, and She Don’t Use Jelly, all of which induced sing-along’s that brought the entire audience to their feet in euphoric excitement.

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T h e entire Flaming Lips’ show - the “space ball”, the laser hands, or even just the energy the band exudes - defies the expectations of a band that has been around for 27 years. Hell, most young bands can’t put on a show like that. Yet, the Flaming Lips do this on a nightly basis and don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon, making them one of the best live acts around. However, the best part about the Flaming Lips isn’t the aforementioned acts, instead it is something that you wouldn’t notice by watching the band. The craziest aspect of the Flaming Lips is their multi-generational impact. On one side of the audience you might see your younger brother’s friend and then on the other side is that 10-year old’s mom, both of whom are dancing to the music and having a great time. This act of people of all ages joining together is just what their music is all about. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, or what age you are, everyone is welcome at a Flaming Lips concert. The whole attitude of the band seems to be summed up in the lyrics Wayne Coyne sings during the song In the Morning of the Magicians, “What is love and what is hate? And why does it matter?”

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by Nicky H ug

Aim for the sky and you’ll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling and you’ll stay on the floor.

– Bill Shankly 46

Photography Prescott Foland 47

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