THE
LANCER
EXPRESS
carlsbad high school carlsbad, ca october 2014 volume 28, issue 1
The Lancer Express
CONTENTS 27
5 10
20
13
21 24 NEWS
4 News briefs 5 Dr. Steitz farewell 6 The New iPhone 6
OPINION
8 Class scheduling causes chaos 9 Beach attire 10 Pro/Con: Surveillance cameras
2 LANCER EXPRESS contents
FEATURES 13 17 18 19 20
Boiling over Uniting all grades Where are they now? Moving forward When there’s a Will
SPORTS
24 Dylan Rutledge 25 Boys waterpolo 26 Connor Crowe
A&E 21 Fall musical 22 Drew Chadwick 23 ‘90s fashion
PHOTO
27 September snapshot
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
THE PAPER ULTIMATE PRESSURE
T
VS.
MAGAZINE
here are 622 different types of fonts in Microsoft Word. Each with its own separate amount of options on whether the font can show up as bold, italicized, thin or even italicized and bold. When looking on the Internet, countless font search engines bring in thousands of more options. That’s more than 1,500 options on how a word appears to a reader. Now take that font choice decision, and multiply it by the amount of headlines, articles, photo captions, infographics, bylines, pull quotes, advertisements, sidebars and
folio lines seen on every page of this magazine. For 28 pages. After all of those calculations and long lists, hopefully the understanding is clear of the amount of decision, time, collaboration and stress that goes into the production of this student-run news magazine. Despite all of those scary numbers, after determining which fonts apply to where, only one tiny part of the magazine has been decided. By far the hardest factor of production is establishing the material--the story ideas, writing, photography, design elements and artthat makes it on the page. Our staff spends hours on end pouring over every detail, deciding on the perfect headline, shot or layout. But it is the perfect combination of these laborious yet crucial details that allows us to relate each story—each struggle—that we highlight in our work to you, the reader. From the first to the final page, every idea of this redesign was born from the mind of a dedicated staff member, all who grovel through this process to give a voice to our students, to our school and to our community. With this purpose in mind, we as an editorial team aspire to coherently communicate this voice, and desire for our featured material to resonate with all. From newspaper to news magazine, thank you for taking the time to read our redesigned production, and we hope you enjoy.
Madison McMurray, Editor-in-Chief
Olivia Langen, Section Editor
Natalie Cortez, Managing Editor
Tyra Wu, Section Editor
Chloe Young, Section Editor
The Lancer Express is written and edited by the students of the Advanced Journalism class. All content and editorial decisions are made by the student editorial board. Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire staff, Carlsbad High School or the Carlsbad Unified School District. As a public forum for student expression, Lancer Express welcomes letters to the editor but reserves the right to refuse inappropriate or anonymous letters. Both sides of any issue are welcome here. Letters must be directed to room 3104 to the editor-in-chief or by email to chslancerexpress@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for grammar and/or length.
letter from the editors
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News Briefs by Chloe Young
Overcoming the Culture Shock
A
by Andrea Aspajo
slap in the face, culture shock, language barrier, whatever people wish to call it will never change. Moving to a new country include hardships, just like the ones faced by juniors Mike and John Huang, two Chinese twins who immigrated to the U.S. two years ago. Regardless of such obstacles, these two brothers jumped straight into challenging math and science honors courses. “It’s admirable because when you have any students that come from an international background, they have so much more to learn than just the content,” Penrod said. Both of the twins admit their favorite classes are Chemistry 1-Honors, Physics 1-Honors and Pre-CalculusHonors because they find them easy. More language based classes like English or U.S. History prove difficult. When it comes to culture, though, adjusting takes on a whole different story. “The hardest part is fitting into the American culture. The talking is different between the two cultures. Everyday behavior. Americans say thanks a lot,” Mike said. “They say thanks to mom, thanks to dad, thanks to everyone, but in China, we don’t say thanks to our close friends, our parents or our relatives. We feel we don’t have to.” Relationships themselves, apart from the common day to day interactions, seem strange to them, too. Not just in the in the friendly aspect, but dating to be exact. Not everyone in the world views early relationships as liberally as the United States. “Having boyfriends and girlfriends. Teachers see it as a very normal thing, but it’s not,” John said. “Like in China, students aren’t supposed to date at all. More like in university or college.” In spite of the differences, they enjoy their lives in Carlsbad. They love the beach and the mild, sunny weather. Most of all, they like the American style of learning, which to them, remains significantly less demanding than the one they faced in their home country. According to John, the reduced stress feels nice and he appreciates the relaxed learning environment. “In China, the teacher’s will force you to complete the homework, but here they just say if you don’t complete the homework, you don’t get the credit,” John said. “We don’t have credit in China. You just have to, or consequences are serious.” Unlike foreign exchange students, Mike and John Huang came here to stay. They left their home and traveled thousands of miles start their lives anew in the United States. Most importantly, they have goals and ambitions for this new life they must adjust to. “I want to get a good education here and go to college, like University of California, maybe UCLA, UCSD, or Berkeley,” Mike said. As they continue their journey of adaptation to American culture, these Chinese twins still have many challenges to tackle ahead of them and in a way this applies to any normal high school student under pressure during these tough years. Guidance counselor, Susan Penrod thinks that, ultimately, there is much to learn from either side whether American or Chinese. “Culture is a kind of two-way street,” Penrod said. “We learn things and they change us, and we share things and they change others.
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L A N C E R E X P R E S S n ew s
The Color Run Returns to San Diego
A
new kind of run is coloring the stereotypical 5k races with a new and interesting brush. The Color Run is coming on Oct. 11. For those who don’t know what The Color Run is, it is s a fivekilometer, untimed race in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. The run starts at 8:45 a.m. and it is $40 per person for a team of four and for a solo run, it is $45. Everyone who registers for the run also gets an official Color Run Race kit, including a custom t-shirt, tricolor headband, shoulder sling bag and tattoos. Before the fun begins though, runners must follow two strict rules. All participants must wear white and they must finish the race completely covered in color. This year, the run is also partnering with the charity, Camp Kesem. The charity provides children through and beyond a parent’s cancer with a peer-support network that recognizes and understands their unique needs. This summer, Camp Kesem will serve over 4,000 children, ages 6-16, with fun and support through free summer camps led by passionate college students. The fun does not stop after Color Runners complete the run; there will be a fun Finish Festival. This larger than life party is equipped with music, dancing and massive color throws which create millions of vivid color combinations. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of it?
San Diego Welcomes Scavenger Hunters
S
an Diego turns into a giant game board this Oct. with a fun scavenger hunt adventure. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a three-hour city tour. Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well known and overlooked treasures of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history. The adventure will start in Old Town and will take participants on a journey among the historic buildings and interesting monuments. Next participants will head to Little Italy on a short Trolley ride to discover the secrets of the area and, lastly, scavenger hunters will walk downtown to the waterfront to see old ships and the historic war memorials. Each stop on the way involves challenges, riddles and other fun interactive activities. For anyone who wants to participate, sign up at www.urbanadventurequest.com and it is $49 for a team of 1-5 people. Potential scavenger hunters can start any time after 9:00 a.m for this exciting adventure.
50 people under observation for possible exposure to Ebola Virus
Turkey Demands an Apology from United States Vice President
A
T
fter the first Ebola patient, Thomas Eric Duncam, was identified in the United States, many became fearful of the potential spread of this virus. With 3,400 killed in West Africa already, the concern for something like this happening in the U.S. is a valid one. After sending crews to decontaminate Duncan’s Texas home, health officials said they managed to narrow the number of people they were monitoring from as many as 100 to about 50 who had some type of exposure to Duncan. The fact that these people have to be under observation at all is Duncan’s fault. When leaving Liberia, he lied and answered “no” to questions about whether or not he interacted with any patients who contracted the virus. Witnesses say Duncan had been helping Ebola patients in Liberia and the Liberian community leader, Tugbeh Chieh Tugbeh, said Duncan was caring for an Ebola-infected patient at a residence in Paynesville City, just outside Monrovia. No matter what actually managed to bring the Ebola Virus in the United States is inconsequential. Those with possible exposure are closely monitored and the U.S. Federal health officials are confident that they can handle the virus.
ensions continue to rise as the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, (ISIS), escalates. The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demanded an apology from United States Vice President, Joseph Biden, after his speech at Harvard Kennedy School. Biden claimed that Erdogan admitted to erring in allowing foreign fighters to cross Turkey’s border into Syria, leading to the rise of the Islamic State terrorist group. In regards to an apology, the Turkish President said he would not accept brief indirect statements and he was not disappointed. Biden apologized to the Turkish President via phone call. In Biden’s defense, however, there is widespread evidence that Turkey’s long, porous border has enabled thousands of militants to cross onto the Syrian and Iraqi battlefields since the Syrian civil war began in 2011. Differences aside, Turkey is expected to define the role it will play in the U.S. led coalition against the Islamic State militants who have captured a swath of Iraq and Syria, in some cases right up to the Turkish border. The influx of allies added to the United States coalition reveals that ISIS is more than the JV basketball team that President Obama compared them to earlier in the year.
Dr. Steitz shares a laugh with senior Mac Harden. Harden is a member of Champion Lancers—a program Dr. Steitz brought over from San Marcos. Even up until his last day, Steitz continues to assist students in any way he could.
Saying a bittersweet goodbye to Dr. Steitz by Elijah Hernandez and Tyra Wu
W
hen most students think of the principal of a school, they think about a person who sits behind a desk and tries to make school even more stressful. However, as much as the Principal Dr. Matt Steitz takes pride in his work, he takes pride in the students even more. After serving as principal for three years, Oct. 3 will mark Dr. Steitz’s last day at CHS. Even though Dr. Steitz will be moving to the Vista school district, his influence and legacy will remain as the success of the school and the community owes much to Dr. Steitz. With new programs like Lancer Track which gives students new incentive for showing up on time, or College Tuesdays which allows students to represent their favorite school; Dr. Steitz has made Carlsbad a safe and fun community by bringing the school together through various events and activities. When the principal position opened up at Carlsbad; Dr. Steitz jumped at the opportunity. “It is a community type of school,” Dr. Steitz said. “You need to really be out there. You have to be visible, you have to connect with the students and you have to connect with the community.”
Dr. Steitz keeps in tune with the students by attending a multitude of school events and sports games. Even on normal school days, Dr. Steitz will hop out of his office and help out with Lancer Track or even help other faculty monitor the lunch environment. Dr. Steitz also has used his position to start some of the schools most highly-regarded programs. “We’ve instituted the Champion Lancer program, which talks about our kids being great kids and being drug and alcohol free,” Dr. Steitz said. “We have great kids that do great things, so I look for opportunities to celebrate that.” Throughout his time here, Dr. Steitz has aimed to maintain positive relationships with the students. Steitz frequently works personally with the students, particularly ASB members. Senior, ASB Member and Champion Lancer Shelby Lee gained great advice and guidance from our principal. “He’s a big advocate for the Champion Lancer program, and it always made me more interested in it because I knew that was good program based on his support for it,” Lee said. “He’s been my principal for the whole time I have been here, but Carlsbad is good at
photo by Jordan Waits
photo by Jordan Waits Dr. Steitz gets his ducks in order before his last day with assistant principal Mrs. Redfield and ASB finance tech Mr. Simonds. After three years as principal, Steitz is moving to the Vista school district.
adjusting, and he has laid good foundation to start building off of.” Dr. Steitz also used his influence to assign the best suited people for certain positions. With the help of Steitz, Mrs. Waters was hired as the new Athletic Director after the previous AD, Mr. Liebentritt decided to fill the fulltime assistant principal position. “Dr. Steitz has built something here that’s great,” Mrs. Waters said. “I think the kids respect him, the teachers respect him, the admin respects him; he’s been an amazing leader while he has been here.
He is definitely going to be missed.” When all said and done, Dr. Steitz’s influence will last long after his departure. Dr. Steitz has built a foundation for Carlsbad to build and thrive upon in these upcoming years. “I would like to thank the students. I think the students here are amazing, and the staff as well, everyone has made me feel welcome ever since I got here,” Dr. Steitz said “Anytime you get a chance to be out there as the Principal of Carlsbad High School, you just beam with pride.”
n ew s
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Taking a bite out of the big
Apple
by Emilio Gonzalez and Tyra Wu
T
he wallet is steadily losing relevance with the American lifestyle. However it’s not just the money clip thats finding its way out of people’s pockets. Phones, cameras, calendars, maps, computers and alarms are just some of the key appliances added to Apple’s new generation of tech for this fall. Yet again the jewel of this generation, Apple’s release of the long-awaited iPhone 6, once again takes over the show. Every year for the past four years, Apple releases its new iPhone, a benchmark for technological progress. However, there are customers that find this annual release frustrating. “I’m really excited for the iPhone 6 and all, but I’m really over having to want to update and buy the new upgrade every year, which money-wise is not going to happen,” senior Matt Muilenberg said. Although many people still remain skeptical of converting to Apple products, Apple has seemingly made quite the overhaul this fall. Specs on the iPhone 6 include a 4.7 inch regular size screen or, for a higher price, the larger
6 L A N C E R E X P R E S S n ew s
iPhone 6 plus packs 5.5 inches of space on its surface. All which belittles their 4-inch iPhone 5 cousin. “I think the larger screen might be better for the reason that some people might find it easier to operate since they it’ll read and type better since the buttons are bigger,” senior Brandon Scharaga said. Not only is the iPhone at its biggest, but it’s also at its thinnest with a 6.9 millimeter width. Nonetheless, there much more to this device than hardware. Software includes an A8 chip, M8 processor, and a new 64-bit desktop-class architecture. These specs maybe mean nothing to the average customer, but to the few who do understand, perhaps this will drag them out of the come get them on board with Apple products. “I never really buy iPhones because I have an Android, but it’s just because I don’t like the way they work. If they get faster and better I might check it out,” Scharaga said. As usual, upgrades were made to the screen resolution, Retina Display, and HD video camera. After the popular addition of slo-mo to the slew of recording options on the iPhone 5s, Apple followed it up with their new time-lapse feature on the iPhone 6 which creates landscape videos like never before. Also bringing along a wider viewingangle and an upgrade of the overall picture quality with the new Retina HD Display which goes up to a 1920x1080 resolution display on the iPhone 6 plus. “Honestly, when it comes to getting new iPhones, I mainly just get them for the better cameras,” senior Drake Kelly said. “As soon as I see pictures that look better than the ones my phone takes, it ticks me off.” Although the excitment about iPhone 6 exceeds the usual amount of hype for Apple products, skeptics believe the size of the successor will
be the downfall of its performance. However, those who have gotten a hold of the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus see it instead as an improvement. “Before I thought it was going to be really hard to hold, but honestly I think it’s easier than the iPhone 5 to hold as crazy as that sounds,” junior Veronica Bray. “Just the way that they shaped and curved it just makes it way easier and faster to use.” This year, Apple took a couple rounds from their competitors when they released the Apple Watch. The Silicon Valley powerhouse made a stamp by releasing their most personal device yet. Unlike the iPhone, the Apple Watch takes a step closer into our lives by bringing many of the iPhone’s features such as music, calling, messages, mail and more to our wrist. The Apple Watch also comes in an assortment of styles including the Standard Watch, Watch Sport and Watch Edition. However the Watch requires an iPhone 5 or later model in order to function. “The Apple Watch would be sick as heck, because I could do so much more stuff with way less effort, ” sophomore Mitch Horan said. Even faced with competition from numerous companies, Apple has been at the forefront for commercial technological innovation for the past ten years and it seems that this big roll-out is going to keep them riding the wave for the near future. “Apple is always on their game with the latest tech,” Kelly said. “So I don’t think they’re going to mess this one up”
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O C TO B E R
7
Class scheduling causes chaos
editorial board
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fter years of meticulous scheduling to meet college requirements, students often look forward to senior year, when they are finally free to take the classes they want and scheduling issues are just a bad memory from their days of being underclassmen. But, unfortunately, this dream of effortless class selection shattered within the first few weeks of school. During the beginning of the year, some scheduling issues are to be expected, as students do the annual class shuffle involving endless trips to the counselor’s office and frustrated complaints. However, what normally dies down within the first three weeks has continued. This annual schedule swap affects more and more students this year. With the combination of the AP government classes into a single period, many seniors continue to receive the dreaded letter from Dr. Steitz announcing their impending schedule change. After years of stressing over college requirements, graduation requirements and some how finding enough time to sleep, seniors have earned the right to choose their classes, or lack thereof (hello free period!) . That being said, our beloved school administrators are not magicians—as much as we’d like them to be.
8 LANCER EXPRESS editorial
The main sources of scheduling difficulties are AP economics and AP government, classes which are generally restricted to seniors. These classes are wildly disproportionate, with most of the six econ classes containing approximately 50 students per period. Not to mention that those six periods of economics are all the responsibility of one teacher, Mr. Hendricks. At the beginning of the year, AP government had two full periods, but as more students dropped the class, administration decided to merge the two periods, leaving the class with a single period of a mere fifteen students. For various petty reasons, most seniors avoid the government classes at all costs. Yet the students who do stay in the government classes usually find themselves enjoying the experience. Our administration has made every effort to accommodate the disparities between these two classes. In an attempt to counteract this imbalance, Mr. Aster, the government teacher, has even taken up an additional economics class. But with the hordes of students rushing to the counseling offices to switch their classes, administrators have very few options. After all, there’s no magic wand to solve every
scheduling problem. This issue isn’t restricted to seniors either. In the first weeks of school, counselor’s offices are filled to the brim as students from all grades demand their classes be switched. They cite incredibly valid reasons like, “I’m probably just gonna fail anyway” or “I’m just not feeling it”. No matter the excuse, let us remind you of the reason school exists—education. Not to socialize, not to catch up on sleep. And contrary to an increasingly common misconception, our counselors are not here to solve each and every one of our tedious problems. With only five counselors for the entire school population, no one should blame the counselors for not meeting every demand of every student. For the students unable to switch into their preferred class, two hours a day every other day won’t kill you. In fact, you might just learn something. With everything students face, don’t let some unexpected schedule changes add on to stress levels. So whether you are enrolled in your preferred class or not, stop expecting your fairy-godmother counselor to magically solve all your scheduling issues and just enjoy the year.
Beach attire bears all by Morgan Fraijo
A
SAD, BAD, RAD
s summer ends and the new school year begins, we swap the beach for books and alter our sleeping and suntanning schedules for studying. But one thing that hasn’t changed is our summer apparel. Living in southern California, it proves difficult to drop the summer feeling when it’s a perfect 75 degrees year round. The beach even looks just as refreshing as it did in July from the windows of the 3000 building. But contrary to the deceitful weather, it’s time for school and the return of the dress code. Why, then, do we come back to school every year sporting the same crop tops and short-shorts
from summer? Nobody memorizes every word of the dress code, but you should at least know the gist of it by now. For the most part, our dress code allows a lot of leeway. How often are students ever sent to the office or forced to bear the embarrassment of wearing the school’s PE shirt (which is basically the equivalent of the scarlet letter) as punishment? This isn’t middle school anymore; teachers should not have to double check our outfits. People need to take responsibility for their appearance and prove that we know how to appropriately dress ourselves at this age. One might argue the first amendment in the defense of “self expression” and all the liberation it implies, but what is this look expressing about ourselves? Sure, everyone should have the right to dress the way they want, but there certainly must be limits. Someone wants to wear a cropped tee shirt? Go for it. But don’t offend teachers by revealing entire midriffs. Even v-necks, while flattering if worn subtly, lean on the scandalous side when girls use them as an excuse to bear all. Perhaps the worst offenses emerge in these first couple
months of school, when fall arrives with heat waves instead of cool breezes. When it feels like a toaster oven outside, picking out a practical outfit seems nearly impossible-the struggle is all too real. But honestly, ladies, shorts one inch longer will not be the death of us on a hot day. Nobody demands fingertip length bottoms, but to put it simply, shorts should cover what they are supposed to. Everyone knows that one girl who gets up from her desk and checks the back of her shorts to feel if her butt hangs out, but when she feels that it totally is, will she fix it? Nope. She just leaves it there, as if to say “Oh you can see my butt? Good.” This typical sight only proves girls are completely aware of their exposure, but simply deem it acceptable. Seriously, even Nicki Minaj wouldn’t show that Anaconda butt in school. However, we’ve made progress. Teachers and principals across campus must feel relieved that the trend of sheer tops and bandeaus of 2013 has nearly come to an end (the fact that the dress code now mentions the word “bandeau” at all is proof enough of the problem it had become).
Even the boys have made strides in the right direction by overcoming the notorious and unmissed trend of sagging from the early 2000s. Although showing a little skin is almost expected in southern California-after all, California girls are unforgettable in daisy dukespeople should have a little more respect for the dress code. Our school is pretty lenient as far as attire goes, so why take advantage of it? Nobody is telling you how to live your life; if you want to wear tube tops and spanks, then more power to you. However, lets save the non-school appropriate outfits for the weekends, concerts and beach days; not for the hallways.
Dress Code violations in the real world, whose wardrobe puts high school students to shame?
Miley Cyrus and the Mexican Flag
Nicki Minaj in her Anaconda Video
Karen in Every Scene of Mean Girls
As if there wasn’t enough disappointment for her wardrobe choices, or rather the lack thereof, the Mexican government actually put out an arrest warrant for her contamination of their nation’s flag. During a performance on Mexican Independence Day, she decided to strap on a fake butt to improve her twerking abilities and have her back-up dancer floss her prosthetic butt with the Mexican flag. Oh Miley. You say “we won’t stop,” but please do. We all cried a little when she ditched Hannah’s hot pink jackets and cowboy boots for foam fingers and teddy bear onesies, but now it looks like there’s no hope for Miley.
While there’s nothing wrong with embracing our big booty friends, there’s everything wrong with Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda music video. In an array of jungle props, her buns are the stars of the music video as they are featured in nearly every scene. Her wardrobe consists mainly of booty shorts, but Minaj also incorporates what seems nearly impossible-a pair of butt bearing sweatpants-cheek and all. There’s no dress code in Hollywood, but Nicki definitely violates our comfort zones in this outfit. If this is what American pop culture passes off as fashion, then I strongly fear for the future generations.
“I’m a mouse, duh.” If theres one thing nearly every girl can quote, it’s Mean Girls. Most people remember the image of the lovable dumb blonde, Karen Smith, in her “mouse” costume. Sure, it was really just a sheer mini dress with fuzzy ears, but like Lindsey Lohan says in the movie, “In girl world, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything else about it.” Obviously this kind of outfit isn’t something one wears to school, but Karen Smith knows how to rock a Halloween costume without her butt hanging out or revealing her entire stomach. You go girl.
SAD
BAD
RAD opinion
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Pro
Quit complaining about the security cameras by Connor Watson
I
f you’re no stranger to the Carlsbad High School campus, you may have noticed the new security cameras installed all over the buildings. And like I did, you probably have lots of questions and concerns. When I set out to write this article, I was originally writing for CON. The idea of security cameras watching over us just feels like an Orwellian and unnecessary expenditure of school funds. But after a simple, yet comprehensive interview with Carlsbad’s Assistant Principal and safety advisor, Mr. Liebentritt, I had no
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LANCER EXPRESS opinion
choice but to switch positions if not for the sake of my journalistic integrity. The first issue people tend to take up with the cameras is privacy, which is laughable when you really get down to. Right off the bat let's get this fact straight: there are no indoor cameras and there are certainly no cameras in the bathrooms. They are only outdoors and they only monitor high traffic areas, such as major halls and eating areas. There is no room filled with screen analysts watching you, waiting to send security campus goons to squander your fun. Rarely are they ever monitored live, as the footage is only viewed in hindsight, and it can only be viewed with the correct computers, and the correct passcode in the assistant principal offices. Another thing people ask: "How will these cameras deter someone from trying to shoot up the school?" And the answer is: it won't. It won't because they're not designed to. Of course a shooter doesn't care about security cameras, the cameras serve as an evidential tool we can use in the prosecution of such a shooter. However, if someone were to open fire on campus, the cameras could be used to locate the shooter, direct students away from his path and alert the police of his location. But the main purpose of these cameras is to resolve crimes and disputes after they've taken place. Now let’s address the most rational and important concern: the cost to the district. The installation of 27 security cameras certainly sounds like a hefty expense. Well, I was happy to learn that the cameras were paid for by a district bond measure called Prop P that was voted for and enacted way back in 2006! Prop P was a proposition to put forth a $198 million to modernize schools all over the Carlsbad Unified School District. This was the same money that paid for the new buildings, the fences, our smart boards and our new automatized attendance system. And while some of these additions may make slacker life a little more difficult (trust me I
know), you can rest assured that this was not a recent decision, and we did NOT spend any extra money that we didn't already spend in the past to install them. Some articles may rally you to ask why we weren’t consulted on whether we should have spent money on these cameras. But, much to no one’s surprise Prop P was, in fact, voted and approved overwhelmingly by the citizens of Carlsbad (AKA your mommies and daddies), partially as a safety reform in the then-recent wake of several school shootings, including the Red Lake Massacre, and the Amish school shooting in Pennsylvania. So was this an outrageous and unchecked decision by the district or the people? Not in anyway. Still not satisfied? Fine, try this on for size: for every idiot caught vandalizing the school for fun and fined for the damages, the district saves money that would otherwise be spent in order to fix it ourselves. So in the long run, these cameras pay for themselves in the money we charge petty criminals and the investigative man-hours we won’t pay for. And the less money the school has to waste on damages, the more money it will have for new programs and fun events. So before complaining that our school treats us like ‘prison inmates’ ask yourself; Do you really care about these security cameras? Will these cameras actually have any negative effects on you? Unless you’re that dude who has nothing better to do with his weekend then to spray paint buildings in honor of your local ‘C-BAD gang’ that you and your dumb friends started fresh outta middle school, I can’t see how it would. To be clear, this is not necessarily a PRO position, as much as it is an argument against worrying about something that will have nothing but a positive effect on our school's safety and efficiency. This isn't a violation of a privacy. This isn't waste of money. And this ain’t the man tryna keep us down. It's just the district, flexing its financial might that we are lucky enough to have, in order to make our school a better place.
Eyes watching you from above
Con
by Kevin Gordon
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mile! Whether you like it or not you’re on camera. Coming back to school this year, you may have noticed the 27 new cameras that have been installed around the campus. For safety purposes, these have been added to help protect the school, its property and its students. But, one could argue that these additions may not have been necessary for the school. The decision to install cameras was made by the school administrators in order to make the campus safer and to deter vandalism. But with the amount of protection the campus already has, these additions may not be the most effective. The high school has security personnel who patrol the school and make sure that the campus stays safe. They look out for any dangers or problems that might happen at school and appropriately take care of them. With the fences surrounding the campus as well, threatening situations do not come up often enough to warrant the addition of cameras. The thousands of dollars spent on the cameras could have been spent on other areas of the school that are more important. Proposition P was passed in 2006 and allocated $198 million dollars of taxpayer money towards building a new high school, constructing the new buildings and keeping our school restored and fresh looking. Money that could have been spent on repairing the portables, or adding updated air conditioning systems to many of the classrooms who suffer from faulty cooling machines, was spent on unnecessary cameras. On a warm day, the classrooms can become unbearably hot and this serves as a substantial distraction to education. The definition of a school is a place of education, not an over protective baby sitter that doesn’t give us room to breathe. Money should have been allocated to repairs that immediately affect the school, and then with excess on bonuses like camera systems. But never the other way around. Students should have the right to be given the proper tools for education and not have to send pictures of textbook pages in order to receive information. Couldn’t the addition of cameras throughout the school be an invasion of privacy? A student could feel nervous knowing that the school has recorded videos of them. It feels intrusive and unnecessary recording students as they go about day to
day activities at school. In order to offset the mystery behind the cameras and where they’re located, the school should add a map of all the cameras that they have installed throughout the school to the back of our planners. This is a better alternative than ignoring the fact that they were installed throughout the school. This isn’t a maximum security penitentiary (Although some may argue that if feels like it), this is a public high school in one of the nicest cities in the world. We should be the focal point of the school, just not on the videos recorded of us, but in the classroom. Eyes are on you at all times on this campus and that may make some students feel more uncomfortable than others. With the pressure of their futures weighing down on them, why should a student also have to think about the cameras watching them traverse the school as well? Schools should act as a place of safety and comfort, and installing cameras throughout the campus may shake the sense of shelter. The addition of cameras could have been better presented to the students with videos on the consequences of vandalism at school but that has yet to come about. Be smart while you’re on campus, our school is one of the nicest around and we need to take care of it, whether or not you’re being monitored by the school.
opinion
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BOILING OVER Students deal with overwhelming pressure.
by Julianne Giles Jason Polk, Johnny Speck and Colton Spampinato
edited by Madison McMurray and Natalie Cortez designed by Tanner Layton and Jason Levy
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STRESS Let's face it, high school students experience stress. Expectations, college applications and social structure has driven school pressure to a new level, leading students to their breaking point. Students cannot help but feel overwhelmed when forced to balance academics, extracurriculars and even for some, work outside of school.
academic “It is difficult having to balance a social life and sports--while having tests pretty much every day in class,” sophomore Emily Swarthout said. In addition to these pressures, the role of technology in the classroom imposes new challenges for students that were previously nonexistent. Teachers rely upon students to possess their own computers; a luxury some are not fortunate enough to have. “Since we have access to pretty much anything, as far as looking up information and formating, the expectations have definitely been raised,” senior Bailey Boka said. These expectations include students searching for their own education sources, typing everything and turning projects and essays in online as well as in class. Students feel overwhelmed when deciphering the accuracy of such found virtual information. “Finding your own sources can be difficult, and teachers expect us to search for everything because of the internet,” junior Saige Metsch said.
When discussing the stress that school creates, we cannot ignore one of the most prevalent factors: homework. Homework is essential to comprehending class curriculum, however, the expectation for students to manage homework from each class, despite the amount, impedes the learning process. “I spend about an hour on homework, but I usually rush through it because of how much there is and trying to make time for my life outside of school,” sophomore Emma Burke said. Since students worry more about finishing their homework than learning from it, students experience stress when it comes to taking tests because they do not understand the material. Students active in extracurricular activities find this track of rushing through homework to fit them due to their other obligations outside of school. “When I used to play soccer freshman year it was hard to find an equal balance with sports and making time to do homework,” Burke said, “After practice you really don’t have the energy to even think about all the homework you have to do.” So how do students manage all of these stressors? Time management is key. When students are dedicated to sports throughout
How many hours of homework do you do a night? <1 hour
Academic
>4 hours
14
18% 32% 15%
hypothalamus the home of stress the week, they should take more time out of their weekend to complete all of their assignments. Students should take advantage of the planners they are given and use them to schedule their time wisely. “Focusing on one thing at a time and planning out my work in advance has helped me be successful in school and has allowed me to balance sports and other things too,” senior Thomas Soetaert said.
COllege In addition to these social and academic pressures, college application stress begins to dominate students’ lives towards the end of junior year and especially the first semester of senior year. Many students have found ways to cope with this pressure by starting early on applications and essays so they can focus more on school rather than cramming for an application deadline. “I wish that I started the college process earlier, maybe like the beginning of junior year,” senior Ben Feldmann said. The theme of poor time management seems common amongst students. Due to this
how much pressure do you how much school related feel from your parents to stress do you feel? perform? none
1-2 hours
34% 2-3 hours L A N C E R E X P R E S S c ove r s t o r y
none
38%
a little
37%
moderate very
12% 12%
38%
a little moderate a lot
38% 17% 17%
COllege
which test do you plan on taking? (or have taken)
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where do you plan what kind of school on going to college? do you plan on attending? recurring theme students struggle to find the proper time to begin this application process, since excellent applications require much self-monitoring. “I’ve always had college in the back of my mind and that has really motivated me to do well in school. I started really focusing on college around the beginning of junior year,” senior Shane Coopersmith said. “I haven’t started yet but I plan on starting within the next couple of weeks,” junior Jordan Rushworth said. The beginning of junior year seems a very common starting point among people who felt comfortable with where they were in the college going process. Starting during this time makes the most sense too. Junior year plays a crucial part in a student’s high school career, so beginning the conversation about college then focuses students and provides them with goals through a very stressful year. But also, another stressful part of college applications includes the personal statements. “The most challenging part of applying to colleges was writing the essays because it sparked a lot of emotions from my past,” senior Sarah Lang said . People obviously struggle discussing hardships from their pasts, but colleges need
social
how much do you feel pressured by your social life?
14% 60% 26%
a lot
to know this important information. Without it, they cannot visualize an applicant’s full story--cannot decide whether or not that person is fit for that school. To avoid this stress, before you write, think about what events in your past shape who you are and what you want to become. The pressure of college applications seems overwhelming, but with the right amount of preparation and focus you can get into a great school and avoid most of this pressure that burdens seniors every year.
SOCIAL With the arrival of the school year, students endure challenges and stress once more. This academic pressure weighs down on students, making it difficult to cope. Besides the homework and testing associated with school-related pressure, pressure from this area also comes from the social aspect of high school. Pressure, unfortunately, has the ability to impair people’s judgement, which leads to poor decision making. “Everyday of my life, I undergo massive amounts of social pressure. My peers may sometimes pressure me to do unethical
How much time do you spend getting ready each day?
How much are your actions influenced by others?
3%
not at all
1+ hour
9% somewhat not at all
things.” junior Vincent Lee said. Others would argue that the high school social ladder appears less black and white-that it involves breaking into cliques and groups. This separation of students causes even more pressure as many students struggle to fit in. “High school is supposed to the best time of our lives, so why do so many people try to make it more stressful? We are here to learn but also have fun,” Billy Castelli said. “When we do have fun I think it’s important to understand that worrying about a silly social status will only limit us.” Being yourself and not trying too hard to fit in might end up a better route for those stressing over their social life. CHS is a great place for making friends and having fun, so stressing over where you fit in at school just complicates other aspects of your life. “Despite what we try to tell our students about treating each other nicely, students will always feel pressured because of how they perceive themselves. Some students will view themselves as different, therefore, the pressure will always be there. The only one that can overcome pressure is yourself,” Mrs. Raifsnider said.
30-60 minutes
72% somewhat
a lot
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11%
<10 minutes
56% 10-30 minutes
19% c ove r s t o r y
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16 L A N C E R E X P R E S S a d s
Why can’t we be friends? Upperclassman strive to unite all grades through clubs by Chloe Blish
W
ith their mystical black ID cards giving them a direct pass off campus, juniors and seniors cast a shadow of undeniable rank. Roaming on and off campus surrounded by an aura of special treatment and firsts grabs on seemingly everything, a common misconception has developed that upperclassmen have it all figured out. Although the truth falls far from this in most cases, unfailing uncomfortable vibes radiate when underclassmen venture into the uncharted territories of seniors and juniors. “We think upperclassman have the ability to help people get more involved and make them feel like they can be apart of something good,” senior Loud Crowd leader Eli Cullinan said. “We’re trying to do this in ASB right now; include everybody in everything that we do.” Loud Crowd: Getting hyped and rooting for the Lancers in every game or competition, a monumentally entertaining way to bond with peers while supporting CHS. ASB encourages freshman and sophomores to become increasingly more involved with Loud Crowd this year. In the past underclassmen haven’t exactly been welcomed with open arms to the purple pit, but this is the year for change. “Definitely join. I know it’s scary. There’s a bunch of upperclassmen down there and they’re rowdy, but honestly it’s not just juniors and seniors contrary to popular belief,” senior class Vice President Theo Vance said. “If you’re spirited and like to get loud, we’d love to see you down there in the purple pit.” In addition to Loud Crowd, joining Looking Up connects students of all grades. This new club founded by senior Theo Vance, creates a bridge between under and
upperclassmen, allowing them to come together for activities, advice and absolutely unforgettable friendships. “If you’re an upperclassman you get paired with an underclassman,” Vance said. “You become buddies with them and at the same time you’re mentoring them so if they have any questions about teachers or classes, you get to help them out.” Along with hanging out on campus, L.U. will get its members together for activities on weekends and after school. Suggestions for recreation within the club are not only welcomed, but wanted. “We’ll be doing activities like sports tournaments, easy but weird sports like bocce ball,” Vance said. “There’s also this thing called manhunt which is basically a giant game of tag across Carlsbad. As a CHS tradition, we as upperclassmen would like to keep going.” Meeting every last Tuesday of the month, room 5004 will become a bustling hive of unification. Also students are prompted to reach out to President Theo Vance or Vice President Ryan Brent for questions. Many have heard of PLUS club, a program facilitated by guidance counselor Susan Penrod. Peer Leaders Uniting Students, or PLUS for short, is a team of students that support social embracement and friendliness around school. “PLUS is a leadership group on campus designed to make a more inclusive culture at CHS,” Mrs. Penrod said. “Anybody can join. It’s a way for kids to get involved and get Carlsbad to be more open and welcoming.” Mrs. Penrod and pupils have efficiently created a safe haven for students of any grade to help
Loud Crowd quick facts
Looking Up quick facts
• Leaders: Shane Coopersmith, Ben Feldmann, Mac Harden, Eli Cullinan and Lance the Lancer • Duties: attending sporting events, competions and rallies • Requirements: school spirit and willingness to cheer • Singing Up: showing up to events and keeping up with CHSTV for announcements
art by Naomi Torres
erase the borders between classes and cliques. Inclusivity remains one of the PLUS teams main mantras. “Everybody’s fighting a battle everyday regardless of who we are and this type of activity encourages us to create a support system on campus,” Mrs. Penrod said. Getting involved with the PLUS team begins by talking to Mrs. Penrod in the guidance office. Unity can increase happiness and overall memorability of the four years spent on 3557 Monroe St. A simple wave, a brave step into the purple pit or adding another name to club rosters can transform a timid little Lancer into a purple shield wielding crusader atop a noble steed. “Upperclassmen can be kind of intimidating and big,” freshman Isaac Penrod said. “Shrink a little.”
PLUS quick facts
• President/Vice President: Theo Vance and Ryan Brent
• Faclty Supervisor: guidance counselor Susan Penrod
• Duties for Upperclassmen: supporting your sophomore or freshman buddy
• Duties: dedication to breaking down exlusive behavior and bringing CHS together
• Duties for Underclassmen: showing up for club planned activities
• Requirements: accepting to everyone, attend ing a PLUS forum
• Signing Up: meetings are held every last Tuesday of the month in room 5004
• Signing Up: Talking to Mrs. Penrod about going to a Forum
features
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Where now? are they
A
s graduates of Carlsbad High School, they took the classes, put in the work and walked at graduation. Now they face the challenges of living in a world where repercussions follow every action. Ultimately, by holding true to the lessons they learned at Carlsbad, alums find themselves thriving. “After high school you have the opportunity to explore what you love doing. Once you’ve done that, you can’t go wrong” said Ryan Haarer, co-anchor of 9 News Weekend Mornings, Denver, Colo. Exposure to new experiences and subjects proves critical in life after high school. Opportunities end up defining the lives of those brave enough to seek them out. Haarer demonstrated this through his hard work as he moved from interning at the Cronkite Newswatch at Arizona State University, to a full time job as a field reporter and co-anchor for 9 News Weekend Mornings. As he moved along his career path Harrer never forgot his motivations. “If you’re in it for the money or the power, you’re doing it for
the wrong reasons,” Haarer said. horizons.” “Watching your work impact the The workload and dedication world around you, it definitely it takes to lead a successful life makes it worth it.” take their toll. Although the In addition to helping its fulfillment received from teaching graduates discover what they love, helped Whithall cope with the Carlsbad High School imparts pressures of the job, the stressvaluable life lessons, too. Through es continued to affect his work. its diverse programs and populaHowever, Whithall understood tion, Carlsbad that special kinds “You have to find some- of dedication aid prepares alumni to lead thing that you’re passionate in perseverance meaningful about. It’s the old cliche: If in challenging lives. In an you love what you do you situations. effort to make “You have to will never have to work a find something a difference, Ryan Whithall, day in your life,” Haarer said. that you’re pasafter graduating “Test the waters, find some- sionate about. It’s from Columbia thing you love, then devote the old cliche: If University with you love what you yourself to it.” a degree in do you will never Environmental have to work a Engineering, and before beginning day in your life,” Haarer said. “Test his graduate work at Yale Unithe waters, find something you versity, spent two years teaching love, then devote yourself to it.” science in an East Harlem Middle The stresses and pressures of School. meeting deadlines and having a “When I graduated from high job on the line instead of grades school I decided to do things are very real. By staying passionate that made me uncomfortable,” about what he does, Haarer keeps Whithall said. “Putting myself moving towards his goal of having outside of my comfort zone gave a positive impact on the lives of me the opportunity to really make as many people as possible. In his a difference and broaden my life, Whithall takes a more practi-
Ryan Haarer
Class of: 2008 Current City: Denver, Coll. Favorite Highschool Activity: Broadcasting Current Occupation: News Caster
by Harper Moore
cal approach. “Take everything one step at a time. If your goals change that’s ok, but everything is much more manageable if you can see where you’re headed,” Whithall said. Although attitude and goal setting certainly remain priorities, success also depends on daily decisions. Both graduates agree that dedication to high school studies ultimately pays off. Missed opportunities will affect life in ways beyond the expected. “I wish I’d been a better student. If I had dedicated myself more to my studies, who knows what it would have done for me,” Haarer said. Even though Haarer regrets his high school work ethic, his success shows that it is never too late to turn things around. By living in the present and enjoying every aspect of life, Haarer and Withall clearly demonstrate the avenues available to Carlsbad High School students. “Really appreciate your time in Carlsbad and try to get the most out of that as possible,” Withall said. “You never know where your life will take you.”
Ryan Withall
Jill Renner
Class of: 2008 Current City: Los Angeles, Calif. Favorite Highschool Activity: Drama Club Current Occupation: Actress
18 L A N C E R E X P R E S S f e a t u r e s
Class of: 2006 Current City: NewHaven, Conn. Favorite Highschool Activity: Journalism Current Occupation: Graduate Student at Yale
Moving Forward
Julius Koch, ‘14 Favorite high school activity: journalism
Kristen Stickel, ‘13 Favorite high school activity: track and field
Carlsbad alumni advise on the college experience and life after high school by Ali Martin
A
dapting to a new environment is tedious and overpowering. Carlsbad alumni Kristen Stickel and Julius Koch tackled this confrontation head on. As an incoming college freshman at UCSB, Julius Koch acclimates to the transition of starting freshman year in college. Leaving home frightens most new students, however, they will soon become familiar with not depending on their parents and instead receive support from new friends and professors. “It’ll be a challenge to find new friends, but I’m confident I’ll make new ones. Two or three close friends is all I need to be successful,” Koch said. “However, I don’t spend too much time worrying because I know everyone is in the same boat as me.” Competition exists in all academic fields, especially college. As a sophomore at ASU, Kristen Stickel studies psychology: a complicated subject, due to the amount of behavior analysis and extra reading of research. “The main pressure as a psychology student is how broad the field is. Psychology covers a lot and it’s important to know all
the research and theories which is “To juggle sports, school and difficult because there is so much a social life, I make a weekly to remember and to study,” Stickel schedule every Sunday night with said. classes, training, homework and With so much freedom, my work schedule. It helps me to balancing a stable school life is see everything I need to get done overwhelming. Having to bear so that week and free time I will have many responsibilities overwhelms to spend with my friends,” Stickel most college freshmen. Koch is said. confident he is able to overcome For these alumni, Carlsbad this challenge. left a memorable “I don’t experience for feel I’ll have them, including “Don’t let anyone else academic stress friendships, and tell you where to go in because I’ll a wide variety of life. After all, you are have a balance,” extracurriculars the one who has to live and clubs. The Koch said. The primary through your decisions.” high school has objective is to impacted their get a degree, so lifestyle by I don’t want to allowing them to become distracted.” find out what they want to pursue. For athletes, the challenge “Carlsbad has everything becomes much more strenuous, to offer and comes with lots of having practice every day as benefits. In a big school, I’ve found well as classes and studying is a lot of friends who share the same difficult on its own. Additionally, interests and hobbies with me,” athletes need to meet certain GPA Koch said. requirements to continue playing Carlsbad prepared these for their team. Even with these college students for what is pressures overrunning her life, to come, as in teaching them Stickel believes she will find the responsibilities such as turning in right balance to succeed in both work on time and preparing for psychology and track and field. tests.
“My senior year entirely was the best. My most defining experiences at Carlsbad would be participating in the marching band and participating on the track team,” Stickel said, “Both of these activities helped me realize what I loved to do and shaped the person I am today.” College students have so much on their plate, it develops into a heavy issue. They go from leaving home to feeling an intense amount of pressure to earn high grades in relation to career aspirations, social life and maintaining a parttime job. “It is a big transition from high school to a university,” Koch said. “Accept the fact it will be stressful, but find comfort in the fact you are in the same boat as everyone else.” With the help of family, friends and campus counselors, college turns out a little more bearable for students. They are able to take their minds off the pressures of college and relax. “Make decisions on your own,” Stickel said. “Don’t let anyone else tell you where to go in life, after all, you are the one who has to live through your decisions.”
Words of wisdom from recent graduates “Your ability to solve problems by yourself (inside and outside of school) is indeed incredibly important and not something I was told to learn.” - Zak Jones ‘14 UC Berkeley
“In high school, everyone wants to go to Ivy league schools and anything less seems disappointing which is untrue. You are going to have fun no matter what university you end up going to as long as you make the most of it.” - Bryanna Mundy ‘14 Arizona State University
“Apply everywhere that meets the criteria you’re looking for and visit the places you are considering before you commit. Don’t be afraid to go somewhere where you know no one because every college has students who are in the same boat.” - Courtney Carterette ‘14 Middle Tennessee State University
“Just as with everything else that you think is going to be a huge change, when it actually happens, the transition is a lot smoother than you’d expect.” - Kelsey Aijala ‘14 Emerson University
“One thing I wish I knew about college back in high school was that professors are always open for you to come to ask questions about the material you are learning and how important it is to build good relationships with them if you want internships and research positions.” - Vlad Korobkin ‘14 University of Chicago
“Explore your college town as a freshman. Find all the little spots around your city that make you feel at home. Remember, this IS your home for the next four years.” - Shannon Casey, ‘13 University of Nevada, Reno
features
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WILL
W h e r e T h e r e ’s A by Reece Bryan and Madison McMurray
G
lobally, less than 1% of the population is diagnosed with an anomalous right coronary artery. Only 83 surgeries have been performed on the right coronary artery—with senior Will Burke as surgery number 84. Unfortunately for Will, this correctional surgery for his artery this past April interrupted his hectic athletic schedule, which consists of both football and basketball. Will’s love for Carlsbad High motivated him to finish both of his sport’s seasons—risking a collapse on the field at any point. At one of his brother’s water polo games, Will experienced a period of extremely high heart rate, alerting both his mother and himself of an impending health issue. Will’s mother, an ER nurse, hastily made appointments to investigate this issue. “We had eliminated a couple things but there were definitely 30 days—30 days of not knowing really what the problem was,” Rita Burke said. After several tests, doctors still could not uncover the problem—labeling the episode as a one time irregularity. Due to her ER experience, Will’s mother felt she needed to continue to pursue the issue, despite doctors discounting the issue as something that would eventually fix itself. “Essentially, the more information I gathered, I realized that the advice the doctors were giving me was not what everyone was doing,” Mrs. Burke said. “Their advice was just to watch and let him play and to just go on as if nothing had happened.” With this discovery, Mrs. Burke encouraged Will to undergo further tests like an echocardiogram and EKG. These tests allow health professionals to check a patient’s heart and diagnose problems with its electrical and mechanical activity. The unfamiliarity with the abnormality causing Will’s rapid heart beat created a greater sense of urgency as the Burke family had no clue what they were up against. “At the time he was still working out and I would tell him, if you have anything, you need to stop,” Mrs. Burke said. “You can’t hide that.” They continued to search for an answer until an echocardiogram revealed that Will was born with his right coronary artery out of 20 L A N C E R E X P R E S S f e a t u r e s
There’s A Way
place, a condition called anomalous coronary artery. This left him with unusually high heart rates when he exercised because blood had to squeeze through a smaller artery than normal. “Then the dread sets in, when you realize you have a serious problem here,” Mrs. Burke said. “This is the kind of thing where you can suffer damage to your heart—minor heart attacks—but not even know that is occurring.” Will and his mother continued to reach out to some of the best medical professionals in the country, searching for advice. Will consulted doctors ranging from UCLA, Stanford, John Hopkins and even his mother’s own place of employment at UCSD. Some told him that he needed surgery, others said it would not do anything. Several even recommended to never play football or basketball again, yet still, others instructed him to continue normal activity. The fear was Will’s heart would eventually give out, and one day, he would not make it off the field. “Will always has played a lot of sports and I know he’s interested in taking that dream to another level after this one,” Mrs. Burke said. “And I realized that because of this that dream could be completely dashed, it was really sad for him and for us.” With this realization, it was up to Will and his family to decide what to do. They finally chose to head up north to Stanford Medical Center to receive treatment from Dr. Frank Hanley, one of the best in cardiac surgery. “The waiting was hard. But I had done a lot of research and I knew that the best people were there,” Mrs. Burke said. “They had done about 80 cases in the last 15 years. The particular surgeon had done 55 of them. I had pretty much the best guy in the country.” The procedure was done on April 3, a perfect time for Will because the recovery and surgery would fall during spring break. “You always worry about your kids and when somebody gets sick but with something like this we never really imagined,” Mrs. Burke said. “He’s had operations and his brothers’ have had operations but we’ve never had anything this serious.” Luckily, Will suffered no complications during the surgery. Will then spent seven days in the hospital and two more days in the San
photo by Devon Cascella Senior Will Burke walks up to the line of scrimmage during varsity football practice almost five months after his heart surgery. Burke successfully blocks his team members during the practice play.
Francisco area for postoperative precaution. But it didn’t end there. Will missed two weeks of school on doctors orders, putting pressure on him to keep up on his schoolwork. He also needed to abstain from any physical activity for at least 12 weeks, including not lifting anything over 10 pounds. “I think the heaviest thing I could lift was a gallon of milk, and even that hurt,” Will said. His decision to get the surgery was risky, but it payed off in the end. He no longer has an unusually high heart rate, yet Will remains scarred down the middle of his chest; a constant reminder of the near-death surgery in his late teens. In the end, it was not the physical aspect but the mental aspect that proved most challenging. “I just didn’t feel like myself for awhile after,” Will said. “It was really hard to concentrate on school after my surgery, the medication also made me really sleepy.” After taking it easy for 12 weeks and slowly integrating back into his regular activities, Will currently feels great and plays a starting position on the varsity football team. He also plans on playing basketball this coming winter. “It’s kinda weird to say you’re only 17 and you’re getting heart surgery,” Will said. “It’s almost like I’m reborn. It feels good.”
Fall musical twists tradition by Natallie Rocha
T
he Theatre Department kicks off the year with a significant change as they produce a fall musical for the first time ever. In November, the Theatre Department will take on the task of recreating the award winning Broadway production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” The musical portrays six quirky middle school students competing in the county spelling bee, with the addition of a few equally odd adult characters. Throughout the competition, each contestant’s past is revealed through colorful flashbacks, song and dance. “You can expect to see some pretty hilarious characters, fun songs and there’s actually improvised scenes in the play where we bring people from the audience on stage to participate in the spelling bee,” theatre director Mrs. Hall said. The aspects of improvisation and audience interaction act as uncommon components compared to past productions. Bringing such a unique play to life will generate a definite impact as the department transitions from a fall play to musical for this season. “I always like to change it up in the fall,” Hall said. “I try to do something a little different from Shakespeare to Shaw to modern plays, theres a lot of really fun small musicals.” The fall not only brings a new school year, but also a new batch of potential thespians. In response to the sudden change, many students were shocked since musicals are always exclusively in the spring. Despite the twist, many students grasped the opportunity to test their singing and dancing, as the show intermingles aspects of comedy and improvisation as well. The cast brings up four audience members to “compete”
photo by Jordan Waits Students begin preparations for the fall musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” with the aid of Theatre director, Mrs. Hall. At the moment students are working with the script in rehearsals, but by opening night, Nov. 13, the cast will showcase their abilities.
in the spelling bee and ask for choir director Mr. Bullock, who definitions, language of origins tackles the role of musical director and parts of speech from Vice for the show. As musical director, Principal Panch, played by junior Bullock conducts the orchestra Ryan VanDerLinden. Playing Vice while making sure the singers keep Principal Panch, VanDerLinden in time with each other. exercises his improvisation skills “I’ve always really wanted to by providing outlandish phrases help out with a musical but since and impossible musicals have words for the been during the “You can expect to see contestants. spring choir some pretty hilarious “I’m not going competition and characters, fun songs to over-think festival season, I and there’s actually it too much,” haven’t been able improvised scenes in VanDerLinden to until now,” said. “I’m not the play where we bring Bullock said. going to use the For many people from the audience same jokes or choir students, on stage to participate in words from past taking the stage the spelling bee” shows, so it’ll be of a theatre a pretty funny bit production of the show.” comes almost Although never having as a second nature. A number participated in a musical before, of choral department members VanDerLinden, among many participate in both choir and others, was eager to be a part musical theatre. Among them is of the production. Among the junior Sound Express member newcomers to the fall musical is Erica Schwartz, who portrays one
of the six wacky contestants of the Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. “I was really excited when I heard about the fall musical and knew I wanted to do it right away,” Schwartz said. “Every night is different so there’ll be a lot of chances for improvisation.” Due to the improvised scenes, the order of songs could possibly interchange and mix up every night. This variability will keep everyone, especially the actors, on their toes. Overall, these unique aspects of this intricate production makes for a show unlike any others before. With a combination of similar elements from the original Broadway musical along with new alterations, the fall show presents an opportunity for students to make a mark. “I think I’m a little crazy to do two musicals in a year,” Hall said. “But after this one, I’ll know just how crazy I am.”
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Be the change Words of inspiration from former Emblem3 member, Drew Chadwick by Lexi Schools
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Photo courtesy of Drew Chadwick Drew Chadwick feels ecstatic about the future, as his fund-raiser reaches its goal and he begins his solo career.
Other band members who went solo: -Justin Timberlake from ‘N SYNC -Sting from The Police -Beyoncé from Destiny’s Child -Michael Jackson from The Jackson 5 -Morrissey from The Smiths -David Gilmore from Pink Floyd -Nick Jonas from Jonas Brothers 22 L A N C E R E X P R E S S a r t s & e n t e r t a i n m e n t
eparating from the known seems a difficult process, but former member of the band Emblem3, Drew Chadwick, serves as a living reminder that going solo often holds rewards. He encourages those who wish to branch out that succeeding is possible, even if the path to success proves to be a challenging experience. The group Emblem3 began in California, auditioning for “X-Factor” in San Francisco and placing fourth overall on the show. Since their recent split as a band, Chadwick has begun a solo career. Chadwick has plenty to say about sticking to personal beliefs and goals. He recently hosted a fund-raiser to jump start his solo career, and reached his fundraising goal of $16,000 on Aug. 26. “It felt great, you know, that there are people out there willing to help make a sacrifice financially and help support me in my art,” Chadwick said. “They just want to help me.” While the idea of going solo proves intimidating to most, Chadwick lives every day like it is a gift, and the feeling that comes from gaining independence brings him satisfaction. “At this point, I live by my own sword and I die by my own sword. It seems like everything is just more rewarding,” Chadwick said. “It’s nice to listen to and follow the calling of my heart and my own intuition. And if I survive, I find success, then that’s because of me.” The overwhelming support from his fans brought him to where he stands now, alongside everyone who comes to his shows or supported him during Emblem3’s time on X-Factor.
“I, just like everyone else, have personal demons; the support I get from my friends definitely gives me another reason to live, to know that I’m inspiring others to find their own purpose within themselves,” Chadwick said. “That’s rewarding for me, the most valuable part of what I do.” Chadwick inspires anybody who is struggling by encouraging them to make a name for themselves. He hopes his advice brings people to test their limits. “First, find what you want to do,” Chadwick said. “Not what your parents want you to do, not your teachers or society, or everyone else.” Chadwick encourages young people to take control of their own future, despite what others think. “If you can find something that brings you satisfaction, then follow that regardless of any obstacles,” Chadwick said. “And if there are obstacles, or any sign posts telling you to change directions, you can turn a different way and still end up where you want to be. Failure can be the most important part of the process.” Chadwick wants young people aspiring for their own careers to chase after their dreams, and not give in to failure. He stresses that preparation for failure is one of the most valuable tools when aiming to succeed. “It’s very important to be more prepared than anyone else and the only way to do that is practice. Know more about it than anyone else. Strive to be a master at what you do,” Chadwick said. Along with inspiring others to strive for their passion, Chadwick also emphasizes that letting people trample over them is not the way to find personal success in any career. “If you want to be anything, be the best in the world,” Chadwick said. “Be the best of all time. Don’t settle for anything less than that. Work as if there’s somebody working against you 24 hours, 365 days a year, trying to bring you down. If you can beat that invisible person out, you will win.”
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by Kayla Fraga and Lucy Zheng
Soph o a T-s more Ch a h cream irt. He w se Rodrig e u with colored ars a den ez pairs b sle im L penn etter lack pan ies in eves an ma ts d the s ocke a pair of n jacket and ts. loafe w r sho ith es
ess d T-shirt dr rs a stripe h Allen wea tan socks and high na an H or , Seni yle, choker ed with a her ‘90s st accessoriz ributing to mood. ndals cont ing on her platform sa s day to day depend ge an which ch
he modern young person commonly incorporates influences from other eras into their everyday wardrobes, but recently one of the most notable influences stems from the ‘90s generation. Music, television shows, movies and clothes from this time period return to this nostalgic teenage generation. Lately plenty of girls wear chokers, high-waisted pants, and platform shoes; whereas boys frequently wear leather jackets, flannels and hammer pants. “Right now I really like overalls a lot and I really like that American Apparel striped look; I like platform shoes,” senior Hannah Allen said. Notably, this generation modifies certain fashion pieces and accessories from the ‘90s and incorporates different eras into their wardrobes. Pre-existing trends rarely appear exactly the same, the fits and styles usually alter. For example, people will pair Doc Martens, once at their prime in the ‘60s, with high waisted pants or shorts, which now appear tailored in a more form fitting style. Fashion undergoes many cycles, and though trends sometimes come back, they never appear exactly the same as they once were. “I don’t want to rip off a generation; I take things from the ‘90s and put my own twist on it,” sophomore Chase Rodriguez said. One can easily gain ‘90s fashion inspiration through prominent figures in the music industry, such as Marina and the Diamonds, Charli XCX, and even Britney Spears in her music video Hit Me Baby, One More Time. In the ‘90s, pop culture heavily influenced many fashion choices, much like how it influences current trends. “Celebrities like Lorde and Miley Cyrus are into a lot of retro things, and they’re the style icons now,” Rodriguez said. “I feel that pop culture really influences the fashion scene.” When stuck in a style rut or clueless of what to wear, keep in mind that the internet provides an abundant source of inspiration through fashion blogs. Some popular stores even produce their
Senior Angela Sch iaffino shows off her ‘90s style by wearing a white tee, high waisted pan ts and accessorizes with a choker and circle shaped frames. Schiaffino adds personal flar e with pieces such as decorative buttons to her pan ts.
own fashion blogs on their websites, including Free People and Urban Outfitters. “There’s these two girls from Arizona and they’re called the Fashion Citizen and basically everything they buy is under a dollar from the thrift store; they’re pretty much thrift store princesses.” senior Angela Schiaffino said. “Everything that they put together is amazing. They have pieces that are super unique, but wearable in an everyday way,” Fashion inspiration exists almost everywhere, including magazines, a favorite band or artist or even someone from school. The Internet serves as a vast fashion forum as well; whether one looks to social media, blogs or Youtube. “Youtube is the mecca for style,” Schiaffino said. “There are so many style bloggers on Youtube that put together these amazing lookbooks. Go on Youtube, join the community, go on Tumblr. If you want to look into upgrading your style, everything big is online right now.” The most stunning wardrobes do not solely incorporate high-end brands. In addition to well-known stores and designers, sometimes the most unexpected places hold the most exquisite pieces. “Flashbacks in the village is one of my favorite places to shop,” Allen said. “I actually find most of my stuff at garage sales. I like Free people and Topshop and other annoying stores like that, too.” Retro elements and musical styles greatly impact many teenagers’ clothing preference. Personal style emanates from more than a time period or a clothing piece, it speaks for the person themself and their interests. A wide range of diversity in fashion, appreciation for clothes and experimenting with different looks and ideas usually composes the most classic outfits. Personal style cannot be defined, it just is. “I don’t really think I have a personal style necessarily,” Allen said. “Somedays I like to pretend I’m a hippie and then other days I want to pretend I belong to a motorcycle gang or that I’m a hipster.”
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Dylan Rutledge
dodging setbacks and hurdling over the competition
by Natalie North-Cole and Jillian Della Penna
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or most students, fall means going to football games to cheer in the Loud Crowd, but for senior Dylan Rutledge it means performing something to cheer for. For the past two years, Rutledge has played the position of running back on the varsity football team. His path to his position on varsity began at a young age. “I have been playing football since third grade, I started off playing soccer, then my dad thought it would be good for me to try football,” Rutledge said. “My first game didn’t go well. I wasn’t playing my best and I hated it, but I played another and improved.” Rutledge honed his talent for football after many years of seeking improvement during his practices. Talent alone is not enough; the hard work he dedicates during his consistent training sessions earned him starting his position on varsity. “Dylan never misses practice,” football coach MacNeal said. “He’s a very dedicated athlete. As team captain, he is humble, selfless and well respected by his teammates.” Since he began football, Rutledge has played the position of running back. This position requires good vision and quick reflexes. “As the running back, I need to know how to read blocks quickly, know when to cut back and have the ability to see open holes as they develop.” Rutledge said. Perhaps Rutledge’s success stems from his exemplary squatting skills. Squatting helps him improve in different aspects of football and in the track and field team for hurdles and sprints. “When Dylan is not playing football, he is usually squatting, at the gym or hanging out with 24 L A N C E R E X P R E S S s p o r t s
photos by Devon Cascella Varsity football player, senior Dylan Rutledge blocks a tackle during the second quarter of varsity’s game versus Santa Fe Christian. Rutledge takes the ball in for a first down.
friends.” senior Chris Spiering said. In addition to Football, Track and field and AP courses, Rutledge manages to earn a surplus of volunteer hours. He volunteered 100 hours at the Boys and Girls Club and another 100 hours at Friday Night Lights. Through both organizations, he teaches youth the fundamentals of the football. “While I was volunteering, it was fun to see the little kids at Friday Night Lights flag football
and watch them go through the same thing I did when I was little.” Rutledge said. “I gave them tips to succeed and when they look up to me it’s a big deal.” Rutledge looks to play next year in college for a Division 1 school. Many Colleges keep in contact with the coaches, making him a prospective athlete for various universities. “Dylan is being recruited by Ivy’s and other universities. He has both strong academics and his athletics.” MacNeal said. “His
strengths are his great vision, and being a fast, strong runner.” The many aspects of Rutledge’s high school career can sometimes be extensive, however, he strives for a balance. This ambition stems from his passion for sports and desire for success. “I get overwhelmed at moments, wishing I was a normal kid who didn’t play football with such a busy schedule,” Rutledge said. “The motivation of the Friday night games really keeps me going.”
photos by Elise Chen
Junior Jordan Rushworth (above) prepares to pass the ball in a game against Mt. Carmel High School on Sept. 30 at the Monroe Street Pool. Late in the afternoon, the varsity boys water polo team defeated the Mt. Carmel Sun Devils. Senior Conner Chanove (right) throws the ball across the pool in order to score a goal for the Lancers. Despite the tough competition, Lancer boys conquered their opponents.
Boys varsity water polo strives to maintain excellence by Olivia Langen and Abby Carlos
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n regards to CIF championships, the school’s water polo teams hold a triumphant reputation; within the last 13 years alone, the boys varsity team alone earned 9 victories. However, this year the team experiences difficulty adjusting to the sudden loss of seniors. This encourages the team to work even harder for the win. “We had 13 seniors and now we only have
one returning starter from last year, so it’s basically a brand new team,” Coach Feaster said. “This year should be a lot more challenging than the rest, so the boys are training really hard to maintain the traditions we have here at Carlsbad.” A change in policy adds another dimension of obstacles for the team this coming season. This new system of open division changes CIF championship
games from consisting of the top two teams in the region, to the top eight teams in the region, regardless of division. “Like our coach says, all of our games are always gonna be the same,” senior Conner Chanove said. “We shouldn’t go into a game with the mentality of one team is going to be better than the other, he says that we should always go into every game as it is going to be our last game.”
photo by Elise Chen Junior Daniel Norman passes the ball over an opponent’s head in order to secure the Lancer win on Sept. 30. Focus and sportsmanship are key aspects of a successful season, according to this year’s boys varsity water polo team. The relentless practice proved successful in their win last month.
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photo courtesy of Connor Crowe Connor Crowe (above) takes his personal fit ski to the waters of the Pacific Ocean to practice his talents in preparation for upcoming competitions. Crowe takes about two hours each weekend to ride his ski. He recently ranked fifth in the Oregon National Championships. Crowe (left) takes a fall of his jet ski. The sport of jet skiing is typically dangerous due to the fact the ski weighs 300 pounds. Last year Crowe took a serious injury in the water and took six months to recover.
Excelling in alternative sports by Julian Ortega and Natalie Cortez
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ocally, the word jet skiing creates a mental picture of lame tourists driving slowly in circles around the Carlsbad lagoon. However, senior Connor Crowe disproves this common misconception with his passion for a unique yet widely unknown type of jet skiing. “When people think of jet skiing they don’t think about how we compete and perform tricks,” Crowe said. “I’d love for more people to get to know the sport.” Improving his technique and skill over the past three years as a freestyle jet skier, Crowe’s sport differs from the typical style. Whereas standard jet skis fit two to three people, his jet ski was custom made to only fit him. These differences which allow such complicated maneuvers intrigued Crowe as a young child. “I was always on the trampoline as a child trying to do back flips and new tricks, I never thought that those skills would help me later in life,” Crowe said. Crowe was also raised around
Crowe flies above the current
jet skis—as both his parents own Oregon National Championships and ride them constantly. With for watercraft free riders, a his absorption in jet skiing and competition where the best riders trampolining, his first sight of come from all corners of the world tricking on a jet ski met with meet head-to-head. Despite his instant fascination. At 13 years talent not even Crowe can avoid of age, Crowe received his first injury as freestyle jet skiing— stand-up jet ski, similar to any other and has been sport—involves high “It gets scary riding ever since. risk. A while back, sometimes. There’s Crowe under rotated Before featuring his life-long always a possibility on a flip and ruptured passion through of a 300 pound jet his ear drum. This last competition ski landing on top year Crowe fractured though, he his knee when an of you.” improved his attempt at a back flip skills. went south, and he “I love landed wrong. competitions, but there is a lot of “It gets scary sometimes, pressure,” Crowe said. “With so there’s always a possibility of a many people watching along with 300 pound jet ski landing on top trying to adjust to different waves, of you,” Crowe said. “Which could it gets stressful at times.” mean ruptured organs or even Crowe gained two sponsors death.” with his impressive skills; Spy, a Crowe, out for six months sunglasses company, and Tiger before full recovery, returned to Craft, a company which develops back to the water with no fear to the special skis he rides. His skills attempt even bigger and better that earned such sponsorship tricks than before. His competitive recently ranked him fifth in the attitude not only helps him in
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his jet skiing career, but also in other sports and academics. Crowe trains almost everyday for Carlsbad’s boys varsity track and cross country team. Last year his hard work paid off with a CIF qualification. “He’s always been a hard worker, making time for jet skiing, academics and his running,” Connor’s father, Jame Crowe said. An impressive student, Crowe currently takes 4 AP classes and plans to attend college in Oregon— hopefully running track there. Crowe also works at the Carlsbad Lagoon. Between balancing a rigorous academic schedule, setting aside time to jet ski and a job, he handles the pressure well with excellent time management and dedication. Crowe jet skis on his early morning weekends as well as his free second period. No matter his hectic agenda, he goes out at least twice every week. “I want to continue riding for as long as I can,” Connor said, “It’s so much fun and it allows me to escape—take my mind off things.”
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EPTEMBER NAPSHOT
1.
Lancer Express Staff Editor-in-Chief: Madison McMurray
Managing Editor: Natalie Cortéz photo by Elise Chen
Editors News: Tyra Wu
Opinion: Chloe Young Features: Madison McMurray Natalie Cortéz A&E: Olivia Langen Sports: Natalie Cortéz Design: Tanner Layton Photography: Elise Chen
2. photo by Devon Cascella
Staff Writers:
6. photo by Elise Chen
3.
1. Sophomores Karen Cavicchio and Abigail Yi photo by Elise Chen
perform the theme song of “Game of Thrones” at the homecoming assembly on Sep. 19.
2. Chalk artist Meg Canilang works on her
pavement art of “Maleficent” at the Carlsbad Art Splash on Sunday, Sep. 28. Participating in the event, Canilang contributes to the community of local artists showcasing their talent while simultaneously fundraising for many organizations.
photo by Elise Chen
4.
Ryley Jones Naomi Torres
Senior Alex Gardener recruits potential members during the club fair on Aug. 29 at the quad. The Club Fair is a great opportunity for Lancers to get involved in the school.
anthem in honor of the those who died on Sep. 11. Members arrived on campus in the morning before first period to sing.
6. Girls varsity volleyball defeats Poway 3-0 on Sep. 30 at home in the Lancer Arena. Junior Macy Peabody serves the ball. photo by Elise Chen
Photographers:
3.
5. The Choir Department sings the national
5.
Alexandra Martin Harper Moore Natalie North-Cole Julian Ortega Jason Polk Natallie Rocha Alexis Schools Colton Spampinato Jonathon Speck Connor Watson Lucy Zheng
Devon Cascella Jordan Waits
Junior Daniel Norman throws the ball to another player in order to score a goal against Mt. Carmel on Sep. 30 at the Monroe Street Pool. Boys varsity water polo ended the match with a win against the
4.
Andrea Aspajo Chloe Blish Reece Bryan Abigail Carlos Jillian DellaPenna Kayla Fraga Morgan Fraijo Julianne Giles Emilio Gonzalez Kevin Gordon Elijah Hernandez
Artists:
Designer: Jason Levy
Business Manager: Alison Casey
Adviser: Danielle Ryan
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Where
Were
YOU
When
Seniors Conner Shaw and Sierra Gonzalez were crowned 2014 Homecoming King and Queen?
photo by Elise Chen