Volume 1 | Issue 5 | May 3, 2013

“supersede”

AP Testing Begins

Prom

Graduation

As new faces enter the fading senior spotlight, we get a

chance to hear some of our rising students talk about the

future of Del Norte in the coming years.

AJAY NATHAN • In finding ourselves, we skip merrily down

the Yellow Brick Road to the happy tune of our

seniors. The Emerald City looming in front of us,

consuming our minds, but the tempo of our

journey set by the melody of our graduating class.

As the year slowly winds down, the song begins

to change—our song, composed of our tastes and

interests, starts to play. A representation of our

similar yet distinct vision for the future of Del

Norte, developed in the shadows as we watched

others run the show. At first this change may

throw us off balance, our steady stroll into a shaky

trudge. The Road may even start to fade in places,

eroded by this initial confusion. But juniors,

sophomores and freshman, now is our time—we

have everything we need at our disposal. Each

student on this campus, whether he or she knows

it or not, is uniquely talented and has the potential

to contribute something amazing to our school.

We all have the chance to make a profound

difference, and it is our obligation to seize this

opportunity. Target in sight, path in front of us: all

we have to do to reach our goals is start the

journey.

SOPHIA SUN

art by ROSA CHUNG

Del Norte High School

16601 Nighthawk Lane

San Diego, CA 92127

Adviser: Cara Jenkins

(858) 487-0877

cjenkins@powayusd.com

Our mission is to inform and entertain the Del Norte community with a well-written

and factually sound newspaper. As a student-run organization, The Talon aims to report on issues relevant to Del Norte students, prompting the discussion that

serves as a catalyst for growth. The Talon pledges to respect the opinions of all and seeks to encourage the diversity inherent

in the Del Norte community.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING*/DESIGN† EDITOR

AD MANAGER§

PRINCIPAL ARTIST INTERN

SENIOR COPY‡ EDITOR

Shinali Ajit†

Jonathan Boyle

Christina Cheng‡

Sahil Chinoy

Hye Sim Chung

Karen Ding

Maia Garcia-Munro

Hannah Glover‡

Shai Guelman

Tierney Hambleton

Aimee Han

Peyton Howard

Kate Jeon†

Rachelle Juan†

Daniel Khasanov*

Joshua Lee‡

Joyce Lee

Jeena Lee‡

Benjamin Li

Jeff Malham‡

Ryleigh Mansell

Tufan Nadjafi

Abhi Nathan

Ajay Nathan‡

Maddie Noet

Tristan Reinicke

Maggie Sharpe

April Shewry*

Justin Shin

Sean Solis*

Uday Suresh*§

Patrick Thompson†

Youngwoo Son

Sona Trika

Gretchen Trupp*

Srujan Vadlamudi*

Nicho Villalobos‡

Lauren Wendell

Jackie Wibowo*

The Talon is the official newspaper of Del Norte

High School, and is published by Del Norte

Network. The views expressed in The Talon do

not necessarily represent the opinions of Del

Norte High School administration or the PUSD

Board of Education. Unsigned editorials reflect the

beliefs of The Talon editorial board. The Talon is a

collaborative effort with Del Norte Network, and

applications for prospective members are always

available. Letters to the editor are welcome and

should be signed. For advertising rates or

information please call, email, or write The

Talon at the address above.

P A G E 2

photography by VIVIAN BUI

art by PRIYA BHAT

RYLEIGH MANSELL •

At the beginning of third

trimester, ASB welcomed in a fresh

group of students. With little time to

figure out our new roles, we dove

anxiously but ambitiously right into

our events. As Commissioners of

Philanthropy, my partner Amy

Zhangada (10) and I were

immediately given the task of

organizing the annual blood drive.

Every task comes with its own

challenges, and we certainly had to

deal with some difficulties initially.

We were not only stressed because

of the late notice, but also because

records from previous years showed

collections of only forty and forty-

five pints of blood—meaning the

numbers were not in our favor.

Despite this however, we set

out with a goal of sixty-five pints.

Our first step was to get the word

out, which turned out to be the

easiest part. After an assembly with

an amazing guest speaker, people

were signing up to donate and

encouraging their friends to do so as

well.

On April 10, about 150

Nighthawks came together in an

effort to save lives. Some signed up

to become organ donors, and others

registered for the National Bone

Marrow Registry. But what was

most rewarding was that, due to the

astounding efforts of our donors, we

surpassed our goal of sixty-five

pints, managing to collect sixty-nine

pints of blood!

Even though our school is still

somewhat small and new, events

like the blood drive just go to show

how big of a difference we’re

making in the world. We are

growing and leaving our mark.

YOUNGWOO SON •

In high school, everything seems to be

memorable. Anything from AP exams to senior

prom is likely to be pinned on the “wall of

memory” in our brains. But one thing in particular

that will forever be engraved in our minds is

graduation, which is why all high schools work

hard to ensure that it is a great experience.

An integral part of this experience is the

senior speaker. Near the end of each school year,

the valedictorian is usually selected to speak to

the rest of his or her graduating class about his or

her high school experience.

However, one difference between Del Norte

and many other high schools is the fact that the

senior speaker will be chosen from a group of

volunteers. With the field left wide open for

anyone to apply, the job of senior speaker is

highly coveted. The graduating class depends on

him or her to provide closure and a final farewell

to the last four years.

For this year’s graduation, the process for

selecting the speaker is already in motion.

Potential speakers have signed up at the ASB

room and presented their speeches to several Del

Norte administrators on April 23 and 24. From

these speeches, Ms. Raczka will decide which

speaker will read for Del Norte’s Class of 2013.

It is with a mixture of sorrow, regret, and

excitement that seniors approach their final days

of high school. But it is with anticipation that we

await the selection of Del Norte’s next senior

speaker.

LAUREN WENDELL •

Spring is in the air, school is

coming to a close, and local malls are

being swarmed by girls across the city.

This can add up to only one thing: prom.

Prom is a quintessential part of the

teenage experience. Girls get a taste of

the glamorous, celebrity life: buying

expensive dresses, riding in limos, and

mugging shamelessly for parental

paparazzi. Boys get to wear tuxes and get

in touch with their inner 007.

This year’s prom will be hosted at

the Ocean House in Carlsbad Village,

north of the I-78. The Ocean House will

be a dream venue near Oceanside pier

that coincides with the theme "Down by

the Pier." Students on campus have been

discussing prom since March, with girls

posting dresses on Facebook, boys

dropping dollars on tuxes and everyone

questioning each other on how to ask or

how they will be asked to prom. On

Facebook students have been submitting

videos and pictures of “their ask” in

order to win the prize, two free tickets to

prom. Submit your video or picture by

May 13 to be considered!

This year’s prom is sure to wow all

who attend, so don't miss out. Get your

tickets now from the finance office and

don't forget to make your dinner and

transportation arrangements in advance,

as companies book up fast! Prom only

comes once in a high school career,

Nighthawks, so let’s make this special

night “Down by the Pier” one to

remember!

THE TALON | P A G E 3

art by MADI REESE

APRIL SHEWRY • Disneyland is called the happiest

place on earth for a reason. A reason that

could be seen on April 14 as the Best

Buddies group streamed through the

Mickey Mouse-shaped gates, everyone

sporting massive grins at the prospect of

spending an entire day at such a fun place

with their friends and family.

With ten special needs students and

thirty-three people total, the adventure had

to be sidetracked momentarily as the

group corralled around the Downtown

Disney City Hall in order to split into

groups and pick up the guest assistance

cards.

These cards are the golden tickets of

Disneyland, allowing their owners to

bypass lines by entering attractions

through Fast Pass lines and exits.

This trip was the culmination of a

goal set by Best Buddies presidents Karlee

Manuel (12) and Matt Long (12) at the

very beginning of this school year. “We

decided to go to Disneyland because we

knew a lot of kids hadn’t been and it’s a

great place to make and share memories,”

Manuel said.

This goal suddenly seemed in reach

when an anonymous donor gave Best

Buddies a significant amount of money

which allowed the club to visit Disneyland

at the cost of only $25 per club member.

Without the burden of cost, the club was

able to focus on the true value of the trip: a

chance to bond with one another and

strengthen already existing friendships.

“When you have one buddy you’re

bonding with that buddy,” Peer Buddy

Max Utter (12) said, “but when you’re

going there with an entire group, you’re

bonding with that whole group. Some of

these kids don’t get to bond usually so

finding a safe haven is good for them.” In

addition to being the perfect place to

develop friendships, Disneyland is also

one of the most fun places on earth. After

getting through the necessary initial

preparations, the groups were left to roam

free with only the requirement that they

meet at certain areas every couple hours.

Unfortunately, both Space Mountain

and Big Thunder Mountain were closed,

but there were plenty of other rides left to

ride and enjoy. Having no lines to wait in,

the groups were able to quickly and

efficiently make their ways through most

of the major attractions with enough time

left over to get autographs from and

pictures with some of the famous Disney

characters.

Evan Karr (11), a special education

student in the club, said, “My favorite part

was probably riding the Indiana Jones ride

and meeting the Mad Hatter, Winnie the

Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore. And getting

pictures with them and getting their

autographs.”

Indiana Jones quickly emerged as a

highlight of the day for many of the

students, a reflection of the spirit of

adventure and excitement that followed

the group throughout the entire trip. A

spirit that will hopefully continue beyond

Disneyland and into the future of the Best

Buddies club and its members. photo b y JENNIFER CONLON

JONATHAN BOYLE •

On April 26, Del Norte hosted its

fourth annual talent show and second

Mr. Nighthawk competition. Like last

year’s talent show, the DN Factor

included a separate competition, Mr.

Nighthawk, which had participants

compete for the title of “classiest man

at Del Norte” and a $150 scholarship.

In formal attire, each of the three

contestants showed off one of their

many talents and participated in a

Q&A session. Sean Johnson (12)

delivered an admirable acoustic

performance and was followed by an

impressive display of “fast-walking”

by Matt Dalton (12) and a skillful

backflip done by West Mandell (12).

A variety of questions were presented

to the three seniors, including “What’s

your favorite senior memory?”, “What

was your best relationship with a

teacher?”, “What makes Del Norte

special?”, and finally, “What does it

mean to be a Nighthawk to you?”.

After all the audience’s votes

were counted, Johnson was announced

as the winner to thunderous applause.

The main portion of The DN Factor

was hosted by energetic emcees

Michelle Castillo (12) and Justin Luu

(12). The duo did their best to keep up

a fun and entertaining spirit throughout

the show by carrying out antics such as

a scavenger hunt and a taco-eating

contest. A heartwarming moment

came when one of the audience

members asked Castillo to prom just as

intermission started.

The DN Factor, as is customary

for our school, had a large share of

musical acts, among them an

appearance by the ever-popular

K.I.D.S. dance team and a self-

composed song by the band Half

Moon Portrait. Some relatively unique

acts were featured as well, such as

Priya Bhat’s (11) Indian cultural dance

and Dale Laforteza’s (9) yo-yo tricks.

The DN Factor was no stranger to

show-stealing incidents either; a

panicked bird captured the audience’s

attention during photography teacher

Mr. Coleman’s drum solo by flying in

circles near the gym’s ceiling.

After such an eventful night, it’s

safe to say that next year’s talent show

will have quite a challenge in topping

this year’s event.

information collection by KAT STAPLEFORD

C A L I F O R N I A D I S T I N G U I S H E D S C H O O L

Del Norte is one of only 218 schools in the state to become a California Distinguished School this

year.

The California Distinguished School Award is given to exemplary public schools that commit to

quality education.

Recognizing schools for going the extra mile to provide high-quality instruction despite the fiscal

issues California has faced in recent years.

art by A

NIS

SA

RIV

IER

E

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is an interactive musical,

meaning people watching the play get to choose how it

ends. The story originally came from Charles Dickens and

is based loosely on his last, unfinished novel.. The audience

gets to pick who the murderer is, who the detective is, and

who the lovers are. They vote and participate throughout

the performance, which draws you into the plot and creates

a sense of involvement.

The musical’s plot is narrated by the Chairman

(Montana Wilson) of an English Music Hall, and the story

is centered on the murder of Edwin Drood (Emma Dorn) on

a dark, stormy night in late 19th century London, in the city

of Cloisterham. Edwin Drood, a young orphan, is taken

care of by his adopted uncle, John Jasper (Brandon

Papineau) the choirmaster. Edwin is about to be married to

Rosa Bud (Angelica McDaniel), another orphan who

happens to be in John’s choir. However, the two decide not

to get married, and instead go their separate ways after

singing a duet in a mysterious graveyard where Durdles

(R.J. Balcomb), a stonemason, and his squire Deputy

(Gretchen Trupp) reside. We are also acquainted with

Princess Puffer (Liz Smith), an old woman who runs an

opium den that John frequently visits. Bazzard (Eric

Elizondo), another person of interest, was a suspicious

butler of Jasper’s. The list of suspects continues with

Helena Landless (Coralys Muñoz), a good friend of Rosa’s

and the twin of Neville, who is in the care of yet another

suspect, the Reverend Crisparkle (Sean Guy). Neville

Landless (Jonathan Lerum), a recent immigrant from

Ceylon and brother to Helena, is initially blamed for the

murder of Edwin, seeing as they were together right before

his death. Luckily for Neville, all of the characters soon

reveal their murderous intentions that had otherwise been

concealed, and soon everyone is pointing fingers at each

other.

The PAC was just as full on Saturday,

April 13 as it had been the previous nights,

allowing for a very loud and spirited vote

to choose the play’s outcome. The

villainously portrayed John Jasper

(Brandon Papineau), was the first to admit

to the crime of killing Edwin, but Nick

Cricker Sr. (R.J. Balcomb) testified that

John had merely hallucinated committing

the murder while in a drunken stupor. In a

surprise twist, Neville Landless’s sister

Helena (Coralys Muñoz) confessed that she

strangled Edwin with her scarf, having

mistaken him for the vengeful John. In the

end, Edwin was revealed to still be alive;

he had only lost consciousness when

Helena tried to strangle him.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood was the

most entertaining drama that I’ve seen in

quite some time, made only more fun by

the audience’s ability to choose the ending.

In the end of the first showing, which

took place on Thursday night, John Jasper

(Brandon Papineau) appeared to be the

murderer, until Durdles (R.J. Balcomb)

revealed that John had merely

hallucinated the deed. The real culprit

was the mysterious purveyor of opium,

Princess Puffer. I was most excited when

it was revealed, as I had cast my ballot in

that direction. And afterwards, who

should show up but Edwin Drood! In one

last musical number, Edwin reveals that

the murder plot had failed, and all of the

cast members joined together for one final

number. From the orchestra to the actors,

each element in the show had a tangible

role and each part was executed with

perfection. It was a spectacular play

studded with wit, drama, and suspense.

However, what truly made it stand out

was its remarkable individuality, and

because of that, nothing can be compared

to this enrapturing performance.

On Friday night, the audience chose

the Reverend Mr. Crisparkle (Sean Guy) as

the detective. He claimed John Jasper

(Brandon Papineau) had been the murderer.

Jasper confessed to being the murderer of

Edwin Drood but the audience was shocked

as Durdles (R.J. Balcomb) stepped forward

and announced Rosa Bud (Angelica

McDaniel) to be the true murderer of Edwin

Drood. All members of the cast watched

frightened as Rosa Bud made her way

around the stage, brilliantly displaying her

emotions through song of what had occurred

the night she killed Edwin Drood in a

terrifyingly beautiful confession.

In the end, the audience received another

shock as Edwin Drood revealed he was

actually alive. The entire play was well

executed and entertaining to watch. All the

hard work everyone was clearly seen and

everyone did a fantastic job.

art by KATIE WESTBROOK

MADDIE NOET •

MADDIE NOET •

HYE SIM CHUNG •

JOHNATHAN BOYLE •

P A G E 6

THE TALON | P A G E 7

photography by OMAR ALI

One hundred and thirty thousand. That is how many people will be

lining up at the San Diego Convention Center (pictured below) July 18-21

for the 43rd annual Comic Con. The convention that started in 1970 as a

small group of less than 300 comic fans has since grown into a massive

collection of attendees from all aspects of popular culture, ranging from

television and cartoons, to movies and comics. The convention itself is

separated into two sections, panels and the showroom floor. Panels

feature the creators, actors, or even fans of a certain medium coming

together to discuss their experiences and talents with the fans. The

showroom floor is the place to go to meet these people in person, and to

purchase everything you could ever dream of. But beyond that, Comic

Con’s greatest aspect is the people who attend. Where else can you have a

detailed discussion about the merits of the new Hawkeye trade series with

a group people all cosplaying as the cast of Game of Thrones? The real

reason so many attend it seems is because the convention serves as a

massive forum where you are encouraged to “geek out.” If you’re one of

the lucky ones who managed to snag a ticket, despite them selling out

within 20 minutes online, I’ll see you there.

Summer is approaching Del Norte, and with

all of their newfound free time, where else would

students head to than the movies? This summer,

theaters are bringing back childhood favorites and

making comic book dreams come true with some

must-see films. Disney’s done it again! After

churning out hits such as Tangled and The

Princess and the Frog, Disney has decided to go

back in time and revisit the story of Monsters,

Inc. with a prequel entitled Monsters University

which is expected to be just as delightful and

hilarious as its original. Monsters University

brings viewers back to when Sully and Mike were

at college and living a wild university lifestyle.

When it comes to this pair of unbearably lovable

monsters, their life at college is undoubtedly

going to be spent avoiding trouble and

accidentally causing all sorts of mischief.

Monsters University is sure to be as jovial and

entertaining as its predecessor.

Most high schoolers, no matter how much

they may try to deny it, have fallen in love with

the adorable Universal Pictures film Despicable

Me. As luck would have it, the minions, Gru, and

the girls will be back for more adventures this

summer for the much awaited sequel, creatively

titled Despicable Me 2. However, this sequel

brings many deep and serious questions with it. Is

Gru officially a good guy? Will he manage to

save the world a second time? And most

importantly, will he choose to wield a weapon of

mass destruction, or a gargantuan fluffy unicorn?

He has graced childhood dreams and comic

book titles ever since any of us can remember. He

is every child’s idol; he’s a hero, the

indestructible Superman. This incredible extra-

terrestrial will be featured in a brand new make of

the film coming out in June: Man of Steel. Not

only is this movie sure to be a brilliant take on a

classic superhero, but it is also directed by the

same group who has turned out hits such as

Inception and The Dark Knight Rises. With all of

this in mind, there is no doubt that Man of Steel

will be more than just a movie; it will be a

cinematic event. Each of these films holds great

promise as a fantastic way to spend a couple

hours of the summer, so be sure to buy some

popcorn, kick back, and enjoy the show!

TRISTAN REINICKE •

BENJAMIN LI •

UPCOMING CONCERTS

The owl living right outside the A

building has been an amusing part of everyday

Del Norte life for as long as the school has

been around. However, the owl has been

receiving more and more scrutiny as students

become increasingly aware of its presence.

After years of anonymity, we have finally

managed to get some information on our

elusive habitué.

Jessica Mosteller is a vigilant observer of

the ever-intriguing “A Building Owl.” After

noticing the owl a few weeks ago, she has

made it her mission to understand the owl’s

intention here at Del Norte. She has spent

countless hours trying to prove her theory, and

after managing to capture a rare photo of the

owl, she is certain she is correct.

Glover: So, Jessica, what is your theory

about the owl living in the A building?

Mosteller: I caught a glimpse of the owl

exhibiting some strange behavior. I talked to

some other students and they’ve noticed things

too. So I looked into it and it’s clear that the

owl has been assigned to some sort of mission

here at Del Norte.

Glover: I see you have photographic

evidence of the owl’s strange activities. Could

you tell us what this photo means for your

operation?

Mosteller: It means there is no more

doubt! We not only have solid evidence of his

abnormal behavior, but proof that he has been

communicating with someone, or something.

Whoever it is most likely is in charge of his

operation.

A second student, Mick Torres, thinks he

may have an idea about what the owl could be

up to. He too has noticed suspicious behavior

on the owl’s part, behavior that is under the

guise of being normal. “People might think it’s

a regular bird because it poops everywhere, but

what they don’t know is when the bird poops it

only poops on people who, well, let’s say they

aren’t behaving like model Del Norte

students.”

Torres later states that the “excretion on

delinquents” operation has been active for who

knows how long, and students are shocked that

no one has noticed the connection until

recently. The analysis of the owl in the A

building has been kept under wraps for fear of

discovery; however, remembering that birds

lack literacy, investigation leaders are going

public with the case, hoping that doing so will

bring in more witnesses, along with more

evidence, of the owl’s true intentions.

P A G E 1 0

DANIEL KHASANOV •

Welcome to the league of

gaming! That is to say: welcome

to Major League Gaming or, as it

is often acronymed: MLG. You’ve

probably heard the terms thrown

around campus at some point in

high school, but what exactly is

Major League Gaming? Literally,

it is an electronic sports

organization, much like the NBA

or NFL, except it hosts video

games. Different types of games

are played in various tournaments,

often for a prize, by professional

“gamers”, which can be part of a

team or playing solo. Often times games have

memorable commentators (dubbed

“casters”), which commentate

over the gameplay of a match and

control what the audience

watches. MLG, however, is much

more than that. MLG, like any

other sport, is about your favorite

team or player. It’s about getting

to know their play style, cheering

them on when they win and

feeling bad when they lose, it’s

about learning from their

gameplay and improving your

own. That’s part of what makes

Major League Gaming so unique;

you can instantly change aspects

of your play style, just by

reviewing other games. Besides,

nothing beats seeing your favorite

team win a big tournament, or

come back from a losing position.

Some players go to great lengths

to acquaint themselves with their

fans, creating “streams” where

anyone can watch them play and

ask questions in a chat room. The

players then respond to the

questions or take suggestions.

Because of the unique medium of

Major League Gaming, the fans

are able to connect on a greater

level than in any other sport. MLG is about the shouting.

That is, the shoutcasts, which is a

form of casting, but it’s much

more exciting. As the name

suggests, a lot of shouting is

involved; a good caster can make

watching a game be as fun as

actually playing it. The

commentary these casters provide

can be purely descriptive, which

helps the audience follow along,

or give some insight as to the

strategy and thought process of the

professional gamers. In any case,

Major League Gaming is nothing

without the commentators; they

bring a new dimension and add

vivacity to any competitive match.

MLG is about the game.

HANNAH GLOVER •

Valedictorian. An honor that’s

extended to one person. Reciter of the

graduation speech for hundreds of

people. Representative of those

moving towards their future. The

prestige around it? Priceless. A

valedictorian is usually the person

who has ended up with the highest

grade point average by his or her

graduation year. He or she delivers

the valedictory speech during the

commencement ceremony. The

impressive title sparks academic

competition within the classroom,

prompting many students to work as

hard as they can to achieve this

honor. The main requirement is

having the highest GPA, and in highly

competitive environments, there may

be more than one person who has that

distinction. Straight As, 4.0

unweighted GPA, nearly 4.5

weighted, all not uncommon in

schools within the district. But

sometimes you have to step back and

question: is it really worth it?

The stress placed on the students

striving for this goal is unimaginable

to others. Teenagers start neglecting

many of the activities they love in

order to focus more on this academic

honor. And what about the

hardworking students who have taken

the same difficult classes but have a

lower GPA? In aiming for a higher

GPA, students often inflate their

grade by taking elective classes

“Pass/Fail,” or taking off-roll rather

than engaging in some other in-school

class. People who have received the

same grade in the same APs may not

have the same GPA, due to other

classes (i.e. the fine arts). Why aren’t

those people recognized for their hard

work, too? In the end, being selected

is commendable, and shouldn’t be

dismissed (it is a fairly accurate

reflection of intelligence, hard work,

and talent). However, it should not

define you as a student, much less a

person.

KAREN DING •

THE TALON | P A G E 1 1

All is quiet. The warriors prepare for battle. One

side begins a ritualistic chant while the Nighthawks

wait in deafening silence. The audience marvels at the

intellectual prowess of the challengers. While this is a

war, there is no violence. This is a battle of the minds.

This is the warm-up to a fiercely contested Academic

League match.

Academic League allows students at various high

schools to compete in a trivia match. The topics vary

from Imperial Japan to the latest news about Beyoncé.

Questions are meant to test the students’ knowledge,

reflexes, and guessing skills. Both teams have five

starters, for a total of ten athletes competing to buzz in

first.

Our school’s team has been improving since the

first season. This year’s freshmen team made it to the

play-offs, the first qualifying team in Del Norte

Academic League history. Much of this success can be

attributed to the Nighthawk work ethic present at the

practices. Club President Sunny Zhang and Vice-

president Christina Cheng granted me the opportunity

to witness one of these renowned practices:

A rugged, silver suitcase separates the two

teams, which are set up with buzzers in hand. Thick,

black, letters outfit the front of the case, “THE

JUDGE,” they read; this will be the arbiter of today’s

practice. Today will prepare the team for the

upcoming match, a match which is perpetually

simulated in the minds of the competitors. As soon as

the lights are tested, the proctor signals for the round

to begin..

Proctor: What is the reciprocal of the sine

factor?

Immediately, the second green light flashes,

Michelle Niu is the first to buzz in, setting a rapid pace

for the rest of the match.

Proctor: Del Norte number two.

Michelle: Cosecant.

Proctor: That is correct.

Accurate too—this practice is shaping up to be

razor sharp.

Proctor: It contains 4.18 Joules, wh—

Without hesitation, Michael You buzzes in, easily

keeping up with the fast pace.

Proctor: Del Norte Number three.

Michael You: Calorie.

Proctor: Correct.

In order to preserve a distinct quality within the

questions, one in every few will be especially difficult..

Proctor: Reading a newspaper, you might see in

the headlines the letters “S.A.L.T.” What do the letters

S.A.L.T stand for?

A few seconds pass, the contestants know there is

a point deduction for incorrect responses, so the right

answer will be crucial. From amidst the doubt,

Christina Cheng boldly buzzes in.

Proctor: Del Norte number four.

Christina: Strategic Arms Limitations Talks.

Proctor: That is correct.

Beautiful..

As I sit in the room where they practice, I

contemplate the nature of Academic League; I realize

its true beauty. It combines knowledge and

competition, characteristics of the Nighthawks. It

emphasizes the amassing of trivial facts for the sole

purpose of academic enlightenment. It allows those

who studied for school to really shine.

SHAI GUELMAN •

in

Dedication means relentless devotion towards a goal

which requires both time and effort. Markayla Stroubakis

(11) demonstrates this characteristic in her participation in

her Greek Orthodox Church. Through her involvement in

the arts programs and community groups, Stroubakis

proves her devotion to her Greek culture.

Stroubakis goes to the Saints Constantine and Helen

Greek Orthodox Church. She participates in the Greek

Dance and Choir, the Byzantine Chanting group, and also

participates in local groups of globally recognized

programs for the church called Goya and Junior

Philoptochos.

Stroubakis is involved in multiple arts programs at her

church. The high school Greek Dance Group, “The

Cannons,” do various forms of traditional Greek dancing,

such as pontic dancing, but also do modern music. “The

Cannons” participated in the Folk Dance Festival, which

was held in Anaheim this year, and advanced to the finals.

The Greek Choir that she is a part of sings every week at

church. The Choir also went to the Folk Dance Festival and

brought back first place. Stroubakis will participate in the

Byzantine Chanting group as well, which is taught by a

UCSD professor. “Byzantine Chanting is a beautiful type

of Greek music that doesn’t use the common staff notation.

It is very traditional to the Greek Orthodox faith.”

But Stroubakis’ active participation in the church

extends further than just the arts. Stroubakis is part of the

youth organization called Goya. Goya is a globally

recognized youth program that is an extension of many

Greek Orthodox Churches. As the vice president of her

local Goya for the past three years, Stroubakis has

coordinated many of Goya’s events. The group fundraises

for the community and also provides community service.

Stroubakis can often be found working at the Downtown

Soup Kitchen (God’s Extended Hand) and caroling at

senior citizen centers. Stroubakis is also a part of the

women’s organization called Junior Philoptochos, a

widespread philanthropic program of the Greek Orthodox

Churches. As a part of the Junior Philoptochos, Stroubakis

helps hold tea parties and fundraise for charity.

Stroubakis is a clear example of devotion. She

continually participates in her church. But what truly

makes Stroubakis one in 2000 is her attitude towards her

participation. “I love the people involved in the church. We

have become a family,” she says. “I enjoy keeping the

tradition and culture of my ancestors alive. Greece

definitely has an amazing culture. If you listen to

Byzantine Chanting or the religious music, they are

beautiful.”

The Greek Festival will be held in Encinitas on June

7. There will be traditional food (“fantastic” according to

Stroubakis) and lessons on Greek dancing.

JOSHUA LEE •

THE TALON | P A G E 1 2

They were studying in the teacher credential

program at SDSU, and she did not want to date. But

he kept pushing, and before they knew it, they were

dating. Ms. Belier and Kyle Smith have been together

for six years. Coach Kyle Smith is now a substitute

teacher at Westview and is the Westview varsity

basketball coach, while Ms. Belier teaches here at

Del Norte.

When did she know that he was THE one? “It

was one day when he just walked in the room, and I

knew, ‘That’s him.’”

Just a little over a year ago, Ms. Belier and

Coach Smith were spending time together at a family

ranch in Santa Barbara. On a beautiful early spring

morning, Ms. Belier and Coach Smith were taking a

walk, when he popped the question. The catch to this

story—he proposed on April Fool’s Day. When they

called family and friends to spread the news,

everyone doubted them because after all, it was April

Fool’s Day.

But Ms. Belier is happy to say that they will

surely get married in the beautiful Botanical Gardens

in Encinitas.

Mr. Basehore and Ms. Raczka. This one’s a

little bit closer to home because yes, Del Norte High

School is where these two lovebirds met.

Interestingly, they both had worked at Nordstrom

around the same time, but did not know each other

then! Fate brought them to Del Norte, and in the

spring of 2011, they had become a couple. Mr.

Basehore boasts that he knew she was THE one from

very early on because their personalities clicked so

well, and she had a great sense of humor.

So what was the proposal like?

Last July, Ms. Raczka was on vacation in

Hawaii on Big Island, where Mr. Basehore flew to

meet her. They took a romantic walk on the beach,

and in the beautiful sunset, Mr. Basehore got down

on his knee and asked Ms. Raczka to marry him.

Ever since, they have many stories to share, one

of which includes Bella, their new dog. But that’s not

it. They now have a new car but... it isn’t in the

greatest of shape. “It’s all her fault. I’m the better

driver.” When told what Mr. Basehore said, Ms.

Raczka silently blushed and quietly admitted that it

was indeed her fault. When asked how the car got

damaged, she asked back, “Which time?” But she

immediately defended herself, saying that Mr.

Basehore “drives like a grandmother!”

They are to be married on July 5 of this year,

and unfortunately (for curious Nighthawks) the

location has not been disclosed. What we do know,

however, is that they are to spend their honeymoon

back in beautiful Hawaii, traveling Maui, Kauai, and

Big Island. Ms. Raczka ended charmingly, “He’s my

favorite person, and he’s not as awkward as everyone

makes him out to be!”

It all started with a website. After meeting

Kristen on match.com, Mr. Nevares took her out for

some food at a restaurant by Qualcomm Stadium. A

food-loving man, Mr. Nevares knew Kristen was

THE one when he realized how similar they were—

especially through their love for nachos.

So, how did he propose? Well, to understand

that, one has to take a look into their past. Kristen

was from Chicago, so when she moved to California,

Mr. Nevares promised that he would make a

pamphlet that told her all about San Diego—the best

beaches, the best restaurants, the best views; all the

information she would need to get used to her

surroundings. Let’s be honest. He never did. But

since they frequently had visitors from out of town,

Mr. Nevares and Kristen began making pamphlets

for these visitors.

The weekend Kristen’s sister was visiting, Mr.

Nevares sat down to make a pamphlet and called

Kristen over to look it over. Upon reaching the last

page, she read, “Is RB a good place to raise a

family?” after which followed a formal proposal.

After much sobbing and what Mr. Nevares calls “a

very awkward wait,” Kristen finally said yes.

The Twitter king, English writer, fun kid-at-

heart Mr. Nevares is marrying Kristen on December

28 at Coronado beach.

THE TALON | P A G E 1 3

P A G E 1 4

Take your eyes off The Talon for a quick moment and

look around you. Chances are, you are at school, reading the

newspaper in a room filled with your classmates. All these

classmates are about the same age as you, and a part of what

many people refer to as “Generation Z”—to some people, the

worst generation.

People in Generation Z were born from roughly 1995 to

2009. Their lives are governed by technology. Social media

and the Internet allow them global access to their friends and

knowledge. Members of Generation Z are also technologically

skilled in comparison to previous generations; their affinity for

technology can lead to a greater propensity for staying

indoors, which poses health risks. Members of Generation Z

do not know a time before PCs, mp3 players, mobile phones,

and gaming systems. A healthy self-esteem, in part prompted

by advanced technology, leads Generation Z to think that it

can do anything. Generation Z prefers instant gratification, and

has a short attention span.

But why do some people consider this the worst

generation? Some say Generation Z is the “dumb generation,”

spending little time reading and more time online—these

people cite issues such as lack of capitalization and frequent

grammar faux pas. According to some, members of

Generation Z are materialistic and short-tempered—they are

not prepared for reality, where not all of their wants can be

met.

Others disagree and say that Generation Z isn’t the worst

generation, citing its characteristic of diversity and the

worldliness this brings. These people say that members’

creativity will no doubt have some positive impact on the

future. Generation Z also has an unprecedented ability and

need to multitask, an important component of the modern

world of technology. Some say that this ability is what will

keep society moving forward.

Of course, no one stereotype can encompass Generation

Z, as it is a general term to describe an incredibly diverse

group of people. But history tends to generalize, and time will

tell how textbooks will label our generation.

A glare of mistrust. An awkward refusal to make eye

contact. As teenagers, all too many of us are familiar with

the fear and disapproval often directed towards young adults

by elders who attribute civilization’s ills to us. Is our age

group truly the weak link and the generation responsible for

the alleged degeneration of society? If history is any

indication, we can affirmatively say “No.”

Some might point to the famous violent teenage

criminals of recent years as evidence that teenagers are

lacking in moral fiber and regard for human life. However,

these individuals are in no way representative of the average

modern teenager. I would pose the question, to what

generation are we expected to look as our ethical role

models? Is it the so-called age of chivalry in Medieval

Europe, where “heroic” knights pillaged defenseless towns

mercilessly and committed unspeakable atrocities to their

unarmed citizens, or the arrogantly dubbed “Greatest

Generation,” which created and proliferated the atomic

bomb, a weapon capable of wiping out all life on the planet

if deployed in worldwide war? Also among the gripes with

our age group is the accusation that we are desensitized to

our responsibility for real-world issues. Yet only five or so

decades ago, the inequality between men and women and

between the racial majority and minorities in America was

to the point of embarrassment. Things are not perfect today,

but partially thanks to our generation, society continues to

move in a more egalitarian direction. Contemporary teens

certainly have their shortcomings, but they are far from the

worst that our world has ever offered.

I hope that this article doesn't alienate me from my

peers, but to some degree, it is true that we really are “the

worst generation.” The evidence is in the world around us.

Violence and intolerance are only imitations of what's online

and in video games. Words that once cost you a dollar in the

swear jar are now immortalized on television. The economy

is in the toilet, yet our consumer society begs only for more

to consume, with no money to pay for it.

The fabric of American life has been torn and distorted

to the point where it's unrecognizable to those who belong to

not only the so-called “Greatest Generation”, but also the

“So-So-” baby boomers and “Could Be Better” generation

X. But is there no hope for civilization?

No, there is hope. There's actually a great deal of hope.

For every kid messing around in school, there are two more

kids earning straight As. For every kid out partying and

disgracing his or her parents, there are three more kids

volunteering in children's hospitals or senior homes. No,

humanity has a sunny ray of hope, albeit small and

overshadowed by clouds on the horizon.

So what can we do? Society won't completely change,

that's just ridiculous. What we can do is change the

mentality of our generation, look beyond our own

communities, set our minds to something bigger than

ourselves. Everyone knows it: kids like to have fun. But

can't we be smart about it? There has to be a point when we

realize "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" can easily become

“teenage pregnancies, rehab, and reconstructive ear drum

surgery.”

JONATHAN BOYLE •

STAFF EDITORIAL •

SEAN SOLIS •

MAGGIE SHARPE •

I don’t know if I’ve had any moments

within my memory sweeter than opening up

college acceptance letters. They usually begin

with a jovial “Congratulations!” and go on to

sing the praises of whatever fine institution is

hoping to receive your check come September.

But by the time March 22 rolled around, that

letter might as well have said

“Congratulations! Just don’t screw this up too

bad and you’re home free.”

I’ve always been a “run through the tape”

kind of gal. Why limp across the finish line

when you could sprint, fists aloft? However,

after four years of AP classes, forgotten tests,

and patchwork projects, I feel like the guy at

the end of the race who collapses 20 feet from

the finish line and just kind of caterpillars his

way to the end.

After three months of applications and

another three months of senior despair (a

special kind of purgatory where you spend a

lot of time refreshing your email, quietly

weeping, and then refreshing your frozen

yogurt) there is about a week of euphoria: you

get letters telling you how stellar you are and it

seems as though the world truly is your oyster.

You could go anywhere, do anything! All you

want to do is look at dorms and plan your

glamorous semester abroad.

And then you remember you have

homework, and a tiny part of you dies.

A painfully optimistic sophomore version

of me would hear this and declare that she is

intrinsically motivated by learning and the

quest for knowledge, not by grades or college

admissions. Call it a fault with the system, a

steady decline of today’s youth, or Bill, the

fact is that if Mark Twain was still kicking and

dishing out pithy one-liners he would have said

“The only three certainties in life are death,

taxes and senioritis.”

Despite the sharp rise in free time I have,

my schoolwork inevitably stands by tapping its

toe as I watch Arrested Development for the

hundredth time, crochet a hat, and try to teach

my dog to shake paws (she is just about as

motivated to learn to shake as I am to study for

AP exams). I stay up until the wee hours of the

morning staring at my cursor blink as it eagerly

awaits the dribble it will soon produce. Hell,

I’ve taken three naps just trying to write this

paragraph.

And so, this is how high school ends, not

with a bang but with a whimper as we roll

from our beds to our floors, eat a Kit Kat, and

call it a day well spent.

THE TALON | P A G E 1 5

.

The reason why we’re in this mess is

simple: spending. Spending is the problem,

and we need a budget and lower taxes to fix

it.

Let’s say for example you make $100 a

day in your new part-time job. Would it make

sense to go spend $200 a day? Nobody in

their right mind would go about spending

more than they bring in, but today our White

House seems to be disregarding this key

principle and has spent trillions on programs

and bureaucracy which have proved to be

very successful in wasting taxpayer dollars.

For example, according to the Heritage

Foundation federally subsidized Amtrak lost

$84.5 million on its food and beverage

services in 2011 and $833.8 million over the

past 10 years. It has never broken even on

these services. Another example, again from

the Heritage Foundation—$325,000 was

spent on a robotic squirrel named

“RoboSquirrel.” This National Science

Foundation grant was used to create a

realistic-looking robotic squirrel for the

purpose of studying how a rattlesnake would

react to it.

Clearly, this is crazy, but it’s just a small

part of the useless spending that goes on in

our federal government. In order to avoid the

sequester cuts, Washington must pass the

House’s budget. This plan calls for

reasonable cuts to combat this issue of useless

spending and ends Obamacare, which will

cost taxpayers and small businesses trillions.

This is the spending we need to stop in

Washington. We have already had the largest

cuts to our military under this administration,

and to me, it doesn’t seem right that the

government would rather fire our military

servicemen and women instead of making

cuts to ineffective subsidies and useless

grants.

Many Democrats have come to the

conclusion that we need to increase taxes. But

why should the citizens of the United States

be responsible for the recklessness of the

federal government? The only reason why the

government wants to raise taxes is to sustain

and even grow the number of these useless

programs. In a period of economic instability,

raising taxes will only do more harm than

good. The United States already has one of

the highest tax rates in the world and raising

taxes in this situation would have significant

effects on our economy. In fact, I feel that

taxes should be lowered to promote economic

and small business growth. Not only will this

increase employment, but it will spur rapid

growth, leading to economic recovery.

Our nation’s deficit has grown larger

and larger each year, and this past year, the

government finally decided that action

needed to be taken. In order to balance the

budget, Congress and President Obama

reached an agreement that led to the

sequester now in effect. This plan orders

$109 billion in cuts to military spending

and funding for domestic programs

beginning on October 1. However, this

could all be avoided if the government

were to raise taxes on the wealthy and

make deeper cuts to military spending.

Raising money for the government through

greater tax revenue and slashing the budget

in a department where too much money is

already being spent will undoubtedly lower

the deficit without cutting too much of the

funding for the domestic programs the

public depends on. Raising taxes is the

easiest way to generate revenue for the

nation, and if the government were to raise

taxes on the wealthiest people of our

nation, the middle class could have the

opportunity to grow and thrive as it can not

now. This small group of people can better

handle a tax increase, while at the same

time the middle and lower class families

will be protected.

Republicans will usually propose that

spending programs should be cut. Such an

objective can be fulfilled by reducing

military spending. Since we are currently

withdrawing from the war in Afghanistan

and ostensibly completely extracted from

Iraq, the billions of dollars being spent on

the military could be reallocated to balance

the budget. Some people may say that this

will cause unemployment; however, with

the current sequester cuts, hundreds of

thousands of people have already been laid

off. This will provide the needy with

minimal assistance because of the cuts on

the unemployment budget and other

government support systems. By cutting

valuable domestic programs, people will

lack health insurance, money to sustain

themselves while they look for a job after

they’ve been laid off, and comfort in old

age, since Social Security has been cut

back for the elderly. Some of the savings

from military spending could also be used

to create jobs such as public works

projects; a notion that would also decrease

our unemployment rate. I’m not saying that

balancing the federal budget is an easy

task, but it needs to be done by keeping the

middle class, and those with a high degree

of need, in mind.

JUSTIN SHIN •

MAIA GARCIA-MUNRO •

S h o u l d a f r e s h m a n b e a l l o w e d t o g o t o p r o m w i t h a n u p p e r c l a s s m a n ?

art by ROSA CHUNG

SAHIL CHINOY •

Flip to page two of this

newspaper and you'll notice

something out of the ordinary.

This fifth issue of The Talon

was not, unlike our past issues,

an effort planned and directed

by a group of seniors. For the

first time in Del Norte's his-

tory, it was the Class of 2014

that dreamed up and executed

a school newspaper, and as

these pages demonstrate,

they've been more than suc-

cessful.

The same process has

been going on simultaneously

for almost every club and or-

ganization on campus, and I

think I can speak for the rest

of the senior class when I say

that it isn't always easy letting

go of something that, in many

cases, we've built from practi-

cally the ground up. But I

know that I'm more excited

than sad, and I think that these

next few years are going to be

just as exciting for Del Norte

as the last few have been, in a

very different way.

I'll come right out and say

it: Del Norte is running out of

firsts. We've had our first CIF

victory, our first Carnival, our

first batch of students head off

to college, and now, our first

four-year graduating class.

There are still plenty more to

come, yes, but the rate at

which we're hitting these mile-

stones is decreasing. To use

the slightly-trite but ever-ap-

plicable metaphor that holds a

special place within the

cheesiest regions of my heart,

the Nighthawks have devel-

oped plumage that's finally

starting to be recognized.

We've been adding feathers

one by one—California Dis-

tinguished School comes to

mind as a recent example—

and we're developing the rep-

utation we deserve. I was in

Northern California the other

day, and for the first time ever,

someone outside of San Diego

recognized the name "Del

Norte." I may have wept a lit-

tle.

In all seriousness, though,

we may be running out of

feathers to add, but Del Norte

is still very much a work in

progress. And as the Class of

2013 passes what we've

dreamed up and shaped for the

past four years to a group of

more-than-qualified juniors,

it's only right to recognize that

this is the end of an era. But

believe me when I say that a

new, equally exciting era is

about to begin. Here’s wishing

the best of luck to the Class of

2014 and to the rest of Del

Norte’s student body—we’re

leaving to you the product of

our minds and hearts, and we

know you’ll add to it in ways

we could never imagine.