the Carmel Sandpiper a Carmel HigH SCHool Student publiCation VOLUME XXXVII DECEMBER 2017 www.thesandpiper.org SPORTS CHS winter sports teams aim to dominate competition BY QUINN SPOONER ished 11-3 in league and made it two games into CCS. After the success of the CHS girls’ The Carmel team features both a cross country, who won the Mission number of returning players and strong Trail Athletic League championship, new players, according to coach Kurt and girls’ volleyball, the frst CHS team Grahl. Players to watch include senior ever to win two Central Coast Section Kevin Cook, who has scored 48 points games, Padre athletes will be compet- this season, senior Antonio Giangiorgi ing in a new array of sports this winter: with 13 points; sophomore Kai Lee boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ with 40 points and freshman J.T. Byrne basketball and wrestling. with 61 points. BOYS’ BASKETBALL “We will probably be a more interi- With a 91-53 win over Pajaro Val- or-oriented team because we have a lot ley to start the season, boys’ basketball is looking to perform even better than WINTER SPORTS they did last year, when the team fn- CONT. ON 13 INSIDE Bring Me Sunshine Sunset Center hosts connects high school Monterey Peninsula students with Ballet Theatre’s orphaned children in “The Nutcracker” China for community Dec. 15- 16 photo by QUINN SPOONER service PAGE 9 PAGE 16 Freshman J.T. Byrne shoots the ball amid a defender at the frst boys’ basketball scrimmage against Palma on Nov. 20. TECHNOLOGY COMMUNITY Ubiquitous internet leads to Plan under way to develop spikes in teenage depression Highway 68 roundabouts BY KYLIE YEATMAN parts of their life online, creating an im- BY SCOTT MCMAHON der the highway.” possible ideal for their majority-teenage Leonard notes that the plan is still “My phone has become my prime following. Residents of Monterey County bet- only that—an actual “project” has yet to source of happiness,” reveals a CHS ju- This engagement can quickly lead ter become well-acquainted with the re- be approved. All released information nior, refecting on how her smartphone to feelings of depression and self-re- cently added Holman Highway round- was acquired in a feasibility study sent has had an effect not only on her rela- sentment. about, for there are many more to come. to the California Department of Trans- tionship with her peers, but on her men- As reported in a study from Com- As reported by The Californian, a portation, which is currently develop- tal health as well. “When I’m with my mon Sense Media, roughly 50 percent of plan was approved by the Transporta- ing an environmental impact report for friends, I catch myself thinking ‘please teenagers feel addicted to their phones, tion Agency of Monterey County to the plan. The project will continue from go away,’ not because they’re bad peo- along with 78 percent of teachers who convert 11 intersections along High- there. ple or anything, but because I just want check their phone hourly. To the same way 68 into roundabouts, from Josselyn The plan involves four stages of to be alone with my phone.” effect, the study reports 66 percent of Canyon Road in Monterey to Blanco construction—immediate, short-term, This stu- parents ex- Road in Salinas. The plan also recom- mid-term and long-term—that are ex- dent, who pressing that mends various safety and convenience pected to take two to three years each to reports that their children features, including warning signs at complete. No construction is slated to incidents of spend too various locations, additional lighting take place until four years in, when the bullying and much time on from York Road to Pasadera Drive and frst roundabout will be placed at Olm- isolation by their phones. restrictions on left turns out of side sted Road. her peers have C a r m e l streets and driveways. Many in the Carmel community led her to cre- High support The latest draft of the plan was frequent Scenic Route 68, including a ate a persona c o u n s e l o r publicly released Aug. 23 after being number of the Carmel Unifed School for herself Lauren Ca- in circulation since December of 2015. District’s faculty and staff members. online, is not pano says that Its stated goals are “to improve safety, Long-time CHS English teacher Dale alone. A study the correla- access, operations and wildlife connec- DePalatis drives the route twice a day, photo by SEAN LOCKE from San Di- tion between tivity, while reducing congestion and every day. ego State Uni- d e p r e s s i o n greenhouse gas emissions.” “I am actually a fan of round- versity, for instance, reports that today’s in teenagers and cell phone use makes Grant Leonard, the project’s man- abouts,” DePalatis says. “The advan- teenagers are fve times more likely to sense and is accurate to the experiences ager at the TAMC, further emphasizes tage of roundabouts is that drivers never develop mental health issues than teens of students she talks to on a regular ba- these aims. really need to stop as long as they know were during the Great Depression. sis. “Roundabouts have been proven how the roundabout works. As it is now, SDSU psychologist Jean Twenge, “I think it’s on a case-by-case ba- to dramatically reduce the number of the stoplights make all the cars stop for who led the study, speculates that social sis,” Capano says. “But I think it’s re- collisions compared to signalized in- a minute, even if there is just one car media has given rise to teenagers creat- ally important for kids to get outside tersections,” Leonard says. “There are coming from the side streets.” ing false ideals for themselves. This can time.” also air quality and environmental ben- DePalatis agrees that traffc is com- be cultivated in numerous ways, most efts from the proposed plan, primarily notably by social media celebrities, PHONE ADDICTS through reductions of vehicle emissions 68 ROUNDABOUTS who usually opt to show only the best CONT. ON 8 and improved wildlife connectivity un- CONT. ON 4 2 NEWS www.thesandpiper.org DECEMBER 2017 HEALTH THE SANDPIPER STAFF Students use various methods to Editor-in-chief: Becca Goren cope with mental health concerns BY ELLAH FOSTER proaches for support. Layout editor: Julia Sudol “I don’t take any medication because my family “I have been admitted to an inpatient hospital doesn’t do that,” the sophomore says. “I try not to think twice, and I’ve done therapy for fve years,” one Car- about what’s causing the problem. I stay away from Online Editor: Joyce Doherty mel High School girl says regarding her experience huge social interactions. I try to be happy on days when with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. “I have it feels impossible.” Copy Editors: Jack Cordell, Peter friends I can talk to, but I’m pretty reserved when it Many experts, on the other hand, have found medi- Ellison, Athena Fosler-Brazil, Ian comes to talking about it.” cation to be successful in many cases. Most of those Over 30 percent of people who commit suicide who take antidepressants are found to have better long- Geertsen, Scott McMahon, Alex confded in someone in as much as a week prior to the term results with their disorder than those who don’t, Poletti, Quinn Spooner event, according to a study by social worker Dr. Brian according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Ahmedani. For those still unwilling to take medication, an- Staff Reporters: Sophia Buraglio, CHS support counselor Lauren Capano explains other coping method that is common around teens is how heavily depression and anxiety can weigh on a humor. While controversial, many that struggle with Priscilla Caballero, Ava Crawford, student and strongly suggests that those who are con- these issues fnd that using dark jokes is a way to re- Taylor Desmond, Ellah Foster, Luke fded in should be quick to speak with an adult if they lease tension around the subject. Franklin, Asha Johnston, Gabe think someone is in danger. “A lot of people use it to cope just like any issue,” Martin, Archer Michaels, Pascale “I think all comments should be taken seriously the same sophomore girl says. “It’s acceptable as long Montgomery, Nina Patel, Miles even if the individual making the comment does not as the comment isn’t coming from a place of igno- Prekoski, Kylie Yeatman, Ryan initially bring it up that way,” Capano says. “Talk with rance.” Young the individual, listen empathetically and tell an adult.” Junior Nelly Kohlgruber explains how laughter Counselors, teachers and peers can be helpful can brighten dark situations, as she has seen through resources for subjects that a student might not feel supporting her friends that suffer from depression, Faculty Adviser: Mike Palshaw comfortable speaking about with their family, Capano “Joking about it is a way to cope, to make things explains. If the resources on campus, however, do not funny,” Kohlgruber says. “It’s the nature of the joke.” support someone enough, there are multiple text and Kohlgruber also makes it clear that those who are The views expressed in The Car- call hotlines that are available for anyone to use at all dealing with these disorders daily should attempt to mel Sandpiper are solely those of hours. handle it more cautiously and tell a trusted adult, how- authors and are not intended to Teen Line offers a different approach than most ever.