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Carmela Carmel High School student publication Sandpiper VOLUME XL FEBRUARY 2019 thesandpiper.org CAMPUS Carmel’s youth take to the field Lopez reassigned, Next Level Football will not return as principal in fall BY ATHENA-FOSLER BRAZIL Carmel High School Principal Rick Lopez will not be re- turning to his position for the 2019-20 school year, news which he announced to the CHS staff on Jan. 24. The decision, made by second-year Superintendent Barb Dill-Varga, came as a shock to CHS faculty. Lopez has requested reassignment within the school district. Though Lopez says he could not provide staff with an ex- planation for why his position at the high school was terminated, Dill-Varga cites the reason for Lopez’s removal from his position as a need for a “fresh perspective” at CHS, which she hopes to take in a “new direction.” “The District is grateful to Mr. Lopez for the hard work he has done to help CHS attain many achievements over the past 10 years,” Dill-Varga wrote in a media release sent out Jan. 25. The statement announced the district’s search for a new principal, set photo by PETER ELLISON to begin in early February and conclude in April. The CHS principal is able to say little more than Dill-Varga Senior Robert Mowry coaches his team of first and second grade students during a about the reasons given for his reassignment. “The district has chosen to go a different direction for the Sunday morning practice. For more on Next Level Football, see page 7. high school leadership,” Lopez says. Teachers, administrators and students were surprised and generally sad- THIS MONTH IN SPORTS dened by the news, some de- Basketball Students engage Dangerous weight clining comment loss associated until the news gears up for with Next Level settles and more success Football with wrestling information is re- leased. PAGE 7 PAGE 7 PAGE 6 “Districts make decisions,” says CHS math teacher Mike DISTRICT Deckelmann. “We don’t al- ways know the WASC report puts CHS up for renewed reason why, and they don’t have accreditation; visitation scheduled for March to tell us the rea- BY ATHENA FOSLER-BRAZIL son why.” meetings. Gomez emphasizes the discussion of “It’s very Carmel High School has recently finalized up-to-date teaching tools and methods and making sad. I have a lot of respect for the job that Mr. Lopez does,” the report to the Western Association of Schools sure there is overlap in course curriculum between observes CHS English teacher Hans Schmidt, who calls Lopez and Colleges, the private organization that recom- departments, a process which requires collabora- a good communicator and someone he can rely on to relay im- mends schools’ renewed accreditation to the state tion of all CHS staff. portant issues without getting teachers involved in extraneous of California through evaluation of a report as well Not only are teachers, students and parents complication. as a three-day campus visit set to happen March asked to evaluate school resources and curriculum, Staff did not see this change coming and are awaiting the re- 4-6. but they discuss the culture on campus as well, in- lease of more information about the “new direction” Dill-Varga “The WASC report is our statement and evalu- cluding data from drug- and alcohol-use surveys hopes to take CHS. ation of all of our programs at Carmel High, in- taken by students. Senior Clementine Chamber- Carmel High School has been one of the top-performing cluding an extensive student and community lain, a member of the assessment and accountabil- public high schools in California for years, U.S. News & World profile, explanation and analysis of all aspects of ity focus group, found that she was able to provide Report putting CHS at #52 in the state and #330 in the nation our school program, organization, curriculum, in- a valuable perspective on student culture. for 2018. Trends in student performance have been increasing struction, assessment, school culture and student “One of the things the staff was looking at steadily over the past few years, the 2014 average ACT score support,” says Barbara Steinberg, CHS English were the reports on drug use…and I had a student being a 25.9 and the average 2017 ACT score landing at a 27.1. teacher and WASC self-study coordinator. perspective,” Chamberlain says. “That was an area Though little specific information has been released by the The process of conducting the self-study in- where I was able to help out.” district, students and faculty are unsure about what direction the volves every member of faculty on campus collab- There were a number of students involved high school will be taking in the coming year, as trends show orating in a series of meetings over the course of a in WASC committees, most of them seniors who increasing numbers of AP enrollment, passing AP test scores and year, a process that occurs every six years. have been in the Carmel Unified School District Advanced Placement awards received by CHS students. “In addition, each of the five focus groups has long enough to contribute insightful suggestions Rick Lopez is well-respected as well as liked around CHS, representation from classified [staff], administra- and solutions. and his coworkers are already beginning to lament his departure tion, parents and students,” Steinberg explains. While it gets CHS accredited, the writing of at the end of this school year. Each focus group is led by a faculty mem- the report is also an important and valuable pro- “I’m a little sad because I highly respect the man and I ad- ber and deals with a specific aspect of CHS. Math cess for CHS staff, giving them a chance to col- mire him,” says CHS assistant principal Craig Tuana, who works teacher Juan Gomez was the focus group leader for laborate and evaluate their departments. closely with Lopez every day. “I hope this works out best for him curriculum. “We look at all the stuff we do as a school and and the school as well.” “We looked at a list of questions that all have figure out if it’s still a valid approach,” Gomez CHS junior Sarah Movahedi adds, “Every day when I come to do with curriculum, what the teachers use and in he smiles and says good morning. I’m really gonna miss him.” how they know it’s the best thing out there to WASC teach,” says Gomez of the topics addressed in his CONT. ON 2 2 NEWS thesandpiper.org FEBRUARY 2019

SOCIAL MEDIA THE SANDPIPER The harsh truths of the social STAFF media influencer pathway BY KYLIE YEATMAN without making connections to other influenc- ers or paying your way to success—it’s safe to Editor-in-chief: Kylie Yeatman It’s no secret that the average teenager ap- assume that the most valuable thing you’ll earn proaches the idea of their future career in an from an Instagram ambassadorship is a free idealistic fashion, whether that be ambitions of swimsuit or pair of sunglasses. Layout Editors: Athena Fosler-Brazil, playing football professionally or becoming a Being aware of the common desire for a Ellah Foster Grammy-winning recording artist, but with the sponsorship, pyramid schemes too have come to rise of social media, a new career has presented prominence in the form of “companies” looking itself in a way more accessible than ever be- to form alleged partnerships with unsuspecting Web Editor: Taylor Desmond fore—the lifestyle of a social media influencer. targets on Instagram. The projection of realism is important in the “[These partnerships] often involve being Copy Editors: Grace Dean, Jordi Faxon, landscape of the career of a social media influ- a beta tester of a product, like a new streaming encer. With Instagram accounts frequently com- platform that promises to feature you as a cre- Peter Ellison prised of photos depicting everyday actions, it’s ator,” reveals a Monterey native with negative easy to see why the career looks promising: but experiences in the world of social media adver- Staff Reporters: Alicia Krueger, Dilan Pa- what does such an on-camera lifestyle entail? tisers. “They start questing personal informa- Montana Sprague, a popular user on Insta- tion and asking for constant product placement, tel, Miles Prekoski gram with more than 10,800 followers on the usually by making captions for you that ask the social-networking app, has an account with all reader to tag their friends in a post, giving them the hallmarks of an average social media influ- more exposure.” Faculty Adviser: Mike Palshaw encer—though not considering herself one by This local explains the pressure that comes any metric—including an ambassadorship with a with creating a balance between overt product Views expressed in The Carmel Sandpiper swimwear brand and high-quality images stand- placement and posts that the average consumer ing alongside scenic backdrops in her native would follow an influencer for in the first place. are solely those of authors and are not intend- Monterey. “It’s hard to find a balance between posting ed to be viewed as those of the Carmel Unified Sprague’s Instagram account is nothing rev- stuff that your following actually wants to look School District administration, the Carmel olutionary. With photos showcasing the STEM at without making your page exist just for ad- major posing in front of scenic views, doing any- vertising,” she reflects. “It’s hard enough to get High School administration or the adviser. thing from filling up the gas in her car to taking a sponsorship…but once you do that, you also lavish vacations abroad, Sprague has curated a have to maintain your reputation and not just be WANT TO SEND US A social media presence that focuses on her own known for doing that.” fitness and self-enrichment. Carmel High School junior Scout Curry, who LETTER? “I would say it’s really a personal decision… is involved with numerous ambassadorships, ex- but I don’t think it’s for everyone,” Sprague ex- plains that for every use of her discount code—a plains. “I try to post regularly, but it definitely sort of coupon used by brands for discounts from The Sandpiper staff welcomes contribu- takes a backseat to everything else in my life.” Instagram users—she earns 15 percent of what tions from the student body in the form of let- Sprague’s ambassadorship with Hoaka, a her company earns from that discount code. Cur- ters to the editor to sandpiper@carmelunified. swimwear brand, further occupies portions of ry’s involvement with the brand stemmed from her timeline. Tagging their brand’s account in their desire to reach a more widespread audi- org. The Carmel Sandpiper staff reserves the pictures of her clad in their swimwear, the Ham- ence, with start-up companies frequently reach- right to edit all letters for clarity, length, libel ilton College sophomore is one of many Insta- ing out to Instagram users for exposure. and taste. gram users who have partnered with clothing “In my case, the companies were starting up brands as a form of advertisement. and trying to get their names out there,” Curry “I’ve been fortunate to have options as to explains. “They reached out to me for an am- WANT TO RUN AN AD IN THE NEXT what companies I do ambassadorships with, so bassadorship, which usually means wearing the ISSUE? I decided to work with companies who have a company’s merchandise and tagging them in pic- mission I support,” Sprague says. tures.” These sponsorships vary in levels of both But an Instagram sponsorship isn’t always The Carmel Sandpiper runs ads in varying pay and prestige—in fact, a number of brands an easy route to success. Though seeing accounts have advertised ambassadorships with their topping a couple hundred thousand followers sizes each issue. To see your business adver- company to Instagram accounts with trendy captions and high-quality photos is tised in our next issue, contact a staff member with upwards of a certain follower count. commonplace on Instagram, the reality of their at [email protected]. The level of payment varies for these sponsor- financial circumstances is anything but lavish. ships: They frequently pay a certain rate by fol- Even when armed with ambassadorships, the lower count, with between $5 and $10 per thou- average self-proclaimed influencer still doesn’t Carmel High School, P.O. Box 222780 sand followers being an average rate, though necessarily make enough to create a sustainable Carmel, CA 93922 often paying only in free merchandise. living for themselves, with Curry earning a small If you haven’t grown your account to a 831-624-1821, ext. 3723 reasonably high standard—one that, despite he SOCIAL INFLUENCERS [email protected] prevalence of gurus with upwards of a million followers on Instagram, is nearly impossible CONT. ON 6

“It was a lot of coordination and pulling in a lot of Sudol emphasizes the need for parents to be in- WASC information and then making sure that the chapter had volved in the WASC process and other district deci- a consistent tone and was clear, concise and included sions in general. cont. from 1 everything necessary for that section of the report,” “It was a good learning experience for me to learn says. Russell says. how the school works and what the school takes into Teachers agree that the WASC report allows for Carmel High also reached out to parents to con- consideration before they make these major decisions,” valuable self-reflection, making sure that their prac- tribute, citing the necessity to include every perspec- Sudol says. “I encourage more parents to participate in tices are the most effective. tive within the CHS community. Andy Sudol, a mem- these meetings so that their opinions can be included in Not only does the WASC report require extensive ber of CHS Padre Parents, volunteered to be part of the the process.” research and evaluation, the writing of the report itself WASC team. The report itself, which was submitted to WASC is also an arduous task. “As a parent, you have a different perspective than on Jan. 16, is the most time-intensive aspect of the ac- “I organized and oversaw the self-study, facilitated other people in the community, so I wanted to learn creditation process, but it goes hand-in-hand with a the leadership team and wrote about half of the report,” about the process and share that with other parents… three-day, on-campus evaluation taking place in March. Steinberg says of her role in the WASC process, which and make sure that parent voices were included in the The visit, which will include WASC evaluators sitting she started working on in September 2017. final set of goals that were created,” says Sudol, who in on classes, talking to teachers and students and ex- Art teacher Steven Russell, coordinator of the fo- emphasizes aspects of student life that teachers and ad- ploring the campus, is the other half of the process that cus group for school organization, worked on Chapter ministrators are less exposed to, including high stress CHS teachers and administrators prepare for. There is Three of the report. levels in students and long days due to extracurricu- also a midterm campus evaluation that happens at the lars. three-year mark of the six-year cycle. 3 NEWS thesandpiper.org FEBRUARY 2019

ACADEMICS Individual college admissions counseling produces

mixed reviews, whilemoving highparts, what exactly prices are the counselors prove doing? an obstacle BY GRACE DEAN In the complicated college admissions process Although some private counselors offer different that really helped me write essays that weren’t just some senior students have turned to private counsel- servi\ces than others, a common denominator of many about my life story or a bibliography but told a story ing services in the absence of multiple college coun- college counselors is the organizational services they about who I was as person, student and what I valued. provide. It took several rewrites and drafts till I finally got the CHS senior Madison DiGirolamo started essay that both [my college counselor] and I felt made Did you use a private using college counseling services in Monterey me stand out.” during the Though, according to CHS students, most college college counselor outside summer before her senior year, going to a total of essay editors do not change a student’s personal voice 10 sessions of one to two hours each. She found and instead just help students pick topics of which to of CHS counseling services in her ex write, that’s not always the case. perience that the organizational services, as op- “Even those who understand admissions and un- this year? posed to help on college essays, were particu- derstand how to identify the strongest topics can still larly helpful in that she learned more about out- lack a subtle touch, often leaving their own finger- of-state universities and schools offering merit prints all over the student’s essay and application,” Johnston says. “This is not only obvious to an admis- I didn’t use one. It was difficult this year because [Darren] sions counselor, but detrimental: The worst essay to Johnston had to take on the job of basically two counselors, submit is the one suspected of outside influence.” so he was very much overloaded with that. But I still felt that In some extreme cases, college essay editing ser I was able to get a lot of help from him, so personally I was vices, like those of Robert Schwartz who created Your Best College Essay, college essay editors have been content with the counseling here and didn’t seek out a personal accused of significantly altering a student’s essay for consultant. --Jacob Matiyevsky, senior a high price. Schwartz’s business charges $1,500 for a Common Application essay and $700 for a 500-word supplement, according to Scott Jaschik in his Inside Higher Ed article, “When Application Essay ‘Help’ selors at CHS. Though these counselors come at a scholarships. Crosses a Line.” high price, the mixed services they offer and varying Similarly, Stevenson junior Lance Bauer has used Bauer says this high price is typical of his experi- prices they charge expose the lack of true authority services from college counselors from as far away as ence as well. According to his estimate, from first ses- and regulation in the ever-competitive world of col- Cupertino. He adds that individual college counselors sions with a counselor until college acceptances start lege admissions counseling. With so-called elite col- can help refine extracurricular activities for college rolling in, it can cost up to $10,000 for a hefty pack- leges becoming increasingly dif ficult for students to gain admission to, the rising I used CollegeVine, a company you can send your essays to. I sent my rates of private college counselor usage in the U.S. Common App essays to them, and they basically read them over, made show that some students and parents have turned to content and grammar changes and sent it back with a score and some sources outside their high schools to meet their coun- seling needs. According to Darren Johnston, CHS’ feedback. For a fee you can send it back as many times as you like. I didn’t college counselor, these rising rates exist in Carmel feel like I knew what I wanted to write, so I felt that they, as professionals, too. would know how to make my essay extra good. ---Mail Part of these increased rates may be due to CHS’ le Adams, senior current limited college counseling resources. “I am so grateful that I was able to work with [my private college counselor] because I feel that applications, especially now that it is no longer con- age including multiple college admissions services, even though the counselor services at CHS are great, sidered more beneficial to be perfectly well-rounded such as extracurricular help, college information help it is hard to get a lot of one-on-one time with the coun- in terms of interests. and essay editing. selor because you are fighting with your entire senior “My counselor has helped me with shaping my But what about these counselors warrants such class,” says former CHS student Natalie Lobo, study- extracurricular activities and what I choose to do to a high price? How are these counselors qualified to ing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “[My support what I am passionate about so that colleges handle such tasks? The truth is maybe they aren’t as college counselor] was always there to talk over the don’t see my chosen activities as ambiguous or sur- qualified as students and parents would hope. phone and quickly respond to emails or texts if I had prising,” says Bauer, adding that this perspective can In examining three counselors in the Monterey any questions.” make students who are still open to several fields of area, all had Bachelor degrees and all had completed study feel constrained. “programs” concerning college advising, but only one Though these sorts of orga- had a Master of Arts in Educational Counseling. In I personally wouldn’t use one. nizational services are offered by contrast, Carmel High’s sole college counselor John- most college counselors, many ston has both a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature I haven’t felt enough need for also offer help on college essays, from U.C. Davis and a Master of Arts in Education additional counseling to justify the test preparation, admissions in- from Cal Poly. terviews and making final col- These college advising programs, which award a cost of hiring one. lege decisions. These services recipient with a certificate upon completion, consist --Sophia Burgalio, senior are what some consider to cross of just five courses that can be completed in one year. a line. One way many of these counselors promote their One CHS junior says she businesses is citing their student acceptances into was skeptical when her mom first various competitive schools, in comparison to the ex- proposed she use an editor for her college applica- tremely low rates consistent with these competitive tions. colleges. However, these statistics may be skewed: Though it could seem that CHS students have “I was definitely worried that he would take over The students using private college counselors are typ- been using private counselors purely out of neces [in writing the essays], but I talked to him over the ically already ahead of the curve. sity, that’s not necessarily the sole reason. Even stu- phone and he told me he wouldn’t change my person- One study from the marketing firm Lipman dents in Silicon Valley, where high schools common- al voice,” she says. “It made me feel uneasy, though, Hearne found that 26 percent of students in the 70th ly have huge counseling departments with multiple because it made me wonder, ‘If I do get into good or higher percentile on the SAT were found to use pri- counselors, have been turning to private counselors. colleges, how much of it is me and how much of it is vate college counselors, as included later in Perry’s Take Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, for him?’” article. example. The school has eight counselors, but col- To students sharing such doubts, Lobo assures But this isn’t the only trend in private counselor lege admissions counseling in Silicon Valley has still that the college counselor she used was especially usage. At such a high cost, many also complain that exploded in recent years, according to a The Atlan- helpful in the essay process after she had helped or- private college counselors usage is restricted to the tic article by Georgia Perry titled, “Silicon Valley’s ganize and narrow down to what schools she would economically advantaged. This is one reason the ris- College-Consultant Industry.” apply. ing rates of private college counselor usage, by any In Monterey or Silicon Valley, what remains un “She had me start by talking with her about what socioeconomic group, has been so controversial. clear is exactly what services these counselors pro- I wanted to write in each essay, which I felt made me vide. With college applications consisting of multiple dig deep,” Lobo says. “She also had serval handouts FEBRUARY 2019 thesandpiper.org 4 NEWS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Immigration, the border wall and more from the student perspective should be improved in the U.S. getting paid enough and need smaller classes. Home- BY MILES PREKOSKI “They’re going to be making decisions about lessness is on the rise.” When the government shutdown began on Dec. which policies they support and don’t support, and it’s While many students voice concerns about the 22, no student could have predicted that it would be- best to be informed about those policies,” comments negative effects of the government shutdown, the de- come the longest in the history of the United States. AP Government and Politics teacher Bill Schrier. bate isn’t one-sided. 35 percent of seniors who took the With Congress and President Trump unable to reach “Where else are you going to learn about it except in a survey cited that Congress should agree to sign a bill a compromise regarding border security funding, stu- class that discusses the policies?” that calls for $5.7 billion to put towards a border wall. dents have started to voice their own opinions. Despite the ripple effect of the shutdown, many “An educated populace is a populace that will do The shutdown resulted from the lack of House and students were yet to receive an explanation from teach- better for the future,” junior Spencer White says. “We Senate votes required to agree with President Trump’s ers or fellow students as to why the shutdown occurred. can’t fall short and have a bunch of uneducated people funding demand of $5.7 billion for a U.S.-Mexico bor- Of all students surveyed, none specifically mentioned voting and talking about things they don’t know.” der wall. The wall was initially a promise Trump made discussions or seminars in class regarding the situation White is among the minority at CHS that believe during his 2016 run for president when the candidate at the border. On the other hand, nearly 25 percent of it’s crucial for a bill to be passed, calling for funding mentioned the wall would be paid for by Mexico, a seniors cited that the shutdown has affected them or along the border. White isn’t alone. One senior says project which has made no progress following the elec- someone close to them. The most common issue cited that the majority of illegal drugs come from the south- tion. was a lack of payment to family members who work in ern border, and the wall would help slow down the flow As of Jan. 26, the shutdown was ended in its 35th federal positions. of illegal contraband. Another student mentions that day, marking it as by far the longest government shut- When commenting on how the government shut- people needed to be accounted for in the U.S. down in U.S history. The shutdown affected federal down affected her, one senior mentioned that her close “National security, above all other kinds of secu- workers across the country, from National Park rangers friend’s father was working without pay. Another se- rity, in general, is very important,” junior Will Gafill to TSA employees. On Jan. 7, in his Oval Office speech nior expressed concerns that families are in the armed adds. “I don’t see why we can’t allocate under one per- to the nation, the president asserted that the U.S. is in a forces and are not receiving compensation for their cent of our national budget to pay for that. Some people “growing humanitarian and security crisis” that can be service. Other seniors concern with the fact that their are turning it into a race issue. Just because the fact easily solved by an agreement to fund a steel wall along relatives regularly receive government aid, which was that Mexico is an adjacent country to the United States the southern border. suspended for nearly a month as of Dec. 22. doesn’t mean the wall isn’t important for national se- On the Carmel High School campus, talks of the “President Trump’s border wall is not only a finan- curity.” shutdown and its effects have been voiced by many. cial concern, but an environmental concern,” CHS se- Another senior asks, “What kind of country are we Students have expressed concerns about parents and nior Ryan Stannard says. “It would block the migration without basic documentation?” relatives not getting paid, while on the other side of the of many species who regularly cross the American- In a report from earlier in 2018 based on internal spectrum, some students argue for an immediate agree- Mexican border.” Customs and Border Patrol documents from the fiscal ment to fund a border wall. Among other surveyed seniors, Stannard cited year of 2017, Border Patrol agents cite needs for more So what do the students think? Can a resolution be environmental concerns at the border. Environmental technology and increased personnel in order to curb the reached? activists and experts comment that there’s plenty of problem at the border. The report concluded that only In a recent poll sent out to the students in Civics, evidence that a border wall could serve as a damaging half of one percent of Border Patrol agents’ concerns Economics and AP Government, CHS seniors got the climate mistake. mentioned the inclusion of a wall. chance to voice their own opinions. Nearly 30 percent “$5.7 billion could go to something more useful,” While the partial government shutdown recently of students mention that they don’t understand the gov- CHS senior Aminah Khalil adds. “Flint, Michigan, still ended, the agreement will only open the government ernment shutdown and why it has occurred, but 70 per- doesn’t have clean water. Los Angeles teachers aren’t for three weeks. While negotiations at the White House cent of students surveyed believe border security continue, debates among students will go on.

COMMUNITY Discussions surrounding roundabouts among Carmel Valley Road Traffic Committee in session; final verdict to be decided BY JORDI FAXON Carmel Valley Road is expected to go through mel Valley Road intersection, further determining many renovations in the coming years in regards which intersections would benefit most—in terms to decreasing traffic and increasing safety, develop- of both capital. ments that are being managed by the Carmel Valley and lives saved—from a roundabout. Of the 24, the Road Advisory Committee. Laureles Grade intersection would return the third In 2007, the committee created the Carmel greatest benefit from a roundabout. Valley Traffic Improvement Program to fix many Another project for this committee is an up- glaring issues Carmel Valley Road has faced and grade on the intersection at September Ranch, the is still facing, like the high number of car crashes stable across the street from Brookdale Drive and on the Laureles Grade intersection with Carmel Canada Way. As stated in the Oct. 15 committee Valley Road. The committee is currently planning meeting, the renovation on the Brookdale Drive in- the building of a roundabout on this intersection to tersection isn’t due to an urgent safety hazard, like hopefully make the road safer. the Laureles Grade intersection, but due to the con- The Laureles Grade and Carmel Valley Road struction for the housing developments on Septem- intersection is infamous in the minds of many ber Ranch. As was stated in the Oct. 15 committee Carmel Valley residents. To some members of the meeting, the intersection improvements at Septem- community, like CHS junior Dante Garderet, this ber Ranch need to coincide with the construction of intersection is the most dangerous part of his daily the housing community, which will begin this sum- commute. mer at the latest. The Morgan family, in charge of “It’s stressful because when you’re turning the housing development on September Ranch, is right onto the road [from the grade], you can barely having a developer plan for a signal at the intersec- see the oncoming traffic, and when you’re turning tion with Carmel Valley Road, but the committee is left onto Carmel Valley Road, the people turning pushing for the developer to put a roundabout at the right block your vision,” Garderet says. “It’s almost intersection instead. like a highway, that speed that they’re coming on “For September Ranch, the original developer the corner, but there are no lights or anything like agreement called for them to install a stoplight there that.” and create an intersection,” says informed Carmel photo by MONTEREY COUNTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT The Transportation Agency of Monterey Coun- Valley resident Robert Ellis. “But nobody on the ty, a state-sponsored organization in charge of or- [committee] wants stoplights on Carmel Valley A conceptual drawing of the proposed roundabout at ganizing and financing transportation projects in Road, they wanted a roundabout. So now they’re Laureles Grade. This intersection has one of the highest Monterey County, released a Regional Roundabout negotiating with the developer to pay a little bit number of car crashes on West Carmel Valley Road. Study in 2016, assessing 24 intersections notorious more or have the county kick in some money and for their car collisions, delays and emissions on the maybe put in a roundabout over and above the cost CVR peninsula, including the Laureles Grade and Car- of stoplights.” CONT. ON 8 5 SPORTS/NEWS thesandpiper.org FEBRUARY 2019

SPORTS OPINION Weight-loss pressures pose risks in Following school shutdown, a need for better wrestling world, yet CHS takes precautions infrastructure is self-evident BY TAYLOR DESMOND “The [California Interscholastic Federation] State-mandated hydration assessments are re- also regulates what types of techniques can be used BY KYLIE YEATMAN quired for every high school wrestling program in the to cut weight,” says 2018 CHS graduate Diego Ca- nation by the National Federation 2018-2019 wres- brera, a former wrestler. “Of course, when people The days following the school shutdown on Jan. tling rules to ensure that athletes are losing weight want to wrestle to get those team points, CIF regu 17 due to storm-related power outages at CHS were within a safe range. It then fits them into one of the lations will not stop them from doing so.” filled with complaints from students and faculty alike fourteen weight categories, but this doesn’t prevent Cabrera adds on that there is a seven percent regarding the hole that a lost day left in the majority the dietary changes many CHS students undergo in minimum body fat that every wrestler is required to of lesson plans on campus—and when accompanied order to lose pounds to fit into the lower divisions. meet, and it is encouraged that players eat healthy with two days in the first semester entirely devoid of “We are very health conscious,” wrestling coach and cut away all the processed food and foods high Wi-Fi, which left a number of teachers unable to do Russ Shugars says. “They’re not starving themselves in sugar. When his teammates were a few pounds in-class work online, a puzzling scenario has made it- or sweating off weight. I encourage never skipping over a couple of days before the competition began, self clear, and a need to address these issues is obvious. a meal, and the boys are following the rules. They he says they would resort to methods like fasting and The swift cancellation of after-school activi- watch what they eat…and they put aside the sugar would stop drinking water altogether. ties preceding the school shutdown last month was and junk food.” “The CIF bans the use of sauna suits in duels a source of irritation for students and faculty with At the beginning of the season, the 14 CHS and tournaments as well as other dehydration tac- indoor activities planned and came across as hastily wrestlers went through national hydration tests and tics,” Cabrera says. “The use of steroids is of course thrown together without careful consideration given required body fat testing in order to establish the prohibited. If an athlete is lower than the minimum towards individual events. With meetings canceled minimum low of an individual’s weight. Some chose weight they were given at the beginning of the sea- and a vast time crunch created, teachers were left to to maintain their bodies and practice normally, but son, they are not allowed to compete because they do plan for themselves how they’d make up for lost time. others saw it as opportunity to cross the line into not encourage excessive weight loss.” Though CUSD director of facilities Dan Paul has lower divisions and practice eating habits that may Athletes calculate their height and body fat per- explained that small generators do exist throughout be unhealthy to reach that minimum. centage in order to find out how low they can weigh, the district, he says that providing power across the “Since everyone is losing weight, if you don’t, and if they have an unhealthy body fat percentage, district would be a difficult feat. Paul describes that you’re going to be wrestling people that are a lot they would be prohibited from participating in the roadblocks to the implementation of on-campus gen- stronger than you,” junior wrestler Michael Meheen upcoming competition. erators include the need for a trailer-mounted genera- says. “If you’re in your weight class and you have a “My natural weight fits inside a weight class tor, a full site analysis, roughly five hours to set up the lot of fat, then you’re going to lose to the people who I am happy with,” senior wrestler Aidan Cash ob- trailer on campus and close coordination with PG&E, came down a class with a larger muscle-to-fat ratio.” serves. “Other guys who are trying to lose weight a laundry list that calls into question our district’s ca- Meheen says he has been eating limited amounts sweat it all off, won’t eat the day before competition, pability of making such a lofty task come to pass. of food under his necessary caloric intake, explain- and after their weigh-in they will eat stuff and get In response to issues regarding the Wi-Fi outages ing that other wrestlers don’t eat anything on the their energy back.” that plagued the 2018-19 school year’s first semester, it Thursday and Friday before tournaments on the up- Wrestlers at CHS are technically losing a safe was the quick assertion of many that teachers should coming Saturday. amount of weight, but the ways in which they are be able to teach their lesson plans without the use of “As a coach, the term I like to use is that we doing so can possible result in safety issues. While the internet--and though for some this is certainly a get to our fighting weight,” Shugars says. “It’s where Borek says that no one has gotten seriously injured realistic prospect, for classes entirely reliant on the you’re lean and trim, but not so much that you are from their attempts to make weight, he still doesn’t use of computers to get our jobs done (take News- unhealthy and can’t wrestle right. If you do cut like think the methods some wrestlers are doing is ben- paper, for instance,) it’s a far more nuanced concern. that where you go two to three days without eating, eficial to their health. The push for teachers to digitize their curriculums you won’t wrestle well.” “The problem I have with cutting weight is that and increase reliance on technology only complicates Yet according to sports medicine teacher Matt if you put it in context of being like a car, they need matters further, making it harder for adjustments to Borek, food isn’t the only thing wrestlers are cutting to run on gas…they need fuel,” the trainer saysr. “I be made in the classroom without the availability of down on: Wrestlers are becoming obsessed with cut- don’t agree with it.” students’ Chromebook laptops. ting water from their diets as well. Coaches check Considerations have certainly been made regard- their wrestlers’ dietary ing the issue, and while it’s admirable that the district- habits by weighing touted Project 2020 has committed itself to increasing them in before every the speed and accessibility of Wi-Fi on campus from competition, and with several angles, improvements to the speed and con- the assistance of the nectivity of Wi-Fi have minimal correlation to the California Interscho- functionality of the service itself. Simply put: Before lastic Federation, ath- improvements can be made to our Wi-Fi speed, it letes are limited on needs to be certain that it’s not going to shut down how much they are al- and leave classes stranded. lowed to lose. This issue begs the question: What solution would Central Coast Sec- mitigate this daunting pattern? tion guidelines note While Principal Rick Lopez expresses that the that it is imperative that district is in talks regarding the prevalence of technol- the school’s wrestling ogy issues on campus, these discussions must happen coach monitors each quickly and with decisive purpose. An improvement athlete throughout the in on-campus infrastructure is imperative to prevent entire season to ensure the disruption of classes and, on a personal note, allow they are maintaining or this issue of the Carmel Sandpiper to be released in a losing weight properly timely fashion—all of which is in the hands of func- in a healthy and safe tioning technology. manner.

photos by DIEGO CABRERA

CHS junior Michael Meheen is forced into a kneel during competition.

career as public and accessible as that of a social media of YouTube as a mode of financial stability, an analy- Social influencers influencer been so attainable to the average teenager, sis done by Mathias Bärtl shows that 96.5 percent of something which extends further to other social media- those who set out to become YouTubers still make less cont. from 2 based careers, including being a successful YouTube money than required to live above the poverty line. Es- percentage of purchases made solely through the use of celebrity or a SoundCloud rapper. sentially, even with a seemingly high subscriber count her discount code. With each suit costing around $35 “Being an influencer is popular among our genera- in the hundred thousands to the low millions, another after use of a discount code, an ambassadorship might tion because they’re relatable [without] usually being job would still be necessary in order to compensate fi- offer as low as $4 per suit sale—and that’s assuming very talented,” senior Ryan Stannard laughs. “It makes nancially. your discount code is used in the first place, meaning them easier to connect with.” The chimerical essence of a career in social media promotion must be frequent. But the monetary realities attached to these ca- is, unfortunately, dogged by these harsh realities. Of course, a lack of realism regarding an idealized reers are just as telling. Despite the financial promise career is nothing new for teens, but never before has a PREP SPORTS Rising number of soccer concussions addressed by Carmel High’s implementation of foam headbands BY ELLAH FOSTER mostly between head and ground. A meeting was then called as though they affect the way that he plays. of the increased risks,” Russman explains. with the boys’ and girls’ varsity coaches, Troy “At the beginning of the season, we were purely con- Another possibility, notes Russman, is that females are While concussions are nothing new, they have been Grande and Krista Winkler, to discuss the implementation. cerned with looking silly in the headbands because we are simply more likely to report their symptoms, meaning that taken much more seriously in recent years due to alarming “Borek did some research, and he got a few samples of the only school in the area that requires them,” Sawyer de- they are not actually at a higher risk and the higher rate can statistics and the serious outcomes of these injuries. Sports the headbands,” CHS athletic director Golden Anderson tails. be accounted for by women seeing doctors more regularly. administrators at Carmel High School are taking a closer says. “He then met with me and Principal Lopez, and we The idea of appearance rather than functionality was Regardless of gender, Winkler believes that soon the look at the damage that concussions can have on the brain agreed that if there is something that we can do to help, then also prevalent on the girls’ team, although they have seem- Unequal headbands won’t be out of the ordinary for teams as well as how to prevent them. we should do it.” ingly come to terms with the gear and haven’t had any and will start to be a requirement everywhere. American “A concussion is often abbreviated to TBI for traumatic While the girls’ programs had the higher number of disciplinary action take place. Once the team received the soccer player Ali Krieger made headlines in 2015 when she brain injury, and it happens when the brain rattles in the concussions last year, administrators agreed that it was best headbands, Winkler began to wear one at all times when she wore a concussion headband during the U.S. World Cup skull,” sports medicine teacher Matt Borek says. “The brain to implement the headbands into both programs. plays. If the Unequal band is ever forgotten, she also pro- games, sparking conversation regarding the gear. is suspended in fluid so when you hit your head, it can even “That number was almost unheard of, unprecedented, vides extras to leave no options for players to sit out unless it While the Carmel soccer teams add this additional piece slam against the skull. There are a lot of varying degrees of so it was decided that the girls’ team was for sure going to is in protest of wearing the gear. of protection, other sports offered at CHS have come into concussions.” get headbands,” Winkler recalls. “Well, how do you mandate “I think the risk of concussions are definitely a big question. Similarly, basketball is a contact sport that lacks Contact sports, defined as activities where bodily con- concussion headbands for girls and not boys when it is the enough problem to have to wear the headbands, especially preventative gear. Sophomore varsity basketball player Ol- tact is necessary and frequent, tend to have the highest rate exact same sport?” in soccer,” varsity girls’ captain senior Lexi Sakoda. “We are ivia Randazzo suffered from a concussion in the beginning photos by LUKE DEPALATIS of concussions. While football is often at the top of the list, Carmel athletes’ immediate reactions were mostly at such a high risk because we often use our heads in aggres- of the season, explaining that she had contact with another another sport has made itself known to be particularly at negative, with many complaining about the look and size of sive play.” player at practice where she hit her head and then fell dur- Sophomore JT Byrne sets up to add more points to the Padres’ season tally. risk for concussions: girls’ soccer. Wellington Hsu, a profes- gear. However, the school rules for both teams remained the “The girls were not happy in the beginning, prior to see- ing a game the next day, feeling immediately light-headed sor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medi- same: Wear the gear at all times or don’t play. Junior Nico ing them,” Winkler says. “They had built it up to be some and dizzy. After finishing off the game, she went to Borek to PREP SPORTS cine, reports that girls’ soccer may even be at a higher rate Staehle explains his reluctance to the headband is rooted in full helmet, so then they got them and I think, that in a good explain her symptoms. than football, due to the lack of protective gear. the fit of the product, not the goal of lowering concussion way, it was like, ‘Oh, they aren’t bad.’ Of course, though, For all athletes, there is a “return-to-learn” and “return- Up to 3.8 million teenagers (aged 14-19) are treated an- rates. there were some comments and jokes made.” to-play” mandatory process after receiving a concussion. Varsity boys’ hoops proves worth nually in emergency rooms for sports-related concussions, “My initial reaction to wearing the headbands, as well Anderson adds that he understands why the programs The former requires step-by-step directions to get back according to the National Institute of Health. Concussion as my team’s reaction, was extremely annoyed,” Staehle be- had opposition to the gear since it is new and no other teams into school, starting with a day or two at home and slowly rates are measured by “athlete exposures,” defined as one gins. “I was one of the first athletes to test the headband out, in the league are mandated to wear them. completing half and full days at school. The return-to-play atop competitive Gabilan Division player participating in a game or practice. There is a certain and it was stiff and uncomfortable. I couldn’t imagine play- While the beginning of the season harbored some nega- process follows after the athlete is back in school, beginning BY ALICIA KRUEGER rate for every 1,000 athletic exposures. Behind sports such ing in it.” tivity surrounding the headbands, Grande assures that his with light exercise. Usually, the athlete recovers in about a Get one percent better every day. play cohesively expands through the significant as ice hockey and rugby, soccer comes in at .23 for every Grande believes the headbands have thus far reduced players have gotten over wearing them, even though they week and is ready for practice and games once again. The Carmel High School boys’ varsity leadership on the team. 1,000 contacts, according to Complete Concussion Manage- the number of concussions since they haven’t had any this don’t like it. When asked if these headbands or similar gear might basketball team walks into practice every day “Zach DeZee and Joe Garello uphold stan- ment. year, saying he hopes to continue this streak. With so many claims from the varsity boys’ team being be implemented in other sports, Anderson says that al- with this mindset. An underdog entering the dards that all of the younger players are ex- At CHS, the girls’ soccer teams, both junior varsity “The boys ripping off the headbands was more in frus- that the gear is unnecessary, can that be easily disregarded? though he is unsure if that will result in more preventative most competitive division in the Pacific Coast pected to meet every day,” says junior Ethan and varsity, suffered from seven or eight concussions in the tration rather than about the band itself,” Grande laughs. He It was discovered that within sex-comparable sports, the gear, the administration is always looking for ways to make Athletic League, the Gabilan Division, this Fletcher of the two senior leaders. 2017-2018 season, according to Borek. After reading nu- adds that, whether they were purposely taking off the head- rate of concussions was 56 percent higher in girls rather CHS sports safer. team faces new challenges as they attempt to Carmel won against Monte Vista Chris- merous articles about the severity of brain injuries, the ath- band, it still serves as a good opportunity to take them out of than boys, according to a study released by the Journal of “I think we have proven to be pretty aggressive in this exceed last year’s accomplishments. The team tian, finishing with a huge lead of 70-17 on Jan. letic trainer said he felt as though there needed to be some the game for a few minutes and let them cool off. Athletic Training in 2017. realm because safety is our priority, whether we are popular is standing with a league record of 4-1 head- 25 and beat Salinas 82-72 on Jan. 23. After los- sort of preventative gear to lower the number of concussions Staehle explains his team believed the enforcement As more research surfaces of females being more prone when we do it or not,” says the athletic director. ing into Tuesday’s game at Alisal and a season ing their first game of league play to Monterey in the soccer programs. of the gear would be temporary, but so far the rules have to concussions than males, the reasons behind such claims While they may not be used at CHS just yet, more and record of 15-4. 58-63 on Jan. 18, the boys bounced back with That prevention now comes in the form of a black head- stuck—both in and out of games. are still left relatively undetermined. Neurologist Andrew more products from brands like Unequal are being utilized In 2017-18, the CHS basketball team won a 69-51 win against Palma on Jan. 21, ending band, mostly from the brand Unequal, that is worn around While many on the boys’ team are opposed, others have Russman from the Cleveland Clinic suggests that it could be in sports such as baseball, football and snow sports to com- the Mission Trail Athletic League Champion- a 20-year losing streak against the Chieftains. the players’ foreheads. With the feel of memory foam, the either gotten used to the gear or don’t see the point in due to the comparative neck muscles in females and males bat the likeliness of concussions. ship and finished their season in the third round “We knew going to Monterey, the number- headbands fit tightly and are meant to reduce the risk of a complaining. Junior Cole Sawyer believes that since the when heading the ball. of the Central Coast Section, only losing one one team in the area and in Division III, that traumatic brain injury, or TBI, during contact number of concussions on the boys’ team was lower than on “Young women have less developed neck musculature starting senior and three others for this year’s they would be tough,” Grahl says. “What we photo by QUINN SPOONER the girls’, the headbands aren’t necessary, but also doesn’t feel than their male counterparts, which can account for some season. took from that is that we need to execute better The team consists of a group of high-ener- down the stretch, we need to get better looks YOUTH ATHLETICS gy, talented young men with a passion for the at shots and we have got to make their shots a game. little tougher. This has been a great lesson for “We put in a lot of time on defense but us: We need to stay true to who we are. Against tend to be a pretty successful offensive team,” Monterey, we weren’t playing the style we have Next Level Football builds support in inaugural season head coach Kurt Grahl says. “We have some of- been practicing but against Palma we made that BY PETER ELLISON in the program, with no connection to prep football yet are otherwise fensively skilled players. Our style often times change.” Sunday mornings have long meant Panther Youth Football fill- inclined to help out. These youth coaches have the option of receiv- gets us into an up and down, fast-paced game, On Jan. 11, the team kicked off league play ing Carmel High’s parking lots and fields with children and parents ing community service or pay. which tends to bring out offense, and that is one with a road victory of 69-61 against Alisal High as the community comes together to collectively teach its children “It’s good training for our student-athletes to we are pretty good at.” School, a Gabilan League Champion who had the great game of football. Following Panther’s disbanding in Au- mentor the youth,” Anderson says. “It’s good to be able to interact Sophomore JT Byrne, named 2017-18 All not lost at their home since 2015. gust, the fields have been empty. with the youth in our community and give them positive role models, League MTAL MVP, has led the team this sea- “I think that we showed that we belong Until now. and hopefully give them a positive service that youth athletics is all son as a scoring leader with an average points in this new league with our game [against With the introduction of Next Level Football on Jan. 13, Car- a b out .” per game of 20.54 and total points of 267 lead- Alisal],” says senior captain and power for- mel High fields have once again been filled with parents, children The student-athletes involved act as team coaches, assistant ing into Tuesday’s game against Alisal. He has ward Zach DeZee, who was named MTAL De- and CHS’ own students to enjoy flag football for ages kindergarten coaches and referees for the games that occur throughout Next Level’s led in free throws with an average of 3.85 free fensive Player of the Year last season. “Win- through seventh grade. Next Level Sports, starting in San Mateo 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. run time. Members of the Carmel High School coach- throws per game, and has also led the team in ning against Alisal was like crashing the party. nine years ago, is new to Carmel and being coordinated locally by ing staff, such as offensive coach Mike Herro, are also present, helping field goals. I think that there are a lot of teams who don’t Carmel High varsity head coach Golden Anderson. coach and run teams. Following Byrne in scoring as a whole think we should be in this tough league with “It’s a fun sport, a lot of people are fans of it, and it’s a safe way In August, the number of kids enrolled in Panther had dwindled is junior shooting guard Kai Lee with a total them.” to do it,” Anderson says. “I’m a parent and my son’s involved. He’s to less than a full team, with President Jason Gorman saying that some of 195 points and averaging 15.00 points per The Carmel players are constantly striving gonna play in the kindergarten division. We would not be looking of the factors contributing to this decline included concern about in- game through Jan. 28. to improve and push each other in regards to for him to participate in any type of tackle football activity at any jury, travel club sports becoming increasingly prominent and kids’ “Kai Lee is a person who has a flare for their individual roles. Players who are not start- time in the near future, but something like this is safe.” interest in video games. Concurrently, Next Level Sports flag football the spectacular,” assistant coach Hans Schmidt ing or playing many minutes remain supportive Next Level Football is organized into coed teams divided by program has spread to 24 schools across California and Nevada. On says. “Against Pacific Grove he hit a very long in order to reach the team’s goals. school-year brackets: kindergarten and first grade, second and third the Monterey Peninsula, the flag model has seemed more attractive to three and has had a number of dunks this year. “If we continue the march that we have grade, and so on until seventh grade. On Sunday mornings, 18 teams parents, with Next Level having about 165 kids signed up by the Jan. He is a defensive whirlwind as well.” been on and if we do things the right way, we practice for an hour before having an hour-long game, teams playing 13 opening day, with more signups trickling in since. Each player brings a different aspect to understand that we have a pretty high ceiling. 5-on-5 flag football on a condensed field with modified rules to ac- Parents seem to appreciate the convenience of Next Level within the Padres, bringing energy and drive to each Winning Central Coast Section would be a goal count for age and ability. This schedule is designed to be convenient their schedules in comparison to other youth sports, as well as per- game, making themselves tough competition. that is realistic,” Grahl says. “We believe that if for parents, requiring only one day of commitment rather than a ceiving Next Level as much safer than other tackle versions of the “I think what makes this team so special is we achieve our goals each day, our goals will photo by PETER ELLISON two-day obligation each week. sport. the group of guys we have,” Byrne says. “We take us to some pretty cool destinations. CCS Coaching is overseen by Anderson, but is put in play by 24 Car- “He’s never played,” says parent Matthias Villegas about his son are all ‘team-first’ kinds of players. We are all being one of those desinations.” Senior Robert Mowry coaches his team of first and second grade students in a Sunday morning mel High students and around 15 parent volunteers. The student Bennie. “But I’ve found that instead of putting him into Pop Warner so passionate about the game, and we have so This past week, Carmel was scheduled to practice. leaders are pulled predominantly from the football team, but coach- where they start hitting them with the pads, get him out here and much respect for each other.” face Alisal at home Tuesday and Palma on the ing is also done by other students, some with younger sibling have him run and get to feel the game of football. And it’s a lot safer.” Both coaches and players recognize that road Thursday before a rematch with Monterey their bond grows tighter, and their ability to in the CHS gym at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5. FEBRUARY 2019 thesandpiper.org 8 NEWS/OPINION

creasing the diameter of the roundabout, allowing cars Road construction is to preserve the rural character Carmel Valley Road to drive faster through the roundabout, yet the issue of of Carmel Valley. On this principle, the committee is land ownership still arises. In the case of September pushing against a signal on the road east of the intersec- cont. from 5 Ranch, the roundabout would push further into Sep- tion on Rancho San Carlos Road. tember Ranch’s property or some residential property According to Ellis, the process of getting this At the last committee meeting on Dec. 20, it was on Brookdale drive. roundabout is essentially three-fold: There’s planning, noted that the factors used in deciding whether the con- Cost is another factor. Developers have already involving negotiations between the developer and the struction of a roundabout is ultimately the best option agreed with the committee to construct a signal, and the committee regarding all of the different conceptual al- for September Ranch are numerous. Benefits to install- cost of the construction has already been agreed upon, ternatives of how to relieve traffic; design, which will ing a roundabout are mainly that safety would increase, but the roundabout would cost about $500,000 more, be executed by an engineering firm; and construction. traffic would calm, and the according to the committee meeting on Oct. 5. The planning stage is complete, and at the next road would stay more rural, but there are advantages To both the committee and the general public, the committee meeting on Feb. 19 at 10 a.m., the com- to the signal as well, like a decrease the construction road’s rural atmosphere is important, as highlighted in mittee will choose the engineering firm that will be in cost and an increase in the road’s efficiency and level of the first version of the Carmel Valley Master Plan from charge of designing the roundabout. service, a road’s number of obstructions and blockages. 1986, which claims that the first goal of Carmel Valley The level of service could be ameliorated by in-

OBJECTION to the Carmel Valley Road bus. OBJECTION to people who condescendingly Do you know what it’s like to run from Mr. Stafford’s ask, “Oh yeah, how many songs can you name by [fill in room after seventh period, dash to the line of buses at the blank]?” when you say you’re a fan of an artist. Let a moderately fast pace, climb up into the bus, wave to people enjoy music, okay? They didn’t ask to be grilled the bus driver and turn toward your left to see such a about the history of a band or the release date of their disgraceful sight? For those of you who don’t take the next album or the obscure artists featured in their latest Carmel Valley bus (and I’m not referring to the fake Pilot EP or what the lead singer had for dinner last night. You Road one), you don’t know what it’s like to see a bus are not better than them because you can name more filled well beyond capacity with a line of other students Brockhampton songs than they can. You are not bet- well on their way behind you. I was raised in a nice, ter than them because your taste in music is more “in- Christian household, where we were told that buses die.” I don’t want to hear you asking people to list song should contain at most two people to a seat, but the titles to prove that they’re worthy of calling themselves a sight you’re left to behold is likely the sight that inspired fan. Maybe the only song they know by Drake is “God’s Søren Kierkegaard to write Fear and Trembling. I must Plan.” That’s fine. They don’t deserve your condescend- admit, the situation has gotten better. In the back half ing comeback demanding that they list more albums. Let of the bus, there used to not even be enough room for people enjoy things. Calm down. three to a seat, so some unfortunate students were left to sit on the bus floor. This situation ought to be rem- --ATHENA FOSLER-BRAZIL edied soon. --JORDI FAXON

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1 375 CarmelValleyDentist.com 9 NEWS thesandpiper.org FEBRUARY 2019 STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Teens make a difference within the local community BY DILAN PATEL Student uses woodworking to give back CHS junior Christian Gebhardt, a passion of mine,” Gebhardt says. the junior makes wine stands to sell, and his branded initiative GOOD- “Woodworking was a real passion of which each stand is engraved with a Works, has been working with Al & mine, so I wondered how can I com- logo, custom design or name custom- Friends to feed the disadvantaged in bine woodworking and use that talent ized for each buyer. Each wine stand is Monterey by donating proceeds made that I have in order to make proceeds sold for $14 to $25, and over the course by selling custom wine stands. for Al.” of a year and a half, he has sold a total Every Sunday, using money do- Gebhardt works with Matt Ishler, of about 500 wine stands. Every week nated by GOODWorks and other the Carmel Middle School woodshop he drops off money every week to help places, Al & Friends feeds 80 home- teacher, to create wine stands that he support the weeks’ meal donation. less people hot meals, which adds up to sells, and all the profits go towards Al Gebhardt plans to continue to over 4,000 meals donated every year. & Friends. Parsonage Winery in Car- make wine stands and sell other prod- Over the past couple of years, Geb- mel Valley donates French Oak Wine ucts such as wine stave candle-holders. hardt has donated over $8,600 to Al barrels to GOODWorks, and from He hopes to sell over 1,000 stands in & Friends and does this by combining there Gebhardt, along with several the next year and continue to help the multiple things that he loves doing. middle school students, deconstructs community. “I was brainstorming ways raise and cleans the barrels. money, and somehow involve it with Using his love of woodworking,

Junior travels to aid fire victims in need gave important supplies such as hygiene kits, clothes, and Instead of going on a vacation to exotic places like other important supplies that were vital to people’s survival. many other students, junior Blue West went to Paradise dur- “There were so many people that needed help,” West ing winter break to help aid families who were affected by says. “Thousands of people were displaced by the fire, and the Northern California fire that happened in November. they all still need help.” Camp Fire being the deadliest fire in the U.S. since the Though there are many different charities and relief ef- Cloquet fire in northern Minnesota in 1918, West felt that he forts that are working to help, there are so many people that need to do something to help them. By going to Paradise he it is hard to help every family get fully back on their feet. was able to see with his own eyes how many people there Even though West could not help everyone in need, he and were and the impact that the fire had on them. his family tried to help as many people as they could. They “I imagined what it would be like if the fire took ev- talked to many different people and tried to see what they erything from me,” West says. “I knew how much I would needed. appreciate and need the help if I were in their shoes.” With over 50,000 people displaced by the fire, anything West went to various homes and animal shelters and can help and can make a difference in people’s lives.

Environmentalist uses passion for art to spread awareness around the community Senior Nelly Kohlgruber has been making art, and so she created an idea paint the background, and glue to trash working on spreading environmental in which she could use art to create onto the mural. The project uses over awareness around the community by awareness in the community. 10 trash bags full of garbage. creating an 8-by-12-foot mural of a “I pitched an idea where I would “Another thing to do with the plas- wave at Highland Elementary out of make a mural out of plastic and gar- tic is to make art out of it, repurpose garbage found on beaches. bage that the students brought in,” it, recycle it instead of automatically Kohlgruber started working on Kohlgruber says. “The goal was to throwing it away,” Kohlgruber says. the project in February 2018, where make them more aware of the plastics “Anything can make a difference.” she first thought of the idea after see- that they produce in their daily life.” Kohlgruber, an avid swimmer and ing nothing but plastic washed to shore After the school agreed to her diver, feels that keeping our oceans and while on vacation. From this experi- idea she got to work and started col- environment safe is very important. ence, she brainstormed ways in which lecting and sorting the trash. Kohlgru- She has been working on this project photos by DILAN PATEL she could help bring awareness to ber works with several students every for almost a year to date and hopes that the global problem. She really enjoys week after school, where they can it is finished by March. FEBRUARY 2019 thesandpiper.org 10 ENTERTAINMENT

Question & Answer 1. What is your opinion on the government shutdown? 2. Will you vote when you are eligible? 3. Are you hopeful or hopeless for the future of our country? 4. What does America need more or less of?

1. I think that it is atrocious. The workers 1. I think that it should be Congress that isn’t getting have families too, and we should not be paid instead of government workers. It’s ridiculous. treating them like they are expendable. 2. I’ve voted before and will continue. 2. Yes, of course. 3. We will see in 2020. 3. I would like for politics to not be a pissing 4. We need less divisiveness and more cooperation. match between two parties. 4. We need less of this culture of no middle Zach Ahern Kieren Daste ground, without basically any compromise. senior junior

1. I don’t really have an opinion on it. 1. It just feels like squabbling siblings that could find 2. Yes! a better way to work things out. 3. To an extent, I am hopeful. But considering 2. Yeah. how technology is taking over, I am a little 3. Hopefully, we can learn from our mistakes. hopeless. 4. I’m not too sure about that. 4. I think we need more communication. Seanna Wittler Anjali Golechha sophomore junior

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Ope n in g da y is Ma rch 1 6 th! Co me do wn to Ca rm el Middle S ch o o l to e nj o y som e grea t s oftba ll! carmelsoftball.org 11 ENTERTAINMENT thesandpiper.org FEBRUARY 2019

FOOD Yeast of Eden delivers Eastern take on traditional American cuisine BY JORDI FAXON are juicy, spilling all over the plate, but they’re well If you aren’t full yet, let me walk you through worth it because the taste is phenomenal and unmistak- some of their dessert options. The churros ($8) have Just a month old and named after Steinbeck’s fa- ably authentic. The cheese is appropriately strong, but an authentic taste. They aren’t as sweet as most churros mous book about the Salinas Valley, Yeast of Eden, not overwhelming, and the tortilla is warm and tender. you’ll find are, but they do bring out the warm, cin- open for business in the Carmel Plaza, is a sister restau- Much of the same descriptions roll over into the Korean namon taste that’s so often drowned in sugar. The most rant of the Alvarado Street Brewery and Grill, but has steak street tacos ($11) as well. These have a serious, popular of the desserts, however, is certainly the a whole different aesthetic, sporting gastropub cuisine robust taste, packing some colorful eastern vegetables chocolate stout cake ($8), punctuated with a dollop of with exotic dishes from South America to Southeast and a side of kimchi. As you can imagine, so far, this salted caramel ice cream on top. I think this last dessert Asia and plenty of spices from all over the world. meal does not disappoint. speaks for itself. For an appetizer, the Saigon wings ($13), which The entrees here display a new vanguard the res- In the end, I was quite content with the service I come with five pieces, are truly mouthwatering. The taurant is plowing in Carmel. The Korean fried received and the experience I had. This pronounced spicy fish sauce caramel is the most tantalizing ingredi- chicken ($28) stands out for its smoky, peppery taste, restaurant-bar shouldn’t go under your radar. Yeast of ent, making the chicken wings both sweet and spicy. with crispy skin, tender meat and an adornment of spic- Eden is open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday They have green onion sprinkled on top and come with es. There’s also the publican ($16), Yeast of Eden’s through Thursday, and from 11:30 a.m. to midnight on a side of radish and pickled papaya. Mmhm! intoxicating burger, whose juicy patty is matched with Fridays and Saturdays. They serve from their happy The menu has several options for street tacos, all its sweet potato bun and mild sauce, which the menu hour menu on Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to of which come in pairs. The carnitas street tacos ($10) calls a “fancy sauce.” 5 p.m.

photo by JORDI FAXON

Saigon Wings ($13) with spicy fish sauce, caramel, green onion and a side of radish and papaya.

STAFF Western Stage veteran fills theater manager position BY KYLIE YEATMAN fell into it naturally.” Nine years after the opening of Car- CHS’ faculty who use the theater mel High School’s multi-million-dollar frequently have been clamoring for theater and following a brief search for an official theater manager for several an official theater manager, Western years, and excitement in regards to the Stage veteran Jeff McGrath has been future of the area has increased follow- officially hired by the school to manage ing McGrath’s arrival. all theater-related responsibilities for the “When they originally built the VAPA department. theater, they planned to hold commu- After 20 years of working both on nity events like film festivals there,” and off the stage at Hartnell College’s Video Production teacher Brian Gran- Western Stage, McGrath made the de- bery notes. “Now that we have a theater cision to transfer to Carmel for further manager, it’s going to be something we experience in a new environment. can do.” “I was recommended to look into the position by a colleague at Hartnell,” McGrath explains. “I worked as an art- ist, a director, an actor…. I felt the posi- tion here looked like a good chance for growth and like a good change of pace.” As someone with a great passion for the stage, having been involved in the first-ever production at the Golden Bough Playhouse over 20 years ago, McGrath expresses excitement to bring his own love for theater to the job, prais- ing the site for both its faculty and facil- ity. “It seemed like an interesting posi- tion. Everyone’s been wonderful, so I’m super excited to see what the semester will bring,” McGrath expresses. “When you work in theater, you’re definitely al- photo by KYLIE YEATMAN ways looking for new work, so I sort of FEBRUARY 2019 thesandpiper.org 12 ENTERTAINMENT

REVIEW Horoscopes “Spider-Verse” soundtrack boasts unique sounds Aries: March 20 - April 20 Feedback from various unnamed sources from diverse artists, barring pitfalls tells me that some Sandpiper readers aren’t BY KYLIE YEATMAN satisfied with their horoscopes. Well y’know Though typically ambivalent toward superhero what, Aries? You’re NEVER satisfied. Seri- movies—and though “Spiderman: Into the Spider- ously. Maybe work on THAT this month. Verse” wasn’t exactly the most gripping display of cine- Taurus: April 21 - May 21 matic poignancy I’ve ever sat through—one thing stuck Seriously, I’m gonna break the fourth wall with me as I exited the popcorny milieu of the theater: here for a sec: a HUMAN with FEELINGS Whose idea was it to make this soundtrack the coolest and EMOTIONS writes these! When I see you release of 2018? pick up a copy of the Sandpiper at lunch and As the synergy between the film and the album grimace upon reading your monthly pearl of contributes greatly to the former’s quality, immersing wisdom, it hurts me! Work on your facial ex- yourself in the “Spider-Verse” soundtrack proves tanta- pressions this month, Taurus. mount to the viewing experience. The album’s introduc- Gemini: May 22 - June 22 tory track, “What’s Up Danger,” performed by Black- Oh and another thing! I’ve been told my way and Black Caviar, is certainly a highlight, marked horoscopes “run too long.” Well get this: may- by punchy doses of trap and a bridge that mirrors the courtesy of REPUBLIC RECORDS be your attention span runs too short! Figure lows faced by Miles Morales himself. that one out, Gemini! Noted for catchy hooks and somewhat half-hearted Cancer: June 23 - July 23 delivery, rap’s biggest star (to not actually be a rapper), The Lil’ Wayne and Ty Dolla $ign collaboration Honestly, I labor intensively over these Post Malone delivers on the mid-tempo, refreshing qua- “Scared of the Dark” features a headstrong chorus ri- horoscopes every month, and my name isn’t si-ballad “Sunflower,” a song that finds itself far above valed only by “Sunflower” in the sense that both will even featured at the top. Maybe you should the usual quality of Malone’s work, containing by far likely be lodged in your head by the denouement of work on your ability to credit people for their his strongest hook yet. Though he has the bigger lead- the soundtrack’s 42 minutes. Acquired-taste Lil Wayne ideas, Cancer. ing name on the track, much of the song’s quality is delivers a characteristically strong verse helped by the Leo: July 24 - August 23 conceded to Swae Lee, who is easily the strongest asset soundtrack’s greatest musical achievement, that being I feel as though Leos are never satisfied. on “Sunflower.” some befittingly triumphant backings. The late XXX- You need to be a little bit more grateful this The kitschy millennial-whooping hype anthem, Tentacion meets the song’s quality perfectly, showcas- month, for the sake of everyone around you. “Way Up,” performed by Jaden Smith, immediately ing the rapper’s ability to keep up with established leg- Especially people who just want to give you followed by the phoned-in Nicki Minaj, Anuel AA and ends like Wayne. your monthly horoscope. Bantu collaboration “Familia” sit uncomfortably be- As soon as I read Denzel Curry’s name among the Virgo: August 24 - September 22 tween songs of actual quality on the soundtrack, mark- featured artists on the soundtrack’s song “Elevate,” a Unlike everyone else on this list, I could ing the album equivalent of a mid-film bathroom break. DJ Khalil track that concurrently features YBN Cordae, never say anything mean about you, my little The album luckily picks up the pace with “Start a Riot,” Swavay and Trevor Rich, it became evident to me that Virgo. Exercise some self care this month. a simmering shouting match between Duckwrth and the track would go significantly harder than anything Do a face mask. Drink some lemon water. Do Shaboozie. The track is like the musical equivalent of else on the album. While every featured rapper pulls his some other beauty thing. You deserve it. being curb-stomped by a gang of gummy bears. own weight here, Curry’s verse remains the standout Libra: September 23 - October 22 Juice WRLD’s flow on the Seezyn-collaboration, (aside from the real standout here which is the song’s Libra, look me in the eyes through this “Hide,” may make him sound as though he took a Ny- tempo: 129 BPM.) newspaper—if you have honestly read every quil before entering the studio, but the track increases in Vincent Staples’ “Home” closes out the soundtrack single horoscope ever published by the Sand- quality significantly when a discernible pulse is added on a high note, an ending befitting to the film itself, con- piper, you should be aware that this is mainly to the backing track during Seezyn’s verse. A major taining an atmospheric and otherworldly backing track a satire column. Maybe you just need to get a improvement on the musical blueprint established by that steals the majority of Staples’ thunder. “Home” is sense of humor this month. its preceding track, Thutmose’s “Memories,” seem- the song that every other track on the album aspires to, Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 ingly renders “Hide” useless by being faster, having a song that perfectly encapsulates the concept of a su- Don’t even get me started on you this more well-delivered verses and possessing a discernible perhero in a neatly packaged 3 minutes and 31 seconds month, Scorpio. I’d be here all day, and I’m chord change or two. of bliss. only supposed to write forty words maximum for these. Read Gemini’s horoscope. It applies REVIEW here, too. Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21 21 Savage shows potential on second full-length album Do you want me to spoon-feed you a ge- BY MILES PREKOSKI neric, copy-pasted horoscope from astrology. on the album. The track is groovy, the hook is easy to com? Is that what you want, huh? Huh? What- After months of appearances on some of the most get stuck in your head, and the Gambino verse is great. ever, fine! I’ll do my best impression of noted successful records of the year, many wondered if the Where this album falls short, however, is in it in- astrologer Robert Hand for you next time, Sag- second major-label solo album from 21 Savage would consistency. While it has many hits, it also has many ittarius! arrive by the end of 2018. Much to everybody’s sur- misses. “good day,” “pad lock” and “ball w/o you” feel Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 prise, and without much warning, Atlanta’s best trap like filler tracks off the 15 song, 51-minute album. Quite According to some (ungrateful) read- artist has returned with his follow-up to a debut that honestly, they’re pretty forgettable. ers, all of the horoscopes “are really similar.” could have brought more. 21 clearly isn’t bringing the absolute best he can Whatever, fine! I’ll do my best impression of i am > i was, despite being only the second solo bring to the table for the entire album, so you can’t call noted astrologer Robert Hand for you next album from 21, is really the fourth piece of work from it anything close to “legendary” or “groundbreaking,” time, Sag— I mean, Capricorn! him. Savage Mode, a collaborative effort between him like some of his current contemporaries. You can’t com- Aquarius: January 20 - February 18 and producer Metro Boomin that shook the hip-hop pare this to To Pimp a Butterfly or The College Dropout, Yeah, yeah. I’m sure it’s gonna be fine. scene came first, followed up by his first full-length Issa but you can definitively call it a good record. Whatever. Not like I care! Gosh, how many Album. Without Warning came afterwards, his project more of these things do I have to write anyway. with Offset, a member of Atlanta rap group Migos. Pisces: February 19 - March 19 The album is kicked off with the best song on the If you’ve made it this far, or happen to be collection, “a lot.” There’s a somber and mournful tone a Pisces, please know that I do love writing the to the song, featuring 21 reflecting back on the worst horoscopes, but y’all are some ungrateful horo- times of his life. “break da law” is another highlight, scope readers! Pisces usually are pretty good at with Savage sounding like his best self verse after verse. gratitude, so I’m gonna assume you guys are “The chopper can hit all of y’all, your brother, your nice about this whole ordeal. You’ll be fine this goldfish and dog” as the hook really made me laugh the February, little fish. first time around. Even though 21 shines on most songs on the re- cord, it’s packed with features. After teaming up on one of the most streamed songs of the year, “rockstar,” Post Malone joins 21 for “all my friends.” The hook is catchy, the beat is loaded with 808s, and Posty is all over the track. Childish Gambino makes his return to rap since re- leasing his hit single “This is America” and teams up with 21 on “monster,” making it one of the best songs courtesy of EPIC RECORDS