December 18, 2009 http://www.lbhsnews.com

News of the Laguna Beach Breakers

Volume 73 Issue 4

Since December, the schedule for SDL has been changed.

“[We are trying] to give students two days of SDL. A lot of students choose

one class for SDL over another,” Dr. Don Austin, principal, said.

The new SDL schedule features math, English, foreign language and special education on Thursdays. On Fridays the schedule is science, performing arts, visual arts, social studies and physical education. This schedule will be in effect until the end of the semester.

The schedule has

changed largely in reaction to the science department. Previously, students would have to choose either to make up a lab or go to any other classes.

The schedule isn’t perfect though. SDL might change for next semester.

“The new SDL schedule is inconvenient to those who have science and history on Thursday and need help from their teachers before the block period,” Michelle

Ferrucci, senior, said. The teachers of each

department are using sign-in sheets to see how many student attend each SDL class. With knowledge of those numbers, the teachers and staff can determine future scheduling of SDL.

“Friday is a difficult day to have a SDL; we should look at options to have SDL earlier in the week,” Alonda Hartford, science teacher, said.

History and Yearbook teacher Carolen Sadler will be leaving for Madurai, India on behalf of Club Righteousness On Campus during Holiday Break. She will visit the Aravind Eye Clinic that cures reversible blindness in India.

“It’s so nice to see an effort taken to help others during the holiday season, especially when you know it’s something that someone could never repay you for,” said freshman Nicolette Taheri.

Club ROC has been raising funds for the clinic, and Mrs. Sadler will deliver the money directly. She will also take pictures to show students how they’ve helped those from another walk of life.

“It’s amazing to be able to see an immediate impact half way across the world,” said Jennifer Merritt, science teacher and Club ROC supervisor.

The Aravind Eye Clinic has developed an artificial lens to cure reversible blindness. It used to cost between $100 and $50, but now it costs only $4.

“For the price of a Starbucks coffee, you can give someone the gift of sight,” said Sadler.

There are over 12 million people with preventable blindness in India. The Aravind Eye Clinic is the largest eye clinic in India, performing over 270,000 cataract surgeries in a year and seeing about 1,500 patients each day.

“I think it’s great that we can be a part of this,” said freshman Alec Niccum.

History teacher travels to IndiaBy Savannah MillerWeb Manager

(Kellie Benson)Carolen Sadler raises money for curable blindness in India. She left for India on Tuesday Dec. 15.

Left to Right: Jesse Christensen, Tyler Fisher, Alex Martin, Nick Mauntel, Samantha Ferri, Andrew Arre-dondo. Mindy Hawkins’ first period class celebrates Alex Martin’s victory at the Pop Warner Super Bowl Tournament. Martin scored two touchdowns for his team at the tournament.

On Dec. 10, freshman Alex Martin played flag football as quarterback on the Orange Empire Quakes Challenger football team at the Pop Warner Super Bowl Tournament in Orlando, Florida.

“I won by two touchdowns and scored two runs,” said Martin.

Martin’s team won with the help of his two

touchdowns and a 30-yard scoring jaunt at the tail end of the game.

The kids who play on the Challenger teams are special-needs children as opposed to players in other Pop Warner leagues. Martin’s team is comprised of children from Orange County who played against a rival team from New York.

“I had a great time being on the team,” said Martin.

The tournament was hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at

Walt Disney World. Teams that play here are ranked as top teams nationally at each Pop Warner age level.

Pop Warner created the Challenger flag football division to provide children with special needs the chance to participate in the National Pop Warner program as players, assistant coaches and cheerleaders.

“Congratulations, Alex. I’m very proud of you,” said Martin’s classmate, Tyler Fisher.

In addition to the team’s

victory, Martin and his teammates were guests of Walt Disney World, which hosted a special private party for Challenger football players at the Disney Hollywood Studios resort.

Being a Disney fan, he found time to visit the Magic Kingdom resort for two days before returning home to California.

“I […] loved riding Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Star Tours and the Haunted Mansion rides, too,” said Martin.

(Kellie Benson)

By Kellie Benson and Kendall KleinbergEditor-in-Chief/Product Manager and Features Editor

Student’s team wins Pop Warner Super Bowl

Student Directed Learning changes to Thursdays and FridaysBy Bryan PhamPhoto Editor

LBHS adopts a new SDL schedule for the fall semester.

(Bryan Pham)Gary Shapiro helps Spencer Freidenrich and Christianne Kinder at SDL. SDL for math remains on Thursday mornings.

Want a recap of 2009 and see

what’s coming up in 2010? Check out

pages 6 & 7.

Can you guess the symbolism of these surfboards? Check

on page 5!

Which is better - a real tree, or a fake

one?The battle rages on

page 10!

NewsIn order to earn a

minimum of forty hours of community service, many Laguna Beach High School students volunteer at the Laguna Beach Li-brary.

Since its temporary closure for renovations, some students have found earning their community service hours to be a chal-lenge.

“Volunteering at the library is community ser-vice that most people turn to when they need it. You have to actually work for the hours they give you,”

said sophomore Shannon Adams.

Students usually regu-late the flow of books, check them in and out, shelve books in their ap-propriate places or read to children.

“We are in this program through NCL [National Charity League] called Sunshine Readers, and what we do is read stories to the kids once a month to further their love of read-ing,” said freshman Mi-chelle Brown.

The library’s renova-tions include better air conditioning, new carpet-ing and improved lighting. As the library cannot ac-

commodate both the pub-lic and contractors simul-taneously, it will remain

closed until the conclusion of these improvements.

“During the summer

everyone was drenched in sweat. It was really gross. It will be more comfort-able now and people won’t have to fan themselves with magazines,” said freshman Danielle Gee.

Some students are tak-ing a break from commu-nity service during the li-brary’s renovation.

However, others have sought a new opportunity for volunteering at other places or just moved to an-other library for the time being.

The Sunshine Readers, for example, now entertain children at Legion Hall.

“I love volunteering; it’s a lot of fun because

it allows you to connect with the young kinds in Laguna. It’s a little hard because right now we are reading at the Le-gion Hall instead of the Children’s Section in the library, and a lot of peo-ple don’t know that we have continued to read although the library is closed,” said senior An-nie Sasso.

The renovated library will open its doors to students and community members on Dec. 14.

“I can’t wait to move back into the library. It will be so nice to have a large audience to read to again,” said Sasso.

2December 18, 2009

By Karina ReissReporter

By Lauren S. MontgomeryReporter

Library renovations interrupt student community service hours

The Assisteens were Santa’s little helpers on Hospitality Night

On Hospitality Night, Friday Dec.4, the As-sisteens of Laguna Beach High School en-tertained children at a craft center located next to Santa’s picture booth.

“The kids were great, and we had a ton of fun,” said sophomore Lauren K. Montgomery.

The Assisteens are a

philanthropic group of girls dedicated to improv-ing Laguna Beach. The girls spent three hours helping the children decorate crafty penguin, Christmas tree or snow-man-shaped ornaments.

“I loved giving to the community, and all the kids were really ap-preciative,” said sopho-more Savannah Graf.

Some of the girls also attended Senior Bin-

go the next morning.“Senior Bingo was a

fun way to get commu-nity service hours; we got to play games, plus the seniors really en-joyed it,” said sopho-more Amanda Gallow.

Earning community service hours with each fun meeting and event, the Assisteens contrib-ute much of their time to constructing a better com-

munity through patience and hard work. They par-ticipate in events such as the Relay for Life, the Camp Pendleton Easter Egg Hunt, dinners at the Homeless Shelter, the Se-nior Legacy Ball and much more. With each assembly the Assisteens become knowledgeable, experi-enced individuals while helping the community.

Shannon Adams turns in a community service card. Many students have turned fewer hours in since the clos-ing of the Laguna Beach Public Library.

(Karina Reiss)

(Lauren Montgomery)Lauren K. Montgomery teaches children how to cut cookies. Aside from crafts, the Assisteens helped with other crafts.

EntertainmentDecember 18, 20093

Music mania: band plays and chorus singsBy Kaleb RotertReporter

Where? New York City.Why? I’m going to a New Year’s show at Madi-son Square Garden to see Mariah Carey!-Mrs. McKnight

Where are someteachers going for

the holidays?

Where? LondonWhy? You can never have enough jet lag.-Mrs. Parker

Where? Porterville Why? To visit the Merritts.-Mrs. Merritt

Staff BoxThe

M a s h a G o n c h a r ova . . . . . . E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f / M a n a g i n g E d i t o r Ke l l i e B e n s o n . . . . . . . . E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f / P r o d u c t i o n M a n a g e rB r y a n P h a m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P h o t o E d i t o rN i l e Ko eg e l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N ew s E d i t o r Ke n d a l l K l e i n b e rg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F e a t u r e s E d i t o r N u s h e e n G o s h t a s b i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O p i n i o n s E d i t o r C a m i l l e R i n g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E n t e r t a i n m e n t E d i t o r G e r r y A r t m a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S p o r t s / H e a l t h E d i t o r G r e t a M a r t i n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s M a n a g e rS ava n n a h M i l l e r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . We b M a n a g e rK a l e b R o t e r t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rM a c ke n z i B a l d r i d g e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rC a d y C o o p e r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rR e b e c c a G a l a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rG r a c e Ko m o r o c z y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rL i n d s ey L o J a c o n o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rA l ex M a x w e l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rA s h l y n M c C l eve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rL a u r e n M o n t g o m e r y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rK a r i n a R e i s s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rD i l l o n R o n s o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rM i c h e R u d n i c k . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rR i c k i e S c o t t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rR a c h e l Yo u n g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R e p o r t e rJ i m B r u s ky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A d v i s e r

Last night, Dec. 17, La-guna Beach High School’s chorus class performed its annual winter concert in the Artists’ Theatre at 7 p.m. From the begin-ning of the school year, LBHS’s chorus class has been preparing for the concert each Monday and Wednesday after school.

“The High School cho-rus sang: Festival Glo-ria, Never Gonna Walk This Journey Alone, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Jingle Bells, Carol of the Bells and Homage. The Nun’s Choir sang Sound of Music and the Women’s Choir sang Mama Who Bore Me,” said junior singer Kiki Henderson.

The Thurston Choir and “Lagunatunes” also

performed in the show. “As usual, everyone

on stage wore all black. The songs were not just Christmas songs, but they were songs that inspire people,” said sophomore singer Kimberly Nyguen.

The audience was filled with parents, friends and staff members who got a chance to listen to La-guna Beach’s vocal talent.

“Some of the songs

we sang were traditional holiday songs that have been rearranged to sound like something that you wouldn’t normally ex-pect,” said sophomore singer Caroline Can-nan. “Many of our songs focused on precise vo-cals with harmonies. It’s cool to work on per-fecting the little details which ultimately give the song a ‘wow’ factor.”

By Nusheen GoshtasbiOpinions Editor

(Natasha Weir)

(Nusheen Goshtasbi)

\The Laguna Beach

High School Strings, Lab Jazz Band, Jazz Band and Concert Band played at the Artists’ Theatre on Dec. 16, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

This year the bands tried something new. All of the bands played “The Grinch” by Albert Hague after they performed their scheduled songs.

The Strings, taught by Deborah Glass and Landen Yaple, played songs from classical

composers and Gypsies. The songs that the

strings played com-posed by classical art-ists are “Air” by Bach and “Winter” by Vivaldi. The Gypsies’ songs they played include “Beauti-ful Rose” and “Basso.”

“The songs made the audience dance like Gypsies and made them feel more in the spirit of Christmas,” said sopho-more guitar player in the Strings, Shasta Delgado.

Robert Shew directed both the Lab and regular

Jazz Bands. At the concert, the Lab Jazz Band played “Flying Fish” by Gregory W. Yasinitsky, “Doxy” by Sonny Rollins and “Rock On” by Jim Snidero.

The regular Jazz Band also contributed with their Jazzy songs that included “Una Mas” by Kenny Dor-ham, “Sway” by N. Gimbal and P.B. Ruiz, and “Sesa-me Street” by Joe Raposo.

“The people loved the songs because they are classics and are catchy,” said junior Ty-lan Kang, a long stand-

ing Jazz Band performer. The Concert Band

directed by Dan Thom-son played the classi-cal songs “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Mo-zart, “Green Sleeves” by Alfred Reed and “The Carmen Suite” by George Bizet.

“The Concert Band’s installments of classical music brought a great climax before every-one played the Grinch,” said senior Arron Mc-crory, a Barri-saxophone player in the band.

Above: Jazz band jazzes up their concert on Dec. 16. Below: Chorus practiced routinely prior to their concert on Dec. 17.

(Becca Galan)

(Becca Galan)

(Becca Galan)

A Christmas Carol, which has been remade more times than any other film, made its way to theaters again on Nov. 6, 2009. This animated remake, starring Jim Carrey,

is shown in IMAX 3D. However, the film was so overdone with sound and animation that it was hard to focus on the characters and the plot. Though no one could argue that the animation is amazing, it overshadowed Charles Dickens’ dialogue, which was kept word for word.

Although Dickens’ dialogue remains the same, his wit and cheerfulness seems to get lost. The Ghost of Christmas Past, portrayed as a candle, was slightly creepy and a little crazy.

“The first ghost was weird with the way he talked,” said freshman Carly Willner.

After the ghosts of Christmas past and future leave, the movie takes a very dark turn. Of course, it was supposed to be that way, considering Scrooge is looking into his lonely future with the help of the Ghost of Christmas Future. However, these scenes were long drawn out and too filled with unnecessary action. The animation was overpowering, and left one

not able to take in what was actually happening, or even care for that matter.

Another problem was whether this movie was appropriate for younger children. In one part, it showed Scrooge being chased by the Ghost of Christmas Past in a chariot pulled by giant red-eyed black horses. Also, the dialogue was kept the same as the original book, so it may be hard for younger children to understand.

“It just didn’t seem very child- friendly,” said freshman Haley Castuera.

While the action scenes were drawn out, the character interaction was rushed. By the end, it was hard to care about Scrooge’s problems when they weren’t even the main point of the movie.

The movie was amazing when it came to animation, but the charm and wit of Charles Dickens’ classic book was lost behind the special effects. Instead of leaving happy and ready for Christmas, most people left with a creepy feeling and a headache.

If you’re wondering what’s going to be the hot new toy this season, the three best words to hear

are ‘updated easy bake.’The beloved child-

hood “Easy Bake Oven” has been reinvented and branded under the re-nowned Ace of Cakes la-bel (made famous by the

reality show on Food Net-work), allowing people to make their own mini-pro-fessional cakes.

This kit includes a sassy plastic oven, cake mixes, fondant and decorations

to achieve maximum cake baking potential; all prod-ucts included are gluten free—convenient for the growing gluten-sensitive generation.

A downside?

The kit is mostly com-posed of hard plastic parts, creating a large amount of waste when the product has expired.

If purchased, remem-ber to give a gift to the

environment by recy-cling.

The retail price rang-es from $15-25, and can be found at stores such as Target, Wal-Mart and various other toy stores.

‘Tis the season to be merry and carry on tradi-tion. This holiday season marks the 30th anniver-sary of the play A Christ-mas Carol at the South Coast Repertory and thirty years of holiday tradi-tion for local families to come down and see the meaning of Christmas.

“I always try to come the first week to get in the holiday spirit,” said attendee Robert Tusan af-ter a weekend showing.

Put on yearly by the South Coast Repertory, the show is an adaptation by Jerry Patch that introduces Ebenezer Scrooge in 19th century London to three holiday spirits from the past, present and future.

“It’s a great way to start the holidays and get in the Christmas spirit,” said freshman Mackenzie Baldridge.

The company had its first show in November 1980 and since then has had almost 1,000 per-

formances. John-David Keller has directed the play for thirty years of production and acted in twenty-nine seasons as Mr. Fezziwig. Alongside him, Hal Landon Jr. plays the character of Christmas crank, Ebenezer Scrooge. Landon has also been with the company for the past thirty years, only ever miss-ing three performances.

This year Keller has cast thirty-three actors and actresses. Sixteen of those cast members are children that are from the Theatre Conservatory Kids and Teens Acting Classes. Throughout the years, fif-ty different children have played the part of Tiny Tim.

“I’ve directed every production and have acted in most of them, so after all these years, I know every-one’s lines,” said Keller, who calls himself the fam-ily’s patriarch. “The actors and other artists who have been a part of A Christmas Carol over the years are a very special group, most of whom return from season to season, so it’s great fun.”

The performance runs an hour and a half with one 15 minute inter-mission. Ticket prices range from $24 to $52. The play is showing at the South Coast Reper-tory on Segerstrom Stage Nov. 28 through Dec. 26.

Entertainment4

By Greta MartinPublic Relations Managaer

By Misha RudnickReporter

December 18, 2009

Scrooge on stage battles Scrooge on screen

By Lindsey LoJaconoReporter

Senior Charlie Jackson holds a picture of the “A Christ-mas Carol” poster. He was skeptical about whether to see the play or the movie.

(Kellie Benson)

Cool Christmas toys sell for children of all ages

FeaturesDecember 18, 2009

Ceramics goes into overdrive gift making ‘Tis the season for gift-

giving and merry-making with people rushing to malls and stores in droves to grab presents from the shelves. Mr. Bill Darnall’s ceramics classes are beating the crowds by making presents

for their loved ones in class.“[The students have

been doing this] ever since I have been working here—28 years. Probably before I was here, too,” said Darnall.

His classes get a boom of activity during this time in the year. Students go into overdrive to make gifts for friends and family,

creating handmade pieces of art tailored for the person the gift is intended for.

“It is more for the Christmas spirit, for a more personal gift. People enjoy gifts more when it is handmade from the person they are getting it from,” said Darnall.

The students do not

gripe for grades or rush to get a piece done before the grading period, but they rush to have a piece done for those on their Christmas lists. Students even come in during SDL and/or lunch to work overtime.

“I do double the amount of firings,” said Darnall.

The most common things

fired are clay Christmas trees, snowmen, mugs, chip-and-dips, vases and name plaques. The students in the class are not the only ones showing Christmas spirit during this time, however.

“I find myself helping kids a lot more. Sometimes I almost make pieces for them. I even come

in on weekends to let kids get their stuff before break,” said Darnall.

The ceramics room is open to students during SDL, lunch and break. Darnall’s ceramics students are not the only ones who can come in during their off time to make something for a special someone.

By Alex MaxwellReporter

5

Since 2008, the Jewish Chabad Center, located in South Laguna Beach, puts up a giant surfboard menorah on Main Beach.

The Chabad Cen-ter usually sets up this decorative Menorah on Friday, Dec. 11 and lights the first elec-tric candle at sunset.

“We started this tra-dition because the Me-norah symbolizes reli-gious freedom. We want to publicize the miracle that happened in our history. It also gives the community a chance to practice and learn about Hanukah,” said Perel Goorevitch from the Chabad Center.

The main event called Catch the Wave at Main Beach is held Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2:00 p.m.

The center orga-nizes different events.

Activities in-clude Israeli music, games, food and dif-

ferent arts and crafts for “Catch the Wave.”

“I think it’s really great that in a small town like LagunaBeach with a small Jewish com-munity, we can show pride in our religion. It is a really great thing to see, and every time I drive by it I am very proud to be Jewish,” said junior EJ Kramer.

The surfboards tie in with Laguna’s local surf-

ing community as well as the Jewish community.

“The candles are pure electric. In order to ac-complish a true mitzvah, we are supposed to light candles, but we use the electric candles to publi-cize the menorah. Rabbi Eli Goorevitch will be lighting the candles,” said Perel Goorevitch.

The menorah will be taken down on the night of Saturday, Dec. 19.

Students consider New Year’s resolutions

Morgan Lebby (9)“Get an A in Honars Alegbra II.”

Cassie Walters (9)“Give my dog a mohawk.”

Conner Ward (10)“Work harder in school.”

Caroine Cannan (10)“Be more thankful of all the won-derful opportunities we’re given.”

Alex Bekken (11)“Remember the night before.”

Ryan Bakkum (11)“Party more.”

Lexie Ross (12)“Stop eating Christmas cookies.”

Henry Ward (12)“Get into college.”

Menorah shines on By Gerry ArtmanSports/Health Editor

(Photos and quotes reported by Dillon Ronson)

(Gerry Artman)Laguna Beach’s Chanukah Menorah symbolizes religious freedom. The Menorah has gone up at Main Beach for the past two years.

Nov. 17, 2009 New Moon releases in Los Angeles with number one in the box office.

Goodbye 2009...Hello 2010!

Feb. 1, 2009Pittsburg Steelers win the 43rd Super-bowl

April 2009 Swine flu breaks out in the United States.

Sep. 13, 2009

Kanye West disses Taylor Swift at the VMAs.

Oct. 18, 2009 Balloon Boy scare ends when family confesses scam.

June 18, 2009LBHS graduation ceremony.

June 25, 2009 Micheal Jackson dies.

Jan. 20, 2009President Barack Obama is inaugurated.

May 23, 2009Kansas man accused of beating a seagull appealed a $275 fine.

May 30, 2009LBHS Prom ‘09!

Nov., 2009Boys’ Cross Country team wins State Championships.

Jan. 1, 2010Calendar experts deliberated and most agree this day will mark the beginning of a new year.

June 24, 2010Seniors officially graduate.&Last day of school.

Sept. 2010School resumes.

The boys’ cross country team received rings for wimming state championships.

(Photos courtesy of Becca Galan and Bryan Pham) Rod Ortiz, Mark Alvarez, Gary Shapiro, and Jun Shen immitate the balloon boy to commemorate the surprising event of Balloon Boy.

Taylor Swift look-a-like, Natasha Weir, expresses Swift’s sadness at Kanye West’s diss.

Students leaped in joy for the upcoming year. They laugh with excitement and antici-pation for the future.

Senior Zoe Germano poses with her poster in support of President Barack Obama.

Assaulting avian creatures proves costly, so beware of seagulls around campus!

Blake Hoffmeister and Tommy Newton-Neal are excited to share in the joys of graduation.

The nurse inspects a mysterious student who may have contracted a serious case of the swine flu.

Features8 December 18, 2009

Laughing kids ran through the crowds as the smell of hot chocolate and cookies wafted through the air, sending a sense of unity throughout the small town of Laguna Beach on Dec. 4, 2009.

All the stores opened downtown for this year’s Hospitality Night, serving food and warm drinks to customers.

Many shops had special sales or deals in celebration of Hospitality Night. The new Hurley store had a 20 percent off sale all weekend in celebration of their first Hospitality Night.

“It’s a good thing to get the community involved. Everybody is so comfortable with each other, and Hospitality Night really shows that,” said Hurley employee Mike Cuneo.

There were many forms of entertainment, starting with the ceremonial lighting of the tree in front of Town Hall, followed by Santa on a fire engine, in true Laguna style, leading the procession.

The Laguna Beach High School Marching Band also provided entertainment along with many other bands and singers.

“I had a good time performing for the

people on the street,” said senior and trombonist, Nick Brown.

The elementary school Honors Chorus was also in attendance, singing songs and spreading holiday cheer.

“Hospitality Night is so much fun! It is the only time the whole town gets together. I really liked the music played by the different bands,” said freshman Karina Parker.

Flurries of ‘snow’

added joy to the festivities and decorated the people passing-by in sheets of white.

Although some people found the loud commotion and bustling of feet that went on exhilarating, others disagree.

“I don’t like how crowded it is. It is sometimes hard to walk from one end to the other,” said senior Casey Miller.

Hospitality Night

shaped up to be another big success, from the Assisteens booth on Forest Avenue to the Laguna Presbeterian Church’s renovated sanctuary and live music in Hobies. Everybody seemed to enjoy friends, food, family and fun.

“I walked down the street seeing many people from the community merging. I love seeing the whole town come together as one,” said senior Morea Arthur.

‘Tis the season to be hospitable

Students contribute to Sawdust Festival’s “Winter Wonderland”

By Rickie ScottReporter

By Lauren MontgomeryReporter

Who would you like to unwrap under your tree this holiday season?

(Nusheen Goshtasbi)

In December of 2009 the New Winter Won-derland Sawdust Fes-tival will be opening and exhibiting Laguna Beach High School stu-dents’ work on the saw-dust grounds of Laguna.

One sophomore, Katelyn Walsh, is work-ing at a family member’s booth showing her work.

“Working at the Saw-dust Festival not only ensures me a steady income, but it also is fun and improves my working skills for the future,” said Walsh.

The students are paid by te hour to at-tend their booths and sell their work to in-coming customers.

hSenior Logan Schoe-mbs is managing the grounds of the Festival.

“It’s a cool way to make some cash and is fun for the commu-

nity, too. I love see-ing all my friends there,” said Schoembs.

Working at the Win-ter Wonderland Fes-tival gives students a great opportunity to express their individu-ality or earn some ex-tra money while serv-ing the community.

It’s a cool way to make some cash and is fun for the

community, too.

“

”

Locals crowded the shops and streets of downtown Laguna as store owners and entertainers warmed their spirits.

(Rickie Scott)

Students responded:Boys: Top BoxGirls: Bottom Box

December 18, 20099

I think we can all say that the joy of the holidays is incomparable. Some people wait all year for the holiday season. Drive out to the grandparents who live 50 miles away, participate in some wholesome reconnecting (“We haven’t seen you in so long!”), feast, open a plethora of gifts (wanted and unwanted), then…

It is over. And where does all the leftover stuff go? Off to the landfill!

There is so much leftover junk after the brief happiness of the holidays—half eaten turkeys, unwanted gifts, toys that will be played with for five minutes out of obligation then thrown in the closet,

never to be seen again. And so much wrapping paper!

It’s not a stretch to say it’s the age of the 110-dollar throwaway.

Maybe it’s just a want for “stuff.” Do parents feel the need to shower their children with gifts just to prove their love (which is casually brushed aside)? And then the aftermath: “Don’t give that away— your children will want it!”

So much junk in our closets, so much junk in the dump-if it’s not tossed into the safekeeping-bin, it’s usually thrown into the garbage.

Is it a need created by corporations to rake in cash?

But enough with the conspiracy theories. Let’s take off the tinfoil hats and figure out how to solve this problem. After

all, it is not all doom and gloom. It is Christmas.

First, when asking for gifts, be assertive! Make sure you know what you want.

As in, ask for something you know you will use often. That way, you can avoid the closet-full-of-junk syndrome.

Also, if you want to ensure that you get what you want, express yourself. But even then, Grandma’s probably going to get you whatever it is you outgrew five years ago.

At least with this method, you can cut down on some of that. Which leads us to our next point…

Be more appreciative of what you receive. Now, that doesn’t mean you should just relinquish all the stuff given to you. But be creative; make use of

something you’re unsure of what to do with. Wear that knitted shirt with pride.

Or you can return the unwanted gift or donate it to the Goodwill. You can also make something new out of the unwanted gift.

Food can also be an outlet for creativity. Instead of throwing away all of your meat, save it for leftovers.

There are good recipes for pies and other delicacies to make out of leftovers.

Be creative with waapping. Ten pounds of paper from every household adds up to tons, and tons destroy ecosystems.

If you use re-useable materials (boxes, store bags, etc.), you can cut down on most of the waste of paper wrapping.

Lastly, don’t want for the sake of wanting.

Has anyone noticed the infamous Christmas tree every December at the Fashion Island Mall?

Adorned with ornaments, giant presents, ribbons and bows, this tree is a trademark of the holiday season.

However, run down to Fashion Island sometime and see for yourself—the giant Christmas tree has been replaced. Of course, a tree still stands.

But it’s not the same tree—not the same Christmas tree recognized in previous years as the biggest White Fir ever displayed.

This White Fir, about a third of the size of trees of the past, is still adorned with about 5,000 ornaments and lights.

Why the rip off? Welcome failing economy.

Apparently, the

upper class Newport mall is experiencing a similar budget cut as the rest of us. And they took it out on the Fir.

Fashion Island had to downsize the size of the tree due to construction costing up to $100-million. Many residents are pretty upset.

“In my opinion, the bigger the tree, the more Christmas spirit,” said junior Jason Li.

Even the location of the Fir, usually the front of Bloomingdales, has been replaced and moved to the Atrium Court.

Although less appealing to regular Christmas tree visitors, the smaller tree still appeals to many residents due to the message it sends about being economical.

“I think it’s good to save money on things that are unnecessary—especially during these times,” said Junior Christianne Kinder.

By Nile KoegelNews Editor

Avoiding wasted opportunities

By Ashlyn McCleve Reporter

Tree lights up

By Kellie BensonEditor in Chief/Production Manager

The epic computer fued continues on

By Mackenzi BaldridgeReporter

The debate between Apple and Microsoft has been raging for what seems like forever. Adding more fuel to the fire, Microsoft has opened retail locations in the hope of profiting as much as Apple has.

“We’re going to have some retail stores opened up right next door to Apple stores this fall […] stay tuned,” said Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft, Kevin Turner.

The closest location of this Microsoft store to Laguna Beach is the Mission Viejo mall outlet. The store looks almost identical to the Apple store; it boasts the same glass-window front, black-top tables, and laptop and desktop displays.

“It looks like Microsoft copied the design of the store, but the two are two competitive stores, so taking ideas from each other isn’t unexpected. It obviously has worked, considering the number

of people surrounding the store,” said senior Sara Kazemian.

Obviously Microsoft didn’t take Apple’s advice (and poor grammar) of “Think different” very seriously.

Some are skeptical about the success of the Microsoft store considering Gateway (now just a brand of Taiwan’s Acer) opened up nationwide retail locations five to six years ago, and they went out of business.

Apple has set a standard

in computer-selling technology, and that could be the reason Microsoft has emulated Apple’s stores.

The fate of Microsoft retail stores is based on consumer purchases, so its future lies in the hands of consumers. That means you!

Windows Seven Forumsh t t p : / / w w w .

s e v e n f o r u m s . c o m /news/16916-microsoft-gears-up-fal l-opening-r e t a i l - s t o r e s . h t m l (Kevin Turner quote)

Pink Ribbon Club brings the Christmas Spirit to those in need

The Christmas season is a wonderful time to reach out to other people that are less fortunate than we are.

It gives us an opportunity to look beyond ourselves and to help others where we are needed.

Laguna Beach High School’s Pink Ribbon Club, which raises both awareness

and money for breast cancer research, did just that on Wednesday, Dec. 9 during its bi-monthly lunch meeting.

In a longstanding tradition, the club creates special gift bags for breast cancer patients from Mission Hospital.

“The Pink Ribbon Club has several fundraisers throughout the year, but this is the time of the year when we simply want to lift these women’s spirits and let them know that

there are people out there that care about them,” said senior and co-president Lexie Ross.

The gift bags include items such as candles, books, recipes and sweets and will be delivered to the patients prior to Christmas.

“The gift bags bring joy to these women,” said Ross. “And hopefully this great tradition will continue for years to come.”

Pink Ribbon Club spreads the Christmas Spirit

Features

Pink Ribbon Club students gather to-gether to help out by making gift bags for breast cancer patients.

Fashion Islands’ new Christmas tree sparkles in the mar-ketplace. The large white fur was replaced by one half its size.

(Mackenzi Baldridge)Pink Ribbon Club members create holiday gift baskets. They were then sent to patients with Breast Cancer.

(Nile Koegel and Lindsey LoJacono)Throughout the years, many families have carelessly wasted usable goods. During the holidays, an additional one million tons of discarded toys, decorations, and food pile up in landfills.

(Ashlyn McCleve)

OpinionsDecember 18, 2009 10

It’s that time of year again to come to-gether for family dinners, bake scrump-tious desserts and try to resist peeking inside the beautifully wrapped packages. It’s Christmas! What comes to your mind when you think of Christmas? The well-known Christmas tree—but which kind to choose, an artificial or a live tree?

I believe that a real Christmas tree is not only a tradition, but it is also more environmental, economical and health conscious. Fake trees are squeezed in a cardboard box and identical to their neighbors on the store shelf, except for the bar codes. Instead of choosing a tree

from a store, the majority of young kids enjoy walking through the many rows of trees, searching determinedly to find the best tree among the varied shapes, sizes and colors.

Many families, mine included, make it a Christmas tradition to bring out the numerous dusty containers labeled CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, full of colorful lights and unique ornaments wwwto be strung on the tree. Some arti-ficial trees come fully decorated with no room for your own personal accessories. I don’t think that just pulling a fake tree, already spruced up, out of a box and call-ing it a day is half as fun as hanging up your own special trinkets.

Not only are fake trees less family friendly than real trees, but they also can cause a major health hazard. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, artificial Christmas trees contain polyvi-nyl chloride, or PVC, which consists of poisonous lead.

PVC also releases dioxins, the most toxic chemical known. Once they are re-leased into the air and water, they enter our food systems and cumulate in fatty tissues, which can damage immune func-tions, impair children’s development and possibly cause cancer!

When you inhale, just think that a real tree could have supplied you with that oxygen. The Christmas Tree Farm Net-

work stated that one acre of Christmas trees produces enough daily oxygen for 18 people.

Everyone knows that our economy is poor right now, but believe it or not, real Christmas trees are helping. The indus-try provides over 100,000 people with employment. Fake trees on the other hand, are mainly manufactured outside of the United States, which means fewer jobs for us.

If you have a real Christmas tree stand-ing in your living room, I think it brings more of a holiday feeling to the room. When it comes to choosing between an artificial and a real tree, I pick the real thing!

By Rachel YoungReporter

Christmas Trees:

The Brush and Palette is published by Laguna Beach High School students throughout the year. Editorial opinions and comments expressed in The Brush and Palette are those of the staff and do not represent the position of Laguna Beach High School’s students, administration, or the Laguna Beach Unified School District. Advertisements are not endorsed by The Brush and Palette.

Editorial Health: We Take it for Granted

by The Brush and Palette Staff

You’ve heard people say this over and over again: be thankful for your health. But we really do take things that keep us healthy for granted. Vaccines, a clean environment and healthcare (although not at its best momentarily) are all things that keep us healthy. What would our daily lives be like if we couldn’t see, walk or hear? Our lives wouldn’t be the same. Mrs. Sadler’s trip to India has reminded LBHS to how grateful we should be for our health. For four dollars, cheaper than many LBHS lunches, you can give a person living in India his or her eye-sight. Health needs to come first; it’s what keeps us

alive. As your family unites for the holidays, re-member to be thankful for your health.

real OR

Try to imagine this: high school seniors across the nation spending Friday nights slouched over their computers, drinking cof-fee and looking burnt out. These students are not instant messaging, but they are working on their college applications.I know I for one have spent many a weekend writing and re-writing essays and short answers for my ap-plications.

It would not be so bad if applications only consisted of bragging about oneself through tangible grades and statistics. But when kids are bombarded by essay upon essay, I can’t help but think that colleges are out to make students miserable. This is supposed to be the best time of our lives, isn’t it? On top of all of this, most seniors do not start applying to col-lege until after the summer ends. This means that homework and maybe even a job piled on top of college applications will amount to a tired nation of high school seniors.

Just don’t apply to twenty schools, you say. Well, I don’t want to regret only ap-plying to one school and finding out I have been rejected or hate it once I am enrolled. The Common Application, with about 391 colleges, allows students to fill out one ap-plication only, which “saves time.” However, most colleges require supplemental essays, which, to me, are the biggest stress of them all.It is hard to run away from the thoughts of college applications when all of my deadlines are creeping closer and closer and I have not

written my supplemental essays yet. Even my dreams and nightmares consist of ac-ceptances and rejections. Even when college applications are finished, we still have to fill out the FAFSA (Federal Student Aid). Most students also apply for a plethora of scholar-ships.

You would think that every weight would be lifted after the seniors hit ‘submit’ on all of their applications. Not for most—now we have to wait until decision letters come dur-ing March and April.

College applications ruin winter breakBy Kendell Kleinburg Features Editor

faux?(Rickie Scott) (Karina Reiss)

Health December 18, 200911

Ingredients:1/2 cup unsalted butter3 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/4 cup water1/2 cup white sugar1/2 cup packed brown sugar8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and slicedDirections:1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.2. Place the bottom crust in 9” round pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes until apples are soft.

We Americans need to rid ourselves of our “non-green” habits. Do not fret, for there are plenty of ways to turn your holiday into an eco-friendly one.

“I think its a really good idea that I had never really thought about, so if it was advertised on TV or somewhere where people can find out about this, I think it would be a really good idea,” said Victoria Ellis, senior at LBHS.

Energy is wasted each year from the use of incandescent Christmas lights (light bulbs with an electric source). LED bulbs, the slightly more expensive alternative to incandescent bulbs, use approximately 75

percent less energy.According to the

Environmental Defense Fund, “LED string lights use much less electricity, reduce pollution from power plants and last longer. And they stay cooler, too. While they cost more than traditional strings of lights up front, the electricity savings easily make up the cost difference within a season or two.”

Although unappealing to some, eating a vegetarian meal rather than meat is another way to benefit the environment.

According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), “The factory farming system of modern agriculture strives to maximize output while minimizing costs. Cows, calves, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other animals are kept in small cages, in jam-packed sheds, or on filthy feedlots, often with so little space that they can’t even turn around or lie down comfortably.”

Also the steroids and hormones they pump into grape animals is neither healthy for the animals nor

the general public.However, if you are not

willing to go vegetarian for the holidays, try purchasing your meat from an independent farm.

Using glassware instead of disposable dishes, or cloth napkins instead of paper, will also help so that landfills are not full of non-biodegradable items.Giving eco-friendly gifts is another way to go green.

The brand Preloved uses “reclaimed vintage fabrics.” Donkey is another eco-friendly company that makes one-of-a-kind purses, shoulder bags, messenger bags and tote bags out of recycled billboards. Overall, making one change this holiday season can make a difference in the environment.

“I think its just a matter of going out and actually doing something. Many people are lazy and stuck with their bad habits. Giving back feels good, and I think doing any of these things is a great way to show your appreciation for our earth,” said Kellan Lindley, junior at LBHS.

Ingredients:1/2 cup margarine1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup molasses1 egg yolk2 cups sifted all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground cloves1 teaspoon ginger1/2 teaspoon ground nutmegDirections:1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover and chill for at least one hour.2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

By Kellie BensonEditor-in-Chief/Product Manager

You can help give the gift of life this holiday season by monitoring personal behavior that could be environmentally detrimental.

A jolly, eco-friendly holiday

Apple pie with gingerbread friends

(Grace Komoroczy, Savannah Miller)Decorating cookies of any kind makes a fun holiday activity with friends, and pie will satisfy your whole family.

By Grace KomoroczyReporter

By Cady CooperReporter

Sports 12December 18, 2009

Boys- California State Champions! 3rd Fastest Team in Division 4 History (1:20:56)

(11) Matt Neev- 2nd place (15:44) (12) Blake Hofmeister- 5th place (15:55) (12) Andrew Shapero- 15th place (16:10) (12) Tommy Newton-Neal- 21st place (16:23) (12) Sean Pigden- 47th place (16:44)

Girls- Ranked 5 in Division 4 schools throughout California!Fastest State Team in Laguna Beach History (1:39:00)

(10) Natasha Strickland- 19th place (19:07) (12) McKenna Nokes- 29th place (19:22) (10) Marisa Merchant- 59th place (19:57) (12) Gerry Artman- 65th place (20:02) (12) Parker Yamasaki- 86th place (20:31)

Cross Countr y runs to the State finish line

The boys cross country team poses for a photo after their State Champi-onship win in Fresno, California. The girls gathered to congratulate them.

( Larry Nokes)

During December, the Laguna Beach High School girls’ soccer teams have been training and playing hard.

Each week, they are placed in front of a new challenge, an old rivalry or grueling practices.

On Dec. 3, all three girls’ soccer teams (Varsity, JV, and FS) played against Tesoro High School. Although each team lost its game, the teams were able to recognize the areas in which they needed to improve.

“I thought that the girls worked very hard, especially in the second half when they stepped up their level of play,” said FS coach Nicole Lengacher.

Both the varsity and JV teams played in the Ocean View Holiday Tournament from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7.

JV tied 1-1 on Friday against Tustin High School.

Saturday, Dec. 5, the JV team earned its first win of the season against Costa Mesa High School with a score of 2-0 and later that day lost 1-0 to Millikan High School.

The Varsity team faced two losses that weekend, one on Friday against Huntington High (0-2) and another on Saturday against Rosary High (0-2).

“Each game we better recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and learn to help each other. I think we will do great this season despite our losses,” said varsity player and

sophomore April Carlson. This month, the

coaches for the girls’ soccer teams have seen improvement during practices and games.

They have high expectations and feel confident.

“I believe the players have demonstrated a growth of team unity with each practice and the pre-season games played,” said JV coach Ed Ornelas.

By pitting the varsity team against high level teams, varsity coach Bill Wrolfing feels that he will be able to determine how capable his team is at fighting against such a strong group of players.

“The girls will learn quickly to play with intensity and connect with each other with play making,” said Wrolfing.

It’s snowing soccer ballsBy Becca GalanReporter

“Are you kidding me?” the girl’s basketball team exclaimed in unison as one foul after another wasn’t called as each girl on Laguna attempted to shoot a basketball.

The gym at Northwood High School could not have been louder because of the constant screams from parents and fans in the stands.

“Refs, you’ve got to call SOMETHING or someone is going to get hurt!” coach Jon Hendrickson yelled.

And that is just what happened.

Laguna Beach’s star

player Emily Writter went up for a shot in the second quarter.

Two girls on the opposing team (Costa

Mesa) jumped up to block her with flailing arms.

Writter came

crashing to the ground and twisted her leg.

Everyone on the bench stood up in shock and the rest of the players on

the court took a knee, praying that Emily would be able to finish the game.

Writter could barely walk after sit back and watch her team finish the game without her.

Laguna was already down by 10 before Writter was out of the game.

F o r t u n a t e l y , freshman Lola Cowie stepped up and scored 12 points, and sophomore Holly Battle contributed steals, points and rebounds to the team.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , the girls ended

up losing the game. “I think that our team

has a lot of fresh talent

this year, and a lot of room to grow,” said co-captain Sam Garner.

The girls ended up with 1 win and 3 losses in the tournament—one win vs. Bolsa Grande and losses to Newport Harbor, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana Valley.

With League around the corner, the girls keep practicing in order to improve their record.

“Hard work and commitment go a long way. The girls understand that now, and I believe with their new-found dedication, a new team will be born,” said Hendrickson.

Girls shoot hoops and draw fouls on the courtBy Grace KomoroczyReporter

The girls circle around to make a game plan. They are already exhuasted halfway done with the game.

Althetes of the Month

Chanel Stewart: 11Sport: VolleyballCoach Quote: “She had a couple of very efficient matches where she made a number of serves for points,” said Lance Stew-art.

Matt Neev: 11Sport: Cross CountryCoach Quote: “At the state meet, he has the fastest time for our school at Woodward Park and was second at State Finals,” said David Brobeck.

(Tawny Young)

Refs, you’ve got to call SOMETHING

or someone is going to get

hurt!

“

”

Girls’ basketball players get ready to play an intense season, overcoming setbacks and strengthening their team.