THE SPARTAN

La Cañada High SchoolVolume XX, Issue 3 December 16, 2009

Questions, comments or contributions? Contact us at lchsspartan@gmail.com.

What’s Inside Orchestra Tour

page 3

Standards of Love page 12page 10

Girls CIF

Mrs. Beth Rodenbucher, also known as “Mrs. R,” is the new counselor for stu-dents whose last names be-gin with Fi-K. Amazed by the spaciousness of her of-fice, Mrs. Rodenbucher felt very welcomed by all of the LCHS staff members. She only just moved into the coun-selor’s office a week before Thanksgiving break., but she likes her new job a lot so far.

Mrs. Rodenbucher has been working in education for four years as a counselor, ROP instructor, and with special education. Passionate about her career, she is currently training to get her college-counseling certificate through UCLA. She will be receiv-ing the certificate next June.

Throughout college, Mrs. R debated between becoming a teacher and a counselor/therapist. She finally decided to become a counselor to help children be-cause she “loves the opportunity to affect change” and help kids find their passions, while supporting them in achieving goals. During her time at LCHS, she hopes to become more familiar with the cam-pus, learn more about her students, and counsel them. Although she has devoted much of her life in the education field, Mrs Rodenbucher isn’t all about work. Being a fourth generation Californian,

Mrs. Rodenbucher loves spending her free time outdoors. She loves the beach and enjoys hiking. Mrs. Rodenbucher is even considering running a marathon sometime in the future. She recently got a kitten named Max, who she compares to a Tasmanian devil. Mrs. Rodenbucher is a self-proclaimed lover of meat, but tries to stay away from breads and carbs.

If you haven’t already met Mrs. Rodenbucher make sure to drop by her office and welcome her to LCHS!

LC Welcomes New Counselor, Mrs. RBy Emily Kim and Gina YoonNews Editor and Features Editor

Mrs. Rodenbucher, new counselor at LC, smiles radiantly in the front grounds of LCHS when she takes a short break to take a picture for the Spartan.

The annual Toy and Food Drive began on November 30th at La Canada High School. It’s bringing the spirit of giving as well as anticipation for the much-needed winter vacation. This drive is set up by the PTSA and ASB organizations in order to provide food and gifts for needy children. The sheriffs department will collect the toys that students donate, and distribute them to neighboring communities. With Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanza ap-proaching, it is a good opportunity to lend a hand to a little boy or girl who might not be expecting presents this year.

Armed with colorfully decorated boxes, seasonal bags, and good inten-tions, the members of PTSA and ASB will begin the drive by setting up designated locations for dropping off gifts. The IRC, front office, and classrooms are some base locations where large boxes will be set up. Likewise, bags will be distributed throughout classrooms to help promote the nature of giving. This opportunity

ends the Thursday before winter vacation (December 17th), so make sure to get your unused toys or canned foods into one of the many drop zones around LCHS!

Along with these noticeable boxes and bags, PTSA and ASB students will be making announcements in STEP classes and collecting any donations you have generously made. Flyers are posted around campus, which reminds students of the deadline dates and main drop off locations.

Likewise, if you have any ques-tions about the drive, you can see Mrs. Gregg or the fundraiser student advi-sors (Jonathon Sparks, Chris Gilbert, or Alice Grubb Jones) for further details.

Due to the economic circumstances, 100 more families are in need of our help than last year. Remember that great feel-ing you had when you received that new stuffed animal or toy truck for the holidays? If you help just a little bit this year, you could bring that feeling to a kid in need.

Toys and Food Drive Spreads Holiday SpiritASB and PTSA hosts the Annual Toy and Food Drive to collect food and gifts that will help those families in need for food and gifts. By Alice Grubb JonesSpartan Staff

Senior Colin LaBran-Boyd collected many cans from various classrooms.

Wednesday 12/16 - Dress Up Day + SENIOR TOAST @ BREAK

Thursday 12/17 - Pajama DayOrchestra and Choir Concert (During 1st Period) Winter Formal Announcement (During Break)

Friday 12/18 - Holiday Hat Day

HAPPY WINTER BREAK - 12/19 - 01/04/10

SEE YOU IN 2010 X!

Message in a Bottle

Denny Choi

Volleyball

2 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

news3 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

newsStudent Political Clubs Debate National Issues

With three avid political clubs on campus, the Republicans, the Democrats , and the

Socialists, a heated debate was inevitable. In late November, at the school’s West Balcony, students of opposing political views gathered and debated America’s pressing issues. Among these issues, the students chose to discuss their opinions on the current healthcare situation and the economic recession. The Young Democrats and the Young Socialists had similar positions on both of the topics while the Young Republicans took a separate stance. The two liberal clubs announced that America’s healthcare is in terrible shape and needs reform in order to make healthcare accessible to all Americans, rich or poor. Senior Michael Burten, member of the Young Socialists, appealed to emotion as he demanded that healthcare is a right and not a privilege. On the other hand, the conservative Republicans declared that our country is no shape economically to provide healthcare for everyone. At the same time, they agreed reform was needed but preferably within the private sector without government interference. On matter of the economy, the three political clubs’ ideas contrasted greatly. The Young Democrats advised that new “green” jobs should be created in order to lessen unemployment and help the environment. In addition, they argued that Obama’s stimulus was beneficial and that more similar stimuli are needed in order to stimulate the economy. The Young Republicans completely disagreed and argued that the stimulus had not

helped the economy, as there was no change in the rate of unemployment. The Young Republicans asserted that fixing the economy could only be accomplished through less government spending. Also, in order to help out hardworking American families and businesses, the Republicans argued that taxes should not be raised just to contribute to the excessive government

spending. Sophomore Alex Keledjian, vice president of the Young Republicans, declared that America needs to strengthen its army, bureaucracy, and economy in order to establish a better nation. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Young Socialists advised that more socialism needs to be instituted in our economy. They stated that their ideology hoped to

make our society more equal by closing the huge gap between the wealthy and the poor. “To eliminate the excesses of the bourgeoisie,” asserted Michael Burten. The debate reflected the voices of many future voters and possibly even future leaders. The existence of all three political clubs on campus proves that the republican ideals of democracy are still alive today.

Katherine PropperSpartan Staff

The Socialists, Republican, and Democrats pose for a picture. (Left to Right David Mrkrtchian, Joao Teixeira, Kevork Kurdoghlian, Terese Rutkowski, and Yasmeen Majid)

By David Rhee Spartan Staff

It is indisputable that there has been much hype over the H1N1 virus. It seemed it was well on its way for a while to be-ing considered just another strand of flu when a vaccine was released to hospitals all around the world. What’s ironic about this is that the vaccine seems to have caused as much hype as the virus itself. One can see articles all over the inter-net, status updates on facebook, and even news reports discourag-ing others from getting the H1N1 vaccine on account of the danger-ous side effects associated with it. Since its dispersion, the H1N1 vaccine immediately caught fire in a world of criticism. According to www.associated-content.com, “Out of 5,000 test subjects over the age of 18, com-mon or very common side effects reported were headaches, sweat-ing or shivering, swelling, pain, fever, tiredness, and illnesses mimicking influenza. Rare dis-orders associated with the swine flu vaccine were convulsions and neurological disorders, including Guillain Barré syndrome. The American Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that

one patient out of one million vaccinated individuals is at risk for Guillain Barré syndrome.” For those intimidated by the fancy name, Guillain Barré Syndrome is just as severe as it sounds. Guillain Barré Syn-drome, or GBS, is a rare neuro-logical disorder which weakens nerves, starting from the legs up. Brian Choi, a sophomore in La Canada High School said, “It’s ridiculous to expect children to place the rest of their lives at risk for immunity to one strand of flu. New strands of flu will pop up and it’s not like swine flu will be the last strand we’ll ever encounter.” Among many others, Brian Choi was scheduled to get a vaccination, mainly so he did not have to miss any days of school sick in bed, when he heard the news. However, when Brian and his parents found out that the vac-cine could potentially have side effects, the notion was dropped. Missing a week of school can give way to mountains of homework, tests to make up, and a sizeable dent in partici-pation points. However, “neu-rological disorder” doesn’t sound very appealing either.

Side Effects of H1N1 Vaccine Cause Problems

Ms. Wheeler’s Carbonrally ChallengesBy Margo Hartley and David BelcherSpartan Staff

This year Ms. Wheeler’s Green Club is taking on new challenges besides those of making sure our high school is recycling paper and bottles- they are partici-pating in the Carbonrally challenges. These are online challenges that the Green Club members sign up for online at Carborally.com, and they consist of tasks such as giving up paper towels for a month, reducing shower times, drying clothes on a clothesline, and even learn-ing how to compost garbage. The challenges serve the purpose of reforming our lifestyles so that they are more environmentally friendly and healthy for our planet earth. Students of the Green Club must join the Carbon-rally team for one month, as well as accept one challenge of their choice. The students track their progress, and at the end of the month they are able to see just how much carbon is being offset by their actions. Regarding why she started the challenge this year, Mr. Wheeler stated that, “I really don’t believe that we can continue our pres-ent levels of consumption and expect to have the planet give us a healthy place to live. I also wanted the Green Club to be more than just the school’s waste reducers”. Ms. Wheeler discovered this website from a new student in one of her other biology classes, Kirstin Sheehy, who used Carbonrally at her new school. Ms. Wheeler’s purpose in employing this website this year is to “teach students to get out of the doom and gloom of global warming and realize lifestyle changes do make a difference. And when you team up you can actually make a difference”. Ms. Wheeler enthusiastically encourages the other students of La Canada High School to get involved with Carbonrally.com and our fight to save the environment. Anyone is welcome to log on to Car-bonrally.com. Click on join a team and type in LCGC (La Canada Green Club). Accept a challenge and fol-low it for a month. Check back every once in a while to see how we’re doing as a community. Everyone is responsible for the conditions of our planet. Take a stand and make a difference. Every individual counts.

Renovated Biology Labs Are Now Open for Learning

“Yeah, it rocks!” one stu-dent exclaimed when asked how she felt about the newly constructed biology rooms, and with their previ-ous temporary room on third floor, it would be hard not to feel the same way. From the moment of their in-ception into the 9th grade until recent November, these biology students experienced a room in which only one of the four sinks was working, dysfunctional outlets were com-monplace, and graffiti from thirty, yes, thirty years ago plagued the walls and desks. How was this con-firmed? When a parent of a student came in one day and confessed to

scribbling on the equipment when in the past, he himself was stuck in his own interminable class period.

Ms. Wheeler further ce-mented the warm, affectionate feeling toward the room when she confessed “I am in love with my room.” With its shiny new floor, tables, and whiteboard, the room is almost spotless. However, the room does not come fault-free. The students agreed mentally or vocally in agreement when one student ex-pressed that the new chairs were too high, causing the students to work somewhat sideways while writing and that their feet could not

touch the floor. Additionally, Ms. Wheeler stated that the absence of a heater was another slightly negative aspect of the new room.

The construction of the new biology rooms has been in con-sideration since 2004, but meticulous planning postponed actual construc-tion until this summer and finished right on time by November. The construction of the other two rooms that caused the temporary blockade on part of the second floor are going to be filled up with another biology and chemistry room, leaving those students stuck with waiting for their lucky day until sometime in February.

As soon as renovation finished, Ms. Wheeler and her students began enjoying the newly furnished classrooms with fully functioning and more up-to-date equipment for their science labs.

Most students at La Canada do not know that we have a Mock Trial organization, much less what it is.

“Mock Trial is an extracur-ricular activity where students compete in one trial a year against other schools,” explained club secretary Margo Hartley.

How do you know who wins the trial? “Well, the winner is chosen based on a system of points, not on what the verdict of the trial is,” Michael Belcher pointed out. On Monday, November 2, La Canada traveled to the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse and faced Va-lencia High School for a murder trial. La Canada’s defense wished the ver-dict to be “guilty”, however, Valencia proved to be a strong opponent and won the judge’s approval of “not guilty”. On Tuesday, November 10, La Canada again went to the Los Angeles Superior courthouse for the prosecution members of the team to speak. La Canada

faced Wilson High School this time—even though it was the same case—and again was not able to obtain their goal verdict. LC wished for “not guilty”, and the judge decided the verdict was “guilty”. Despite not securing their desired verdicts, La Canada won the trial. Pros-ecution had two-hundred one points, and defense acquired two-hundred forty-two. Mock Trial is supervised by Mr. Powers, and coached by Mr. Belcher, father of the Belcher twins. Members include Margo Hartley, Terese Rutkowski, Kevork Kurdoglian, Michael Belcher, David Belcher, James Toomarian, Sam Fredericks, Haley Herkert, Katherine Propper, Connor Smith, Carla Tor-res, Leah Wetzel, and Alex Kelejian. “ I h a d a f a n t a s t i c t im e with Mock Trial this year,” Michael Belcher said. “I look forward to prac-ticing with the team throughout the year and winning our trial next year”.

Mock Trial Gives It A Good RunA review about how mock trial’s competition.

News Brief: Obama Unfurls Afghanistan Policy

President Barack Obama announced a troop increase of 30,000 Tuesday, December 1, at the US Military Academy of West Point amidst heated argument on both the Republican and Democratic side.The troop escalation, which will be completed by next summer, is designed to reverse Taliban advances since Obama took office 10 months ago and to fast-track the train-ing of Afghan soldiers and police toward the goal of hastening an eventual U.S. pullout.

In defense of his policy, Obama stated that a troop escalation “will increase our ability to train competent Afghan security forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight. And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans.” In con-junction with transferring responsibility, Obama has announced a staggered US withdrawal in July 2010.

By David MkrtchianSpartan Staff

Physics Students Meet Bill Nye

By Ben Chon

LCHS Orchestra takes Annual Holiday Tour

Patrick Yew and Katherine Cho practice before they perform to the kids at PCR.By Alicia Kim

The La Cañada High School Band and Orchestra embarked on their annual tour to the elementary schools on Friday December 11. This year they shared their musical talents to Paradise Canyon Elementary and La Cañada Elementary School. This annual trip is dedicated to

promote the music program at LCHS. Among the many pieces feature in their concerts, the younger students enjoyed “Christmas Festival” the most. This piece is a combination of various Christmas carols, which allowed students to sing along with the orchestra. Particularly, PCR displayed enthusiasm with clapping and loud cheers.

Alicia KimEditor-in-Chief

On Thursday, November 17th, many Honors Physics students attended a lecture at Cal Tech. At the lecture, was about Galileo and his influence on modern science. Some of the attendees included an Italian scholar on Galileo and the famous Bill Nye the science guy. By Ben Chon

Business Manager

Hailey WilliamsSpartan Staff

4 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Opinion5 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Opinion

Last Saturday, we had the golden opportunity of proving to the College Board our intellectual worth, in hopes of receiving their sacred bless-

ing: a good SAT score. It’s a blessing that many ambi-tious students spend whole summers working toward, paying unsavory sums of money for tutors, books, practice tests, and, if they’re really spirited, Ritalin.

We sat for four hours taking the SAT (unfortu-nately the ability to create puns is something they don’t evaluate on the SAT) and bubbled our way through nine dry sections of a painfully tedious test, preceded of course by an essay prompt for which you are given no more than 25 minutes to expand on a topic that in reality merits many hours of meditation… May the best BSer win!

I cannot think of a greater educational demoral-

izer. It lowers the esteem we have for our education and mercilessly kills our enthusiasm. The SAT is the Anton Chigurh, from “No Country for Old Men,” of education; this psycho Mexican killer will inevitably blow a hole in your head with a captive bolt pistol, numbing any passion you may have reserved for learning and study-ing for your own interest and not the College Board.

Let’s face it, an entire American generation has been bound by the College Board’s tyrannical monopoly over our college system. As if our entire system weren’t imbalanced enough. The wide gaps that separate private schools from public schools, from other ridiculously deprived public schools make the SAT an unjust, inef-ficient evaluation of a student’s potential to succeed.

And of course social and economic factors influence SAT scores. A good SAT tutor charges in

the thousands. And the prep books (most of them distributed by College Board) are also quite pricey and require a great deal of self-motivation. Trust us.

Who will perform better on a test that requires extensive English vocabulary? The Latino, son of a gardener, who cannot afford a tutor, or us: La Canadians.

This filter of oppression must be put to a stop. If colleges want to keep requiring a universal token of educational achievement, then why not impose a test more along the lines of logic test. Such a test would more effectively measure intelligence, a better fruit for our society to develop and to exploit than vocabulary. Word of mouth tells us the ACT better approaches this philosophy, but we cannot personally confirm this.

Down with College Board! If we don’t take action now, we can settle for nothing later.

SAT is a Donkey of a TestBy Joao Teixeira and Ameer KhanSpartan Staff

Many have speculated that our language is in a state of decline. I take issue with people who rant about the overall decline of the ever-growing English language, so I’d like to be more specific than that. Firstly, it is not the English language itself that is declining, but rather the use of language in public and the substance in literature. To the former, of course texting and implementing short-hand phrases in colloquial settings instead of finding the right way to say what is on someone’s mind is the cause; this also causes human memory to become less valued. Eventually the thing we cherish most in the English language, our vast lexicon, will only be remembered by a computer, or some form of electronic device (probably similar to an iPhone). Of course, it’s not necessary to remember the word “cogitate” when we would never use, is it? No, definitely not; we’ve got dictionary.com and thesaurus.com. On the topic of the substance of literature, even more can be said. But instead of talking about how many crappy novels and novellas there are out there, let’s just read them and gain nothing, right? Again, the answer is no. Recently, with all of the craze over New Moon and the rest of the Twilight series, I have seen fewer and fewer people around school reading valuable books; trashy romance novels, and magazine tabloids seem to be the standard teenager-friendly literature today. Even more specifically, it is primarily the decline in the relevance of poetry today. Modern poetry is not to blame for people’s disinterest in poetry; nearly any critic would argue that modern poetry is just as legitimate as any other form of poetry over the ages. Instead, it simply the fact that society has no room for poetry and what it entails: reflective thought. People want to be told everything in as plain English as is possible. If they want to experience something life-changing, they’d prefer to just watch Oprah. In today’s society, there is no place for reflective thought. There is also simply no time.

There is not time for thought on whether to live with the painful knowledge that everything about life is temporary or to accept the bland immortality of death, as Keats often thought; of course, not many have such an incredible gift with words and yet such a short time to use it as Keats did. And why should we try to find time to think of such things? The main object of most people’s daily life is to get from one place to another in a very short amount of time, with almost no thought whatsoever. In this hectic lifestyle, there isn’t room for poetry.

Poetry has been the main form of storytelling and lesson-teaching for the past 8,000 years at least and the most truthful form of literature in history. The question at the end of the day is always apparent. Can we make time for poetry before it is slowly squeezed out of our schedules?

A Eulogy for Poetry

The United States of Amer-ica has a responsibility to its allies across the world.

America takes on this responsi-bility for the welfare of America and its allies around the world. Globalization and the intercon-nectedness of people have fos-tered international social change. America has assumed certain aspects of an imperialistic na-tion, but America has not turned into an imperialistic nation. If not for American intervention in World War I and World War II, the world would have been engulfed in chaos. America intervened in World War I after the Zimmerman telegram, which would have brought about Mexico’s entry into the war on the Axis side. It posed a direct threat to United States’ homeland security. So, the United States entered the war and brought it to a swifter end. America intervened in World War II after the Pearl Harbor attacks, a direct attack on the American homeland. The only time America has lost a war was the war in Vietnam. Vietnam was a war of ideology and not all wars over ideology can be won. Historically, America has intervened only when necessary. Whenever America’s allies are being threatened, it is the responsibility of Amer-ica to assist in a situation. Al-though the rest of the world

may disparage us and call us the “world’s policeman”, at the end of the day the police-man maintains law and order. If the United States decided to pull out of Germany, Japan, South Korea, and other East Asian and Middle Eastern countries, it would allow our enemies, like North Korea, the Taliban, and Al- Qaeda to grow strong and become a national security threat to America. The United States stations troops across the world to respond to situations as quickly as possible. America must create global accord to move against common enemies. The reason our brave men and women are abroad is to make sure that we are safe and to make sure the fight stays away from American soil. Focusing on our de-fense will not cause America to turn its back on its own people when America’s armed troops are fighting terrorism abroad. They are keeping the American people safe and providing Americans with the opportunity to prosper in our free market economy.

The United States is focusing its intervention of armed forces on situations that threaten America’s vital in-terests. America has already shrunk its military presence across the world after the fall of the Soviet Union. There is no need to reduce that anymore.

By Kevork KurdoghlianSpartan Staff

U.S. Military Helps Police the World

A t some point in our lives we must embark on an odyssey of transforma-

tional proportions. Upon depar-ture, we encounter the standard fears that come with separation. The amenities of home are nota-bly absent, and so the departed cling to the comforts of their sur-roundings. However, a gradual initiation habituates these ex-plorers to a new world. Curios-ity triumphs over trepidation as risks become opportunities.

For the past three years, I have taken one week out of the school year to observe the im-peccable pulchritude of Yosem-ite Valley. It is a distinct honor to participate in the Yosemite Institute field trip. An educa-tion is incomplete without it. My first motivation to attend came from my experi-ence outdoors. A childhood rife with camping trips had taken me to many places, but not yet

the legendary Yosemite National Park. My curiosity thus piqued by this absence of knowledge, I signed up with the intent to add to my store of memory.

By entering the un-known, I ascend the first step of accomplishment. Interaction with untouched nature introduc-es the classic conflict of man vs. nature. On the last day of my first trip to Yosemite, I was charged with blazing a trail back to civi-lization in the midst of a blizzard. Despite the pain and struggle involved with this endeavor, the ultimate triumph was as satisfy-ing as acing a test. I earned the admiration of my instructor and created a legend for the ages.

I’ve also found the week as a worthwhile investment in mental health. It makes you deviate from the stressful way of life. You revel in the serenity of the place as you are liberated from the incessant noise of city life. With a clear head and a freed conscience, there is time for in-trospection and self- assessment.

Between members of your hiking group, there exists an equal amount of potential for friendship. The element of survival facilitates the bond-ing process, which is unique in its ability to work across class lines, a rare occurrence during normal school hours. When you see one of these friends in the halls, immediately you conjure up the shared experi-ence of Yosemite and smile.

The beauty of the Yo-semite field trip is its ability to offer new adventures. If one time you go to Crane Flat for the overnight and a day of cross country skiing, the next time you can backpack into the fabled Merced Grove cabin and build snow caves. The expansive-ness of Yosemite Valley and the variety of instructors en-sure that new places and new sights present themselves. To top it all off, you can go ice skating, attend a presentation on bears and watch the infa-mous Spirit of Yosemite video.

Christophe LaBelleSpartan Staff

Adventure of a Lifetime

A new product caught my attention on TV the other day: a software

called Your Baby Can Read! It’s a set of computer CDs and videos literally meant to teach your child to read by associat-ing pictures with the written word. The commercials for this product depicted a child, barely two years old, sitting in his high chair clearly after a meal while his mother bombards him with one flashcard after another. “Talk about Evil!” This kind of parenting is so good it’s bad.

The commercial, most likely understanding the fire it would undergo for endors-ing premature literary com-prehension, went ahead and tried to add that this mental stimulation was good for the child, and that the child enjoyed the fun, but how they came to that conclusion I have yet to un-derstand. What if the child only liked the program because of the number of pretty pictures on the other side of the flashcards, and despised the reading part of it? That approach, however, may not truly even be the case- usually if a child despises a part of something, he will refuse to do it even with temptations of colorful depictions of the words he is “supposed” to be learning.

In all honesty, what upsets me the most is how, aside from the “fun” the child will have learning to read in all his toddler glory, many of the parents are consciously or subconsciously buying the product to be able to brag that their child has been the first among his barely-potty-trained friends to learn how to read. The focus is not entirely on how the child will do with the program, as it should be, but splayed to include the kind of credibility a mom will get with the knowledge that her child has become akin to a “child prodigy.”

I do have an idea where these parents are coming from. So many of them are concerned about their children’s ability to learn, and about their swiftness in grasping new information, and what better way to relieve this stress than with the confirmation of a software focused entirely on learning to read? However, we need to distinguish the difference between mere educational entertainment and the huge intellectual milestone that is learning to read. Gentle encouragement in learning general information as a side effect of playing is always good. Giving children toys that relate to learning in some way is good. But going so far as to try to teach a toddler to read is going too far.

Parents need to wake up . Chi ldren wi l l be reading the i r en t i re l ives . At this point, information should come to them as naturally as possible- let’s save the strenuous, taxing academic “jump starts” for SAT Prep classes later on in high school.

There’s plenty of time to settle down and get serious. For now, letting kids be kids is more important than ever.

Childhood is a Time for Fun

Got Opinions?Write an article and bring it to Mr. Power’s Room (203) or drop in the silver box in the IRC!Or email it to us at lchsspartan@gmail.com.

-SPARTAN STAFF

By Ian BalisySpartan Staff

The unmistakable truth of Yosemite Tamar BezjianFeatures Editor

La Canada students are enjoying their time skiing at Yosemite. Photo Credit: Christophe LaBelle

The Spartan StaffEditor-in-Chief

Alicia Kim

Managing EditorDenny Choi

News EditorEmily Kim

David Mkrtchian

Opinion EditorTerese Rutkowski

Katherine Propper

Features EditorsMichelle Phillips

Tamar BezjianChristi ChoiGina Yoon

Rebecca Han

Grace AmicoIan Balisy

David BelcherMichael BelcherMargo HartleyAmeer KhanJoseph Kim

Christophe Labelle

Sarena LuErica Moore

Krishna RajagopalanDavid RheeNaima Vogt

Hailey WilliamsHelen Won

Sports EditorDavid Choe

Kevork Kurdoghlian

Backpage Editor Alice Grubb Jones

John Gregg

Photography EditorMargaret Beesley

Joao Teixeira

Business ManagersAlexandra Van Wie

Ben Chon

AdvisorMr. Ben Powers

Reporters

6 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Features7 La Cañada High School

FeaturesDecember 16, 2009

Where do you draw the line between sleeping and staying up? Despite what we may say, facts remain facts that

The holidays are just around the corner and there’s no better time to satisfy your sweet tooth than Christmas! Indulge your cravings with these easy, unique and tasty Christmas cookie recipes!

CHOCOLATE LOG COOKIES What you’ll need: 1 lb. powdered sugar 1 stick melted butter4 c. Rice Krispies 2 c. crunchy peanut butterLarge mixing bowl Chocolate frosting.

1. Put the powdered sugar and melted butter in a large bowl and stir with a spoon.

2. Mix the peanut butter and Rice Krisp-ies in with the sugar/butter mixture.

3. Punch off enough mixture to make longs about the size of your thumb and roll them in your hand.

4. Put them in the refrigerator for about an hour.

5. Remove and frost with chocolate frosting.

Easy Christmas Pecan Snowball Cookies Recipe What you’ll need: 1/4 pound butter or margarine 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional) powdered sugar

1. Combine all ingredients except pow-dered sugar and shape into balls.

2. Bake in oven at 350° for 15 minutes.3. Roll the balls in powdered sugar

while hot.4. Wait for the “snowballs” to cool

down a bit and then roll them again in powdered sugar

Many people speculate on what will hap-pen on the year 2012. One thing that’s for sure is that this year’s 10th grade class will

then be graduating. According to the ancient civiliza-tion of Mayans, the class of 2012 will have to share their senior year spotlight with the end of the world.

The 2012 myth is based on the Mayan prophecy, which states that the Great Cycle will end on the day of December 21, 2012. Many people believe that on this date, the world will change drastically. Some predictions on what will happen on December 21 range from the de-struction of our world to enlightenment of the human race.

The credibility of the Mayans is often debated. Although the Mayans are known for their advanced methods in dealing with astronomy, mathematics, and writing, how could they have predicted the end of the world? One thing they got right is the significance of the date. Scientists have found that on the winter sol-stice in 2012, the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in 26,000 years. This means that the usual energy that streams to Earth from the center of the Milky Way will indeed be disrupted on December 21, 2012 at 11:11 p.m. Universal Time. It is inconceivable that the Mayans could possibly know what they were talking about. The Mayans ex-

isted from 2000 B.C. to 900 A.D. and even with their advances in astronomy, such a prediction should not have been possible. The precision with which they pre-dicted the alignment of the sun is downright uncanny.

End of the world or not, everyone has an opinion on the 2012 prophecy. These opinions range from unrestricted fear to overwhelming disappointment with the human race.

The concept of the end of the world being a few years away has triggered responses from multiple indus-tries that plan to take advantage of the human interest that surrounds it. For example, the movie I am Legend, in which a viral infection transforms the human population into zombies excluding a few sole survivors, takes place in 2012. Another movie due to come out in December this year named 2012, as its name very implicitly hints, pre-dicts the disasters to come in 2012 in an apocalyptic tone. The 2012 theory is, if not anything else, extremely in-triguing. However, this isn’t the first time an apocalypse theory has been introduced to the general public. For example, the year 2000 was supposed to mark the end of the world with a nuclear war. Obviously, that didn’t happen as we are still here. There are no promises on the year 2012, but it would really be a downer for the class of 2012 to witness the end of the world as the hard work

Sleep or Stay Up?By David Mkrtchian and Terese RutkowskiSpartan Staff

2012: Is the End Coming?By David RheeSpartan Staff

By Christophe LaBelleSpartan Staff

Christmas Cookies Made EasyBy Emily KimNews Editor

There was a time when the notion of a city of La Canada Flintridge hung in the balance. With the

construction of the 210 Freeway in 1972, La Canada-Flintridge was divided into the denser more modest northern La Canada and the smaller, richer southern Flintridge. The relationship of these two neighborhoods was as tenuous as the hyphen that joined them together. Attempts at unification during the 1960s were undermined by the status quo. In 1964 the Chamber of Commerce and Realtor Dick Keilholtz were stymied by the County Board of Supervisors when it reduced the size of La Canada-Flin-tridge at the last minute. The ensuing pan-ic undermined the first drive for cityhood. A second attempt in 1969 came through the leadership of John Bond. Incorporation appeared inevi-table with a bipartisan group of La Canada and Flintridge residents, yet the majority of Flintridge remained op-posed to their efforts. The issue would go into hiding for the next five years. Desperate yet determined, La Canada residents resorted to a symbolic

LC Nearly Eliminateddeclaration. A town meeting vote for city-hood produced only two nays. Behind the scenes, time was running out, as Glendale and Pasadena had agreed to a partition of La Canada-Flintridge with the support of the state legislature. This “sphere of influ-ence” plan ceded Flintridge to Pasadena and La Canada to Glendale, with Des-canso Gardens as a side treat. Frightened by this sudden loss of self-determination, Flintridge incorporated with La Canada to create the place we call home today. In the season of giving, this landmark moment rings with particular importance. We are reminded of our capacity to sacrifice for the greater good. If not for these efforts at unity, public education would function differently from how we’ve come to expect it today. As part of an expanded Glendale or Pasa-dena Unified School District, La Canada High School would suffer at the hands of an overextended budget. We would not have built the great academic legacy that so prominently distinguishes us today.

This story was adapted from the City of La Canada Flintridge website.

During the holiday season, it is common to see the familiar red and white striped peppermint sticks sold throughout stores. It is known as the candy cane. Many people can identify the characteristics of the candy cane, but don’t know the story behind it. But understanding how the candy cane started is important in order to fully appreciate the candy cane.

Origin of the

By Michelle Phillips and Sarena LuSpartan Staff

In 1999, La Canada High School was still the same as now. Seniors fought for parking, students thought they lived

in a bubble and stress was rampant in every class.

1. Gas prices. We often gasp as we see our gas prices reach to the high $3.00s. And most of the time we pray that it doesn’t reach $4.00. But in 1999 gas prices went “up” from $1.55 to $1.65. We wish we could get a gallon of gas for that price today!

2. The Information Resource Center. The place

where most of our LC student body used at one point during the school year to print something out or check out the book. Well, LCHS did not have that 10 years ago! They were still figuring out the funding for the project, so the space where the IRC is today was just an empty lot.

The district had just finished a project that had built the South Gym and the 7/8 building, so there was not enough money to build a library just yet. Instead, the left over money was used to complete the cabling and networking to access the Internet from the high school.

Can you imagine LCHS without the IRC or the internet?

3. Controversial Statue. There was a questionable art piece on open display at the art corner of Foothill and Angeles Crest. It was a nude statue of two children in front of Sports Chalet that many though looked provocative. This life size sculpture of two nude children, a young girl hopping over the boy caused an outrage in the community.

4. Boy Bands. Backstreet Boys…N’Sync….98

Degrees. Sound familiar? Those boy bands that we think of as old or maybe even really old were at their height of popularly. Whether if was their music, or their looks many of LCHS students were going to their concerts, buying all their fan t-shirts and post-ers, calling radio stations to request their songs, and screaming whenever someone said their names.

But if you really think about it, many changes occured at LCHS even just this past year. We have a new principal in staff, a new counselor, a new sci-ence lab, and new parking rules. What changes do you think the New Year will bring for La Canada?

A Blast to the Past

Editor-in-Chief

Candy Cane

The story of the candy cane took place in a village on the top of a moun-tain. The people in the village wanted to give everyone a Christmas gift that was not expensive and had an equal value for everyone. So an elderly man who was the village’s candy maker came up with the idea of the candy cane. This man believed in Jesus for many years so he tied the candy cane with the real meaning of Christmas.

If we look at a candy cane, we can see that it look’s like a shep-herd’s staff. The shepherd’s staff represents Christians following Jesus Christ like sheep to their Shepard. Then if we take the candy cane and turn it upside down, we have the letter “J”. This letter represents the J in Jesus.

On the candy cane, there are thick and thin red stripes. Eviane Leidig, a senior at La Cañada High School thought that the red stripes represented “warmth of festivities”. The thick red stripes on the candy cane actually represent the blood that Jesus shed on the cross in the common Bible story. The narrow red stripes represent the scars from the whips that he received when he was crucified.

For the white stripes on the candy cane, Jessie Cho, a junior at La Ca-ñada High School thought that the white stripes represent “serenity”. The white background of the candy cane really represents Jesus’ clean and sinless life. Then the peppermint flavor of the candy cane is very similar to an herb called Hys-sop. Back then, they would use this herb for purification and sacrifice. When we break our candy cane, it represents Jesus’ body that was broken for our sins. And lastly, when we share our candy cane, it represents the sharing of the love of Jesus.

for some of us a heavy conscience will prevent us from sleeping, while others will dive into the softness of pillows at first yawn. At some point, you have to balance sleeping and study-ing, a line that is often blurred by the pressures of school and drowsiness. But the key to suc-

cess is not always more studying and less sleep. There is a nirvana, strangely enough, that can be found at daybreak, and the way maximize your success is to know how your brain works. Sleeping is not a dormant activity; your brain is actively thinking, calculating, and basically

studying for you while you are sleeping. While you sleep the brain undergoes five stages of sleep, all contributing to your intellectual and physical development. The first stage is developmentally important, releasing all your hor-

mones necessary for growth including the all-important Human Growth Hormone, which determines everything from muscle to bone development. The most important phase of sleep is REM(Rapid Eye Movement) which

occurs for brief periods of time interspersed during the night. REM sleep stimulates the brain regions used in learning. The cortex, the part of the brain that interprets and organizes informa-

tion from your environment, basically is studying for you while you drift away into slumber. So what does this mean to an ambitious student? Socrates advised his pupils to “Know thyself”. This rule applies. Understand yourself to be successful. The general rule of thumb

is not to sleep less than six hours each night. The key is to study enough to be confident, but to sleep enough to be alert.

By Alicia Kim

A Fear

By David MkrtchianSpartan Staff

The blue windows beckoned, unwavering and clear,Like a sea, free of waves and wind,

The love could not have been rescinded,Though it was tangible, his palpable fear-

His pace quickened, his brow quivered, and trembledAs the golden chariot grew near,

As his passion, his love, appeared here, He finally walked, nerves assembled,The beauty of Beauty drowned him,

The storm came, and enveloped his soul,As his labor of love, his labor of fear

Appeared, and granted his wildest whim, The storm came and conquered his greatest foe,

The fear of his secret love coming near.

For Our Guest

By Ian BalisySpartan Staff

The door was open, so hesimply walked in. I didn’tremember. Did I expecthim to? Living in a hole

somewhere dirty and dank; noapples or old cheese crumbs. Buthere was fraught with suspicionand snapping, metal jaws. Are

we so barbaric to makea home unfit for even

him? I would not want to livein a place like that. But he’s

dead now. In our home we haveno coffins for strangers. No

coffins for such small strangers.

8 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Features9 La Cañada High School

FeaturesDecember 16, 2009

High School can get stressful. Students have so many activi-ties to juggle. They range from

music, sports, art, to rigorous courses. Not to mention, the extra requirements that they are inundated with during their junior and senior year. During junior year, students have to start preparing for the SAT or ACT. During senior year, students have to finish taking those tests and apply to college at the same time. So how can students deal with this stress? First, it is helpful for students to set realistic goals for themselves. This is important because if the stu-dents have unrealistic goals, they will continually stress about achieving these goals. It is also helpful for the students to prioritize their tasks. For example, a wise student would spend more time studying for a midterm than prepar-ing for an open note quiz in another class. If students can achieve their important assignments, weight will be lifted off their shoulders. Students who can’t meet their tasks or goals, should not think negatively. Thinking negatively will only hurt them more. This is high school. It is better to learn from mistakes now than later in life. When students are studying, it is helpful for them to take brief breaks

in between, to relax their minds. These breaks can include eating meals, exer-cising, or even meditating, just as long as the students are not involved with anything pertaining to their schoolwork. Woody Buck, a junior at La Cañada High School chooses to “nap, sleep or not move.” If a student chooses to eat while on a break, he/she should be careful not to binge. Binging causes one to feel stuffed and lazy, instead of motivated. It is also always helpful to exercise. Exercise helps release stress from the body. Believe it or not, crying is another natural way for an individual’s body to relieve stress.

Everyone has different ways in which they relieve their own stresses in life. Priya Gohel, a senior at La Cañada High School, relieves her stress by “do-ing something that I enjoy doing which is my internship. It keeps me busy.”

We then asked another senior at La Canada High School, Aimee Hindson. She states that “I go to dance. It makes me less stressed.”

A lot of stress may build up during high school so it is important to know how to relieve this stress. Once students know how to relieve their stress, then they will have an easier time enjoying high school.

How To Relieve StressBy Michelle Phillips and Sarena LuSpartan Staff

Poetry Corner

It has been a long-standing tradition for both juniors and seniors to go out for lunch. Students excitedly wait each and

every day for the lunch bell to ring as their one and only signal that it is time to escape to another world with their friends. But often enough a common question arises which is where to go for lunch that is both tasty and convenient so students can get back to their fifth period on time. By now pretty much all of the seniors have discovered the answer to that question. On another note, we as a high school are lucky to have an open campus because we can leave and come back from lunch very free-ly. Anyhow, there are certain places that seem to attract high school students time and again.

Some of these restaurants include Jim’s, Taco Bell, La Canada Imports, Chipo-tle, Berge’s and Taco Deli. One of the reasons these places are popular is because of their convenient ser-vice, reasonable prices, and tasty and consistent food. Jim’s has now been around longer than we have been alive and remains in the same spot to-day, right in Al-tadena. Jim’s has the tasty grub that we all love such as burgers, onion rings, fries, and sandwiches. Their food is definitely tasty, affordable, and convenient. I recommend having their fries, grilled cheese sandwiches or the orange bang which is a really tasty drink. I have al-ways found the food to be tasty and affordable which is important for a high school student. The next place Taco Bell is also affordable although they do tend to compromise on the quality of their food sometimes. It has the typi-cal Mexican fare including burritos, quesadil-las along w i t h appetiz- e r s and des- se r t s . I person- a l l y t e n d t o s t i c k to their quesa-dillas but t h e i r burri tos m a y be worth a shot. I would a l s o r e c o m - m e n d their cin- namon twists which are very crunchy cinnamon snacks for those of you that haven’t tried it. They also have a value money for those of you who don’t want to bust your wallet.

Although it is a contributor to the much opposed commercial invasion of Foot-hill Blvd, El Chipotle brings home a whole new meaning to fast food in our community. It contains all the elements of a fast food place: relatively cheap prices, employees in uniform, and conveniently speedy service; but this McDonalds-owned house of epicure offers

quality, filling meals made with fresh ingredi-ents that you don’t even find at many respect-able sit down restaurant. When you ask for chicken, you get real chunks of juicy grilled chicken and not pieces of chicken-like fillets that have the texture of boiled rubber common when eating fast food (Taco Bell is a very good example). The Mexican authenticity of Chipotle’s burritos is debatable, but the food is first-rate nonetheless and a many steps above most fast food joints, and definitely worth the extra two or three dollars for a burrito.

The next place, La Canada Imports is also a big hit among high school students. It has pizza and sandwiches as well as fresh baked cookies for dessert. It is also on the rea-sonable side in terms of prices and its food is pretty good quality. They recently introduced a dollar menu which is only there for a limited time. You might also want to check if they

will deliver to the school if you feel you are short on time or just don’t feel like driving. If you are driving down Foothill and looking to eat comforting food in a serene environ-ment, then Berge’s is the place to hit up. Known for its hot sandwiches, delicious To-mato Basil Soup and its friendly atmosphere, “ Berge’s is the classic family run restaurant that never disappoints,” as Johnny Wu put it.

The next place you might want to check out if you haven’t already is Taco Deli which is very close to the high school. It has freshly made Mexican food such as burritos, tacos, quesadillas, salads, and believe it or not freshly squeezed juices. I have been here several times and the food is definitely on the expensive side, but most of the time the food is pretty tasty. Taco Deli delivers if your order is ten dollars or more.

Apart from the restaurants already mentioned you have the well known fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, Jack in the Box, etc which also have quick fast food that is great for high school students on the run. I recommend going to McDonalds just for their awesome desserts, that can’t be beat. I believe that every high school student deserves to es-cape to a restaurant that they call “home” just so they can get their taste buds in full swing along with having fun with their friends. So get out there at your earliest convenience and grab some great food, but don’t forget to pay for it.

Where To Go For Lunch

By Krishna Rajagopalan and Joao TeixeiraSpartan Staff

From left to right: Brendan Shoemake, Andrew Fisher, Matt Canada, and Luke Matthews. Photo Credit: Erica Moore

From Left to Right: Jillian Nybaken and Robin Miketta. Photo Credit:

Erica Moore

From Left to Right: Alden Gellar, Mario Del Fuego, Mitch Page Photo Credit: Erica Moore

Willa Young

Photo Credit: Erica Moore

From Left to Right: Julie Kim, Katie Robbins, Kenzie Berkley, Andie

Evans, Alex Noiret, and Kelly Masuda. Photo Credit: Erica Moore

Reed Grahm Photo Credit: Erica Moore

From Left to Right: Gabrielle Badie, Hannah Levin, Eviane Leidig,

Kristen Chen, and Alex Antonopolis. Photo Credit: Erica Moore

Ben BrandllyPhoto Credit: Erica Moore

10 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Preview Review

Winter is here, and thanks to the California sun we can switch from our summer wardrobe without looking like complete Eskimos with 17.5 layers over our bodies in an

attempt to keep us sufficiently warm. Looking around the campus, I was able to spot out the reoccurring fashion trends that seem to have graced La Canada this winter. Obviously, Ugg boots were cozily fitted onto almost every girl’s feet. Uggs not only come in different colors, and lengths but also in different materials too. Try to break free from the traditional Uggs this season and venture out to the Classic Knit-Boot. Woolen coats also seem to be quite popular, as well as woolen berets.

Most girls seem to have it made when it comes to know-ing what they want to wear this winter, but if that’s not the case or if you feel like you need a little bit of spice to your wardrobe, here are some trends that you might want to look into. Get a head start, be my guest!

Now that shorts seem a bit out of season, ripped jeans are back in style. So brave out the breeze on your knees and pull on a pair. Flaunt out your rebellious side.

If you ever grow bored of ‘plain old blue jeans’, be adven-turous as many other girls at LCHS have been and pull on a pair of thick leggings instead. If worn properly, with a long or loose shirt, it can be the classiest trend yet.

In the same category, hot tights with flashy colors and designs are also appearing around the corner. If you think you can pull it off, for example, try wearing an LBD with hot pink tights and black shoes and you’re bound to be the fashion-talk of the day – in a great way.

The long scarves, as used in France during the summer, are predicted to become 2010’s newest winter-accessory trend. Scarves should no longer be seen as merely a way to keep the flu away, but rather as an essential accessory. Even if the weather is not exception-ally cold and in the morning it seems like you would be able to strip down to just a t-shirt during the day, a scarf never comes as “too much”. It can be just the touch that makes your dull outfit shine.

As for jackets and coats, leather jackets and wooly coats can never go wrong. If you want to go for a classy/edgy look, wear a leather jacket coupled with a long scarf and torn jeans. If you want to go for tidier attire, wear a woolen trench coat with a skirt and leg-gings. For the colder days, wear a coat that will reach your knees, and for warmer days, shorten it up with one that has a regular cut or a mid-thigh cut.

It seems like the literary world of vampires is nowadays not only a

romantic one, but also a high-ly competitive one. Stepha-nie Meyer’s Twilight saga has catapulted to success, both in her books and in the film interpretations of the first two episodes, “Twilight” and “New Moon.” Fans world-wide breathe in every single word in the books and every single scene in the movies. However, this year the media isn’t considering Twilight as the only teenage-vampire-romance storyline worth profiting from.

Ever since CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” a show based on a novel series by the same name, entered the scene, fans across the world have been comparing it with none other than the Twilight saga. Which vampire is better

looking? If they were ever to

fight, who would win? Never before has a bloodsucking-Dracula-like-monster seemed so… well, let’s face it: scrump-tious. The tables have turned and the idea of vegetarian vam-pires has transformed these once feared mythical creatures into the epitome of the perfect boyfriend, blessed with the charisma of a true gentleman (something that seems to be forgotten nowadays).

Stephanie Meyer’s inter-pretation of vampire existence has sparked a vampire-fever all over the literary world. Welcome to a world where monsters can be friends and fall in love with simple plain girls without feeding off their blood. Teen sections in book-stores carry an amazingly wide collection of new vampire-romance novels, including Alyson Noel’s The Immortals Series.

Although it is true that

several of these books were written after the publication of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, taking its fame as an inspiration, Stephanie Meyer’s ideas were not as original as many fans may think.

CW’s “Vampire Diaries” is based on a novel series by author L.J. Smith, published in 1991, fourteen years before “Twilight” ever saw daylight. L.J. Smith introduced the idea of the existence of vampires who don’t need human blood to survive (in other words “vegetarian vampires”) as well as a distinct love triangle between a human girl and two supernatural creatures. Other famous vampires stalk the silver screen in “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, “Inter-view With A Vampire,” “True Blood” and “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant.”

Both stories are similar in several different ways and

indeed challenge the image of the traditional vampire. Long gone are the vile, ashen, nocturnal vampires caped in their lightless dungeons, as portrayed in “Nosferatu” in 1922. Instead we’ve become enticed by vampires in Ray-ban glasses and leather jackets who can recite Shakespeare by heart. We have become en-tranced by vampires who write journals and play on the high school football team. Thanks to these two authors, and many more, we are able to overlook their scary reputation and look them in the eye and say, “I wish you were real.” I invite you to spot the differences between both stories and decide which you prefer. “New Moon” is currently playing in theatres, and “Vampire Diaries” is on every Thursday on the CW. You can also purchase both book series at any major book-store nationwide.

‘09 Wooly Winter Fashion Report By Naima VogtSpartan Staff

The Standards of Modern Love Truly Do SuckBy Naima VogtSpartan Staff

With the holidays comes a surge of consumer products as businesses try to make the most of holiday

shopping crazes. As the year comes to an end, movie companies want to make a lasting impres-sion on their viewers and push to get their movies shown before the New Year. Four of the most anticipated movies for the month of December are as follows: “It’s Complicated,” “Avatar,” “Sherlock Holmes,” and “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.” “It’s Complicated” follows the story of Jane (Meryl Streep), who after ten years from divorcing her now ex-husband Jack (Alec Baldwin), suddenly finds herself involved in an affair with him. However, Jane’s architect, Adam (Steve Martin), and Jack’s young second wife, Agness (Lake Bell) are both caught in the crossfire. Jane has now become the other woman, and chaos ensues as Adam and Jack fight for her attention, thus making the strange love-triangle even more complicated. The movie is set to be released on December 25. Not to be mistaken with the animated television series, “Avatar” is an exciting adven-ture movie set in the future on a tropical planet named Pandora, which is home to a human-like race called the Navi. Jake Sully (Sam Worthing-ton) is a paralyzed Marine from Earth who has been recruited for a special mission. He is given back the ability to walk through the use of an

Avatar, a genetically created human-Navi hybrid that is controlled by a human mind through fu-turistic technology. Conflict occurs when Jake becomes too attached to a Navi tribe and must choose between the militant forces of Earth or the peaceful-unless-provoked society of the Navi. Learn his final choice when “Avatar” is released on December 18. One of the most anticipated movies of December is “Sherlock Holmes,” starring Robert Downey Jr. as the famous detective and Jude Law as his colleague, Watson. Set in 1891, Holmes and Watson must use their skills and intelligence to stop the movie’s villain, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), from destroying Britain. Rachel McAdams plays Irene Adler, the only woman to match Holmes’ wit and serves as a love interest. “Sherlock Holmes” will be out in theaters on December 25. “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” is a mystical story about a man, Doctor Parnas-sus, who made the terrible mistake of selling his daughter’s soul to the devil in exchange for immortality. When the time comes for the devil to collect his prize, Doctor Parnassus desperately calls for the help of strangers to beat the devil at his challenge to collect five souls. The late Heath Ledger plays a mysterious man named Tony (also played by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Collin Ferrell after Ledger’s sudden death) who helps the Doctor with this problem in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage. This movie has a release date of December 25.

By Grace AmicoSpartan Staff

Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Films

11 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Lifestyle

We’re teenagers, and most of the time we’re too busy focusing on school, sports, extracurricular activities, family, and friends to take a couple of minutes to de-vote to ourselves. Luckily enough, there are some quick and easy ways to keep you sane.

By Hailey WilliamsSpartan Staff

Ten Simple Steps to a Happier, Healthier You!

1. Clean your room: Mom says it because she hates looking at it, and you should, too! Keeping the area you spend most of your time in cluttered makes you feel distracted ad unorganized. So spend five minutes a day working on putting tings away.

2. Take time to smell the flowers: It’s true! Just taking a couple of whiffs of something that smells good unleashes euphoric memories in your brain, making you happier and relaxed.

3. Go for a run: “Running releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, and happy people don’t kill their husbands, they just don’t!” But really, running helps you stay in shape, lose weight, and stay relaxed. So why do we complain about running the mile in P.E.?

4. Go for a short walk: Okay, so maybe we don’t all like to run. Going for a brisk 30 minute walk will yield practically the same results. Some fresh air and change of scenery from the inside of your bedroom will do you good. Take the dog while you’re at it!

5. Drink Water: No salt, no sugar, no calories, no shame. Plus, you stay hydrated. Your brain is mostly water, keep it happy!

Last Minute Shoppers, Take a Look!

6. Write in a journal: Releasing your emotions instead of keeping them inside all of the time is a great way to relieve some of the stress from your day. And boys, it’s not too girly. Famous musicians use lyrics as their journals. If you don’t want to write, find a friend you can confide in.

7. Turn off electronics: Seems impossible, right? Well, when you don’t feel obligated to answer a text message or check your Facebook messages, you get some time to yourself to relax and maybe even take a nap.

8. Eat more fruit: Unnatural sugars in candies give you a sugar high and ultimately a crash. Plus, natural sugars are easier for your body to process, and fruits provide vitamins, too!

9. Don’t procrastinate: Do your homework and start your projects the day that they are as-signed. That way you’re not up until four in the morning getting everything done in time.

10. Get more sleep: Start getting your body in a rhythm. It’s not exactly about the quantity of sleep, but more of the quality. If you start going to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, you’ll be able to experience more REM sleep, which makes your body feel more refreshed.

A few gift ideas for those who are lost this

Christmas is creeping around the corner. The sound of jingle bells and the smell of gingerbread and mistletoe are growing stronger everyday. The pressure, antici-pation, and stress of last-minute gift shopping for your friends and family is also slowly starting to grow on each and every one of us. Every year it’s the same dreadful routine of hints and assumption and the search for the perfect gift, so give yourself a break this year by getting yourself ahead of the game. Here are a few gift ideas to get you started!

Boyfriend· Wallet: Cheap, practical, and every time he uses it, he’s, bound to think of you. Score!· Shirt or jersey for his favorite team: Even if you don’t root for the same guys or watch the sport at all, he’s going to be happy that his girl is supportive if his passions. · CDs: if you don’t want to buy then from the store, iTunes is fairly cheap for a full CD. Better yet, if you already have a CD, burn it and write a cute little note to him.· Pictures: Girls, as much as they don’t want to admit it, guys are really sentimental creatures. My boyfriend LOVES when I take pictures of us. Why not put it in a cute homemade frame, or buy one for cheap at Aaron Brothers, and wrap it up? He’ll have reminder you’re his every time he looks at it.

Girlfriend· Jewelry: Boys, its so much fun for us to wear. And as much as we love what’s in the magazines, we’d REALLY love it if you made it. What better way to say I care than homemade gifts?· Scarves: Keep her warm even when you can’t!

· Hershey’s Kisses: It’ll give you an excuse to plant one on her while “coincidentally” satisfying her chocolate cravings!· Movies: We girls love to cozy up and watch movies at home. Find our favorite chick flick, include a box of hot chocolate mix, and you’ll have us forever.

Moms· Scented Sets: Whether it be lotions or candles, moms love to smell good. And when Dad notices, you score brownie points. Anything to keep Mom happy, right?· Gift Voucher to the Spa: You can go for just the facial, or the entire day. Mom will greatly appreciate that you are giving her the gift of relaxation.· Love Novels: Moms love “Beach Books”, that is, books that she can curl up and read at the beach, books that are solely for entertainment. Try Nicholas Sparks, he’s the expert at making girls swoon. If you don’t believe me, ask any girl what she thinks of The Notebook or A Walk to Remember.· Sweater: Hey, you don’t have to go all out with this one. But if you do, go cashmere. Moms love it. But a simple sweater from Old Navy will definitely do the trick.

Dads· Ties: Dads need them for work, for formal parties, or for nights out on the town with Mom. Any way you look at it, he’ll appreciate it.· Coupon Books: Dad is always working around the house. Why not help him out? Make him a personalized “coupon book” that he can use to get your help on something. Mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage, and fixing the car are all good things to consider. And hey, when you have your own place and the kitchen sink needs fixing, you’ll be glad your dad made you help him out when you were younger.· Subscription to Sports Illustrated: Dads love sports. It is, and always will be, a fact of life. If he’s not, you could go for car magazines or motorcycle magazines. If that fails, Rolling Stone.· Watch: If you don’t want to go for a cheapie, band together with your brothers and sisters to buy a really nice one. Dad will LOVE it.

If all else fails, there is no shame in baking a batch of cookies for your loved ones. You can find recipes on the backs of any Nestle® chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips.

By Hailey Williams, Margo Hartley, and Naima VogtSpartan Staff

Christmas.

The first game of the season was predominated by newness and marked by a solid but shaky

performance. With new coach Barry Ritson at the helm, leading a newly uniformed squad, the Spartans came away with a victory behind two goals from junior Cameron Meeker, a new addition to the team. His goal in the ninth minute- coming off a cross from senior Aayush Shah-gave La Canada a 1-0 lead. Yet the marks of a young season persisted. A costly turnover deep in the

Spartans’ own end allowed Crescenta Valley to tie the game in the 31st minute. La Canada’s second goal was unassisted, with Meeker converting what proved to be the winning goal of the game. Against defending CIF Southern Section champs and Mountain View, La Canada appeared to repeat its winning formula by drawing first blood in the 20th minute. However two goals and physical play from the Vikings subdued the Spartans and provided a reality check before their first tournament of the season.

The healing process began smoothly with a 2-2 tie against Sylmar and a 2-0 triumph over Crescenta Valley during the first weekend of December. These first two matches of the Burroughs/Ralph Brandt tournament allowed the team to enter its home game against Arcadia on a high note.

With a dominating 5-1 win over Arcadia, the Spartans La Canada gave a preview of its top form. From the beginning, they played energetically and relentlessly. It was to be a rough game for Arcadia’s freshman goalkeeper. Through the first 30 minutes of play, La Canada had built a 3-0 lead behind goals from Cameron Meeker, Diego Ruano, and Aayush Shah. While Arcadia may have welcomed halftime as a chance to regroup, the Spartans showed they would have been better off continuing to play. Through the first thirty minutes of the second half, La Canada failed to extend the lead. Junior Matt Canaata, frustrated by his failure to capitalize on a free kick sought his revenge with a yellow card offense in the 68th minute. It took an Arcadia goal a minute later to revitalize the Spartan attack. Goals by Shah(71st minute) and Arash

Mahboubi(77th) not only recouped the lead but extended it in definitive fashion.Top performers thus far on the season are Cameron Meeker with five goals, Aayush Shah with three goals and an assist and Arash Mahboubi with a goal and two assists. Come out and see the team during the holidays as they hold their own tournament from the day after Christmas to December 30th. Schedules are in the attendance office or online at maxpreps.com.

12 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Sports13 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Sports

After a close first game against Red-lands, which the Spartans lost, it was all down hill as Redlands then

rolled to win the match in straight games (22-25, 12-25, 12-25). Despite this loss ending their bid at a state championship the girls should still consider this season a success. For the second year in a row they made it to the CIF finals and the second round of state playoffs. In the first round of state playoffs La Canada convincingly beat Frontier in four games (23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-18). Even though they lost there is a lot of hope for the future due to solid play from underclassmen and a strong fan base. At Cypress College where the CIF finals were played the Spartan nation showed up in full force. In the first game La Canada fought hard against Elsinore but was over-powered by their k i l l s . I n t h e s e c o n d game La Canada lost big to set up a crucial t h i r d game. La Canada came out s t r o n g to take a 10-4 lead in the third set led by multiple kills by senior MaryJo Scott who finished with ten kills. Elsinore then rallied to cut the lead to 12-10 forcing coach Turner to call a timeout. Luckily he had an ace up his sleeve quite literally when senior Court-ney McCutchan drilled a serve to push the lead back up to 14-10. From there the Spartans tentatively held the lead and

eventually won the game 25-22. Down two games to one the Spartans needed to win the fourth set to stay alive and it looked like they had a chance. Elsinore came to an early two point advantage but the Spartan girls rallied back to cut it to one point at 13-14. Then it was 14-14, or so everyone thought, then the main official reversed the initial call and gave Elsinore a 15-13 lead. From there Elsinore blew the game open to 19-14. Ultimately the Spartans could not recover and lost 20-25, with the final score 3-1 in games. As the Spartan girls went to receive their medals for second place it is hard for anyone in attendance to believe they will not be back at Cypress College next year with another shot at a championship. Even though the team is losing some key seniors

t h e y have a h u g e amount of ta l-ent who will be b a c k n e x t y e a r . H e a d -l i n i n g n e x t t e a m will be d e f e n -s i v e

specialist Eirene Kim who 12 digs in the CIF loss. Another player with a huge potential is Freshmen Katie Pierce who had seven kills in the CIF finals. Eight players will return to next year’s squad and hope-fully the eighth graders have some solid girls who can contribute to next years run. So save the date and get ready to go back to the CIF finals, next year.

Spartans Fall on Tough Call at CIF FinalsBy John GreggSpartan Staff

This season, La Canada High’s football team did a wonderful job in showing raw enthusiasm on the field, team communication, and continual good sportsmanship. Their hard work and long hours of practice paid off when they won a place in the CIF play-offs. This celebration was cut short, however, when the Spartans were matched against Valley Christian. Despite this football team’s apparent advantages, the Spartans treated this game with the same sincerity, intensity, and focus as in the past. The game started out with a prayer for the boys playing on the field to remain uninjured and in good health. Although this prayer would not be answered this game, the thoughtfulness of Valley Christian was undeniable throughout the game. When Austin Roye went down on the field, they all took a knee in respect until he was able to move to the sidelines. Likewise, when Chris Gilbert tore his ACL during

the 3rd quarter, the Valley Christian players encouraged him to take his time clearing the field, and rest if he felt too much pain. I’m happy to report the Spartans were equally as respectful and courteous, leaving the one-sided game with nothing to be ashamed of. In a game openly ill matched in skill level, La Canada High should be proud of their football team’s accomplishments and character. It’s unfortunate that we ended on a low note, but the triumphs of the Spartan’s throughout the year has outweighed any fall backs.

Spartans Make it to a Difficult CIF Play-offBy Alice Grubb JonesSpartan Staff Tension and excitement were high

in the air as members of the girls varsity volleyball team prepared

to take on Troy High School on the night of November 18th. “Our teams are pretty evenly matched, so it should be a good bat-tle,” said La Canada Coach Brock Turner.

Though the La Canada girls’ volleyball team is widely recognized to be one of the best in the state, Coach Turner was not exaggerating when he said the teams seemed to be on the same level. The game began with a solid serve from the other team, and soon escalated into a nail-biting back-and-forth battle between the two teams. The beginning was definitely rough for La Canada, but they followed through and matched the intensity of the opposing players by amping up the power of their spikes and serves and almost never failing to execute digs. The Spartans emerged defeated af-ter the first part of the game, but gave it their all in the second part. Their aggres-siveness and consistent teamwork lead to

a victory. The third part of the game was where some of the most intense moments of the game occurred: La Canada and Troy were nearly tied for a large portion of the game, and the scores seemed to be only one point apart most of the time- Troy was playing incredibly well, and the game became unpredictable. La Canada eventually triumphed in the third part.

The fourth part of the game got off to a rough start as well, with Troy leading by ten points, But the fifth part was won by La Canada in an incredible turnaround. The Spar-tans were focused and ready for a ball that came every which way, and used tactics to their advantage to catch the opposing team off guard. The power of their spikes and kills offset their oppo-nents, and though Troy fought hard, La Canada won with a final score of 15-11.

Be sure to catch the of-f i c ia l CIF championsh ip game at Elsinore High School at 7 p.m.

Girls Volleyball advanced to CIF FinalsBy Tamar BezjianFeature Editor

In case you didn’t know, the boy’s basketball exhibition games were held during the week of Thanksgiving Break. Varsity Basketball played Canyon High School on Monday and won by a close margin. The starters of the game were guards Omar Rady,

Mason Holle, Jeff Grigg, Michael McGlashan and Rocky Moore. Omar started off very well with several three point shots as well as many assists. Jeff Grigg also came off as a very strong player with several shots. At first it took La Canada some time to get warmed up being that it was the first game of the season. Canyon High decided to take advantage of that opportunity and scored the initial points without any hesitation whatsoever. From the beginning it seemed like Canyon High would be a very difficult team to beat with their multiple assists and field goal attempts. Time outs were called multiple times during the game in order to get La Canada back on track. But further into the game La Canada was on its way to winning its first game of the season. In fact we went into a fifth quarter surpassing normal regulation time. This was so La Canada could get a firm grasp on their game since they were trying hard to win but needed that extra tug. Apart from the game, it seemed rather difficult to get fans out that day as there were only a handful of students at the game. Regardless, whoever was there cheered La Canada on as they came to a decisive victory against Canyon High School. La Canada will still have another game on Wednesday before Thanksgiving which happens to be versus the alumni of La Canada.

Here Come the Exibition Games

Boys’ Varsity Soccer:A Mixed BagWhen the Spartans are at home, they’re formidable. On the road, they leave something to By Christophe LaBelleSpartan Staff

The Spartans regain the ball. (Joao Texeria)

Senior Aayush Shah takes a shot at the open goal against rivals CVHS.(Joao Texeria)

By Krishna RajagopalanSpartan Staff

Alice Grubb Jones

The Spartan: What comes to mind when we say the word water polo?Riley: Fun. Exciting. Hard. Challenging. Extreme sacrifice.The Spartan: How did you get started with water polo?Riley: My cousins play, so my mom told me to try it out. I tried it out with some of my friends one day and I have been doing it ever since. The Spartan: Describe a typical day of school for you.Riley: I get up at 5:44 a.m. to go to zero period practice. In zero period, I lift for about an hour and forty-five minutes. After school, I go to practice at 4:30.The Spartan: What has been your most memorable experience in high school water polo? Riley: “Either the bus ride home from CIF or beating Temple City in my sophomore year because we haven’t beaten them in eight years.” The Spartan: What is the hardest thing about water polo?Riley: “Racks. Racks are when we swim one lap, and then do one exercise such as pushups or sit-ups.”The Spartan: What is your biggest regret? Riley: “I always doubt myself.” The Spartan: What are some awards you received in water polo?

Riley: “ Silver and bronze in junior Olympics, gold US club champion-ship, CIF first team, all area MVP.”The Spartan: Was Harvard your first choice for college?Riley: “Harvard has always been my number one college.”

Around this time of year, seniors are stressing out about completing college ap-plications and anxiously awaiting for acceptance letters. La Canada High School senior, Riley Kessler is one of the few seniors who already has her future mapped out for her. Riley, an outstanding student and athlete, was recently offered to play on Harvard University’s water polo team. At the university, she plans to continue her passion for water polo and focus on academics. The Spartan Staff decided to in-terview Riley to find out a little bit more about this incredible athletic achievement.

Sportlight:Kessler’s off to HarvardBy Michelle Phillips and Sarena LuSpartan Staff

An Interview with Riley Kessler

The Varsity basketball team is scrimmaging during practice. Photo Credit: Erica Moore

Cameron Meeker dribbles the ball.

14 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

Sports15 December 16, 2009 La Cañada High School

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Water polo, one of the most intense sports at our school, has been honored to have

Arielle Valdez on the varsity team for two years. She plays wing, which tends to be a very risky position to play. When I asked if she has ever been close to drowning, she responds with a smirk, “many times.” Each match the girls must try to get the ball into the net without getting scratched, kicked, or punched by the opposing player, all while not getting swallowed up by the water. Arielle has played water polo for four years (evidently starting because of the “boys in Speedos”).

She explains that her worst experi-ences are getting beaten up by the other girls, but that the support she gets from her mother with regards to her athletic achievements and goals is the most valuable thing to her.

To get ready for another bru-tal battle she “eats bananas, listens to techno, and pours baby oil all over [her] body to make [her] harder to catch.” Af-ter proudly winning a match Arielle likes to “sit in the bath and let [her] fins rest.” The sport, while violent, has taught Arielle to learn discipline and work as a member of a team. She has made many friends while playing water polo, and it has also taught her to swim like a mermaid.

By Margaret BeesleyPhoto Editor

Sport Light: Arielle the Mermaid

Spartans, welcome to another fun filled year of Comedy Sportz, which is only about to get even better. For those of you who haven’t been to Comedy Sportz before, Comedy Sportz is an improv/comedy show in which everything you see is thought up by our

ingenious players on the spot, which therefore makes it totally real. During the show, the players play a wide variety of improv games in which the audience members are complete-

ly involved from start to finish. You didn’t think they would leave you out did you? The games they play are totally funny since that is what Comedy Sportz is all about. One of the games they play is called Back in My Day. In that game the audience is first asked to think of something from the past such as cars , and tha t

something should be funny and clever. Once that something is decided the players start playing the game. A player will say for example, “Back in my day we didn’t have cars, when we wanted to get some where we used ponies!” The game will continue until the referee calls time. At that point, both teams would have each played one game and the audience would be asked to vote for their favorite team based on who was more comical and made you jump out of your seat with laughter! The “voice” which is the announcer will then shout out what the score is in a comical voice and maybe even throw out a joke or two. Another one of popular games the team plays is called 185. In this game the referee will ask the audience to come up with something random like cowboys. Then the player(s) will say, “185 cowboys walk into a bar and the bartender says we don’t serve cowboys here, and the cowboys say we are here to ride em ale!” Apart from the games, a typical Comedy Sportz match is either between La Canada divided among two sides or it is against another high school. The show is full of all the laughter and jokes that your hearts can desire. After the first half of the game there is a halftime, in which you can go and get a munchie or something to drink so you can be even more hyper and full of energy for the second half. Comedy Sportz is Los Angeles’ longest running stage show, which I believe really speaks for itself. Now for some serious business, the cost for Comedy Sportz is $5 with or without ASB and you will always be tempted to buy their treats such as brownies and cookies. I encourage

every student to go to a Comedy Sportz match and challenge those of you risk takers to go to every Comedy Sportz match left this year. I talked to the Comedy Sportz players and they seem to really enjoy it .As is normally the case, if you enjoy it as much as I do you will want to try out for it which is normally during the second month of the school year. You might even see some of your friends participating in Comedy Sportz. So go out and get a good laugh and I can assure

you that you will be glad that you went to a Comedy Sportz match.

“Come Laugh With Us!” at Comedy SportzBy Krishna RajagopalanSpartan Staff

Here is what they had to say:

The Spartan: What is the best part of Comedy Sportz?Ryan Kaul: In Comedy Sportz you feel a sense of belonging and security. You can act weird and still not get judged. Nika Mabson: Going on stage and saying whatever you want. Brandon Folb: Comedy Sportz teaches team building, has a common goal which is to be funny, and a com-mon perspective. The Spartan: Do you ever feel stage fright?Ryan: In the beginning I feel some stage fright but that diminishes as the match progresses. Nika: In the beginning I feel some stage fright but like Ryan that disap-pears as the game goes on. Brandon Folb: I don’t feel any stage fright.

The Spartan: What will you take out of Comedy Sportz when you graduate?Ryan: Knowing that I can stand up and say something quirky and weird and still get a smile, I would like to add that my goal in life is to get people to smile. Nika: The ability to talk my way out of anything. Brandon: The ability to be spontane-ous. The Spartan:What is your favorite game and why? Ryan: Town Meeting: You get to in-volve the audience and both teams. Nika: “185”simply because it’s funny. Brandon: “And Now A Word From Our Sponsors.” It gives every person a chance to do well in front of the audi-ence.

The Comedy Sportz team is prepared for their season of improv.

The Comedy Sportz team is ready to make you laugh this year.

The Comedy Sportz team competes on Fridays every month.

An Interview With Comedy Sportz Memberz

I recently interviewed the Com-edy Sportz players so I could learn about their experience with Comedy Sportz.

By Krishna RajagopalanSpartan Staff

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December 16, 2009

[10] “Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of your life.”

[9] “So, where’s the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?”

[8] “We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees.”

[7] “I make Jessica Simpson look like a rock scientist.”

[6] “I think gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.”

[5] “Baseball is 90% mental - the other half is physical.”

[4] “I think that the film “Clueless” was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it’s true lightness.”

[3] “I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don’t always agree with them”

[2] “All of a sudden you’re like the Bin Laden of America. Osama Bin Laden is the only one who knows what I’m going through.”

[1] “I’ve never really wanted to go to Japan. Simply because I don’t like eating fish. And I know that’s very popular out there in Africa.”

Celebrity StatementsBy Ben ChonSpartan Staff

10 - Brooke Shields, 9 - Christina Aguilera, 8 - Jason Kidd, 7 - Tara Reid, 6 - Arnold Shwarznegger, 5 - Yogi Berra, 4 - Alicia Silverstone, 3 - George W. Bush, 2 - R. Kelly, 1 - Britney Spears

1) Be patient Patience is essential to surviving the holiday season. Even if you have to hear grandma and grandpa’s story of how they met every Christmas, just deal with it.

2) Nod and smile The holidays can be a stressful season for everybody, but there is one full-proof way to avoid confrontations. When it comes to religion, politics, or other hot-button issues, just nod and smile. Eventu-ally the conversation will shift to a lighter topic.

3) Don’t procrastinate Do not buy gifts, food, or other goods at the last minute. Nothing is more stressful then having to scour the stores on the 24th, picking out a gift for some-one. If you are prepared, everyone around you will hopefully follow your example and the whole atmosphere will be more relaxed.

4) Keep it PG (maaaybe PG-13) We know that you’re hilarious, but your joke about the preacher, the Irish man, and the Jew walking into a bar is not appropriate for your Catholic grandmother. Be sure to censor yourself until you’re out with your buddies again. “That’s what she said” or “your mom” jokes are just not ac-ceptable.

5) Turn the phone to silent The holidays are a time to be with your family. If you get caught texting through the whole Christmas, Kwanza, Chanukah, or whatever dinner, the results will be negative. So keep the phone on vibrate or silent and if you must text, be subtle.

6) Keep the Liquor Levels Low Try to prevent your relatives from getting too smashed. If your family is the host of a get together, it is partly your responsibility to make sure no one has a few too many. Drunken relatives can be boisterous and easy to anger, so do your best to avoid total intoxication.

7) Include Everyone In the 21st century, the nuclear family is more of a dream than a reality. Many families are spilt by divorce and kids have tons of half-siblings. When you celebrate your holiday, remember to celebrate it with everyone.

8) Remember what really matters Even though the holiday season is becoming more and more corporate, remember to focus on what really matters during the holiday season: friends, faith, food, and football.

Surviving the SeasonBy Alice Grubb Jones and John GreggSpartan Staff

Your Favorite Song?

Four PlayYour Hardest Class?

Your Most Famous Relative?

Kiss N’ Tell by Kesha

Spanish Pecks and muscles

I’m a distant rela-tive of the president of the Philippines, Gloria.

The Fixer by Pearl Jam

Honors Chem-istry with Mr. Weld

Flexibility My great uncle is in the Boxing Hall of Fame.

Let it Be by The Beatles

Honors Pre Calculus with Ms. English

Gluteus maximus

My great-great-great-great grand-father was Robert E. Lee.

Float On by Modest Mouse

Pre Calculus A good sense of humor

General Sherman

Fun Facts By David MkrtchianSpartan Staff

- 23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photo-copying their butts. The people at the SSMRC have some explaining to do.

- Donkeys are commonly used by the Iraqi Reb-els to launch rockets! Yet we still haven’t won the war…

- President George W. Bush was once a cheer-leader! At least his speeches all had some spirit.

- More than ten people a year are killed by vend-ing machines. I can’t really blame the vending machines. Have you seen how much abuse they take?

- When Chuck Norris was denied an Egg McMuffin at McDonald’s because it was 10:35, he roundhouse kicked the store so hard it became a Wendy’s.

All of these are true facts, except the last one. It turned into a Jack-in-the-Box.

By Terese RutkowskiOpinion Editor Best Trait of the

opposite sex?

9th: Lauren Galantai

10th: Derek Georgino

11th: Alex Lee

12th: Sarah Sherman