07 December 2008
Transcription
07 December 2008
2008 The Blueprint Santa Margarita Catholic High School Friday, November 21, 2008 Vol. 21 No. 4 INSIDE World News pg. 2 Gas Prices [email protected] Eagles Return from Paris Getting Ready For Christmas By Spencer Feldman Early this December, Notre Dame, the Hall of dents had to hold their own. the eleven juniors in MUN Mirror, Versailles and the The Eagles were up for the took their holiday break a Sacré-Coeur Basilica. They Health pg. 3 challenge, the students little early. also sampled some original sought to change the light in You Are What You Eat From December first famous French cuisine, inwhich the US is often through ninth the Eagles cluding escargot, rabbit and viewed by other countries, took over Paris, France, for even frog legs. as mainly a country looking the Eighth Annual Paris Features pg. 4 out for itself, Model UN with little reCheaters ( PA M U N ) gard for othconference. ers. T h e T h e three day M U N proOpinion pg. 5 conference gram is modwas hosted by Worst Christmas Gifts eled after the the American United NaSchool of tions proParis and held ceedings, Emily/Olivia pg. 6 & 7 at the official w h i c h center for Laziness a c h i e v e United Naprogress on tions Educapressing istional, Sciensues through Entertainment pg. 8 tific and Culd e b a t e . tural OrganiJingle Ball United Naz a t i o n tions sec(UNESCO). tions the stuJuniors dents modD a v i d Sports pg. 9 eled after Mastrovich, were the Injuries Megan Kang, General AsJustin Lee, sembly, EcoE l i z a b e t h SM MUN Students standing in front of Notre Dame Tower on SM’s first trip to nomic, SecuG r a b o w s k i , Paris. Campus Ministry pg. 10 rity Council P a i g e P a r - Photo courtesy of Mr. Remmell. and Social Council. Issues sons, Alison Quinn, Jennifer Junior Megan Kang Retreat Volunteers discussed that impact the Brush, K a t h e r i n e said of the trip, “This was world include global piracy, M a t t h i e s e n , J a s m i n e E l truly a once in a lifetime ophuman rights around the Nabli, Monique Tinio and portunity!” globe, and the ever increasDiana Hess took the trip of Special Section pg. 11 But really, MUN isn’t ing trade of illegal organs. a lifetime. all fun and games, as only M r. R e m m e l l , t h e Tis’ the Season While the trip was filled one of two schools in attenMUN advisor said the stuwith a conference, and lot of d a n c e f r o m t h e U n i t e d dents, by their actions really, work, the students still had States, the Eagles weren’t “Showed people that the time to explore the city. intimidated. Remembering U.S. cares about what is While in Paris, the With students from over Kaydee Campbell going on in the world. We Eagles toured the city, saw eighteen countries, the stupg. 12 want to be involved citizens the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, of the world. We want to make a difference.” They did just that, and it was apparent that others saw this attitude as well, as Juniors David Mastrovich and Megan Kang were awarded MUNs highest award of “best delegate,” and Justin Lee, Elizabeth Grabowski, and Alison Quinn were also recognized for their efforts with honorable mention awards. Mr. Remmell said that receiving these awards and being, “recognized as a superior delegate brings recognition to our country and school. It’s quite an honor.” MUN Students in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. Congratulations and Photo courtesy of Mr. Remmell. welcome home Eagles! By Caitlin Doud O n T h u r s d a y, D e cember 11 th at 7:00 p.m. and Friday, December 12 th , the Santa Margarita Catholic High School Performing Arts Department presented the Christmas Program. The Performing Arts Department is made up of: Dance, Drama, Choral, Instrumental and Orchestral Programs. The real reason for the Christmas Program is to celebrate the sacred season of Christ’s birth. M r. C a l v o , t h e p e rforming arts teacher, said that, “It took everyone four months to get ready for this performance.” There was a lot of work and preparation to get ready for the show. He also said that, “The hardest thing for the students to prepare for was the finale.” The outcome of the Christmas Program was amazing, and everyone enjoyed it. All of the students in the performance showed great talent and dedication, and everyone in it worked very hard to prepare for it. Performers at the Christmas Production. Photo Courtesy of the SMCHS website. Change for Autism By Caroline Christ The Autism Awareness Club’s fundraiser, Change for Autism, took place on November 215th. The fundraiser surpassed everyone’s expectations and raised over $800 for the SM walk team for the OC Walk for Autism. Thanks to everyone’s help the club was able to meet their goal of raising $1,200 as a team. Four period 4 classes stood out in particular and are getting a pizza party for their outstanding efforts. In first place Mr. Aust’s class, second place Mr. Nielson’s class, third place Mr. Schumacher’s class, and finally Mrs. Dilbeck’s class. Congrats to all the classes and thank you for all your support in making Change for Autism a great success! 2 WORLD NEWS Voluntourism By Polina Romshkova Just like it sounds, voluntourism is volunteering to assist those in need while traveling and experiencing the essentials of both giving service to others and traveling to a new place in which you get to experience the culture of that particular location. Just by visiting their website, voluntourism.org, I have been able to get a sense of how much work the organization puts into providing a global view to its visitors. The site is filled with tips of how to get started, including an evaluation of whether volunteerism is right for you, tips of how to get through the experience, as well as how to deal with it once you have returned home. Don’t be fooled by the incorporation of volunteering because the choice of destinations are as broad as a normal vacation. Most recreational work happens in Africa and disaster areas of that sort, but one could choose a place in Europe just as well. There really are no limits as long as you are open to put the people whom you are serving before yourself. The tricky part of volunteerism is that it’s not en- tirely comparable to sitting on a beach and sipping a soda, but also nothing like just going to a soup kitchen and spending all day serving the poor. It does indeed take the best of both worlds and puts them into one experience. Although this form of service has been practiced since the 1960’s, the incorporation of it into the million dollar industry of travel as well as charity has made volunteerism as popular as ever. Despite the many people who have noted that its sudden popularity has often caused corporations and travelers to miss the true goals of the movement, it is important to understand that the reason we are informed of the organization is because of its newfound popularity. The advantages of taking a voluntour trip is actually seeing where your money is going by being present and giving the less fortunate their necessities yourself. Sure, it’s a gracious act to donate a dollar to a charity, such as the many that we have on campus, but if you ever have an opportunity to give that dollar to an African child yourself, take that instead of another trip to Hawaii. What Goes Up Must Come Down By Denise Fernandez and Melissa Zornig Why do our gas prices keep severely changing in our economy today? One week it’s up to $3.70 and then the next week it drops to $1.87. Where does our money go after we pay for the gas? What are the prices of gas like in other countries? The reason why our gas prices go up so quickly is because the United States of America has an increasing demand for oil. When the market tightens, less oil is made and prices keep increasing. The demand goes up even higher in the summer because people have more free time and more vacations to go on. As you have probably noticed, gas prices have dropped below $2. Oil companies are not making enough money because people are not driving anywhere. As a result of this, prices have been lowering so that the demand for gas will go back up again. Gas prices will begin to increase again when the economy is better and demand is higher. Natural disasters, war, and political instability can also interfere with oil production, demand, and prices. As you can see with the way our economy is today, everything is slipping from how it was before. Since our economy is not doing well at all, the reason for our gas prices going down is understandable. During the first six months of 2008, an average gas tank was around $58.88.Where does this money go? About $7 goes to taxes, $4 go to marketing and distribution, $5 to refining, and $42 to oil suppliers. Can you imagine how much money oil companies are making per year? Around $155 billion! This means that they make $4,902 per second! Did you know that gas from the Netherlands is around $9.16 per gallon? And that Venezuelan gas is only 12 cents per gallon! These prices in different countries depend on the gas consumption, the total oil production and how much the country is taxed. The price is so high in the Netherlands because they are taxed 55%, they get about 89,000 barrels per day and use about 89,900 of it in a day. They use more barrels that they are given in a day which results in high gas prices for them. In Venezuela, they don’t have any taxes, they get 2.7 million barrels of oil per day and only use about 780,000 of it in a day, which is why there gas prices are so low. In America, we are taxed 12%, we get 8.5 million barrels per day and use 20.7 million barrels of it. As Americans, all we can hope is that the prices stay as low as they are now and we can keep filling up our cars for about $30 instead of $60! But of course we have to face the dreading truth that gas prices will eventually sky rocket back up. The Blueprint December 2008 The Student Newspaper of Santa Margarita Catholic High School HEALTH You Are What You Eat, So Choose Wisely! By Allison Le and Jackie Pritzl You might as well rub the food you eat all over your face because what you eat can determine if your skin is glowing, or not wanting to be showing. Here are the Top 5 foods that will treat your face like a day at the spa… UPGRADE! Fish lovers; prepare to be clean&clear because wild salmon is one of the healthiest foods for your heart as well as your face. Salmon contains the best food sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The word “Fatty Acid” is not the prettiest word of the bunch. It gives you the prettiest skin because these beneficial fats enhance your health and appearance by fighting inflammation, keeping our cells nice and supple (which reduces redness, wrinkles, and loss of firmness), improving circulation, and helping our brains function optimally. BONUS: you look gorgeous while you are being the smartest apple. The second food that makes this list is the even more infamous low–fat yogurt. Low-fat yogurt has the greatest source of calcium, which gives you strong bones, beautiful nails, good posture, and a beautiful smile. Did you know that: One cup of plain, low-fat yogurt supplies about 450 milligrams of calcium! Wait, there’s more! The beauty benefits of yogurt are not only limited its calcium content. Eight ounces of yogurt has two grams of zinc, which is very beneficial for your skin. If you wanted double the benefits, by eating only one serving, you would eat low-fat yogurt WITH your blueberries. Blueberries are deceiving and do not seem like a beneficial fruit because of its small, tiny roundness – but do not be fooled. Along with the great supply of antioxidants, these little balls of blue contain many plant compounds that support anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory effects which protect you from premature aging. Dark Chocolate can be described as “Sinfully delicious,” but after you eat this dark deliciousness you will be considered “Sinfully beau- tiful” … or handsome. As well as intensifying your taste buds dark chocolate supplies an ominous amount of antioxidants which contain anti-aging properties. So next time you “feel bad” for eating chocolate, just think your face is not going to sag when you’re older – there is always a silver lining. If you stuffed your face with sweet potatoes at your Thanksgiving you are in great shape. The unique, orange color in sweet potatoes reveals their hidden agenda. These sweet potatoes have a fatsoluble pigment found in many orange vegetables and fruits that contain a beauty-enhancer called beta-carotene. The body is so smart that converts the beta-carotene to vi- tamin A, which helps keep your skin smooth and supple. So incorporating sweet potatoes into your diet helps you achieve wrinkle-free skin. Beta-carotene also may protect skin from the damage caused by sun exposure… SAY GOODBYE TO SUNSPOTS! So if you eat one cup of cubed sweet potato you just ate: a stunning 14,260 micrograms of beta-carotene. If you feed your face with these 5 simple foods, you might as well buy that bat to fight off the guys … or girls … coming after you. So tonight have some salmon, with low-fat yogurt&blueberries and a side of sweet potatoes for flawless looking skin. WAIT! Don’t forget to give yourself a little sweet treat of Dark Chocolate for dessert to finish off your beautifying meal. Quick Fire Information* Instead of candy, choose some of these healthy options! Photos Courtesy of Google Images “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise” Want to Get an A? Here, Have Some Gum! By Lauren Giudice By Ashley Kotero On December 1 st every year, World AIDS Day is recognized around the world. The day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS. This year marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS day. The slogan for this day is “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise”. There were many events held around the world for World AIDS Day. Events such as free AIDS testing, honorary videos, educational speakers, candlelight vigils, and free concerts supported the cause of fighting against AIDS. Many people hold memorials to honor persons who have died from this disease. So many events and such a great amount of sup- port for this day provided great Do you know what is rehope for future developments ally going on in your mouth afin the fight against AIDS. ter putting in that chewy subThe theme for World AIDS Day this year was “leadership”. This was chosen to encourage leaders to take action against AIDS. The theme also encourages individuals as well as organizations to work to fight against AIDS. The World AIDS Campaign (WAC) has been established to support, strengthen and connect campaigns that hold leaders accountable for their promises on HIV and AIDS. There are over 33 million people with AIDS and World AIDS Day 2008 did its job and honoured those infected and those killed by the disease. stance? We can all thank Walter E. Diemer for inventing gum in 1928. The active ingredients in gum contribute to your dental health, tooth whitening, and fresh breath. However, there is more to gum then what meets the eye. Chewing gum is said to make people smarter, but how? According to scientists from the University of Northumbria, research suggests that it does this by improving memory and brain performance. Chewing allows more oxygen and nutrients to be pumped into the brain by raising your heart beat. It also triggers the production of insulin, which helps stimulate the part of the brain involving memory. What are you waiting for?! Start “chewing your way to a better brain”. Gum helps stimulate the mind while also improving those potential pearly white teeth of yours. Teeth consist of an inner layer (dentin) and an outer that is made up of hard enamel. The enamel layer is opaque white or slightly off white in color. It is made up of mineral crystals and has a porous nature that allows discoloring substances and staining agents to permeate the enamel and cause discoloring of teeth. Your average chewing gum consists of a gum base that is water insoluble and water soluble components with flavors and flavoring agents. The type of gum that will enable your teeth to whiten contains softening agents, flavorants, sweeteners and an effective whitening amount of water soluble sodium or potassium percarbonate, neem oil, sodium bicarbonate and parsley extract. It’s a good idea to chew this kind of gum after meals or eating anything sweet to help your teeth whiten even more. Some excellent choices of whitening gum are Supersmile whit- ening gum and flip-a-mint whitening gum. The top 10 bubble gums are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Hubba Bubba Max Stride Bubble Yum Trident Orbit Bubblicious Burst Double Bubble Big League Chew Extra Winterfresh Hubba Bubba Max! Photo Courtesy of Google Images 4 The Blueprint The Student Newspaper of Santa Margarita Catholic High School December 2008 FEATURES Cheaters...You Know Who You Are! By Lauren Rodriguez and Edward Fernandez To lie, to deceive, to swindle. To cheat. Cheaters. These are the individuals that act dishonestly toward others, feeding their own egos. Some of you “players” think that you know how to work the system. Think that you know how to manipulate the boys and girls and strut your stuff across the lunch shelter. Canoodling is a very serious crime. Flirting in person, just giving someone ‘a ride home’, and sending those text messages with smilies and little hearts aren’t so innocent. Our job is to point out the obvious and show you what cheaters are all about. Hypothetically speaking, you’re in a great relationship with a person you really care about. You’re a few months into the relationship, and you’ve already gone through ‘the awkward stage’. Everything is going great for you. Everyone knows you’re taken, and somehow that makes you more appealing to those who wouldn’t want you in the first place. This is where the coquetry begins. First, you start getting text messages in class. Not from your boyfriend or girlfriend, but from the person that you tell everyone is just your friend, or that you go to for advice, or that you go out of your way to text back in the middle of class just to say “when are we going to hang out”. These text messages seem innocent enough, but really you’re setting yourself up for romantic failure. Your boyfriend and girlfriend probably notices or hears that you’re always on your phone. Explaining to them that it’s just a friend seems easy enough. But it’s not. Really in the back of their head they know your straight up being shady. Now you’re in it deep. You tell your boyfriend or girlfriend that you’re going to see a movie with a whole bunch of your friends instead of hanging out with him/her. Your texting mister or mistress that you’ve been talking to for the past few weeks just ‘coincidently’ happens to be at the same movie theaters as you that night. You decide to go see one of those cute romantic movies that in actuality you would normally hate. Like Twilight. You’re laughing, sharing popcorn, getting ice cream and having a great time with of course, just a friend. During the movie your significant other texts you and asks how your night is going. You only reply with just one word. “Great”. You just gave yourself away. Well kinda. Monday at school you’re walking with your boyfriend or girlfriend and somehow movie night comes up. You try and act like it was just a good time, nothing more. But in the back of your head you feel like you had a better time with your texting mister/mistress than you ever could have had going on some cheesy romantic date that your significant other was planning for weeks. Sad I know. But at this point it’s still just a game to you. Now it’s you texting them saying “heyy you fri night was so much fun =] <3”. You have no idea that soon this whole situation is going to backfire on you. Or maybe you have thought about it and think that the second your significant other breaks up with you, you can use your backup boy/girl as your rebound. Everyone knows what’s up and the drama at school is already start- Plagiarism, It’s No Joke! By Brian Sanvido You’re up on a Sunday night at 11:30. You just got a call from a friend to get the password for turnitin.com for the English essay you have due the following day. Here comes the panic attack. You totally forgot about the essay, and you have to turn it in to turnitin.com by 11:59 that night. You hang up the phone and start scurrying for the book and the essay prompt. You glance at the clock and realize that you have 14 minutes left to complete a 5 paragraph essay, and that is when it enters your mind: Plagiarism. You can call your friend back and ask for their essay so you can “use some of their quotes”, or you can try to do it the hard way, the right way. These choices flash through your conscience; you weigh the pros and cons. If you do plagiarize, you think you are going to change some words around and use that trusty thesaurus in your word program. Sorry to break it to you, but your not the first person to think of this stealthy plan. This is why turnitin.com was invented. If you try to copy another student’s essay, you will get caught. As many of you know, it checks all the essays ever turned in to the website and it also checks other websites. You and your friend’s essays will both come up and I can guarantee your teacher will call you two over to her desk on Monday. Epic Fail. Here comes a Saturday school, a conference with someone high on the SM totem poll, and a 0% on the essay you “worked so hard on”. Not to mention your friend will have an evil glare coming your way for the next 3 weeks in English class. Its 11:49 now and you decide to do the right thing. You start flipping through the pages, looking for highlights about the symbolism of light in your novel. You decide to send an email to your teacher, explaining how you forgot and how you couldn’t turn it in online in time. You are up until 1 am, and finally finish. The next day, your teacher calls you over to her desk. She thanks you for being honest and decides to open turnitin.com for you the next night. What a break. I’m not guaranteeing this will happen to you, but there is a better possibility of this happening than you getting away with the dexterous crime of plagiarism. Photo courtesy of Kenna and Laura, just kidding that’s plagiarism! It’s really from Google... ing to buzz. Your 6 th period class is awkward enough with all of your boyfriend/girlfriend’s friends in it giving you a hard time about ditching your date night. You just smile and think nothing of it, your too wrapped up waiting for that text message from “Chris N” which really is “Cristin”. You snicker at your stealthiness. This covert operation works until your significant other sees your phone and wonders why someone of the same gender is sending you hearts, smilies, and chain love text messages with death threats if you don’t send it back within the next 10 min. It all goes downhill from here. You get in a huge fight with your boyfriend/girlfriend, break up, all their friends know you’ve done something wrong and give you that awkward “hi”, and your texting mister/mistress really was solely interested in you because you were taken…and they liked the challenge. Now that the pursuit is over, you’re left alone. Without a boyfriend or girlfriend that really cared about you, without being able to say you’re faithful in rela- tionships, without someone to call yours. So if you haven’t figured this one out already, treat the person you care about with respect, tell them the truth, and don’t go behind their back. If you don’t want to be with them or if they do something that bothers you, tell them. Don’t go behind their back for revenge. And if you find someone that you really care about, keep them around, cause chances are someone better won’t come around for a long time. Text message cheating is the sneakiest, but the dumbest form of cheating. Photo courtesy of Google Cheating... Creativity at its Best By Alexa Kosco and Karenna Soto Cheating has become a daily routine for students. Students take advantage of every possible outlet they can, and usually get away with it too. It has become a common trend at any school and there are so many techniques available. Cheating is immoral and wrong, and it is completely unacceptable here at Santa Margarita. Cell Phones: There are so many ways to cheat using your cell phone. You can take pictures of the test and send it to your friends or a picture of your study guide and put it as your screensaver. Text messaging allows students to send answers to each other. Clothing : Writing on your skirt, socks, shorts and even shoes is another technique that students use. You can write the answers on the hem of your skirt or shorts and just fold it over to get all the answers you have written down. Body Part : Some people even write on their body to get the answer. Arms, hands, fingers, legs and knees all exhibit possi- ble ways of cheating. People even use finger nails to write down the answers. People Around You: This is probably the easiest and most common way that people cheat. Teachers always say “Keep your eyes on your own paper” but that doesn’t stop anyone from peeking at paper of the person next to them. Calculator : On the huge scientific calculators there is an alphabet key. You can write down whatever you need to and save it on the calculator. When test time comes around you can just pull out your calculator and all the answers are there. Although there are so many cheating outlets, it is academic dishonesty and something that should be discouraged. One of these days, you are going to get caught and the punishments here at SM are tough, and rightfully so. Cheating may result in detention, a zero on the test or assignment, a referral, or even expulsion. The gain from cheating certainly isn’t worth the risk. 4 The Blueprint December2008 The Student Newspaper of Santa Margarita Catholic High School OPINION Worst Christmas Gifts By Becca Caraveo and Kerri Hall As winter approaches, the excitement is apparent. Everyone is well aware that December is the month of giving and receiving presents. As we all put in requests of what we want, we keep our fingers crossed, hoping that we will receive it on Christmas day. But even after making that timely list you always receive that unlikely present. Here is a list of some of the worst Christmas gifts… EVER. 1 . A homemade Certificate- Showing that a town somewhere in South Africa has been named after you. 2 . D r u g St o re p e rfumes- Usually in the price range of $2-3. A gift certificate is more appreciated… and better than smelling similar to aisle seven at RiteAide. 3 . Bart Simpson Chia pet- We understand you avid Simpsons viewers may have this already on your list, but the money spent on this gift would be better spent on flowers. 4 . St a t i o n a r y - Wi t h email, texting, and instant messaging, who really needs paper anymore to communi- cate? We can’t remember the last time we hand wrote a note to anyone. 5 . Festive sweatersTi s ’ t h e s e a s o n t o d r e s s accordingly.Bbut lets be real now, you only have about twenty five days of use for this sweater until its back in the closet for another year. 6 . D V D ’s f ro m t h e bargain bin- Just because it may seem comparable to the cheapest movie ever sold, doesn’t make it entertaining to watch. What do you think makes it nearly free in the first place? 7. BatteriesHow thoughtful? NO! More like how LAZY! 8. A gift that was clearly given to them and after deciding they didn’t want it they give it to you (also known as the “regift”). We are all for recycling but with gifts? We are not asking for the most expensive item but there should be some effort put into it, not a hand-me-down. 9 . Gift cards that have already been used- When going to buy an item from that store you ask for the amount and they say that there is $10.27 cents left on the card…talk about embarrassing. If that’s not a dead give away that it was something they found in their wallet before it was time to unwrap presents then I don’t know what is. Those are just a few of the many unwanted gifts that are usually placed under the tree. Unfortunately we understand that some of you may receive these this year and our apologies extend to you. We just advise you not to be the one who tags your name to one of these gifts for someone else, take that advice to heart. Merry Christmas! I Can’t Wait to See Where This Ends By Aria Bendix Of course most can admit to listening and rocking out to a song by Miley Cyrus, the teen sensation that took the Disney Channel and America by storm, but what about the person behind this pop-star icon? We cannot easily ignore the recently-turned sixteen year old girl who posed in risqué photos for Vanity Fair magazine and held a birthday bash for herself that included 5,000 of her “closest friends” at Disneyland. Not to mention that she also severely lacks singing talent. Let’s also not forget the fact that she is currently dating twenty-year old underwear model and “aspiring country singer” Justin Gaston and her best friend, Mandy Jiroux, is also twenty! Clearly fame has made an impact on her friendships, personality, and lifestyle and hanging out with people much older than herself may have changed Miley…for the worse. The daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley entered the circle of fame at a very young age. She began acting at age nine and landed the role for the Disney Miley Cyrus singing at a concert. Photo Courtesy of Google Images. Channel show Hannah Montana at age twelve. The show and adjacent soundtrack become an instant success and threw Miley into a sudden whirlwind of stardom. Million-dollar concerts packed with screaming fans, number one albums, and immediate attention ensued and Miley’s change in personality and demeanor soon became apparent. Fame had finally taken its toll on her squeaky-clean Disney image and the public watched as Miley succumbed to the pressures of the Hollywood industry. This can also be demonstrated by the simple fact of research for this article. When looking for pictures of the singer, there were more scandalous pictures than of her actually singing or acting. Her recent escapdes with her “sleepovers” and “playdates” have made top story news, while her singing has taken a backseat. She began to become more arrogant and anxious for attention, loving the interviews and autographs that came along with her newfound fame. She even changed her appearance to something a little more scandalous, dying her hair black, stating that she wanted to “rebel”, and tried to fool us with that irritatingly fake southern accent. The most surprising fact of all is that Miley claims to be a deeply religious person with a strong faith in God, when her actions have been anything but religious. Notice that a lot of very un-religious stars have tattoos of crosses and such on their bodies... i.e.- Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie... Hopefully this faith will become apparent sometime in the future, but as of right now, it appears to be hidden underneath a girl trying to act and look much older than she actually is. Sound familiar? Plenty of stars have fallen subject to Hollywood’s demands as young women and have destroyed not only their positive public image, but their lives as well. The names Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, just to mention a few, are now known worldwide not for the music or movies that they created, but rather for their constant cycles of partying and making wrong decisions in the public eye. By being forced to grow up so fast, these talented Hollywood stars have made life-changing mistakes and let fame ruin their reputation. Apart from not displaying half the talent as these other stars, let us hope that Miley Cyrus is able to pull herself out of this cycle before it becomes too late. After all, with her overconfident interviews, new appearance, older boyfriend, and shocking photos, she is not exactly headed on the right track. Setting aside the fact that she should not be performing on stage at all, Miley needs to turn her life in a different direction if she wants to avoid the fates of Britney or Lindsay. It all goes to show that throwing teenagers into the spotlight can be a dangerous thing and that fame is not all that it’s been made out to be! 6 The Blueprint The Student Newspaper of Santa Margarita Catholic High School December 2008 Emily & Olivia How Many People Hit a Deer on Their First Date? By Kyle Richter and Julia Boyle Have you ever seen those signs with the caption of the deer crossing the road, and passed it by without a second thought? Well, I sure did. I passed that sign and laughed as I was heading down the 241 Toll Road, cruising around 70 on a Saturday night. I was about 2 miles into the Toll Road when suddenly, in a matter of seconds, a three hundred pound buck jumped directly in front of my car and froze. I did not even realize what had happened until the air bags went off and my car was filled with a disgusting smoke. I couldn’t believe what had just happened, I mean, what are the odds of hitting a deer? I wanted to get out of the car and look at the damage, but my door would not open. The entire left side of my Xterra was completely sunk in. The officer showed up about 10 minutes later in quite a nonchalant mood, and started joking around about “cutting off the antlers,” or “taking a picture with the deer,” and quite frankly I was a bit offended. Then the tow truck showed up and picked up the car. That is the last time I saw that car. I was surprised at the officer’s attitude towards the whole incident, that is, until he told me that he gets a call every single night about someone hitting a deer! As if my passenger and I were not shocked enough, this news was quite startling. It seemed like one of those “once in a lifetime experiences,” but apparently it is much more common than you think. Here are the facts; The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there are 1.5 million deer related car accidents a year! The effects of this amount add up to 150 human fatalities, 10,000 human injuries, and one billion dollars in vehicle damage. These numbers are staggering, and here are a few tips on how to avoid hitting this furry nightmare. The first tip, There are 124 surfing pictures in Mr. Trotter’s room, B220. One acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches. Lizards communicate by doing push-ups. When Reindeers Almost Ruined Christmas By Sky Cracraft and Michelle Loftus Naaaaahhheeoooowww (reindeer noise extremely loud). The reindeers always get too excited on Christmas and way too loud and hoovy. I do realize my Ho Ho Ho’s do not help in keeping them calm, but still, can’t they just munch on some fresh, juicy, orange, mouth watering carrots quietly? The noise of the reindeers is always my main problem on the Eve of Christmas; it almost ruined Christmas last year! Soo, Twas the night before the Christmas- and all that jazz…I was landing on the icy roof of the 74,987,982,734,128 house This is the reindeer that almost ruined Christmas. Photo courtesy of Google images. that night. Since I am a pretty hefty guy (but hey at least I’m willing to admit it unlike other people, or a certain Bunny I should say) I was breathing rather loudly as I got my bag of presents from the back of the sleigh. While the bag did its magical work, I was still breathing loudly even as I entered down the chimney. I had a quick thought of how from the previous house the carrots looked a bit green and moldy; yet I thought the reindeer’s were tough cookies (ha) and stomachs’ were strong enough to handle this. Boy was I wrong, and I am never wrong! As I notice a little boy, Walter Harold, on the couch by the Christmas tree, I heard this horrendous stomach growl that lasted what seemed to be an infinite amount of time. Following quickly were hooves prancing in pain on the roof from the stomach indigestion. I knew the boy would awake to this explosion of noise, so I, being the old, wise, plump, strong man that I am, stuck two ornaments in Walter Harold’s ears. Yes, I know Literally, a deer in the headlights. Watch out for deers on the Toll Road! Photo courtesy of Google Images. obviously, is to be alert and attentive in rural areas. Now I know this sounds stupid, but it really does happen quite frequently! The second tip, which I may have benefitted from, is to turn on your high beam headlights on the toll road, and on other extremely dark roads. Never swerve when you see a deer in the road. The best thing you can do is brake, hold the wheel straight, and brace yourself. Use your horn if you have time. This could awaken the deer stuck in the headlights. Lastly always wear your seatbelts, they will save your life! As you can see, you may not think this kind of thing could happen to you, but you never know what can happen. Follow these easy tips and you will be less likely to be one day called the “deer hunter,” like I will be for a long… long time. Christmas Riddles By Derek Smith and Kevin Witt Q: What reindeer has the cleanest antlers? A: Comet Q: Why does Santa have three gardens? A: So he can ho-ho-ho. Q: Why do you go to bed on Christmas Eve? A: Because the bed won’t come to you! Q: What do you call Santa Claus when he has fallen into the fireplace? A: Krisp Kringle! Santa Claus was able to save Christmas yet again. Photo courtesy of Google images. this may appear weird and hazardous, but Ho Ho Ho I saved Christmas and kept the mystery of me alive. Although, many people somehow do seem to know what I look like, rather hairy, white, big in the stomach and red. Anyways, this year the reindeer will be eating the milk and cookies instead with me :] Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!-(I believe that is how it goes) Merry Christmas! cian, a kind lawyer and, S a n t a Claus travelling in an elevator of a very fancy hotel. Just before the doors opened they all noticed a $5 bill lying on the floor. Which one picked it up? Santa of course, the other two don’t exist! Why is Christmas just like a day at the office? You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit. Jokes/Riddles courtesy of Google. Judge: “What are you charged with?” Prisoner: “Doing my Christmas shopping early.” Judge: “That’s not an offense. How early were you doing this shopping?” Prisoner: “Before the store opened.” The 3 stages of man: 1) He believes in Santa Claus. 2) He doesn’t believe in Santa C l a u s . 3) He is Santa Claus. Just before Christmas, there was an honest politi- It’s Christmas time and the ornaments are on the tree! Photo courtesy of Google images. 7 The Blueprint December 2008 The Student Newspaper of Santa Margarita Catholic High School Emily & Olivia Would You Like Some Couch Potatoes With That? By Clark Taylor and Ross Kingsley In our modern world, technology is constantly increasing. Scientists are becoming smarter and new ideas are developing every day. Most of the technology these days is meant for big time science: experiments, automobiles and other things of the like. However, a huge amount of everything new that is produced is meant for advertising and the American people: making them feel as if they need the item. So why do we sit on the couch all day long while our hand sleeps in a bag of chocolate chips? Why do we refuse to go to the gym given there is a machine or a pill that can do it for us? Well, we are here to give you the extremely complex and confusing answer: we are lazy. Yes folks, we are most all lazy. Many times in our life we are told, “You are such a couch potato” or “you are such a lazy bum”. Well, all truth be told we are. And although we may say we aren’t lazy, in the end most all of us are. I mean, who does not love falling asleep on the couch watching a movie with Cheeto dust all over your shirt. Or staying in your pajamas till five o’ clock watching you-tube videos or watching the clouds move from left to right. However, there is an extent to which laziness can be taken and we are here to bring to you the cases where it is taken way too far. Because Thanksgiving was just this past month, it is only appropriate to inform you of the new electronic turkey carver. That’s right, an electronic turkey carver. Is it that difficult to cut a couple of inches down into a turkey anyway. Of course, we are all familiar with how everybody hires housemaids and/or gardeners and then use blue-tooth devices to find out when they are arriving. So these may not seem so bad. However, there are three inventions that simply define the world “lazy”. Airport Ground level escalators: These are the escalators that don’t take you up or down but take you across. We all use them no matter how much we may say we don’t. Honestly, how important are they. “Why don’t we hop on this human conveyor belt and go 20 yards and then keep walking. This is American laziness at its best. Considering the workout rate of Americans already being low, the least we can do is walk an extra twenty yards. It is understandable that people would use these (even us) but they are simply a waste of money and space. Despite the fact that the airport terminals are extremely long and most people don’t wear their Nikes to the airport, everyone should take the 5 extra seconds to walk and avoid being identified as LAZY. Pizza Orders from T.V. remote: That is right kids. In the near future, we will actually be able to order pizza from a click of a button. Like ordering it online was not lazy enough? So, while you are watching your favorite episode of Gossip Girl or watching the Biggest Loser, you can order pizza without even getting up. Soon enough, we are going to have systems that can actually put the pizza in our hands without having to go to the door and get it. Very revolutionary but extremely lazy. Strap-On Abdominal Machines: Okay people, this is easily the most pathetic invention ever created. Since when in life do you not have to endure a little pain to get any positive results? NEVER is the answer. With these new hip and highly fashionable ab belts, you can water your garden, wash your dishes, and pretty much do anything you want that does not require you to work out. What you do is you strap them around your abdominal section and they contract your ab muscles for you. In this way, it works you out. This is American laziness at its finest. You Teach Here? Roller Backpacks: Despite looking absolutely ridiculous, roller backpacks simply are unproductive. It is understandable that people would use them due to back problems or some other reason, but if you don’t have back problems, why on earth would you purchase a roller backpack? Unless you want attention, which is fine, go ahead and purchase a roller backpack. However, if you want to save some money and keep the style modern, stick with the conventional backpack. Velcro Shoes: “Hey Ross, I cannot tie my shoes fast enough already so why don’t I get Velcro so I can avoid the 6.5 seconds of absolute back-bending work”? PEOPLE, what is wrong with the public. It takes exactly less than 10 seconds to tie our shoes. Why would we ever feel the need to purchase Velcro shoes. If they were actually cool shoes then okay. Feel free to wear them proudly. But they aren’t. Tie your shoes, and stay away from something that has not been in since the Great Depression. Books on Tape: This amazing yet pitiable invention is another fine example. Many can argue that they comprehend things better by listening, or perhaps that they cannot or just don’t want to read. On the other hand, if you can read and have access to a book do so. Although it may seem quicker to listen to the book instead of read it, it is not going to help. Even though you may hate reading with a passion, reading actually helps with things besides just understanding the story. So, in the mean time, pick up a book and read it, don’t listen to a actor read it aloud and sound as if they do it every day. Students of SM, this is just a short list of the many American inventions that require us to use as little energy as possible. One can guess that this could be traced to how busy the American working force is. Day in and day out we run around at full speed. We hardly have time anymore to sit back and do something we enjoy. This is where laziness kicks in. Not having time to do these simple things results in us taking the most pointless shortcuts. Even though you all are extremely busy and focusing on things far more important than pizza and perfect abs, take the time to do something you enjoy and be the best person you can be: lazy free. THE BLUEPRINT By Lauren Meech and Kristen Pons Mr. Gentry, Freshman Reli gion Teacher 1. How many years have you been teaching at SMCHS? Zero. 2. Do you like it here? Yes, very much. 3. What college did you go to? Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. 4. Are you married? No. “He’s on the market” says Mr. Mercer. 5. Do you have any pets? Yes, a half Jack Russell and half Chihuahua. 6. What do you miss most about high school? Singing and acting in plays. 7. PF Chang’s or Cheesecake Factory? Cheesecake Factory. Huge portions and then you’re too full for the cheesecake, but you still order it! 8. What’s your favorite dessert? A really good, moist carrot cake with a lot of cream cheese frosting. 9. How many licks does it take you to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? I’m like the owl…3 licks and a crunch. 10. Were you popular in high school? Yes. I went to El Toro, I was a cool public school kid. 11. What do you want for Christmas? A new guitar 12. What’s the best gift you have ever received? Working here. I was unemployed when I found this job on the internet. I got hired the same day. 13. Santa Claus or Mrs. Claus? Mrs. Claus because she gets no attention like Santa does. 14. Rudolph or Frosty? Rudolph. I can relate to him. He is misunderstood. 15. Who would be your dream kiss under mistletoe? Did you not get the part when I said I’m single?! If I said a celebrity, everyone would say ewww! I’m damned if I say something, I’m damned if I don’t. Faculty Advisor Ms. Rhodes [email protected] Campus Ministry Editors Lauren Giudice Kyle Richter Editors in Chief Emily McCartney Olivia Staffon World News/Health Editor Gaby Duva Co-Editor Lauren Vargas Managing Editor Samantha Toth News Editor Samantha Toth Features Editors Alexis King Laura Schmeltzer Entertainment Editor Ross Kirkbaumer Sports Editor Allison Acevedo Co-Editors Ryan McGuire Brian Sanvido Opinion/Editorial Editor Alex Worthen Co-Editor Niki Genthe Campus Life/Photo Editor Lindsay Mortenson Special Section Editors Parris Wells Alyssa Wolpin Beginning Staff Writers Kevin Avjian Aria Bendix Karlie Borzansky Kevin Clark Camille del Carmen Caitlin Doud Adam Enochs Denise Fernandez Amanda Figueroa Katelyn Finneran Paige Glasser Kelsey Hummer Lauren Hundley Ross Kingsley Alexa Kosco Allison Le Lauren Meech Dean Navarro Elizabeth Pinner Kristen Pons Jackie Pritzl Caroline Rivera Polina Romashkova Amanda Rooth Derek Smith Karenna Soto Noelle Sumner Cheyane Swarbrick Clark Taylor Cody Webster Jake Whelan Kevin Witt Melissa Zornig Advanced Staff Writers Julia Boyle Morgan Brutocao Becca Caraveo Caroline Christ Sky Cracraft Kenna Crouse Spencer Feldmann Edward Fernandez Nicolette Fernandez Kerri Hall Amanda Kiepe Ashley Kotero Karsyn Kraft Michelle Loftus Melissa Merrill Lauren Rodriguez *Comments and editorial opinions expressed in The Blueprint are the staff’s and do not represent the position of the school, its administration, faculty or students. The Blueprint welcomes your comments and questions at [email protected]. 8 MOVIES MUSIC & MORE Heidi and Spencer: The Perfect Couple? Audrina and Lauren: Friends or Foes? Katy Perry and Others Peform at Jingle Ball The Truth Hurts, Doesn’t It? By Amanda Kiepe Over the last few years, MTV’s The Hills has captivated millions of viewers across the country and internationally. As a result of the show’s success, a new breed of celebrity has been born: the reality TV star. But how did Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag, and Audrina Patridge become famous? By doing absolutely nothing but creating drama, that’s how. Recently, the show has come under harsh criticism after it was revealed that The Hills is actually a “faux reality show.” The cast has repeatedly defended the show by saying that the drama is completely Jingle Ball Rocked! By Morgan Brutocao Without beating around the bush, KIIS FM’s promotional Jingle Ball was by far the greatest concert I have ever been to. Past Jingle Ball concerts have been held at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, an outside venue in Irvine. The popular radio station certainly changed things up by having this year ’s concert at the Honda Center in Anaheim. This indoor concert arena had a remarkable sound system that simply doesn’t even compare to that of any concert outside. Most of the acts performed in a short time of fifteen minutes where artists like Chris Brown, Akon, and the Pussycat Dolls evidently stole the stage for longer intervals. Predictably, Chris Brown had the crowd screaming from “Wall to Wall.” I suppose the cliché of ‘saving the best for last’ truly came into play as he took the stage. He never ceased to amaze fans with his distinctive dance moves as he obviously executed his routine with Entertainment What’s Hot this Month real, but due to technical difficulties, the drama sometimes has to be reenacted in order to have the perfect camera angle and lighting for each scene. But as the truth comes out, I kind of have to ask: What else about the show is not so real? The purpose of The Hills was to document Lauren’s new life of independence as she left her home of Laguna Beach to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in L.A. She was like an average O.C. girl when she left, with dreams of success in college and doing well at her internship with Teen Vogue. Lauren has worked hard and now has a fashion label and an awesome job at a fashion firm. She deserves everything she has earned, but what about the other cast members? Heidi Montag and her ease and utter perfection. His charisma and blissful energy captured the attention of every single person in the building. Chris Brown’s company was satisfying enough for me and then Rihanna casually walked on stage as the song “Umbrella” came on. I pretty much, FREAKED OUT . . . actually no that would be an understatement. The couple’s chemistry during their performance made every girl envious that Rihanna got to share that moment with him. When the familiar tune of his hot single “With You” started playing, the lyrics were heard from every person. Of course when his act reached it’s end, it was especially hard for all to “Say Goodbye” to an impacting performance that left everyone in awe. The Pussycat Dolls put on yet another stunning performance, and undeniably were at the same level as Chris Brown. Their outfits were absolutely adorable and their dedication and passion for dancing and singing was rather obvious. I believe that the girls certainly lived up to the title of their most recent album, Doll Domination. When it came time for Jesse McCartney to take the boyfriend, Spencer Pratt, are two cast members who have unrealistic careers. Heidi, a fashion school drop-out, decided to pursue a party career with an event planning firm called Bolthouse Productions. With no college education, she became an event planner and worked closely with Brent Bolthouse, who is one of the most influential people in the development of L.A.’s nightlife scene. Whenever I watch the show, I always wonder if Heidi has any clue how to do her job. Obviously, she got the job because she always has a camera crew following her around work. Just think, what would be a better way for Brent to promote Bolthouse Productions than by using a popular MTV reality show? Heidi is so bad at her job, that on the November 4th episode, Brent finally fired her because she decided to party instead of work at the stage, my anticipation doubled, and then tripled as we all waited for his “Beautiful Soul.” He looked exceptionally attractive as always, and his voice had the ability to leave any girl in a stupor. One guest that wasn’t even mentioned in the line-up was Akon. Actually he revealed to the audience that he wasn’t even supposed to be there but he felt that he merely couldn’t turn it down. Akon was also one of my favorite performances since all the songs he sang were popular hits among us fans. Several artists also wowed the crowd such as Estelle, Kardinal Offishall, Tokio Hotel, Menudo, Colby O Donis, Katy Perry, and David Banner. In addition, Khloe Kardashian was the host of her own platform in which she entitled “Khloe’s Celebrity Lounge.” Throughout the night, surprise celebrity guests made appearances in her “lounge.” Khloe introduced the surprise celebrities to the ranting audience, followed by brief, casual conversations with the stars. Alongside their sister Khloe, Kourtney Kardashian and Brody Jenner were in high spirits as they gave shout-outs to thousands of starstruck fans. Kourtney kept it short and opening of his new Hollywood nightclub. Brent eventually rehired her, but Heidi was demoted and lost her lovely personal office. Then, there’s Spencer Pratt. What does he do? No, seriously, I want to know, what does he do? How can he afford that awesome BMW that he cruises around Hollywood in? Whenever I see him, he is always in the apartment, sitting on the couch, doing NOTHING. I think I saw him reading a book once, but that had to have been some kind of optical illusion. And, believe it or not, he always refers to the living room as “the office.” Without the status of being reality stars, Heidi and Spencer wouldn’t be able to afford anything. Then, there’s Audrina. What’s the story behind her? Well, according to an interview she did with Rolling Stone, while lounging by the pool of her apartment complex, Audrina was asked to be on The Hills by one of the show’s producers. She had never met Lauren before, but she was hired by MTV to assume the role of Lauren’s new “best friend.” When Heidi and Audrina met for the first time, the conversation was real, but the producers told them both to be at a certain place at a certain time of day so that the cameras could catch has new a show called The City, and Brody Jenner’s show Bromance premieres along with Whitney’s show at the end of the month. But what will happen to the cast of The Hills when the cameras are shut off and stop following them around? Maybe when the cameras go away and we stop caring, the cast will finally receive the reality check that they desperately need. sweet, while Brody anxiously promoted the upcoming premier of his MTV show Bromance. A plethora of girls (including myself) revealed their love for the striking Brody Jenner when we simply couldn’t stop letting out screams of excitement as his face flashed across the jumbo tron. As if those screams weren’t deafening enough, Khloe announces, “And now joining us, ladies, he’s a star from Twili. . .”, her voice slowly faded as my eardrums became bombarded with one large, continuous ear- “AHHH!” Emmett Cullen or real life actor Kellan Lutz, although com- pletely overwhelmed and surprised by the obsession of the omnipresent Twilight fans, gave his friendliest, most heartfelt greeting. Although I was definitely misled by thinking I was going to be graced by the presence of Edward Cullen, Emmett is roughly almost as handsome as Edward, so I had no complaints. I guess me and the other Twilight fanatics could say we were “dazzled” by his charm. Other appearances scattered throughout the concert included Christina Milian, the cast of the new Beverly Hills 90210, David Archueleta, along with a few others. Chris Brown pleasing the crowd. Photo Courtesy from Morgan Brutocao 9 2008 N O V E M B E R MONTHLY Boys Basketball UPDATES ON Girls Soccer OUR FELLOW SM TEAMS Girls Basketball SPORTS Girls Water Polo Boys Soccer Wrestling The Varsity Advanced Cheerleaders received first place at the USA Holiday Classic on December 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center. (To the left) The Varsity Songleaders received first place in the Varsity Song Team Performance Division at the National Dance Association Classic Championship in San Diego on December 13. (To the right) Photo Courtesy of smhs.org Photo Courtesy of smhs.org Common Sports Injuries By Jake Whelan The most common sports injuries vary from male to female, but some of them are not what you expect. Some of these most common injuries, according to Google Search, are very surprising. Many sports are very similar to both male and female; here are these sports and the injury that haunts them the most. BOTH MALE AND FEMALE Volleyball- ankle sprain Basketball- ankle sprain Soccer- hamstring sprain Cross-Country- runner’s knee (wearing away of the cartilage under the knee cap.) Golf- back pain Water Polo- eye irritation Extreme Sports (Motocross, BMX, etc…) fractures Skiing- knees (include ACL/MCL tear) Snowboarding- wrist (include sprains and breaks) Baseball/Softball- ligament sprain Tennis- ankle sprain Next there are some sports that apply mainly to males or females. There are also some sports that are different when the game is played. For example, lacrosse is a totally different sport when girls play from when guys play the game. Again, many of these will be very surprising. MALE Football- ACL/ concussion Wrestling- dental trauma Lacrosse- knee strain (from non-contact) Hockey- knee strain FEMALE Dance- ankle sprain Lacrosse- head/eyes Gymnastics- tendon overuse Cheerleading- ankle sprain Some of these injuries, such as dental trauma in wrestling, are really surprising. It probably comes from falling on the mat time after time. But the thing that was really surprising was the amount of ankle sprains being the most common in so many different sports. Most of the ankle sprains come from landing on your ankle awkward, which many of these sports require you to do. In sports like lacrosse and hockey, one would expect that the most common injury would be from contact, like a concussion, but it isn’t. It is the knees from moving suddenly. This is because the lower body, including knees and ankles, are the part of the body that is most prone to injury. Football was almost expected, with the hard hits and falls, a concussion is likely to happen. There are so many injuries that can happen to an athlete. These are just the most common injury to a particular sport. Athletes watch out! A front view and a back view of a torn ACL. Photo Courtesy of google.com Girls’ Cross Country Ends a Great Season By Lauren Hundley Girls’ Cross Country has had another fantastic season. The team was lead by Coach Gil Garcia and Assistant Coaches Hayes Ferry and Callie Goldberg. The 2008 Varsity team: Jessica Mumaugh, Monica Baker, Christen Summers, Annie Anderson, Lindsey Mann, Sarah Porter, Lauren Gallogly, Rebecca Fernandez, and Brooke Talbot had a difficult season ahead of them. Due to last year’s graduation, the team lost five varsity players and only had two returning. Only five of the seven varsity runners had been on the team before. Therefore they were not expected to do well this season. The girls knew at the beginning of that they would have to work extra hard to advance to the CIF and state finals. Because the girl’s had successful season, in preparation for League finals entered the Jaguar invitational and won by three points. With the varsity girls, placing third in league finals and advanced to the CIF Prelims. This was a huge accom- plishment for the team, as well as the coaches. The girls beat rivals J. Serra, Mater Dei, and Rosary. Senior Jessica Mumaugh, junior Christen Summers, sophomores Lindsey Mann, Monica Baker, and freshman Sarah Porter had many of their personal best, which help the girls advance to CIF prelims. Coach Garcia says, “Overall, I would say the girls’ hard work in many hot fall days, close team bond they share and their determination to go after their goals has been an unforgettable journey and great experience for the girls.” Varsity posing after their race. Photo Courtesy of Lindsey Mann Girls’ Soccer Kicks off By Dean Navarro The girls soccer program at Santa Margarita Catholic High School has had success in previous years and will continue improve through out the years to come. This year a lot is expected with the help of top players. Three girls have already committed to colleges including junior Ashley Kotero to Auburn University, senior Lauren Edwards to Texas Christian University and senior Parris Wells to St. Louis University. There will be many more players committing to colleges In the CIF prelims the varsity girls placed forth out of 16 teams. All of the Santa Margarita girls placed in the top 50. This qualified the girls to the CIF Finals at Mt. SAC. With the girl’s season coming to and end after an upset at the finals, this girls still walked out with an incredible season to look back on. Even though the races were tough, these girls have shown that they are ready for the challenge and they are looking to do their best in future races. Congrats on a great season and best of luck to the future seasons ahead. soon and will go on to have a bright future. But now the focus is on the high school season. The girls’ first home game was on December 9 th against Woodbridge with an unfortunate result. Their next home game will hopefully end with a win. Our support has helped them achieve victories and motivation to dominate in tournaments in the past. The Trabuco Tournament December 12th-15 th went (tournament result). With nine seniors on the team this year, we will have an advantage to tackle big schools like Mater Dei. Varsity coach Chuck Morales has led the girls soccer program to many victories at Santa Margarita. He has a successful past in soccer coaching and this year will hopefully be one of them. Upcoming Girls Soccer Home Games Alumni GameSaturday, Dec. 20th @ 6:00 Mater Dei GameThursday, Jan. 15th @ 3:15 JSerra GameThursday, Jan. 22 @ 3:15 Rosary GameThursday, Jan. 29 @ 3:15 10 The Blueprint December 2008 The Student Newspaper of Santa Margarita Catholic High School Campus Ministry Parents, Teachers, and Alumni Retreat Leaders By Karsyn Kraft 1. Who is your child and what grade are they in at SM? 2. What retreat did you attend? 3. What positive experience did you get out of it? 4. What, in your opinion, do you think the students got out of the retreat? 5. What advice do you have for students who may go on retreats this year? 6. What was your favorite thing you saw at the retreat? 7. Why did you decide to go on the retreat? 8. Do you recommend other parents lead retreats? Why? Parents: Mr. Perri:1. Jennifer PerriSenior. 2. Kairos 90 3. To listen to the students and hear them talk is very moving. These students inspired me. But most important my daughter let me experience this special time with her. It is something we will always have to share for the rest of our lives. I hope my other 2 daughters will let me go on there retreats? 4. That is not fair to ask! I do not want to spoil it for others. Every student is different and every bodies experience is different! I will tell you one thing that is beautiful to see. It is when all the kids are in the groove together!5. You are the luckiest kids in the world that have the opportunity to take these retreats. Do not worry about who is going, just go and have a great time. Take advantage of the time and enjoy the experience. 6. The day my daughter got the mess a g e . 7. They needed a male chaperone and my daughter asked me if I would go. I also heard about Kairos and thought it would be a great experience. 8. Yes, I would advise other parents to go only if there kids do not have a problem with them attending! It is awesome to see their transformation and experience it with them! Remember it’s “All in God’s time”! Mrs. Borzansky:1. Karlie Borzansky - Junior 2. Fall Sophomore & Junior 3. Seeing my daughter in a leadership role, meeting other parents, and my own soul searching. 4. Learn to open up, there are other kids in their same situation, learn about someone before you judge them, closer to their search for God, take what they have learned and live it every day. 5. Go with an open mind and open heart and take back with you what you learned. 6. Friendships that developed or became closer with their friends. 7. The first one was out of necessity(they really needed someone) and the second one I really looked forward to knowing what was to come. 8. I think the key is we didn’t “lead” We just helped out. We got to experience our kids in a completely different situation than at least I had ever seen. I think most parents wouldn’t want to “lead”, just “experience”. The parents I have talked to about going on a retreat all had the same response which was , “ I don’t think my kid would want me there.” And I say, “ask them!!” or help on a different one so the school can continue to offer them. Teachers: 1. What Retreats have you gone on? 2. What was your best memory from any of these Retreats? 3. What advice do you have for students that are debating on going on Kairos, or any other re- experience of so much love that students had for each other and for God. Prayer times seemed so real and authentic and students wanted to be there. There was a great sense of hope that students experienced after sharing their heavy burdens and trails with each other. Students became alive in a whole new way. They desired closer relationships with their newly formed friends and were searching deeply to find everlasting love of God. 3.It is an unbelievable gift that you give to yourself by attending any retreat. The love and support that you receive are so real. to attend retreats. It’s a way to grow closer to God and your classmates. For most seniors, it is a life-changing experience and it prepares them to take on the challenges of college. 4. I enjoy getting to know students outside of the classroom and supporting them in their spiritual journeys. 5. It seems that students walk away from retreats with a deeper appreciation for their faith and for the opportunity to attend a God-centered school. Leaving their daily routines and focusing on what’s important gives them a chance to grow closer to God. When the classmates do this together on retreat, not only are they individually renewed, but they share a spe- treat? 4. Why do you enjoy going on these Retreats? 5. What, in your opinion, do you believe that students get out of Retreats? Mr. Ron Blanc: 1. I have led 16 Kairos retreats, but Kairos is the only retreat I’ve gone on here. 2. Seeing the students discover their personal relationship with Jesus and bonding together as a senior class. 3. Take the leap of faith and go! Be open and realize that God is calling you to be there. Kairos doesn’t make you think a certain way, but it does make you think. 4. I keep going back to help our students see how special they are in God’s eyes and how special our school really is. 5. Students get what they put into the retreats. The more they are open to listen to what God is telling them, the more they find how much they are loved by God and others. Mrs. Hormuth: 1. I have experience all grade-level retreats here at SM over the past five years. They were an incredible experience of God’s love experienced through new friendships, the healing and transformation of closed hearts to open hearts of students. 2. The love….The It also is a way to make new and lasting friendships. They will experience God in a whole new way. They will have memories that will last them a life time. They need to put all their fears aside and trust God. They are in store for an unbelievable four day ride in paradise. 4. I enjoy going because I am part of God’s miracles happening right before my eyes. To be part of the emotional and spiritual healing gives me such great joy. 5. Students only get out of a retreat what they put into the retreat. To that degree, they will have either an incredible experience of God, new friendships and love or a time that is boring, dismal. Students are invited to open their hearts and let God reveal to them great healings and insights into their lives. God has only good things in store for them. Mrs. Kretzmer: 1. I’ve attended numerous sophomore retreats and a few Kairos retreats. 2. My best memory was Kairos 78 because it was my first Kairos experience and the students were open to God’s work in their lives. 3. I highly encourage all students cial bond with others who experience the same growth. Many lifelong friendships are formed on these retreats. Alumni:1. What retreat did you lead? 2. Why did you decide to go on these retreats? 3. What’s your best memory? Bobby Henry (2007 graduate): 1. I have led 8 retreats but I’ve been on eleven. I went on freshman retreats, sophomore retreats, and Kairos 79. I was one of sixteen people that attended and it was awesome. But I’ve led Kairos 80, 81, 84, 85, 86, 88, 89, and 91. 2. There have been so many good memories. I’ll say one from each Kairos. On Kairos 79, we had so few people that we could play a real game of volleyball (6 on 6) and only leave out one team to play the winner. On K80, I sang a song about chocolate (long story). On K81, I pelted Caroline Bramlage in the face with a water balloon. On K84, Gaby Bruno lost her voice and then tried to gobble like a turkey. Probably the funniest sound I’ve ever heard. On K85, Mr. Lindabury danced to the Fanta song in front of everyone and I, of course, joined in. On K86, it snowed. It was awesome! On K88, we saw a giant lizard. Or snake? Or dragon? I’m not sure what it was, but if you ask my group, everyone will tell you something different. On K89, we had an epic baseball game where the Blancs umpired. They were terrible!!! On K91, I threw a pen about forty feet into a trash can. He shoots, he scores!!! 3. Ok, I’ll be honest. I wasn’t huge on retreats. In fact, I didn’t like my first two so I don’t go on the junior retreat. But Kairos has changed my life. I mean, I’ve been on nine Kairos and I have 3 or 4 left in me. Ok, not only do you have fun, but you get a really cool shirt and mug. Plus, you get to meet me. That is a HUGE bonus. But, in all seriousness Kairos is no ordinary retreat. You make new friends, become closer to your old friends, and maybe learn a thing or two about life. I know that I lead the retreats, but I still get something out of each and everyone one. Most importantly, I make new friends. I could fill this entire newspaper with the amazing people I’ve met from retreats. So, I highly recommend that you go on Kairos, it will change your life. Annie Baine (2006 graduate):1. I have lead 12 retreats. Sophomore Retreat ’07, Junior Retreat ’08, and Kairos 73, 75, 76, 79, 82, 84, 85, 87, 88 and 89. 2. Oh man, there are so many! Each retreat there are so many things that happen whether they are hilarious or serious. But the funniest thing that has happened to me was on K89 when we were playing on the Slip-n-Slide and I took the mat with me the whole was down. 3. Retreats, especially at Santa Margarita, give you the opportunity to get to know others, yourself, and most importantly your relationship with God. Any retreat provides the chance for you to get to know your classmates and make new friends. Retreats also provide you the chance to release all stress and burdens. The best part is coming back and having that feeling of pure happiness, nothing in the world can beat that! Lauren Sanvido (2008 graduate): 1. I have led a freshman retreat, a sophomore retreat, 2 Kairos, and a few retreats for my church 2. Kairos....those are secrets 3. Even if you are not a religious person, God will find a way to touch your life. It can be through the amazing people that you meet or through getting to know yourself better. I always come back from retreats feeling like I am on top of the world and I would not trade that feeling for anything! 11 The Blueprint The Student Newspaper of Santa Margarita Catholic High School December 2008 Special Section The Meaning of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” By Carly Rivera and Amanda Figueroa We have all heard the Christmas carol, The 12 Days of Christmas, but we do not take into consideration the reason why each of the twelve gifts were given. Despite the unusual lyrics, this song has a serious meaning regarding the Catholic religion. This song was a “catechism song” sung from 1558 to 1829 that helped young Catholics in England learn about their Catholic faith. Each gift in the song has a secret meaning that refers to their religious roots. First off, the “true love” in the song does not refer to a significant other, but rather to God, and the “me” who receives the gifts refers to every baptized person in the Catholic Church. 1st day day:: The “partridge Christmas Traditions By Katelyn Finneran Tradition is the passing down of elements in a culture from generation to generation especially by oral communication. Many families have traditions around the Christmas season. Traditions vary from the Christmas trees to Christmas dinners. Each can be based off of a religion or culture. But the biggest tradition of all is Christmas itself and the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The tradition of Santa Clause came from a very generous Saint, Saint Nicholas, he was particularly devoted to children. The feast of Saint Nicholas was on the 6 th of December, where gifts and charity were exchanged, and still is celebrated today. Another tradition with Saint Nicholas is that Dutch children would leave their shoes out on the fireplace and goodies would be left in them in the morning by Saint Nicholas. In Germany during the 16 th -century fir trees were in a pear tree” is Jesus Christ on the cross because he symbolically represented a mother partridge keeping dangers away from her babies. The tree is a symbol of the fall of the human race through Adam and Eve as well as a symbol of Christ’s redemption on the tree of the cross. 2 nd day day: The “two turtle doves” represent the Old and New Testaments. 3 rd day day: The “three French hens” stand for faith, hope, and love – the three theological virtues. 4 th day day:: The “four calling birds” refer to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the four evangelists Gospel writers who sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ. 5 th day day:: The “five golden rings” represent the first five books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. 6 th day day:: The “six geese a-laying” are the six days of creation. 7 th day day: The “seven swans a-swimming” refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit – wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. 8 th day day: The “eight maids a-milking” reminded children of the eight Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. 9th day day:: The “nine ladies dancing” were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 10th day day: The “ten lords a-leaping” refer to the Ten Commandments. 11 th day day: The “eleven pipers piping” refer to the eleven disciples. 12 th day day:: The “twelve drummers drumming” were the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostle’s Creed. So next time you hear this song, you should remind yourself that Christmas is not just about receiving gifts; it is a time to grow closer to God and your faith. By singing “The Twelve Days,” we can spread the Christmas spirit to all. decorated with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored papers, symbolizing the Garden of Eden (the Paradise Tree), thus bringing about the tradition of the Christmas tree. Interesting fact: if the candy is held upright, it is the shape of a shepherd’s staff, and Jesus used this to gather his sheep. If you turn the candy upside down, it becomes the letter J for Jesus. The tradition of kissing under the Mistletoe begins in Scandinavia where they would kiss under the mistletoe to make up with someone if there were any problems between the two. Others believed that if people in love kissed under the mistletoe they would have lifetime happiness together. According to the website, TheHolidaySpot.com, “Later, the eighteenth-century English credited with a certain magical appeal called a kissing ball. At Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, cannot refuse to be kissed. Such a kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill. If the girl remained unkissed, she cannot expect not to marry the following year. In some parts of England the Christmas mistletoe is burned on the twelfth night lest all the boys and girls who have kissed under it never marry.” For many people, they look forward to the wonderful traditions they share with their family and friends during the Christmas season. I interviewed a few people around school to see their favorite traditions: Gina Aquino says her favorite tradition is “putting up the Christmas tree and spending time with her family”. Blaire Paiso: “driving around with the family and looking at the Christmas lights”. Amy Ayala says “her family has sat by the tree every Christmas eve and read The Polar Express for as long as she can remember”. “Watching the Muppets Christmas carol” is Colleen O’Sulivan’s favorite tradition. Preston Mahler says his favorite tradition is “eating food and hanging out with his family!” I hope you all enjoy your holiday season and the many traditions you share with your families and friends. Remember what the traditions truly mean! Make new ones, and the keeps the ones you’ve had for always! Top Five Christmas Gifts for 2008! By Noelle Sumner 1. Macbook Air laptop laptop: you can buy this at the Apple Store starting at $1,799. 2. Nintendo Wii Wii:: You can buy this at Best Buy or any other game system stores for $249.99. 3. Apple iPod Touch 8 GB GB:: You can buy this gift at the Apple Store starting at $229. 4. Apple iPhone 3g 3g:: You can get the iPhone at the Apple Store and it costs $300. 5. Canon PowerShot Digital Camera Camera:: You can buy this online at www.canon.com or at any store that sells cameras such as Circuit City and it costs $149.99. Christmas presents under a tree. Photo courtesy of Google. Christmas Snooping! By Kenna Crouse Christmas is almost here! This is the time when your parents are running around frantically trying to find the gifts that you will love. We are all a little anxious to know what these mysterious presents are and how can you wait a month when we all know where they are hidden: the closets, garage, and even under beds. The dilemma is whether or not snooping ruins your fun. Either finding the hidden stash of presents or waiting till they are wrapped and sitting under the tree… that’s when it’s even more tempting. Unwrapping the present, just taking a peak to see what it is and then carefully rewrapping it, by the time you finish high school you will have it down to a science. Snooping could either make or break your Christmas all depending on how you look at it. If you find out you didn’t get what you want, you’re likely to be heartbroken and if you end up getting exactly what you want it’s even harder to wait till Christmas morning to get it. We asked some Santa Margarita students what they think: “I wanted a game boy but I got a doll instead. Snooping ruined my Christmas.” Jen Perri “I found car keys, but I already knew I was getting a car so it didn’t really matter.” Lauren Edwards “When I was eight, my brother Kevin said that we were getting Atari for Christmas, and I didn’t believe him because Santa hadn’t come yet so he couldn’t possibly know. So he took me into our sister’s room and under the bed were all of our presents. That was the year I found out Santa wasn’t real.” Mr.Trotter. Happy holidays!