Linda Gesualdi went all the way to the semi!nals of the Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year competition.

In this section

“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” excels, as expected

B4

GALS Club creates young scientists, gender equality

B10

La Vista explores the ADHD medication abuse at Costa

B6-7

B10

November 9, 20121401 Artesia Blvd.Manhattan Beach, CA 90266Vol. LXII Issue 3www.lavistamchs.com

November 9, 2012B2 La Vista

“!e Man with the Iron Fists” amuses despite directorial issues BY DYLAN FAIR

ARTS EDITOR

Someone who created a multi-million dollar career from a rap group entitled The Wu-Tang Clan should probably know something about Kung-Fu movies. How-ever, in “The Man with the Iron Fists,” Wu-Tang founder RZA’s expansive knowledge of martial arts culture is impeded by his in-experience as a director.

composer and lead actor, RZA’s style and ambition is clearly vis-ible in his directorial debut. Still, “The Man with the Iron Fists” is cinematically confusing and reck-less due to RZA’s amateur work behind the camera. However, its plethora of gratuitous violence and its amusing story elevate the

“The Man with the Iron Fists” unfolds in the mysterious Jungle Village, a small town in rural Chi-na. The citizens of Jungle Village are informed that a large ship-ment of government gold will be passing through the town. Jungle Village’s most powerful groups, the Lion, Hyena and Wolf clans, all make plans to steal the lot for themselves.

The clans employ the town’s lo-cal blacksmith, Thaddeus (RZA), an escaped American slave, to create their weapons for the up-coming battles. Jungle Village’s

brothel owner Madame Blossom (Lucy Liu) and British mercenary Jack Knife (Russell Crowe) also devise their own schemes to ob-tain the gold.

The most notable component of “The Man with the Iron Fists” is its abundance of bloodshed. RZA has certainly taken a page

from his mentor, Quentin Taran-tino, in crafting action sequences with almost laughable amounts of carnage. Scenes of RZA punch-ing out a man’s eye and Lucy Liu kicking someone’s head clean off his shoulders are visuals that epitomize the delightfully shock-ing atmosphere.

Despite excessive violence, the actual Kung-Fu scenes are held back by erratic camera work. RZA implores a technique where he divides the screen into comic book-like panels to show multi-

scene from multiple perspectives. However, this device is not used

COURTESY SHOCKYA.ORG

TIGER STYLE: Wu-Tang Clan creator RZA spent over two years developing his project, “The Man with the Iron Fists.”

properly and simply leaves the viewers confused as to what they are watching.

Another shortcoming of the -

experienced actors, Crowe and Liu, are clearly in on the tongue-

They play their roles with a sub-tlety that shows they are not tak-ing the movie too seriously.

However, many of “The Man with the Iron Fists” less notable actors, including RZA, play their roles far too seriously for an over-

One component of movie pro-duction that RZA has experience with is the score. He made his mark scoring Tarantino’s Kung-Fu homage “Kill Bill Part 1” as well as the critically acclaimed “Ghost Dog.” In “The Man with the Iron Fists,” RZA boldly blends various musical genres, making a sound track composed

Kung-Fu movie. “The Man with the Iron Fists”

is essentially a bad movie gone good. However, RZA was uncom-

he had been developing for over

improvement in directing ability, he won’t be so lucky next time.

“The Man with the Iron Fists” -

ed R and playing nationwide.

ARTS

BY ISAAC SIEGEMUND-BROKA

STAFF WRITER

He walks across the screen, turns and shoots—23 times to date. James Bond has been one

-roes for 50 years, shooting up bad guys since 1962’s “Dr. No.” Despite being a staple of the ac-tion genre, Bond, as well as the franchise he leads, is not bound to what he started as.

James Bond was created as the stereotypical image of machismo in the 1960s, a martini-guzzling and perpetually smoking ladies man—he’s “Mad Men” plus guns and a British accent. But it would be unacceptable to perpetuate this image of Bond into the 2000s. Consequently, James Bond need-ed to evolve.

Though modern Bond main-tains his suave gravitas, Daniel

traditional blend of hedonism and stoicism and more by the emo-tional depth that has become more acceptable—desired, even—for the modern man. In “Casino Roy-ale,” he falls in love, comforts his crying damsel in distress, and nearly loses it when she dies.

The evolution of the Bond fran-chise, however, has not stopped

of the ‘60s and ‘70s allowed a decent degree of suspension of

swimming pools (“Thunderball”), a giant with metal teeth (“The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonrak-er”), and one scene where Bond attaches wings to his car so that

Gun”). But with Craig at the helm of the franchise, the series has taken a stronger hold on reality.

Filmgoers have become much less accepting of slight suspen-sion of disbelief. If the fantasti-cal nature of a movie is made clear from the start, such as in “Avatar,” viewers do not judge

Conversely, other popular action movies like the “Bourne” trilogy take very little liberty in distort-ing reality. It’s rare that a modern

Case in point: “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Though garnered with decent critical reviews, the fourth

fans for a scene in which Jones survives a nuclear bomb by hiding

-down, which involves aliens.

-cially in the most recent addition, “Skyfall,” one shouldn’t take it as an unfortunate distortion of the “true” Bond mentality—the fran-chise, as well as its iconic hero, has shifted to portray what we, as the audience, want it to.

BY ARI HOWORTH

STAFF WRITER

Disney has hit a high score with its recent release, “Wreck-it Ralph.” Its unique plot and inter-esting characters make it an en-

“Wreck-it Ralph’s” potent combination of intelligent writing and beautiful animation creates a visually pleasing, touching, and

to video games and strong cast

year’s best. “Wreck-it Ralph,” directed by

Rich Moore, is the story of Ralph (John C. Reilly), the villain in the vintage arcade game “Fix-it Felix Jr.” After deciding that he doesn’t want to be a villain anymore, he leaves his game. He travels through a variety of video games all located in the same arcade, and ends up in the racing game “Sugar Rush.” There, he befriends Vanel-lope Von Schweetz (Sarah Silver-man), a 12-year-old girl who is outcast by the other inhabitants in the game.

Meanwhile, Fix-it Felix (Jack McBrayer), the hero in Ralph’s game, searches for Ralph with General Calhoun (Jane Lynch).

shooter, “Hero’s Duty,” and is looking for a bug that has escaped from her game into “Sugar Rush,” which if not found will multiply and destroy the game.

is its animation, which is captivat-

takes advantage of the colorful and intricate world of “Sugar

most beautiful scenes, such as its -

ported by one of the year’s best use of 3-D.

The writing is thoroughly smart and engaging. The viewer is al-ways entertained by the friendly banter between Ralph and Von Schweetz, as shown by their childish nicknames for each oth-er. Calhoun’s humor, on the other hand, is derived from her serious demeanor, making her one of the most funny characters.

-ous videogame references, which add to the humor and intelligence of “Wreck-it Ralph.” Some of these may be too subtle for the average viewer, but even without context these references still have comedic value. These jokes allow

gimmicks. In one scene, the characters meet in the “Pac-Man” arcade game. Although all of the characters appear normally, the

camera shows a view from out-side the videogame world. In re-ality, they are comically shown as pixilated versions of themselves.

The voice acting in the movie is perfect. Reilly and Silverman lead the cast with emotional per-formances. Similarly, every line from McBrayer and Lynch is charismatically delivered. Alan Tudyk is also a standout with his goofy, lisped role as King Candy, the king of “Sugar Rush.”

-perman.” “Paperman” uses a style of animation that combines hand-drawn and computer-generated animation to set an emotional tone for the movie that follows.

“Wreck-it Ralph” is a touching -

ences of all ages. Its abundance of laughs and references keep it witty and entertaining.

“Wreck-it Ralph” is rated PG and is playing nationwide in 2-D and 3-D formats.

“Wreck-it Ralph” proves enticing, heartfelt

COURTESY WOMENSENEWS.COM

POWER UP: Disney’s “Wreck-it Ralph” tells the story of video game charac-ters (from left) Vanellope Von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) and Ralph (John C. Reilly). The movie’s creative animation makes it an instant pleaser.

Critic’s Take: Bond adapts to modern times

November 9, 2012 B3La Vista

“Fun Size” falls short due to confusing storyline, questionable script BY JAKE MAHR

ARTS EDITOR

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COURTESY 3.MERRIWEATHERPOSTPAVILLION.COM

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ARTS

November 9, 2012B4 La Vista

“You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” shows vast talent of its castBY DYLAN FAIR

ARTS EDITOR

The Mira Costa Drama Depart-ment has been a model of consis-tency and a staple of entertainment for the student body. After a two-year hiatus from fall musicals, its newest production, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” is a delightful return to form.

Despite an unfocused and over-ly simplistic storyline, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” is car-ried by the Drama Department’s superbly talented leads. The cha-risma of the cast as a whole, in combination with its vivid, car-toonish set design and costumes, come together to create a charm-ing and energetic production.

“You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” is composed of various adapted scenes from the “Pea-nuts” comic strip. The musical contains no over-arching narra-tive but, instead, is made up of a multitude of vignettes that exhibit the majority of notable “Peanuts”

Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Sally, Li-nus and Schroeder.

“Charlie Brown” is carried by multiple charasmatic performanc-es. Junior Matt Sena pulls off Charlie Brown’s signature self-loathing character while reman-ing lovable; Lucy (junior Sabrina Mongiello) carries herself with the same narcissism that made her

one of the most unique characters in the comic strip. Charlie’s sister, Sally (sophomore Julia Mcder-mott), and her pet dog, Snoopy (senior Matt Phillips), are both equally lovable and enjoyable.

The most notable success of the production is an abundance of tal-ent throughout the cast. Each ac-

tor and actress is brimming with skill. Mcdermott’s performance is perfect in her depiction of Sally. Her nasally, high-pitched tone garners laughs with every line spoken. Her posture on stage is especially adorable, and her in-credibly awkward walk adds hu-mor to her role.

Another strong characteristic of the play is its vibrant set design. The set is bursting with a plethora of colors. The artwork on the set encapsulates and resembles the unique comic book-style of the “Peanuts” series.

Every character in the produc-tion is well-dressed for the part.

COURTESY: CATHY SENA

YOU’RE A GOOD SHOW: (From Left) Buster Baer, Matt Sena, and Sabrina Mongiello lead the Mira Costa Drama Depart-ment’s fall musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The show proves to be one of Costa’s best recent productions and is thoroughly entertaining due to its talented cast, intricate set design, and cartoonish costumes.

The costume design is nostalgic and adds believability to every character. In certain cases, female characters (as in the case of Pep-permint Patty) are tastefully and hilariously transformed into boy-ish characatures.

If “You’re a Good Man Charlie

the musical itself, not in Costa’s excecution of it. As a series of vignettes strung together by re-curring characters, the play some-times feels meaningless. Despite the humor of “Charlie Brown,” it lacks of a cohesive plot and is unable to fully grasp the attention of the audience.

The original production of “Charlie Brown” consisted of a small cast of only six people, but Drama Department Chair Carol Matthews included an additional 14 roles. In many scenes through-out the production, it is apparent that many characters are haphaz-ardly thrown onstage in order to include everyone.

As a whole, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” is better then the sum of its parts, because its parts are incredbily talented. The play is a testament to the in-dividual talent held by Mira Cos-ta’s students.

“You’re a Good Man Charlie

tonight at 7:30 p.m. and tommor-row at 2 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m., all in the auditorium.

ARTS

BY ISAAC SIEGEMUND-BROKA

ARTS EDITOR

Who knew lipstick and black clothes would be a good look for Sean Penn? Against all odds, Penn pulls off a Goth rock aesthetic in “This Must Be the Place.”

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, “This Must Be the Place” is a thematic masterpiece guided by Penn’s brilliant acting, beautiful cinematography and a script as droll as it is perplexing.

“This Must Be the Place” chronicles the self-discovery of Cheyenne (Sean Penn), a washed-up Goth rock icon. Cheyenne has unresolved issues with his Jewish father, who never loved him after he joined the Goth subculture.

After his father’s death, Chey-enne learns his father had spent the last few decades tracking

Lieven), the Nazi who humiliated Cheyenne’s father when he was at Auschwitz. Cheyenne takes up

Sean Penn brilliantly executes the role of Cheyenne, whose awk-wardly reserved attempts to be liked are simultaneously charm-ing and sad. His laugh sounds

more like a whimper, and most of his lines are uttered in a high whisper, as though he is afraid to be fully present in the world.

Sorrentino and Umberto Con-tarello’s screenplay is hilarious in its absurd complexity. They subtly break down the notion of “home” while exploring the rela-tionship between individuals and families. The narrative is dense with symbolic interludes, such as the spontaneous combustion of Cheyenne’s truck, which leaves the viewer pondering the chaotic, inexplicable nature of the world.

to Talking Heads’ song “This Must Be the Place,” which is fea-

Byrne, Talking Heads’ frontman, has a minor acting role and also

score, which mixes rock tracks with discordant orchestral tidbits to mimic the tension that perme-ates Cheyenne’s life.

“This Must Be the Place” is not a simple movie by any means, but its ridiculousness keeps the the-matic density from ever getting dull or depressing. “This Must Be the Place” is rated R and is play-ing at select theaters.

BY REBECCA HEXT

STAFF WRITER

Like many other musical art-ists, Taylor Swift’s love life has

-ing and melodies.

Swift’s newest album, “Red,” released on Oct. 22, combines her heartbreak anthems, incredible song-writing talent and some new stylistic choices to create an en-tertaining album for fans.

Swift released her self-titled debut album in 2006, and her sec-ond album, “Fearless,” in 2008. Her third, “Speak Now,” released in 2010, sold more than 1 million

Instead of an entire album of break-up ballads, as per Swift’s norm, “Red” utilizes a wider vari-ety of styles than she has done in the past. Although the album does include some love songs, it also has popier tracks and some of

new variety adds a uniqueness not seen before.

Swift’s two hit singles from the album, “We Are Never Ever Get-ting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble,” both show this new side. “I Knew You Were Trouble” exhibits a dubstep-style beat during the chorus, taking listeners by surprise. This new sound adds the perfect amount of spontaneity from her typical mu-sic to keep fans interested as she evolves as a musician.

Swift keeps the tone upbeat for tracks “22” and “Stay Stay Stay,” but slows it down a bit for her typical love songs. “All Too Well,” “Treacherous” and “Sad

Beautiful Tragic” include some of the best lyrics of the album and show off Swift’s writing skills. With the quiet acoustic guitar and soft piano, listeners are able to fo-cus more on her lyrics.

In “All Too Well,” Swift sings the line, “so casually cruel in the name of being honest,” describ-ing how much the truth can hurt. This is a premier example of Swift’s new-found ability to sing softer songs, like “Teardrops on My Guitar,” without needing to bring in her love life.

Swift also included collabora--

ish singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran titled “Everything Has Changed,” and the second with Snow Patrol’s

lead singer, Gary Lightbody, titled “The Last Time.” Although Swift has collaborated in the past, she has never included duets on her own albums. Swift is extending into the music industry.

Even though she strays from her usual genre, Swift keeps her lyrics enjoyable. While each song has its own unique sound and mes-sage, Swift’s feelings can easily be felt through the lyrics in each track. Swift relays intense emo-tion through her songs, which is one reason she has so many fans.

“Red” proves that Swift is tak-ing chances with new sounds and genres. “Red” is available in stores nationwide and on iTunes for $14.99.

Swi!’s “Red” pleases fans with experimentation

COURTESY CDN.IDOLATOR.COM

THIS IS THE PLACE: Sean Penn (above) plays Cheyenne, a Goth rocker who struggles to mend relationships with his father, in “This Must Be the Place.”

NOT JUST SOME INDIE RECORD: Taylor Swift (above) captures her listeners’ attention as she experiments with new sounds on her latest album, “Red.”

“"is Must Be the Place” charms

COURTESY COLLIDER.COM

November 9, 2012 B5La Vista

Lemony Snicket fails to captivate with “Who Could !at Be at !is Hour?” BY ZACK GILL

COPY EDITOR

Daniel Handler’s writings un-

der pseudonym Lemony Snicket

have always been somewhat para-

doxical. “A Series of Unfortunate

Events” novels are a rare combi-

nation of charm and pretension;

they are thematically rich for

young adult novels, yet are nar-

ratively simplistic.

Handler refused to answer near-

ly every unsolved mystery at the

end of the “Unfortunate Events”

series, so fans naturally perked

up at the announcement of a pre-

quel quartet of novels, featuring

-

tional youth, as the protagonist.

“Who Could That Be at This

the “All the Wrong Questions”

quartet, frustratingly (and likely

purposely) fails to address any lin-

gering questions from Handler’s

earlier novels. It also doesn’t

make for a very interesting read

on its own merits, either.

“Who Could That Be at This

Hour?” takes place decades be-

fore the “A Series of Unfortunate

Events” novels, with Snicket

-

laire orphans as the main char-

acter. The novel follows Snicket

as he joins “VFD,” a secret, con-

spiratorial organization whose

very initials are up for speculation

(Snicket presents dozens of vari-

ous suggestions in the panoply of

writings set in the “Unfortunate

Events” universe).

Snicket’s apprenticeship under

his “VFD”-assigned chaperone

name is not revealed) brings him

to Stain’d-By-the-Sea, a shanty

town bordered by a dried-up sea

and a gravity-defying, waterless

kelp forest. Quickly, Snicket and

Markson are hired to steal a statue

from a local family, but, of course,

discover that not all is as it seems,

as Snicket faces betrayal and in-

trigue at every step of his task.

“Who Could That Be at This

Hour?’” is too slight in its narra-

tive ambitions. It feels like a part

and not like a whole. The “Unfor-

-

nitely steeped in convoluted lore,

but they were also episodic, with

each presenting a complete ad-

venture. “Who Could That Be,”

however, ends all too abruptly.

The novel feels as if Handler was

forced to cut it by his publisher in

order to extend the prequel series

to four books. Although “‘Who

Could That Be’” is over 250 pag-

es, it can be read in two hours, and

that’s a conservative estimate.

Handler fairs better in his prose.

The “Unfortunate Events” novels

utilize satirically purple prose,

COURTESY MEDIA.SALON.COM

ALL THE WRONG ANSWERS: “Who Could That Be at This Hour?,” Lemony Snicket’s (Daniel Handler) newly published

book from his “All the Wrong Questions” quartet, fails to answer the many questions fans have about his previous nov-

els. The book is also unable to interest new readers with its lack of interesting material.

like H.P. Lovecraft. Handler is a

bit more economical than he is in

the “Unfortunate Events” novels,

but he isn’t particularly adven-

SAT vocabulary he uses and word

play galore.

“Unfortunate Events” fans

will be disappointed by how lit-

tle “Who Could That Be at This

Hour?” contributes to Handler’s

mythology. In a brief, concluding

chapter, a minor character from

“Unfortunate Events” crosses

paths with Snicket, and refer-

ences are also made to another

character who does not actually

appear, but other than that, fans

are out of luck.

Hopefully, Handler will be

merciful enough to give his fans a

little something satiating because

there is no doubt that the most

ravenous of them will read the

next three books in the quartet,

hoping for fan service more sub-

stantial than that offered in “Who

Could That Be at This Hour?’”

Handler has three more novels

left in the “All The Wrong Ques-

tions” series to prove that he isn’t

just cashing in. “Who Could That

Be at This Hour?” is trite and

slight and may infuriate “Un-

fortunate Events” fanboys and

newcomers alike. Handler needs

long-time fans and his new read-

ers. “Who Could That Be at This

Hour?” is available now from

Little, Brown and Company.

ARTS

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“Yes, I think kids are under a lot of pressure and use [the medication] to get ahead.”

Junior Wesley Smart

“Yes, because [the medication] helps [students] focus on what needs to get done.”

Senior Armaan Deepak

“Yes, people abuse lots of those substances and [they] usually do not realize [it].”

Sophomore Jake Baker

“I don’t think it’s necessarily just a problem at Costa, I think it’s a pervasive problem throughout this country.”

Guidance Counselor David Beck

Do you think the abuse of ADHD medication is a big problem at

Mira Costa?

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-One has a short attention span, also known as hyperactivity

-He or she will be very easily distracted while doing tasks

-Those afflicted will often forget to do his or her daily tasks

-One will constantly fidget and have a hard time being still

-The person diagnosed talks excessively and changes subjects

-The patient will have very low patience with long tasks

-ADHD is when the symptom is hyperactivity

-ADHD also mostly involves impulsivity in the patient.

-ADHD is also the term given to having all three symptoms.

-ADD is the condition where one is inattentive

-ADD results in fewer behavioral problems than ADHD

-ADD is an out-dated term since ADHD involves all symptoms

-ADHD affects the frontal lobe, which helps one pay attention while doing activities

-It affects the inhibitory mechanisms of the cortex that keeps one from being hyperactive.

-It affects the limbic systems, which are responsible for stor-ing all emotions.

-Another area affected is the reticular activating system, which dictates how well a person can remember things

-A doctor tells a story that requires the patient to focus and has his or her answer questions about the story.

-The doctor has the patient sit down and finish a puzzle as a different type of test.

-The patient sits in front of a computer screen and clicks a button every time a certain object appears.

-Depending on the age of the patient, the ADHD tests given by the doctor will vary.

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Perc

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Perc

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!is diagram shows the brain scans of people both with and without ADHD. !e colors display the di"erent amount of brain activity.

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“The Steroid of Intellect”

The rate of ADHD medication being abused has risen 75% in the past eight years with

the numbers continuously increasing.

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B

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“Yes, I think kids are under a lot of pressure and use [the medication] to get ahead.”

Junior Wesley Smart

“Yes, because [the medication] helps [students] focus on what needs to get done.”

Senior Armaan Deepak

“Yes, people abuse lots of those substances and [they] usually do not realize [it].”

Sophomore Jake Baker

“I don’t think it’s necessarily just a problem at Costa, I think it’s a pervasive problem throughout this country.”

Guidance Counselor David Beck

Do you think the abuse of ADHD medication is a big problem at

Mira Costa?

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-One has a short attention span, also known as hyperactivity

-He or she will be very easily distracted while doing tasks

-Those afflicted will often forget to do his or her daily tasks

-One will constantly fidget and have a hard time being still

-The person diagnosed talks excessively and changes subjects

-The patient will have very low patience with long tasks

-ADHD is when the symptom is hyperactivity

-ADHD also mostly involves impulsivity in the patient.

-ADHD is also the term given to having all three symptoms.

-ADD is the condition where one is inattentive

-ADD results in fewer behavioral problems than ADHD

-ADD is an out-dated term since ADHD involves all symptoms

-ADHD affects the frontal lobe, which helps one pay attention while doing activities

-It affects the inhibitory mechanisms of the cortex that keeps one from being hyperactive.

-It affects the limbic systems, which are responsible for stor-ing all emotions.

-Another area affected is the reticular activating system, which dictates how well a person can remember things

-A doctor tells a story that requires the patient to focus and has his or her answer questions about the story.

-The doctor has the patient sit down and finish a puzzle as a different type of test.

-The patient sits in front of a computer screen and clicks a button every time a certain object appears.

-Depending on the age of the patient, the ADHD tests given by the doctor will vary.

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Perc

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Perc

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!is diagram shows the brain scans of people both with and without ADHD. !e colors display the di"erent amount of brain activity.

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“The Steroid of Intellect”

The rate of ADHD medication being abused has risen 75% in the past eight years with

the numbers continuously increasing.

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THE FLOW OF H20: Students (from left) Maddie Gleason, Alicia DeMartini, Maddy Locicero, Sejal Asher, and Natalie Bargash discuss water sanita-

tion at the H20 For Life Club, which meets every Wednesday in Room 61. The club was founded in 2007 by Class of 2011 graduate Alka Nath to raise

awareness and money for water sanitation projects in the developing world.

More people die from drinking unsani-tary water than all forms of violence com-bined, including war. Costa’s H20 For Life

-

Costa alumnus Alka Nath started H20 -

bers are working to bring sanitary water to schools in underprivileged areas through-out the world by building improved sani-tation systems. Today, Alka’s younger sis-ter, senior Abha Nath, leads the club as its president.

“H20 For Life Club was started to help bring awareness of the severity of the global water crisis to MCHS,” Abha said. “It was also started to help bring safe and clean water to people who aren’t fortunate enough to buy it.”

Costa’s H2O For Life Club is a chapter of the international H20 for Life organiza-

Patty Hall, an educator in New Brighton, Minnesota. Hall started this organization after having worked with students at her school to raise money to allow the citizens of Kathangu Village, Kenya to have sani-tary water year-round.

“The main goal of the H20 For Life Club is to raise money,” Nath said. “This money goes toward the building of sanitation sys-tems and wells in the organization’s part-ner schools in developing nations.”

schools in countries including Kenya, Ma-

Jimmy Miller was a respected surfer, lifeguard, teacher, writer and contributor to the beach communities. The foundation’s mission is to use the ocean as a means of mental and physical rehabilitation for the

knowledge to less fortunate children. “Jimmy was my best friend and a great

-tion,” said Chris Brown, board member of the Jimmy Miller Foundation and Costa alumnus.

Throughout his life, Miller impacted many lives with his charismatic personal-ity, and he also volunteered to teach kids the wonders of the ocean as well as ocean safety.

“I am proud to keep his memory alive through the foundation, and I applaud the efforts of the Costa stduents who give their time through Jimmy’s club,” said Brown.

Miller’s death was caused by a mental

illness during the last few months of his life when he was 35. His passing impacted many lives around the South Bay area, as well as the people all over the world that he

The Miller family has kept Jimmy’s leg-acy going throughout the years by remind-ing others of his great contributions to the community. Ocean appreciation is a big fo-cus of the club, and it also raises awareness for the South Bay kids who attend Costa.

“The club helps out the original founda-tion with all of their events, such as the surf contests and memorials for Jimmy Miller,” Allen said.

The club meets Wednesdays at lunch in the pool. To enjoy the club, one must ap-preciate ocean life and have a passion for raising awareness and money for a good cause. There are no requirements or restric-tions on who can join the club; anyone and everyone who wants to join is welcome.

“The club gives students a chance to see how lucky they are to have the beach and all of its opportunities,” Allen said.

The members of the Jimmy Miller Foun-dation Club participate in the foundation’s events, such as surf contests and other spe-cial beach-related events.

“The rewarding feeling that you get after spending time and teaching kids about the

time spent at the beach,” member freshman Maddy Silver said.

The Costa students also have fundraisers to raise money and spread the word about the original foundation.

“We love providing the less fortunate with the same opportunities that Costa stu-dents receive, as well as educating them about marine life,” Roebuck said.

Water the world: H20 For LifeBY JULIA SHEETH

STAFF WRITER

lawi, and India. This year, the club plans to raise enough money to build two additional wells in Namibia and India.

“Last year, we had a number of fundrais-ers to collect the money to build these sani-tation systems and wells,” Abha said,

“These fundraisers included Club Day and three nights at California Pizza Kitch-en where the H20 For Life Club earned

-ber of the club was required to raise $20 on their own.”

The club does not achieve these feats without hard work. Every Wednesday in

Room 61, H20 For Life Club members meet to discuss recent global events con-cerning the water crisis and water conser-

and the club can bring awareness to the cause and continue to work toward their goals for the year.

“I joined H20 For Life Club because I saw the positive impact we have on the global community,” member senior Adri-ana DeLeon said. “We attack worldwide problems with our club efforts and have helped so many people already. It is hum-bling to know how much our efforts posi-

tively affect others in developing nations.”Some Mira Costa students original-

ly joined the club out of pure curiosity. Through different club projects and meet-ings, though, they have found themselves truly enjoying it.

“I joined H20 For Life Club because many of my friends were in it, but also because the name seemed a little curious,” senior Gabby Kula said, “Once I joined the club, I was able to learn how others less privileged than you live, and the club really opened my eyes by listening to speakers and writing notes to those who we help.”

CATCH SOME WAVES: Members of the Jimmy Miller Club (above) meet on Wednesdays at the pool to discuss their upcoming activities to help inner-

city kids learn to surf and swim. The club was revived this year and is connected to the Jimmy Miller Foundation, which stresses ocean appreciation

November 9, 2012LIFELa VistaB8

HANNAH DAGIAU/LA VISTA

HANNHA DAGIAU/LA VISTA

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIC FURTH/ LA VISTA

BY DANIELA COE-MCNAMARA

AND DELANEY HAWKES

STAFF WRITERS

The Jimmy Miller Foundation Club, one of the newest clubs on campus, was found-ed this year to raise awareness and appre-ciation for the ocean and spread the word about the Jimmy Miller Foundation.

Co-presidents Cecelia Allen, Sage Roe-buck and Nina Wasden reconvened the original Jimmy Miller Foundation Club

ago. Allen volunteered at the Jimmy Miller Memorial over the summer and enjoyed

family friends with Miller before his pass-ing.

“Our families wanted to keep the legacy alive for Jimmy Miller and his wonderful family to show our love,” Wasden said.

Surf ’s up at Jimmy Miller Foundation Club

Mira Costa service clubs aid organizations everywhere

November 9, 2012

Make a Wish Club: helping kids one wish at a timea boy named Chris Greicius, who had leu-

kemia. He realized his dream was to be-

-

helicopter rides, which gave Chris hope

and joy. Ever since, the Foundation has

blossomed into an international phenom-

enon. Costa students saw this success as

reason to expand the program here.

“We have always supported the Make-A-

Wish club,” von

Behren said.

“We wanted to

show our sup-

port for the

club and make

the community

more aware of the foundation while help-

ing other kids.”

Von Behren and Cohen had the hope of

making Mira Costa more aware of this is-

sue. In the Make-A-Wish Club, students

will hold fundraisers and various activities

in order to raise money to give to the es-

tablished foundation.

"We hope to raise enough money to

sponsor different children and their wish-

less fortunate.

“We hope our club continues to grow as

we educate students about the cause, which

we hope will interest them to come and

participate in our club,” said von Behren.

Joining the Make-A-Wish club allows

students to help people with life-threaten-

ing diseases live out their one last wish. All

interested Mira Costa students will get a

chance to help people in need.

“This club is helping a great foundation,”

said von Behren. “So anyone who is eager

to help make the lives of other kids better

is welcome to join and support this great

program.”

PING PONG FUN: Students (from left) Carson Hart, Teddy Friedman, and Miles Kluth have fun playing ping pong while helping special needs students

develop new skills. The Ping Pong for Life Club plays ping pong every Monday with Friendship Circle memebrs at lunch in the small gym.

Ping Pong for Hope Club: serving up charity

Friendship Circle Club and make the club

more successful.

“This year should be very exciting. The

members of Ping Pong Club are thrilled

about starting with a new passion this year.

I think that will translate well to club mem-

bers and the success of the club,” junior

Kayla Medrano said.

The therapy of playing ping pong for the

Friendship Circle students is only one of

the ways it’s helpful for them. This club is

constantly looking for ways to make its ex-

perience more valuable.

“It is great to play ping pong with them

and make their Monday lunches better.

What I like most about the club is that we

work with special needs kids and really

make an effort to try and get them involved

in a fun club where they can learn a new

sport,” Medrano said.

well. From being therapeutic to improv-

ing their game of ping pong for the special

needs students, this club has positive ef-

fects for all participants.

“As members we have the opportunity to

teach them how to play. Along with being

therapeutic for the special needs students,

this club is very fun and stress-relieving for

members,” junior Kit Murphy said.

In the year 2012, there have been over

1.6 million new cases of cancer solely in

the United States. Katie von Behren and

Natasha Cohen founded the Make-A-Wish

Club, where students have a chance to join

a well-known, worldwide organization,

whose goal is to grant the wishes of people

with life-threatening illnesses.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is located

in many cities around the world. There are

69 chapters in the United States and 28

around the world. The Make-A-Wish Foun-

dation has granted over 148,000 wishes

across the country and 250,000 globally.

"We started the Make-A-Wish club be-

cause it is such an amazing foundation

with a very important purpose," Costa

sophomore von Behren, club co-president,

said. "We wanted to help the great cause in

anyway we could, so we decided to make

a club."

The Make-A-Wish Foundation was origi-

nally established in 1980. It all started with

BY SAMMY MATSON STAFF WRITER

es. We also want our fellow students to get

involved and become aware of this great

foundation," said von Behren.

In order to raise this money, the club will

be holding several fundraisers both on and

All the money they receive will be used to

help give a child or adult his or her possible

last wish.

awareness for

the Make-A-

Wish founda-

tion, and we

will be a part

of the Wish for

Wish kids pro-

gram," von Behren said. "We are planning

to have bake sales and other fundraising

events that will help the cause and be fun

at the same time."

The Make-A-Wish Club is a great way

to have fun and get involved. It is always

looking for new members, and the club’s

meetings are held every Tuesday in room

21 at lunch. To enjoy the club, members

must only have a passion for helping the

BY SARA FELD

STAFF WRITER

By playing something he loves and help-

ing others, junior Garrett Greller created

the Ping Pong for Hope Club.

Founded last year, the Ping Pong for Hope

Club plays ping pong with special needs

students every Monday at lunch for thera-

py and fun. About 20 members show up to

help out each week in the small gym.

“I started this club to try and help oth-

ers and because I have a passion for ping

pong,” Greller said.

Ping Pong for Hope Club started out

as the Ping Pong Club until the founders

wanted to make something more out of

it. They decided that they could mix ping

pong and helping others in need.

“The Ping Pong for Hope club began as

a club for students to come in at lunch and

play ping pong, and recently it has changed

to Ping Pong for Hope so it could focus on

helping Friendship Circle students,” club

president junior Teddy Freidman said.

Changing the direction of the club has

made some members excited for the club’s

future and what it has to offer to the com-

munity. The new focus will now help the

People join this club for a variety of dif-

ferent reasons; in this case, Murphy was

looking for something that would help oth-

ers and be fun at the same time. When he

discovered Ping Pong for Hope Club, he

was more than willing to join.

“I joined this club because I love the

sport itself, and I love helping others while

sharing fun and unity through ping pong,”

Murphy said.

Initially, many people didn’t know much

about Ping Pong for Hope other than it in-

volves playing ping pong. For some mem-

bers who joined, ping pong wasn’t their fa-

vorite hobby, but they found a way to enjoy

as well. In addition, the charitable aspect of

it makes membrs feel like they are helping

the community.

“I joined this club because I wanted to

hang out with friends at lunch and be mak-

ing new ones at the same time. This club

had the perfect combination of both,” Me-

drano said.

For most, the evolution of the Ping Pong

Club to Ping Pong for Hope made more

people want to join.

“I think people should join this club be-

cause you can do something good for others

while having a great time,” Greller said.

LIFE La Vista B9

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA CHAMBERS/LA VISTA

MIRA LAING/LA VISTA

La Vista Poll

!e Make-A-Wish club allows students to help people with life-threatening dis-eases live out their last wish. Students will get a chance to help people in need.

Clubs continued: students help the sick and disabled

service group, providing therapeutic opportunities for the disabled.

If yes,

* BASED ON A SURVEY OF 250 COSTA STUDENTS OF ALL GRADES

10%I think they don’t

LIFE

Girls Advancing Leadership in STEM Club attempts to inspire female scientistsAlison Doami brings club to Costa’s campus with the goal of educating females about careers in science and math

STEMMING FROM SOMETHING GREAT: Sophomore Alison Doami (center) has recently brought the Girls Advancing Leadership in STEM Club to Costa. Its mission is to educate female students about the career opportunities in the sci-

Nath educates students one app at a time

November 9, 2012La VistaB10

BY MADDIE NERAD

STAFF WRITER

In a world that is quickly ad-vancing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), a larger workforce is needed. Currently, very few women choose to pursue jobs in STEM. The new Girls Advancing Leadership in STEM Club at Mira Costa is seeking to change that. GALS Club was created this

year by sophomore club president Alison Doami. The goal of this club is to inform high school girls about the various STEM careers available to them and to help them

-ship necessary for success.

of engineering, the ratio of men to women is nine to one,” GALS event coordinator sophomore TJ Ford said. “We feel it is a real

the sciences in hope of them one day pursuing a career in the math

girl considers a job in the scienc-es and feels competent enough to pursue it, we’ve done our job.” Doami started the club because

-ed club she was passionate about at Mira Costa. After joining a couple clubs and not being satis-

“As a freshman, I knew that I wanted to get involved in some-thing that I loved,” Doami said. “I wanted to start my own club that

learning more about the science -

ship positions in them.” According to Doami, the GALS

-sive when it decided to only allow females to join the club. Doami wanted to focus on empower-ing girls and bringing awareness to the fact that women currently make up less than a quarter of the STEM workforce. “When I see college science-

related courses [at Costa], I only

see a few girls among many boys in the class,” Doami said. “I want that number of girls to increase so that women can have a bigger role in our society.” During club meetings, members

facilities. The club also prepares for national high school science competitions, such as the Intel and Siemens competitions, which could grant them scholarships and help fund club activities. “We also hope to host a variety

of women as speakers that would teach about their careers and lives as females in the sciences,” Ford said. “We already have several women engineers and aerospace

scientists that plan on coming and speaking and doing a little ques-tion-and-answer session.” Club members are looking to

participate in a variety of volun-teer opportunities at major sci-ence museums in the area, in-cluding the La Brea Tar Pits, the California Science Center and

GALS Club is also looking to of-fer free science tutoring to inner-city students. “If we’re accepted into the vol-

unteering program at the La Brea Tar Pits, we will actually be able to handle and clean small fos-sils and help curate and organize them, which would be amaz-

Ford said. “At the Science Center and Long Beach Aquarium we would be able to help out children visitors, help guide groups or just help out the concierge.” Doami would like to spread

awareness of the different career opportunities for females in the STEM workforce beyond high school and set up assemblies at Manhattan Beach Middle School and elementary schools in the area. The members hope to dem-

about the possibilities for careers in STEM.

-periments that relate to different science careers, we could show them how fun science is, and they could get an early interest in the

GALS Club meets every Wednesday in room 75 and is sponsored by biology and chemis-try teacher Yoon Hearn. The club welcomes new female members, especially those with an interest in science and math. “As the president of the GALS

Club at Costa, I am responsible for educating and informing our high school girls about the many opportunities in the science and

-ples of female leadership in the Manhattan Beach community,” Doami said.

BY RISHA ROHERA

THEME EDITOR

Many students at Mira Costa download

phones, but senior Abha Nath has gone above using other companies’ apps and has created her own for the Android.

Nath, also president of H2O for Life Club, recently created the free Android app “Aqua Monitor,” which was released in October. Aqua Monitor allows users to monitor their daily shower time and com-pare their water con-sumption habits to other citizens of the country based on their locations, age groups and genders.

“[Users] are [also] able to share their results using social media networks, in-cluding Twitter and Facebook,” Nath said. “The app was created to help peo-ple across the nation reduce their water consumption habits in efforts to become more aware of water conservation.”

Nath’s new “Aqua Monitor” app is a con-tinuation of her passion for water conserva-tion. After traveling to India several years ago and witnessing the poor water quality and lack of conversation efforts, Nath de-cided to establish the H20 For Life Club at Costa. Last year, Nath created an award-winning website (www. angeles.sierraclub.org/water/hsproject.html) that detailed the current water crisis in California.

She created the app using the Massachu-setts Institute of Technology (MIT) App

Inventor, which is a part of the MIT Center for Mobile Learning’s Media Lab. By us-ing a web browser or connected phone, the inventor enables users to create an app for Android.

“The basic functionality of the app turned out to be really easy to use,” Nath said. “I was able to program a majority of the app, but the aesthetic performance wasn’t there. Advanced programmers helped to educate me on how to make the app much more ap-pealing to the eye.”

Nath created “Aqua Monitor” in an ef-fort to raise aware-ness in the national community about the detrimental ef-fects of the shortage of water in Califor-nia. Using the app will give people more information about their water consumption habits.

“We haven’t seen the drastic effects of limitations that could be posed on our state,” Nath said. “This is an important problem that can be

proper steps.”The Los Angeles Chapter of The Sierra

Club, a grass-roots environmental organi-zation, as well as the H2O for Life Organi-zation has endorsed the Aqua Monitor app. Nath had an internship at The Sierra Club the summer before her senior year.

“Apps like this are important to have,” senior Lily Hubbard said. “It is not only helping and promoting a great cause, but it is also helping people learn about ways to conserve water and how to apply what they learned about it in a fun and unique way.”

NICK MATSON/ LA VISTA

ROOTS RUN DEEP: Courtney Bannerman was hired this year to teach algebra CD and geometry. After attending college as a business major, Bannerman realized that teaching was her calling.

BY EMILY LOCKWOOD

LIFE EDITOR

Mira Costa welcomes yet another new teacher to campus this school year. Al-though she is new to the campus, she is not new to the South Bay community.

Courtney Bannerman is the latest addi-tion to the Math Department as a geometry and algebra CD teacher.

While in the process of working toward her masters degree in business at Loyola Marymount University, she realized that teaching was her calling.

Bannerman applied for a position at Hermosa Valley School and was hired as a special education assistant and a substitute teacher for various classes.

“During my time at Hermosa Valley, I realized that I preferred being a teacher rather than pursuing a career in business,” Bannerman said.

Bannerman worked at HVS for four years. She then started to work on her

masters degree in business at Loyola Mar-rymount University.

“I decided to get my credential because I realized it was my passion,” Bannerman said. “It was not too stressful because I was doing what I loved to do.”

Growing up, Bannerman also attended

HVS as a student. According to Banner-man, the math teachers she had at HVS, in-cluding Cindi Avol and Sylvia Gluck, were very inspiring.

“Gluck and Avol were awesome math teachers,” Bannerman said. “I wanted to be that type of teacher for a subject that students tend to struggle with.”

After spending four years at HVS, Ban-nerman applied for a job at Mira Costa. She was interviewed by Principal Dr. Ben Dale and math teacher Jason Robertson.

“I was more nervous for this particular interview [compared to other interviews] because this was a job that I really want-ed,” Bannerman said.

Bannerman has made it a goal to bring her innovative teaching techniques to the classroom. In both her geometry and al-gebra CD classes, Bannerman organized projects that allowed for creativity.

“Ms. Bannerman is a really funny person and teacher,” sophomore Haley Cameron said. “[Her humor] makes the class more enjoyable and fun.”

Bannerman hopes to encourage and in-spire students who do not currently have a passion for math.

“I try to inspire by breaking down the class material into relatable terms,” Ban-nerman said. “I hope to help and inspire kids who struggle with math.”

NICK MATSON/ LA VISTA

THERE’S AN ABHA FOR THAT: Senior Abha Nath designed her own Android application called “Aqua Monitor,” which keeps track of personal water consumption.

GEOFFREY ST. JOHN/ LA VISTA

Bannerman rediscovers her passion

LIFE

Math teacher Linda Gesualdi reaches beyond district spotlightCosta’s 2012 Teacher of the Year went on to be a semi !nalist in the L.A. County competition for Teacher of the Year

GENUINE GESUALDI: After becoming the 2012 MBUSD and Costa Teacher of the Year, Gesualdi became one of 16 -

November 9, 2012 La Vista B11

BY MORGAN THALER

STAFF WRITER

Teaching excellence is mea-sured and recognized every year at Mira Costa, but every now and then, a special teacher receives more appreciation than from just his or her own school.

Over this past summer Linda Gesualdi, Costa’s Advanced Placement calculus AB and pre-calculus teacher, became one of

-les County’s 2012 Teacher of the

overall experience.Some of Gesualdi’s fellow col-

leagues selected her as the dis-trict and Costa Teacher of the Year, but Gesualdi did not stop there. An MBUSD committee of administrators then interviewed and observed Gesualdi in order to be eligible for L.A. County Teacher of the Year.

Costa English teacher Shan-non Vaughan, history teacher Bill

teacher Linda Okumura have all been awarded MBUSD Teacher of the Year and entered the L.A. County competition.

“Ms. Gesualdi is an incredible teacher,” senior Jaclyn Henn said. “She is truly dedicated to her stu-dents and really deserved to be honored with this award.”

Gesualdi was one of 25 teach-

Education selected as a possible Teacher of the Year. She then went through a second application pro-cess that required another inter-view and three more essays about her experiences as a teacher. After review by a special committee in Sacramento, Gesualdi was select-ed as an L.A. County Teacher of

“I feel like I make a difference for the better,” Gesualdi said. “I like that I get to essentially work with the future of America. Plus, it’s really fun. If I’m having a bad

day, I can always count on a stu-dent cracking a joke that cheers me up.”

While going through the L.A. County Teacher of the Year appli-cation and process, Gesualdi had

of teaching at Costa and why

place. In one of her L.A. County Teacher of the Year essays, Gesu-

-ities of teaching that drew her to the profession.

“I love the interaction with the students because they never cease to amaze me,” Gesualdi said.

“Every student is different and has their own talents that I get to learn about throughout the year.”

Nearly two weeks ago, Gesu-aldi found out that she is out of contention for becoming L.A. County’s Teacher of the Year. De-spite no longer being in competi-tion for the award, Gesualdi has

Education in May where she will share and discuss her experiences

In July, Gesualdi will read next year’s applications, a formality for all L.A. County Teacher of the

she did not have the chance to become the L.A. County Teacher of the Year, Gesualdi maintains a positive outlook on the experi-ence in addition to appreciating the honor.

“The process was really time intensive,” Gesauldi said. “There were moments when I thought about what it means to be a teach-er. In retrospect, after the process was over, it makes you think about your career and how you’ve decided to spend your life. I love that I am able to impact the future of America”

Gesualdi has taught math class-es at Costa for 27 years. Accord-ing to students, Gesualdi fosters a positive attitude as well as a posi-tive learning environment.

“Ms. G is a really enjoyable teacher that knows how to keep the class interesting but also teaches us about morals and in-tegrity,” junior Kirk La said.

Though the actual teaching of calculus is a major part of her job, Gesualdi knows that there is a lot more to learning than simply working with different numbers and formulas.

“Ms. G works really hard and makes sure that every student is given quality time,” senior Abha Nath said. “She really deserved the award, and anyone who will have her in future years will be really fortunate.”

NICOLE FISCHER/ LA VISTA

LIFE

Hadley, Humphrey shine in the spotlight after Homecoming coronation

Zeoli, Osterhout turn the page of creativity

November 9, 2012La VistaA12

“I had a genuinely great time during the week when we did the activities during lunch,” Homecoming Court princess Meghan Burns said. “I was able to build really close relationships with the all of the other Court

members, especially with my partner Adam Gerard.”

Humphrey’s involvement in both the Costa girls basketball team and Associated Student Body have helped to shape her positive outlook on Costa. Humphrey is currently the vice president of ASB and a member of the Varsity basketball team.

“ASB has had the biggest impact on me throughout high school,” Humphrey said. “Learning to lead and be part of a group that puts on countless events for a large school has helped me in numerous ways and

has led me to meet great people. Playing basketball for Costa has also shaped me to push myself and be efficient, both on and off the court.”

Along with her dedication to ASB and the basketball team, Humphrey is also passionate about several on-campus clubs. According to Humprey, her

BY IAN RAPPAPORT

STAFF WRITER

Art has the power to inspire imagination and creativity. Two young Mira Costa students have embraced this philosophy with pen and paper.

Sophomores Bram Osterhout and Derek Zeoli recently completed their first novel, “Mason Pierce.” Centered around the James Bond-esque Mason Pierce, a spy with an adventurous nature and suave demeanor, the novel has been previewed over Facebook throughout the last year.

“We are not in it for fame and fortune,” Zeoli said. “Realistically, we just want the story to be published. Being able to say ‘I wrote a published novel’ would be an incredible accomplishment.”

In the novel, the Central Intelligence Agency covert operative Pierce travels extensively. Part of the story plot occurs in Venice, Italy, which required the authors to thoroughly research this location.

“Venice serves as a good setting due to its old buildings and low security,” Osterhout said. “His first attempt goes wrong, and the story takes off from there.”

The authors have looked to movies and other spy novels for influence. Works like the “James Bond” movies and the “Bourne” film series have served as models for “Mason Pierce.”

“I was mainly impressed with Bourne’s combat skills, which I had not seen too

frequently in a movie,” Zeoli said. “Bond was really slick and classy and had a variety of awesome gadgets.”

One of the major emphases of the novel is to maintain a strong sense of realism throughout. This has led the authors to conduct extensive research into all the factors involved in their story.

“Every building Pierce walks into, I research everything about it,” Osterhout said. “I try to get interior pictures to make it just as realistic as possible.”

The novel is not the first writing venture Zeoli and Osterhout have undertaken. They have both started projects in the past, but

none were to their liking. It was not until creating a partnership that their goals to become writers really gained momentum.

“We had been writing stories, and one day we just thought ‘lets collaborate on something,’” Osterhout said.

The journey has not been

without hardships. The process of writing a novel has been time-consuming and challenging for both Osterhout and Zeoli.

“A year ago we sent it into editors, got it rejected, but started another round of edits,” Osterhout said.

The first novel is 40 chapters and ranges between 200 and 250 pages in its current state. They plan to eventually make “Mason Pierce” a series.

“We have mapped out five books,” Zeoli said. “Our overall goal is to make as many stories as we can.”

involvement in Costa clubs is another way that Humphrey feels connected to the Costa community.

“Participating in clubs and service projects like the ‘Ronald McDonald House’ and ‘Richstone’

SERVING UP GOOD VIBES: The Manhattan Beach Police Department hosted the Tip-a-Cop fundraiser for the Special Olympics at the Tin Roof Bistro. The MBPD raised $29,300 for the Special Olympics, which will fund the purchase of new uniforms and equipment for the athletes.

BY COURTNEY HUGHEY

STAFF WRITER

Instead of patrolling the streets of Manhattan Beach, many police officers were at the Tin Roof Bistro serving their community in a different way on Oct. 19.

The Manhattan Beach Police Department hosted the Tip-a-Cop Fundraiser at Tin Roof Bistro, which raised money for the Special Olympics organization. The Special Olympics provides an opportunity for mentally and physically disabled athletes to participate in sport events.

“The Tin Roof Bistro always loves to get involved in the community,” Tin Roof Bistro General Manager Julian King said. “Getting to meet some athletes was amazing. We can’t wait to do it next year.”

At the fundraiser, police officers were partnered with several Tin Roof Bistro hosts and hostesses who taught them how to perform the jobs of a typical waiter, like bussing tables, serving food and drinks and seating customers.

“At first we were all a bit nervous about serving, but we soon blended right in and had a blast,” Manhattan Beach Police

MIRA LAING/ LA VISTA

are really inspiring and meaningful to me,” Humphrey said.

Similarly to Humphrey, Hadley also channels his passions into his extracurricular activities. He is on the Costa football team and is the president of New Life Christian Club. According to Hadley, religion has played an extremely important role in his life.

“Without a doubt, the thing that has shaped my life the most has been my Christian faith and my involvement in my church,” Hadley said. “I have also been strongly impacted by playing both football and baseball, which have both helped me stretch my mental and physical limits.”

According to Hadley, several teachers at Costa have deeply inspired him. Some of Hadley’s most influential teachers that he has had thus far include history teacher Bill Fauver, English teacher Deborah Hofreiter and chemistry teacher Charlotte Shales-Clark.

“Mr. Fauver taught me the material effectively and strengthened my political beliefs and activism,” Hadley said. “At the same time, my chemistry classes showed me that I could have a future in the sciences as well as the social sciences.”

According to Hadley, the process of becoming Homecoming King was life-changing and cathartic. Hadley discovered that he is more extroverted than he originally thought he was.

“As soon as I found out that I won Homecoming, I was super excited that my classmates think so highly of me,” Hadley said. “It was great that Rachel and I won together since we were partners all week long, which only made it more fun.”

Police give back to a special cause

MIRA LAING/ LA VISTA

COURTED AND CROWNED: Costa seniors (left) Rachel Humphrey and Jack Hadley were crowned Homecoming King and Queen during the Oct. 19 football game. Both Humphrey and Hadley are active members of the Costa community. Humphrey is involved in ASB and the basketball team, while Hadley is on the football team.

EMMA SALZMAN/ LA VISTA

MASTERPIERCE: Sophomores (left) Bram Osterhout and Derek Zeoli co-authored “Mason Pierce.”

BY AVA KLEIN

EXECUTIVE LIFE EDITOR

As the Homecoming Court rounded the corner of the Mira Costa track in vintage Ford Mustangs on Oct. 19, the night was bound to be unforgettable.

The energy and emotion in the football stands was palpable as students, parents and faculty held their breath in anticipation of the revealing of the 2012 Homecoming King and Queen.

Seniors Jack Hadley and Rachel Humphrey were crowned King and Queen during halftime of the Homecoming football game on Oct. 19. Although it may appear as a cliche and cheesy tradition, Homecoming can be influential to those who win.

“My heart started pounding extremely fast [after hearing the announcement],” Humphrey said. “It was one of the best moments of high school. Both of my older sisters actually won queen [when they were at Costa], and it was so surreal being in the same exact place they were seven and nine years ago.”

Throughout the week before Homecoming King and Queen were announced,the Homecoming court, which consisted of six boys and six girls, participated in various activities during lunch. Activities included a balloon toss competition and racing to lick peanut butter off plexiglass.

Officer of Public Information Stephanie Martin said.

After choosing the location site, the police department distributed flyers at local schools.

“We wanted as many people to know about the event as possible,” Martin said. “We had a really great turnout, and we had an opportunity to meet and get to know a lot of people who live in our local Manhattan Beach community.”

Each customer had the option to give a donation in the form of a tip to the Special Olympics at the end of his or her meal. The Police Department raised nearly $29,300 by the end of the night.

“The community had a unique opportunity to meet their Police Department,” Martin said.

The funds that were raised at the event will help provide uniforms and equipment, as well as various necessities for the participating athletes competing in the Special Olympics.

“The Tip-a-Cop fundraiser was more than successful; we raised the bar this year,” Martin said. “We always love supporting the Special Olympics cause.”