www.themvhstalon.com Please recycle. email: kwinn@murrieta.k12.ca.us

Murrieta Valley High School’s

talonWed. May 6, 2009 Volume 18, Issue 5

“The weak can never

forgive. Forgiveness is the

attribute of the strong.”

--Mahatma Gandhi

opinions

Our thoughts and some

of yours about life

--pgs 2 - 4

nest

What’s going on in the

community and school

itself--pgs 5 - 9

a&e

A&E is the name and

entertainment is the

game--pgs 12 - 14

sports

See how the Nighthawks

have performed on and

off the field--pgs 17 - 20

Everything cell phones Students give accounts of texting, going over minutes and phone personalizations. -- Page 10-11

Not everyone at Murrieta Valley High School has the drive or motivation to do all the things senior Cara O’Connor manages to fit into her busy life. President of Invisible Children and a member of the girls’ varsity swim team, O’ Connor has one of the most impressive human activism oriented extracurricular activity schedules the school has ever seen. But the truly inspiring fact about her is not how much she does… but why she does it. O’ Connor is best known on campus as being a human activist. Her good friend, senior Lauren Schmidt put it best when she said, “She always puts others first. My high school years would not have been the same without her.” During her sophomore year at MVHS, O’Connor saw the Invisible Children DVD, a film about the civil war that has taken place in northern Uganda since 1987 that has caused children to be abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (a violent militant group) and forced to fight. It changed her life. “I don’t know why, but the video inspired me to call the organization and to educate myself about the situation in Uganda. It struck me that I had to do

something. I’ve never been so sure about something in my life,” O’Connor stated. She set up the first screening of the movie on campus (as well as subsequent assemblies), and from that night, the MVHS chapter of Invisible Children was born.

Under her leadership, the club raised $12,000 for the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Uganda for the Invisible Children fundraiser “Schools for Schools.” This money was used to build a school in which students could feel safe and happy. She attended the Invisible Children

Viewers of athletics often tend to get caught up in the thrill of watching the player with all the talent in the world. We tend to forget the players who work all year long, putting in hours of hard work and effort in the gym in hopes of cracking a spot in the lineup. Senior varsity third baseman Ricardo Moreno doesn’t garner the attention of a star. However, after years of dedication and perseverance, Moreno gets the best out of his abilities and has come a long way to become one of Murrieta Valley High School’s varsity baseball team’s captains.Moreno’s rise to the prestigious position on the baseball team did not come easy. As a freshman, he moved to Murrieta from Pomona nearly a month into the school year and had to quickly adjust to a brand new city. “I came in a little skeptical, because nobody knew me and I knew I had to do something the impress the coaches.” Without knowing a soul in the Murrieta baseball community, Moreno took the field in October of 2005 for Murrieta

Valley High School tryouts. As one of approximately 100 student athletes vying for nearly one-fifth of the number of spots on the baseball team, Moreno knew that he

A Quiet Rise to the TopOnce the new kid, senior Ricardo Moreno has overcome

obstacles to reserve his spot on the varsity baseball team

By Ian Masseyeditor-in-chief

By Emily Raesestaff writer

Shedding Light on the Invisible

Senior Cara O’Connor was recently accepted to Notre Dame University after devoting herself to a plethora of extracurricular activities in high school.

Photo by GINA SCHWARTZ

See O’CONNOR Page 9

See MORENO Page 19

The Nighthawks Robotics club’s season has ended with their best results ever. Their last qualifying competition took place on March 21-22 and all of the teams reached the playoff rounds, but Team 569 B was eliminated in the quarterfinals. 569 A and 569 C met each other in the final round. 569 C won the entire tournament, and 569 A placed second. Along with their excellent standings in the competition, each team won separate awards. 569 A won the Judges Award and Design Award, while 569 B won the Self Actualization Award; 569 C, the winning team, received the Innovate Award. After the final tournament in California, teams 569 A and 569 C flew to Omaha, Nebraska to compete in the Championship of the Americas. After the first eight qualifying matches, the two teams were placed at fourth and fifth out of 54 overall teams.

Both teams advanced to the semifinals, but lost to the number one team in California. Though they did not win, adviser Kevin Bradley is extremely proud of all his team members’ accomplishments. “It was a great trip,” Bradley raved. “We went to more tournaments than ever and had a great group of students. Next year, it will be a totally new game.” “Nebraska was a lot different than anything we had ever done before. The

competition was the same though. We compe ted against a lot of the same teams,” said junior Chris C l a r k . W h i l e in Omaha, the members of the Robotics team surprised Bradley by nominating him for Teacher of the Year. He was actually chosen as the winner. “I

was shocked and honored when I received the reward. It meant a lot,” Bradley commented. “They are a great group of kids,” Bradley said of his team.

By Felisha Milesphoto editor

Robotics Team Triumphantly Returns Home

After Season Ends in Cornhusker State

sponsored “Displace Me” on April 28, 2007. The event was meant to model the night commute that takes place every evening as children leave their homes and sleep in secure places in large groups, hiding from the Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda.The event was attended by 70,000 other people across the country who went to locations in major cities to spend the night on cardboard and sleeping bags and who were all restricted from eating anything other than saltines and water. “ By 8 PM I was dying. It was so hard to last an entire day without real food. It was such a learning experience and truly inspired me to do more,” O’Connor stated emphatically. After that night, O’Connor focused on lobbying the government to better the lives of Ugandan children. She sat down in a conference, accompanied by seniors Britney Luebeck, Natalie Weinstein, and Jay Levy, at the Murrieta Public Library with Dianne Feinstein’s representative, Chris Curillo, to discuss

the war in Uganda. The group, organized by O’Connor, informed Curillo of the dangers and death in Uganda, and the need for action.

Senior Cara O’Connor’s selfless motivation has led her to change lives and has resulted in her acceptance to a prestigious university

THE

Mr.

Nig

hth

awk

Senior Matthew Cullen shows off during the swimsuit competition. -- Page 16

The MVHS Robotics team celebrates after successfully participating in a competition in Omaha, Nebraska.

Senior third baseman Ricardo Moreno has displayed his exemplary work ethic both in the classroom and on the baseball field throughout high school.

Photo by IAN MASSEY

opinionsStaff Editorial

May 6, 2009 The Talon2Poor Economy = More College Stress

Ahh…May is upon us. For any normal student, this signifi es the passing of spring break, the dawn of AP tests, or perfect beach weather. However, this year, May 1 was a day that touched an extra special place in the hearts of thousands of high school seniors, with their letters of intent fi nally secure in the colleges of their choice. And yes, we do mean this year, because let’s face it: it’s been one heck of a train ride as far as college acceptances are considered. First of all, this year has been a competitive year all on its own. The senior class has a lot of personalities. From the very beginning, it was apparent that this class was very competitive with each other as far as grades were concerned, and the top members of the class never seemed to stop keeping an eye on their rankings. This became even more apparent senior year as these students began to fi nd their unique niches, and even more when these students received their college acceptances. From Stanford to UCLA to SDSU, the vast array of colleges that our students have been admitted to is undoubtedly impressive. And the reason is simple: these students truly worked for what they wanted, and it paid off. For others in California, this was not as lucky of a year. Not everyone can deal with the competition and get full rides to Berkeley. And it is in this area that seniors have reached a troubled time. Over 55,000 students applied to UCLA, and only 4,700 were accepted. Numbers at other colleges were just as horrifying. According to the New York Times, with record admission applications, admission rates were at an all time low. At CSU’s and UC’s, this problem was made even worse with the sharp decrease in the number of spots open due to budget cuts. Seniors were basically stuck in a limbo, where certain schools weren’t accepting them due to budget cuts, and too many people were applying to private schools. On top of all this, some seniors were faced with their families losing their houses, and trying to put food on the table. It was no easy feat for any high school student this year to fi nd his or her way to college while dealing with these immense troubles at home. Still, the biggest slap in the face came when UCSD surprised all its denied students with its own rendition of “April Fools,” and it was for these teens that the months seemed the hardest. On March 30, UCSD accidentally sent out emails to 22,000 denied students, claiming that they were accepted to UCSD. This crushed the souls of many people whose fi rst choice was UCSD, and effectively made the college process even harder, as if it wasn’t already hard enough. And boy were the acceptances strange this year. Many of the CSUs have become almost entirely too hard to get into. Long Beach is a prime example, which seems to almost be pickier than UCs now. There were many people who were even denied by some CSUs and accepted by UC schools. Clearly, the economy has brought us to a backwards place in our sphere of education. But hopefully things will look up, and with the economy getting in shape, our educational system may be re-evaluated to increase affordability and effi ciency. The Talon congratulates all our seniors on a job well done with their college acceptances! With such a diffi cult era in our history, and such a competitive year, there is no doubt that this is more than ever deserved. Times haven’t been easy, but colleges can only get easier to get into from here... we hope.

Before I leave for school in the morning, I like to sit down, drink my coffee, and catch the morning news. It’s an exercise in habit, to sink onto the couch and fl ip to Channel 4 to grab whatever is on before the rush of the school day begins. As time has progressed, though, this ritual has become sullied. Now, when I sit down, I’m prepared to fl ip to 2, 4, 7, 11, or cable news, like CNN, to avoid a rapidly growing menace. Don’t get me wrong, this problem has been around as long as television has. To be frank, it is the basic reason that television is around. Obsession. Not obsession with global, or even local news, and not obsession with the news at all. No, when you watch the morning news now, you don’t get to hear about the humanitarian crisis going on in Gaza, or negotiations at the London G-20 summit. No, instead, you’re bombarded with information on Nadya Suleman, the so-called “octomom,” who is rumored to have received $1 million from NBC for extended coverage of her and her octuplets. Now, complaints against the news media in the United States aren’t uncommon. We quibble about lack of facts, opinionated writers, and immaterial stories. But, deep down, we want to know why David Hasselhoff was taped while he ate a burger drunkenly on the bathroom fl oor. We want the inside scoop on Brit’s crazy post-rehab haircut, and what Mel Gibson actually said to

that Jewish police offi cer when arrested for his DUI (I’ll always remember you as Braveheart, Mel). Regardless of what we may say, and how disgusted we may act, it’s obvious: America is obsessed with her celebrities. Th i s i s no normal obsession. When I asked a

classmate of mine to name the past ten United States presidents, she fi nished with “the fi rst Bush.” But, when I asked her if she could remember the past ten movies that won an Oscar, she replied “absolutely” without hesitation. Now, perhaps this isn’t the best representation of our culture’s infatuation with movie stars, heiresses, and the generally rich and famous. I don’t know many normal students (barring those who took AP US History) who could name the presidents backward past Bush the fi rst, but my point holds fi rm. Adults are just as drawn in by this media culture, and perhaps more so. I can attest to the fact that my mom and aunts spend more time

checking “TMZ” and “People.com” than “CNN” or “MSNBC.com.” For that matter, if I were to quiz them, they would probably score better on “Name That 80s Tune” than “Name That World Leader.” But, a lack of interest and

knowledge of history and current events is just the tip of the iceberg. If you dig deeper, you fi nd that this celebrity obsession is fi lling our nations’ youth with fantasies of easy money and a lifestyle of indulgence and frivolity. There is little we can do to change the damage that has already been done to the people of today. Our thoughts are so heavily influenced by what we see and hear, especially at early ages, that they’re “lost.” But, we can save the incoming generation.We need to dis tance ourselves from the empty

promises of the “celebrity lifestyle,” and move back. Back to educating our kids ourselves, turning off the TV, and explaining tha t wha t they see those “glamorous” people doing isn’t so glamorous after all. I’m not naive. I know that my complaint falls upon a sea of deaf, apathetic ears, all turned toward the media for their entertainment and education, however empty, forever more. But, it’s the little things that count, like changing the station from “octomom” coverage to the Discovery channel. I’d rather hear about the feeding habits of a deep-sea octopus than listen to one more sordid story about which baby has come home to the frenzy of paparazzi swarming the SUV in which they ride.

By David Leonardgraphics editor

You walk into your CP Biology class and discover that today’s lecture will be about evolution. While accepted by scientists around the world as fact, the lesson is undoubtedly controversial. However, you never expected that a classmate could turn to you in cold scorn and bluntly tell you that your soul is destined to burn in fi ery brimstone simply because you admitted that not only DO you believe in the “theory” of evolution, but that you DON’T believe in creationism. In short, you’re an atheist. It may surprise you to think that there are actually people out there who don’t believe in a monotheistic God. Katherine T. Phan of The Christian Post stated on March 9 that 15 percent of the American population is comprised

of atheists. That’s roughly 1.6 million people. And these are just guesstimations. Many people are too scared to come out of the proverbial religious closet due to societal pressures and familial disapproval. Though 1.6 million may seem like a trivial amount, in a population of billions, you have to admit… that ’s s t i l l a good number of people. Y o u m a y ask, “How does one become an atheist?” T h e t r u t h i s , t h e experience is different for everyone… it’s not simply a decision. It’s more like a personal awakening, comparable to a spiritual awakening. There are two pathways to atheistic revelation, and between us, we have experienced both. T h e f i r s t k i n d o f experience is more of a struggle. You may feel lost when doubts

begin to infi ltrate your thoughts, no matter how hard you try to push them into the back of your mind. You see this religious community in front of you, envying the sense of community and happiness that they seem to have. It’s a terrifying situation, and you are forced to

confront these doubts that have been haunting you. And after a while, your own personal logic prevails, and there is no turning back. No matter what anyone says to try and “save” you, it’s impossible to convince yourself that faith above all things logical will prevail. The second situation

is more like an epiphany... a thunderbolt. You may have gone to church without really knowing why. But one day, in the midst of your obligatory prayers, you realize with sudden fervor… that there’s no one listening. There’s no benevolent bearded

man lounging about amongst clouds and angels, leisurely fixing your l ife upon hearing your prayers. You can’t fi nd logic in a story about a man who can walk on water

and turn water into wine. And despite religious people telling you it’s about faith… and no matter what anyone says to try to “save” you, it’s impossible to convince yourself that faith above all things logical will prevail. In a way, atheists are kind of like a secret society that

keeps to themselves… for the most part… choosing not to reveal their true convictions out of fear of persecution. We ourselves struggled with the very idea of actually “outing” ourselves to our peers at Murrieta Valley High School. In fact, we have both experienced moments of extreme anxiety when telling our own friends what we strongly believe. If disclosing the truth to people we trust and care about is difficult, you can imagine what writing this to the students of MVHS feels like. Our peers may not be as kind or accepting simply because we live in a very conservative area, where people are almost expected to believe in God, and many homes revolve around church-life. Many would disagree with us because they’re a part of the religious community. Few have really experienced the tension and

By Laura Vogel and Emily Raese

nest editor and staff writer

Celebrities: America’s Obsession

When it comes to spirituality, we just can’t convince ourselves

See CONVINCE Page 4

“You may ask, ‘How does one

become an atheist?’ The truth is,

the experience is different for

everyone...”

Art by DANIEL BALOGH

opinionsThe Talon May 6, 2009 3

The Talon

Murrieta Valley High School24105 Washington Ave.

Murrieta, CA 92562(951)698-1408 ext. 5627

The Talon opinion pages are an open forum for the exchange of comment and criticism, and is open to everyone. The Talon reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and factual accuracy, but will not attempt to alter meaning or intent. Letters to the editor should

be e-mailed to Mrs. Karen Winn at kwinn@mvusd.org or delivered to Rm. 627, and will be published at the discretion of the staff. They must include the writer’s name and grade. The Talon editorial represents the opinion of our staff, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the MVHS administration, its staff or the MVUSD administration and the school board. All other opinion pieces represent the views of the writer. Advertisements for products and services

which appear do not imply endorsement by either The Talon or the MVUSD.

The Talon is produced by:Adviser:Karen Winn

Editor-in-Chief:Ian Massey

Assistant Editor:Jay Levy

Nest Editors:Colleen Klinefelter

Laura Vogel

Opinions Editor:Daniel Balogh

A&E Editor:Heather White

Sports Editor:Justice Flores

Graphic Design Editor:David Leonard

Creative Corner Editors:Ian Goodale

Jai Levin

Photo Editor:Felisha Miles

Lead Photographer:Chantale Stamp

Circulation Manager:Jake Steele

Staff Writers:Barrett Adams

Aaron Levin

Niall McCarthy

Ricardo Moreno

Emily Raese

Jillian Ray

Bryan Thomas

Aaron Weiner

Less Raving, More Ranting

By Jay Levyassistant editor

America continues to preach without practice

Our nation suffers from what I like to call contradictory ignorance. Let’s take our school as an example. We urge students to do things the RITE way, with respect, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. We also urge students to be true to themselves. Then , c i t i zens o f our state vote for a bill that deliberately strips minorities of their human rights and their right to the pursuit of happiness (in the form of Proposition 8.) How can we expect students to heed our calls for respect and equality if our nation doesn’t demonstrate that in policy? How about another example, hmm? America is at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are fighting “terror,” whatever that means. I don’t agree with the war we are fighting, but regardless, it is happening, so let’s look at what we can do to make sure we “win.” One issue in this war is the language barrier; not every soldier speaks Arabic and/or Farsi. According to GoArmy.com, the Army is offering bonuses up to $15,000 to Arabic speaking soldiers. This seems like a lot of money to give someone. We must be in dire need of translators. Here’s the punch-line: The Government Accountability Office report stated that at least 60 linguists, who specialized in

Arabic and Farsi, were expelled from the military for violating the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy between 1998 and 2003. The Associated Press explains: “The policy bans military recruiters or authorities from asking someone about his or her sexual preference, but also prohibits a service member from revealing if he or she is gay.” This policy is a violation of rights and it seems completely counterintuitive to the ultimate goal of the military. As of now, the military is having issues finding Arabic speaking soldiers, as well as soldiers in general. In reference to the DADT policy, Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently spoke for himself and President Barack Obama saying they “have a lot on [their] plates right now.” When asked if the DADT policy will be changed or taken out, he replied, “You don’t hear politicians give a one-word answer much. But it’s ‘Yes.’ So not everything will get done in the beginning but he’s committed to following through” (CNN). In the words of columnist Dan Savage, “Yeah, what’s the rush? It’s not like there’s a war on or anything.” I stand behind Savage on this issue. It is completely ridiculous for a nation, as supposedly “advanced” as ours to continue to silence such a large group of people and keep them from being true to themselves as they serve our country in a time of

need. It will be changed soon, but look at how long it has lasted. The Army completely contradicts itself. Take its motto: “Be All That You Can Be.” Honestly, it seems that it should be “Army: Be All That You Can Be (except gay).” Take a walk down memory lane. Remember the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? None of the reindeer wanted to play with him because he was different, with his red nose. Then, it turns out that Rudolph saved the day and the others realized that they shouldn’t have treated him badly because he was different. We need to pay more attention to the Rudolphs of modern America: gays, immigrants, muslims, women, and all minorities! Our nation needs to take a step back and realize that actions speak louder than words. We have to make a choice. Should we be a good example for the youth of our nation by respecting all people and treating everyone equally? Or should we continue to contradict the phrase that’s been around since our nation was founded: “with liberty and justice for all?” You Decide.

Many people believe that technology will and always has grown to make human life easier and better. But unfortunately, these people are wrong. A brief history of the technology of communication easily shows this. Millions of years

ago humans developed the ability to understand each other via speech undeniably, the most important milestone in our communication history. Fast forward to the future, and man created writing. Now, face to face communication was made unnecessary, and notes could be left for others. Moving more into the future, I’m sure that all of the readers will remember the invention of the telegraph and how it made message transmission much more rapid than any postal system available. Then came the house phone, the car phone, the cell phone, and the Internet. It seems that technology has been improving for our benefit. But take a closer look. I’ll admit that the jump from telegraph to phone was pretty impressive: now people could just naturally talk instead of learning a complex new language. But now we have text messaging. Instead of quickly talking back and forth, people choose to type out their message in a language only vaguely similar to English and then wait for a reply. This process is slower and much less inefficient. Yet we still text. Cameras have also seen this progression-regression pattern. Digital cameras can provide fifteen megapixels for $3000, but a film camera can provide one gigapixel (1000

megapixels) for five bucks. We pay more for less quality because the digital cameras are newer and slimmer. But they are definitely not better. Laptop computers have been made better, faster, and more efficient. But because so much effort has been put into them and they work at such a high performance, they require a metric

grip of energy. The batteries installed into these laptops are not capable of providing this amount of energy for more than a half an hour at a time. This defeats the original purpose of a laptop: to have a computer anywhere. What use is a computer if it is dead? A n d t e c h n o l o g y sometimes has effects that are the opposite of what was intended. The Internet is a prime example of this. With the Internet, people thought that the world would get smaller. You can talk to people around the world at an instant speed, sharing thoughts, pictures, and ideas. But now, some people, including a few students here on campus, spend their entire day on the Internet talking to people down the street from them. The Internet did not just make the world smaller, but also put everybody at arms length away from each other. A s y o u c a n s e e , technology has moved forward, but has also taken steps back. Our conversations are slower, our laptops dead, our cameras more expensive—and we allow this to happen with our consent. We need to look for what makes life easier and avoid what may be simply masquerading as progress. We must be smarter consumers and only buy and use what is better—not what is worse.

By Jake Steelecirculation manager

Often times during school, I find myself stuck in conversat ion, feel ing awkwardness creeping in. Nearly all of the conversations I have, that aren’t with a good friend, are some of the hardest experiences to deal with. Why is it so hard to talk to people? Conversing with strangers is especially hard, but even talking with acquaintances can also be difficult. Maybe it’s just me, but the pressure to be interesting or witty just leaves me—and others I’m sure—feeling bland

and boring. I know that I’m not completely uninteresting, but I find myself, and others, using the classic conversation filler “So… how are you?” more than once during some conversations. I’m good. I was good two minutes ago, and unless this conversation gets any more awkward, I’ll be good five minutes from now too. That’s the problem with small talk. It’s small. There’s no depth in small talk and there is so little to talk about. “How is what’s his face?” “What have you been up to?” Nod and smile. How much do you really care?

By Jillian Raystaff writer

Courtesy of INTERNET

Art by DANIEL BALOGH

Have something that you want me to give my opinion on? Bring your ideas to the Talon newsroom, 627 by May 20 and I will pick some to write about for the June issue.

When it comes to spirituality, we just can’t convince ourselves

The Pressures of Conversation

Technology Gone Wrong

See PRESSURE Page 4

opinionsMay 6, 2009 The Talon4

Guidance is an integral aspect of life. A parent’s love can protect children from harm, prepare them for a successful future, help them make friends and shape their morals. But how much guidance is too much? Should parents force their children to play baseball just because daddy played minor league baseball? Should a father keep his daughter from receiving her driver’s license until she is on her own, so he can control where she goes and who she sees? Should a mother refuse to let her teen daughter fall in love, because she herself was impregnated at an early age? It seems like a universal rule that our parents are always right. But, some students believe quite the contrary. Parents can tend to favor certain siblings, force children to do an activity because it’s what they want for them, and can at times treat their kids unfairly. Now, this is not a rant written by a disgruntled teen, but merely some advice. Whether you have a struggling relationship with your parents or not, here are some tips to ensure that you don’t make the same mistakes that your parents made when you yourself become a parent someday. A great majority of the students on this campus will someday have a child. Some of us will have one, some will have ten. To you, I say good luck, but that is an entirely separate story. At one time or another we all have completely disagreed with a decision that our parents have enacted. Maybe it was being forced to take piano lessons, or you weren’t allowed to go to Disneyland with friends, or you can’t ride with that kid who has the Corvette because he drives way too fast. Whatever the situation is, it doesn’t seem fair at times. Many of the upper-classmen on

this campus are adults, and it can be a drag to be told that you are unable to do something because your parents are trying to protect you from harm. I n a h i g h s c h o o l student’s life, parents should be there to guide their children and point them in the right direction. However, completely controlling

a teenager’s life is unhealthy. As teens, we need to make our own decisions. Many of us are about to embark on new adventures which include college, careers and military service. Micromanaging a teen’s life does not ensure their success. It cripples them. There are, however, certain circumstances that require constant parental intervention. It is understandable for parents to watch their teens like hawks when their adolescents have shown a tendency to throw massive parties when they leave town. A parent should protect their kids from drugs and alcohol

and these types of situations demand a need for supervision. A parent should be there to project their viewpoint that drugs and alcohol can lead a teen down the wrong path. That Christianity, Catholicism or the Mormon faith is the answer to salvation. That staying active and playing baseball can lead to social skills as well as a healthy lifestyle. That teen pregnancy can completely alter a child’s life

goals. But, at the end of the day parents need to let go and trust that their high school teen will make the right decision. I can’t emphasize how much it frustrates me to see exceptional kids who are straight-edge being completely controlled by their parents. I understand that there

a re many dangerous activities that some high school students take part in, but parents need to realize that not all kids are “bad kids” and it comes to a point when some parents should give themselves more credit for the job they have done in raising their children.

Not allowing a child to go out and make choices on their own in high school will eventually catch up with them, they will more than likely “go wild” in college, and it can lead them to completely rebel. Someday you could be a parent. At this point, it’s probably too late to try to convince your parents that they shouldn’t be completely controlling your life. But what you can change is the way you will treat your possible future children. One day you could have a teen daughter who is in love, a child who resents football, because he doesn’t like

getting hit, or a son who is unsure of his faith. Will you force her to break up with him? Will you say, “son, get your butt back in the game and stop complaining?” Will you tell him that “our faith is the only faith you will believe?” Or will you let your children make their own decisions, with gentle guidance from you, even if you don’t completely agree with the path they’ve chosen?

By Ian Masseyeditor-in-chief

Advice for future parentsDear Editor: In your article, “Sports: How do you know if you are playing one?,” I felt as if I finally found someone that agrees with me. People that have the disgusting habit of smoking truly have the ability to play a competitive sport. You point about table tennis (or ping-pong), and bowling, golfing, etc. are sports that don’t lose your breath. These are just activities that allow accuracy and fundamentals. Which require much thought. This article showed me that someone understands the definition of playing a true sport, and how you can tell if someone is dedicated to a real, competitive sport. People that are interested in smoking or that do smoke aren’t capable of playing sports. My point is, I completely agree with you!

Regards, Sarah Moody

Dear Editor: I am writing to you because my teacher told me so. But I like what all you guys do for The Talon. I think what you guys do is amazing and I enjoy reading your articles. I love reading the Critic’s Corner because I love movies. I liked reading about

Watchmen because people have been saying it’s “freakin’ amazing awesome” and “its just okay.” I probably won’t see the movie, it’s good that I got to read about it. But I do have to point out in earlier Talon issues, there was more than one opinion and in this one there is just one. But due to the bad economy I really can’t ask you guys to see more movies, that would be rude of me. Anyway, you guys are awesome and keep up the very good work.

Regards, Nia N.

Dear Editor: I am a sophmore at MVHS and I have been cooking since I was in 6th grade, along with my sister. My sister makes the best banana pancakes in the Milky Way. Plus I just think that non-dairy pancakes is just kind of dumb. I guess the main thing I am trying to say is that if you are a vegetarian then you should learn not to be one and to be a regular human. If you don’t eat meat then you are just unhealthy and it is not right. It’s just a cow, they are everywhere, deal with it.

Regards,Kent Kiel

Letters to the Editor

anger that is targeted at those of different viewpoints, nor do they feel the omnipresence of religion in school like we do, simply because it’s a prominent part of their daily lives at home (“One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”). They belong to the majority. This inner turmoil in discussing our beliefs in public actually fueled our ambition. We feel it is a tragic injustice that in this day and time, in this sophisticated, modern, democratic nation, we actually feel fear in expressing our lack of religious belief. It makes us angry that we don’t have the same right to express ourselves in public as religious organizations do. Actually, society sees fit to hush us up like we’re some kind of taboo. It’s as if people have slapped tape over our mouths while pretending that all people may speak freely. There’s a stigma and pre-conceived idea throughout America that atheists are Satan worshipping, child sacrificing, heavy metal listening evildoers. Psalm 14 states, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds vile.” However, the ironic thing is, Christianity states that we should love our neighbors. What about us? I guess the narrow definition of a neighbor today is “fellow

Christians.” The thing is, if you actually get to know us, you’d find out we’re not that bad. There is nothing “vile” about us. It’s true that we don’t believe in Hell, but it still stings a bit when people tell us that we’re destined for the fiery pits. That people think we deserve to be tortured for all of eternity is what offends us. We find it incredulous that without even knowing us, others can condemn us to the worst fate imaginable. If you’ve had a run-in with a rather bitter atheist, we apologize… but you can’t judge an entire group of people on one experience. Most of us are rather nice. We may not have Ten Commandments to guide us, or a promise of salvation to motivate us to do good, but we are guided by our own moral compass… totally unrelated to a god. We don’t know why we care about other people. We just do. The purpose of this article is not to belittle anyone’s personal beliefs but rather to inform. There are 1.6 million people amongst us who are struggling to be accepted and respected. While you demand respect of your personal God, we ask that you in turn tolerate our lack of religious belief. We don’t ask you to change your views, just respect our right to have ours.

CONVINCE. . .

Occasionally, a topic of interest may arise, awkwardness eases, and you talk for a little longer until the topic dies down and you both exhale, “Yeah…” Now you’re back at the beginning. Is it the people you talk with? Is it you? What makes conversation so difficult for some, yet so easy for others? For me, my ideas and thoughts seem great in my mind, but once I try to get them on paper or in conversation, they aren’t so great. Like scrambled eggs, they start out whole in my mind, but turn out a scrambled mess

after. Kudos to those who can take scrambled ideas and turn them into witty, elegant and smooth phrases. Many people need the comfort of someone familiar to converse with, but why? You could be talking to the nicest person you’ve met, but the lack of familiarity leaves the potent awkward feeling of forced small talk. Of course, I don’t think people should go spill their life story to anyone, just because they seem nice. However, I don’t expect someone to feel comfortable

around some creeper trying to talk to you just as much. My question is still left mostly unanswered. I have no answer for why conversation can be so difficult; all I can say is hopefully the pressure some feel in conversation eases after dealing with it long enough. While conversat ion can be annoying and awkward, it is extremely necessary. Don’t feel boring or bland, chances are you’re just stressing yourself out over a simple conversation that won’t even matter in a week or two.

PRESSURE. . .

Continued from Page 2

Continued from Page 3

“It seems like a universal rule that our parents are always right. But, some students believe quite

the contrary.”

“At one time or another we all have completely disagreed with a decision

that our parents have enacted.”

nestThe Talon May 6, 2009 5A Matched Pair

By Colleen Klinefelternest editor

Juniors Alyssa Bush and Alec Salcedo aren’t your average high school sweethearts. Most have seen them around school together, seeing as they aren’t exactly hard to miss. Every day, Salcedo and Bush make the effort to wear matching-colored shirts, from black to white, purple to yellow, or red to blue. Salcedo and Bush have been friends since the beginning of high school, began dating in April of 2008 and their one-year anniversary is coming up in June. According to Salcedo, one day the two came to school in unintentionally matching red shirts, and the coincidence continued to occur within their first month of dating. “Eventually we just thought it was funny and thought we should match every day,” Bush added. The two feel as though their constant color coordination is what sets them apart from

other couples. “It’s one of those things that makes us an original couple,” Bush said. “We have fun with it, and it’s just a fun little way to show our adventurous spirit to other people.” Junior

Sean Tannenbaum, a friend of Bush and Salcedo, commented, “they really have fun. It’s like prom every day for them.” According to Salcedo, their like minds are what keep them together. “We have so many of the same interests,” said Salcedo, “And we like doing so many of the same things.” Bush added that the two are “always open to trying new things.”

Juniors Alyssa Bush and Alex Salcedo decided that after accidently matching one day to continue the trend. The couple has been dating for almost a year, and they have worn matching colors for almost as long. “It’s one of those things that makes us an original couple,” Bush said. “We have fun with it.”

The two are best friends, but they maintain a strong balance between time together and time with their other friends. They “always do homework together,” according

to Salcedo, and they keep their time together casual and low-key. Bush and Salcedo are both involved in school and academics ; Salcedo is taking two AP classes and Bush is taking three. Bush is also very involved in the school ASB. The two are also very invested in

their separate activities; Bush is an avid runner, while Salcedo is a frequent surfer. The two also love to go to Disneyland. “I guess you could say that matching isn’t our only ‘thing,’” Salcedo said, adding that “we go to Disneyland all the time, a lot more than most people. We’re involved in each other’s lives, and we are able to keep a strong relationship.”

Science Olympiad: Just Short of Gold

This year Murrieta Valley’s own Science Olympiad team has been quite busy. The team recently competed in Regionals at Poly High School in Riverside against nine different teams. Placing at five among the nine teams, the team successfully moved on from Regionals to State on April 18 in Long Beach. Although short on team members at State, “we enjoyed the atmosphere of the competition,” stated member Matthew Diamond. They didn’t place at the State Competition, but they put in a lot of effort. Science Olympiad has been an established club at the school for just two years, and this is the team’s second time going to State. The awards the team received at Regionals were copious. With two gold medals for Ecology and Dynamic Planet, one silver medal for Forensics, and two bronze medals for Technical Problem Solving and Chemistry (all respectively), Science Olympiad definitely pulled out all the brainpower they could. A lot of people don’t know what exactly Science Olympiad does. “It’s not like Family Feud or anything. Through labs and experiments we show off our knowledge of science and they grade our papers,” explained Diamond. There can be no more than 15

people on a team, and when this team goes to competition they compete in three different events. The first is the closest to a Brain-a-thon you can get. It is purely academic, and all members prepare the best way they know how: by studying. The members answer questions about a myriad of scientific subjects, such as rocks and minerals, etc. “It’s really fun to work with someone to figure it out,” said Diamond. In the second event, the team works together to build an object that they will present at the competition. They might build a robot, or launch a rocket, to name a few examples. A panel evaluates how efficient the object is, and the teams receive points accordingly. The most difficult event is the third one. “It’s a lot harder than pure academia,” said Diamond. “You have to not only know the information, but also know how to play around with it.” In this Data Analysis section, information is taken to a different step as teams design an experiment and actually perform it. The competition takes all day to finish, with each event being approximately 50 minutes. Diamond called the competition “absolute nerdiness” and an “intellectual high.” Clearly the members love what they do.

Not only is imitation the sincerest form of flattery, for junior couple it’s the norm

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Posadas, Weiner, Valdez and Covarrubias The March Seniors of the Month are Brianna Posadas and Aaron Weiner, and the April Seniors of the Month are Jazmin Covarrubias and Darryl Valdez. Posadas is an actively involved student at Murrieta Valley High School, who constantly balances the stresses a senior courseload brings and the extra-curricular activities that make a student a citizen. With senior year drawing to a close, all her successes have culminated into an impressive list of college acceptances. T h e beginning of her high school year, Posadas was directly involved with the Crimson Cadets and Odyssey of the Mind. Posadas played the French horn in band and was an Odyssey of the Mind coach for Shivela Middle School. She became involved in multiple academic organizations, including the National Honor Society and CSF, and also coached an all-male Odyssey of the Mind team for E. Hale Curran. While excelling in academics, taking such intense courses as AP Calculus BC and AP Physics, she also devotes her time to an education outside the classroom. She has attended classes at Mount San Jacinto College for the past two years, taking Mechanics and Wave Motion last year, and Logic and Oceanography this year. What makes Posadas truly unique, however, are the activities that she devotes to her free time. With the recent furor of political activity over the presidential elections and the new administration, she

enjoys watching the satirical TV comedies The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. She is also fluent in the solving of Rubik cubes, and she is

currently trying to solve the 4x4. She even spent last summer at Caltech in their Young Engineers and Science Scholars Program, participating in an experience where she studied neuroscience and physics with students all across the country. And as a loving and caring daughter, she enjoys spending time with her family, she says With her experiences and successes in school, Posadas has a plethora of college options available to her. She received an offer to attend UCSB on a Regent Scholarship and Lafayette University on a Marquis Scholarship. With both schools offering academic scholarships, she would have most of her education paid for her. She was also accepted to Caltech, MIT, and Harvey Mudd, and she is currently committed to Harvey Mudd. An academic scholar, an officer of the National Honor

Society, and an integral part of the Virtual Enterprise class, Weiner’s hard work has paid off with his senior of the Month award. Weiner has taken an intense courseload throughout high school, including eight Advanced Placement classes, ranging from AP European History, to AP Biology, to AP Calculus. He has excelled in his courses, and as such was awarded the AP Scholar with Honor award for his AP scores. He was also awarded the All-Southern League Academic award for his 4.2 cumulative GPA and his impressive rank of six in a class of over seven hundred students. Weiner is also a member of the Talon newspaper staff and the golf team. He has played golf competitively on and off for the past six years, and lettered last year while he was on the varsity team. He also was on the CIF first-round team last year, and says that he “enjoys playing with the team.” Weiner has played with a varsity team of many seniors, and he says that “we’ve all played in the program together, and we’ve grown close through all the matches and practices.” In Virtual Enterprise, Weiner has had a “completely and unexpectedly amazing experience.” An integral component to this new class on campus, Weiner is the Chief Financial Officer of the group, and as such is in charge of finances, presents business plans, and is a key part in the business platform. He joined the organization because he thought it would be enjoyable and because

it synched well with his future in business and communications. “No one at MV had ever done this program before,” he says, “and it has been a great real-world experience. No one expected our first trade fair to be that great, and our impressive 9th place finish exceeded any of our expectations.” With future career and college plans frequenting the minds of all the seniors at MV, Weiner has slowly turned his focus towards his future at UCLA. “I am totally stoked about going to LA,” says Weiner, “I am excited about staying in Southern California and going to college with some people I know. UCLA will provide me with so many opportunities and open many doors for my future.” He plans on majoring in business and communications, and hopes to either be the GM of a sports team or work in contract law.

Like other typical Senior of the Month award winners, Valdez has the AP classes, the extra-curricular activities, and the leadership that has helped him excel in high school. However,

what sets “Darebear” apart are his interests that stray far from the fields so typically walked upon by students. Throughout his high school career, Valdez has taken nine AP courses, including AP Calculus, AP U.S. History, and AP Biology. He has been the recipient of senior wings and honor roll awards. His current schedule also has ASB to complement his academic classes, and after two years Valdez is the Commissioner of Academics. “ASB helped to expand my comfort zone by meeting new people and being an important part of school activities,” says Valdez. Valdez has been with Interact Club throughout his entire high school career, and is the current president of the group. “We’ve worked off the Rotary together as a club, and helped them to find and help any causes that need support,” he says. Some organizations they have worked with included WAPI and putting on dances for senior citizens and special needs adults. He says that “those events are fun because you get to interact with people you don’t normally work with. It provides you with a unique experience.” He is also involved in the National Honor Society and multiple other organizations. Valdez is an officer of NHS, and says that “I love all the years I have spent working for this group. The chemistry that the officers share together, we’re like one big family and we’ve built this organization up together.” Valdez has also been a member of CSF and Mentoring Club for the past three years. What sets Valdez apart from a typical student however, is his love for music. “I discovered a real passion for music a while back…I can’t read notes but I can evaluate and estimate chords by listening,” he says. He plays both

Brianna Posadas

Aaron Weiner

May 6, 2009 The Talon6 nest

The Talon nest May 6, 2009 7

the guitar and the piano, and has created his own recording studio with materials he had at home, where he makes his own various, unique songs. He has made over 60 songs of his own creation, and they have been played in pep rallies and other assemblies run by the school. He even remixed and made his own song for his recent Mr. Nighthawk performance, where he won the People’s Choice Awards for his

performance in the dance “Zero” by V a r s i t y Fanclub. He says that “It was just an amazing e x p e r i e n c e d a n c i n g in front of the crowd. It’s hard to explain the feeling you get when y o u ’ r e per forming in front of e v e r y o n e , and all I can really say is that it was amazing.” Now at the end of his

high school career, Valdez has committed to UCI, and plans on majoring in biological science. He plans on becoming a doctor, even though his real dream job would be to work for a music producer. “I plan on going to college first, to achieve something more realistic at the moment. We will see what the future holds.” Covarrubias is a well-known personality on campus whose love for academics is only surpassed by her love for the

Jonas Brothers. She has taken multiple AP classes throughout high school, including AP English, AP Government, AP Biology, and AP European History, and has been on the honor roll throughout high school. She has been a member of the yearbook staff for the past two years, and she is the editor of the senior team, editing the layout of the senior section and such events as prom. As senior class president, Covarrubias helps run ASB, organizes the class gift, and plans senior activities. Recently she helped organize the recent Knott’s field trip, the senior cruise, and graduation. “I’ve met a lot of different people in ASB, and it has helped to broaden my friends,” she says, “It has clearly made me a better leader, and it helps keep me involved in school.” Her favorite event has been the Nominating Convention, saying “I get excited every year when people run for positions, and I love the atmosphere involved in the voting process.” What sets Covarrubias apart from the masses at MV is her active knowledge of pop culture and the entertainment industry. She has been to the Grammy Awards and the VMA’s, and has attended shows such as Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno,

Darryl Valdez

Jazmin Covarrubias with Nick Jonas

and Ellen Degeneres. Her avid attraction to the Jonas Brothers drives her to attend these shows, and she has been to eight of their concerts since the beginning of junior year. Her love for the trio began “when I saw them on

television, and Rachel Green and I were the only ones who liked them at the time. I went to my first concert for them on Oct. 9, 2007 at the Perris Fair,” she says.

She claims that she loves hearing them perform, that they are fun to watch, and that all the hassle of waiting in lines and fighting through traffic is all worth it once she sees them on stage. Her favorite memory of these famous brothers was “over summer last

year, when they filmed us for the 3-D movie and we won free pit tickets for the event.” Covar rubias plans on attending W o o d b u r y University in Burbank, a private school that specializes in public communications, business, and m a r k e t i n g . She plans on b e c o m i n g a publicist because she “loves working with people. The school was perfect for me when I heard about it, and the location is

absolutely amazing.” Taking such an active interest in the entertainment industry, Covarrubias is sure to excel in this dynamic world.

are March and April Seniors of the Month

nestMay 6, 2009 The Talon8

The following students were nominated for the Departments of Science and Health for the March Students of the Month Award: Taryn Osborne, Kathryn Clark, Nichole Bentz, Stephen Andrews, Taylor Sepulveda, Kourtney Grimm, Michael Counts, Madison Meadors, Cameron Smith, Stephanie Gonzales, Arlene Tokunaga, Jaclyn Bailey, Kurtis Angevine, Bailey Heim, Alexandria McAllister, Daniel Tomczak, Amanda Baker, Alex Hirst, Heather Brittain, Ashley Bowers, Byrnadeen Farraye, Mercedez Martinez, Samantha Finney, Raul Padilla, Evan Mauno, Ariel Tan, Justin Gudger, Nichele Anderson, Katie Clark, Sean Tannenbaum, Jason Garrido, Christopher Medrano, and Dalton Sherwood.

March Students of the Month

The Rachel’s Challenge Club is hosting a car wash at RJ’s on Saturday May 9 from 10AM to 1PM. Organized by senior Katie Henry, the club is looking for more students to participate. For students in need of community service hours, this is a great opportunity, offering more than just partial completion of the community service project required for graduation, but also a chance to impact the lives of others, according to adviser Nicole Saylor. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Orphan Foundation of America, or OFA, which sponsors care packages, supplying gift cards, school supplies, etc. to orphans who are on their own and in college. For young students who don’t have families and are fi nding themselves buried under merciless stress and anxiety, OFA offers them hope, and these care packages offered by OFA are only $20. OFA also allows sponsors to send in handwritten cards offering words of encouragement and

support to the OFA students. Interested students should see Saylor in room 625 for more information.

Rachel’s Challenge to Wash Cars, Help Orphans

The Murrieta Valley High School Advanced Women’s Choir traveled to New York City to compete in the 2009 Heritage Festival. The competition, which took place on March 20, included 14 choirs from six schools across the country. The choir received fi rst place in the gold division. Gaining a place in the “gold” division is a distinction that indicates that the choir earned a score about 90 out of 100 from a panel of three nationally acclaimed judges. The Murrieta Valley High School choirs are going to be putting on their annual Variety Show on May 20, 21, and 22 in the PAC at 7 PM, featuring songs from hit musicals such as Sweeney Todd and the Phantom of the Opera. Tickets will cost $6 for senior citizens, military and students with ASB cards, and $8 for students without an ASB card. On May 15, members of the choir and alumni will perform selections from world famous operas at 7 PM at the outdoor amphitheater behind the Murrieta Public Library off Kalmia. Ticket prices are still to be announced.

Advanced Womens’ Choir Wins in the Big Apple

The American Sign Language classes hosted their yearly spring Variety Show March 26 and 27. Performed in front of a well-packed theatre, the show included many songs that were signed instead of sung, as well as A-Z stories, which were skits done entirely in sign. According to senior Jacob Lammott, “A lot of the songs were pretty cool, but “Bohemian Rhapsody” was by far my favorite.” The song by Queen was a huge hit with everyone, as well as senior Kyle Figgin’s rendition of “I Believe I Can Fly.” The show also included “Footloose,” done by the ASL III students as a collaboration of the whole class. The performance attracts members of the deaf community, but is enjoyed whether deaf or not. According to ASL Advisor Dianna Lippe, “The show went really well and it was our fi rst year without Vista. After a month of prep outside and inside the class room, my students did an extremely good job. Usually we make a little over $1,000 and this year $500 will be going to scholarships for people who want to continue sign in college.”

ASL Gives Variety of

Performances For Good Cause

May4-15: AP Exams19: Blood Drive in the gym25: No school27: Nighthawk awards at 6-9 PM28: Cap and gown distribution during both lunches29: Senior Farewell Assembly (TBA); Clear all debts, discipline and community service todayJune01: Senior checkout cards distributed02: ASB Farewell at 6 PM in the theatre03: Yearbook distribution after school; Last day to purchase harbor cruise tickets04: Issue 6 distribution05: Powder Puff Football Game at 6 PM on the MVHS football fi eld 08: Senior Finals09: Last day of school for seniors; Scholarship Awards at 6:30 PM10: Senior Cruise 8 PM-12 AM11: Graduation Practice from 12:30-3:30 PM (MADATORY; graduation tickets will be distributed after practice); Senior BBQ from 3:30-6:30 PM at the pool12: Graduation at 5 PM on the MVHS football fi eld; Grad Night at 11PM at Trevi Bowling Center

Class of ‘09: Close to the fi nish line

The following students were nominated for the Departments of Science and Health for the March Students of the Month Award: Taryn Osborne, Kathryn Clark, Nichole Bentz, Stephen Andrews, Taylor Sepulveda, Kourtney Grimm, Michael Counts, Madison Meadors, Cameron Smith, Stephanie Gonzales, Arlene Tokunaga, Jaclyn Bailey, Kurtis Angevine, Bailey Heim, Alexandria McAllister, Daniel Tomczak, Amanda Baker, Alex Hirst, Heather Brittain, Ashley Bowers, Byrnadeen Farraye, Mercedez Martinez, Samantha Finney, Raul Padilla, Evan Mauno, Ariel Tan, Justin Gudger, Nichele Anderson, Katie Clark, Sean Tannenbaum, Jason Garrido, Christopher Medrano, and Dalton Sherwood.

March Students of the Month

The Murrieta Valley Leadership and Student

Senate classes, (ASB) recently received the Outstanding

Student Activities Award from the California Association

of Directors of Activities (CADA) and the California

Association of Student Leaders (CASL). This year, 600

schools were in the running to be commended and only

31 received the award.

This award is given based on a report that schools

submit. The report must explain how the school fulfi lls

the state standards for the activities program. “Many

different students worked to put the report together,”

explains Activities Director Geniel Moon (far left with ASB

President Natalie Wenstein). “Natalie had to write a letter

to accompany the report.”

Moon was recognized earlier in March at the CADA

Conference but the real recognition came at the CASL

Conference on March 28, 29, and 30 in San Jose.

ASB’s Big Win at CADA

We ApologizeLast month in the Talon we mistakenly deleted part of a poem written by Javier Santelices. The full text of the poem can be found on the Talon’s website at themvhstalon.com. We regret the error.

Photo courtesy of IMAGE YEARBOOK

Virtual Enterprise Takes Home the Bronze

By Niall McCarthystaff writer

Many students from the MVHS Virtual Enterprise class traveled to Oakland to attend the Bay Area Trade Fair from March 6-9. At the trade fair, members of the class competed in a variety of competitions based on the different facets of running a business. The class competed in nine different competitions, and placed in five of these nine competitions. The Venture Capital team, consisting of seniors Brett Rasmussen and Aaron Weiner, and junior Holly Koval, received an honorable mention for their performance.

Junior Kyle Wininger and seniors Cameron Gartung and Luigi Argueta placed ninth in the Company Catalog competition. Seniors Erica Reyes and Jacob Nowlin also finished ninth in the Human Resources Scenarios competition. And the Commercial team of seniors Aaron Levin, Zach Ramsey, Jacob Lammott, and Cody Flander finished in fourth place. The class’ top finishing team was their Marketing Plan Presentation team. The team consisted of seniors Niall McCarthy and Aaron Levin, and junior Jenessa Wittles. This was the highest honor that the class has received during the course of this year, and was their first top

three placing as well. The team received a third place plaque, as well as recognition in front of all of the other schools that competed in the different competitions. This was no easy task, seeing as the team competed against approximately 80 teams from California, New York, and Oregon. “I was very pleased with the students’ performance at the Bay Area Trade Fair,” stated Virtual Enterprise coordinator Joel Levin. “To be this competitive in our first year with teams that have been doing this for 10 years or more says a lot about the quality of the individuals who make up this program.”

NHS gives back to community R e c e n t l y Murrieta Valley High School’s National Honor Society has participated in multiple events throughout the community. During spring break, a time for relaxation and rest at the end of the year, they participated in the Spring Eggstravaganza, the Murrieta Block Party, and Murrieta’s local Relay for Life. The Spring Eggstravaganza was held the day before Easter at the Town Square Park in Murrieta. Sponsoring egg hunts and breakfast throughout the morning, president of NHS senior Nikki Salazar says “it was a huge success, it was a really rewarding experience working with all the children.” The following week, April 17-19, was the Murrieta Block Party, a celebration involving live bands, vendors, a carnival with rides and games and laser tag. NHS

volunteers at the Block Party were a huge help throughout the weekend, directing traffic, picking up trash, and aiding vendors during the party.

“Every year we do the Block Party, ever since this organization was first gathered,” says adviser Julie Inouye, “and it has been

a great opportunity for us to participate in community events and provides an entertaining way for our members to work in.” The Relay for Life was held April 25-26, with

volunteers aiding in the setup of the event by putting up balloons, tents, and cleaning up trash. Next year’s president, sophomore Megan Hennessy, says that “the event went smoothly, we were very productive with setup and cleanup while managing to have a good time. Next year we are hoping to create an NHS to participate in the relay.” The NHS chapter is coming to a close with spring community events slowly coming to

an end. Next year look for this growing organization to actively aid in the community even further.

On April 25 and 26, members of NHS participated in the 2009 Relay for Life, an event committed to finding a cure for cancer. Here members Brittany Hougen, Kelsey Hougen, Anna Seo, and Jessika Iacobellis blow up balloons to decorate the area.

Photo by JUSTICE FLORES

Irish and American Delights

By Jay Levyassistant editor

It’s that time of month again, where the Talon staff’s token veggie freaks provide a delicious vegetarian recipe that will fill your bellies with delicious food that is free of animals. This issue, I am bringing to you not only a main dish to enjoy, but also a delicious side dish that is likely to have you wanting it every night.

Potato Skins with Tomato & Corn SalsaIngredients:• 2 large baking potatoes• 3 oz. of canned corn kernels• 2 oz. of canned red kidney beans• 2 tbsp of olive oil, w/ some for brushing• 4 oz. of seeded and diced tomatoes• ¼ of a red bell pepper, finely diced• 1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped• 1 tbsp of chopped fresh cilantro leaves• 1 tbsp of lime juice• 2 oz. of grated cheddar cheese (optional)• salt and pepper Preheat your oven to 400º F. Then prick the potatoes in several places with a fork and brush with oil. Cook them directly on the oven rack for 1 hour, or until the skins are crispy and insides are soft. While those potatoes are cooking, make your salsa! Drain the corn and b e a n s , rinse them well, and drain them again. Put them in a bowl with the oil, tomatoes, red bell pepper, chili, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well together. Once the potatoes are done, preheat your broiler to medium. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides (use it for some snacking. Mix it with some margarine and salt and enjoy.) Brush the insides of the skin with oil and

put them on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Cook under the broiler for 5 minutes or until crisp. Spoon the salsa into the potato skins and sprinkle the cheese (if you wish) over the top. Put them back in the broiler and cook gently until the salsa is warm (or the cheese has melted). Serve immediately! Now that these are done, you can use them to complement your black bean burgers!

Black Bean BurgersIngredients:• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing• ½ onion, finely chopped• 2-4 garlic cloves (based on preference), finely chopped• 1 tsp ground coriander• 1 tsp ground cumin• 4 oz. of white mushrooms, finely chopped• 15 oz. of canned black beans, drained and rinsed• 2 tbsp of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley• all purpose flour for dusting• salt and pepper• hamburger buns

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, coriander, and cumin and cook, stirring, for an additional minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl.

Put the beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Stir into the mushroom mixture with the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler to medium-high. Divide the mixture into portions, dust lightly with flour, and shape into flat, round patties. Brush with oil and cook under the broiler for 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve in hamburger buns with salad and your potato skins!Recipes courtesy of The Vegetarian Cookbook by Parragon Publishing.

...with a little twist from south of the border

Photo by JAY LEVY

Her lobbying continued on Feb. 28, 2008 when she and Weinstein flew to Washington D.C. to lobby congresswomen Mary Bono and Feinstein. She was accompanied by other Invisible Children representatives from across the country, who collectively lobbied their respective representatives to get peace talks in Uganda initiated and an anti-child soldiering act passed. This year, the club on campus has dwindled to smaller numbers, but O’Connor hasn’t given up. They recently hosted a book drive for schools in Uganda, and on April 25 they were represented by O’Connor when she attended “The Rescue,” an event much like Displace Me that occurred in 100 cities around the world. This time, however, the people who attended called

O’CONNOR.. .public officials, celebrities, and the media to come and hear about their cause. They said they wouldn’t leave the rally location… until they were “rescued.” O’Connor explained that the demonstration wouldn’t end until one of three conditions were met: that the LRA surrenders in Uganda, President Barack Obama brings attention to the Invisible Children of Uganda, or if every “Rescue” event site is “rescued” by media being alerted to their cause. “In Santa Monica,” Cara explained, “It was an impacting experience. The entire Santa Monica pier was full of people, all silent. If people talked to us, we were only allowed to say ‘I’ve been abducted. Come to the rescue of the Invisible Children.’ Four thousand people slept outside of Santa Monica City Hall. The event brought a

lot of attention to the cause. It was really touching, seeing so many people unite that way.”Apart from the conflict in Uganda, O’Connor has other volunteer-oriented interests outside of school. She has taught a class at her church since freshman year and also started a youth group for middle school students called “The Edge.” She does the Cystic Fibrosis Walk each year, and recently became involved in the organization “Life Rolls On,” a group that works with quadriplegic people to get them back to doing the sports that they previously participated in and that they loved. She hosted the first ever “Jessie’s Story” screening at MVHS, a movie sponsored by “Life Rolls On” about founder Jesse Billauer ’s surfing accident that made him quadriplegic, and his recovery process. She also

volunteered at the organization’s benefit dinner “A Night at the Beach” at the Kodak Theater this year. This fall, O’Connor will be attending St. Mary’s at Notre Dame University as a pre-medical and biology student. She wants to become a doctor to work on spinal cord research, or to become a facial reconstruction plastic surgeon, specializing in caring for burn victims and

disfigurements such as cleft palate. In addition, she wants to continue participation in the Resolve Uganda organization while she works towards becoming a doctor. If her long list of volunteer work seems impressive, her attitude towards life is even more so. She says, “I can’t picture myself doing anything else. Life’s not worth living if you’re not helping people.”

Continued from Page 1

The Talon May 6, 2009nest 9

hv u evr gn ovr ur txts or mnts?

evrythng cell fones: stdnts tell stories about txting, going over mnts & decorations

We have been told by the cynical and doubtful that the dreams and aspirations of just one man were too vast to be accomplished. We have been told that the road was long and dark, and would never happen in our lifetime. But on June 29, 2007, Americans witnessed a new chapter in American history—a new era of technology and hope. This moment in history united wine aficionados, c o m p u l s i v e gamblers, and Facebook stalkers, a n d told them “YES WE CAN.” Yes we can, check our horoscope on a 3.5-inch screen; yes we can, google that SNL skit no matter where we are; and yes we can, update our Facebook status in b e t w e e n classes. June 29, 2007 was the day that history changed and the world said, “yes we can” to the iPhone. The iPhone was the dream of Steve Jobs and inspired millions who waited in long lines to be part of history. Shortly after, it was named Time magazine’s “Invention of the Year.” It is an icon that moved the youth of a nation and addressed a country divided by wireless plans. Now, there have been some who question the scale of Apple’s ambitions -- who suggest that the wireless industry could not tolerate too many big plans. To those, their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this company has already done what they have achieved in these past years to ensure that every college student has that white polycarbonate shell laptop, marketed by Apple as a necessity for students. To those who rely on the Blackberry, it fought long and hard in this technology battle. And it fought even longer and harder for the wireless services it provided. It has endured changes for its customers that most of us cannot even begin to comprehend. They have changed from the Blackberry to the Pearl to the Storm, added applications and has even gone touch screen. They were the first to provide email access on a phone and we are better off for the service rendered by this hand-held device. However, this is the product of a country. The iphone has become what it is now application by application, geek by geek. This touch screen phone has revolutionized what it means to be a phone in the 21st century. The iphone is revolutionary

The 8300 or the Curve? 9000 or Bold? The 9500 or the Storm? The 8700c or The Presidential Blackberry? Whatever you call it, the fact remains: it’s a Blackberry. Iconic of businessmen, bankers, and even politicians, this phone-of-all-trades is a universal symbol of success and importance. Whether for its usefulness, or its snappy exterior, the Blackberry has inspired a cult following. Many owners find themselves impulsively performing what is known as a “Blackberry prayer,” or the quick nod downward to check an email mid-conversation. Others suffer from

phantom-vibrations, a syndrome in which they incorrectly believe that they have received a message due to a tingling sensation where their phone usually comes into contact with skin or

clothing. Regardless of the side effects of “Crackberry” usage, those who participate in the cult of Blackberry feel very attached to their phones. A prime example of such attachment is that of President Barack Obama, the de-facto leader of the free world. When he was informed that he would have to give up his closest adviser upon entering the White House, Obama bucked, demanding an alternative solution. The NSA was quick in coming up with one, and Obama was able to keep his treasure – the (constitutional) king of all Blackberries, his highly-secured model 8700c. If Obama, the most connected man in the world has one, then there is something to be said about the sheer power of the Blackberry. Much contention has gone up over the past year about the viability of a Blackberry in the “world, 3.0.” The prophets of future-tech forget, however, the deep roots which RIM (Research in Motion), the maker of the Blackberry, has cultivated over the past 11 years. Incorporated in 1998, RIM, along with Ericsson, created the wildly popular RIM 950 two-way wireless communicator. The first device of its kind, the RIM 950 revolutionized the “cell” phone market – one which RIM has been at the forefront of ever since. With further innovation, and a continued heritage of full “QWERTY” keyboards on the majority of their devices, RIM is still the premier of the smart phone market. As in any industry, usurpers are neither few nor far between. Much buzz has gone up about Apple Inc.’s iPhone of late. Some industry outsiders have even speculated that

he saidshe saidblackberryiPhone vs

By Heather Whitea&e editor

By David Leonardgraphic designer

See BLACKBERRY Page 20

stdnts at mvhs give fones character thru decorations and personalizations

“I got my phone engraved because if I ever lost my phone, I would be able to identify it. And it is really

cool!” --Anthony Vargas, 9

“Five is my football number and 14 is my baseball number. I love representing my school”

--Patrick Wisdom, 12See IPHONE Page 20

“I had 3000 sent and received text messages in one day. Luckily, we had

unlimited text so it saved us around $450.”

--Scott Forrester, 11

“I would text all my friends because they didn’t have minutes. I sent 16,000

texts in one month. I had to work off the $200 bill.”--Shannon Leonard, 10

Photo by THE INTERNET

“We thought that Justice could go a week without calling his girlfriend while we were on a cruise in the Carribean. However, when he was supposedly “eating”, hewas actually making phone calls. He claimed he wasn’t on the phone that much. When we got home, he had talked for around 30 minutes with his girlfriend and a few other calls from friends. The phone bill was $600. If you combined his phone bill with his girlfriend it was $1,000.” --English Teacher Julie Inouye about her son Justice Flores, 12

“Originally, my first text plan had 50 texts a month. Then, as I start-ed to get friends and learn to text, I was texting over almost every month. One particular month, I was texting a girl that I liked and I had so many texts, my phone bill was over $300. At that point, my parents decided to give me unlimited texts.” --Tom Rivera, 12

hv u evr gn ovr ur txts or mnts?

evrythng cell fones: stdnts tell stories about txting, going over mnts & decorationshow many txts do u snd/rcv evry day?

Verizon T-Mobile SprintPrice $39.99 $39.99 $99.99Minutes 450 600 UnlimitedMessaging none none Unlimited texting,

picture, and videoCool features Access to internet No charge for

having a blackberryUnlimited everything is great.

what cell fone plans are good 4 stdnts?

Let’s face it students of MVHS: you will not be living with your parents forever and you will not be able to depend on them financially for the rest of your life.

You will one day be responsible for finding a service provider if you want to talk to others on a cell phone. Here is a brief comparison of those different cell phone

companies that you can choose from.

By Jake Steeledistribution manager

stdnts at mvhs give fones character thru decorations and personalizations

“Five is my football number and 14 is my baseball number. I love representing my school”

--Patrick Wisdom, 12

“I got my name engraved so if it got lost someone could return

it to me, and the skull looked cool.” --Tyler Miller, 9

Like the personalizations that you see here? Would you like to have the same done to your phone or iPod? See Pete

Matus in room 824 during break and A/B lunch with an idea in mind! The cost is $5 and all the funds go to the

Engineering Department.

“We thought that Justice could go a week without calling his girlfriend while we were on a cruise in the Carribean. However, when he was supposedly “eating”, hewas actually making phone calls. He claimed he wasn’t on the phone that much. When we got home, he had talked for around 30 minutes with his girlfriend and a few other calls from friends. The phone bill was $600. If you combined his phone bill with his girlfriend it was $1,000.” --English Teacher Julie Inouye about her son Justice Flores, 12

“Originally, my first text plan had 50 texts a month. Then, as I start-ed to get friends and learn to text, I was texting over almost every month. One particular month, I was texting a girl that I liked and I had so many texts, my phone bill was over $300. At that point, my parents decided to give me unlimited texts.” --Tom Rivera, 12

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Our critics filter through the latest movies to hit the theatres, so you do not have to!

Critic’s CornerMay 6, 2009 The Talon

12

There are three things I know to be very, very true. First, Zac Efron is really, really feminine (too much bronzer, styling gel and teeth-whitening strips make for a rather strange combination, wouldn’t you say so?). Second, at age 21, Zac Efron is getting too old to still be playing a high school student. Third, Zac Efron is one beautiful creature, who has used those mystical aquamarine eyes of his to (and I begrudgingly admit to it) capture my soul. In his latest film 17 Again, he manages to pull off being 17…. Again. Only this time, he completely sidesteps all High School Musical ridiculous clichés in all the right ways. At age 37, Mike O’Donnell (played by Matthew Perry, who’s packing quite the beer belly these days in his post-Friends era) isn’t the basketball star he’d once hoped to be, is despised by his kids, and is in the middle of a sticky divorce

from Scarlet (Knocked Up’s

Leslie Mann), his former high school sweetheart who Mike i m p r e g n a t e d just a little too early in life. In summation, he just sucks at life. However, on a chance evening while roaming his old high school halls, he comes across a portly old janitor who resembles an odd cross between Santa Claus and a child molester. The old man tells Mike that he can relive his high school basketball glory if he truly desires. Then there’s a weird scene where he falls into a toilet-like vortex in the rain, and realizes that he’s 17 again in Zac Efron form, and the whole thing is very Big in reverse, if you just picture Efron as the Tom Hanks/Josh Baskin kid.

Basically, Mike goes back to high school with the help of his Tolkien-loving, Star Trek-

esque Vulcan earpiece-wearing millionaire best friend Ned (Reno 911!’s Thomas Lennon), and realizes that his real mission isn’t to restart the life he’d always wanted, but to help his son Alex (Sterling Knight) become the basketball star and ladies’ man he himself always wanted to be. He also works to help his daughter Maggie (Michelle Trachtenberg)

realize that her full potential lies in attending Georgetown, rather than community college

with her jerky boyfriend Stan (Weeds’ Hunter Parrish, sporting the most freakish bleached ‘do I’ve ever seen). Mike also hangs around Scarlet’s house, using Alex, his new best bud, as his excuse in order to get creepily close to her and persuade her not to leave her

husband, whom no one seems to

notice is gone. The film has its low points, like when Ned so quickly believes that his friend may have actually turned into his 17-year-old self overnight. And Trachtenberg may just be the worst, most obnoxious actress on the planet, with hair even more styled than Efron’s

(which at this point is pretty hard to even fathom). However, the plot’s ludicrousness is fun to play along with because Efron brings an unlikely amount of charm and wit to the film, and Lennon’s geeky boyishness complements Efron’s efforts well. Efron successfully took that microscopic step out of his comfort zone, abandoning the usual song and dance (literally)… but he is still appealing to his original audience. Ultimately, however, it all comes down to three key qualities that make the film surprisingly entertaining. First, I love it when Zac Efron curses. Second, I love it when Zac Efron cries. Third, I fully admit that I love it when Zac Efron takes his shirt off (director Burr Steers didn’t spare the film’s key demographic of lengthy shots of Efron playing ball without a shirt on). I just really hope that in 20 years, Zac Efron looks absolutely nothing like Matthew Perry does now. That would be a true tragedy. B+

By Colleen Klinefelter

nest editor

Zac Efron is 17 Again, but his acting is better this time

Photo courtesy of THE INTERNET

Greg Mottola’s

Adventureland isn’t a standout

movie in itself. The storyline

is typical teen fare, depicting

prospective Columbia University

student James Brennan, played

by Jesse Eisenberg, poised on

the verge of success with college

right around the corner. In his

final summer, Brennan is facing

the teenage struggle of “finding

himself,” experimenting with

drugs while patrolling the

party scene to lose “the

Scarlet V” that he feels

so uncomfortable about.

With college around the

corner and no way to

pay for his education,

Brennan struggles to find

a decent job and tries to

enjoy his last vestiges of

freedom before school.

The story

progresses in much the

same way as one would expect,

but it so carefully develops each

and every character and creates so

many scenarios that any teenager

can relate to that it transcends

the typical teen movie. From

finding a job, to facing the social

pressures of school that includes

everything from marijuana to

sex, to simply trying to have a

good time with nothing to do (as

everyone in Murrieta can relate)

this movie is worthy of praise

with its depiction of real life

concerns.

Set in Pennsylvania in

1987, the story sees Brennan’s

family promise to pay for a

Europe trip for his graduation,

as well as fund his college

education. However, hard

times hit his father, and the

funds, promises, and his future,

evaporate unless he gets a job.

After applying to and

failing nearly every job he

attempts to get due to his lack

of work experience, James must

settle on a job working at the

games booths in Adventureland,

a theme park that most definitely

has everything but adventure.

After learning the rules

to all the games, many of which

are designed to be un-winable

in a hilariously truthful way,

Brennan integrates himself into

the colorful Adventureland

crowd. The park, run by Bobby

(Bill Hader) and Paulette

(Kristen Wiig), hires nearly

anyone (hence Brennan’s ability

to actually land the job), and

some of their other hires include

the pipe-smoking nerd Joel

(Martin Starr), an arrested teen

Tommy Frigo (Matt Bush), and

the famous musician mechanic

Connell (Ryan Reynolds). And

of course, what teenage movie

would be complete without the

girl who knows how to have a

good time, Em (Kristen Stewart),

who Brennan inevitably falls for.

As their relationship

grows, each learns more of

the other’s insecurities, from

Brennan’s stiff-minded nature

and his inexperience with

“intercourse,” to Em’s dreams

of something bigger than

Adventureland and her

struggles with her family.

Like any relationship, they

have their difficulties, with

Brennan being lured by the

theme-park beauty Lisa

P. (Margarita Levieva)

and Em having late-night

visits with Connell.

Still, both teens find a

way to make it work in

the theme park filled with

more open-mouthed clown trash

cans, disrespectful guests, and

overplayed 80’s music (“Rock

me Amadeus” literally plays all-

day) than actual entertainment.

While Adventureland worked

with a very cliché storyline, there

are comedic and relatable gems

that are scattered throughout the

scenes. Through the humor and

extremely unique personalities

of the Adventureland workers,

and through the universal theme

of the movie, it is a film that

everyone can relate to. Solid B.

By Justice Flores

sports editor

Adventureland fails to thrill

With first glance at the title Sunshine Cleaning, one could almost immediately assume that it is a film of recycled ideas as it is from the same producers of Little Miss Sunshine, and both films hold the same similar satire in their titles. Far from a cliché however, this film offers an original and comical storyline, beautifully played by Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Fans of Little Miss Sunshine could call Sunshine Cleaning a masterpiece. In this tale of two sisters named Rose and Norah, played by Adams and Blunt, every tone, from witty and humorous, to touching and thought-provoking, are portrayed. Rose, who is a single mother working for a maid service, and Norah, who lives with her Father, have both been scarred by their mother’s suicide, though it’s just lightly touched upon throughout the film. As Rose isn’t making enough money working for a maid service cleaning fancy homes, she finds herself desperate to make quick money for her son, Oscar, to be put into a private school after he gets in trouble. She convinces her younger sister Norah to start a

crime scene cleanup business with her, which she names Sunshine Cleaning. The two start making a living off cleaning up crime scenes in New Mexico. In no time, the girls find themselves up to their necks in gruesome murders, suicides and other undesirable situations to clean up after. The filthy tasks performed add a fun slapstick humor to the film. Though cleaning crime scenes is clearly not the ideal money-maker for either of the two sisters, a deeper closeness develops between the two as they learn from each other in these not so desirable experiences they share. Sunshine Cleaning is a comical drama, taking its audience back and forth between highs and lows with captivating originality, and it simply couldn’t be done better than by Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, with their naturalistic relationship throughout the film. Although I would have to classify this movie as a “chick flick,” I found it entertaining and certainly a one-of-a-kind film, which is why I would give it an A. For those who appreciate slapstick humor, and sentiment in films, Sunshine Cleaning is a great movie to see, and I would undoubtedly recommend it.

Sunshine Cleaning A Spotless MasterpieceBy Barrett Adams

staff writer

a&eThe Talon May 6, 2009 13Restaurant Review

Checkboard Deli gets “Crowned”By David Leonard

graphics editor

March 13 and 14 Murrieta Valley High School drama students competed and succeeded at the Fullerton College High School Theater Festival. The competition was a two-day event at the Fullerton Community College where there were hundreds of schools competing. There, students competed in a variety of events, such as comedic scene/monologue, improv, and dramatic scene/monologue, and MVHS placed second in improv. The students in the improv group were juniors Carl Printer, Chelsea Bo, Ricky Leech, Anna Shafer, and David Alcala. This accomplishment puts them up with the top two improv groups among the high schools in Southern California that participated, according to French teacher, Suzanne Marsolias. This is a huge accomplishment because it is the first time in MVHS that the drama team has placed in improv. Junior Carl Printer described the event as “insanely busy, crazy competitive, and super fun.” Their win qualifies them to attend the California Youth in Theater Day in Sacramento, California, in March of 2010. As well, the department’s costumer, senior Michelle Beam, placed third in costume design for the holiday performance of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. That makes it the second year in a row that the department received high honors for their costume designs.

Drama Students Place at Fullerton

The story of the descent of a brilliant musician into mental illness can easily fall into the rut of other underdog films. I was not so excited to be in the theatre waiting for the movie to start, but I left with a respect for those who created The Soloist. This real-life story begins with Steve Lopez (played by Robert Downey Jr.), a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, falling off of his bike onto, as he put it, “the unforgiving asphalt.” The movie starts off slowly and then suddenly seems to grab and fully capture the attention of the audience after Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Jr. (portrayed by Jamie Foxx) is introduced homeless and playing his two-stringed violin. He briefly mentions a stint at Juilliard and Lopez becomes immediately interested because he is a journalist without a story. The movie then focuses on the growing relationship between Ayers and Lopez. Lopez tries to help Ayers through his music by supporting him to grow as a musician because it seems that Ayers is most lucid when he is playing some instrument. It becomes dramatic, emotional, and everything else you would expect from a relationship between a reporter, who can only give so much, and a vagabond who is musically gifted and possibly schizophrenic. The difficulty of this relationship is seen when Ayers suddenly becomes aggressive when about to perform in front of an audience. However, the

strength and compassion from their relationship allows them to forgive each other and move on. It contains many of the old clichés of these types of movies, but its ability to manipulate the emotions of the audience makes it at least above average. The plotline is extended but sincere. The ending is inconclusive and fails to tie the piece together as a whole. However, the film explores more themes than just the renaissance of a man. The Soloist also offers social commentary on the homeless. It reminds the audience that derelicts are people who “have had a few setbacks,” as Ayers adequately explains. They deserve to be respected and given help just as any other person does. Jamie Foxx plays Ayers, the musician who became homeless on the streets of Los Angeles after he lost his ability to be fully aware of reality. Foxx’s performance for this character was spot on. He was Ayers. Everything from his incoherent rants to his mannerisms when he is confronted leads the viewer to believe that this is not a movie but rather a short documentary on Ayers. Journalist Steve Lopez is played by Robert Downey Jr. His performance also hits its mark and does not let up for a second. Downey’s ability to subtly integrate the strongest of emotions into just a few lines distinguishes him from being a simple mediocre actor. The Soloist has very strong performances but the overall plotline is weak. It deserves a B- instead of a C—mostly because I enjoyed the movie.

By Jake Steelecirculation manager

The Soloist Hits High Note

Shakespeare Goes Heavy Metal

Above, juniors Chelsea Bo and David Alcala, and senior Madi Orgill perform during a scene where Malvolio walks into a late night drinking session. On April 3 and 4 the Drama Department put on a showing of the classic Shakespeare comedy, Twelfth Night. They took the story about love and mistaken identities, but presented it in a gothic and futuristic way. They performed in the Black Box theater (Room 906) accompanied by a heavy metal and rock soundtrack to go along with the old-world language. Dark gothic costumes and makeup were used, with a futuristic set designed by junior Michael Beatima. With juniors Sesleigh Saucier and Ashley Rosales as Maria, junior Carl Printer as The Duke and Sir Andrew, junior David Alcala as Malvolio, junior Chelsea Bo as Sir Toby, and junior Heidi Killackey as Olivia, the drama department made over $600.

The Checkerboard Deli – where you can get a great sandwich, play some checkers, and just hang out. While a little hard for some of our staff to find, the food and atmosphere sold us – here, the sandwiches are as fun as the people. U p o n walking in, we observed the checked floor, the checkered walls, and, most impressively, the checkered tables. Ordering was relatively easy, and their large selection of California and New York style sandwiches didn’t disappoint. These aren’t your run of the mill Subway subs – fine “Hog’s Head” brand meat is laid upon your choice of breads like cracked-rye or 12 grain wheat, topped with crisp lettuce and any number of sauces or fixings. We found that their specialties – like the Reuben, which comes with sauerkraut, corned beef, and thousand island – are a unique experience from other delis, large or small. Our favorite sandwich

was, by far, their meatball hoagie. It’s just what it sounds like – meatballs, marinara, provolone and parmesan – all poured into a hoagie style sub roll. It was steaming hot, perfectly proportioned, and expertly

cheesed, with a very “Chicago style” taste. Another of their creations, however, the aptly named Turkey, Bacon, & Ham sandwich, didn’t quite do it for senior Heather White, who said, “It tasted somewhat plain; not at all like I think $7 sub should.” But junior Colleen Klinefelter enjoyed her simple ham and cheese on white. While eating there, you don’t just talk, you play; checkers, that is. Each tabletop is adorned with its own checkerboard, with an old glass milk jug sitting nearby, dutifully holding the

pieces for whomever desires to play. After a rousing round of checkers, we got to the final course – dessert. While their cannolis were clearly inauthentic Italian pastries,

their tiramisu was superb – served cold and creamy, with the perfect blend of coffee and sweetcream tastes. To top it all off is the service, which was always cheery and helpful. When we ate to our fill, and still had some left over, they offered to wrap it up for ease of travel before we said

a word. All in all, their service reminds one of the past, when the customer actually mattered, and the business wasn’t a faceless giant. Checkerboard Deli was a surprise, and a good one at that. While some of their food is average, what was good, was fantastic. As the good did outweigh the bad, and the pleasant atmosphere did not disappoint, this classic sandwich joint deserves a solid A. Checkerboard Deli is located next to Stater Bros, in the shopping center off Clinton Keith Rd, at the 15 freeway.

Photo by DONAL PEARCE

Photo by DAVID LEONARD

Freshmen Emily Goodlett and Sean Blakemore; sophomores Ellie Abeles, Kayla Guerin, Megan Barber, and Sabrina Bradley Powell, and senior Jessica Martinez act as a tree in the spring musical Once On This Island, a story about a peasant girl who falls in love with an important and wealthy man. She risks it all to be with him and in the end is turned down because of an arranged marriage. The show was produced by the Performing Arts Department the weekend of April 24-25.

Photo by DONAL PEARCE

Spring Musical: Once On This Island

a&e14 May 6, 2009 The Talon

Think of a time when you knew, just knew in your gut, that s o m e t h i n g was wrong… or something was right. You couldn’t put a fi nger on how you knew this information, it just seemed to naturally come. This natural instinct that many of us experience and think about with a sense of awe is the main topic discussed by author Malcolm Gladwell, the most recent book recommended by school librarian Susan Cline. The hypnotic Blink is about our intuition and natural instinct. Gladwell campaigns for the legitimacy of snap judgments and does so with an excellent sense of storytelling. Gladwell’s main argument is that spontaneous decisions are often as good as – or even better than – carefully planned and considered ones. He draws from many people’s experiences to reinforce his ideas. He documents the time when the J. Paul Getty Museum bought a Greek statue they believed was real; it turned out to be a fake. The museum had scientists come in for 14

months to test the marble (its age, authenticity, etc.) One notable scientist was absolutely confi dent that he found a mineral on the marble that could have only developed over several

hundred years. When the art experts came in… the response was a little bit different. Several took one glance at the statue and i m m e d i a t e l y knew something was off. None of them could place a fi nger on what it was, but they knew. And in

seconds the experts were right above the many who had studied the statue for months. In the book, one can learn about how we all can actually read people’s minds, which is how we can gauge a person’s emotions just by looking at his or her facial expressions. People are usually too overloaded with information, so overloaded that this amazing ability is inhibited. Gladwell maintains that we “blink” when we think without thinking (hence the title). This extremely interesting novel explains how experts often make better decisions in their snap judgments than when pouring over volumes of analysis. “It’s my new favorite,” gushed Cline as she recommended the novel. “Just amazing, and a really easy read.”

By Laura Vogelnest editor

Book Preview

Deciding in the Blink of an eyeFast and Furious: All Speed But No Power

By Aaron Levinstaff writer

By Chantale Stamphead photographer

On May 13 to May 16, Murrieta Valley will be holding their annual dance production show, hosted by dance teacher Hollee Romero. Romero has been hosting and producing this event since she started teaching at the school, and says that “this is what most of the Dance Team and my dance classes have been looking forward to all year.” The theme this year is

Right as Rain, and “is a very laid back vibe,” says Romero. There are 27 dance groups, and over 150 dancers, who all perform in student-choreographed dances and in a variety of dance styles. Some of the dances were selected from Romero’s Dance II classes that they created for their midterm; however, all of the others are strictly student volunteered. All dancers had to be auditioned in front of and approved by Romero. This year there are many collaborations. “It’s a chance for students to work

Dance Production Show Coming May 13-16together, and actually perform something choreographed by their friends for a change,” she said. All the girls, and guys, in in the show are very supportive of each other. “They fi nally get a chance to express their voice,” says Romero. Right as Rain will be performed in the PAC all four nights at 7 PM, and on Saturday a matinee will also be held at 1 PM. Cost is $8, but tickets for the show are usually very popular, so pre-sale through a dancer or the bookkeeper’s window is recommended.

Do you like cars? Do you like action? Do you like going fast? Do you like movies with little plot but lots of explosions and crashing? Then the fourth installment of The Fast and the Furious series, simply titled Fast and Furious is the movie for you! This movie begins in the Dominican Republic where we fi nd Vin Diesel’s character Dom, who has been there since he was headed for the Mexican border at the end of the fi rst movie. He and his girlfriend, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), and there new crew are boosting oil tanks off of the backs of trucks and driving to market them at ridiculous speeds on possibly the windiest and steepest road on the planet. With the cops on their

tail, the two somehow end up in Los Angeles, where the fi rst two movies took place. There they fi nd a ruthless Mexican

drug lord who is looking for the fastest drivers he can to take his contraband across the border.

Dom, as well as the FBI, led by Agent Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), are looking to take him down. Dom and O’Conner grudgingly worked together in the fi rst movie and are reluctant at fi rst to reunite. The movie is then followed by a series of high speed chases and explosions. The story takes a rather expected turn when we learn that O’Conner still has a thing for Dom’s sister (Jordana Brewster) as the movie tries to add a romantic side to the plot. All in all this movie was full of action and is pretty much a nonstop adrenaline rush. There is very little plot throughout the movie to make way for the action sequences, which make up a majority of the fi lm. If you are into those kinds of movies, I

would recommend it. If you are more into the story of a fi lm, I would steer clear. I give it a C.

Artist Spotlights

“Anything but landscapes!” exclaimed senior Gina Paulingwhen asked about what she likes to draw. After seeing her mom draw back in fi fth grade, Pauling one day decided to give it a shot herself. Pauling enjoys drawing and painting, and fi nds tattooes interesting. Landscapes bore her, and abstract art is Pauling’s favorite.

“I draw what I like, random stuff, all the time.” Now, Pauling enjoys experimenting and intends to continue taking courses in college to further her skills.

It was in her last year of middle school that senior Rebecca Webster fi rst experimented with art. Since then, she has taken a vested interested in drawing and photography. She most enjoys taking pictures of fl owers at different angles and of the sun and interesting shadows. Webster doesn’t like art classes; she feels that they are confi ning and limit creativity. To Webster, art should be something that “just comes...Art is self expression, not someone else telling you what to do.” Webster thoroughly enjoys pencil sketches and intends to improve her skill with oil pastels. From what started out as simply “something that just seemed fun,” Webster has found a passion in art that she intends to pursue for the rest of her life.

Gina PaulingSearches For Something Exciting

Gina Pauling

Gina Pauling

Rebecca Webster

Rebecca Webster

Rebecca Webster

Rebecca Webster Experiments With Photographing the World Around Her

On Friday, March 20, Murrieta Valley hosted its annual Mr. Nighthawk competition in the Performing Arts Center. In its mock-Ms. America fashion, the contest succeeded by entertaining and impressing not only students, family members and teachers, but primarily the ladies. The contest featured a swimsuit contest, a talent portion, a formal wear display and a question and answer session. In the end, senior Jake Tarabilda was crowned Mr. Nighthawk 2009. Various other p e r f o r m a n c e s included last year’s winner Brad Vidal’s piano performance, sophomore Tiffany Jomoc’s Polynesian dance routine and a song written and performed by senior Kenna Clingersmith. At the end of the night, the three top performers were seniors Jake Tarabilda, Dylan Bohanan and Tory Wadlington. Tarabilda and Bohanan, teammates on the varsity basketball court, teamed up for a memorable dance that featured a basketball dance skit originally performed in High School

Musical. Bohanan finished second, and Wadlington finished third in the competition after displaying his piano skills and sporting a crisp suit, and was accompanied by his mother, counseling secretary Diane

Wadlington during the Formal Wear contest. Along with the three top performers selected by a select group of staff judges, the People’s Choice Award winner was senior Darryl Valdez, who stole the show with a group dance that

he starred in and choreographed. The group, who refer to themselves as “Team Zero,” was formed for the Mr. Nighthawk contest, but after such widespread a p p r o v a l , recently danced at the Spring Sports Pep Rally along with Bohanan and Tarabilda. One of the group members, senior Kirk Markou explains that “Darryl is a stud. He completely choreographed

the dance and it was a lot of fun being a part of it and having him win the People’s Choice Award.” In a recent AP Government class, history teacher Diana Hess explained that while she was sitting in the audience, she realized that a majority of the students in Team Zero were in her class. “I was so impressed by Darryl,” she told the class. “He’s a good student and he normally sits quietly in class, but I had no idea that he had that in him.” The contest sold out within days and every seat was filled in the PAC. “This year we had a lot of variety of boys and talents. And it was really entertaining to watch,” stated senior ASB President Jazmin Covarrubias.

By Ian Masseyeditor-in-chief

Mr. Nighthawk Jake Tarabilda wins annual competition

Mr. Nighthawk winner Jake Tarabilda proudly holds up his prize as the crowd goes wild and balloons fly. Said Tarabilda of the competition, “The hardest part was practicing the dance Dylan and I did, and also coming up with ideas of what to do for each category.”

Fellow dancers Kirk Markou and Jai Levin congratulate Mr. Nighthawks’ People’s Choice winner Darryl Valdez on his award. “Darryl is a stud. He completely choreographed the dance and it was a lot of fun being a part of it and having him win the People’s Choice Award,” said Markou.

Nighthawk contestant Sam Larsen was escorted by his mother in the formal wear portion of the competition.

All of the Mr. Nighthawk contestants join together for the group dance which was choreographed in the week leading up to the performance.

Photo by CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Search for the Golden Beak

Sophomore Tiffany Jomoc presented a Polynesian dance as entertainment between portions of the show.

Dylan Bowman shows off his “six pack” during the swimsuit portion of the c o m p e t i t i o n . Other contestants sported flippers, break-away pants and arm floaties.

Shiloh Marx performs his song and dances to “Thousand Miles.”

Dylan Baliani used his ceramic skills in the talent portion of the show. Other talents included Tory Wadlington playing jazz piano, Joe Rodriguez playing the ukelele, Kyle Miller doing an interpretation of the Six Flags dance, Matt Cullen miming, Kyle Figgins performing an inerpretive dance, and a special guest performance from the 2008 Mr. Nighthawk winner Brad Vidal.

Photos courtesy of CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

sports 17May 6, 2009The Talon May 6, 2009

The softball teams all have great seasons so far. In the last few games of the season, teams are working hard to win the rest of their games. The teams have performed decently so far but are hoping to be better. Varsity is still attempting to achieve the best record in the league. They have a 7-3 winning record and are only behind rival Vista Murrieta in League. Their captain, Holly “Twinkle Toes” Vanden Bossche, is proud of how their team is done so far. “We have done good so far and we never give up, but we’ll be better when we play to our full potential,” senior Anna Cue mentioned. The team gets along great and it shows when they win games. “I would like to see consistency improve the most in the last part of the season,” Parks mentioned. “In comparison to years past, this season, in terms of wins and losses down, but the team is doing well in league and should make CIF.” The varsity team members have great camaraderie and always support each other.

“There is good attitude in the dugout. We do cheers for each other,” junior Taylor Sepulveda said when speaking about what helps the team win. Varsity won’t find out whether they qualified for CIF until May 18. While varsity is still trying to be the best in league, junior varsity seems to have their own fate set. They are currently first in league and have only two games.

By Felisha Milesphoto editor

Varsity Softball Aims for CIF Success, JV first in League

“We bond very well on the field and have great teamwork,” junior Alyssa Contreras said. The girls are proud of how they have performed so far. “I think we’ve come together as a unit and it shows in our record, “said sophomore Chelsea Maestas. There are two games left for each team until league play ends, but varsity hopes to keep playing long after.

Senior Captain Holly Vanden Bossche leads the team to an impressive season, with a 6-2 record at press time and she aims to perform well in CIF.

Photo by CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

The Murrieta Valley boys’ golf team finished the season with an 8-2 league record, falling to first place finisher Great Oak twice on April 27 and 28. Finishing second in Southwestern league play, the Nighthawks look to qualify for the team CIF playoffs and hope to improve on last season’s second round exit. The Nighthawk boys have finished in a tie for first in the Southwestern league the past two seasons and after finishing second this season, are hungry and poised for a deep playoff run. The Nighthawks are also hopeful they can qualify some individual players for CIF, after not having a single individual compete in playoff competition last season for the first time in the program’s history. Although individual accolades are also a part of the team’s goals, the squad lives by the motto, “The strength of the wolf is in the pack, but the strength of the pack is in the wolf,” a quote made famous by Coach Greg Ireland. In addition to competing in league, the boys have traveled to places such as El Centro to compete in regional tournaments. They finished as the runner-up for the second consecutive year in El Centro two weeks ago, but now have their sights set on League Finals at Cross Creek Golf Club. After finishing second in the regular season, the Nighthawks are intent on defeating rival Great Oak when it really matters, in the postseason. With six seniors, including captain Dakota Duerr, the Nighthawks are hoping to capitalize on their last chance to make a title run.

By Aaron Weinerstaff writer

Boys’ Golf Finishes Second,Looking for an

Improvement in CIF

sportssportsMay 6, 2009 The Talon18

This spring season, one thing is apparent on the Murrieta Valley boys’ track and field team: they are a young team, but a determined and strong team at that. Boys’ Head Coach David Munn says, “We needed to work just as hard to keep up with the rest of the league, but

looking back, the rest of the league should’ve worked just as hard too.” The boys are currently in second place in league, with a loss to Great Oak, but are making it known that the title for league championship is still up for grabs. Sophomore Earvin Simmons has already set a season

league record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.69, and long jump with a distance of 23-7 1/2, breaking school records and proving himself, although still an underclassmen, as extreme competition. However, the seniors and juniors of the team, still maintain the right example to set for the underclassmen, such as senior Josh Potter, who is ranked third place this season in league in the 400 with a time of 50.1.

“When I was a freshman I looked up to the seniors at the time to show me how things are done, or even just to keep me in line; it’s different but humbling to finally do the same for them,” he said. In the long distance portion of track, senior Chris Kincade is making a name for himself by also setting a season

Boys’ Varsity Track Competitive in LeagueBy Chantale Stamp

staff writerleague record in the mile with a time of 4:29.40. To help achieve these times, Head Coach Steve Chavez says, “The workouts are never less than six miles a day.” To most people, four miles every day, on minimum, seems ridiculous, but looking at the shape these boys are in, it’s almost just a walk in the park for them. Senior Corey Corder, currently first place in league in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.13, also attributes a rigorous practice schedule with success, “It’s all day, rain or shine, it’s about getting out there and testing your limits; there is no room for complaining or quitting,” he says. One could almost question if these guys have a little bit of Clark Kent in them, such as senior Jeff Tavishati, who currently holds the school and league record in shot put with 53 feet 4 inches, and second in league in discus at 153 feet. As the season comes to end, the team still works twice as hard, to finish it off and prove themselves to be one of the most competitive teams in the southwestern league.

The sports world is one of high-level competition that produces the urge to win and be successful in every player or coach that is involved. And with that driving force to beat the competition, players and coaches alike will sometimes do just about anything to give themselves the winning edge. In fact, in recent years, professional sports like baseball, track and field, basketball, cycling, and football have all seen some of their respective professional players admit to using some sort of performance enhancing substance. The pressures to be better reinforce the idea to attempt an unfair advantage. Steroids and similar substances are usually taken for an increase in lean muscle mass, strength, and the ability to train longer and harder. All this leads to the obviously bigger chests and biceps that many guys envy. However, what people or athletes do not take into account at times are the negative effects that they can have on the human body. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the major effects of steroids include liver tumors, fluid retention, and high blood pressure. Common side effects for men who regularly take steroids can include the shrinking of the testicles, baldness, and

development of breasts. Women can also experience growth of facial hair, deepening of the voice, and accelerated puberty changes. Within the past year there has been much news coverage about how steroids have been a part of many of the country’s professional sports. Athletes like track star Marion Jones and baseball players Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi, Jose Canseco, and Alex Rodriguez, to name a few, have all admitted to taking some sort of performance enhancing drugs. These are some of the most influential role models in the sporting world. Kids look up to athletes and would love to be in their position. Though these athletes have admitted and have all apologized for their wrongdoings, it does not change

the effect of the perception they have on other athletes. High school athletes can by affected by these occurrences as well. In fact, in reporter C.W. Nevius’ 2008 San Francisco Chronicle article about steroids in high school, he said “the

percentage of high school athletes who have used steroids was up to five percent in 2005. These athletes said that they took steroids without a doctor’s

prescription, meaning that it most likely was not for medical purposes. So now that it is known that steroids and these kinds of drugs exist in high school sports, a call to action can be made. In some states, including Texas, there has been a push to have random drug testing on high school student athletes. But Murrieta Valley High School athletic director Darin Mott noted, “It is extremely difficult and almost impossible to perform some of these tests on teenagers

due to the amount of money needed.” Nevius’ article also stated that a drug test can cost up to $200 each. In the economic struggle that is posed on the

country today, this kind of idea is virtually impossible to act upon. It is one thing to be suspicious and be able to test athletes who are being paid tens of millions of dollars to play in professional sports, but to test high school students would not be reasonable. Sure, these students are playing for scholarships and the chance to go to prestigious high- level universities for their abilities. However, there are approximately seven million participating high school athletes every school year. At $200 each

for a drug test, the cost for school districts can become prohibitive. Nighthawk senior baseball player, Kyle Goldman, commented on the issue saying, “Taking steroids is cheating. Athletes gain an unfair advantage and they are rarely punished.” Other MVHS athletes also decided to comment on the issue, but some have asked to keep their names anonymous. One said, “I know of people who have taken steroids and at times it made me think of possibly doing something like that myself.” Junior Jesse Martinez has played both football and baseball during his high school career at MVHS. He commented that he would feel like his hard work would not be enough to match that of someone who had used performance enhancing drugs. At the end of the day it is extremely difficult to see what can be done to stop these dangerous drugs in high school sports. It is something that can be inevitable and it all depends on ethics. It all comes down to the fact that students have to believe in fair play and believe in their ethics and morals. Maybe in the short term steroids help athletes build strength and increase stamina, but in the long run they will end up hurting their game and, most importantly, their life off the field. An athlete’s most prized possession is his or her body, and steroids are an obvious way to hurt temselves.

By Ricardo Morenostaff writer

The pressures of steroids permeate throughout sports

An undefeated record is something incredibly difficult to overcome in any sport. Baseball, however, may be the most difficult. The Murrieta Valley jv baseball team has reached a league record of 8-1 as of April 23. The team was undefeated in league until their April 22 loss to Temecula Valley’s junior varsity squad. This team has high hopes for the remaining games of the 2009 season. Some of the team leaders include juniors Kevin Gohres and Jesse Martinez, who are experiencing their second year at this level. Gohres noted, “Our main objective and goal for this year is to win league.” Both Gohres and Martinez were part of a jv team that took home a league championship last season. This team seems to have some experienced leaders that know how to win and that can lead some of the younger, less experienced players down the right path to a league championship.

A team that includes some freshmen and also a group of sophomores leads Martinez to say, “If we play with enthusiasm and a passion for the game, we will be successful.” With only one blemish to their record, it appears that the team has been playing with the enthusiasm and passion that one of their leaders mentioned. Maybe the success that Martinez was talking about is finishing at the top of the league standings when they play their last game. The freshman team is looking to follow in the jv team’s footsteps. They have an opportunity to win a league championship if they continue to play well. Freshman pitcher and outfielder Miles Schuler says that this season has been very fun and he enjoys playing at the high school level. However, Schuler jokingly said, “My favorite part of high school baseball is getting out of class early.” This enthusiasm and positive attitude is the necessary element that the team needs to win and be successful at the freshmen level.

JV, Freshman Baseball Teams Strive to Win League Championships

By Ricardo Morenostaff writer

“It’s all day, rain or shine, it’s about getting out there and testing your limits;

there is no room for complaining or quitting.”

Photo courtesy of FLICKER

Steroids are not only prevalent on the professional level, but have surfaced in collegiate and high school athletic departments. With the fiscal difficulties of testing for performance enhancing drugs, it is nearly impossible to prevent its use among high school athletes

“Taking steroids is cheating. Athletes

gain an unfair advantage and they are rarely punished...”

sportsThe Talon May 6, 2009 19

had to make good first impressions in order to make it into the program. At the time of Moreno’s arrival to MVHS, current varsity head coach George Jones was MVHS’s freshman baseball

coach. Along with his duty as the freshman coach, Jones worked as an eighth grade physical education teacher at local Thompson Middle School, where at times, he would scout out some of the upcoming athletes. “I knew a majority of the incoming freshman class (what is now the senior class). Moreno really needed to prove himself as the new kid,” Jones stated. Each year for a number of sports around campus, there is a designated day where all of the tryout participants gather around a door or a window to read a list of names of players who have made the final cut and have received an opportunity to be a part of a high school team. It is a list that many dread and others await eagerly. “If my name isn’t on that list and I get cut, I’m going to cry. I want this so badly,” he told me in 2005. At the end of the entire tryout process, Moreno was one of the gifted players who had impressed coaches enough to make the 18-man squad. But, little did Moreno realize his struggles had just begun. As a freshman, Moreno rarely saw the field. “I had three pinch hit appearances and I don’t even think I played a single inning in the field,” he stated. In his sophomore year, Moreno saw his playing time ascend on the junior varsity team, but he explains that it was still disheartening. “As a sophomore, I started about every other game

at shortstop, and when I played, I produced. I felt that I deserved more playing time and it was discouraging to have put in all that hard work for limited time,” Moreno stated. “I contemplated quitting after my freshman and

sophomore years,” he added. Moreno has a strong love for baseball. Having to ride the pine can be difficult for any competitive baseball player. However, Moreno explains, “I knew that I had a chance to be a full time starter as a junior. I decided to completely dedicate myself to working out and to put myself in the best position to start.” Luck fell in Moreno’s favor. “Over the summer, in between my sophomore and junior year, a couple of players quit and a couple were kicked off of the team.” Along with these transitions, the junior varsity team ended up with a gap at the third base position, a gap that Moreno desired to fill. After a strong showing in the summer, Moreno earned a starting job at third base for his junior season on the junior varsity team and was named as one of the team captains. It was a position in which Moreno thrived. “Over the course of my junior season I hit about .380 on jv,” he stated. Along with his offensive presence, Moreno only committed three errors throughout the season. “He’s one of those guys, who you want the ball to be hit to when the game is on the line, because you know he’s going to make the play every time. He has sure hands and a great arm,” commented senior outfielder Kyle Goldman. With a strong showing in his junior season, Moreno used the momentum he had

was named as one of the team’s two captains, the other being senior catcher Cameron Garfield. “Ricardo’s the type of player who impresses you right from the start. He’s not one to talk a big game. He goes out, does his work and gets the job done,” Jones stated of his co-captain. “I’ve come a long way,” Moreno said, “but it’s not the end yet.” In the early part of the season, Moreno has struggled to find his stroke at the plate. Despite his woes at the dish early on, Moreno has grinded and kept a positive attitude, while contributing in any way possible to benefit the team. “Even though I’ve struggled at the plate, I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a limited time for high school baseball and I need to just enjoy the time that I have left, continue to work hard and hope that our team finds ways to win games as I play the game that I love.” In this fashion of doing whatever is best for the team, Moreno has found ways to get on base. At press time, Moreno was leading the Southwestern League with 11 stolen bases, but he explains that he’s really not even close to being the fastest player on the team. “I have great instincts when it comes to stealing bases and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to swipe bags and put myself in scoring position for guys to drive me in,” Moreno stated.

Moreno has been accepted to UCR, UCI, UCSB, SDSU and CSUSM, but he is undecided as to which college he is attending next year. Off the diamond, Moreno has excelled in the classroom. “We’ve been very fortunate to have Ricardo Moreno on our team, he has exemplary character, attitude and work ethic as not only a Nighthawk baseball player, but as a student as well,” Jones stated. As a bilingual student, he earned a 5 on his AP Spanish Literature exam and a 3 on his AP English Language exam in his junior year. This came after he had previously received a 4 on the AP Spanish Language exam in his sophomore year. Ricardo Moreno may not be the player who is bound to get drafted out of high school or to receive a full-ride scholarship to play for Cal State Fullerton, but he is an example of how far determination can lead one in life. His life could be completely different if he decided to take the easy road by quitting baseball and ceasing to grind it out as a bench player. When asked of his future baseball career, Moreno stated, “I want to continue to play ball, because it’s what I love to do.” With the team at 8-11 overall and 4-5 in league at press time, Moreno hopes to provide any spark he can to help the team win.

MORENO.. .

Senior third baseman Ricardo Moreno stands in to face Temecula Valley’s senior pitcher Brooks Pounders. In the early part of the season, Moreno jumped out to a big lead as the league leader in stolen bases. At press time, he led the league with eleven stolen bases.

Photo by IAN MASSEY

Continued from Page 1built up to fuel what he calls “the most successful offseason” of his life. “I worked out hard and I improved at the plate and improved defensively. I’m convinced that my performance over the summer solidified my

starting role on the varsity team at the start of this season,” he stated. This season, Moreno

With the spring season coming to an end, it is obvious that one of the most successful Nighthawk teams is Murrieta Valley girls’ track. The race to league championship is soon coming to an end, however, every girl knows to run through the finish and never let up. Their hard work and dedication is shown through their aggressive nature to win almost every dual meet they compete in. Even with the loss to Great Oak on April 23, practice still commences during the week every day and sometimes even weekends. Senior Audrey Mitchell says, “I’ve been on track for four years, and it seems like the energy and teamwork builds and builds each year.” Mitchell is the three-year league champ in high jump, with a personal record of 5’4”, and currently is planning on attending University of California, Los Angeles and joining their track team. “The intensity of this year really prepared me for competition at the collegiate level,” says Mitchell. Although things are running smoothly for the girls’ team, during the second meet of the season, they lost one of

their biggest assets, senior Katy Hall, to a compound fracture of her ankle. Nonetheless, Hall still managed to set a season league record in the 200, with a time of 25.84, in the very beginning of the season. She also currently holds the league’s record for the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.47. “She’s one of those girls that is always working 110 percent, even on the most difficult workout days; she’s our go-to whenever we get in a tight spot and need a couple of extra points,” explained girls’ head coach Matt Farmer. Track is to Hall as golf is to Tiger Woods, or baseball was to Babe Ruth. She ate, slept, and if it was a possibility, breathed track. Even though the injury was devastating, she is expected to make a full recovery, and continue her career in college at the University of Wyoming where she just signed a letter of intent. For now, the team still draws inspiration to their work ethic from her spirit and passion, right down to the orange socks they wear in honor of Hall who says, “I originally wanted an orange cast, so everyone decided to wear them the first meet after my injury for support.” Overall, the girls’ team is setting an abundance of season records. Senior Nikia Duncan is

Varsity Girls’ Track Dominant Throughout SeasonBy Chantale Stamp

lead photographercurrently tied for third place, in league, in the 100 sprint, with a time of 12.44, “I love track, and the rush you get right before the gun goes off to start a race,” says Duncan. Junior Kylee Martin, another varsity returner, also set a season league record in the 400 and the 800 with a time of 60.4 and 2:20.65. Other season league record-holding athletes include junior Heather Corder, second place in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.67, sophomore Cassie Gstrein, and third place in the 300 hurdles with a time of 49.0. Even the underclassmen have much to show for their outstanding work ethic, such as freshman Dana Backlund, who recently placed in the top ten all time school history track records with a personal record in the high jump of 5’2 “I just went out there and started jumping, it turned out to be fun and I was actually good,” she said. “The team had amazing potential” says Head Coach Steve Chavez, “and with all the work they put into this sport, they have reached it.” Even as some of the most beneficial seniors are graduating, with all they’ve taught the underclassmen, Murrieta Valley Girls’ track will continue to remain a power force in the southwestern league.

May 6, 2009 The Talonsports

May 6, 200920

The MVHS boys’ swim team has held their own in the pool this season. The team holds a 6-0 record and is undefeated in four league meets as of press time. They had yet to test their mettle against Murrieta and Temescal Canyon in Southwestern League Competition, yet they are optimistic in maintaining their undefeated position atop the league standings. The team has set their eyes on a CIF Division II Championship at the end of this season. They have a legitimate chance to compete for a title after a number of Division II powerhouses moved up to Division I this past offseason, while a couple of last year’s finalists have lost key seniors. Senior Jacob Lammott is confident about the squad’s chances this season, stating nonchalantly, “I don’t know if you knew this, but we’re going for a CIF Championship this year.” The boys’ greatest competition and the only thing standing in their way of a CIF title is the competitive La Canada team who won the coveted championship last year. The Nighthawks also have to deal with strong squads from both

Villa Park and Damien. The swim team’s strongest chances at individual titles lie with the 200 IM swimmers: Lammott, junior Bodin Rojanachaichanin, and freshman Brandon Porter, as

well as the 100 FLY swimmers: Porter, senior Bart Kelly, and senior Dylan Baliani. The team also has high hopes for 100 freestyle swimmers senior Mason Arnold and junior Jason Carnes, 100

Undefeated in League, Boys’ Swim Team Sets Sights on Coveted League Championship

By Aaron Weinerstaff writer

Continuing their winning tradition, this year’s swim team looks to continue this Nighthawk trend with an undefeated, 6-0 record. They are poised for a CIF run and aim for a South-western League Championship.

Photo by CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

backstroke specialist sophomore Derek Wang, and 100 breastroke competitor sophomore Eric Van de Mortel. Though they have their aspirations set on a title, the team must first focus on league meets

and so far they’ve done just that. With only two meets remaining before the postseason, the boys are gearing up for a journey to the top, but first must race past the rest of the Southwestern league to achieve their high goals.

The Murrieta Valley swim team is one of the more successful programs on campus. In particular the girls program is doing exceptionally well so far this season. The girls have participated in three tournaments to date. In the Mission Viejo Tournament, they took first place. “This tournament was an invitational and it was a big deal we were even invited,” said junior Jessica Lammott. In the Nighthawk Classic, the girls took second place behind Chaparral. They also planned to participate in the Palm Springs Tournament on Saturday May 2. Besides the tournaments, the Nighthawks have participated in 11 meets. Although the girls lost to Chaparral in the Nighthawk Classic, the girls got the taste of sweet redemption when they faced them again in league, this time leaving victorious. As of April 28, the girls were undefeated overall in league, winning 10 of their meets. The last meet before CIF took place April 30 and was against Vista Murrieta. “We have been working really hard,” says junior Mallory Montano, “and this meet is what it’s all been building toward.” The Southwesten League Finals begin on Thurs. May 7 and CIF begins on May 14.

By Aaron Levinstaff writer

Girls’ Swim Dominant in League, Looking Towards League Finals

The Nighthawk boys’ varsity tennis team has gotten off to a solid start this season, playing to a 9-8 (2-5 in league) record. The team started out 6-0, and had high hopes at the beginning of the season, but have recently come into some tougher times and have lost a few close and hard-fought matches. Recently they lost close, non-league matches to Redlands (7-11), Los Osos (8-10), and their closest match of the year to Linfield Christian. They tied in matches won (9-9), but lost by one game (76-75). The Nighthawks have had a tough time in recent league matches as a result of shifting lineups and having many players unavailable for a large number of their matches due to vacations or injury. League matches have also been very tough for the Nighthawks so far. They have gotten off to a rough 2-5 start, but have kept every match close, losing 7-11 to Chaparral, 8-10 to Temecula Valley, and 7-11 to Great Oak.

the iPhone is the “Blackberry killer.” These talking-heads would do good and well to look back before making such assumptions. While the “Jesus phone” may have some flashy features, and extravagant extras, the benefits end there. Where the iPhone is all play, the Blackberry provides the best of both worlds. Sure, Joe the Businessman can’t play Beer Pong while taking the 6 o’clock out of the congestion of New York’s office district, but he can: play a quick game of Brickbreaker, copy-and-paste a joke from an email he received on both his desktop and phone simultaneously earlier that day into an SMS for a friend, then use true GPS to determine his current location and arrival time – all with just a few taps of his keyboard and “pearl” in-phone mouse. Maybe this isn’t what Joe the unlicensed-non-union-

BLACKBERRY. . .not-really Plumber wants, or even what Jane the mother-realtor-part-time-teacher understands, but the fact remains the Blackberry, in all of its incarnations, provides the most comprehensive and reliable features, without the hefty $75+ monthly price-tag per-line. Furthermore, the Blackberry is available on a number of providers and network types, with the capability of working worldwide, all in a much better power-efficient package. For the time being, Apple may seem to have the proverbial “upper hand.” However, everyone grows up; and, when they do, they’re going to be looking for a phone that says, “Hey, I got that update about your research paper actually being due next class,” rather than, “Sorry bud, but while you were playing Phonesaber, I switched out of data-priority mode, you know, to save power… so… yeah… good luck.”

in many aspects: To those who want to calculate the mileage of their car quickly and easily, yes we can. To those who want to help penguins protect their iceberg from alien invasions, yes we can. To those who want to have 3D tic-tac-toe, yes we can.

To those who want to have a touch screen with 3G speed, yes we can. And where Apple was met with cynicism and doubts by those who told them that they couldn’t, Apple will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of their company, yes we can.

IPHONE. . .

The team notched their first league win of this season against Temescal Canyon, in which they scored a decisive 12-6 victory, and dominated the

doubles game. The team is on the upswing though after beating Chaparral the second time they played them winning on games in a match that finished tied 9-9. Although the team has struggled in league play so far, freshman Henry Craig has been a standout player for the team. He has only lost one of his matches in league, and has

Varsity, Jv Tennis Pitted Against Tough Competition

By Niall McCarthystaff writer

“It’s been a tough season so far ... but we have

played many close matches and have a good chance at performing much better our second

time through league.”

scored many huge victories for them throughout the season. The Nighthawk jv tennis team has had slightly better results than the varsity team, getting off to a 10-3 record (5-1 in league). “I have been very happy with the performance of the team so far this season,” said coach Joel Levin, “and I believe we have a good shot at winning league if we continue playing the way we have been.” Both teams are looking to keep up solid play in the second half of the season, and in the case of the varsity team, they hope to improve their league record and make it to the CIF playoffs for the third straight season. “It’s been a tough season so far,” said coach Trent Warren, “but we have played many close matches and have a good chance at performing much better our second time through our league matches.”

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