On May 13th, 2022, a group of roughly 40 high school students in the Saddleback Valley unified school district (particularly Mission Viejo High School and Laguna Hills High School) met on the corner of La Paz and Chrisanta, a corner known for its protests.
But this group differed greatly in perspective and makeup than the previous protestors.
Its common to see older, retired folk gather in protest against the practice of abortion in that same corner, and its easy to see why. Freetime is plentiful for this demographic, leading for this corner to be occupied by an older generation more often than not.
But this group differed greatly from the usual attendees to a younger group of high school students standing up against the right that is being taken from them.
Many people question the validity of the argument for abortion, but the effect of an abortion ban is far more consequential than many give it credit for. Take the increased amount of illegal abortion, a greater likelihood for pregnancy related deaths, a burden for rape victims, and all around limiting the right to choose for women.
The posters bring up notbale points and consequences of the abortion ban. One states, “I won’t get an abortion if you pay for my fetus’ college tuition,” another mentions “an abortion ban only stops legal abortions,” and one simply says, “Gilead?” harkening back to the dystopian society created by Margeret Atwood in the novel “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
The consequences of an abortion ban are clear to most at the protest, but not to all.
An older woman questioned the protestors by saying “Why do you guys want to be killing the babies?” as to justify the ban on abortion, but was quickly shied away by the overwhelming amount of protestors (and evidence) that proved her unable to back her point.
Another more adamant man decided to try his hand at convincing the protestors that surely he was on their side, but lacked a well thought out explanation. “I’m pro choice, too,” he claimed, “but I believe the baby should have the right to choose as well.” One might suggest that he ask the fetus himself and maybe one day he’ll become the fetus whisperer.
For the most part, the responses were positive. Honks from passing by cars accompanied by waves and ear-to-ear grins encouraged the protestors to continue their work for a better future.
Really, that’s what it’s all about, the future that the next generation will have. A future of safe healthcare, relief for rape victims, and control over ones’ own body or a future of restricted freedoms, illegal operations, and unwanted children burdening families.
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, I visited Antonucci’s Italian restaurant in Mission Viejo. I met with their owner, he was a very kind man and let us do our restaurant review.
One thing I noticed immediately was how organized and neat the restaurant was. It already gave the whole experience a fancy and professional atmosphere.
There were three different rooms in which you could be seated for your meal, all of them were large. The first room was a more casual bar with big screens and different sports matches on each TV, it was more of an adult atmosphere.
The second room you could call the family dining room, it had beautiful red velvet carpet and tables and a few booths. They were all very high quality material and gave us a higher class feeling.
The third and final room was meant for company or business meetings, and was organized to be that way. It had many more paintings, and had fewer tables but much longer tables that could seat more people.
It was a little bit fancier than the other two rooms and it had one painting in particular which I really enjoyed. It was of a house on a hill with a very meaningful background of the hill, grass, leaves, and trees. The texture made it feel as if I was there. This made the dining experience even more enjoyable.
On to the food part of the experience, I personally enjoyed a dish of spaghetti and sausage with meat sauce. I also had the appetizer of bread and balsamic vinegar and oil. It seems simple but was very enjoyable.
On to the spaghetti, it was very relieving that it took a good 20 or so minutes to be ready. This made me feel like it was being made after I ordered it which was very good to hear because this means that they did not use any frozen ingredients.
When I received my meal it was very hot and fresh. After letting it cool for a few minutes I tried some of the spaghetti which was way better than I would’ve imagined. I imagined something decent that I would have had before.
This spaghetti was extraordinary, and the meat sauce gave it a really nice kick. The sausage was also really good but what I learned was that if you cut it up and mix it with your spaghetti it is so much better. The two flavors combined are magnificent.
For my beverage I ordered an iced tea which was very good, it was naturally flavored with peach which was really nice.
Now for the customer service, it was pretty good. Our waiter would check on us every 7 ish minutes or so making sure we had refills and everything we needed. The owner checked on us a few times, which was very kind of him because he most likely had a lot of other work to get to.
We had a small interview with the owner himself and we got some information from him. He stated,”The restaurant has been here for 70 years, but I just bought it a few years ago.” He explained that the restaurant has been there for 70 years and that he did not change much when he took ownership of the restaurant, so that he would be able to keep the loyal customers that were coming before he took ownership of the restaurant.
He went on to say, “It isn’t one of these company owned restaurants, I own it myself,” He was trying to give us the impression that it was a small family restaurant and that it wasn’t some cooperation just wanting the money. We got that impression while eating, as they really seemed to care whether we were enjoying our food or not.
In conclusion, it was a very good experience and calculating everything I would give it a 9/10 respectfully. It had everything and more that you would expect from a small hidden restaurant. It had way more than most restaurants and was very worth the price. The staff are very friendly and enjoy their job which makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable.
I would definitely recommend Antonucci’s in Mission Viejo if you’ve never been.
The 2022 MVHS GSA club is a diverse, inclusive club, and members are looking forward to another, even more successful year.
The sound of cheers erupts from the Room 505 as the final two students remain sitting criss-cross on their desktops. The rainbow puffball of a toy rat who has the body of a loofah blurs by as it soars in the classroom air, barely avoiding the projector. The loofah goes by the name of Gayrett. The game’s spectators, since ousted from playing and now sitting back in their original plastic seats, stare in peak excitement as two yearning hands eagerly reach out to catch it- and miss. The student who initiated the toss stands up, and the room cheers. They call the game: Silent Speedball.
After a year of organized Zoom meetings, the GSA is back in-person and as chaotic as ever. Weekly meetings at tutorial act as a place for an eclectic, diverse group of students ready to learn, talk, and have fun.
The GSA exists to create a more loving, safe environment for queer and genderqueer MVHS students. It’s a place where they can meet people similar to themselves, learn about important topics, and have a non-judgmental space to have fun and ask questions.
Each meeting, the classroom’s pull-down screen is filled with a Google Slides presentation that teaches the group about important LGBTQ+ icons, history, and terms. Topics have included Lesbian Visibility week, Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month (AAPI), and asexual awareness. The presentations are typically followed by a round of Silent Speedball or Mafia. It all depends on the week.
Presentations, meetings, and other club-related activities like origami at lunch and the May 14th potluck are organized by GSA president Eli Malone (pronouns she/they). The swim-enthusiast waterbug (who loves to listen to Måneskin and the Arctic Monkeys) explains that the GSA’s purpose is to “create a safe space for people.” “We’re kind of becoming a family; a group of people who don’t discriminate and just enjoy each other’s company. And have fun!” they explain in an interview about the club.
Mission Viejo High School’s GSA club is very meaningful to its members. “It’s a step in the right direction to make the school more inclusive,” says one student. Another student, Davia, expresses that “it allows a space for queer kids to be safe. A place where they can be themselves and they don’t have to hide in fear of being rejected.” President Eli Malone views the club as a place where they can be themselves and help others be themselves. “It’s the most amazing feeling. I see some people who don’t have a safe space at home and here they can be themselves without worrying about anything,” she says, noting how she loves to see the club members grow along the way.
The club is sponsored by Mrs. Ross, who teaches AP Human Geography and U.S. History (and loves to cook and crochet in her spare time!). When asked about how long she has sponsored the GSA, Mrs. Ross responded with, “It’s been quite a few years. I can’t even remember.” She describes the GSA as “a very welcoming environment.” “We accept everybody for who they are and it is a great place to make great friends,” she continues. “I think there is a need for LGTBQ and allies to have a space to come together as a community, for friendship and to provide them with resources for support.”
“I wanted a more inclusive place. It’s nice to meet other people like me,” describes one student about why they joined. Another student, Greg, joined in hopes to “find a new interesting club to join.” The student continues, “Even though we are just a small club in school, I just still feel like I’m at home, with my friends.”
Though the 2021-2022 GSA is coming to an end, the club will be renewed for next year! Malone will remain as president, with goals to raise money to support organizations with a similar cause, to recruit more members, and to have an even more organized structure. Some of the members have expressed interest in expanding the club to promote even more inclusitity, by advocating for things like gender-neutral bathrooms on campus or inspiring teachers to ask for students’ pronouns. One of the members comments, “We should try and take more action to try and make the community a more inclusive place.”
If you are wondering whether or not to join next year’s club, or even try to be involved in the community during the summer, President Eli Malone reminds that, “No matter who you are, just come in and have fun. Whether you’re straight, gay, trans, an ally, everyone’s welcome here.”
So remember, even though it may seem like you don’t belong, or you’re different from everyone else, you are not alone and there is an extreme value in not being afraid to be unique and different.
The GSA Instagram page, @gsa.mvhs, is open for questions through DM at any time. So this summer, warm up your Silent Speedball skills for the upcoming run of the 2022-2023 GSA! 🙂
The collective efforts of the team are not refuted by an unsuccessful dive.
Mission Viejo boys’ volleyball team had a very successful season this school year leading them all the way to CIF. This year will make it the third consecutive advancement to CIF and another year added under the boys volleyball’s banner. The team made themselves known throughout their division as one of the top three through their joint efforts and earned themselves an impressive win streak jumping into the season. Their journey sadly ended early into CIF but their accomplishments up until that point were nonetheless exciting.
Five consecutive wins for a strong start to the season, Mission’s boys volleyball team started their season with victory in mind. A final record of nine wins in the season calls for nine stories filled with bragging rights.
The stinging burn left on their palms and forearms, screams and shouts of excitement at a successful maneuver, and leaving the court as champions are surely memories that they will cherish thanks to their hard work. An especially impressionable night for the seniors for their win at Capistrano Valley High School, which allowed them to qualify for CIF on senior night.
Hats off to the varsity players for making it to CIF: Jason Hatfield, Josh Aruya, Davis Howery, Jay Ramirez, Alexander Frost, Matthew Sellers, Johnny Strickler, Jake Horchover, Sean Smer, Caleb Ley, Michael Salgado, Jeremy Li, Justin Leonard, and Luke Morrissey.
These boys’ volleyball season was unfortunately cut off at CIF but that does not make any of their previous feats any less praiseworthy. “It was a little disappointing at the end, but despite that I think the majority of the season went well, especially with so many guys coming back next year,” Jason Hatfield commented.
A hopeful glimpse towards the future of more exciting volleyball games to come. Therefore there is no need to feel bad, but rather be excited for next year and show some support to the team by going to their games and showing off that school spirit for our boys’ volleyball games!
Congratulations to MVHS boys’ volleyball team for making it to CIF!
Many of the long awaited, pushed back films are finally coming to theaters this Summer.
Dr. Fauci recently claimed we are “out of the full-blown explosive pandemic phase,” one of the many upsides of this return to normalcy is the cinema. For the first time in two years moviegoers are able to experience a normal Summer release of movies. Well the release is not completely normal, many movies that were delayed were pushed back until this Summer, resulting in several blockbuster movies a week this Summer.
With this abundance of movies comes a hard decision to make, many people only go to the movie once or twice a month so they have to choose their movie wisely, so instead of just listing every single movie to come out I am going to be listing my most anticipated movies of the Summer and who they would appeal to.
May 27 – Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise, is the action packed revisit of the 1980s classic Top Gun. Cruise plays ace pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, who has flown for the Navy for 36 years and is now faced with training the new rising stars of the Navy.
The movie, like its predecessor, contains some of the most gut-wrenching scenes of the year filmed with bleeding-edge technology.
If you’re a fan of classic thrill/action movies like the James Bond series or Mission: Impossible, I would not skip this one.
June 10 – Jurassic World Dominion
The third installment of the Jurassic Park revival leaves off right where the Fallen Kingdom left off: Isla Nublar, where the theme park Jurassic World was, was destroyed in a volcanic eruption and because of this the dinosaurs were able to escape into the real world. Now, in Jurassic World Dominion, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), and Dr. Ian Malcom (Jeff Goldblum) has to deal with the ramifications of the freeing of the dinosaurs.
Like Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World Dominionis a great watch for anyone who enjoys thrill movies.
June 17- Lightyear
The Pixar movie Lightyear acts as an origin story for the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear. It is not in the same universe as the Toy Story franchise but instead covers the character that the toy Buzz Lightyear is based off of. The movie features Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear and Taika Waititi (director of and voice of Korg, the rock dude, in Thor: Ragnarok) as Mo Morrison.
June 24 – Elvis
The Biopic Elvis, in a similar vein to Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, covers the discovery of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) and the relation he had to his manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The biopic is inherently a must watch for die-hard Presley fans, but for those who can wait the film will be on HBO max 45 days after it is released.
July 8 – Thor: Love and Thunder
The fourth installment of Thor, the first Marvel series to have a fourth installment, is directed by Taika Waititi, who also directed Thor: Ragnarok. The movie revolves around Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) taking over the mantle of Thor. Like Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: Love and Thunder contains a lot more comedy than the typical Marvel movie.
Personally I’ve found Waititi’s take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be a delightful change of pace; he brings new life into the semi-formulaic film catalog. It’s a must watch for anyone who enjoys Marvel movies. The movie is also slated to come out to Disney+ in September.
July 15 – The Gray Man
Written and Directed by the Russo Brothers (notable for Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame), The Gray Man covers a former CIA operative, Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling), as he breaks out of prison and gets hired as a bounty hunter. At the same time a psychopathic killer is after him and has put a bounty on his head.
I found the Russo Brothers last endeavor, Cherry, as incredibly underwhelming, but that was an original story and this is adapted from a novel by the same name, and the Russos have been (to say the least) pretty good at directing with source material.
The Gray Man releases in theaters on July 15 and comes out to Netflix a week afterwards, July 22.
July 22 – NOPE
NOPE, the Jordan Peele horror film, covers ranch owners as they face abnormal and terrifying events. Unlike Get Out and Us, NOPE contains sci-fi elements. The reason the movie is called NOPE is because it stands for Not of Planet Earth. Not much else is known about NOPE besides that it casts Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun, and Keke Palmer.
August 5 – Secret Headquarters
A superhero movie that is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the DC Extended Universe, Secret Headquarters is a movie revolving around a kid who finds a secret superhero headquarters under his house. The movie features Owen Wilson (Loki, Cars, The Royal Tenenbaums), Michael Peña (Ant-Man) and Walker Scobell (The Adam Project).
This movie is more of a wildcard, seeing as the directors have not created anything of critical acclaim, nor is it part of a big franchise, but I am hoping that with Christopher Yost (Thor: Ragnarok and The Mandalorian writer) they are able to make a compelling superhero story that is not just overly similar to a Marvel movie.
Seeing as there is little known about the movie, other than the synopsis, I am not sure if it is going to be directed towards children or to a wider audience, but I really hope it is the latter.
Kanye West disses on Kim Kardashian’s new boyfriend, Pete Davidson, in his most recent hit “Eazy.”
Credit: 100 Entertainment, Inc.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s rather publicized divorce has been massively resurfacing on mainstream media recently, especially after Kanye spat a threatening verse against Pete Davidson, Kim Kardashian’s new boyfriend, in his hit single “Eazy.” While the song isn’t mainly centered on Davidson, the mention of him was enough to stir up some serious controversy.
To many, this wasn’t much of a shock, as Kanye West has maintained an “unhinged” reputation ever since the early takeoff of his career. However, what was shocking to the public was the nature of Kanye’s lyrics, and more specifically, the recent music video that he dropped for the song.
In Kanye’s “Eazy,” the verse he drops about Pete Davidson reads as, “God saved me from that crash,” Kanye continued, “Just so that I could beat Pete Davidson’s a**.” While many fans initially came to Kanye’s defense, as these lyrics could be interpreted as nothing more than a publicity stunt, others found it disturbing and worried for Pete Davidsons’ safety.
Already disturbed fans gradually became even more horrified when they witnessed Kanye West’s music video for “Eazy,” which featured a claymation kidnapping, burial, and beheading of a clay Pete Davidson, all acts performed by a clay Kanye West.
While Kanye West certainly has faced backlash for his portrayal of Pete Davidson, he remains loved and praised by several loyal fans who found the music video and lyrics entertaining, and unconcerning.
Despite Kanye West’s inappropriate actions, many sympathize with him, and claim that “He just wants his family back.” Whether or not this is true, Kim Kardashian herself has made several public statements condemning Kanye’s actions.
Most prominently, Kim Kardashian addressed Kanye West’s “Eazy,” music video in a recent People.com interview, allegedly stating that she thinks “It is way too violent.” Kardashian is said to also have stated, “I am really upset with Kanye, that he would do this.” She continues, “I’m completely over all of this, and I want it to stop.”
There are countless fans who are utterly concerned for both Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidsons’ well-being, and fear that Kanye West may do something similar to what he acted out in his “Eazy ” music video.
Many people have asserted that Kanye West is abusive, and believe that it is only a matter of time before he physically harms either Kim or Pete. However, on the other side of the drama’s spectrum, lots of people have pointed out the unfair demonization of Kanye West, specifically because he has bi-polar disorder.
While Kanye West’s actions are, undoubtedly, inexcusable, it is true that as someone who suffers with bi-polar disorder, Kanye will sometimes have manic episodes, such as the panicked posts he wrote on Instagram concerning he and Kim’s daughter on Instagram, and several other posts mentioning Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian.
Kanye’s portrayal of Pete Davidson in his music video could be, and is most likely, the result of an episode of mania that stemmed from Kanye’s anger from his divorce. Prior to current circumstances, Kim Kardashian has stated publicly, “As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder.” She continued to ask fans for, “Compassion and empathy,” To help her and Kanye get through their lengthy, difficult split.
So, despite Kanye’s controversial actions, his emotional turmoil is to be anticipated, considering his mental health and personal situation with Kim. It is now assumed that Kanye and Kim have reached a calm point in the midst of the “Eazy” controversy, as Kanye made a public instagram post apologizing for his actions. It is evident that the only solution left for Kanye West is to cope with what he has done, and to further better himself for his children and the sake of his future.
As for Kim Kardashian and Pete Davison, the two appear to still be together. Whether or not Kanye’s music video is meant to be interpreted as a genuine threat or not, it seems as though the situation has died down, and luckily, not resulted in any physical violence from Kanye West or Pete Davidson.
Drama 3’s “The Bully Plays,” clocking in at 65 minutes, has a pretty straightforward premise.
The Cast of “The Bully Plays”
The play, or should I say plays, consists of a compilation of anecdotes revolving around bullying. Originally compiled by Linda Habjan and directed by MVHS drama teacher Lisa Goin, the show features 9 separate plays (although the full compilation features 24 plays), similar to MVHS Drama’s last performance, “Almost, Maine”; each play has its own twist that makes it comedic/intriguing in its own way and provides a good message for the audience to consider about bullying.
The first play, “The Bully Pulpit”, featured student president candidate Barbara (Anna Mut) make a speech promising to prevent bullying at all costs, this is ironically juxtaposed with the way the audience sees Barbara treat the people who manage her campaign, which is absolutely horrendously, telling her best friend, Katie (Anna Rodeheaver), that she should break up with her boyfriend because he is telling her to stand up for herself against Barbara and twists it to try to convince Katie that her boyfriend is the bully.
The second play, “Alex” (my personal favorite), features only one character, Alex (Katie McCarthty), as she tells her father of all the bullying and bad things that are going on in school, but while doing this she purposely avoids telling him about her personal grievances involving bullying.
The third play, “A Bully There Be,” is one of the most farfetch’d of the 9 plays, taking place in medieval times and focusing on a Prince (Ella Njike Chatien) who abuses his jester (Griffin Bacon) and serving girl (Maya Garcia), I found the message to be lacking in this particular play, I guess you could say that the message was that even the most powerful people in the world are insecure (the plot focuses on the insecurities of the Prince) but the ending where the serving girl focuses the prince to not harass any of his royal subjects anymore if she kisses him seems like a lot a bit of a stretch, but to be fair the plays are centered around being fairly lighthearted.
The fourth play, “Downhill,” follows a pretty simple message, bullying rolls downhill. This is portrayed through a parent, Michaela (Lily Rezvani), being yelled out by her employer, Cynthia (Liliana Seaver), for being an embarrassment to the company, this negative attitude rolls downhill to the parent’s daughter, Jackie (Elena Shumaker), who then bullies a student, Tracy (Evie Sisk) to try to get math homework done for them, this cycle finally ends when Tracy initially gets mad at her sister Emma (Izzy Maclennan) but then realizes that she should not take out her anger on someone who does not deserve it. Although the play had a pretty simple concept it executed it well and the portrayal of it by the actors was executed extremely well.
The fifth play, “Bystander Blues,” is the most depressing of the 9 plays, featuring elements of depression, regret, and suicide. Katie (Emily Calzada) is constantly bullied by Johnny (Mark Garcia) and Samantha (Ella) while 3 bystanders (Maddeie Beymer, Sophia Rad, and Parker Carlisle) watch by and let it happen, the next day Katie doesn’t show up and it could be inferred from the diction that she had killed herself (they reference her in the past tense). This ending was very unforeseen for me, I did not expect the plays to cover topics aht serious, especially after the four prior more lighthearted plays.
The sixth play, “A Bunch of Clowns,” uses the partly abstract metaphor of a circus to portray the reasoning for people becoming bullies. Their is a ringmaster (Avery Harrington), a metaphor for the societal standard, who informs the new kid (Bella Grasso) that she has to be one of the three clowns, the bully (McLaren Booth), the bullee/victim (Brooke Metoyer), and the bystander (Izzy MacLennan). With only these three options the most fun and interesting option is the bully, so it would be obvious that the new kid would join the bully in bullying the victim, but then the new kid is asked to the bully and the bully realizes how bad being the victim is, and so tells the new kid to bully the ringmaster, but the new kid realizes that she does not have to be these three people and she can instead be her own person.
The seventh play, “Gasp, Farrah, Monster,” covers three separate stories, one about a young man (Eren Sarik) who tells the audience about how he bullied a kid in school years back and tells us how he realizes now how wrong it was; the second covers a young woman (Jordan Lausten) who had been bullied after an untrue rumor was spread about her being a wild girl, people then began calling her “T girl” (t for tramp) she thought about taking pills to cope with the pain and the constant embarrassment; the third introduces us to a woman who calls herself a monster (Maya Garcia), she tells us about how she was bullied and beat down and from this she was able to build up a wall, that she now uses today to be a ruthless businesswoman. While the play was not bad I felt that the play would have been much better if the three stories were cohesive (in that the monster, young woman, and young man mentioned one of each other in their story/could be inferred that one of them knew the other).
The eight play, “We’re Your Friends,” covers toxic relationships and peer pressure. Stacy (Katie McCarthy) is a student in high school who is constantly put down by her ‘friends’ who tell her she looks bad in her clothes and tell her to aim low, they also peer pressure into bringing alcohol to the theater and threaten to tell on her if she does not drink. While they do this bullying they make Stacy the third wheel, their toy to play with and criticize however they want.
The ninth play, “Bully Bully,” is the other contender for the most out there play of the 9, featuring an anthropomorphic dog, Ted (Brooke Metoyer), and a reflection of the main character, J’Neece’s (Rachel Bolich), past self, Janis, (Hannah Stonebarger)–she changed her name because she found Janis to be a boring name–the play uses these three characters to represent J’Neece’s train of thought and let us know that she is focusing too much on trying to be popular, purposefully not caring about schoolwork and pretending to not know it when she does, and disregarding her dog and in place working on cheerleading or, when her mother (Anna Mut) asks her to, nothing. The inclusion of the creative characters allowed the play to still be comedic and entertaining while covering the thought process of a 14 year old coming of age.
“The Bully Plays” successfully executes a comedic play while also featuring messages about the harmful impacts of bullying. The messages are not groundbreaking but more like platitudes (think “treat people how you want to be treated”), but to be fair that is all the message people can have to be encouraged to stop bullying, they just have to realize that they are hurting someone and take action to stop it.
Due to recent controversy, MVHS administration has stated that there will now be a strictly enforced dress code for water athletics.
The older generations of MVHS students have been complaining for years that there should be a dress code for Mission Viejo High Schools athletic programs that compete in the pool.
A Facebook group had originated earlier this year called, “Dresscode Mission Swimmers.” Their bio states, “We are concerned parents about our children exploiting themselves and using the pool as an excuse to dress inappropriately.”
This Facebook group spurred in response to the controversy circulating around parents feeling offended by the school’s mascot being “Pablo the Diablo.”
Before MVHS boys and girls water polo games, a group of older individuals have been protesting the lack of coverage that the team suits provide.
An example of a message that could be read on one of the protestors signs read “Ban Speedos,” before the boys water polo game throughout their season.
The “DMS” group has been continuously protesting against swimsuits, and have been seen at several water polo games and swim meets chanting slogans such as “have respect for yourselves.”
Many students laugh about this because it is out of pocket. However, this protest has led to many parents questioning whether or not if their their children wearing swimsuits in a public high school is “appropriate.”
After many protests and meetings, MVHS administration will now be enforcing students to wear wetsuits to practices and games starting next year.
Mission will be the only high school that will enforce this change. The new dress code states, “MVHS students will only be allowed to wear wetsuits in the pool.”
The athletes are furious with this news because wetsuits are uncomfortable and hard to put on. Junior swimmer Jack Harris mentioned, “A wetsuit will make me so much slower because I am so much less aerodynamic in it! Now my chances of getting a CIF qualifying time are ruined!”
Unfortunately, there is not much the athletes can do in regards to protesting the new dress code rules. They will simply be given the option to quit or to oblige with this adjustment.
Swimmers and water polo players are simply outraged. The teams have already expressed their frustration regarding the tanlines that will result from this.
Many strongly believe it is ridiculous that the admin has obliged with parents’ complaints. Kai Smith expressed, “It is completely unacceptable that Mission has dress code rules for swimming now! We are practicing in the straight sunlight during the afternoon, and they somehow expect us to be okay with wearing a wetsuit.”
Since this new change, other athletes have wondered what the future holds for their sport. Will girls volleyball wear leggings instead of spandex?; will track athletes wear loose clothing?; will cheer have to wear a full length uniform?
Everything is up in the air amid the controversy. It is a huge disappointment for the athletes who have to endure this new adjustment.
Some are happy with the change, but many are angered. However, Missions administration stressed that this policy will be strictly enforced.
Starting in the 2022-23 school year, MVHS will have a new mascot. Recently, the parents of Mission Viejo High School students have spoken out against Pablo the Diablo. Parents and other community members have concerns about our mascot being a devil, quite literally. They claim,”Students should not be worshiping a devil, or diablo.”
They continued that students have been spotted acting possessed or hypnotized by Pablo at football games. Perhaps that’s why our student section is so involved. Parents have been seen protesting around the school, and the crosswalk near TK Burger and Taco Bell. They have created signs a stating. ,”Punish Pablo!” These concerned parents have created a social media group (Parents against Pablo or PAP on Facebook) based on the cause.
Furthermore, these parents took their concerns to the school board saying that Pablo offends their religious beliefs. Having their children worship the devil is quite frightening, and they want Pablo out. Some claims from their social media account suggested that they want Pablo replaced by their own “Angel Andy”.
They said that he would be a better example and would rather have their students go to a school that is themed by an angel rather than a devil.
The Saddlecrack Mountain school board agreed with the parents’ request and have decided that this August Mission will become the MVHS Fighting Angels. The mascot will be the aforementioned Andy. The board also decided to change the school colors from red to blue to accommodate the new mascot.
Due to the board’s decision, some students have created their own group to to keep Pablo as their mascot. One interviewed student claimed,” It is ridiculous, all of this is absurd; we love Pablo and it is almost impossible to hate or replace him.”
Other students have also given passionate statements against the parents and their whole plan to replace Pablo.
Recently, there have been many conflicts going on that many people have witnessed. It seems as if the case has brought a division to the high school. The majority of students have divided into two groups: the supporters and the rebels.
The supporters are in favor of Pablo remaining as the mascot.However, the rebels have been influenced by their parents and are protesting the cause themselves. There have been a few disputes between the groups and it seems as if the controversy is getting worse, and maybe out of hand.
In conclusion, the two different groups are creating a split between the students and the parents. The rebellious group will continue to protest and update their social media. In the coming days hopefully the Pablo problem will be solved and the disputes on campus will also slow down.
As of now, the District is not backing down from their decision, and the new name mascot will be in place in August.
The hit show, Dancing with the Stars, is taking a new approach for the next season: it’s Dancing with the Stars: Education Celebration!
Credit: American Broadcasting Company
Dancing with the Stars: Education Celebration! is the new, inclusive theme of the next season of the hit show. The show wanted to highlight the education superstars from across the nation, as a way to celebrate the hard work that they put into their jobs. Inspired by the hardships that education employees faced especially in the era of distance learning, Dancing with the Stars set out to find the most talented people in education to create a new form of the show.
The show, which typically features duos of celebrities and professional dancers, will now feature duos of celebrities and teachers, administration, janitors, and principals. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, Pitbull, Mr. Worldwide, Mr. 305, Rick Astley, and Michael Bublé’s cousin.
And it was quite a surprise when Mr. Zides, Mission’s very own assistant principal, received his Dancing with the Stars letter in the mail. As it turns out, he has a very impressive background in dancing.
At the age of 11, Zides was enrolled in JIF (not the peanut butter): the Junior International Flamenco Education. After becoming a master of flamenco by only age 15, he moved on to a form that was most passionate to him: break-dancing. Since then, he continues to dance every weekend at the Groovy Breakdance Club of Mission Viejo. But when the opportunity for him to compete in Dancing with the Stars: Education Celebration!, he couldn’t resist.
Mr. Zides will be very missed when he leaves Mission Viejo High School at the end of the school year. But in the end, this is his chance to finally be himself. “I love this school. But there is something I’ve always been more passionate about: the art of break-dance,” he says.
Dancing with the Stars: Education Celebration! will premiere September 2nd on ABC networks. A wide range of celebrities will be competing with their education worker counterparts, including Anderson Cooper, Adam Driver, Keanu Reeves, the winner of the last season of the Bachelor, and the winner of the second-to-last season of the Bachelor.
Publicly released statements from some of the celebrities participating show that they encourage and support the idea of educational workers coming together to dance. A statement, released by the winner of the last season of the Bachelor, said “Even though my relationship is already over, I am excited to be working with these wonderful educational employees because diversity and inclusivity always comes first.”
“Woah,” said Keanu Reeves.
Mr. Zides has already started to practice dancing with his celebrity dance partner: Sandra Bullock. She is known for her roles in Bird Box, The Blind Side, and the 1998 animated film, The Prince of Egypt. When asked about her experience so far, Sandra Bullock quotes, “Zides is one of the most talented dancers I have ever seen. I am honored to dance with him, and I am certain we will win.”
The star-studded show is sure to be well-anticipated by students and faculty across the campus. A screening of Mr. Zides’ Dancing with the Stars: Education Celebration! will be shown in the gym as classes are paused for the special occasion to watch him dance to “Going the Distance” by Cake.
At the end of the day, this is the time for Mr. Zides to dance his way to stardom. Though he will be missed, MVHS will always support his break-dancing dreams.
