A Streetcar Not Desired

Brie Samaniego

It is widespread knowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic has done severe damage to the restaurant industry, but for the residents of 4th Street Market the pandemic was only the beginning of their troubles.

Since 2020, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has been constructing a street car that will run through downtown Santa Ana. At first glance, the streetcar looks to be a wonderful new addition to the city. The OCTA website shows how in only four miles, the streetcar will connect the OC bus, Metrolink, and the Pacific Surfliner, thus benefiting the local residents and businesses. However, by the time the construction is finished there may not be any local businesses left to reap the rewards the OCTA promised.

For the small business owners and staff of 4th Street, the construction surrounding the market has been detrimental. A majority of the businesses had not yet recovered from the pandemic before they were hit with the losses from construction. One worker said it was “all of a sudden” and that there was no time given to prepare for the sudden setback vendors faced.

One of the biggest factors driving away customers is how hard the streets are to navigate due to the blocked roads from the construction. In most places, parking is limited or completely unavailable surrounding the market. This then leads the disgruntled customers to leave bad reviews which hurts the businesses even further. Loretta Ruiz, owner of La Vegana Mexicana in the 4th Street Market said “We live and die on reviews”. The bad reviews cause an even bigger loss of customers and profit.

Ruiz has owned and operated her own restaurant in 4th street for almost 4 years. She said that before Covid business was thriving. Sales were on a steady incline and she had many returning customers. After the pandemic hit, La Vegana Mexicana was no exception to the sharp decline in business like all the vendors of 4th street. However, Ruiz kept her restaurant open and sold to-go meals; through this, she managed to retain around 50% of profits despite the lockdowns. When the construction began Ruiz claimed she lost around 90% of profits compared to pre-pandemic sales.

Additionally, as inflation and the costs of living continues to climb, longstanding locals fear displacement and gentrification. Many owners of small businesses in this area already struggle with paying rent due to Covid setbacks and now with the streetcar, they worry rent is only going to go up which may eventually force them to move. Some of the business owners, like Ruiz, already work other full time jobs on top of what they do at 4th street to make ends meet.

According to several OC papers, the streetcar was supposed to begin operating in 2022. However, the debut of this project has now been pushed to 2024. This two year delay can possibly be the difference between remaining open and closing down completely for some restaurants.

Despite all this, the business owners and residents of 4th Street Market are not losing hope regardless of the hardships they have faced over the past several years. Many have performed and organized demonstrations fighting for equal compensation for the profits lost. However, a few workers at 4th street said they believe the streetcar has the potential to bring in more business after it is built, if they can make it through these difficult times.

There are ways people, especially students at OCSA, can support the small businesses of 4th Street. Using the market as a venue for meet-ups and study sessions after school or on the weekends is a fun way to enjoy the food and show appreciation to local restaurants. After visiting the vendors, taking a few minutes to leave a good review is another easy way to boost the popularity online. Posting on social media and adding the name and location of the restaurant, or even the tagging the company can also expand customer demographics. Through these actions, a community is created that supports these local businesses, providing a support system that they can rely on during times of need.

Photo courtesy of the LA Times

How Reliable is OCSA Transportation?

Jessica Hong

Over the summer, the OCSA administration made an important announcement about their transportation system. Due to a decreasing number of students who were willing to take the bus, costs were going to be re-evaluated based on the number of families committed to use the system over the school year. As forms were sent out accordingly to gather responses, OCSA administration set the new prices for the school year. The Metrolink Shuttle’s bus passes were $2,016, Rush Park/Rossmoor’s annual bus passes were $4,368, Bonita Park/Newport Beach’s annual bus passes were $3,276. For the Metrolink Shuttle alone, the price rose up by $600 more than last year. Many students have complaints to share about the system, especially the expensive prices they have to pay for the passes.

This year, the Metrolink bus shuttle has been making a record number of late arrivals to school in the morning. As a result, students who take the bus shuttle have been missing 10-20 minutes of a regular school block on a consistent basis throughout the week. And although it may be insignificant compared to an hour and thirty minutes of a block, the minutes soon accumulate and become a disadvantage to their academics. According to Liam Ramos (IM-S ‘24), a student who relies on OCSA transportation to get to school, he had missed “an entire history test because the bus was 50 minutes late one day.” Like Ramos, other students had to miss out on important exams and quizzes early in the morning, influencing their grades in those classes. Isabella Gordon (CW ‘23), added that the problem with this year’s bus pick-up schedule is that buses prioritize students who use the Bonita Park route first, which is why the same “buses usually arrive at the train station at 8:30.” On the OCSA website, the Metrolink bus shuttle schedule states that students would be expected to be picked up at the train station at 8:10 AM from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:40 AM on Fridays. However, according to the past months, the bus system has repeatedly been unable to match the schedule OCSA administration has promised to its students. When there are sudden changes to the schedule, Administration has also lacked in communicating with students, leaving some students unable to go to the train station in the afternoon. For other bus shuttles, such as the Newport Beach’s and Rush Park’s, students often had to wait for the bus for several minutes after school to get home because few buses have to shuttle students on different routes.

Due to these inconsistencies, many students have been taking other methods of transportation to get to school. For example, most students who use the Metrolink bus shuttle have resorted to walking from the station to the school where their safety is at risk on the streets.

Other students began to use the city bus as their main source of transportation, such as Alyssa Uy (VA ‘24). Uy said, “I saw a significant decrease of students riding OCSA transportation than last year because of its lack of reliability. Enough to fill one bus. If OCSA had recognized that the system is the problem, they wouldn’t have lost out on so many funds.”

Despite all of these issues, the cause does not lie on the bus drivers. Viveka Saravanan (CV ‘24), another student who uses the Metrolink on a daily basis, said she finds the mood every morning “a joy” as she is greeted by “the friendly driver.” Students such as Saravanan using the bus shuttles agree that the drivers have been doing their best in dropping them off at school in the midst of busy traffic.

OCSA Administration has also been aware of the situation as they have taken a couple of weeks for sort the issue with the bus company. According to Dr. Wallace, he claims that the bus shuttle system “is back to a dependable regular schedule for students.”

Overall, OCSA transportation has been declining in its quality of effectively commuting students to school. Gordon says using OCSA transportation became “time wasted” and the “effort and money that is inevitably going into this system is not worth a lot of things.” However, because she has been using the bus shuttle since she was a freshman, she adds the system is “in theory, a good one”. Ultimately, this shows that the current transportation system is being mismanaged.

The Man, The Myth: Marquis

Kayalani DeGrave and Dash Kaur

Marquis. So loved by many, but truly known by few. With his witty remarks, daytime singing, and well-known food review videos, he manages to bring a smile to anyone here at OCSA, making him one of the most beloved staff members. Still, his personal life remains a mystery to be discovered. Knowing this, Evolution made it our mission to unveil the secret life of Marquis. During class, we hunted the halls of OCSA, searching every nook and cranny of the campus, to ask the questions that the OCSA student body has been dying to uncover. After a long and tedious journey, we found him chatting with the chefs in the tower kitchen while grabbing a mid-morning snack. He agreed to sit with us for an interview, revealing his responses to the burning questions we all were wondering.

The OCSA population already knows his first name, but did anyone know that Marquis’s last name is Naborne? He is 31 years old and has been working at OCSA for half a decade, since 2018. In the past, he has worked as a security guard for Disneyland. But to our surprise, we learned that the rumors about Marquis leaving Disneyland to join us at OCSA were false. In actuality, he originally did not even know what OCSA was, but was sent here by his preceding job, the Coca-Cola Water Plant, to quickly join forces with the beloved George Quinn.

He lives in Anaheim, so the furthest he has been in Santa Ana before OCSA was the Main Place Mall. He was confused as to what this job was, but George quickly told him all about our school. Even though Marquis was initially worried about working with kids, he has been here ever since. Shortly after joining our school is when Marquis embarked on his Disney career but, like many, his occupation there sadly ended during the pandemic. While not much can be said about the infamous underground Disney tunnels, Marquis has confirmed that he’s witnessed and walked through them firsthand. When jokingly asked if OCSA should have its own series of underground tunnels, Marquis quickly refuted.

Everyone sees Marquis in the mornings directing traffic, at lunch supervising, or after school, but what does this esteemed security guard do while class is in session? Marquis reported that while students spend their blocks in the classroom, he stays on duty walking around campus and ensuring the safety of everyone at OCSA. When asked what his favorite part about working at the school is, Marquis shared that he loves “watching the kids grow, [and seeing them] evolve as they get older.”

To get to know a little bit more about Marquis, we collected some more fun facts for the students to read. To start, his favorite hobby is Pokémon, which several students here can relate to. In fact, a Charizard is his favorite Pokémon at present. Marquis revealed to us that he has two brothers, one sister and a large number of nieces and nephews in his family. When asked if he could be in any conservatory, Marquis revealed that he would choose Production and Design, which we’re sure many P&D students will be excited to hear. We at Evolution also agree that this is a fine choice for Marquis. Need a new song suggestion? Marquis’s favorite song right now is Every Kind Of Way by H.E.R. Many are accustomed to watching a favorite past-time of Marquis’s, his well-known food review TikTok videos, and he was excited to share that his favorite video that he has made happens to be his confetti and cracker review. In case you have not caught up on these popular videos, they can be found on @marquisfoodking on TikTok.

Speaking of the food king’s cooking experience, we asked Marquis what some of his go-to orders are at the OCSA staples. At the adored taco truck, Marquis stays loyal to a burrito with extra cheese. At Pop’s, he always orders chicken strips with ranch or an egg white omelet with spinach and mushrooms. Make sure to try out one of his local food recommendations the next time you visit the taco truck or Pop’s. OCSA students love Starbucks. Well so does Marquis. He shared that his favorite drink there is dragon fruit refresher with lemonade.

Next time you see Marquis out and about on campus, don’t forget to say ‘hi’ or simply just wave, thanking him for his work. While one of the most well known around campus, Marquis is not the only security guard for students to become accustomed with. OCSA’s great number of security team members do a lot around campus to keep our school running smoothly and safely so that students can continue learning with little worry. Their work is highly appreciated and should never be discredited.

Don’t Sleep On These Study Tips

Edward Chen & Molly Jenkins

It’s that wonderful time of year again. Holiday music decks the halls, joyful spirits warm the air and wrapped presents sit under the tree, waiting to be opened. It’s beginning to look a lot like finals week. With holiday spirits on the rise, the last week before a reprieve sprinkled with laughter and light is ironically plagued by stress and fatigue. Students are bombarded with a barrage of tests, and a chaotic splurge of late nights and coffee runs upend the week. With such a tiring schedule, here are a few tips to get you through the pandemonium of finals week.

Sleep

Finding the balance between getting enough sleep and maintaining study habits is key to navigating the stress of finals week. Jeffrey Yang (CV ‘24) recommends to “take a nap right after school, so there is some separation between the long school day and the long night ahead.”

According to medical professionals from Cleveland Clinic, a full sleep cycle takes 90 to 110 minutes to complete. As a result, as you go to sleep, try to plan your alarm after the completion of sleep cycles. Sleeping in 1-1/2 or 3-hour incremental periods will ensure you complete your sleep cycles and rise from a good night’s sleep.

Time Blocking

As you go about your day, it is important to remain clear on the tasks you need to accomplish. Through a planner or an online calendar like Google Calendar, time blocking can help with creating structure during a busy week by dividing your day into separate blocks. For example, from 7-8:30 AM, you may schedule this time to wake up and get ready for school. After school, from 5-6 PM, you might plan to eat dinner and relax. From 6-10 PM, you could plan to study and prepare for the next day. If you get easily distracted, taking a look at your calendar will allow you to refocus on your priorities for the week. Lula Buckle (MT ‘24) agrees that “the best way to effectively study for finals is to study over small increments of time.”

Mindset

Last but not least, maintaining a confident attitude will keep you motivated throughout your week. You are capable of anything! Don’t get discouraged by a low score on a test -- constantly inquire about ways to improve -- at the end of the day, you know how you study best. We are all smart individuals struggling through these tests, so you are not alone in the pressures of school. You got this!

As the rush of finals comes to an end, holidays and hot chocolate await you. You’ve worked hard, and you deserve this break filled with gifts and candy canes. Spend time with your loved ones and rejoice in the holiday spirit. With these tips, winter break will arrive in no time!

Is Bach Dead Again?

Emilia Djordjevic

Ever had lyrics you’ve got caught on repeat, or a rhythm you can’t help but hum to? Music, a universal trade, is an art which has remained with us ages, yet our scope for the various styles and forms has changed. Take an example: Felix Mendelssohn or Harry Styles. Which one seems recognizable to you? Can you name more classical composers or pop artists? The unfortunate truth speaks for itself; classical music is in decline, and has suffered major setbacks since the 20th century. With the rise in rock music, to the uptick in pop and even hip hop, the complex nature and arrangement of classical music is not sought, nor valued. Indeed, few truly know the classical composers of the past and present, let alone the musicians who’ve performed their works. In fact, the several pieces recognized by the masses are the most popularized ones, with Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” among them.

Yet how do such trends impact an OCSA musician’s career choices? When asked to respond to this question in an anonymous survey, a vast 68.4 percent still wished to pursue music as a major or minor, with only 31.6 percent choosing not to continue with music at all. However, those wanting to remain with music had several reasons for doing so, with a few later clarifying their interest in jazz, pop or even game music. In contrast, those entirely against classical music felt discouraged by the lack of financial success associated with the industry. “The amount of work put into music is not equal to the low salary,” one student wrote, “There is tremendous work involved with not much payback.”

Likewise, the poll also revealed that perspective was crucial in determining their future plans with music. Some felt they were pressured by family to learn music, or were simply dejected by classical music’s drop in popularity. Other responses leaned on classical music as a passion of theirs. “Classical music in itself is very interesting,” another respondent noted, “it’s a nice contrast to the more repetitive songs of today that tend to focus on making one song that sounds good and as a whole is unique, but rather be constantly changing and moving, doing unique things throughout.” Despite the few who felt burnt out by their obligation to classical music, it appears the general consensus sees the genre more favorably, using it as a means to de-stress under the pressures of academic life while also sharing their creativity through musical expression.

Even so, a more complete picture is revealed by OCSA music graduates. Sebastian Chang, an alumnus who graduated from the piano program, has since become a piano soloist, composer, and teacher for OCSA’s instrumental conservatories. When offered to speak his views on the fate of classical music, he said, “OCSA gave me a glimpse into what might be possible for me as a musician,” but added, “as times change, trends will change as well. It’s hard to say what the future holds.” He later admitted classical music has remained an “elite” art form, available to the masses only after the invention of the printing press, transportation and mass communication. As to whether classical music can last, he seemed sure of this. He ended with, “If nothing else, music itself will certainly survive, no matter how it changes, as art seems to be part of an innate urge within humans to express themselves.”

Mock Trial Never Loses Its Appeal

Grant Li & Teah Swartzon

The energy in the Orange County Superior Court is electric as hundreds of smartly-dressed students crowd into meeting rooms and elevators. They fan out across all 11 floors of the building. Trial attorneys practice their opening statements to the wall while teams try to out-cheer each other with group chants. Everything and everyone is moving, speaking, focusing, blood pumping with school spirit. In short: pandemonium. With OCSA lacking most team sports to represent the school, Mock Trial is the closest thing we have to a football team, atmosphere and all.

Prosecution attorney Charlotte Brandman (MT ‘23) said, “Mock Trial unites us… It allows a school with no sports to have a sense of winning on our own home turf.”

Inside the courtroom, however, is a different story. True to its name, Mock Trial consists of a series of legal cases, where schools compete as either the prosecution or defense. Students act as real-world attorneys and witnesses in court, arguing, testifying and objecting like their lives depend on it. This season’s case packet is People v. Franks: aggravated assault, cruise ship theatrics, and a possibly fake Shakespearean ring all feature prominently.

Both blue and gold teams have solidified themselves as two of the top 16 teams in the county after a strong start to OCSA mock trial’s sixth season. They entered playoffs in the week before Thanksgiving break, where they will compete against other top schools for a chance at entering the state—and then national—competitions. Although the Gold Team has since been eliminated, the Blue Team is still looking to win big in the county competition.

Blue team’s pre-trial attorney Regan Mading (IA ‘23) says that she feels “strong” about their chances. “We’ve worked so hard, and it would be so awesome to make it happen,” said Mading.

Meanwhile, both teams will continue honing their skills at weekly practices. Even in the off-season, the coaches have prepared training materials for the ever-restless students: previous topics from college-level competitions. At OCSA Mock Trial, you’re never “off. ”

Coach and club director Whitney Coates has been with mock trial “since day one,” and brings her own experiences to the team. A former participant of grade-school Mock Trial herself, she now finds herself guiding a new generation of students through the competition. Many students say that her intensity and dedication to the team is infectious.

“The students made me proud. They always do,” said Coates of OCSA’s performances in preliminaries. “I have full confidence in them every round.”

Attorney coach Ethan Feng has been with the OCSA team since 2020. He advises the students with his professional experience as a practicing attorney. The students, he says, are most impressive as performers, actors and speakers.

“The performing arts background of OCSA students” aids the team “in being loud, being clear,” Feng said. “The commitment they have put into these roles… absolutely blows me away.”

Teachers and students alike engage in OCSA Mock Trial, staying attuned to competitions and congratulating them on their victories. Pre-Calculus teacher Serwoo Lim, for example, keeps up with the team the same way she might with sports.

“In college, I wanted to pursue law,” Lim said, “As I observe the Mock Trial competitions, I feel like I’m in the courtroom myself watching all the debates going on.”

Mock Trial is passionate about what they do. They approach their competitions with only two thoughts: “We can win. We will win” —the exact speech that Coates gives to her students before each trial—and her students seem to take it to heart.

The team enjoys passion, engagement and support from the students. Team, family, cult—whatever you call it, the reason for their success is clearly the connections and friendships forged within the club.

Glowing Talent in the Black Box

Selah Sanchez

The Black Box theater buzzes with conversation. Actors in neckties and green smocks clump together on the center platform. Directors discuss the order of bows. A large pale clock looms over the set. So begins the final dress rehearsal of “"Radium Girls",” the El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory’s newest play production. Three months of rehearsals have culminated to this night;tomorrow they open to a general audience.

The play is based on true events about factory workers in the early 1900s. The workers painted watches with glow-in-the-dark radium paint, but were hardly warned of the dangers of ingesting it. As many fell ill and died from the radiation, several of the girls attempted to sue their employers, setting standards for labor rights movements to come. The story is not only inspiring, but feels timely as well.

Director Ava DeVoe (ACT ‘24) and assistant director Caitlyn Mason (CW ‘23) expressed their excitement for the production to open, being the first mainstage Acting show with student directors.

DeVoe first pitched “Radium Girls” to Acting Conservatory Director John Walcutt. Having learned of the true story, she had stumbled across the play and was approved to direct it. An overheard conversation with Walcutt about the production and experience through the New Play Festival collaboration between Creative Writing and Acting helped cement Mason’s spot as Assistant Director. Neither expected the pitch to come through– until they got the email that confirmed it.

Said DeVoe about the situation, “I feel like everybody knew about it before us!”

For all the surprise amid the show’s conception, the performance itself ran smoothly– at least, from the perspective of an audience member. In between acts DeVoe and Mason worked with the cast and the production liaison Jay Wallace to make final tweaks. Working with the cast was jarring initially, with Mason saying “It’s really fun but at the same time it’s a little strange because they are your peers.” But from lights, lines to everything in between, it was clear how the cast and crew came together.

Getting to this moment wasn’t easy. Like many OCSA productions, rehearsals ran long while the budget ran short. With "Radium Girls" being a prop-heavy period piece, the cast and crew had to get creative. “A lot of it was brought from us and the actors,” said Mason about the wardrobe. She described searching for costumes, and helping to create sets themselves, using a UV light to make glow-in-the-dark props– which feature heavily.

“This is our first play we’re really leading and taking the forefront of all these technical aspects. It’s just such a big learning curve,” mentioned DeVoe regarding the broad level of involvement that came with directing.

Despite the challenges, they have found the experience rewarding and fun, from DeVoe getting to work with Sophia Gabal (ACT ‘23), whom she looks up to as an actress, to the semi-choreographed opening scene that she and Mason created. In the end, both look forward to the audience’s reactions. Judging from the true stories that inspired it, they are sure to be emotional.

“I think a lot of people are gonna think it’s really sad, because it is,” DeVoe said, “But there are also some really funny moments… It’s about human life.”

"Radium Girls" opened December 1, and runs Thursdays to Saturdays until the 17th.

Snowman Cocoa Bomb Recipe

Lauren Kim

Ingredients:

- Chocolate of choice (two or three Hershey bars recommended)

- Classic marshmallows

- Mini marshmallows of choice

- Sprinkles of choice

- Hot chocolate powder of choice

- Pre-made black or brown icing

Materials:

- Semi-sphere silicone mold

- Spoon

- Microwave

Instructions:

Cut chocolate into smaller pieces and pour them into a microwave-safe bowl.
Place the bowl into the microwave and microwave it for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, stir the chocolate with your spoon and repeat this process until the chocolate is smoothly melted.
Use the spoon to plaster the melted chocolate onto the inner part of the semi-sphere silicone mold.
Put the mold into a freezer and leave it for a few hours.
If you have a second mold, do the same thing. Otherwise, repeat steps three and four.
Carefully peel the chocolate coat out of the mold and place it on a flat surface.
Pour a generous amount of hot chocolate powder and mini marshmallows.
Use melted chocolate as a paste to glue the two chocolate semi-spheres. This will create a circle.
Drizzle melted chocolate and sprinkle sprinkles.
Paste melted chocolate on a marshmallow and glue it on the top of the shell.
Using black or brown icing, draw a face for the snowman.
Combo Recommendations :

Milk Chocolate - Milk chocolate for shell, classic hot chocolate powder, mini marshmallows, Christmas-color sprinkles.

White Chocolate - White chocolate for shell, peppermint hot chocolate powder, mini pink marshmallows, mini candy canes, red sprinkles.

Dark Chocolate - Dark chocolate for shell, dark hot chocolate powder, mini marshmallows, gold sprinkles.

Staff Recs

Michael: 54.5% → 45.5%

Music

Being Funny in a Foreign Language by the 1975 and Nicole by NIKI - Caitlyn Mason (CW ‘23)
“Let It Snow” by Nancy Wilson - Dash Kaur (ACT ‘23)
“A Christmas Song” by Michael Bublé - Lauren Kim (CW ‘24)
A Very Laufey Holiday by Laufey - Kate Um (CV ‘24)
“Let You Break My Heart Again” by Laufey - Grant Li (CW ‘23)
“Last Christmas” by Wham! - Kayalani DeGrave (MT ‘23)
The Magic of Christmas by Nat King Cole - Selah Sanchez (CW ‘23)
Vintage by NIKI - Melody Wu (VA ‘24)

Movies

Love, Actually - Caitlyn Mason (CW ‘23)
Elf - Dash Kaur (ACT ‘23)
“All the Home Alone movies” - Jessica Hong (CW ‘24)
A Muppet Christmas Carol - Selah Sanchez (CW ‘23)

TV

A Charlie Brown Christmas - Emilia Djordjevic (IM-P ‘23)
Gilmore Girls - Molly Jenkins (IA ‘24)
Inventing Anna - Melody Wu (VA ‘24)

Food

“Hot chocolate” - Sammi Thomas (IA ‘23)
“Roast potatoes. Mashed potatoes. Potatoes.” - Lacole Yang (CW ‘24)
“Apple cider and peppermint bark” - Molly Jenkins (IA ‘24)
“Cinnamon rolls” - Celeste Valadez (BR ‘24)

Books

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijikamp - Lacole Yang (CW ‘24)
Misery by Stephen King - Teah Swartzon (IA ‘23)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - Selah Sanchez

Places

“Balboa Island and the Mission Inn” - Faith Hochgesang (IA ‘23)
“Santa’s Village at South Coast Plaza” - Elise Park (FTV ‘24)
“Ice skating rink” - Kayalani DeGrave (MT ‘23)

Activities

“White Elephant gift-giving” - Dash Kaur (ACT ‘23)
“Design holiday stickers, they make great (and easy) gifts!” - Emilia Djordjevic (IM-P ‘23)
“Reading a nice book in front of the fireplace” - Jessica Hong (CW ‘24)
“Go look at Christmas lights” - Kayalani DeGrave (MT ‘23)
“Go someplace where it actually snows” - James Yi (CW ‘24)
“Cookie decorating” - Celeste Valadez (BR ‘24)

Winter Crossword

Celeste Valadez

Answer Key

Comic: Fatigue, Finals, Failure

Fanny Kim

Take a Heart

“Take a heart and give one back.” We have all noticed a box on the counter, some paper hearts, and these quoted words proclaimed to all at the DMS first floor. Perhaps from curiosity, you looked inside and spotted crafted paper hearts or some supplies to make one yourself, but student participation was little to none. By this time, the box is gone and the DMS front counter is as itemless as before. Although cross-student engagement exists, from 10th street activities to the Little Library, OCSA has lost this element of student interconnectedness.

Attempts have been made like this before, so it is certainly not unprecedented. Years back, there had been a location with affirmative post-it notes that students could build upon, creating a collage of colorful compliments. Although this tradition has been lost, the beautification with affirmations still exists within OCSA, seen in faded markings and worn stickers engulfing bathroom stalls, and to which someone either genuinely appreciated it or someone chuckled at the over-simplicity of “don’t worry, be happy” and “you are beautiful.” Charlton Tsai said, ”I thought it was so uplifting to see. The words were truly encouraging when I spotted them in an unexpected place.” Others, however, doodled over the words of encouragement and tore off the stickered quotes. These uplifting words left nothing but bare traces on the walls.

More or less, another student-led attempt must take more into account the psychology behind these student reactions to OCSA’s subtle affirmation movement. When you don’t believe the given affirmation and compliment yourself, it can be misinterpreted as ingenuine. Therefore, uplifting words from another may truly be “useless” until you look within and affirm yourself. An open, designated space or board for such engagement that allows writing affirming messages toward others must also leave room for students to reflect and write one for themselves. These once unbelievable affirmations can slowly feel applicable in this way. One pitfall to such a space is the retaliating or jokeful marking on a free space, seeing it as free reign to mark anything. Yet, these instances can become limited once momentum across campus engages in this.

This doesn’t have to remain restricted to self-love or outward compliments. It can become a space to cool off and relax, transforming into a comfortable spot in OCSA tradition. Crafty elements, like providing supplies and a tutorial of making a holiday snowflake, can be implemented and pinned on a bulletin board. These crafts can be marked with students’ initials to leave a legacy, one after another creating a multitude of snowflakes. In this way, students won’t feel obligated to push out affirmations day-by-day but find it as a relieving, memorable activity. From origami tutorials to holiday crafts, they can come seasonally and induce student anticipation. Even a stack of post-its can do the trick in stimulating engagement. Once an open space becomes established, students can truly enliven cross-campus interaction once again. Through a simple bulletin board, this subtle student community bonding can be fostered and restored.

The 2022 Winter Market and What Comes Next

The Winter Market is well-known to the OCSA community as a seasonal event where student and alumni vendors create eye-catching handmade products ranging from stickers and keychains to jewelry and crocheted clothes. This year, the event welcomed a record number of 70 vendors to sell their goods–20 more vendors than last year!

The diversity in products and businesses on this occasion was unprecedented. Katelyn Shen (DM ’23) and Annie Yan (DM ’23), owners of Gardenia Gardenparty, based their soap and candle products on impressionism and picnics. As seniors, they discussed the stress of having to prepare for the Winter Market in the midst of college apps. Their advice to future vendors was “to be prepared because you will be selling for two days,” otherwise “you’ll be scrambling [to make more products] the next night.”

Carina Zheng (VA ‘24), owner of Sweet Candle alongside Maya Serero (VA ‘24), advised future vendors to “learn marketing strategies” which include “how you place your product, package them, and display your prices.”

When asked what their favorite products from the Winter Market were, here is what some students had to say. Stella Castillo (PD ‘28) took a liking to the crocheted gloves–a popular item every year. Emma Ladisky’s (MT ‘26) favorite products were the clay pots from Clay by Claire. Cynthia Huang (CW ‘24) raved about the Kirby planter she bought from AHHH! Ceramics. Both students and adults were captivated by the delicate desert-themed candles being sold by Cheers.

Often unacknowledged are the teachers, parents and students who help make it all come together months before the shopping extravaganza even takes place. Introducing Paige Oden, Caroline Fleet, and Randy Au: the three main facilitators of the Winter Market. Au, a Ceramics teacher and close friend of Captain Snowflake responsible for introducing Winter Market to the OCSA campus back in 2004, reported that “the Winter Market is the VA Conservatory’s largest fundraising event” and that “it is very important to build a support group of dedicated people around the event.” His goal for the VA conservatory is to raise 10,000 dollars or more through the Winter Market this year.

Au also noted the technical difficulties experienced at the cash registers as well as the crowding problem in the tent. He said “that’s something we need to work on” in the future. When asked if we might be seeing a “Spring Market” in 2023, he said that was yet to be determined. “My idea is to have a graphic Comic Con kind of event,” he said; Spring Market would differ slightly from Winter Market and would focus more on the sale of prints, stickers and designs rather than artisan goods.

All in all, this year’s Winter Market was a roaring success. Students with interests in visual arts are surely waiting impatiently for a Spring Market to be confirmed, but only time will tell if it can be successfully brought to the stage!

Fast Frolics: Places to See Snow for the Day

If it snowed at OCSA, I would cry, call my mom, and search “global warming.” Here are some places where I would do none of the above in Southern California:

Big Bear:

Two hours from the sun-scorched streets of Santa Ana lies the temporary wonderland that is Big Bear. Its two or so months of spotty-snowed glory mean that this mountain community hops with snow bunnies looking to ski, sled and sleigh the town - and you could be one of them.

Ski:

Bear Mountain and Snow Summit

Unspoken rule: Bear Mountain is for snowboarding and Snow Summit for skiing. You won’t be kicked out for breaking this rule, just severely outnumbered. Both are occupied under the same company, so prices, run difficulty, and overall facilities are pretty comparable. Translation: yes, they are definitely expensive, but may be worth it if you prefer to go down slopes with diamonds involved instead of only green circles and blue squares.

Sled:

Big Bear Snow Play

It used to be a ski slope. Expect to make an Instagram reel instead of a 15-second story.

Sleigh:

The Village

While you can actually ride the ¾ mile through downtown in a horse-drawn carriage via Big Bear Carriages, you can also save those $15 for some souvenirs and scrumptious cuisine. Definitely head to Brown Bear Gift Shop (celebrating its 98th birthday this year!). Go to The Himalayan for Indian/Nepalese, The Boneyard for BBQ, Royal Thai Bistro for Italian (just kidding), and Amangela’s for vegan and vegetarian options.

Big Pines - LA County:

Want to drive an hour less and avoid putting chains on your tires? The San Gabriel Mountains are the better fit for your closet-dwelling snow boots!

Ski:

Mountain High

Expect to pay as much as Big Bear - $120 for a lift ticket. It’s a better idea to go during the week if you’re looking to get the same experience for a lower cost and crowd. Right now, there are 9 open trails at Mountain High, but none of them are entirely beginner-level…

Sled:

Yeti’s Snow Play

Perfect for younger siblings and uncoordinated relatives. It’s on the Mountain High property and you can get a pass for tubing, sledding, snow play, and sky chair rides.

Sleigh:

Grand View Lodge

In true California fashion - you can see both Catalina Island and the Mojave Desert while slurping spaghetti from this top-of-resort Italian restaurant in the snow. For less paradoxical dining, try Angeles Crest for breakfast, and Goldrush for lunch.

Mt. Baldy:

Shortest distance. Cheapest passes.

Ski:

Expect a 45-minute drive and $30-60 lift tickets. There are only four chairs and two are currently closed. The shorter the drive, the cheaper the ticket, the lower the chance you will actually see snow for the day. Mr. Peterson insight: Baldy faces south so the snow melts quickly from sun exposure, only go right after it snows.

Safe snow suggestions:

Check snow conditions on the nearest ski resort’s website. This will give you an idea on if your dad should really be the one driving you and your friends, or if you should go at all. Buy lift tickets online ahead of time if you plan to snowboard/ski for discounted prices. Remember that you will also be renting boots, skis/board and poles. Consider buying your own if you picture all of your winter weekends in the snow.

As you can probably tell by now, California will never be Colorado, but that shouldn’t discourage us from at least attempting to face water in its frozen form.

Not so hot, hot takes

OCSA Seniors are full of seemingly original commentary. If each student is a snowflake, the senior class is a blizzard of complaints. While we may believe our grievances are unique, in actuality, the ragtag team of senior teachers hears the same “euphonies” every year.

AP English Literature and Composition

“Good Morning, Deirdre” - part of the AP Lit morning ritual is often heard echoing through the halls. The student’s fascination with the unique daily opening to class is not new. Each year, seniors are interested in the British accent and Tibetan singing bowl that open their class.

“Mr. Rochester is manipulative” - Yes. That is not an original thought. That is the main takeaway from anyone that's ever read, Jane Eyre.

Media Analysis/Modern plays

“Buffy from Buffy The Vampire Slayer is hot '' - After watching the series, students are always impressed by the talents and looks of Sarah Michelle Gellar. It's not a hot take - Gellar is a famous model and successful actress.

“The turkey dance is overrated” - Seniors introduced to Smith's Turkey dance become obsessed with its silliness before wearing it. This year's graduating class is not the first, nor will they be, the last group of seniors to flap their wings in the halls.

Ceramics

“Harder than expected” - While the class is fun and a well-deserved break from the toils of the academic day, if your ceramic pieces are not “good enough,” you risk Randy Au smashing them with a hammer.

“The kiln ruined my work” - Unfortunately, when firing pottery, pieces may crack, bubble, or even explode.

“Don’t wear black clothes” - Clay is messy.

Late Start

“Best choice I ever made” - Seniors are undoubtedly looking forward to a permanent late start every block after graduation.

Financial Algebra

"I like stocks now" - Most seniors in this class have developed a newfound fascination with Market Watch.

Pre-Calculus

"Synthetic division slays" - Pre-Calc is infamous for being difficult for those not overtly proficient in math, but seniors often remark that when they know how to do it, it is surprisingly enjoyable.

AP Biology

“The tests are easier than the quizzes.”- This comment is made yearly since Mr. Weitzel's quizzes are notoriously arduous. Vomiting vocab words seems like the best way to convince yourself you are competent on the short answer questions.

Common App

In recent years, the feature “Spotify Wrapped” has reached popularity on many social media platforms due to its ability to allow Spotify users to share summaries of their yearly listening history. Inspired by this success, the Common Application has announced that a similar feature will be released at the end of this year’s application season for their base of users.

The young marketing intern credited with this idea, Dana Cowell, stated that the new “Common App Wrapped” will “help build a welcoming online community for exhausted seniors to share their college failures with one another.” When asked what made her believe that the Common App would benefit from this marketing campaign, the high school senior cited “vengeance against everyone getting into Ivies. I know they’re hiding something.”

The Common App Wrapped will report statistics such as “colleges you applied to but don’t have a chance of getting into, you naive fool,” “percentage of mental breakdowns per application,” and “times you repurposed the same essay knowing it didn’t fit the prompt.” Common App CEO Jenny Rickard is confident that this feature will be particularly popular among competitive and anxiety-ridden Gen Z high schoolers.

Replacing the ‘top artists’ section in the original Spotify Wrapped will be ‘top colleges that you really shouldn’t have submitted your SAT scores to.’ The equivalent of ‘average minutes listened’ will be ‘average minutes before deadline you submitted college applications’ (spoiler alert--it’s lower than you think). And as a bonus, admissions officers will collaborate to create personalized lists of the top 10 mistakes you made in your applications, so students can improve their methods next time. Oh, wait--there won’t be a next time. It’s just for fun.

Responding to optics concerns that Common App Wrapped will encourage cyberbullying, intern Cowell’s only reply was “Good.”

Rickard, on the other hand, shared that to counteract this concern, the Wrapped feature will be shared through social media platforms automatically at an undisclosed date, so that every user will be forced to humiliate themselves similarly. “It’s kind of like BeReal meets Spotify Wrapped meets college applications,” she continued.

Other public concerns address the invasive surveillance that would be necessary to implement the Common App Wrapped feature. As I approached Common App headquarters, I was swarmed by a mob of panicked students who waved signs and shouted slogans like “My mental breakdowns are my business!”

Due to these raucous protestors, I had to climb a 10 foot high concrete wall, swim through a moat and undergo a lie detector test before I could even reach the location of the interview. When asked how the company would respond to the distress over potential use of surveillance systems, Rickard laughed and shook her head at me condescendingly. “Oh, that technology has been in use for years. We already know all of these statistics. If they’re really that concerned over privacy, they can take it up with the surveillance state government.”

When I contacted Common App representatives regarding this article, they also sent sample statistics for OCSA’s population of senior applicants. Apparently, 30 percent of seniors have given up on two or more applications; 85 percent have submitted at least three applications within the hour of the deadline; and 100 percent of us have considered dropping out of high school, moving to Oregon and living in an abandoned school bus while herding prophetic goats and studying to become an herbal healer.

I, for one, am excited about this new development and how it will strive to make the college admissions process even more stressful than it already is.

SAT Rant: Who Decides What Words Mean?

James Yi

Dear SAT,

In case you have the wrong impression of yourself, the following includes records of six randomly chosen students and one faculty member from the OCSA population. Taken 11/9-11/18, 2022.

Brian Gallegos is a staff member who introduced himself as a parent educator. He seems to favor you, which was predictable since he is an adult. He said you are a good test to see current skill level and a way to keep students prepared for college placement exams.

Miraculously, there also exists a student who takes your side. “I think it’s an [effective way to judge skill level],” said Finian Davey (CW ‘25). He also pointed out that you give an opportunity to present the merits of students who have performed poorly in other areas, such as GPA. You give them a better chance at college.

Now, it is time to face your faults. First, you are not credible. “[The English] answers depend more on your point of view …they’re subjective,” said Sadie Cardenas (CW ‘24). Just who gave you the authority to decide what an author would say and what a word most closely means, what the best evidence is and in what order paragraphs should be placed? Do you even know that debates exist? Have you somehow learned to perform legilimency and looked into the author’s mind? You are not teaching students how to read a prompt. You are brainwashing them to follow a certain way of reading and thinking.

Other than your credibility, you do a bad job of judging students’ skills and aptitudes. Five of the interviewees agreed on that part. “Preparing for standardized testing is just a matter of throwing money at it for tutoring,” said Edward Lee (CW ‘24). Haven Hanson (PD ‘23) pointed out the differences between a test and real life, and Emily Kim (‘24) claimed even the smartest peron ever could still get a bad SAT score. I agree on this point. Increases in my SAT score more often reflected my ability to understand the test giver rather than math and English.

Your final sin is simply not being wanted. Four students said so explicitly, that they do not desire your existence. A fifth student spent the entire interview only listing your faults and declining to give any merits, so it is not difficult to guess their opinion. Whether it be because of your lack of credibility, worthlessness as an aptitude test, inconsistent testing conditions, costliness of preparing for and taking the test, or any of your other hundred flaws, we do not want you. You are the enemy, SAT. You cause pain and suffering. I am personally in a position to greatly benefit from having taken you, yet I would still prefer you gone. Cardenas, who also performed well, assented similarly.

Having presented these opinions, I humbly request that you cease to exist.

Sincerely,

A Disgusted Student

Finals Week Tips

Caitlyn Mason

1. Sleep with a textbook under your pillow

This is the best and easiest way to soak in knowledge: subconsciously.

2. Follow the Leonardo DaVinci and Nikola Tesla bedtime routine

DaVinci and Tesla’s routines consist of taking fifteen minute naps spread throughout your day, instead of sleeping for an hours-long period of time. This gave him a daily total of one and a half hours of sleep per night, and about six hours of free time. By following their tutorial, you can use these six hours to your advantage in studying. Disregard the fact that it was likely the cause of Tesla’s mental breakdown at 25. You’re not 25.

3. Set a cry schedule

Along with the DaVinci/Tesla sleeping strategy, it is important to set aside time for self care. Set a “cry alarm” on your phone for five to 10 minutes and just let it out. But when the alarm goes off, it’s time to get back to work.

4. Staple cash to your test like scratch paper

Keep a generous amount of cash in your backpack to staple to your test materials. If your answers aren’t enough to satisfy your teacher, maybe money will be.

5. Make a moodboard

If you can’t escape reality, make a new one. Go on Pinterest and create your dream life, completely ignoring the fact that you are a student with no money to make it into a reality. If you want to take it one step further, follow the TikTok tutorials on shifting: shift your consciousness into an alternate reality, and leave finals behind.

6. Unionize

Go on strike. Refuse to take the tests. Revolt.

7. Hypnotize your teachers

Show them one of those little spiral things, speaking in an ominous tone as you whisper “you want to give me an A on this test.”

8. Get a candle with your teacher’s face on it and worship them for the week

If studying can’t help you, maybe divine intervention can.

9. Admit yourself (to a mental institution)

This doesn’t only apply to final’s week. Check Yelp for reviews.

10. Accept Defeat

At some point, you just have to throw up the white flag. When the time comes, wave it proudly.

Seniors: On Rejection Letters

Gyuho Jeong

“On behalf of so-so university, I would like to congratulate you on your acceptance to ….”

Seniors, it is that time of the year…

Four years of high school for this moment. Four years of hard work, ambition and dedication, hopefully channeled through that acceptance letter-- the letter validating your hard work and giving you a ticket to your new future.

You will find yourself in a constant state of anxiety, eagerly checking your email inbox, mail box, and application portal for the words that will provide you with that rushing feeling of satisfaction and relaxation of being accepted into your dream college.

Yet, that pleasurable feeling of acceptance is not always the case.

The hard truth is that sometimes life does not give you what you want and that you will be hit with disappointment.

What colleges don’t understand (and probably never will), is that we each have our own stories that created us into the people that we are today. Maybe COVID-19 was tough for you in terms of mental health and you struggled to keep your wellbeing afloat in the series of Zoom classes. Maybe a loved one died or a friendship you thought would last dissolved. Maybe you are still discovering your identity in a constantly changing world and just need some time to settle down. Or maybe your family life isn’t as good as you want it to be.

No matter what it is, you are entitled to your own happiness and you should be proud of how far you’ve come in these last four years.

Many of you may tell ourselves “I should’ve done this,”or regret a missed opportunity.

To those questioning their decisions, doubting their application, and regretting four years of hard work, I just want to reassure you that everything will be fine and that the vast future is not dictated by a single college decision. Be proud of your hard work and celebrate the fact that, at the end of the day, you’ve totally got this.

While easier said than done, even if you don’t get accepted into the college of your choice, so what? There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of opportunities for you to be successful. Life doesn’t stop at that acceptance (or rejection) letter and life doesn’t suddenly go downhill because you were rejected from your dream college.

I understand that it is painful to have your heart drop at the rejection but more opportunities will come. One may call it idealistic, but there will always be more chances for you to grow. Yes, it is heartbreaking to see that rejection letter, and I cannot guarantee that these letters of rejection will stop there, but your talents and character will live another day.

For now, relax and realize that you have improved as a student over the course of four years. We are only students who gave it the best we could.

Show yourself some love.

Table of Contents

Brie samaniego

Jessica Hong

Kayalani degrave & dash kaur

eddie chen & molly jenkins

emilia djordjevic

grant li & teah swartzon

selah sanchez

lauren kim

celeste valadez

fanny kim

elise park

kate um

lacole yang

faith hochgesang

melody wu

tabitha finamore

felix brem

james yi

caitlyn mason

ryan jeong

lauren kim

A Streetcar Not Desired

Brie Samaniego

How Reliable is OCSA Transportation?

Jessica Hong

The Man, The Myth: Marquis

Kayalani DeGrave and Dash Kaur

Don’t Sleep On These Study Tips

Edward Chen & Molly Jenkins

Is Bach Dead Again?

Emilia Djordjevic

Mock Trial Never Loses Its Appeal

Grant Li & Teah Swartzon

Glowing Talent in the Black Box

Selah Sanchez

Snowman Cocoa Bomb Recipe

Lauren Kim

Staff Recs

Winter Crossword

Celeste Valadez

Answer Key

Comic: Fatigue, Finals, Failure

Fanny Kim

Take a Heart

The 2022 Winter Market and What Comes Next

Fast Frolics: Places to See Snow for the Day

Not so hot, hot takes

Common App

SAT Rant: Who Decides What Words Mean?

James Yi

Finals Week Tips

Caitlyn Mason

Seniors: On Rejection Letters

Gyuho Jeong