Return to flip book view
SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA- A QuALiTy NEwSpApER FOR A QuALiTy INSTiTuTiON -Spring Print May 2024Battle of the Bands riff off: 2024 vs 1968 In a school survey, stu-dents were asked “What will the year 2084 have in store for you?” Many stu-dents had a difcult time coming up with answers. “There are multiple possi-bilities the future holds for us,” commented senior So-phia Pinon. With those pos-sibilities, students were able to come up with numerous answers. Some students claimed that society will be made of humans, pets, and robots. Robots will most likely take over jobs at grocery stores, malls, and ofces, and even become doctors. AI will be a heavily used source and humans will rely on it for almost everything, such as speech writing and com-pleting homework. New advanced technology, and more products, better and similar to the Apple Vision Pro, will be created. Some think that there will be mul-tiple types of medicine and even a cure for cancer that could be among the ad-vancements yet discovered. The style of clothing will range from futuristic to vintage fashion looks — the vintage being fashion trends from 2020-2045. The earth’s population will decrease since many will live on other planets. Oth-ers will be living under-water or in spaceships in the clouds. “Architecture will evolve drastically. All buildings and homes [will] be made out of glass, very futuristic as we envisioned as kids and cities will also expand” said senior Nata-lia Reyes. Every country in the world will be dystopian, spaceships and cars will y over cities without alarm Once again, crowds were roaring for Battle of the Bands: a week presenting the amplied performances of San Clemente High School’s musicians, whose distinct sounds ring proudly from the library to the football eld. These student bands show-cased creative and original songs, authentically con-dent performances, and shocking mastery of musical talent. To current students, this tradition (which was only reinstated last year) may seem like a novelty; however, to teachers like Mr. Bisch, this event is timeless. “When I was in high school,” said Mr. Bisch. “San Clemente always had the best bands. So when I came here nearly ten years ago, I was expecting to see some form of Battle of the Bands, featuring a ton of awesome groups. But at that time, most people just DJ’d. In the last few years, I’ve noticed an uptick in peo-ple jamming together—and the scene is alive again. So, naturally, as musicians and people interested in lifting up the youth, [collaborator Biff Cooper] and I wanted to shine the spotlight on live music. We’re so psyched for the bands that brought new energy to lunch in February.” This beloved contest has Brianna Hernandez | Head EditorJenna Forss | Arts & Entertainment Editorsomeone | Writerbeen embraced by musicians and audiences alike at San Clemente High School since 1968, when over 1,000 teen-agers gathered at the school around 8 p.m. to play, per-form, and enjoy; seeking to determine which was the best amateur band in the county. The evolution of women’s sportsDecades-long SCHS bathroom catastrophe must go up in smokeContinued on page 3Continued on page 9 Any current SCHS stu-dent would assume the ongoing, notorious bath-room catastrophe a recent problem. However, a peek at The Triton 1969 edition reveals that students, like past writer, Marilyn Saun-ders, beg to differ. Modern-day students at ThE TRiTONEden Havel | Head Editor & Newsroom ManagerBACK<& sixtiesSupplement to the Triton Times2084 — Where will you be?STUDENT BANDS wow during lunch, showcasing their talent and creativity. (ASB)SCHS agree that it is an infuriatingly impossible task to be able to use the bathroom during break, lunch, or a passing period, which is made preposter-ous when our restroom magically transforms into an underage vape lounge at the dull ring of each re-lease bell. Saunders notes that students of the ‘60s had a similar yearning to “light up between classes so they won’t have a nicotine t before leaving school.” Yet now, instead of ciga-rettes, students feel a sense of pride when hitting their Vape or Dab pens in their desperate chase for a high between classes. Another aspect of Saun-ders’s article reects on the false sense of “maturi-ty, self-assurance, [and] in-dependence” that smoking gave to adolescents. Once again, a correlation can be seen today, as students at-tempt to hit a Vape to par-take in that “teenage rebel-lion” every adult seems to reminisce on. Yet this type of individual revolution leaves students with fail-ing lungs and a shortened Continued on page 3Charlotte Yeskulsky | Head Editor Since the 1960s, the land-scape of women’s sports has undergone a profound trans-formation, marked by signif-icant strides in participation, recognition, and profession-alism. This evolution can be attributed to legislative chang-es, cultural shifts, and the de-termination of female athletes to challenge stereotypes and break barriers. One landmark event was the passage of Title IX in the United States in 1972. This legislation prohibited gender discrimination in federally funded educational programs, including athletics. Title IX paved the way for increased opportunities for women, leading to a surge in female participation in high school and collegiate athletics. In the realm of Olympic sports, the inclusion of wom-en’s events expanded steadily throughout the latter half of the 20th century. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics saw the addition of women’s volleyball, while the 1976 Montreal Games marked the debut of women’s basket-ball. These milestones not only provided female athletes with greater exposure but also helped challenge the notion that certain sports were exclu-sively for men.VAPE LOUNGE aka a restroom stall. (Emma Barbernell)1
Nicolle Generaux | Editor-in-Chief All students and faculty of San Clemente High School have been touched in one way or another by the life of Dr. Catherine “Cat” No-lan. She brought liveliness, laughter, positivity, and hope to SCHS– and her hard work and dedication to this school have left a legacy that will live on. A So-Cal native, Cat was born and grew up in the Al-iso Niguel area. She attend-ed Santa Margarita Catholic High School and continued her education at the Uni-versity of California, San Diego after earning a schol-arship in javelin throwing. Cat also enjoyed playing basketball and singing op-era in the university’s choir, where she earned a minor in Vocal Music. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, Cat re-ceived her Master’s in Ad-ministrative Education and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Concordia University. Before becom-ing the assistant principal at SCHS several years ago, she was a mathematics teacher, the Girls' Basket-ball coach, and the Track and Field Head Coach at San Juan High School. Cat was, as many would say, a very spirited friend and colleague. SCHS Reg-istrar Joanne Abbott, who had worked alongside Cat for many years, remem-bered her as having “end-less energy,” and admit-ted that she didn’t “know where [Cat] got her energy from.” Additionally, Abbott expressed that Cat always had a positive outlook on life, and even when Cat learned of her incurable ill-ness, she always said –with a smile on her face– that she would stay “one step ahead of it.” Principal Carter men-tioned that Cat “wanted to put a bit of whimsy in ev-erything she did,” including in her creative Halloween costumes, her extravagant Disney outts and trips, and her “fun” and “youthful” methods of leading. Cat paired her wonderful personality with a strong work ethic and a devotion to her occupation which catalyzed many impactful projects at SCHS. Cat cre-ated “Taco Tips,” named af-ter her basset hound named Taco, in which any SCHS staff and family could ac-cess information regarding computers and technology. She also created AskKing-Triton—which has since been taken over by Ms. Dimperio—allowing any-one (especially incoming freshmen and parents) to virtually ask any questions regarding SCHS. And every night, Cat would personally respond with an answer. Cat also contributed con-siderably to developing the guidance program for se-niors and the college admis-sion process and instituted a new method of selection for senior awards, including Triton of the Year. “Every-thing she did was to benet the students specically,” remarked Abbott, who re-called how Cat always took time to converse with stu-dents struggling academi-cally or personally, calling them in for hot cocoa. Car-ter believed Cat would “go to the end of the earth” to help each student, and had a larger impact on the school “than many people realize.” Dr. Nolan, we won’t for-get you and the tremendous impact you have had on all of our lives. The San Clemente Edu-cational Foundation is ac-tively working to fund a scholarship in memory of Cat Nolan. If you wish to support or donate, more in-formation can be found at schsef.org.Remembering the ‘endlessly energetic’ Dr. Cat NolanDear Readers, In the past, Editor-in-Chiefs have wrien in this space as, what Mr. Miller considers, “their own personal soap-box”– a dedicated place for editors to reflect on their experiences and bring forth relevant concepts that all should consider while reading our newest publication. With their eloquent, distinguished rhetoric, meaningful extended metaphors and inspirational tone, our past ed-itors have succeeded in formulating a profound compo-sition of their thoughts regarding the pivotal impact high school has on themselves and each and every student. eir personal encounters allow them to express in writ-ing such understandings of the world around them that it enriches our perspective of SCHS and of life. Regreably, I have not had the privilege of finding such meaning here that I feel I would or could convey to you. I have not undergone a life-altering event here that has shaped my very being; I have not discovered a crucial, crucial lesson that captivates me to write about it— no nugget of truth found in the minefield of high school. I suppose in this way, I am grateful that I have been shielded from the piercing arrows of fate’s bow. No real tragedies, no impossible circumstances, no inconceivable misfortunes have come my way— nothing to set me apart from others, no unique lens I can peer through and write on. My outlook of high school doesn’t appear to be dierent from my fellow peers, as my own journey did not stray from the seemingly standard path of ups and downs of life. Phew. And I refuse to stand up on this box and preach to you all of the things you should be considering— in high school, in taking the next step into college, or further into adulthood. Why should I pretend that I know more than you do? I have aended this institution for four years, and as a graduating senior, I’ve realized that I’m leaping into a new experience with hope and the knowledge that there is a lot more to learn and experience than just high school. And maybe that was the point of it all. at there is more out there. Yay. Not to say that I have learned nothing. I’m sure we have all learned how to learn, about friendships and relationships, about managing schoolwork and all the other things we have going on, and probably many more things we have yet to even realize. at being said, I have grappled with the struggles of high school just like everyone else— and I am just as excited and confused and unaware of what awaits me as everyone else. I anticipate that these four years will not be the high-light (or the lowlight) of my existence. High school was something to accomplish, to get a diploma out of a box to mark o in the long checklist of life. I cannot pull some all-encompassing, significant message out of my experience here to share with you; and if I aempted it, it would appear rather shallow, lack-luster, and basic. us, I will now step o my own soapbox (that I never really was on). I readily admit that I don’t really know much about anything, and certainly nothing that is worth writing here. I figured I am obligated to experience and learn something of note before stepping up here and preaching it to you. All I do know is that I’m done with high school. So long, fellow Tritons! Nicolle Generaux Editor-in-Chief2
Smoke(Continued from page 1)life span. It appears that the main appeal of smoking, especially in such a public space where students can be seen by their peers, makes them feel even cooler, ex-plaining why the bathroom is crawling with avid users. I think that most SCHS students agree they just want to use the toilets in peace, without having to wade through the crowd of people not partaking in what a bathroom was in-tended for. Also, nobody enjoys a “smelly bathroom” as Saunders describes it; having to breathe in some type of various fruity a-vored smoke makes the trip to the restroom quite the op-posite of what the prex of the word intends. Senior Taylor Juncaj pleaded for “A bathroom where you can get in and get out.” Come on SCHS, it’s been over 60 years, you have had plenty of time to x this problem.Band(Continued from page 1)Since its return, it has main-tained the profound impact held over 50 years ago. “Battle of the Bands is my favorite week,” said se-nior and photographer of the event, Gavin Nils. “It’s so fun to see what new bands came up this year, and how hard they worked to put their EPs together too.”The revival of JROTCKat Piantka | News Editor This year, San Clemente High School revived the JROTC program that pre-miered in 1966 when San Clemente was the “rst and only high school in Orange County to have an NJROTC program and only one in four in So. California” ac-cording to the 1968 edition of The Triton. The NJROTC program was established by Congress in 1964 and be-came active in San Clem-ente in the following years. Unlike the JROTC of 2023-24, NJROTC focuses on ju-nior naval training. Principal Carter’s curios-ity in reviving the JROTC program to SCHS was re-stored when CUSD Trustee Amy Hanacek approached Carter with the possibility of a JROTC return to SCHS. With the United States Army Cadet Command’s willingness to fund the pro-gram, SC Times reports that the possibility was made a reality due to teacher and retired Navy pilot Patrick O’Rourke. He served as a “liaison [with the district] to organize how the school would recruit for and pay instructors.” With the sup-port of the Army, they sup-plied SCHS with $150,000 in equipment such as uni-forms, fake ries, and shoes, and additionally “split[ing] the cost of paying for each instructor with CUSD” (SC Times). SCHS is proud to be one of the few high schools in California able to support a JROTC program, and welcomes students from neighboring districts to join SCHS JROTC by setting up transportation for those in-terested. The opportunities this program provides to in-terested students set SCHS apart from other schools with their connection to the military and investment in students’ future careers. JROTC’s goal is to en-courage students interested in pursuing a future in the military by teaching valu-able leadership skills and life lessons, challenging students with obstacles, and building friendships. Sergeant and head of the JROTC program, Allan Tran emphasizes the impor-tance of the motto, “To Mo-tivate Young People To Be Better Citizens” which per-fectly sums up the mission and goals of this program. The values of this program remain similar to those of NJROTC from the ‘60s. They seek to develop hab-its of respect for authority, orderliness, precision, pa-triotism, self-reliance, and leadership. But most impor-tantly, “knowledge and ap-preciation for the tradition of the Navy” (The Triton). Sophomore Wyatt Wheel-er is an avid member of JROTC and encourages stu-dents to join “if they want to have a future in the military [because] it is vital to have this experience.” Wheeler and Sergeant Tran explained a brief day as a participant in the program. The rst half of the fourth-period block starts with an academic cur-riculum related to military drills and etiquette. The second half is lled with activities that range from physical tness, labs, and team-building activities, to military-like training. Addi-JROTC this year now includes 30 total cadets! (Lancer Battalion)tionally, students must wear their uniforms to school ev-ery Monday, which is fol-lowed by a uniform inspec-tion and saying the pledge of allegiance alongside the cadet creed and pledge. The return of JROTC is seen as a positive addition to the culture of SCHS with its success in the past school year as they look to expand and improve their program to more students, gain more equipment from the Army, and acquire more space for drills and training. Sergeant Allan Tran explained that the program has nearly dou-bled since the start of the school year, as they “cur-rently are at 30 Cadets, and [they] started, at the begin-ning of the year with only 16 Cadets.” The program continues to grow in pop-ularity as students are in-trigued by JROTC’s goal to “teach students military-in-spired camaraderie to excel in every aspect of everyday lives to better themselves and the community.” The values of the program prove to inspire and better all students interested and can serve as experience if one wishes to pursue a ca-reer in the military. If you are interested in JROTC be sure to look for information on joining it in the 2024-25 school year!CADETS work hard on upper campus. (Lancer Battalion)3
Blake McAplin, ASB President’s message This year, I had the priv-ilege to serve as the 59th ASB President of San Clemente High, but more importantly, I was given front-row seats to watch our incredible student body serve our community. Each year, the ASB pres-ident is assigned the task of creating a general theme for the year that aligns with a vision for the school. As the class of ‘24 started high school with the disruption of a global pandemic, I selected a theme of unity with an emphasis on ser-vice so that by focusing on those who suffer true af-ictions, we can recognize our comforts and become greater citizens together. My favorite endeavor this year has been leading an initiative to organize var-ious SCHS clubs to show up each Wednesday after-noon at our local food pan-try, FAM. In this process, I was able to connect with students from the Nation-al Honors Society, Key Club, JustServe, Best Bud-dies, FAM Club, and other groups looking for ways to give back. This experience provided over 700 students from all different back-grounds, the opportunity to come together and help serve the 30,000 people in south Orange County per year who suffer the effects of food insecurity. While I am heading off to the East Coast this fall, San Clemente will always be the place I call home. The West Coast will al-ways be the best coast, and a place where I hope future graduates of San Clemente High School will continue to recognize our unique privileges and opportuni-ties to give back so that all may call San Clemente one town, one team. Since its establishment in 1964, San Clemente High School has served as a nurturing environment where students have our-ished like no other. In the 1966-1967 academic year, SCHS boasted an enroll-ment of 1,945 students, marking a notable increase of 295 students from the preceding year, with the student body comprising of 999 girls and 946 boys. The freshman led enroll-ment with 552, followed by the sophomores with 524, juniors with 452, and nally seniors with 417. Since then, the school has experienced a remarkable Beyond the numbers: Exploring SCHS enrollment trendssurge in enrollment over-all. This year there were 2,711 total students with 1,329 girls, 1,376 boys, and six students identify-ing as non-binary. As for the classes, juniors lead the pack with 713 students, followed closely by fresh-men at 698, seniors at 679, and sophomores at 620. Despite this considerable expansion in enrollment since 1964, recent years have witnessed a slight de-cline in enrollment. From a peak of 2,908 students in the 2019-2020 academic year, numbers have grad-ually decreased, reaching 2895 students in 2020-2021, 2838 students in 2021-22, 2,795 in 2022-2023, and 2711 students in 2023-24. This reects a decrease of 197 stu-dents over the span of four years. When asked about this trend, Guidance Sec-retary Ms. Cook explained that more than ever before, there has been “more op-tions to do online, hybrid, and part-time.” However, when admir-ing the overall growth of the school since its open-ing, the signicant jump in enrollment highlights the growth of San Cle-mente and the unity of the community. Assistant Principal Ms. Murphy at-tributed this to the fact Sophia Yeskulsky | Sports EditorBlake McAlpin | Student Life Editorthat “All of the elemen-tary schools and middle schools are thinking and feeding into San Clemente High School. It is truly one town, one team.” The City of San Clemente sup-ports the high school and the students like no other. Ms. Murphy emphasized how “Even people who don’t have kids at the high school come to the foot-ball games, parades, and other sports events. It is almost like a college town. It’s very unique.” It’s this spirit of commu-nal dedication and love that makes San Clemente High School so special.4Dress code evolution: 1960s vs. 2024 Sheer, lace, or tight tting clothes can be spotted on students at SCHS, as almost nothing seems off-limits for the students. With the ex-ception of wearing slander-ous statements or offensive images, people are never really called out for their choice of clothing at school in 2024; however, that was not the case in the ‘60s. In the 1963, the dress code at SCHS was extremely strict. They had set “regu-lations concerning student dress, grooming and behav-ior.” Boys had to keep their hair “neat, well-trimmed, and tapered” and they were not allowed to let their hair grow too long. In the past, other expec-tations for boys were to be “clean shaven” and their shirt tails must be tucked. This is vastly different from today’s dress codes, as they mention nothing about fa-cial hair and give students more freedom to express themselves through their clothing style. Other than that, most guys will wear a t-shirt or hoodie before rocking a dress shirt—except for the occasion-al SCHS sports team that dressed in their jerseys for their upcoming game. For boys, the only requirement that is still enforced that was expected in the ‘60s is that they must wear shoes at all times, which also in-cludes girls for both then and now. In the ‘60s, all students were “expected to attend school in clean, neat school clothes’’ and would be pun-ished otherwise. For girls, skirt lengths had to be “de-cent and in good taste” to be considered school-ap-propriate. That meant that skirt lengths that were more than two inches above the knee were inappropriate and should not be worn to school. Today’s dress code explains students can wear skirts, but an “appropriate” length. “Overly tight-tting dress-es, sheer and low-cut blouses, and shoulderless and bare midriff garments [were] not acceptable.” The only thing that is still not al-Sienna Taus | Student Life Editorlowed for girls to wear is a strapless top or a halter top. However, many believe that this rule is not strictly enforced. Senior Taylor Juncaj explained, “[she] was dress-coded once because [her] hoodie was an image of a band [she] likes and it looked slightly violent. [She] feels school is a place to learn and socialize so it shouldn’t matter what stu-dents wear as long as they are still getting their educa-tion.” The dress code today stat-ed that “students must wear a shirt, and pants/jeans, or a dress or skirt, and shoes.” So basically, people have to have clothing on when they show up to not get punished. People were often punished in the ‘60s if they broke the dress code, and sometimes it even led to suspension or expulsion. Today, breaking dress code will not limit learning time; instead, the school will ask students to change if they have dif-ferent clothes available to them or provide clothes. BLACK TUBE TOP with denim jeans: an outt that would have gotten you expelled in the ‘60s but today, you can see it all around campus. (Sienna Taus)
5TALKING to your friends on the phone, what it used to look like! (Westbrook College). Discovering and pursuing rewarding aspects of life is the most essential way to achieve a meaningful state of existence. No matter how large or small, engaging in rewarding activities or striv-ing for rewarding goals is what truly leads to a fulll-ing life. The 1960s student news-paper The Triton provided an outlet for conversation, allowing students to con-sider and personally de-ne what specically is re-warding in their own lives. With answers ranging from achieving world peace to simply passing an upcoming test, each student displayed a starkly different perspec-tive on the question at hand. Therefore, I posed the same question to the students of this generation: What is the most rewarding goal to have or thing to do in life? “To have a family one day and be successful enough Carly Altman | WriterWhat’s rewarding in life?to lead a worry-free life.” M.M. “Getting through high school and making it to col-lege.” N.R. “Passing AP Calculus this year.” R.N. “To get a degree and even-tually achieve my dream ca-reer.” A.H. “Devoting my time to help-ing others and beneting the world as a whole.” I.N. “To achieve academic ac-complishment both this year and throughout the future of my education.” N.C. “Showing care and appre-ciation for the important people in my life.” C.G. Whether your denition of a rewarding life focuses on nancial success, emotional well-being, or simply mak-ing it through to the next day, personally dening what makes life rewarding paves the way to a happier, healthier, and more prosper-ous life.Phones pose new problemsMea Marvin | Opinion Editor I recently came across The Triton newspaper from 1969 which con-tained an interesting arti-cle protesting the ban on phone banks on campus due to the students misus-ing it, such as it being van-dalized, kicked, marked, etc. Author of the article Pat Bohrer claimed the proposed ban was not only unfair, but also danger-ous. It was interesting to see what problems phones created back then and how they are related to prob-lems surrounding phones now. It is no surprise that the use of modern-day elec-tronics has been abused. We see teens, parents, and even small children glued to their phones or iPads everywhere we look. This has presented serious is-sues, especially with the mobile phone. It has in-creased distracted driving, a lack of attention in class, and cyberbullying. This raises the debate in many places of whether or not schools should prohibit all use of phones on school grounds. We saw a similar trend on the SCHS campus in 1969. All students were punished due to a few peers who misused the phones and got the privilege stripped from everyone. The same argument applies today.WHAT MAKES San Clemente so special? (Dylan Backer)Continued on page 8 In 1967, Eileen Zeller wrote an article in The Triton explaining the beauty of San Clemente from a visitor’s eyes. Now, sixty years later, San Clemente’s magic re-mains the same. Let’s set the scene on a quick trip from the perspective of a tourist visiting Southern California. Imagine if the magnicent beauty of the crashing waves on land, or those mesmeriz-ing orangey sunsets that we are so accustomed to watch-ing and enjoying at the beach were no longer the typical everyday background. We traveled from another part of the country and we let the nature of San Clemente im-pact us for the rst time. We became the perpetual camera-clickers that “gawk incessantly at the rst surf-board [we] see on top of a car,” and run down the shore to enjoy the cold water of the Pacic. We breathe fresh salty air, and we are genuine-ly and overwhelmingly ex-cited about it. “It’s a good weather day, bright sun, light blue sky, and bright green trees whose leaves slowly swing around,” junior Sky William said, when asked what her im-age of a perfect day in town looks like. “We stand on top of the pier to hear the crash-ing sound of big blue waves against wooden columns, and stop to spend money at the gift shops. We buy Cata-lina’s Ice Cream that melts down our ngers before we can even taste it, and take the trolley to make our way up to Del Mar after enjoying “the vast piece of land San Clem-ente beaches have to offer.” We make our way up town, and pass by a large establish-ment: San Clemente High School, the home of the Tri-tons. We see the big insignia at the top of the mountain, more than notorious. “SC” in bold letters, and we can’t do anything else but won-der “What is that?” Well, students themselves at the school have contradictory opinions about the school insignia. Neither is negative nor positive, but they focus on different ways to demon-strate school spirit. Junior Ob Parker on one hand nds it outdated and irrelevant, “no-body really talks or looks at it anymore,” he stated. “We have new ways of showing off school pride, like the re-spect many students have for the Triton statue, or art student’s efforts to decorate the school with colorful mu-rals!” On the other hand, junior Temi Krovblit nds that opin-ion rather pessimistic and stated how much she loves to look up at the SC during football games. “Right af-ter summer, with cold cokes and all your friends, the team just won! You look up at the mountain on the back and re-member that San Clemente is your home. It’s awesome,” she stated. Opposite what the student’s opinions are on the SC, the school still takes good care of it, and it represents the home of the Tritons. So, San Clemente, let’s see the SC! Let’s see SC!Arantza Villarroel | Writer
6Olivia Vergopia | Head Editor You probably don’t remem-ber the last time you heard of the u being called the “Hong Kong Virus,” but stu-dents who attended SCHS in the 1960s do. In 1968, this deadly u stretched across the globe, killing nearly 4,000,000 peo-ple. This virus received its name because of how preva-lent macaque monkeys were in Hong Kong, and because monkeys were found to be responsible for the infec-tions. In present years, this pan-demic can be seen oating around today, but nowhere near as extreme. It is now known as a strain of seasonal inuenza. According to past Triton writer Tom Tullius, students in 1968 were giv-en a chance to take the new inuenza vaccine to combat this disease. Similar to that time, COVID-19 or the “Corona-virus” was a large-scale pan-demic affecting SCHS. Many brands of vaccines like Pz-er, Moderna, and Novavax were recommended to fend off this disease. A lockdown period starting March 13, 2020, robbed many SCHS students of their on-campus Pandemics: Comparing past to presentChloe Gerhard | WriterSCHS drama’s spring musical “Legally Blonde” For many decades, the SCHS Drama program has produced award-winning shows. This year’s spring show Legally Blonde de-buted at the end of April. Traditionally, plays have taken place in the Triton Center. The Triton news-paper from March of 1968 reported on three one-act plays performed by the dra-ma program and noted that “the worst part about acting is playing before a small au-dience.” The article contin-ued and afrmed that “even burdened with this fact, the three one-act plays came off beautifully last Friday in the Triton Center.” Today, what sets SCHS apart from other schools is its move from an indoor stage to an outdoor one. A professional large-scale stage is constructed and the upper campus is trans-formed into a theater under the stars. This new setting allows for substantially larger audiences than the Triton Center. For the spring musical, the SCHS drama department does not play it safe, leaving audiences astonished. Past musicals include The Phan-tom of the Opera, Foot-loose, and Les Misérables. This year’s musical has been a labor of love. Let’s dive into what truly goes on behind the scenes when putting on SCHS dra-ma’s spectacular produc-experience because of man-dated quarantine. Similar to the Hong Kong u, students were encouraged to get vac-cinated for everyone’s safety. In 1968, they used jet guns to administer the vaccine to stu-dents, according to Tullius. In modern-day, COVID-19 vaccines are administered with needles by healthcare providers. Students from SCHS de-scribe this time differently. Every age had a different aspect of their time “taken away.” Senior Mateo Kitts said, “since my freshman year was taken away, I never had a chance to start on cam-pus, it was all online school-ing. I wish I would have got-ten a full, normal high school experience like most kids do.” In contrast, junior Liam Carroll said, “it was only my eighth-grade year that got cut off, so I’m getting to go to high school for the full four years on campus. I’m glad that I don’t have to do online school during high school because I think it is important to be able to learn and talk in person.” From the pandemic in 1968 to the pandemic in 2020, what will be next?tion. What the audience sees on stage is only the tip of the iceberg of what truly goes on to create what is seen on stage. Since January, the program’s members have worked tirelessly. All this hard work pays off as the entire town gathers with beach chairs and blankets for a night of award-win-ning entertainment. Throughout the history of the drama program, there have been phenomenal di-rectors, and current director Kirsti McCleary’s level of skill is what makes the pro-gram what it is today. She has a talent for executing her vision and casting the perfect actor in the perfect role. The leads for this play included senior Grace Nach-reiner as Elle Woods, senior Tre Kuhn as Emmett, senior Ryan Cochran as Warner, senior Molly Graff as Pau-lette, junior Cylvr Habetler as Professor Callahan, se-nior Cameron Contreras as Vivienne, and senior Erin Reyland as Enid. Erin Reyland revealed, “All the songs in Legally Blonde are big and ensem-ble-based so every number is a show stopper.” The actor’s comedic tim-ing, singing, and dancing set them apart; they are sup-ported by a gifted ensemble. Favorite acts include “Bend and Snap” and “Whipped into Shape.” SCHS crew has a de-cades-long history of being vital to the success of the program. In The Triton from 1967, “Drama Club ofcials stress that not only actors are needed but also stage crew members.” “In set crew, we help build and put together all the sets; as set lead, I cre-ate and manage all the set transitions!” senior Sam Poteet explained. “I look at the scenes and note the dif-ferent cues. There is a lot of experimentation involved.” Crew is made up of six different groups, includ-ing, lights, sound, make-up and hair, props, costumes, and set. This year’s crew did their magic behind the scenes to make Legally Blonde shine. “Lights crew is fun and you get the best seats to watch the show!” junior Dalila Hutchinson expressed. Unlike the rest of the crews, lights along with sound do not primarily work back-stage, but instead in front of the stage. The skilled lights crew is vital for the actors’ talents to be illuminated. The hard work, dedica-tion, love, and care of all the members of SCHS dra-ma truly sets it apart. Look-ing at the programs, past and present, it is clear that this program will continue to amaze audiences for all future generations to come.LABOR OF LOVE: This year’s production of Legally Blonde showcases the hard work of the entire cast and crew. (Emma Barbernell)
7 Amidst a chaotic year for San Clemente High School, one senior stands out above the rest. Meet Sam Poteet, a student who has been in dra-ma since freshman year, runs and participates in countless clubs, and is taking all IB/AP classes. Since moving here from out of state the summer before her freshman year, Poteet has found solace in drama. She explained that “drama was [her] rst friend group” and that she is still in contact with many of the people she has met. While she makes sets rather than acts, Poteet is very grateful for the skills that she has developed through this extracurricular. Some other extracurriculars that Poteet really cares about are her clubs. Books and Cof-fee provides a “chill coffee club” for those who simply want to discuss books. She started this club her junior year with her friend because they both “loved getting coffee over the summer and talking about books,” but wanted put a spin on your typical book club. They take a creative approach with this club, giving certain themes to certain meetings. She ex-plains that last year, they would pick an author and the members would get to choose a book by that author to dis-cuss. They have done themes like “favorite book you’ve gotten as a gift from the hol-idays” or “favorite historical ction.” Her other club is called Keep SC Green, in which she and her other friend helped the 400 buildings start recy-cling their waste. They start-ed this club this year, when they realized that not much recycling was being done on campus. They wanted to ac-knowledge that “recycling can and should be done.” Along with co-owning these two clubs, she is in No Place For Hate and SCHS Against Racism to try to better her community. As if she doesn’t already have enough on her plate, Po-teet is taking all IB/AP class-es, which consist of Global Politics (her favorite class), French, Biology, Govern-ment and Politics, Statistics, and Literature. Even though they are a lot to handle, Po-teet loves all her classes. Sam Poteet has spent her high school years involved in the community. She has founded clubs that will re-main long after she leaves for college, and has met people that she will love for as long as she lives. We hope her fu-ture will be as bright and en-ergetic as she is, and we are proud to call her a Triton!Trevor Ponsen | Writer The hustle and bustle of our parking lot is nothing but hectic as students and parents struggle to funnel themselves through a nar-row exit. It’s a scene that no one would want to nd themselves in, but it would be considered a privilege for some people. Being able to park on campus is easy to take for granted here at San Clem-ente High School, but it’s still a challenging and an-noying process. Of our large student body of roughly 3,000 students, almost half are eligible to drive, but parking permits are limited—despite there usually being space for more people. Imagine the plight of a junior or soph-omore who nally earns their driver’s license part way through the school year, only to discover they must wait another year to park on campus, as seniors are given priority. On top of this, parking permits can cost a whop-ping $120 for students. Why? They’re not provid-ing us with a service by parking in a public area, nor are they seemingly re-investing the money into parking lots. It turns into a challenge for a lot of kids as their only other option is parking at upper campus, which has limited spots and involves a steep hike just to get to your car. Or students may The problem with parking at San Clemente High Schoolpark somewhere on Presi-dio, which is also problem-atic, as parking without a permit there between 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. is illegal and typically lands you with a ticket. This struggle of being able to drive but not being able to park on campus is one that I went through for all of my junior year. I got my license a few weeks late into the school year and was challenged by the task of having to nd park-ing. I woke up at 5:45 a.m. every morning and left my house by 6:10 a.m. just to race other students for the ten or so parking spots left on Presidio between the school and Albertson’s. It was the closest you could get to parking at the high school without purchasing a parking permit. Despite this, it was still a long walk to my car, I still got tickets for parking in the red and my car was even broken into (where someone stole all of the electronics out of my car and my debit card worth about $900 in total). When I told the high school ad-ministration about this incident, Mr. Bailey told me that they weren’t lia-ble for anything because I was “parked off of campus so there was nothing they could do.” All of this was because I wasn’t able to park in the lot even though there were dozens of spots open every day. The administration told me that seniors had priority in getting those spots even though they were never lled through-out the entire year, this is due, I assume, to absences, but still. I’m not the only one who has been through this; so many other sophomores and juniors don’t get to en-joy the privilege of driving themselves to school just because they can’t park anywhere. Zachery Stew-art, who despite having his license for months now, can only park at upper cam-pus. He told me, “I’d rather have my mom pick me up and drop me off than walk up that hill every day…it’s brutal and I’m surprised that so many kids do that.” Aiden Wardy, a junior who has to park on Presi-dio every day, described having to wake up so early as “miserable and frustrat-ing,” as he had to walk past empty spaces every day that weren’t even going to be used. It’s understandable to want to give seniors prior-ity in parking, but it comes at the cost of leaving so many other kids struggling just for a place to park. The administration isn’t to blame for the limited spacing as they can’t just expand the parking lot, but they can change who gets to park on campus. Senior Spotlight: Sam PoteetSophia Bird | WriterSam Poteet! (Emma Barbernell)PARKING LOT MISERY: Drone shot of SCHS parking lot. (Dylan Backer)
8 Dissections are nothing new to San Clemente High School students. In IB Ma-rine, students dissect squid and sh. But in Honors Anatomy, students examine more complex specimens — including sheep brains, cow eyeballs, pig hearts, and -nally, cats. At rst, I was a little shocked that we would be dissecting cats, especially since they are domestic ani-mals many students have as pets. However, cats are ana-tomically similar to humans, with mostly the same organs and structures, making them perfect candidates for learn-ing during the “muscle unit” of anatomy. But, the ques-tion that people wonder re-mains: Is this ethical? Each year, it is estimated that around ten million ani-mals are killed specically for dissections, not from nat-ural causes. This is the main factor one should consider when questioning this prac-tice’s ethics. A common crit-icism of animal dissections is the suffering that animals could potentially endure. According to the Humane Society of the United States, investigators have found ev-idence that to gather speci-mens for dissection, people have injected rats with em-balming uid, starved ani-mals like frogs, and drowned cats in burlap sacks. Another criticism is that high school students are not respectful of the specimens. For instance, a major con-troversy arose at Winston Churchill High School when a video circulated of stu-dents playing “jump rope” with the intestines of a cat cadaver. A similar situation occurred at a high school in Oklahoma. Because of in-appropriate actions, many places have banned class-room animal dissection alto-gether. However, though these criticisms are valid, I feel that the pros of cat dissec-tion can outweigh the cons by providing students with more educational opportu-nities. The teachers at San Cle-mente High School do an excellent job ensuring the students adhere to rules and keep the cats from being in-appropriately handled. The incidents of students taking advantage of their educa-tional opportunities are not common, and those students’ mistakes shouldn’t inu-ence the learning of others. Many students and teachers believe that the hands-on learning students gain from dissection can spark inspi-ration and excitement and prepare students for future careers in the medical eld. Similarly, while there have been instances of cats being killed unethically, accord-ing to large biological sup-ply companies, the majority of the cats they receive are already dead. If the cats are already dead, it would be a waste not to learn from their bodies. That being said, I do not support cat dissection if the cats were abused or killed specically for dissections; those who kill animals for prot should be held ac-countable. Finally, if a stu-dent is uncomfortable with a dissection, they should be able to choose a different as-signment.Are cat dissections ethical?Jordyn Banks | WriterSienna Miller | News EditorHas sex education improved since the 1960s? Sexual education and all of its impacts have been scrutinized for decades. Al-though, fundamentally, sex-ual education simply aims to provide students with the knowledge and necessary skills to navigate their sexu-al health and to explore their potential relationships re-sponsibly. However, Sex Ed. was, and still remains, an uncomfortable conversation. People can try to claim that we as a society and commu-nity have grown past this child-like embarrassment— but the reality is that this top-ic is still tip-toed around. I am writing this as a pro-test to that dis-comfort. Why should women be the target of shame and humiliation, meanwhile, their male peers giggle as if it’s a dirty subject? If it’s so integral to our society, why is the topic so ignored? It’s because society en-graves the idea in young minds that sex should never be discussed, even though the reality is that sexual rela-tions will happen at the same rate, if not more often, when it is not addressed altogeth-er. Obviously, there is an appropriate time and place to discuss these subjects, but a classroom’s purpose is to welcome dialogue about the real world instead of disre-garding it. “I remember as a kid think-ing these kinds of conversa-tions just felt silly because we were so young,” said ju-nior Elora Aguliar. “Until I grew up and realized that I never got that full conversa-tion. I’ve noticed that most grown adults haven’t either because whenever anything to do with sex education gets brought up, it feels like everyone’s ve years old again, not wanting to say something promiscuous.” In the 1969 publication of The Triton, when they were rst implementing the sex-ual education course, writ-er Wendy Bloom said the controversy was so erce because people thought that “the teaching of sex should be left up to parents and clergymen.” With this, the school board deemed this class as optional for juniors and seniors. However, in 2024, in Cal-ifornia at least, students are required to take a semester of health class in order to graduate from high school. “I took health last year and we took a week to discuss sex education and the cur-riculum wasn’t super clear but the class was obviously necessary,” stated sopho-more Sophia Lobbezoo. “I think most students just thought it was a joke.” Since the ‘60s, teen pregnancy rates have surprisingly fallen, which many believe is due to the education of birth control and ways to reduce pregnan-cy. Overall, our school has progressively become more considerate of sex educa-tion in general. Although we may dread it in school Continued on page 9Phones(Continued from page 5)Students will argue that is unfair for their person-al items to be restricted just because fellow class-mates might not be using electronics in a productive way. Just as most students in the 1960s were not the ones vandalizing school phones, most students don’t participate in texting and driving or online bul-lying. Another strong argument students have asserted in the past is that taking away from phones is a safe-ty concern as well. They need to be able to call their parents when schedules change, if they will be late, if they need help, and so on and so forth. Nothing has necessarily changed in regards to this situation, as parents and students alike will always require the safety and protection that phones provide despite the downsides. It was a shock to see an SC Triton from 55 years ago writing about a similar (yet completely different) situation that generations face today. On one hand, there are still concerns at-tached to having phones at school such as the vandal-ism, pounding, kicking, etc. of phones in 1969, and the distraction mobile phones produce today. On the other hand, tech-nology has adapted and grown so much since then. So many wonders and fears come with the continually developing technology. There are so many more concerns now than simply the situation of vandalism. Now there is AI, plagia-rism, and stalking— but also, it allows easier ac-cess to facts and research, a greater connection with those around the world, and more exploration of knowledge. Junior Tatum Westover expressed that “technolo-gy is all about how we use it” and that if it gets to the “point that we are taking advantage of it” and needs to be mediated. Without moderation, anything can be dangerous, but “if we use it smartly we can im-prove ourselves.” Another perspective that senior Ava Knochenhaur offered is how “[she] uses technology and social me-dia to keep in touch with people” and that “it makes things like homework and college applications a lot easier.” In this sense, she is currently using an app to nd a roommate at ASU next year, which is yet an-other benet of smarter technology. Like just about anything, the idea is complex. There are plenty of disadvan-tages to having phones on campus, just like there were in 1969.
9 As students grapple with the unprecedented stress of school, a constant concern is earning a grade that meets the standards of colleges and the students themselves. With the discrepancy in grading systems depending on the course and teacher, administrators have oscillat-ed in implementing a system that creates a more positive and progressive learning en-vironment, whether that be instating a standard-based grading system, grading with an equivalent pass/fail system, or sticking to a tra-ditional A-F scale and ad-justing curves on a class-to-class basis. These developments are especially relevant in light of the CUSD adoption of an integer grading system on a scale of 1-8. In this model, a “1” would signify that a stu-dent has an incomplete un-derstanding of the standard while an “8” would demon-strate mastery of the skill. The school would equate the standard grade with a letter grade to calculate GPAs. Standard-based grading will slowly be implemented into the A-F scale in the next couple of years in an attempt to increase student work quality and ease stress. Since the early 20th centu-ry when grading on an A-F was initially introduced into K-12 schools, debates have ensued regarding the fair-ness and accuracy of this system. In The Triton news-paper edition from 1969, a San Clemente High School student felt that “it would be better if all teachers used the same grading scale so the students would have a better chance of knowing what’s expected of them. The problem with the pass/fail system is that students who work extra hard would get no credit.” For many, a standard-based grading scale would ease the stress of grades due to an in-creased emphasis on specic standards and skills rather than overloading students with unbearable masses of information. At the same time, students would get more credit for their suc-cesses than a pass/fail sys-tem would offer. However, SCHS classes that grade on a standard system, such as AP Calculus courses, have earned mixed reviews amongst the student pop-ulation. In junior Michelle Monier’s experience, “Stan-dard-based grading just cre-ates more tests and more pressure on students be-cause, without assignments counting towards your total grade, there is constant test-ing and quizzing to prove you know the ‘standard’ of the material.” Despite the decades-stand-ing call for a pass/fail sys-tem or standardized grading, many students continually stand behind the traditional A-F structure. A SCHS stu-dent in the ‘60s commented that “teachers should use grading scales which will do justice to the students,” sentiments multitudes of modern students share. As junior Grace Pratt reported, “regardless of the grading scale, I think teachers will nd ways to make grades fair.” There is no one right an-swer to approaching grad-ing, as evidenced by the decades-old debate that is still relevant today. Every system provides a set of up-sides and challenges, and it is ultimately up to students to take a stance on what sys-tem they think would work best within the framework of modern-day public schools. Hopefully, the implementa-tion of standard-based grad-ing will accurately serve the needs of students moving into the future.Is grading fair?Taylor Van Dijk | Opinion EditorSex Ed(Continued from page 8)because of its awkward con-notation, it is necessary, and the school board has ac-knowledged this. Not to mention, in the 1969 publication, a larger problem that hasn’t improved as dras-tically is touched upon, that sexual education is referred specically to only include “boy-girl” relationships. Al-though we are more inclu-sive as a community now, LGBTQ+ education created even more controversy for those religious families who don’t feel comfortable with schools “promoting” same-sex relations. Although pregnancy isn’t involved, the LGBTQ+ community needs just as many resources for safe re-lationships as heterosexual students who are learning to discover themselves, as they make up a signicant part of the high school student body. Since 1960, our society has progressed on a multitude of social issues, but as this problem continues, it is clear that even more concerns emerge. In 50 years, our most con-troversial problems will like-ly be those that we hardly even consider today— Sex Ed. is a perfect example of a problem evolved over time. As decades pass, change is inevitable; however, the complaints of young peo-ple about their country as-tonishingly tend to stay the same. From the swinging ‘60s to the 2020s, SCHS students share a common foundation of concern, and hope for the future of the United States regardless of the major differences in ethnic and political climates that marked their specic eras. Students from the ‘60s at SCHS as found in the school’s archived newspa-pers voicing strong disap-proval of practices such as the electoral college, tax strategies and education-al standards. Fast forward to the present day, current students still express simi-lar issues, echoing opinions from decades ago. Senior Marisa Gilbert demonstrated severe dis-parities in wealth distribu-tion with her statement that there exists “no justication for such immense wealth, while others cannot afford necessary services such as healthcare.” These words mirror those of former student S.E., who argued against high taxation by stating that “lowering taxes is preferable since the gov-ernment claims a signicant portion of earnings leaving individuals with very little.” The issue with the elec-toral college persists with senior Sam Poteet from to-day’s SCHS advocating for its abolishment; she argued that “the election of sever-al presidents by the elec-toral college despite losing the popular vote points to a fundamental aw, where land is put above the Ameri-Tyler Pearce | Head EditorStudents voice their gripes about the countrycan people.” This viewpoint strikingly resembles that of a past student N.V., who criticized the system for “breeding distrust” and for “not truly representing the populace through the popu-lar vote.” Senior Sara Sims partic-ipated in the current dis-course, advocating for adult rights; she expressed that “adults should possess the right to consume alcohol, vote and marry.” This argu-ment nds a historical par-allel during the ‘60s when C.L. defended similar rights for those “old enough to serve in the military.” Both past and present generations express their displeasure over nancial waste; today’s students crit-icize foreign policy spend-ing, while students from the ‘60s like J.D. compared the quality of school meals to the leftovers fed to dogs. These consistent agreeanc-es across generations show the unchanging issues that concern the youth and im-ply a continued democratic spirit among them. By an-alyzing grievances from the past alongside those of today, it is clear that SCHS students have always been passionate protectors of their civic responsibilities to question and critique. Students persistently pointing out similar con-cerns over the course of 60 years hints at the importance of listening to these young people who may become the leaders of tomorrow. Their active complaints may be-come the driving inspiration for the advancements they and earlier generations hope to see within their country.2084(Continued from page 1)ing individuals. If anything, roads and highways will still function but all the cars will be electric and gas sta-tions will be shut down. Although there are a va-riety of great predictions, many students made some concerning predictions. Some stated that the planet will be extremely polluted and many endangered an-imals like will go extinct. Many wildres and natu-ral disasters will continue to occur due to the earth’s global warming; some even say humans might go ex-tinct as well. Others think there will be a World War III, and critical issues with foreign countries will rise. In 2084, current students at SCHS will be over 80 years of age, and many hope for the best, while others remain concerned about what the future holds for the next generation. For now, students wait patient-ly to see which of these pre-dictions will come true.
10Flip the scriptEnzo Candolo | Editor-in-Chief The 2023-24 season was a special one for our varsi-ty boys basketball team. In a remarkable turn of events, they completely ipped the script from the previous 2022-23 season, where they held an unfortunate 6-22 season and were winless (0-8) during league play. However, the guys locked in this year, posting a 24-6 overall record and going undefeated (8-0) to win the South Coast League. Junior point guard Davis Blake said, “San Clemente bas-ketball in the previous years has had league champion-ships and [has] been great. After the year we had, we felt the responsibility to bring that back to the high school and the community that supported us.” A massive part of their suc-cess was the young squad of returners coming back to lead the team this year. Each player showed signicant growth and made valuable contributions to the team’s performance. Blake said, “the varsity returners, after the losing year, knew that things were going to be dif-ferent immediately after our nal game in the league.” After that nal loss against Trabuco at home, the off-season had already started, Blake also said, “we grinded in the offseason. We were in the weight room 4 times a week and were doing extra shooting work-outs throughout the week, practices were competitive, and we all wanted to ip the script.” It wasn’t only their men-tality that changed, but the offseason grind that really paid off for the team. It started in preseason, as the team started out with a blistering 15-5 record, head-ing in to their undefeated run throughout league play. A highlight of the season was two of our own junior shooting guards, Porter Hansen and Christian Fer-nandez, winning the South Coast League MVP award. Hansen averaged 15.1 points per game and Fer-nandez followed up with 14.6. Fernandez also led the team in assists (3.3) and steals (1.7). However, it truly was a massive team effort, with the help of senior center Will Whidden who held down most blocks per game with 2.1 and junior small forward Chase Toliver lead-ing the team in rebounds all season long at 8.5 per game. Although some players shined brighter than others, the squad had so much tal-ent that head coach Pluimer could nd contributions all the way down his bench. “We were so loaded with talent and deep,” coach Plu-imer said. “It made every practice competitive and made us better every single day.” It is also incredibly excit-ing that only three seniors are leaving the squad, so the team will only be revamped for next year. Specically, the Tritons expect even big-ger things from the nine un-derclassmen returners. So keep your eyes open and make sure to show out and support the beginning of another great San Cle-mente High School sports program next year.PORTER HANSEN nishes o Calvary Chapel in the home opener of CIF Playos, 65-51. (Dylan Backer)
Nestled along the sun-kissed shores of Southern California lies San Clem-ente, a quaint beach town renowned for its world-fa-mous surf spots: Trestles, Lowers, and Uppers. But beyond the crashing waves and sandy shores, there’s a different kind of athleti-cism that thrives within this coastal community: soccer. San Clemente High School boasts one of the most es-teemed soccer programs in the country. Born through the tenacious mastery of Mike Proneir and Shea We-ber, the dynasty is now lead by the tactical geniuses of Chris Murray and Gordon Dickey. Since the turn of the mil-lennium, the San Clemente Tritons have won four CIF Championships and two State Championships. Con-sistently ranked top in the nation, it’s a team built on brotherhood. Driven by the motto “SC ‘til I die,” they are a team of unparalleled chemistry. That is what sets them apart from other schools. Step onto the pitch at San Clemente High, and you’ll witness a sea of red and black, the colors proud-ly worn by Division 1 and professional players alike who once donned the Triton badge. These colors sym-bolize not just a team, but a tradition of greatness that has become synonymous with San Clemente soccer. The weight of last year’s uncharacteristic State Championship loss lingered like a heavy cloud over the players’ heads as they stepped onto the eld for their rst game of this sea-son. Each pass, each shot, carried with it the determi-nation to right the wrongs of the past and to prove that they were still the same powerhouse program from prior years. With a roster boasting 15 experienced se-niors, each with an oppor-tunity of redemption and a legacy to cement, the stage was set for a campaign of success. This season was about more than just win-ning matches; it was about reclaiming pride and prov-ing to themselves and to the world that the SCHS soccer powerhouse was still alive and well. From the outset, the Tri-tons were a force to be reck-oned with. They kicked off their campaign in scintillat-ing fashion, blazing through the summer league with six wins, tallying an impres-sive 23 goals total along the way. Their preseason prow-ess continued, culminating in statement victories over the prestigious schools of Birmingham, Palos Verdes, and Orange Lutheran. They concluded their preseason success with a win over the reigning Arizona State Champions, Perry, in the SoCal Classic Tournament. The Tritons were hot and seriously prepared for the league play ahead. Led by the leadership of seniors Finn Linas, Jake Poole, Brady Lloyd, and Beckham Beauchemin, and buoyed by the goal-scoring exploits of the dynamic ju-niors Jonah Levandowsky and Grifn Blair and senior Max Gonzales, they navi-gated through league with an almost awless 6-0-2 re-cord, reclaiming the crown that had eluded them for four long years. The high-light of the league was their impressive 4-0 away win against their rivals San Juan High School. Levan-dosky bagged three in the rst half while senior Will Pico added a fourth. His backip celebration encap-sulated the consensus feel-ing among the Triton soccer players— pure condence. Now with the Open Di-vision CIF Playoffs begin-ning, it was time for the Tritons to really nd their motion. They continued the tradition of shaving their heads and were now ready to carry on the SCHS soccer legacy. The draw came out and to outsiders, it was pre-sumed to be a major chal-lenge for the team. They would be facing last year’s National Champions in the rst round, JSerra Catho-lic High School. However, to the SCHS players, this draw was exactly what they desired. Tensions had been building between the JSer-ra and SCHS sides all year, and now they nally had the opportunity to decide who’s the stronger team. The newborn rivalry began at JSerra’s home eld. In a champions league struc-tured playoff, the rst leg of the quarternals was set. As rain ooded the pitch, JSer-ra demonstrated why they were last year’s national champions. With a clever Marcus Ozami goal off a free kick, JSerra came out on top in the rst leg with a 1-0 lead. However, with the tremendous shot-stop-ping abilities of SCHS se-nior goalkeeper Rolando Hernandez, the score could have easily been way more in JSerras favor. Now, the second leg would head to Triton’s home turf. Backed by a massive crowd of loyal supporters, the Tri-tons rose to the occasion, delivering a masterclass performance. Blair and Le-vandowsky both scored. However, Cal Poly commit Linas stole the show with a pivotal goal, capitalizing on a goalkeeper error to send the Tritons on their way to a resounding 3-1 victory. But it was Poole who pro-vided the dening moment of the match— a jaw-drop-ping bicycle kick clearance that deed gravity and de-nied JSerra a certain goal. The Tritons passed JSerra with a 3-2 Aggregate win in the CIF-SS Open Divi-sion quarternals. The next round was set. With im-mense momentum, the Tri-tons were ready to face the fourth ranked team in the nation, Mater Dei, in the semi-nals. The rst leg did not go as planned. Even despite a heroic penalty kick save by goalkeeper Hernandez, the Tritons lost the rst leg of the CIF-SS Semi nals 0-2. The next leg was now in Mater Dei’s backyard. It was a true testament of Triton’s perseverance, an opportunity to respond to adversity. Although the Monarchs ultimately came out victorious in the aggre-gate, the Triton’s displayed a wonderful performance. Hernandez embarrassed Mater Dei goalkeeper Brayden McLelland with a goal from half eld, and Levandwosky scored a screamer off of a freekick. In addition to the impres-sive offensive play, senior defenders Logan Seymour, Carter Cooper, Poole, Lloyd, and junior Travis Godwin also had impactful performances. Despite the loss, the boys made their city proud that night. However, the season didn’t end here. Qualify-ing for the Division 1 Cal-ifornia State Playoffs, the team was ready to make up for their CIF-SS semi-nal loss. However, Del Norte striker Godwin Antwi sent the Tritons home after bag-ging three and assisting one in the quarternals of the state playoffs. Regardless of the disap-pointing end to the year, the 2023-24 SCHS Boys Soc-cer Team put the program back on the map. They set a school record for being the rst team in program histo-ry to go undefeated in reg-ular season, won the SoCal Classic tournament, were league champs in one of the best leagues in the nation, and were ranked 5th in the country until the end. This group of young men were a family, a brotherhood. Now, with a talented group of returners and the addi-tion of other great SCHS players sure to come up, the boys are preparing to add to the success of this year’s resume and hopefully bring home a triple crown next season.The almost perfect seasonDavid Rudnicki | Sports EditorREGROUPING aer scoring the equalizer against Santa Ana in preseason. (Ryan Roland)11SENIOR NIGHT took care of SJHHS to cap o an undefeated regular season. (Amy DeTraversay)
As the 2023-24 school year comes to a close, stu-dents and staff are preparing to say goodbye to the class of 2024. In honor of se-niors leaving San Clemente high school behind, I asked my fellow seniors to leave wills to the younger class-es, something that was also done for the class of 1970. While there may be a nearly 60 year difference between the two articles, the wills are eerily similar. For the class of 2024, the seniors answers varied: I, Addie Flynn, hereby will Phoebe Demoss my Starbucks app with all my stars. I, Jake Poole, hereby will the $1,000,000 that I hid behind the bleachers under pounds of cement to any of the juniors, sophomores, and freshman who are brave enough to try and nd it. I, Claire Hedger, hereby will all of my zeros and missing assignments to Ju-lia Sipelis. Good luck! I, Kendall Hood, hereby will be the cockroach that roams around the girls lock-er room during the warm months. Please be nice to her, she is shy. I, Ayla Basaties, hereby will Cassi Basaties my bed-room and all the clothes I don’t want. I, Piper Prather, hereby will the fun of loud crowd to all the underclassmen. LETS GO TRITONS!Tritons make senior wills Surprisingly, not much has changed since 1970. In fact, the wills sound scarily similar. The class of 1970 answered: I, Steve J. Mackery, here-by will the 32 pounds of gold buried under room 702 to anyone who wants to dig it out. I, Douglas Rea, hereby will the hole in the wall in the boys locker room. First come rst serve by all means. I, Margaret Wisdom, here-by will Tim Bennett all my brother’s bikes when he crashes. I, Kennth Goodwin, here-by will to all my trusted friends my bonafce hand-written copy of the Truant’s Manifesto which tells you in easy-to-follow instruc-tions the art of cutting class without getting caught. I, Dan Lamb, hereby will my report card to the Appli-cation Mountain children as a good example of middle class America. The wills of 2024, with their blend of humor, sar-casm, and heartfelt good-byes echo the sentiments expressed by their prede-cessors. The senior wills at San Clemente High School serve as a time capsule of student life, encapsulating the joys, jests, and journeys of each graduating class. They remind us that while faces and times may change, the spirit of youth, with its blend of humor, hope, and resilience, remains con-stant. As we bid adieu to the class of 2024, we celebrate not only their achievements but also their contribution to the legacy of San Clemente High, ensuring that the spir-it of the Tritons will contin-ue to thrive in the hearts of future generations.Claire Hedger | A & E Editor and Social Media ManagerLetter from a killer Every 15 Minutes was an assembly that simulated a drunk driving accident and it’s impact on students at San Clemente High School. To all victims, family, and friends affected by the March 6 tragedy, I killed three people. They were my classmates and my friends, and never in a mil-lion years would I ever think of harming them. I am not a killer. I am just someone who made a mistake. But no amount of regret or mani-festation will ever turn back time and undo the fact be-cause of me, three kids were murdered and many more lives were destroyed. It’s ironic, really, that they will never see another day, and I will get to live with that bur-den forever. To Kate, you know it was an accident. You know me, and you know that what happened was a small mistake that any of us could have made. I just got unlucky and it was the wrong place and the wrong time. Right? But now here I am, alive, and there you are, dead. Because of that small mistake, you will never go to another cheer practice, you will never play ball with your dog, and you will never get to follow your passion for nursing. I am so, unbeliev-ably, sorry. But I understand that no amount of “sorry’s” will bring you back and give you a second chance. I prom-ise I will spend the rest of my life hating myself for what I did to you and your family. Every time I try to imagine your smile, I just see your mutilated face, bruised black and blue as your body lies limp on the hood of my car. My car. My fault. I shouldn’t have drank, I shouldn’t have driven, and ultimately, I should have cared enough to prioritize your safety. You didn’t deserve to die. It should have been me. Dear Yair and Anna, you got into my car because you trusted me with your lives. Now they will never be the same. Yair, you will never walk again. Anna, because of me, you will never see your best friend again. Both of you will relive the trauma every day, and every night, you will be haunted by the screams, the blood and bone, and the sirens that mark that day. I am so, unbelievably, sorry. You carry the heaviest burden, forced to live with the guilt of surviving and the hate for the person responsi-ble. You should never have had to watch your friends die. It should have been me. Sara and Blake, you were innocent. Please try to un-derstand, this was never sup-posed to happen. This is the stuff that we watch in mov-ies but never imagine could happen in real life. It wasn’t supposed to happen. It was just an accident. But it was also murder. I, knowing the consequences, chose to drive under the inuence because I thought nothing like this could ever happen. Such a small, stupid misjudgment, and you died because of it. I am so, unbelievably, sorry. It should have been me. It is so unfair that I get to live after all of this. But at the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s about all the lives that were destroyed. Yes, this day was a deadly, tragic ca-tastrophe. But it was not a freak accident. Scenarios like this happen all the time. Ev-ery 15 minutes, someone in the country dies or is serious-ly injured in an alcohol-re-lated crash. And every single one of them is completely preventable if people like me simply had not gotten behind the wheel. Don’t be like me. Save yourself from a life-time of regret, guilt, shame, and trauma. You never think it could happen to you until it happens to you. Take care of yourself, and take care of others. Life is so, unbeliev-ably, precious. Don’t become a statistic.Sophie Rapeepat | Head EditorDRUNK DRIVING: Sophie Rapeepat stares in horror at what she has done in the Every 15 Minutes mock crash on campus. (ASB)