A guide to the Map: Click on the image below and you will be sent to a different tab featuring an interactive map. Click on any state and then hover your cursor over any yellow dot on the map to see the school and the students attending!
Compiled By: Josie Collier/Editor-in-Chief, Madeleine Powell/Editor-in-Chief, Karli Wallace/Exec Theme Editor
*This information has been compiled by the La Vista staff with help from the CCC commitment day survey and has not been verified by MCHS or MBUSD. All data used in this page was collected on a voluntary basis prior to May 15. Accuracy of location of college is not guaranteed due to space constraints and accuracy of what a student’s plans are for next is not guaranteed due to the self-reporting nature of La Vista’s survey. If a student wishes to make an addition or correction please email lavistaeditors@gmail.com.
La Vista Class of 2020 Senior Goodbyes
Josie Collier, Editor-in-Chief — Santa Clara University
I began this article after I got off the phone with La Vista’s Copy Editor. We were talking about how difficult it was going to be writing this goodbye, because even though it’s cliche, you really can’t sum up the impact that La Vista has on you in 500 words. And just to prove it, that Copy Editor became my best friend, all because of this crazy, fun, stressful class. So Sammy, you are just one of the many reasons why La Vista is so hard to say goodbye to.
I have heard time and time again from students, friends and other people on campus that “no one even reads La Vista.” It is also quite common to find a freshly printed paper being used as a paper towel to clean up an art project, chemistry experiment or spill in the cafeteria. Though most of Costa sees our newspaper as a cleaning tool, we find ourselves back in room 101 every issue because even though it’s hard to admit sometimes, we love creating this paper. We don’t get our last few issues together, but I have been so lucky and grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of this class.
My first experience with journalism at Costa was the infamous beginning journalism class. This class definitely took me by surprise with yelling on desks and weekly field trips, but it also made me discover my love for classic rock, and luckily this was something I would bond over with the Online Managing Editor and now friend, Cole Garvey. Sophomore year was filled with too many sports briefs, but during junior year Bella Macleod and I rewrote La Vista history. We were the best features section to ever exist with five Wall of Fame appearances, something absolutely unheard of. Being an EIC alongside Madeleine Powell senior year was definitely an experience that neither of us expected, but I honestly could not of done it without her, so thank you Madeleine, I am so grateful I have been able to do this with you.
I like to think of La Vista as its own little melting pot of the Costa community because the people on this paper come from just about every corner of school. Whether you are D1 bound athlete, MUN kid, orchestra student, aspiring rapper or a vegan cross country runner, there is a place for you in La Vista. Walking into that class will either make you smile, or quiver with stress, but it depends on the day. I am indebted to La Vista because it has made me understand my leadership potential, and inspired a newfound confidence within myself that I didn’t know I had before, which is something I will always carry with me.
For the future generations of La Vista students, or those who are thinking of making the brave choice to join this class, I say don’t look back and let La Vista work its magic. This class will change you as a writer, as a reader, as a friend and most of all as a person. There is something indescribable about La Vista and the way it impacts those that choose to join, and I don’t regret that choice for a second. I only wish I had one more day in room 101 with the people that made high school worthwhile.
Madeleine Powell, Editor-in-Chief — University of California, Santa Cruz
I never imagined what it would mean for me to be writing one of these senior goodbyes, because in my own vision of the future I sort of imagined I’d be in high school forever à la Peter Pan. I can’t say that I’m not looking forward to leaving Costa, but I will definitely be leaving a lot behind.
La Vista holds a special place in my heart because it takes an amazing and unique program to be able to give students the opportunities to make their voices heard and express their opinions. To combine it with an even more spectacular, hardworking, and talented group of people is something special. Then, it gives this same wonderful group fifteen hours in a tiny room after school together every month to try and make them hate each other, but they end up loving every minute of it anyway.
First, I must dedicate this paragraph and all of my accomplishments on La Vista to my mentor and sister, Kaelie Macaulay, who has threatened many times to never speak to me again if I do not write an entire paragraph about her in my senior goodbye (I would’ve done it anyway, of course). As my joint Arts Editor during my sophomore year, you were helpful and patient with me in a way I probably didn’t deserve, and you really helped me cut through all of the craziness and see what actually mattered: trying to discover the identity of the Zodiac Killer using Google Maps and geometry.
To Claire and Naomi: thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow from your guidance. I was as clueless this year as I have ever been, but I was able to fall back on strategies I saw you guys employing in order to guide me through the more difficult situations I found myself in. Naomi, I’m so proud of you and hope you’re doing so well wherever it is that you’re attending college (I can’t seem to remember where you go for some reason? Be sure to let me know). Claire, thank you for always being willing to close the door to the back office so we can sit in silence and watch the same youtube videos at the same time on our respective phones; sometimes I really needed that time away.
To Josie: All I can say is not only did you make this year bearable, but you also managed to make me actually enjoy it. I really could not have asked for someone kinder, more understanding, and more dedicated than you to have shared this year and led this paper with. You have taught me so much that I will continue to carry with me, and this year would have been the literal worst without you. Thank you especially for never getting mad when I asked for your opinion on every single email and GroupMe message I sent out.
To Clare and Lauren: You can do it!!! You both have crucial and unique talents that Josie and I saw, so we have complete and total trust in both of you. There are going to be situations that you feel nervous to handle, but that’s okay; everyone starts somewhere, and your guys’ starting point is way above where mine was last year. I am so excited to see the direction you take the paper in in the future, and I hope you guys are excited as well, especially since your year begins again the dynasty of having at least one person named Cla(i)re be Editor-in-Chief.
To everyone: Thank you all so much for being the most wonderful and supportive staff throughout this entire crazy year. You are all so resilient, strong, and capable, and I cannot wait to see the amazing work I know you’re going to be doing in the future. Please continue to love La Vista like I have and fight to keep it going, because even in the face of declining enrollment, I know our school and our community would not be the same without the work that we do as a student paper.
To La Vista: Thank you for being an outlet and a community that I knew I could always fall back on. My school life would have been a shadow of what it is currently without my involvement in the paper, and even though there were many tears and times I wanted to rip my own hair out, I would not trade my experience for anything.
Skylar Jones, Managing Editor — University of Washington & Bella Macleod, Exec Features Editor — University of Oregon
Skylar: As I look back at my 4 years of La Vista, I can’t help but laugh at it. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the class and I met some of my best friends there, but I think I also went crazy in there. My 3rd year of La Vista hit different. That back room did things to people. People went in normal and left crazy. If you have ever been in production with me, you know it wasn’t my favorite place to be. I absolutely despised InDesign. Hated it. If I had to pinpoint the reason why I went crazy in that class, it would be that application. Now if you also knew me, I was notorious for pinning things on the walls, particularly news’ cork boards. I won’t reveal what I left up there, but my fellow classmates know. Bella and I also had a special bond during production. We liked to mess with people when we were bored, mostly news because Greta hated it so much. Deep down I know she liked what she saw when we changed her computer screensaver… If it weren’t for having Bella in that class, I don’t know if I could have survived all 4 years. When my pages on InDesign deleted and I was ready to walk to the office and quit the class, she stopped me. When I was pinning things to the board, she cheered me on. When I wanted to play “peaceful” music during production, she danced with me. Bella, I’m going to miss you like crazy. I’m so excited to see what kinds of shenanigans you’ll get into at Oregon, and luckily, it’s not too far from Washington. Also, sorry for tearing up your Tik Tok page. Hopefully you’ll forgive me one day. Yeki Nabood and Salem Mumun. As for La Vista, I never thought I’d say this but I’ll miss it. Even though that class made me want to run away and never look back, I’m going to miss the people and memories I made in there. I hope that the new editors have as much fun in there as I did, and I pray for the sake of your sanity that you have better luck with InDesign than I did. Otherwise, you’re in for a treat. Thanks to everyone for four years that I’ll never forget. Godspeed.
Bella: This one is for my girl Skylar! You know that one person in a class that you turn to make direct eye contact with when (let’s just say for example) someone asks who wrote anonymous messages on their sticky notes, or who tacked school lunch above their desk, or who changed their computer screensaver to shirtless men. Well that was Skylar for me. She helped me to realize the importance of not forgetting to have fun with your extra curricular. Besides being a college application filler, it’s the one academic class that you are able to start and end with the same peers that you work together, compete with and ultimately grow with throughout high school. If I had words of wisdom for the next year’s generation of journalists of Mira Costa, I’d say don’t be scared to go the extra mile to be controversial or creative. Yeah maybe some of the admin may not always be pleased, but it’s the one way to captivate readers across the school and even community. Even when I was told not to write a full page about the rising Tik Tok stars amongst our student body, it was all worth it when my younger sister told me it was the stupidest thing her and her friends read, but it was the only thing they read. Each issue is a project you get to work together with students who’ve become some of your best friends. It may get stressful at times, and you may feel your soul leave your body when faced with Mr. Mac’s wrath, but that is only because he as well as your fellow members of the La Vista crew care so much about everyone who joins this marvelous class. In case you miss us, Skylar and I left you guys an abundant amount of photobooth content.
Cole Garvey, Online Managing Editor — Bryant University
I vividly remember walking into my freshman introduction to journalism class the first day of school. I walked into a high celingined, white walled, bland room with many people that I had never seen before. Fast forward now to senior year, and a few people in that class are some of my best friends. My four years in the La Vista program were definitely a roller coaster, but they were times that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Once I officially entered the program my sophomore year, I began as a lowly staff writer. I wrote everything, from sports stories to movie reviews and even orchestra concerts which always confused me, because I am not the man to critique an orchestra performance. Finally after bouncing around multiple different beats I eventually settled on writing football stories. Although I had to write a full 12 paragraph story for every single game of the season, instead of a quick and easy five paragraph brief, however, I enjoyed the process and it really did make me a better writer. After a successful season writing football, I was promoted to an online editor. I loved this job, and found my place in La Vista once I earned this spot. Sophomore year flew, and I met some great friends in the class this year that I hope to have for the rest of my life.
Then junior year came around. This year was easily the most stressful and difficult year in the class, but it was the year that I really felt part of the program the most. As a junior I was a sports page editor, and my job was designing the sports page, as well as writing and editing stories that would eventually go on the page. One of my favorite stories that I carry from my years in La Vista was my first production my junior year. Me and my co-editor Sammy had carefully edited all stories that were going onto our page, and painstakingly formatted the page so that it fit to near perfection, but we had one small flaw, the end of the last story didn’t fit the page. Not knowing what to do, we asked Ms. Sweeny for help, leading to our whole page getting deleted and our savior Tess having to redo the whole thing for us. Love you Ms. Sweeny, no hard feelings.
Now as I sit at home amiss a world wide quarantine, I realize how much I miss La Vista and my friends in it. During my four years in the La Vista program, I learned the importance of efficiency and adaptability, became a part of a true team all working towards the same goal, and made friends and memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Sammy Miller, Copy Editor — Arizona State University
It doesn’t feel real that I’m writing my senior goodbye. It feels like just yesterday I was a freshman in beginning journalism learning the basis of writing a story and understanding our rights as student journalists.
I entered room 101 knowing that I would be able to have the opportunity to better my journalistic skills, but little did I know that for the next three years I would be making some of the best memories of my life. Little did I know I would dig down deep in the sports realm and become even more passionate about my future career than I already was. Little did I know that the bonds I would soon be making are bonds that I will forever hold.
Every year on La Vista has brought along so many memories. Sophomore year, JSquad emerged and took over the writing for the sports beats. I will never forget writing stories for the boys beach volleyball games and being the only non-player and non-parent there, none the less I watched some amazing athletes, wrote some great stories and got a nice tan.
Junior year, Tea Time emerged where 7 of us huddled into the back office and needless to say lots of laughs, tears and smiles happened in that room. Also, who could forget our long production days and the one and only Brian Kaiserman (aka BDog) believing that he was running the show but really was just making us laugh 24/7 with his dance moves, music videos and new game creations.
Senior year meant the end of the era. It meant making some of our last memories in that room. It also meant finding the perfect picture to post on publication day no matter how many tries it took. The fact that this year got cut short is heartbreaking but I know that we made the most of our 2.75 years there.
To put it simply La Vista means family. I have met my best friends here and for that I am eternally grateful. I will miss eating Welch’s Fruit Snacks and arguing about sports with Cole and I will even miss walking into class after a Patriots loss (there weren’t many) and get ridiculed by the boys. I will also miss heading to the photo table and entering the crazy world that is Doug, Holden and Drew. Most of all I will miss seeing my best friend, Josie, everyday. You were my rock throughout these three years and the best Editor-in-Chief imaginable, 741.3 miles has nothing on us!
La Vista has meant the world to me and the memories that were made in room 101 will never be forgotten. It’s going to be hard, but also exciting to close this chapter and start my new chapter at Arizona State University where I will be majoring in sports journalism. I love you all so much and can’t wait to give you all so many hugs once social distancing is over!
Grace Dietz, Copy Editor — El Camino College
These three years on staff have been some of the happiest years of my life. La Vista gave me the opportunity to meet so many amazing people that I probably never would’ve known otherwise. No matter what the obstacles are, the staff has always tried to make the best of every situation and the people in this organization have never failed to make me smile constantly and laugh without judgement.
The memories that I made during the last three years are the memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. My friends in La Vista taught me how to be more fun and outgoing, how to be less hard on myself and how to act like myself without the fear of being judged. They taught me that it doesn’t matter how many snacks you eat when you’re stuck in an office for four hours after school. They taught me that it’s a popular response to scream the f word repeatedly when your page gets deleted. They taught me that no matter how many times you have to make the same exact edit on some staff writer’s story, the writer will never fix the mistake.
It doesn’t matter if you get yelled at and break down crying in front of everyone, that’s a normal day for people in La Vista. We laugh, we cry, we dance and we have fun no matter what. At the end of the day, we come together as a family and get the job done while making the most of even the toughest situations.
These are the memories that I will never forget. I will never forget when Skylar used me as a human shield and I got hit in the face by Bella’s rolled up piece of paper. I won’t forget when Sheridan called Ms. Sweeny’s son “Effie” and Ms. Sweeny got so mad at her. I will never forget when Kaelie used to rant to me about her job as Copy Editor.
I will never forget when Skylar used to tape food to the walls and then get yelled at by Greta. I won’t forget when we were in New York and Bella, Greta and Skylar played the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song under our hotel door at midnight. I won’t forget the junior and sophomore editors and the many laughs we had over Jacob Sartorius, driving tests and Whitepages.
I won’t forget the sound of Greta yelling at people to send her things for the front page. I won’t forget Saul and Alde’s rap sessions in the back office during lunch. I won’t forget the time when Madeleine and I had to walk around campus looking for people to come eat our Panda Express because we bought too much. I will never forget the countless times that we spent in the back office after school working on pages and laughing the entire time. I could never forget you, friends.
I’ve been a part of La Vista for so long that it’s going to be hard to adjust after it’s gone. When I asked the senior staff for advice last year, they all told me to enjoy senior year, because it flies by in the blink of an eye. Now I know what they were talking about. This year has come and gone in a flash, and I can’t believe I have to say goodbye to my friends and peers. This may not be how we envisioned ending the year and our time in La Vista, but don’t worry, we’ll hang out before college starts.
I am going to miss you all, and good luck in college and life to all of my senior buddies. To all of my teachers and counselors, thank you for the support and hard work over the years, I truly appreciate all of you and wish you all the best. To the underclassmen, have fun running the show, and make the most of your senior year, because it really does end in a heartbeat.
Greta Nerad, Exec News Editor — California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
After spending four years in room 101, not only writing stories and editing pages, but making jokes, making friends and making memories, there couldn’t be a more anticlimactic way to say goodbye.
Watching these people who have seen me at my best and at my worst and (mostly) supported me through all of it simply fade away is unfair. But, if there’s one thing I learned in La Vista, it is how to use words for good, to express truths and shed light on important matters. This time, the important matter is giving a proper goodbye, so here it is.
My time on La Vista has been quite a mixed bag – exciting, to say the least. From trying not scream when a page accidentally got deleted to losing sleep over the horrifying creature in my hotel room on the CSPA trip to crying my eyes out when I didn’t get the editor position I worked tirelessly for, I have certainly questioned whether it was all worth it.
But then, I would write a front-page story or do something in InDesign on the first try or make it through a whole cycle without being yelled at. I would recognize my section having my back, I would laugh at the piece of lettuce someone pinned to our bulletin board, I would see Madeleine waiting with a brownie bite. I would realize that these little victories are what make it worthwhile.
I think that the main lesson in all of this is not to focus on all the little things dragging you down; focus on what you’ve overcome, the friends and memories made and how much you’ve contributed to this family.
Writing for La Vista has empowered me to be informed, to speak my truth and to challenge the status quo. From day one, Mr. McAvin told us we ought to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, and I certainly think I did my fair share of both.
I addressed some very serious subjects, and I hope that in finding my voice I gave others a chance to find theirs too. Learning to be an active and aware member of the community has been essential for me and is just another way La Vista has prepared me for the next chapters of my life.
It is with great sadness and great confidence that I say goodbye to room 101. Don’t forget to put me down for a subscription.
Kareena Dhillon, Exec Opinion Editor — University of California, Santa Barbara & Sam Bell, Opinion Editor — University of Oregon
Hi guys! It’s Kareena and Sam, your favorite duo. Even though we had different beginnings, we are so happy to end our time in La Vista together.
Kareena Intro: A lot has happened during our time in La Vista, which has summed up the four years of my high school career. I learned that Mac really can yell at someone for an entire class period, and artwork does not go under-appreciated in the back room. Along with the wild ride that has been Room 101, I have really enjoyed being in Model UN. I am so thankful for the awesome friendships and words of wisdom MUN has given me, I’ll remember it forever.
Sam intro: As a transfer student coming to Costa my junior year, becoming the voice of the school was a challenging yet rewarding experience. It was not until La Vista that I experienced a very laidback environment that could turn into an overwhelming stress. But, looking back, it was the year I spent on Dance Team that introduced me to my closest friends now.
This year has been super bittersweet. I recently opened a letter I had written to my future self as part of a class assignment in the 6th grade. At the time, I hoped to meet more people and grow as an individual. Looking back on my younger self, I know I have exceeded my expectations in every way.
In the grand scheme of things, the easiest way to go about life is to succumb to the societal pressures that are constantly being placed on you, especially as a high school senior in a town where success is measured on a high scale. But, as trite as it may be, the saying “no pain, no gain” is a valuable truth that can be applied to any situation. Without suffering there can be no growth, without putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation there can be no success. Putting yourself out there is a valuable lesson many teenagers look down upon in fear of the judgment that is almost guaranteed to come with it. As hard as it is, overcoming this fear is a skill that everyone struggles to grasp.
It is so important to remember not to care about what anyone else thinks. You should go into your senior year ready to embrace the memories and the good times because you never know when it will be the last time. I can relate this to my own experiences in La Vista. I never could have imagined that going to production for our 7th issue would be my last time working on page designs and (trying) to meet deadlines.
Something that is hard to grasp is that everything has an end, there will always be a first and a last. There was a first time you rode a bike, and there was a last time you played outside with your friends. These small moments that make up our lives and existence are what we need to hold onto because youth is a fleeting concept. The most significant thing I have learned during this time at home was to never take a single moment or a single person for granted.
As teenagers, we think we have a right to our experiences. We think because we are young we are entitled to have fun and enjoy the milestones. That is false. Nothing is guaranteed. Now we are not saying don’t go to class or have responsibilities, but enjoy the moments as they come. Enjoy spending time with your friends, having meaningful conversations with your teachers, and telling your family how much they mean to you. We know this to be true as the class of 2020 seniors have had our “guaranteed” experiences stripped away from us. However, we are very grateful for the experiences we had and we know this summer we can make up for lost time. Cheers.
Karli Wallace, Exec Theme Editor — Emerson College
If someone told me how much La Vista would’ve meant to me four years ago, I would’ve been in utter disbelief. That’s not because my time hasn’t been valuable here, but rather because I had no idea how much La Vista would inspire my own personal growth and how much it would mean to me now.
I would like to think that the deck of cards I’ve been handed has been a little extraordinary in a sense. It’s not everyday that a seemingly normal sixteen year old girl has brain surgery, has to come back to school and then assume her duties as an Executive Editor on a story that impacts the whole student body. However, I can say with absolute confidence that from all the stories that I’ve worked on, from the mess of the asbestos in the library to understanding the history behind the Union slowdown last year, I wouldn’t trade any of the stress, anxiety or absolute thrill of pursuing stories like those for anything else on campus.
There’s one moment that I remember clearly during my sophomore year as a staff writer that will always be my personal memory of when La Vista became more than an extracurricular to me. It goes something like this: I was covering a halftime event at one of the football games and being the overly pretentious staff writer I was, I brought my camera with me so I could take photos. I was standing in the student section with my friends and my flash went off, and one of my friends said to me: “Karli, can you just put down your camera for one second and just watch the game?” And I said to him, out of sheer annoyance but with utmost confidence: “No, I’m working.” Those three words not only started an endless cycle of teasing about “working” for La Vista, but ended up but being a phrase that I would use for the next two years of my busy, but ultimately memorable “career.”
There’s also something to be said about how dependable La Vista has always been for me. Whether I was under emotional stress or any other sort of distraught teenage anxiety, my solution was always to throw myself into whatever story or page I was working on. Did I have a typical high school social life in spite of it? Absolutely not. However, as far as being able to willingly invest myself in something that I love, I’d like to think that La Vista has given me that in spades. It has taught me to value the truth, given me an entirely new perspective on the world around me, inspired my love for writing and taught me that another person’s opinion (and their side of the story) is always worth listening to, despite whether you agree with it or not.
La Vista, to some, may just be a high school newspaper. But with absolute confidence, and all due respect, I thoroughly disagree; anyone who has seen the hard work that happens in our little, claustrophobic newsroom knows that to be a fact. Though I certainly don’t get payed for the hours that I spend there, nor does our staff get enough recognition for it, “work” is “work.” I’m just lucky enough to say that I love my so-called “job.”
Sheridan Mcknight, News Editor — Santa Barbara City College
Since the first day of Beginning Journalism, I knew La Vista was going to be a perfect fit for me and something I would really enjoy. From banging on desk chairs and sitting on tables, my first day as a freshman excited me for what’s to come in La Vista. I met some of my very best friends in beginning journalism and we all shared a passion for the same class.
After learning the format of each and every section of La Vista, analyzing music, mastering the laws of journalism, and growing from our writing mistakes, we were ready to move on to be actual writers on the paper. It was definitely scary at first, being a sophomore in a room full of upperclassmen who ran the paper, but it taught me to respect and look up to the juniors and seniors on campus. Almost all of my best friends continued from beginning journalism to La Vista which made it my favorite class period, and something I would look forward to every day.
From sitting inside the class, to enjoying the benches in the senior quad, or even walking to amigos, I was always surrounded by amazing smart people who shared the same interest I did in being a part of Costa’s paper. So many of my favorite memories as a student at Mira Costa have been made during fourth and fifth period. Whether it was interviewing a teacher or taking photos of an interesting school event, or messing around outside, I loved feeling involved in Costa and what was going on in our community.
Now moving on to being an editor, where the real fun began. So many long fun days spent working and bonding with fellow editors in the backroom is something I will never forget and cherish forever. From making strict deadlines, to counting down the minutes till dinner arrives, production was always a very special week every month. It taught me the importance of meeting a deadline and how that affects the paper as a whole, in addition to great interviewing skills. I am definitely going to miss the news section and spending time in the editor room.
La Vista will always be one of my highlights of highschool. I am so happy that I was able to be a part of such an amazing student run program, and am so thankful to have the friends I made along the way.
Sophia Vaughn, Sports Editor — Clemson University
La Vista is special. I don’t know any other class where you get to go to a game and then write about it for an assignment. For me, La Vista was an outlet, and gave me the opportunity to explore different passions.
At La Vista, I was able to combine my love for sports and writing. I also got to experiment with creating page layouts and graphics, which I fell in love with. I can honestly say La Vista is where my passion for graphic design originated, and without it, I wouldn’t be going to study sports and graphic communications at Clemson University.
I may have started out my first day at La Vista by walking into the wrong class, but La Vista definitely ended up leading me in the right direction. I am so grateful that La Vista gave me the chance to report on Costa games, and preserve the memories that will last forever in my own way.
I think most of the seniors would agree that it is hard for us to say goodbye to Costa and La Vista like this. Looking back, none of us would ever have imagined we would be the “quarantined class” or that we would never get to publish our last issue. But, amidst all of this, I remember what La Vista has taught me: behind every story there is another story.
For us in La Vista, every story that was put on page had another story behind it: hours and hours of production, edits, and page layouts. Now, as a member of the Class of 2020, I see that being quarantined our senior year isn’t our story. Our story is all of the four years before this time and all of the amazing memories we made. And, I feel lucky to say that La Vista gave me the chance to document these memories because I got to meet some great new people along the way.
Drew Rohm, Photo Editor — University of Michigan
What if I told you La Vista wasn’t just a newspaper. Here is the story of a group of unequipped, inept photographers who journeyed through the unforgiving seas aboard the S.S La Vista.
It all starts on the first day of school where I found out that I would only have 4 other sailors on my vessel. As captain, I was going to have to make do with what I got but as always the sea had different ideas. One night, a MAC 5 storm had rolled in and thrown 2 men overboard. It was too dangerous to stop and rescue them, so I told my other 2 mates to raise the sails and continue on. Now I was left with 2 men to sail a boat made for 20. I gave up. The crew gave up. But the sea never gives up.
The Great McAvin was lurking down below waiting for a ship to stop working. This was his chance to show who’s boss. After a day of playing connect four, I was expelled from the ship and thrown into the grasp of the McAvin. What was only a matter of minutes felt like hours as my whole life flashed before my eyes. Eventually, I was put down after 3 little birds flew by the boat “Singin’ don’t worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh every little thing gonna be alright”.
My outlook on life had completely changed. I immediately got to work and threatened my crew to do the same or they would get left behind. The next few months at sea would be the best times of my life. Taking photos of the birds had never been this fun. However, with only 2 other crew members, it was hard to take photos of all the birds.
Some things would stick with me for the rest of my life like my gambling addiction, lifelong friends, and work ethic. With all the odds against us, a group of 3 people was able to band together and save La Vista. To us, La Vista was a family.
Doug Speicher, Photo Manager — Indiana University, Bloomington
Cool math games, handball, and last minute uploads. Welcome to the photo section in La Vista. If you have ever needed a photo and have stopped by the photography table, you have experienced organized chaos, without a doubt. It was difficult only having three members in our section (a nearly 80% cut from two years ago), but even with the odds against us, we showed persistence and persevered in times of adversity.
My La Vista journey began my sophomore year when I decided to take Journalism, because of my interest in photography and journalism. Once I got through a year of movie reviews and seemingly tedious assignments in Beginning Journalism, I became a part of one of my favorite organizations on Mira Costa’s campus.
My Junior year on La Vista, I was a late addition to the staff and quickly joined photo as a sports photographer. One of my proudest accomplishments that year was my Lazy Acres review story that made the paper, one of the best quality reviews La Vista has ever seen. After being on La Vista for a year I couldn’t get enough of the culture and the quality friends that I had made. I couldn’t wait for senior year to start so that I could become the upperclassmen that I had looked up to the year prior.
Senior year hit and I was promoted to Photo Manager with my right hand man Drew at Photo Editor and Holden, who was a new addition to our flock. A great memory from this year was the procrastination of Voices of Costa and Roving Reporter, when we had to find 10 different people to take a headshot of and ask for a quote from each. The fourth period ASB class knew us all too well.
In all seriousness, we kept ourselves occupied with stressing about photos of the day and driving sometimes hours to take photos of events and games. Somehow we managed to make it through, and even though there were some real bumpy parts in the road, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Joining the La Vista staff was the best decision that I made while attending Mira Costa and I have made and strengthened ever lasting friendships. I just wish we could have concluded our La Vista journey a more proper way.
Alde Nguyen, Circulation Editor — San Diego State University
Never did I ever think this day would come. Me, Alde Nguyen, writing my farewell to La Vista. Legend has it, a 4’11 chubby mexican-asian once walked through those La Vista doors and everything changed. The next generation of La Vista gorillas and there he stood. A swaggy young boss in his own form had to make allies soon before his terror would reign. That’s when he linked up with his dawg and diabolical mastermind Alex Whitman and the two began their ventures.
They started out their schemes intelligently and small-scaled before they would move on with their heists of plans. Small ‘jugs’ and some finesses later, the two would find themselves playing with Kareenbean or scheming with the older La Vista affiliates. Their menace to society was short-lived as Awhit would later be locked up in late December and his presence in La Vista would be a mere ghost for years to come.
Naive and broke, Alde found himself alone swimming with the sharks and no lifeboat to the rescue. He did his thang, with a henchman in Kareenbean to keep him company. Days, months and a whole year later the vibes began to hit again. A junior now, Alde’s empire began to grow. He would then mentor a young playboy in Sheep-boy otherwise known as Saul Droutman and find a couple sweethearts in Sam Bell and Faith.
Alde’s rise to power in the La Vista ranks would soon reach its full evolution in the last saga. Although Alde did get demoted as Online Manager to Circulation Manager from junior to senior year, he would not let that phase his genius conquest. Senior year came and went by real quick but stories say it was a marathon to be remembered.
Alde pulled up senior year a bossman and it was not long until he joined forces with an OG, Mr. Mac. Alde had dropped up and came up, moving his whole squad into the La Vista backroom where they would break bread and make evil plans. Sadly, Alde had lost a Sheep boy to the system but would substitute him for an innocent, cute, little Bakeysito when he chose to pull up to the class. With him and his real ones still at it doing their thang, a worldwide virus would foil their plans of success. The end.
Reflecting upon my years in La Vista, I would like to say that I cherished every moment I experienced during class. It was an impeccable four years and I would like to shout out everyone in the La Vista squad.
Holden Kaplan, Photographer — Tulane University
Thank you, Mira Costa, for an incredible high school experience that included meeting life long friends, amazing teachers and faculty and a solid education that I can expand upon.
The memories I will treasure most are the times I spent goofing around with my friends. In high school, I strengthened friendships that started at MBMS or even earlier, and met tons of awesome new friends. Also, as I reflect back on my time at Mira Costa I realize how fortunate I was to be surrounded by such intelligent, funny and unique peers. I enjoyed meeting and collaborating with all of my seat partners, lab partners and group project partners all throughout high school.
Some of my fondest memories included being a part of the Lacrosse team. I for sure had some ups and downs throughout my time on the team, but I learned a lot from the coaches, formed indestructible bonds with my teammates and loved all the time I spent with everyone associated with the organization.
One of the best decisions I made during high school was joining La Vista my senior year. La Vista was my favorite class for two reasons. The first reason being that in class I was always sitting with a big group of friends. Second, my job as a photographer forced me to experience tons of different school events and community functions that I would have never been exposed to if it hadn’t been for the paper.
I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for Mr. Kloes giving me a D in Honors World History in 10th grade. This was the defining moment of my high school career. I begged and pleaded for him to bump my grade up to a C, however he was reluctant. Ever since that, I promised that I would never put myself in a similar situation, which provided me with great motivation throughout my junior and senior years and lit a fire under my butt, which has yet to go out still.
Depending on the current Covid-19 pandemic, I hope to start my higher education at Tulane University in the fall. I will be focusing my studies around finance in hopes of one day owning my own hedge fund or possibly doing something else in the investment banking world.
Finally, I would like to wish the Class of 2020 the best luck in whatever endeavour they choose to pursue and a final shoutout to all of the teachers and counselors who have helped me get to where I am at today. GO MUSTANGS.
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