The Mustang

Kira Elliott

Kira Elliott, Opinions Editor

(Please read with British accent. Like the one a professor at Oxford would have. Cheers, mate.)

Meet Kira Elliott. Kira, who has been with The Mustang for three years now, will be your Opinions Editor for this year, and will also be in charge of the online blog “Where in the World.” If you ever want to write an opinion or have a question about current events, Kira will be found at her computer listening to a mixture of rock and Sherlock fan videos. On the side, Kira likes to read books by John Green and an assortment of classic authors and also enjoys writing creatively.

All content by Kira Elliott
claire

Fresh Faces

Claire Brady Can you describe your rock climbing? How often do you do it for? Where do you do it? I rock climb at minimum twice a week, but usually more. I have had weeks were I climb every single...

Writing Conference at Canyon Crest

The Canyon Crest Academy Writers Conference: Part 1

“I am dorkily excited that there are kids that already recognize that they want to be writers,” keynote speaker Kristin Elizabeth Clark starts the fourth annual Canyon Crest Academy Writers Conference,...

john green

John Green Writes Again

By Kira Elliott, Opinions Editor
November 19, 2013

A recent Facebook post has sent John Green fans into speculative excitement: “When writing is fun, there is nothing else like it. It’s the best high I’ve ever had.” What is this? Is Green,...

dance

A Halloween Interpretive Dance

By Kira Elliott, Opinions Editor
October 31, 2013

On Oct. 31, the Dance Choreography class performed a series of six dances during third period in the spirit of Halloween and Day of the Dead. All dances were originally choreographed by the students. The...

paramore

Paramore “Self Titled Tour”

By Kira Elliott, Opinions Editor
October 30, 2013

“Hey, San Diego, just to make this very clear… WE. ARE. PARAMORE!” Paramore was back, alive and well after their three year break. Hayley Williams, Jeremy Davis, and Taylor York are at the top...

paramore

Paramore

By Kira Elliott, Opinions Editor
October 15, 2013

The last time I saw Paramore was at the Honda Civic Tour in 2010 at Viejas Arena. It was the first rock concert of my life, and that night knocked my socks off. It was one of those nights where the energy...

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
June 5, 2013

“The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” is coming to the big screen in August – and many fans of the book series wonder if they could ever capture the excitement of that first book. Imagine this:...

May 20 – 24 in a Global Nutshell

May 20 – 24 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
May 28, 2013

May 20, 2013: A series of bomb attacks across Iraq killed over 70 people. Many Shia Muslim districts were targeted as the explosions hit bus stations, markets, and other crowded areas. Many believe...

May 14 – 16 in a Global Nutshell

May 14 – 16 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
May 21, 2013

May 14, 2013: The Noh Mul Mayan temple in Belize, which is over 2,000 years old, was bulldozed by a road-building company. The company uses it for gravel for road filler, a not uncommon occurrence as...

April 23 – April 30 in a Global Nutshell

April 23 – April 30 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
May 2, 2013

April 23, 2013: The French parliament has approved a law that allows both gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples. There has been strong opposition to the law, with a few clashes amidst predominantly...

April 15 – 17 in a Global Nutshell

April 15 – 17 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
April 25, 2013

April 15, 2013: As blasts shook Boston, a series of bombings across Iraq killed 31 people and injured over 200. Several cities were hit, including Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Hilla. The sources of the explosions...

April 1 – 4 in a Global Nutshell

April 1 – 4 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
April 5, 2013

April 1, 2013: North Korea’s parliament has decided to expand its nuclear weapons defense program. According to North Korea, a state of war is being entered between North and South. This is due to...

March 26 – 29 in a Global Nutshell

March 26 – 29 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
April 1, 2013

March 26, 2013: The US Supreme Court is currently evaluating the Californian ban on same-sex marriages. Their decision could uphold the ban, overturn it, or nullify all same-sex marriage bans throughout...

March 18 – 22 in a Global Nutshell

March 18 – 22 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
March 26, 2013

March 18, 2013 Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta’s lawyers are attempting to have the International Criminal Court drop the charges against him. Kenyatta is accused of instigating some of the violence...

March 11 – 13 in a Global Nutshell

March 11 – 13 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
March 19, 2013

Where in the World – Global Affairs in a Nutshell 23   March 11, 2013: Uhuru Kenyatta won the Kenyan election and is now the new Kenyan president. He is still facing charges of fuelling...

March 4 – 7 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
March 13, 2013

March 4, 2013: In Kenya, vote counting has begun. So far, Uhuru Kenyatta has a lead over Prime Minister Raila Odinga, though that may change as the counting continues. There have been accounts of some...

February 11 – 14 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
February 25, 2013

February 11, 2013 Pope Benedict VXI has resigned due to his declining health at age 85. This will be the first papal resignation in 600 years, and the new Pope is expected to be elected before Easter....

February 4 – February 7 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
February 13, 2013

February 4, 2013: Peace talks held at the UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s country retreat between Pakistan and Afghanistan are the third of their kind as the two countries struggle to create stable...

“The End of It” Review

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
February 8, 2013

Walking into the theater lobby to see alumni play “The End of It”, a feeling of slight embarrassment washed over me. I had to be the youngest person there, and I desperately began scanning the laugh-lined...

January 31 – February 1 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
February 4, 2013

January 31, 2013: Syria claims that Israeli fighter jets purposefully bombed a military research center in Jamraya, which is north-west of Damascus. While Israel remains silent, a US official stated...

January 22 – 25 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
January 31, 2013

January 22, 2013: The militant group Boko Haram is believed to be behind a series of shootings in Nigeria. Boko Haram, which was formed in 2002, is fighting to create an Islamist state. Their shootings...

December 4 – 7 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
December 11, 2012

December 4, 2012: Due to concerns that the Syrian government is going to use chemical weapons against the rebels, NATO has decided to keep Patriot anti-missile batteries along the border. Syria is believed...

November 27 – 29 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
December 5, 2012

Hey everybody. Due to the fall break, I was unable to do a Where in the World for November 19 – 23. I am sorry for any inconvenience that this might have caused. November 27, 2012: The Middle-East...

October 22 – 26 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
October 31, 2012

October 22, 2012: It isn’t often that people are charged for manslaughter because of an earthquake. A regional court in Italy charged six scientists and one ex-government official for sending in inaccurate...

October 9 and 11 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
October 22, 2012

October 9, 2012 Fourteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai, an activist for girl’s education in Pakistan, was shot in the head today on her way home from school. Her attacker was sent by the Pakastani Taliban...

The Forum Speaks

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
October 10, 2012

Room number 26 filled with students after school on Tuesday, Oct. 2. Most showed up to take part in the Forum – a few stayed only long enough to grab some of the pizza provided by Culinary Arts. In addition...

October 1 – 5 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
October 8, 2012

October 1, 2012: The Syrian Foreign Minister, Walled Muallem, pointed his finger at a number of countries including the US and France who he claims have helped the rebel forces in his country attain...

September 25 – 27 in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
October 3, 2012

September 25, 2012: In Madrid, Spain, people congregated in the Plaza de Neptuno to march on parliament to protest of the bail-out and the “kidnapping of democracy.”  The protest was planned via...

September 20th in a Global Nutshell

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
September 24, 2012

20 September 2012: The Middle East is once again seeing a large amount of unrest as the Syrian rebels continue their fight against their government and protests in many Islamic countries become violent....

Freshman Homeroom Orientation

By Kira Elliott, Staff Writer
September 11, 2012

Wandering into homeroom on the first day of school, the usual sights and sounds were almost too familiar. There was something wrong with this picture….And then it hit – where were the freshmen? This...

I’m Still Gaga for Lady Gaga

By Kira Elliott
September 12, 2011

I was actually really proud of Lady Gaga when she came to the VMAs dressed as a man. As I watched the video, I couldn’t help but notice all of the astonished faces. I wasn’t shocked. Lady Gaga isn’t...

What Does Equality Mean?

By Kira Elliott
September 12, 2011

I have never understood why some people freak out so much when anyone brings up the subject of gay rights. Love is love. Why should it matter if your classmate, friend, or child is not naturally attracted...

Load More Stories