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English 9 Honors and AP Language and Composition teacher Emily Chakurda stands in front of her favorite band Oasis' poster. Chakurda started teaching at TPHS this school year.

Fresh Face Friday: Emily Chakurda

Talia Rosenthal, Staff Writer August 29, 2025

When the bell rings, signaling the start of a school period, students can expect a piping hot cup of tea, a bubbly greeting and a compelling English lesson waiting in Room 114. English 9 Honors and AP...

Sophie Lesser (12) holds up her backpack and On Cloud running shoes. The bag was a gift from her father, who has a matching backpack.

What’s in your bag: student athletes

Claire Zhou, Assist. Editor-in-Chief, Design August 26, 2025

Stray socks, scattered notes and little things folded between jerseys somehow always find their way back inside of athlete backpacks. When student athletes carry backpacks from bag drop to practice fields...

Lucy Crosby (10) and peers showcase a prototype of their own AI surgical robot, which allows them to solve complex medical problems. Crosby attended a five day med-tech program at Harvard Medical School, the MEDscienceTECH Moonshot. Photo courtesy of Lucy Crosby.

Beyond horizons: summer programs

Viktoria Kiss, Sports Editor August 25, 2025

From educational enrichment courses at prestigious universities to traveling abroad and exploring diverse cultures, students created a catalogue of memories and experiences. While some students spent their...

Theater teacher Sandra Geminiani describes an improv game to her Introduction to Professional Theatre students. Geminiani began teaching theatre classes, English 10 and AVID 10 at the school this year.

Fresh Face Friday: Sandra Geminiani

Jessie Chen, Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Workflow August 22, 2025

Tucked away in the back corner of the campus, Sandra Geminiani and her students learn and practice theatre. As the school’s new theatre teacher, Geminiani is excited to expand the performing arts community...

San Diego City College is one of the many community colleges in California available to students. With rising college tuitions and the option to transfer to a four-year institution, community colleges became a less stigmatized and more common choice for students. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

More than a Plan B: Community college

Joanne Liu and Isabel Ji May 29, 2025

Banners from reputable colleges plastered across teachers’ walls, uniforms pinned in a glass case and underclassmen eagerly wearing their dream-college sweatshirts. The pressure of getting accepted into...

A view of Catalina Island shows the ocean and dock. Students visited the Catalina Island at the end of April. Photo courtesy of Chelsea Roffey.

Ticket to learn

Lana Weber, Sophia Gorba, and Sarina Feng May 27, 2025

Catalina Island by Lana Weber Colorful schools of fish flitted against the deep blue background as students swam among tendrils of kelp dancing in the currents. However, these students weren’t on...

Now as a teacher, Nicholas Diaz ('10) poses with an athlete after winning the CIF  Open Division Championships. Diaz returned to the school as a special education teacher and assistant basketball coach after graduating. Photo Courtesy of Nicholas Diaz.

Coming full circle

Isabel Ji, Staff Writer May 27, 2025

Though the cardinal-and-gold-plaid carpet has been swapped for marbled stone and new CIF banners fill the Olive Garden ceiling, the spirit of Torrey Pines remains unchanged. After walking the halls as...

Anna Scipione sits on a field with her camera, smiling for a picture. Scipione founded Scippix about 18 years ago, with photos dating back to 2007 still on her website. Photo courtesy of Anna Scipione.

Capturing moments: Anna Scipione

Viki Kiss and Lily Bruch May 19, 2025

With a camera in hand and an eye for the extraordinary, Anna Scipione is a constant presence on the sidelines, capturing the pulse of each game and the raw emotion of sport with every frame. Scipione is...

An empty teachers desk sits without its normal company. During their time at the school, many students have seen common substitutes across campus.

Familiar faces: Common substitute teachers

Isabel Ji and Joanne Liu May 15, 2025

It’s the little things you notice first: a door propped open when it’s usually closed, the usual mug missing from the desk and an announcement posted on Google Classroom. Unfamiliar handwriting sprawls...

A student prepares for their next four years at a university, opening the Common App. Recently, the Falconer had the opportunity to speak with college counselors Deni-Kay Freier and Sylvia Caruthers about the application process.

Q&A: Deni-Kay Freier, Sylvia Caruthers

Sneha Lele and Liv Weaver May 14, 2025

As responses from colleges flow in, the question as to what these institutions really weighed in their decisions may be at the forefront of students’ minds. From private schools to public, urban to rural,...

Principal Rob Coppo works at the computer in his office and handles administrative tasks. In addition to his duties as principal, Coppo began hosting a podcast with former teacher Don  Collins in 2023.

Day in the Life: Rob Coppo

Liv Weaver, Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Workflow May 13, 2025

A full hour before the morning bell rings and students mosey to their classes, Principal Rob Coppo already made the journey from his home in East County to hunker down at school until he leaves his job...

Theater teacher Marinee Payne sits on the set of "Lend Me a Tenor," the final TP Players production she will direct before retiring. Throughout her 32 and a half years at the school, Payne not only taught a wide range of theater classes but also developed curriculum, directed productions and created a supportive community for generations of students.

End of an era: Marinee Payne retires after 32 years

Lana Weber and Sophia Gorba May 2, 2025

“Regrets I’ve had a few, but then too few to mention.”  These are the lines of Frank Sinatra’s song, “My Way,” that Marinee Payne believes best embodies her time as a teacher.  “32...

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