Bear Witness - February 2019

STUDENT LIFE

LUNAR NEW YEAR

Much better value and endless

Student customization opinion: ­Brendan Jones, junior AirPods and tech culture Pg. 8

BEAR

SPORTS

How Asian-Americans at Branham celebrate the new year according to the lunar Pg. 12 calendar

Wrestlers weigh in on weight categories Pg. 9

WITNESS BRANHAM HIGH SCHOOL

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

@bhsbearwitness BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

PERSONAL HISTORIES OF DISCRIMINATION

BLACK, UNLIKE ME

TRACK COACH ARREST

Track team moves on after abrupt ouster Coach accused of assault with minors in mid-2000s ANNALISE FREIMARCK Managing Editor

S

hocked. Disgusted. Disappointed.

These were the reactions that the track and field coaches and athletes felt once they found out that head coach Gregory Marshall was accused of sexual assault with two minors.

Marshall was arrested on Jan. 24 at his house following accusations of 24 counts of sexual assault with two minors that took place during his tenure as a track coach at Valley Christian High School in 2004 and 2005.

At Valley Christian, the accusations surfaced when the alleged incidents occurred, but Marshall was never charged and continued his career in his personal training company. Marshall remains on unpaid leave while the case is under investigation.

Following his arrest, the Branham community was shocked. Those in the track community had never suspected that an allegation like this would surface. Principal Cheryl Lawton broke the news to students via email the day of the arrest, and the following week the track team held a meeting to address any concerns.

Administration offered therapy services to the athletes.

Track athletes had trained with him for the two years he was at Branham, and throughout that time, he had formed close relationships with them, spending many hours training and working with the athletes. He owns a personal training company, Marshall Sports Perfor-

THE ISOLATION OF BEING BLACK IN SCHOOL

SEE ARREST • PAGE 5

Inside

Colorism vs. racism. What's the difference between those terms?

WHAT'S YOUR WHY? CAMPAIGN

How desegregation of schools led to the violent protests Joyce Davis encountered.

Page 7 Elizabeth Posey/Bear Witness

Henebry touts success of sharing goals MICHAELA EDLIN

ANNALISE FREIMARCK

T

Managing Editor

o be black is to sometimes feel alone, underestimated at best, despised at worst.

School counselor Joyce Davis walked through a picket line specifically protesting her presence at her elementary school.

Special education teacher and Black Student Union adviser Tobias McLeod was among three black students in a high school where students were sometimes not subtle in their prejudice. Sophomore Sofia Nonga once wished about finding lipstick in her shade, and senior Bella Glass found it hard to see a cultural mentor.

At Branham, black students make up 2.3 percent of the school’s population, and there are only 2 black staff members on campus. In the district, black students make up 2.5 percent of the population.

As Black History Month reaches its midway mark, the stories of Branham’s black students and staff highlight their sense of isolation, in ways small and large, and the sense of sometimes feeling unwelcome in their community.

Joyce Davis: Unwelcomed at school School counselor Joyce Davis had to walk through a line of picketers with her mother in order to get to elementary school every day, the signs filled with racial slurs and expletives telling her she was unwelcome.

Davis was the first black student to attend the Daycroft School, a previously all white private school in Greenwich, Connecticut. Her parents felt that she deserved a better education than the other schools in the area provided; instead of receiving a choice education, she was met with discrimination.

Because Davis was so young when it happened, she does not recall walking through the picketers.

“I think that’s a good thing, in some instances, that the mind helps us take care of that and shuts things down, but I’ve never lost the impact,” she said.

Despite the protesters, Davis continued to attend Daycroft; however, the discrimination and prejudice did not stop at the SEE DAVIS • PAGE 7

Editor-in-Chief

hat do you do when you don't have a W why?”

P.E.. teacher Christine Henebry has been

asked this numerous time since the start of the school’s What’s Your Why? campaign earlier this year.

She has received messages of confusion, gratitude, criticism and apathy from students, reflecting a student body with a mixed perception of the campaign and the data supports the feedback.

The goal of the campaign is to help students set and achieve their goals. To promote it, Henebry has held two rallies for each class, as well as professional development sessions for teachers. Additionally, every student and teacher has received T-shirts.

Student sentiments about the school-wide campaign have been mixed. In a Bear Witness survey of more than 1,100 students, 34 percent of students thought the campaign has been effective thus far, 37 percent disagreed and 29 percent had no opinion.

Henebry, however, considers the program a success so far.

“I've received a lot of email support from students who I have never met face to face, who have either asked questions or said something SEE WHY • PAGE 5

INSIDE

Campus briefs.................................2 News.............................................. 2

Editorial..........................................4 Bulletin Board.................................3

Science and Health.........................6 Science Briefs.................................6

InDepth...........................................7 Student Life....................................8

MiniReviews.................................11 Sports.............................................9

Arts & Entertainment...................11 The Back Page...............................12

2

BEAR WITNESS

| FEBRUARY 14, 2019 |

NEWS

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

“No matter what politician or… president we have, whatever unnecessary comments they use, it’s not going to stop me from speaking up.” — Senior Melina Antillon

Complaints rise as students park in neighborhoods UZOR AWUZIE

Student Life Editor

enior Kirstin DeMarquez is one of the S many students who uses Portobello Drive across from Branham as an alternative to its

cramped parking lot.

As an SVCTE student, parking at Branham is difficult, as the parking lot is most often full by the time she returns from her animation class late in the morning. One day, she returned to her car to find threatening messages on not just her vehicle, but many others along the street.

The notes, suspected to be written by a Portobello resident, claimed high school students “are not to park on this street,” and those continuing to park there will have their cars towed.

However, California law allows drivers to park on any public street as long as it isn’t for more than 72 hours, meaning that any Branham student can park on Portobello as long as they don’t exceed the time limit. When Demarquez retaliated with a note of her own, defending her parking space, the notes on her car stopped, but continued for other cars on the block.

The ongoing conflict with Branham students and nearby residents is the latest example of Branham’s ongoing parking dilemma, where students who cannot find room on campus and risk angering neighbors.

“They’re just trying to scare high schoolers and are being really passive (aggressive) about it,” Demarquez.

Even before construction began two years ago, parking has been a concern. A decrease of at least 50 parking spots due to construction and a ballooning population has limited the number of available parking spots, forcing students to find other options.

To accommodate the construction, one lane was temporarily removed one row of cars from the parking lot, creating a traffic flow bottleneck.

This led to the elimination of one row of parking spots for teacher parking, which then hampered the number of spots for students.

Add to this the visitor parking and the school handing out 250 parking passes - about 40 more than what’s available — and students with authorization are sometimes out of luck.

The one word principal Cheryl Lawton used to describe the parking situation was “tight.”

“We honestly do not have enough space for everybody to park,” says Lawton. “And that has been a concern since we first started talking about modernizing the school and construction, even before the bond measure went out.”

The most promising solution to the situation would be the completion of the school’s construction, but it isn’t expected to be done until the summer 2020.

As Branham’s population continues to rise, growing to nearly 1,800 from just 1,500 students three years ago, parking will only be more sparse for students and staff.

Once construction is done, Branham is expected to have its visitor parking back, and an extra 50 parking spaces where construction workers usually park behind the bleachers of the football field.

“We just have to get through the next couple years, unfortunately, until all of this is done,” Lawton said. “I’m hoping by summer of 2020 that everything will be done. We’ve got our fingers crossed.”

Campus roundups Tardy policy now includes all periods Noting a 50 percent drop in first and third period tardies as a result of the tardy rules that went into effect at the beginning of the year, Branham administration implemented a similar policy for all other periods as of Monday.

Students who are late to class must check into the main office

and attend lunch detention if late to zero, second or fifth period or after school detention if late to third or fifth period.

cheer teams, they do not receive the same stipend as coaches of other sports. They asked the Board of Trustees to amend inequities in coach compensation so that these Cheer coaches decry pay discrepancy coaches are rewarded for what they Multiple speakers from the dis- contribute to the school. trict spoke at the last CUHSD school board meeting on behalf Students’ art on display at airport of Branham cheer coaches. They Branham students Natalie pointed out that while coaches To- Christenson (10), Elizabeth rie Raineri and Michele Correll Posey (11), Ariana Renteria (12), coach for hours with the Branham Genevieve Liu (12) and Cecilia

Andreotti (12) won a competition to have their art installed in the San Jose International Airport.

Their art, along with that of 25 students from CUHSD overall, is displayed at Gate 18 in Terminal B. They were also recognized by the CUHSD Board of Trustees at the last school board meeting for this honor.

— Compiled by staff

ONE YEAR AFTER PARKLAND

Movement seeks change at local level

Regine Quintos/Bear Witness file photo Ai-Vy Dang and Isabelle Trinh, class of 2018, listen to speakers during the schoolwide walkout in March 2018. Leaders are planning another one this year.

Gun ban on county land among group’s victories LAURA HEFFERNAN

Arts and Entertainment Editor

ne year ago today, a shooter walked onto O the campus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida and killed 17 people.

This tragedy sparked the formation of March for Our Lives, the largest youth-led movement since the Vietnam War. The group launched its gun safety march the following month, with rallies across the country, including San Jose, which attracted thousands of protesters.

In the year since the shooting, members of March for Our Lives San Jose focused on local issues, including the prohibiting of the sale and possession of firearms on Santa Clara property. At Branham, more security measures have been implemented, such as monthly run-hidedefend drills and the installation of wroughtiron fencing on the school perimeter.

Hundreds at Branham, led by seniors Danika Cho and Hana Tzou, joined 2,600 schools nationwide in organizing a walkout last year, intended to honor the lives of those lost.

This year, the organization plans to continue its momentum by helping students organize

Opinion

U.S. should look to Australia for leadership in gun safety legislation, writes Opinion Editor Julianne Alvares. Page 3 another walkout, planned for March 14.

Current lead coordinator of MFOL San Jose Benjamin Nikitin said that youth involvement is important to keep students informed.

“We’re hoping that through our walkout and through a rally we’re able to regalvanize them,” the Westmont senior said.

Bringing youth back into the movement and keeping gun reform at the forefront are important goals for this organization, as they are seeking long term legislation change.

Cho, the Branham senior and logistics coordinator of the local chapter, says it takes work to maintain momentum. She is in charge of obtaining city permits and contacting local city officials for a planned rally March 30.

The continued efforts for MFOL San Jose this past year included lobbying as well as planning for future events. The group cites the success of the local gun show ban among its successes.

The movement continues to be involved with events that promote different types of advocacy

related to guns, not just gun violence. On Saturday, the group attended a firearms summit, whose aim is to advocate for safe gun storage.

“There’s no reason whether or not you do support gun usage recreationally for there not to be safe storage,” said Son. Additionally, on March 30, the organization will participate in Rally for Change: Youth Voices are the Future event in Downtown San Jose.

This event not only focuses on gun reform, but on advocacy for progressive movements in general.

The safety movement has gained the support of adults and school administrators, including Principal Cheryl Lawton, who said that she supports dialogue to promote school safety.

Lawton said that increased security measures have improved the safety of students on campus. Along with the fence around the perimeter of the school, more cameras were also installed.

“The security fences have shown to help lower incidents on campuses,” she said.

Lawton also says that an important part of school security comes from the students. If a student sees something or suspects that something is going on, it is important for them to speak up.

Despite the increased campus safety measures, the MFOL leaders said that in order to create real change, their work has gone beyond rallies to creating lasting changes through legislation.

School’s feminists search for momentum past Women’s March JULIANNE ALVARES Opinion Editor

an Jose held its third annual Women’s March in late January, S despite controversy earlier in the year about diversity among its leadership.

According to the Mercury News, the march drew between 15,000 and 18,000 marchers, down from about 24,000 last year.

Despite the low numbers, marchers feel that the movement is still important as a place to use their voice to promote change.

For senior Melina Antillon, the march meant an opportunity to use her First Amendment rights, which allow her to protest.

“No matter what politician or… president we have,” she said, “whatever unnecessary comments they use, it’s not going to stop me from speaking up.”

Reasons for this lower attendance may be tied to a lack of intersectional representation, which includes marginalized groups such as women of color and LGBTQ+ populations. Senior JesEditor-in-Chief Michaela Edlin Managing Editor Annalise Freimarck Design Director Julia Marques da Silva Art Director Elizabeth Posey

sica Silva said inclusion of these groups is key to keeping the movement alive.

“If it doesn’t represent true intersectional feminism I don’t think it’s [the march] going to stick,” said senior Jessica Silva, president of the Feminist Club.

Earlier in the year, the national Women’s March Inc. faced criticism because of ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has been accused of anti-Semitism as well as making anti-LGBTQ+ comments. These controversies caused many smaller marches to distance themselves from the national organization.

Diversity was also an issue in Eureka, California when a march there was cancelled due to a lack of inclusivity then revived under new, more diverse leadership.

Senior Hana Tzou said there was no lack of diversity at the San Jose march.

“Almost every issue I can think of is here,” Tzou said. “Green Deal is over here, March for Our Lives is over there. Everything people care about is here.”

Green Deal is a climate change advocacy group.

The San Jose march had booths from the NAACP, the March for Our Lives local chapter and the Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs.

While the march is an annual event, the fight for equality is an everyday occurrence.

To continue the momentum, the Feminism Club celebrated Valentine’s Day by giving out Dum-Dums with feminist sayings on them. The club has been dubbed it Galentine’s Day, inspired by the TV show “Parks and Recreation.” They also plan on honoring Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day in March by decorating the halls with posters of notable women from history.

For Silva, feminism isn’t a passing fad or a one time thing; it is a movement for change.

“Feminism … should be something implemented in all generations,” Silva said. “Helping women helps everyone.”

Editors News: Renee Owens Opinion: Julianne Alvares Science and Health: Shlok Gore Student Life: Uzor Awuzie Sports: Ryan McCarthy Arts and Entertainment: Laura Heffernan Copy: Anastasia Langner and Chandler Roberts Staff Writers Jessica Berton, Jasmine Nguyen, Sarah Sabawi, Caitlyn Schlaman

Adviser: Fitzgerald Vo Mission Statement The Bear Witness is committed to providing accurate, timely coverage of local and world news while connecting these events to the lives of our diverse student body.

Website: www.bhsbearwitness.com Phone: (408) 626-3407 Email: bhsbearwitness@gmail.com

BEAR WITNESS

| FEBRUARY 14, 2019 |

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

OPINION

We still have not banned the gun responsible for the slaughters in Las Vegas, Aurora, Newtown and Parkland.

Editorial The opinion of the Bear Witness editors

MULTICULTURAL WEEK

To celebrate diversity, you must participate

ulticultural Week, held last week to celeM brate the school’s diversity, was a missed opportunity.

Culture plays a powerful role in shaping lives and societal operations. It informs codes of conduct. It inspires old and new traditions. It can describe both ethnic and social groups.

Looking back to this and past multicultural weeks, it is evident that student participation has declined over time, limiting the quality of this spirit week. Despite the efforts of ASB leaders, students often miss the deeper meaning behind cultural appreciation. Frequently, they fail to participate at all.

It seems as though the only events that gain recognition or real contributors are those that involve food or other incentives.

At Branham, students have adopted a culture of apathy toward school events without regard for the thought and time devoted to plan them.

While the few students who participated did find lunchtime activities to be fun, they lost the significant takeaway: These activities were intended to inform, unify and represent Branham students.

It can be easy for students to complain about the quality of this or any similar weeklong event when they choose not to attend forums or contribute to the development of activities.

If it seems as though leadership activities are not as informed as they could be, it is more likely due to the lack of outside input than leadership work.

Multicultural weeks and foreign language

banquets in years past have found success because they encouraged inclusivity through specificity. Interested students and families in the community reached out to coordinators to share their personal traditions through food, performances and other practices of importance to them. When we choose to involve ourselves in these celebrations, we enrich the broad concept of culture with unique experiences that improve student understanding.

Without valuable student involvement, inclusive events are much less likely to occur.

This week is one example of many where worthwhile events lose popularity; students have begun to ignore the activities, as well as the main purpose.

The norm of student passiveness prevents many from enjoying or contributing. If more students were willing to provide their ideas and perspectives, Multicultural Week and other weeks based on significant topics could be more well-rounded and fulfilling.

Students are too hasty to give in to indifference rather than participate in a celebration that could change their outlook on cultural practices and representation. This is, in part, due to the expectation of peers to follow a pattern of apathy. As a result, many seem afraid to participate in an event that few else are active in.

The only way to make events such as Multicultural Week more meaningful to students is through their participation.

ONE YEAR AFTER PARKLAND

LEARNING IN FEAR

With guns still readily available, we haven’t learned from last year’s tragedy Bear Witness staff graphic

Standardized tests the only way to measure student smarts CHANDLER ROBERTS Copy Editor

here’s nothing better than a standardized T test.

Standardized testing is the nuanced, inclusive

tool that the U.S. school system needs. It is quite possibly flawless. After all, who doesn’t love studying hard and stressing out to their breaking point just to score well enough so that your school can keep its funding?

These tests allow funds to be distributed to the schools who really need it — the ones already wealthy enough to provide their students the resources to pass. There’s no need to improve schools with academic gaps when you can just give more funds to already high performing schools. Not everyone is equal in education, and making efforts to fix that divide just wouldn’t make any sense.

What’s important to consider is that if a school fails to improve drastically after not meeting quotas, they several things could happen including replacing most to all staff members, cutting ties from districts and becoming a charter school, or being controlled by government or private companies. Five strikes and your school is out. If they’re failing the students that badly then the answer is obviously to uproot that school system and start again from the ground up.

Standardized testing is not just reliable but also objective. Machine graders, programmed by people, made by people and used by people eliminate possible biases. The inflexibility of the test taking and rigidly set criteria of intelligence to determine aptitude encompass all student needs to fairly and equally access students.

Plus, there is no way that teachers could just feed answers to students, because they would have nothing to gain from loose lips, except higher likelihood of meeting quotas and earning more bonuses.

Most lucrative about this system though, is its efficiency. Just assess everyone at once, super simple! Flawless. To make it even simpler, just time the tests. If students weren’t stressed before, they sure will be now.

Testing students on other things would be too hard. Creativity, motivation, determination, etc. are always different between students, and how are we going to use that stuff in real life anyway?

Sure, after the implementation of standardized testing, the U.S. actually went down in the world from 18th place to 31st place in math and science test scores. And sure, the teaching of higher thinking skills are being replaced with a “teaching to test method” that won’t help students in any way in the future. But school is not about education, it’s about separating the strong from the weak.

Having one straightforward criteria for intelligence allows students to learn the important lesson that all skills, besides memorizing and test taking, are completely useless.

Jessica Berton/Bear Witness JULIANNE ALVARES Opinion Editor

or some events, it’s impossible to forF get where you were when you heard the news. You remember exactly what you were doing, ingrained in your mind forever.

I had just walked in the door, put my backpack away and turned on the TV. Big flashing letters scrolled across the screen saying “14 dead in Parkland shooting,” the number would rise as more casualties were reported. My mouth was agape with shock.

How could something like this happen? How could this happen again, after Columbine and Sandy Hook?

It has been a year since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that claimed the lives of 17 students and staff and not much has changed. This wasn’t the first school shooting and the nation was still reeling from the Vegas attack months earlier, where a gunman opened fire on a crowd at a concert. But this one was different.

The survivors gained a public platform and began to advocate for stricter gun laws and safety, something previously unheard of. They

were determined that no one else would have to endure what they had, birthing the March for Our Lives movement. Within a few months the movement spread across the country sparking walkouts and protests in the following month.

However, despite the incredible work by the Parkland survivors and activists across the nation, not much has changed federally for gun laws. 2018 saw the greatest number of gun laws enacted since the Newtown massacre. However, not all these laws were related to gun control or regulations. In fact nine of those regulations passed actually loosened the rules around gun ownership.

What is it going to take for America to have substantial gun laws? We still have not banned the gun responsible for the slaughters in Las Vegas, Aurora, Newtown and Parkland. AR-15s are still easily accessible.

In fact, I have one in my house as I type this. It’s perfectly legal that the weapon of choice for mass shooters is sitting less than 20 feet away from me. Nestled between my father’s police issued weapons and my birth certificate. Easily accessible. If I wanted to do harm it would be as easy as opening up

my safe and walking to school.

One of the most commonly referenced examples of gun control is Australia. After the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, where 35 were killed, the country banned semi-automatics and military-style weapons, weapons that are still legal in the U.S. Australia also instituted many buyback programs — where the government buys back guns from its citizens — and the amount of gun violence has decreased significantly.

After the 1996 attack, the rate has been decreasing, reaching an all time low in 2007.

Additionally, their murder rate is one-fifth of the U.S. Following in Australia’s footsteps, the U.S. needs to have radically tougher restriction on purchasing guns and ammunition.

It’s been a year since Parkland and the weapon used to murder these 17 students, and many more, can still be bought. The U.S. should look to Australia as an example and instituting buyback programs and ban assault style weapons. Malls, schools, and movie theaters deserve to be safe places.

After 307 mass shootings in 2018, enough is enough.

BITE-SIZED | Minor solutions to minor problems Annoyance: People who pick on people’s insecurities and use them as a form of humor. There’s no need to speak around these people or, frankly, be in their presence.

Solution: Have they tried being a decent human being?

— Julianne Alvares

Annoyance: Savannah Smiles cookies.

They are a chalky, bland cookie with the texture of the Savannah soil, and no semblance of lemon flavor.

Solution: There’s already a solution: Next year they’re getting rid of the sinister snack and replacing it with a superior citrus sweet.

— Jessica Berton

Annoyance: Bad communicators. If you’re a teenager, I refuse to believe you haven’t checked your phone within the last hour.

Solution: If you’re going to take hours to respond to my text, don’t bother replying at all.

— Uzor Awuzie

Annoyance: Rain on glasses. For people with glasses, rain is a real bummer; you have to clean them frequently and THEN, people have the audacity to point out that you have water on your lenses Solution: The only way to remove this visual interference is to develop windshield wipers for all pairs of glasses.

—Elizabeth Posey

4

BEAR WITNESS

OPINION

| FEBRUARY 14, 2019 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM Only 51 percent of Americans with significant others will be celebrating Valentine’s Day, down from 63 percent in 2009.

The crushing burdens of

BULLETIN BOARD

New tardy policy February saw the expansion of the new tardy policy, which gives detention to students late for any period. Students share their thoughts.

Mike Long Sophomore

George Tran Junior

Grace Cho Sophomore

Arunima Dhar Sophomore

Alex Goldberg Sophomore

Pressure to spend strips meaning of this holiday

“The new system is good ... The new system of making frequent skippers to bring their parents is clever and will result in less due to the embarrassment that will come with that.”

“It is just making things more difficult. If you have class across the school and people are just blocking the way, then you are gonna be late.”

“Just because students are late one minute, they have to serve 30 minutes of detention, which isn’t fair. It would be a good and fair idea to make a student serve the same amount of minutes late in detention.”

“We have enough time on minimum days because there are certain circumstances that can keep us from using it to get to class on time, such as picking up brunch at the cafeteria or going to the bathroom.”

“I think it’s a bad idea. If people want to show up late, that’s their own problem and their grades will show that.

Elizabeth Posey/Bear Witness LAURA HEFFERNAN

Arts & Entertainment Editor

andy, cards, chocolates, gifts, hearts. These C things come to mind quickly when thinking about Valentine’s Day. Family members, friends,

or romantic partners also come to mind, although mostly in the context of gift giving.

Even at Branham, gift giving is advertised around the holiday. Robotics Club is popular around Valentine’s Day. The club is known for delivering roses via robot to individuals during class time. This impressive show encourages the materialism of the holiday as it provides a pressure for students to make a grand show to those they love.

Even with cute additions, the gift-giving aspect of Valentine’s Day has stripped the holiday of its true meaning and tossed it into the hands of consumerism. It’s not bad to give gifts to a significant other, but what is bad is when the materialistic objects become the main focus instead of quality time.

There is a societal pressure for people to try to buy

the best, most expensive gift for their loved ones.

A general perception is that the more expensive a gift is, the better it is. While it’s easy to fall into this mental trap, the amount of money is spent has no correlation to how much someone is loved or appreciated.

However, Valentine’s Day was not always a Hallmark holiday, let alone a consumerist giant.

According to the National Public Radio, the holiday started to become sweeter as Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized the day in their works. As the romantic traditions migrated to the United States during the Industrial Revolution, companies began to mass produce valentine cards. As precedents carry on, many use the holiday to spoil those they love.

According to the National Retail Federation, roughly $19.6 billion was spent in 2018. The federation also estimated that $143 was spent per consumer.

A small percentage of this money is spent on classmates for their still in school: $7.26 per person. In elementary school, Valentine’s Day tends to become

$161

51%

More spending

Fewer celebrate V-Day

Americans will be spending more on their Valentine this year, an increase of $18.40. However...

The number who celebrate the holiday has decreased by 12 percent since 2009.

77% Spreading the love

Of the increases in spending, most of it is spent on classmates, co-workers, friends, teachers and pets.

the focus of the school day. Teachers help kids make heart-shaped cards and paper folders for candy. Kids are usually told to bring candy for everyone in the class.

While this is an enjoyable activity for young kids, it also reinforces the idea that Valentine’s Day is mainly for giving gifts. If the focus for younger kids is to get candy for every classmate, it’s going to carry over into adulthood, growing into extravagant gift giving.

Jewelry, flowers, clothing, cards, or candy — none of it is needed to show how much love someone has for a person. There is a simple solution to loosening the grip consumerism has on the holiday. People may feel pressured to into giving gifts when in reality they may not be able to afford them, which is okay because loved ones should be more important than gifts. Instead of feeling pressured to find a great gift for someone, simply just let them know they are loved or appreciated. Make an effort to spend quality time with those that are a big part of everyday life, no gifts required.

64%

49%

Planning ahead

Experience matters

Most Valentine dates are not planned in advance.

Open Table recommends at least two weeks.

Nearly half of Americans plan to give a gift of experience, such as travel, concerts and day trips.

Source: National Retail Foundation 2019 survey

On social issues, rappers taking over the airwaves ap is the new rock. When our parents R were teens, the rock music of the ‘80s was the soundtrack of the rebellious, law-defying

youth. However, for our generation, rap has taken its role.

The culture of the ’70s and ’80s was one of rebellion and self-discovery, which was reflected in the music of the time. Popular rock bands such as Queen preached about the importance of finding yourself, while bands like Def Leppard sported a more spunky tone.

The lasting impact of rock culture from these decades was reflected, and became incredibly influential, on the youth of the time, exhibiting itself in both fashion and culture. This music gave rise to differing attitudes of the government and a more radical view of society as a whole.

English teacher Tobie Schweizer, a member of a classic rock cover band, describes how people took inspiration from the music of the time.

“I think that the effect of music on kids in the ’80s was to be yourself and to rebel against authority,” she said.

This period, as rock rose to the top of the charts and rap was growing in popularity, was also interesting musically. Aerosmith and Run DMC’s collaboration in the “Rock This Way” music video display how rap and rock could work together in one message.

This vibe continued through the late ’80s, but as the wave of rock started to fade away, the rebellious, “stick it to the man” spirit faded with it.

As the “new wave” and DIY rock of the ’80s began to die down, the era;s sentiments of punk fell out of fashion. Hip-hop, more specifically rap music, rose from the grime of the Bronx and other urban cities to fulfill this niche.

In the ’90s, rap became the sub-genre to challenge the government and society as it rose in popularity, giving birth to legends such as Tupac and Biggie Smalls. Similar to the effect that rock music had on the masses, rap began to transform American culture, as people began to gravitate towards its popular figures.

The hip-hop wave continued into the beginning of the 21st century. Entering into the 2000s and 2010s, not only did rap music gain

is a vehement social activist. “I feel like that’s harkening back to the ’70s time period where you actually had something to say about society,” Schweizer said.

West utilizes Twitter as a conduit of sharing his opinion about political issues, comparable to what the rockers of the the late ’70s and early ‘80s had done to turn the public against the Vietnam War. Rappers also influence fashion just as rockers once did. ’80s teens started to dress after popular bands such as Kiss, wearing choker necklaces and other body ornaments. Nowadays, rappers such as Soulja Boy and Lil Pump glamorize designer brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and the youth is fast in their footsteps, spending inordinate amounts of money to acquire the drip.

This trend seems to be a constant no matter the year, as big figures from the music industry influence the youth of the generation while standing up for what they believe in.

Julia Bozzo/Special to Bear Witness

SHLOK GORE

Science & Health Editor

more ground in politics, but its artists continued to break social norms with music and fashion, as well as advocating for issues as their predecessors, the rockers, had done.

As they did with the rock of the ’80s, people now look toward popular musicians, now rappers, for not only fashion and culture, but political and radical messages.

Schweizer compared the actions of Kanye West and the rockers of the ’70s. West, one of the most influential figures in the game,

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE WHY | Mixed results from survey of 1,100 students ARREST | Coaches offer supports positive about the experience,” she said. “And I've also had kids approached me on campus who I have never met before, who come up to have a conversation and share with me.”

The practice of sharing student whys has been at Branham started with Henebry’s weight training class. Henebry shared with her students her troubled childhood where she fled an abusive father and faced financial troubles. Strength from her mother and support from her teachers during this time inspired her to push herself.

Last spring, Henebry approached Principal Cheryl Lawton to expand this campaign school-wide with faculty and staff behind her.

“I think we have a staff collectively -- teachers, administrators, secretaries, janitors...everyone is on board with this,” Henebry said.

While many students have found her story inspiring, others have criticized the campaign as it continues, with the third why rally held in January.

Henebry has been praised by her colleagues and students for the impacts of the campaign.

Some feel more connected to their teachers, and others have noticed a significant boost in motivation.

For students like sophomore Bennett Rothman, the rallies have been a useful tool in their own lives.

“They are helpful to be able to realize what you want and help you get out of a cloud of bad practices and habits,” Rothman said.

Students like these encourage their peers to listen to the message of the campaign they might be missing. However, those who have been touched by the campaign have noticed some students “don’t take the rallies seriously” and “are not acting on important lessons Coach Henebry is giving,” according to student responses from the survey.

Finding themselves According to survey, many students haven’t found their why yet, nor have they developed a sense of self, and therefore, a sense of purpose.

“As a freshman, I am more focused on just getting through the year and figuring out who I am,” one student wrote on the survey. “If I don't know who I am, I can't know my why, so it isn't meaningful to me.”

Others have cited the campaign as “stressful” and “existential crisis-inducing,” because they feel pressure to find their whys. They aren’t alone; in fact, many students mentioned in the

survey or have told Henebry that they don’t have a why, even if they may not bring it up during advisory.

Henebry feels that this is normal and that finding your why is a process, and that’s OK. “Sometimes it takes people a long time to discover what their why is,” she said. “But that doesn't mean that you can't still have those dreams and goals and work towards achieving those things.”

Another concern students have is that their whys may not be as deep or meaningful as their peers’. Not all students have dealt with traumatic events in their lives, the same events that inspire many whys.

“The What's Your Why? campaign is helpful for some struggling students, but useless to others that don't have a bad background to draw motivation from,” another student said in the survey. “That sounds bad, but I just mean for me and others I've talked to, we don't have a 'meaningful story' to pull from.”

Motivated to succeed Henebry understands that not all students’ whys are as “deep,” and aren’t going to “tug at the soul.” That isn’t the important part for her, however. What matters most is that students are motivated and succeeding, no matter what their why may be.

In fact, Henebry believes the most powerful part of a why is the fact that every why is unique and important to its owner.

“I say to students, never compare your why to other students, because your why is your own,” Henebry said. “If it is important to you, then it is the proper why.”

Students have also suggested that the program should move away from larger rallies into smaller groups.

In spite of the momentum, junior Paige Knudsen said that the rallies feel impersonal and are affecting how the campaign is being perceived.

“In general, the program might have been more effective if it was done in small groups and not as the whole school,” Knudsen said.

“I believe that it lost some of its meaning because it was a large scale operation.”

This shift to more intimate talks has already begun to happen, as the first What’s Your Why? rally included the whole school, but the second and third rallies were divided by class.

In Link Crew, where upperclassmen mentor

”

freshmen during advisory periods, leaders led a session in which students talked about facing their fears.

Henebry also wants to have smaller groups for the why activities because she believes intimacy plays a huge role in the success of the message.

“With smaller groups, [students] do have a better understanding of what their why is,” she said. “They also understand that there are people on this campus who care and that it isn't always about the academics.”

Mental health a concern to some Some students with mental illness have said they also felt isolated by the campaign. For students with depression, in particular, motivation and reward functions in the brain do not operate in the same way as those without mental illness. Motivational speaking and goal-setting can potentially aggravate these issues.

“Students with mental health issues do not remotely benefit and can be discouraged by What's Your Why?,” said senior Darby Cable.

However, that doesn’t mean that students with mental illnesses can’t engage in the campaign. Henebry encourages students who are struggling with mental illness to reach out to on-campus counselors if they need help.

“I’d tell those students, find your true happiness and whatever that looks like for you,” she said. “Even through the struggles, if you know what makes you happy, and you find those passions in life, even in your darkest times, it can help pull you out of it.”

Henebry supports students voicing their concerns and wants them to continue to do so.

“My hope is just that students who don't feel connected to this campaign or program that they would ask the questions or express themselves,” she said. “I think that is a big part of this process.”

Despite the criticisms, Henebry has been praised by her colleagues and students for the impacts of the campaign. Some feel more connected to their teachers, and others have noticed a significant boost in motivation.

Henebry wants students to know there is always a staff member to support every student in pursuing their dreams.

“I hope that this is impacting students in a positive way,” said Henebry. “I hope if anything else resonates in this, it's that anything is possible and that you are capable of anything.”

mance and Fitness, and he often trained athletes outside of the school season in his personal gym at his home.

One Branham track athlete who trained with him privately was surprised when she heard news of the allegations.

“I never imagined anything like this would have come from him,” she said. “I've always respected him and for this to come out, (I was) very shocked.”

Assistant coaches in the program, such as pole vault coach Jim Lawrence, worked closely with Marshall and shared the same feelings of shock and repulsion as the athletes.

“That's obviously disgusting and horrible for our sports, our coaches in general,” Lawrence said. “I have two daughters, so I can't even imagine that even happening.”

Another anonymous track athlete, who had previously trained with him in and outside of the season, came to trust him through the coach and athlete bond they had.

“He did a lot for me and my teammates,” she said.

“If someone was hungry, he would feed us. “He was kind of like father figure; [he was] very well respected.”

Because of the bonds he formed with the athletes, she said it was difficult for her to replace the image of a coach they had in their head with that of an alleged criminal.

“It's really hard to vilify someone who is trusted and respected so much,” she continued, while stressing the need to acknowledge his alleged victims.

“I like to respect people that come forward about that stuff, of course, but I couldn't help being like, ‘oh, what if it's not true?’” she continued. “[That] made me feel weird, because I don't think I'm that kind of person. I like to stand with victims.”

Former Branham track athlete Adam Saleh advises athletes to not let this stop them in their athletic career.

“I hope other athletes that are aspiring to continue track at a higher level don’t see this as a roadblock,” Saleh said.

In order to move on and recover as a team, coaches encourage practice to go on as normal. The current coaches “This is just their way of life, training hard and going to meets,” Lawrence said. “They're just staying with their same routine.”

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SCIENCE&HEALTH Science briefs Midwest still thawing from Polar Vortex Illinois, Iowa and Michigan are among several states at the mercy of deadly cold weather. Temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit threaten both functionality and lives. Educational institutions, including high schools and colleges, the U.S. Postal Service and local businesses have been shut down for days at a time to minimize exposure to the weather. Numerous efforts have been further made to help those exposed to the elements, with both volunteers and law enforcement officers escorting people on the streets to safe, warm shelters to spend the night.

The weather is estimated to return to normal by the end of February.

What keeps students motivated?

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

“Make sure you still leave in things that you enjoy into your stressful life sometimes to de-stress.” — Jen Ozdinski, psychology teacher

“I’m not from here. I came here my freshman year, so I had to move away from what I know. So every time I go back there I don’t want (my family) to be like ‘This kid moved away from us and all he did was do bad in school.’“ Christian Islas junior

“What motivates me is trying to get into a good college, so I work hard to become prepared for college. I am also motivated to do well in school because I know that education will only benefit me. I always remember that all the hard work will pay off in the end.”

“I like to learn a lot. That’s what keeps me motivated just because I enjoy learning.’

William Gardner junior

Lindsey Herington freshman

FEELING THE BURN(OUT)

What psychology has to say about senioritis and other maladies of motivation

T

his time of the school year can be challenging for many students. After a full semester of school and with summer four months away, students can start to feel discouraged.

“At this point of second semester, it gets to a point where it feels like things kind of never end,” said senior Jamie Walls, who has full schedule that includes Leadership and 3 AP classes.

The second semester brings unique challenges, including AP classes and increasingly difficult coursework as classes move into harder lessons. The end of the first six-week grading period this week also means that there are more tests as many classes end units in time for Presidents’ Week.

“You’ve constantly got new things to do,” Walls said. “Once you finish something and it gets quite frustrating when it’s never ending.”

Because of these difficulties, students often experience a lack of motivation in the second semester.

With two more grading periods left, however, it is still important to maintain focus and end the school year successfully. Here are four ways to keep up your motivation according to psychology.

Juul is expanding, but not without pushback The controversial e-cigarette company recently took out a lease on 30,00040,000 square feet of area in Mountain View, which comes as an addition to the 15,000 feet that they have leased in San Francisco’s Pier 70. The motion to expand further into the Bay Area has been met with strict regulation and demanding health and safety standards by the San Francisco Port Commission.

Unvaccinated kids source of measles outbreak Unvaccinated children are considered the source of a measles outbreak, with 55 cases recorded in Washington as of Feb. 8.

The governor has declared a state of emergency in response, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention follows this and two other measles outbreaks in New York City and New York state.

Radio signals from deep space detected FRBs, or fast radio bursts, have been sourced to a faraway galaxy, thanks to CHIME, a telescope tailored specifically to radio signal detection. The radio bursts followed a pattern, seeming intentional, and have sparked excitement in the astronomical community that the signals could potentially support the idea of alien life.

Trump in good health, according to physical Results from his second physical exam have asserted that President Trump is in good physical condition.

White House physician Dr. Sean Conley believes that the four-hour medical examination concludes that the president’s physical health is secure for the foreseeable future, including his remaining time in office.

Bricks made from waste may soon erect buildings Scientists have built bricks made from biosolids, compressed waste material from sources such as food and sewage.

Researchers from Australia have created these materials that have the consistent look and textures of clay-fired ones. However, they are not as sturdy.

They have suggested putting a percentage of the biosolids in existing bricks, which they say is enough to rid the world of leftover foods.

— Compiled by Shlok Gore

“I want to have a well-rounded life, set an example for people and be a role model.

I think it’s important to do well because not as many people have the opportunity to have such an easy and well-managed education like I do and I want to recognize that.”

Nani Kauweloa freshman

— Renee Owens Caitlyn Schlaman/Bear Witness Remember your Why It’s important to remember why you’re doing what you’re doing.

“Write down your goals and revisit why you’re doing what you do, where you want to be at the end of the school year, like gradewise etc,” said psychology teacher Jennifer Ozdinski.

A 2015 study found that people who write their goals down were 33 percent more successful at achieving them than those who simply thought about their goals. In addition, studies have shown that making goals public or even setting goals as a group is more effective in helping individuals reach that goal.

HACKING VALENTINE’S DAY Free and affordable services to level up your romance

Make time for yourself “Make sure you still leave in things that you enjoy into your stressful life sometimes to destress,” Ozdinski says. The Yerkes-Dodson Law of Arousal links stress and performance.

It indicates that low levels of stress aren’t motivating, but above a certain level, stress will hurt performance. After a semester of school, the stress can be overwhelming.

Sports Medicine points out that activities such as exercise can effectively reduce stress levels along with other health benefits such as improved quality of sleep. Taking time to relax can help bring stress levels down to healthier levels.

Give rewards for reaching goals Behavioral psychology indicates that rewards may help people learn to enjoy activities by associating the activity with a reward. Many people procrastinate because procrastination is immediately rewarding, while the benefits of reaching goals often come much later; small immediate rewards may help counter this discrepancy.

Associating goal-setting with rewards can change the brain in a way that makes one more likely to continue that behavior. Experts suggest that you give yourself rewards for carrying out goals, such as allowing a few minutes of time on social media after focusing for half an hour.

Accept that enough is enough Perfectionism procrastination describes the phenomenon in which an individual’s expectations are above what is likely to be possible, causing people to feel that their work is inadequate. Studies have linked a fear of failure and social disapproval with procrastination and even depression When an individual has high standards for themselves and others, they may put off working on goals to avoid disappointment.

By accepting that your work isn’t going to be perfect, you may avoid this phenomenon and be able to finish tasks.

RESERVED

Robotics Valentine’s Day Grams Robotics Club will be delivering cards with other addons like roses, cookies and 3D-printed hearts via robotic during class on Feb. 14. If you’re looking to impress your sweetheart, nothing says “wow” in a nerdier way than gifts on wheels.

Dinner reservations from OpenTable Before spending dinner with your significant other, secure your spot ahead of time. with apps like OpenTable. It allows users to book tables at restaurants ahead of time and even has a feature to avoid lovers’ quarrels about where to eat. Using the “matchmaking tool” on OpenTable, couples can narrow down restaurant options based on multiple

criteria.

Order flowers online, FromYouFlowers Picking up flowers from the store can be a chore, plus you never know what they’re going to have. Ordering flowers online makes it simple and services like FromYouFlowers will only put you out an average between $40-50. They have bouquets specialized for Valentine’s Day and most can be delivered as last minute

as day of.

Gift a Spotify playlist While it may be cheesy, nothing says love like a love song.

A quick, but thoughtful gift is a playlist and Spotify makes it easy. Spotify’s algorithm suggests similar songs which will help you fill out a playlist quickly, especially if you’re working slowly. For some ideas, check out page 11 for some of our song suggestions.

Digital to analogue, print a photo book While we live in a digital age, nothing can beat the feeling of a physical item. To take your digital memories with you and your valentine into the real world, use a photo book service like Chatbook. It’s an easy, intuitive way to print out photos in a professional book starting as low as $10.

— Michaela Edlin

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INDEPTH BLACK, UNLIKE ME | PERSONAL HISTORIES OF DISCRIMINATION Colorism vs. Racism iscrimination comes in more than one form. While black students have experienced prejudice from people of other races, they’ve shared what they experience from their own race.

Racism is defined as prejudice or discriminatory acts people based on their racial status, while is colorism is prejudiced attitudes or discriminatory acts against people based on the shade or tone of their skin. Colorism is typically the idea that people with light skin tone are perceived as more superior than those with darker skin tones.

D

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SOFIA NONGA, SOPHOMORE

When we would study history, and we'd get to slavery, the teacher would say, ‘Joyce, stand. This is an example of what a slave looked like.' All of that has never been lost. There’s no coincidence that I still sit in education today.”

“

You can’t [ask] ‘does this lipstick look good on me, does this color look good on me,’ because we’re not the same type of skin tone.”

Beyond skin deep

ophomore Sofia Nonga has been S the only black student in her classes for a while. For her, this has become the

Lessons from 'Beloved'

A

P Literature students are learning more about the culture of America after the Civil War and the impacts of slavery through the novel “Beloved” by Toni Morrison.

In the novel, Morrison depicts the story of a previously enslaved woman, Sethe, who is driven to infanticide when her slave owner tracks her and her children down. Before reading the book, students were asked to think about race in an explicit way in the classroom. Students completed the Harvard implicit bias test on race to detect subconscious discrimination, in order to recognize any biases they may have before reading a book that relies so heavily on the theme of race. Classes also held discussion about statements like “Discussions about slavery are no longer necessary because it ended a long time ago.”

After reading some of the book, students also watched the documentary “Thirteenth” that talks about the slavery loophole in the 13th Amendment and its impacts on the black population and mass incarceration.

— Uzor Awuzie

Desegregation In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, that segregation in schools is unconstitutional, but it took years of fighting before America actually achieved equal treatment in public schools.

DAVIS | Inspired to be black mentor doors of the school. She continued to face these struggles inside the classroom.

“When we would study history, and we'd get to slavery, the teacher would say, ‘Joyce, stand.’ This is an example of what a slave looked like,’” Davis said.

As Davis went through her education, she felt that her teachers and peers did not expect as much of her because of her race, when compared to students of other races. After graduating from the Daycroft School and Smith College, Davis entered the workforce as an educated black woman, something she described as being “a scary thing to many people.”

“People might judge me before they meet me or I open my mouth to speak,” she said. “They may look at my package and decide what they feel about ste-

reotypes of blacks, black women in particular. Once I open my mouth they are sometimes surprised at the eloquence because I'm an educated black.”

Because of her experience in education, Davis pursued a job in education in hopes of being a mentor for students of color that may feel as isolated as she did.

“I wanted to make sure that if there was any little girl like me that she could see that there could be hope,” she said. “I didn't have that until I got to college, there were no black mentors.”

Now, she advises students who might feel like she did to go and see her, so they can have someone to relate to and look up to who looks like them.

TOBIAS MCLEOD, SPECIAL EDUCATION

Underestimated at school

pecial education teacher and Black StuS dent Union adviser Tobias McLeod was one out of two or three black students in his

“

There was a teacher, and he said, 'you look like my gardener.' "

high school, Carmel High School. Due to the low numbers, he felt a sense of seclusion from other students, but for him, being within an incredibly small black community was the norm.

“I've always been [one of ] a few,” he said. “It wasn't a huge culture shock when I started working here.”

While attending Carmel High School, he faced prejudice on a daily basis, but one moment stands out to him. He came to school one day to find kids from Carmel Valley wearing Confederate flag hats, something that he described as “the one racist thing that happened in high school.”

“It [did] feel like a threatening thing for me,” he said.

As he progressed in his career as a special education teacher, he felt that he sometimes had to work harder to prove himself as an educat-

ed black man, versus his colleagues and peers of other races. He felt that others might not take him as seriously due to his race.

“There are times when I'm [thinking] ‘do I have to defend my position or do I have to work hard to prove myself in some ways,’” he said.

Once at Branham, the discrimination that he faced didn’t go away, even as he established himself in his career. One example he remembers is when he was wearing a straw hat and walking out to the track to coach, a colleague made a derogatory comment.

“There was a teacher, and he said ‘you look like my gardener,’ McLeod said.

In order to combat the discrimination that he and black students might face, McLeod recommends finding a group to relate to.

“Find your people,” he said. “Reach out if there are teachers, or if there are other students that are being racist in any way.”

— Annalise Freimarck

norm, and she is used to being one out of many.

“You kind of get used to it because I've been the only black person in multiple of my classes, starting from preschool,” she said. “There's always that little disconnect.”

Being the only black student in her class, Nonga has come to expect to not be looked at as smart as her peers of other races. To her, it feels like there is always that stereotype that in the classroom with her.

“You can tell by your peers, and even my teachers, that they aren't as confident in you as the next white person or Asian person,” she said.

On top of being isolated in class, Nonga has struggled with her self image and loving herself because of her race. She often felt too dark to fit under the beauty stereotypes, and this affected her self confidence.

“When I was younger, I wished that I could straighten my hair like other people, or I wished that I had a lighter skin tone or lighter eyes,” Nonga said. “ You can’t [ask] ‘does this lipstick look good on me, does this color look good on me,’ because we’re not the same type of skin tone.”

As she grew older, Nonga credits movements like Black Lives Matter and the influx of black influencers as the push in her journey for self love.

“If we’re not loving ourselves, how are other people going to love us?” she asked.

— Annalise Freimarck

BELLA GLASS, SENIOR

Black, proud enior Bella Glass didn’t always love S herself like she does now. When she was in elementary and middle school,

she longed to fit into the white beauty standards, such as having straight hair and lighter skin, because of the lack of representation of black influencers in media that there was to look up to.

“Everyone that I looked up to, like Hannah Montana, even in Justice magazines, they were all white people,” Glass said. “People who you look up to, who you think is pretty, they don’t look like you.”

Glass credits the spur of discussion about the black community’s issues that began when Trayvon Martin was shot as what boosted her confidence in her ethnicity. She began to see more black influencers with natural aspects, like curly hair and darker skin, and that influenced her to accept herself more.

Seeing that awareness and black people appreciating themselves, that’s when I started wearing my hair curly and natural, and that signifies to me being able to accept myself,” she said. “Now that I’m in high school, I’m proud of that blackness.”

— Annalise Freimarck

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STUDENT LIFE

“It’s just fun to learn where your friends came from” — Freshman Cindy Zhou on multicultural week

TRAVEL COMPANIONS

TECH COMPANIES LISTENING TO STUDENT TRENDS

Day of Service helps Camp Fire victims ASB and clubs participated in the annual District Day of Service to help the homeless and those affected by the Camp Fire.

Around 300 students met at the Del Mar gym to make hats and put together school supply packages.

Others folded origami paper cranes and braided friendship bracelets for children’s hospitals and kids with cancer.

Easier interface for users to learn, more safe . firewall protection, less manipulatable, which could be a con but is. better for people who don’t know how to use them as well. — Aubrey Tibbils, senior

Apple really just sucks. They have terrible business practice, participate in . planned obsolence — James Gardner, freshman .

.

Apple is just too expensive and not that good compared to its price .

— Jaesung Yoo, junior

At this point, it's because it's a brand name. ­ Trinity Brush, junior

.

Renee Owens/ Bear Witness Students, staff mixed on new desks, chairs Branham is bringing new furniture to its classrooms.

A handful of classroom started the school year with larger rectangular desks for groups as opposed to individual desks, and armless chairs.

By the end of winter break, teachers had new and smaller desks. The general response was mixed. While some students favored the new furniture because of its mobility, others disliked the lack of space they had.

Others complained of the desk different shape.

Julia Bozzo/Special to the Bear Witness Source: Online survey of 217 students

Teens make AirPods a hit Gadget again revives debate between Apple and Android products RYAN MCCARTHY

E

Sports Editor

verywhere you look and everywhere you go, you will notice at least a handful of people with Apple’s latest popular consumer product: AirPods.

Apple has continuously delivered hit products to their consumers, giving them products that are easily understandable and visually appealing. AirPods were no different, easily selling in high volumes—to more than just their most loyal customers.

AirPods—Apple’s first wireless Bluetooth earbuds—first released in December 2016, coinciding with the release of the iPhone 7.

Apple’s hottest product was originally met with ridicule and criticism, as the shape— often compared to that of a toothbrush head—and limited supply upon release both made the product a laughingstock in the market. Removing the audio jack from the iPhone 7 added to the criticism and incited questionable responses to Apple’s drastic change.

Nonetheless, the rise of AirPods came quickly, as the absence of the easily tangled

headphone cord proved to be a success with its users. Social media also played a significant part in their sudden popularity, with infinite Internet memes centered around AirPods landing atop trending charts.

Sophomore Jaquan Barnes is a fan of the AirPods because of the cordless feature.

“I like how it’s hands-free. It doesn’t have a wire, so it doesn’t bother me very much,” says Barnes. “I just have a lot more mobility.”

The popularity of wireless earphones rose almost simultaneously with AirPods, with competing brands, such as Bragi Dash, Doppler and Nuheara all receiving positive reviews from their users even before AirPods were released.

With consumer loyalty on their side, Apple was able to take advantage of the rising popularity of wireless earphones. As they improved their marketing and advertising strategies for AirPods, their consumers gradually flocked to buy them, eventually peaking over the Christmas season. In a September 2017 study conducted by research firm Creative Strategies and Experian, AirPods scored a 98 percent custom-

er satisfaction rate, contributing to what Apple CEO Tim Cook says is a “runaway success.”

According to a social media poll (217 responses) conducted by the Bear Witness, 82 percent of respondents favored Apple products.

Some of those who preferred Android brought up the more intricate operating system, citing Samsung’s “better operating system” and “endless customization” options with their phones.

Some of the respondents who preferred Apple were swayed mainly by the AirPod accessory, indicating that AirPods have become one of the most successful products distributed by the company. Others were easily swayed by the memes that gave AirPods their popularity, simply stating “I’m not broke” or “for the flex.”

Apple’s marketing power flaunted AirPods to a consumer audience that was loyal to them, and would try anything that they produced. With the proper promotion, as well as the popularity they gained in social media, AirPods became a viral success.

Event draws from campus diversity Bear Witness file Admin handing out parking tickets Deans have been cracking down on unauthorized parking in the parking lot. Students are required to have a parking permit if they’re parking at Branham, and will be fined if they don’t have one.

After a search was done by principal Cheryl Lawton, around 40 cars were ticketed for not having a visible parking pass. It affects teachers as well, who may be forced to park outside of Branham if all staff parking spots are taken up by students.

— Compiled by Uzor Awuzie

ELIZABETH POSEY

M

Art Director

ulticultural week began with a simple activity in the cafeteria on Tuesday: a Lunar New Year celebration involving origami and candy. It ended with a massive food fair ran by many of Branham’s clubs on Friday.

The week marked celebration for students of many ethnic backgrounds—one that ASB student Joel Silva, who spearheaded the week, hoped would resonate with the student body at Branham.

Rebecca Haile, vice president of Black Student Union, , wants bruins to feel encouraged to explore and advocate for different cultures throughout the entirety of the year.

“People think that to join Black Student Union, you have to be black, or to join Latino Student union, you have to be Latino, but that’s not true,” Haile Said Haile believes that some of the stigma in becoming a club member is rooted not only in misunderstanding club qualifications,

but the actual material discussed during meetings.

“The club may not seem as welcoming even if they are Latino, or even if they’re black (because students think) this isn’t going to be a fun club; it’s going to be a serious club and people don’t want to donate their time,” said Haile, “Clubs can be so much more than serious meetings.”

Though the festivities of the week were enjoyable and educational, the ultimate goal is for awareness to translate into student behavior and lives.Typically, the events that have the greatest impact on students are ones in which they can introduce aspects of their own personal traditions.

Freshman Cindy Zhou shared her cherished family customs of the Lunar New Year: “We watch this entertainment show until 12 a.m [and enjoy snacks]. If it’s the year of the pig, we buy pig, cook it, and eat it.”

With many variations to how people celebrate cultural holidays or events, it is difficult for ASB to reach true inclusivity. Some events such as Wednesday’s map activity, Thursday’s performance, and the food fair

Alex Rietz, freshman Worst travel experience We were in Germany and my mom is trying to talk to the cab driver in English. He didn't understand, and my mom was screaming at the cab driver and she's like "Go left! Go left!"

It turns out he's Bulgarian in the end.

So she could've have talked to him in Bulgarian the whole time.

Best travel experience I went to Bulgaria, because I got to see a lot of my family, and it's really pretty there. We go to where my mom used to live and there is a little spot for me to also go to the beach.

Much better value and endless customization ­Brendan Jones, junior

I’ve just been using it all of my life and am more used to using Apple. .

— Matthew Nguyen, junior

Some will be traveling for ski week next week. To prepare for the journey, we asked students to share their best and worst travel experiences.

— Jazzy Nguyen

Elizabeth Posey/Bear Witness Freshman Cindy Zhou shows off an origami she made during Lunar New Year festivities. were left open-ended to give students the freedom to express their heritage without specific constraints.

Although participation dwindled due to the weather, with the exception of the food fair, the students who attended the lunchtime events recognized their value. “We come from all different parts of the world, and it’s just fun to learn where your friends came from,” Zhou said.

Tip Take some sleeping pills before you go on the plane to avoid jet lag or else you are going to hate it when you get there.

Meena Iyer, freshman Worst travel experience There was this one time that my sister, my mom, and I had jet lag, and we were watching TV downstairs while my grandma was sleeping upstairs. All of a sudden, a huge rat came into the room, and we all started screaming. I threw my cereal bowl at it and it broke.

We all ran and stood on the dining table. The rat ran into the room that had all of our suitcases and stuff, and never came out again.

Best travel experience When my family goes to India, we go to the mall, visit relatives, and go to temples. We also go to the beach.

When we go to the beach, there’s a game you play where there’s a wooden board with balloons, and you take a gun and try to pop the balloons.

Tip If you are bringing back anything from your trip, wrap it in clothes to make sure it doesn’t break.

Derek Hogan, senior Worst travel experience I had a tournament in Seattle and we drove there on a bus. We left at 6 p.m. and we got there at 8 a.m.. So we drove through the night. I'm not that good of a sleeper on the road, so that was a problem and when we got there I was kind of tired.

Best travel experience Two years ago, in April, my team had a tour and Costa Rica. So we went to Costa Rica for a weekend, played a lot of other academies down there. It was pretty sweet. We got to play in stadiums that their professional team plays in. Even though they weren't filled, it was pretty cool.

Tip For packing, just make sure you don't forget anything. I never wanted to forget a jersey or cleat because they would not let me play. It kind of gets better as it goes. Like when I first started traveling for soccer. I couldn't really like sleep on planes. Like now I can easily take a nap on a plane or just turn on a movie and you'll be fine.

Lana Hirata, freshman Worst travel experience We were running late to the airport, it was like six (a.m.) and we were supposed to leave the house at 5:30.

So we were loading up the truck, and my grandpa thought we needed to load more luggage and left the trunk open. We didn’t know it was still open so we all got into the car and headed down the street.

We turn right onto Branham. My grandpa guns it and we all hear a firework noise and turn around to see that one of our luggage is missing. We turn the car around to get our luggage, but when we found it, it had already been run over and clothes were all over the street.

Tip Make a list of everything you need to pack so you don’t forget anything.

Also, bring a camera because it’s nice to have memories and pictures of the places you went.

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

SPORTS

“We are all a part of one big family, so we should support each other.” senior Jonathan Vo on the importance of attending fellow athletes’ games.

Sports briefs

Scores updated as of Feb. 11 Boys Basketball Varsity: The boys won their last game at Pioneer, 51-40, to clinch a spot in the CCS playoffs.

Next games: Feb. 12 vs. Leigh (7 p.m.), CCS playoffs (TBD) Record: 9-14 (4-9) JV: The boys won their last game against Pioneer, surviving a late barrage of three pointers to win their second straight league game.

Next game: Feb. 12 vs. Leigh (5:30 p.m.)

Record: 14-6 (10-3)

For wrestlers, diets worth the weight Strict daily regimen includes layering clothing, laying off fatty snacks Senior Nick Melendez

Senior Carlos Vela

Senior Kim Jenkins

Girls Basketball Varsity: The girls lost their last game of the season at home to Leigh, 41-50, and will wait to see if they get a spot in the CCS playoffs.

Record: 10-14 (1-9) JV: The girls lost their last game of the season to Leigh, finishing the season on a two-game losing streak.

Record: 6-8 (1-6) Boys Soccer Varsity: The boys lost their last game at Pioneer, 0-1, but still have a chance to win the Mount Hamilton league with one more win.

Next game: Feb. 12 vs. Prospect (6 p.m.), CCS playoffs (TBD) Record: 11-3-5 (8-2-3) JV: The boys lost their last game against Pioneer, 0-2, as goals in each half decided the match.

Next game: Feb. 12 vs.

Prospect (3:30 p.m.)

Record: 8-6-3 (8-3-2) Girls Soccer Varsity: The girls won their last game against Del Mar, 4-0, on their senior night, with three first-half goals settling the result early.

Next game: Feb.13 at Prospect (7 p.m.)

Record: 7-12 (6-7) JV: The girls won their last game against Del Mar by forfeit, as Del Mar did not have enough players to field a complete team.

Next game: Feb. 13 at Prospect (4:30 p.m.)

Record: 13-6-1 (11-2) Wrestling Varsity: The team lost their last dual match of the season to Westmont, 27-36. They also placed sixth at the El Camino Varsity Wrestling Tournament out of 42 teams, with seniors Carlos Vela and Nick Melendez placing first and second individually.

Next match: CCS finals — Ryan McCarthy

Bear Witness staff graphic Photos from Julia Marques da Silva/Bear Witness

Fiber in fruits and vegetables makes you full, so it eliminates the need for snacking throughout day JULIA MARQUES DA SILVA Design Director

restling revolves around weight, which someW times requires extreme dieting, exercise and practice techniques in order to meet strict weight re-

quirements.

For each tournament, wrestlers are required to be weighed in order to determine which class of competitors they will face for the day.

Their preparation primarily takes place off the wrestling mats. The athletes have to focus on their diet because it determines part of their success in competitions.

Those who cut weight to enter a lower weight class do so in order to have a strength advantage over opponents. Beginners on the wrestling team will cut a few pounds at time, while those who have been involved in the sport can successfully lose much more weight.

“Some of my teammates (are) cutting 5 pounds in a day to be able to wrestle at a lower weight class at the meet the next day,” said senior Kimberly Jenkins, who joined wrestling this year.

Foods high sugar and fat content have high caloric content, which is harder to lose. This puts wrestlers in a higher weight class Boys compete in 12 weight classes, while girls compete in 13 to ensure that competitors will be wrestling opponents of the same size. These categorizations are designed to make matches closer and safer.

To gain the advantage of wrestling in a lower weight class in a tournament, wrestlers have developed specialized diets and tactics in order to shed the pounds.

Sophomore Jonathan Ciprian, who has been wrestling for five years, said it’s a simple formula of eating healthfully and avoiding snacking, in addition to layering, which helps athletes sweat more.

“It’s just eating healthy and not doing any midnight snacking,” he said.

Wearing heavy sweats is the most common way that the team loses weight. If they do need to lose extra weight a few days before, according to sophomore Lola Anderson, some teammates might go to a sauna, take a hot bath, or simply not drink water the night before.

The most important part of wrestling preparation is diet. Senior Nick Melendez, a top athlete who has been in the program for four years, keeps a specific, simple diet that allows him to lose 16 pounds in a whole season, about two pounds before each tourna-

Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread or pasta provide the most energy.

ment. This includes oatmeals and bananas for breakfast, granola bars for lunch and chicken and rice for dinner, with lots of water throughout the day. Many of his other teammates cut out high calorie foods and replace them with vegetables and protein-packed meals.

“It’s a very strict diet and I try to cut out all junk food since it’s harder to burn off the [higher] calorie foods,” said Melendez.

Despite the strict diets, a lot of the foods that wrestlers eat give them enough nutritional value and energy to be able to perform on competition day. Fibers in fruits and vegetables allows them to feel full and limit snacking throughout the day, while complex carbohydrates such as pasta provides a lot of energy since it provides more nutrients than processed carbs such as french fries. The main struggle for some of the athletes is to maintain this diet, but the support from teammates allow them to achieve their dietary goals.

“We all know what we need to do,” said Jenkins. “So it’s just a matter of if you’re going to do it and wrestle and try your hardest to win or at least not get pinned or let the team down.”

Athletes asked to visit peers’ sports games UZOR AWUZIE

Student Life Editor

ranham wants to see more participation B from student athletes at eachother’s games.

The rules of the competition are simple: The

teams that attend other teams’ winter sporting events the most this season will get to design their team’s uniforms for next school year.

Leadership created this competition to address low student attendance at sports events during these seasons, especially at sports such as girls soccer, a historically low-attendance sport.

Boys soccer kicked off the attendance competition between sports teams from the winter and spring seasons.The girls soccer team looked up as the boys soccer team stormed the bleachers, cheering them on as they worked through their 15th game of the season against Pioneer.

“I’ve noticed that not a lot of people go to like the girls soccer games or the badminton games,” says senior Angel Avalos, who plays for the var-

sity boys soccer team. “We just felt that everyone should have people cheering them on.”

Leadership uses an ID card scanner at sporting events to track the number of athletes that come for a designated sporting event during the winter and spring seasons.

According to Athletics Director Landon Jacobs, the new program just began during the winter sports season and is still working through preliminary hiccups.

“They’re still trying to figure out the best way to incentivize it and what prize they’re going to come up with,” Jacobs said. “The idea behind it is just to get more athletes supporting each other by going to their different games.”

Members of the baseball program often show their support to the boys basketball team by regularly attending their home games. Senior Henry Wright, a varsity football, basketball and baseball player believes being supported by other athletes serves as a confidence booster.

“That little bit of extra confidence is what makes each individual player and the game as a whole better while also raises the competition factor,” Wright said. “Because you want to win for your team as well as your own crowd.”

While the competition is still in the works, it is achieving its goal of boosting student attendance at games. So far, football is in the lead with 21 recorded attendees at girls soccer, baseball and wrestling. Boys soccers is right behind them with 19 attendees at Boys basketball and girls soccer, and Baseball is in third place with 14 total attendees.

“Having a lot of people supporting you at your game is definitely a game-changer,” said senior Jonathan Vo, a varsity boys basketball and volleyball player. “When you have a huge crowd, the whole team feeds off the energy.

“Being student-athletes at Branham, we are all a part of one big family,” he continued, “so we should support each other.”

Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness Crowds cheer on the football team in September.

Leadership has started a contest to increase attendance to winter and spring sports.

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM Animators often make salaries from $60,000 to $150,00 working on projects from video games to feature films.

Mini Reviews

A scene from senior Kirsten DeMarquez’s animated short. Students from SVCTE have a chance to submit their shorts the Teen Animation Festival International this March.

Bite-sized opinions

Song “7 Rings” Ariana Grande What it is: The new single highlights Grande’s ability to get anything she wants because of her money and fame. the band dazzled the crowd at SAP Center.

Disliked: The song is slow for an aggressive song, and nothing she says in the song stands out, similar to the other disappointing, lackluster singles she has recently released.

Liked: The song is stylistically different from her other recent singles, signaling a variety on her just-released album.

— Ryan McCarthy Album “Icarus Falls” Zayn What it is: This is Zayn’s second studio album after he left One Direction in 2015.

The album features artists such as Nicki Minaj and Timbaland..

Disliked: The album contains 27 songs, so you lose interest in the music if you don’t like some of the songs Liked: Zayn gets in touch with his emotions. You can enter inside his mind with some of the songs that he writes. He breaks toxic masculinity by being vulnerable in his music. His voice throughout the album matches the tone.

— Julia Marques da Silva Movie “On the Basis of Sex” Directed by Mimi Leder What it is: The movie follows Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg from her education Felicity at Harvard Jones as and Colum- Ruth Bader bia through Ginsburg her early Focus Features career as a professor and lawyer.

Disliked: A few characters felt underdeveloped, namely Charles Moritz, the man who was represented by Ginsburg and her husband. His lawsuit was pivotal to the story, but he never got a strong background or conclusion.

Liked: Felicity Jones’ portrayal of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is sympathetic and inspiring. She manages to portray a variety of important lessons without ever becoming overbearing.

— Renee Owens

Wikimedia Commons

Plants Succulents Created by nature What it is: Succulents are plants that retain lots of water and are typically found in extreme climates.

Disliked: They have the surviving probability of an iPhone. They either need a timer for when they need to be watered, moved around during certain daylight times, or have a specific soil then STILL DIE. Or it’s obviously dead but then gets some rain water and immediately springs to life.

Liked: The aesthetic of some plump plant brings me life.

— Jessica Berton

Screen grab from YouTube

Explaining animation: The technique and art of moving pictures Animation students at SVCTE don’t start out animating. They actually start with smaller projects before animating even a clip as long as 30 seconds. Students at the beginning of the year start with figure studies and basic sketches to understand the movement of objects and people.

These studies aren’t done digitally, either, as students are usually asked to bring a

sketchbook with them. Once students learn the basics of their animation programs, they then start with C-turns using traditional animation, the process of drawing each frame by frame, is more time consuming, and not as smooth as tweening animation The animation process is long and can take up most of the project’s time.

— Written and illustrated by Caitlyn Schlaman

Character turns Also called c-turns, this sketching process is used to flesh out a drawn character. The artist draws a certain character from different angles, and this sketch can be used to animate the character moving around.

24 frames per second Most films and animations use this principle, as it is believed to be the optimal frame rate. It all goes back to the illusion of motion, as the brain needs at least 16 frames per second to fill in what the action presented is. Early filmmakers wanted the standard frame rates to be at 46 frames per second, but celluloid film was too expensive.

Key frames

Tweening Also called inbetweening, this animation process is the most popular process today, as computer animation dominates hand drawn. Most animated television shows use this process, and even films. Tweening gets its name from the fact that the animator only draws keyframes to give the illusion that the first image smoothly transitions to the next.

Storyboarding This process is used to outline whole films. The storyboarding process in animation includes quality drawings of the setting, characters, the mood of the scene, and overall story. Storyboards can be over 100 pages for certain films.

Sound mixing After the storyboarding process, voice recording and sound mixing begins. These help animators provide accurate lip movement.

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Why animation moves them Students at SVCTE working on animated short for upcoming international festival JESSICA BERTON Staff Writer

ranham offers art classes on campus, including B 2D and 3D art as well as photography. For those who want an extra step, taking an off-campus anima-

tion class at Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) is a free option.

Students taking these classes are currently learning the process of creating an animated short. They are given animation programs such as Adobe Animate. Currently, they are working on projects to be due in March for the Teen Animation Festival International (TAFI).

Though the animation is short, ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, the process of making the film is actually quite lengthy. These projects can take students up to eight weeks to complete.

The full process of creating an animation is broken down into stages.

The first step is storyboarding, or laying out what happens, and scripting. This can take weeks to do because of revisions and editing.

After the storyboard is completed, the voice acting and sound recording is needed before animating in order for the lips to move with the words smoothly.

Then they have to animate every frame, possibly 24 frames in a second. In one instance at SVCTE, a student recently brought a bagpipe to record background music.

“You have to make every single scene, every single cut,” said senior Kirsten DeMarquez. “You go back and revise that...that’s when you start going into animation to create backgrounds, characters, the music.”

In order to create these productions proper tools need to be used. These include a Windows Touchscreen monitor and a Wacom tablet to illustrate, but there are more unconventional ways to do it.

Senior Kyra Bouchereau got into animation through

the Nintendo DSi handheld gaming console, which had a program called Flipnote.

“That’s why I got into (animation),” said senior Kyra Bouchereau. “It’s really fun. It’s stressful, but at the same time relaxing because (of ) the end product.”

Even though animation can be stressful and labor intensive, these students enjoy what they do. Animators often make salaries from $60,000 to $150,000 in animating video games, advertisements and films.

“I’ve just always been intrigued by the process of making an animated movie,” said DeMarquez. “I decided that I want to try and then decided that I liked it. My dream job is to work as [an] animator one day whether it’s at Pixar or another studio.”

One’s passion for animation can also stem from their adoration for drawing.

“I’ve always liked drawing,” said senior Emily Pacini-Carlin. “It’s one of those things I’ve always wanted (to do).”

Band finds harmony with new director JULOIA MARQUES DA SILVA Design Director

and students are resilient. Despite B experiencing a rough start to the school year where they were without a

music director, their spring semester is starting on a positive note.

They’ve been working with Chris Nalls, a veteran of the Bay Area music scene, and in January successfully wrapped up their Winter Concerts.

Nalls’ hiring brought a sense of certainty after students worked with a string of substitute teachers with no music experience.

Sophomore Mia Janosik, one of Symphonic Band’s student leaders, is excited with the direction that Nalls was taking the class.

“I finally had hope that band was going to be heading in the right direction,” she said.

Nalls has continued the band program’s diverse offerings, from Concert, Symphonic and Wind Ensemble, started by Diane Wyant, which made for an easy transition.

“We all knew what we wanted to get done, and we just did it,” Nalls said.

Students were able to plan for concerts more efficiently with his aid and created a successful year with the turbulent start.

Many students are starting to feel more confident with their new band director.

Senior Lauryn Ping, who is in Wind Ensemble and the marching band, appreciates that he encourages student voices, something that Wyant also promoted.

“He‘s a huge proponent of getting student input and allowing students to take leadership roles,” Ping said. “I’m glad he’s continued and expanded on that.”

Nalls transitioned from his job at Oak Grove High School, but also has prior

Greg Chow/Special to Bear Witness Chris Nalls, the new band director, at the first of two Winter Concerts in January.

experience with the music program here.

During his high school years, he wrote the marching band show. A decade ago, with Wyant, Nalls helped re-establish the marching band.

After seeing the success that students had with leading the class, Nalls said he plans to give more opportunities to music students in order for them to stay engaged in the class. Some of these opportunities include leading an ensemble or putting together a concert.

“Mr. Nalls is taking it in a really good direction,” Janosik said. “People will find a renewed love for music and find a variety of opportunities to be more involved in the program.”

Nalls said that he looks forward to expanding the program, as well as allowing students to pursue their passion for music throughout high school.

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Heartbroken: Necco, the company behind the chalky candy hearts, has gone out of business, ceasing production of the sweets.

ARTS CALENDAR

mood “Lovesong,” by The Cure Mood: Wholesome Situation: Perfect to send to your special someone to show them that you care and that you love goth rock.

“Loving is Easy,” by Rex Orange County (feat. Benny Sings) Mood: Light and fun Situation: A good one to listen to once you catch feelings for someone.

“Doubt” by Hippo Campus Mood: Happy, content, bittersweet Situation: Good for when you’re in love with someone, despite how flawed they are.

“Lovecaught,” by The Ceremonies Mood: Upbeat, lovey-dovey Situation: Best for when you are falling in love with someone, and/or are infatuated with them.

“I’m Still Standing,” by Elton John Mood: Bittersweet and upbeat Situation: This song is a great pick-meup after a hard breakup, or really any time you’re feeling down.

“Style,” by Taylor Swift Mood: Happy Situation: Best for people in long-term relationships.

Facebook First Fridays What is it: Every first Friday of the month Facebook will be offering admission to the San Jose Museum of Art for free from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for all exhibits.

Current exhibitions include “Dinh Q. Lè: True Journey is Return” and “Other Walks: Gabriel Orozco,” among others.

When: Every first Friday of the month Where: 110 S Market St, San Jose

“How You Get the Girl,” by Taylor Swift Mood: When you want your ex back Situation: Good for when you’re sitting and imagining what could be.

Bear Witness staff graphic

“I Don’t Want to be in Love,” by Good Charlotte Mood: Upbeat Situation: For when you are single and loving it.

GET in THE

ART Natural Dye Workshop with Lisa Solomon What it is: A beginners introduction to using natural ingredients to dye fabrics with different patterns and motifs. Limited sports are available, so sign up ahead of time with the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles.

When: March 28 Where: 520 S 1st St, San Jose

“What Makes You Beautiful,” by One Direction Mood: Confidence Situation: A good number for when you are professing your love for someone.

Wikimedia Commons

It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air, or at least on the airwaves. Whether you’re deep in love, wishing you were, or glad that you’re alone, the Bear Witness has you covered. We have suggestions for most feelings, amorous or otherwise. So fire up your streaming service and fall in love — with music.

Acoustic night turns up the tunes Sarah Sabawi/Bear Witness Sophomore Lola Anderson performs her version of “Figures” by Jessie Reyes at Friday’s Acoustic Night performance.

More than a dozen acts came on stage at the PAC on Friday to an enthusiastic audience, playing an eclectic pre-Valentine’s Day mix, from hip-hop to piano ballads, breakup songs to make-up songs. We asked some performers why they chose the songs that they covered.

Rebecca Young, junior Covered: “When I Look at You,” by Miley Cyrus “I really connect with the words. I like what it’s saying and I like the melody.”

mood “Make Up,” by Ariana Grande Mood: Raw passion Situation: This song would be a good one for when you are setting differences with a significant other.

“Have Some Love,” by Childish Gambino Moody; Groovy love Situation: For the moments that you want your romance with a beat.

“Let Me Love You,” by Ariana Grande Mood: Passionate Situation: This song would be great for a single night with someone.

“All of Me,” John Legend Mood: Candlelight dinner Situation: All of John Legend’s songs are pretty romantic. You can’t go wrong.

“Eternal Flame ,” The Bangles Mood: Sappy love Situation: This song would be a good one for a new couple confessing their obsessive love for each other.

“Love,” by Kendrick Lamar, feat. Zacari Mood: Realistic, but romantic Situation: This is for a warts-and-all type of love.

“Gary’s Song,” by Mark “Stew” Stewart Mood: Depressing, longing, regretful Situation: Perfectly describes when your friend or loved one you’ve been with for what seems like an eternity realizes that they could do better than you.

Annalise Freimarck/Bear Witness

Rose Gipstein, senior Covered: “Your Dog,” by Soccer Mommy “It’s her ‘you’re going to be okay’ song. It’s more about being independent from a toxic relationship. It’s like she felt like she was choking on the guy’s “leash”. ... She doesn’t want to be submissive to him or anyone else. And I chose it because I don’t let anyone control me and I don’t like love.”

Sample lyrics I don’t wanna be your f****** dog Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness That you drag around A collar on my neck tied to a pole Leave me in the freezing cold

mood “I Will Remember You,” by Sarah McLachlan Mood: Punishingly sad Situation: This is the perfect song for when you’re alone in your room on Valentine’s Day eating cookie dough out of the container.

Sample lyrics: When I look at you, I see forgiveness I see the truth You love me for who I am Like the stars hold the moon Right there where they belong And I know I’m not alone

“Love is a Battlefield,” by Pat Benatar Mood: When love is tough Situation: When you and your boo are facing obstacles in your relationship.

Song: Total Eclipse of the Heart Artist: Bonnie Tyler Mood: Heartbreak and loneliness Situation: This song is a good one for when you want to pretend you’re going through a breakup but you don’t have the courage to be in a real relationship.

— Compiled by staff

Milo Ford, senior, drummer for PasteFace Covered: “Whatsername,.” by Green Day “It’s the sort of love song that’s is melancholy and it reminds you of what could have been. You know it’s like you loved her once and now you’re separated but you remember the times you two had fondly.”

Sample lyrics She went away and then I took a different path I remember the face But I can’t recall the name Sarah Sabawi/Bear Witness Now I wonder how whatsername has been — Shlok Gore

MOVIES Cinequest Cinequest marks its 29th year with more than 600 events spread across the Bay Area. The theme of the annual film and arts festival is The Unexpected - how the benefits of movies and technology helps us in surprising ways. The event also will film “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” from director Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame, and starts Adam Driver (“Star Wars”).

When: Marc 5-17 Where: San Jose and Redwood City MUSIC “Cats” What it is: The musical Cats, the fourth longest-running musical, is coming to Broadway San Jose.

The musical tells the story of the Jellicles, a tribe of cats who must decide by the end of the night which of their kind can come back to a new life.

When: March 8 Where: Center for Performing Arts in San Jose Cost: $43-$153 Winter Fest What it is: Around San Jose, a variety of artists perform a wide array of music including blues, Latin and jazz. Artists performing include Aaron Diehl in a solo performance, Mingus collaborator Charles McPherson and powerful vocalist Catherine Russell. For the full-line up and the chance to grab tickets at the different venues, go to the San Jose Jazz website. Last year tickets sold out due to limited space from intimate venues.

When: Feb. 14-27 Where: Array of local venues Cost: $15-35 AROUND TOWN Lunafest Women’s film festival What it is: This film festival is intended to show off the directorial talents of women in the film industry, giving female directors room to tell their story. The event features award-winning short film.

Proceeds from the night go to the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, Sempervirens Fund and the SJWC Charitable Giving Program.

When: March 22 Where: San Jose Women’s Club Cost: $50 regular, $20 student Lunar New Year celebration What it is: This parade is the largest Lunar New Year celebration outside of Asia, inside the famous San Francisco Chinatown. The parade will feature over 100 different groups, as well as a 288 foot long dragon.

When: Feb. 23 Where: 2nd and Market St, San Francisco — Compiled by staff

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THE BACK PAGE

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

Vietnamese and Chinese cultures discourage people to clean their homes for a few days after the New Year. Doing so “sweeps” out the good luck.

Chúc mừng năm mới • 新年快樂

MAKE ROOM FOR

PiG

Western living streamlines Lunar New Year traditions

JAZZY NGUYEN AND SARAH SABAWI Staff Writers

I

t’s the Year of the Pig, which began Feb. 5, and Asians are partying like it’s the year 4717.

Lunar New Year celebrations are thousands of years old, and many take part in old traditions that date back before the Gregorian calendar to ensure luck for the coming year. However, in the Bay Area, celebrants have to adjust by cutting time short for traditions, making it harder to celebrate the new year in an entirely traditional sense.

Most Asian countries will have days, weeks or even a month off in order to prepare for and participate in the holiday’s many traditions. But in America, days off are not provided, making it difficult for Asian-Americans to enjoy these activities fully and as originally intended.

Mandarin teacher Linda Chen has noticed the main difference in celebrating the lunar new year in China and the U.S. is the time.

“We can only get together for maybe four hours from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and then we have to get ready for work the next day,” Chen says. According to her, the lack of days off makes celebrating the holiday shorter and more rushed.

Most families in the U.S. utilize their time during the weekend or take time off during the week in order to celebrate the holiday. They might go to temple or attend various celebrations held in cities nearby, such as San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Parade. However, certain traditions remain similar between Asian countries and the Bay Area.

One important bridge between the way the new year is celebrated in Asia and in the U.S. is food.

“We have to eat dumplings. We have fish and all kinds of meat and vegetables,” says freshman Ella Wang. In Chinese culture, fish represents prosperity and good luck.

Tết,” or eat Tết. Bánh chưng and bánh tét are also dishes served specifically for the holiday and the process of wrapping sticky rice and bean filling with dong leaves can take days.

After dinner, children often engage in traditional games and gambling. One such popular Vietnamese game is called Bầu cua cá cọp.

“All the children get some quarters,” said freshman Denise Le, “and we bet and play the game and end up getting a bit more money.”

People gamble away their lucky money with this simple game.

In this game, a board and die with corresponding pictures of a fish, a prawn, a crab, a rooster, a gourd and a stag are used. Players bet what item the die will roll and profit if their guesses are correct.

In Asia, popular Lunar New Year activities also include praying at temples and attending festivals.

“In Vietnam, they would set off a lot of firecrackers and there’d be huge parades on the streets. It was like, a source of entertainment back then,” recalls Le. “It lasted seven days.”

Those who participate in the holiday wear new red and gold clothes at this time, both in Asia and America. The colors red and gold symbolize happiness and luck, and buying new clothes symbolizes a fresh start for the new year.

There is another trademark of Lunar New Year that everybody can partake in: red envelopes. Usually containing money, these envelopes are given as gifts from the grandparents to the children of the family and represent good fortune.

Greeting elders is a common practice in order for children to receive lucky money.

Dumplings

Nian giao, a rice flour cake

Fish, for prosperity

Other foods that Chinese people eat during the lunar new year include Nian gao, a glutinous rice flour cake most commonly eaten for the New Year, and lo bak go, or turnip cake, which is a type of dim sum made of shredded radish and rice flour.

In Vietnam, pork, duck and noodles are served. For Vietnamese lunar new year, also called Tet, food is important part of the celebration because to celebrate is to “ăn

“My mom and dad will sit somewhere. All the grandkids will bow to them and say ‘Congratulations for the new year, give me the red envelope’, and there’s money inside,” says Chen. “So after the meal, the grandparents will sit there and wait for the kids to bow and then give money out.”

Illustrations by Jessica Berton

VIETNAMESE SUPERSTITIONS DURING LUNAR NEW YEAR

The first person to walk into your home on New Year’s Day will either bring you luck or misfortune.

Because of this, many arrange rich or lucky people to visit them. If you weren’t invited, avoid visiting people in the morning the first day.

How you live the day will be a model of how you live the year.

A change into a positive attitude allows you to have a different outlook into how you react and interact with conflicts in life.

Cleaning your house for the first three days after New Years will clean out the luck.

Many houses put up decorations that have symbols of luck and happiness. By removing these decorations, you are getting rid of the luck brought by the symbols.

Don’t swear, fight, or cry on New Years Day or else it will bring bad luck for the rest of the year.

Similar to a previous superstition, this one will allow you conscious think about breaking habits that will improve the way you react to situations.

CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS FOR LUNAR NEW YEAR

Don’t wear white or black during the Lunar New Year.

Most people typically wear red and gold for clothing since those are considered really lucky colors. But black and white are typically saved for other occasions that aren’t related to the new years.

Avoid negative words to ensure a smooth path into the new year.

These include talk of death, being poor, in pain, etc.

Don’t break ceramics or glass.

It will break your connection to prosperity and fortune.

Don’t clean or sweep on the day of the new year and some time afterwards or you will sweep out the luck; however, cleaning in the days leading up to new year is good luck.

Avoid borrowing money from other people.

Doing this signifies that you will be poor for the rest of the year.

Don’t use sharp objects such as knives and scissors on the first day of the year.

This is believed to cut the streams of success and wealth in the future. It is also meant to give people, specifically women, a break to join in the celebrations

— Sarah Sabawi, Jazzy Nguyen and Julia Marques da Silva