Bear Witness - October 3, 2017

FIRST AMENDMENT, MEET BRANHAM

SCIENCE & TECH Catch up on the science behind student sleep

Pg. 8,9

BEAR

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WITNESS BRANHAM HIGH SCHOOL

OCTOBER 3, 2017

ARIA CHIMALAMARRI | 1996-2017

“Harlem”

DREAMERS DEFERRED DACA participants in California

91.4%

44.9%

are in school

78 percent of DACA recipients came from Mexico.

are employed

$11.6 billion

Projected loss in California’s gross domestic product if DACA individuals lost their work permits

10 percent

of employees in California are undocumented workers.

9,400

200,000 of the nearly 800,000 DACA recipients live in California. In the figure (right) each person represents approximately 1,600 individuals.

population of DACA recipients in areas surrounding Branham

$495

cost to renew DACA membership

District services offer answers amid confusion of a DACA repeal ANNALISE FREIMARCK News Editor

he district has launched an informational campaign to ensure that students affected by President Donald Trump’s planned removal of DACA are legally safe from its effects.

DACA, a policy to help children of illegal immigrants gain protection within the U.S, is under threat of being redacted unless Congress takes action. DACA was first implemented as a policy through an executive decision by then President Barack Obama to protect children of illegal immigrants by allowing them to gain access to jobs and education.

This group of students are often referred to as Dreamers, and include those between 15-31 years old when they enrolled in the program. Branham and its surrounding community have approximately 9,400 Dreamers.

To address the potential confusion regarding the Dreamers’ status under DACA, Superintendent Robert Bravo in an email encouraged students to attend a DACA renewal clinic hosted by the city of San Jose. The Oct. 5 deadline for the two-year renewal is for those who have work permits expiring in March 2018.

Branham is also providing sources of financial aid, as a renewal of DACA will cost $495, along with information on scholarships if money is an issue.

On paper, DACA has five months to be reviewed by Con-

Sources: Migration Policy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

SEE DACA • PAGE 6 Campus roundups..........................2 Editorial..........................................4

Julia Kolman/Bear Witness

Understanding DACA What is DACA? To qualify for DACA one must be under 31 years old, have immigrated when you were under 15, entered the U.S. illegally, enrolled in high school or have a GED or have been honorably discharged from the armed forces, and have no felonies or misdemeanors.

Opinion Board................................5 Science and Technology..................7

Science and tech briefs...................7 Spread.........................................8-9

@bhsbearwitness BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

UNCERTAINTY FOR DACA PARTICIPANTS IN DISTRICT What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Langston Hughes

INSIDE

A look into field hockey technique

The limitations and exercise of high school free speech

Pg. 5

T

SMOOTH MOVES

SPORTS

Can you work under DACA? Yes, but only if you submitted your Employment Application Document, or EAD. Are DACA recipients eligible for financial aid?

DACA recipients are not eligible for federal financial aid but are eligible for state and college issued aid.

Student Life.............................10-11 Sports......................................12-13

Former student a bright spot in teachers’ lives ANNALISE FREIMARCK Staff Writer

SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Dressed in colorful garb, friends, family and teachers celebrated the life of Aria Chimalarri, a 2014 Branham graduate who passed away Sept. 20 from a terminal brain cancer.

At her memorial Sept.

24, they were unwilling to let grief shadow what they knew Aria would have wanted.

Guests of the memorial were asked by her family Aria to wear vibrantly colored Chimalamarri clothing to honor Aria’s Class of 2014 wishes and her unforget- The former student table spirit. When first suffered from a walking into the mortuary terminal form of where the memorial took brain cancer. place, Aria’s beautiful artwork hung on the walls and some of her favorite songs were playing, while the vivid colors of the clothes and the decor symbolized all of the love that Aria had inspired in others.

At the memorial, which was open to the public, teachers spoke about how they had been touched by Aria in her career at Branham, along with family and friends. Every guest relished in the memories and overall feeling of Aria, a presence that was apparent as soon as one entered the room.

Her family said Aria had an aura around her that encompassed a special kind of energy that was readily apparent wherever she was, despite her being ill. Her impact was exuded in the power and feeling of the memorial, where the memories were tangible in the words that were spoken in her honor.

When Aria was a student at Branham, her teachers and family said that she created a world of inspiration around everyone she came into contact with, and she especially impacted the teachers she had.

Leanne Haghighi, Aria’s teacher and case manager at Branham, and has kept in touch with the family since her graduation.

Haghighi said that Aria inspired her “to make the best of any situation and persevere through the rough times.” She said that no matter what Aria was going through with her health or other stresses, she remained positive.

Eileen Bertron, who had Aria for her 3D design class, said that Aria “had this sparkle in her eyes”, reflecting Bertron’s impression surrounding Aria, that “she had a way of being so positive” and this made others positive.

Her zeal for life even carried with her into the classroom, although she fought cancer on a daily basis.

“Aria was, and will always, in my eyes, be considered the epitome of a warrior and a fighter,” said Lisa Pimental, Aria’s photography teacher.

“The presence she carried was pure joy - for life, for music, for art, for Drake,” she continued. “And because of her beautiful smile, it was a joy that was hard to ignore.”

Bear Witness up for national honor The Bear Witness was among 49 student papers nationwide to be finalists for the National Student Press Association’s Pacemaker, considered the highest honor for high school publications. This is the first time that a school in the district has received this distinction.

The Bear Witness is Bear Witness archives also a finalist in frontpage design, and senior Catherine Monroy is a finalist for her editorial cartoon.

Sports roundups...........................14 Arts and entertainment...........14-15

Entertainment reviews.................14 The Back Page...............................16

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BEAR WITNESS

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OCTOBER 3, 2017 |

NEWS

“I think that if people got to choose where their locker was, they would use it more.”

Eliana Bowser, sophomore, on Branham’s new locker policies

Campus Roundups

donate through websites, send canned/dried food, or simply raise awareness.

SAT course at Branham sells out

-youcaring.com -gofundme.com/raise-funds/mexico-earthquake -redcross.org -ghcf.org/hurricane-relief/

Branham is hosting a series of SAT prep classes. There are a total of six meetup dates, the first being October 9th and last date on the 30th. The courses were sold at $135 per student, but quickly sold out due to the low prices and high demand. Several teachers are uniting to teach the different portions of the test.

How to help disaster victims

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

There have been many natural disasters and many lives have been affected. People have lost their homes, savings, and feel helpless. There are many things that the students, that we could do to aid the affected people. We could

Websites to donate

Dig Pink Week coming up

Branham’s annual Dig Pink week begins October 2nd, and will carry on to October 6th.

Dig Pink shirts and stickers are being sold in the student store; shirts are $15 with an ASB card, or $17 without, while stickers are $2.

Some of the weeks activities include a scavenger hunt and the traditional Color Run.

District board backs DACA

In light of President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke DACA by March, the CUHSD school board passed a resolution to continue welcoming all students. The district is encouraging other school districts to do the same in solidarity as a message to lawmakers.

for the National Merit Scholarship: Kunal Dutta, Jack A. Irish, Yookyeong Kim, and Andrew Lenz. This scholarship is to honor academically talented students and to support their education, which help them get further in their career path. The students who got this scholarship will be announced in April, May, and June of 2018.

School faculty get raises

IDs scanned for food purchases

Teachers and faculty are due for a 2 percent increase, to be reflected in their October paycheck. The decision came after months of negotiation between teachers union representives and the district office.

Four are National Merit finalists

This year, four Branham students qualified

The cafeteria will now be scanning your ID cards when you go to purchase your food.

Students will still be able to use their pin numbers for the next few weeks, however ID cards are strongly encouraged.

— Compiled by Shams Mohammed and Jocelyn Pierce

Students asked to share lockers

Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness

Roger Fleming, husband of Bookroom Secretary Susie Fleming, has volunteered to help the school clean out lockers. There are hundreds of unclaimed lockers.

AARON DEANS Staff Writer

ith 1,741 students packed W into Branham, some changes have been made regard-

Caitlyn Schlaman/ Special to the Bear Witness

Branham bridging the fluency gap

Bilingual emails and in-home visits help non-English speaking parents ANASTASIA LANGNER Copy Editor

o keep Spanish-speaking parents T in the loop about their children’s performance in school, Branham staff

are taking extra steps to ensure relevant translation of student events.

This starts with the weekly bilingual email updates that Principal Cheryl Lawton writes to parents. Staffer Alma Cisneros-Iberri has been rewriting the documents in Spanish.

Spanish teacher Damian Fragano makes one-on-one meetings with parents a top priority to keep kids focused on grades and graduation. He points to a gap in English proficiency that makes

Bear Witness Editor-in-Chief Julia Kolman Managing Editor Michaela Edlin Production Editor Rosalie Gonzalez

it difficult for students to share relevant information if their parents are not English speakers.

“Kids aren’t sure of what information to provide to parents,” Fragano said. “[The language barrier] causes students to be unsure of what to inform.”

Branham also hosts monthly meetings with a group of parents called the English Learner Advisory Committee.

Despite these efforts, some parents remain out of the loop, either because they lack access to technology or are unaware of these outreach efforts.

Junior Jackelyn Gonzalez Arciniega attests to these conflicts.

“I am the one to usually communicate with them about what events and ac-

tivities I’m doing,” Arciniega said. “If I don’t know about something or do not take part in an event, then they [my parents] don’t know what’s going on at school.”

Accompanying these issues of language are cultural, economic and social gaps that are daunting to cross for parents and students alike, especially those who struggle with English. Spanish teacher Leticia Molina suggests that the larger issue facing parents is understanding the education system.

“They [some parents] don’t understand how the education system works,” Molina said. “They don’t feel they can approach authority.”

Editors News: Annalise Freimarck Opinion: Julianne Alvares Science and Technology: Taylor Susewitz Student Life: Atticus Ahearn Sports: Ryan McCarthy Entertainment: Jocelyn Pierce Copy: Anastasia Langner, Mahta Delshad Online: Sydney Uyeda Photography: Bianca Medina

ing locker use. Students are now encouraged to share the same lockers and give out their combinations.

According to Bookroom Secretary Susie Fleming, school officials foresaw that lockers would be an issue as the population grew. Two wings that stored hundreds of lockers are scheduled to be demolished to make way for new buildings, exacerbating the situation.

“With a significant increase in annual student population over the last three years and a significant reduction in the overall number of usable lockers through deterioration, breakage, and upcoming demolition for new construction, it seemed possible that there may not be enough lockers available to be assigned to each student who might need one,” Ms. Fleming said.

Despite all this, overcrowding hasn’t turned out to be an issue.

“A thorough physical review of the usable, unassigned locker units on campus has revealed that there are enough available to the approximately 275 students who have requested a need for a locker for this school year,” Fleming said.

Only about 580 lockers are currently assigned, and over 100 are being shared by multiple students.

While sharing lockers helps to

Staff Writers Aaron Deans, Azura Gutierrez, Catherine Monroy, Julia Marques Da Silva, Matthew Follo, Omar Ababneh, Shams Mohammed, Shlok Gore, Uzordinma Awuzie 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.

free up other lockers for use, it does present a security issue, said sophomore Lauren Clift.

“A pro of sharing lockers is that since some people don’t even use their locker all that often, if two people can share, then it saves lockers for other people that need it,” Lauren said. “[However], someone could break into your locker more easily, and take your stuff.”

Principal Cheryl Lawton said she believes that a lot of students check out lockers and never use them.

“I would say at least 70 percent of them are not even being used,” Lawton said. “I’ve talked to students who said, ‘I have a locker, but I don’t remember where it is, I don’t remember what my combination is, I just know I got one.’ So we’re finding that people don’t actually need them.”

One factor of how much students use their locker is location.

Sophomore Anna Ha uses her locker only occasionally because it’s in an inconvenient place, and she doesn’t have time to stop by it between classes.

“I have math first period, but then I have zero period Spanish,” Ha said. “And if I leave… my math textbook in the locker, then I won’t have time to get to that class.”

Sophomore Eliana Bower agreed that location does contribute to locker use.

“I think that if people got to choose where their locker was,” she said, “they would use it more.”

Contact Us Instagram: @bhsbearwitness Twitter: @bhsbearwitness Facebook: facebook Website: www.bhsbearwitness.com Phone: (408) 626-3407 Email: bhs_journalism@yahoo.com

BEAR WITNESS

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OCTOBER 3, 2017 |

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

NEWS

"I should be the person who decides to take action.”

Senior Romina Iranmanesh, on challenging the dress code via petition.

District OKs final renovation plans

Two- story concrete buildings

Earthquake retrofitted 8 .

7 $4 56.7 n on buildings $ i l l i io m mill

New aquatic center

TAYLOR SUSEWITZ

Science and Tech Editor

he newly enforced dress code has had evT eryone chattering this past month. Should you return that brand new off-the-shoulder top?

What about the T-shirt that shows an inch of your stomach?

One student decided that there was an issue with a few of these rules and took action instead of observing from the sidelines. Senior Romina Iranmanesh, created a petition against the dress code, particularly targeting the standards regarding off-the-shoulder tops and cropped t-shirts.

“A lot of people were complaining about the ‘new’ dress code,” Iranmanesh said. “And I felt like instead of being part of the people who complained, I should be the person who decides to take action.”

She clarified her knowledge of Branham being one of the most lenient schools concerning dress codes as well, before saying, “off the shoulder tops and a millimeter of visible stomach should not be things that girls should get punished for."

Some students are also in fact against the dress code and have ideas of their own. When asked her feelings towards the petition and the enforced dress code, junior Riya Kapoor appeared defensive of girls and the rules that might apply to them specifically.

“Girls specifically have always had a way of dressing, and that’s never been a problem for Branham in recent years,” Kapoor said. “I don’t understand why all of a sudden it’s being enforced."

On the other hand, administrator Lisa Martin says that the rules have only changed in the slightest, and that the only slight change is that there must be straps. They’ve put the strap size aside, and essentially laid out that all in all, there must be straps.

“Actually the change was that we don’t even care about what kind of strap it is,” Martin said. “It’s actually a bit more lenient."

Controversial dress code regulations Not allowedShort shorts/skirts Tops that expose midriff Low-cut tops, specifically off the shoulder tops Non-controversial regulations Not allowedJewelry with spikes or studs Sagging pants that expose underwear Hats worn indoors Clothing with sexual or violent connotation Gang-related insignias or colors

— Branham Parent-Student Handbook­

SYDNEY UYEDA Online Editor

wenty-first century furniT ture, new scoreboards, and two-story, state-of-the art build-

ings: that’s what’s in store for Branham’s new campus, thanks to the AA Bond. The measure gave Branham $60 million out of 275 million allocated to the district, for much-needed renovations and buildings.

“We haven’t been renovated in years so now we finally get the chance to,” said Principal Cheryl Lawton.

The plans detail a plethora of new ideas, including “21st century furniture.” This includes white board walls with interactive whiteboards, more portable furniture, chairs not attached to the desks so students may get up and move. This is similar to what students can find in the new portable rooms. The point of the new furniture is for students to get more of a hands-on approach when it comes to their learning.

“The science rooms will have new things so they can conduct their experiments in the newer classrooms,” Lawton said.

The plans also include renovations to the sports facilities. The softball dugout is getting redone, along with it’s shed. The pool, which has already gone through some renovations, is expected to be replaced along with the equipment. All of the Branham scoreboards are to be replaced, and the press box is going to be redone with easier accesiblity.

$3 m .4 illi on

Dress code stays despite petition

School gets bulk of renovation funds

A concern for students was how up to code the safety systems were at Branham. Those will be getting replaced as well. A new fire alarm system will be installed, along with increased lighting around the campus and additional security cameras. An emergency notification system will also be placed on campus.

Along with new safety systems, Branham will be upgrading the PAC and the bathrooms around campus.

The two-story classroom buildings will replace the former math and science wings as well as the library. Those are set to be demolished next month.

According to Lawton, the new construction will be two-story.

Branham will be building up so they can maximize the little space they have for renovations. That way we can build up and have more space.” These new two story buildings will be located where the library and old science rooms are currently.

Lawton also said that the two-story classrooms will most likely hold PLTW (Project Lead the Way) engineering and science labs.

According to PreFast, the company in charge of putting up the prefabricated buildings, the new Branham will also include better internet connections, projectors, Smart Boards, and more “data service points” for computers.

The construction is expected to be completed by 2019.

College reps offer glimpse of life after high school

Bianca Medina/Bear Witness Ryan Kelly, a representative from the University of Colorado Boulder, explains the possible opportunities that students could benefit from if they chose to attend or explore his university as an option for their future and career.

BIANCA MEDINA Photo Editor

ranham’s College and Career B Center has been bursting with visits from colleges all over the coun-

try, including professor Ryan Kelly’s visit as a representative of the University of Colorado Boulder on Sept.

19 during tutorial.

Mentioned on the announcements as well as the school website, about 15 students arrived on Tuesday, varying from mostly juniors and a few seniors.

“I noticed as time goes on, more and more students show up to these presentations,” College and Career specialist Patricia Perez said. “Today’s 15 was actually an unexpected large amount considering it was an out of state school (which have smaller amount of students compared to

UC and private schools). UCLA had about 40 students.”

Students affirmed that the presentations were helpful to open options up about their future.

“Yes, these presentations are helpful because they help you think about your future and the possible options you have,” said junior Aubrey Tibbils “You get direct information from the professors of that school,” added her friend Monique Lopez, another junior. “I learned a bunch of information on how to apply and overall how to be as a person and how that may affect your chances.”

The effectiveness of these presentations vary. They help the students who have no clue on where their future’s going by giving them options, and help the people who are informed by considering the benefits

and drawbacks of each college that visits.

“It guides the students to make an informed decision for themselves,” said Lopez.

Students not only get information, but they also make an impression on college representatives.

“I specifically came to the meeting for the University of Colorado because I already know I want to get into this school,” said Benjamin Sagar, a senior. “I wanted to make an impression on the professor by asking him questions and showing my interest.”

A majority of these young students do not know what path they want to take in life or how to get on the path. “‘You don’t know what you don’t know,’” Lopez said, a mantra she lives by.

Visits this week

Monday New York Film Academy, Los Angeles

Tuesday Wentworth Institute of Tech Thursday Assumption College

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BEAR WITNESS

OPINION Editorial The opinion of the Bear Witness editors

OCTOBER 3, 2017 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

“We’re very like-minded in the Bay Area and it’s a whole different culture than other areas” Teacher Alex Johnson on the Bay Area bubble

Immigration

Repeal of DACA would be unfair to students

ranham’s population consists of some students who are B either children of immigrant parents, or are immigrants themselves. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an extremely important issue for many of these students.

People under the age of 31 who were brought to the United States as children as illegal immigrants are under this policy’s jurisdiction. The redaction of DACA would be unconstitutional and unethical; it’s unfair to promise children an opportunity and then take that chance away. DACA provides its recipients an education and work permit, the basic functions for a better life. This benefits the recipients and the country as a whole, with more income from these workers, and in no way does it harm the United States.

Though DACA is not the final solution to the issue of illegal immigration, it is a start to addressing the rights of the individuals who want to start a life in the United

Censorship poses threat ANNALISE FREIMARCK News Editor

T

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hroughout our daily lives, we tend to ignore the little things: if a student was absent from school one day, or a new haircut. Within the United States, censorship is one of those things. According to Google, censorship is defined as “the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.” Although the censorship in the U.S is minimal compared to China, it is present and could at any time increase and become a threat to society.

Did you know that things as seemingly nonthreatening as bake sales, black makeup, and the dictionary have all at one point been banned from schools in the U.S? That being said, that’s just schools. There are many more examples of censorship that affect the country as a whole. This brings the question: who has the authority to make such generalized decisions? The answer: mainly, the government. This select group, in power, is making the decisions on whether certain content is suitable for the general populace. Because of this, there are many dangers that face society concerning censorship including a society kept in the dark and one group in control that has the power to sway people’s’ morals and values based on what is deemed acceptable. When a society is kept in the dark, the people are fed a select amount of information to base their morals off of, which can sway people to believe in something they otherwise wouldn’t. This becomes a power play, where one group has all of the power and the others are subjected to whatever the group in power wants. Within the U.S, the word democracy was the very foundation of our country. However, when one group has all the power, and it’s not distributed equally throughout, it can easily become a totalitaristic state. People lose the natural rights stated in the amendments, such as freedom of speech, an essential part of the United States’ values as a country. Essentially, censorship, while good in small amounts, can be destructive to the nation as a whole where abusive power is concerned.

However, media has changed the way in which censorship plays a role in society. Specifically, with the age of the internet, 60% of Americans get their news from Facebook and Twitter (journalism.org).

Much of the news that they are receiving is false or doesn’t reveal the whole side of the story, which is why there is a huge loss in newspapers and the credible information they bring. In this way, people are censoring themselves by relying on questionable sources that are easy to access, but most of the time leave out information in which they need to make a valid opinion. This can be attributed to the unreliable information on social media such as Facebook, or it could also be due to a psychology phenomenon called confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is defined by Google as “the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories”. In simpler terms, people tend to search for news with a bias that they already hold, blinding them from information on the opposing side that might be valid. In this manner, people are censoring what they read themselves by excluding certain things that go against their morals or beliefs.

Personal biases and unreliable information are not the only causes at blame for censorship throughout the internet and its various medias. The government is also at fault for the amount of censorship crowding the internet. Out of all of the users on the internet, 1.72 billion people are affected by internet censorship in the world (World Census).

The U.S. is not even close to a government such as China, which is labeled as substantial and pervasive, according to The Guardian. However, the U.S. and big corporate companies such as Facebook do censor the content that is shown to certain sites viewers, just not as harshly.

So, next time you go out in the world or online, consider what is being censored and how it affects you.

States. In fact, it only addresses a small part of the problem, but doesn’t even do justice for these residents.

The United States, often known for being the land of opportunities, appears to be going back on its own title as the repealing of DACA is being spoken of more frequently among congress. Congress has only a few months before DACA is redacted

and the Bear Witness believes that action must be taken in order to defend the promises that have been made to those who have had the bravery to identify themselves as illegal immigrants in an act of trust of the government.

Children did not exert a choice when they were brought here by their parents, so it is the United States’ responsibility to give them basic rights to life.

Rosalie Gonzalez/Bear Witness

America first, world tragedies second

The west doesn’t provide adequate attention to other countries

Catherine Monroy/Bear Witness UZOR AWUZIE

Student Life Editor

ur world has significant tragedies and a O primary way by which we react. We raise awareness through social media with hashtags

and informational posts, maybe even donate to a charity.

These tragic events are talked about from every social site, almost to a point where we can’t avoid it. Of course, this should be a good thing, as viral events lead to awareness.

The 2015 Paris attacks gathered attention from all around the world, but the sameday shooting of Sudanese migrants at the Egypt-Israeli border where 15 people were killed and 15 more were injured, did not make mainstream or national news, and was practically never mentioned in the West.

We simply can’t ignore the fact that tragedies in developing countries completely overshadow those from developing world countries in

terms of political importance, as if the thought of Western lives going through hardships is more concerning.

Ask yourself: “Do I give the same amount concern to all countries experiences tragedies?” The answer is most likely no. You’re not alone.

Many people aren’t even informed of the national tragedies that occur every day. Attention from the media is the key to raising human awareness, and when problems are ignored, so are the opportunities for charities and fundraising, which can be a necessity for less fortunate parts of the world.

A study taken by the news site FiveThirtyEight calculated the likeliness of a given magnitude for terrorist attacks being covered, depending on the country. Their research determined that countries like the United Kingdom, United States and Italy were at least nine times more likely to be covered by news

sites than those in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Colombia.

A majority of developed countries were seen at the top of the list, and those in developing countries were at the bottom, with a less than 1 percent chance to be covered. This represents the presence of an empathy gap between us humans and our neighboring countries, where we favor those with a country more related to ours. This is why people tend to care more when places we’ve been intertwined with experience tragedies.

The point isn’t that you shouldn’t care about things that happen in the Western world, but that you should show concern to all tragedies. It not only supports countries financially, but socially. Lack of media coverage brings a sense of neglect toward those who are going through hardships. It’s important to acknowledge every person as equal if we want to progress as a whole.

Life is good inside the bubble ATTICUS AHEARN

Student Life Editor

alifornia is a state unlike any other.

C Nearly 40 million people coexist in this Golden state of Opportunity. We gobble up a wide range of cultures, religions, sexualities, and

genders and learn to love every last bit of it. A lot of the time it seems as if we just accept everything without considering our own personal morals.

A“bubble” is the idea where one finds opinions and information that validates one’s own viewpoint. In California, we think that we pride ourselves in having open minds, giving more than receiving and being three times more progressive than the majority of the United States.

Societal injustice cannot seem to penetrate the fierce barrier of our collectively Democratic mindsets, especially in the Bay Area.

“Living in bubbles is the natural state of affairs for human beings,” writes Derek Thompson of The Atlantic. “People seek out similarities in their marriages, workplaces, neighborhoods, and peer groups.”

A lot of people have never heard of the bubble; though they often find this representation of similar social and political views accurate. Chemistry teacher Alex Johnson said that he was born and raised in this area and has always remembered Silicon Valley being Democratic. Indeed, nearly 60 percent of California voters picked Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over President Donald Trump.

“I think that idea makes sense in that we’re very like-minded in the Bay Area and it’s a whole different culture than other areas in the Unit-

ed States,” he said.

Azura Gutierrez/Bear Witness One student- who moved here three years ago- agreed. She said that there were a lot more Republicans and not as much diversity at her school back in Loudoun County, Va. As for California, she thought the idea of this ‘bubble’ seemed very plausible.

“I think people here are more open-minded,” said sophomore Megan Glover.

So the secret is out: California is a giant bubble. But this shiny sphere is giving us the gifts of culture, empathy, individuality and so many other traits to create wonderful young adults who will grow up to change the world.

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

OPINION

45 percent of teens are stressed by school and the need to succeed.

Opinion Board

How can Branham help you beyond school?

I think it’s good that they’re preparing [us] for college, but they should also teach us life skills [such as] taxes and how to find jobs.

Kirstin Demarquez Junior

By offering more resources to find jobs straight out of high school [and] to try and improve resumes….they could try and integrate information about taxes and renting apartments and stuff in classes.

An Nguyen Senior

Offer more classes [such as] wood shop, where they actually teach students handson lessons. [...] It’s hard to say, because…. college is going to prepare us more for the real world.

[By] using advisory as a time to talk about real world issues such as taxes and how to pay bills instead of talking about college.

Sandra Villasenor Senior

The school puts too much emphasis on college applications but they barely touch on anything to do with job applications or how to use the tools we may have in the real world.

Mekye Stancill Senior

I feel like nothing can prepare you for the real world, but speakers are usually pretty interesting. [...] In engineering we had actual people from manufacturing companies come in to ‘teach’ us but they weren’t actually teachers….it seems more real [that way].

Taylor Wong Junior

Bhumi Tandel Senior

Treat people like equals….Talk about real problems.

High school prepares you for college and college prepares you for the real world.

Jocelyn Franklin Junior

Devyn Chubon Freshman

Branham offers many chances on how to find your career and college, such as SVCTE ( also known as CCOC) and having representatives from different colleges come to talk during tutorial, lunch or afterschool in room 45, but of course, not all students follow the same path and goals

Grove offers an escape for stressed students

Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness

Different school platforms overwhelming students Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness The grove, located on the far side of campus, serves as a small relaxing patch of nature for students to enjoy during brunch and lunch.

ANNALISE FREIMARCK News editor

An escape from stress, drama, and the overall atmosphere and pressure of school.

The Dent Grove provides all of these elements, while allowing students to immerse themselves in nature and the sounds and smells that come with it.

Although the Grove, near the portables classes, is almost hidden in the back corner of the school, it provides a relaxing space for students and faculty to destress and forget about all of their academic responsibilities for a while.

School, with all of its APs and honors, and even its regular classes, can take a toll on its students with all of the stress it brings.

School is one of the most stressful environments that the average teen encounters, according to a survey from the American Psychological Association. The group found that 45 percent of teens were stressed by school and the need to succeed.

These demands take a physical and mental toll on those in constant environments of stress. Late-night study sessions and scholastic pressure can lead to exhausted minds and conditions as serious as heart disease, and mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.

It may not seem probable, but stress can escalate to these severe conditions faster than one

may think. When it builds up without a release, these conditions become not as farfetched.

This is where the Grove comes in. When dealing with these high-stakes environments, nature can quickly and efficiently become an outlet for de-stressing.

Not only does nature relax the mind by making one feel more grounded, it also has been proven to lead to higher mental performance, an integral part in learning at school. A 2016 University of Michigan study found that walking outdoors or even looking at nature can help students refocus, which can help with shortterm memory and comprehension.

This makes the Grove an essential spot on campus. It’s not always easy to find a unit to de-stress when it’s needed. However, the grove is easy to access and a place all students can enjoy; all one literally has to do is walk there.\ Some may argue that the Grove requires maintenance that strips away money from the budget that could be used for better things such as construction or new technology. While the Grove does require maintenance, handled mostly by SPARE students, its benefits to the student body make it entirely worth it.

So, if a student is completely overwhelmed and stressed, guide them to the grove for a short breather and see how they feel after.

ANASTASIA LANGNER Copy Editor

Students are feeling fatigued from the number of communication platforms, so what can be done?

Accompanying the start of school are expected stresses for all classes such as adjusting to honors and AP workloads, taking on new roles in clubs or extracurriculars, chatting with friends and instilling positive relationships with teachers to ensure the year passes smoothly. One new challenge that students now face, is deciding which tool is best to reach out to others for questions and projects.

Technology has become an integral part of our lives; every person is attached to a smartphone, a tablet or a computer, whether they wish to admit it or not. Both these statements are unquestionable facts, but trying to maintain a technological presence in students’ lives has proven tiresome, troublesome and challenging.

The issue is made even more convoluted by the amount of apps used by teachers, staff and students alike: •SchoolLoop: This is the primary record for grade-keeping, yet several teachers do not use it to input assignments, and students do not use it to check daily assignments or emails.

•Naviance: Though there is encouraged use of this platform to keep in contact with counselors and to research colleges and scholarship offerings, reminders in advisory classes lead only to awkward silences or disregarding chuckles. Students aren’t engaged when it comes to Naviance.

•Google Classroom/Gmail: Every student has

a school account that can connect with their teachers’ accounts and the additional features for sharing documents and assignments. The potential for organization is readily available, but due to infrequent attention, it is often unused by several classes or rendered confusing.

•Remind: Similar apps can be used to send reminders to students about upcoming assignments, tests, grading periods or projects. Since many students have a piled-up inbox for their emails or a fluctuating stream of content on social media, those reminders are often unnoticed.

•Social media: Teachers host group accounts (like on Facebook) to bring students in their classes. They are encouraged to ask questions about assignments and discuss issues in their homework. These platforms are unsustained, as both students and teachers decline in their presences when schoolwork gets tougher.

•Other miscellaneous platforms: Separate email accounts and websites, informal texts, DMs and group chats all add to the disorganized disaster that currently is online communication.

Based on the number of platforms, there is a single, underlying issue across the board: inconsistency. All sides must be held accountable for the lack of commitment to one system, which begs the question: which platform of communication should the school work under? That can’t be decided with one person; maybe with a poll sent out by the district, allowing evaluations by students and faculty, there can be discussion and a settlement to organize and use one primary form for discussion, questions and feedback.

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from page 1 DACA | Despite uncertainty, immigrant students continue to pursue goals gress, in which they will decide if it should be kept or revoked. However, emotion has already set in for students at Branham who know of family who are Dreamers.

Sophomore Natalie Bacilio, Latino Student Union (LSU) club president, has family who will be affected by DACA, and said that the measure was a pathway toward the American Dream, which she said is now in jeopardy.

“DACA has made it possible for many, like my cousins, to get an education and have job opportunities,” Bacilio said. “To have this program repealed would be like starting from scratch again and living in fear.”

For many at Branham, the under-

tone of fear and uncertainty running throughout the community has taken root in their everyday lives. Students affected are continuing to pursue an education and jobs that might now uncertain for them.

Principal Cheryl Lawton said that Dreamers benefit the school community, but are burdened with the anti-immigrant sentiments that claim they are a detriment to society.

“They try and work harder to prove that they are here for a positive reason,” Lawton said.

The reality that DACA may be repealed does not only affect academics, but it affects the whole outlook on their future and career, forcing

Dreamers to confront the fear that their whole lives may be uprooted if the repeal of DACA takes place.

Due to this, Branham has become a place where Dreamers feel they can display their achievements and receive resources that will aid them in their future.

“I believe Branham has given a sense of community to support its DACA recipients because it has given out information on how to renew DACA and where to find workshops,” she said. “Branham has given its best efforts to keep calm for the time being.”

However, there is still a disconnect between the students. This planned phaseout of DACA has brought out

strong opinions on both sides and some mean-spirited jokes have been exchanged.

English teacher Michael Espinoza said that he heard a student tell an undocumented student “Go back to Mexico.” He said that this student had grown up in the U.S. and was from El Salvador, not Mexico.

“People have become empowered to act in racist and xenophobic ways towards these communities,” Espinoza said. “The DACA repeal is just one of many recent outcomes that have allowed these issues to fester in our beloved society.”

Even in a place where students should feel welcome and accepted for

their opinions and race, there remains a sense of what is occurring in the rest of the world: a divide between differing values that drive global hatred.

Although this time of transition is frightening to some, and has brought out discrimination, Branham and its community continue to persevere.

Espinoza, the English teacher, said that his goal is to make sure that students are still successful in his class despite their uncertain future.

“I have to find ways to ensure these students can continue to thrive in my class while not diminishing the realities of their situation,” he said. “It is an arduous task, but if no one does it, who will?”

PHOTO ESSAY

LAST MONTH @ BRANHAM I

t started with the Rock. Sometime between Aug. 24 and 25, pranksters from Leigh tagged the stony icon and hung streamers on the quad. Custodians cleaned up the mess before students trickled in. The day concluded with the first home game, with Branham losing to Leigh 29-24.

September was a busy and warm month. AC use due to soaring temperatures temporarily overloaded the electric grid, forcing the first campuswide evacuation. Despite the record heat, hundreds of students de-

Leigh vandals spray painted the Rock Aug. 24 as an act of rivalry.

Blue Crew cheers at the Branham versus Leigh football game below.

Fitzgerald Vo/Bear Witness

Sydney Uyeda/Bear Witness

Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness AP Environmental Science teacher Kori Reynolds helps students release butterflies into Dent Grove.

Julia Marques da Silva/Bear Witness Annalise Freimarck/Bear Witness Science teacher Alex Johnson holds the all clear sign during the first fire alarm of the year. With temperatures reaching 104 degees Sept. 1, air conditioning use strained the school’s electric grid, causing a temporary outage that triggered the fire alarms.

Students sign up for clubs and Junior Minho Kim, left, wears a sign for Art Club (right) at Club Rush on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Shams Mohammed/Bear Witness

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SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY

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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

Fact: The iPhone X camera allows for new studio lighting.

Science Briefs Aging might be reversible in years to come

In humans, cellular regeneration becomes slower as we age. In fact, DNA repair is substantial in keeping the cells functioning. At a young age, we have a protein called PARP1 that repairs our DNA efficiency, and as we age, another protein called DBC1 sticks to the PARP1.

Because of this, the process of aging begins. Since this is a common “problem” for people, Harvard scientists may have found a way to prevent cellular aging. In their experiment, they used mice that were equal to the age of 80 year old humans.

They fed them NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) which resulted in a successful increase in DNA repair efficiency. Though the experiment was effective in mice, a single question remains: Would this be effective in human DNA?

Modern Technology The difficulty students have with separating from their devices can creep in on their sleep.

5 Strange Things Stealing Your Sleep

World War

Hope in killing tumor cells in brain

Scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) may have found a way to kill tumor cells. Prolonged survival was a result of the elimination of metastatic skin cancer cells from the brain of these preclinical models. In fact Metastatic brain tumors — often from lung, breast, or skin cancers — are the most commonly observed tumors within the brain and account for about 40 percent of advanced melanoma metastases. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal specifically kills dividing cancer cells while sparing normal cells.

Addictive Substances Caffeine, drugs, alchohol and other stimulating substances not only keep you up at night, but may continue to negatively impact the rest of your day.

Delayed sleep phase Syndrome (DSPS) A circadian rhythm disorder that usually appears during adolescence and causes victims to get tired much later than an unaffected peer.

Zika impact on humans

Scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) may have found a way to kill tumor cells. Prolonged survival was a result of the elimination of metastatic skin cancer cells from the brain of these preclinical models. In fact Metastatic brain tumors — often from lung, breast, or skin cancers — are the most commonly observed tumors within the brain and account for about 40 percent of advanced melanoma metastases. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal specifically kills dividing cancer cells while sparing normal cells.

Tech Bytes

Insomnia A common disorder that makes it difficult to initiate or maintain sleep.

Robot to help with heart failure

At Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital, researchers have developed treatment for people suffering with heart failure. A customizable soft robot that fits around the heart helps the heart beat. Heres how it works — the soft robotic sleeve is attached with a suction device, then twists and compresses in synch, this creates a momentum helping the heart beat.

Although this device helps many people, there still needs to be more research to finalize this device.

iPhone reviews: More of the same

Apple’s iPhone 8, released Sept. 22, was met with mostly muted reviews. The incremental features that the new device touted, including faster processor, better camera and slightly longer battery life, were welcome improvements, they said.

-Compiled by Matthew Follo

Atticus Ahearn/Bear Witness

Family Environment Sporadic work schedules of family members may negatively affect their sleep schedules.

Teens lose out on sleep as extracurriculars and technology take over waking hours ATTICUS AHEARN

Student Life Editor

lthough doctors continue to pester teenagers to A get their daily dose of Zs, getting sleep is scientifically proven to be more difficult for adolescent

students.

However, it is unlikely for the average student in modern day to only be focused on academics. Nearly 65 percent of students at Branham High are involved in sports, clubs, music, volunteering and more extracurricular activities which can stress availability for sleep.

Being involved in all of these activities is what pushes students to spend their nights studying instead of recuperating. There are only 24 hours in each day - approximately six of which are spent at school. So how are students divvying up the rest of their afternoons and evenings?

“I spend about two- to- three hours on extracurriculars and 2.5 hours on homework,” said sophomore Halle Atkinson. “I usually get 7 to 8 hours [of sleep].”

“

when you can. They say that consistent According to the Centers for Disease Control and healthy routines are the most beneand Prevention, that is just barely an adequate I feel that ficial for everyone of all ages. amount of sleep. The CDC says that teenagers These routines must be introduced and need 8-10 hours of sleep for every 24 hours it is very nurtured by schools and teachers to help spent awake. If students wake up between 6 important students achieve bigger goals. In May and 7 a.m. they would need to go to bed no to keep a of this year, California’s Senate Educalater than 10 or 11 p.m. to follow the CDC Committee passed a bill, SB 328 sleep sched- tion guidelines. to ensure students would start school at However, because teenagers have a delayed ule so that ‘healthy’ times. It is currently awaiting circadian rhythm, their bodies have a harder I don’t get discussion in the State Assembly. time going to bed any earlier than 11 p.m. any“This bill would require the school day way, according to the Journal of Clinical Sleep tired during for middle schools and high schools, inMedicine. Another sophomore, Ben Aronson, school. cluding those operated as charter schools, said that he usually finishes homework by 10 to begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. by July p.m., leaving him with eight-hours of sleep.

1, 2020.”

“I make sure to try and go to sleep at 11 or Ben It is possible that the current freshmen before that,” he said. “I feel that it is very im- Aronson may see this bill in action during their portant to keep a sleep schedule so that I don’t Sophomore senior year. By that time, Branham may get tired during school.” have already made the decision to ring The National Sleep Foundation agrees with this the first bell an hour later. idea. It is not enough to simply ‘make up’ for lost sleep

”

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OCTOBER 3,

KNOW YOUR RIGHT THE FIRST AMENDMENT

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion As a public school student

As a private citizen

Religion may be taught, but not practiced

Government may not establish religion

Religion may be taught in public schools for educational purposes, and students may discuss their views with peers or in assignments, as long as it is not disruptive to others education. Prayer cannot be held at a public school ceremony (Lee v. Weisman).

Each citizen has the right to hold their own religious beliefs. The Establishment Clause requires that the government does not establish a universal religion or promote any religious views.

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or

abridging the freedom of speech Express yourself, but mind your manners

Students have the right to publicly share their views, as long as administration does not deem it as a disturbance, and the manner in which views are shared does not contain vulgar language or references to drugs (Tinker v. Des Moines, Bethel v. Fraser, Morse v. Frederick).

or of the press

Say what you want, but beware of conseCitizens have the right to free speech, no matter what their opinions are.

There are limits on free speech in cases of libel action or slander. All citizens are held accountable for what they advocate.

Schools can be a check on student press

Press has responsibility to be truthful

If a high school publication is funded by the school district, the administration has the right to censor what they deem as inappropriate (Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier). California, however, has free expression laws, so students have more rights to free speech.

Similar to citizens’ rights to free speech, the press can print freely, but will be held accountable for libel and slander. Citizens have the right to print and distribute accurate information and their opinions.

or the right of the people

peaceably to assemble Go ahead and protest, but don’t disturb!

Protests require planning permits

Students have the right to peacefully protest and display their beliefs in a public demonstration, as long as there is no disturbance to others’ education or the school’s’ operation (Tinker v. Des Moines). The law requires students to attend school, so they can be punished for skipping school.

Citizens have the right to peacefully protest, but law enforcement can intervene in cases of violence or public disturbance. The government can restrict the time and place of a public demonstration, and organizers need to apply for a permit for their assembly.

and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Seek change, but don’t block hallways A student distributed petition cannot advocate to violate the rights of others, go against the law or disrupt the school environment, such as signing the petition during deemed inappropriate hours or blocking the hallways.

Government can ignore your petitions Citizens can petition for change within government, but the government is not required to respond to the request. Lobbying, writing letters to government officials, and collecting signatures are included in petitioning.

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TS

to pray to protest to petition to express yourself

Reporting and graphics by Julia Kolman, Michaela Edlin, Rosalie Gonzalez

Legal fights for your rights 1943 | It’s okay to sit out the Pledge The Supreme court ruled in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette that it is unconstitutional to require students to salute the flag or recite the Pledge of Allegiance in schools.

1969 | Armbands were peaceful protest The Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines ruled that students nor teachers would “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression at the schoolhouse gate,” after students John Tinker, Mary Beth, and Christopher Eckhardt planned a protest against the Vietnam War. The students would wear black armbands, and the school board banned them from campus after learning of the organized demonstration, as they claimed it would cause a public disturbance. The students sued the school in federal court and lost, but the case was brought to the Supreme Court, where it was ruled that the school had no proof that the armbands would cause a disturbance, and therefore, the students were defended by the First Amendment to organize a peaceful protest.

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1986 | Vulgar language not protected speech Student Matthew Fraser gave a speech containing vulgar language during a student assembly, resulting in punishment from the Bethel school district.

The case of Bethel v. Fraser ruled that Fraser was not defended by Tinker v. Des Moines, as his speech was not a political statement, but a crude use of his speech. The case created a blurred line between what is considered a proper use of free speech, and what is disruptive to an educational environment.

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TA XA TIO

2017 |

The Free Speech Beach Ball, introduced by the Libertarian Youth Caucus, made its debut during last month’s Club Rush.

Students were encouraged to write whatever they wanted on it.

How students and student groups exercise their free speech Junior Statesmen of America debate hot issues of the day Junior State of America ( JSA) is a non-profit corporation, organized by students at chapter level. Branham’s current JSA club has been running for about four years, with AP Language teacher Nancy Freschi as the adviser. The club meets every Wednesday at lunch in room 39, and holds “thought talks,” or informal group debates, on varying topics. Thought talks, unlike formal debates, encourages the group to have conversations sharing their differing opinions in an civilized space.

“JSA is an important organization for students because it allows them to hold civilized discussions about social and political issues, especially in these highly charged times when it’s really difficult to find a safe place to hold serious conversations,” she said. The thought talks are focused on a topic selected by the group, and everyone has the chance to share their opinion

and challenge others’ views.

“Freedom of speech is important,” Freschi said, “but I do believe it has to be balanced against everyone feeling there is a safe environment, and it doesn’t go to the place where students are feeling attacked or that there is hostility towards them.”

— Julia Kolman

Libertarian Youth Caucus

Student emboldened to petition about dress code Senior Romina Iranmanesh finds it important to express her opinion when something on campus just isn’t right. Recently, when it came to the dress code she said, “It didn’t make sense” because “...people should have the freedom to wear what they want,” so she started a petition.

She firmly believes that “... the people who are being distracted should be controlling themselves,” and utilized her rights as a student. Her petition didn’t get the result she intended and hoped for, but she still expressed the importance of being vocal as a student on campus.

Next time if she has an issue with the administration’s policy she says that she, “... will definitely talk to the principal before I start a petition… I’d ask her how many signatures do I need

Senior Spencer Lindquist started the Libertarian Youth Caucus at Branham, being the first year club president. The purpose of the club is “engage in activism and education to promote the principles of individual rights, peace, and free market to the youth.” At Club Rush, the club passed a free

Romina Iranmanesh Senior Iranmanesh S tarted a petition to change the dress code. for this to make a difference.”

Iranmanesh was concerned about her reputation if she spoke out and said that, “I don’t want to start any trouble.. I didn’t want it to impact my reputation, my personal report card to limit my future.” However, her right to express her opinion is guaranteed.

Romina ensures students that Principal Cheryl Lawton is “very open and said that if any has any questions or concerns… they can just talk to her.”

— Michaela Edlin

speech beach ball around the club, and students could write anything they wanted on it. The statements varied from political, some challenging other statements, or something as lighthearted as “have a good day brothers.”

— Julia Kolman

1988 | Admins can review publications Student journalists of the Spectrum at Hazelwood East High School sued for violation of their First Amendment rights when their principal removed two articles on teen pregnancy and divorce from their newspaper. The U.S. circuit court sided with the students, but their ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, which determined that school administration has the right to prior restraint over a school-sponsored activity, which included the student press. In California and other states, there is no prior-review clause.

(California school publications do not have to allow administrators to review their publication prior to them printing.)

1992 | Schools cannot push religious practices A public school in Rhode Island held a prayer before graduation ceremonies, but the Supreme Court ruled that this violated the Establishment Clause in Lee v.

Weisman. The school could not promote any religious beliefs through prayer according to the Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from establishing or promoting one universal religion.

2007 | Don’t promote drugs at school events Joseph Frederick was suspended after he held a banner reading “BONG HiTS FOR JESUS” across from Juneau-Douglas High School during the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay. The Supreme Court ruled in Morse v. Frederick that the school had the right to restrict Frederick because the sign promoted drug use and was displayed at a school event.

— Julia Kolman

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STUDENT LIFE

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“I’m really looking forward to improve my vocal ability.”

Claire Wilbanks on what she hopes to accomplish at Grammy Camp Student spotlight: Claire Wilbanks

STARTING ON A HIGH NOTE

For junior, singing is life, and hopefully a career JULIA MARQUES DA SILVA

W

Staff Writer

hen singing is your dream career, losing your voice can easily threaten

that.

Seven months ago, junior Claire Wilbanks lost her ability to speak. Having been a singer nearly her entire life, this was a major blow.

“I had to go to a speech pathologist over the summer,” she said. “I literally had to learn how to talk again, so I am just getting into the swing of things.”

Now the future looks bright for Wilbanks, who recently was accepted into the selective Grammy Academy Camp.

The program trains high school students looking into a career in the music industry.

The camp allows high school students to work with professionals and learn about the music business. Students submit requirements that are depended on what music related career they want to pursue and are selected to fill in the limited amount of spots.

At Branham, Wilbanks has participated in many music-related activities. She has performed during Acoustic Nights held by the Acoustic Club, participated in talent shows, and is currently in Branham’s first acapella show choir.

“I have been in school choirs since first grade,” Wilbanks said. “That’s one of the reasons why I started singing.”

Singing in musicals was another opportunity she had while growing up. Dartmouth Middle School allowed elementary schoolaged children to participate in minor backgrounds parts. She starred in the productions of “Annie” and “The Music Man.”

She has also used social-media platforms like Instagram and YouTube to gain exposure. She said that Grammy Camp is another chance toward her musical goals.

“I’m really looking forward to improve my vocal ability,” Wilbanks said. “I have never taken vocal lessons, but I am planning to in the future.”

Wilbanks uses country singer Maren Morris, who recently won a Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance, as a model for her future goals and achievements. Like Wilbanks, Morris went to Grammy Camp when she was a teenager.

After this rough summer, Wilbanks is excited that she is able to snatch this chance and sees it as a turn in the right direction.

To avoid any complications before going to the camp, she plans on going on vocal rest to ensure that she is able to use her voice at its Gina Buckley/Special to Bear Witness fullest potential.

Claire Wilbanks has her eyes set on a future in singing.

New math books push group work, to some groaning SHAMS MOHAMMED Staff Writer

ranham’s new integrated math textbooks, B which encourage group work over teacher-directed learning, are getting mixed reviews.

Which app would you use?

•User gives link out that leads to a platform where fellow users can comment opinions about sender.

•User is given a positive trait/description and has to pick one person who fits it best out of four people.

•Users send each other questions, user’s choice to remain anonymous.

The district recently partnered with CPM Educational Program, an outside educational group, to supply the textbooks to integrated math courses. So far, sophomores and juniors seem to be having a harder time than the freshmen getting used to the books, since they may be more used to lecture-based lessons. “(Most) freshmen used (similar) books in their 8th grade schools, so they’re not having such a hard time,” said math teacher Amanda Wilson.

“Tenth and 11th graders who haven’t seen it before are finding it more difficult doing a lot of the group work and investigations.”

The books offer many online resources, including an online textbook, technology help, direct links, and weekly student tips.

The CPM curriculum offers also offers homework help, which shows how the math problems

in the textbook can be done. CPM also helps the teachers by holding workshops throughout the school year, coaching and offering opportunities to increase their teaching.

“They are very useful,” said sophomore Masato McCutcheon, an IM 2 student, referring to the CPM resources.

Last year, teachers piloted several workbooks and teacher-developed packets, which caused some confusion among students. And since the packets were put together in a 2-inch binder, they were deemed too bulky. Teachers, including former Branham math teacher Amie Reidt Taylor, created the IM textbooks over the course of three years. The curriculum followed new common core standards, which is what the textbooks follow as well.

“I like that everything is in one [book] instead of getting packets of paper every unit,” said junior Miko Lopez.

The students are quickly adapting to the new routine of the book.

“The first few weeks were rough but it seems to be getting better,” Wilson said.

•Users ask each other questions and interact on a social media platform, on Curious Cat.

Anonymous apps allow honesty SHLOK GORE Staff Writer

here’s a new app craze going around, T TBH. Apps such as TBH and Sarahah allow users

to leave anonymous comments about their peers.

These new ways of communicating one’s thoughts from a hidden identity just came into play a few short weeks ago when users first started to download them. Since then, they have caught a lot of attention because of their ability to share personal opinions about other people to the internet. Because of these circumstances, opinions on these apps range from positive to negative.

Sophomore Ajay Deswal, who uses both TBH and Sarahah, said that students can use these anonymous apps to criticize others, adding that he’s not one of them.

“They can affect [people] because others can say rude things that can hurt someone’s self

confidence and esteem without any consequences,” he said.

So, one opinion on these apps is that they could potentially add negativity to a student’s life because hurtful and mean comments can be left on the user’s account. The other side to the issue is that these platforms are beneficial because people are only allowed to say good things about the person that they are talking about.

Junior Sasha Mariniuk says, “Although I haven’t used Sarahah, TBH is made in such a way that it will only spread positivity. Due to this, it’s easy to see people happy with the app. Overall, I think these anonymous apps are mostly positive things.”

There are are a variety of opinions when it comes to having things said anonymously about them, from a constructive perspective to neutrality. Ultimately, the effect that these apps have on students, either positive or negative, depends on what the student makes of their experience.

Shams Mohammed/Bear Witness A student works through new curriculum and sample problems from the CPM-standardized textbook.

The new textbooks require group work, which upperclassmen don’t like as much.

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STUDENT LIFE

“It gives students the opportunity to set their own goals” Christie Henebry, P.E teacher and Helath and Fitness Club adviser

Fitness club promotes active lifestyle

One of the newer clubs on campus, the Health and Fitness club strides to help students achieve their fitness goals and inprove their fitness in their lives through support.

AARON DEANS Staff Writer

he new Health and Fitness club has a clear goal in mind: to T help students set goals and improve their physical well-being and therefore their lives.

Junior Mackenzie De May, the club’s president, knows from personal experience the benefits of making goals in health and fitness.

“Most people underestimate how much bettering yourself, and your health fitness-wise, can help you as a person,” she said.

“When I started working towards my health and fitness goal, it not only bettered me physically, but also mentally.”

“I just wanted to help out other people,” she continued, “be-

cause it’s really important to set a goal for yourself and to reach it. It’s really satisfying.”

According to De May, the club racked up 136 sign-ups at Club Rush during late August. Not as many people came to the club’s first meeting, however.

“There were some communication issues,” De May said. “But I was happy with the turnout and I’m thankful for the people who came.”

Adviserr Christie Henebry shares DeMay’s perspective on what the club can offer to students.

“I think that it gives the students an opportunity to each set their own goals, and helps give them the motivation of others around them to help achieve those goals,” she said.

Need hours? These clubs can help Service clubs range from scholastic to humanitarian assistance CATHERINE MONROY Staff Writer

ome Branham clubs go beyond S meetings during lunch and go towards building a better community for

students. While most students join clubs to have a good time or focus on their most passionate areas, only a handful of these clubs go to the length of volunteering outside of school hours and club meetings during lunch.

One club, Bruin to Bruin, connects student tutors to students who need help with homework and studying. Tutors may be assigned to a student when they join, though there are currently more tutors than needed. To become a tutor, contact English teacher Heather Amanatullah in room 28 or come to their meetings during lunch on Thursdays.

“Most of our tutoring is done outside of school hours,” said Joey Perez, president of Bruin to Bruin Tutoring Club. “So our club members do the tutoring on their own time.”

During first and second semester finals, Bruin to Bruin will hold events where

they will be doing study sessions in the library. There will also be snacks and tutors who will be walking around and helping each student get ready for their finals. Perez says that they also plan on starting community service outside of Branham by the end of this month, such as visiting middle schools.

Another club is Interact, a club oriented with a larger network of schools in support of community service and contributions.

“Every year, we have an international and community project that revolves around a current issue” said senior Julie Pham, president of Branham’s Interact Club. “Last year, the international project aided Syrian refugees by raising over $100,000 and the community project served to end the stigma around people with special needs which we do through community service.”

Planning for such events take months as they take into consideration venues, food, performances and decorations.

“But we aren’t doing it alone,” she said. “We work with around nine other schools to plan larger events.”

Students can contact Interact by using

Remind and the Interact website, where students can see upcoming events, community service, charity dinners and benefit shows. They can also sign up and buy merchandise to help the Interact Club reach goals for international projects.

National Honor Society (NHS) is another club that requires an application with a strong resume, including a presence in the community.

“It’s a community service organization where we try to impact individuals in our community, bring our community together, and raise awareness about societal problems” said senior Aruni Areti, Branham’s NHS president.

Although NHS is not accepting any more applications, they encourage students to apply next year for the opportunities of work and service hours with the club.

“We have organizations contact us for volunteers,” says Aruni, “We don’t plan many events, [but] I know we are planning to do more events this year.”

NHS keeps members accountable for 22 hours of service each semester, so joining other clubs that offer service

Uzordinma Awuzie/Bear Witness Senior, Isabelle Trinh, holds up a Super Troopers 12W sign to represent Key Club at Club Rush in early September.

Aaron Deans/Bear Witness

Sophomore Samiksha Boranna, the club’s secretary, saidthat the club isn’t limited to athletes; not being athletic doesn’t make a student any less qualified to join.

“You don’t have to be in any sports,” she said. “Anybody who wants to improve their lifestyle and make it healthier can join the club.”

Sophomore Shadan Hamavand joined the club to keep her fitness up.

“Since I play soccer, I wanted to get better,” she said.

The Health and Fitness club meets every Thursday at lunch, by the JV soccer field. Students can receive any important announcements before moving to the track, field, or weight room, depending on their preference.

Students share ways to relax SYDNEY UYEDA Online Editor

elaxation: something Branham students have difficulty findR ing time for as soon as the school year begins. With all of the stress of school, students attempt to find some down time where

they can relax on the couch and watch their favorite Netflix show, or go out and enjoy some time with friends.

Relaxation methods at Branham range across a wide board of rest and recreation: Freshman Olivia Clinton says, “[I like to] listen to music or watch Netflix. Sometimes I take an actual nap.”

Senior Ethan Ponce prefers to “read a good book or watch some good TV.” Senior Dara Rivas likes to “eat a snack and watch some Netflix.”

Professional One must wonder, however, if students’ relaxation tips: relaxation methods are working. Are these actually relaxing them? Or are they merely Deep breathing distractions from the daily stress of school?

Massage All of these methods seem to be the same: they involve being alone and being immersed into another activity, mentally Meditation pushing away the stresses of school.

According to the health website LovetoTai chi know.com, professional relaxation methods include deep breathing, exercise, stretching and meditating - very different from what Yoga Branham students do to relax.

“Deep breathing is an effective way of slowing down the body’s natural response Biofeedback to stress. It slows down the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and provides a feeling of Music and art being in control,” says Lovetoknow writer Kelly Roper. therapy Senior Sama Jasim takes a deeper approach to relaxation. She says, “I like Aromatherapy talking to my mom if [I know I’m stressed] because sometimes [I] just want to talk it out in that kind of way.”

Hydrotherapy Do students’ methods actually work and -Complied

by Sydmake them feel relaxed? Dara says “Yes. One hundred percent. It makes me feel ney Uyeda calm”.

Ethan Ponce says that he uses his methods to “calm [his] nerves”.

According to The Mayo Clinic, it does not matter what kind of method one uses to relax. “Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment you start to feel stress symptoms.

This can prevent stress from spiraling out of control.”

No matter what type of relaxation, the best method is based on personal preference. It’s all in the mindset of the individual.

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SPORTS Sports Briefs Varsity football

Record: 1-0 in division, 3-1

overall The Bruins won their most recent match-up versus Willow Glen 41-35. Their next game is against San Jose at San Jose at 7 p.m. today.

Gavin Su won 10 medals at the Canadian Dwarf Olympics Student spotlight: Gavin Su

Student thrives at Dwarf Olympics

J.V. Football

Record: 4-0 (one cancelled game) The J.V. team won their most recent matchup versus WIllow Glen 25-9. Their next game is against San Jose at San Jose at 4 p.m. today.

Varsity Field Hockey Record: 1-6 in BVAL

The Lady Bruins won their most recent game against Leland 5-2. Their next game is against Prospect at Prospect at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

J.V. Field Hockey Record: 3-2 in BVAL The J.V. team won their most recent game against Leland 3-0.

Their next game is against Prospect at Prospect at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

Varsity Volleyball Record: 4-1 in BVAL The Lady Bruins won their most recent match against Evergreen Valley. Their next match is against Del Mar at

Branham at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

J.V. Volleyball Record: 2-1 in BVAL The J.V. won their most recent match against Evergreen Valley.

Their next match is against Del Mar at Branham at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Boys Varsity Cross Country Record: 1-3 in BVAL The Bruins lost their most recent meet to James Lick and Prospect. Their next meet is at Montgomery Hill at 3 p.m. on October 4.

Boys Fresh/Soph Cross Country Record: 0-4 in BVAL The Fresh/Soph team lost their most recent meet James Lick and Prospect. Their next meet is at Montgomery Hill at 3 p.m. on October 4.

Susan Larkin/Special to the Bear Witness

.

AZURA GUTIERREZ Staff Writer

ophomore Gavin Su recently competed in the S Canadian Dwarf Olympic. He started playing sports when he was three years old in his preschool

soccer league. While in elementary and middle school, he started to play baseball and flag football. Around this time he also started playing other sports such basketball, soccer and swimming with the Little People of America. He has competed on a

national level in swimming, track and field, basketball, flag football and volleyball at the annual Dwarf Athletic Association of America competitions. His competitions occur at the National Little People of America Conventions.

Susan Larkin, Gavin’s mother, states, “Gavin has always been enthusiastic about competing in his sports which leads him to practice more often.”

Over the summer, Gavin won 10 medals at the competition, including 2 silver medals in swim, 1

Bruin Breakdown | Field hockey sweep Structure Back remains straight

Girls Varsity Cross Country

Hands together at the top of the stick

Record: 3-1 in BVAL The Lady Bruins beat James Lick and lost to Prospect in their most recent meet. Their next meet is at Montgomery Hill at 3 p.m. on October 4.

Girls J.V. Cross Country Record: 4-0 in BVAL The J.V. team beat James Lick and Prospect at their most recent meet. Their next meet is at Montgomery Hill at 3 p.m. on October 4.

Freshman Volleyball

Record: 4-1 in BVAL The Freshmen team won their most recent match against Evergreen Valley. Their next match is against Del Mar at Branham at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Use arms for direction and legs for power 1.) Stick starts at your back foot

Left hand over, right hand under Knees bent Stick horizontal to the ground Shift weight from back foot to front foot

Girls Tennis

3.) Sweep through the ball, even after making contact

Record: 0-2 in BVAL The Lady Bruins lost their last match against Andrew Hill 3-4. Their next match is against Oak Grove at Oak Grove at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

— Compiled by Julianne Alvares

silver in javelin, 1 silver in discus throw, 3 bronze in running, 1 bronze in volleyball, and 1 bronze in soccer.

When it comes to practice, his coaches sent the athletes instructions in how to workout for their sports, so he did the workouts that they requested.

Throughout the school year Gavin practices basketball and badminton in his free time. During the school year Gavin is on the wrestling and tennis Branham teams.

2.) Bring it forward from your backfoot through your frontfoot, with your stick flat on the ground

JULIA MARQUES DA SILVA & JOCELYN PIERCE

Staff Writer and Entertainment Editor

ield Hockey is one F of the oldest college sports in America, dating

back to the Greek classical era. It’s a game where two teams play against each other on a field or turf field with hockey sticks. To score points, they have to hit a small ball into a net.

Some few basic rules include: Players must have a hockey stick and hit the ball with one side; ball is only moved by stick The sweep in field hockey is used to change the direction of the ball by using the force of the incoming ball. It can be used anytime during the game, but it’s mainly used to make shots on the goal and longer passes to get the ball up field.

The sweep is one of the most accurate shots made by field hockey players, but they need to be aware of the space around them and where other players are postioned on the field. It tends to take a lot of practice to master, this makes the sweep more difficult since players need to gain the spacial awareness and knowledge to where the ball should be sent before it comes to you.

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SPORTS

Several sports have had to adjust due to the new construction on campus.

Student spotlight: Kennedy Eaton

Dancing the world over

RYAN MCCARTHY

A

Tania Eaton/Special to Bear Witness Kennedy Eaton (left) dances with her partner Maksim Berenshteyn at a recent competition. Kennedy has been dancing for most of her life, and regularly competes in competitions around the world. This has taken her from Baltimore to New York. She has her eyes set on the world competition in France.

Construction limits sports’ space MAHTA DELSHAD Copy Editor

ue to overpopulation at Branham High School, D tennis and basketball student athletes have been impacted when practicing near the portables.

This year, Branham is undergoing construction in order to make room for the vast amount of students that are overpopulating the school. Portables, used by the advanced science and math departments, have been built on the area, occupying some of the space by the tennis and basketball courts. This has been an issue to some athletes who are used to practicing at the courts near the portables.

“There’s too many of us for us to play in the courts outside, so for conditioning we have to go on the grass and run while the girls are in the gym, instead of playing in the gym. We usually flip flop who is outside and who is in the gym, but if we didn’t have the portables we could both play,” junior basketball player Ryan McCarthy said.

However, not all sports associated with sharing their courts with the portables have been impacted; according to some of the tennis and basketball players, they have rarely been touched by these recent changes at all. For girls tennis, the practices were always held in the gym.

“The portables haven’t affected the girls but they might affect the boys because last year frosh boys

played in the courts,” said junior Sami Chun, who is in the girls tennis team at Branham.

Due to the reducing of courts to put up the portables, no home games have been played for boys tennis. However, things are different for girls basketball, which was always practiced in the gym, according to players.

“We practice in the gym so it doesn’t affect us,” said Katarina Knezevic, a junior on the girls basketball team.

Meanwhile, there is some confusion; some say that the portables haven’t restricted their practice, while others explain a clear difference between now and how practice used to be.

One thing that the students all hold in common is their adaptation to the new changes at the school.

To practice sufficiently in basketball, Branham uses its one gym for different sports alternatively on the daily.

“Girls basketball and boys basketball alternate gym times after volleyball is done with their practice; since they are in season they get priority. Basketball practices haven’t changed locations at all from last year, it’s all the same,” said Brandon Anders, a senior varsity basketball player. “Sometimes we just do conditioning… we don’t need the gym to do that - we’re either in the grass field or track. If someone has to go the bathroom it makes it quicker,” said Brandon Anders, a senior on the basketball team.

Sports Editor

t Branham, there are people who can sing, people who can play sports, people who can speak, and people who can dance.

Then there’s people who can flat-out dance.

With a third-place national ranking in Latin ballroom dancing, a fifth- place national ranking in standard ballroom dancing, and gold medals in both at the Junior Olympics, freshman Kennedy Eaton excels in an art that has been overlooked by many.

Kennedy had a late start in dancing, which is part of why it astonishes some people that she’s done so well.

“The fact that [Kennedy] has done so well, even starting at such a late time in life, is very impressive,” said Tania Eaton, her mother and a U.S. history teacher at Branham. “She’s a great example that people can start things later in life and still do really well if you work really hard.”

With this success comes a difficult practice schedule, as well as trying to balance dance and school.

“Right now I’m training six days a week, so I have to squeeze in homework and academics, but I find a way to balance everything,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy has competed on the national stage for both styles of dance, traveling to Baltimore, Utah, and New York for competitions.

She has placed in these competitions, as she finished third at Utah nationals in Latin ballroom, as well as fifth in the same competition for standard ballroom, both additions to her gold medals at the Junior Olympics.

Kennedy hopes she can go to world competitions in Paris in the near future, but her ultimate goal is to make her passion into a professional career.

“I’m hoping to become professional and make a career out of it just because it’s what I love to do and it’s my passion.”

As talented and accomplished as Kennedy already is, her passion for dancing and her drive to constantly improve just might carry her to that point.

Cross Country

Young varsity team sets pace for season

Sandy Alvares/Special to Bear Witness Freshman Robert Oryall, at a race in Toro Park, is among four freshmen on the varsity.

SHLOK GORE Staff Writer

Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness Construction required portables to be built on top of some of the tennis and basketball courts. These portables are only to temporary relieve population issues until the main building can be demolished and reconstructed.

The common myth that holding a place on varsity is solely reserved for juniors and seniors is totally untrue in the sport of cross country. In order to have a position on Varsity, times matter more than age or grade. Coach Chris Jensen, one of the head coaches of the cross country team, says, “When it comes to being on varsity, times talk.” This means that your speed during races determines what spot you have throughout the levels of the team. Jensen also says that “varsity isn’t slotted for juniors and seniors, because if you’re a freshman or sophomore who works hard, then you could potentially be on varsity as well.”

Because people know that they could make varsity too, they work harder, and a sense of friendly competitiveness is created. Athletes compete against one another for spots, which pushes them to be at their best. When a team of runners is constantly striving to be their best,

performance is increased and the results flood in. An example of this is that the Branham High School cross country team has an all star amongst their roster. Evan Franco, sophomore, is the top runner on varsity, and is one of the top runners in the Santa Teresa Athletic Division. This goes to show how a sense of friendly competitiveness can really boost the performance of some athletes.

The presence of underclassmen on varsity also can raise the morale of the team in general. Franco says, “They give the team a bit of extra confidence because when they place with Juniors and Seniors at meets, we know that we will only keep improving and create a team that will only get better with time.”

This goes to show how again how fast underclassmen can lead to a team with more confidence, and a team that will keep getting faster as the season goes on.

As one can see, the presence of speedy underclassmen in varsity positions has a positive effect on the team, both performance and enthusiasm wise.

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT mini reviews

Bite-sized opinions Album Flower Boy Tyler, The Creator Flower Boy has a loose, relaxing feel to it- drastically different from Tyler’s previous albums. When listening to the songs in order on the album, they flow together and transport the listener to their own bubble. More features and duets would've been really interesting, maybe including more artists that aren’t as well-known. Flower Boy takes a different approach to hip-hop music, combining the common hip-hop beat with an R&B vibe.

— Taylor Susewitz Restaurant Veggie Grill (at Santana Row) This restaurant is a no-meat zone and creates alternatives for meat that aren't just tofu. All of the plates that are produced there are all vegetable-based.

It's really nice to have a vegetarian-friendly food spot with meat alternatives that taste good. I do think they could have varied the types of vegetables they use, but this restaurant is great for people who are vegan, vegetarian or have dietary restrictions.

— Julia Marques da Silva Song “I Wish I'd Love You So” The local band, the Cultbusters, released their most recent single on Sept. 12; shortly before their disbandment.

The beach sound and melodic rock vibe makes this song danceable and sincere. Some technical aspects could be improved, however for a high school band, the sound is impressively professional This song Is best for those who like supporting local music and bands such as The Beach Boys and Beach Baby.

— Michaela Edlin Book "How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life" YouTube creator Lilly Singh teaches readers the steps to being at the top of their game at home, at work, at school, and at life in general.

The book tries a bit to hard with the the interactive samples at the end of each chapter. This book is best suited for anyone under pressure in their life.

— Atticus Ahearn

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM “On days we practice I usually am not able to sleep until 1 a.m.”

Courtney Kahai, sophomore

Band plays overtime as schedule shifts

Catherine Monroy/Bear Witness Drum major and senior Savidu Geevaratne leads the Royal Aliance through rehearsal. Now that marching band is no longer a class, students have to take on extra practice.

With sport distinction for band, an extra day of rehearsal means less time for academics

AZURA GUTIERREZ Staff Writer

Being in marching band means dedication and long hours. This year, it also means sleepless nights.

Because the marching band, called the Royal Alliance, is no longer a class, there is now no time during school hours for band to practice. Students who are in marching band are spread out throughout three band classes, Symphonic Band, Concert Band and Wind Ensemble.

Students now gather on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. This makes sleep a problem for students who have homework to do after practice.

“On days we practice I usually am not able to sleep until 1 a.m.,” said sophomore Courtney Kahai.

This new schedule is also adding more stress to the students in AP classes.

Junior Gina Hosn said that the new schedule has had a negative impact on her social life.

“Every kid in band put so much hard work and effort,” Hosn said. “While it does pay off, many, including myself, have overworked ourselves and spend way more hours doing homework and stressing.”

Along with the added challenges, the old band members are finding that marching band has become too much of a burden. Additionally they said that students may not be capable of keeping up with the scheduling demands.

Along with the schedule change there is also a director change.

Longtime marching band director Diane Wyant is out, leaving The new band directors for this year include Dartmouth band director Samuel Neipp and Jeff Pearson. The two have worked with Wyant previously.

The band’s hard work and dedication will be put to the test during their first competition on Oct. 14.

The show has a Western theme, and students will be performing at Cupertino High School.

Catherine Monroy/Bear Witness The color guard practices with the band during rehearsals. This year's show has a Western theme.

Artists find pure joy in making, sharing music Some share personal lessons, while others like the thrill of listening to their own songs RYAN MCCARTHY Sports Editor

ore students at Branham High M School are sharing their music with the masses, without expectations

of future success. They spend hours at a time writing, recording, and producing music in their closets, garages, and basements. They sometimes even go through the trouble to upload their tracks onto SoundCloud or YouTube.

Despite the amount of work it takes to make music that people will enjoy being hard to work into a daily life routine, some, such as junior Roman Bolzowski, still make music for as little as a sense of pride.

“I always enjoyed listening to music,

so it’s really cool when you hear music that you made yourself,” said Bolzowski, who makes music with his friends from a makeshift studio in his bedroom.

Others, like junior Jason Rioja, get personal and share their own struggles and challenges. This, along with making the listeners happy, is what motivates Rioja to spend hour after hour making music.

“Making everybody happy is what truly makes me happy, so what motivates me is just putting smiles on everyone’s face,” Rioja said. “It’s about starting from nothing and making something original, and about making your own life from your music.”

For many, music can be used as a way to ease one’s angst or nerves. Senior Shaya Zarkub turns to music often when school

Ryan McCarthy/Bear Witness Up-and-coming Branham musicians make do with limited studio and recording space. or life in general becomes overwhelming.

“I always look to music when I’m stressed out because it calms me down,” said Zarkub, who wrote “Election Season,” a hit with the student body. “Making music is a great motivator to get

through the day.”

As it seems, success and fame don’t really matter to a lot of students who put the effort into making music hour after hour, day by day. Sometimes, all they need is a smile in appreciation of their work.

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

“It mixes real life horrors, like suicide and divorce, with creepy, scary aspects” Summer Votaw on the American Horror Story

WORDS OF HOPE

American political story

Hip hop artists bring awareness to mental health issues

“Here is my pain and thought put into words.”

“Tired of feelin' like I'm trapped in my damn mind Tired of feelin' like I'm wrapped in a damn lie” “Everybody Dies In Their Nightmares”

Soundcloud Rap

“The Explination” XXXTentacion

“I'll be feelin' pain, I'll be feelin' pain just to hold on And I don't feel the same, I'm so numb” “Jocelyn Flores”

“I know it hurts sometimes but you’ll get over it You’ll find another life to live”

Lil Uzi Vert

“My heart's in the junkyard 'cause it's wrecked And today's not feeling like it used to” “X”

“No one wants to die alone They don’t wanna miss the show.”

“The Way Life Goes”

“I’ve been praying for somebody to save me, No one’s heroic” “1-800-273-8225”

“‘I’ma make it some day some how’ what you telling yourself But you ain’t focused on what's important: mentality, health” “Anziety”

OMAR ABABNEH Staff Writer

epression is a debilitating D mental disease that is hard to cope with.

One in five adults suffers from a mental illness in the United States suffers from depression, according to Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization aiming to educate others and help those afflicted.

Symptoms of depression include an increased amount of anxiety and feeling of hopelessness. Depression often leaves one feeling sad, empty, hopeless and unhappy.

Depression and suicide have been prominent themes in the music scene in the past decade, with artists like of Logic and XXXTentacion making sure it is being addressed. Artists like them are opening a platform for anybody suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts, encouraging people to be open about their struggles.

Logic’s song “1-800-273-8225,”

whose title references the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, shows that those with suicidal tendences can seek help. The song is written like a conversation between the lifeline’s operator and a caller, and includes lyrics such as “I want you to be alive/you don’t gotta die today.”

After the song was released, the National Suicide Prevention said that it received the second-highest call volume in its history. Their Twitter page saw 1 million impressions and their Facebook page saw three times the usual traffic.

Google searches for the lifeline number spiked up more than 100 percent.

Logic himself suffered depression and anxiety as a younger child, and said that want to use the music platform to help people cope with any problems. He wants them to feel like they’re not alone, that there are many others that suffer mental disorders, and that it’s okay to reach out for help.

The artist XXXTentacion also

Logic

Def Jam Recordings

Atlantic Records

has a message in his n e w album “17.” In his first track, “The Explanation,” he introduces the album, saying, “Here is my pain and thoughts put into words. I put my all into this, in the hopes that it will help cure or at least numb your depression. I love you.

Thank you for listening. Enjoy.”

Throughout the album, XXXTentacion addresses pain, loneliness, and depression in every song, reaching out to listeners who may suffer from mental illness. XXXTentacion said that he suffered depression as a young child, feeling lonely and not the same as other peers. He said that knows what it feels like to suffer.

He said the goal of his songs wants to make music for young people like him to have someone relatable.

“I love these kids, and I know what it’s like to be alone,” he said in an interview with Miami radio station 103.5 Beat.

Junior Abby Lang, a fan of XXXTentacion, says, “When I

listen to X’s music, it almost helps me relate to him. He’s one of the few artists that talk about touchy subjects like depression and it’s something I think a lot of people our age feel. I definitely mean it when I say that music heals.”

Many other artists, including Kid Cudi, Kendrick Lamar, and Lil Uzi Vert, have also openly addressed depression and mental illness in their songs, as well as explaining how they use music to establish a connection with listeners in pain.

Some say that music creates a safe space for them.

“Sometimes music is able to efficiently depict emotions that you might not not have even known you obtained,” said junior Rose Gipstein. “It has the ability to transport you to an alternate universe. A place where the problems you struggle with are non-existent. A place where you are not alone. I think music allows for the soul to be shown… real, vulnerable, messy.”

AHS substitutes classic horror for political themes JOCELYN PIERCE

Entertainment Editor

he seventh season of the popular show T “American Horror Story: Cult,” derives its plot based upon the generally negative stigma

surrounding the election of President Donald Trump. This falls in line with the increasingly political bent that the show has taken.

But as the show has gotten increasingly political the show’s success may have peaked during season four, “Freak Show.” Season four’s first episode had 6.13 million viewers, while season seven’s scraped together a mere 3.93 million.

The show’s loss of viewers stems from multiple reasons. The biggest factor seems to be the loss of its original values, as explained by junior and longtime fan Summer Votaw.

“The thing I really like about ‘American Horror Story’ is how it mixes real life horrors, like suicide and divorce, with creepy, scary aspects.”

Votaw said. “As the show gets older, though, I feel as though the plots have gotten messier … the recent seasons have used raunchiness as a big selling point rather than creating complex characters with strong development.”

Season seven’s politically driven plot could attribute to the decrease in viewers as well. The show’s nature of extremity in its opinion against Trump can drive watchers away for being overdramatic.

“There are plenty of legitimate arguments to be made against Trump, so it is an absolute shame that people have resorted to tactics that appeal to fear and emotion rather than logic and reason,” said senior Spencer Lindquist.

“This dramatically negative tone is childish and underdeveloped, and should be regarded purely as entertainment, not as valid criticism against Trump.”

However, this isn’t to say that the entertainment industry shouldn’t speak out about Trump.

“Any privately owned media or entertainment outlet that does not receive any form of government money has the absolute right to express any political, social, or cultural bias they may have,” said Lindquist.

“American Horror Story: Cult” will air ten episodes, finishing their season on Nov. 7. The show plays every Tuesday night on FX at 10 p.m.

Season ratings of ‘AMHS’ Season 1 - Murder House: 2.82 million Season 2 - Asylum: 2.53 million Season 3 - Coven: 4.0 million Season 4 - Freak Show: 3.85 million Season 5 - Hotel: 2.89 million Season 6 - Roanoke: 2.93 million ­ — Nielsen Media Research

A sense of deja view in slew of TV revivals BIANCA MEDINA

T

Photo Editor

he 2017-18 television scene is bringing back old cherished shows such as “Will and Grace,” “Prison Break,” “Taken” and more. Most of these TV shows and films will be found on NBC or Netflix.

Students at Branham were not aware know of the revivals, though they supported the idea of bringing back past entertainments.

“I did not know there [were] going to be revivals of older shows,” said junior Brianna Morgan.

“But I think it is nice for people that like the shows.”

Some students also do know which specific shows and movies that will be returning, and could give an example that relates to the positive outcome of a reboot and revival.

“Take ‘The Flash’ for example, I am quite grateful that they are being rebooted,” said senior Sai Tummala, in reference to the short-lived ’90s show of the same name. “A few decades of technological improvements could do wonders for a show to reach its true potential and immerse the viewer in the plot.”

“Fuller House”: Continuation of DJ Tanner, Sister Stephanie and best friend Kimmy Gibbler. Entire cast - with exception of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen- appeared in the first season on Netflix.

“Tangled”: Adding to the original movie, Disney channel is adding an original series set between events of 2012’s “Tangled Ever After.”

Rapunzel, Eugene, her parents and the other main characters from the original movie embark on new adventures.

“Will & Grace”: The comedy of two best friends who lived together is revived revealing that they have not been actually living together since the end of the show. Original series ran for eight seasons from 1998-2006.

Images Courtesy Netflix, NBC and Disney

“Prison Break”: Starring Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell, who are reprising their roles, the show is set in Yemen, where it answers how Michael Scofield survived his apparent death.

“Taken”:Starring Clive Standen and Jennifer Beals, a prequel made in a modern intake on the of original series Taken (similar to the modern version of Romeo and Juliet starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes).

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g n i m o c e Hom Girls 3.) Sweep through the ball, even after making contact

2.) Bring it forward from your backfoot through your frontfoot, with your stick flat on the ground

WINDSORSTORE.COM