October 2020

Page 1

INSIDE THE ISSUE

feature 9

opinion 5

the bull's eye news

opinion

sports 16

a&e 11

feature

OCTOBER 14, 2020 VOLUME XXXVIV ISSUE II ONLINE AT DBBULLSEYE.COM

arts&entertainment

sports

Brahmas reflect on virtual AP tests Brahmas encountered difficulty adjusting to the new testing conditions. Kyle Hong Staff Writer

MARCUS HSIEH

Weighing in on 2020 elections Students voice varying opinions regarding presidential vote. Marcus Hsieh Asst. News Editor The 2020 presidential election on Nov. 3 brings to a close four years of a chaotic presidential adminis-

tration led by Donald Trump that has seen an impeachment trial, an extensive investigation of the 2016 election, protests and riots in the streets of many cities and a deadly virus that has killed over 200,000 Americans and partially closed down the country’s economy. Now it’s up to the voters to determine what direction they want the country to move in the next four

years. While most Diamond Bar High School seniors will not be old enough to vote in this election, the issue of who will be our next president remains a pressing one in the minds of many, especially those who will be 18 for the better half of the next presidential term.

election on p.2

When quarantine began just one month before AP exams last year, changes had to be made in a very short amount of time, stirring uncertainty among both teachers and students. This led them to change to an online format. For the majority of subjects, the 2020 AP exams consisted of only one free response section, as the College Board eliminated the multiple choice section and, for some exams, removed some free response sections. Traditional AP exams last anywhere between two and three hours, and have multiple sections including multiple choice and dif-

ferent types of free response questions. The new exam lasted a mere 40 minutes. Amid fear about the College Board’s notoriously slow servers, the organization reassured students that they would be allowed to retake the exam if they faced connectivity problems. As exams began, technical issues plagued students throughout the online test-taking experience. “Technical difficulties were frustrating for many test-takers, and some even needed to take the same subject three times,” junior Alan Wang said via messages. “Also, the AP test questions only tested the knowledge on a small part of the entire curriculum.” The new style of AP exam has also made students aware of what changes they may want to make in their preparations and studies for

AP on p.3

Wellness Wednesdays introduced to DBHS The weekly calls are meant to imitate traditional peer counseling. Marykate Palaris Asst. A&E Editor To alleviate students’ stress and teach new skills, the Diamond Bar High School Wellness Team has introduced Wellness Wednesday to the school, a virtual event dedicated to spreading information about how to care for one’s mental and physical health. Taking place on a weekly basis during the tutorial period, Wellness Wednesday began as a virtual alternative to the traditional peer counseling that was provided on campus. During these meetings, where teachers and students discuss a weekly topic in a Zoom call, resources such as educational videos are provided to students to aid them with managing their wellbeing. Before the pandemic, activities like Wellness Week were held on campus to achieve a similar goal with a hands-on approach— without the barrier of a screen. Wellness Week was dedicated to

enlightening students as to the importance of mental health. To imitate this highly interactive event, students in Wellness Wednesday participate by answering questions given by teachers and by commenting on students’ experiences. “We wanted to give something to provide information on wellness,” school psychologist Stacy Woodward said. Every Wellness Wednesday meeting explores new subjects. During meetings, participants discuss predetermined questions, like “What kind of events and experiences cause stress?” pertaining to the given topic, then provide input and commentary. “It wasn’t really like we asked a question and they would answer,” Woodward said. “It felt like a conversation, and that was really nice.” Video resources are also presented to provide information about another aspect of wellness. After viewing these clips, students are given time to reflect with one another. “I think it was beneficial because normally, we wouldn’t focus on our [struggles]. We just usually think that there’s a lot of assignments to

wellness on p.2

The organization has planned and executed online events in an effort to connect with the student body during quarantine.

USB adapts to distance learning The organization focuses on translating regular events virtually this year. Vera Wang Staff Writer Since the start of the new school year, many programs on the Diamond Bar High School campus have been struggling with financial stability and student engagement. Among them is USB, yet the group has been one of the quickest to

adapt. With the uncertainty concerning vague estimates of returns to on-campus learning, students have been more hesitant to purchase activity cards, which are a critical source of income for USB, resulting in budget reductions, USB members report. “The pandemic did impact USB financially as we are on a tighter budget,” junior spirit representative Ashley Lin said via Instagram. “Usually we get our income from activity cards during registration in summer, but since we possibly

may not be on campus this year we had a drastic decrease in activity card sales.” Crucial fundraising events that USB holds throughout the year were also canceled due to quarantine, resulting in a declining budget over the course of the year. “A huge fundraiser for our programs is also bingo and that has been canceled due to COVID,” USB director Janna Van Horn said via email. “This has definitely impacted the resources we typically can

usb on p.2


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.