October 2020 by The Bull's Eye

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

NEWS

OCTOBER 14, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Annual parent symposium event streamed online This year’s guest speakers included Paul Kanarek and Dr. Michele Borba.

“We have put together five over-arching focus groups to plan and organize in-person instruction so we are best prepared for when we are eligible to return and we are Maia PAK confident in doing so,” he said. contributing writer Taylor explained that California uses a tier system to rank the To educate parents and guardseverity of COVID-19 outbreak in ians on aiding their students both each county. Currently, Los Anemotionally and academically, geles county is in the purple tier, Walnut Valley which is the Unified School most severe, “I will say the key to District held its meaning that grit, and every one fourth annual the district will of you knows this, is Parent Symporemain closed letting them fail and see what happens” sium on Sept. 26. until further PAUL KANAREK The event notice, as public took place virtuhealth officials ally and featured only permit keynote speakers Dr. Michelle Borcounties in the red tier to reopen. ba, an author of parenting books, Borba, an expert and author and Paul Kanarek, the co-founder on children, teens, parenting and of the California branch of the moral development, spoke about Princeton Review. the importance of instilling emTo start the meeting, district Supathy in today’s youth, especially perintendent Robert Taylor comduring social distancing. mented on the district’s reopening “I think the single most importstatus, which remains uncertain, ant commodity that we all got to though they have begun planning push a little more is this wonderful for return. human trait called empathy,” Bor-

dardized testing and college admission, talked about standardized testing in relation to college applications in California. “Tests, frankly, no longer matter within the UC substrate. The UC system announced this year that they would go test blind in two years,” he said. Kanarek also emphasized the

importance of emotional intelligence in today’s students and how it can help them in college. He provided parents with advice on how to raise emotionally intelligent kids. “I will say the key to grit, and every one of you knows this, is letting them fail and see what happens,” Kanarek told parents.

This year, Dr. Resma Byrne hosted the fourth parent symposium on Sept. 26 via youtube.

Spreading wellness through a screen

the staff

wellness from p.1

Editors-in-Chief

Josh Chou, Camille McCurry

News Editor Asst. News Editors

Anika Yatawara Marcus Hsieh, Steve Qu

Opinion Editors Asst. Opinion Editor

Camille McCurry, Reyna Wan Rachel Lee

Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editors

Emily Koh Somiya Jajieh, Kelsey Wu

A&E Editor Asst. News Editors

ba said. She covered four main points during her speech: caring, connection, coping and cheerfulness. Borba invited parents to write down ideas related to each of the four main categories that would help students with stress reduction and easing trauma, ultimately helping them thrive. “This is the key that we all need to hear. We found that thrivers are made, not born. It’s not a program, it’s a process,” she said. Borba addressed how the pandemic may affect children in the future. She stated that the impact of a traumatic event is based on the child’s proximity, protective factors and prior issues. She then told parents how they can identify and address their child’s stress signs in a positive way, quoting the advice given to Navy Seals. “After they identify their stress signs, they tell themselves ‘I got this,’ a positive affirmation,” she said. After a brief intermission, Kanarek, who is an expert in stan-

Josh Chou Natasha Chang, Marykate Palaris

Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editors

Victoria Artale Deesha Pathak, Charles Tam

Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editors

Victoria Artale Tiffany Lee, Kelsey Wu Ryan Chan Connor Cho

Business Manager Asst. Business Manager Wed Editor Asst. Web Editor Staff Writers

Reyna Wan Natasha Chang Kyle Hong, Lyndon Kaneko Edward Kim, Vera Wang

Adviser

Doug List

contact us Diamond Bar High School, Room 459 21400 Pathfinder Road Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Phone: (909) 594- 1405x33459 Email: eye.editors@gmail.com Business Inquiries: thebullseyebusiness@gmail.com

editorial policy The Bull’s Eye is a public forum that welcomes the views of our readers. Letters to the Editor and Op-Ed pieces will be accepted only if they are signed. The author may, however, request anonymity. The staff reserves the right to edit letters without changing content. You may forward letters to Room 563 or submit them online at dbbullseye.com.

do, but we rarely take a moment to think about ourselves,” sophomore Brianna Li said. Previous sessions followed topics ranging from stress management to yoga. More interactive sessions, such as the latter, are led by advisors. In the future, the Wellness Team plans to cover concepts such as gratitude and drug use, though these sometimes change as the staff adapts to students’ needs. Advertisements promoting Wellness Wednesdays have been posted on Google Classroom, as well as the Wellness Center’s social media (@ dbhswellness on Instagram), encouraging students to attend. “I would recommend a friend to go because I know other people are

really stressed out too,” Li said. The Wellness Team anticipates continuing Wellness Wednesdays as long as distance learning remains as an effort to give resources to and inform struggling students.

“I think [wellness] is important all the time, it’s more important now since everyone is under stress,” Woodward said. “Even if you’re good at online learning, it’s stressful.”

The wellness team educates brahmas on mental wellbeing throughout distance learning.

Integrity of election questioned election from p.1 “I’m turning 18 soon [so] a lot of the policies during this presidency is going to affect me,” senior Daniel Min said via Messenger. “Joe Biden wants to shut down the economy while Trump wants to open the economy and I think it’s going to leave a lasting impact.” Trump aims to restrict government-provided healthcare, corporate taxes and immigration policies while Biden plans to abolish the death penalty, consider adding new states (Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico) and decrease military spending. Both candidates do not support defunding the police and seek to defuse international tensions through increased diplomacy. Three presidential debates have been scheduled to take place between Trump and Biden. The first, much-criticized debate occurred on Sept. 29 and the following debates are scheduled for Oct. 15 and

Oct. 22. However, there is uncertainty surrounding the debates in light of Trump’s recent positive COVID-19 test and subsequent hospitalization. “I think presidential debates can be a great way for candidates to convey their beliefs to the public people,” junior Allen Wang said via Messenger. The media has highlighted numerous concerns regarding the integrity of this election in the past months, with many worried about the influence of Russia, China and Iran on the election results. All three nations have sponsored attempts to influence American voters through the spread of misinformation online. “I sense that misinformation in this election will not only affect the integrity of our election, but allow for the power of foreign interests and with malicious intentions to increase under our watch,” Tamayo said.

Such concerns are not new, as they were also a major point of contention both during and after the 2016 presidential election. Lately, though, social media companies have focused their efforts on combating misinformation and election interference, easing the fears of many. However, there’s a new controversy this year that’s stolen the spotlight: mail-in ballots. Despite there being no evidence of a coordinated, wide-scale mailin ballot fraud attempt, Trump has repeatedly shed doubt on the legitimacy and reliability of mail-in ballots, worrying many American voters as to whether their vote will be counted. “I think it will be very important to maintain voting integrity and to not have any tampering with the votes,” Wang said. The wide use of mail-in ballots will probably delay the final results, so it is doubtful that the results will be known on election night.

OCTOBER 14, 2020

NEWS

THE BULL'S EYE

Record-breaking fires spread across West Coast For several months, the natural disaster has continued its rampage. Emily Koh feature Editor The West Coast is well known for its sunny weather, beautiful beaches and its tendency to catch on fire. This year is already the worst fire season on record with sweeping blazes across California, Washington and Oregon. As of Oct. 11, there have been over 8,400 wildfires in California, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Since the beginning of this year, over four million acres of the state have burned, resulting in 31 fatalities and 9,200 structures destroyed. The fires stretch from the Northern Bay Area to the area surrounding Los Angeles, with several fires along the Sierra Nevada mountains as well. “We’ve broken almost every record there is to break,” climate scientist Daniel Swain said in a New York Times article regarding the fires. The largest fire in California is the August Complex in Northern California, which was ignited by lightning strikes on Aug. 17 and has burned over 878,470 acres of

land; so far it is only 45 percent contained. According to the New York Times, although many of the fires are a result of natural and human causes, outdated forest management practices and climate change are only fanning the flames of these vast fires. One fire that has gone viral over social media is the El Dorado fire that was caused by a smoke device used in a gender reveal photo shoot, according to NBC Los Angeles. The flames took the life of firefighter Charles Morton and resulted in 13 injuries to other fire personnel and civilians. The fire started on Sept. 5 and is still actively burning, affecting the San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Another human-caused fire affecting Riverside County is the Cherry Valley fire, which has also been called the Apple Fire. The fire was ignited by a vehicle’s tailpipe on July 31 and the fire is still active, Cal Fire officials have stated that it was the burning carbon from the exhaust system that lit the flame. So far the fire has burned over 30,000 acres of land. “If we could bar people from going into the forests and starting fires, that would help. If we could stop climate change, that would help. Better forest management would help,” Daniel Jaffe, a professor at the University of Washington said. “But right now, it combined

into the perfect storm.” Along the West Coast, millions of people have either been directly affected by the fires or fallen victim to the poor air quality caused by subsequent smoke and ash. Over the past few weeks, Diamond Bar residents have experienced orange skies, “raining” ash and smoke-polluted air. This was most likely an outcome of the Bobcat Fire which is currently active in Los Angeles County. The fire began on Sept. 6, but the cause of the fire is still unclear. ABC7 news states that the Southern California Edison company’s equipment may have started the fire and is currently under investigation. It may seem that California is enduring the worst of the fires now, but as climatologist Bill Patzert told the Los Angeles Times, there are still two months left of this fire season. With an incoming heatwave and intense winds, new fires will ignite and preexisting ones that are nearly contained will be at risk of eruption. “The broad confluence of factors that you got there in California — the Mediterranean climate, the [dead trees] in the Sierra and then over 2 million properties at risk — shouldn’t be a surprise,” said Tom Harbour, retired fire chief of the U.S. Forest Service. “It’s trite to say [but] this isn’t the worst of it.

USB starts off year with stricter budget usb from p.1

Graphic courtesy of COLLEGE BOARD

Concerns raised over online exams ap from p.1 this year’s exam. “My plan is to just study as hard as possible and just treat it like an assignment,” junior Ethan Choi said. “I believe it will be harder though, because there are many more distractions, especially in your own home.” AP European History teacher Emily Clark said the biggest challenge of distance learning for her is the lack of time she gets to teach her students skills that are necessary for the AP test. “Shorter distance learning class-

es means overall fewer instructional minutes,” she said via email. “The result is that a lot of the curriculum has to be cut. In addition, we have less time for practicing the critical writing skills that are a big component of the AP test.” The lack of time for dedicated instruction may leave students unprepared for the exam. Clark said that over the course of the first semester, because of shorter classes, students will have the equivalent of 22 fewer days of schooling. “I try to be very purposeful in my assignments and also only assign homework when it is unavoid-

able,” Clark said. “Each week I try to do a “Fun Friday” activity such as a kahoot. My latest goal is to try and get students up and outside at some point during class each week.” Despite concerns that the 2020 exams would be either more difficult or easier, the average scores on last year’s AP exams were only marginally different from previous years overall. At DBHS, too, scores remained consistent, as Clark said that the average overall score of her AP Euro class was about the same compared to previous years.

use for our school activities.” Nevertheless, current USB members have been brainstorming new ideas on how to transition traditional events such as prom or rallies to virtual ones despite their dire financial situation this year. “USB is working extremely hard to come up with creative alternatives for our traditional in school activities,” Van Horn said via email. “Some events translate into a virtual platform but some do not.” Adhering to the social distancing limitations and regulations set by the Los Angeles County of Education, USB has taken to hosting interactive activities that reach out to students of all grades through social media. On their Instagram (@diamondbarusb) the group has promoted a multitude of engaging activities in addition to the usual fare, including alumni Q&As, scavenger hunts and pen pals. However, plans for highly antici-

pated events like rallies and dances remain uncertain, and have continued to be discussed throughout quarantine. “There is actually also a homecoming event coming, we are in the midst of planning and executing it,” Lin said. “We have not gotten the money for it yet because we get that money through ticket sales which have not happened yet though.” Despite the challenges USB has been presented with because of quarantine, the group has since shifted its focus toward strengthening bonds with not only the student population, but with one another as well. “The negative aspects include, of course, not being able to plan and do the traditional events we have such as senior sunrise, dances and rallies, but these circumstances have allowed us to think outside of the box,” Lin said. “It has challenged us to do what we can but we are up to the challenge, and we can’t wait for what the new school year has to offer.”

4 OPINION

OCTOBER 14, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

- OPINION-

The Bull’s Eye editorial staff endorses Joe Biden for President due to his progressive policies in matters that impact the wellbeing of our peers both as students and citizens of the United States.

hough many 18-year-olds feel unprepared to vote, the presidential ballot this year presents an unprecedented threat to our nation’s democracy and the students of Diamond Bar High School. For those reasons, the editorial board of The Bull’s Eye is endorsing Joe Biden for presidency, and urges every eligible student to exercise their right to vote. Though Biden wasn’t the first choice for some Democrats who favored other candidates’ more aggressively progressive policies, he’s the only viable alternative to another four years of Donald Trump’s presidency. The incumbent president has repeatedly expressed a willingness to ignore or dispute the results of this election, which is much likelier if the results are a close call. If Trump manages to sway opinion in his favor this election, who’s to say he won’t in the future? Alarmingly, the president has already stated a desire to hold office for more than the constitutional limit of two terms. That’s why, although polls show that Trump trails Biden, we implore every eligible voter to make their voice heard and ensure Biden’s overwhelming victory—for the sake of our democracy.

While televised debates and online advertisements share candidates’ views on issues of national importance, few touch upon what’s relevant to students, leading many to think that politics won’t affect them. However, a closer look at both candidate’s beliefs reveal that the outcome of this election could potentially have a profound impact on life for every student on campus. Of primary importance to most high schoolers at the moment is college. The student debt crisis looms before many students of DBHS as an inevitable consequence of pursuing a higher education, and under Donald Trump it will certainly stay as such. The president doesn’t support student loan forgiveness, and has done little to mitigate the crisis. Democratic candidate Joe Biden, on the other hand, supports making the first two years of community college free. And for any who foresee taking on student loan debt, Biden plans to cap monthly repayments at a percentage of one’s income so that they won’t have to pay close to, or more than, they make. Beyond concerns for the future, students have a more immediate impact of the election to worry about. Donald Trump in favor of diverting funding

from public schools to charter and private schools. In doing so, he has tried to cut billions from the Department of Education’s budget. They administer federal funding to public school districts like ours. Though Biden isn’t a proponent of funding increases for every school, his presidency would prevent Trump’s future budget cuts. The final stance we urge students to consider, and the most important for some at our school, is Biden’s view of immigration. Whereas the Trump administration attempted to strike down Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protects immigrant youth from deportation, Biden supports granting citizenship to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. Typically, discussion of DACA and undocumented immigrants revolves around Latino communities, but the reality is that this legislation supports people of all backgrounds across the nation—some even here in Diamond Bar. Whether you care about politics or not, there’s no denying that this election will impact life at DBHS. We believe that it’s in students’ best interest that Joe Biden win this election, so make your voice heard this November. Vote.

FROM THE BRAHMA PERSPECTIVE

“

I really wanted to see Bernie Sanders win because he actually cares about balancing the scales, regardless of class, race and gender.

“

”

CRYSTAL TSAO (12)

I don’t like how the president is pushing a justice through but at the same time he has the power and we can’t question it.

”

EDWARD DELANO (10)

“

Most people my age are on the cusp of entering college soon and any changes made in the next year will have lasting effects on our future. EILEEN ZU (11)

”

Debate reveals candidate unfit for office RACHEL LEE ASST. OPINION editor

f his handling of the pandemic and his response to the protests following the unjust death of George Floyd weren’t enough to demonstrate to the American public that he isn’t fit to lead the country, then President Trump’s conduct during the first presidential debate of the 2020 election certainly should be. On Sept. 29, Trump and former Vice President Biden faced off against each other in what was more of a debacle than a debate. The President of the United

States actually refused to denounce white supremacists and despite this, not only continues to hold office, but stands a fighting chance at reelection. Should he continue to remain in office, there is no doubt that this nation will regress to a state of immense racial division. Aside from his address to white supremacist group ‘The Proud Boys’ to “stand back and stand by,” there were other moments of the debate that made it clear that Trump is unfit to remain in office. His main strategy throughout the debate seemed to be to minimize Biden’s speaking time as much as possible, probably to prevent potential voters from learning Biden’s actual policy positions. He interrupted Biden more than 100 times in the span of just 90 minutes, while also talking over the moderator and ignoring his pleas to wait his turn to speak. Such an

attitude would be unthinkable at an international conference. Additionally, Trump dodged many of the most contentious questions of the debate. He would not address leaked reports that he only paid $750 in taxes in 2017, only claiming he paid millions of

“President Trump has no regard for the wellbeing of his constituents nor respect for his fellow politicians.” dollars in income taxes, which has yet to be proven. When the issue of systemic racism came up, he refused to acknowledge that it was an issue--or that it even exists. Systemic racism in our society has become more evident in recent

months, with media coverage of protests and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement calling constant attention to its existence. If not socially clear, the racial disparity in this nation can also be proved statistically. A report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development presented to Congress estimated that Black Americans make up almost half of the homeless population despite comprising a mere 13 percent of the national population. President Trump also urged his supporters to “go to the polls and watch very, very carefully,” which is illegal unless you’re an approved poll watcher, and denied the moderator’s question of whether he would tell his supporters to remain calm while the results of the election were being counted. By not discouraging civil unrest during the wait for votes to be

Conditional commitment Lyndon Kaneko Staff Writer

’ve been craving face-to-face interaction and I think it’s about time I go out and get it. Sure, COVID-19 continues to infect people in California, but is that really my problem? If everyone had stayed indoors like I have for the past couple of months, then the spread would have been reduced significantly. It’s their problem now, not mine. I’ve stayed inside long enough, and those who have done their duty for the past months should be free to reward themselves and go out with friends and family. Despite CDC guidelines suggesting that I stay six-feet apart from others, it’s been so long since I’ve seen my friends! How could I not give them a hug?

Every time I’ve had to leave my house, I wore my mask religiously. But I don’t like how hard it is to breathe through a mask, and no matter how well I brush, I can still smell my breath. So next time I go out, I won’t wear my mask; I’ve worn mine long enough, it’s time for others to wear theirs. If everyone else is wearing theirs, then what’s the big deal if I don’t? Guidelines also suggest that we wash our hands thoroughly for at least twenty seconds, but I think that’s a waste of time. I usually just run my hands under the water for a couple seconds, and I haven’t gotten COVID yet. Some people might say that’s gross, but soap doesn’t do that much anyways–water’s all you need to get rid of the germs. My cousin told me about a college party that he went to last week, and I heard it was pretty crazy. He definitely deserves that type of fun; he’s been cooped up for so long that I’m confident he’s made a big enough impact on stopping the spread of COVID as it is. He isn’t even at high risk since he’s young, if he catches it now, it’s not like it’s

going to affect him in the long run. His friend caught COVID and can’t even play ping pong without getting winded, but my cousin doesn’t plan on doing anything strenuous so who even cares. Those who have been staying home for months should just take this time to let loose. I mean, we’ve self-quarantined for such a long

tallied and casting doubt on the election’s integrity, Trump is encouraging the very rioting he condemned in an earlier segment of the debate. Not only is this contradictory, but also extremely irresponsible as he endangers the health and safety of the general public, especially considering the ongoing pandemic. Following the results of the first presidential debate, it should be clear that President Trump has no regard for the wellbeing of his constituents nor respect for his fellow politicians. He will do whatever it takes to push his agenda, whether that be disregarding many of the most pressing issues in the nation or encouraging violence. A second debate will not be held because Trump has contracted the coronavirus and a third debate has yet to be scheduled.

SATIRICAL selfishly

time and look at where that got us: more COVID cases. I told my family my thoughts on the current situation, and they suggested that I find somewhere else to stay if I’m thinking about meeting with friends then coming back. I’m not sure what they’re being so uptight about! I mean, even if I do get COVID, the vaccine will probably

be out by then, at least that’s what my man Trump says. Just pop it in and we’re good to go, what’s the big fuss? After seven months of COVID enforced quarantine, I’ve done my duty and it’s about time I start to frequent my favorite restaurants, meet up with my friends and enjoy my life.

Cartoon Courtesy of JAMES WU

OPINION

THE BULL'S EYE

OCTOBER 14, 2020

Uighur camps exemplify mass ignorance Josh Chou editor-In-Chief

espite repeated verification from both satellite imagery and independent journalists, the purpose, and existence of China’s “re-education” camps in Xinjiang for Uighur Muslims continues to be a point of near-childish contention. Mainland China’s bordering-on-obsession with self-image has reached new heights as it attempts to hide its erasure of an entire culture. More unsettling, perhaps, is that some people are convinced by China’s charade due to its unwavering stance and refusal to acknowledge verified facts. It’s almost as if people have forgotten that all Chinese

press is strictly controlled by its authoritarian government. In wake of the backlash the new Disney film “Mulan” received over crediting China’s propaganda department branch in Xinjiang, where many of the Uighurs reside, I found that a good handful of high school students generally saw them as human rights violations, but weren’t entirely sure that they were real or a serious problem. While their disbelief makes sense, considering the extent of China’s propaganda, I still find it unsettling that they’d be so easily swayed given the U.S. free press and unrestricted internet that people in other countries don’t share. In recent months, I’ve come to recognize that, from within the bounds of my experience, the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda system is a force to be reckoned with. From the “Sino” internet community on Reddit (which claims that the Tiananmen Square Massacre was a “necessity”), to the

CCP’s loyal supporters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the aggressive nature of CCP backers and their range of influence across the internet make the CCP’s actions seem more widely supported than they actually are.

“The Chinese government deserves to be held accountable, no matter how they try to escape and hide..” Going even further, in the newest wave of internet activism, countless Instagram accounts are popping up. Several are masquerading as pro-Asian-American Pacific Islander while posting content that attempts to justify the Uighur camps by calling them means of de-radicalization and immediately labeling anyone who disagrees with them as “Sinophobes.”

Innocuous inoculation

Not only are many of their claims hypocritically Islamophobic and taking data out of context, they are also conflicting and confusing—especially for second or third generation Asian Americans whose families didn’t suffer under Mao Zedong’s leadership. Immigrants who do remember events like the Cultural Revolution or Tiananmen Square have learned by now that the CCP’s carefully crafted narrative never reflects reality. That is not to say that all of their content is completely untrue either; in fact they’ve brought up several good points about the hypocrisy in America. Despite pointing fingers at China, U.S. military forces have committed their own human rights violations in the Middle East and East Turkmenistan. However, this is no viable form of justification, especially as the younger generation of Americans has become more vocal in its disapproval of the government. They, too, recognize that a hu-

A five-hour day keeps the doctor away Connor Cho Asst. Business Manager

Cartoon Courtesy of SARAH CAI

Dress to kill the planet Somiya Jajieh Asst. Feature editor

rom Brandy Melville to Forever 21, there’s are countless companies producing the newest clothing trends in mass quantities faster than ever. As tempting as it sounds to buy something inexpensive and new, the production of fast fashion is both unsustainable and unethical due to the detrimental effects it has on the environment, and the use of cheap labor in third world countries. The term “fast fashion” refers to the rapid production of fashionable, low-quality clothing. However, this clothing tends to fall apart quickly and soon be replaced, contributing to the never-ending cycle of consumerism as customers are compelled to buy more. Popular fast fashion stores include Zara, Urban Outfitters and even large chains like Walmart and Target. In addition, some of these brands steal designs from fashion designers, so many of their products are unauthentic and unoriginal. Despite this, they create clothing that is inexpensive and trendy, which is highly appealing to customers on a

budget. However, carelessly buying piece after piece of the latest fashion fads comes with dangerous environmental costs. For example, washing any clothing sends around 50,000 microplastics in the sea, according to Business Outsider, and since fast fashion retailers often sell clothes made from the non-biodegradeable polyester, the microplastics will continue to emit greenhouse gasses for up to 200 years. While some are unaware that fast fashion has such negative effects, others just do not care, which is both embarrassing and alarming. If the Earth decays, so will you and your $5 crop top from Forever 21. In addition, clothing is produced in inhumane conditions. One big reason fast fashion is so inexpensive is because of its exploitation of workers in Third World countries for labor. Factory workers work long and tiring hours only to be met with lack of monetary compensation and, at times, abuse. Oxfam Australia, a non-profit organization that works to end injustice, wrote a story about a factory worker in Bangladesh named Chameli, who described how she worked 11 hours a day only to get paid $128 by the end of the month. Factory supervisors even admitted to verbally abusing their employees in order to get work done quicker, and reported that they were “allowed to beat or physically abuse”

the employees if they thought it was necessary. Abusing company workers in any shape or form is already cruel enough, but, when workers aren’t even paid a living wage, this cruelty transforms into something similar to absurdity. There are many alternatives to buying from fast fashion retailers, with the most popular and inexpensive one being thrifting. While some people insist you could potentially buy away clothes from those who shop at thrift stores for financial reasons, only 20 percent of donated clothing makes it to thrift stores. Even if thrifting did become more mainstream, the percentage of clothing being donated to actual thrift stores would increase, which means that those who financially depend on buying from thrift stores shouldn’t have to worry about new customers buying clothes away. This is highly beneficial, seeing as there would be more sustainable clothing options available for purchase that more people can buy. Even though fast fashion may seem like the best way to buy clothing on a budget, purchasing from second hand shops is ultimately the best decision you could make as it keeps clothing out of landfills and halts the process of unfair and demanding labor as fast fashion companies wouldn’t have a reason to keep producing clothing no one is going to buy.

man rights violation is still a human rights violation regardless of whether it’s committed on domestic or foreign soil. They’ve executed their right to free speech in drawing awareness to these issues, whereas no such thing could even be dreamt of in Mainland China. The Chinese government deserves to be held accountable, no matter how hard they try to escape and hide behind propaganda. Given how these same high school students have expressed support for progressive policies, despite consistent pushing of a conservative agenda in the media and our very own government, I hope that they continue to support free press and look into what multiple sources have confirmed about China’s “re-education” camps. To turn a blind eye and be swayed by a government that controls all forms of media and forbids free press, shows a lack of independent thought and appreciation of America’s First Amendment rights.

he current four-hour school day, a schedule designed to allow flexibility for both teachers and students, is dramatically shorter than what Brahmas are used to. While reducing class time may seem like an ineffective way to teach any curriculum, the benefits of such a schedule for students’ mental health make up for the lost educational time. Upon first glance, the current schedule seems absurd. Many questioned whether teachers would be able to teach their lessons effectively in the span of 40 minutes, not to mention that delays caused by online learning could lessen that already-short time span as well. After a few weeks of attending classes with the new schedule, however, it has become clear that these presumptions were wrong. During each 40-minute period, most teachers are still able to cover most of the required content for the day by altering their lesson plans. There have rarely been any

occasions in the past few weeks where my teachers continued lecturing into passing periods. In fact, many classes finish up to 10 minutes early. As a result of all the extra time, I have had the flexibility to balance my schedule much better than I have been able to in previous years. Because the new school day ends by lunch time, students can start working on–and finish--their homework much sooner. In addition, for those lessons that end early, students have an opportunity to get a head start on the day’s assignments between classes. Under this schedule, I’m able to finish all my homework just a few hours after school ends; often around 5 p.m. Since students are spending less time in class, they have the opportunity to do other enjoyable activities for themselves outside of extracurriculars. This extra time allows students to explore activities that alleviate stress and fatigue and improve the balance between their schoolwork and hobbies. While many may think that a reduction to school hours negatively impacts our education, it actually has improved students’ productivity and wellbeing. Overall, students should make use of this shorter school day to make more time for their own rather than overwhelming themselves.

CAMILLE MCCURRY

“My most fervant wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”

THE BULL'S EYE

are the stipulations on dependent coverage; the ACA says that health insurance plans offering dependent coverage must cover them until the age of 26, rather than whenever they are no longer enrolled in school full-time. Normally, a new appointment to the Supreme Court isn’t expected to have a significant impact on long-standing legal cases, but Barrett has already expressed in academic papers that she is willing to undermine Supreme Court precedent. Republicans already control the executive branch and have a majority in the Senate, so Barrett’s appointment could spell disaster for the precarious balance of power we’ve maintained for so long. After all, the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review is what ensures that each branch of government stays within the limits of their power. Unless Trump or Congress does something grossly out-of-line, it’s unlikely that the Supreme Court will exercise this check on their power. Though many are holding onto the hope that Senate Democrats will do something to stall Barrett’s confirmation hearings, the fact is that there’s little they can do when they don’t have a majority. Though Ginsburg held on as long as she could, opportunists like McConnell and Trump are willing to disrespect her by filling her seat with a judge who may reverse her legacy. The only question now is whether the next election will bring enough Democrats into other branches of government to balance the national legislature once more.

OCTOBER 14, 2020

Ruth Bader Ginsburg March 15, 1933 - Sept. 18, 2020

design by Josh Chou, photo courtesy of Sebastian Kim from the film “RBG”

Notorious by Camille Mccurry

OPINION

hen discussing national politics, it’s easy to forget the effect political affairs can have on our lives— despite concerns over Trump’s policies, few students have been directly impacted by them in the last four years. That’s why the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal icon who laid the foundations of women’s rights, was a rude awakening for many. With her seat in the Supreme Court empty, rights and privileges we’ve taken for granted are on the chopping block, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Whenever there’s a vacancy in the Supreme Court, the president is the one who nominates a justice to fill it. However, custom dictates that if this seat opens up in an election year, the Senate waits until after the new president takes office to confirm the appointee. This custom, known as the “Thurmond rule,” was the reason Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to consider then-President Barack Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland, in 2016. Additionally, when Ginsburg passed away, her dying wish was that she “not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Despite this, however, McConnell and other Senate Republicans are committed to having Judge Amy Coney Barrett confirmed before election day. Though she would only take one of nine Supreme Court justice seats, Barrett’s conservative ideology would give the Republicans the vote that they need to strike down a number of important rulings. The most prominent of these is on abortion— Roe v. Wade, which has long been on the radar of conservatives. Barrett, a staunch pro-life advocate, is expected to vote to overturn this ruling alongside the five other conservative justices as more abortion related cases make their way to the Supreme Court. Another piece of legislation that’s expected to die is the Affordable Care Act, the case on which the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Nov. 10. This is a vital piece of legislation for many Americans— among its many tenets is that health insurance companies cannot refuse coverage, nor can they charge a premium, on the basis of one’s sex or preexisting medical conditions. A more immediate effect for many students

THE BULL'S EYE

OCTOBER 14, 2020

FEATURE

WELLNESS RECOMMENDATIONS CHALLENGE FIVE BULL'S EYE STAFF MEMBERS TRIED TO LAST AS LONG AS THEY COULD FOLLOWING GLC RECOMMENDATIONS:

TIP 1: GET 9+HOURS OF SLEEP

TIP 3: PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

TIP 2: SPEND TIME OUTSIDE

tori artle sports EDITOR

LASTED: 2 DAYS I started the GLC’s wellness challenge thinking I’d be lucky to last just one day. Despite what I thought, I surprised myself by making it through two days. The recommended nine hours of sleep were the hardest part for me. Going to bed Sunday night was easy since I had nothing to stay up for. On Monday, however, I had to take a nap to hit exactly nine hours while still having time to study as well as do my homework. When it came to exercise and going outside, I had no problem completing that aspect of the recommendations. For instance, running every day was already a part of my daily routine, and I usually go stretch outside afterward. Overall, the recommended amount of exercise was not hard to obtain. I also found socializing relatively easy, since I FaceTimed with my friends and even went to a small family gathering (with masks of course). Adding to that, I was able to go to an outdoor yoga class where I had a little more tine fir both social interaction and relaxation. If it wasn’t for the amount of hours I was supposed to sleep each night, I think that I could have lasted the full week doing this challenge.

Given my sleep schedule, or lack thereof, I went into the challenge bracing myself for the worst. Prior to this challenge, I had routines that weren’t compatible with the requirements of the challenge. In spite of this, I’m quite proud of the four days that I completed following all of the recommendations. I had already developed a habit of waking up an hour or two before class to finish homework I didn’t get to the night before. However, to get myself into a more productive mindset, I added some stretches to my routine to warm myself up for the day. I usually have to grab some stationery and books from the supply shed at least once a day, which allows me to soak up some vitamin D. As someone who needs social interaction, Discord has been a godsend. Albeit a bit distracting during class, the friends I’ve made online have kept my social skills intact. Staying away from electronics, however, proved to be quite the challenge, and in the end, my downfall. Since we’re practically forced to be on our devices for school all day, and my only means of entertainment are online, it was a miracle that I made it through even a day without being on my electronics for an hour, let alone managing to take a break four days in a row.

natasha chang ASST. a&e EDITOR

LASTED: 4 DAYS

lyndon kaneko staff writer

LASTED: 7 DAYS Coming into the challenge, I thought that some of the goals were a little bit ambitious, and later found out that the guidelines were somewhat deceptive in their difficulty. While I managed to last the whole week, there were some legitimate challenges. Finding the will to wake up thirty minutes before class was the worst part of my mornings. I’m a fast eater, so I find that allocating thirty minutes of my time before class to just eat and get ready was unnecessary. Although I managed to sleep nine hours a day, I think that it was still too much. As someone who sleeps two hours before school and three hours after, I felt that sleeping for almost half the day was absurd. The exercise portion of the guidelines were genuinely helpful, as they helped relieve the knots in my joints. I found that walking around my room in between classes also helped me wake up. After following these guidelines for a week, I felt that most of these genuinely helped improve my quality of life. Altering my schedule to fit the guidelines was not particularly hard, receiving more complaints from my peers than me. But, the hardest part, in my opinion, was finding the motivation to stay consistent with the schedule and see things through to the end.

After following the GLC recommendation challenge for a full week, I noticed that it yielded weaker benefits than I expected. Instead of helping me relax, the wellness suggestions put more strain on me. The main factors that caused this tension was the required nine hours of sleep along with waking up well before class started. Because I have a zero period, I went to bed around 9:30 p.m. This was difficult to manage consistently, and a period of sleep around seven to eight hours seems more realistic. Waking up 30 minutes before class was helpful, but the time period seemed too long, as 10-15 minutes was usually sufficient for me to get ready for class. I combined taking walks around my neighborhood with the task of spending time away from electronics, which made for a dreary walk. In my opinion, I think the suggestions related to socializing were most helpful, as spending time talking with your friends is refreshing and quite pleasant during this quarantine. Overall, some recommendations were ineffective and might have contributed to more stress, such as the unrealistic amount of sleep, but there were some decent ones at the same time such as socialization.

edward kim staff writer

LASTED: 7 DAYS

TIP 4: SOCIALIZE (TEXTING DOESN'T COUNT)

kelsey wu Asst. feature editor

LASTED: 7 DAYS Even though I made it through the entire week of this supposed “wellness” challenge, I have to say a large toll has been taken on both my mental and physical health. For something that was supposed to make me feel more relaxed and joyful, I instead found myself more stressed out as I had to completely alter my schedule. I found that the only way to both meet all the requirements and be in bed by 10 pm was to make several GLC tips count as one. The greatest challenge I found was making time to do those five minute mindful exercises, which really didn’t help my stress levels. On the flip side, I found that taking time away from electronics everyday and using it to exercise greatly improved my overall mood and positivity. I can definitely see myself keeping that in my daily routine and even making it an actual habit. But to be honest, it wouldn’t be a lie to say there were times when I would be ready for bed and suddenly realize that I had forgotten to call a friend, or do my third mindfulness exercise. While implementing some of these recommendations can help improve your quality of life, I would not recommend adding them all to your schedule. Trust me, it’ll be more painful than helpful.

Making baked goods for a purpose rachel lee ASST. opinion EDITOR Though it may be impossible to deny the quality of store-bought confections, there is something about the nostalgic taste of homemade treats that brings a special kind of joy. Three Diamond Bar High School students are using their baking skills to contribute to charities

Photo courtesy of CATHERINE WANG

they feel are doing important work. Senior Karissa Wong said she enjoyed baking pastries with her mother so much that in 8th grade she began making macarons on her own. Over the past summer, Wong started baking again and opened her own virtual business. “I was craving some macarons one day and decided to bake just for the heck of it,” Wong said. She began her business by selling them on her personal Instagram account, and later set up a separate account, @macawongs, when she couldn’t work at her regular job at Chick-fil-A due to the coronavirus. “I did this in the last year of middle school I think, and it makes a good amount of money,” Wong said. “I just have to be more uptight with food handling [now] so that people will feel safe buying them from me.” Her favorite part of baking is piping the macaron batter on the baking sheets. She said she finds it fun and satisfying. The flavors she offers include yakult, coffee,

blueberry and vanilla, but she is also open to ideas from customers for new flavors. Wong said she usually takes orders the weekend before she bakes so that they can be picked up between Saturday and Monday. She also mentioned that she gives discounts to customers when she feels that the macarons she makes aren’t up to her visual standards, and when buyers help her advertise on their social media accounts. “I just reshare a macaron post on my main Instagram and encourage people who purchased them to do the same,” Wong said. “They get a 5 percent discount toward their next order.” Part of her proceeds are sent to charity, and 30 percent of her profits are sent to the JED foundation, an organization that aims to provide mental health support for teens and young adults. She contributes to charity efforts because she is passionate about mental health awareness and was

Photo courtesy of KARISSA WONG

Karissa Wong makes macarons and donates a portion of the proceeds to several charities. inspired by the efforts she saw during September, which is National Suicide Awareness Month. Sophomores Julienne Uy and Catherine Wang also started their business as a way to share something they were passionate about, as well as make some money. Uy and Wang took up baking last year and donated to charity from their virtual bakeshop, @j.cbakery.

“We donate to the Endangered Species club and [the] WWF because we have a passion for animals and want to support our community as much as possible,” Uy said. Uy and Wang give 20 percent of their profits to the Endangered Species club at Diamond Bar High

bakery on Pg.13

FEATURE

OCTOBER 14, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Virtual tutors for kids in need deesha pathak Asst. sports editor The pandemic has forced community service club Kids2Kids to change its typical in-person volunteering to virtual tutoring. Diamond Bar High School club officers have had to make some major adjustments in order to comply with new health and safety guidelines. Kids2Kids usually travels to Evergreen and Castle Rock three days a week to volunteer at the afterschool called Fun Club, however, due to health and safety concerns brought on by the pandemic, that is not possible at this time. Despite these major changes, the club wants to offer virtual tutoring services and is actively planning new activities for their members. “We’re planning on tutoring kids online, collaborating with Sunshine Club,” club president junior Naomi Wong said via Facebook. “We also are planning to have a boba fundraiser to support our club and other foundations in need.” A portion of the money raised

from the fundraiser will go to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Sunshine Club at DBHS. Kids2Kids reached out to elementary schools offering its tutoring services, which will be conducted over Zoom calls. Members can sign up for tutoring by filling out a Google form that lists which subjects they would be willing to teach. The parents or guardians of the elementary school child will then fill out a Google form explaining how old the child is and what subjects they need a tutor for. The volunteers from Kids2Kids will then be matched with a child based on the subject. While the details regarding the continuation of usual plans are not completely worked out yet, the club is planning on having volunteers join a Zoom call with the children in Fun Club. This will give volunteers an opportunity to directly communicate with the kids. Furthermore, club officers reported that they are planning on making YouTube videos for elementary school students. These

Kids2kids on Pg.13

KELSEY WU

From Left to Right, The Kids2kids club officers: Jeff Chen, Selena Xia, Annie Huang, Naomi Wong, Catherine Wang, Clara Tae, Leah Sulivan, Stephanie Pan.

TIFFANY LEE

Tasty Box BBQ specializes in Hong Kong barbeque dishes and authentic Chinese cuisines aimed for Diamond Bar locals.

A pleasant suRprise on Hong Kong Flavors Marykate palaris Asst. A&E Editor Asian restaurants are not uncommon throughout the Diamond Bar area, so when I stepped foot into Tasty Box BBQ, a Hong Kong barbeque establishment, I wasn’t anticipating it to be anything special. At the end of my meal, however, I found my prediction to be incorrect. Due to COVID-19, the restaurant, located in the H Mart plaza, is only accepting takeout orders, with no dine-in option. When I entered the establishment, I was greeted by a makeshift ordering station at the front with plexiglass between myself and the cashier. Behind the ordering station, I could see the cooks wearing masks along with disposable gloves. Social distancing was enforced with stickers on the ground that indicated where to stand in line. I ordered the roast duck ($9) and an HK (Hong Kong) lemon tea

($3.50) while my brother ordered the wonton noodles ($8.25), an HK milk tea ($3.50) and mango pudding ($3.25). A server gave us our orders outside after a quick 10 minutes. The sliced duck was hit or miss, some pieces were flavorful, others were bland. Each bite was either a mouthful of tender meat, or sharp, jagged bones. It came with a side of rice, which had a pleasant, slightly nutty flavor. It also included fresh bok choy. The stalks were watery and juicy, and the leaves were faintly bitter, which went well with the duck. The latter also added a nice crunch to the meal. The wonton noodle soup came with two round containers: one for the soup and noodles, and the other for dumplings. The wontons were savory and weren’t overshadowed by the slight fishiness of the shrimp. It had an adequate ratio of pork fat to shrimp. The soup was full of flavor but was not too overwhelming, which complimented the plain, springy noodles. The drinks, as for most beverag-

es in restaurants these days, were slightly overpriced, but worth it for the taste. The HK milk tea was watered down from the ice, and slightly affected its bittersweet taste. It was below average, so I wouldn’t purchase it again. The HK lemon tea was a burst of flavor to contrast the occasional bland pieces of duck, and its sweet and sour taste had me longing for another sip. The mango pudding was the highlight of my meal. It was served in a surprisingly large container and came with a condiment container of reduced-fat milk. The milk had a thick consistency and was slightly bitter, though it added a nice contrast in taste from the gelatin. The gelatin was smooth and soft, with cut up pieces of mango spread throughout the container. The bits of mango were overripe, but adding in the milk created a nice balance of sweet and bitter. Despite my initial impression, Tasty Box BBQ is a distinctive Asian restaurant that I may visit again soon.

Designing on her own Victoria Artale Sports editor Despite all the chaotic happenings in the world, Annabelle Lee can be found peacefully hovering over a sewing machine. Unlike most people who’ve picked up hobbies over quarantine, however, Lee has been making clothing of her own design since last year. “Making clothing was somewhat of a spontaneous decision; I had always liked sewing but never really did anything serious,” the

Diamond Bar High School junior said via Instagram.“Last year I just decided to go to Jo-Ann’s and buy some fabric, which I eventually made into a skirt.” Prior to her trip to Jo-Ann’s, a craft store known for its wide selection of fabric, Lee was inspired by influencer Bernadette Banner on YouTube. Banner is a dress historian who posts videos demonstrating different stitching and sewing techniques used for various sewingprojects. Although Lee likes to admire

Photo Courtesy of ANNABELLE LEE

Lee has several tools in which she uses to make her outfits, such as her fabric.

other’s work, she continues to make her own personal designs. Designing a piece is one of the first steps in her artistic process. “The most difficult part for me is definitely drafting the pattern and cutting out the pieces,” Lee said. “There’s a lot of measurements and planning involved, and if you do it wrong then you end up wasting fabric.” Lee said that her projects vary in the amount of time they take. Right now, she’s tackling the design of a Victorian corset. “Hand-made clothing can take anywhere from a week to a month, or longer,” Lee said. “My current project, which is a Victorian corset, requires many mock-ups and fittings, and has already been in progress for about a month.” Regardless of the difficulty, Lee said that she enjoys completing a project. “My favorite part is when I finish it,” Lee said. “It’s satisfying to see everything come together and to wear something you made yourself.” Besides fabric, this hobby requires a lot of other supplies including a sewing machine and plenty of needles. “I have the general sewing supplies: sewing needles, thread, fabric scissors, pins, ruler ect.,” Lee said. “I also have a rotary cutter and mat, and tracing paper for making patterns.” Apart from designing things for herself, including skirts and outerwear pieces, Lee said she also likes

Photo Courtesy of ANNABELLE LEE

One of Lee’s personally crafted long skirts that she made over time in quarintine. to make garments for her friends and family. “I’m still quite new to sewing, so I haven’t made a lot of pieces yet,” Lee said. “Some of them include an embroidered beret for my mom and a sweater I made for my friend’s birthday.” While Lee said that she enjoys the creative process of sewing, she doubts she will ever make clothing for profit. “I’ve thought about selling my pieces, and decided that I don’t want to,” Lee said. “Taking commissions would be tiring and I

don’t really have the time to make clothing with a deadline.” While she has a lot of projects under her belt, Lee still has a few different things she wants to try within her creative realm, including thrift flipping, or upcycling, used clothes in the future. Although Lee looks forward to making more items, she can’t see herself continuing her hobby as a career. “I don’t want to continue this as a career,” Lee said. “It’s just a hobby, and I’d rather not overwork myself when I do it for fun.”

THE BULL'S EYE

OCTOBER 14, 2020

edward kim staff writer Judging by the first nine weeks of distance learning, there have been substantial changes in the structure of many Diamond Bar High School classes compared to in-person instruction. Twenty-one Bullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eye staff members tracked how each teacher used their class time, showing a variety of results from core classes such as English, math and foreign language. A surprisingly large portion of the time spent during classes is used for attendance. During in-class schooling, attendance usually takes a minute or two as teachers could quickly look over the class and see who was missing using their seating chart. With distance learning, the average amount of time it took to take attendance was

much greater, averaging from five to seven minutes. In more classes than usual, working on homework seemed to take up a large portion of the class period. For example, many students reported that their teacher took attendance for five minutes, and then the students were free to work on their homework for the remaining 35 minutes. Even during the extra 6L and 1L periods, students observed attendance taking about 5 minutes and then frequent homework periods. In the week the students kept track, there were about 20 reports of classes that included students working on homework for the duration of class. According to the data, on average, every day around 30 minutes were used on lecturing, taking notes, doing homework or independent work/classwork. Twelve minutes was used

for class discussion, 20 minutes was used for reviewing homework, and only about 15 minutes were used on other random discussions. The info shows how much time goes into homework, as it is as much as everyday activities such as classwork and lecture. Some students had classes that needed extra time for classwork, resulting in more homework. For example, in Trigonometry/Math Analysis, English 2 Honors, AP Euro, and AP Computer Science Principles, little time was used for attendance while the majority of the period was spent note-taking and reviewing homework. However, even with this extra time, the students reported that there was not enough time to finish classwork, resulting in extra assignments outside of class. In many classes, students took notes on Google slides or other presentation ma-

FEATURE

terial outside of class, in order to stay on track with current lessons, which appears to be common among math teachers. This is a big gap from in-seat schooling, where note taking from lectures took place almost entirely during class time. Some teachers organized their periods to include participation opportunities. For example, students noted that in some classes, after attendance, the majority of the time left consisted of doing classwork activities and verbal participation. Some students also reported taking part in discussion about different topics and doing activities such as Kahoot or Quizizz in their foreign language classes. In some English classes, students spent the majority of their time reviewing past assignments such as reading comprehension problems or looking at essays, while others took

note of activities such as vocab review and video notes. Overall, each English teacher seemed to have a unique way in how they went about their lessons. There were few comments about physical education, as the contents were rather unchanged according to the data. Students reported that their teachers would have them do physical workouts together over Zoom. However, what was altered was the variety of physical activities in classes. As activities such as basketball or running miles are impossible to set up virtually, teachers had students do exercises, that required no equipment such as cardio and body-weight workouts. They also encouraged students to bring weights to do weight training exercises, with light weights such as textbooks or even heavier ones such as dumbbells in order to challenge themselves.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 14, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Our Guide to K-Dramas story by Reyna Wan & Tiffany Lee, design by Josh Chou

fter decades of holding onto the same, repetitive nostalgia that Hollywood romantic comedies and sitcoms offer, a new contender has made its mark on this generation’s pop culture: Korean media. While it has found international success in music and lifestyle, one aspect that has only now begun to gain traction in America is its film and production industry, particularly Korean dramas, also known as K-dramas. Often containing a cliche plot with a dramatic twist, holding hints of comedy, K-dramas appear to be the mirror image of American dramas--until they aren’t. Creative and addicting, there is a reason why these shows have accumulated a devoted fan base around the world. Based on not just one category, Korean dramas have a little bit of something for everyone, ranging from cliche romance to timeless, historical dramas. Each plot is carefully constructed to tell a story from a variety of perspectives without compromising its quality or clarity, a

quality that has long been forgotten in the overused storylines of American television. “I’m a sucker for romantic comedies, but Korean Dramas usually span a variety of genres, which is why I love them so much,” junior Katie Song said via Instagram. Adding to its appeal is their ability to tell a story within a matter of episodes instead of sprawled out over unnecessary seasons. Not only does this prevent an arbitrary level of redundancy, it keeps the audience drawn in by only highlighting what is interesting to the story. “Rather than having endlessly boring continuous seasons that get worse and worse like The Walking Dead or The 100, most dramas are short, 16 episode

miniseries that end without leaving the watcher any disappointment and, oftentimes, wanting more,“ freshman Jeremiah Jung said. Almost as important as the storytelling itself is who brings that story to life on the screen. And, in the case of Korean entertainment, it’s actors and actresses who truly immerse themselves in portraying the character at hand. Whatever the scene calls for, the actor is able to evoke that very emotion, prompting an equally emotional response from an audience who is now hung on to every word. “My favorite part of kdramas are the cast and the OST because the music really gets you into the drama and the casts are all beautiful and amazing actors/ac-

Our Top Picks

1. Reply 1988

tresses,” junior Kai-Min Tsuei said. Along with each drama is a unique soundtrack showcasing the voices of prominent South Korean artists. These Original Sound Tracks, often abbreviated as OSTs, are matched to a particular scene from the drama, allowing audiences to connect to the show even after they have finished watching the drama. Nevertheless, there remains an overarching meaning to the popularity that the Korean entertainment industry has garnered within this decade. Once overshadowed by Hollywood blockbusters, this new generation of diverse American youth seeks people who represent them in media, something Hollywood has rarely provided. Korean dramas offer us a glimpse of what the future holds in terms of both quality and diversity representation. Especially now, in a time where we are trapped in the limited consistency of our mundane home lives, these shows offer an escape to connect to a world that we can only hope will one day be ours.

2. Kingdom who: Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji Hoon), his bodyguard, nurse and friends.

who: group of five close friends what: living on the same street of Ssangmundong in Seoul, as they reminisce about their time as high school students in the late 1980s

what: fighting a zombie invsion to reclaim his rightful throne during Korea’s Joseon period

where to watch: Netflix, DramaCool Netflix

3. Secret Garden

where to watch: Netflix

4. Itaewon Class

who: Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin) an arrogant CEO and Gil Ra- Im (Ha Ji Won), a poor stunt woman

who: ex- convict Park Saeroyi (Park Seo Joon) and his squad of employees

what: switch bodies after drinking a magic wine and adapt to the contrasting social hierarchy

what: fighting to avenge his late father by making his humble street pub successful

where to watch: DramaCool

where to watch: Netflix

5. It’s Okay Not to be Okay

who: Aspiring college weightlifter Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) and swimmer Jung Joo Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk)

what: overcome past trauma and find love

what: falling in love as they fight for their dreams Netflix

Netflix

6. Weightlifting Fairy

who: Psychiatric ward caretaker Moon Kang Tae (Kim Soo Hyun) and patient Ko Mun Young (Seo Ye Ji) who has antisocial personality disorder

where to watch: Netflix

Netflix

where to watch: Viki

OCTOBER 14, 2020

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE BULL'S EYE

Novel take on art ists to mass produce their work. “I would say usually twothirds of the class would enjoy this process. The one-third that Traditionally, artists bring their have their reservation would be creative visions to life through mebecause of how much labor and diums such as paint or pencil on time goes into carving your depaper. Breaking from the norm, sign into the wood,” he said via senior Jennifer Lai takes a knife to email. “As long [as] the physical wood to create her artwork, using resistance is not overwhelming a technique known as block art. it is a wonderful process that stuIn this medium, artists use Exdents are really satisfied with.” acto knives and carving kits to cut For the first one, she created a and chisel their work into a piece self portrait using the traditionof wood or linoleum. They can al single-layered technique. Lai then roll ink onto this carving and said she created a reduction block transfer the deprint for her sign onto a cansecond piece vas, similarly to that required a stamp. her to create a “Unlike many kinds of Lai was first multi-colored, traditional art, I can introduced to layered print, print as many of the this art style whose subject same drawings as I in her sophowas her brother. want,” more year in “Personally, I JENNIFER LAI Diamond Bar was really fasciHigh School’s nated with this AP Studio Art project because class, where I’ve learned pashe was tasked per tole and I with completing two unique really like carving,” she said via block prints for an assignment. Instagram. Paper tole is a three-diArt teacher Vianney Hwang mensional art style using paper. said students tend to be attracted Other than her prior experito this art form as it allows artence with uncommon media like

Anika Yatawara News editor

Photos courtesy of JENNIFER LAI

From left to right: Lai, posing with printed self portrait, the carving process, and another block art piece inked with using paper tole, Lai said she enjoys art block since it allows her to reprint designs as much as she wants. “Unlike many kinds of traditional art, I can print as many of the same drawings as I want,” she said. “If I happen to mess up on the printing part, it’s no big deal because I can wash the ink off the block and roll new ink and print again.” Lai first started studying art at four years old, and has continued to devote herself to this passion in different forms ever since. “From posting stories on Webtoon [or] Wattpad to tak-

ing AP art, art has never been absent from my life,” she said. She sees art as a form of relaxation and escape, drawing whenever and wherever she can, which usually requires a degree of resourcefulness. “I always find ways to create art even when I’m missing certain materials,” she said. “When I’m outside, I might doodle on a piece of napkin at restaurants.” To promote her artwork, Lai posts on her Instagram (@jenniferliarliar) as well

on Webtoon and Wattpad, which allow young creatives to post their original content for others to view and comment on. So far, Lai has started two webcomics but has taken a break from completing them due to school. In the future, she plans to continue to pursue art and design as a career. Currently, she plans on double majoring in industrial design and accounting. “Since art has been a part of my life since I was four, I do not wish to lose it when I’m older,” she said.

The Haunting of Bly Manor Lyndon kaneko staff writer With Halloween just around the corner, streaming giant Netflix and filmmaker Mike Flanagan have returned with the next installment in the “The Haunting of…” series, titled “The Haunting of Bly Manor.” Although there’s a noticeable lack of frightening scenes, it doesn’t detract from the show, thanks to the outstanding performances from both new and returning cast members. Dani (Victoria Pedretti) plays a young American nanny, hired to care for two recently-orphaned children, Flora (Amelie Bea Smith) and Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), at a countryside manor. Layers of intriguing mysteries push the plot forward, piling onto each other episode by episode then satisfyingly solved by a single episode, adding

a sense of fulfillment to the hours of watching. Some examples include: the cause of the parents’ death, the housekeeper’s strange behavior and the identity of a faceless ghost who roams the halls. Flanagan once again proves his skill in creating a foreboding, dreadful atmosphere. The small characteristics and reactions made by the cast help set the tone tremendously. Some lead characters possess mannerisms that seem out of place and the dread painted on the characters’ faces, even if something weren’t happening, nonetheless made me feel uneasy. The orphans, for example, are just plain odd, though both are charmingly portrayed by their actors. Flora makes incessant use of the phrase “perfectly splendid” whenever she agrees with something, which is weird since it seemed all-too-

The haunted estate, contains remnants and markings of its previous residents.

Photo courtesy of Steve Dietl/Netflix

Mother, Father with the rest of the Crain family gathering to comfort Olivia.

knowing for a girl her age. Then there’s Miles with an unsettlingly mature demeanor for a 10-yearold and the housekeeper Hanna Grose (T’Nia Miller), who often spaces out and stares into the distance as if she were in a dream. Flanagan uses these small oddities to give life to each character and create an aura of mystery before even introducing the mansion. Flashbacks throughout the show offer context and depth to each character’s backstory. Each is carefully crafted so that by the end of the series, viewers understand every character’s motives. Rather than the supernatural oddities occurring throughout the estate, Flanagan chooses to focus more on forming complex character relationships. Despite this, viewers in search of a good horror show will still find the slow-build up of terror to their liking. Small things like animated dolls and lingering apparitions mixed with the mental agony of the characters can satisfy even the most stubborn of horror fans. It’s in these complex relationships, like the one formed between Hannah and Owen (Rahul Kohli), the chef of Bly Manor, where the show exhibits some of its most compelling moments. The light-hearted conversation between the two provides one of the few heartwarming moments in the show and adds more weight to its darker and more emotional moments. Though it lacks the terrifying punch of its more horror-charged predecessor, “Hill House,” “The Haunting of Bly Manor” still manages to present a different kind of entertainment. Instead, it’s imbued with rich character development, doomed love and personal grief. It may not reach the high bar set by “Hill House,” with its simultaneous in-your-face horror and emotional depth, and the slow buildup may test your patience, but the show pays off and is entertaining in its own right.

FINAL VERDICT: s t r e a m i t

Photo courtesy of Shulamite Yang

DBHS’s Dance Company teaching elementary school students choreography.

Future of dance ryan chan business manager This past month elementary school students from around the city gathered to learn dance and choreography from the Diamond Bar High School dance team. This year marks the company’s second annual Youth Camp, held on Oct. 10 and will continue on Saturday. Throughout camp, the students participated in dancing exercises, virtual games and a getto-know DBHS’s dance community. “Last year it was such a big success that we wanted to be sure we continued hosting the event, even virtually,” Dance Company director Kari Simonson said via email. “Aside from being a fundraiser for the Dance Company, our goal is to share our love of dance with the younger generation.” During Youth Camp, participants have been learning and practicing a dance choreographed and taught by members of the DBHS company. At the end of their training, students will perform in the Dance Company’s virtual fall concert in November. “Last year the youth campers were the biggest hit of our fall concert, so it’s important that we include them again this year,” Simonson said. Members of the Dance Company’s Student Leadership Team are the primary facilitators of the

camp and are in charge of leading the campers. The leadership team also manages publicity, community outreach, choreography and instruction for this event. “The kids (ranging from 5 to 13 years old) and dance company members were separated into groups of three,” junior Shulamite Yang said via Messenger. “Each group was facilitated with a number of [the] Dance Company leaders, sectioning the given two hours into sections for learning choreography and for playing games.” They played such games as Just Dance, Pictionary and, for the younger participants, Simon Says. “The first day went by perfectly,” junior Emily Imamura said via Instagram. “We were worried about keeping the camper’s attention throughout the virtual instruction but everything went as planned.” Next week, the DBHS Dance Team plans to review choreography with small groups of students in Zoom breakout rooms, and will also try recording a performance. Finally, they will learn a collective version of the choreography for every participant to perform together. “We will also ask the camper’s families to film the kids dancing to the song on their own for the sake of video quality and will edit each clip accordingly if that is the better option,” Yang said. “Either way, the attendees of our Youth Camp will be a part of our concert this fall.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 14, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

A homemade murder mystery Kelsey Wu Asst. Feature Editor To keep its annual tradition of hosting a Fall Production alive, this month the Diamond Bar High School Drama Department will alter its usual format by releasing their first ever virtual production, “Get A Clue.” “Get A Clue,” a murder mystery play modeled after the board game Clue, focuses on eight characters who are all invited to an ominous dinner party with a chance to put an end to their financial difficulties. Just like previous years, there will be two featured casts, the purple and gold cast, whose performances will be broadcasted on their specific days. “I thought this [play] would be a great opportunity for something in this style. The play also fit really well with planning virtually, and gave me many ideas on how we could do it!” Drama teacher Jared Kaitz said via email. Because the department had not yet delved into the logistics of filming its productions in previous years, Kaitz dedicated most of his summer to learning video editing and planning for a virtual show. He said that countless hours were spent learning how to edit video, create virtual “stages” and fix technical issues prior to the start of rehearsals. The sets are green screens,

which every cast member has stationed at home and will be used to emulate actual backdrops with the help of stagecraft designer sophomore Vera Wang. Other tools performers will use to enhance the quality of their production include ring lights, tripods and cameras. Costumes were taken care of by Kaitz, who designed the clothes, wigs and props. “Normally, we are able to have fittings, alterations, measurements, etc, but in the virtual setting we had to go based off of answers on a form. Students picked them up during a drive through pickup, where everything was boxed and bagged, labeled with their names,” Kaitz said. Due to strict regulations, the department isn’t allowed to meet in-person to film the play, so they must resort to taping the production on Zoom. “Having a theater production in this format is kind of awkward, since most of us aren’t used to having to stay in one spot during a show. Our cameras can only show a window of our set, so we can’t move or express ourselves as much as we are used to,” freshman Angelina Tesoro said via Instagram. During the production, the cast members will be arranged in a particular format on Zoom. This is so that when viewers watch the play, it will appear as though the actors are addressing each other. Cast members must memorize the

arrangement so they know where to look when performing dialogue with other characters. Other potential challenges of recording online are sudden technical issues. Actors’ microphones sometimes cut off mid-scene while taping, and unstable internet connections may delay the cast’s filming schedule. “This has been a learning process for all of us, pushing us all outside of our comfort zones and forcing us to be creative with how we work,” Kaitz said.

One positive aspect of filming the play for performers is the opportunity to gain experience acting on camera rather than acting live. “I am using this production as a way to improve my on screen acting. Theater is very different from film, and even though I know I love acting, deciding between pursuing theatre or film in the future is a decision I am still considering,” senior Pailey Kao said via Instagram. The show will be available for viewing on Oct. 23-24, with tickets for access going on sale soon.

As Brahmas settle into an online learning environment, many teachers have had to change the way they instruct their class. For most visual arts courses, teachers are now switching their focus to the individual skill of a student. With two years of experience in Diamond Bar High School’s art classes, it was easy for senior Catherine Liu to adjust to AP Studio Art in an online environment. Liu said that the class has been working on their portfolios, for which they have already completed their first piece of artwork and are moving to the second. “Comparing to my other classes, [AP Studio Art] hasn’t been as affected for me personally, especially because I’ve been doing this for a year already,” Liu said. “It’s not a cohesive class so I think it’s definitely not as impacted as some of the other classes are.” Liu said that she and her peers have been working at a much quicker pace, considering the shorter class periods. During class, students critique their peer’s artwork in order to help other students improve their art throughout the school year. Sometimes, students do not even have time in

Photo courtesy of DBHS DRAMA DEPARTMENT

The gold cast for the upcoming play, “Get a clue” preparing to film over Zoom.

the 40-minute class period to work Production. on their assignments, nor do they “Now [Mr. Enriquez] expects us always have time to finish their disto choose a skill we want to focus cussion of someone’s art before the on, whether it be directing, or properiod ends. ducing, screenwriting, or visual “In order to critique each otheffects,” Hsu said. “Now he just er’s artworks, we’ll have to be gives us lectures the entire class looking at an online picture that and only gives us time after school we uploaded instead of pieces in to make the film.” person,” Liu said. “Critiquing is a Although students would norlittle hard to see whether it’s the mally work together to complete a details or sometimes the angle may project for video production, they be a bit off if the person didn’t take now have to complete screenwritthe photo correctly.” ing and production by themselves. Senior Rex Hsu is taking PhoCurrently, students are working on tography and Advanced Video Promaking a showcase film that will duction, where he has had a strikhighlight one skill they want to foingly different cus on. experience in “For each class. Both me, I’m focusing “We’re just working classes use Gooon visual arts, on our own projects gle Meets, but and we all have because we can’t chat any semblance to make the vidwith our friends.” of similarity eo ourselves so MAYA MEHTA stops there. we can’t meet up Whereas he with each othdoesn’t think er,” Hsu said. anything has changed in DBHS has provided Hsu with Photography, as teacher Bill Foa DSLR camera, which he uses for ley is still having students take both Photography and AP Video pictures of specific objects, he’s Production, as well as LED lights noticed that his teacher for vidand a tripod. As the year progresseo production, Mario Enriquez, es, he predicts both Photography has started to lecture and emphaand Video Production will chalsize individual skills, rather than lenge his ability to stay focused group work, more than last year. on Photography’s new learning This is his first year taking Photogformat, and keep up with the new raphy and his second year in Video expectation his video production

Photo courtesy of CATHERINE LIU

A closeup of a monochromatic watercolor self portrait done by Catherine Liu

K-pop fans elevate new Blackpink album NATASHA CHANG ASST. A&E Editor

Zooming into individual skills somiya jajieh asst. feature Editor

A&E Commentary

teacher has for the class. Maya Mehta, a junior, is taking Studio Art. Her teacher, Vianney Hwang, has limited the amount of work he expects from students, as he has them turn in one piece each week, rather than daily, for Inktober, a popular artistic challenge where artists create one ink drawing based on a prompt for every day of October. “One drawing per day is a lot of time, so I think he understands that we are busy students,” Mehta said. Mehta’s class is currently working on a project for the Korean-American Association, which is an organization that teaches the Korean language and culture to Korean-American Californians. The prompt students have to follow is the term ‘Korean’ and they will individually mail their drawings to the organization on Oct. 9. Compared to in-person instruction, the online class is much more formal. In past years, Hwang used to play music for the class to listen to while they talked to each other, which Mehta said allowed her to make new friends. “We’re just working on our own projects because we can’t chat with our friends like we used to, or ask personal questions to people so we can get to know each other a little bit more,” Mehta said.

Photo courtesy of ANGEL ZENG

Bright digital work of a hand created by AP studio art student junior Angel Zeng

As one of the biggest girl bands in the world, K-pop group Blackpink has a massive fanbase that, even compared to other fanbases, stands out in its loyalty and dedication to promoting the artists’ creative projects. So it surprised no one when the band’s debut album “The Album” broke numerous records. “How You Like That,” the first song of the album to come out, became the second most popular song worldwide on Spotify within 24 hours of its release. However, despite its commercial success and accolades from fans, critics have spoken openly about their disdain for the album; though it set many records, the music itself is mediocre. “How You Like That” and “Pretty Savage” are simply products of state-of-the-art technology and practice, something that everyone is capable of doing. Though “Crazy Over You” takes one back to the days of 1990s hip-hop exotica, there’s nothing particularly special about the piece in terms of style. To top it off, the members don’t even produce their own music. Unlike other rising artists, Blackpink is polished and methodical in everything from its music production to social media posts. Crisp and strategic, rather than highlighting the group’s unique qualities, they use well-planned costumes and style that give off a more manufactured view of their artists than many other groups. Regardless of critical opinion of their music, though, the girl group also set two other records for the most simultaneous viewers on a YouTube video premiere not only in the music video category, but overall as well, with the live premiere of their single “How You Like That” reaching up to 1.66 million viewers at a time. The group also broke various Guinness World Records and iTunes records as well. Had they not been a K-pop group, though, Blackpink’s debut album may not have been so successful. K-pop fans are known for their ardent, sometimes obsessive, passion, and Blackpink’s fanbase has been vital to their album’s record-shattering success. Though Blackpink may have more sales and fans than many other bands, their debut album perfectly embodies the concept of manufactured success. From their cult-like fans to their mediocre music churned out by producers and lyricists, every aspect of the girl group points to the truth that they’re simply a face for the dozens of industry professionals that fabricate their work for a happily-deceived audience.

OCTOBER 15, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Brahmas use their passion in bakery to help out charity BAKERY FROM P.7 High School and have been able to raise about $50 total for both charities. However, when they initially opened their business, Uy and Wang had a bit of trouble with fake orders. People would send in random words on their order forms and make comments about their business, but that did not end up being a major issue for them as they were able to continue running business as usual.

Their shop sells a variety of baked goods such as cupcakes, cookies, breads and fruit tarts. In addition, customers can order cakes based on the customization options in their order forms. “We developed our menu by adding items we believed that everyone would like and things we enjoyed baking,” Wang said. Wang said she starts out by researching and practicing recipes for foods they might want to add to their shop. Once they have tried out and ap-

proved of the item, it gets added to their order forms. “Some of our best selling products are macarons and our cake,” Uy said. “We’ve sold over 15 different products so far.” Both said they enjoy sharing their baked goods with friends and family. Uy also said that through her baking she was able to spread the message of sharing and giving back to the community. “Our advice for aspiring bakers is to never give up and enjoy what you do,” Uy said.

Kids2Kids transfers online LEARNING FROM P.8 videos will cover a wide range of topics from arts and crafts to mathematics and English grammar. Despite working remotely, Kids2Kids has recruited 83 new members and has come up with ideas for new activities. In addition, they have planned fundraisers to fund any future activities. Wong said that despite the challenges they are facing, the club is doing relatively well.

Each officer has their own goals concerning what they want to accomplish for the club over distance learning. The overall consensus is to raise money and attract new club members. The club’s treasurer, senior Stephanie Pan, is working toward organizing future fundraisers. “As the secretary for K2K club, my goal this year is to seek out more opportunities for our members to gain more hours,” Pan said. “Currently, I am thinking of planning a day where members

can gain an hour for posting themselves wearing blue on their Instagram/Facebook stories.” Officers recommend that anybody who has an interest in childcare should sign up for Kids2Kids. “I think if you are looking towards a job in education, joining Kids2Kids would be a great place to test whether teaching is the right job for you,” Pan said. “Working with a young age group is always hard, but if you have the patience, it can be extremely rewarding!”

BUSINESS

SPORTS

OCTOBER 14, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Alumnus enters pro golf scene Sahith Theegala begins his professional career after sweeping all three college awards. charles tam asst. sports editor After making his mark at Pepperdine University with a record-breaking collegiate golf career, Diamond Bar High School alumnus Sahith Theegala has turned pro amid a global pandemic. Theegala made his professional debut at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut during late June, but missed the cut by four strokes as he shot even par over two rounds. In July, he failed to make the cut in his next two tournaments, the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit and the 3M Open in Minnesota. Despite these setbacks, he was successful at Napa’s Safeway Open in September, placing tied for 14th after he finished at 15 under par for the tournament over four rounds. Theegala also competed at the Sanderson Farms Championship in early October and shot one under par over two rounds, but it was not enough to make the cut. “I don’t want to sound cocky or anything, but I’m playing to win,” Theegala told The New York Times last month. “It’s not like I’m just

playing to make the cut or anything like that. If you’re not trying to win, what are you doing?” Prior to going professional in June, Theegala was among the top amateur golfers in the country. Although he missed what was supposed to be his senior season at Pepperdine due to a wrist injury, he redshirted and came back better than ever. Theegala became Pepperdine’s first National Player of the Year after winning all three national player of the year awards (Fred Haskins Award, Ben Hogan Award and Jack Nicklaus Award) in his redshirt senior year. Theegala was rated No. 1 in men’s college golf n by both Golfstat and Golfweek/ Sagarin. The three-time NCAA All-American set the school’s single-season scoring record at 69.04 during his redshirt senior year, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his four playing seasons, he improved his scoring average each season, ending with the best average (70.61) in Pepperdine history. Along with his college accomplishments, Theegala qualified for the PGA Tour’s 2017 Genesis Open after winning a Collegiate Showcase event. He finished tied for 49th, the best finish for an amateur in the Genesis since 1988. He won the 2019 SCGA Amateur Championship in Los Angeles and went on to win the Australian Master of the

Photo courtesy of PGA TOUR

Alumnus Sahith Theegala competed with Phil Mickelson at PGA Tour’s 2017 Genesis Open and finished tied for 49th. Amateurs in January 2020. The former DBHS golfer received a full scholarship to Pepperdine in 2014 after dominating the junior and amateur golf scene. Theegala played four years on varsity and was also on the All-Sierra League first team all four years. He was named the League MVP and

the San Gabriel Valley Tribune’s Area Player of the Year as a junior. Outside of high school, the young golfer won the 2014 Los Angeles City Championship, 2014 Coronado City Championship and the 2015 Orange County Championship. “The first two to three years I want to see how well I play against

the other juniors and if I’m good enough I definitely want to try to go professional,” Theegala said in 2014, when he was a senior at DBHS. Fast forward, and it’s clear that Theegala’s hard work from the beginning of his golf career has brought him to achieve his goal.

Competing in taekwondo in an unconventional way Senior Ryan Real finds success in virtual competitions, while facing many challenges. Connor cho asst. business manager While the transition from the dojang, a taekwondo studio to his own home has been a struggle, senior Ryan Real remains focused on training for virtual tournaments. Real said he works out with his competition team, the Eagles Team from Eagle Taekwondo, at home over Zoom. Real said that he has been training during the quarantine break using his usual regimen which involves stretching and conditioning, as well as technique training. In addition, Real said he visited his dojang as a volunteer instructor during the summer to help teach online students alongside his master. The class offers different training sessions for other groups in-person, but follows strict social distancing rules. “My master’s really meticulous about the safety standards, doing temperature checks, enforcing mask-wearing, and six feet distancing,” Real said via Instagram. Real admits that there are many problems that come with practicing at home. For example, he finds it harder than normal to keep himself motivated and driven without his teammates training alongside him. He added that his sister, class of 2020 alumna Karyn Real, has helped him through the process because she trains with him. Many of Real’s competitions were originally scheduled from March to June but were rescheduled from August to December online. There have been many technical difficulties with the new competition formats making them signifi-

cantly harder to judge than in-person versions. Since the tournament was held virtually, competitors were judged by the performance of their form and sparring combos while on-line. “There were WiFi and sound issues which is especially a problem for live online competitions because if the referees can’t hear or see, they cannot judge,” Real said. “The camera also stays in one spot during each performance so referees obviously can’t see everything.” Real said that there is a new competition format that the referees have not been trained for. As a result, the scores have been disparate and disorganized at many competitions. “At normal competitions, as you progress through each round you can see what referees are rewarding or deducting and make

adjustments from there,” Real said. “With the new video submission competition style, you don’t get that opportunity to adjust.” Despite the difficulties of the new online format, Real won many awards at his virtual competitions. He won first place in the Taekwondo Association Online Competition, Wuxi World Online Championships, Pan American Online Open and the Samjokowon II Online Open. Additionally, he won second place in the USA Taekwondo Summer of Poomsae Championships. “There are a few more [competitions] coming up in October and December so hopefully I’ll have some more,” Real said. “I’ve made it a point to compete in these online competitions as much as I can because this will be the new normal for the time being so I have to get accustomed and stay prepared.”

Photo courtesy of RYAN REAL

Senior Ryan Real was introduced to taekwondo when he was four years old.

Exercising over Zoom calls has been a challenge for both students and coaches.

Conditioning behind a screen Despite not being able to practice in person, athletes have managed to exercise together as a class. Deesha pathak asst. sports editor In an effort to stay in shape during the pandemic, athletes have been trying to maintain their fitness over Zoom calls. Athletic director Albert Lim oversees 118 students during sixth period Athletic Conditioning. The students in his class exercise two to three days every week. However, Lim clarifies that there are other athletic conditioning teachers, facilitating variety in what the students do. “It would vary from sport to sport and the teacher that is leading that class,” Lim said. “Anywhere from daily exercises to learning their playbook to homework help.” In addition, coaches of some sports assign additional workouts to athletes for them to complete on their own time. This can include running assignments where the athletes have to run a certain distance and track their speed using the Nike Run Club app, or YouTube workouts. However, Lim said that coaches have been facing some challenges with providing adequate feedback during this embodiment of prac-

tice. “When a coach cannot see a student performing an exercise, it is impossible to help correct errors,” said Lim. “ Live versus online, there is a difference in the quality of coaching one [athletes] receives.” Lim said that he told his students that it is very important to exercise before their season in order to avoid injury during the season. Professional athletes have suffered a record high number of injuries at the start of this season, presumably due to lack of preparation during quarantine. Lim said that students have also had to make many accommodations in order to conduct practice over Zoom. “Finding room, having to use other tech tools such as their phones to have a video call while having adequate space, and learning to be vulnerable in front of a camera,” said Lim. Depending on the student’s situation, they typically keep their camera on while exercising so the coach can both take attendance and evaluate their exercise form. High schools in the district are working on a detailed plan for athletes to return to practice following Los Angeles County Health Department’s guidelines, but for now, coaches are making the best of the situation. “It is what it is,” Lim said. “As a teacher, I can only control so much.”

SPORTS

THE BULL'S EYE

OCTOBER 14, 2020

Pitching to the next level Senior Lexie Martinez will continue her softball career at San Francisco State University.

Significance of offseason/ preseason

deesha pathak asst. sports editor Senior Lexie Martinez has recently taken a pitch to play softball for San Francisco State University. SFSU is a public California state university that competes at the Division II NCAA athletics level. Martinez is planning to major in criminal justice, in addition to playing softball. Martinez committed to SFSU last November, after evaluating four other college offers, including the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Akron University and SFSU. “I chose SFSU because it reminded me of home and I loved the coaches,” Martinez said via Instagram. “I also loved the environment and felt I would be successful at SFSU.” Martinez’s journey with softball began when she started playing in elementary school. As a member of a club softball team, Martinez was exposed to the sport at an earlier age than some of her competitors. By the age of thirteen, she decided that she wanted to play at the collegiate level. Martinez said that this goal kept her motivated and competitive about the sport. “Lexie has been and still is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever coached,” DBHS varsity softball coach Kurt Davies said via email. “I emphasize that she still is, because I’ve seen a ton of athletes through the years that have eased up on the workload once they’ve committed.” She currently plays with a travel ball team called California Thunder- LeVier Vankirk, in addition to playing for Diamond Bar High School girls varsity softball team. Over the years, Martinez has racked up many awards, and was named one of the best pitchers in the CIF Southern Section. One of her favorite aspects about the game of softball is being able to play with her friends and the com-

T Photo courtesy of AMELIE LEE

Throwback to a freshman, now senior, Lexie Martinez, focusing on her fast pitch at a home game back in April 2018. petition which she says sustained her interest in the sport. Softball has also impacted her life in other ways. “I feel softball has [given] me confidence and provided me with a stronger mentality,” Martinez said via Instagram. “I also always have my teams back and am a leader.” Martinez attributes her success to her consistent work ethic. She said that she works out everyday and has completely dedicated herself to the sport, both physically and mentally. In addition, she said that she believes that the leadership skills she gained through softball will help her succeed in college and beyond. On top of the life-long skills she has learned, her nine years of competitive softball experience provide her with a vast amount of knowledge regarding the sport. Playing on a club team as well as on the school varsity team has provided Martinez with an unparalleled level of experience. “I couldn’t be happier or more proud for Lexie, her family, her travel coaches and my coaches here for creating the perfect village in order for her to thrive,” Davies said via email.

Photo courtesy of LEXIE MARTINEZ

Martinez looks forward to playing Division II softball at San Francisco State. Overall, Martinez said that playing softball has been a positive experience for her, and recommends that children who want to pursue a college softball career should work hard and stay positive despite set-

backs. “Some advice I would give is to stay motivated and always be passionate in softball because that will help you succeed in this sport,” Martinez said via Instagram.

Club training returns ahead of games Diamond Bar club athletes have been training, while following COVID-19 safety guidelines. vera wang staff writer Since the nationwide closure that began in mid-March, the world of youth sports have been turned upside down. After players waited month after month through game and practice postponements, October signifies the end to this disheartening cycle for many, with new regulations and cautionary guidelines implemented in club sports that will allow for some athletes to return to playing fields. From temperature readings to sanitation, non-school affiliated soccer and basketball organizations have become the first athletic programs to reopen facilities since the pandemic. “We are back to practicing and it was really different because there were so many restrictions and rules that we had to follow,” junior Jackson Haynes said via Instagram. “We all have to stand at least six feet apart, we can’t play defense on each other, we couldn’t touch the ball with our hands, and

we couldn’t shoot on goal [during practice].” Playing for the premier soccer club Legends FC in the Elite Clubs National League, Haynes recently traveled to Arizona with his teammates for tournaments. They began following the league’s schedule, out of state, in early September, and have resumed playing since then. “For our league, we have a couple of teams from Arizona and Las Vegas so we do quite a bit of traveling out of California,” Haynes said via Instagram. “Arizona has less restrictions in place than California so it’s easier for us to be able to resume our league out there.” Similarly, juniors Alessa Sampson from Arsenal and Samantha Marcello from Strikers FC have also been following guidelines with their clubs. “Practice begins with technical skills and conditioning, anything six feet apart, then we get into the small sided games with no tackling allowed,” Sampson said via Instagram. “It’s amazing to finally scrimmage even if there’s restrictions.” Meanwhile, those partaking in non-travel ball clubs are limited to individual skill development. For Foothill Storm player Damian Mata, soccer practice focuses on technique and conditioning, with a

strong emphasis on social distancing and mask-wearing enforced for the duration of training. “We don’t get to do scrimmages, which means you start to lose your feel for the game,” Mata said via Instagram. Nevertheless, the majority of club soccer coaches and parents have been determined to return teens to the field. “Our season usually starts at the end of September or beginning of October, but because of Covid our schedule is in the air,” Marcello said via Instagram. “Even though California isn’t allowing any games, there are numerous games scheduled in Arizona to start at the end of October, which I am looking forward to.” Some travel ball organizations have begun to integrate technology into training, such as Dtermined, a coed travel-ball organization based in Corona. One of their sophomore players, Kailey Taing, took part in their “hell week” program. “Once it got towards the end of the school year and into summer Dtermined started online training via Zoom for everybody across the country called hell week which consisted of intense training for anybody willing to work,” Taing said via Instagram. “We did that for about six weeks while waiting for the numbers to go down, where

they met with all the families and asked who would be willing to send their child back to distance training at the gym.” In the face of the struggles the virus has posed, sophomore SoCal Heat basketball player Elizabeth Camargo makes the most of the current situation. “But on the bright side it lets you work on the things that you can’t do very well by yourself,” Camargo said via Instagram. “I like that we are now able to resume practice and interact with people and see how much we have improved since quarantine.” Despite the strict precautionary regulations, such as the mandatory three-week quarantine necessary to play in tournaments, the safety measures taken do not always prove to be sufficient. “It doesn’t really work, because we had a kid come up positive and we had to shut down for two weeks but it still is better than nothing,” Haynes said via Instagram. Once the virus is no longer a significant threat, many cannot wait to showcase the results of the training they’ve undergone since the start of quarantine. “This upcoming season is going to really show who has been working and who has been slacking as a team and individual,” Camargo said via Instagram.

he injury-plagued Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season left the sports community stunned and wondering what could have caused this dreadful upsurge. Whether this predicament is mere coincidence or not, the abnormal offseason and lack of preseason caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are most likely the culprits. Among the many players who were taken off the field in the devastating week include the 49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (high ankle sprain) and defensive end Nick Bosa (knee), Broncos’ quarterback Drew Lock (shoulder), Giants’ running back Saquon Barkley (knee) and Panthers’ running back Christian McCaffrey (high ankle sprain). Both Bosa and Barkley will miss the rest of the season with torn ACLs. Although it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact cause, there is a convincing correlation between unusual offseasons with restricted training and an increase in injuries. During the 2011 NFL lockout, players had limited access to their coaches and team doctors, with a rushed preseason leading up to the regular season. The result of this was a 25 percent increase in injuries compared to the previous season. The circumstances for this year’s NFL season are strikingly similar to those of the 2011 NFL season, with quarantine impacting the offseason and preseason similarly to the lockout. The offseason is an opportunity for players to train and improve their performance for the following season, making it crucial in the prevention of injuries and improvement of their health. Poor offseason training increases the risk of injury for players during the preseason and in-season, as they strain themselves more during competition. This year’s offseason was heavily affected by the global pandemic as it left players a small amount of time to get into shape. Teams did not have organized practices during the offseason and players had to work out individually, which proved difficult as gyms across the country were closed. The cancellation of the usual four-week preseason schedule is also a possible factor in causing the surprising number of injuries during Week 2. Alongside a shortened training camp, the league cancelled all preseason games, as players felt it was an unnecessary risk to virus exposure. Players often look at preseason games as an extra risk to their health, but ignore that they are also beneficial in preparing the body for the physical exertion and contact of a live game later in the season. Though it’s possible that Week 2’s injuries were an unfortunate coincidence; no one will ever know. After all, Week 1 had typical rates of injury. Injuries for athletes are tremendously significant as they can be career-altering, and at times even career-ending. Proper offseason and preseason training is essential to preventing these disastrous consequences.

SPORTS

OCTOBER 14, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Former student athlete appears on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior DBHS 2007 graduate and ex-pro baseball player takes on the TV obstacle course. Kyle hong staff writer Competing in professional sports is an impressive feat in its own right, but following his retirement, former MLB player and Diamond Bar High School alumnus Gary Brown added yet another achievement to his athletic career. Brown, a class of 2007 DBHS graduate, recently competed on the competition TV show “American Ninja Warrior,” in which competitors climb a notoriously difficult obstacle course. Before his experience in the televised competition, Brown played professional baseball from 2010 to 2017, including a few games in the majors for the San Francisco Giants. “When I was young I was always into sports,” Brown said. “I just always enjoyed sports and team sports in general and the comradery with your teammates.” When he began his career as a high school athlete, Brown initially intended to play football, baseball and soccer. However, due to injuries, he had to sit out for a majority of his freshman year. “I thought I did very well [at DBHS] in sports,” Brown said. “I quit football the next year, then played soccer and baseball the next two years and only baseball in my

senior year. I enjoyed being part of DBHS sports and the legacy that it was.” After his success at DBHS, Brown attended Cal State Fullerton, where he played All-American Baseball and was drafted by San Francisco in the first round of the 2010 draft. After playing for various organizations, he chose to retire because of injuries and a desire to spend more time with his family. Earlier this year, Brown decided he wanted to compete on “American Ninja Warrior,” giving him a goal to work toward. He and his wife worked together to make an entry video, in which he had to-

“I thought I did very well..I enjoyed being a part of DBHS sports and the legacy that it was." GARY BROWN show off his physical prowess and accomplishments, as well as his personality. In “American Ninja Warrior,” competitors attempt to complete obstacle courses, and those who make it the farthest with the fastest times move on in the competition. These courses usually involve using strength and balance to move from one object to another, clearing a pool of water. For example, one obstacle involved running along a bridge of egg-shaped plat-

Photos courtesy of GARY BROWN

Brown can be seen swinging acrooss the hexagonal wheels, which are an obstacle presented to the show’s contestants. forms which spun. “My experiences with ‘American Ninja Warrior’ were awesome, obviously it was a little unusual due to coronavirus,” Brown said. “We had a bubble sort of thing as well as a lot of Covid tests, masks and social distancing.” Brown competed around the end of June but the season did not start airing until early September. The episode featuring Brown aired on Sept. 25. Brown did not make it past the qualifiers of the competition, partly due to the much harsher cut-off to make it to the semifinals because of COVID-19. He made it to the second to last obstacle in the qualifying course. Sports continue to be a big part of Brown’s life as he works as a baseball scout.

Brown holds a baseball bat during his introduction, while his family cheers on.

DBHS sports closer to resuming in-person practice Coaches are working on a plan for allowing students to practice on campus. Edward kim staff writer It has been difficult for Diamond Bar High School athletes to actually practice to maintain their skills as COVID-19 continues to restrict players from having the close contact needed for sports. To counteract this and ensure that athletes stay fit and ready for the sports season that is expected to start next semester, the National Federation of State High School Associations suggested placing athletes in pods to safely isolate them from others while allowing them to practice. Following those guidelines, along with rules from Los Angeles County and the CIF, DBHS announced that some teams will be allowed to practice on campus. According to an email sent out by DBHS Principal Reuben Jones on Oct. 2, students do not have to take this risk if they do not want to. The email stated that the administration is in the process of allowing students to return to athletics, cheer and performing arts, on a volunteer basis. County regulations dictate that students be in groups of 12 or less and that only 10 percent of the student population are allowed on campus at one time, meaning about 250 students

for DBHS. Jones’ email stated that there would be small groups, social distancing and usage of disinfecting equipment for extra safety precautions. Even inside the pods, safety equipment such as masks and even gloves would be utilized to minimize the spread of COVID-19, and athletes would be far away from others. Although this extra safety equipment may seem like a hassle, a

majority of the athletes that are returning to school seem to not mind this extra step as long as they are able to finally play with their teamates. “To be honest, I just really want to go outside and play,” sophomore football player Joseph Song said. “I’m fine with all the extra stuff we have to do as long as I get to practice.” Athletic director Albert Lim said that the idea for practicing is not

yet finalized and is still subject to change. “At this time, we are currently finalizing plans,” Lim said. “As a result, I am not comfortable sharing any information because by next week, there is a probability of the plan changing as we receive new updates.” Some coaches believe that as long as the students are ensured to be safe and are wearing proper safety equipment, logically, there

should be no reason to keep them from practicing once again before the season begins this upcoming semester. “I am in favor of it as long as we can assure protocols are in place for everyone’s safety. I believe the concept will serve its purpose in limiting exposure,” baseball coach Jon Hurst said. Hurst also mentioned that the proposal’s final approval greatly depends on the status of COVID-19.

Photo courtesy of ABBEY HONG

The plan for fall sports to return to campus for practice in 12-person pods is pending approval by Los Angeles County Health Department and Gov. Newsom.