MAY 2023

The Bull’s Eye May 17, 2023

Preparing students for future business

FBLA students previously competed in the State Leadership Conference to advance to nationals.

hilary hui feature editor

Met with staggering success, Diamond Bar High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competed in the State Leadership Conference (SLC) throughout April 27-30.

Through this conference, FBLA members were able to connect with fellow high school chapters, elect state leaders and ultimately determine qualifiers for their National Leadership Conference (NLC) being held later this year.

To qualify for SLC, students first competed in their Inland Section Leadership Conference (ISLC), where those who placed tenth or above were able to advance to their state competition. Once at state, students once again competed with those placing eighth or higher advancing to NLC.

With the majority of competitive events starting at the regional lev-

el, some students taking objective tests begin studying from there using FBLA’s online resources and practice tests while those taking part in case studies and presentations are advised by Mr. Pierce to prepare in advance.

“I was really nervous studying for my tests but in the end I didn’t care because the experience was better than actually winning,”

Chun said.

Senior Katilin Chow and junior Eri Chun were two of the many students who competed, presented and networked amongst the countless FBLA chapters with fo-

Integrating AI into a changing classroom

Diamond Bar High School teachers incorporate new artificial intelligence technology into classes.

Eric Zhang

Asst. News Editor

Teachers at Diamond Bar High School are embracing the potential of artificial intelligence in the classroom, utilizing tools such as Class Companion and DeAP Learning Lab to enhance the learning experience of the students.

The subject of artificial intelligence has been rising in popularity, especially after the release of ChatGPT last year.

In its early days, ChatGPT was seen as a threat to many teachers and parents, a tool to help students cheat and write unique, full-length essays at the click of a button. Many teachers now seek a fix for this issue.

“I am concerned that [AI] will become a problem,” history teacher Emily Clark said via email. “One of my summer goals is to learn how to make my assignments AI-proof.

Part of that will be reinforcing the importance of integrity and personal responsibility.”

Lately, however, it has become clear that artificial intelligence could also be utilized to greatly benefit schools.

For instance, DBHS history teachers have started using Class Companion, an AI tool that assesses written assignments on the AP grading scale.

“I have found Class Companion very helpful in helping my students prepare for the AP exam this spring,” history teacher Lindsay Arnold said via email.

Class Companion can save up to ten hours for teachers per week, according to its official website. It also can offer students much more practice and feedback.

“I can usually only give feedback to students twice a month on practice essays, but with Class Companion, I was able to post about 20 optional practice essays the month leading up to the exam,” Arnold said. “I am hoping to use Class Companion in my classes next year in offering my students more prac-

cuses pertaining to fields including graphic design, personal finance, and HR marketing, with Chow placing first in Graphic Design and sixth in Social Media Strategies as well as Chun placing ninth in Public Service Announcement.

“We got chapter and advisor of the year in our section and even placed for sweepstakes which is a super big deal,” said Chun. “We’ve grown so much as a club and community and I know that with each year we’ll come back stronger and stronger.”

Students who partake in presentation events are obliged to pre-

pare projects and ideas to present through designs and videos while others study for objective tests by utilizing online resources. Some also participate in case studies where students test their critical thinking skills by creating solutions to theoretical situations under time restraints.

“The award ceremony was the best part of the whole trip because basically everyone from our chapter went on stage and got their award,” said Chun. “It was so exciting whenever they called out

Class of 2027

visits

DBHS

WVUSD middle school students were recently introduced to DBHS on a campus orientation.

Curtis Chyau Staff writer

With the school year nearing its end, a new one approaches, and with it, a fresh group of students at Diamond Bar High School. To introduce the campus and show off programs to the incoming Class of 2027, DBHS continued its tradition of hosting an eighth-grade orientation. This year’s showcase took place on Friday May 12, 2023.

The orientation began with a rally for the middle schoolers, with performances from band, Dance Company and other performing-arts programs. After that, the school showed off its athletics program, followed by a tour around campus. The orientation ended with a smaller version of club rush where eighth-graders

ORIENTATION ON P. 3

Dual DB chemists make nationals

Two of Diamond Bar High School’s students advance to the National Chemistry Olympiad Exam.

James Yang asst. news editor

Where years’ worth of preparation finally come to fruition, the annual United States National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) allowed students to be recognized as prom-

ising young chemists. Last month, several Diamond Bar High School students vied for the position of America’s top 20 chemists on the local level, with two advancing to the national level competition.

The host of the competition, the American Chemical Society, primarily aims to recognize and stimulate interest in chemistry, connecting schools with the national organization. To achieve this, USNCO is hosted at several approved testing spots throughout the country.

For the local exam, DBHS participants traveled to San Gorgonio earlier in March to take the local exam, a 60-question multi-

FBLA ON P. 2

Photo courtesy of DBHS FBLA

The student business leaders of FBLA attended the State Leadership Conference for 3 days in Sacramento, California.

DBHS’ Chemistry Olympians traveled to Cal State San Bernardino to take the national test after breaking through locals.

Photo courtesy of JACK ZHU

“My competitors included some of the best chemistry teams in the nation, so I am satisfied with this.”

JACK ZHU

APES strives to sustain local communities

Students in the AP Environmental Science classes have showcased their projects throughout

jEremiah Jung

News Editor

Following in the footsteps of the charitable history of their predecessors at Diamond Bar High School, this year’s AP Environmental Science classes have yet

again put themselves up to the task of organizing, planning and implementing numerous projects to better the community. With the new year, initiatives such as Operation ReLeaf, Eco-Move, Save Our Soil and Second Time Around have come to fruition, each with their own goals and messages for the world around them.Some projects incorporated popular trends in the application of their projects. Second Time Around, a sustainable thrift shop, was opened on campus as a part of APES teacher Jason

Malveaux’s third period project.

“Our goal is to reduce the pollution made from the process of making clothes,” junior Tanya Ding said. “We also want to spread awareness about sustainability through society.”

The project considered not just the positive environmental effects of the work , but also the efficiency with which it could reach the student body. Utilizing the rise in popularity of thrifting in teenage culture in the 2020s, the team was able to center their project around

this idea to better connect with their audience.

“We came up with the idea… because it gave students an opportunity to thrift clothes for cheap while also reducing the environmental impacts caused from clothes making,” Ding said. “In return, the thrift shop made over a hundred dollars and also shined light on harmful environmental impacts such as pollution.”

Other projects like Operation ReLeaf, focused on more practical solutions to improving the environment on campus. Members of Operation ReLeaf organized a schoolwide trash cleanup, implementing a more accessible method of trash separation.

“Trash cans for recyclable plastic, compostable trash and paper will be installed and with descriptions so students know where their trash belongs,” the Public Relations team said via a press release.

In order to raise support and funds for their initiative, students from APES teacher John Valor’s sixth period APES class hosted a school rally event during lunch in March to gain support from peers and spread their message of environmental conservation. In addition, they visited Evergreen Elementary School with games and activities to both engage and educate the youth about their goals. They coded an interactive mobile app with minigames in order to achieve this goal. This app gave the

elementary schoolers an opportunity to virtually clean up trash and take quizzes about the information they had learned.

“Operation ReLeaf is aimed for students and teachers to take small steps towards being more mindful about waste disposal in order to create a more ecologically-friendly campus and community,” the Public Relations team for ReLeaf said. “We also hope to influence others outside DBHS to join our campaign and together make a more beautiful Earth.”

Asst. Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editor

Editors-in-Chief

News Editor Asst. News Editors

Opinion Editors

Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editor

A&E Editor

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Sports Editors

Asst. Sports Editors

Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor

Business Manager

Asst. Business Manager

Asst. Web Editor

Staff Writers Advisor

the staff contact us

Jianlan Busteed, Maia Pak

Jeremiah Jung James Yang, Eric Zhang

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Hilary Hui

Nataliah Yong

Taylor Joe Micah Noritake

Maia Pak, Ethan Ro

Cecilia Su, Braxton Wai

Joanne Lee

Ethan Ro

Maia Pak

Joanne Lee

Nataliah Yong

Emma Chuang, Curtis Chyau, Aaron Shaw

Michael Miller

Opening doors for leaders at SLC

FBLA from p.1

someone from DBHS since we kept jumping and cheering for everyone.”

SLC provides the studeents in attendance with various opportunities.

These include countless competititve activities and events.

The competition, which stretches throughout multiple days, gives students the opportunity to network, participate in workshops and more.

Here, they are taught various skills.

These range from the improvement of basic communication

The future of AI in classrooms

mates,” junior Abby Lee said.

“However, [we] feel as though the AI doesn’t give enough harsh feedback.

Diamond Bar High School, Room 709

21400 Pathfinder Road Diamond Bar, CA 91765

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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 709 or submit them online at www.dbbullseye.com

skills to more advanced money management.

“The community and club DBHS FBLA has grown into is one that constantly strives to better itself,” Chow said.

“But more than that, it’s become a second family to many on campus.”

Chow furthered her statement to express her uplifting desires for the future of the chapter. She believes it will thrive even after the graduation of this year’s senior class.

“I know that what me and the other seniors leave behind is a positive legacy, and I can’t wait to see what FBLA does next.”

-tice writing opportunities when they are learning the various AP History writing skills.”

Some teachers have also recommended another AI platform for students to utilize, DeAP Learning Lab.

The program gives students detailed help on specific AP history courses, like APUSH, AP Euro, and AP World, along with feedback on essays.

Although teachers have considered AI tools to be very favorable thus far, the students have shared mixed opinions.

“Compared to the past, I definitely prefer AI technology being used in the classroom because it provides many alternative methods of learning,” sophomore James Yang said.

However, other students expressed different views.

“Class Companion has certainly been useful for me and my class-

I prefer old-fashioned teaching over AI teaching for now, until AI gets better.”

Nevertheless, AI is becoming increasingly common in not only DBHS, but plenty of other high schools and colleges as well.

According to a study done by the International Data Corporation, 92% of U.S. institutions are either experimenting with AI or are using it as a core part of their teaching strategies.

This undoubtedly shows that artificial intelligence will likely be a crucial component in the future of education.

“My hope is that it becomes simply another pedagogical tool that complements a teacher’s other resources,” said Clark.

“I am really excited about expanding the use of Class Companion next year and seeing how that helps students improve.”

Lauren Park, Ariel Shan

Asst. Opinion Editors

Evelyn Nakaishi

Web Editor

Photo courtesy of MAX BUCHANAN_

Various students partook in the lunchtime activities organized by the APES classes to raise awareness for their projects.

“This community...has grown into is one that constantly strives to better itself.”

KAITLIN CHOW

DBHSORG

Encapsulating Paris in a magical evening

The Class of 2024 Class Committee successfully held the annual Prom in Hollywood, California.

Jeremiah Jung

News Editor

Emulating the essence of Parisian streets, Diamond Bar High School’s 2023 prom turned out to be a resounding success. With preparations over a year in the making, the “Midnight in Paris” was an enjoyable experience for the majority of students.

The class of 2024 prom committee spent months planning the prom dance so that all attendees could enjoy the evening that was the culmination of their efforts coming to fruition. While planning for the event had started all the way back during the latter half of the 2021-2022 school year, venue and theme selection did not begin until the first month of the 2022-2023 school year.

the event.

When I was in my junior year sitting around all the seniors being lazy in the journalism room, I remember thinking, “Man, next year I’ll do my work, senioritis is fake!”

Now I’m struggling to write a column that has basically no restrictions. I’ve given minimal effort on all my tests and homework assignments, haven’t studied for any of my finals or AP exams and have said the phrase “good enough” to academics more times than I can count this year. Yeah, senioritis has been going great.

That kinda represents what a lot of senior year’s felt like for me. I haven’t really done anything this year. At least that’s what it feels like.

Members of the Class of 2024 committee that showed particularly strong work ethic and dedication were selected to dedicate their time to the prom committee in October. With this group and the guidance of advisors Stacy Tenace and Shari DeCambra, who had experience with setting up prom in the past, the process was rapidly finalized. Members were delegated to different tasks, including advertising, ticket sales, lunchtime activities and decorations, spending extensive amounts of time throughout the year to maximize the quality of Chem from p. 1

Officers and members alike often spent multiple days a week preparing step-by-step for the event. This included communicating with fellow members and advisors, meeting with their individual committees, taking photographs of events like spirit weeks and lunchtime activities, and designing flyers for publicity on the official Instagram account. All of this happened while still managing their usual schoolwork.

The theme, which tried to capture the vibes of the “City of Light,” Paris, France, was thought of by junior historian Eri Chun, and selected by the stu-

Taking chemistry to the next level

Advanced Placement Chemistry.

dents of the CO24 through a voting process.

“I thought the idea would be really fitting for the venue,” she said. “Every officer on the board had a week to think of [a theme], and then we made a poll for the class of 2024.”

The Hollywood venue was selected by the advisors, which had previously been used for prom in 2017.

All this work, according to Chun, paid off on the day of prom itself, when all the decorations were up, activities were bustling and food was being shared.

“Everyone seemed to really like [prom],” Chun said. “I’m

pretty satisfied with how everything came out, and I can definitely say that all of our hard work [paid off] as we had so much fun that night. It was just such a great feeling to see all my peers having a good time as well.”

Other officers echoed similar sentiments, citing the hard work of all those involved as the catalyst for their successes.

“I can’t express enough how grateful I am to each and every individual who contributed to the planning of prom,” junior class president Justin Kung said. “It was only due to the collective efforts of everyone that we were able to pull this off.”

But in actuality that sentiment isn’t really true. I haven’t tried that hard this year, but I’ve still done perfectly fine and maintained good enough grades. I guess it’s just because in all actuality high school has been pretty easy? Like you hear people complaining all the time about how much homework they have and how their teachers keep giving them crap. But to be honest, it was all pretty easy in hindsight.

I’m not saying this to devalue the valiant struggle of underclassmen. But I also totally am, and they should get over themselves.

Sure, there’s the small subset of kids who are president of like 17 clubs, play 13 instruments, play a sport and are on the road to valedictorian, sure.

But most of us are just what Diamond Bar considers the “standard.” Taking four or more AP classes while still juggling extracurriculars and feeling bad for getting B’s in classes is just what the culture here has produced. And while I hate it, that’s sadly just what it is.

ple-choice test to be completed in an hour and 50 minutes.

Only the top 10 in each of these testing sections—totaling approximately 1,000 examinees nationwide—can advance.

From DBHS, juniors Cindy Cui and Jack Zhu moved on to take the USNCO exam at Cal State San Bernardino on April 22.

To take a chemist past the local stage, generally, an average score of around 60 percent will suffice.

However, more competitive local sections will oftentimes require higher standards for its participants to strive towards.

This case is seen commonly in California and various other other widely populated states in the US.

At the national level, the test switches into a slightly more complex and complicated three-part format.

The USNCO exam at the national stage retains the multiple-choice section.

It is then followed by an additional free-response section, and then followed by a lab portion, assessing one’s hands-on experience.

In preparation for the competition’s exams, the USNCO competitors studied various topics. This included all parts, lessons, and units involved in the learning of

In total, this amounts to an entire semester’s worth of organic chemistry and moderate-to-advanced level inorganic chemistry material.

Additionally, just weeks before the local competition, Zhu traveled to Missouri to compete in the Washington University Chemistry Tournament against the greatest chemistry teams in the nation, placing within the top 20 rankings for the individual score.

“Last year, I also reached the national level competition, albeit with much less confidence,” Zhu said. “Over this school year, however, I prepared much more by studying several chemistry books and practicing the past exams available on USNCO’s website.”

The school’s participants of this year’s Chemistry Olympiad were also guided extensively by the chemistry teachers on staff, particularly faculty staff members Jennifer Bravo, the contact teacher toward ACS, and Eric Sorenson, the advisor for DBHS Chem Crew. Formed last year, the club dedicates itself to helping its members prepare for the USNCO and other chemistry-related activities, much like how the USA Biology Olympiad and Physics Club supports its members’ competitive ambitions.

“I’m delighted by this year’s results, and I can’t wait until next year to achieve even greater heights,” Zhu said. “In the meantime, I encourage everyone to try out chemistry as it’s really an underemphasized field of science.”

At the end of this school year and Chemistry Olympiad’s competition period, both Zhu and Cui swept through the test with flying colors, each placing with high honors.

A warm welcome for incoming Brahmas

orientation FROM P. 1

could check out various clubs, including E-Sports Club, Printed Works, UNICEF, Gender-Sexuality Alliance and others (including The Bull’s Eye).

“The goal is to attract the incoming freshmen that will be coming here next year and to welcome them to an inclusive community where they can have fun and meet new people,” president of E-Sports senior Carly Law said.

Many of the clubs hope to expand membership by attracting the incoming freshman to join them in the coming year.

“I hope the incoming freshmen are able to bring their own experiences and their own thoughts into our club to expand on what we already do,” junior GSA member Natalie Thai said. “Hopefully, as current officers graduate, more freshmen and other younger students can take over and create even more from this club.”

Other clubs reflected similar

sentiments, hoping that the middle schoolers would be able to contribute to the growing club atmosphere on campus.

“We hope they bring the desire to make a difference and help our club in volunteering as well as to learn and the drive to just be involved in our school and their communities,” UNICEF president junior Sabrina Lin said.

Many of the incoming freshmen found the event to be informational and helpful.

“I think [the orientation] was really fun. It showed me how the school is,” eighth-grader Spencer Wong said. “I think I’ll like the events. It looks really fun from what I’m experiencing.”

Many of the eighth-graders also said they approved of the school based on what they saw on the tour, from the student store to the community.

“This school is a masterpiece. The community looks so nice and everybody is friendly,” eighth-grader Kevin Hu said. “I like so much about the school.”

Ranting about academics aside, journalism has been a really great experience. Well, in junior year at least. I’m not trying to lambaste the current program because I think with the situation we were put in this year, we tried (kind of) our best.

But this year has been the opposite of fun. It’s not like there was no fun from this school year, having underclassmen was fun; it was super easy to make fun of them. But teaching them was also the main source of fulfillment I got this year because everything else was just super weird, and I’m really not sure how it’s affected my opinion on the art. But there’s really no need to go into what I didn’t like this year, that’d take too long and be far too complicated. In short, do I still enjoy journalism? Yes. Do I plan to continue writing in college? Yes. Do I still really want to write a story comparing different types of peanut butter called “The Peanut Butter Jam”? Of course. Despite all these yes’s, did I kind of hate this year of journalism? Indubitably. With all that said, I do want to clarify that this really all represented a small facet of how I felt about high school though, and I don’t want this column to discount all the fun and growth I’ve experienced throughout these years. I enjoyed these years and what I’ve put down are really the only major nitpicks and complaints I have about high school. There were plenty of good things like learning to better work with people, maintaining a work ethic, finding my passion etc, but for this I wanted to sort of vent a bit. I truly have become a different person from who I was going into high school and I’m just excited to take on whatever’s next.

Photo courtesy of ERI CHUN

DBHS’ 2023 Prom took place at The JIm Henson Company in Los Angeles, California, on April 15, 2023, from 7-11 pm.

The Thundering Herd Marching Band performs for future freshmen at the rally.

DBHSORG

I do find it...disappointing that the Chemistry Olympiad doesn’t receive the same level of recognition.”

JACK ZHU

EYE OF editors

The mantra “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” is instilled into the minds of all Americans, solidified through the very culture and blood of our country. However, while it is something all Americans have and will continue to strive for, the blunt truth is that the opportunities to do so are vastly unequal, something perpetrated by the unequal access to quality education.

This gap for intellectual opportunity, normally restricted to the classroom, has only been exacerbated by the spread of Advanced Placement tests. While highly regarded as a reflection of individual knowledge, AP exam scores fail to acknowledge the influence of effective and ineffective teaching. And while self-studying may help students achieve their desired scores, the fact that students feel less prepared than others for the exam, even before studying, signifies that their opportunities to earn college credit are inherently unequal.

Although it may seem that some of us

Diamond Bar High School students are the victims of this disparity, ironically, our school is probably seen as the epitome of quality education by other schools across the nation. And I can see why. On average, our teachers get paid more and receive more funding for supplies, compared to other states, leading our school to have an extremely high average pass rate of 87 percent. While it’s true that many DBHS students are self-motivated to study, it cannot be pinned down as the sole factor for success.

Some schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District have average AP pass rates of as low as 13 percent, and even though they have students equally motivated to succeed, these students’ teachers did not build the same foundation for success as the teachers of a student from DBHS.

Take the AP United States History class as an example. For context, the APUSH exam consists of a multiple choice section and a free-response sec-

FROM THE BRAHMA PERSPECTIVE

tion regarding nine time periods of US history. At DBHS, all of our teachers taught and reviewed all nine units of history, leaving time to practice responding to writing prompts. However, students from other schools have reported their teachers being unable to complete the curriculum before the arrival of the AP test, and still others were unaware of the point requirements of the writing prompts. Although a lack of historical knowledge can be remedied through self-studying, discovering the most effective formula to respond to prompts can be overwhelming, and nearly impossible, without the guidance of a teacher. Because of this, the unequal opportunity for success on AP tests is seen as a teacher issue, while in reality, the issue is much more systemic. Not only are Black, Hispanic and American Indian students less likely to enroll in an AP course—an entirely separate issue for another article—but they are also significantly less likely to pass an AP test and receive col-

- OPINION-

lege credit compared to white and Asian students, according to calculations by the US Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection. It is an undeniable fact that students at underfunded high schools are often Black, Hispanic and American Indian. So even when they have the opportunity to take AP classes, the lack of funding to hire experienced teachers and provide the resources needed to create an up-to-date lesson plan widens the educational gap and discourages higher education.

Fortunately, with great online resources like YouTube, Khan Academy and even artificial intelligence, students can work to close the educational gap. However, much more must still be done so that extensive self-study is not the only way to bridge the AP gap. While there is no one, complete solution for this systemic issue, it is integral that all students have an equal opportunity for success on tests, and therefore future educational endeavors.

For all the time that I’ve spent on The Bull’s Eye these past three years, my greatest regret is having never written a satire. That being said, here is a completely truthful, one-hundred-percent accurate, not-at-all exaggerated retelling of my time as a member of the student newspaper.

The Diamond Bar High School student newspaper has always seemed to me the pinnacle of achievement ever since I was very young, as one might say, it was my raison d’être. As far back as my conception as a terrible, gooey fetus in my mother’s womb, I’ve aspired to be a member of such an illustrious institution.

Therefore, when the time came to design my freshman year schedule at the end of eighth grade, I was positively overcome with rapturous ecstasy to register my name on the list of future Bull’s Eye faculty, next to all the other extremely accomplished young reporter hopefuls.

NYANSU CHEN (11)

My teachers

me do well on the AP test because they were able to teach me many skills.

AIDEN MAR (11)

For all of my classes except for one, all of the teachers prepared [for the AP test] the same way.

ZACHARY ROSEN (11)

Racial controversy in ladies athletics

ment and in reference to her future championship ring.

praised for the same actions, called “passionate” or “powerful.”

Maia pak EDITOR -In-chief

Although this year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship marked a milestone for women’s sports, with viewership shattering previous records, these women’s achievements in the tournament did not remain at the forefront of all the attention. Rather, the media’s flawed reporting displayed damaging and harmful racial bias, dictating the narrative around the event.

March

Madness’ Most Out -

standing Player, LSU star Angel Reese, was heavily criticized during the tournament for a gesture made toward Iowa’s leading scorer, Caitlyn Clark. During the game, Reese approached Clark, while waving an open hand over her face and pointing to her ring finger—a gesture referencing wrestler John Cena’s “you can’t see me” senti-

Sports journalists and critics were swift to respond to this gesture, calling Reese, who is Black, “ghetto,” “classless” and “an idiot.” However, LSU fans were equally quick to point out that Clark, a white athlete widely known for her expansive trash talk, had made a similar gesture previously in the tournament. Yet Clark’s paralleled actions were not at all acknowledged by the media.

These arguments about such

In every aspect of our lives, the words we use are impactful. Especially in the media, misrepresentation can cause a trickle-down effect

In every aspect of our lives, the words we use are impactful. Especially in the media...

in society, perpetuating stereotypes by providing younger generations with a skewed lens by which they learn to view the world.

Through the racial stereotyping of our athletes, we diminish the achievements of the individual and take away from what they have accomplished.

The primary focus of the tournament should have been the amazing performances by these female athletes, and their overcoming of countless barriers for

women’s athletics. Shifting the dialogue to communicate racial stereotypes not only demeans the Black community, but also regresses women’s athletic accomplishments as a whole.

The dialogue perpetrated reduces the stories of accomplished athletes, such as Reese and Clark, in order to sell the fabrication of an overdone racial rivalry—where the white athlete is victimized and the Black athlete is volatile.

However, as evident through the NCAA Tournament, neither of these things are true. Both Reese and Clark have spoken up about the narrative, each praising the other and reeling the story back into one where both their accomplishments are recognized and respected.

In a world that demands to see color, we must stop viewing sports in Black and white. While it is important to consciously communicate stories where race is a factor, it is also important to eradicate the dialogue surrounding stories where it is not.

Filtering out the noise in order to fully understand the relevance of a story is a skill that we, as everyday consumers of media, must develop in order to best respond and comprehend information.

Of course, before joining the actual student newspaper, I had to first take the prerequisite class, Journalism I, the first of many stumbling blocks impeding my path to eventual success and prosperity as a Bull’s Eye staffer. During that year, Sisyphus was my idol and inspiration, for I weathered many seemingly insurmountable obstacles and braved the most excruciating of challenges.

Our old advisor Doug List put me through a gauntlet of trials: a battery of “Current Event” quizzes of devilish infamy, the abominable intensity of a 30-second interview and of course, most grueling of them all, our weekly blog assignments—-all of these I travailed and prevailed, until finally enough, in the fall of my sophomore year, I was ready to be baptized into the highly exclusive ranks of the newspaper staff.

And so it was, that the years that followed were a time of great joy and learning. How to write an essay, how to resolve conflicts, and even how to plug in a computer— all of these are skills that I have picked up from the innumerable deadline nights (all of which I attended to the very end, obviously, never leaving a second earlier than the event hosts) of the past few years.

I am also unable to forget the great contributions of the many brilliant minds I had the pleasure to work with in my time on staff.

Every single one of my colleagues has been unparalleled in their creativity for article ideas, especially those for my section, the Opinion section, of which I believe to be the most difficult to conceive thoughts for.

A great many of my fellows on staff also seem to have been borne with the wings of Hermes himself, for their responses to my Discord messages were invariably endowed with incomparable speed.

But in all honesty, I do appreciate how far I’ve come and how much I’ve managed to improve from my days on staff. Though at times there were struggles, I can’t say that I regret ever having joined the student newspaper.

been described as “aggressive” or “angry,” white athletes have been

Therefore, I would like to express a measure of thanks to everyone who I have worked with on The Bull’s Eye thus far. Our experiences together really helped me write my personal essay for college applications.

The teacher does have an impact, but also a lot of it is personal and it’s taking initiative on looking for study materials.

played a really big part in helping

Educational inequities are disproportionately detrimental to minorities, ultimately giving them a lower chance of success in AP classes.

Shielding teens from social media

friends and the people to whom they have been talking. With this addition, teens would no longer be able to keep private information from their parents, inhibiting their freedom of expression and killing their social boundaries.

Eric Zhang asst. News editor

Teenagers today spend significantly more time browsing on social media platforms than before, and to combat that issue, platforms like Snapchat and TikTok have recently implemented new parental features and controls. Although some aspects of parental control, like screen time, could be beneficial for improving teenagers’ time management, others are a violation of privacy.

Beginning in March, TikTok enabled parents to set screen-time limits and mute notifications for their children through the Family Pairing feature, which was a convenient update for the parents, as setting screen time limits can help their teens efficiently manage their time.

Adding screen time options for teens was a reasonable and necessary change by TikTok; however, some of the changes Snapchat has made in this past year have been too intrusive.

With the new “Family Center” feature added last August, Snapchat crossed the fine line between ensuring young users’ well-being and invading their privacy. This new addition enabled parents to view their child’s

Snapchat took it a step further by launching new parental controls this past March that filtered the type of content viewed by their child. Once these controls are enabled, they restrict users from viewing content marked as sensitive or suggestive.

These additions permitted many parents to overstep their child’s boundaries. For teens, constant supervision from parents may come with many negative effects, such as the development of trust issues, ultimately deteriorating the parent-child relationship. A FHE Health article stated that the most significant effect of this loss of privacy is the eroded trust in others.

Unfortunately, many companies may be following in Snapchat’s footsteps. Discord, the world’s largest gaming-chat platform, is rumored to also be working on a “Family Center’’ feature very much like Snapchat’s. The functionality will also be similar, with parents being able to view the servers, friends and group chats in which their children are active, but not the actual messages.

Rather than “shielding” teens on social media websites, companies and parents should direct their attention toward communicating with them about emotional well-being, while allowing them more freedom in the process. After all, nothing teaches us better than our own experiences.

Disregarded route for college

ARIEL SHAN Asst. Opinion Editor

In light of college decisions, students may feel restricted by two options: the university of their dreams or a less-preferred, four-year institution. However, incoming college freshmen often overlook a third option: community college.

Although not being able to go through the true university experience and having fewer opportunities to social network pose understandable concerns, these aspects should not be deal-breakers. Afterall, unless the student’s plan is to stay at a community college for all four years, these problems are just tiny potholes in their long road ahead. More efforts to immerse into the community may be necessary, but in two years’ time, the student would be just as integrated as everyone else on campus.

Though the experiences and connections made from dorming on campus together and navigating a new life as a freshman may never be replicated, a newly transferred student still has a chance at making impactful connections. From joining clubs and fraternities to reaching out to professors, there are many opportunities to make new connections and advance your social network.

The most compelling reason to choose community college is because it is a cost-friendly alternative. For students who are unable or simply unwilling to pay the astronomical prices of university tuition, starting at a community college with lower tuition fees before transferring to a four-year university is an option that should not be discounted.

Compared to an in-state, fouryear university with an average tuition of $19,000 a year, the College Board found that community colleges average at around $3,000 per year. Research by the APLU showed that most university graduates are left with around $25,000 of debt. Due to high interest rates and other costs of living, the average graduate takes 10 years to pay off all debts. This in turn leads to financial struggles as the gradu-

ates first begin their careers.

Moreover, community college is a great place to take general education classes such as English, mathematics and social sciences, since community colleges boast more flexibility in students’ schedules. After completing the basic courses, students can then proceed to look toward four-year university options to expand their expertise on certain, specific majors. Community college can also serve as a buffer period for students who are unsure of what major to pursue, allowing them to try out different classes before setting their mind on just one.

Students used to look at community colleges with disregard. “A junior college? No way. My mom would kill me.”

Yet now, students are beginning to approach this subject with an open mind through guidance counselors and other experienced alumni.

For students in the Diamond Bar area, Mt. SAC is a notable choice. High school students are able to take on advanced courses while college students complete their general education classes. The importance of acknowledging community college as an option is crucial in opening up future pathways without financial burden.

Sweating for cinnamon rolls

Mythbuster: Breaking into reality

all-nighters for tests and have mental breakdowns once a week. Unlike your invigorating experiences in elementary and middle school, high school is no longer just about learning.

High school is just a stepping stone - a huge stepping stone that we high school students have to climb over to finally reach college.

If you fail high school, you fail in life. That’s it. It’s that simple.

interactions. Despite how hard I try to make time to hang out with my friends, our gatherings always end up with all of us deciding not to go at all, since no one can agree on a date nor a time. Plus, it’s really hard to make friends. Despite my friendly-looking appearance of dark, sagging eyebags and greasy unwashed hair, no one wants to approach me. It’s almost as if my

appearance alarms them, the way they all shy away from me as soon as I enter through that classroom door. It truly is heartbreaking to see.

Honestly, dropping out of school is probably the best option for students mentally. When the only other option is going to educational prison, I’d rather feel the relief and freedom of being a dropout, unfor-

tunately.

At the end of the day, people must realize that students have been working vigorously since birth. We shed blood, sweat and tears to only receive a handshake or a piece of paper, and if we’re lucky, a pat on the back. So please, with all things put into consideration, refrain from attending high school. You have been warned.

As an eighth grader, I thought that high school would be sunshine and rainbows like my favorite movie, “The High School Musical.” Unfortunately, I was hit with the harsh reality of sleepless nights and countless tears. Thus, as a conscionable member of a productive society attempting to save you from four years of heartbreak and sadness, I am warning you not to advance into high school.

High school was supposed to be all about partying, socializing and learning fun things, but instead it is all about having to pull

Not only are we students struggling to maintain the desired passing grades while being bombarded with projects, homework and tests, we are also expected to join multiple extracurriculars and clubs.

I expected to be inundated with a bunch of singing and dancing numbers at big fancy parties held by the school.

But to my dismay, my singing and dancing numbers were met only with stink eyes and loud snickers.

Unlike the stuff you see in movies, it’s not that easy to have a good time in high school–especially when it comes to social

LAUREN PARK Asst. OPinion editor

Cartoon Courtesy of MEILAN BUSTEED SATIRICAL smartly

You see, I’ve always wanted to write as if I work at the booming Buzzfeed corporation roaring downtown in our very own beloved City of Angels. Don’t get me wrong: I love “The Bull’s Eye”; but what I’ve always craved some more of was literary freedom—a writer’s freedom. Whatever level of satisfaction you might imagine that I receive on my end from hitting the semicolon key in the middle of that last sentence, which was undoubtedly arbitrary and maybe not even used entirely correctly, multiply that number by 1212 times. Throw in an extra 666 points for my integration of a colon and an em dash in that same sentence! Personally, I’ve never seen anyone dare to attempt the dangerous triple combo in a Bull’s Eye article; and probably because it doesn’t really work.

There are no rules, though. To life I mean. For you, reader, just for you, I’ll be your average existential-crisis-and-epiphany-having high school senior and guide you through your life.

So long as you give me permission to undertake this mission, I fully invite you to keep this article as a bucket list and physically mark it up. Also, use an original black Sharpie for that main character feel.

Without any further delay, I present to you a list of what I recommend you do in this lifetime before transitioning into your next reality of consciousness (if you believe in that reincarnation type of thing):

• Watch “The Truman Show” starring Jim Carrey.

• Tell two people all the good things you think about them but go unsaid. I don’t care that it’s cheesy. They probably need it in some shape or form.

• Break any rule of your choice.

Watch just one episode of “New Girl.”

• Dare to tell me you’re not hooked after watching one episode of “New Girl.”

Stay at a concert until either your lungs have given out, you’ve bid sayonara to your eardrums, or your voice has begun to crack.

• Try the crab rangoons at Thai Twist.

Watch “The Pursuit of Happyness” starring Will and Jaden Smith.

• Listen to “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi at least once daily until the end of your high school experience.

• Pursue happiness.

• Drink a Monster. But listen carefully: the Ultra White Zero Sugar one. Close your eyes and listen to HZ frequency songs. Go on and watch your day become 10x better.

• Go to a rage room to take care of anything the HZ frequencies didn’t magically cure.

• Talk to a tree, a cloud or the moon.

This may be leaning too much into what personally makes me happy. Continue this list on your own. Find what makes you happy and not anyone else. Whatever happens, just remember: There are no rules.

POWERWING soars to new heights

Combining both his passions for athletics and athleisure, Diamond Bar High School junior Beck Zhang has managed to successfully emerge in the world of business, founding his own clothing brand, POWERWING.

Outside of his activities with the company, Zhang is a star wrestler representing DBHS, earning this year’s league champion title. He has been wrestling for two years and recently placed ninth for CIF Wrestling.

“Right now, I’m bodybuilding, but while I was powerlifting in the past, I hit the gym five times a week,” Zhang said. “My previous personal records at the gym were 415 pounds in squatting, 270 pounds in benching and 585 pounds of deadlifting.”

POWERWING was founded last July by both Zhang—acting as CEO—and his Chief Financial Officer, junior Aaron Tsai. Along with

juniors Juno Kuk and Lewei He, the group has managed to de velop their business into a brand span ning multiple conti nents.

“Though I use Adobe’s software programs to create the designs of the clothes myself, we send the prints over to our man ufactur ers in Pakistan and China to get them out to people,” Zhang said via Instagram. “I originally want

ed to start a gym-wear brand, and now I prioritize my time on POWERWING whenever I Zhang and his group employ various strategies to get their popularity across, including affiliate and influencer marketing. Through these methods, they have increased the exposure of their brand name to the outside world by utilizing their connections, proven effective by several pseudo-influencer DBHS stu-

POWERWING has established an official Instagram page garnering over 10,000 followers, as well as a TikTok channel and website where customers can easily browse their products. The company’s products include their Airborne, Warrior and Raven tees, as well as hoodies and crews in navy-blue, black, white and many beige variations. Though these clothes are available for purchase on their website, POWERWING’s ambassadors and sponsored athletes are offered free or discounted merch.

“We post lots of our highlighted products on social media, and in the future, we are going to be hosting several giveaways through our pages,” Zhang said.

Through these various means, he plans to continue expanding his company and increase the range of their activities both in person and online.

“In the future, I want POWERWING to be able to compete with other large activewear companies such as YoungLA and GymShark,” Zhang said.

Helping explore outer frontiers

“I found it so fascinating,” Dreyer said. “I learned a lot from him. He’s such a dynamic speaker.”

urine and use it as a liquid source. As a result, this urine solution is cleaner than the water we drink on Earth.

From stories about NASA’s discoveries on Mars to the fascinating habitability capabilities of the planet, NASA am bassador Brian Cox enthralled Trina Dreyer’s class at Diamond Bar High School. Cox ex plained the planet’s fascinating habitabil ity as well as the dif ficulties to get there. Since the class was reading a book about the fourth plan et of the solar system, Dreyer reached out to NASA to see if they could have a speaker to educate them more on the subject.

During his visit, Cox discussed the weight of water on Mars. As-

Cox spoke about Mars’ rovers and the difficulties of learning more about the planet, answering the students’ questions about his field of work. He explained concepts of human exploration in space, including the details behind sending rovers onto the plan-

Although we asked him kind of similar questions, he was so well-prepared and had different avenues of the directions he went in when he was answering them,” Dreyer said. “The students really enjoyed it, and I know they learned a lot from him.”

forms on Mars, because they are either too small or cannot be located with traditional methods.

“I asked him what the Milky Way was made from,” freshman Jason Peng said. “He said the Milky Way was made from a lot of things, like stars, some rocks, and dust. There were many things I did not know before that he came and talked about.”

The NASA ambassador spoke to the students on the gravity of Mars, where a humans’ mass on the planet is lighter than on Earth. In the future, Dreyer will reach out to Brian Cox again to talk to a fresh group of students, educating them on the various elements of the universe.

be taken into space. In order for water to be deemed safe to consume, astronauts purify their own

Cox also showed the class a 3D model of Mars, getting their information from the rovers. Even with the rovers, NASA cannot find life-

“I would love for him, when I have a different class of students, to come and talk to them, just because I know we got a lot out of it,” Dreyer said.

emma Chuang Staff Writer

James Yang asst. News editor

NASA Social System Ambassador Brian Cox visited Trina Dreyer’s first period to elaborate on the habitability of Mars as well as other celestial discoveries & projects.

Photo courtesy of DBHSORG

“I found it so fascinating. I learned a lot from him. He’s such a dynamic speaker.”

TRINA DREYER

Hannah Jang

Former Asst. Feature

Editor

Printed Works prints for a win

Members of Diamond Bar High School’s Printed Works competed at SkillsUSA’s 56th National Leadership and Skills Conference in a vast competition encompassing business skills and technical ability. With competitions ranging from regional to national students, students were able to compete in over 100 events including advertising, design, entrepreneurship and prepared speech.

SkillsUSA is a nationwide competition with over 5200 contestants and 108 separate events. They are able to connect students to people who work in professional environ-

ments to provide experience and education to students. Winners of the competition are offered opportunities to receive scholarships and a chance to design the pin for next year’s competition.

Club president junior Ryan Wang was one of the few students at Diamond Bar High School who competed at SkillsUSA. Wang and his partner, Harrison Gan, were able to progress to state after placing fourth regionally. Wang’s team then competed in the web-design category, where they advanced despite their lack of experience. The team passed the regional level and continued onto the state competition.

“My team was just [my friend and I,] and we made it past region-

als and qualified for the state-level competition,” Wang said. “We got fourth place at the regional, and at the state-level competition we placed 16th out of 17.”

As this was his first competition, Wang felt nervous for the competition. Even though the team was a bit unprepared, they tried their best in spite of this.

“I felt a little anxious at first because it was the first time I was experiencing anything like this,” said Wang. “Eventually I got over it. And during my competition, I told myself that no matter what happened, I had made it far enough.”

During the four-day event, Wang and Gan were set to compete on the second day. On day one, the team went over the competition

details, and then practiced before their event on the second day. After a three-hour competition, Wang finished his event and attended the awards ceremony on the fourth day.

Despite not being able to reach nationals, the team remains enthusiastic and motivated for their next event next year. They look to improve on their skills over the summer and advance further next time.

“At this event, I learned that sometimes friends are more important, and the friends you make along the journey are always more important than the journey itself,” Wang said. “What motivated me throughout the event was me telling myself that no matter what happens, I was just trying some-

One of my favorite journalists, Joan Didion, once famously said that it was easier to see the beginning of things, but harder to see when it ends. And while I don’t exactly remember my first day of high school, I’m positive that the only thing 13 year-old Natasha knew was that a new segment of her life was starting, one that she was absolutely not prepared for. And in the last few months, I’ve been told countless times that this said part of my life is about to end, but to what extent? Is it the friendships?

This so-called “age of innocence”?

Recently, I caught up with a classmate of mine I haven’t had a class with since freshman year, only to reminisce on the fact that English was the class in which we found out we would be excused from school for two weeks. Those two weeks, as we all know, turned into a year of unprecedented social isolation throughout one of the prime years of our interpersonal development. To this day, I still find it hard to comprehend that I’ve completed four years of high school. Though it sometimes feels like I was cheated out of time, the unforgettable memories that I’ve made with the friendships I forged post-pandemic balance the unpleasantries out.

Dissecting minds through neuroscience

in pursuing neuroscience in the future,” said Liu.

The club’s interactive events, as well as any other events they’ve held in general, make them unlike any other club.

“Our events give students an opportunity to have a first-hand look at the core concepts of neuroscience and club,” Liu said.

Diamond Bar High School’s Neuroscience club ended the year strong, hosting a meticulous and engaging brain-dissection event on April 20 in biology teacher Jessica Wai’s room.

The club held this occasion to give members an opportunity to work hands-on with a real brain, in this case, an authentic sheep’s brain bought from the scientific institute in Nebraska.

“Most of the time, people are only learning neuroscience from videos online or textbooks. But through this event, students got to dissect a real brain and see what’s inside and touch it with their own hands and learn more about the process that goes behind a dissection process,” junior club president Sarah Liu said.

Not only did the event teach the club members how difficult it would be to set up a brain dissection, but cleaning up proved especially grueling, heightening the importance of prior precautions and preparation for the dissection.

“Many students told me that the brain dissecting event definitely helped them confirm their interest

As of now, the club’s primary goal is to expand their network to external organizations. Liu hopes

that in the future they can strengthen their informational database online, which is filled with sources to reference for students’ interests, neuroscience studies, and will help them prepare for competitions.

The Neuroscience club participates in one major contest called the Brain Bee, an international neuroscience competition. However, competing students struggle to find the resources to adequately prepare for this tourna-

ment. To combat this problem, the club has started a video lecture series on YouTube for those students to build a strong opportunity of winning.

“I want to continue developing our resources online to help students study for competitions and to learn more online,” said Liu.

“Neuroscience Club hopes to expand on these online resources for our members and share them with students all across the world.”

I’ve learned a lot during my time in high school, more than just the academics. You often hear stories of high school “if onlys.” If only I didn’t spend so much time worrying about academics. If only I made more friends. If only. While I hold disappointment for some of the decisions I’ve made and didn’t, the one sentiment I don’t feel is regret. High school may have been more enjoyable without the integration and literary analysis, but the little moments of pure chaos, especially within the journalism room on Deadline Nights, will remain the high school highlights which I will fondly look back on decades from now.

One of the things I will always cherish about high school is the friendships I’ve made. Oftentimes,

I feel I don’t demonstrate just how much I appreciate these select individuals who have seen me at my best, but more often than not, at my worst. They’ve been there to celebrate my successes and to pick me up when I’ve fallen. They’ve taught me the importance of kindness, loyalty and acceptance.

Of course, high school hasn’t always been easy. There have been times when I’ve felt overwhelmed by the workload and frustrated by feelings of inadequacy. But these challenges have taught me resilience and perseverance. They’ve helped me to grow and to become a better person.

As I look back on my high school experience, I realize that it’s been a time of transformation. I’ve grown and changed in ways I never thought possible. I’ve discovered my passions and if I may be so bold to say, my purpose. Though my life has only really just started, there are memories from the last four years that I pray stay with me for a lifetime.

So, as I say goodbye to high school and prepare to embark on the next chapter of my life, I do so with a sense of gratitude and excitement, gratitude for the experiences I’ve gained and excitement for the adventures that lie ahead.

High school may be over, but my journey has only just begun.

Lauren Park asst. Opinion editor

Club president Sarah Liu stresses the importance of giving students hands-on experiences within the field or neuroscience.

Photo courtesy of DBHS ORG

Members of Diamond Bar High School’s Printed Works club competed and placed in SkillsUSA ‘s array of competitions, including web design and digital design.

Photo courtesy of DBHSORG

Aaron Shaw

Staff writer

NATASHA CHANG

Former Editor-in-chief

story by Nataliah Yong design by Hilary Hui

Revival Within Thrifting

Revival Within Thrifting

IIn recent years, thrifting has experienced a notable resurgence in popularity amongst Gen Z. With different platforms like TikTok and Instagram flooding everyone’s feed, a crucial factor driving this trend is the growing awareness and concern about the environmental impact of fast fashion. Not only can thrifting be a more affordable option for everyone, but it also gives people the ability to expand their wardrobes under sustainable conditions.

While numerous fast fashion brands such as Shein, PrettyLittleThing and Forever 21 are growing in notoriety for their contributions to landfills and pollution, thrifting offers a more environmentally-conscious option for shopping. Content creators across social media platforms often show their audiences how to find amazing pieces at affordable prices, while also reducing waste by supporting sustainable brands.

Platforms such apm

Twitter and YouTube have helped normalize thrifting as a desirable and fashionable option, especially for younger buyers.

With social media expanding the idea of thrifting to a wider audience, the ability to search for and purchase items online has become easier than ever. Different non-profit organizations like Goodwill and eBay have online stores and websites to help shoppers find items that they need, making thrifting a simple and accessible option for customers to rely on.

Companies like Poshmark and Depop have also made it easier than ever for people to buy and sell second-hand clothing and accessories. Through ratings and reviews, shoppers can make informed decisions about their purchases, enabling them to find high-quality items or those from a great array of particular niches and styles. Consumers can also take ad- vantage of being able to purchase second-hand clothing and items without the limitations of costs or the worry of producing waste pollution. The overwhelming uptick in popularity for Y2K fashion in particular, with vintage items not being available in traditional retail stores, thrifting can help people find authentic second-hand 2000s pieces, reducing the demand for fast fashion. As a result, companies like Juicy Couture, Von Dutch and Abercrombie & Fitch have reduced production for the sake of sustainability. Many companies now state on their official websites that they will be switching to using recycled materials and organic fabrics for their clothing. Shopping in thrift stores helps people find authentic pieces from distinct eras without contributing to the mass production of microtrends and the resulting waste. Driven by a growing awareness of fast fashion along with the affordability and accessibility of thrifting, it’s no wonder why thrifting is growing in popularity online. As people move towards a more sustainable yet still “fashion-forward” future, thrifting will only continue to grow as an appealing and better option for shopping.

DIVERSITY MISLAID THROUGH ANIMATION

Disney’s lack of diversity in their contents ranging from movies to books has been a persistent issue ever since its beginning. From the creation of Walt Disney Productions to now, the Walt Disney Animation Studios has released up to 61 animated movies and only 11 of them contain a main character that is a person of color.

Personally, growing up with the Disney movies and witnessing mainly caucasian princesses was pretty disheartening. I did not look like any of the pretty princesses. The single princess that represented my race and ethnicity was the warrior princess, Mulan.

With such lack of inclusivity, this inability to become diverse faced much criticism throughout the years. Coupled with the usage of racial stereotypes such as making Mulan more rebellious and Pocahantas more savage-like compared to other more feminine white princesses, Disney’s non-inclusive productions have been portrayed as unwelcoming towards minorities.

Another example of Disney’s racial caricature would be Tiana, the only princess that struggled financially throughout her story and the only one that turned into an animal.

Taking a look at some recent live action movies, Disney does attempt to have a wider range of actors. Unfortunately, they missed the mark.

“The Little Mermaid” is Disney’s newest live action remake featuring main actress Halle Bailey as Ariel. Quite a few changes were made to the 1989 animated version. These changes to the classic

STORY BY ARIEL SHAN

DESIGN BY TAYLOR JOE

sparked debate across Disney’s global audience.

With such drastic changes to such a comfort movie, the most controversy came with the unexpected switch in the race of its main character. In the 1989 film of “The Little Mermaid,” Ariel was animated with bright, crimson hair, pale skin, and blue eyes. As an official adaptation to the original story of “The Little Mermaid” by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, this Danish mermaid was a direct interpretation of the fictional story.

However, in the live action movie, Ariel was portrayed by Halle Bailey, a black singer and actress. The casting faced heavy backlash, with complaints over the race of the actress and her not-so-crimson natural hair. Bailey and director Rob Marshall have made the creative decision of keeping her locs, which led to some more skepticism from the audience.

Of course, Disney’s attempts at diversifying the brand by adding inclusivity into its characters has been moving on an upwards trend. There are improvements. But, they are not enough. In this particular movie, the change was too unprecedented. There has never ever been a change in the character’s race before. The live action movie also seemed like it was produced carelessly, with its tacky, outdated CGI.

Rather than changing an old classical character, Disney should have just created a whole new persona. The brand just seems lazy by switching up the casting of one movie in attempts to gain inclusivity. Yes, having Disney princesses being represented by multiple different cultures is amazing, but does it make sense when one specific character turns into two different races? The Little Mermaid was not the right movie to take a shot at “diversity.”

On the other hand, Disney’s 2024 live action “Lilo & Stitch” is facing something similar.

Contrary to the native islanders portrayed in the animated version of “Lilo and Stitch,” the newly announced castings revealed mainly white actors. Even when it was clear that the movie was composed of POC and represented the Hawaiian islanders, Disney did not hire an accurate cast, unable to do the bare minimum for their audience. While Disney’s attempt at diversity is seen to be a failure, all I could say was that I was disappointed but not surprised. Seeing how Disney barely succumbed to constructive criticism, it is crucial that they make a change in

A sad letdown loaded with potential

As a previous fan of past Nintendo games, I had high hopes for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but it was clearly targeted for children and nothing more. Filled with many cliches along with very childish comedy, it let my expectations down.

Hitting the theaters on April 5 from Universal Pictures, Illumination and Nintendo, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie attracted many watchers seeking excitement from a variety of games released in the past. It presented many references to nostalgic Nintendo games such as “Donkey Kong, “Mario Kart, and “Mario World. While the movie introduces Mario and Luigi in Brooklyn, the majority of the film takes place in the Mushroom World, where Mario meets Princess Peach and Toad, who all go on their adventure to find and defeat Bowser.

Throughout the movie, the protagonist, Mario, develops his character while

learning and familiarizing himself with this new world. The movie also includes many nostalgic scenes, such as a Donkey Kong battle, the rainbow bridge and the many power-ups seen in the past games. When this movie first released its trailer, Chris Pratt was announced as the voice for Mario, which many people including myself thought was a mistake, and it clearly was. I never got used to hearing Chris Pratt s voice as Mario, as it simply did not feel correct, which took away a lot from the movie. Sadly, Chris Pratt as Mario was not the only thing the movie missed the mark on. Donkey Kong was also a let down, as his character seemed way too childish due to his constant strive for his father s approval.

On top of that, Princess Peach s character changed drastically, compared to her original character from the games. This was due to the change of traditional gender roles, whereas now she is the

savior.

Although there are many aspects that take away from the movie content, the animation was Mario s saving grace. From the visually pleasing contrast of the Bowser volcano versus the Ice Kingdom, to my favorite scene, the race on the Rainbow Bridge, the film showcased many small details unique to the video game franchise, all of which added to the movie s quality.According to Rotten Tomatoes, critics rated it 59% rotten, but the general audience gave it a rating of 96% fresh who enjoyed the movie. This discrepancy occurred primarily because fans opinions resonated with nostalgia.

When I watched the movie, within the first scene I realized that this movie was primarily geared toward children. When I accepted that fact, the movie became significantly more enjoyable. The nostalgia the movie relied on wasn't enough to sustain my positive opinion.

Commercial Music makes a rumble through festival

joanne lee photo editor

After the first two bands, I felt the mood settle in, and people filled in the grass of the amphitheater.”

evelyn nakaishi asst. sports editor

As the timer ticked closer to zero, the Diamond Bar High School Esports team competed on April 23 at UCLA’s Westwood Showdown Grand Championships to secure second place.

The team’s roster included five students: sophomores Martin Teng, Samuel Hwang, Codie Kwok and juniors Franco Zhou, Alec Teng and Bert Nam.

The team played in the Local Area Network (LAN) tournament held at UCLA’s Ackerman building. “I think this team will go a long way, and with more practice, I am sure we will be victorious during our [upcoming] tournaments,” sophomore Martin Teng said via Instagram.

As the team prepared to advance through the tournament, they spent countless hours working to refine their skills. The team quickly discovered that operating together would lead to their successful victories.

“The preparation for the tournament was smooth,” freshman Isaac Kim said via Instagram. “We were coming into the matches with a good mindset and trying to win as cleanly as possible.”

all performance allowed them to make it to finals, where they fell 14-12 and 13-5 points short against Ar cadia High School.

None

theless, the team earned second place

out of the seven teams in the region during UCLA’s Westwood Showdown Grand Championships.

“The overall goal for the team is to win as many matches as we can in the HSEL [High School Esports League] and possibly come out as the winner in the west division,” sophomore Codie Kwok said via Instagram.

However, the team encountered several challenges leading up to the tournament, including not staying focused and allowing their losses to interfere with their preparation for the games ahead. The team also faced other major issues, such as managing time between school work, extracurriculars and making time to improve their gaming leading up to the tournament.

“The team overcame these hurdles by having a good leader and trying to be mentally ready for every round,” Kim said. This overall experience provided both a learning experience and a way for players to bond and spend time with one another during the preparation and tournament itself. This opened a new perspective to Kim with his own future goals.

“We had a lot of fun with each game, and the team bonded really well,” Kim said. “In the future I hope to become the best version of be, and pursue ‘Valorant’ scholastically or professionally.”

Strumming into Brahmapalooza, Diamond Bar High School’s Commercial music bands rock out at their annual music festival.

On May 6, bands Brown Eyes, The Crazy Diamonds, 1/5, Tropical Apes, Supernova, ¿When Did This Happen?, Lunchboxers, Psychedelia, Jaywalkers, Mr. Weathermen, and The Bellies showcased their musical talents in the DBHS amphitheater.

In previous years, Brahmapalooza was similar to Commercial Music’s lunch performances.

This year the DBHS Commercial Music Band decided to take a different approach.

The participating bands split the event into different committees, including event management, tickets, advertising, outreach and tech.

“The festival turned out much better than any of us had anticipated. We started the process very ambitious, wanting to make it better than what it was in previous years,” sophomore Zayd Meneses said.

“I was happy to see the turnout and the clubs that came to hold booths. We also had two stages this year for ease of switching bands.

Their tech team worked to put in the extra effort to make the festival more entertaining.

The Brahmapalooza tech committee and DBHS Stageworks brought out effects for the band, as a part of the tech team.

“Some highlights of the festival was how the staging worked out.

I also really like how our tech team brought out bubble and steam machines,” sophomore Livia Tan said.

Multiple clubs, such as the Comics for Causes and Leo Club, brought their services to add to the events. Leo Club sold flowers—roses and baby’s breath—and Comics for Causes offered portraits and paintings.

“I was also really happy with the clubs we were able to bring to the event,” Tan said.

“Overall, I was really proud with how the event turned out because it was entirely organized by us as the students.”

The band members had to balance numerous rehearsals while maintaining their academic performances. Running on a tight schedule, the musicians pulled through for the event. “We had to balance event planning and rehearsals all within class periods,” Meneses

said, “I’m running back and forth from Commercial Music and wind ensemble, especially with ‘Frozen’ in the middle of it, as I had to also play guitar for ‘Frozen’ at the same time.

Since some bands are scattered between periods, I have to be flexible when needed to rehearse in any of those morning periods.”

Ryan Jarvis, the Commercial Music advisor, supported his group’s members in their music and worked with them to bring Brahmapalooza to life, inspiring many to share their passion for music.

“I was inspired to join Commercial Music since freshman year by my brother,” Meneses said.

“He’s graduated, but many alumni from the program still come to our shows and are amazed with what the program has become.

I’d like to think this is thanks to our wonderful new teacher Mr. Jarvis and also in part to the students helping push the program.”

Jarvis oversaw the production and advised the numerous bands. He provided guidance to them and made sure their vision was achieved. “Brahmapalooza marked the culmination of my first year teaching commercial music at Diamond Bar High School, and it played a crucial role in shaping the program’s future,” Jarvis said.

“While we encountered some challenges along the way, the first iteration of the new Brahmapalooza exceeded my expectations, and I am confident that it will serve as a solid foundation for the growth of our music festival in the years to come.”

The Brahmapalooza bands accomplished the goal of finishing the year off strong, making the seniors of Commercial Music have a memorial last year and exceeding everyone’s expectations.

“Overall, I think Brahmapalooza was a success,” Meneses said. “It was a great experience, and I’m so glad to have had played my part.”

Photo courtsey of Zayd Meneses

DBHS Commercial Music band performing during the Brahmapalooza event.

Story and Design by Micah Noritake

“Frozen” production brought to life by Brah-

evelyn nakaishi asst. sports editor

Transported to the magical kingdom of Arendelle, the audience journeyed alongside Anna and Elsa when the Diamond Bar High School Theater department performed a total of seven sold-out “Frozen” shows this past month. The program earned the rights from “The United States of Frozen” competition to be the only high school in California to perform a full “Frozen” Broadway production.

“The preparation was much more than just rehearsals. Production crew had to create our costumes, design our makeup looks, and the stage crew worked on the lights and set pieces,” junior Eden Wright said via Instagram.

In preparation for the show, the department spent countless hours rehearsing after school, including dancing and singing rehearsals, as they practiced through their scripts. The prepara tion also included the help of Stage craft building the set and work ing behind the scenes, as well as Steven Acciani con ducting the pit orches tra, where students in both wind ensemble and sympho ny orchestra played sever al pieces to bring the play to life.

“I see which

aspects of the character I am playing match up with myself,” Wright said. “The key to playing a believable, relatable character is knowing how and when to, rather than ‘be the character; on stage, be you!’”

In order to fully immerse the audience, the pit players rehearsed their pieces both during and after school. They played several songs including fan-favorites

“Let it Go” and “Fixer Upper” in order to capture the “Frozen” experience.

“I wasn’t able to watch the play because I had to play during every show,” sophomore Kaitlyn Liu said, who played the bassoon.

“However, from my seat I managed to see glimpses of the action on stage and really enjoyed their acting.”

Sophomore Jasmine Chen shares her experience playing the Duke of Weselton during all seven

“On stage, I have to exaggerate movements and facial expressions in order for the audience to see/ understand what I’m doing because unlike the film, you’re performing to a lot of people,” Chen said via Instagram.

“I was the Duke of Weselton and part of the ensemble which was so fun because I got a chance to interact and perform with almost everyone in the show.”

Despite the stunning performances, managing time between school, extracurriculars and the show was challenging for many actors. Holding rehearsals four days a week, Monday through Thursday from 3:30-6:00 pm, the group’s show days then lasted until around 10:00 pm.

“The most challenging thing about rehearsals was being able to manage our time,” Liu said. “Rehearsals would last until around 8 pm, and many players

struggled to make time to study for finals and AP tests.”

Learning the aspects of each character and perfecting its role played a major part in creating the magical experience.

Being the first sold out show for the department, each character made sure to transport us into “Frozen.”

“I don’t think I could’ve avoided the time management crisis between schoolwork, ‘Frozen’ and track except for the fact that on some nights I could have been more focused on my work, and finishing my work faster,” Chen said.

This spring show was the school’s biggest hit yet as it sold out eight shows in three days. About 4,000 people attended the show to bring more attention to the Theater department. The Theater’s next show will be “Legally Blonde - The Musical” on July 14, part of their summer camp from June 5 to July 13.

Harmonizing through competitions

EMMA chuang

staff writer

Singing with growing talent through the 2023 season, Diamond Bar High School’s choir department concluded the year on a high note, with all four teams placing competitively.

At the last competition at John Burroughs High School, the school’s Diamond Tones won third place, while the all-male group Radiant took home third place in advanced bass.

Solitaire earned second place in intermediate treble.

Marquis placed second for best choreography in the advanced mix tier one.

“The best choreography was definitely well-earned, because our choreographer worked so hard and pushed us to be where we are, and I’m really grateful for that,” senior Aeron McCoy said.

“I think it was the bonds that we shared and the passion that we had for the art that allowed us to win.”

Students awarded best performers at the last competition included junior Jimmy Chen in Diamond Tones, junior Jessie Li in Solitaire, senior Daniel Illingworth in Radiant, and senior Olivia James in Marquis. Senior Jolene Wu in Solitaire was awarded best soloist. Since the theme of Solitaire’s

performance was K-pop, the singers in that number were required to learn Korean in order to sing the songs.

“At first the dancing was really challenging when we first learned it,” junior Violet Kieta said.

“But I think everyone was really up to the challenge, and we all were able to get it in the end.

Also learning to sing in Korean was really hard; only one person on the team was actually fluent.”

Moreover, another choir group, Marquis, competed in four competitions.

The first one in Esperanza, the second in Burbank, the third in Hart, and the last in John Burroughs High School.

Their theme was Ivy League Fever, and the show depicted a collection of students under the constant pressure of society to get into an Ivy League school.

The performance showcased the decisions of either aiming for prestigious universities or following their own path.

“The story kind of follows these five or six characters where they all go through their own personal exploration and self-growth,” McCoy said.

From endless practices to numerous show dates, each choir performance presented something unique and different.

Every choir group had a contrasting bond, forming relationships like no other.

“This year especially, it was so easy to form a connection with everyone.

The group this year was so tight knit, and I really felt a connection with everyone, and I think that’s pretty cool and pretty rare,” Kieta said.

“I think choir really helps me improve a lot with my dancing and singing.

I was really proud of my teammates when we got second place at

the last competition.”

Moreover, the students both share the goal of improving their singing and projecting more with their performance.

“I would really like to keep improving and growing as a performer, creating new bonds with people and still sharing that passion with others that I have for choir or drama.

I want to continue to be a role model for the underclassmen, because the seniors did so much for me last year, and I really hope that I can do the same,” McCoy said.

MK PALARIS Former Editor-In-Chief

Ten whole Brahma Tech credits.

That’s all what the journalism prerequisite was to me in freshman year—I even wanted to drop out within the first week and swap my class with photography, because what kind of bloke wants to spend their high school years writing for a paper that, like, thirty students and some (cool) moms read?

But fate loves irony, because here I am three years later, penning my senior column as the former editor-in-chief, struggling (and failing) not to sound like a cynical misanthrope.

It’s funny how life works. I wasn’t the slightest interested in joining The Bull’s Eye most of my freshman year—until I intruded on some random deadline night session after school because my brother was still in 6A and I had nothing better to do.

I can’t give a concrete answer of why I became so drawn to the program, when I initially abhorred it.

Maybe it was my affinity for writing, or even a kick of excitement for my boring life (and yes, joining a school’s newspaper was unironically my highest option).

But as I reminisce my younger self staring with wide eyes at my upperclassmen completely off task while completing layout, I chalk it up to one thing: the desire to be a part of a group.

Cycling through three different advisers in my three years of being in The Bull’s Eye was no easy feat— especially when the switch to a new one came to my utter surprise after I was announced editor-in-chief.

A much more difficult concept to grasp was the drastic changes to the Diamond Bar High School journalism course as a whole; the amalgamation of J1/J2 classes, obscurity of print paper and lack of any concrete authority.

The safety net of a familiar presence was torn from me and I was back to square one.

This is usually the part of a senior column where the writer reaches their peak of melancholy, only to do a complete 180 and list improvements and adaptations they’ve made to overcome those barriers.

Call it a crossover of Freytag’s story pyramid and the journalistic inverted pyramid, but replace the newsworthy aspect with autobiographical obligation.

But I don’t have a tidy list of accomplishments or adaptations I can share. Though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Quite disappointing, but it’s not the end of the world.

I dealt with the cards I was handed. What I did, I did well.

Some decisions I made were good, some bad.

But despite everything, despite all my doubt in sticking to journalism, I can confidently say that I don’t regret my time here, even when it seemed like the universe was throwing everything it’s got onto me.

To me, The Bull’s Eye was worth a whole lot more than ten credits.

Now, my column is running a little short so I need to blabble about random nothings to avoid empty space. So I just want to say: Shout out to Mr. List for somehow convincing me to join The Bull’s Eye and to Ms. Chen as well for being a real one.

Photo Courtesy of DBHS Choir

Photo courtesy of DBHS Theater DBHS choir performing together performing their competition routines as one.

DBHS “Frozen” production presented being the first in California to perform. lars.

RYAN KUNG

Former Staff Writer

Momma, we made it! I am about to step onto campus for the last time and head to a new environment where it is just me.

Although it feels euphoric to bask in the glory of graduating, there wasn’t always a time when I felt this milestone would ever come in my life.

My high school experience was unique, to say the least, as we migrated online during my sophomore year. Having slacked off for most of the year, I took five AP courses on top of grinding extracurriculars throughout my junior year. As a person, this simply cannot be healthy as all I wanted to do was the opposite of study.

If you are reading this for any academic or extracurricular advice, I advise you not to listen to me. But just remember this: Whatever happens will always happen, and you can do nothing about it.

What I can do is make you hopeful for the bright future ahead of you. Being in the position that I am in today, hopeful for the future, I can emphasize that struggling with AP courses and stressing about school will always come to an end, and beating yourself up over these minuscule details will never be the best choice.

Throughout the course of my high school career, I’ve discovered many things that would help me through tough times and relieve my stress, even empowering me to continue pushing. However, what I found most interesting is the idea of creating something original to you. There is no direct form of creating, whether it be playing music, drawing, or writing. It all comes down to a product that is authentic to you.

Being somebody that isn’t academically driven like the rest of DBHS, seeking the academic validation that is drilled into our minds as children, seeing a finished product, created a source of motivation for myself and even excited me for the future.

You see, there are endless possibilities to what our minds can form and create. Following constant inspiration can also help motivate you to innovate something different.

It may seem like set equations and courses constrict us, but in reality, that is just the school system. So next time you are doubting your academic abilities or feeling down about your success, remember that nothing is stopping you from creating.

Fuel your brain fluids with things you are interested in. Taking courses that are difficult and extracurriculars that help you get into a top school isn’t what is going to make you a successful and fulfilled person. Instead, take on inspirations that help you grow, ideas that allow the gears in your head to turn.

When I step onto the podium when my name is called, it will be my last time being a child. Growing into an adult, I am ecstatic to pursue my dreams, even if it means leaving all that I have ever known behind.

This attitude has gotten me through high school, and even though I was a lazy student, my mind did not stop running. Don’t restrict yourself like the classes we take do. Set your mind free and follow wherever it takes you.

Iknow what you’re thinking and I wholeheartedly agree: I didn’t think it was possible. But with a 3.87 GPA and several new mental illnesses, I’m finally walking free from this nicely decorated rye field.

I want to talk about my favorite bildungsroman (it’s a fancy word for coming-of-age story)—J.D. Salinger’s “Catcher In The Rye”— yeah, that book you read if you decided to do English III Honors instead of AP Lang.

For those who haven’t read this novel, our main character Holden Caufield has this recurring dream of blindfolded children stumbling through a rye field only to fall off a cliff edge unexpectedly; our title drop happens when Holden talks about becoming the one who saves these helpless children when they fall, hence he becomes the “catcher in the rye”.

To save you a whole SparksNote analysis, the entire dream is an extended metaphor of losing childhood innocence, or as I interpret it: the very sudden transition from childhood to adulthood, like falling off the edge of a cliff blindfolded.

What makes “Catcher In The Rye” my favorite bildungsroman is that Holden fails; he utterly, entirely and irrevocably fails to reach his dream. His utopian vision has never and will never come true.

Despite this, he becomes the victor in the story—not through luck, deus ex machinas or coincidences; Holden wins because he realizes that moving on from one’s childhood is an inevitable fate, but not an inherently malicious one.

Now I want to bring up a theory of grief by author Lois Tonkin.

Tonkin wrote that it is not our emotions of grief and loss that get smaller as time continues, but that our experiences of life allow us to grow around our grievances, like how over time kudzu will overgrow a wall.

I think one feeling all of us seniors shared this year was grief: we grieved over friends we no longer talk to, we grieved over the loss of half of our high school years staring at a rectangular screen in our rooms and we grieved over what our futures could look like and our past regrets.

But despite that, we’re here, aren’t we? Half the battle is showing up after all, and much like how Holden had to grieve and ultimately move forward from the losses in his life, I believe that there’s a chance for all of us to grow around our strife, like the beautiful flowers that grow from the hard labor of gardeners.

I’ve grieved a lot these past four years over what seemed like life or death, but the thought that there’s more to life out there—outside this “bubble” we’ve created for ourselves—helps me move forward.

Loss is difficult, but difficulties are relative. So to anyone who has read this so far: do not let your grief stop you from meeting new people and experiencing new things because you will never know the person you become.

And now I leave you with a quote from Azar Nafisi that embodies my feelings wholeheartedly: “You get a strange feeling when you’re about to leave a place. Like you’ll not only miss the people you love, but you’ll miss the person you are now at this time and this place because you’ll never be that way again.”

Ialways wondered what it’d be like to write one of these columns. Most people tend to write about their sentimental moments on the paper, but as someone who hasn’t attended a deadline night in over a year, there isn’t much to say. To set the record straight, I enjoyed my time on the paper and felt like I got the opportunity to talk to people who I didn’t know existed. But that aside, this year has been one of the most tumultuous and confusing years of them all.

For context, the current graduating seniors have had the very, very pleasant time of switching journalism advisors year-to-year, from Douglas List (2021) to Connie Chen (2022) and now current advisor Michael Miller (2023).

During List’s time, we were given one of the best advisors possible in the form of a strict, grumpy former Los Angeles Times editor. Once his time was up, under the guidance of Ms. Chen (who had prior experience as an advisor), we were led by seniors who had the pleasure of working under List’s system for years; those who had the experience and knowledge to run the paper similar to pre-COVID times. When they graduated, we lost a majority of that and I think we’re starting to see the effects of List’s departure on the Journalism program this year. From what I remember, Journalism I was austere and unforgiving. Current events quizzes were miserable, List regularly massacred our essays and work was all-round held to a higher standard. The lack of anything in Journalism I last year and this year have resulted in an overall weaker publication; you can tell by just reading some of the articles we publish now.

Underclassmen actually had to compete to get their works published and weren’t just gifted those opportunities. It’s especially irresponsible to increase the workload of Journalism II students by having them edit those articles; it shouldn’t be expected of editors to care about those articles when they already have enough on their plate.

I don’t feel that I’ve earned the right to complain too much, especially given my relatively lax role as a staff writer, so I’d like to thank all of my editors for putting up with my articles.

Pivoting to something positive, I think my favorite time in the Journalism program was either my time in J1 or when I was writing lengthy reviews for shows and movies (much to the dismay of my editors). I remember multiple times sitting with Reyna and trying to cut word count for my reviews but somehow seeing the counter go up. And of those I regularly talked to in J1, there was camaraderie among us in the sense that we were all terrible at journalism. We’d chat during lectures, beg Charles to help on current events, freak out last minute about unwritten articles and all of that. Despite it ending early, it was fun in hindsight.

As for the future, I don’t think I’ll be doing too much journalism, it’s just not for me; it’s not entirely out who knows. List occasionally sends me email reminders of new movie reviews he writes, so I’ll be following in his footsteps and shoot back some of my own.

A final thank you to the staff over the years, List, Chen, Miller and those I’ve interviewed (especially the sports coaches that actually reply). Writing for The Bull’s Eye was truly a pleasure.

LYNDON KANEKO

Former Staff Writer VASH CHEN

Former Photo Editor

I thought I was finally done.

I had dreamt of this moment for years—by second semester senior year, college acceptances meant that I would be completely done with school.

Yet, as I found myself staring at assignments I didn’t need to do, studying for tests I could easily fail, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

My entire time in high school has been a blur—a mix of late night studying and long assignments.

However, despite constantly telling myself that it would all be for good and that the work would eventually pay off, I was still never quite satisfied.

Throughout the last four years, I’ve realized that my relationship with academics has been characterized as nothing short of obsession.

The pandemic made it worse, forcing me to stay home and constantly immerse myself into work.

I was perpetually unsatisfied and constantly found myself asking the same question: “What was the point of it all?”

Of course, there were some events that drew me away from this cycle: football games, the occasional rallies, and often hangouts with friends.

But, even though I have felt genuine happiness in these moments, it always seemed as if the time I spent there had to be compensated by studying or doing homework—I never felt fulfilled with simply “having fun.”

And it’s not just a problem with me.

Growing up in a competitive environment has reinforced this notion that being “successful” means obtaining high SAT scores, doing an unhealthy amount of extracurriculars, and getting into a Top 20 college. But it isn’t.

I’ve realized now that being successful means being happy, and—if that’s true—I’ve failed.

So, what still drives me to move forward? The fear of failure? Academic validation? Peer pressure? Maybe all three of them.

Yet, as I chase these endless goals, I never find myself fulfilled at the work that I do.

If I could turn back time, I would tell myself not to care about academics so much.

I would tell myself to go out more and appreciate high school for what it is. But that’s not how it works. I can only move on and hopefully convince myself that it was all for good.

To all the underclassmen and incoming seniors: just have fun. Time really does fly, and it’s the memories and friends you make throughout high school that really matter.

Go out with friends, attend homecoming, and find something you’re genuinely interested in— it’s all worth it at the end.

Flipping through their innagural season

Stunt takes skills to new heights through team camaraderie

Cecilia Su Asst. Sports Editor

After two years in the making, the Diamond Bar High School stunt team successfully made its debut.

Stunt includes a four-quarter game where two stunt teams go onto the mat at the same time to perform one of their 18 routines. Those routines showcase a pletho-

ra of skills, from jumps to partner stunts. DBHS’s stunt team ended up finishing with a 6-1 league record, tying for first place in the Hacienda League. They emerged victorious against the undefeated South Hills, which led them to the League Championship title in only their inaugural season.

“Truthfully, I thought pretty early on that we could win,” head coach Christian Calero said. “We were brand-new, and most brandnew teams really struggle.”

While the team ended the season successfully, they faced apparent challenges at the beginning of their season as they were preparing to compete against Los Altos.

“I think one improvement we could’ve made was having more faith in ourselves and our abilities,” junior Sarah Lin said. “There was some doubt at the beginning of the season, but that all went away when we won our first game.”

However, this nervousness only strengthened their teamwork, leading them to back-to-back victories. The wins the team gained would lead them to continue working toward something greater, making their strengths as a group even greater.

“I knew we had an amazing set of coaches, a [great] set of athletes, and a great mix of hard work, energy and enthusiasm,” Calero said.

“You put that all together, and you have a chance at something special.”

These strengths led the team to even greater victory, as they would go on to win against schools such as Walnut and Wilson with large scores ranging from 20-1 against Baldwin Park.

“We have a bulldoggedness to us,” Calero said. “We believe that the team is first. And for us to be successful, we all have to be successful. We foster the idea of we greater sign me.”

The stunt team had an amazing season, and they could only attribute their success to their leadership and the team itself.

Swim advances rapidly through CIF season

Walnut, with a score of 105-65 for the boys.

Unfortunately,the girls faced tough losses with scores of 105-65. However, the team didn’t let this setback consume them, excelling and winning a variety of titles and championships.

Track races to the end of league

you get more used to the sport and running, the more you’re used to the losses. The wins feel even more accomplished.”

This mindset has helped the team greatly all throughout their season and into CIF. Along with a change in outlook, they also refocused themselves on other issues that were holding them back.

Braxton Wai ASST. Sports editor

As a result of much hard work and determination, this year’s Diamond Bar High School swim season ended successfully, with many players advancing into CIF.

Throughout the season, the DBHS swim team’s strong foundation of great swimmers from outside clubs like Brea Aquatics and Trident resulted in decisive wins against South Hills, Los Altos, Wilson and Rowland. In addition to the skill of experienced swimmers, the talents and work ethics of new swimmers made it apparent that the season would be great.

“Some notable victories we had was winning league, having Charles Tam win the league MVP, taking a bunch of swimmers to CIF and the finals as well as getting to watch a pool of athletes get better and better each day,” Tahauri said.

Additionally, both the boys and girls qualified and placed in League Finals, with a few moving on to the state championships.

“Some of our girls such as Kirsten Boyle and Maegan Chow destroyed the competition,” Tahuari said. “Also Charles Tam [won] both his individual events alongside Jacky He.” Even with great individual swimmers, the team still has a lot to improve upon.

Track’s 2023 season was definitely one for the books. The team went through tough losses, rewarding wins and shocking turnarounds.

The team ended their season with a record of 9-3, and they had three of their runners advance to CIF. One of these runners, senior Simon Worku, even broke Diamond Bar High School’s record in the 1600m, beating his cousin and DBHS alum Lukas Amare.

“It was a building year,” Worku said. “We weren’t as good as we could be, but it was filled with new people, so we’re going to be a lot better next year.”

As the team adjusted to the addition of new talents, they were unable to pull out wins against Rowland and South Hills.

“In the beginning if you lose, you get more down on yourself at first,” senior and head captain Jenna Schwarz said. “But I feel like once

“I think we should improve on our communications with not only our teammates but our coaches as well,” junior CIF qualifier Allen Cheng said. “We should’ve pushed each other more to be able to improve and win more in the future.”

These improvements seen by Cheng would help the team build their team dynamic and a relationship with their new coach, Tony Crutchfield. With stronger relationships, the team began to root for each other more through their wins and losses, a strong reason why they were able to turn their season around.

The team definitely had a challenging season. However, they gained so much more insight through their challenges, which they will use to their advantage in their upcoming season.

“I like our family. Our team is like a family, and we get along with each other very well,” Schwarz said.

To prepare the new members for upcoming swim events, the coach worked with the team for two hours daily. By the end of the season, the team could easily do 6000 yards.

“The swimmers felt the heat at first. But as the season continued, they just got faster and stronger each day,” head coach Monique Tahuari said. “I was shocked at how many of our swimmers went from never competing in the pool, other than a chicken fight, to destroying other teams.”

The highlight of the season was a clear victory against their rivals,

“Everyone still has something to work on, but the most important thing would be to grow a better foundation as a team,” freshmen Scott Matsumoto said. “Even though we have incredible swimmers, there are only a few of them so we need more people to step up and score points.”

As the season ends, the team is looking to improve their game by improving strength, endurance and technique for the next season.

“We will be hosting two summer swim camps this year, and we invite all Brahmas and future Brahmas to join us,” Tahauri said.

After a successful season, track gained insightful lessons from each other and challenges they faced.

Photo courtesy of CHRISTIAN CALERO

The DBHS Stunt Team practices one of their impressive performances, in DBHS gym, in order to prepare for their upcoming competitions and matches in league.

Photo courtesy of Curtis Chyau

The track and field team celebrates the conclusion of their season on the field.

Cecelia su ASST. Spports editor

Photo courtesy of DBHS Swim

Girls swim poses for a photo after one their numerous competitions this season.

NATHAN CHU

Former Sports Editor

After a successful season, track gained insightful lessons from each other and challenges they faced.

Softball strikes out in the postseason

pleased with the season,” head coach Kurt Davies said.

For starters, the team excelled offensively, with standout players such as juniors Sophia Hayes and Mikaya Griego contributing numerous hits and home runs.

Badminton drives their way to success

These

The Diamond Bar High School badminton season was filled with ups and downs, but overall the team still dominated the majority of their games, ending the league with a 12-2 record.

While they started off preseason beating Redlands East Valley, they still had room for improvement.

“I think we can all try a little harder, and a little more effort put in by the team can win us more [games],” sophomore Josh Wijaya said. “Team morale is at an all time low.”

As they grew more comfortable with one another, they began to adapt and play with more effort and skill. After beating the majority of schools in the league, in-

cluding Wilson, Rowland and Chino Hills, the Brahmas discovered where their strengths lay.

“I feel like overall, the team played with a lot of confidence and tried their best to not give any mercy towards the other teams,” senior captain Jedd Perea said.

As the regular season came to an end, the team took time to prepare for their final competitions: League Finals and CIF Playoffs.

In their most recent competition, the Hacienda League Finals, sophomores Ariel Shan and Emily Liu of the women’s doubles team along with Perea and Wijaya of the men’s doubles took first place. Overall, the team placed second in points behind Walnut. Due to their success in League Finals, the varsity players have advanced to the CIF Open Division that will end on May 30.

“I’m really happy with what I brought to the team and enjoyed my time with my friends on there,” Perea said. “We took our place as a team knowing what we were capable of.”

Following a crushing defeat in the first round of the CIF-SS Division III playoffs last week, the turnaround season for the girls softball team has come to a close.

The Lady Brahmas finished their season third in the Hacienda League with a 10-9-1 overall record and a 6-4 league record—a major improvement from last year’s 9-14 overall record with no playoff berth.

Additionally, the girls emerged victorious in both matchups against crosstown rival Walnut, a feat they could not accomplish last season.

“Any time that you can beat your archrivals two times in the season and have success against them, I think you should walk away

Conversely, the Lady Brahmas struggled to make ends meet on the defensive side of the pitch, which ultimately led to their abbreviated postseason run.

“I think that we made some costly errors in big games, and that really contributed to us not going further in the playoffs,” Davies said.

Regardless, the young team’s future is bright, as a lack of seniors this year guarantees the return of the majority of this year’s starters.

The Lady Brahmas are aiming to come back stronger next year, as many of them will be participating in club and travel teams over the summer.

“I love the girls and the coaches I was able to spend this season with, and I can’t wait to do it all again, but even better next year with the same girls,” Griego said via Instagram.

CHARLES TAM

Former Sports Editor

The end of the first chapter of my life is near and now is the time to reflect on everything. As I look back on my high school experience enriched with different activities, my decision to join The Bull’s Eye as a sports editor was one of the best moves I have made.

It seems like yesterday when I was a freshman in Journalism I learning from the best in Mr. List. His daily lectures would often have me struggling to stay awake, but looking back, those were the times when I learned the most about everything involving journalism.

I came out of Journalism I with all the tools to be a journalist, so I was eager to take my talents to Journalism II and write for The Bull’s Eye.

It may seem like being on a newspaper staff is just constantly writing stories and designing layout pages, but it was so much more than that.

The most memorable moments of being on The Bull’s Eye were during the monthly deadline nights that we would have.

Those Friday nights spent at school would not only be to finish layout work for publication in the following week, but those nights were always filled with jokes and laughter among all the staff.

The brotherhood that I became a part of with Ethan, Edward, Jeremiah, Nathan and Ryan, along with others on staff (Natasha and Maia) made the class incredibly enjoyable. I will always cherish the unforgettable moments I had with the past and current Bull’s Eye staff.

Boys golf swings into playoffs

around the course. This year’s League Finals were successful, with many players shooting beyond expectations.

With an undefeated overall record, the Diamond Bar boys golf team dominated this season. The team’s strong players and determined mindsets eventually led four Brahmas to the CIF playoffs.

“The greatest success of the team this season is that we remain undefeated at both varsity and JV levels, 13-0 Varsity and 4-0 JV,” head coach Jason Tuck said via iMessage. “Another success is the development of our young players who are gaining experience through competition in key matches.”

In both of their recent games against Walnut, the boys emerged victorious, with scores of 207-199 and 231-216. However, despite the team’s perfect record, there were a few problems in the players’ decision-making on the fairways.

“The area needing the most improvement, in my opinion, is balancing risk vs reward on certain shots during key parts of a competitive round,” Tuck said.

Essentially, he wants the team to play safely in the middle to ensure that the ball is clear of hazards

Four Brahmas made it to the firstteam all-league, with sophomore Samson Li winning League MVP and freshman Logan Park finishing second. Additionally, seniors Henry Yang placed fourth and Elson Liu placed eighth in League Finals. Even though the season

has finished for most of the players, they continue to practice for an even better season next year. Both Logan Park and Samson Li are continuing on to individual CIF tournaments on May 15 at Cross Creek.

Before playing in tournaments, the coach makes sure that everybody is ready and gets some practice before a match starts.

“Our coach keeps the team in

shape by hosting practices at Roya Vista and practice rounds at Mowuntain Meadows,” junior Kyle Lim said. “He makes sure everyone is active and swinging.”

“The team is well motivated to remain undefeated and continwue our success throughout the playoffs, CIF, SCGA and State competitions. It’s a real pleasure to coach these fine young men,” Tuck said.

Outside of writing and designing for the school newspaper, my other activities also made the last four years very enjoyable. I found success in swimming and made life-long relationships with those I met through the sport.

I also discovered a passion for working out in the gym that I will continue to pursue throughout college and beyond.

During the weekends, I would always find time to spend with friends and family, which was always fun as a way to decompress from school. Being a part of a large friend group of 18 guys certainly kept me company throughout the years, especially during quarantine when we would play computer games all day to keep busy.

Thinking about it now, I probably had too much fun for my own good throughout high school.

Now that I am graduating, I’ll miss all the sweet times, but I’m excited to move on to the next chapter of my life.

Throughout most of high school, I was clueless about what I wanted to do in the future, but I can finally say that I have a plan for where my life will take me.

All this is to say, that I am very grateful, more than any of you would ever know to this family I found through Journalism, as well as the lifelong friends that I’ve made during these last four years supported me through thick and thin.

And to the advisors that have been so foundational to the Bull’s Eye—Mr. List, Ms. Chen and Mr. Miller for their relentless advocacy they’ve given me and my fellow staff members throughout these last few years.

The Lady Brahmas made immense improvement despite coming up short.

Ethan Ro Sports Editor

Amongst back to back victories the boys team is only improving.

Brahmas have turned their struggles into success, leading them to another dominant season.

Photo courtesy of KURT DAVIES Diamond Bar’s Softball Team taking a team photo to celebrate a victorious win.

Photo courtesy of DIAMOND BAR HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

Junior Jack Zhu sets up to practice his swing before his chip shot on the third hole at the Mountain Meadows golf course.

Photo courtesy of ARIEL SHAN

Sophomore Ariel Shan prepares to serve the birdie to begin of her doubles set.

Micah Noritake asst. A&e editor

Braxton Wai Asst. Sports Editor

The Bull’s Eye SPORTS

Five standout seniors awarded prestigious honor

ball captain.

Bernadino helped lead football to the CIF finals this past season and was named Hacienda League MVP and all-CIF twice.

Curtis Chyau Staff Writer

The Hacienda Five, an honor that recognizes exemplary student-athletes both on and off the field, awarded five seniors the opportunity to represent Diamond Bar High School at the Hacienda League Honor Awards Ceremony.

This year’s Hacienda Five members from Diamond Bar consist of Maddox Bernardino, Alex Kim, Audrey Huang, Kelly Yan and Issac Hui.

“Each school in the Hacienda League chooses five senior athletes that they feel best represent their school and the Hacienda League,” athletic director Kurt Davies said.

One student awarded with Hacienda Five was Maddox Bernardino, the varsity football and base-

“As an athlete, I have learned to be disciplined and grateful for things that I have. It has also shown me how to have patience when dealing with tough situations, ” Bernardino said.

Another recipient of Hacienda Five was Audrey Huang. She is part of sports medicine, regularly working with the athletic trainer while being CPR and first-aid certified.

Outside of sports medicine, Huang is also a gymnast, winning silver and bronze medals in the 2023 Western National Championship.

“Doing gymnastics my whole life has taught me from many falls to [get] back up on my feet,” Huang said. “Alongside this, I love to make people’s day and help others.”

A part of varsity cross country and track & field, Isaac Hui was also awarded this honor. Hui

successfully completed the Long Beach Half-Marathon and also qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam.

“I have learned that the results don’t immediately come, but through consistency and dedication and hard work,” Hui said.

A four-year varsity basketball player, award recipient Alex Kim was named First Team Hacienda League this past basketball season.

Kim maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school and is a member of the United Student Body.“[I’ve learned] the importance of resilience and enjoying the process rather than the end result,” Kim said. “I can apply these things I learned from basketball and apply it to many other aspects of life.”

Varsity volleyball player Kelly Yan was the final recipient of the Hacienda Five award.

Yan was named MVP last volleyball season and was given the Hall of Fame award. Equally excellent in academics, she has also been awarded the California State Seal

of Biliteracy.

“I’m proud that I was able to be a co-team captain this year,” Yan said. “Taking on this job taught me that I need to take responsibility and lead my team.”

A general consensus among these five student-athletes is that they performed well in both their

respective sports and the classroom.

“It’s one of the highlights of the year,” Davies said. “Seeing these amazing students and what that they have accomplished and seeing where they are going to go next, it’s one of the highlights for us athletic directors.”

Freestyling through the waters since eight years old, senior Charles Tam has learned valuable life skills and lessons from competitive swimming. Persistence in training to meet these goals has taught Tam that swimming is more than a sport.

“I learned what it meant to develop a bond with my teammates and coaches, and how these connec tions in life are what make life so great,”

Tam said. “I also learned that there will always be setbacks that come your way, but it is what you do with those struggles to overcome them and find success.”

Tam was introduced to swimming by his cousins since his childhood. During his competitive high school career, he has been awarded Hacienda League Champion eight times (three relay, five individual), 2023 Hacienda League MVP, 2022 CIF Division I Qualifier, 2023 CIF Division II Finalist and 2021 Most Improved Award.

Tam also swims for Trident swim club, where he has earned the awards of three time Junior Olympic Champion—100 Free in 2015, 100 Breast/200 Breast in 2021— named Southern California Swimming AllStar Festival Team, Sectional Championships Finalist and Futures Championships Qualifier.

“My greatest achievement in swimming was qualifying for the Futures Championships last summer,” Tam said. “It was such a big deal to me since it was the most prestigious meet I ever qualified for with fast time standards needed for qualification.”

Tam specializes in the breaststroke events, specifically swimming 100 meter breaststroke. His training schedule includes two hours of practice six times a week and two gym visits a week.

While his grind continued, the one year hiatus Tam took during the pandemic in 2020 was a major setback in his swimming journey, putting him at a major disadvantage.

“From the school closure up until exactly a year after, I did not swim at all and shifted my focus to the gym,” Tam said. “After learning that we were gonna have a 2021 high school season, I rejoined my swim club to train. Surprisingly, I made major progress in a short period of time and improved my best times significantly.”

His most memorable moment in the sport would be the past Hacienda League Championships where he placed first in all four of his events, naming him League MVP.

“The atmosphere at the meet was very thrilling,” Tam said. “Especially on the last relay event when I was on the last leg and took home the win against Walnut.”

Tam does not have any future goals for swimming and does not plan on continuing his swim journey after high school. However, he will continue to weightlift.

“I will be focusing on weightlifting, which was a big part of my performance in the sport,” Tam said. “I’m grateful for everything swimming has given me.”

Flying through the air, high above the ground, she sees a view nobody else does. Though it may seem impossible, for stunt team captain Kelly Choi, it is just another game.

Despite this being her first year officially competing, Choi has been stunting since freshman year.

She initially joined because she wanted to join a sport, and later found that cheer fit her personali ty well.

“Ever since I was little, I was always bright and energized,” Choi said. “Cheer seemed perfect for me, for my energy and spirit.”

Even with all her passion, stunting isn’t always easy for Choi. Her biggest challenge was discourage ment from failures and injuries. However, she does not let these setbacks stop her, mo tivated by the idea that it’s all worth it once she succeeds.

Due to her extensive extracurricular in volvements, time management was also a challenge for Choi. Although her commit ments to band, orchestra and the perform ing arts academy made constant rehearsals overwhelming, she continued to push forward.

“I would be lying if I said the last four

years have not been hard,” she said. “I think that’s what made it w, the challenges.”

Even when the road is bumpy, Choi always has her teammates to help support and motivate her.

“Letting them down was something I never wanted to do,” she said. “[And that]

Choi rose to the occasion not as just a -

Her leadership and skills brought the

“I had the goal of having a second family that I can always be there for,” Choi said. “I can’t ask for a better team than the amazing and talented girls this As a result of her dedication, Choi was chosen to be an All-American atmer camp after “The skills that I have learned in cheer and stunt, such as tumbling and full ups, are someplishments I have had,” Choi said. “Beingproved me as a person and will always be one of my biggest -

ing, the stunt captain’s cheer journey may

She is already considering whether to continue practicing and improving herthing I’m still deciding on,” Choi said. “I am definitely interested in doing so because it’s something that gives me stress relief and I genuinely feel so passionate about cheer and stunt.”

Taylor Joe A&E editor

Curtis Chyau Staff Writer

League MVP Charles Tam swims his way to success onto next chapter of his life.

AOTM Kelly Choi overcomes challenges and starts her journey as a stuntswoman into her next chapter of life.

Photo courtesy of Charles Tam Charles Tam swims his specialized stroke, breaststroke in Trident

Photo courtesy of Christian Calero The stunt team does a trick involving holding one person high up in ther air.

Photo Courtesy of Curtis Chyau

Five athletes honored with the Hacienda 5 awards for their consistent exellence.

Select Brahmas win distinguished award for committments to academics and athletics.