December 2020

INSIDE THE ISSUE

feature 8

opinion 5

the bull's eye news

opinion

sports 13

a&e 10

feature

DECEMBER 16, 2020 VOLUME XXXVIV ISSUE IV ONLINE AT DBBULLSEYE.COM

sports

arts&entertainment

School still on distance learning The district has yet to release details regarding the upcoming semester.

Reyna wan opinion editor

Lee said via Instagram. “I signed up for the SATs by looking up the schools in Arizona and putting in their zip code.”

Despite the vast majority of colleges opting not to require standardized tests like the ACT and SAT this year, and some in the future as well, many students still hope to take the tests for various reasons.

“I wanted to do the SAT because privates still take SAT and my end

As Southern California residents approach the midpoint of a threeweek-long Stay At Home order, the Diamond Bar High School community is growing increasingly curious of what plans the district has for the second semester.

While the school administration has yet to put forth any formal plans, Assistant Principal Elizabeth Chang confirmed via email that the district has been working closely with LA County Public Health officials to formulate guidelines and discuss reopening options as the pandemic continues to evolve.

“At this time, we do not have updates on in-person plans,” Chang said. “We are following the news closely and attending sessions with the county health office, district compliance teams and site teams weekly while working closely with local agencies.”

SAT on p. 12

semester on p. 2

ANIKA YATAWARA

COVID-19 pushes SAT sites to close Some students travelled out of state in order to take this year’s exams.

Natasha Chang asst. A&E editor Many SAT testing centers have cancelled exams due to health risks and local COVID-19 guidelines, instead opting to move testing dates back. The shortage of SAT seats

has led most colleges to go test optional, and some even fully testblind, this year.

However, many students are still taking the exam--some to put their abilities to the test and others to boost their admissions chances to colleges that are not completely factoring out standardized tests.

In pursuit of these goals, several Diamond Bar High School students opted to take the SAT test in other states.

“Ideally, I wanted to take the SAT back in August in-state,” ju-

nior Alyssa Wu said via Instagram.

“I realized that as the months flew by, it would become only more difficult to get a spot in a local test center. And that’s why my family and I decided to sign up for SATs out-of state.”

Junior Han Lee has also faced similar problems, having signed up for several in-state tests that were all subsequently canceled, before deciding to take more drastic measures.

“I signed up about three times before deciding to go out of state,”

Final exams tailored to fit virtual setting Students expressed their personal preferences for certain testing formats given novel conditions.

STeve Qu Asst. News Editor As the fall semester comes to an end, students are left wondering what finals will look like this year after the countless different testing methods teachers have tried.

The fall finals schedule was announced during Thanksgiving break on the Diamond Bar High School website, stating that each finals period will have 82 minutes for their exams rather than the usual two hours.

To adjust to the virtual setting, teachers have had to make varying degrees of changes to this year’s finals depending on how they usually test their students.

For those who give projects rather than exams, the alterations will

be minor.

“I always have my [students] do group presentations, and that will remain the same this year and will be fairly easy to transfer to distance learning,” math teacher Dena Lordi said via email. “It’s a much more enjoyable assessment experience for all involved. I think my students have appreciated the alternate method to show off what they know.”

Although some students expressed their preference for projects over exams as they can avoid cramming, some find the final project approach less favorable.

“From a college-applying senior’s perspective, I personally prefer testing as opposed to projects, since testing can happen during class and doesn’t really require outside time aside from studying,” senior Luke Zhou said via Instagram.

Regardless of the different test ing methods, some teachers fear that technical difficulties may

finals on p. 3

Photo courtesy of THE WILDCAT NEWSPAPER Students at Brea Olinda High School in Orange County are now required to wear face masks, among other precautions.

California schools reopen campuses The state requires schools to steer clear of the purple tier to resume in-person.

Somiya Jajieh AnikA yatawara While Diamond Bar High School may end up finishing the final semester of the school year virtually, many other schools in California

have already reopened their campuses.

On Aug. 28, State Gov. Gavin Newsom released a color-coded county tracking system which can assist state monitors in determining which schools should be permitted to resume in-person instruction.

The chart includes four tiers: purple, red, orange and yellow, with purple being the highest risk level and yellow the lowest.

Although it is recommended that

districts in the purple tier continue with distance learning, schools that had previously dropped into a lower risk category and resumed on-campus learning are allowed to remain open if their county is moved back to the purple tier.

Such was the case for Brea Olinda High School, a public school in Brea, just six miles away from DBHS, but located in Orange County, which was permitted to resume

reopening on p. 3

2

NEWS

DECEMBER 16, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Annual TEDx Talks to continue Auditions for this year’s event will be recorded and submitted online. vera wang staff writer Continuing its annual tradition, the Diamond Bar High School Wellness Center will host the fourth annual TEDx Talks event virtually this year.

In order to accomodate distance learning, the event has been altered in both format and execution.

Unlike prior performances, the most prominent difference this year is that speakers will be allowed to use pre-recorded speeches, rather than delivering their presentation live before the audience.Despite the changes in presentation, Wellness adviser Julie Galindo said that the essence of the event remains the same: promoting a positive message to peers regarding all aspects of wellness.

“Students will write their speeches and film themselves for the audition process,” Galindo said via email. “Once students have filmed their speeches, a pan-

el of judges will determine TEDxTalks to air and we will coach students through any areas that might need revisions.”

Auditions will be submitted through Google Classroom with the extended deadline being Jan. 8 to account for technical difficulties. This year’s judges will include GLCs, school psychologists, Wellness interns and Peer Counseling teacher Albert Lim, who will make their decisions according to a rubric identical to those

“...I believe every student has an important story and has something positive to share...”

JULE GALINDO

from prior years. Once the audition process is complete, the selected students will then re-record their talk as if speaking to a live audience. Galindo said she hopes to see an increase of prospective candidates this year as there will be less pressure on students who fear performing in front of a live audience as well as an extension on the cut off date.

“Glossophobia, or the fear of

public speaking is very real; and unfortunately, can be a crippling deterrent for many. So, by using a virtual format, perhaps those students who would never think to perform a speech in front of a live audience might be willing to go for it this year,” Galindo said via email.

Audition information was released in early November and was promoted in the principal’s weekly Brahma Briefing as well as on USB’s instagram. Both media sites also advocated students to share their experiences with their peers as well.

“Unfortunately, students are not able to gather together in the theatre to hear awesome inspirational TEDxTalks from their peers. But I hope that more students will choose to participate because I believe every student has an important story and has something positive to share with others,” Galindo said via email.

“A message for students: Go for it.”

With the plan to post the speeches intermittently sporadically throughout the second semester, the team aims to reach a wider breadth of students by utilizing their online platform to spread their message during these times of adversity.

GLOBAL REPORT COVID-19 VACCINE introduced to nations As the number of coronavirus cases continues to increase within the U.S., the Department of Defense has released an outline of the vaccine distribution plans. Other countries have already begun the vaccination process with the U.K. becoming the first nation to vaccinate volunteers. However, many Americans remain concerned about the vaccine as demonstrated in a poll by Pew Research which showed that roughly 40% of Americans are against vaccination.

SCIENCEMAG

india witnesses world’s largest protest After India’s prime minister Narendra Modi pushed three pieces of legislation through Parliament which would cause the country’s major corporations to swallow up the market share, crowds of angered farmers took to the streets in protest. Agriculture is the source of a majority of Indian’s livlihood, explaining the mass outrage. Protests reached the nation’s capital on Nov. 25 where the people were met with India’s police force who used brutal tactics in an attempt to control the rallygoers.

AL JAZEERA

EU ADOPTS new HUMAN RIGHTS SANCTIONS After facing critiscim in the past for their failure in upstanding the democratic values they claim to represent, the European Union has officially drafted a sanctions regime that would enact travel bans and asset freezes to indivudals violating human rights. The procedure is modeled after the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law named after late attorney Sergei Magnitsky who died in a Russian Jail after discovering a massive governmental fraud scheme.

THE GUARDIAN

the staff Editors-in-Chief

Josh Chou, Camille McCurry Anika Yatawara Marcus Hsieh, Steve Qu

News Editor Asst. News Editors Opinion Editors Asst. Opinion Editor

Camille McCurry, Reyna Wan Rachel Lee

Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editors

Emily Koh Somiya Jajieh, Kelsey Wu

A&E Editor Asst. News Editors

Josh Chou Natasha Chang, Marykate Palaris

Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editors

Victoria Artale Deesha Pathak, Charles Tam

Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editors

Victoria Artale Tiffany Lee, Kelsey Wu Ryan Chan Connor Cho

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

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

Adviser

Doug List

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

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

COVID19.CA.GOV School administrators are working closely with the District to determine the likelihood of restarting in-person instruction.

Second semester plans uncertain semester from p.1 According to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, new statistics have shown that coronavirus cases are reaching all-time highs as the state has seen a 1.7 percent growth in the past month.

It is due to these circumstances that the district has been more reserved about what information they choose to release regarding the spring semester.

Outside of the administration’s planning, certain aspects of the fall semester have left Brahmas with mixed opinions about distance learning, with many hoping for change in the spring.

“On one hand, it’s pretty nice that school is over earlier and you have more time to do whatever you want,” junior Eileen Zu said by Instagram. “But, on the other hand, it does feel a little depressing to jump between links day in and day out.”

As a way of fixing the mundane consistency of distance learning, many students are hoping that the schedule will be adjusted to allow for more time in each class period.

“I just wish the administration could have allowed for longer class time so that we could learn a bit more, because, truthfully, 40 minutes is a bit [short],” junior Cassie

Nam said via text.

Parents of the Brahma community are also anticipating that the school will put a stronger emphasis on opportunities for students to get more involved.

“Being strategically located and wanting community involvement, there ought to be more parking lot drive through events taking place on a monthly basis,” Annalisa Gore, a member of the MAG 7 parent organization, said via email.

An even more pressing issue that needs to be addressed is how a student’s home life can affect their education.

Although the school has issued laptops to students in need of them, some students do not have the luxury of a secluded area where they can learn undisturbed.

“A students’ wifi availability, technological limits and overall home situation, whether that be their mental state or health of their family, all have the potential to significantly hinder their learning,” senior Hilal Balik said via text.

Though these limitations are ones that go hand in hand with remote circumstances, there are various practices that many brahmas believe the school might be planning to implement to help minimize the negative effects that one’s

home life may have from online learning.

“Rather than sitting at a screen for six minutes straight, giving more time between classes would give students the chance to move and recharge before their next class,” Balik said. (Breaks between classes are actually five minutes.)

However, if the school is given the choice to have in-person classes, some are hoping that the school will opt to resume lessons on campus, once it’s permitted, for those willing to attend.

“Once it’s safe, the students should be allowed to have the option of attending in-person classes,” Gore said. “There should be extra measures of monitoring social distancing and safety while enforcing face masks, handwashing and regularly wiping all common areas down.”

Under the current circumstances, however, many are adamant that the spring semester should remain remote.

“It simply doesn’t make sense to do in-person classes next semester before there is a vaccine or cure that is widely accessible,” junior Nathan Chun said. “We’ve worked hard this first semester to flatten the curve, going back would waste those efforts.”

DECEMBER 16, 2020

NEWS

THE BULL'S EYE

3

DBHS places top 2% in U.S. Niche graded the school an A+ in academics and college preparation.

VICTORIA ARTALE USB members were briefly allowed back on campus to plan for future events.

USB announces incoming members This year, the organization hopes to garner more student participation.

Testing integrity raises concerns Finals from p.1 cause disruptions during finals week.

To counter this problem, history teacher Emily Clark allows her students to pre-record their final projects to present on finals day.

“The presentations will be available for students to watch asynchronously so if they have technical difficulties on the day of the final, they can watch on their own,” Clark said via email. “Since we will be working on this project for a week prior to the due date, we should be able to work around any difficulties.”

Although teachers will provide students with leeway in some regards due to the challenges of online exams, the content will be roughly the same as previous years’ exams.

“I tend to try to be very understanding but also maintain a standard of responsibility for the students,” Lordi said. “Especially this far into the school year—students should understand that assessment is comprehensive.”

Despite the many challenges presented by this year’s finals, some students believe that online exams are a better method of testing because, with notes often permitted, they assess students’ understanding of the subject rather than one’s memorization skills.

“It encourages students to actively take good notes during class time and keep up and now doze off or joke around and keep up with the lesson,” junior Cassie Nam said via Instagram.

However, many question the effectiveness of the new format at measuring a student’s ability rel-

ative to their peers, especially in those classes whose exams are graded on a curve, because of the possibilities of academic dishonesty.

“I personally don’t think it’s a good idea because they can’t prevent cheating at all. And therefore it’s just not fair and the grading will be affected by the cheating,” sophomore Alexis Bermudez said via Instagram. “ Most will [not] be what the student knows, it will be what the internet knows.”

Some teachers have started creating more comprehensive assignments this year with the intention to stop students from copying answers from the internet, however Bermudez argues that this may not be enough.

“Yes, some students did take notes during this time but probably not all and for that reason instead of getting [or] using their own notes they will get it from a peer so they really didn’t learn anything,” she said.

Their worries are not unfounded, and teachers have been testing various methods to reduce cheating as much as possible, including making lockdown browsers and screen-recording mandatory for students.

Regardless of the methods teachers choose to administer these exams, finals week will symbolize the conclusion of a challenging semester for both students and teachers alike.

“There’s always going to be at least one individual who finds a way to cheat, but my hope is that people hold integrity and that they honor a system designed to test [their] mastery of a subject,” Zhou said.

en my leadership and social skills,” she said via Instagram.

Chan also expressed that USB is concerned with the lack of student participation in the virtual events they’ve been holding on their InMarykate Palaris stagram page, @diamondbarusb.

She attributes some of this to the asst. a&E editor fact that these events are no longer social gatherings, so students arAs the new semester approachen’t inviting friends to participate. es, the 2021 USB team has been an“People usually go to events to nounced, with dozens of new memhave fun with friends, but that is a bers joining the organization for its less viable option in quarantine, so upcoming term. it’s raised some problems when exThe new USB members have ecuting events,” she said. been working on various ways After a year as the Class of 2023 to enhance student life behind a President, Chan is spending her screen, especially when it comes second year on USB. to holding enMeanwhile, gaging online new member ju“People usually go to events. nior Nicole Tong events to have fun Sophomore says that she with friends, but that is Michelle Chan enjoys the proa less viable option in said that she cess of planning quarantine...“ plans to use her events—an area position to imin which she has MICHELLE CHAN prove the dissome experience tance learning with, as she also experience for helps organize students overall, incorporating events as a Key Club officer— their ideas and opinions into her because of the way they create decision-making. team bonds between attendees.

“As a member of USB, I hope to “I’m in two sports and I like the use the feedback we gain from the family aspect when you’re in a student body to improve student team,” Tong said via Instagram. life and enjoyment,” she said via Additionally, Tong said that she Instagram. wants to sharpen her leadership Chan said that she wanted to get skills and improve interaction with more involved at school not only students as well. to help her peers, but as a means Tong said that she has trouble to improve herself as well, which staying motivated in this new digis part of the reason she applied to ital learning environment, but now USB. that she is in USB, she said that she “I wanted to challenge myself looks forward to planning some with a leadership position to sharpschool events.

lyndon kaneko staff writer For the past few years, Diamond Bar High School has maintained a spot on the list of the best public schools in the nation. This year, DBHS has made an impressive showing yet again, displaying its academic prowess as a part of Niche’s Top 2 percent of America’s 10,760 public school districts.

Niche is a ranking and review website that posts a number of statistics and surveys on schools across the nation to administer an overall grade on academics, diversity, teachers and college preparation.

Niche also scores the school’s administration, extracurriculars, food, facilities and more.

Niche uses these scores and other information to rank the school against others in the state and nation as a magnet, college prep, STEM and overall public high school.

In their 2021 report, Niche placed DBHS as number 351 out of more than 10,000 schools nationwide, earning an A or higher in academics, teachers, college preparation and health & safety. Its ranking is slightly lower than its placement five years prior.

In most regards, DBHS ranks in the 95th percentile against other California schools, placing highest in the top 15 percent in LA County and top 5 percent in all of California.

At the time of the survey, Niche’s review covered a total of 19,532 public high schools in the U.S. “I am thrilled to share this achievement with our Walnut Valley school community,” said Superintendent Robert Taylor in a district newsletter sent Nov. 16.

“This is a wonderful validation of the commitment and dedication of our teachers and staff, our Board of Trustees, our parents and our outstanding students.”

Hybrid schedules in use across state reopening from p.1 in-person instruction on October 1.

According to school publication The Wildcat Newspaper, the school initially allowed only sports on campus so that student athletes could meet up for outdoor practices while following regulations implemented by both the school district and the CDC. Finally on Oct. 19 all BOHS students were welcomed back to school.

Since reinstating campus life, BOHS has adopted new social distancing guidelines to ensure the safety of all staff and students.

To prevent the spread of disease, mask-wearing has been made mandatory and desk shields have been provided for each student.

Additionally, cleaning periods used to disinfect desks were implemented between classes.

Upon reopening, students were given the option to pursue hybrid

or distance learning for the remainder of the school year.

Those who chose to return to campus were divided into cohorts A and B, where the former attends school on Mondays and Thursdays and the latter on Tuesdays and Fridays. Both groups start school at 7:05 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.

For Mater Dei High School, located in Santa Ana, the hybrid schedule works a bit differently.

Instead of dividing the school into cohorts that alternate attending school for certain days of the week, half of the school attends class from 8 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. while the other half goes from 12:10 p.m. to 3 p.m. In addition, the school has adopted a block schedule to limit the amount of classrooms students are in throughout the school day.

“So, every Monday and Thursday we have blocks three, five and seven and every Tuesday and Friday we have blocks two, three and six,” Mater Dei senior Curran

Nielsen said via Instagram. “I have seven classes, but only attend five in person.”

Nielsen explained that it was challenging for students to remain socially distanced from one another, but that the faculty has been enforcing social distancing guidelines to the best of their ability.

“I think that the reopening has helped a lot with how students are learning but I know it really hasn’t helped the senior morale because of how different this year is from what we were expecting our last year of high school to be like,” she said. “It’s helped us grow a relationship with our teachers in a way that being entirely remote couldn’t do and gives us that human interaction that we need. While this year isn’t what I was expecting it to be I’m so thankful that I can at least be on campus and that Mater Dei is doing everything it can to still give us a school experience while staying safe.”

4 OPINION

DECEMBER 16, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Unified goals within division

- OPINIONBreakout rooms exacerbate the problems that plague group work without student participation nor interaction.

“I

’m going to split you guys up into breakout rooms,” has become one of the most dreaded phrases teachers can say to a class during this time of virtual learning. Zoom breakout rooms, as a means of working on projects and assignments with one’s peers, are not only ineffective but also make group work even more problematic than it’s ever been in the past.

When Diamond Bar High School had in-person learning, students woring with one another were monitored in the classroom at all times. If there were group assignments, teachers would pace around the classroom, listening in on conversations and making sure everyone was working.

Now, unless a teacher is in the breakout room, students don’t feel any pressure to help their peers, let alone speak at all. Teachers can check in to each room for a couple of minutes, but it is easy for students to pretend to work during this short amount of time and, as soon as they are alone again, return to an awkward silence.

Unfortunately, some students refuse to contribute even their

presence. With online classes, students can just mute their microphones and turn off their cameras.

If confronted about this, or their fellow group members inform the teacher, a multitude of excuses are offered: students can simply say their microphone is broken, their internet connection is spotty, their camera is broken.

Teachers can’t argue with these excuses, so the students who are participating are forced to pick up the slack.

It’s important to note that group work does have theoretical benefits, especially in courses such as English or history. Working with one’s peers exposes a student to different opinions and ideas, which can broaden their perspective. Another situation where group work can be beneficial is when a student is struggling with the material or doesn’t understand an assignment, then they can ask their peers.

Also, it is important to take into account that during this pandemic, students are essentially starved of any semblance of social interaction with their peers, so working collaboratively in smaller groups can help satisfy this need.

However, students can only reap these benefits if everyone in the breakout room cooperates, which, more often than not, is not the case.

It is clear that breakout rooms are not functional, but teachers can’t just get rid of group work and projects entirely. There’s no perfect solution, but there are things that can be done to minimize certain problems.

Teachers could allow students to choose their groups so they would be more comfortable talking with one another and participating. However, the diversity of opinions might be lost if students remain in the same group each time.

Without an easy solution to the countless problems that come with breakout rooms, students will have little choice but to continue to endure group assignments that are more frustrating than ever before.

There is not much teachers can do to solve these complications, but I implore students to make an effort to participate in groups and try to make the best of group work, especially since it’s not going away any time soon.

FROM THE BRAHMA PERSPECTIVE

“

Since it’s [group work] all in breakout rooms and on Zoom, people can easily just turn off their cameras or not speak at all.

MADELYN HUI (9)

“ ”

... it’s [breakout rooms] more difficult not being able to clearly see how everyone is doing and be on the right track.

KYLE YANG (10)

“ ”

Many students suffer due to conditions that they have no control over and the overall ability to learn... is lowered.

”

EMILY ZHANG (11)

Camille McCurry editor-In-Chief

“R

epublicans are destroying this country.” It’s a sentiment many Democrats share, especially on social platforms, where left-leaning users vehemently attack Republican politicians and their voters.

While I agree that in the past four years, the GOP has done extensive damage to America, it’s important that we, as individuals, recognize that our fellow Americans’ political leanings don’t define them.

Many Republicans are upstanding citizens and good people who want the best for our nation—they just see a different path to that point.

Now, before I launch into my wholehearted defense of Republican voters, it’s obvious I’ll have to make some qualifications. I’m not saying that the beliefs and actions of every Republican are just, nor do I believe that all Republicans are good people. And, for that matter, not all Democrats are good either-there are always exceptions. All I believe is that when you look at the majority of Americans who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and/or 2020, most of them aren’t bad people. They’re simply—at least from my political standpoint—misguided individuals.

When I talk to my Republican acquaintances about why they support—or supported—Trump, it’s often because they don’t see a bright future for our nation under a Democratic candidate. Never have I knowingly met a bigoted Trump supporter. Most don’t like him, disagree with most of what he says and despise his bigoted comments, but voted for him because they care more about policies than personalities.

Leveling the playing field

E

Ryan Chan Business Manager

ver since quarantine started in March, my cheating skills have greatly risen through constant practice. I am extremely thankful for this opportunity since cheating in school is an artform that I’ve been honing since freshman year.

Some people look down on students that cheat because they believe that cheating is unfair and a breach of integrity. Contrary to popular belief, I think cheating is an equalizer among students. Not all students are equally smart, have tutors or even the time to study. However, all students have the equal chance and ability to cheat on a test. This allows disadvantaged students to rightfully level the playing field.

I still remember so many stu-

dents complaining about a student (not me) ruining the curve on ridiculously hard math tests by getting perfect hundreds. That student simply shouldn’t care about other people’s grades in the class. To me, my grade is the only one that matters and if others are too lazy to cheat, they can only blame themselves for their bad grade. Why should the cheaters be the ones who get the hate when they work just as hard to secure a good grade?

I don’t think the average student understands how much work and planning goes into cheating. Looking back on it, some people I know (not me) probably spent a good two or three hours during school asking everyone for test answers. After that, they had to spend even more time memorizing all of them.

The amount of dedication and time some of my fellow classmates spend working to get the answers definitely exceeds the amount of time others spend studying. The creativity students take to cheat knows no bounds.

From stealing tests to changing test answers after submission to good old fashioned flash cards, I respect the amount of dedication students put into cheating. Those same people will be the ones to suc-

ceed in the future while the others get left behind due to fickle things like integrity and honesty.

More than anything, cheating also tests everyone’s ability to adapt to change, a skill extremely

Though Trump may be an awful person, not all of it is reflected in his policies for America. Or at least, the policies they care about, since many are fiscally conservative voters who let their pocketbooks guide their ballots.

And that brings me to the real crux of the issue: Too many Trump voters and Republicans, in general, care less about social issues than they do about finances, because, at the end of the day, the state of racism in the nation means little to a suburban white man or woman trying to feed their children or an entrepreneur running a business.

Regardless of whether Republican presidents actually do better for the economy, as long as they’re perceived as such, they’ll have the votes of many who might otherwise choose Democrats. A part of the reason Joe Biden won is because of the economic downturn and high unemployment rates we’re seeing during the pandemic, which are turning “pocketbook voters” to Biden’s side.

Because we only have two viable parties in America, each encompasses many beliefs, and the majority of each side’s voters don’t agree with every one of their candidates’ policies--they simply choose who they think is best for America.

What truly shows a person’s character is not their political party, but the reason why they choose to vote for specific candidates. People who are trying their best to do what’s right for their community will base their decisions off of a candidate’s individual policies and views, choosing the one they think will best represent them in government.

And if that means a Democrat voting for a Republican, or vice versa, that’s OK because our parties don’t define us. Our beliefs, and how we express them, do.

It’s never too late to change your mind about who you support and who you claim to hate. What’s worse than blanket-judging a group once is continuing to do it just because you can’t bring yourself to apologize—and that applies to people of all political standpoints.

SATIRICAL surreptitiously

valuable in the real world. If you aren’t Googling answers during online tests or collaborating with classmates during finals, you’re not very smart. Imagine having the ability to cruise through all

your classes but you still choose to take the harder path. All I can do is pray and wish the best for those poor and stubborn simple-minded children who still refuse to adapt to online learning.

Cartoon Courtesy of HANNAH ZHOU

THE BULL'S EYE

DECEMBER 16, 2020

No tolerance for intolerance Somiya Jajieh Asst. Feature Editor

T

hroughout the last decade of intense partisan division, “political tolerance” has become a term that everyone has heard of at one point or another.

However, the promotion of blind political tolerance should not be encouraged, since it sweeps important issues under the rug and normalizes bigoted beliefs.

On Nov. 4, the Diamond Bar High School Wellness Wednesday pro-

gram dedicated an entire session to talk about tolerance: respecting the ideas that differ from one’s own. They shared a video that treated political tolerance as a simple, cookie-cutter issue that can be applied in any situation where you disagree with another. However, in most cases, taking a firm stance in an argument and refusing to yield is necessary, and certain issues should not be left to a compromise.

To a certain extent, political tolerance can be beneficial, but as soon as the conversation shifts toward those issues that divide us the most, such as debates over the rights of different groups of people, this is where a middle ground absolutely cannot, and should not, be reached. For example, in regards to abortion, it is possible for some pro-choice and pro-life people to agree that birth control should be

more accessible and the conditions of foster care should be improved.

However, there’s still the matter of whether abortion should be legal. Both sides will not compromise, as pro-choice advocates be-

“The promotion of blind tolerance should not be encouraged since it sweeps important issues under the rug..”

lieve that abortion is an issue concerning bodily rights while those who are pro-life believe abortion is murder and disregards the rights of a fetus. This makes the issue of “political tolerance” much more complicated than the video that the Wellness Wednesday program pro-

vided made it out to be.

If we followed the video’s advice of finding a middle ground, both parties would be stuck in a never-ending debate in an attempt to reach a nonexistent compromise— after all, you can’t just give someone “half a right” and call it—and the issue would never be resolved.

The video also talked about how people should “establish respect for diversity of opinions,” and it’s very obvious that the United States has taken that advice to heart. In most states, using the “gay/trans panic defense,” a legal strategy that permits a jury to decide that a victim’s sexual orientation is a valid reason for someone else to attack or even murder them, is legal.

To any sane, empathetic human being, this sounds atrocious, but according to the ideals of “political tolerance,” shouldn’t the belief

OPINION

5

of the attacker--that trasngender/ gay indviduals are dangerous--be respected? Obviously not, considering that the matter involves another human life, but the fact that this could be so easily disregarded in the name of respecting others’ beliefs, in the 39 states where this defense is valid, is disgusting.

Once we extend political tolerance to those who are racist, homophobic, Islamophobic or sexist, marginalized groups may be afraid to speak up and share their voices in fear that they could get attacked or murdered. It was obviously not the intention of the Wellness Wednesday program to promote the tolerance of hateful ideals, but it did come across as tone-deaf and insensitive considering that a world which respects all political opinions is a dangerous one for many marginalized groups.

Going out with a bang Biden who?

Edward Kim Staff Writer

A

fter Joe Biden’s resounding 306-to-232 electoral victory in the 2020 presidential election, soon-to-be-former President Trump responded to his loss in the most childish--yet also expected--way: refusing to concede. Not only is his refusal to admit his loss foolish, it’s also causing problems for America.

Trump has gone to great lengths to delegitimize the results of the election, the most prominent of which are his lawsuits he has filed in key battleground states. His legal team was to search for ballot “fraud,” as Trump stated that there was no way Biden won without cheating.

However, even with the full force of his legal team, Trump has been unable to gain ground in any state.

According to the Washington Post, “Trump’s legal team has lost repeatedly in court and failed to uncover the kind of widespread fraud that might challenge Biden’s leads in several key battleground states.”

This proves that no matter how much money Trump throws at

a case, no matter how smart his lawyers are, he simply cannot buy himself a victory in the election.

His lawyers will always have to tell the truth before a judge or risk losing their licenses, so it’s quite telling when none actually claim fraud in court while making a case for supposed voter fraud.

Even as he fights the results of the election, President Trump must realize that his refusal to at least begin the transition of power will leave a dramatic impact on America down the road. This may not seem like a big deal, but presidential transitions are extremely important and allow future presidents to prepare for the immense load that they have to carry for the next four years.

By neglecting the transition of power, Trump is not only being unsophisticated and disrespectful, but may also be running his potential for a future political career into the ground in the process, as he loses the respect of even some of his most staunch supporters like former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Even if thwarting Biden is supposed to be Trump’s “last hurrah” as president, it certainly is an immature and ridiculous way to go. If he had accepted his loss, he could have at least kept some shred of dignity in the public eye.

Fortunately, Trump has recently given up on trying to twist the election’s results to his favor, and he seems to have at least accepted that Biden will be the 46th presi-

dent. After the administrator of the General Services Administration, Emily W. Murphy, pushed a decision for a presidential transition, Trump finally agreed. In his tweet, he stated that this was simply for “the best interest of our country”.

Aside from Trump’s most diehard supporters, it seems that many have accepted Biden’s presidency. World leaders have already contacted Biden to congratulate him, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Angela Merkel, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, and Taiwan’s Tsai Ingwen. Trump’s own wife, Melania has also said that Trump should simply accept his loss.

Even Xi Jinping, the president of China, who has had an up-anddown relationship with Trump, congratulated Biden on his victory. The CEO of Boeing, David Calhoun, who yielded great benefits from connections with Trump, has also accepted the election results.

Currently, it seems that everyone has accepted reality without a hitch, while Trump falls behind and out of the public eye.

Trump’s actions during the four years of his presidency will obviously leave many marks on our nation, both good and bad. Unfortunately, even after his reign as president comes to an end, Trump will likely continue to wield immense political influence through his supporters, who are some of the most diehard, loyal followers in American history.

Cartoon Courtesy of RACHEL MAR

Making a statement with pronouns Anika Yatawara News Editor

W

hen Thomas Jefferson said, “All men are created equal,” he was not referring to the LGBTQ+ community; he was not referring to people of color; and he certainly was not referring to women. To many Americans, his words were meaningless.

Instead, our founding fathers, much like the strong influences of Christianity within the country, put the cisgendered, heterosexual white man at the top of the food chain, and, from there, Western society was built on the idea that those who don’t conform to their assigned gender at birth should be excluded. Today, younger genera-

tions have started redefining this repressing social construct.

Rather than denouncing those that fall short of what has traditionally been “socially acceptable,” society has slowly begun to embrace every facet of the individual, including one’s gender and sexuality. The end goal is to deter gender roles from being imposed on future generations which can assist in the trans community’s fight for equality.

From birth, most are taught that physical appearance or personal

preferences define an individual’s gender identity. It may’ve been as simple as your peers stating that boys should like blue and girls should like pink, to adults expressing that women should stay home to attend household needs while men should work and provide for their families. These gender-based stereotypes plague not only our generation, but also the ones that came before us. Now, society as a whole must learn to leave these toxic clichés in the past.

Many argue that sex and gender

Photo courtesy of UNSPLASH COM

are synonymous with one another.

Often, this dispute is sparked due to generational differences as the definition for each word has been clarified over time. Scientifically, sex is the biological characteristics an individual is born with. Conversely, gender refers to the social and cultural differences between individuals--not biological ones.

Simply put: one’s gender is, in no way, as simple as black or white.

To escape the conclusions on one’s gender that we’ve been taught to draw from appearance, many have taken to introducing themselves with their preferred pronouns. But what makes adding this seemingly insignificant addition so important?

To put it simply, specifying one’s gender upon introduction helps to not only show support for the trans community, but counteract the gender stereotypes that have been deeply rooted in each of our minds.

The trans community includes those who identify as nonbinary, genderqueer, agender and more,

alongside indivudals who have transititoned from male to female or female to male. This community has faced the most backlash and hate despite, historically, being one of the most supportive communities for minorities.

The first step for many trans individuals is using their preferred pronouns since transitioning is a lengthy and costly process. Nonbinary individuals are commonly misgendered due to their preference for gender neutral pronouns.

Therefore, specifying one’s pronouns is nothing short of an act of respect toward a community that continues to be targeted. Cisgender individuals who do not wish to support the cause are insulting this community and actively hindering societal development.

As trivial as the integration of personal pronouns in casual conversation may seem, it plays a key role in determining our future. By taking this small step, we can help pave the path toward a more progressive and accepting society.

6

FEATURE

DECEMBER 16, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

An Authentic taste of Vietnamese cuisine vash Chen contributing writer When I walked into Pho Lotus, I wasn’t expecting to be overwhelmed, but I ended up tasting authentic Vietnamese cuisine at a reasonable price, accompanied by wonderful service and hospitality.

I found the ambiance of the restaurant to be very pleasant; the walls are covered with beautiful murals of lakes and there are potted plants all around the restaurant. The establishment, located at the Chino Promenade, follows COVID-19 precautions to a T by requiring their staff to wear masks and sanitizing their menus and equipment. There had been an option for outdoor dining, but we took our food to-go.

As an appetizer, I ordered two shrimp spring rolls for $3.25. The spring rolls were crisp and well made, unlike other spring rolls I’ve had which were soggy or had filling spilling out of the wrapper. The shrimp was tender, well seasoned, and sliced thin, making the spring roll easier to eat. The savory and nutty peanut dipping sauce was not overpowering.

I also ordered the fillet mignon pho ($14.40). The noodles were al dente and the broth was rich and flavorful. There was also an assortment of priced add-ons you could get, including but not limited to extra fillet mignon (+$7.50), shrimp (+$7.50), and beef balls (+$6.30). I

did not get any add-ons, but they would be a good option if a party of four or five came to eat. The dish was not incredibly expensive, and I even had enough to share the pho with my family since the portions are more suitable for large parties of up to four people.

The second dish I ordered was the rice noodles in beef broth ($9.60). The broth was saltier than the fillet mignon pho which made the soup more flavorful and had a meaty, umami flavor. The rice noodles were delicious and did not have a flour-like aftertaste that can happen when noodles are undercooked. The assortment of vegetables in the dish provided a good break from the rich meat and the starch of the rice noodles. Overall, this dish was very flavorful and suitable for the cold weather.

Lastly, I had a brown sugar grass jelly drink ($7.20). There were addons such as boba ($0.60) and extra grass jelly ($0.60) neither of which I tried in the drink. The drink was not overly sweet, and the grass jelly was fragrant and not medicinal like other grass jellies I’ve tasted in the past. The brown sugar syrup was sweet without being overpowering, which made it a great drink to accompany the savory meal.

Pho Lotus is the perfect restaurant for quick takeout or a satisfying lunch. Due to the comfortable and inviting atmosphere of Pho Lotus, coupled with the flavorful food, this restaurant definitely warrants a return.

Photo courtesy of YELP Pho Lotus, a restaurant located in Chino Promendade, offers a variety of Vietnamese food.

Photo courtesy of DBHSORG Nutrition Supervisor Yenny Ong, left, receiving her award from Principal Reuben Jones for all of her accomplishments for the school district.

Assisting the district one lunch at a time vera wang staff writer Serving over 400,000 meals to the community since the start of the pandemic, Diamond Bar High School’s Nutrition Service Supervisor Yenny Ong received recognition for her efforts both on and off-campus last month.

Ong’s hard work was recognized by her director, Emmalyn Coles, and she was presented with the District Cornerstone Award early November. Nominated due to her performance of exemplary leadership, Ong’s organization of meal plans and overseeing of food distribution to those in need impacted the lives of thousands during times of adversity.

“It was a wonderful surprise when I received the notification from the District, I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Ong said via email. “It put me to tears! It means a lot to be rewarded for something that you love and have passion to do.”

Ong began her career as a dietary technician at a hospital at San Gabriel Valley. In 2010, she was employed by the Walnut Valley School District, where she worked in both elementary and middle schools for three years each as an assistant supervisor before coming

to DBHS. “I first came to DBHS about 4 years ago as the assistant supervisor, then applied for and was selected as the Nutrition Services Supervisor 18 months later,” Ong said.

Now marking her fourth year anniversary at DBHS and tenth for the district, Ong tackles a multitude of responsibilities. She begins

“It means a lot to be rewarded for something that you love and have passion to do.”

YENNY ONG

her day by surveying meal preparations, which are then distributed to the high school as well as four other elementary schools. During the other hours, Ong is usually tasked with maintaining records of daily productions and reporting inventory levels.

“My day starts at 5:30 a.m.,” Ong said. “When I come in, I must make sure that all equipment is working and divide tasks among all the staff. During this pandemic, our morning team usually cooks and prepares the food, and our after-

noon team usually bags the meals for the families.”

Preparing an average of 2600 meals per day--not including those served to elementary students-Ong says she misses seeing the smiles on students’ faces and interacting with staff members the most. Instead, she now greets students through the car window in drive-bys and works alongside her staff at a distance.

“Despite the uncertainties during the start of the pandemic, our team was able to provide thousands of meals to our community, ensuring that people would still be able to gain access to meals, even if the school had to be closed,” Ong said.

As the first semester comes to an end, Ong aspires to maintain the quality of service and meals provided to those in need, and looks forward to seeing students back on campus again.

“My team works diligently every day,” Ong said. “We have been going through this journey together since March and it brings us closer than before. We have become a family and have had a chance to show our community the quality of the food that we serve to our students and staff, and have received positive feedback from the community.”

A business of thrifted gems

tiffany lee asst. photo editor In the midst of quarantine, Diamond Bar High School senior Frances Tong transformed her thrifting hobby into a business: Frans Studios.

At age six, Tong started to thrift because of her family’s financial situation. After finding unique products each visit, she started

thrifting as a hobby instead of a necessity. Tong began selling her clothes on Depop to clear out her closet.

However, after researching more about the negative impacts of the fast fashion industry, she decided to transition to Instagram in July with the intention of lessening the consumption of fast fashion and using her platform to offer sustainable and affordable clothing items.

Photo courtesy of FRANCES TONG Senior Frances Tong runs a thrifting business, where she’s responsible for packaging orders.

“I fell in love with what I was doing and I decided to invest in myself, leading to it becoming a business,” Tong said via Instagram.

In attempts to appeal to all sizes and gender, Tong sells clothing items on her Instagram account @frans.studios that range from lingerie to oversized crewnecks in order to cater to everyone’s sense of style. On the side, Tong also sells accessories such as necklaces and earrings that she has designed and created.

On top of selling jewelry and secondhand clothes, Tong also handles commissions from other people who want to sell their items but don’t want to go through the listing process. She offers them 60 percent of the profit she makes off the items she sells.

Since July, Tong said she has sold over 300 items and earned over $5,000. On average, Tong said she sells more than 60 items each month. Over a span of five months, she has gained 2,680 followers and posted 181 photos on her account.

“I plan on continuing my business in the future as well as hopefully turning my business into an international scale,” Tong said.

Since Tong manages her business, she can work on her own

schedule and find balance between her schoolwork and her online consignment store. She sets aside time to solely focus on her business, taking care of tasks such as managing inventory and packing and shipping items.

“It does become overwhelming at times, however with all the support from my followers and customers that I’ve gained in such a short amount, I am always able to find a way to continue doing what I love,” Tong said.

A usual business day starts by sourcing items from online second hand websites and local thrift stores. Once she obtains the clothes, she inspects each product to ensure the item is in good condition and then proceeds to wash them and take photos. She also writes out a description for each of her items and posts them on Instagram.

The time it takes for a product to sell varies. For example, a recent listing for athletic loungewear was purchased within an hour, but other items can take up to a couple of days or weeks to sell. On average, an item in Frans Studio is bought within a span of two to three days.

“The most rewarding part of my business is seeing the excitement

Photo courtesy of FRANCES TONG

and smiles on people’s faces when they receive their package as well as seeing how all my customers style their items,” Tong said.

From the start of her business career, she donated 15 percent of her profit to various charities including the Trevor Project (a suicide hotline) and the American Cancer Society. Once her business started growing, she increased her donations to 30 percent and added more charities such as American Red Cross and Black Lives Matter affiliated organizations through GoFundMe. “It always puts a smile on my face when I’m able to donate a large part of my profit to different organizations,” Tong said.

FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

DECEMBER 16, 2020

7

Events for a safe holiday Six Flags drive thru

Story by: Lyndon Kaneko

With their Valencia location being converted into a drive-thru, Six Flags’ main attraction is located inside the park itself. The event starts at 6 p.m. and, for $20 to $25 per person, depending on the night, you’re allowed to drive through the park and look at the scenery. This will include fake snow, appearances from Santa and Mrs. Claus, a 30-foot-tall ornament, light shows and a car show from West Coast Customs. The park has a two-person minimum for each car, but that shouldn’t be a problem so long as you’re not planning to visit the park alone. It continues through Jan. 3.

Street Food Cinema

Watching a drive-in movie was popular in the 1950s and ‘60s. Street Food Cinema is bringing it back with a 2020 twist. Located in King Gillette Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, cars can park one space apart from each other and customers have the option to buy food and beverages from local food trucks. Entry price is $20 per car, with an additional $8 fee per person. In order to maintain social-distancing, guests must wear masks unless inside their vehicle and are advised to stay inside unless using the restroom or buying snacks. The point is just to sit back and enjoy the movies.

Elf on the shelf holiday journey

Dodgers Festival Following the Dodgers’ first World Series win in decades, this light-up drive-thru will serve as a festive consolation for those who never got their chance to properly celebrate the monumental victory. Until Dec. 24, you and your family can go on a drive through Lot 10 at Chavez Ravine and see light shows, LED video displays, fake snow and all sorts of decor to commemorate the Dodgers. Like all the other drive-thru events on this list, the drill is that tickets must be purchased in advance and that you’ll have to remain in your vehicle. Timed tickets start at $55 and can reach up to $115 on weekends and closer to Christmas. A downside to this experience is that queue times could be over 45 minutes, but there is no limit to how many people you have per car.

With its all-too-knowing eyes, the Elf on the Shelf toy has become associated with the holidays. And now, like all holiday traditions this year, the elf is headed to the drive-thru. Bringing narration and music via a smartphone app, the quest takes you through an hour-long drive through Pomona to fix Santa’s sleigh. It’s emphasis on live actors adds a special quality to the drive, with committed elves juggling pins, balancing on tightropes or measuring your car’s Christmas spirit. Along the sides include colorful lights, snowy decoration and a village filled with elves. Attendees below the age of three get in for free. It’s $29.95 for 13 and older and $24.95 for those between 3 and 12, with a maximum of eight in a car.

The attraction continues to Jan. 3. .

Flying worldwide in the Air Force Steve Qu ASST. news EDITOR As Veterans Day ceremonies unfolded with music, benedictions and a presidential proclamation, Diamond Bar High School graduate Cody Breidinger performed a military flyover with his crew to honor all those who have served their country.

From Australia to Germany, the 2017 alumni flies worldwide in the Air Force Reserve Command as a loadmaster, overseeing cargo and passenger placements, while si-

multaneously going to college. The command’s duty is to provide combat-ready units and individuals when needed.

Even before high school, Breidinger wanted to choose a path that would serve his country as his grandfather was a fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force. His initial plan was to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, but his military career was deferred with a rejection letter. So, he decided to go to Fullerton College.

“As academically inclined as Diamond Bar is, not that they don’t encourage [joining the military], but

Photo courtesy of KEILI ISHITANI Photo courtesy of DBHS.ORG When in the air, Breidinger’s job is to mainly assist the crew and make needed radio calls.

it’s not as much [of] a huge option as other high schools,” Breidinger said. “But the GLCs were always in support of me and other kids that wanted to join the military.”

Breidinger said he hopes to acquire a degree in business management at Fullerton College.

“I was doing OK [in Fullerton College] but I was ready to join the military so I figured I might as well join the reserves where I can do both still instead of having to go full-time,” Breidinger said. “It was extremely difficult to get the [loadmaster] position at the active duty side but it was even more difficult to get it in the Air Force Reserve side.”

Typically, joining the Air Force Reserve is not difficult as long as the health requirements are met.

However, there is a small percentage of jobs, such as loadmaster, that require additional qualifications. On top of that, only five percent of the reserve actually have the opportunity to fly, and flying units mostly hire people with prior active duty.

After a test, countless health screenings and an evaluation of his college GPA. Breidinger managed to overcome these challenges and is now traveling the world on an airplane as part of the combat-ready forces. However, the job is not without its downsides.

“My job, specifically, I’m gone a week or two out of every month,”

Photo courtesy of CODY BREIDINGER Breidinger has flown to numerous foreign destinations including Germany and Australia.

Breidinger said. “It’s very fun, but you miss holidays and birthdays, and we have some training we had to do that is really difficult.”

During the pandemic, his daily responsibilities include doing paperwork in the base and training, with one of his newest training sessions being a flight to Las Vegas and back. He does not fly abroad unless he is put on a mission, such as the flyover event where aircraft fly over an area to commemorate Veterans Day. “For the C-17, the aircraft that I was on, the crew positions were two pilots and one loadmaster.

Most of my job is on the ground but when we are in the air, it’s mainly being an active member of

the crew and making radio calls,” Breidinger said. “It was certainly a memorable experience, I mean as a kid you never think you will be in a flyover.”

He said he now plans to become a pilot and finish college in the near future. The loadmaster recommends that students who plan to join the military make sure they understand the jobs they want since some may not be as fun as they appear.

“I would say to anyone that wants to join to do it! It was the best decision I have ever made and the experience I’ve had, people I’ve met, and places I’ve been are amazing,” Breidinger said.

8

FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Celebrating different winter holidays While many start adorning their house with festive lights to brighten the Christmas spirit in December, there are other cultures that prepare for celebrations soon after Thanksgiving.

Introduced by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966, Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday taking place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. The word ‘Kwanzaa’ is a Swahili term meaning “first” and it celebrates the first harvest by incorporating traditional customs from African countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Uganda. The five values celebrated during the week are ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment and celebration.

Similar to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa uses seven candles--three red, one black and three greento represent the seven principles of the festivals: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity) and imani (faith).

The colors represent the flags of the African liberation movement. On Dec. 31, presents are exchanged and people celebrate by hosting a mazoa feast of fruit, squash, sweet potatoes and yams.

K W A N Z A A

H A N U K K A H

Also known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, which has roots originating in 160 BC, will take place Dec. 10-18 this year. The days of this celebration vary each year as they go by the ancient Hebrew calendar, which follows the lunar cycle. Hanukkah recognizes the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after Judaism was outlawed by King Antiochus IV, who forced the Jews to worship Greek gods.

Hanukkah is celebrated by Jewish families by lighting Hanukkah candles. There are eight in total to represent how the oil burns all candles consecutively for eight days.

The candles are lit from right to left using an additional candle called the shamash.

Families also play with the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters Hay, Gimel, Nun and Shin on each surface. The letters form an acronym for the Hebrew proverb “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham” which pays homage to the religion’s rededication. People also eat sufganiyot (fried dough) and latkes (potato pancakes).

O M I S O K A

While Americans are having an annual Times Square ball drop event to mark the new year, the Japanese are traveling to shrines or temples to celebrate Ōmisoka on New Year’s Eve. Japan considers this holiday to be the final day to complete any unfinished businesses in order to prevent misdeeds from carrying over to the next year.

To secure good fortune for the coming year, the Japanese decorate their homes with shimekazari (decorative rope), Kagami mochi (rounded rice cakes) stacked on top of each other and kadomatsu (gateway pine). As traditions prevent individuals from working in kitchens for the first three days of Oshōgatsu (New Years), many households rush to stores for last-minute groceries to finish osechi ryōri, a Japanese traditional meal in bento boxes consisting of herring roe (Kazunoko) and umami wraps (Kombumaki).

Yalda Night is an Iranian festival recognizing the winter solstice. Additionally to being celebrated in Iran, the holiday is recognized in Central Asian countries such as Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia. It comes from “Shab-e Yalda which is Persian for ‘Night of Birth’ and honors the birth of Mitra, the goddess of light. Originating from Zorastrian traditions, the winter solstice was initially seen as a day of mischief, and Yalda Night was a day to protect people from evil during the darkest night. During this time, Iranians also celebrate the transition from autumn to winter.

At night, people stay up late to avoid any horrible deeds, and families gather to share the last harvest of the summer by eating watermelons, nuts and pomegranates.

In Iranian culture, watermelons symbolize the sun with its oval shape and it is believed that eating one can protect them from diseases contracted in the winter season.

Y A L D A Story by: Tiffany Lee Design by: Somiya Jajieh and Kelsey Wu

DECEMBER 16, 2020

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE BULL'S EYE

9

aesthetically yours

Originally popularized through social media apps like Tumblr and Pinterest, aesthetics provide the visuals for a lifestyle that usually focuses on the appreciation of a niche interest, subculture or archetype. Through new applications like Tik Tok and Instagram, the concept of aesthetics have once again reached popularity with the masses, taking the world by storm with their visual appeal. Here’s a guide to various styles of aesthetic, created with the assistance of information from Aesthetics Wiki and Tumblr.

light academia

Originally an online movement to encourage and raise awareness for creative freedom among people of color, Art Mom is now a general aesthetic for those with a love of art, creativity and cultural appreciation. Like Light Academia, the aesthetic focuses a great deal on art and design, but is centralized around contemporary styles.

Distinctive Art Mom fashion include Fjallraven Kanken Bags, mom jeans and graphic tees. Art moms can also be seen sporting socks with famous artworks displayed on them, like Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night,” paired with colorful Converse or Vans. Some popular art mom influences include the timeless Hollywood classic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and the more recent “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

boho chic With roots in the hippie style, the Bohemian Aesthetic is known for its loose, colorful clothing and intricate designs. The concept was first introduced in the 1960s, and was recently repopularized by brands like Urban Outfitters and Free People. The style consists of timeless motifs like floral prints, maxi dresses, fedoras, and other beachy, loose clothing. Boho chic style is very prevalent at festivals like Coachella. The musical “Mamma Mia!” and “Sea of Love” by Cat Power have heavy bohemian influences.

cottagecor e For those who wish to go back to the simple, traditional days of agricultural life, with sunny fields of flowers and picnics for days, Cottagecore is the ultimate aesthetic. Its agrarian concept, originating from the early days of the popular blogging app Tumblr, stems from the tranquil, ethereal ambiance that nature is often associated with. Cottagecore-style attire generally includes simpler, loose-fitting clothing in natural, pastel shades and paisley and floral patterns. Its influence and inspirations can be seen in films like “Little Women,” Studio Ghibli’s hit animation “Kiki’s Delivery Service’’ and songs like Mitski’s “Strawberry Blond.”

angelcor e

Imagine a Parisian strolling down the streets of a cobblestone French street, a leather satchel on one arm, capturing their surroundings with a reusable film camera. With key colors ranging between shades of beige and cream and a focus on Classical and Renaissance workmanship and design, this Eurocentric aesthetic is exactly that. Light academia is centered around the appreciation of aesthetics common in European art, history and architecture. Its basic elements are exemplified in pop culture through movies like “Dead Poets Society” and “The Theory of Everything.” Revolving around the stereotypical aspects of a liberal arts major, day-to-day leisurely activities inspired by light academia include visiting indie coffee shops, writing poetry and spending countless hours in places like libraries and bookshops.

ar t mom

story & design by Natasha Chang

Encompassing all the Western motifs of divine beauty and imagery of angels, Angelcore is an ambient aesthetic with an emphasis on long, flowing clothing, roses and pastel blues and pinks. European art like “Peace” by Ludwig Knaus and the work of William-Adolphe Bouguereau greatly influenced the aesthetic. Clothes following this style are usually made of sheer material and paired with ballet flats in sublime colors like white and gold. Some singers with music influenced by this aesthetic include Lana Del Ray, Billie Marten and Holly Henry, with their dreamy vocals and romanticized lyrics.

10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

DECEMBER 16, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

"Start-Up" ultimately falls flat lyndon kaneko staff writer “Start-Up” ended Dec. 6 as a part of Netflix’s new wave of South Korean TV shows. For those looking to get into K-dramas, this series would be a mediocre introduction, as its engaging story begins to drone on in the latter half, growing somewhat difficult to watch.

The show centers around Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy), an optimistic high school graduate with dreams of becoming a successful CEO. She eventually finds herself at Sandbox, a utopian tech startup incubator in Seoul, where she must give a business pitch while confronting her estranged sister Won Injae (Kang Han Na). “Start-Up’s” pilot dedicates itself to setting up the romance plot of the show. In it, Dal-mi receives a note from a secret admirer, who was actually hired by her grandmother to befriend her through these letters to make up for the separation between her and her sister. The troubled orphan Ji-pyeong (Kim Seon-ho) hired by the grandmother impersonates Nam Do-san (Nam Joo-hyuk), a national math prodigy featured in a newspaper. After a string of coincidences, the three meet as adults,

A bright scenic shot of the rooftop scene between characters Seo Dal-Mi and Nam Do-San.

Photos courtesy of TVN Main cast of the actors from ““Start up,”” a story about an entrepreneur trying to make it big.

all aspiring to build their own businesses while tangled in a love-triangle. Unlike your typical K-drama love interest, Do-san proves to be awkward, unsuccessful and kind to a fault. As a stark contrast, Ji-pyeong is presented as a classic male lead; rich, aloof and slow to warm up to others. Despite their roles as lead and side character already hinting at the plot’s ending, the audience is never kept too sure who will end up with Dal-mi.

“Start-Up’s’’ strong first half made it a must-watch for any K-drama fan before it descended into disappointment. Although the show did a poor job portraying romance, its subplots revolving around family and forgiveness really shined, with a recurring motif about the past and letting go of ill feelings throughout. Injae’s character may have been under-utilized for this purpose, but at least there is a worthy conclusion with her family when they patched up their differences. Outside its few moments of brilliance, the rest of the narrative is a bit of a mess. First, the hypocrisy of Do-san telling Ji-pyeong to keep his emotions under control became slightly insufferable. Many of the actions that Do-san take in the show are driven by his emotions, including his acts

of physical violence and decision making. Another big issue I had with the show was the guns blazing perspective Dal-Mi brought to the table, going so far as to quit her job in the pursuit of becoming a CEO with no proper business plan or formulated idea. This may sound like a compelling and romantic dream, but if their show is going to be based around business, then the writers could have made it a bit more realistic.

While the acting was phenomenal across the board, the poor writing negatively impacted Do-san’s character. Nam Joo-Hyuk’s performance was one of the few things that made the character likeable, as the writing made him out to be a terrible person. He lied, cheated and manipulated his way into his position and even lashed out and acted aggressively on multiple occasions. It isn’t helped by the fact that his “dream” changed midway to revolve around Dal-Mi, rather than his own aspirations.

Overall, the show was a disappointment. It did manage to create strong emotions and stakes in the beginning, but threw them out in order to pursue a more generic romance ending that really ruined it.

FINAL VERDICT: s k i p i t

Music program resumes connor cho Asst. business manager Amidst dozens of canceled events and activities, Diamond Bar High School’s music program hopes to organize a virtual winter concert. Despite technical difficulties and new restrictions arising every day, it was announced that the event will be performed on Dec. 16.

Due to technical complications with setting up the event, there was a possibility that the concert would have to be postponed until January. However, the planning was smoother than expected, and the concert is now set for December.

The virtual concert will be held with Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, the Thundering Herd Marching Band and the Advanced Music Program Chamber Groups via a livestream on Facebook and Youtube.

Plans for the concert include a performance by the Symphony Orchestra of “La Gazza Ladra Overture” by Gioachino Rossini along with a performance of Gustav Holst’s “Second Suite in F” by Wind Ensemble. There will also be a marching band performance of “Voice of the Guns” by Kenneth Alford. Lastly, Performing Arts Academy chamber groups will perform a few pieces of chamber music by Ludwig van Beethoven in celebration of his 250th birthday.

However, no group can perform together in full, either to record or stream, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Therefore, they must come up with a way to combine individual performances into a larger group.

“There are too many risks with wind instruments and the sizes of our ensembles for an in-person concert,” band vice president senior Yolanda Zheng said. “In regard to virtual concerts, the students and our faculty are working tirelessly on making it possible.”

Zheng named a few of the complications that organizers were working to overcome in order to pull off this collaborative concert.

“For instance, preparation in and of itself is difficult,” Zheng said via Instagram. “Not only do students have to record their parts individually, but putting all the parts together is extremely time-consuming.”

As a leader of band, Zheng has been helping streamline the recording process by approving videos that follow submission guidelines.

Although an in-person concert is off the table, some band members say they miss the atmosphere of such performances.

“Personally, I miss the live concerts because there’s something about sitting next to the people who you’ve worked with to get the music as good as possible that makes the concerts feel like the ultimate reward for our work,” band treasurer senior Ashwin Sanjaye said.

Sanjaye also mentioned another major issue with an online concert where

where groups cannot perform together: timing.

“The hardest part about these online concerts is recording the music instead of playing it live,” Sanjaye said via Instagram. “It’s difficult to get a sense of things like dynamics and such because we’re not in a room full of people, playing so that skews it too.”

Outside of logistics, the groups were also facing problems with communication. Senior Clare Choi, Symphony Orchestra president, added that it’s been harder to coordinate group efforts, even within symphony orchestra. “[Communication] has been more difficult than it was last year for sure,” Choi said via Instagram.

“For me, it’s been most difficult to communicate with all the section leaders because we usually discuss style and bowing in full rehearsals together.”

Photos courtesy of DBHS band DBHS band students warming up their instruments and stretching together over Zoom.

Photo courtesy of DBHS Drama Cast members of DBHS Drama’s production, “A Christmas Carol,” perfroming a musical act.

A virtual carol KYLE HONG STAFF WRITER In a performance of “A Christmas Carol,” Diamond Bar High School Advanced Drama had to use many workarounds in order to make scenes flow naturally and seamlessly. Despite this, the team offered a production with its own unique twist of the classic holiday play following the cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge.

In order to remedy performers’ inability to be on the same set, the story is presented in the format of a radio talk show. This made it a little harder to connect with the story due to not being able to see it.

The play was accessed via a website that played the 45-minute video performance. I feel like this was a very good choice, as opposed to the usual livestream that many performing arts use, as the show did not have any major technical problems.

Only when actors were dancing did they appear on screen, while the majority of the production featured just the audio portion of actors’ performances.

The dances were shown as webcams of each dancer all together on one screen performing in sync.

This made the performance feel as close to in person as possible while also showcasing an entertaining dance.

The choreography for these pieces was dynamic. There were scenes in which the choreography and

performers felt a bit disconnected from each other, which was confusing. For example, during one segment in the performance of “Jingle Bells,” the performers were out of sync, and it appeared that they were all doing their own separate dances as opposed to a group piece.

The story portions of the play had high quality writing, maintaining the charm and idea of the original while giving it a new feel to fit the style of the show. The writing felt especially strong in the scenes where the spirits of Christmas first came to visit Scrooge.

The voice acting in the story segments of the performance was immersive, and the actors felt very in-character. Tamayo’s performance as Scrooge and senior Pailey Kao as the radio host were very convincing portrayals.

The voices produced a mental image of what was happening and while I don’t feel it was as immersive as a traditional performance, it did still give me a good idea of what was happening in the story in an enjoyable way.

The vocal performances by senior Allison Santogrossi, who sang “How Lovely is Christmas” as Mr. Crachit, and senior Diego Tamayo singing “What Christmas Meant to Me” and “Christmas Dreaming” as Scrooge stood out for their vocal range and quality.

Overall, the performance was entertaining, both due to the actors themselves and the fact that it was pre-recorded, minimizing technical issues.

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Mendes expresses “Wonder”

kelsey wu asst. feature editor Pop singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes first captured my attention in 2016 with his album “Illuminate,” which highlighted introspective, blues-driven pop and soulful lyrics along with his unique falsetto voice and ability to create catchy singles. His new album, “Wonder,” brings forth a version of himself that was never presented before.

With his fourth album, Mendes presents a more knowledgeable and tranquil personality, one that is more developed and in harmony with himself.

“Wonder” features a range of heavy themes ranging from the loneliness and pressure of being famous to the compulsion to fully commit to a relationship too quickly. But it also highlights the euphoric emotions of first love and the beauty of life. Unlike his previous albums, “Wonder” is a package of soaring emotions expressed in bright, larger-than-life pop songs that make listeners feel Mendes’s intense passion.

The opening track “Intro” sets the mood for the entire album, drawing listeners in with its deep, impactful mood. Its message is about escaping to his place of ponderment, with lyrics such as “So give yourself a chance to… Get lost in wonderland.” With Mendes’s sincere singing paired with building piano and bass chords, it makes listeners feel as if they are escaping to a happier place.

The album presents a change from Mendes’s usual pop tunes, which have fast, catchy beats, and instead includes more slow-paced ballad songs such as “Always Been You,” “Can’t Imagine,” and “Look Up At The Stars.” “Wonder” also features a variety of sounds of

pop, from the bassy track “Teach Me How To Love” to high-spirited tracks like “Higher.”

Mendes’s more personal songs include “Song For No One,” which talks about denial and longing, and “Monster,” which deals with the dark side of being a celebrity.

“Song For No One” tells of the feeling of unrequited love, with lyrics like, “But that’s okay, I’ll be fine anyway.”

“Monster” was released on Nov. 20 in collaboration with Justin Bieber. Both Bieber and Mendes share their experiences with the pressure of being idolized, and fear of the consequences of making mistakes.

With lyrics such as “What if I, what if I fall? Then am I the monster?” that share their persistent fear of being seen in a negative light for erring.

The album’s title track “Wonder” was released Oct. 2, nearly two months before his album release.

To say Mendes outdid himself with “Wonder” is an understatement; he absolutely changed his music career for the better with this song. I had never felt so impacted and emotional when listening to anything as I did when listening to “Wonder,” and I definitely believe this track is his greatest work yet.

Compared to his previous albums, it’s clear to see the growth and maturation that Mendes has undergone as he presents intense topics and heartfelt emotions in wonderfully composed pieces. It’s exciting to see the development of his music as he takes his listeners on his journey, allowing them to feel his fire and energy.

With “Wonder” Mendes has produced a masterful work and it’s difficult to find even a hint of a flaw within its songs. I truly am confident that he will be receiving even higher praise for this work than ever before.

A&E Commentary

Turnabout Coming-Out Marykate Palaris

Asst. A&E Editor

E Photo courtesy of ISLAND RECORDS

Mendes performing at Summerfest in Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum last July.

Photo courtesy of ISLAND RECORDS

The cover of Shawn Mendes’ new album, Wonder, released December 4, 2020.

Dancing her worries away Victoria Artale Sports Editor Popping, locking and hip-hopping is how Madelyne Acuna spends her time.

The Diamond Bar High School senior has been participating in dance classes at The Lab Creative Arts Studios in West Covina for a year. Since she first started last school year, Acuna has fully immersed herself in the dance community.

“Dance is already such a vulnerable activity, sharing our movement and emotions with each other is inevitable and I think that’s what creates such strong bonds within the dance community,” Acuna said via Instagram. “My favorite part about the dance community is how

nonjudgmental and supportive evvideo to showcase their talent. eryone is.”

“I’m currently working on a Acuna was first introduced to concept video with a couple of my dance at the age of eight when she teammates, we’re currently decidtook hula dance lessons for three ing on what vibe and type of choreo years, but ended leaving her hula we want to go for,” Acuna said. skirt behind because performing Acuna’s favorite routine is Shay made her nerLatukolan’s vous. As a juc h o r e o g r a p hy nior, Acuna realto “Vex Oh” by “Dance has taught me ized she wanted Kaytranada. about discipline and to dance again She learned and and auditioned memorized the knowing not to push for The Lab after dance on her myself to the limit” attending a few own through MADELYNE ACUNA drop-in classes watching varithere. ous videos of the Acuna focuses performance on on hip-hop dance primarily, but Instagram. has dabbled in jazz and contem“I never had the opportunity to porary as well. Lately, Acuna has take his class because I was always been working with other dancers busy with my own team during the in the studio to create a concept times he had class, so I learned the

Photo courtesy of THE LAB

One of many interior rooms at The Lab where dancers practice and take classes.

11

A&E Commentary

tune in:

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE BULL'S EYE

piece by watching his Instagram post over and over again,” Acuna said. “I felt so proud to have learned a piece that was way more advanced than the level I was at.”

Though she practices three to four times a week, Acuna does not see dance as a future career.

“I’m not really looking to pursue a career in dance, industry dancing is very competitive and rigorous,” Acuna said. “I enjoy being a part of community dance and taking it at my own pace.”

Acuna said she has learned more than just how to move by participating in dance.

“Dance has taught me about discipline and knowing not to push myself to the limit, while also learning the importance of hard work, and that discomfort is the only way to grow,” Acuna said

Photo courtesy of MADELYNE ACUNA

Senior Madelyne Acuna has danced at The Lab Creative Arts Studios for a year.

arlier this month, actor Elliot Page, who portrays Vanya Hargrees in Netflix’s popular show “The Umbrella Academy,” came out as transgender via Twitter. With the news, an outpouring of reprehensible discourse stirred online, labeling Page’s coming-out as an act of lesbian erasure and an attention-grabbing move.

With the announcement of his identity, some individuals claimed that the WLW (women-loving women) community had “lost a lesbian,” which is an atrocious outlook. Although this is only a slim margin of the community, their words still hold condemnation.

This group claims to feel betrayed that their role model no longer considers himself a WLW, yet the actor isn’t obligated to ignore his identity in order to please others.

There is also another group of people who suggest that Page came out as trans as an attempt to stay relevant. They say this in spite of him literally being an Oscar-nominated actor (for 2007’s “Juno”) who stars in a hit series.

Those who make these ridiculous claims don’t seem to understand that the exploration of one’s gender and sexual orientation is a difficult journey, and not one that people take lightly. On Twitter, many are claiming Page is confused and in denial of being lesbian because of compulsive heterosexuality: the idea that heterosexuality is seen as the default orientation. In their eyes, the 33-year-old Page only thinks he’s male because he’s attracted to women, which according to the ideas of compulsive heterosexuality, would make him a man.

They believe this in ignorance of his personal experiences, and have gone so far as to misgender him and refer to him by his birth name.

This view is convoluted, as that was a different point in time. While Page used to be an icon in the lesbian community, now he can be an role model for transmasculine people. Page coming out should be considered a win for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, not as the loss of a prominent lesbian figure.

Others have criticized Page because they do not think that he should continue to play Vanya in “The Umbrella Academy.” They argue that it is morally incorrect for Page to continue to portray Vanya, a canonical lesbian in the show, becase he now identifies as male. This is a poor way to view the situation, since many cisgender actors have played transgender actors in the past, including Eddie Redmayne in “The Danish Girl.”

There have been other instances of actors playing a character with a different sexuality from their own, so Page continuing to portray Vanya is not an issue, nor should it be seen as an act of lesbian erasure.

Though, all of this is not to say that his coming out hasn’t been well received as a whole.

Overwhelming, the transphobic statements were messages of love and support. Coming out on such a large platform takes courage, and Page not only took the care to explain his situation, but he also highlighted the struggles that transgender people face.

12 BUSINESS

THE BULL'S EYE

School work continues

Construction is continuing on the inside of the former 500 building, which will eventually serve as the home of the science department .

VICTORIA ARTALE

SAT cancellations challenge students SAT FROM P.1 goal is to make it to a private school,” Lee said.

However, signing up for exams out of state has led many to other problems, especially due to COVID-19 restrictions and regulations.

“Compared to the quick and easy sign-up and test-taking process many months before, this new process has been made quite a bit harder due to the presence of COVID-19,” Wu said. “ We try to avoid the possibility of boarding an airplane to a very far state, since do-

ing so will undoubtedly increase the chances of coming into contact with the virus.”

Traveling to other states to take the exam has also become a major health concern for students, as the pandemic has impacted each region differently. In addition, there’s a looming possibility that out-of-state exams will also be canceled, which makes travel difficult from a planning standpoint as well.

“Looking for patterns and information like this definitely made the process of signing up quite hard,” Wu said. “When cancella-

tions would disrupt the final step, which was to travel to the location in order to complete the test, it was always frustrating.”

Even though it’s no longer required and quite the challenge, GLCs are still recommending students to take the standardized test, due to the various advantages it might present students.

“Some universities may use SAT or ACT scores for class placement purposes,” class of 2021 GLC Kevin Patterson said via email.

“Upon enrollment at a university, a student’s SAT or ACT score may be used for class placements.”

DECEMBER 16, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

DECEMBER 16, 2020

SPORTS

13

DB swimmer commits to USC Senior Vincent Cheng will swim at the collegiate level after an impressive high school career.

Lakers look to repeat

Kelsey Wu ASST. FEATURE Editor While most seniors are still waiting for their college decisions to be released, Diamond Bar High School senior Vincent Cheng has announced his commitment to USC as a part of their Division I swim team.

Cheng has been on the DBHS varsity swim team since his freshman year, competing in all four styles of swim. DBHS swim team coach Darlys Ankeny said Cheng’s strongest style in competition is butterfly. “ [Cheng] is always willing to be put in whatever we need him to swim. I am confident if we have a season this year he will be adding his name to the record board in other strokes as well as lowering his back and butterfly record,” Ankeny said via email.

Despite having a great freshmen and sophomore year, Cheng said he recognizes that his high school swim career hasn’t been as fulfilling as he had hoped.

“For my high school career, it wasn’t much, since I did not get a junior year of swim and hopefully I’ll get a senior year,” Cheng said via Instagram.

Cheng said that one of the things he was most drawn to when looking at USC, was the dynamic of the school and the team. Cheng plans to focus his studies in the Chemistry Department and plans to take Chemical Engineering.

“I can’t wait to meet new people and form unbreakable bonds,” Cheng said.

Cheng has been swimming for 10 years, and is currently training with Brea Aquatics. According to Ankeny, Cheng’s family had influenced him to become a swimmer.

“I was very excited to have the youngest Cheng,” Ankeny said.“I had the privilege of having his sister Tiffany my first years at Diamond Bar. Then Kelly after that.”

T

Photo courtesy of VINCENT CHENG

Senior Vincent Cheng holds school records in the 100 Fly and 100 Back and is part of two record-holding relay events.

Cheng has also competed in many rigorous competitions throughout his swimming and high school career. Some of them include CIF Regionals, CIF State and Junior Nationals. He said that his greatest personal achievements include qualifying for Junior Nationals and CIF competitions.

According to Ankeny, Cheng also holds a number of individual and relay school records. Separately, Cheng holds the record for the 100 Fly with a time of 51.36 seconds and the 100 Back with a time of 53.30. In relay races, Cheng is a part of the record holding team for the 200 Medley relay event with a time of 1:36.97, and the 200 free relay event with a time of 1:28.26.

Over the years, Cheng has also been awarded the school titles of Most Valuable Player, Coaches Award and Record Breaker Award. “[Vincent] is a regular player, but very much a leader by his personality,” Ankeny said.

Ankeny said that Cheng holds many strong qualities and characteristics which make him a standout athlete and leader. She said that he holds determination, persistence, and has an adventurous

Photo courtesy of VINCENT CHENG

Cheng makes his commitment official as he continues his swim career at USC. spirit that makes it fun to have him on the team.

“I hope that [others can learn from Cheng]; you can accomplish

your dreams if you work hard with grit and determination every day,” Ankeny said. “Enjoy the journey to your dreams.”

Kim Ng makes history for MLB Kim Ng breaks gender barrier after becoming the first female GM in baseball history.

Vera Wang STAFF WRITER With a list of credentials stretching almost as far back as her love for baseball, Kim Ng was hired as the new general manager for the Miami Marlins on Nov. 13, the first female and East Asian to hold that position for any major American men’s sports team.

Dating back to her early childhood in Queens, Ng grew up playing and learning about sports from her father. Partaking in multiple sports throughout high school, she went on to play softball at the University of Chicago while majoring in public policy. It was when she was hired directly from college as a paid intern for the Chicago White Sox in 1990 that her steady climb to the top began.

Working her way up to assistant director during her time with the White Sox, she was soon offered a job with the New York Yankees, hitting her first milestone at age 29 by becoming the youngest assistant general manager in her field. She

later served in the same position with the Dodgers, and has directed international operations as the senior vice president of baseball operations for MLB since 2011.

“Obviously, over the last 10 years in terms of interviewing for the general manager’s jobs, it hasn’t come to fruition until now,” Ng told ESPN. “It’s a tribute to the idea that you just have to keep plowing through. That’s what this is. It’s like what you tell the players. You can go mope and sulk for a few days, but that’s it. Then you have to come back. That’s what I’ve been able to do and, yes, I’ve been defeated and deflated numerous times, but you always keep hoping.”

With over 30 years of experience under her belt, Ng, 51, has more than paid her dues to obtain the position she now holds today. Ng’s path to success was most definitely not an easy one, as she was turned down over five times for a general manager’s job within the last 15 years according to NBC News. Despite this, Ng never lost faith in her goals and exhibits the importance of pursuing one’s dreams through perseverance and unwavering hope.

After the announcement, she was showered with congratulatory messages from thousands across the country, from her child-

hood idol tennis player Billie Jean King to former first lady Michelle Obama.

“We look forward to Kim bringing a wealth of knowledge and championship-level experience to the Miami Marlins,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said in a statement.

“Her leadership of our baseball operations team will play a major role on our path toward sustained success. Additionally, her extensive work in expanding youth baseball and softball initiatives will enhance our efforts to grow the game

among our local youth as we continue to make a positive impact on the community.”

A trailblazer for a future geared toward gender equality and minority representation, Ng now sets sight on a championship for Miami in 2021.

“This challenge is one I don’t take lightly,” Ng told Forbes magazine. “My goal is now to bring championship baseball to Miami. I am both humbled and eager to continue building the winning culture our fans expect and deserve.”

Photo courtesy of MLB

Ng stands with Marlins CEO Derek Jeter after being hired as general manager.

here has been a flurry of team changes in this year’s NBA abbreviated offseason thus far, with numerous unexpected signings and trades. Among the indisputable winners of the offseason are the Los Angeles Lakers, who are in a good position to secure back-to-back championship wins with their new additions.

The Lakers managed to acquire the reigning Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell from the rival Clippers; Dennis Schroder, who was runner-up for the Sixth Man Award behind Harrell; veteran center Marc Gasol and veteran guard Wesley Matthews.

Although the Lakers lost a couple key players via trade and free agency, including Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Danny Green and Dwight Howard, they re-signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Markieff Morris, who both played important roles in the team’s championship run. But most significantly, superstar Anthony Davis re-signed to a five-year, $190 million maximum contract and Lebron James signed to a two-year $85 million extension.

Schroder was a great pickup for the Lakers at the point guard position as they added a young scorer, who averaged 18.9 points per game for the Thunder last season. The frontcourt also had clear improvements as Howard and Javale McGee were replaced with new additions Harrell and Gasol.

Harrell will bring his hustling ability inside the paint, while Gasol, a former Defensive Player of the Year, will improve the Lakers’ already-exceptional defense. Gasol can also knock down shots, shooting 38.5 percent from the three in his last season with the Raptors.

In addition, Matthews is a great replacement for Green’s spot as a 3-and-D player with his shooting and defense. He has a 38.1 career three-point percentage during his 10 years in the NBA. All losses and gains considered, it is safe to say that the Lakers improved their roster during this offseason.

Although it is apparent that competition will be stiff in both the Western and Eastern Conferences, as the former always has and the latter has gained talent, the roster points to the Lakers ultimately repeating as NBA champions. The season begins Dec. 22.

There isn’t a team that can realistically beat the Lakers in a seven-game series from the West, as shown in the playoffs last season.

Prior to Klay Thompson’s season-ending Achilles injury, the Warriors had potential to beat the Lakers, but the chances that they’ll make a championship comeback are now slim-to-none.

The Clippers, with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, will look for a redemption season with the addition of Serge Ibaka, but I am not convinced they can get past the Lakers after their embarrassing playoff performance last season.

In the East, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will also look to prove themselves with the addition of Jrue Holiday after falling to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Depending on how superstar duo Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant perform together on the Nets, they have the greatest potential to prevent the Lakers from hanging up another championship banner.

14

SPORTS

DECEMBER 16, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Softball player commits to play for junior college Sierra Griego pledges to continue athletic career at Yavapai College in Arizona.

Deesha pathak asst. sports editor Sierra Griego has taken a pitch to continue her softball career at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona. The Diamond Bar High School senior committed to play for the school on Nov. 1.

Yavapai College is affiliated with the NJCAA, the junior college athletics league. Griego will be majoring in Fire Science, while attending on a sports scholarship. Fire science is a program which prepares students for working as a firefighter.

Griego has played many different sports throughout her athletic career, however she stuck with softball because she enjoyed the team bonding.

“I started playing softball when I was 8, I played baseball before that since I was 4,” Griego said. “My favorite part about playing softball is I get to play the sport that I love with my teammates that always have my back.”

Since she was in sixth grade, Griego said she wanted to play softball in college.

“When I found out that you can get money to go play softball I knew that I was going to do that,” Griego said.

Griego plays with a travel ball team called SoCal Athletics McCarthy. In addition to playing on a club team, she has been a member of DBHS girls varsity softball since her freshman year.

She has received many awards in the sport, including the Bill Swift 100 Percent, an award that is only given to one person each season at DBHS. Griego was also named 1st Team All League at DBHS during her sophomore year.

“I was also ranked as one of the top PGF [Premier Girls Fastpitch] prospects for softball in the sum-

mer of 2018,” Griego said.

DBHS varsity softball coach Kurt Davies said that Sierra is one of the best players he has ever coached in his 30 years of experience.

“The thing that sets her apart is her ability to make it look so easy,” Davies said. “She plays centerfield for us and every time the ball is hit to the outfield, we think she’s going to run it down.”

She attributes her success in the sport to her passion. Griego said that having dedication to the sport will ultimately be the reason an athlete is successful.

In addition, Griego emphasizes the importance of putting in effort at practice.

“Put in the extra reps, always give 110 perecent and when you are on that field, ball out because all of the work you do will pay off,” Griego said. “I always give 110 percent when I am playing no matter what.”

Since softball is a team sport, Griego had to learn to collaborate better with her teammates, so they can cooperate properly on the field.

“I’m always looking to do what is best for the team,” Griego said. “If I think that I can maybe get to a ball I will try; I have speed and power so I try to use those to do the best that I can.”

Griego said that she has developed a strong love for softball throughout the years.

“I love softball and I think that it is the best sport because it is a team sport and you also have personal stats so you can see how you can get better,” Griego said. “But my favorite thing is that when I step on to the softball field everything outside the dirt doesn’t matter and I can just play.”

She said that she is excited to create new bonds with her college teammates.

“I have not met my new teammates in person yet but we all have group chat and we are getting to know each other,” Griego said. “I have met the coaches a few times.”

Overall, Griego says that she is in high spirits, and is excited to begin playing for Yavapai College.

VICTORIA ARTALE

William Wong, the cross-country team manager, attends practice with the 13-person pods, assisting athletes and coaches.

Team managers attend voluntary school practices Sports allow students to assist teams for school credit as a team manager. rachel lee Asst. opinion editor

Despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19, many sports have begun the slow return to normalcy following the beginning of practices on campus. Part of this practice involves the reinstitution of student team managers.

So far, only cross-country has reported to have team managers due to the way team managers are typically selected. According to Diamond Bar High School girls soccer director Matt Franco, the team manager position is usually reserved for students in the program who are injured and cannot physically play.

“Last year, varsity had Sarah Guiterrez as team manager. She is still recovering from her injury, but we are hoping she can play, which means there is no current manager for varsity,” Franco said via email.

Some sports, like badminton

and boys soccer, prefer to wait a ing times and collecting running few weeks before the start of the chips, which are trackers placed on season before selecting team man- shoes to measure running speed. agers, or at least until sports have “You have to be able to commuresumed normal practices. nicate well, because a lot of your

One of the team managers for job is about relaying information, cross-country, Hannah Zhou, says such as their times,” Zhou said. that they have not been very active Zhou said that nothing in particdue to the pandemic. ular about being a team manager “Competitions have basically all is an issue for her, especially since been canceled, and we can’t meet her favorite part of being team up with everyone, [or] only a few manager is meeting with her team people at a time, for practice,” Zhou members. said. “I’ve been a lot less active and “It’s super rewarding. The peohaven’t been able to interact with ple on the team are great and I love the team as much.” being around them,” Zhou said.

The position Zhou became provides students a team manag“You have to be able with the opporer when she was to communicate well, tunity to earn injured during because a lot of your school credit, her time on the job is about relaying and students can team. She said information." apply by asking she chose to be their coaches. a team manager HANNAH ZHOU “Some people for cross country need the credit, because she has while others just been involved want to hang around,” Zhou said. with the sport since sixth grade.

Part of the job of a team manag- Her injury is now healed, but er is to help ease the burden of the Zhou said she will continue to coaches as some of them teach oth- act as team manager because she er classes at DBHS. For Zhou, this wants to continue to help out the includes writing down and record- team.

Beloved DB tradition put on hold by virus Football team reminisces over previous years’ Branding Iron games.

Kyle hong Staff writer

Branding Iron, the annual football game between long-time rivals Diamond Bar High School and Walnut High School that has occurred unfailingly for the last 34 years, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This historic tradition began in 1986, four years after Walnut Valley Unified School District split the high school student body between Walnut High School and the newly-built Diamond Bar High School.

The Branding Iron football game has remained an emblem of the inter-school rivalry since then, drawing forth more school spirit from each side than any other event. After last year’s 34-14 win, the Brahmas hold a 19-15 game lead over the Mustangs in the series.

“Walnut [High School] has been there a long time, and when Diamond Bar opened up and they started playing [football], it made sense to have a cross town rivalry game,” head football coach Jeff Reitz said via a Zoom call.

Athletics Director Albert Lim said via email that it will be harder

34 Years of History to show our “Brahma spirit” due to the absence of the event. He also mentioned that students will be missing an exciting opportunity to

connect with each other.

“The Branding Iron isn’t necessarily about football, it’s an event that brings the community togeth-

er to celebrate as we move into the next school year,” Lim said.

Lim said that since the Branding Iron game first began, the foot-

ball program has grown in both schools, and so have the traditions associated with each. Such traditions are also present in general school activities, such as the DBHS Rodeo Round-Up and Walnut’s Chuck Wagon.

“These events are celebrations that bring students, staff and parents together through food and entertainment,” said Lim. “By Friday, it’s a big school pep rally and everyone gets into it.”

A majority of the students who go to DBHS or WHS went to middle school with students who now go to a rival high school, so many have friends on the other side of the field. Reitz said that Branding Iron should never feel like a harsh competition nor be played with disdain.

Instead, he explained that it should represent a fun rivalry between schools.

“I have played two Branding Irons, the first year we barely lost, and then the next year we won and performed super well,” Reitz recounted. “This year we’ve been put in the same league as Walnut so now we might have to play for the play-off spot.”

Reitz explained that because this year’s game will have higher stakes--if it’s played--that will make it all the more exciting. He also said that he and his athletes are training hard for when they get the chance to play again.