Issue 4, 2014

epitaph

the

HOMESTEAD HIGH SCHOOL

VOL. 51

ISSUE 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2014

G N I T US B H M Y TS T U D Y H A B I T S See SPREAD page 6

21370 HOMESTEAD RD. CUPERTINO, CA

NEW HOMESTEAD CAFETERIA

By Dipshikha Kandel The construction for a brandnew cafeteria is set to begin around spring break of 2014. So far, the school has been working on the design with the approval of DSA, Division of the State Architect, which is an agency that approves school constructions.

Tara Grande, Homestead High School’s system adminis-

trator, says that the construction is going to take about one and a half years and the brand-new cafeteria will open in 2016.

During the remodeling, three food trucks will be used as substitution for the cafeteria. The quad will be demolished starting from spring break of 2014 in preparation for construction.

Grande explained that the cafeteria is being remodeled to look more “modernized and

revitalized,” as this is the first time the cafeteria has been remodeled since its original construction, which took place in 1963 along with the founding of Homestead High School.

“The whole design is going to look different,” said Grande.

“It’s going to be much more efficient for the students.”

If construction goes as planned, there will also be three more rooms added at the edge of

By Anya Kishen She first asked the students of Homestead if they “got Anne?”, and now after successfully becoming ASB President for the 20132014 school year, she has decided to ask the whole of Silicon Valley that same question. On Jan. 11, Gahart was crowned Miss Silicon Valley 2014, along with recogni-

the new cafeteria building.

“There is going to be a nice big open space; it’s going to be really cool and much more modern,” said Grande. “Every school in the district is going through some renovation and modernization because our buildings get outdated as years pass. We are fortunate enough to have a bond passed by the community.”

RENDERING COURTESY OF KITCHELL

Colorado Legalizes Recreational Marijuana

By Anthony Garcia On New Year’s Day, Colorado initiated the sale of recreational cannabis (commonly referred to as marijuana, pot and weed) to anyone 21 and older. Residents of the state can now purchase a maximum of one ounce of marijuana. The new law has made Colorado the first state in the nation to open recreational marijuana stores.

The legalization will have a positive impact on Colorado’s economy.

According to an article published by CNN, retail pot has a 25 percent state tax, in addition to the standard state sales tax of 2.9 percent.

These taxes make recreational marijuana one of the most heavily taxed consumer products in the state.

The additional revenue from recreational marijuana will amount to approximately $67 million a year.

Colorado will be distinguishing medicinal from recreational marijuana by establishing separate dispensary outlets. Medicinal weed consumers will not be charged the additional taxes recreational marijuana consumers will face. In Colorado, a medical marijuana card will still be required to purchase medicinal marijuana.

of its emphasis on education. To prepare for the pageant, Gahart began working with coaches in October, which, according to Gahart, entailed “more work than I anticipated, but I’m glad I put in the effort.”

During the first day of competition, all contestants had a private interview with the judges.

“This portion was my favorite

“[It was] more work than I anticipated, but I’m glad I put in the effort.”

- Anne Gahart tion in the interview portion of the event and an additional title of Miss Congeniality.

Miss Silicon Valley is Gahart’s first foray into the world of pageants, and before this she had never considered entering into one. Early in the year, she was sent an email by an admin with information about the pageant and she was drawn to the event because

part because you interact with the judges and you get to have a personal connection with them,” Gahart said. “Talking comes easy to me and it’s not a stressful part of the competition.” Additionally, the interview portion of the pageant makes up a significant

P ro f ile: ANNE GAHART

Continued on page 3, Profile

Continued on page 2, Legalization

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF LARRY SACKS

Forté 2014 Annual Homesteadsponsored dance showcase See page 10

Mustang Profiles Talented students take the stage See page 8

Inside:

Lifestyles

8

News

1

Entertainment 10

Opinion

4

Sports

11

Spread

6

Last Word

12

PAGE DESIGN BY LAURA TANG AND SHIRI HUBER PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY LAURA TANG

2

news

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Olympics: are they worth it?

Taking a closer look at second semester

By Laura Tang

“B

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The big cost of this longstanding world tradition

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All f th an fou e C Sadie Hawkins Dance - February 7 At othe r cla la s s t In this long-standing tradition, girls ask r s h s ot in es e e that one special guy for his hand at the Un her t end sma dre s” ive hre of ll m ss u W Sadies dance! This year, couples can enjoy e rsi e a the in p an ek ty” t i w this bright theme, “Carnival of Lights”! g th . e r eek ame d co - F mp eb all , o s t n y.

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By Rachel Hildebrand

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17

-21

CSF/Stanford Blood Drive - March 20

Save a multitude of people by donating a pint of blood.

Junior Prom - March 21

Many juniors and their dates will step into the limelights in this “Red Carpet Affair” held at Villa Ragusa

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Hosted by Indo-Pak, Sapnay showcases beautiful Indian fashion and dancers whirling and spining in vibrant colors.

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Equestriette Annual Spring Show - May 10 Sapnay - May 17

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Senior Ball - May 16

of 2014 Graduation - June 5

Goodbye and good luck to the graduating Class of 2014!

The Russian government has been attracting heavy media attention since Sochi was announced as the host city for the 2014 Winter Games back in 2007. CNN has reported on bombings near the Olympic venues, gay equality petitions with hundreds of thousands of signatures over recently instated anti-gay laws, big leaders such as Barack Obama deciding not to attend the games, and how this year’s Olympic Games will be the most expensive ever.

With the expenditures for the games coming in at around $50 billion, they cost more than the overall value of the NFL, Apple’s quarterly revenue, or the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 108 countries, by at least $10 billion, as stated by Forbes. The cost of a single seat in the Bolshoy Ice Dome is the same as buying a Toyota Corolla.

The only Olympics to ever even approach Russia’s cost was the Beijing Olympics in 2008, which cost $43 billion.

The price to host the Olympics has gone up to $15 billion on only a few occasions. Still, Beijing 2008 is the only olympics in the past ten years to have made a profit, with Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 breaking even. Torino 2006 lost millions. Athens’ 2004 games lost about $14-15 billion, according to the associated press, and the loss is considered one of the main attributes to Greece’s current debt crisis.

Many government officials have criticised Russian president Vladimir Putin for his excessive spending.

“You could have paved this road with five million tons of gold or caviar and the price would have been the same,” said Boris Nemtsov, a Russian Statesman, in an interview with RBK television in reference to the 30-mile road that connects Sochi to the mountain sports arena, which costs $8.7 billion itself, according to the Anti-Corruption Foundation in Russia.

While Nemtsov estimate was an exaggeration, the Foundation estimates the road could have only been paved with one and a half centimeters of caviar for the price. Still, the amount overspent alone is enough to have bought every resident of the Krasnodar Region a refrigerator. Nemtsov estimates total losses to be around $30 billion due to “corruption, fraud, sloppiness and unprofessionalism.”

Corruption is not the only reason the Sochi Olympics costs are quadruple Russia’s original estimate. Due to the arenas’ locations, which are in close proximity to the black sea, funds are pouring in as officials attempt to control the weather. Sochi has an average daytime temperature of 47 degrees, which is too hot for snow. By draining swamps, storing snow from the previous winter and purchasing 400 snow machines, the games are guaranteed to have snow, but for a large price.

Bloomberg reported that of the 98 Sochi events, each will cost approximately $520 million, while Beijing’s 302 events cost around $132 million each.

According to Olympic.org, the official website of the Olympic movement, there are 11 newly built arenas for the 15 sports. Drawing 6,000 athletes from 85 different countries, including hockey players from the San Jose Sharks and a 15-year-old ice skater from the Bay Area - she’s a sophomore at Mitty High School - they will perform for the tens of thousands of spectators at the games, and an expected 3 billion-viewer television audience.

Kicking off February 6, the Olympics will last 18 days until the closing ceremony on the 23rd.

Continued from page 1 Legalization Another article published by The Huffington Post detailed that on the first day of Colorado’s legalization of marijuana, some dispensaries were forced to stop selling marijuana because, due to the short notice, they were unable to complete the licensing process in time.

Colorado will continue to enforce its Clean Indoor Air Act, which restricts the smoking of marijuana in public places the act. As a result, marijuana users are limited to private properties that have been deemed legal by the owner’s consent.

Colorado is not the only state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana. In Nov. 2012, citizens of Washington also voted for Initiative 502, calling for the legaliza-

tion of marijuana. However, Washington’s recreational marijuana dispensaries will not open until later this year.

Also, in Alaska, a group of residents are pushing to legalize recreational marijuana. If they are successful, Alaska will be the third state in the nation to legalize it.

In order to have a succesful passage, the proposition must first qualify for the state ballot in August. According to an article published by The Washington Post, the petition must have 30,000 verified signatures. Just recently, the ‘Campaign to Regulate Marijuana’ sent 45,000 signatures to Alaska’s election officials on Jan. 8, 2014.

States such as New York are decriminalizing marijuana and considering allowing hospitals to prescribe medicinal

marijuana to patients, announced New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Jan. 8. According to the CNN article, Cuomo stated in the annual ‘State of the State’ in Albany, New York, “Research suggests that medical marijuana can help manage pain and treatment of cancer and other serious illnesses.”

Another article published by CNN stated that Mason Tvert of the Marijuana Policy Project is expecting to see pro-recreational marijuana initiatives in the year 2016, with states such as Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana and Nevada pushing to legalize the use of recreational marijuana.

IMAGES COURTESIES OF BITTBOX, CLKER, ETSY, FANSSHARE, FLAT ICON, MAVARINE DU-MARIE, PIXAR, VECTOR MAGZ PAGE DESIGN BY NICOLE CHUNG

news

Thursday, January 30, 2014

California law extends texting and driving ban to Siri

Library now offers Chromebooks for easy access

By Michelle Fuller

Homestead has welcomed some new technology on campus for this school year: Chromebooks.

Chromebooks are computers that run solely on Google software. Gmail and other Google apps are built in and are ready for use. Monta Vista, Fremont, and Cupertino High Schools, along with schools in other districts have already welcomed Chromebooks onto campus.

All students need is a Google account and they can access all the features.

What about the students without Google accounts? According to Hoang Nguyen, who is a part of the school’s Tech Team, “the district does have a plan to get all the students a school Gmail account.” Until then, students will have to buddy up and share accounts or create their own. Nguyen figured that if the district created Gmail accounts, usernames would be the same as Student ID’s. This would be especially helpful if a student forgot the email for Turnitin.com, he pointed out.

Along with all the Google apps that come with the Chromebooks, students will also get to start “NoodleTools,” a program that works offline and helps with “note-taking and… annotated bibliography,” Nguyen stated. The documents can be easily saved to students’ Google Drive so students can access it from any other computer. The Chromebooks can be used anywhere on campus that has Wi-Fi, so student can use it in the hallways outside the classroom.

These new computers also allow more flexibility for the teachers. A few

Continued from page 1, Profile fraction of the overall score. While Gahart found most of the competition favorable, she found it hard to prepare for the physical fitness portion, “because [though] you know it’s making you healthy, it’s hard to not get to eat what you want to.”

Gahart’s platform in the Miss Silicon Valley competition focused on promoting animal adoption through Doggie Protective Services, a rescue she has been volunteering with for the past three years. She feels that, through her platform, she is able to make a difference and save the lives of animals that may be euthanized in overcrowded shelters. The Miss America website states that “titleholders use their stature to address... others about their platform issues.” While

of the teachers have employed the use of Chromebooks in their classroom. One such teacher was Christina Graham, a literature teacher at Homestead. She thought “some elements went really well” but had problems with the Chromebooks freezing. Though most of the project ran pretty smoothly, Graham says the only thing that her students were not able to do was print their documents. She hopes to use the Chromebooks again, especially if the school can solve the bandwidth problem.

Bryn Horwege was also a part of the decision of bringing the Chromebooks to Homestead. Horwege works at Monta Vista and had previous experience with this new technology, which influenced the other people making this decision of their reliability. “Monta Vista was using a Windows netbook cart that was really difficult to manage,” he said.

When students used them for class, it would “take 20 minutes of class time to boot up, and the batteries would often not last” for the necessary time. Since the Windows computers proved unreliable, Horwege searched for a replacement.

“Tablets are not very functional for multiple users and quite fragile,” Horwege said. “Chromebooks were created so different users could log in with ease throughout the day.”

Despite some limitations, “such as some modules in education websites not functioning quite right”, the Chromebooks are “extremely useful for online research projects, basic word processing, slide shows, and the wide range of things various other Chrome Web Apps can do.”

3

By Marissa Lee Starting this new year, teenagers will have to wean themselves off of their need to text, call and drive.

Governor Jerry Brown signed a California bill on Oct. 11, 2013 that “prohibit[s] a person who is under 18 years of age from using an electronic wireless communications device [while driving...] even if it is equipped with a hands-free device.” If adolescents are caught using their phones at all while driving, they will be fined $20 and then $50 for any future offenses, regardless of whether they’re using applications like Siri or hands-free devices like Bluetooth.

“The people who use social media are people who are our age,” said new driver and Homestead junior, Nina Barghi. “They survive on social media. [The government] knows how much of an addiction kids our age have to their cell phones.”

And studies are showing that access to social media on our phones can impede our driving abilities. The 2003 study A Comparison of the Cell Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver from the University of Utah revealed that non-intoxicated people who use their cell phones while driving have a slower reaction time than those who drive

while intoxicated. Another fact from the California DMV website states that people between the ages of 16 and 19 have a higher rate of traffic incidents than any other age group.

Junior Bardia Ghayoumi adds that high school students are still not as fully aware and experienced as older drivers. “They are generally not as attentive as adult drivers so any distractions such as a cell phone can be fatal or dangerous,” Ghayoumi said. “[If my phone rings] I generally ignore it and keep it in the back of my mind. So when I get to my destination, I check my phone.”

Barghi also demonstrates responsible driving habits. “I make it very clear to my friends or parents that if there’s anything you need to say before I get into the car, say it now because I will not answer calls or texts,” Barghi said. “But if there is a time where I need to reply to someone’s text, I make sure to pull over so that I can use my phone safely without hurting myself or the people around me.”

The response from the new law is still unknown. However, Ghayoumi reminds us that “like all those texting ads that say ‘it can wait,’ it actually can wait.” To read an in-depth explanation of the law, visit http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

“A law enforcement officer shall not stop a vehicle for the sole purpose of determining whether the driver is violating subdivision.”

-Senate Bill No. 192

her platform in this competition was localized, she hopes to expand her Miss California platform to deal with a larger array of issues concerning animal adoption and rescue organizations. For the talent portion, Gahart performed a tap-dance routine.

As Miss Silicon Valley, Gahart supports organizations such as the Childrens’ Miracle Network and the Miss America Platform, and makes appearances at events — most recently at the grand opening of Mary’s Closet and Body Candy.

Through winning the title of Miss Silicon Valley 2014, Gahart is one competition closer to the title of Miss California and hopes to represent Homestead and the Sunnyvale area in the upcoming 2014 competition.

News in Brief: Homestead participates in Rotary Speech Competition

By Anya Kishen

The first round of Rotary’s speech contest, sponsored by Sunnyvale Rotary, commenced on Thursday Jan. 16 at Cedar Crest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Students were to write a four- to five-minute speech on the topic of “Engage Rotary, Change Lives.” The students representing Homestead High School included Justin Fu (9), Deevy Bhimani (9), Yoohyun Choi (11) and

Eric Yang (11). Fu and Yang won first and second place, respectively, earning themselves spots in the area round of the contest, which includes all of the FUHSD schools.

Finalists will continue to the regional and district rounds coming up later this year.The contest will be on March 6.

PAGE DESIGN BY ANYA KISHEN AND MATTHEW CHOW ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATTHEW CHOW

4

opinion

Thursday, January 30, 2014

epitaph PDA is not okay STAFF

\ the

By Michelle Fuller

Reporters Nicole Chung

Anya Kishen

Donnie Denome

Marissa Lee

Michelle Fuller

Andrew Reyes

Rachel Hildebrand

Priya Sodlapur

Shiri Huber

Nancy Zhou

Dipshikha Kandel

At every school, there is always that one couple that seems to be attached at the hip. Kissing during passing periods, holding hands, or gazing into their eyes as if they are the only two people in the world. At the beginning of a new relationship, it is acceptable.

The honeymoon phase where you can’t get enough of each other is okay for the first the two months, maybe three.

But after that, the pair should try to keep it to a minimum. You’re going to see your significant other

in 90 minutes, they aren’t going away indefinitely. Public displays of affection (PDA) around your friends aren’t very attractive either. It is really awkward for a single person to sit next to a couple who are making out every second, especially when they are friends with said couple.

This article is not to raise some sort of banning of all PDA. Some PDA is okay. Holding hands, hugging, and maybe a short kiss is alright, but I think people should be wary of who they’re around. Parents agree as well, according to a poll on familyeducation.com. Out

Editors News

Laura Tang

News

Camille Miller

Opinion

Greg Schrader

Lifestyles

Eugene Cheng

Entertainment/Sports

Freshman Advisory: Challenging the mainstream opinion

Anthony Garcia

Matthew Chow

Production Team Emi Kamezaki

Business Manager

Don’t blame epitaph technology Grace He

Design Editor

Adviser

Natalie Calderon

the

By Nicole Chung

The Epitaph is a non-profit publication at Homestead High School, 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014.

The Epitaph is a forum for student expression and not subject to prior review, in accordance with Education Code 48907. The staff is comprised of Homestead Journalism students. Views expressed do not necessarily represent views of the school, its staff, or the district. Editorials are opinions of the editorial board.

The Epitaph welcomes all letters to the editor but reserves the right to edit all submissions. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Include contact information.

Unsigned letters cannot be published, but names will be withheld upon request. Send via homestead.epitaph@gmail.com, or drop letters in the newsroom or the office mailbox.

If The Epitaph has made an error, please send corrections to homestead.epitaph@ gmail.com. The corrections will be published in the corrections box for the next issue.

To reach the Epitaph staff in C-105: call (408) 522-2572 or fax (408) 738-8631.

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Donors Your ongoing support is appreciated.

Jing Xu Donna & Avi Huber Valerie Fermor Xiaoming & Holly Zhang Debbie Vanni

expect their learning environment to be free of any distractions.

Not only should the students’ opinions affect how couples act at school, but also the customs of other people. Different cultures have different ‘rules’ about public displays of affection, so they may feel uncomfortable or offended if they see peers getting too cozy.

There’s nothing wrong with showing affection; however, there’s a time and place for everything. And out of respect to others, at school, keep it to a minimum.

Letter to the Editor

Entertainment/Sports Khalil Bourgoub Editor in Chief

of 3,087 votes, 40 percent think there should be a ban on kissing.

If 40 percent of people are not comfortable with people kissing in the hallway, couples should be considerate of that.

As often as you’d like to show your loved one how much you care with an intimate moment, or moments, school is not the place to do it. School is not a romantic setting. All the hustle and bustle of other students, combined with the teachers’ supervision doesn’t make for a sentimental time. Furthermore, school is a place for education, and most students would

Instant gratification. Loss of competence. Violation of privacy. Online bullying. These are a few of the many stigmas that people generally come up with when asked to think about different aspects of technology.

However, what most do not realize is that these consequences are some of the things that result when technology is used with bad intentions.

Think about it. How could technology by itself have such dire effects on society as a whole? Technology is just another instrument that could lead to all sorts of results, good and bad. Like the controversy surrounding guns, the debate surrounding the usefulness and the harmfulness of technology all boils down to one thing: how you intend to use it will determine the outcome.

Take a look at Sweetie, the virtual Filipino girl. She is the technological brainchild of a children’s rights organization called Terre des Hommes, whose mission statement is to stop child exploitation taking place online today. Had Terre des Hommes chosen not to utilize computer programs, tracking down the offenders that contacted Sweetie would have been extremely difficult and the notion of creating a virtual child to stop this form of exploitation would have been more than just impossible. Terre des Hommes, by using technology for its Samaritan-like mission statements, was able to make the online community a bit safer for children all around the world.

Besides being used to eradicate the Internet of child sex offenders, technology has made a huge breakthrough in the medical community in the past

decades. The 20s brought about penicillin to combat syphilis.

The 60s introduced the world to the first artificial heart, paving the way for all artificial organs to be created in the future.

And just this month, Google claimed to be in the process of developing a type of contact lens that could potentially save time and blood for diabetics. The new lens is supposed measure the glucose level in the diabetics’ tears every second and will blink a light when the levels are too high or too low, warning the user when he or she needs to inject insulin or consume high sugar foods respectively.

Technology, in this case, is not just related to high-tech tablets or crime fighting methods. Though seemingly different in terms of function, all three medical inventions contributed to the advancement of medical technology. When technology within the medical field improves, it’s usually a good sign for society. Medical advancements bring about new ways to treat different diseases and in some cases, may serve as stepping-stones for the discovery of a cure.

Technology, even with the negative stereotypes following it, can be used for greater purposes. Living in a world where technology becomes more advanced every second, we as a society must use technology with good intentions if we want to improve our lives socially and technologically. We cannot use technology negatively and then blame it for all of the bad things in our world. Instead, we need to acknowledge our bad intentions, if any, and work to resolve whatever problems may have surfaced when we chose to use technology as a tool to do bad.

In response “A fresh outlook: Freshman Advisory misses the mark”, by Rachel Hildebrand, from the December issue, this letter shows the advantages and positive sides of Freshman Advisory.

Freshman Advisory was created with the goal of opening the eyes of freshmen and allowing them to witness numerous opportunities, along with possible challenges they may encounter in high school and later throughout life.

One thing that cannot be taught in a classroom setting is the student’s willingness to take advantage of learning from experience.

Without this, students have difficulty applying the lessons and skills taught in each Freshman Advisory lesson.

The development of the Freshman Advisory program required the effort of a multitude of staff members and students, which began in the summer of 2013.

All of their efforts are driven by the sole purpose of enriching the freshmen class. In the article, the author mentions that the lessons in Freshman Advisory are redundant and unhelpful, however; in reality each lesson covers various topics that teachers and administrators have deemed important and applicable to each high school student. From a teacher’s perspective, Chris Nafrada, HOP advisor, explains, “Tutorial is 4 days a week. If 2 days a month (which is 1 hour total) can be used to introduce ‘life skills’ or likewise to students, not only is it a really good use of time, I would argue that there can always be more.

Not all teachers have time in class to teach some of these vital skills to their students. If even just a few freshmen get something useful out of advisory, it becomes contagious and advisory has done it’s job.”

Freshman year is a transitional stage helping students to prepare for the rest of high school, eventually leading to college life after it. In high school, freshmen

transition to young adulthood by learning to adapt to higher standards both in classrooms and in life. Based on first-hand accounts, Freshman advisory has proved to be beneficial to the Homestead student body. Many students who have not gone through the program wish they had had the opportunity to learn these key life skills earlier, instead of having to learn them “the hard way.” Shayan Ebrahimn, grade 11 expresses, “When they move up to high school, they feel like strangers.

For me, if I knew about the SAT, I could have started studying earlier for these tests. It’s a whole new different level in high school.”

In the article, the author discusses how those with older siblings may have previous knowledge on some of the topics covered in Freshman Advisory or are informed of school events because of advertising on Facebook or having teachers who share information. However, a majority of students are still unaware about future obstacles they may encounter regarding student life events in and out of school. In this case, Freshman Advisory also plays the role of encompassing the variety of students at Homestead to ensure that each one has the opportunity to have access to this information.

Nafrada remarked, “I think Freshman Advisory can be looked at as junior varsity (JV). In other words, most JV programs develop skills that should be acquired at the varsity level. For example in soccer, JV players should work on speed, passing, and dribbling.

At the varsity level, skills are intuitive and now put to use. In high school, you learn how to learn.”

Like any other new program, Freshman Advisory is always looking for feedback. A suggestion box located in Nafrada’s room (S5) is available for any comments and possible new ideas.

HOP Commisioners

Let us hear your voice If you have any concerns or comments about this issue...

1. Send them to homestead.epitaph@gmail.com OR 2. Bring them to room C105 ...and you might have your letter to the editor printed in the next issue!

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EUGENE CHENG PAGE DESIGN BY MATTHEW CHOW

5

opinion

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Can we really call ourselves “diverse” ? other

5%

white

other

white

7% black

42% asian

35% hispanic

Homestead High School

14% asian

Current diversity is not enough

By Emi Kamezaki

In a population of 2,405 students, 42 percent are Asian, 36 percent are white, and the remaining 21 percent are lumped together in the obscure “other” category.

Despite this comparably equal distribution of ethnicities, Homestead cannot claim to be truly diverse, for diversity implies a certain inherent variety in both population and thinking which cannot be achieved without greater range in students’ backgrounds and preferences.

More alarming than Homestead’s misinformed celebration of ethnic diversity, is the absence of diverse opinion. Homestead’s campus is clearly dominated by trends dictating students’ social

behaviors. The impact of these trends enters into nearly all aspects of students’ lives, from religious and political ideologies to a student’s musical preferences.

“I think that we’re all under a bunch of peer pressure and pressure from where we live. So we’re all basically socially liberal,” said senior Leslie Root.

For sophomore Elad Zohar, “a lot of people tend to have the same personality. In today’s society people tend to follow a generalized point of view.”

While such behavioral patterns may be dismissed by some as human nature, and therefore justifiable, the mind-numbing lack of dissention proves detrimental to the overall development of young

minds. Without exposure to people of different backgrounds, varying socioeconomic levels, gender identities or sexual preferences, Homestead students will remain sheltered from the true diversity of the world.

There is however, an aspect of choice, which can prevent such uniformity in the average profile of a Homestead student. By actively seeking out one’s own personal beliefs rather than adhering to socially accepted norms, a student can add to the diversity of Homestead -allowing divergence to grow. Homestead must not be content with making judgments based on ethnic statistics, but rather seek out experiences which widen students’ perspectives.

Diversity prospers at Homestead

Diversity among the student body at schools is strived for to encourage an understanding of people from different backgrounds, and create a multicultural environment. A diverse school fosters an environment containing a multitude of different cultures, activities, and experiences. In order for a school to be considered ethnically diverse it must express a great variety of different cultural backgrounds. Homestead encorporates all the necessities to be considered diverse and should not be criticized when it encompasses a large variety of cultural groups.

On a campus with a student body of 2,405 students, Homestead hosts a diverse campus with 42 percent of students identifying as Asian, 36 percent white, and 21 percent identifying with more than one ethnicity, according to the 2013-2014 WASC school profile. In comparison to other schools in the district, such as Monta Vista with an 81 percent Asian population, or Lynbrook with an 83 percent Asian population, it is easy to see that Homestead’s ethnicities are distributed well.

“We have a good combination of students from different backgrounds,” said senior Nicole Hsu.

United States

21%

36%

California 39%

By Priya Sodlapur

“ I think having an ethnically diverse school environment helps students a lot with accepting people”.

Homestead maintains its culturally extensive status through activities and programs to encourage its large variety of ethnic students and to feel welcome in the complexity of cultures. Homestead encompasses a variety of different ethnicities and fosters them through the E.L.D. program and various ethnic clubs. “We have a wide variety of ethnicities that can be seen throught the amount of varying clubs” notes senior Alexandra Genovese. According to homestead.schoolloop. com, there are seven different clubs that help support some of the many culturally influenced activities on campus. Homestead also strives to encourage and celebrate the ethnicities among campus through activities including ethnic week which incorporates several cultural talents.

Homestead students should continue to embrace the array of different clubs and activities influenced by the varying cultural backgrounds supported on campus.

63%

13.1%

white

black

16.9% hispanic

5.1% asian Statistics

Arguments up in smoke

courtesy of the united

States Census Bureau

Why California should legalize marijuana

By Khalil Bourgoub

Over the years, the topic of the legalization of marijuana for medicinal and recreational use has been something that has been widely debated in the United States. The majority of people in the U.S. have accepted the use of medicinal marijuana as something that can be very beneficial for those who need it. Two states, Colorado and Washington, have made the use of marijuana for recreational purposes legal. Moreover, with the tax dollars they have collected from the sales and excise taxes from marijuana in Colorado, the state has been funding the rebuilding of schools and other public projects. So if these states can take extra tax dollars from marijuana sales to fix problems with their infrastructures, why can’t we?

The main problem is that there is a huge disparity in the thought process between Americans regarding the topic of legalizing marijuana in the United States,

particularly in California. There is no disputing the reputation that Californians have earned or the stereotypical thought process that people have regarding the usage of marijuana when people even hear the name “California”. Growing up here, I have experienced first-hand the stereotypes people have when I travel to another state. People think that if you live in California, you either skateboard or surf, and that you spend your days out by the beach getting high. Even though I do not live by those standards, I have observed that marijuana is definitely easier to obtain in California than other places around the country.

The controversy over the legalization of marijuana is not logical in any way. So far, studies have shown that the habitual use of marijuana leads to minor memory problems, but nothing that inhibits daily life greatly. On the other hand, smoking cigarettes can cause lung cancer and second

hand smoke can even give other people cancer. Also, the habitual use of alcohol can lead to liver failure which kills people, as well as the record showing that people who drive drunk are much more likely to injure others than people who are high and drive. So just looking at this from a purely logical standpoint, it’s obvious that smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol are more dangerous and cause more problems than smoking marijuana. So why isn’t it legal?

It is because people have been looking at marijuana in a negative light since its popularization in the mid 1900’s. It’s the same reason things like same-sex marriage aren’t legal, it’s because people bring their personal emotions into context when it’s time to vote for something, instead of thinking how it could affect other people and what it could do to the general public.

Another factor that the legal-

ization will create is that it will keep more people out of jail for the intention to sell marijuana illegally or having possession of more than an ounce. Having less people in jail will allow our government to spend more money on things that aren’t our prison system, which could benefit our infrastructure or other things that benefit people that live in California instead of keeping “criminals” locked up.

The excise tax alone could also stimulate California’s economy in a positive way like it has in Washington and Colorado. With the amount of marijuana that is perceived to be used, if legalized it would definitely retrieve higher revenues than Colorado and Washington simply based on the fact that we the population California has is so much greater.

There are about 32 million more people that live in California than in Colorado and Washington, and the numbers projected in

those states were in the hundred millions in tax revenue. Having said that, an exponentially greater population can only create exponentially greater tax revenue.

More tax revenue can only enhance the quality of living, which we hold ourselves to have in such an affluent state as California.

Lastly, touching on a more personal note, the common stereotype with someone who uses marijuana is that they are normally the type of person with nothing better to do and someone people would deem as a lazy loser.

Personally, I have met people who have used marijuana on a regular basis that achieved perfect grade point averages in school and have gotten accepted to colleges some people would be honored to get into. This only confirms my belief that marijuana in California should be legal and regulated for the better of our economy, society and quality of living.

PAGE DESIGN BY CAMILLE MILLER

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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014

7

Mythbusting study habits We get it from our teachers, our parents, our coaches... “study,” they say, or “study harder”, or sometimes simply, “STUDY!” But how should you study?

What methods work best? Must you sit at a desk, music off, food banished, all distractions held at bay? Perhaps it is best to study in comfort, or with friends, or surrounded by the anonymous noise of a coffee shop? Here at the Epitaph, we tested different methods so you don't have to!

S TH A M

Mozart makes babies smarter

By LAURA TANG

Sleepless study and Energy drinks

A number of studies conducted by the University of Wales, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and other institutions demonstrate that between music and no music, the favorable option for more effective studying is conclusively no music.

Those students who studied in silence compared to those who studied to music with or without lyrics scored significantly higher on tests and showed superior concentration and recall ability.

Students who believed that music helped their studying actually performed more poorly on tests, indicating that productivity could decrease as much as 40% by “multitasking” while studying - this included studying with music, along with constantly switching subjects or answering e-mails while studying.

By Greg Shrader

We have all tried them: 5 Hour Energy, Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster. The fastestgrowing part of the beverage industry, energy drinks, promise all the sugar of soda – and twice (or more) the caffeine.

They also promise instant alertness, endless energy and the ability to banish sleep.

In my experience, these drinks do deliver – if by deliver you mean a temporary boost in energy and eyelids seemingly glued open. But did they help me study? I don’t think so. Sure, under the influence of Rockstar I stayed up all night, but by the time I got to class I was crashing – and my test scores reflected as

much.

My experience was predictable. "Regardless of how easily the subject matter comes to you [...] study ahead of time so that you can file away the information in your long-term memory," said Alexandra Mayzler, founder of Thinking Caps Tutoring. "In order for your brain to be able to use and apply information you will need to study in small increments over a longer period of time. Weekend cram sessions will only work for the short term. Don’t try to jam in information in one sitting, instead break things up and spend enough time to get yourself comfortable with the material."

And then we have the Mozart Effect, the results of a 1991 study, which demonstrates how listening to classical music can cause a short-term improvement on spatial-temporal mental tasks - in other words, science, math, engineering, and art.

However, upon further experimentation the results of this study can now be more broadly defined: Those who study such subjects will experience an improvement in concentration if they listen to any type of music, so long as it is music they like.

In essence, if you hate Mozart, then you won’t discover a Mozart effect. If you enjoy Nirvana, then you will experience a Nirvana effect. But this will only provide a short-term boost in memory ability for visual subjects.

Make some (quiet, helpful) noise

By DONNIE DENOME

The idea that one must study in complete silence is no longer wholly correct. “[A] moderate level of background noise enhances creativity,” reports a 2012 study from the Journal of Consumer Research. Such a level of noise would usually come from a television or cafe, which may not be available.

Enter websites like Coffitivity and Rainy Mood. These sites take various creativity-provoking noises and make them freely available online. Each was tested in a loud setting and in a quiet setting with varying results. What is important to remember is that these generators should blend into – rather than cover – the noise in the background.

Coffitivity claims to “[deliver] the vibe of a coffee shop right to your desktop.” Its caffeine-fueled background buzz comes in three flavors. The first worked the best: it blended into the background well, covered up most noise in the environment, never rose above

60 Listening to Music (with words)

71 Listening to Music (without words)

78

Coffietivity

75 Rainy Mood

a low murmur. It was slightly more noticeable in a quiet room. The second was louder and contained more chatter. However, it was much less distracting when tested in a quiet space. The third was full of loud, distracting noises. It simultaneously managed to be too loud while not covering up outside noise in both tests. The site has free apps for both iOS and Android.

Rainy Mood provides a steady virtual downpour. It utterly failed in tests. The steady pounding was more distracting than the background noise. The service did not fare much better in a quiet background as it was so realistic as to hinder work. It fared slightly better when paired with an embedded video. The soothing, otherworldly tones mostly cancelled out the unceasing showers. Rainy Mood has apps for both Android and iOS, but they are not free.

79 Library

54 72

All nighters

Chewing Gum

88 85 Eating Chocolate

Eating Nuts

HOW IT WORKED: Epistaff members took several tests as a control, then two more while using different study methods. The tests themselves were simple memorization of numbers.

The results revealed that eating chocolate while studying garners the best results, and that pulling an all nighter results in an almost certain failure.

ILLUSTRATIONS AND PAGE DESIGN BY GREG SCHRADER, NANCY ZHOU AND EMI KAMEZAKI

6

spread

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014

7

Mythbusting study habits We get it from our teachers, our parents, our coaches... “study,” they say, or “study harder”, or sometimes simply, “STUDY!” But how should you study?

What methods work best? Must you sit at a desk, music off, food banished, all distractions held at bay? Perhaps it is best to study in comfort, or with friends, or surrounded by the anonymous noise of a coffee shop? Here at the Epitaph, we tested different methods so you don't have to!

S TH A M

Mozart makes babies smarter

By LAURA TANG

Sleepless study and Energy drinks

A number of studies conducted by the University of Wales, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and other institutions demonstrate that between music and no music, the favorable option for more effective studying is conclusively no music.

Those students who studied in silence compared to those who studied to music with or without lyrics scored significantly higher on tests and showed superior concentration and recall ability.

Students who believed that music helped their studying actually performed more poorly on tests, indicating that productivity could decrease as much as 40% by “multitasking” while studying - this included studying with music, along with constantly switching subjects or answering e-mails while studying.

By Greg Shrader

We have all tried them: 5 Hour Energy, Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster. The fastestgrowing part of the beverage industry, energy drinks, promise all the sugar of soda – and twice (or more) the caffeine.

They also promise instant alertness, endless energy and the ability to banish sleep.

In my experience, these drinks do deliver – if by deliver you mean a temporary boost in energy and eyelids seemingly glued open. But did they help me study? I don’t think so. Sure, under the influence of Rockstar I stayed up all night, but by the time I got to class I was crashing – and my test scores reflected as

much.

My experience was predictable. "Regardless of how easily the subject matter comes to you [...] study ahead of time so that you can file away the information in your long-term memory," said Alexandra Mayzler, founder of Thinking Caps Tutoring. "In order for your brain to be able to use and apply information you will need to study in small increments over a longer period of time. Weekend cram sessions will only work for the short term. Don’t try to jam in information in one sitting, instead break things up and spend enough time to get yourself comfortable with the material."

And then we have the Mozart Effect, the results of a 1991 study, which demonstrates how listening to classical music can cause a short-term improvement on spatial-temporal mental tasks - in other words, science, math, engineering, and art.

However, upon further experimentation the results of this study can now be more broadly defined: Those who study such subjects will experience an improvement in concentration if they listen to any type of music, so long as it is music they like.

In essence, if you hate Mozart, then you won’t discover a Mozart effect. If you enjoy Nirvana, then you will experience a Nirvana effect. But this will only provide a short-term boost in memory ability for visual subjects.

Make some (quiet, helpful) noise

By DONNIE DENOME

The idea that one must study in complete silence is no longer wholly correct. “[A] moderate level of background noise enhances creativity,” reports a 2012 study from the Journal of Consumer Research. Such a level of noise would usually come from a television or cafe, which may not be available.

Enter websites like Coffitivity and Rainy Mood. These sites take various creativity-provoking noises and make them freely available online. Each was tested in a loud setting and in a quiet setting with varying results. What is important to remember is that these generators should blend into – rather than cover – the noise in the background.

Coffitivity claims to “[deliver] the vibe of a coffee shop right to your desktop.” Its caffeine-fueled background buzz comes in three flavors. The first worked the best: it blended into the background well, covered up most noise in the environment, never rose above

60 Listening to Music (with words)

71 Listening to Music (without words)

78

Coffietivity

75 Rainy Mood

a low murmur. It was slightly more noticeable in a quiet room. The second was louder and contained more chatter. However, it was much less distracting when tested in a quiet space. The third was full of loud, distracting noises. It simultaneously managed to be too loud while not covering up outside noise in both tests. The site has free apps for both iOS and Android.

Rainy Mood provides a steady virtual downpour. It utterly failed in tests. The steady pounding was more distracting than the background noise. The service did not fare much better in a quiet background as it was so realistic as to hinder work. It fared slightly better when paired with an embedded video. The soothing, otherworldly tones mostly cancelled out the unceasing showers. Rainy Mood has apps for both Android and iOS, but they are not free.

79 Library

54 72

All nighters

Chewing Gum

88 85 Eating Chocolate

Eating Nuts

HOW IT WORKED: Epistaff members took several tests as a control, then two more while using different study methods. The tests themselves were simple memorization of numbers.

The results revealed that eating chocolate while studying garners the best results, and that pulling an all nighter results in an almost certain failure.

ILLUSTRATIONS AND PAGE DESIGN BY GREG SCHRADER, NANCY ZHOU AND EMI KAMEZAKI

8 lifestyles Homestead’s got talent Thursday, January 30, 2014

PHOTO

A spotlight on Homestead students with unique talents and extraordinary accomplishments

COUR TE

SY OF KENTA

PHOTO

RO MO RI

KENTARO MORI

By Grace He Six months ago, Junior Kentaro Mori captured his third gold medal at the USA Karate National Championships held in Greenville, S.C. “I was away from competitions for a little bit so it was nice being on the podium again,” said Mori.

Mori first started learning karate in first grade in Japan due to a popular

TESY OUR TO C PHO

AVID OF D

Japanese television series known as Ultraman. He was inspired by the main character’s abilities in karate and so enrolled himself in classes. A year later, he moved from Japan to the United States while continuing his karate classes. He now studies under his instructor and mentor Mina Yamazaki at the Chinese Performing

Arts Center with his dojo, Japan Karate - Do Ryobukai Eishinkan.

Since the beginning of his karate career, Mori has placed in Nationals, Junior Olympics and the U.S. Open. However, he also gave up karate early into his career.

“When I first started, I thought it was really boring, but there was a teacher who told me that it would be boring at first, but soon I would be able to understand the [physical and mental aspects of karate]. I believed him,” said Mori.

While he still practices diligently, Mori remains uncertain of the possibilities of karate in his future.

“Karate isn’t everywhere and its hard to find a place to train at,” said Mori. “If I could find one, I would probably [continue to practice karate after high school].”

By Eugene Cheng Characterizing rhythmic gymnastics to a regular able-minded individual can be difficult, even for a gymnast.

“I do rhythmic gymnastics,” said Freshman Erin Liu. She described her pursuit of seven years, “which is gymnastics with dance. No flipping in the air, no tumbling, and you work with apparatuses.”

Liu’s journey into rhythmic gymnastics started innocently; after taking weekly classes, the coach of her gym offered her a spot on the team.

She was seven years of age. Now as a freshman in high school, she has been to Junior Olympics twice, and participates in competitions every year.

She currently practices at Gold Star Gymnastics in Mountain View, where she prepares for the looming competition season under the coach-

Erin Liu

U ERIN LI SY OF

COURTE

ing of Anastasia Kornienko. “[The best moment of my rhythmic gymnastics career] was when I went to Junior Olympics,” said Liu. “I think I was about nine [years old]. I got sixth in one event out of fifty or so competitors.”

However, for Liu, the worst part of rhythmic gymnastics was “stretching splits.” Liu detailed her endeavors: “The coach pushed me all the way down. And there’s a lot of conditioning, and it’s really tiring.”

In addition to rhythmic gymnastics, Liu also participates in Chinese folk dancing, in which she also competes with a group.

Juggling two extracurricular activities can be challenging, but Liu has the support of her parents, due to the fact that “nobody really does rhythmic gymnastics.”

Chinese folk dancing is different, however.

“My mom used to do it so she wants me to do it too,” she explained.

In the future, Liu plans to continue rhythmic gymnastics until her junior year of high school, and Chinese folk dancing all the way up to college.

COE

DAVID COE

By Eugene Cheng “You can’t stop. There’s no coach. You can just express yourself; it’s an art form.”

High school students of the present usually partake in one or a few activities outside of academics. Some pick sports, others pick intellectual activities, and even more choose community service. For Freshman David Coe, his choice of hobby is one of freedom and expression.

“It’s different from all the other sports because, for example, in basketball or football, you’re moving a ball from point A to point B and you’re done,” explained Coe, “It’s really just kind of boring. But for me, for scootering, you can just keep going so it’s pretty cool.

You just go on and on.”

Coe was first introduced to his future avocation in fifth grade, when he saw a friend perform a “tail-whip flat” on a scooter. Although he was already familiar with the world of action sports -

he rode BMX prior - scootering became his calling for the next four years.

Recently, Coe placed first in the amateur division of SD8, the largest scootering event of its kind. Along with his podium finish came prestige - past winners such as Dakota Schuetz have gone on to be major figures in the scootering world - and $800 in prize money. “I took some of it and I’m saving the rest,” he said.

Coe is also sponsored by Raptor Hardware, a company that

sells scooter grips, and a member of the scootering group Basic Bunch, allowing him to travel to locations like New York City and Philadelphia to shoot videos.

With any pleasure comes pain, and for Coe the malady presents itself in the form of malice, such as “all the hatred [from] online people and people at skate parks who criticize the scooter kids,” Coe said. Although Coe acknowledged that the scootering community does not rival other actions sports (skating, BMX) in terms of

size and participation, he contended that “kids should learn before they go in, and just with [park] etiquette.”

No matter the criticism, Coe is still finding ways to push scootering forward. “I’ve influence a bunch of other kids,” he said. “I see a new kid at the skate park every now and then. There was a time when I was the only [scooter rider] there for three years.

It’s grown.”

PAGE DESIGN BY GRACE HE AND EUGENE CHENG

lifestyles

Thursday, January 30, 2014

The gluten free challenge

9

In light of the recent rise in popularity of the gluten free diet, two Epistaffers eat gluten free for a week and reflect on their experiences

Sunday

By Shiri Huber

By Nancy Zhou

I walked up to the barista at my local Starbucks and pondered what I should order for lunch.

“Can I get an iced green tea and a-” I cut myself off, my hand hovered over the aesthetically lit desserts and grab the clear container under the display bar instead, “-and a salad?” After a week of eating without any gluten in my diet, I have learned to opt for healthier choices in snacks. I found myself struggling to commit to foods without wheat for the first two days, but with some research, I adapted to this different lifestyle easily.

I guess you can say a week is not enough time to draw conclusions on something as complex as a diet, but during that week, I did feel different. Granted, I celebrated the return of baked goods in my life by devouring a whole box of Oreos; however I was very satisfied with eating gluten free. I felt lighter and less bloated all the time.

I snacked on fruit and veggies, popcorn, and ate gluten free granola for breakfast.

I thought that during the week, I couldn’t eat any grains at all, which happened to be false, I was still able to eat rice and quinoa.

However, during lunch, I was restricted to eating gummy snacks and fruits due to the menu provided by school is not discernibly gluten free.

Living gluten free can still make you fat. Because many gluten free baked goods have more calories and fat content than the normal option, some people misunderstand the concept of healthy eating and over consume gluten free. If you are on a diet, or some other restriction to food intake, it does not mean that you can binge foods that meet the requirements of your restriction. With all healthy lifestyles, everything comes in moderation.

Monday Starting the week off healthy with pho. Soy sauce is, unexpectedly, not gluten free.

Tuesday Although only 1% of the popoulation has Celiac Disease, all Safeway’s have gluten free sections.

Wednesday Thursday

Ate sesame seed crackers instead of pizza.

Friday Ninth salad this week!

Saturday Ending the week healthily with some Pirate Booty.

The morning I was supposed to start my one-week gluten free diet, I stumbled into the kitchen half awake and stuffed a handful of cereal into my mouth; not the most promising start to my diet. Eating gluten free seemed challenging at first, as I could no longer eat pizza, pasta, or bread, any the of pastries at Starbucks, and definitely no cereal. Although I lamented the temporary loss of my favorite food group, the diet was less challenging than I assumed.

First of all, the sheer amount of gluten free options available in supermarkets made it possible to substitute essentially everything I could no longer eat for their gluten free counterparts. For lunch, I used gluten free bread made out of brown rice flour in my sandwhich. At dinner, my family made gluten free pasta we bought from the extensive collection of gluten free products at Whole Foods.

Cutting bread out of my diet made me feel healthier. My diet required me to eat fewer processed foods and more fruit and salads. Although I sometimes felt stabs of hunger around eleven at night, I was cutting down on my usual snacking.

Eating gluten free for only a week was not enough time to truly discover any positive or negative effects a gluten free diet would have in the long term, but in general the trend was positive. I was more conscious of the choices I was making with my food: during one lunch, I passed up on my friend’s box of oreos because they were not gluten free. For anyone who wants to adopt a healthier lifestyle, eating less bread and more vegetables is a viable way to do so. Although I immediately went back to eating cereal when the week was over, I am now more aware of the aspects that can change my food habits.

Dieting on the rise

An increased popularity of trendy diets, like the Paleo diet (based on human diets during the Paleolithic era) and the gluten free diet, has encouraged people make healthier choices and has skyrocketed the availability of health food in supermarkets. Here, three diet veterans from Homestead weigh in on the recent trend.

PHOTO COURTESY OF INFINITE CAMPUS

ABOVE: History teacher, Lela Milirides- On Paleo

ABOVE: Assisstant principal, Tara Grande-

ABOVE: Junior, Nicollete Piazza- Gluten Free for 5

“Don’t just [go on diets]. You guys have pediatricians. Do it wih the advice of an adult or doctor or a nutritionist.”

“This was not a diet to lose weight for me; it was for health.”

“Restaurants [used to have] no idea what gluten free was. Really in the last five years, I’ve seen that shift as it’s become more popular and kind of more like a trend diet.”

“When I first started going off gluten, the products were horrible [...] but now that gluten free has become more popular, more things have been coming out and it’s easier to go on the diet.”

diet for more than 5 years.

Gluten free for 12 years due to Celiac disease.

years due to Celiac disease.

PHOTOS BY SHIRI HUBER AND NANCY ZHOU PAGE DESIGN BY MARISSA LEE

10

entertainment

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Forté showcases Homestead’s flair Beyoncé’s fifth album: she Knowles it all

By Priya Sodlapur In preparation for the United Spirit Association Regionals, the Equestriettes dance team hosted their annual dance and drill competition this past Saturday, Jan. 25 at Homestead - Forté 2014: Showcase Your Flair! Forté is a dance competition that includes teams and soloists from all across the NorCal area.

“The purpose of Forté is to give teams an opportunity to showcase competition routines and receive feedback before heading to regionals,” said Equestriettes coach Sara Frausto. A Forté is strength or a skill someone excels at, which is why the Forté competition was centered on showcasing each performer.

Even though the Equestriettes could not perform due to affiliation with the judges and the competition as a whole, they worked hard to showcase their skills and represent Homestead. “It provides the same necessary pressure because we always want to put our best foot forward,” said Frausto.

Not only is Forté one of the biggest fundraisers that the Equestriettes host, but it also is a huge event at Homestead with 350 participants from 20 different teams. Forté is the first competition of the season and really strives to promote the event as a chance for teams around California to showcase

their talent.

“We are the first competition of the season,” said Frausto. “There is so much excitement to showcase what each team has been working on, to finally put their routines on the floor.”

Forté 2014 not only strived to encompass ideas from past years, but also incorporated new ideas to add to the support for the dance teams. For mass appeal, and food for the competitors, Forté included 7 new food trucks for the competition. Food trucks were a good way to let the dancers and the spectators mingle and treat themselves to the variety of food. Scoops, the ice cream food truck was easily the most popular, with a huge line mazing through the parking lot. In addition to the food trucks, Forté added a new MC, Michael Lapides as well as a new chairperson, Karlynn Lyon for the competition.

Aside from all the competition between the teams, the atmosphere was friendly as the all the teams mingled. “You get to meet all the schools and meet everyone,” said Nicole Rouleau, grade 11, “as well as having more control and getting a sneak peak at the dances.’

The excitement that comes along with Forté was immense, and it was an event that helped promote Homestead’s school spirit as students cheered their dance team on to Nationals.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EDMOND KWONG

Au g u st:

O

ABOVE: Sara Hansen (12), Aly Lapides (11), and Dannica Lyon (11) perform one of Homestead’s routines at Forté.

e g sa

By Eugene Cheng

All hail Queen Bey. If there was ever anyone who doubted the star power of Beyoncé, they were definitely silenced by the surprise release of her fifth album in December of last year. The self-titled release had virtually no promotion, yet it still sold upwards of six-hundred thousand copies in three days. Sales figures like that are unheard of this day and age, save for one artist who “sold” a million copies of his album the moment it was released (Jay Z, shame on you).

Beyoncé needs no introduction. She has been the reigning queen of pop music for well over a decade, beginning her career as a member of the girl group Destiny’s Child, before emerging as one of the top-selling solo artists of all time.

Along the way, she also found time to advocate for female empowerment in her lyrics, as evidenced by her hit singles, “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)”. This new album is no exception.

Tracks such as “Pretty Hurts” and “***Flawless” are the epitome of feminism, with Beyoncé assuring listeners in the latter that she’s not “just his little wife.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie provides a break in the song with a powerful spoken word piece that further drives home Beyoncé’s message. The production on this song is distinctively trap-influenced, with hard-hitting bass and rhythmic snare drums. The instrumental, combined with Beyonce’s harsh inflection in her vocals, is capable of reverting well-educated individuals into savage animals, ignorant of all social mannerisms and taboos. And I mean that in the most flattering way possible.

The standout track on the album is “Drunk in Love”, which also has a traplike beat, and contains a rap verse from not only Jay Z, but also Beyoncé herself.

While Jay Z continues his fall into mediocrity with a forgettable verse, Beyoncé proves to be a surprisingly decent emcee. Any negative points Beyoncé accrued in regards to the ridiculousness of her lyrics (metaphorically equating riding a surfboard to riding… something else) can be rescinded by the emotion she inserts into her rapping and singing.

Again, she releases almost a growl in her vocalization when the sexual tension reaches climax, juxtaposing smoothly

with the glistening synths in the background.

Speaking of sexual tension, the abundance of that particular ambiance throughout the entire record provides a stark contrast to the mostly PG-13 content of her previous albums. In what’s probably her most sexually suggestive track, “Blow”, she cautions the listener: “This is for all the grown women out there.”

She then utilizes a fruit as a metaphor for extremely inappropriate and lewd activities. Although it would be impossible to fully explain the different aspects of the song - her cadence, the futuristic guitar riff, the beat change - without possibly violating the zero tolerance policy, it is definitely a track that successfully paints an utterly disgusting picture into one’s train of thought, albeit through addictive melodies and wonderful imagery.

Unfortunately, some songs on the album do suffer from staleness and lack of progression. “Superpower”, featuring R&B darling Frank Ocean, wanders aimlessly through its four minutes of playback, ultimately arriving at a destination with the journey unknown, because the listener probably slept through the bulk of the song. The intro song, “Pretty Hurts”, exemplifies not just stagnation but also a missing sense of originality, through its generic song format and boring instrumental.

Despite those shortcomings, Beyoncé’s newest album showcases more risk taking than usual by the pop singer, both in her lyrics and instrumentals, and as well as with her marketing strategy (or lack thereof). And those risks paid off.

The chances she took produced captivating and invigorating music; no doubt the best work in her illustrious discography.

ABOVE: The album cover is bereft of the usual glamour Beyoncé brings.

t a s g e e h t d n o y e b s e n i h s y t n u Co

By Donnie Denome

Brimming with witty dialogue and hinging on the drama of the interpersonal relations between its charmingly eccentric characters, August: Osage County is less of a movie based on a stage play and more of a stage play filmed on a movie’s set.

The film follows the Weston family after the father, Beverly (Sam Shepard), goes missing and is eventually revealed to have died. As the family gathers for his funeral and the chaotic aftermath, the themes of dealing with loss and realizing that family, despite their best efforts, will not always be enough without being too much. Unlike many such movies where the characters inevitably end up being accepted into another family (whatever that may be), the brilliance of August: Osage County lies in its characters realizing that sometimes you either have to face the world alone or deal with what you have.

Although virtually every character is played by a famed actor, the story centers around Beverly’s widow, Violet (Meryl Streep). Her antics as she slowly succumbs to mouth cancer while addicted to pain pills are part of the film’s “dark comedy.” The role is meant to be overacted and Streep does just that.

However, as Violet mellows out, she keeps up the dramatics: using an overly loud and belligerent tone despite the increasing serious atmosphere of the film.

In contrast to Violet’s shenanigans are the stories of her three daughters -- Ivy, Barbara and Karen -who keep the film grounded in sober reality. Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) is fed up with being the only one

left at home to take care of Violet. Barbara (Julia Roberts) is in the midst of a divorce and is on edge about practically everything, especially her mother’s addiction. Karen (Juliette Lewis), younger and more carefree than her sisters, desperately tries to hide her utter disdain for family events. Of the three, Lewis’s performance stands out.

While Nicholson and Roberts are by no means lacking in talent, their characters are so similar in both looks and demeanor that it is hard to tell them apart. Lewis, meanwhile, switches seamlessly between blissful ignorance and bitter realization. Rounding out the group of misfits are Violet’s sister Mattie Fae Aiken (Margo Martindale), her husband Charles (Chris Cooper), and their son, Little Charles (Benedict Cumberbatch).

The pivotal scene comes over the dinner table where character traits are less showcased and more thrown into a ring to fight each other to the death. Not one cue is missed, not one chance to overact in the name of hilarious tragedy passes up. Even as the tone shifts from previously light to grim and gritty with sparse humor, the characters are kept alive by the overall lively and believable performances of their actors.

August: Osage County is the kind of “love, loss, hope, repeat” story that everyone can connect with on some level.

It’s a tale about family but also about realizing when family will overwhelm or leave one stranded. What keeps it from being sugar sweet or intolerably boring is the witty, biting dialogue and the performances of the people who deliver it. By themselves, the performances can be overblown; however, in the context of the film, they collide perfectly to tackle the question, “Is family ever just enough?”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MATTHEW CHOW PAGE DESIGN BY MICHELLE FULLER

sports

Thursday, January 30, 2014

11

Levi’s Stadium construction nears completion

By Andrew Reyes

On Dec. 23, 2013, the San Francisco 49ers played their final game at Candlestick, a stadium with which fans have maintained a love-hate relationship for more than 40 years. And while the 2013 NFL season ended for the 49ers after a devastating loss in the NFC championship game to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Jan. 19, there’s hope for the 49ers in the future as they prepare to move into their new “home” - the nearly completed Levi’s Stadium - in Santa Clara.

“Even though I’m not a super football fan I did watch the game and was very sad that the 49ers did not win,” said Junior Andrew Osuga. “But I am very excited to the fact that the 49ers new home is in Santa Clara. It will give everyone an easier location to get to in the Bay Area.”

Construction began on the stadium on April 19, 2012, and

will open to the public on Aug. 2, 2014. While Levi’s Stadium is officially the new home of the San Francisco 49ers, events will not be limited to 49er games alone.

In fact, according to an article from the Silicon Valley Business Journal, Major League Soccer team the San Jose Earthquakes and their fans will be the ones to christen the stadium on August 2, when they take on the Seattle Sounders FC. In addition to the Earthquakes’ opening event and all of the 49ers home games, the stadium is slated to host numerous outdoor sports and entertainment events throughout the year.

According to the Levi’s Stadium website, construction on the stadium is estimated to have cost $1.2 billion dollars, with 90 percent of the cost of the stadium being financed by Stadium assets, local hotels, the 49ers and the NFL. In comparison to its predecessor, the new stadium has more

BCS insurance protects student athletes without healthcare

By Emi Kamezaki According to the California Education Code, all student athletes must have health insurance in order to participate in school-organized athletic teams.

While the requirement for all student athletes to have health insurance is logical and necessary, which helps ensure the safety of all participants, such regulations may prevent students from low-income households from participating.

As such, Homestead provides students with the option of purchasing low-cost BCS insurance, which assists students in financially restrictive positions. The plan gives students coverage against sickness and accidents for the entire school year, and although BCS does offer several plans of varying levels of coverage, the cheapest program begins at $39.

In cases in which this insurance still proves to be a financial burden, Homestead is able to cover this cost for students who qualify for the Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program. These students also qualify for financial assistance in the purchase of athletic gear.

California Ed. Code (Section 32221) requires “every member of any interscholastic athletic team, as well as those associated directly with any interscholastic team, athletic event, including song and cheerleaders, team mascots, team manager, etc. to possess accidental bodily insurance providing at least $1,500 of scheduled medical and hospital benefits.”

room for people to sit and has more bathrooms that are easily accessible around the stadium, two things that have always been a problem at large stadiums, and particularly at Candlestick Park.

Additionally, there are easier ways to get to this stadium, with access from several major freeways and expressways, as well as transit access from buses, VTA lightrail, ACE trains, and AmTrak, which was a growing problem at Candlestick.

“I have been to Candlestick Park numerous times and the parking and the traffic there is terrible,” said Senior Christopher Chao, “but now with the train leading to the Santa Clara stadium it will be an easier way to get there without having to drive.”

According to project co-director Robert Rayborn, Levi’s Stadium will be much louder than other stadiums because of the way it is designed. As Rayborn, who works for Turner/Devcon Con-

struction, told Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News in an article from Dec. 2013, the stadium was built in an oval shape so that if one side shouts, it sounds as if both sides have people who are all shouting at once. As a result, all of

the sound goes towards the field.

Now, 49er fans, who are still reeling from the loss earlier this month, have something to look forward to: the opening of a newer, louder, state-of-the-art stadium closer to home.

RENDERING COURTESY OF LEVI’S STADIUM

ABOVE: Levi’s Stadium will be used primarily by the San Francisco 49ers, but also by the San Jose Earthquakes and other entertainment events.

The Freshman transition

From middle school to high school Sports

By Camille Miller The transition from middle school to high school entails a colossal amount of change and adaptation for former eighth graders.

Aside from the higher academic demands and first-ever shaving kits, high school sports are a major point of adjustment for freshmen athletes.

Although most of these athletes have participated in sports for the majority of their lives, they are confronted with new challenges that come with being a member of a high school team. “High school athletics are more competitive and more skill-based,” said Coach Pauline Regala of the JV girl’s basketball team. “[Freshman athletes] don’t realize how much more time they’re going to have to sacrifice.”

Since physical fitness is demanded of the team, freshman players must accommodate to more rigorous hours and practices. “You have to be a lot more fit,” said senior Ben Cheng, who has played on the varsity soccer team since his freshman year. “You have to be tough mentally and physically.”

The possibility of advancing to a varsity

team is a common motivation for JV players, as well as the main source of pressure they receive from their coaches. “Training is more intense because [the coaches] are really focused on getting you to varsity level, and after that college, and possibly NBA after that,” said freshman Jacob Larry. Larry participated in basketball and track and field while attending Sunnyvale Middle School, and is currently on the JV basketball team at Homestead.

Even more challenging than the sport itself, however, is being able to balance out one’s academic, athletic, and personal lives.

Freshman Elizabeth Cook on the JV basketball team said, “It’s about being organized and planning things out ahead of time.”

Cook has played on a club basketball team since kindergarten, and even took up soccer at Cupertino Middle School. Due to her past experiences, she is well aware that every minute counts in the juggle of school and sports. “A little 30-minute increment between school and basketball can be used to finish lit homework,” she said.

As a result of the changes that freshmen undergo, their team chemistry in high school can also differ from previous experi-

ences. The JV girls’ basketball team hosts team dinners and has volunteered at elderly homes. “There’s a better bond between us.

We’re together six days a week,” Cook said.

Sophomore Karen Arias joined the JV soccer team this year in an effort to get more involved with Homestead and meet new people. Arias pointed out that teammates often separate into “cliques” based on their grade level or what club teams they have been a part of. “In middle school, we were closer,” she said.

Cheng also noted some initial difficulty with assimilating into the varsity soccer team. “It was tough as a freshman, but as I worked myself into the starting lineup, the upperclassmen players were more accepting of me,” Cheng said. “Once I showed that I could compete with them, they began to respect me a little bit more.”

Despite the challenges, freshman athletes continue to exercise and condition their passions. “They’re blowing my mind already,” Regala said. “As difficult as it was in the beginning, now that we’re in season I feel like they’re more focused and getting ready for what high school really is about.”

SPORTS Scoreboard

Men’s Soccer

Both of the men’s soccer teams have had great starts to their seasons; Varsity with a league record of 4-0-1 and the Frosh/Soph team with a 5-0-0 record in league play.

Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer teams have had a shaky start to their season, with Varsity starting with a 1-3-0 record and Junior Varsity starting their league play with a 1-4-0 record.

Women’s Basketball

The Varsity basketball team has faced a tough season, going 1-4 in league play so far. Junior Varsity, on the other hand, has excelled and sustained a league record of 4-2.

Men’s Basketball

Varisty got off to a positive start with a 9-5 overall record. They are currently 2-2 in league play. The Frosh/ Soph team also started off positive with a league record of 2-1.

INFORMATION COURTESY OF WWW.HHSATHLETICS.COM PAGE DESIGN BY MATTHEW CHOW

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Thursday, January 30, 2014

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PAGE DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY CAMILLE MILLER