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JOURNALISM
SPRING INTO THE MUSICAL Foothill and Amador High Schools present Guys and Dolls Gambling, bets, churches, and show-stopping songs: Guys and Dolls has it all. This year’s joint school production stars students from both Foothill and Amador in Tony award-winning musical Guys and Dolls. The story centers on two men and two women in the 1930s: Nathan Detroit, played by Danny Hanna (‘17) and Zac Richey (‘17), Sky Masterson, played by Arthur Hwang (‘16), Sarah Brown, played by Christina Ge (‘16) and Madelyn Bartolome (‘16, Amador), and Miss Adelaide, played by Rachel Probst (‘16) and Morgan Werder (‘16, Amador). Originally based on author Daniel Runyon’s short stories, the musical first premiered on Broadway in 1950 and won the 1951 Tony award for Best Musical, among many other awards and nominations. “We’re all really focused on making this a genuine 1930s and 1940s musical, so it’s very traditional and there’s not modern things incorporated in. There’s many different versions [of Guys and Dolls] but we’re really trying to keep it at its roots,” comments Ge. The story starts with Nathan trying to organize an illegal craps game, but he doesn’t have the money to put a down payment on a location. He approaches Sky, who is known to never turn down a bet, even an outrageous one, and bets him $1000 that he could not get a woman of Nathan’s choosing to go to Havana with him for a night. Sky takes the bet, and Nathan chooses pious and straight-laced Sarah, seemingly setting Sky up for failure. A variety of circumstances pushes forth the plot, setting the stage for an exciting, drama filled spectacle. continued on p2 “Guys and Dolls”
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MARCH 2016 Vol. 42, No. 3
MCC WEEK 2016
KAITLYN WANG editor in chief
ARTHUR HWANG editor in chief The annual Multicultural (MCC) Week was held April 29 through March 4 with both staple traditions and exciting changes. Organized by the Multicultural Club (MCC), the week strives to promote diversity, cultural awareness, and tolerance to campus. “The more we know about other people’s cultures, the easier it is to be accepting and understanding of traditions of others,” said Maegan Nalagan (‘16), President of MCC Club, highlighting her motivation for organizing the events. To start the week off, the drum line performed in the quad on Monday and tacos were sold during lunch on Tuesday’s “Food Day”. The real highlights of the week, however, were Wednesday’s World Showcase, which replaced last year’s Fashion Show, and Thursday’s Multicultural Rally, both of which featured cultural performances by Foothill clubs and students. The World Showcase featured the Foothill Jazz Combo, a K-Pop dance, Foothill Colorguard, a Korean song by Peter Kim (‘16), and a Tahitian dance by Langitau Kailahi (‘16). The Jazz Combo featured various latin bossa nova music, including “Girl from Ipanema” by Antonio Jobim. “We are representing cultures and styles all over the world with our music. Music is the true culture of the world,” said Trevor Holt (‘16), who played the drums for the Jazz Combo. Saxophonist Andy Francis (‘16) thought his performance “started off kind of rough, but band sounded good.” Peter Kim, who accompanied himself on the guitar, sang a Korean indie ballad, “Because of Different Time.” “It’s one of those songs you just connect with,” he said. The moment I
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news FHS JOURNALISM
inflight STAFF ADVISOR Mary Crawbuck
EDITORS IN CHIEF Arthur Hwang Kaitlyn Wang ONLINE EDITOR Alice Lee NEWS EDITOR Alice Lee SPORTS EDITOR Shawn Deluz OPINIONS EDITOR Michael Jurich FEATURES EDITORS Sofia Barrera PHOTO EDITOR Frances Tang ARTS&ENT EDITOR Matt Lim BUSINESS MANAGER Michael Jurich DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Tony Italiano STAFF REPORTERS Shelby Cabral Michelle Chang Megan Do Ashley Duarte Gabriele Finley Maximilian Lurye Yasmine Nickle Karen Pham Aidan Ross Liliana Tierney •••
CONTACT US FHS Inflight News inflighteditor@gmail.com 4375 FOOTHILL ROAD, PLEASANTON, CA 94588 (Room D-12) Foothill Journalism gives a voice to the Foothill High School student body as its core purpose. We aim to serve as an open forum where we positively connect our fellow students with issues important to the school community. Every journalist is dedicated to fulfill our foremost promise: to provide content of the highest integrity and quality with a professional approach to journalism and publishing. If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in Inflight, please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of Inflight and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy. The Inflight editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertising policy.
Guys and Dolls The two schools hold nothing back in their presentation of the daring musical. “I think you’d be pretty surprised. It involves gambling, there’s a fight scene, there’s a gentleman’s club,” Ge laughs as she recounts some scenes. The audition process, which began in December, was long and grueling. It comes in a few parts: first, there’s a vocal audition in front of a panel of judges, and then a dance audition. After the first round, callbacks are posted and students go in for their final voice callback and acting callback. “It’s really fun, I get to see them as a different character. It’s a big puzzle, trying to put everything together,” says Brooke Steele, Foothill choir director and the vocal director of the musical. Once the cast is chosen, rehearsals begin. From January all the way to March, the cast meets after school to practice lines, songs, and dance sequences. The two casts (Guys cast and Dolls cast) will switch off performances, with the Guys cast taking opening night and March 19, as well as the matinee performance on March 17. The Dolls cast will take March 12 and 18, as well as closing night, March 20.
Hold Still for Nina LaCour Author Nina LaCour visits Foothill on March 10th. YASMINE NICKLE staff reporter Nina LaCour, author of YA novel Hold Still visited Foothill High School on March 10th to speak to students. LaCour spoke during three periods to many classes, answering questions about her novels, writing and herself. Hold Still is LaCour’s debut novel and deals with loss of a girl’s best friend to suicide. After Ingrid commits suicide, her best friend, Caitlin is left alone, confused and trying to find answers. Caitlin discovers the journal Ingrid left behind for her and reads it, starting to understand more about Ingrid’s unexpected death. Ingrid’s passing leads Caitlin to her first love and new unexpected friendship. Nina LaCour grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, in a small town and currently lives in Oakland with her wife and daughter. LaCour used to teach English at an independent High School, and has written many other novels such as Everything Leads to You, The Disenchantments, and several others coming out next year. LaCour encourages students to “seek out and make something”, whether it be for yourself or for others. Her writing is her art, LaCour states that it “was about taking memories, feelings and making them something I can be proud of ”. Whether it be a pen and paper, canvas, hammer, video camera, guitar… make something. LaCour recently finished turning her novel Hold Still into a movie, “we pulled it off and learned when we went”, LaCour says, “it all happened very very quickly”. After raising enough money on Kickstarter, they turned the novel into a reality. It has just finished being edited and color corrected and hopefully will enter the film festival world this year. She reassures that she “want(s) to make it where anyone can view it” and to us to keep an eye on her website. There are several copies of her novels in the library available for check out if you’re interested in reading them. LaCours visit was one of many author visits to come to Foothill. So if you missed out on it, don’t worry there are many more to come. LaCour reminds us to “be true to yourself and not try to please other people”.
Photo courtesy: Yasmine Nickle
news The Disappearance of Math V
KAREN PHAM staff reporter
In the 2016-2017 school year, Math V will no longer be at Foothill.
and will maintain its usual difficulty. Dixon continues to explain about the aftereffects of removing Math V, “ While there may be 30-40 students affected by the elimination of Math V next year, the number affected will be less and less each year because there are fewer students completing Algebra I in middle school which means there will be fewer students entering Math III during their sophomore year.” According to Dixon, an additional benefit of this change is that this will allow middle school students to have a stronger base in Pre-Algebra which results in a more successful math learning experience in high school. Left: Foothill’s currently available math pathways, which are set to change next school year. Bottom: Current pre-calculus textbook
Math V will no longer be offered as a course at Foothill beginning the 2016-2017 school year. AP Calculus BC, Multivariable Calculus, and PreCalculus teacher Burt Dixon explains, “Regular Precalculus and Math V were becoming practically the same course, so it seemed redundant to offer both. This will look better in the colleges eyes because they understand what Precalculus means but likely do not understand the content of Math V (even though they were basically the same).” Dixon adds that due to Math V being removed, the District is planning to make Pre-Calculus easier to ac-
commodate the students that were planning to take Math V. However, the new Pre-Calculus class will be slightly more difficult than Math V. Future Pre-Calculus students are glad to hear the news, like Jessica Danckert (‘18) “I’m kind of glad that they’re going to make next year’s Pre-Calculus class a little bit easier.” These changes will be better for students both in their college applications and is encouraging students who plan to take AP Calculus AB or BC to take Honors Pre Calculus. However, Honors Pre Calculus class will not change
Pleasanton’s Purple Pipes
The city of Pleasanton is undergoing the construction of unique recycled water pipes, designated a purple color, in order to help cut back on use of non-recycled water and help assuage the effects of the drought. According to the City Pleasanton’s website, the use of these so-called “purple pipes” is expected to save around a total of 10% in potable water in the longterm, and they will be pumping to the Hacienda Business Park, Ken Mercer Sports Park, and the Tennis and Community Park. Normally, a project like this would cost such a large sum of money that the project would be rendered economically irresponsible. However, the state has been providing the incentive of low-interest loans to local governments and agencies, with the hopes of encouraging the use of recycled water. These loans run up to a billion dollars. Making use of that and similar programs, the city of Pleasanton has ANTONY ITALIANO distribution manager
received $17,000,000 in low-interest loans and incentive grants to develop the infrastructure and pump recycled water to the city’s highest consumers. That’s twelve million dollars in low-interest loans and a five million dollar grant. Some individuals may be wondering why they chose the color purple to label this new water system. The City of Pleasanton’s website expands on this as well. Interestingly enough, the designer of the pipes for the purple pipes project was colorblind, and this specific color of purple, now known as “Irvine purple”, was a shade this engineer could see. Coupled with the fact that a veritable artist’s palette of colors was taken -blue for potable water, green for sewers, yellow for flammable substances such as oil, orange for telecommunications, red for power lines, and white to be used as a marker for future constructionthe decision was clear. Hopefully, this small change can have a large impact in our local area’s water consumption, setting the stage for the rest of the state to follow suit.
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arts & entertainment
And the winner is... 2016 AWARDS SEASON
FRANCES TANG media editor Every year from January to March, the biggest stars of Hollywood step into their extravagant gowns and tuxes and attend award show after award show Here’s a wrap-up of the 2016 awards season.
The People’s Choice Awards (January 6th) The People’s Choice Awards honors fan favorite movies, TV shows, video games, and social media. As the name in entails, fans vote the actors, movies, and games that are nominated. The ceremony was held on January 6 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Favorite TV Show: Big Bang Theory Favorite Movie: Furious 7 Favorite Song: “What Do You Mean” Justin Bieber Favorite Video Game: Super Smash Bros. Favorite Social Media Star: Matt Bellassai
BAFTA Film Awards (February 14th) The British Academy Film Awards honors the best British and international contributions to film in 2015. The ceremony was held on February 14 at the Royal Opera House in London. Best Film: The Revenant Rising Star: John Boyega Best Actress in a Leading Role: Brie Larson (Room) Best Actor in a Leading Role: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
The Academy Awards (February 28th) The Academy Awards is hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. This year the lack of diversity among the nominees causes a large amount of backlash, spurring the Academy to take action to increase diversity. Rebecca Deckinger (‘16) says, “I think it is an important topic that needs to be addressed.” According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, plans are made to change voting system in the future. Best Picture: Spotlight Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) Best Actress: Brie Larson (Room) Best Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant)
Golden Globes (January 10th) The Golden Globes recognizes excellence in both film and television, domestic and foreign. Members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association choose nominees and winners. The ceremony was held on January 10. Best Motion Picture-Drama: The Revenant Best Motion Picture- Comedy: The Martian Best Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama: Brie Larson (Room) Best Actor in a Motion Picture- Drama: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) Best Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy: Jennifer Lawrence (Joy) Best Actor in a Motion Picture-Comedy: Matt Damon (The Martian) Best TV Series- Drama: Mr. Robot Best TV Series-Comedy: Mozart in the Jungle Best Actor in a TV Series -Drama: Jon Hamm (Mad Men) Best Actress in a TV Series- Drama: Taraji Henson (Empire) Best Actor in a TV Series- Comedy: Gael Garcia Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle) Best Actress in a TV Series- Comedy: Rachel Bloom (Crazy-Ex Girlfriend)
Grammy Awards (February 15th) The Grammy Awards recognizes the best recordings, artists, and songs of the year. The ceremony was held on February 15, 2016 and featured performances by Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, and Adele. Album of the Year: 1989 (Taylor Swift) Song of the Year: Thinking Out Loud (Ed Sheeran) Record of the Year: Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson)
features
A NEW VICE PRINCIPAL MATT LIM arts & entertainment editor
A new face has been patrolling the school during lunch -- meet Josh Butterfield, the new vice principal of Foothill. Some students will recognize him as the Foothill Band Director. Butterfield recently took the place of former Vice Principal Ryan Templeman, who left on a leave of absence at the beginning of second semester It has been quite a journey for Butterfield. As a Foothill alumnus, he had wanted to be a music teacher ever since he was in middle school. “When I got the chance to take a job as a music teacher at my old school, it was like a dream come true,” he said. After eight years of running the band program, this year he was given the opportunity to be a Vice Principal at Pleasanton Middle School in October -- his first experience as an administrator. From October to February, he taught the A Period Wind Ensemble in the mornings at Foothill and afterward went to PMS to take on his Vice Principal duties. When Butterfield got the call from Principal Jason Krolikowski asking if he would fill in for Templeman, it was a tough decision.
“As someone who had always wanted to be a band director, it was hard to step away from teaching music here,” said Butterfield with a smile. Changing jobs from music teacher to administrator wasn’t as difficult as one may think, however. “The transition itself, you might think it’s kind of weird, but managing the band program has a lot of the similarities to being a vice principal: dealing with parent contact, dealing with students,” he said. Students were sad and disappointed to see him go. “Butterfield is an amazing director and I’m sad to see him go,” says Johnny Wang (‘17). “We shared a lot of memories together in a lot of band competitions.” Erik Nishimori has filled in for the Wind Ensemble class, who has worked with Butterfield for six years. Meanwhile, Lydia Lim has taken over Nishimori’s old job as the Orchestra teacher. The pair will continue to oversee the band program.
fun in the sun Foothill students prepare plans for spring break, April 4-8.
ASHLEY DUARTE staff reporter
High school students are always looking for new ways to spend their spring break, but most don’t really know what to do. There are plenty of exciting, relaxing and just plain fun things to do over the week. Some people go on vacations with, or to see, their family or friends that they haven’t seen in a while, Anna Sullivan (‘18) says, “I’m going to Colorado to visit my mom.” Another popular choice is to carpool with a bunch of friends and drive to the nearest beaches; the most popular being Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay and Capitola. Courtney Hartjoy (‘17) enjoys spicing things up with a trip to the Delta-a boating marina and river, practicing for track, and tanning with friends!
Roadtrips are a big hit among the students at foothill so, if you’re planning on it, get those tanks filled up! Adarsh Ravikumar (‘18) likes the idea of road trips with friends but claims, “As a school, they should have one of those lock in events that have been done on TV”. This has been seen in many shows, such as the ABC family hit Pretty Little Liars and a wilderness retreat in the drama Switched at Birth. Hartjoy agrees and suggests events like volleyball tournaments or easter egg hunts, “Just group activities that vary by class” she says. Although everyone likes to venture out on their time off, relaxing and taking some personal time is often the most important activity on everyone’s agenda.
Gali Hoffman (‘19) plans to “Hang out with [her] friends, swim a lot and sleep!”. While these plans sound very relaxing, Hoffman says, “Pleasanton should have a cool downtown event for the young people. Maybe an art festival or a fun run.” It may not be a festival, but every Saturday downtown, Pleasanton holds a local farmers market in which you can chat with vendors and other residents while enjoying fresh delicacies. Cities near Pleasanton offer activities much like the Color Run in San Jose. It sounds like this spring break will be fun for everyone, between all the activities that keep students occupied and rejuvinating themselves with a lot of rest to tackle the rest of the school year.
MCC WEEK 2016
heard it I was like, wow it’s a good song. That’s why I chose it.” “It’s a little bittersweet because it’s my last MCC performance as a senior,” said Langitau Kailahi, who also performed the Tahitian dance last year. In addition to the performances, students watched Buzzfeed videos of various travel destinations and wedding dress fashion around the world. Another new addition were multi-colored graphical backdrops for each act that were displayed on 3 screens. “We took away fashion aspect to focus on the music acts and performances, and we made up for it with the videos,” explained Nina Menon (‘16), Vice President of MCC, about the changes. On Thursday, the annual MCC Rally featured a bagpipe performance, a rendition of “Papaoutai” by Foothill’s Chamber Choir, Bhangra dance, Kung Fu demonstration, Spanish dance, Chinese Yo-yo, Korean fan dance, hip hop and African dance by Black Student Union, and tinikling, a traditional Filipino bamboo-stick dance. “I’d probably say the [Chinese] yo-yo club is always pretty active and definitely gets the crowd going so I would say it’s my favorite part,” said Troy Bachand (‘16). “Different students dancing for different culture...I think it brings students together,” added Jinna Yang (‘16). Each group who performed spent a lot of time preparing their acts through many challenges. “We practiced 4 weekends—2 hours on weekends—and every day at lunch and after school leading up to the rally,”
said Mikai Lewis (‘16), president of Black Student Union, who led the organizing of their dance. Arman Omid (‘16), who performed in the Spanish dance, said, “We worked for 4 weeks, almost everyday after school, but it was fun.” “We’ve been preparing since December and we spent a lot of time making the music and working with everyone to make sure the dance looks great,” said Matt Villena (‘16), one of the organizers of the tinikling dance. One main challenge for him was trying to get everyone together because since last year, the number of performers more than doubled. Despite the hard work and challenges, many performers had compelling motivations for performing. Annie Nguyen (‘16), who performed in tinikling, said, “It always seemed really challenging, but I wanted to try it out.” “I joined tinikling because it’s been one of favorite performances over the past few years and since it’s my senior year, I just wanted to be more involved,” added Sophia Brown (‘16). One dance move she had to practice to perfect was dancing blindfolded. “It was a little scary, but you just have to learn your steps and it’s really up to the pounders to not get in your way,” Brown said. Areeb Yaqub, a Foothill alum who graduated last year, came back to perform with the Chinese yo-yo club, to the surprise of some in the crowd. “I came back because I wanted to see how the legacy of
MCC would continue. Good job Falcons, you’re keeping up the legacy,” he congratulated. For the Black Student Union, their motivation was to spread the message of cultural and societal awareness. “We wanted to pay homage to our roots and also show that hip-hop is something that we created as Black people within America and that it’s something we’re really proud of,” Lewis explained of the symbolism behind their African traditional dance and hip-hop routine that included the NWA song, “F*** the Police.” “We [wanted to] show what’s been happening within our society especially with police brutality and show that it’s an issue that needs to be addressed,” she said. “A lot of teachers were crying and two teachers came up to me to say it touched their heart.” On Friday, students did a “Mirrors and Windows” activity in which they watched a video and reflected upon the week and about diversity. For the Multicultural Club, the week was a culmination of a long process that required hard work and overcoming obstacles. The club of approximately eighteen members and teacher adviser Michelle Garlit planned this week since the beginning of the year. “We have gained a better understanding of world traditions and have come to appreciate people of all walks of life,” reflected Maegan Nalagan, regarding her experience organizing the week this year. “It’s completely worth it to see how beautiful different cultures from around the world celebrate life,” she said.
arts & entertainment
Spring Fashion Essentials: LILIANA TIERNEY staff reporter
Looking Cool When It’s Warm
When the seasons begin to change the weather can be a bit unpredictable. It can be sunny and breezy one day, but cloudy and rainy the next. In every wardrobe there are items that you wear frequently during certain seasons, these are called wardrobe staples or essentials. Let’s look at several different staples that everyone should have in their closets for a lovely and long awaited Spring revival. Whether the weather is warm or breezy, if you have these staples in your closet you’ll be set for the season.
1) Floral Dress Bright spring days deserve bright spring dresses to match, with flowers blooming on you just as much as in nature. Pair it with a denim jacket if it’s a bit chilly, and top it off with sneakers or wedges.
2) Denim Jacket A good denim jacket is a versatile piece in any wardrobe and adds a classic but worn element to any outfit. It’s a perfect casual top layer. Pair it with a graphic tee and jeans, or a circle skirt and crop top, or a floral dress.
3) Cropped Jeans Cropped jeans add sophistication and shape to a look, plus they can be very comfy too. You can dress them up, or dress them down for an easily versatile look. Pair them with a floral blouse or tee shirt for a more casual look. If you’re looking to dress them up add a blazer and a loose blouse.
4) White Sneakers Get your “Damn Daniel!” on with some white sneakers this spring. The thing about white shoes is that they go with anything and everything. Though they can be difficult to keep clean, they can be combined with other staples as well. Pair them with a floral dress, shorts and a tee, or cropped jeans.
The 8th Harry Potter: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child AIDAN ROSS staff reporter It’s official, the eighth Potter story is being released as a theatre play, this summer. Pottermore, the official website of world famous author J.K Rowling, has announced the release of the eighth Harry Potter story, which will take the form of a play set 19 years after the events of the previous books. The play’s script will be released in book form at the same time as the premiere of the play itself, with actor Jamie Parker starring as Potter, in the summer of this year. Pottermore has also hinted at the overall storyline; fans can look forward to seeing the Harry they know and love as a now overworked Ministry of Magic employee and father of three, Harry’s youngest son, Albus, presumably the cursed child, Will be ‘struggling with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted,’ and ‘as past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn that sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.’ The play debuts in London’s West End this summer, with the roles of Hermione, Harry, and Ron already announced. Actor Jamie parker will be taking on the role of Harry, Noma Dumezweni that of Hermione, and Paul
Thornley will be Ron with further casting yet to be revealed. Those of us who won’t be able to make it all the way to London in time to see the play will be setting our sights on the script book, which is available for preorder at various places, listed on the Pottermore website, with ebooks and hardcopies both selling for the modest price of around 10 dollars, which will get you the scripts of Books I and II. Both print and electronic copies will publish simultaneously at midnight GMT (4 pm pacific standard) on Sunday July 31st, after the play’s world premiere in London’s West End. The book will reflect the script at the time of the plays preview performance.
news & opinions
TRUMP OR TRUMPED MICHAEL JURICH & ASHLEY JOHNSON
opinions editor & staff reporter
Despite being bashed constantly in the media, Donald Trump is a very reasonable candidate and should be taken more seriously. Donald has a very good history of taking companies and businesses and making them extremely profitable. This is one of his best attributes as a potential president. Trump, being the businessman that he is, could take us out of the 19 million dollars worth of debt that we have accumulated. This is something that past presidents haven’t been able to do, so he might be the first. Another negative that people see is his up front and blatant personality, which many have questioned him on. I think this is a good thing. If he comes into power, Trump will say what he means, and let the nation know exactly what is going on. Isn’t that what everyone wants? Some of our most respected presidents were highly sought after for their honesty, look at Honest Abe Lincoln for example. Trump may bring back a sense of connection with
the population that hasn’t happened been established since Franklin D. Roosevelt with his fireside chats. Whilst investigating I tried to get quotes from any of the student body yet all of them dislike or even flat out hates Trump. They had nothing nice to say. Lucky for Trump, his campaign has been filled with publicity, it may not be positive towards his push at the oval office, but any publicity is good publicity. People have been non-stop slashing out against his radical ideas and egotistical attitude, but haven’t asked “Is he really not fit to be president?”. I think he just might be. For decades, our government has been run by politicians, a group of people that have been criticized for twisting and manipulating the nation. Trump is a man who can get things done, effectively and without manipulation. Despite his rough
personality I think he is a person people can rally behind and that can hopefully lead our nation into a new age of prosperity. Despite this being my opinion, many others have given me theirs as well. Senior Bryce Fan (‘16) says because of his stance as a “Pragmatic liberal” he supports Hillary. “ I like Bernie’s personality, more than Hillary” he says “but I think she is more fit for the position”. As of today, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton lead their respective parties. It remains to be seen who will win their parties’ election but we do know one thing, it will be a long twisty ride until the end.
The Drama Over Dresses SOFIA BARRERA features editor The Prom and Ball Facebook pages are the talk of the school for the female student body during the spring season, and this year is no different. Every year beginning around January (note: 4 months before prom!), the pages are created by either a class officer or someone in leadership. Through a rapid process of spreading the invitations to join the page, the entire class gets access to them within three to four days maximum. Once students begin posting pictures of their dresses on these pages, the Foothill prom season has begun. Along with all the excitement, the true purpose of the pages is brought into question every year. On the surface, many students believe the pages’ purpose is innocent. “The pages is a way for our class to get excited for Prom,” Tessa Vlacos (‘17) comments on the Junior Prom Page. However, there seems to be a secret understanding within the members that the real purpose is to claim a dress. “I think everyone just wants to feel individual on Prom night and have their own look” notes Samantha Brewster (‘16). Once the first post is made, the pressure to be unique creates a negative environment. “It’s definitely a cause of stress among those who haven’t began looking [for] or even thinking about [buying a dress]” Vlacos comments. In fact, the race to find a unique dress becomes so competitive that a large number of the posts made are of dresses that students are thinking of getting, created to ensure that even that student’s backup dress options are safe from being taken. The amount of competition created by these pages
in past years has often resulted in conflict between students who have bought the same dress or even those whose dresses appear too similar. Nikita Jain (‘17) is one of many who like to remain out of the drama and look at the pages in a more positive light. “[Honestly], I just like to see what others will be wearing… [I mean], who doesn’t like [scrolling through] pretty dresses?” she commented. But in the true spirit of the prom season, she added, “ I think there are plenty of dresses in
the world and you should just get the one you like best!” Ultimately, everyone has a choice whether to participate in these pages or not; but no matter what dress anyone wears, Prom and Ball will be extremely fun and memorable nights!
news Stay Informed: The Zika Virus MAXIMILIAN LURYE staff reporter
Media sources and health organizations all over the world have been warning people about the latest outbreak of Zika virus, yet the vast majority of people are uneducated as to what it is. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Zika virus is a very mild disease in most cases, with symptoms such as minor rashes or fevers. Commonly spread by mosquitoes this disease usually stays in tropical areas, or transfers with very minor consequences, as the disease can be worked through by one’s immune system with little effort. However, recent cases have been correlated with a series of dangerous side effects. The World Health Organization has reported that pregnant women infected with the disease are at a very serious risk of miscarriage or birth defects such as Microcephaly. Microcephaly is the term for when a baby’s brain fails to develop properly, resulting in mental disability and smaller skulls. Pregnant women are advised to stay away from areas infected with Zika, and seek medical advice if they are at risk of infection.
The first cases originated in South America in countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and at least 10 others. Cases have been reported in various states across the U.S., with one individual in the Yolo county of Southern California testing positive for the Zika virus, but they are not pregnant, and only have a very mild case, so they aren’t being put under any restrictions. The disease has been observed by epidemiologists but was largely ignored due to its lack of dangerous effects, and was very low priority until recently. According to the WHO attempts are being made to find the link between Zika and these birth defects. Currently it is unknown if they are caused by the virus, or if there is an alternate source for them. The most at risk groups are pregnant women, or women planning on having children. To keep the spread of this virus and its consequences to a minimum everyone who visits an area with reported Zika virus outbreaks should be tested as soon as possible. To students who are planning on, or have recently travelled, keep an eye out for The CDC’s response to zika. Find out more at cdc.gov/zika. any symptoms or individuals at risk!
North Korea vs. The World ALAN LIU staff reporter
Tension rises as sources leak more information about North Korea’s recent satellite launch and possible strikes in the near future. On February 7, North Korea launched a satellite into space, causing wide-ranging speculations about the launch and its purposes. US defense officials believe that the satellite can be used to conduct surveillance on countries, especially the US and South Korea, the two main enemies of North Korea. The satellite launch was immediately condemned by the United States as “destabilizing and provocative.” North Korea claimed that the satellite was designed for research and “peaceful” purposes, and that nations should not be alarmed. But bordering countries like Japan and South Korea viewed it as a “front for a ballistic missile test,” according to CNN. Other US allies also called it a “challenge to world peace.” US scientists have also pointed out that the satellite is constantly “tumbling” in orbit, and that North Korea has no incentive of surveillance, but longrange missile capabilities. Recently, South Korea’s spy agency claimed that they have discovered North Korea’s plan to conduct a terror attack to harm anti-North Korean activists. The two nations stopped all attempts of corporations and any forms of communications with each other after this claim. On the same day, President Obama signed new sanctions on North Korea into laws on February 24. CNN states that “the measure is meant to compel American allies to enact similarly tough restrictions on North Korea as a way to further isolate the country, which conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and recently launched a satellite into space.” The US has also sent advanced fighter jets to South Korea as a show of force after the satellite launch. The mission is to “demonstrate the strength of the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea, and the resolve of both nations to maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula,” as stated by Lt. Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy. Although many people are fearful of a nuclear war, some doubt that North Koreans are daring enough to start World War III. Freshman Varun Rao (’19) believes that Dictator Kim Jong Un is “not really [a threat], he isn’t going to get far with this [nuclear] program before running out of money.” On February 25, China and the US finished a new U.N. Security Council draft resolution that punishes the hermit state of North Korea, ac-
cording to CNN. The full text of the draft will be available in a few days. On March 3, North Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the Sea of Japan, “just hours after the United Nations sweeping new sanctions against Kim Jong Un’s regime as punishment for its recent nuclear test and rocket launch” according to Washington Post. This is most likely in response to the tough sanctions that ban trading, selling and buying anything from North Korea. Also, all shipments going to North Korea must pass inspections. Since North Korea now possesses powerful nuclear weapons and possibly has access to hydrogen bombs, stress and fear will rise in many countries as they plan out their next move to avoid a devastating and costly war with North Korea.
North and South Korea.
sports
Winter Sports Wrap-Up
Falcon athletes end winter season with a bang As spring sports begin, it’s time to wrap-up all of Foothill’s winter sports successes. Both boys and girls varsity soccer teams had very successful seasons. Both teams ended the season with winning records. Girls varsity ended the season with a record of 12-9-2. “I loved playing high school soccer this year with such strong teammates. We grew a strong connection throughout the season that helped us to play better throughout. And we beat Amador which was fun too!” stated Sarah Mirr (‘18). Boys varsity soccer played great all year and finished with a record of 12-7-6. Even though the girls and boys teams lost in the first round of playoffs, it was still a very successful year for both teams. All in all, Foothill soccer demonstrated great success this season and will look to carry it on next year. The Falcons basketball teams played great this season as well. The boys varsity basketball team finished with an impressive season. Despite being the first year with a new coach, the team made Foothill history by winning an incredible twenty games this season. “This season The Foothill girls’ basketball team on their February 29th game against Cal High. Photo courtesy: Shawn DeLuz
SHAWN DELUZ sports editor
was great because we won twenty games for the first in about a decade,” Sam Novitske (‘18) added. The girls basketball team was also exciting all year. After maintaining a winning record in their season, they advanced to NCS playoffs. In their round one playoff game they defeated California 42-35, advancing them to the second round. They did suffer a loss against Castro Valley in round two, nonetheless their all around season was extremely impressive. The Foothill wrestling team had a great season. They finished well in their many of their competitions, including many individual successes by our Falcon competitors. The varsity cheer team also won multiple competitions. They once again proved that they are one of the best cheer teams in California by being named Division Champions at the California Open. The best part of all of the winter sports is that all of the varsity soccer and basketball teams won their games against Amador. Once again the Falcons proved that we are the best high school in Pleasanton.
Setting the Bar One Gold Medal at a Time MICHELLE CHANG staff reporter 15-year old Chloe Kim made snowboarding history on February 6, 2016 at the U.S. Grand Prix in Park City, Utah. On the bright, sunny day, she scored high on her first two rounds. To continue her winning streak, she pulled off something no woman in the history of snowboarding has ever done before: back-to-back 1080s. Kim had already been a woman of firsts. She was the first athlete under the age of sixteen to win two X Games gold medals, and now she is the first woman to land back-to-back 1080s.
The amazing feat that marked her name down in snowboarding history won her a perfect score of 100 from the judges. In an interview with Alyssa Roenigk, a writer for ESPN The Magazine, she was asked when she decided to attempt the back-to-back 1080 run. Kim replied, “That day. My 720s were easy and smooth and big, so I thought, “Let’s just send one.” Though Kim is happy with her 1080s, she declared that she didn’t deserve the perfect score. “Honestly, the 100 didn’t mean that much because I know my run wasn’t a 100. Let’s be honest. I only had four hits...Four hits is unacceptable.”
Her statement shows how she values both her successes and her mistakes. Kim continued to try her best in winning, and won the women’s halfpipe gold medal at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Oslo, Norway on February 14. Although she is only 15, she has set serious goals in front of her and has a bright future ahead. She will be participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Chloe Kim on her snowboard. Photo credit: USA Today.
Spring Sports: Full Speed Ahead
Foothill’s athletes are looking forward to the new season According to Nicole Craven (‘17), “everyone [on the softball team] is constantly cheering everyone else on and when you make a mistake, you Spring sports are upon us, and many Foothill know that you are not the only one.” athletes are excited and can’t wait to experience The much anticipated season of spring sports their favorite parts of their sport and team. is finally here, and athletes and students could not Foothill’s spring sports are baseball, softball, be more excited. boys golf, lacrosse, swimming and diving, boys tennis, track and field, boys volleyball. “My favorite part of my sport is the motivation that my teammates provide for me,” said Lauren Jepson (‘16), a member of Foothill’s track and field team. While winning and being the best is the goal for every sports team, some athletes, like Neeral Desai (‘18), a member of the boys volleyball team, like “getting to meet new people.” Foothill has many successful sports teams, and one of the reasons for their success is team chemistry. GABRIELE FINLEY staff reporter
Photo Courtesy: Gabriele Finley
arts & entertainment
Mr. Foothill 2016
Inflight Presents
FOOD CORNER
Located on the corner of Pleasanton Gateway, Corner Bakery Cafe offers casual, low cost dining. A variety of soups, salad, sandwiches, and pasta are offered for under ten dollars. The pesto cavatappi includes grilled chicken and cavatappi pasta in a pesto cream sauce. If you’re looking for a vegetarian option try the California grille, which is a mixture of grilled zucchini, artichoke hearts, roasted tomatoes and pesto with spinach and provolone. Many of the meals here are under 600 calories, and they allow you to mix and match dishes to create a combo meal. A wide range of baked goods such as cookies, hand pies, and bundt cakes are also for sale. I ordered the chicken carbonara which consists of applewood smoked bacon, spring peas, and linguine in a creamy sauce. The portion size for the pasta was enough however, to my disappointment I hardly received any chicken. Nevertheless, the garlic bread served with each plate of pasta was perfectly toasted. This cafe style restaurant allows customers to order from the menu board and have their food delivered to the table. The dining area is also very spacious and Wi-Fi is free, allowing large groups to meet. Its casual atmosphere allows a family friendly setting where everyone can simply eat and enjoy each others’ company. Corner Bakery is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Corner Bakery & Yojimbo
MEGAN DO staff reporter
Often deemed a hole in the wall, Yojimbo features an assortment of sushi, ramen, and bento boxes. If you’re willing to make the drive to Alameda, rolls here range from seven to twenty dollars, but most are twelve dollars. They offer well known rolls such as the rainbow, dragon, and caterpillar roll. In addition, they also have special rolls such as the “Sobber” roll, which includes a whole barbequed eel over tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, and crab meat. There’s also the leftover roll, which is a mystery roll picked by the chef. If you’re feeling famished you might want to try one of their bento boxes. The portions are huge and could easily be split between two or three people. Options include chicken teriyaki, salmon shioyaki, tempura, and sashimi. Each box also includes a garden salad, white rice, and miso soup. If you order a bento box, you’re sure to have leftovers for the next day. One other unique aspect of this restaurant is the decor. The walls are filled with large anime paintings and artwork. Figurines are also on display in various shelves. Anime movies are also played while you eat to compliment the atmosphere. However, the space is a bit cramped and has low ceilings. In addition, the staff are very accommodating and friendly. If you’re looking for large portions for a reasonable price, Yojimbo opens from 11 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Friday.