The Talon | Issue 1 | September 29, 2015

Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA ■ SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 ■ Volume XXXI, Issue 1

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lahstalon.org

SPECIAL FEATURE

Alta Vista: a nurturing community

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

STATE

Reserve limit bill stalls in senate KEVIN YEN

Senior Writer

DISTRICT IMPLEMENTS NEW P.E. POLICY

Freshmen playing an after-school sport can be exempt from P.E. during their sports season. Read about the logistics and opposing perspectives on the policy.

News, 2

Trump: the one-of-akind candidate Read an opinion on how the media buzz surrounding Donald Trump’s campaign has led to his propulsion in the polls. Opinions, 7

Hallo, bonjour!

The school welcomes several foreign students every year, both temporarily and permanently. Learn about the stories of two such individuals. Features, 9

School welcomes new college coordinator Warm and friendly, Andrea Gorman is a new addition to the school staff. Read about her personal college experience and work history in the MVLA district.

Features, 12

“Espress-o” yourself The Talon takes an in-depth look at gourmet coffee: the culture and history of gourmet coffee and some local shops for you to enjoy.

Entertainment, 16

Rock Climbing Club reaches new heights

This growing club attempts to increase activity and participation in a very strenuous, yet rewarding sport.

Sports, 18

UPCOMING EVENTS October 1 @ 6 p.m.

Private College/CSU Application Night October 5-9

PHOTOS BY GINA KERMODE AND CARL FAUST

Clockwise from left: Alta Vista High School students (left to right) Alejandro Benavidez, Zitlaly Ramirez and Juan Carbajal smile for a group photo. A chicken peeks out from the chicken coop created by the construction trades class. A student holds a hamster, one of the many pets that Alta Vista students care for. AVHS provides a personalized curriculum tailored to each student’s needs.

ALEX WONG Staff Writer

A

lta Vista High School, like many continuation schools, is often stigmatized as a place for struggling students. Yet the secluded mini-campus behind the district office has grown to nurture a small and eclectic population of 146 students. The school’s highly personalized culture has allowed students to feel comfortable and thrive in a tightly knit community.

“A lot of what we hear from the traditional students who request to come over is that there’s a sense of competition, of high levels of stress amongst students,” AVHS Princi-

pal Bill Pierce said. “There isn’t that kind of sense here, it’s a much more mellow setting. [It’s] really peaceful, really quiet, we don’t have a lot of discipline issues, which is a big thing people always think about continuation school.”

Set up as alternatives to the traditional high schools, continuation schools were created to provide another route for students who are at risk of not graduating. Many of these students must balance full-time work schedules with school, while others may not have the resources they need to succeed at a traditional, more rigidly structured school. Generally, continuation schools help students by speeding up the credit ac-

ADULT EDUCATION

Adult Ed receives $3.2 million in state funding AVI VARGHESE Staff Writer

On June 6, 2015, California State Governor Jerry Brown approved Senate Bill 104, allocating a block grant of $500 million to school and community college districts across the state. Funding from the bill will provide nearly $3.2 million to the Mountain View-Los Altos District’s Adult Education program this year.

The Adult Education program provides sevices to more than 4,500 adults and teenagers in the area. It includes English as a Second Language (ESL), as

well as a primary education program that focuses on General Educational Development (GED) test preparation and High School Diploma courses.

The program also includes Career Technical Education (CTE), which allows students to earn credentials in healthcare, finance, business and IT jobs by taking a course that lasts 9 to 12 weeks.

In addition to these core services, the Adult Education program organizes community interest programs that range from Arts and Crafts to Physical Fitness.

“Adult” continues on page 4

Homecoming Week October 14

PSAT for Sophomores & Juniors October 19-21

STEM Week

October 22-23

Parent Teacher Confererences October 24 @ 11 a.m.

Eagle THON Dance Marathon

News Editorial Opinions

2 5 6

Features 9, 12 In-Depth 10 Entertainment 14 Sports 18

MICHAEL SIEFFERT

An MVLA Adult Education student practices taking the blood pressure of the instructor in a Certified Nursing Assistant course. The Adult Education program recently received $3.2 million in additional annual funding.

cretion process and allowing for more flexible schedules.

While credit deficiency and attendance issues are the most common reasons for students to transition to AVHS, the school has also been accruing a larger number of self-referrals, where students choose to transition from Mountain View or Los Altos High School into AVHS. “We have a growing number of students who are self-referrals, who say, ‘You know what, traditional schools are just not a good fit for me,’” Pierce said. “They need a smaller setting, a more personalized educational experience.”

“Alta Vista” continues on page 13

On Friday, September 11, Senate Bill (SB) 799 failed to make it out of committee, ensuring that it will stay in limbo until the legislative cycle starts next January. The bill was introduced in March of this year by a bipartisan group of lawmakers intending to amend SB 858.

SB 858 was passed in 2014 and mandated that California public school district reserves will eventually be limited to 6 percent of their budget if a series of requirements is met. The Legislative Analyst Office estimates this will not occur for at least three years.

If passed, SB 799 would exempt from the cap districts like Mountain View-Los Altos that receive a minimum amount of funding from the state, called basic aid districts.

In addition, districts with less than 2500 students would also be exempt. More importantly, SB 799 would allow districts a reserve of 17 percent once the requirements are met, giving districts emergency funds equivalent to two months worth of payroll. In 2014, California public school districts were allowed to maintain monetary reserve levels at their discretion.

The bill failed to move forward because of conflict between interest groups, which failed to compromise on details of the bill’s language. Proponents of cutting reserves argue that districts should spend more on employee salaries and students.

“Reserve” continues on page 3

TEACHER FEATURE

The world through Gilbert’s eyes

KIMIA SHAHIDI

Substitute teacher Gilbert Mercado poses for a portrait. In spite of being born with high-functioning autism, Gilbert has always maintained a uniquely positive attitude about life.

ELI COLBERT Staff Writer

There is an unofficial bulletin of substitute teachers at Los Altos High School — a network of whispers and shouts that warn of the stranger in your next period: the nearly senile sub, the authoritarian sub or the sub that will not take attendance. However, whispers about Gilbert Mercado, a middle-aged, white-haired man with a closetful of endearingly bright Hawaiian shirts, are kept to “he’s really nice.”

The source of Gilbert’s niceness is mysterious considering his youth’s adversity. Born to first-generation Mexican immigrants, Gilbert grew up in mid-century Los Angeles, a period which Gilbert terms as “American apartheid.” Gilbert reminds his

students that even California was segregated, not just the South. “[My father] came [to America] when he was 19,” Gilbert says. “When I was three years old, he said, ‘We’re going to stay in this country, and from now on, we’re only going to speak English.’ I have a distinct memory from when I was three of learning Spanish and English at the same time. I have a hard time staying in one. I feel in Spanish, and I think in English — because I learned in English.”

His mother was a housewife and his father worked in a factory. For fear of contaminated food and water, his parents only fed him boiled milk during his first year of life. Gilbert believes this contributed to the development of his high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“Gilbert” continues on page 12

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The Talon September 29, 2015

Get daily LAHS updates and read the news archives at lahstalon.org/news

District implements P.E. exemption policy ALEXIS MALGESINI Staff Writer

This year, the Mountain ViewLos Altos school district is implementing a new Ninth Grade Physical Education exemption policy. The policy allows freshman athletes who are taking seven classes including P.E. to be excused from their P.E. class during their school sport’s season. The MVLA school board made the final decision on Monday, February 9, at the last of four meetings pertaining to the issue.

Under the policy, one and twosport athletes who are taking seven classes including P.E. may only be excused from their freshman P.E. PHOTOS BY KUNAL PANDIT class during their school sport’s Left and right: Freshmen practice badminton in a P.E. class. This year, the district is implementing a policy season. Three-sport athletes may that exempts freshman athletes from attending P.E. class during their sport’s season, sparking controversy be completely exempt from taking between P.E. teachers, administrators and parents. freshman P.E. ing a sport. classmates which will be disrupted of students entering and leaving The school received “Overall, my expe- by the exemption. regular classes. However, not all notification of the rience with the P.E. “Everyone is coming from students’ schedules can accomdistrict’s decision exemption has been somewhere different,” Raffo said. modate the class, so scheduling is to offer the exemp- Everyone is positive,” freshman “You bring those kids together handled on a case-by-case basis. tion in February, and coming from Krithika Nathamuni [in freshman P.E.] and they beAccording to Assistant Princithe administration somewhere difsaid. “It is impor- come a community. I don’t know pal Perla Pasallo, scheduling has worked on the detant that they [of- if there is anything that is more been difficult because there are tails of implementa- ferent... When fer an exemption] real life than that. When you’re students who do not make a team tion over the summer. you’re pulling because we are al- pulling kids in and out of classes, they try out for, or who apply for Incoming freshmen kids in and out ready getting a three or out of our class, the commu- the exemption after the start of were notified of the ... of our class, hour workout... We nity is interrupted.” the year. Proponents of the change available exemption the community [should] not waste As part of the implementa- argue that students need a free pethrough flyers in their our energy in P.E.” tion process, the school added a riod to get ahead on homework, back-to-school mail- is interrupted.

However, some seventh-period transition class, but opponents counter that P.E. is ers. At last count, —P.E. teacher Kiernan Raffo think the policy could called P.E. Athletics, intended for a valuable break in the day. approximately 65 to hurt the district’s P.E. freshmen who are one and twoAccording to Raffo, the school’s 70 students have obofferings. P.E. teacher sport athletes. When their sport P.E curriculum has recently undertained the exemption.

Many students say the exemp- Kiernan Raffo believes that the is not in season, two-sport ath- gone development in order to best tion allows them to save time and class provides students with a letes are enrolled in the transition benefit student stress. The curenergy when they are already play- unique experience and group of class in order to lessen the impact riculum now includes wellness,

yoga and self defense among many other exercises.

According to Counseling Department Coordinator Ryan Carter, a lack of time has contributed to difficulty implementing the policy.

“The new ninth grade P.E. policy is being implemented while it’s still developing,” Carter said.

“There are logistics that still need to be worked out on how to articulate it clearly and implement it accurately.”

Mixed opinions have been expressed about the policy. According to Pasallo, it is difficult to accommodate all parties’ concerns.

“I value P.E., yet I want to honor the students,” Pasallo said. “I hear the parents say that if they are in a sport they need time to study.

There are so many valid points, it’s hard [to decide].”

The school foresees changes to the implementation at the school, whether it means adding more transition classes or some other accommodation. The update will be at the Monday, October 12 board meeting.

“The district wants to know how it has been [at Los Altos],” Pasallo said. “They are going to take the feedback and decide the next steps. We will talk to Mountain View about it and discuss pros and cons. As a school we will see what changes must be made to make things run more smoothly.”

To read The Talon’s opinion on this policy, flip to the editorial on page 5.

ASB implements revised school club policies JULIA SANTOS

in the population has promoted the increase in clubs.

The meeting was organized to On Wednesday, September 2, answer frequently asked quesASB clubs commissioner senior tions concerning the specifics on Izzy Phan and Assistant Prin- running a club. It also provided cipal Suzanne Woolfolk hosted detailed information on the rea club senate meeting in the quirements for chartering a club. “[The club senate meeting] school’s theater which all club presidents were required to at- was great because it pushed evtend. The meeting is part of a erybody to charter and to get [their clubs] going so broader effort to inthey would really be volve club officers organized for Club more in ASB’s acOur real goal Day,” Woolfolk said. tivities. “[During Club Day] With the club sen- is for all of the clubs were better ate meetings, ASB club officers to prepared. They had hopes to use clubs as be an extended better displays and an intermediary with arm of ASB... It they had more peothe student body. ple signing up.”

“Our real goal is for should not just The topics of disall of the club officers be the 37 kids cussion included to be an extended in ASB making further explanation arm of ASB,” Wool- decisions and on the written refolk said. “Those are discussing imquirements clubs the real school leadneed to turn in after ers, and it should not portant topics. every meeting and just be the 37 kids —Assistant Principal Suzanne Woolfolk the basics of how in ASB making decifundraising works. sions and discussing ASB also covered important topics.”

ASB chartered nearly 50 clubs Club Day where students were at the start of the year. Eighty- able to advertise their clubs to five clubs were present at Club gain more members.

Club Day was held during Day, and the total number of clubs now exceeds 100. The over- lunch on Wednesday, Septemall student population has ex- ber 9, in the quad, and every ceeded 2000 students, the most club had the chance to advertise it has ever had, and this growth what they do to draw in more Staff Writer

members. Every club had a table provided by ASB to set up informational poster boards and give out food for those who signed up for their club.

“We found that Club Day was a great way to get the word out about the club and to find other people who are passionate about the topic,” Club for Patient Comfort (CPC) president sophomore

Kristin Albright said. “We had great success in handing out food which allowed us to gain a lot of new members to the club.

Overall the officers of the CPC and I were really happy about the result of Club Day.” ASB hopes that including clubs’ perspectives in leadership will lead to better, more inclusive decisions.

“[Clubs] cover many areas in our school and if we can get feedback from them, we can improve the school [and] see what other people want,” Izzy said. “When you have a group of people that is already so diverse, and you know they have leadership, we want to see what they have to say about the things we are doing around school.”

TALON FILE PHOTO

At last year’s Club Day, clubs set up tables and offered food to attract potential members, while students checked out potential clubs to join. This year, ASB has implemented a number of new policies intended to increase the involvement of club officers in campus leadership and promote awareness about club policies.

The Talon September 29, 2015

3

District enrollment growth continues from choosing private school options if the public schools are perceived as better.”

Several years ago, a demoThis year the district experienced a jump in student enroll- graphic study predicted an enment with 127 more students at- rollment increase due to Los Altending Los Altos High School tos’ thriving economy.

“If you go back thirthan the preceding teen years [ago,] what year. This brings the was the economy total number of stulike?” Harding said. dents at the school The total num“When the economy to 2023. The class of ber of students is better [people] 2018, currently the have more children. sophomore class, is at the school This was expected.” the largest to ever at- is 2023. The During a board tend LAHS. class of 2018, meeting on Monday, Student enrollment currently the September 8, Hardgrowth is occurring ing brought up the at both LAHS and sophomore possibility of opening MVHS, but LAHS is class, is the interdistrict transfer. growing at a much largest to ever Under this policy, faster rate. One po- attend LAHS. students attending tential cause of the LAHS would have the district’s growth is high academic standing compared opportunity to switch to MVHS. “[Transfer] would be at student to other private options.

“The reputation of the school is discretion,” Harding said. “A lot of very strong,” Mountain View-Los districts do that, but we don’t curAltos school district superinten- rently, [and] it may be something dent Jeff Harding said. “I think it to consider in the future, just to discourages students and parents help balance the numbers.”

BOOKER MARTIN Staff Writer

MIRANDA LI

However, interdistrict transfer would require the board to approve a new policy and is unlikely to happen in the short term.

“It is a school board decision [and this is] the first time it has been discussed at the school board level,” Harding said. “I envision that as being a potential long term solution but not something to do in the short term.”

Teachers will be most affected by the policy because with increased enrollment, they may have to share classrooms. However, students will notice few changes for the time being.

“For students, [growth] really does not have much impact,” Harding said. “Class size remains the same. As we add new students we just add more classes.”

Two years ago, LAHS added 12 MICHAEL SIEFFERT classrooms to accommodate the The buildings in LAHS’ 900 wing were constructed to accommodate increase, many of which currently LAHS’ growing student population. The district continues to see robust house foreign language classes. growth in enrollment across both of its campuses. “[The new buildings were part of ] a plan for increasing the facili- seling offices during drop-in “We are still providing the ties,” Harding said. “If the pattern times,” Counseling Department same services for our students continues we will need to add Coordinator Ryan Carter said. and continue to strive to always more classrooms. At “Sometimes stu- be available,” Carter said. “We this point we are just dents have to wait to are also very fortunate to have an watching.” see their counselor incredible support staff. [They] The board has no We all notice a or come back during all help the counseling office run immediate plans to more constant as smoothly as possible and also another break.” address the growth, flow of stuAs a result of the help our students find the assisbut another demo- dents... Somegrowth, students and tance that they need.” graphic study will be LAHS has also hired new teachparents are reaching conducted to foresee times students out to the counselors ers to accommodate the growth. have to wait to future trends.

“We have hired some really in other ways.

Counselors have see their coun“One challenge is awesome new teachers and staff also been affected selor or come that we are getting this year, and that is a major by the enrollment more email than ever, positive effect on our school back during growth. With the and we try to respond community,” Carter said. same number of another break.

Current trends indicate that as quickly as we can counselors serving a to our students and student enrollment at LAHS will — Counseling Department Coordinator larger student body, continue to increase. parents,” Carter said.

Ryan Carter each one has been as“Both of our schools are inDespite the signed more students growth, counselors creasing in enrollment and I than in the past. still expect to offer the same think that is a real testament to “We all notice a more constant services to students that they the public’s perception of our f low of students in the coun- have in the past. schools,” Harding said.

Reserve

that] we are responsible for maintaining the financial solvency of the district. Much like in personal finance, I try not to live paycheck CONTINUED FROM to paycheck.”

THE FRONT PAGE While it is uncertain whether a compromise will be reached before districts are forced to cut “We saw programs get cut [and] reserves, one way for districts to nurses laid off,” California Teach- avoid mandatory cuts is to earers Association lobbyist Estelle mark specific money as commitLemieux said in an assembly com- ted reserves, funds designated by mittee hearing on education. “Li- the Board of Trustees for a spebrarians, counselors and a lot of cific project. educators got laid off, over 30,000, Under SB 858, committed reand that’s not counting our parent serves are not counted as a part of a educators, our support person- district’s overall reserves, meaning nel. We believe [this those funds are not is] unconscionable, affected by SB 858. to know that reserves However, the district [are] growing at the As a school does not follow an ofexpense of our stu- district, we ficial process of comdents in this state.” mitting reserves. should not be Proponents of high- in the business “Our board hiser district reserves torically has not comargue that leaving re- of building up mitted money [to serves at 6 percent — a huge reserve. reserves],” Mathiesen equivalent to less than But... I try not to said. “They are aware three weeks of payroll live paycheck to of it… [Instead] dis— threatens not only tricts like ours have paycheck. the financial health of said, ‘[The money is] — Assistant a district, but also its for explicit purposes.

Superintendent pledge to employees.

So let us name what Mike Mathiesen “I believe that taxthose purposes are payers give their and move it out of the money to spend on general fund so it does kids [who are] in school now,” As- not have the appearance of ‘Look sociate Superintendent Mike Ma- at all this money you have sitting thiesen said. “As a school district, there for no reason.’ We have a reawe should not be in the business of son for it.” building up a huge reserve. But, we In the event that the cap takes efneed to balance that with [the idea fect, the district plans to apply for

JIM HOLLINGWORTH

Last year, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 858, requiring districts to limit the amount of money they hold in reserve under certain circumstances. SB 799 would have relaxed the reserve limits and exempted many districts, but failed to pass out of its legislative committee. a year-long exemption from the Santa Clara County Office of Education in order to determine their next steps. Currently, the district has a general reserve of around $4.6 million ― roughly 8 percent of the

district’s budget ― which accommodates the diverging interests of groups in the district.

“District administrators often want to hold [some amount] of money in reserve,” Mathiesen said.

“[And] labor unions want to hold less because they want more for salaries. So, you’re built up with that tension. I think in our district, we have been very good at maintaining that balance.”

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The Talon September 29, 2015

Adult

CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE

The main campus is located at 333 Moffett Boulevard in Mountain View.

Satellite facilities around Mountain View and Los Altos allow students to receive instruction closer to their own homes as well as to receive career training at hospitals and tech firms.

“The satellite clinical placements [take place at locations such as] El Camino, Stanford and Palo Alto [Hospitals], where we have arrangements with them for people to go out there and do their clinical hours,” Moody said. “A lot of [students] get hired because of that.”

Maintaining the program is not without its difficulties, and the block grant has the potential to solve some of the problems for which the Adult Education program did not previously have the resources.

“The majority of our teachers are part-time, and that has its own inherent problems,” Moody said.

“If they find another job, of course they leave… So we are constantly having turnover, and without that continuity, it is really hard to have a successful program. [It would] be like having a sports team where every year you clean out the whole group and start over again.”

Now, however, the additional funding will enable the program to hire 10 full-time teachers over the next 3 years and create continuity.

“With this ability to hire two or three [formerly] part-time people [to full-time positions each year] in each of the core areas, that gives us a nucleus that stays together, gives us continuity, works with the coordinators who are full-time, so that the coordinators are not perpetually hiring people and doing interviews,” Moody said.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SIEFFERT

Left and right: Students at Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education receive career training in health care as part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. Adult Education received an additional $3.2 million in funding this year that will allow it to hire new full-time staff.

The Adult Education program has working with the Foothill-De Anza created a new position, the Transi- Community College District, Palo tion Advisor, which serves a similar Alto Unified School District and function to a counselor and assists the Fremont Union High School students in transitioning to com- District as part of the bill’s Regional munity college and Consortium system. work opportunities.

While $335 million of “Imagine when the block grant was alyou were getting Part-time located to all districts ready to apply for staffing is like based on each district’s school if they said, having a sports expenditure in the 2012‘Good luck, there team where 13 school year, $165 milare good schools lion was allocated only every year you out there, and our to groups of districts teachers teach you clean out the that formed consortia, content and English whole group which will create plans and math and social and start over to distribute the funding studies, but we do again. within each consortium. not really have anyMoody said that — Adult Education one to help you with working as a conDirector Keith Moody navigating the colsortium has enabled lege system,’” Moody greater communication said. “We need someone who is between the districts, resulting in dedicated to helping our students Adult Education field trips to other transition to college [or] to work.” schools as well as students from The Adult Education program is other schools coming to the Adult

Education facilities for Career and College Fairs. “[The consortium system has] been a lot more connecting and collaborating, versus, [we] just coexist but never overlap and communicate,” Moody said.

Within a consortium, the districts are required to align their assessments as well as to create standards for measuring students’ success after they graduate.

“We have to find some uniform system … where we can measure and record and track what is happening after they go through our CTE program,” Moody said. “How many get jobs?... Where do they go? How long are they there? How much do they make?… Right now there is no system in place.”

The Adult Education program is also communicating with the Department of Education and the Chancellor’s Office about how to organize the consortium. The discus-

sions often involve Promising Practices: methods, models and funding plans for consortia that have been successful around the state. “[They will say] here is what this area is doing, and they are having a lot of success, you might want to try this,” Moody said. “Here is their funding model, and this is how they distributed the funds based on their goals, so you might want to look at this.”

Both Moody and Assistant Director Brenda Harris said that the new funding will help to solve problems faced by the program.

But Harris said that the bill is about helping the students, not the administration.

“Our students are getting jobs,” Harris said. “[And] that is the biggest goal that we have… It’s not about making the administrator’s life easier, it is to keep challenging me to do and focus on the student to give them the best opportunity they can have.”

NEWS BRIEFS

GAFE update

School cuts regular calculus section RACHEL LU Staff Writer

This year, the school is offering one less section of regular calculus class than last year, leaving some students without a math class. Students who were not placed in a calculus class at Los Altos are either waitlisted for a class or taking the class elsewhere.

Class placements are filled by demand, meaning that extra students requesting a class

would usually result in another section of the class being added.

However, if only a few students are left without a class, they may be waitlisted.

Students who do not have a calculus class will either fill their requirements at Foothill College or another community college or are put on the waiting list for a calculus class. More spots tend to open up after the first two weeks, when drop forms for classes become available.

School administrators say that

failure to place students in a math class is uncommon, because the district collaborates with community resources to ensure all students are placed.

“If we saw that there was a need during the summer and...there is one, two [students without a class,] that is when we have a waitlist,” Woolfolk said. “Typically the district works with the foundation and the district money to make sure that student needs and interests are met.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KUNAL PANDIT

A student uses the Google Apps for Education (GAFE) system in class.

GAFE, implemented for the first time this year, is intended to enhance collaboration and communication between students and teachers.

EMILY TERADA Senior Writer

This year, the school is implementing Google Apps For Education (GAFE), a cloud-based assignment and classroom management system. Along with the Bring Your Own Device program which began last year, it is intended to enhance classroom learning by improving organization and accessibility.

GAFE has faced only minimal technical issues, although teachers say that certain features of the system could be improved.

“There are aspects of the functionality of [Google] Classroom that teachers have identified that could be improved,” Assistant Principal Galen Rosenberg said. “I

think [Google] will take feedback from us on what is working and what is not working.”

The school plans on improving the current system throughout the year.

“This year is still very much a learning [and] experimentation year,” Rosenberg said. “With this kind of cloud-based technology, we are going to be in a perpetual experimentation [and] learning mode.”

The program gives students the opportunity to learn skills that can be applied outside of high school. “[There is a] benefit in knowing how to interact digitally and organize materials,” Rosenberg said.

“Learning how to do this in high school is [valuable] in itself.”

School exceeds state test scores WILLIAM JOW JIM HOLLINGWORTH Copy/Content Editor Staff Writer

Recently, the California Department of Education released statewide results from Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing, a new test based on the Common Core educational standards that students took for the first time last year. The school’s results significantly exceeded the state average and the other schools in the district. While administrators were pleased with the results, they hope to improve attendance for next year’s SBAC testing.

VANESSA MARK

The Talon September 29, 2015

5

Please send letters to the editor to lahstalon.eic@gmail.com Los Altos High School

Board should revoke exemption, institute guidelines instead Exemption is unnecessary for freshmen, devalues P.E.’s unique aspects

Editor-In-Chief Sofia Guo Managing Editors Alice Dai (Print) Katherine Yen (Print) James Sun (Web) News Editor Spencer Dembner Opinions Editor Hanna Khosravi

I

n February, the Mountain View-Los Altos school board approved a freshman physical education exemption, in effect at both Los Altos and Mountain View High Schools, for school athletes who are taking at least seven classes, including P.E. Currently, freshmen with the exemption have a free period in place of P.E during their sports season.

In their off season, students enter a seventh period P.E. transition class to fill the rest of the semester with physical activity.

Due to implementation issues and the fact that it erroneously undervalued P.E., the board should revoke the current policy. In its place, the board should create a set of guidelines to relieve the occasional increase in physical activity when athletes have school sports competitions and P.E. assignments on the same day.

The school is encountering logistical issues while implementing the exemption. Counselors refer freshmen directly to the adminis- ments. A first-year student is still tration because the scheduling sys- learning high school-level time tem is not equipped to match stu- management, and upperclassdents into a transition and regular men who have gone through a P.E. class. Because the school must well-structured first year are bethandle over 60 exemptions on a ter equipped with the skills to case-by-case basis due to the varia- maximize this study time. Freshtions in students’ schedules, this man year is not overwhelming in system is not efficient and creates many cases, and if it is, parents should understand that P.E. is not confusion for everyone involved.

Freshmen parents emphasized to blame; in fact, P.E. relieves more that their students needed the stress than it creates.

P.E. is a place for exemption to acstudents to learn commodate overabout the value whelming workof exercise in a reloads.

However, Because the school laxed, social envifreshman year is must handle over 60 ronment. The class designed to ease students into high exemptions on a case- is especially conducive to freshmen school life. Fresh- by-case basis due to athletes, who have men are limited the variations in stuopportunity in number of Addents’ schedules, this the to play a variety vanced Placement of sports without and honors cours- system is not efficient es they can take, and creates confusion the same pressure to perform well as which gives them for everyone involved. in their sport. The the least challengeducational and ing course load stress-relieving aspects of P.E. for compared to that of other grades.

In addition, the school already student athletes are undervalued provides ample time and resources when freshmen are exempted, esfor freshmen to complete assign- pecially when there is no necessity

Features Editor Emily Aoki In-Depth Editor Olivia Jerram Entertainment Editor Jessica King Sports Editor Josh Kirshenbaum Media Editor Carl Faust Copy/Content Editors Claire Bai, Teddy Chmyz, Cole Hanson, William Jow Business Manager Eric Thiem Senior Writers Chris Dadok, David Lisbonne, Emily Terada, Kevin Yen Staff Writers Keith Bohrer, Paola Campos, Eli Colbert, Anisha Desai, Savita Govind, Jim Hollingworth, Akhil Jakatdar, Rachel Lu, Alexis Malgesini, Booker Martin, Julia Santos, Tinomuda Tugwete, Avi Varghese, Alex Wong, Ben Zaeske

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for a free period. have to complete P.E. make-up The course is a worthwhile ex- work from days they miss because perience for all freshmen, regard- of games or meets. The student’s less of their involvement in sports. coach would confirm that the stuIt allows students dent was at the structured, nongame, then the academic time teacher would exbetween their aca- Freshman year is cuse the student demic classes. P.E. not overwhelming in from making up is one of the few many cases, and if work they missed times during high it is, parents should from that day. school where stuIronically, the understand that P.E. dents can interact administration, in a non-academic is not to blame. athletic and P.E. environment with departments at peers from diverse the school were backgrounds, and continuing the already integrating these sugexemption would widen the separa- gestions based on feedback from tion between student athletes and parents’ concerns prior to the students who do not have the re- board’s action. sources to pursue a sport.

While stress varies from student Under the proposed replacement to student, the exemption is not for the exemption, student athletes tackling freshmen stress in the will communicate with their P.E. most productive way. It also disteachers about reducing their physi- counts the value in P.E.’s unique edcal activity in class on game days, ucational and stress-relieving qualmeets, or other school sport compe- ities. By creating teacher guidelines titions days. The P.E. teachers would for excusing athletes on game days, then excuse student athletes from the district ensures that all student completing exhaustive activities, athletes are relieved from unnecessuch as running the mile. sary physical stress while receiving Student athletes also would not all the benefits of P.E. class.

must modify schedule.

Schedule modification protocol is unclear.

2 3 Some freshmen schedules cannot

accommodate 7th period transition class and are placed into a regular P.E. class.

4 Some freshmen do not have a P.E period

EXEMPTION POLICIES

1 Freshmen do not make a sport and

Graphic Artists Jim Hollingworth, Miranda Li, Skylar Maeso, Vanessa Mark, Anne Schill Videographers Bobak Afshari, Matt Carpenter, Britt deVisser, Danny Nguyen, Eitan Weiner, Andrew Young Adviser Michael Moul

POLICIES Los Altos High School’s Compositional Journalism class is solely responsible for The Talon, which is published eight times a year. The Talon also updates its website, www.lahstalon.org, with full-time coverage.

The Editorial Board sets the policies of The Talon and crafts its editorials.

Its members are Eli Colbert, Alice Dai, Spencer Dembner, Jim Hollingworth, Olivia Jerram, Josh Kirshenbaum and Katherine Yen.

ADVERTISE & SUBSCRIBE Send advertisement and subscription inquiries to Eric Thiem at talon.lahs@ gmail.com.

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during their off season.

201 Almond Ave., Los Altos, CA September 29, 2015 Volume XXXI, Issue 1

Straightforward and efficient standard

Silver Supporters

1 Athlete communicates game day

Zeyu Li, Taya Perry, Tony Sun, Puneet Pandit, Ruth Slater, Pradeep Parmar, Martin Family.

to P.E teacher.

2 P.E. teacher excuses athlete from the day’s physical activity.

To read a more on the current P.E. policy, see News, page 2.

ALICE DAI

6

The Talon September 29, 2015

Read more opinions articles at lahstalon.org/opinions

Self-driving cars present a myriad of obstacles WILLIAM JOW

Copy/Content Editor

In the past few years, it has become more common to see Google’s self-driving cars cruising the streets of Los Altos and Mountain View; many students often spot the vehicles during their morning or afternoon commute. The autonomous cars have been making news as one of the biggest advancements in dayto-day technology that the public might expect to see in 2019.

Proponents of the project cite the cars’ superior safety, potential for more efficient transportation and ability to free up valuable time for their passengers. While the technology does present a strong initial appeal, it ultimately reveals a multitude of problems that make it an impractical development. Self-driving cars will be unable to fully actualize their goals on roads dominated by human drivers and will create a logistical nightmare even if they were to take control of the streets.

Under current laws, self-driving cars and all other autonomous or semiautonomous road technology require more attention to operate than do their manual counterparts.

According to California Senate Bill 1298, “[A driver must be] seated in the driver’s seat, monitoring the

safe operation of the autonomous vehicle, and capable of taking over immediate manual control of the autonomous vehicle in the event of an autonomous technology failure or other emergency.”

Consequently, a driver of an automated vehicle will not experience any practical benefits of the technology because the driver is, in essence, still operating the vehicle. The driver of an autonomous vehicle must pay attention to not only all the traffic and details he or she would in a conventional car, but also the movements of his or her own vehicle to ensure its safe operation.

This renders the technology useless for all purposes.

As research and development con-

tinue, the legal requirement for drivers to sit at the wheel may be lifted and passengers may even be allowed to nap in the back seat. However, certain key aspects to road safety will be impossible to control even through legal means as long as autonomous vehicles must coexist with human drivers. John Lee, a professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin, notes this discrepancy between humans and artificial intelligence. “[Humans often resolve situations through] eye contact. On the fly, they make agreements about who has the right of way,” Lee said in an interview with The New York Times.

“Where are the eyes in an autonomous vehicle?”

FLICKR USER SMOOTHGROOVER22

Google began testing its new driverless cars on Bay Area roads in 2015. Google plans to make the vehicles available to the public as soon as 2019.

The obvious solution to this chal- mous difficulties when drafting lenge is to simply avoid all contact the infrastructure to accommodate between human drivers and the ar- this behavior. In the event that an tificial intelligence. Infrastructure unforeseen obstruction blocks the supporting this separation is where roadway, it might be physically imself-driving cars offer the possible to avoid a greatest benefits ― it collision at an inwould effectively create creased speed. a transportation “cloud” Hopefully, And, for all the of networked vehicles Google and othtraffic safety the that could safely and effi- er companies cars might provide, ciently shuttle passengers will proceed they still present to their destinations, possecurity risks. Withslowly and causibly eliminating the need out the supervision to own a vehicle or find tiously enough of a driver, what so they don’t parking spaces. would stop an illIf the government and compromise minded individual private companies find human safety from rigging vehithe resources to fund this cles with explosives model, self-driving cars for commercial and using them as will effectively supersede success. self-guided bombs? all other forms of motorOr, how could the ized transport ― current vehicles interface public transportation will cease with one another without opening to exist, and few people will own themselves to hacker attacks? their own vehicles. Whenever Even with these concerns, it seems people need something moved, inevitable that the development they will call upon a network of and deployment of autonomous veautonomous vehicles. hicles will continue on their course.

This driverless-taxi model cer- Whether the technology will be tainly has attractive benefits. A con- better than alternatives such as imtrolled system completely driven by proved public transportation and networked computers with instan- supplemental infrastructure retaneous reactions means that the ve- mains to be seen. Hopefully, Google hicles will be capable of safely travel- and other companies will proceed ing at higher speeds than they would slowly and cautiously enough so if they were driven by humans. they do not compromise human Yet, governments will face enor- safety for commercial success.

Music streaming helps up-and-coming artists on their music when it goes out into the marketplace,” Swift said to Time Magazine. “Piracy, file sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drasThe era of spending $1.29 on tically, and every artist has handled songs on iTunes is long gone. this blow differently… Valuable Free-streaming music services things should be are taking over topaid for. It’s my day’s music indusopinion that music try and introducing Music is found should not be free.” more accessible and According to contemporary media everywhere, and Spotify, artists earn for music discovery. artists will cononly around $0.006 These services, such as tinue to promote and $0.0084 per Spotify, Pandora, You- the value and stream.

Tube and Google Play, Following Swift’s importance of have changed how widely publicized music is discovered by music by creatstand against free allowing consumers ing it themselves. music streaming, to stream music for The only differrock duo Dan Aumonthly payments or erbach and Patence will lie in no money at all. rick Carney, or The Many mainstream the manners in Black Keys, pulled artists are losing the which that music their most recent control they previ- will be shared album “Turn Blue,” ously had over music with the audifrom Spotify. distribution, and the “My whole thing toll that streaming ences. about music is: if services has on artsomebody’s makists’ sales is a harsh ing money then reality. Take singer-songwriter the artist should be getting a fair Taylor Swift, a nationwide sen- cut of it,” Carney said to Billsation with a net worth of $200 board. “The owner of Spotify is million. In November 2014, Swift worth something like 3 billion revoked her music from Spotify, dollars, and he’s richer than Paul which she believes is a low-royal- McCartney, and he’s 30, and he’s ty streaming service. never written a song.”

“In my opinion, the value of an Despite this negative impact album is, and will continue to be, on established artists, there is based on the amount of heart and true value in streaming services, soul an artist has bled into a body as they give exposure to up-andof work, and the financial value coming artists. Founded in Authat artists (and their labels) place gust 2007 by Alexander Ljung

JULIA SANTOS Staff Writer

and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is a free music-streaming service and a music-discovery platform.

The website has grown so popular, with around 250 million active users, that 12 hours worth of new music is added to the server every minute. SoundCloud allows artists working toward a musical careers to create and upload their music on an audio distribution platform where they can gain a reputation by sharing music instantly.

“Reposting, commenting on portions of tracks, etc. [are] great, easy features that make SoundCloud a natural tool to use,” Leslie Horn wrote in an Gizmodo article regarding SoundCloud’s impact on the music industry. “But there was another word that consistently popped

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up in conversations I had about SoundCloud: embeddability.

SoundCloud embeds on Twitter, Facebook, this website, any website, and anywhere else really. Click on your favorite music blog, or any blog for that matter.

SoundCloud is everywhere.”

Each SoundCloud account allows users to upload two hours of their own music for free, four hours for $55 a year and unlimited uploading for $135 year. The average duration of an album is 40 minutes, so two free hours of content is equivalent to about three albums, enough to get a person’s name into the public consciousness without any added cost for the artist.

“The way you can interact, became important that it could be part of the fabric of the web every-

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where,” Wahlforss said to Gizmodo.

“You have a great degree of control as a creator of what you publish and how you publish it, and you can… spread it around in a way that enables virality.”

One of SoundCloud’s most recognized artists is New Jersey-born rapper Willie Maxwell, or Fetty Wap, who is best known for “Trap Queen,” the song that brought him ultimate fame and success.

“Trap Queen” was uploaded onto SoundCloud in March 2014, where it reached one million hits within weeks of its release. With tracks “Trap Queen,” “My Way” and “679,” Fetty Wap became the first male rapper with three songs listed within the top 20 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 since Eminem in 2013.

Today’s generation thrives on art, especially music. Music is found everywhere, and artists will continue to promote the value and importance of music by creating it themselves. The only difference will lie in the manners in which that music will be shared with the audiences.

This evolution in the music industry has played a successful role in allowing rising artists to share their creations in exchange for career doing something they love. Distribution platforms such as SoundCloud have changed the way talented musicians are discovered, and now, more and more extraordinary people have the chance to express themselves freely to the public, and that is crucial for the future of the music industry.

If you would like to write about your stance on an issue that’s affecting students at our school, email Opinions Editor Hanna Khosravi at opinions.lahstalon@gmail.com with a summary of your idea.

The Talon September 29, 2015

7

GAFE problems challenge the vision for digital classroom BOOKER MARTIN Staff Writer

The school implemented the program Google Apps For Education (GAFE) in August 2015 as part of the district’s digital movement, in addition to the Bring Your Own Device program initiated last school year, and many agree that the program has resulted in some benefits.

However, as the school transitions to a digital focus, the change yields negative consequences that should be resolved.

This new classroom system is responsible for numerous disadvantages that should teachers should as soon as possible in order to reduce stress.

While the intention of the GAFE implementation is to reduce the stress students had in trying to locate class materials and assignments, it actually increases student stress in a variety of ways.

Students have generally been expected to bring completed homework into class at the start of the period. However, Google Classroom allows digital due dates to be set at any point in time.

The school seems to have also recognized that Google Classroom has its flaws. Recently, Principal Wynne Satterwhite visited one of math teacher Judy Strauss’ classes, using the time to discuss the main elements of student stress. Satterwhite responded to the feedback regarding how

Google Classroom enables teach- class structured,” Strauss said. ers to set stressful deadlines, of- “There may be something that is brought up in class that is reten at midnight.

“These crazy 11:59 p.m. dead- ally interesting to pursue. I’d like to give students the lines,” Satterwhite opportunity and the said. “Aren’t we telltime to explore.” ing students to go to Learning should The advantage of bed by then?” working offline goes Assignments can not depend on beyond the ease of also have strict dead- the speed and showing work. A lines set at various accessibility of agenda with points of time in the internet and digital set times for each class.

Submitting assignment discourwork online even the reliability of seconds after the as- our devices. and ages discussion and creativity because signed deadline is their peers and students may feel automatically labeled teachers. rushed. The screen as late. These nonis ultimately a barnegotiable deadlines can seem unfair. The necessity to rier between a student and the remember to not only complete, teacher and classmates around but also properly submit and them. turn in every assignment done online is overwhelming.

Staying organized is also made increasingly difficult by the various amounts of on and offline platforms teachers use. It is up to teacher discretion to take advantage of all the technology.

Students must keep track of both classes entirely on the web and those sticking to traditional paper and pencils.

“I have teachers on different or multiple platforms,” junior Kelly Lambertson said. “It’s frustrating.”

Certain classes work online better than others do. Strauss does not currently use the Google Classroom system to assign and collect work.

“It’s… the way I have my

Human interaction is impor- conversation is impossible this tant for education, but the GAFE way, especially considering that system threatens this. If teachers responses are often delayed or post or update assignments on- sometimes never made. line outside of class, “I can understand students must check that teachers get a their notifications lot of emails,” junior Technology whenever possible.

Devika Kumar said.

Furthermore, stu- should be used “I understand if they dents at home have to shorten the take some time to limited ways of clari- distance bereply. [The problem] fying what directions is more when they tween students they receive because never respond.” they cannot ask and their peers There are many and teachers. questions in person. potential solutions While email may that can ease the seem like an effiproblems with the cient alternative to talking in GAFE system. Teachers could deperson, it would be inefficient cide to replace midnight or other to send a new email for every unfavorable deadlines with ones follow up question in order to at the start of the next period, clarify information. A f lowing and they might consider being more lenient for assignments that are turned in online slightly late to reduce stress. Also, classroom discussion and collaboration offline should remain an important part of school.

Google Classroom has the potential to be a revolutionary step in our school’s technological advancement. However, it is crucial to consider the problems created as a result of Google Classroom’s implementation. Learning should not depend on the speed and accessibility of the internet and the reliability of our devices. Technology should be used to shorten the distance between students and their peers and teachers. The GAFE system is the rough draft of a vision only obtainable after several pressing revisions are made.

VANESSA MARK

Donald Trump: One-of-a-kind candidate lation that the Republicans have started to experience following Senior Writer the end of the Bush era, espeStaff Writer cially with minorities.

Even with his provocative Extroverted, enterprising, con- statements, huge media covertroversial and extravagant. All of age and number-one status in these words and more have been the polls, there are some drawused to describe the ever-surpris- backs to Trump’s strategy. Reing Donald Trump. One descrip- publican voters are entertaining the idea of Trump tion, however, that for now, but at the is not usually heard very end, may vote within the immense for a more modbuzz surrounding The constant erate Republican Trump is that of stra- media attention candidate. tegic genius. given to all of Although some Ever since he officandidates may becially announced his [Trump’s] outragin to feel the urge presidential bid on geous stateusing Trump-like June 17, 2015, Trump ments seem to campaign techhas been making sigcancel out the niques to try to nificant waves in the boost their poll Republican party. He disadvantages numbers, this strathas emerged as the that Trump has egy would be a key biggest hitter in the burdened himmistake in their party, capturing the self with. campaigns.

They attention of every would be twisting American, whether it be because of his bold political their own image in order to cater claims or his astounding attacks toward a certain demographic of on his opponents on live televi- voters. Since this particular desion. Although many Americans mographic is already dominated have polar opposite views on this by Trump, efforts to move into his vibrant candidate, no one can territory will be a fruitless effort.

Trump, the former media modeny the simple fact that whatgul and star of his own TV show, ever Trump is doing is working.

“Sadly, the American dream treats his campaign more like a is dead,” Trump said in his an- television program with drama nouncement speech. “But if I and cliff hangers rather than a get elected president I will bring presidential bid.

“He feels a freedom to demait back bigger and better and gogue that other people don’t,” stronger than ever before.”

Trump’s motivation is clear George Mason University econowith his slogan, “Make America mist Bryan Caplan said to the Great Again.” His sudden rise to Washington Post. “By virtue of power in the Republican party is being a mogul, he doesn’t feel the attributed to the loss of popu- same social pressure to go along larity among the general popu- with what other [elites] think.”

CHRIS DADOK AKHIL JAKATDAR

despise politicians and the way they act, created an image for himself of complete truth without regard for social norms that constrain other politicians.

In contrast, Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush combined hold the support of 18.2 percent of GOP voters, less than the 19.9 percent support that Trump has built.

Media coverage is the answer.

Trump grabs the attention of the viewer by telling his audience what they want to hear, not what they want to be told.

It is very unlikely, however, that his tactics will be further embraced by the public in the future of American politics. Trump has given America something it hasn’t had in a long time: an FLICKR USER GAGE SKIDMORE Donald Trump delivers a speech at the Conservative Political Action avid interest in politics. With the Conference (CPAC) in 2011. Trump is well-known for his bold claims decline in active voters, Trump could change the downward and controversial statements. trend by drawing in interest for the happenings of the 2016 presiTrump plays to his advantage I assume, are good people.” dential election. by using bold claims and conAlthough Trump “There are few peotroversial statements, notably usually has his way ple who are as good regarding immigration, which with his bold allegaat getting media atadd to the the remembrance of tions and controver- Republican tention as Donald his name and ideas among the sial claims, quotes voters are enTrump, who is dovoters. His remarks on the fed- like these hinder his tertaining the ing it either through eral government’s immigration chances appeasing idea of Trump flashy statements policy were part of his initial the growing Hispanfor now, but at or downright demaembarkment into uncharted ic voting population. territory, as he shocked voters But the constant the very end will goguery,” history and public affairs Princwith a highly contentious decla- media attention likely vote for eton University proration concerning the character given to all of these a more moderfessor Julian Zelizer of immigrants. outrageous stateate Republican said to The Hill.

“When Mexico sends its peo- ments seems to canTrump’s fascinatple, they’re not sending their cel out the disad- candidate. ing campaign story best,” Trump said. “They’re vantages that Trump may end soon, and not sending you. They’re send- has burdened himing people that have lots of self with. Since his campaign the media buzz will die down. problems and they’re bringing announcement in June, he has But Trump still is a political gethose problems with us. They’re increased his popularity by over nius capable of manipulating bringing drugs, they’re bringing 3.2 percent. Trump, knowing the media into working for him crime, they’re rapists and some, that many people in the country whether America likes it or not.

8

The Talon September 29, 2015

Jim Goes to College

Full block schedule benefits students and staff TEDDY CHMYZ DAVID LISBONNE Copy/Content Editor Senior Writer

By Jim Hollingworth

Beehive Sometimes I feel like I have a beehive in my head, and when someone tells me something about college, a little bee gets added to the mix.

Sometimes it’s family members: “Have you heard of this college? This list I found on the internet says it’s really good!”

Sometimes it’s friends: “Have you started your applications yet? There’s so many questions!

I’m trying not to procrastinate, so I started last year. I’m basically done!”

Sometimes it’s the colleges themselves: “Have you considered applying here? We’re the number one boys-only, small, midwestern, college for a really specific subject IN THE WHOLE NATION.” I was going to write a college column where I gave advice to all the hopeless ducklings of the senior class, but I realized I was completely unqualified to do so. The truth is, I have no idea what I’m doing.

There are online quizzes everywhere that supposedly help you figure out what college is the “right one” for you — and they ask thinly veiled questions that are designed to determine your preferences on college size, area of the country and subject. I keep trying to take them, but it’s not working. I can’t answer the questions. I just do not have the mental power to envision myself in a place with 60,000 people, no matter how craftily the prompts are phrased.

Here’s where I’m at: I have a list of five places I’d like to go. I haven’t visited any of them. I’ve taken all the tests I need to take. I haven’t written any college essays.

The other day I missed a deadline. I was supposed to turn in a packet to my counselor so that I could apply early. I didn’t know what the benefits of applying early were, and I didn’t have time to write all the things I needed to, so I made a passive decision to not do anything.

I have too many bees in my head — how am I to remember due dates?

So here’s the new plan – I’m going to buy some poster boards. I’m going to make a calendar, some diagrams and some lists, and hopefully I can produce some sweet honey from my brain and get things together.

I will give a little bit of advice here: get a big piece of paper and write some things down. If you’re feeling stressed, organize yourself.

Write big words in permanent marker and look at them.

That’s all I can really do — I think it’s a waste of time to try and tell myself to relax. This process is important and for me, but I don’t need to stress about anything. I’ve got time to think, plan, and when it all goes south in late December, at least I’ll have made some effort to be proactive.

Last spring a subcommittee of the District Teacher’s Association dedicated to discussing possible changes to the bell schedule decided that it was, in fact, not in the school’s best interest to change to a four-block-day schedule. Such a schedule would have two odd block days, two even block days and one day with all classes. This differs from the current schedule that Los Altos High School employs, known as a modified block schedule, which consists of only one odd and one even block day each week.

The subcommittee decided that the schedule was best left alone, citing studies showing that switching to a full block schedule does not reduce stress, nor does it reduce nightly homework.

Perhaps most importantly, they argued that the current schedule does not seem to have anything inherently wrong with it.

“We concluded that we didn’t need a new schedule and that this [current]

one is working,” Latin teacher Krista Greksouk said.

Although the teacher’s study of a four-block-day schedule led to the subcommittee’s decision against it, the school should transfer to that form of schedule, being that it would reduce student stress, decrease nightly homework and allow for more in-depth lectures and labs in the classroom.

The optimal schedule would be one that caters to the teachers’ requests, but also, and more importantly, relieves the stress and homework levels students currently experience. Ideally, a week’s schedule would comprise of four block days, two odd and two even, and keep the tutorial time, a valuable resource for both teachers and students. One proposal would be to move the current Tuesday schedule with the tutorial period to Monday, and then alternate block days, starting with the Thursday’s current oddblock schedule. This way, students would have each class three times a week and one day at the start of the week to refresh and check in with every class after the weekend.

Being able to check in with each a significantly leaner homework load class at the start of the week would than before — essentially half of the prevent confusion about assignments previous load — and Thursday nights would also undergo the and their due dates later same reduction due in the week, in turn to Friday becoming an reducing the rapidly even block day. growing issue of student Many students This proposed schedstress. Teachers’ giving at school are ule would also allow for multiple tests on the subject to too teachers to have more same day has become much stress, time to meet with colan increasingly prevaleagues and discuss curlent stressor for many and by simply riculum and teaching students. Implement- altering the techniques. Currently, ing a weekly schedule weekly schedteachers have two meetthat has fewer days with ule, student ings each week: before all seven periods would stress would school on Thursday and decrease the chances of immensely deafter school on Wednesthis happening. day. At these meetings, Currently, Monday crease. they have school-wide and Thursday nights are discussions, workshops the hardest for students regarding homework load because or individual department meetings. students have homework due in all of In the new schedule, there would their classes the next day. On the con- be another even and odd day, which trary, Tuesday and Wednesday nights would allow there to be two adare less burdening as a direct result of ditional teacher meetings. This is the block day schedule; students only something teachers have expressed a have three or four classes the next day. desire for and would help improve By changing the Tuesday schedule to a communication and collaboration block day, Monday nights would have between teachers.

“We looked at what people said they wanted, which was more meeting time,” Greksouk said. “[They wanted] time to collaborate with colleagues.”

Many students at school are subject to too much stress and by simply altering the layout and makeup of the weekly schedule, student stress would immensely decrease. In addition to the lowering of student stress levels as a result of spreading out tests during the week, changing to a four-blockday schedule would also decrease the average nightly homework load, as well as allot more time for in-depth lectures, labs and general department meetings. The benefits of this schedule for teachers, students and the district as a whole prove that the transition should be made toward a four-block-day schedule for the overVANESSA MARK all betterment of our school.

Student work hours should not be increased on weekdays up more than 75 percent of his or her time solely going to school, working and sleeping, not including any extracurriculars, meals or time to relax. This percentage is already unbelievably As more and more students flood high and places far too much stress colleges around the country, ways to and pressure to work on an already differentiate oneself from the crowd over-functioning generation. Increasare quickly becoming a ing the limit of work necessity. Students are hours per week would taking full Advanced leave students with no Placement course loads, Increasing the time to unwind and playing sports and prac- limit of work simply be themselves. ticing instruments, all hours per week Senior Joe Kull while working part-time would leave stuworks in a shop in jobs on the side. With downtown Los Altos. dents with no everything that students On some school days, are doing already, having time to unwind he goes to class for six to work more than four and simply be hours, and then works hours on any given week- themselves. a six hour shift from day should not be thrown 3 to 9 p.m. into the mix as well. This “I think working afwill only lead to students losing more ter school increases my stress level,” sleep and an increase in overall Joe said. “After a long day of school, student stress. it’s just very tiring to have to work for Because of current work permits, another six hours, especially when students aged 14 to 15 are allowed you’re constantly thinking about all to work three hours on a school day the homework you could be doing.” and eight hours on a non-school day In a study conducted by Brigham up, adding up to a maximum of 18 Young University, 64 percent of stuhours per week. The time allotments dents reported that having a part are broadened for students aged 16 to time job while school was in session 17, who are allowed to work for up to increased their overall stress level. a maximum of 40 hours per week. A On the other hand, the study also 17-year-old student with six periods found that 74 percent of students who goes to school for six and a half hours a worked 20 hours per week found that day, five days a week, coming to a total having their job helped them be of 32.5 hours per week. Factoring in more productive and take advaneight hours of sleep per day, a student tage of their time. working 40 hours a week would use “I think it really depends on the

ERIC THIEM

Business Manager

ANNE SCHILL

person,” College and Career Center coordinator Andrea Gorman said.

“And I think it depends on their job. If you leave school and you have a job that you really love and it’s an escape and you can relax, then you can go home and focus on your school work then it’s great.”

While students working 20 hours or less per week did have an increase in productivity, any more than that was found to be detrimental to the student’s stress levels and sleep cycle. With our current weekly limit at 40 hours of work, two times the amount recommended in the study, raising it any further seems absurd.

However, some situations arise when these set restrictions do seem impractical, the largest one being in the case where a student needs to work in order to help provide financial support for his or her family. In cases like these, students aged 14 to 15 should be able to work a greater

total number of hours on the weekends, when their time isn’t being used for school. This way, students can work in their free time on weekends and not increase stress during weekdays when school is the number one priority.

While working more after school may increase stress for these students, if the family really needs the money, the benefits outweigh the negatives. The struggle that many students face through financial difficulties can cause much more stress than their working a few extra hours on weekdays if they wish to do so.

Student lives are already stressful enough as they are without any after-school work thrown into the mix. Adding more allotted hours of work to an already busy schedule can only end in more students feeling overwhelmed. Laws should make students’ lives easier, never more stressful than they already are.

The Talon September 29, 2015

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Read more features articles at lahstalon.org/features

Jens Tuyls

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HALLO, BONJOUR!

School welcomes international transfer students

Introduction

enior Jens Tuyls was born in a Dutch-speaking town, Turnhout, in northern Belgium. After moving to Los Altos in August, Jens is acclimating to the contrasting lifestyles of his hectic hometown and the small suburb of Los Altos.

“Los Altos is a pretty quiet town,” Jens said. “Nothing really big happens [in Los Altos], and it is a small town and I like it because in Turnout, we lived in the center, and it was busy with cars and busses.”

Jens moved to California because of his dad’s job. While Jens does miss his friends from his hometown, he is finding his way at the school easier by the day. After only one month, Jens has already started to feel more comfortable in his new surroundings.

“I quite like it,” Jens said. “It’s different but the people are friendly.

It’s nice. I [also] like the interest in technology because I personally like engineering and all those kind of things.”

Jens had been to the U.S. once before; prior to moving permanently, he and his family toured famous locations in California such as San Francisco and Yosemite to begin the transitional process to his new home.

Since he plans to attend college in the U.S., this fascination with technology is one that Jens may apply to his studies. Even with the limited amount of time he has spent in the U.S., Jens has noticed the benefits of the interactivity and diversity within the U.S. education system.

“In Belgium, we just listen [to our teacher] the whole class and take

notes,” Jens said. “The main difference here is the students [debate] against each other. In Belgium, it was more like the teacher saying things and you just [wrote them] down.

[A] big difference here [is there are] more students working together.”

Jens appreciates the wide range of cultures and personalities that exist within the school.

“With [this] school, I think people are more accepting for international students,” Jens said. “This school is really open [to] different kinds [of] nationalities. That’s a big difference.”

While Jens does not have any sort of immediate plans to go back to Belgium, he does wish America had one thing his hometown excels in: Belgian chocolate. “[Belgium] is where you can get the best chocolate there is,” Jens said. “It definitely is better than American chocolate.”

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s a melting pot of culture, the school is an attractive destination for foreign students looking to experience the American culture and education system. With new students coming from all over the world, there are plenty of fresh faces walking through the quad every year. Seniors Jens Tuyls and Humbeline De Marcillac are two of the diverse group of exchange students who have only recently acquainted themselves with the school. As exchange students, Jens and Humbeline were put in unfamiliar surroundings and had to acclimatize with alacrity. Located in the innovative hotspot that is Silicon Valley, Los Altos is viewed as an alluring location for many foreigners. The school will surely attract more foreign exchange students in the future, broadening the already vast spectrum of students at the school.

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Humbeline De Marcillac

rom the city of Grenoble in France, senior Humbeline De Marcillac has attended the school for a little over a year. Humbeline moved to Los Altos because her dad taking a job for a technology company.

“I really like it,” Humbeline said. “They have a lot of different people here from different countries. It’s really mixed so I think it is really great.”

By surrounding herself with new faces, Humbeline is more comfortable and has an easier time making friends. Because she had no prior experience with English, Humbeline struggled with the language barrier at first. She was able to overcome this obstacle by surrounding herself with various English speakers and learning

as she went along.

“I didn’t want to [hang out] with French people because if I was staying with French people, I was never going to learn English,” Humbeline said. “I wanted to learn fast so I only stayed with people who know how to speak English. When you learn a new language, you [have] got to try.

Even if you make a mistake, just try to talk.”

After going through the French school system, Humbeline is pleased with the different types of education methods in the U.S. “I like it better here because the system in France is really hard,” Humbeline said. “We don’t have make-up tests in France. But we have [them] in America, and I didn’t know this in the beginning.

Here you have to do your homework and the teachers check it.

This doesn’t happen in France.

In France, you just do it and the teacher doesn’t look at it.”

Because the weather in France is colder, another reason why Humbeline is enjoying life in U.S. is the California weather. Even though there are many reasons Humbeline is enjoying America, she still misses certain things about her home country.

“I really like [that] in France, everyone knows each other.

You do not only stay in small groups.”

Humbeline said. “[Also], in France we are really direct. We say everything, which is not the case here. Americans say, ‘Oh! That’s really great!’ but they don’t actually think that it’s great. They just say things like that to be kind. In France if something is wrong, they will say it is wrong. I like [that].”

MAP GRAPHIC BY ANNE SCHILL, PHOTOS BY ALLEGRA MAESO

The Talon September 29, 2015

THE GAP

EXPLORING THE SOCIOECONOMIC GAP AT LAHS To read an extended version of this spread, visit lahstalon.org

BY ALEXIS MALGESINI | STAFF WRITER, AVI VARGHESE | STAFF WRITER, CHRIS DADOK | SENIOR WRITER, EMILY TERADA | SENIOR WRITER, PAOLA CAMPOS | STAFF WRITER, SAVITA GOVIND | STAFF WRITER, TINO TUGWETE | STAFF WRITER

$29,965 annual family income

$154,821 annual family income

P

Students with economic disavantages are much more likely to struggle in school.

What Is The Gap?

A

t first glance, Los Altos High School is a public school that soars beyond many others of its type, both in the resources it offers and the achievements it brandishes. A newly installed turf football field sits in front a student parking lot shaded by rows of solar panels that power the 30-acre campus. The hallways are varnished with the community’s overwhelming success, sports awards and trophies of academic success glittering on the office shelves.

With such a vibrant shine, it is easy to miss the numerous students who come from backgrounds that fall beneath the community’s average economic standing. Due to the way school boundaries are drawn, the student body is composed of a mixture of both intensely wealthy and less wealthy students. Wealth and success are very often lumped together through association, and knowing the student body’s economic composition, it becomes easier to see why that association is so commonly made.

This is what forms the economic gap at school. According to Inequality.org, an economic gap “refers to the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner among a population.”

But what lies beneath the hard numbers that analysts often mull over are the social implications of economic inequality, which is what makes it a socioeconomic gap. Socioeconomic gaps largely include the unquantifiable differences in the way people live and the restriction on social opportunities for less affluent individuals.

In the following spread, The Talon examines the socioeconomic inequality at LAHS through sharing student perspectives from both sides of the gap and looking at solutions to relieve students’ socioeconomic stress and better integrate the campus.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CARL FAUST

The Invisible Students

erhaps the most invisible individuals of the socioeconomic gap are the students who deal with economic stress but are able to pursue success in school just as well as their more privileged peers. Senior Aldo Montes-Sanchez and sophomore Emily Meza-Perez are two such students who are doing all they can to remain unaffected by their economic statuses that seems to distance them from their peers.

Emily is enrolled in AVID, jazz dance and Spanish III Honors, in addition to the rest of her core classes. She spends an average of two hours a night on homework, waiting at school until her mom, who is single and working, can pick her up.

Aldo is also enrolled in the AVID program, for which he founded the AVID Council Club, and is an active member of LSU, Varsity Men’s Glee, Random Acts of Kindness and Libros Sin Fronteras. Every other day, he tutors students in the tutorial center, goes to work until 11 p.m. and then returns home to finish his homework.

Both students are under levels of stress that directly result from a lack of economic stability within their homes. For Aldo, the pressure to provide for his family’s needs meant taking a job that forced him to withdraw from certain activities. He especially regrets leaving behind his participation in school clubs and his commitment to volunteering at Graham Middle School.

“Ever since I started work this year, it’s [been] tough to volunteer because when you’re not working one day, you’re trying to finish your homework because you know you’re going to work the next day,” Aldo said.

Not working yet because of her age limitation, Emily feels a sense of stress that results from her inability to help her mother with her family’s expenses.

But despite the difficulties both students face at home involving their personal struggles, they are able to look forward with a positive outlook on their lives. Their strong sense of determination and resilience has also allowed both students to focus on their studies and aim toward a greater education beyond high school, a hope that originated from and was nurtured by familial influences.

However the source of their motivation is hidden from the students around them.

Aldo and Emily are only two high schoolers in pursuit of a college education, striving for good grades and extracurriculars and ultimately harboring achievements and goals to match every one of those belonging to students who are wealthier.

It is this discrepancy between their home lives and their school personas that can make it so uncomfortable for them to ask for help. A fear of judgement and isolation at revealing their anxiety and the pressure they face on a day-to-day basis keeps them quiet. “[Students could] be more empathetic,” Emily said. “We all subconsciously judge each other, but if we were all to be [more empathetic], it would provide a better sense of community on campus. Even if we aren’t all the same we could learn and grow from each other’s differences and similarities.”

The Talon September 29, 2015

FROM BOTH SIDES Sophomore Ananya Subramanian is one of many on the upper end of our school’s economic gap. With both her parents maintaining well-paying jobs, she experiences stress in a different way, but is aware of the benefits and opportunities her family’s economic situation brings her.

Sophomore Briana Armenta is enrolled in seven classes. Her mother, who is single and working, drops her at school early every day and picks her up later in the evening. Briana is currently not working, but has held several jobs throughout the past couple years. At home, she spends an average of three hours a night on homework.

A Day In The Life

Questions & Answers

6:30 a.m.

What is the most difficult aspect of your life?

Staying in school. It’s actually really hard for me to stay in school… A lot of times I feel like it’d be better if I dropped out and got a job because my mom is struggling [financially] at the moment, so it’s kind of hard for me to really be present, to really be here at school and actually try to graduate and go on from there.

Ananya wakes up at 6:30 every morning.

“I like to do homework in the morning sometimes if I don’t finish it at night. On Thursdays, I have Concert Choir rehearsals before school… my mom packs my lunch for me and then I just need to get myself ready for school.”

How has working influenced you?

12:00 p.m.

Working at Great America and having to talk to random people and having to approach them and really put myself out there, be loud, and make myself seen and heard has affected me in everyday life because now I’m less afraid to really make myself heard and talk to people and actually put myself out there.

During Friday lunches she attends Concert Choir; however, Ananya is also considering some other lunchtime activities.

“I’m also [planning] to join Model UN and Girl Up which is a girl’s education club that I’m interested in which I might become the secretary for .”

What do you like about who you’ve become through these struggles?

I like that I’ve been able to help my mom in a way. I’ve had a job. I started working during the summer of eighth grade and I’ve worked every summer [after that]. I work to help my mom and so I think that’s one thing I’m honestly really proud of: being able to help my mom the way she’s helped me my whole life.

6:00 p.m.

After school, Ananya takes dance classes four days a week.

“I teach a class of little kids from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

[On] Tuesdays I have my troop practice… from 8:00 p.m. until [very late] because my dance teacher is always choreographing.”

What do you dislike about who you’ve become through these struggles?

I don’t like how I feel that a lot of times what I do isn’t enough, and a lot of times I feel like I could be doing so much more to really help my mom and help myself. Sometimes it’s just who I am. It’s just hard for me to really do what’s best for the situation.

11:30 p.m.

Ananya has a variety of other extracurricular activities throughout the week such as tennis, piano lessons and vocal lessons that keep her busy until she comes home to finish her work.

“The [lessons] are once a week [for] one hour. Most of my classes are around 6:00 p.m., so I do some homework before. I come home and eat dinner and do the rest after.

And I finish most of the time around 11:30 p.m.”

What do you want people to know about these issues and the people who deal with them, like you?

No matter where you are in the social classes, we’re all the same. We’re all high school students. We’re all going through the same things, whether it’s financially or just internally. I think it’s important to always remember that other people matter just as much as you do.

246 students polled

GRAPHICS BY MIRANDA LI

What Is Needed For Change?

T

246 students polled

246 students polled

he school offers a wide range of resources for all students to use, especially those facing economic hardship.

Financial aid is available for almost every major academic and social milestone; students can apply for fee waivers for Advanced Placement tests, senior graduation night, prom and school trips, and the MVLA foundation covers costs for every sophomore and junior to take the Preliminary SAT (PSAT).

Academic support can be found through the tutorial center, fouryear AVID or skills classes, which help first-generation college students reach their goals, while freshman and sophomore skills classes in every subject give extra homework and classwork assistance to students who need more individualized academic assistance.

But these resources tend to be underused by the very students who need them because of the social stress of trying to obtain help. Asking for financial aid can be very challenging, as it lets others know the vulnerability of a student’s economic state.

On the other hand asking for help in other areas can be just as hard.

“For example, taking the PSAT for Students must be able to willing free is great, but then wealthier stu- reach out to their peers in order dents go home and have tutoring,” to completely bridge the gap on English Skills teacher Carrie Abel campus. Keeping an open mind said. “My students have told me that and being aware of a peer’s situathey don’t go [to the tutorial center] tion can also help reduce stress in because they don’t feel comfortable; the classroom. Do not assume that they aren’t familiar with the envi- someone is not trying when they ronment, the tutors.” don’t finish their homework — ask And the tuthem if they tors are not need help very familiar catching up.

If you think that somebody with the puFamily situareally is struggling, try to help pils either. them in whatever way you tions, among The social other issues, can. d i s co n n e c — AVID teacher Arantxa Arriada can cause a tion extends shift in attiin both directions to the point tude toward schoolwork and effort. where wealthier students are not In situations like these, awareness aware that there are struggling stu- and collaboration is key to success. dents out there who wouldn’t feel “If you’re a student who’s strugcomfortable talking to them. gling… reach out to get emotional English teacher Elizabeth Tomp- support or talk to an adult staff kins believes a possible solution to member,” Arriada said. “If you think alleviate stress and increase aware- that somebody really is struggling, ness is to create “advisory groups.” [try to] help in whatever way you Within these groups, students can. Talk to them about it and say would be encouraged to talk about there are people at school, there are their stress and create a safe and teachers at school, there are servicopen space for everyone. es that can help you… They’re not However, forcing interaction struggling on their own.” between students who normally would not talk is only a partial fix.

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The Talon September 29, 2015

School welcomes new college coordinator BEN ZAESKE Staff Writer

From the moment students walk into the college and career center, Andrea Gorman’s warm and friendly attitude immediately welcomes them into an environment commonly associated with the stress of essays, grades and tests.

A first-generation college student herself, Gorman emphasizes the fact that all students have the potential to be accepted into college and upholds that it does not need to be a stressful procedure.

“I want all students to know that you can absolutely [make it to college],” Gorman said. “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Gorman’s mother wanted to attend college, but her family believed that a job working as a secretary would be more desirable.

Despite meetings with her guidance counselor, her mother’s parents would not back down. “[My mother] always felt that she was denied an education,” Gorman said. “I’m pretty sure I went to my kindergarten teacher and said, ‘I am going to college because this was something that my mother couldn’t do.’ As the oldest of three children, I decided that I was going to go college and make up for what she couldn’t have.”

Gorman’s family history with her mother is part of the reason she views education as such a high priority. “[My mother’s experiences] made education so important and valuable to me,” Gorman said. “[Growing up,] I held education on a pedestal, I respected it, I knew it was some-

CARL FAUST

New college and career center coordinator Andrea Gorman poses with her favorite motivational plaque. Gorman originally began her career in medicine, but soon found that counseling was her true calling. thing I wanted, and I never took it for granted. It’s something I will do for the rest of my life. [My mother’s experiences] made me curious and they made me a lifelong learner.”

In high school, Gorman’s teachers pushed her to follow a career in medicine, eventually leading her to Wellesley College in Massachusetts. However, while working at a job in a local hospital, Gorman realized that medicine was not entirely her calling.

“I learned that I wasn’t as interested in the patients who were connected to tubes,” Gorman said. “I gravitated to their families. I want-

ed to stand with their families and give them support. So that’s how I realized I really wanted to go more into counseling.”

After graduating from Wellesley College, Gorman became one of its alumni admissions representatives in the Bay Area and also conducted interviews for prospective Wellesley students.

She began to see things falling into place.

“I think at that point I said, ‘I love this,’” Gorman said. “[Educational counseling] kind of connects the two: education which is so important to me and [counseling]

because my goal is to help students achieve their educational goals.”

Gorman then decided to take an extension program at the University of California, Los Angeles, in order to receive her Certificate in College Counseling. She moved on to complete her practicum at Mountain View High School, and began volunteering with the AVID students at Los Altos High School in 2011.

As the new college and career center coordinator, Gorman wants to put some of her own touches on the center in the years to come. She aims to keep the center moving in an organized way and make it a welcoming place for all.

“Overall, I really would like this center to be a place where students feel comfortable, freshmen through seniors,” Gorman said. “Long term, I think I want to be able to put my own personality into it. [I want to] do some fun things to bring students in here so they are excited about applying to school.”

Gorman’s passion for education has led her to consider three jobs throughout her lifetime: teacher, counselor and librarian. She believes that her new position as college and career center coordinator encompasses them all.

“I love this [position],” Gorman said. “Everything I have done in my life has absolutely prepared me for this position. My background, my high school teachers who encouraged me to go to college, being a first-generation student, and raising my children and going through the college process with both of them.”

Gilbert

for special needs children in Los Angeles. At the school, Gilbert reached out to students who he CONTINUED FROM THE feels have been marginalized.

FRONT PAGE “The things that people learn, to judge and to have prejudices: I never learned to do those Gilbert’s condition comes across things,” Gilbert says. “The things not as slowness, but as confusion that people pick up, I’ve never or raw honesty: an inability to picked up. So I’m not extrocompute the ugly things that he verted because I’m extroverted. never learned to ignore. His in- I’m extroverted because I never terest in learning began with his learned not to be.” kindergarten teacher, with whom It is difficult to know from he kept in touch for decades after. meeting him how Gilbert strugGilbert’s investment in learning gles with the most conventional seems to be as vital to him as tis- of situations. He struggles to acsue and plasma. The sheer force cept ideas like anxiety or condiof his passion is enervating. tional love. When asked about his When Gilbert was 35 years hobbies, Gilbert is baffled. old, administrators at Califor“I don’t mean to seem redunnia State University, Los Ange- dant, but what I like to do in my les, prompted him to complete a free time, is just to know what the learning disabilities test because hell is going on, in such a seriof his chronic struggle with learn- ous way, that I don’t even know ing. The results indicated that it if I can convey it to you,” Gilbert was only Gilbert’s incredible re- said. “I am so distracted by consourcefulness that allowed him to vention, and there’s no end to it… compensate for his deficiencies in I wouldn’t say it’s a hobby, but I’m social skill. completely distracted by other “They said that people’s behavior.” the typical person Gilbert conwho comes in to get fesses that he is tested is reserved, The things that more committed to shy, frightened, feels people learn, e xp re s s i o n - b a s e d insecure and doesn’t learning than currichave good commu- to judge and to ulum-based learnnications skills,” Gil- have prejudices: ing. Gilbert urges bert said. “[They told I never learned his students to think me,] ‘You’re articulate to do those differently and share and you have a way their reservations things. with words, and we’ve about material, — substitute teacher never tested anyone which is not always Gilbert Mercado like that.’ They didn’t conducive to teachknow what to do.” ing convention.

Gilbert seems to This discovery led physically ache when he consid- to Gilbert’s exploration of art as ers people who aren’t comfort- an expressive medium and symbiable in their skin. Before coming otic to learning. Art has allowed to work as a substitute teacher in him to reconcile his idealism with the Bay Area, Gilbert drove a bus an imperfect world. Gilbert has

KIMIA SHAHIDI

Substitute teacher Gilbert Mercado points to a world map that indicates his diverse heritage. Gilbert fosters an atmosphere of cooperative learning in and out of the classroom. created art therapeutically since he was young, often giving artwork to friends and family.

Hearing a friend’s acceptance of inhibited love, Gilbert made her a quilt.

“The patchwork was hearts in boxes, nothing but hearts in boxes,” Gilbert said. “I said, ‘Snuggle up to this.’ If you’re saying to me that you’re okay with love being rigid and finite, then use this. That’s the sort of art I do. It has to do with challenging people to broaden their definition of love.”

He has the air of someone who is unapologetically happy.

Gilbert speaks of love and the proverbial heart in a way that makes it feel as though he is the first one to do it right.

“I love the facility of learning, and then the art was just something that happened, and then the idea of facilitating love: that matters a lot to me,” Gilbert said.

“But to be touched? I have this idea that I don’t have access to my own heart, and that the only way I can access it is through interacting with others.”

Gilbert describes his life as having been “so magical and so enchanting.” He will continue learning about learning. His condition presents little more burden than an allergy, it would appear. Gilbert’s favorite painter, Van Gogh, is remembered not for his social eccentricities, but for the power of his colors. Gilbert will continue to love unconditionally and to unlock boxed hearts. “[I was] in Paris, at an impressionist museum, and I walked into a room and burst into tears,” Gilbert said. “Each wall had four Van Goghs on it.

I don’t know if you can imagine that. They talk about him like he was sick or something. If being all heart makes you sick, then yes, he was sick.”

Choose Your Own Poetry Adventure!

By Eli Colbert

Howdy I’m Eli. I like to write poems. Do you like to write or read poems?

If “no,” go back to the start of this sentence. If “yes,” proceed. For each issue of The Talon, I will select a poem supplied by a student.

I will write a companion piece printed alongside it. Want to read more about poetry? Continue.

No? Feel free to read the rest of the paper! On writing poetry: —Paul Valery called poetry “language within a language.” Be sure the language is yours. Don’t put your poem in someone else’s voice. Ground your poems in colloquialism.

—Richard Hugo in an essay “Writing off the Subject” identifies two attitudes in poets. “One is that all music must conform to truth. The other, that all truth must conform to music.”

Sounds of words are as important as their suggestion. If you can’t make your truth conform to music, make music. “If you want to communicate, use the telephone,” Hugo writes.

—Create a space where words can live together that normally wouldn’t. Everything written should be a surprise to the reader.

—Write small. Find a balance between what’s vital and maudlin. “Sir Alexander Fleming observed some mold, and a few years later, we had a cure for gonorrhea,” Hugo says. “But what if the British government had told him to find a cure for gonorrhea?... Think small. If you have a big mind, that will show itself.”

—Anger, sicken, enchant. Fail to do these things and you won’t make an impact.

—Listen selectively. “Every moment, I am, without wanting or trying to, telling you to write like me,” Hugo says. “But I hope you learn to write like you. In a sense, I hope I don’t teach you how to write but how to teach yourself how to write.”

To see your work here, contact me through my school e-mail. A short poem: V Our affections were like allergies, like welts and opened ideas.

I gave my best self to you.

You keep my mementos like an urn, like a stable of broken horses.

Your love as a wooden bee coop, smacked green by dripping brush.

Surrender to raised flesh, the smell of honey tarred to nail and fastened beech.

Absolution of nighttime sin and skin, eyes webbed with bellows’ offerings and your smoke. The kisses that rend sight and fall bumping over throat shelves. The swarmed hug that carries me to sleep in you.

The Talon September 29, 2015

13

“Basque”-ing in the Basque spirit TINO TUGWETE Staff Writer

Among the unique range of characters that make up the school’s diverse population, most have probably caught a glimpse of English teacher Arantxa Arriada, the fiery redhead scurrying across campus with her retro dresses, matte-red lips and radiating spirit. It is clear that Arriada shines with a bubbly presence, but the roots of her personality stem from a relatively unknown place: the Basque region.

“Arantxa: she’s a teacher, she’s Basque and she’s loud,” Arriada said. “Those are the big things that define me.”

Alta Vista CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE The growing popularity can be attributed to the very welcoming environment that has allowed students to find a sense of comfort and belonging. The student body is accommodating, and the types of cliques found in many high schools are much rarer.

“I feel like being at this school we all relate more than at Los Altos or Mountain View,” senior Juan Carbajal said. “Over there you’re separated, it’s always different people with different groups. But over here, you can always find someone to talk to. You can always have something in common. It’s also more diverse and accepting.”

With a small staff of seven full-time teachers and two part-time teachers, the faculty has also been key to the nurturing atmosphere. The staff provide a very personalized experience with smaller classes and one-on-one interactions that allow students to experience material in an enjoyable way.

“Teachers know how to challenge students because they know the ones that need extra help and the ones that want a challenge and want to get pushed,” senior Alejandro Benavidez said. “I think that’s something that teachers do here very well. It’s more familiar, each teacher just gets to know you a lot better: how you work, what kind of person you are and what kind of student you are.”

Alejandro had transferred to Alta Vista for sophomore year, after his counselor deemed him credit deficient. The transfer, however, has allowed Alejandro revitalize his education by making classwork and enjoyable experience.

“Just the acknowledgement that there are actually good teachers out

The Basque region is nestled be- from my little town, and so every tween northwest Spain and south- time I go to Spain, [I] always go to west France. The area is deeply the festival,” Arriada said. “I love rooted in the continent. Anthro- it because when I tell people I’m pologists believe the Basque re- Basque, most people haven’t heard gion was one of the oldest-founded of it. They have no idea what it is… countries in Europe; however, it is so it’s kind of cool [to have] somenow an autonomous community. thing that people understand.”

Those who do not know much Arriada’s great appreciation and about Basque culture or people often understanding of her culture was miscategorize Arriada as Spanish. taught to her by her family. Her father “Oftentimes, if I’m just meeting was born in Basque during the Spansomeone or if I know I’m not go- ish Civil War. As he was growing up in ing to interact with them, I’ll just the ‘60s, Arriada’s father experienced say, ‘Oh, I’m Spanish,’ because it’s extreme poverty during the aftermath easier,” Arriada said. “But Basque of the war. This led him to be one of culture is really different.” the first in his family to emigrate to One unique feature of Basque cul- the U.S. on a shepherd contract. ture, which many associate as a Span“It was a really lonely life,” Arriada ish tradition, is the said. “My dad would literRunning of the Bulls. ally have 2000 sheep that Each summer, thouhe was in charge of [in sands of people from Our language America], and he’d be up around the world is completely in the mountains with the gather in the city of different... and I sheep… all over California Pamplona to watch and parts of Nevada.” bulls run as part of the think language Once he had comeight-day festival of is a lot of what pleted his contract and San Fermin. The Run- makes a culture. earned his green card, ning was originally to Arriada’s father was un— English teacher herd bulls from the sure of his next step in Arantxa Arriada country to the city. life. He faced major adOver the years, it has justment to a new culture evolved into a symbolic part of the and language in America, but staying festival, which celebrates the patron would offer him more job opportuniof Pamplona, Saint Fermin. ties. He later chose to return to Spain Arriada has attended the festival where he met Arriada’s mother, and many times, including this summer. together they finally decided to start She credits this popular event to have their lives in America. put Basque on the map.

The couple moved to San Fran“Pamplona is about an hour away cisco and raised Arriada in the city. there, it really does add to like you want to learn more, makes you want to enjoy the class more,” Alejandro said. “And they work with you one on one. They’re paying more attention to you, and it makes you feel like you matter. It makes you care more about your education.”

For some students, the school has changed the way they approach education. With a much larger array of opportunities, they feel more motivated to take action for themselves.

“At first I thought, ‘I’m a procrastinator, I don’t do school,’” senior Zitlaly Ramirez said. “Once I got here, I’ve been exposed to so many opportunities that I’ve learned that I like school.

I’ve learned to love math, whereas before it was just something I’ve had to do. Here, I think people have discovered what works best for them.”

Ever since moving to a full sixperiod schedule three years ago, Alta Vista has offered a large variety of electives and differing educational pathways for students to choose from. One of the longstanding pathways is Construction Trades, which deals with an

PHOTOS COURTESY ARANTXA ARRIADA

Above: English teacher Arantxa Arriada dances at the festival of San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain. Bottom left: Arriada and her husband Eli Brown look over the Basque countryside during their July trip. Arriada, who is first-generation Basque, returns to the area regularly to visit family.

Arriada remains very close to her cisco Basque Cultural Center, Basque culture. Arriada’s friends where she was able to learn about even coined a term for her zest of her heritage with children like herBasque spirit: “Über Basque.” self and experience American cul“When people think of Spain, ture at the same time. they think of like flamenco danc“There are a lot of differences,” Aring and paella and bullfighting, riada said. “I would say that the most which is kind of Basque, but that’s significant difference is that in the not Basque,” Arriada said. “Our lan- Basque country people live more in guage is completely different; it’s the moment than [Americans]... they not romance-based, so it sounds enjoy time with their family ― meals nothing like Spanish and it sounds over there take two hours… because nothing like French… Really, the you’re just hanging out at the table biggest difference is the language, and telling stories and drinking wine and I think a language is a lot of and having cheese.” what makes a culture.”

Although there are many aspects of Though she did not grow up in Arriada that she considers to define the Basque region, Arriada spent her, her Basque culture holds a special her childhood near the San Fran- place in her heart.

array of different construction guided tour allows the Construcskills. This year, the construction tion class an opportunity to sell class built chicken coops, an un- their coops. expected eccentricity that has be“There are some 900 people signed gun to involve the whole school in up to do a chicken coop tour, so we’re the process of raising going to have an open chickens. house on [Saturday, “I think the chickens September 19],” Pierce are good, because it I assumed said. “[For] this partickind of involves every- AVHS was a bad ular tour, we’ll be able one,” Juan said. “It’s re- school, I was to say, ‘Hey, if you like ally interesting to have our chicken coop, we’ll informed it was chicken on campus, build one for you.’” and I’ve never seen it a bad school.

Along with Conbefore. It brings peo- But then once struction Trades, Alta ple together.”

Vista has health science you come, you In fact, the school realize that it’s and early childhood has become an exhidevelopment paths bition for Silicon Val- not bad. After that offer certifications ley’s annual Tour de a couple of and college credits. The Coop, a bike tour that weeks, I really elective paths allow visits different Silicon liked it here. students to find their Valley homesteads own way through high — AVHS senior to see chicken coops, school and chase their Juan Carbajal gardens and beehives. own passions.

Sponsored and orga“Since I was younger, nized by Slow Food South Bay, a I always thought that I wanted to be company that promotes local food a vet,” Zitlaly said. “When I was at communities, and other collabo- Los Altos I didn’t think I would be rating organizations, the free self- able to reach that. I got here and the

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CARL FAUST

old science teacher, he was on the alumni board for Cal Poly, which offers veterinary technician courses.

He said, ‘If you get the grades for it when you go to college, I will write a recommendation letter that will get you into that school.’ I thought, ‘Maybe I can be a vet.’”

Through these processes, Alta Vista prepares students for community college, where most graduates will go before transitioning to a university of their choice.

“On the wall, we have college banners from a variety of the universities our students have gone to,” Pierce said. “It’s important that we have those images up because a number of students when they first come, think, ‘Well this is sort of a dead end, I’ll get my diploma and that’s it,’ which is far from the case. This is simply a different path to the same end… graduation of college.”

Alta Vista constantly battles the “continuation” school stigma that shadows its identity. Parents of AVHS students, at first, are especially fearful for their kids ― that is, until they visit the school.

“Parents are worried about their kids coming to the ‘continuation’ school,’” Pierce said, “Once they come on campus, ‘Ah, this is like a little private school.’ ‘Yeah it is,’ I say, ‘I promise you when your student goes home today, they’re going to say, “I like school.”’”

In the end, these negative associations are purely figments of the imagination. Dispelling the prejudices, however, is an uphill battle.

“I don’t think anybody really knows,” Juan said. “I assumed it was a bad school, I was informed it was a bad school. I thought there were gangs there, and you’re going to get shot or stabbed the first day you come on campus. But then once you come, you realize that it’s not bad. You find your group, you find your friends. After a couple of weeks, I really liked it here.”

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The Talon September 29, 2015

Catch reviews of new movies, music and more, plus read the entertainment archives at lahstalon.org/entertainment

FOOD

Turn Bar & Grill serves upscale American cuisine EMILY AOKI

Features Editor

Turn Bar & Grill

American Grill

295 Main Street Los Altos, CA Price Range: $$$

★★★★☆ Upon entering through the dark wood double doors of Turn Bar and Grill, guests are greeted by servers bustling past, dressed in all black and arms filled with hot, fresh entrees presented on stark white dishes. Conversations overlap one another and fade into a hum of white noise as guests make their way to a table beneath a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge.

A recent addition to downtown Los Altos, Turn opened on Monday, June 15, and added patio dining in early August. The restaurant is located on the corner of Main and Second Streets, where Jamba Juice and AG Ferrari used to be. Jim and Julie Otis, the owners of Turn Bar and Grill, can be seen from time to time at the restaurant, greeting diners and surveying the restaurant in action.

Turn serves classic, high quality American cuisine and, according to their website, aims for an “upscale, but laid back” atmosphere.

Though Turn fulfills its promise of an upscale atmosphere, laid back is not what comes to mind when Turn is mentioned; classy and chic would be more fitting

terms. The restaurant’s high ceilings, modern designs and rich earth tones are quietly illuminated with simple, low hanging lights. The main room holds a three-sided bar, surrounded

by TVs on all sides and buzzing softly with conversation. To the left and right there are two subrooms providing a more private dining option with dark wood tables and booths.

The presentation of Turn’s cuisine also demonstrates the high class element that Turn embodies, with french fries drizzled in truff le oil and seasoned with chives and parmesan. The fries earn points for being satisfyingly crunchy, but the heavy seasoning can become overwhelming very quickly. Ketch-

up, mustard and mayonnaise are served with the fries on a white platter in separate, sleek white dishes, further exemplifying Turn’s upscale attitude.

Another particularly memorable dish is the Jamon Iberico pizza. The pizza is topped with mozzarella cheese, Jamon Iberico ham and arugula, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with a few plum tomatoes. The pizza is very salty, but the plum tomatoes provide a contrasting flavor and somewhat of a relief from the combination of more savory ingredients in the pizza.

Notable on the menu of main courses is the Niman Ranch Beef Burger, which is served with a green heirloom tomato, butter lettuce, red onion and a toasted

GINA KERMODE

Turn serves up its homestyle potato chips. The restaurant aims for an upscale dining experience, exemplified by the pricing and interior ambience.

brioche bun. Niman Ranch, located in Bolinas, is known for their high quality beef, lamb and pork. Turn’s burger stands true to the reputation of Niman Ranch with an excellent beef patty that is properly complemented by its toppings. Served on the side are homestyle potato chips and very lightly vinegared slices of cucumber, which are relatively unusual — burgers typically come with french fries and occasionally a pickle. However, paired with the green heirloom tomato, the unique sides serve to transform a typical burger to a high-class version that is unique to Turn.

For dessert, Turn features classics like New York style cheesecake, peach-berry cobbler with French vanilla gelato and sorbet.

All desserts are nine dollars, and a real stand out on the menu is the peach-berry cobbler. It is the perfect close to a meal, with a distinctive contrast of the hot, just-baked cobbler to the cold and creamy gelato. The peaches taste fresh, the crust is buttery and flakey and the dessert’s overall tangy flavor works very well with the vanilla gelato.

However, with the deluxe and delicious dishes served at Turn come deluxe prices. The Truffled Shoestring Fries mentioned above are priced at a hefty 11 dollars, but are capable of serving three to four people. Despite that, the quickly overwhelming flavor makes the fries worth about three dollars less than what they go for. The Niman Ranch burger, which is 15 dol-

lars, is well worth its price because of the outstanding quality of the beef and its overall flavor.

As for the Jamón Iberica pizza, 18 dollars, and the peach-berry cobbler, nine dollars, both are well worth each and every penny spent on them. They are standouts on the menu for their classic flavor combinations and appealing presentation.

For the most part, Turn serves a multitude of mouth-watering dishes that cater to the classic American appetite. Because of this, customer service is very important — keeping hungry customers waiting is typically not a wise move on the part of any restaurant. Customer service is very friendly, timely and attentive without being too overbearing.

Servers uphold a professional air that would be expected of any high class restaurant. Food can be expected to arrive within 10 to 15 minutes after ordering, which is a rather quick turnaround considering the exceptional quality of the food that Turn serves.

The Otis’ accomplished their dream of an upscale bar and grill with excellent pizza and burgers, but it didn’t quite fulfill the goal of simultaneously being “laid-back” — from the gourmet ingredients to the pricing, Turn shouts high-class.

Nonetheless, Turn Bar and Grill’s stylish and sophisticated ambience, timely service and well-made classic dishes still make it a worthy visit for an evening out on the town.

Tea Annie displays uniqueness through authentic teas MIRANDA LI Staff Writer

Tea Annie

Bubble Milk Tea

1712 Miramonte Avenue Mountain View, CA Price Range: $$

★★★★☆ Milk tea is the new coffee — the pearl tea epidemic is spreading. Tea Annie, located next to Safeway in Mountain View, has been in soft opening for a month and is one of many new local pearl tea shops.

While other stores serve teas drowned

in sweetener and artificial flavoring, Tea Annie hits the spot with a focus on authentic teas and minimal sugar.

This theme is evident in all of the beverages Tea Annie serves. Unlike the massive menu of almost overwhelmingly sweet beverages that characterizes the majority of pearl tea cafes, Tea Annie drinks are lightly sweetened to let the tea take center stage. Though the menu is significantly shorter than other shops, the options that are missing are those involving artificial syrup.

Most of the flavor choices are based on different types of tea leaves. The toppings menu at Tea Annie is almost longer than its actual menu, with unique options such as white

pearls and popping pearls to keep the typical black boba company.

With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to decide what to order. The Peach Oolong Milk Tea is light, refreshing and highly recommended. Only slightly sweet and tasting distinctly of fragrant oolong, the tea is accented well by the black boba topping. For the non-tea-junkie, the Oreo Milk Tea is more of an Oreo shake, with crushed bits of chocolate cookie and a thick, creamy base. The name “milk tea” is deceiving; the thick drink is more akin to a slushie than a typical tea and would likely be uncomplementary to the many boba options. Tea Annie also offers fruit smoothies, made from real fruit, which are a fresh alternative to milk tea and appeal to the more healthconcerned customers.

The quality of the tea justifies the pricing: about four dollars for a regular-sized cup with toppings. However, the prices may deter those who do not prioritize the caliber of the tea.

When entering the shop, one immediately notices the clean and cute ambience, with pop music and a ceramic teapot full of hot tea and small ceramic cups for sampling. The decoration is minimalist and contemporary, and the windows occupy the entire outer walls, giving the shop a friendly, open atmosphere.

The owners, Annie and Jimmy, and

ALLEGRA MAESO

PHOTOS BY ALLEGRA MAESO

Above: Roasted Tea with black pearls. The tea may be expensive, but the quality and authenticity makes it well worth the money. Below left: A barista works on making the Roasted Tea option. The tea is authentic, imported from tea farms in Taiwan. the few staff members are eternally welcoming and open to questions.

The shop, though small, is generally uncrowded and frequented largely by high school students.

The vibe is modern and sweet, but the tea is traditional and sourced from Taiwan. All tea is grown on high mountain farms, which use less pesticides and chemicals. With the recent rage around organic, fresh foods and ingredients, the chemical-free teas will likely draw the many health-conscious consumers populating the Bay Area.

Tea Annie’s future looks bright: the owners intend to expand and vary their selection of teas to include fruit, floral, and herbal teas for the winter. As long as they remain unique and one step ahead of other milk tea shops in the area, Tea Annie should be able to garner many loyal customers.

If you’re looking for a syrupy melon-flavored drink mix sold under the disguise of tea, Tea Annie is not the place for you. Though somewhat pricey, Tea Annie offers quick and authentic tea for the quick milk tea fix we all need.

The Talon September 29, 2015

Avi(ew) on Music

MUSIC & MOVIES

SoundCloud revolutionizes music HANNA KHOSRAVI Opinions Editor

By Avi Varghese

“I Don’t Go Outside” After Californian rapper Earl Sweatshirt’s notoriously out-of-control adolescence, the most unexpected element of his latest release, “I Don’t Like S---, I Don’t Go Outside,” is how much control he exerts over his music. As a teen, he suffered from unchecked fame, producing lyrics that were truly vulgar, but he has matured as an individual and grown in his artistry.

“I Don’t Go Outside” chronicles a month-long period of his life: the death of his grandmother, a painful breakup and a return to the substance abuse that plagued his teen years. Made in and around this period, the album deals with themes of depression, introversion and possible misanthropy. On “I Don’t Go Outside,” Sweatshirt produced nine out of the 10 tracks himself, resulting in dense instrumentals that connote claustrophobia, dark spaces and the sensation of being underwater. Token verses by famous names that dragged down his previous album, “Doris,” have been replaced by more focused verses from close friends like Vince Staples.

The most notable demonstration of focus and control is in the crafting of Sweatshirt’s lyrics. Renowned for his intricate and detailed rhyming technique, Sweatshirt has returned with a razor-sharp focus on the meaning behind his words. On his single “Grief,” stretched vocal samples loom over compressed drums as he works a favorite motif: the unreliable narrator. “Focused on my chatter, ain’t as frantic as my thoughts/Lately I been panicking a lot/Feeling like I’m stranded in a mob, scrambling for Xanax out the canister to pop,” he says, with increasing tightness. Then, suddenly, a reassurance: “Never getting out of hand/Steady handling my job/Time damaging my ties,” his voice releasing in tension, riding the beat. Immediately afterward, he launches a verbally abusive tirade against other rappers.

Through subtleties in Sweatshirt’s rap flow and his lyrics, a seemingly typical crusade against rival rappers reveals the negative effects of his substance abuse, made sharper by retrospect. Similar techniques appear on “Mantra,” in which a drunken diatribe against his former girlfriend morphs into introspection about his failures to maintain relationships.

Sweatshirt has spent much of his solo career searching for a voice of his own — one that uses rap to attack deeper themes with precision. With “I Don’t Go Outside,” we find that maybe all he needed was to find his own path.

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When SoundCloud was founded in 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden by sound designer Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, the original concept was to create a platform where musicians could share their music with one another. However, the gradual development of the website, which is headquartered in Berlin, made for a revolutionary overturn in the music sharing landscape.

With Soundcloud, musicians are not barred by their level of fame, stature or prior success to put out and publish their own songs and mixed tracks. No longer does a budding artist need a record label, a contract or a technologically advanced studio to have their voice heard by audiences.

By 2013, it was reported by USA Today that SoundCloud had over 200 million users.

Fred Wilson of Union Square Investors, one of SoundCloud’s major backers, has made public his belief that SoundCloud will become “as big as the Internet itself.”

“What is nice about SoundCloud is that everyone is there,

it’s not something like a record label or iTunes,” SoundCloud user senior Scott Delamare said. “All those record labels are just bigshots. You have to be famous in order to be heard. But on SoundCloud, everyone is allowed to do it. Everyone is allowed to be a part of it. It’s very community-based.

It reaches out to people.”

SoundCloud, however, is no stranger to the likes of immense controversy. When uploading to SoundCloud, users have to confirm that they have obtained whatever rights that are required to remix or post tracks of songs originally sung and produced by famous artists and record labels.

However, not everyone on the internet complies with these directions. Due to the remixing of unlicensed content and lack of enforcement regarding copyright infringement plaguing the company’s reputation with popular record labels and studios, SoundCloud has been forced to make

GRAPHICS BY ANNE SCHILL

gradual changes to the laid-back don’t really strive for creativculture and cavalier system it had ity... I think it’s unfortunate that previously established. Recently, there is so much restriction.”

Soundcloud enforced a “Content No matter the controversy surIdentification System” in which it rounding them, SoundCloud tries to identify audio that the right- seems to be ever increasing in ful owners of the remixed content popularity. Making music, and have demanded be removed from even a certain degree of fame, acthe website. cessible to less com“SoundCloud has monly known artists always taken serihas made Soundously our respon- A lot of record Cloud the go-to for sibility to act upon labels are too music aficionados requests from right- strict on [copyall over the world. sholders who beright violations], Bloomberg reported lieve that their audio that each minute, has been uploaded and they only SoundCloud users by someone with- see it through collectively upload out their permis- the eyes of 12 hours worth of sion,” SoundCloud money... they audio content. In said in a statement the last year, the serit posted to its blog don’t really vice has signed an on January 5, 2011. strive for creagreement with the “Implementing this ativity. major label Wartechnology helps us ner Music Group, — senior Scott Delamare to do this more efboth to generate fectively. And that revenue and claim in turn means that its stake in the new we can continue to focus all our era of music streaming. It is, in efforts on serving over 2 million a sense, legitimizing itself as an users who want to share the au- organization. The agreement dio they have created.” provides that SoundCloud will In spite of that, Scott and add a subscription price, and many artists like him feel that that meanwhile, the Warner this controversy is relatively Music Group will pay for a three uncalled for. They believe that to five percent equity stake in SoundCloud made a name for it- the company. self as being the artist’s vehicle SoundCloud notably appeals for self-propulsion and back- to a younger audience, and its tracking on that will not win lack of predictability makes for them any favors. an action-packed venue where “I think it’s a shame that a lot lovers of music come out to play. of people’s accounts are being From records to CDs to iTunes deleted or taken down, especial- — it seems that SoundCloud ly after knowing how much hard could live to be the next chamwork goes into that,” Scott said. pion of musical transformation.

“A lot of record labels are too Dispute or no dispute, Soundstrict on it, and they only see it Cloud is not going anywhere through the eyes of money… they anytime soon.

Netflix losing major blockbuster movies ANISHA DESAI Staff Writer

After September ends, users will no longer be able to stream major blockbusters such as “The Hunger Games,” “The Wolf of Wall Street” or “World War Z” on Netf lix because it decided not to renew a contentlicensing deal with Epix, a premium hybrid cable and satellite television network that releases movies from the studios Lionsgate, MGM and Paramount.

In 1997, no one would have guessed that the small start-up, Netf lix, would someday change the way millions of people consume cinematic content and completely revolutionize the TV industry. Since its launch, Netf lix has dominated the video streaming niche and phased out major movie rental stores.

The arrival of smartphones and tablets only furthered Netf lix’s success by allowing people to watch content where they want and when they want. Most recently, Netf lix started creating high-quality exclusive content and releasing entire seasons at once, giving way to the term “binge-watching.”

Many of the biggest movies available on Netf lix come from Epix. The original deal between Netf lix and Epix was signed in 2010 for a five year period.

Since then, Epix has become

less exclusive to Netf lix by signing licensing deals with other streaming companies, therefore losing its value. Chief content officer at Netf lix, Ted Sarandos, talked about the company’s reasoning behind not renewing the deal in an official statement on its blog.

“While many of these movies [from Epix] are popular, they are also widely available on cable and other subscription platforms at the same time as they are on Netf lix and subject to the same drawn out licensing periods,” Sarandos said.

“Our goal is to provide great movies and TV series for all tastes, that are only available on Netf lix.”

As for the people worried about losing the ability to stream

their favorite movies, Epix has Angelina Jolie, Sofia Coppola moved to Hulu under non-ex- and Adam Sandler. clusive terms, so all of the same “Through our original films content will still be available to and some innovative licensing Hulu subscribers. arrangements with The main reason the movie studios, Netf lix chose not we are aiming to to renew the deal Our goal is to build a better movie is that it is putting provide great experience for [the a greater focus on movies and TV viewers],” Sarandos the production of series for all said. its own exclusive One way Netf lix tastes, that are content.

Netf lix seeks to improve has already seen only available customer experitremendous suc- on Netflix. ence is by prioricess with its shows tizing shorter wait — Netflix Content “Orange is the times between theOfficer Ted Sarandos New Black”, atrical releases and “House of a movie’s availabilCards” and “Blood- ity online. With Epix, content lines”. The compa- was available on Netf lix eight to ny has partnered ten months after a film bowed with major movie in theaters. By creating its own stars and direc- content, these wait times will tors such as Brad become nonexistent.

Pitt, Ricky GerDespite losing Epix, starting vais, Judd Apatow, next year Netf lix will be the only subscription service providing latest releases from The Walt Disney Company, which includes movies from Pixar, Lucas Films, and Marvel Movies.

Content will be arriving even faster than traditional arrangements previously allowed.

There is a lot in store for subscribers in the coming months, but only time will tell if Netf lix continues to dominate or if the changes prove too drastic for its ANNE SCHILL consumers.

16

The Talon September 29, 2015

“ESPRESS-O” YOURSELF Why you should care about good coffee and where to get it WRITTEN BY: SPENCER DEMBNER, COLE HANSON

GRAPHICS BY: SKYLER MAESO

News Editor, Copy/Content Editor

C

onsidering that 83% of American adults are coffee drinkers, it is surprising that its details are so frequently ignored. Most avid coffee drinkers do not know where their morning latte came from, nor who made it or what they were paid for it.

As globalization connects the world, it cuts the cost of transportation and allows consumers to conveniently buy goods from half a world away. But that convenience is also incredibly alienating. Somewhere far away, there is a real person who made that backpack, who built that cellphone — or grew that coffee bean. And if the consumer

never has to think about that person, it is easy to forget they exist.

Specialty coffee, also known as Third Wave Coffee, is intended to reverse the alienation brought on by globalization; the movement connects consumers as directly as possible with the coffee they drink and the people who made it. Whereas mass market coffees, like Starbucks or Peet’s, are fast and convenient, third wave coffee is a slow, thoughtful and delicious product intimately tied to its origin. Specialty coffee goes beyond merely “drinking coffee,” to enjoying the hard work of a farmer in Guatemala who cares

Graphic Artist

about his product.

When it’s prepared correctly, coffee is similar to a fine wine or a delicately crafted entree — an everyday delicacy. Truly great coffee offers completely new and wonderful taste profiles every morning. Coffee shouldn’t be a chore; it should be an experience.

In order to emphasize origin flavor, specialty coffee favors roasting much lighter than most — the final temperature of the roast could be as low as 300 degrees fahrenheit, rather than 350 or 400. Roasted this light, the coffee reveals subtle fruity, flowery or tealike characteristics, lacking the burnt, smoky

COFFEEGROWING COUNTRIES

and chocolatey flavors caused by over-roasting.

The best shops often test multiple brewing methods for the same coffee to see which produces the best cup. Top brewers are very precise with the temperature of the water, the ratio of coffee to water and the length of extraction are all controlled within a tight range in order to consistently bring out the subtleties of each coffee.

Gourmet coffee isn’t just delicious, it also pays its producers a living wage, yet another reason for people to care about what they drink. Whereas mass market coffee cuts corners, un-

derpays farmers and sacrifices human rights to deliver a product more cheaply and efficiently, third wave coffee does not.

In some ways, third wave coffee is a movement composed of farmers, roasters and consumers who choose to counteract corporatization, reject the anonymity of consumerism and engage in something real. Something meaningful.

It is a movement that everyone can and should be a part of, and joining it is both easy and delicious.

In the following spread, The Talon explores the origin of gourmet coffee and introduces several Bay Area spots for readers to experience.

3

5

6

LOCATIONS IN COFFEE HISTORY C.1000 Mid-15th Century 1675 1690 1773 1884

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

2

Ethiopia Arabia England Sumatra & Java USA Italy

1

4

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COFFEE C.1000

MID-15TH CENTURY

1675

According to legend, an Ethiopian goat-herder named Kaldi discovers the coffee plant when his goats ate the berries and get excited. He shows the plant to the local abbot, who immediately adopts it as an aid for late night vigils.

The first credible evidence of coffee being brewed and consumed as a beverage, in Sufi Monasteries across Arabia. These monasteries were the first to roast and grind the seeds as modern drinkers do, instead of simply brewing the leaves or flesh of the plant as a tea.

Alarmed by reports of dissidents plotting against the crown, King Charles II of Britain briefly tries to ban all coffeehouses. The drink took Europe by storm over the course of just a few decades and quickly cemented itself in the continent’s culture.

1690

1773

1884

Dutch traders finally succeed in smuggling coffee plants out of Arabia, and plant them in their colonies on the islands of Java and Sumatra. Previously, traders in the Arabian peninsula jealously guarded the plants in order to prevent them from being grown elsewhere.

The Boston Tea Party: American colonists in Boston climb aboard a British trade ship and dump a shipment of tea into the harbor, as a protest against taxes on the colonies. Afterward, tea came to be associated with the British and many Americans switched to coffee as a result.

Angelo Moriondo patents a very early version of the espresso machine in Turin. Espresso, a stronger, more concentrated coffee drink extracted under pressure, found its way to the United States in the early 20th century when millions of Italians emigrated to America and brought their coffee culture with them.

COFFEE BUZZWORDS

LIGHT ROAST

A bean roasted to a lower temperature, bringing out more complexity.

SINGLE ORIGIN

A coffee brewed from one individual farm, intended to emphasize distinct flavors.

POUROVER

Coffee brewed by pouring water directly over the grounds.

GESHA

The champagne of coffees, grown in small quantities in Panama. Known for subtle floral and berry notes.

The Talon September 29, 2015

17

RED BERRY COFFEE BAR Red Berry Coffee Bar

Specialty: Brewed Coffee/Pourover

145 Main Street Los Altos, CA

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ntil very recently, finding great coffee meant going out of the area — to Red Rock in Mountain View, further up the bay or even San Francisco. But ever since the opening of Red Berry Coffee Bar a year and a half ago, Los Altos has a top-f light coffee offering of its own, within walking distance of the school.

Red Berry’s history actually starts in San Jose, where the store was headquartered until 2010. That was when it outgrew its smaller store and moved to Los Altos, where it has twice the space it did previously. Its move was delayed for several years by constructions and renovations, but the shop re-opened its doors in March, 2014.

Inside those doors, Red Berry’s interior is stripped down, yet welcoming. The store is

relatively small — but it combines high ceilings and open space with lots of natural light to make it feel much larger and more spacious than it is.

Tables are spread out instead of being adjacent, and interior clutter is kept to a minimum — the only wall decoration is a rotating art installation from Gallery 9, next door. The store also keeps the volume of its music under control — not every shop does. Red Berry is never as crowded as competitors like Red Rock tend to be, which means waiting to find a table is almost unheard of.

Of course, a great interior is no use if the coffee isn’t incredible. Thankfully, it is.

Red Berry carries a rotating cast of three different drip coffees and three different espressos, all from different roasters and grown in different regions.

On any given day, Red Berry could carry an Ethiopian coffee roasted in San Francisco, a Guatemalan coffee roasted in Portland and a Panamanian coffee

roasted in North Carolina. The next day, three other coffees will take their place.

Because Red Berry only ever brews three coffees at a time, its baristas can dial in all the factors that affect the coffee with incredible accuracy to produce a consistently great cup. Compared to many of the offerings in the South Bay, Red Berry achieves far more complex and nuanced f lavor profiles, because it focuses on doing a few coffees right, instead of brewing 20 coffees poorly.

Sourcing coffee from everywhere also makes Red Berry more dynamic and f lexible in its offerings — where most shops will only ever sell one roaster’s beans, Red Berry exposes its customers to offerings from across the United States and the world, and it only has to serve the coffees it likes.

Considering that their drip coffee is so outstanding, it is a bit of a disappointment that Red Berry’s espresso is good — not great. Red Berry shots still pack

plenty of subtle f lavors and texture, but they never quite achieve the balance and cohesiveness that a truly great shot from other shops can offer.

Perhaps the most important things about Red Berry is that it is so accessible. When coffee this sublime is a 15 minute stroll off campus, there is no excuse to wait.

COURTESY RED BERRY

A cappuccino served at Red Berry Coffee Bar. Located in Downtown Los Altos, Red Berry is an efficient way for students to get high-quality coffee.

RED ROCK COFFEE COMPANY Red Rock Coffee Company

Specialty: Espresso

201 Castro Street Mountain View, CA

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ince its establishment in 2005, the Red Rock cafe has been voted Mountain View’s best independent coffee house twice. Red Rock hosts live music and poetry slams and is consistently applauded for its relaxed work environment for students, residents and computer geeks alike.

The menu is succinct and aesthetically pleasing, combining a single origin coffee bar with a traditional cafe. Red Rock provides ten complex options of drip coffee sourced from local roaster Four Barrel Coffee in San Francis-

co, which diversifies its selection in comparison to shops like Red Berry or Starbucks.

The single origin coffee served at Red Rock cafe is sophisticated in nature and certainly not for the faint of palate, offering options such as the Alotpeque Reserve sourced from El Salvador and the Retana Maracaturra from Guatemala. The espresso is sweet and powerful, combining a distinct flavor of sugar with a more subtle berry undertone.

Because Red Rock strives to create a consumer-friendly environment, the coffee prices are kept relatively inexpensive.

A medium cup of drip coffee costs approximately $3.10 and a shot of espresso costs $2.60.

However, as with most cafes, the pastries and delicacies are con-

siderably more costly.

Equipped with a second story, Wi-Fi and an ample amount of table space, Red Rock provides much more than just a sophisticated cup of coffee. The baristas are friendly and anything but overbearing, which only adds to the relaxed atmosphere.

Because of its advantageous location on the corner of Castro and Villa, Red Rock naturally draws a crowd. If you don’t mind standing in a line or enjoying your coffee elbow-to-elbow with the other guests, the reliable hustle and bustle should not prove to be a deterrent.

Just like the expansive amount of coffee it offers, the Red Rock cafe provides a wide selection of reasons to make it your next go-to coffee stop.

GINA KERMODE

Bags of coffee beans are lined up at the Red Rock Coffee Company shop. Red Rock displays a variety of beans from a range of locations as drink options.

SIGHTGLASS & SF TREASURES Sightglass

Specialty: Brewed Coffee/Pourover 3014 20th Street San Francisco, CA

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t’s not an easy trip, but the truly devoted couldn’t do better than Sightglass Coffee, a major roaster in San Francisco. Founded in 2008 by brothers Jerad and Justin Morrison, Sightglass combines great coffee with creative aesthetics and a thoughtful service experience at its two locations. Even in San Francisco, arguably the capital of third wave coffee, Sightglass’s offerings stand out.

The first thing customers will notice entering Sightglass’s flagship store on 7th Street, is the attention to detail and organization of space. The converted warehouse is incredibly open and spacious. The coffee is brewed in the center, visible from anywhere in the store. The baristas brew the coffee with a degree of finesse that resembles an elaborate choreographed dance, and it’s easy to become mesmerized.

Sightglass brews both drip cof-

fee and espresso with finesse, although its drip coffee is certainly the highlight of its offerings.

While carrying a limited selections of coffee which change with the season, Sightglass also manages to represent an incredible variety of flavor profiles and tastes, from lighter central American offerings to intense earthy and fruity coffees from Ethiopia.

In addition to its flagship location, Sightglass also has a store

on 20th street in the Mission District. Smaller than the warehouse, it cultivates a zen aesthetic with tasteful wood and music choices, while offering the same great coffee as the main store.

It may be understandably hard to justify travelling 40 miles for a coffee shop, but anyone who happens to be in the city would do well to try Sightglass. It’s a playground for what coffee is — and the possibilities of what it can be.

OTHER SHOPS TO TRY

COURTESY SIGHTGLASS

Baristas at the 20th Street location prepare drinks for the customers.

Sightglass is one of many gourmet coffee shops in San Francisco.

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The Talon September 29, 2015

Get daily updates on Eagle athletics and read the sports archives at lahstalon.org/sports

Rock Climbing Club dares to go higher ALEX WONG Staff Writer

COURTESY TIM KANG

While the world watched in awe as professional climber Alex Honnold scaled the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite in January, the experienced rock climbers at our school did not find the feat too far-fetched. Membership of the year-old Rock Climbing Club increases to 70 this fall, with four or five nationally ranked competitive climbers taking the lead.

“The main idea was to just try to spread rock climbing, because… a lot of people don’t really know about it,” Rock Climbing Club copresident and co-founder junior Tim Kang said. “I love the sport, and it’s cool to invite others to at least see what it’s like, because you don’t really know what you’re missing out on if you don’t know what’s there.”

This year, the club plans to take bimonthly trips to Planet Granite, the extensive climbing gym in Sunnyvale, to become accustomed to the mechanics and basics. Most of this year’s members are completely new to the sport, and the club hopes to maintain their interests with more structured plans.

For sophomore Dan Appel, a member who started rock climbing last September, the activity wasn’t easy in the beginning.

Without a consistent climbing regimen, he found himself con-

tinuously stuck to entry-level their falls, much of the sport has climbs. This year he hopes the recently shifted to a type of climbclub will take more ing called “boulderconsistent trips to ing.” Bouldering does Planet Granite. away with the gear “One of the hard- The world is and focuses on cushest things about ioning unsupported our playground, rock climbing for climbers with soft me was finding the the rocks are mattresses for 10 to motivation to come always going to 15 foot climbs. The out several days a be there, and all climbing style allows week and slowly get you have to do for more spontanebetter,” Dan said. “It ity and is less endurwas especially dif- is just be motiance-based. ficult when I took vated enough to “Most of us will a long break for a go and look for boulder in the club,” few weeks and came it. g— junior Tim Kang Tim said. “You can back only to find make harder moves that I lost a month but on a less risky of progress.” scale… [With] boulFor beginners, the dering it’s a little easpsychological aspect of climbing ier to teach rock climbing because is the most intimidating. Many it’s shorter so we can just show newcomers are unprepared for the them the movement.” heights, and most are not familiar The sport’s difficulty begins to with relying heavily on their finger increase at the V3 gradation. strength to stay on the wall.

“For V3s, it starts to get into “As a beginner climber… it’s technical climbing where you more of a mental game,” Tim said. need a little more strength, you “I know a lot of people are afraid need a little more footwork and of heights, people are afraid of technique,” Tim said. “It starts slipping because you don’t really to become more of a puzzle, like know what you’re up against until you have to piece together how you’re on the wall. People start to to do the climb and how to grab get scared because they go up two these holds efficiently so you moves and say, ‘Oh no, I’m not don’t get tired.” used to this,’ because you’re not Even for beginners still strugused to climbing if you don’t actu- gling to get a grip on the sport, ally do that type of thing.” each climb can be extremely satisWhile the typical image of rock fying to complete. climbers evokes “top roping,” “Most of the time, you never where climbers use a network [finish a climb] on your first try, of ropes and harnesses to catch but in reality that’s what makes

Field Hockey bonds through adversity PAOLA CAMPOS Staff Writer

On Wednesday, September 9, the varsity girls field hockey team faced defeat against Archbishop Mitty in the third match of a series of pre-season scrimmages that left the Eagles with a 0-3 record as they move toward the start of their 2015 season. As the final whistle blew, the game came to a close with a 6-0 score in favor of the Monarchs.

And yet, despite the early failure, the team walked away from the game hopeful for the season to come, with their ultimate goal for the year being a run in CCS.

“We have the capability to do that,” senior Angelica D’Augusta said. “We need to put forth a lot of effort and motivation.”

The field hockey team credits this increasing confidence to the amount of effort they put into their summer-break conditioning. Meeting three times a week for two-hour training sessions in the morning, the team underwent workouts that they believe have placed them ahead of their competitors.

“Most of the girls we’re playing against... say that their schools aren’t doing as much conditioning as we are... and we can see the difference,” Angelica said.

MEILIN TSAO

Freshman Karenna Olson watches for the ball. The field hockey team hopes that current challenges will give them good experience for the upcoming season.

Hard work and conditioning was necessitated by the change last year’s graduation brought to the lineup. The team lost nine players after graduation, forcing many young players into tough situations.

“We had to get a lot of girls from JV to come up and step up to the occasion and… we had to show the JV girls what it’s like to be on varsity and… how to play to that level,” senior Adera Ahern said.

Regardless of the problems that arose from the loss of last season’s seniors, the team was able to bounce back and find strengths among the new team.

“Our team dynamic between the players [is] a lot better because… this year we don’t have any captains and that... makes everyone more equal, in a sense,” senior Patricia Davila said.

“With no captains, everybody’s equally responsible for taking charge and showing initiative,” Adera said.

A tough conditioning regimen and harsh preseason schedule have pushed the team hard, but the girls believe that the challenge will pay off in the end.

“Our coach has been stacking our preseason games against really hard teams, and I think that’s going to prepare us really well for teams that are actually in our division,” Angelica said.

it actually rewarding,” Dan said.

“Each time you reach the top, you get a sense of accomplishment knowing that you tried and tried and eventually your work paid off and you reached the top.”

The most devoted climbers complete more rigorous training to prepare them for tougher climbs, and take the demanding training regimen as a necessary part of a lifestyle that relies on effort. From the beautiful outdoor climbs in the mountains of California to the fierce competitive scenes, reaching the top of a climb is an awe-filled and immensely satisfying experience.

“I like to look at a really beautiful, just a rad looking [climb],” Tim said. “Sometimes you just get this urge, like ‘Wow I want to be on top of this.’ In general, being on top of a climb is a pretty surreal feeling. You can test your physical limits in climbing, definitely, and it’s pretty cool to see that.”

As for the daredevil, epic-length climbs of Alex Honnold, the bold adventurous routes are never as far away as they sound. With a bit of courage and passion, climbers will find that the gym and mountains are not too different.

“You know really anyone can do [the Dawn Wall],” Tim said.

“The accessibility is all there.

The world is our playground, the rocks are always going to be there, and all you have to do is just be motivated enough to go out and look for it.”

Soaring Eagle:

Eric Warmoth Grade: Sophomore Sport: Boys Water Polo Club Team: Stanford Water Polo Club

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ophomore Eric Warmoth has been playing water polo for years and practically grew up in the water. Over the course of six years, his afterschool hobby has grown into a lifelong passion; Eric dedicates almost all of his free time to the sport. He spends on average 14 to 21 hours a week practicing including early morning practices before school on Wednesdays at 6:30.

“My good family friend played water polo at Cal, and we would always go and watch her,” Eric said. “Then, my brother began playing and a year after, I started. I love water polo because my parents are both swimmers, so from an early age I was swimming, and from that, water polo is kind of an extension of [it].”

Aside from playing for the school team, Eric plays for the Stanford Water Polo Club, which is currently ranked

FRANCESCA FALLOW

number one in the nation for his age group after a first place finish at the Junior Olympics this past summer. Eric was also named the team captain of the JV boys water polo team last year, and this year, he is one of four sophomores playing on the varsity team.

“He knows the sport very well, so he’s really good at seeing the big picture and opportunities,” varsity captain senior Jim Hollingworth said. “He’s also good at communicating. He teaches other players and is confident enough to tell them how to fix their mistakes.”

Eric believes that coming into every practice with a goal to continually get better is what helps him stay on top of his game.

“Having a mindset to improve in addition to thinking that there is always something you can improve on is important,” Eric said.

The Talon September 29, 2015

19

Cross country comes together for success JIM HOLLINGWORTH Staff Writer

It is often hard to tell whether cross country is a team sport or an individual one. From an outside perspective, it looks solitary ― nobody runs attached to anyone else, and there’s no ball to pass or synchronization in the movements. But anyone on the team will tell you the exact opposite. This year, more than ever, the individual runners are coming together as one unit.

“The individual results are nice, but that’s not what you’re running for,” co-captain senior

Andreas Godderis said. “You’re running for the team. ” The goal this year is to be top three in CCS, which will qualify the team for the state championships. They’ve done it before, but injuries early in the preseason conditioning slowed the team down significantly. While most of the runners have since recovered, the threat of a hurt knee or a damaged leg still hovers over the athletes.

“This team has so much potential,” Andreas said. “I just hope everyone is healthy.”

The varsity team suffered serious losses; on the boys’ side, four

out of seven of last year’s top runners are no longer running with Los Altos, either due to graduation or moving, and co-captain senior Ben Zaeske estimates that more than half of the top runners of this season suffered the effects of long distance running during the late summer.

“We actually have a really young team this year,” Ben said. “But I think a lot of us [have struggled” with injuries and mileage.”

However, the team remains optimistic and continues to work hard. Many of the athletes have been running on grass to keep in shape and avoid injuries. Their coach, Andrew Zaeske, introduced a new core-strengthening regimen to keep other runningrelated muscles fit and strong, and the athletes have been using “speed ladders” to develop their fast-twitch muscles.

But the real focus this year is on unity and team dedication.

“We’ve been together through thick and thin, through the hardest workouts,” junior Britt de Visser said. “We get along very well.”

A team-oriented mentality does not just improve the social aspect of the sport ― it also improves results. Due to the scoring system

Boys water polo starts on strong note BEN ZAESKE

at meets, big jumps in lower position can help the team more than small jumps at a higher level: if a runner gets first instead of second, that’s only a one-point difference.

But finishing 60th instead of 80th gives the team a 20-point boost.

“It’s the back of the team that really counts,” Andreas said. “If you can convince the other guys that they’re the important ones, they’ll run a lot faster.”

The team’s unified focus, cou-

PHOTOS BY FRANCESCA FALLOW

Bottom left: Junior Ryan Fisse winds up to pass. Above: Junior goalie Vishnu Ram stops a shot. The boys water polo team has done well to start the season, but is always looking to improve. it’s the beginning of the season for happy with its performance and [most of] us,” Jim said. looking forward to seeing how it In terms of the players this year, will do in future games because the team seems to their win was not have some exceptionjust the result of one al talent on the young exceptional player. end of the field. Two In our first two “Most water polo sophomores, Kyle games we’ve teams in the area have Sandell and Eric shown that we one or two key players Warmoth, are makthat score 50 or 60 percan swim and ing huge contribucent of the goals, but can keep up tions as starters. yesterday we had all “Kyle and Eric are with some of five or six players score doing a very good job the top teams two,” Jim said. “That’s being starters in a in our area. unusual but it’s also a very up-and-coming testament to the team— varsity head coach team,” Tasman said. work and the cooperaSeth Tasman The team recently tion of [our] team.” played two scrimWith its early sucmages, losing to Menlo-Atherton cesses in training and games and beating Saratoga. Tasman this season, the team has its viewed these early games as a eyes set on league finals where very positive sign heading into it hopes to place in the top four the new season. and qualify for CCS. According “In our first two games we’ve to Tasman, the team also wants shown that we can swim and can to focus on improving all facets keep up with some of the top of its game. teams in our area,” Tasman said.

“Our goal is to improve, get betThe Eagles opened up the regu- ter every day and work hard,” Taslar season successfully on Thurs- man said. “We look like we are day, September 17, beating Wil- becoming a good all around team cox handily 12-4. The team is very offensively and defensively.”

pled with the new conditioning exercises, seems to be paying off.

At their first meet, the boys and the girls placed eighth and fourth out of 13, respectively, despite lacking some of their top runners.

Once again, cross country is looking forward to a strong season together.

“We’re all really supportive of each other,” Britt said. “People say cross country isn’t a team sport, but it totally is.”

New Athletic Staff Jeff Deaton Varsity Football

Staff Writer

After losing five of last year’s starters to graduation, the varsity boys water polo team has its work cut out for them as they head into the new season. However, after successful preseason training with new and experienced talent on all sides of the field, the team has begun its season successfully, with the potential to match the prowess of last year’s lineup.

The team began preparing for the season with a two-week period of conditioning. According to captain senior Jim Hollingworth, this year’s conditioning indicated the team’s budding potential.

“We did a workout called the test set which is 20 sets of four laps on a certain time interval,” Jim said. “[Varsity head coach] Seth Tasman recorded our times and averaged them, and we dropped a lot of time. We did it two or three times and we dropped time on every single one.”

Part of the team’s rapid improvement during preseason training includes the fact that many of the players already have experience working with each other.

“A lot of us play club together over the summer, so it’s not really like

PHOTOS COURTESY BRIAN WANG

Bottom left: Members of the girls cross country team line up before a race, Above: A stream of boys runners jog in a competition. The cross country team has been stressing a team mentality this season.

Kelsey Ayers JV Girls Volleyball

COURTESY JEFF DEATON

COURTESY KELSEY AYERS

This year, the varsity football team welcomed a new assistant coach, Jeff Deaton.

Following a professional football career with the New York Jets, he took up coaching and now hopes to use his experience to help the next generation of players. “[I’m] trying to instill a lot of things that I had made myself do as a pro and college player to be good, to these guys now, so they can be great,” Deaton said.

The new JV girls volleyball coach, Kelsey Ayers, is no stranger to the school. A fouryear varsity softball player and a scholar athlete for three years at the school, she hopes to share the same enjoyable experience of volleyball that she felt in high school with the current team.

“I had a good experience playing Los Altos volleyball, and I thought it would be fun to give that same experience to the next group of people,” Ayers said.

Mara Nasca JV Girls Tennis

Lucas Okuma Trainer

TALON FILE PHOTO

KEITH BOHRER

This year MVLA speech pathologist Mara Nasca brought her eight years of tennis experience to the LAHS program.

“I think most of the girls, they have some realistic expectations on themselves, and I’m just trying to help them make those come true,” Nasca said.

New athletic trainer Lucas Okuma is ready for whatever challenges his inaugural year might bring. Okuma previously worked as a trainer for the Menlo-Atherton football team.

“It can be stressful at times when... someone is hurt,” Okuma said. “It gets intense, but that’s also part of the fun.”

The Talon September 29, 2015

Loud. Proud. Eagles.

Cheerleading combines dance, sports and spirit Askren said. “Out of the variety of sports I’ve played, it is one of the hardest I’ve done.”

The cheerleaders work aggressively to manage Cheerleading is a sport that is often viewed all football and basketball games throughout the from two extreme perspectives: it is seen as year, along with training for cheer competitions. either extremely difficult or extremely easy. The cheer team participates in three to five competitions a year; each competition Cheerleaders are known as the differs greatly from a normal sports group on the football field, off game, as the team must also focus to the side, yelling and radiating on technical and artistic detail. spirit. In reality, these individu- Having a good “In a game if you make a misals face just as many challenges as skill set doesn’t take it’s definitely going to hurt other athletes, but most importhe team, but you still have a tantly, cheer requires both mental make you a good cheerchance of winning,” Kelly said. “At and physical strength. a cheer competition, if your team The school’s cheerleaders prac- leader. It’s goes out on the floor and you tice for an average of six hours having the right make a tiny little mistake, it’s an a week, not including the twoautomatic [penalty] — you’re not and-a-half-hour practices before mindset, the going to get first place because games, personal time spent on right attitude... you’re going to get a deduction. the sport, competition practice because you It’s a fact that you can’t make even and conditioning. want to learn. the tiniest little mistakes on the “I qualify it as a sport,” varsity —varsity co-captain cheer floor.” co-captain senior Kelly Little said. senior Kelly Little Cheer competitions are high“It’s a competitive activity, and I’m energy, all-day events overseen on a competitive team. To me, by a panel of judges and roughly 500 audience that’s a sport… it’s equally as difficult.”

Like other sports, the members of the cheer- members as well as fellow competitors. The leading teams face mental and physical chal- teams perform a two-and-a-half-minute routine to a set of requirements and are judged lenges through vigorous workouts.

“Having a good skill set doesn’t make you a based on divisions. The cheer team is in the good cheerleader,” Kelly said. “It’s having the coed large novice division this year.

Despite the high stakes involved in comperight mindset, the right attitude [and] wanting to work hard, not just because you want to get titions, the cheerleaders still embody sportsthe skill, but because you want to learn. Having manship. As competitors, they maintain posithe right attitude toward the situation is more tive energy and attitudes while watching other teams’ routines. valuable than having a good set of skills.”

“Other cheer teams aren’t going to sit there Cheer also requires quite a bit of physical strength. On a regular day of cheer practice, not and bash on you while you’re on the floor,” including conditioning on Wednesdays, team Kelly said. “Everyone’s cheering for you to members warm-up, stretch, run a lap around do your best and hit everything. I really love the track and go over routines, which include that sort of energy, but it’s definitely differtumbling, dance and stunts. They also work in ent [from other competitions]. It’s a different the weight room to gain the muscle needed for experience.” stunts and other physically demanding moves.

“We work our butts off and we actually get a really good workout from it,” JV cocaptain sophomore Emma

TINO TUGWETE Staff Writer

RACHEL LU

The varsity cheer team performs during the back-to-school assembly. The team works hard to represents the school both at various athletic events and cheer-specific competitions.

With the strong sense of community and support found in cheer, the school’s team finds it easier to carry the burden of a difficult sport that demands various mental and physical strengths.

“There are times, of course, where it’s going to get stressful and everyone’s going to be a little down, but that’s going to happen in any sort of situation,” Kelly said.

“If something’s wrong, we are all there for each other, whether it’s cheer-related or not.”

The cheerleaders are optimistic that their sense of community will carry them into a strong season. With the addition of their new coach, Edwienna Grant, the cheer team is ready to conquer not only competitions, but also previous misconceptions

about cheer and the team.

“My least favorite aspect of cheer is the stereotypical view of cheerleader,” Emma said. “SomeSometimes times we’re judged at school for we’re judged... being those ‘peppy’ cheerleaders. for being those If they came to a practice, they’d “peppy” cheersee it’s not what they think. We are an actual sport.” leaders. If they Whether it is preparing for came to a pracevents and competitions or factice, they’d see ing the challenges of daily pracit’s not what tice, the cheer team makes sure to maintain a strong and supportive they think. community among themselves — sophomore and the school.

Emma Askren “My favorite part of cheer definitely has to be the community aspect,” Kelly said. “I love the fact that by the end of the year all of us are like sisters [and a brother]. We’re one big family… We really love each other. I think that’s unique.”

PHOTO BY KUNAL PANDIT; PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CARL FAUST, ALICE DAI, KATHERINE AND JOSH KIRSHENBAUM

UPCOMING HOME EVENTS

GRAPHIC BY ANNE SCHILL; FIELD HOCKEY AND BOYS WATER POLO PHOTOS BY MEILIN TSAO; GIRLS VOLLEYBALL BY KATIE KLEIN, FOOTBALL BY KUNAL PANDIT; GIRLS TENNIS BY JOSH KIRSHENBAUM; GIRLS WATER POLO PHOTO COURTESY CHRISTINA PAO