Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA ■ December 13, 2019 ■ Volume XXXV, Issue 3
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lahstalon.org
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
IMPEACHMENT
Learn about the impeachment process and the current case involving President Donald Trump. News, 2
LAHS Debationships Read about Los Altos Speech and Debate partnerships in every debate event. Features, 6
School district to restructure bell schedule
KYLIE AKIYAMA
The district is considering changes to school start times and period lengths for next year.
CEDRIC CHAN
Political Bubbles Find out why staff writer Kaavya Butaney believes we should pop political bubbles. Opinions, 10
Holiday Traditions Four students share their holiday traditions and tasty family recipes. Arts & Culture, 11
Foothills Park Hear about staff writer Tomoki Chien’s opinion on the illegality of running through a park. Sports, 16
Staff Writer
Later start times might not be the only things the Mountain View-Los Altos (MVLA) district is changing next year; the format of the bell schedule, including period length and end times, will likely be restructured as well. MVLA School Board president
Dr. Phil Faillace explained that new legislation on 8:30 a.m. start times are an opportunity for the district to re-do the bell schedule for more efficient and effective learning, not just a mandatory 20-minute shift. The new schedule, in theory, would increase students’ academic performance and overall educational experience. In deciding on a new bell schedule, the district is looking at a variety
Marching band competes in WBA championships
of considerations, such as teaching efficiency, student stress, instructional minutes and transportation. To proceed, there must be general agreement from teachers, the District Teacher Association (DTA), both high school administrations, students, parents and the school board itself. In April of last year, the district hired Hanover Research, which provides research and analytics, in a
Staff Writers
KATRINA ARSKY
JULIE VARGAS Senior Writer
UPCOMING EVENTS December 22
Hanukkah begins December 23
Holiday Tree Lot closes December 24-25
Christmas
December 30
Hanukkah ends January 1
New Year’s Day January 6
Teacher Service Day January 7
All students return January 8-10
Challenge Day News Editorial Features
2 5 6
In-Depth Opinions Entertainment Sports
8 10 11 14
The Los Altos Eagles Marching Band and Color Guard’s production titled “Les Plumes” placed fourth out of 11 schools at the Western Band Association (WBA) championships, which they have not qualified for since 2015. The marching band placed at a number of competitions this season, allowing them to proceed to the finals at the WBA championships. They received second place at the Gilroy Garlic City Classic, first place at the Irish Guard Invitational, first place at the NorCal Super Show, second place at the Independence Band Tournament and third place at the James Logan Invitational Tournament. On average, they compete with about five to six other high schools. “We had a great season,” Band Director Ted Ferrucci said. “Their performance was phenomenal. We had outstanding student leaders that led section rehearsals and worked with individuals, particu-
larly during brunch and lunch and outside of class time.” For competitions, marching bands are split up into classes according to size. This year, only eight new members joined, so the marching band consists of 55 members. This size would typically qualify them to compete with the smaller 1A bands, but they compete at a higher level in the 2A class. “The seniors make up a majority of the band,” drum major senior Peter Sage said. “This has probably been one of the most focused and best marching band groups in a long time.” Los Altos alumnus Timothy McAfee performed in the marching band when he was a student, and now he sets the schedules for rehearsals, teaches music and drills. “I have to credit the members for their grit,” McAfee said. “Without their dedication and willingness to improve, we could not be where we are now. Their show is both complex and dynamic.”
“Bell Schedule”
continues on page 4
“Frozen II”: It’s got plenty of ice but no dice CEDRIC CHAN VAISHU SIRKAY
The Los Altos Marching Band and Color Guard placed fourth with their production titled “Les Plumes” at the WBA championships.
three-year subscription with an annual cost of $37,500. Under this contract, the school board can direct Hanover’s resources to whatever area is deemed necessary. Among other projects, Hanover has been used to perform in-depth research into possible bell schedule changes, including the collection of student, parent and teacher opinions.
“Frozen”: You either love it or you hate it, but it’s impossible not to have an opinion about it. In 2013, “Frozen fever” swept the globe, immortalizing the movie as a cultural phenomenon. After six years, “Frozen II” has finally arrived, catering to all ages, whether it be the elementary-school target audience, the teenagers reminiscing about their youth or the parents being dragged along. While “Frozen II” was a wild success at the box office, the reality is, it falls just short of its iconic predecessor. Set three years later after “Frozen”, the movie starts off with Elsa hearing a mysterious siren calling to her, which prompts her to inadvertently awaken dormant nature
spirits. The awakened spirits are bitter because of fighting between Arendelle and the indigenous Northaldra people. They set their sights on Arendelle, forcing Anna and Elsa to confront their family’s complicated past in order to right a wrong and find out the origin of Elsa’s powers. While the overall premise of finding out more about Elsa’s powers was an interesting one, the labyrinthine plot left more to be desired. The plot was convoluted and chock-full of plot holes and unanswered questions. Moreover, because the plot relied so heavily on new information, there was prolonged exposition that could’ve had smoother transitions. Although these details were interesting, “Frozen II” failed to find a balance between backstory and plot, ultimately biting off more than it could chew.
“Frozen II”
continues on page 11
WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS
Olaf (Josh Gad) sings his solo “When I Am Older” in the Enchanted Forest. “Frozen II” follows Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell) as they try to save Arendelle from nature spirits. In the process, they discover more about their family’s history and the origin of Elsa’s powers.
The Talon December 13, 2019
trump’s impeach KATY STADLER Staff Writer
RACHEL
how does impeachment work? senate
house of representatives 1
2
3
2
The House Judiciary Committee finds sufficient evidence of impeachable crimes.
The House Judiciary Committee drafts articles of impeachment and passes them within the committee with a simple majority.
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7
The House Judiciary Committee launches an investigation into presidential actions. After holding witness and legal expert hearings, the committee votes with a simple majority over the sufficiency of evidence of impeachable offenses.
The full House of Representatives debates and votes on each of the impeachment articles with a simple majority.
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More than 50 percent of the House votes against all of the impeachment articles.
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The President is not impeached and stays in office.
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The House sends the articles to the Senate, where the presidential trial is held. The Senate members are the jury, members of the House are prosecutors, and attorneys defend the President.
The committee doesn’t find sufficient evidence of impeachable offenses, therefore no articles of impeachment are drafted.
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8
9
The President stays in office.
Congress is currently at this stage in the process for Trump’s impeachment.
The Senate votes on each impeachment article individually.
More than 2/3 of the Senate votes to approve one or more articles of impeachment.
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The President is convicted of the crimes outlined in the charges and is removed from office.
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Less than 2/3 of the Senate votes to approve any impeachment articles.
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The President is acquitted and stays in office.
Any article of impeachment is approved by more than 50 percent of the House.
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The President is impeached. This does not mean the President is removed from office.
what’s happened so far? Jul 25
Donald Trump calls the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. A transcript released on September 25 shows Trump emphasizing all the help America has given Ukraine, speaking about reciprocity and then asking Zelensky for a favor by investigating the Bidens.
Nov 5
Aug 12
An anonymous whistleblower from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) files a complaint with the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community (ICIG), Michael Atkinson. The complaint reported an “urgent concern” that Trump was abusing his power by withholding Ukrainian military aid in return for Ukraine investigating the Bidens.
Nov 13
Public impeachment hearings begin. Diplomats William Taylor and George Kent publicly testify in the first impeachment hearing.
Nov 15
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch publicly testifies in the second impeachment hearing.
Nov 19
Vice President Mike Pence’s aide Jennifer Williams, National Security Council Europe expert Alexander S. Vindman, Special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker and former National Security Council Russia expert Timothy Morrison publicly testify in the third impeachment hearing.
Nov 20
EU ambassador Gordon Sondland, Pentagon official Laura Cooper and State Department official David Hale publicly testify in the fourth impeachment hearing.
Nov 21
Former Russia advisor Fiona Hill and Ukraine embassy political counselor David Holmes publicly testify in the final impeachment hearing.
Dec 4
The impeachment inquiry is turned over to the House Judiciary Committee, which then holds its first public hearing. Both Democrats and Republicans ask expert witnesses whether or not they believe Trump’s alleged offenses are impeachable.
Dec 5
Pelosi announces that the House will begin drafting impeachment articles.
Dec 10
The House releases two drafted articles of impeachment against Trump, including abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Sep 9
House Democrats start investigating Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, for trying to unofficially persuade the Ukranian government into conducting investigations into Biden.
Sep 11
The hold on Ukrainian aid is lifted by the Trump administration.
Sep 24
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, announces an official impeachment inquiry.
Sep 25
The transcript of President Trump and President Zelensky’s July 25 call is released to the public.
Oct 4
House impeachment investigators subpoena the White House for documents detailing their communications with Ukraine. Text messages turned over to Congress show U.S. ambassadors attempting to force Ukraine to publicly announce their investigation into the Bidens in exchange for a formal White House visit.
Oct 8
Oct 31
The White House sends an eight-page letter to House Democratic leaders announcing that it will not comply with a “constitutionally illegitimate” investigation, citing a violation of basic due-process rights. The House approves a resolution to proceed with public impeachment hearings after having conducted previous impeachment hearings privately. Certain diplomats who previously testified privately are now called upon by House Democrats to testify in public.
U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland changes his original testimony from October 17, now saying that he remembers telling one of Zelensky’s top aides that until Ukraine investigated Biden, they would not receive U.S. military aid.
Staff W
The Talon December 13, 2019
hment explained RUDYAK
CEDRIC CHAN
Writer
Graphic Artist
trump, ukraine and the bidens ukraine and american military aid
the biden family
■■ After the Soviet Union fell in the early 1990s, the United States began providing aid to Ukraine, a country that borders Russia. The goal was to help develop Ukraine as a democratic and pro-Western state, protect it from Russian invasion, fight internal government corruption and grow a stable economy. ■■ The U.S. military aid discussed in the impeachment hearings was a $391 million aid package intended to help Ukraine fund its military.
■■ Hunter Biden, former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, served on the board of Ukrainian natural gas producer Burisma Holdings Ltd. from 2014 to 2019. Hunter Biden assumed this position in close proximity to Joe Biden’s campaign in Ukraine to rid it of corruption. His position has created controversy after Donald Trump claimed that Joe Biden tried to help his son’s business interests in Ukraine by illegally pushing Ukraine to fire a prosecutor who had been investigating Burisma Holdings. Currently, there is no definitive evidence that Joe Biden or his son tried to use their status or power to stop any investigations against Burisma Holdings.
Trump’s drafted articles of impeachment According to the United States Constitution, a sitting President may be impeached for “bribery, treason, high crimes and/or misdemeanors.” As of Tuesday, December 10, the House has released two drafted articles of impeachment against Trump accusing him of committing “high crimes and/or misdemeanors.”
abuse of power
obstruction of congress
Trump allegedly pressured Ukrainian President Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, his political opponent in the 2020 Presidential race, for personal gain. This is considered illegal solicitation of campaign help from a foreign government.
Trump and the White House refused to comply with House subpoenas for documents and testimonies during the impeachment inquiry.
important terms house judiciary committee The House committee that oversees justice within administrative agencies, federal law enforcement, and federal courts.
articles of impeachment The drafted set of charges that a public official is accused of.
impeachment whistleblower A person who notifies an authority or the public of secret activity conducted by a private or public organization that is recognized as illegal or immoraL
The formal accusation by the House of the charges listed in a high-level official’s impeachment articles. The official is not removed from office until the Senate holds a trial on the charges.
subpoena
quid-pro-quo
An official written order produced by a government agency, in most cases a court, that requests the recipient testify in court or provide documents. Failure to comply with subpoenas usually results in a legal punishment.
indictment A formal accusation for a serious crime.
A favor or advantage that someone is granted or expects in return for a reciprocal favor.
due process The principal of fairness in all legal matters, as outlined in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution: “No person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”
key people
ROLLING STONES
NY POST
rudy giuliani
volodymyr zelensky
whistleblower
Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, now serves as Trump’s personal lawyer. He reportedly used unofficial foreign policy channels outside the White House to communicate with top Ukraine officials.
Volodymyr Zelensky is the newly elected president of Ukraine. Trump allegedly pressured him to investigate the Biden family during their call on Thursday, July 25. Before the call, Trump had withheld $391 million in aid from Ukraine.
The anonymous whistleblower, who is a member of the CIA, filed an official complaint about Trump’s call with Zelensky, concerned that Trump used government power for personal gain.
DEPT. OF STATE
THE HILL
DEPT. OF STATE
HOUSE OF REP.
adam schiff
Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff initially brought the whistleblower complaint to the public. Now, he is the lead House Democrat in the impeachment inquiry and has presided over hours of witness testimony.
DEPT.LAOFTIMES STATE
kurt volker Kurt Volker is the former special envoy to Ukraine who resigned one day after he was named in the whistleblower report. Text messages revealed by House Democrats show that he and Sondland attempted to get Zelensky to public commit to a Biden investigation.
HOUSE OF REP.
marie yovanovitch
william taylor
gordon sondland
nancy pelosi
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch was unexpectedly ousted from her position by Trump in May, who led what many are calling a smear campaign against her. She testified that she “felt threatened” by Trump and that she had been removed due to erroneous allegations.
William Taylor is the acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine who represents the Trump administration in Ukraine matters. He expressed concern over Trump’s “quid-pro-quo” proposal to Ukraine for personal gain to Gordon Sondland in texts he later turned over to Congress.
Gordon Sondland is the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and knew of the Trump administration’s plans for Ukraine. In text messages released by House Democrats, Sondland assured Taylor that no “quid-pro-quo” was taking place, but later revised his statements in testimony and declared openly that a “quid-proquo” did exist.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is responsible for passing legislation supported by the Democrats, who have a majority in the House. Though reluctant to begin the impeachment process, she now firmly supports Trump’s impeachment and decides when the House will vote on the impeachment articles.
mitch mcconnell Mitch McConnell is the majority leader of the Republicanled Senate. He has full decisive power over the Senate’s agenda and the potential trial in the Senate regarding Trump’s impeachment. He deemed Trump’s July 25 call with Zelensky “completely innocent” and stands firmly against Trump’s impeachment.
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The Talon December 13, 2019
Bell Schedule CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE
Among other projects, Hanover has been used to perform in-depth research into possible bell schedule changes, including the collection of student, parent and teacher opinions. The results, released at the MVLA School Board meeting on Monday, October 21, explore different types of schedules with combinations of single and block period days. Though there seemed to be some general opinions, the differences were mostly marginal. At least half of the respondents either somewhat or strongly supported a schedule with more block days and fewer single-period days. Less than 20 percent of stakeholders support a schedule with more single-period days and fewer block days. In terms of the ability to cover material in-depth, the amount of material covered and the quality of teaching, a majority of all stakeholders believed block days to be better or the same as single-period days. In terms of attention span, however,
the data was less conclusive. Senior Oliver Yu, Los Altos’s student representative for the school board, attended a DTA meeting on the topic. “It seemed like most people were leaning toward having four block days and then one day with all seven classes,” Oliver said. “It’s easier in terms of workload, and [students] are able to develop or learn more in class when it’s slightly longer.” Despite the findings from both this meeting and the survey results, however, there are still concerns about the potential adjustments. For example, some departments may benefit from an increased number of block days while others may be disadvantaged. “In math, there's a preference for short periods, with maybe one or two concepts explored because the attention span seems to be in the range of 20 to 25 minutes,” Faillace said. “In history, though, having longer periods—70 minutes or so, maybe more—would be beneficial because you can organize students in groups and assign them a certain project. You need time to do that.” Some teachers and students are also concerned that a shifted start and end time for school might drastically change travel times because of traffic cycles. “Around 65 percent of our teachers drive a minimum of 30 minutes to get to work every day,” DTA President and Mountain View High School teacher
David Campbell said. “The later we push back start times, the longer our commutes get. It's not a matter of staying 15 minutes later and just leaving 15 minutes later; no, if you stay 15 minutes, you're driving 45 minutes to an hour more.” According to Campbell, students brought up issues such as bus schedules, parent work schedules and sibling drop-offs. However, the district plans to implement programs like early-morning tutorial periods to accommodate for the early arrival of students. In addition, according to Oliver, both students and staff don’t want dismissal times later than 3:45 p.m. However, the state requirement for 1,800 instructional minutes per week and 64,800 minutes per year will need to come from somewhere else, such as summer break, if the school day isn’t shortened. “If we push the start time back, and we don't push the stop time back, which is what students and staff don't want, you've compressed your day by 20 minutes,” Campbell said. “We have to meet those [requirements], so we're very concerned about where that time is going to come from.” Later dismissal also may affect athletics: issues with other schools in terms of game start times and decreased hours of sunlight after school may impact sports schedules. Solutions are already in the works, however.
CEDRIC CHAN
“We anticipate, with a little luck, that maybe next year we might have field lights,” Faillace said. This would allow for sports practices to run later, especially in the wintertime, which would resolve the issue of losing practice time. In regards to scheduling matches with other schools, Faillace doesn’t think it will be too much of an issue either, as districts will likely have relatively similar schedules. Given the different issues at stake, nothing is set in stone yet. The district still needs to find a concrete solution that most people support. In the Hanover report, for instance, none of the schedule options clearly captured the vast majority. “There's no reason you have to say,
‘Okay, well, 52 percent of the people wanted this and 48 percent wanted that, so we’re going with the 52 percent,” Faillace said. “I think we have to see whether there is some blend of the two things that are favored that manages to satisfy as many interests as possible.” Either way, there is confidence that scheduling plans will proceed smoothly. “Honestly, we’re professionals,” Campbell said. “We’ll work with whatever we’re told. The most important thing is for this to be for the best of the students.” Faillace hopes to begin discussing more solid proposals by next spring, with a finalized version by the end of the academic year.
EqOpTech distributes MVLA School District hires first-ever Wellness Coordinator refurbished laptops PARISA LARSON
KATY STADLER VAISHU SIRKAY
Senior Writer
Staff Writers
Mountain View High School Assistant Principal William Blair will become the Mountain View-Los Altos (MVLA) district’s first Wellness Coordinator starting January 2020. The position was created by the MVLA School Board to address worrying mental health trends among students by managing the two schools’s wellness programs more effectively and promoting better social and emotional well-being. The Wellness Coordinator’s goal is to support students’ mental health with the understanding that public schools have a growing responsibility to take care of students beyond their academic needs. The position will entail providing proactive support, which refers to preventative and educational services (such as vaping education and consent workshops), as well as reactive support, which refers to the process of addressing student needs when problems arise. “The [duty] of school districts is expanding to include things they haven’t had to deal with in the past,” Blair said. “Right now, we have more students who are suffering from anxiety or depression than ever before, and more students accessing mental health services through school than ever before. We’ve needed [a Wellness Coordinator] for several years.” According to MVLA superintendent Nellie Meyer, the creation of the position was met with strong support from the district board, MVLA schools and the community. As Wellness Coordinator, Blair will work with Mountain View and Los Altos High Schools to review and improve existing wellness program, as well as form new programs as the need arises. He plans to address issues like vaping and other substance abuse, suicide and student/teacher stress. Blair will also coordinate with the rest of the community, particularly organizations that provide mental health services to the school, like Community Health Awareness Council
COURTESY WILLIAM BLAIR
Mountain View High School assistant principal William Blair has been named the MVLA School District’s new Wellness Coordinator. This position aims to support student mental health in the district. (CHAC) and local hospitals. Blair’s position aligns with the district’s long-term plan for addressing students’ wellness needs, partly expressed through the construction of a new Wellness Center in the 500 wing at Los Altos. Although the position of Wellness Coordinator and the Wellness Center were developed separately, Blair will be in charge of coordinating the programs offered at the Wellness Center. “As we build the new wellness center, we need to make sure that we’re building strong infrastructure for it,” Meyer said. “[Blair] will be part of creating a clear organized structure, including our different levels of support for students.” Although there were many applicants for the position of Wellness Coordinator, Blair’s experience in the district and continued commitment to the wellness of his students made him an ideal candidate for the position, according to Meyer. Wellness has always been an important part of Blair’s life. Even as a child, he dreamt of becoming a preacher or a teacher so that he could build an inclusive, supportive community. In college, he studied English and Psychology. He eventually had to choose between
becoming a teacher or returning to school to become a therapist. “I became a teacher to help young people,” Blair said. “We’re here to build connections. We’re here to build relationships. We’re pack animals.” Blair began working at Mountain View High School in 2004 as a teacher for a comprehensive psychology class. Later, he taught a variety of classes, including Leadership, Journalism, and English. After teaching in the district for about 10 years, he became an assistant principal for activities at Mountain View. MVLA School Board President Phil Failllace has been impressed by Blair’s dedication to his job since he first met him. “If anyone is to lose sleep over nights and weekends about this, it’s him,” he said. Although his job description is not fully defined, Blair is looking forward to his future as the Wellness Coordinator. “I’m excited about real talk with young people,” Blair said. “The goal is to build a foundation where students are more balanced, more resilient, more self-regulated and more empowered to make positive decisions.”
EqOpTech (Equal Opportunity Technology), a club at Los Altos and nonprofit organization, delivered 300 refurbished chromebooks and chargers to students in need at Mariano Castro Elementary School on Friday, November 22. EqOpTech works with individual schools to distribute refurbished laptops to students from low-income families who need them for schoolwork but can't afford them otherwise. Although the event at Castro Elementary was their largest deployment of laptops yet, the club has previously delivered a total of 846 refurbished computers to schools in Los Altos, Mountain View, East Palo Alto and San Jose. At the Castro event, club members checked out functioning laptops to parents and helped students navigate the educational computer tools used by the school. According to club member sophomore Sofia Mujica, students were eager to receive a laptop that they could call their own. "I really liked getting to see all the families and how excited the kids were, saying ‘Oh my gosh it's a Samsung!’" Sofia said. “The parents were saying
that they had been waiting for this day for weeks. It was just beautiful to see." The majority of the laptops refurbished by EqOpTech for the event were donated from the Mountain View Whisman School District. This year, they fixed 1,700 laptops collected from the district. Since the summer, club members interested in software engineering have worked to refurbish these laptops for the students. Club members clear past data, clean the computer's external surfaces and install updated software on older MacBooks. Each laptop takes anywhere between thirty minutes to two hours to refurbish. EqOpTech Public Relations Intern senior Sarah Yung explains that the event showed the direct impact of the club's mission to improve underprivileged students’ education. "It was really great to be part of such a good cause and to be giving back to the community in a meaningful way," Sarah said. "It was incredible to not only make a tangible impact, but also interact with the people we were helping." The next laptop deployment, anticipated to be in January or February, will be held at Theuerkauf Elementary School in Mountain View.
EMILY MCNALLY
EqOpTech club member sophomore Sofia Mujica gives a student a refurbished laptop at Castro Elementary. EqOpTech, a club at Los Altos, provides free laptops to students who can’t afford them.
The Talon December 13, 2019
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Please send letters to the editor to talon.lahs@gmail.com Los Altos High School
I
Updating the finals policy for AP classes
n an effort to reduce student stress, the school administration strongly discourages AP classes from holding final exams prior to the AP test rather than during the official spring finals week. Many AP teachers still choose to give early finals anyway because there isn’t an explicit ban on doing so. However, those who administer finals before AP testing are still required to evaluate students during their scheduled finals periods using a graded educational assessment or project of their choosing. It’s the vagueness of the current policy that makes it seem somewhat fair, as teachers are allowed to pick what to do with their students once AP exams are over. But in reality, this condition is more problematic than helpful, and AP students shouldn’t have to worry at all about taking another test. Forcing teachers to further test students just for the sake of having an educational activity on finals day does nothing to alleviate stress. If anything, it actually worsens it because students will continue to worry for the next several weeks after AP testing knowing that their grade may still be in jeopardy. More importantly, however, it’s simply redundant to have another assessment based on past knowledge after the AP test. The argument against early finals is that it inconveniences teachers on different timelines by encouraging students to neglect all other classwork in favor of studying for their finals. But the point of having cumulative finals before rather than after AP exams is to help students meet the high-level standards expected of successful test-takers. For this reason, most AP teachers who choose to have their finals before the AP test design them like practice AP tests in an effort to provide extra study tools. Still, that’s not to say that AP classes are just supposed to prepare students for a standardized test—that’s certainly one function of the curriculum, but it isn’t the only one. The “AP” label doesn’t change the fact that, at their core, AP classes are just
typical advanced classes meant ter of strategic proctoring: teachto provide greater enrichment for ers can create a new test version students looking to learn more with altered question-answer about what they’re interested in. pairs, require students to turn in Thus, the school policy regard- all cellular devices and separate ing semester AP finals should re- retake testers while the rest of flect this duality. Right now, it pro- the class works on other educamotes the educational aspect of AP tional activities. classes by encouragIn the “limbo” ing repeated testing time in between the for mastery. Howmandatory sitting ever, it ignores the One promising and the retake, it’s fact that AP classes solution is to give completely fair to are also structured students up to expect AP students around AP tests. It’s to participate in two chances to fair to have a mock other classwork. If AP exam as a final achieve a satisfacanything, free-form prior to the AP test, tory grade on their projects about difbut having one af- finals. ferent AP-related terwards just seems concepts are more unreasonable. ideal than continued One promising solution is to testing because it allows for greatgive students up to two chances er exploration and enrichment in to achieve a satisfactory grade on a given field. Plus, creative, nontheir finals: one during a manda- conventional teaching methods tory sitting of a final exam ad- can be more effective than traministered before the AP test, ditional testing because they’re and another during an optional more likely to engage and excite “retake” sitting administered students about new content. during the official spring finals It’s true that this solution still week. This way, those who want advocates for post-AP-exam testto try for a better score have the ing, but the difference between opportunity to do so while those this and the current policy is that who are content with their grade there’s a reason for giving addican leave it as is. And for those tional assessments, one that’s concerned about cheating dur- arguably more substantial than ing the retake, it’s simply a mat- just an educational time-filler.
What’s more, the outcome of final semester grades ultimately becomes a student responsibility rather than a teacher one. With two fair chances and ample time in between to prepare for a retake, students have no excuse to blame their bad grades on their teachers. The intensity of the stress that accompanies this testing is also entirely within student control, as it depends solely on whether or not they decide to opt for the retake. Of course, there’s bound to be some students who believe that not even a second chance is enough—but no compromise is without its own share of sacrifices, and the price of this solution certainly isn’t as steep as that of the current policy. In short, although the leniency of the present policy allows for greater flexibility in AP teacher direction, it’s clear that more nuance is needed. A broad umbrella policy like this can’t address everything to the full extent necessary to ensure a healthy balance between challenging, stimulating academics and good teen mental health. Given that our school has dedicated itself to encouraging positive wellness, improving this policy would only further strengthen that commitment for the better.
201 Almond Ave., Los Altos, CA December 13, 2019 Volume XXXV, Issue III Editor-In-Chief Daphne Ih Managing Editors Kristen Fan (Print) Isabella Borkovic (Web) Kylie Akiyama (Media) News Editor Janie Dent Opinions Editor Nikhita Boddu Features Editor Stella Huang Arts & Culture Editor Daniela Gloster Sports Editor Navya Singhai Copy/Content Editors Mayu Alten, Cathy Wang, Elli Lahdesmaki Photo Captain Katrina Arksy Senior Staff Lucas Bricca, Greg Corn, Marie Godderis, Suzanne Guo, Parisa Larson, Ethan Ruyack, Mia Scher, Julie Vargas, Barett Wong, Emily Zhu Staff Allie Bricca, Kaavya Butaney, Cedric Chan, Tomoki Chien, Cameron Cox, Elana Eisenberg, Meleseini Loto’aniu, Emily McNally, Amid Najmi, Nina Crofts, Rachel Rudyak, Vaishnavi Sirkay, Kate Stadler, Isaac Tesfaye 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 and thumbs.
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THUMBS UP to SCL for hosting Wellness Week In anticipation of fall semester finals, the Student Community Leadership (SCL) class hosted fun activities and spirit days from Monday, December 9 to Friday, December 13. SCL brought therapy farm animals, organized yoga in the gym and set up lawn games in an effort to reduce student stress ahead of next week’s final exams.
THUMBS UP to ASB for a successful food drive ASB hosted its annual food drive for the Second Harvest Food Bank all throughout the month of November. Math teacher Jacob Sproule’s second period class contributed the greatest amount of food, followed by English teacher Robert Barker’s second period class and history teacher Stephanie Downey’s second period class. In total, ASB collected nearly 42,000 pounds of food for Second Harvest.
Talon Supporters Honorary Pulitzers Natalie Arsky, Allie & Lucas Bricca, Chi-Kai Chien, Kristen Fan, Srimedha Rajagopalan, Leon Rudyak, Shali & Vinai Sirkay, Ernest Wong
Silver Supporters Alice & Eric Cox, Edward del Val, Janie Dent, Evette Fan, Amanda Gamble, Braxton Gill, The Godderis Family, Dah Fine, Jeffrey Kraskouskas, Rowena Libang, Manoj Malholtra, Cameron Sagheb, Laura Teksler, Isaac Tesfaye, Catherine Vonnegut, Michael Wong, Lisa Yu
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The Talon December 13, 2019
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ebate is one of the most important parts of these people’s lives, and the relationships they have with their teams and partners make it all the better. As the team takes a break for the holidays, The Talon takes a moment to recognize some of this year’s most impressive partnerships.
NATALLISON NATALIE TRAN ALLISON HONG
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f seen outside debate rounds, junior Natalie Tran will probably be gesturing aggressively and talking with her
SHAURYEVAN EVAN LINGO SHAURYA KADIYALA
FRANYAN JIAYAN LUO FRANKLIN RUAN
KAAVYA BUTANEY KATRINA ARSKY SUZANNE GUO
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GAGE
Staff Writer Graphic Artists
go
GAGE GARCIA
reshmen Shaurya Kadiyala and Evan Linhave had
LUSH
HENRY SHI ANGELINA LUE
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hen you hear the word Lush, you may think of the cosmetics store with jelly soap and face masks galore. But there’s another Lush that is equally notable at Los Altos: the Parliamentary (Parli) debate partnership made up of juniors Angelina Lue and Henry Shi. While Angelina and Henry are extremely successful as a team, they don’t actually follow a typical MVLA debate style. “Stylistically speaking, I would say we’re just more modern,” Henry said. “MVLA probably has had a tradition of being conservative with their debating style.” Modern debate is a technical manner of debating defined by theory and Kritiks, which use the rules and styles of debate to justify winning a round. A more conservative style, such as the normal MVLA style disregards this and simply debates on arguments. This style, which can often be hard to master and understand, comes from no lack of hard work from Angelina and Henry. But this work has culminated in many successful debates. Despite how in-tune Angelina and Henry are, this is
only their second year debating together. In the beginning, they were awkward. The two became partners on accident, and due to this, they didn’t really know each other. What’s more, Henry had two more years of experience than Angelina. “Coming out freshman year and being [new to debate] did affect our relationship,” Angelina said. “I was thrown into varsity.” Although the chasm was huge at the beginning, it does not affect the pair much now, as time has brought them closer together. Over the last year, they’ve gotten closer, trusting each other more and more. “[I enjoy] getting to run cool arguments… [and] having inside jokes together was pretty dope,” Angelina commented. Today, during debate rounds, each of them has a role that allows them to efficiently navigate arguments and speeches. “For example, I do the strategy, choosing what we’re going for,” Angelina said. “And then he focuses on responses.” Yet they’ve faced no shortage of troubles finding a useful and comfortable dynamic. “I think that I tend to be more dominant but Angelina and I see that as a product of the gender dynamic, so we try to avoid that whenever possible,” Henry said. “Equality is pretty important [to us].” However, outside round, Angelina is far more energetic than Henry, who tends to burn out more easily. In order to keep Henr y ’s spirits u p
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he MVLA Lincoln during Douglas (LD) to u r n a debate team ments, is a tight-knit family. They Angelina constantly gives him work topep talks gether, and between rounds. they are “I like somebound toone keeping gether by me grounded a necesand keeping me going,” Henry said. The only thing that keeps him awake is bread puns. Henry and Angelina often come up with a variety of bread puns, such as “bag this baguette” and “reap this rye”. “We make a lot of corny jokes, it’s kind of awful,” Henry admitted. “I would feel bad for someone who had to listen in on our conversations.” The fundamental beauty of their partnership is how they’ve turned an accident into an excellent, tight-knit relationship.
eniors Jiayan Luo and Franklin Ruan are married, a c -
cording to their Facebook status. Although they’re not married in real life, they’re still close friends bonded by hours upon hours of debating together. The two have sary sense of often spent ten-hour days with belonging. each other, ending up at a Taco In fact, they may Bell at 3 a.m., crying over their be the closest of the losses. debate teams at MVLA, “We’ve peed more with each likely because LD deother in bathrooms than with bate is made up of singular any other person,” Franklin people, not partners like the said. other events. Franklin and Jiayan And that is where we meet are colloquially resophomore Gage Garcia, a ferred to as Franfirst-year LD debater with a yan by the debate past in Parliamentary (Parli) team and are a debate. nationally“The philosophical aspect of ally a pretranked LD was really interesting, and I ty big surlike the freedom of not having prise when I ended up being a partner,” Gage said. What is impressive about successful.” And further, Gage Gage is his record this semester. At his second LD tournament, never expected to enStephen Stewart Invitational, he joy debate as much as reached the finals round, plac- he did. ing higher than “I found it exany other MVLA hilarating and just debater at the tourreally interesting,” nament, indepen- You would think Gage said. “The dent of category or [a single person people who do it age. with me make it debate] would be To put that in lonely, but the even better.” perspective, few Those people MVLA debaters LD team is very are the LD team, ever reach finals closely knit and a group of around at any tourna- collaborate a lot ten active students. ment. Gage “[We are a] — sophomore Gage Garcia smaller team,” changed deGage said. “We bate styles entirely, swapping to the have a much closer relationship, higher-level version of I presume, with the coaches and his new debate style the people…it’s really helpful to and almost immedi- have people to assist you and it’s pretty necessary in my opinion.” ately reaching finals. As a newcomer, Gage found LD “I didn’t actually have any expectations going into Stewart, but I was practicing a lot and I didn’t really care, I wasn’t planning on doing well,” Gage said. “It was actu-
Read more features articles at lahstalon.org/category/features/
distinct loud voice. On the other hand, junior Allison Hong will be fidgeting a bit, talking so quietly you can barely hear her. On the Public Forum (PF) team at MVLA, Natalie and Allison are informally referred to as Natallison. But while debating, they swap personalities entirely: Allison is loud and dominating, while Natalie tends to be quieter to compensate. This is likely a product of the friendship they’ve had over many years, flowering into a debate partnership that began in their freshman year. Natalie and Allison first met in fourth grade at Santa Rita Elementary School for an extra credit math project. They made a parody of Sia’s song “Chandelier” and called it “X, Y and Z.” Since
a tumultuous and irregular experience with debate. They’ve done a total of five different debate programs in five years, each with different coaching styles, yet they’ve thrived in almost every one of them, culminating in this year, where they primarily do Parliamentary (Parli) debate. This October, they went to elimination rounds at the National Parliamentary Debate Invitational, which is nearly unheard of for freshmen. But go back to the beginning, Shaurya and Evan met in third grade at Santa Rita Elementary School, and have been c l o s e
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then, they’ve remained friends. “I think it’s good that we’ve Natalie is “short and angry,” been able to work with each other as Allison describes because we are so difher. She is the fire ferent,” Natalie said. to Allison’s ice, so “Being able to find to say, while Allison I think it’s good that middle ground is taller and calm, a that we’ve been and work successpacifying presence able to work fully with each other to Natalie’s fiery perhas obviously been with each other sonality. Their pereally rewarding for culiar dynamic has because we are me.” taught them how to so different. The two have a work with different comfortable dynam— junior Natalie Tran types of people. ic. Allison and Natalie are completely unsurprised by anything the other says or does, even the exhaustionfriends ever since. They’re even best friends (if you can have multiple best friends). “When we first started at [Golden State Speech and Debate Academy], our coach said that our friendship was going to fall apart because we were going to get so mad at each other about everything,” Shaurya said. They did their first real event together in seventh grade, which was Duo Interpretation (Duo), the speech event in which two people perform a ten-minute excerpt from a book, movie or other work of writing. However, the partners can’t touch or look at each other for the full ten minutes. Despite this ominous warning, Shaurya and Evan continued on with Duo and rem a i n e d friends.
debate partnership in Public Forum (PF). They’ve grown exponentially as a team since they began debate two years ago. In August 2017, Jiayan wasn’t the buff bodybuilder he is now and Franklin was a failed basketball player with tendonitis. So when the years, they’ve they joined debate, neither ex- bonded quite a bit outside pected success. Yet at their first of debate. They’ve taken long debate tournament at Santa Clara walks together and spent about University (SCU), they reached 100 unproductive hours watching elimination rounds. The Bachelor. “We were so happy Luckily, it brought that we ran up and Franklin and Jiayan down the hallways It kind of feels closer. of SCU and we got “I’ve seen Franklin kicked out of Pizza like we’re conmore than my mom, My Heart [for scream- joined twins. some months,” Jiayan ing so loudly],” Jiayan Except we can corroborated. said. As extremely close separate. And Franklin credits this friends who spend have separate first taste of success as many hours together their dip into debate. thoughts. and wear the same If they hadn’t broshoes (Allbirds) and — senior Jiayan Luo ken, they may have take almost the same quit debate altoclasses and both gether, which would be a “wear shirts”, they do have a lot in shame for the team as common. Jiayan is now the “Debate can be like, a multiplier club’s president or a magnifier,” Franklin said. “If and Franklin is a you hate each other and you bePublic Forum come debate partners, it exacerwelcomcaptain. bates that. But if you guys are aling due O v e r ready close friends and then you to the team, have successes or failures, it’s gowhich has a ing to bring you closer.” family dynamic. This is exemplified in rounds, They often prep where Jiayan and Franklin rarely together and are caught verbally communicate, almost aldoing some very interways understanding what the esting activities together, other wants to do. Instead, such as tournament relay they strategize before the races. One example is when round even starts and they screamed at a phone game adjust based on the because in the game, the louder course of the round, you screamed, the higher the rarely needing to character jumped. actually speak “You would think [a single peraloud unless son debate] would be lonely, but it’s for clarithe LD team is very closely knit fication. and collaborate a lot,” Gage said. “I haven’t actually been lonely.”
Afterward, they decided to try out parliamentary debate (Parli) and went to a summer debate camp together. Now, they’re considered a highly successful Parli team because of their friendly, healthy relationship. “I think [being friends] probably made it better, at least towards the beginning,” Evan said. “I think that was an advantage we had going in because I knew him before debate, which means I kind of had an idea about his thought process beforehand.” But they don’t have the best habits. Often they’ll do all their preparation for their round in the last five of twenty minutes they have. These unhealthy habits truly came into play when they ran a practice round against each other, when they entered their round with zero prep, as mavericks, or single debaters competing in a partner event.
“It kind of feels like we’re conjoined twins,” Jiayan said. “Except we can separate. And have separate thoughts.”
The Talon December 13, 2019
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addled things Natalie says during we hate hearing it, but we also tournaments. This need to hear it relaxed relationship sometimes.” has fostered considNatalie and Alerable trust between Being able to lison have been them, which has ima team at every find that middle proved their debate tournament ground and work skills considerably. they’ve ever “We’re both very successfully with gone to, and beoutspoken about each other has cause of this, what we think the obviously been they have a other should imcouple of prove on,” Nata- really rewarding habits they lie said. “I think for me. use as a it’s both good and team that — Natalie Tran bad that we’re able no one to communicate else knows about that. It’s like about (rea love-hate relationship where fer to the comic above).
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The Talon December 13, 2019
CATHY WANG
Copy/Content Editor
MELESEINI LOTOANIU Staff Writer
KATRINA ARSKY
Photo Captain/Graphic Artist
Four staff writers review and rank this season’s Netflix original Ring in the holiday season with Talon’s top picks by
NETFLIX
NETFLIX
RAPID TRAILER
GRAVITAS VENTURES
“Let It Snow” is a teenage “Love Actually.” Based off a novel of the same name, the film is set in the snowed-in town of Laurel, Illinois as a group of teenagers spend their Christmas Eve navigating love in its many forms. The story revolves around three couples: Stuart Bale (Shameik Moore), a lonely singer passing through town who meets Julie Reyes (Isabela Merced), a recently accepted applicant to Columbia who’s reluctant to leave her sick mother; Tobin (Mitchell Hope) who is hopelessly in love with his best friend, “The Duke;” (Kiernan Shipka) and Dorrie (Liv Hewson), a waitress at the local diner reconnecting with cheerleader Kerry (Anna Akana). This was, by far, the most put-together film of the bunch and seemed to be the most aware and in control of the message they wanted to send. However, nearly the entire first hour is devoid of real development and time is instead spent on introducing and exploring all the characters. But ultimately, “Let It Snow” brings the whole package: wit, heart and fantastic montages.
“The Knight Before Christmas” follows Brooke (Vanessa Hudgens) a science teacher who, after getting cheated on, has come to believe true love doesn’t exist. Enter Sir Christopher Cole Frederick Lyons (Josh Whitehouse), a 14th century knight that has traveled through time to 2019 to fulfill a quest before midnight on Christmas Eve. Although this film’s plot sounds—and is—ridiculous, Hudgens and Whitehouse pull it off by being, frankly, incredibly charming. They embody their roles, and their chemistry is easy and lighthearted which makes the love that blossoms between them feel honest and real. But that’s not to say it doesn’t have its share of faults—the characters were simple and lacked complexity. Ultimately, however, “The Knight Before Christmas” was what was advertised: a happy-go-lucky, feel-good Christmas film. But, unlike the others, whose attempts at emotional sincerity were most often laughable, this film opened up our very skeptical hearts to the prospect of true love and goodness for goodness’s sake.
This holiday edition of the “A Cinderella Story” series follows Kat Decker (Laura Marano), an aspiring singer-songwriter whose dreams are weighed down by her step-family. This changes when she meets the new Santa at her job as a singing elf. Coincidentally, the new Santa is Dominic Wintergarden (Gregg Sulkin), the rich guy in town every girl has her eye on. However, the movie script raises a lot of questions. The characters have questionable morals and make decisions that move the plot forward, but can easily frustrate viewers. Dominic seems like a nice guy but he can’t separate himself from his self-obsessed, toxic friends who bully Kat. In addition, Kat seems like she doesn’t have any self-worth and brushes off her step-family’s abuse in an stupidly tranquil way. This film fairly portrays holiday cheer—and that’s about it. Both Kat and Dominic work at a Christmas-themed park where there is a significant amount of bright lights, decorations and music. But beyond that, “A Christmas Wish” is essentially a second-rate Cinderella film and Christmas story.
“Santa Girl” follows Cassandra Claus (Jennifer Stone), Santa’s daughter, who yearns to experience a life outside of the North Pole. When Cassie gets accepted into a university, her father lets her attend on the condition that she will accept an arranged marriage between her and Jack Frost’s son. But when she meets prelaw student Sam (Devon Werkheiser), her initial promise is threatened. Overall, this movie lacked substance. Every character was more a list of traits than people, and their wants and motivations were unsupported by the writing. Cassie, for example, feels strangled by the North Pole, yet the movie never provides examples to support the idea the entire plot hinges on. But there are still bright spots in this movie: Stone easily pulls off a perpetually chipper personality and Werkheiser’s comedic timing pushes the movie along. But, all in all, there was a lack of chemistry between Stone and Werkheiser and, despite literally being about Santa’s daughter, the film lacked a feeling of genuine heart, something essential to a Christmas film.
The Talon December 13, 2019
MARIE GODDERIS Buisness Manager
NINA CROFTS Staff Writer
l holiday movies and Starbucks’s limited edition holiday drinks. y curling up with a hot drink and romantic comedy.
The underdog of the holiday lineup, the Chestnut Praline Latte is the unexpected winner. It smells of a spiced candle, with a rich aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon. Its simple appearance doesn’t hint towards the caffeinated perfection you’re about to taste. The Chestnut Praline Latte felt like the only drink that mastered the perfect amount of sweetness and the perfect amount of coffee. Although you can’t really taste the chestnut, the praline and spices pair to make a great drink. There’s no bitter aftertaste, and no ingredient feels overpowering or lacking. The Chestnut Praline Latte would be perfect for the coffee lover who wants a bit of holiday cheer added to their day, and it’s our personal favorite!
The Caramel Brulee latte tastes just like a regular vanilla latte dashed with caramel syrup. Although tasty to the average Starbucks customer, it’s nothing special. You could enjoy an iced version of this drink just as much in August as you would in December, and nothing would feel out of place. The drink itself is delicious, good for those with a sweet tooth. Our taste buds were graced by a hit of burnt sugar and creamy goodness, followed by a transition into the coffee. It just doesn’t feel like a true holiday drink. Honestly, the Caramel Brulee Latte is probably the best tasting on this list—but the lack of originality and holiday flair bump it down to second place.
A classic hot chocolate is a staple of winter. Having enjoyed this cocoa-flavored beverage, we had some idea of what was coming. And Starbucks’s version didn’t disappoint. It tasted more of milk chocolate than dark, likely catering to the kids who most frequently order this drink. It’s simple yet satisfying, and it brings back a sense of nostalgia for one’s childhood. It’s the type of drink you want after a day on the slopes or sitting by a fire in the middle of winter. This drink doesn’t break the bank either—$3.45 for a grande is the cheapest of the ones we reviewed, and the iconic taste makes it worth the cost. It’s not the most elaborate drink, not the fanciest and not the most holiday-esque. But for kids (or the kid inside you), the Hot Chocolate is a great pick.
The Peppermint Mocha, despite being the most frequently ordered Starbucks holiday drink, was mediocre at best. After hearing the drink hyped up so much, it was pretty disappointing. We were hoping for a mild chocolate taste with a hint of mint, but the mint unpleasantly overpowered the chocolate, giving the drink a bitter aftertaste. The coffee taste is also minimal, and it just doesn’t give the same “buzz” that other holiday drinks do. It did have the best appearance of the lot, and the whipped cream and dark chocolate curls do a good job of complementing the mint and mocha taste. But overall, the Peppermint Mocha wasn’t great. It lacks the flair that one wants in a holiday drink, and it was one we didn’t bother finishing.
To be honest, we had really low expectations for the Eggnog Latte. We hoped we could be proven wrong, but we weren’t. The Eggnog Latte looks mediocre, dashed with spices and smells questionable. We were hesitant to try it, and after one gulp, we knew we didn’t want more. Although neither of us have ever been huge fans of Eggnog, even we think that this drink would not excite eggnog lovers. It tastes like nutty eggs, which not only isn’t a great mix, but also not a taste you want in a drink meant to be sweet. It’s only saving grace is that it is reminiscent of the holiday season. For the Eggnog-enthusiasts at Starbucks, this drink will give them their fix along with a hit of caffeine. But if you don’t like Eggnog to begin with, this drink will do nothing but disappoint.
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The Talon December 13, 2019
She’s M.I.A
The trouble with political bubbles KAAVYA BUTANEY Staff Writer
By Mia Scher
Great Egg-spectations It was about halfway through sophomore year when I received a package that would change my life: the Magic Bullet Blender, Small, Silver, 11 Piece Set. Flipping through the blender’s brochure, I landed on eggs. Woah! This blender can make scrambled eggs?! For five minutes, my dad watched his culinarily clueless daughter blend these eggs before saying, “You know you have to apply heat at some point, right?” My initial excitement and anticipation dissolved into anger and then shame as I poured the egg water down the drain. But this column isn’t about eggs. It’s about those moments in life where we anticipate a desirable result but get let down instead. However, I’ve learned that the feeling of disappointment eventually fades and I’m left with what I most value. I spent all of high school devoted to crew, a sport I thought I would get recruited to college for. I spent four hours and six days a week training. Sometimes I’d leave practice feeling on top of the world. Other times I’d leave feeling as though I ruined the entire practice, but I always told myself to persevere as the result would be worth it. Now, after five years of missing family vacations, skipping the Talon trip to Disneyland and dropping out of clubs, I didn’t get recruited. The thought of this took months for me to finally accept but now I realize that my recruitment status doesn’t change anything. The 3,486 hours I put into this sport are worth more than any end result. These hours forced me to understand responsibility and what it feels like to have eight people relying on you. Crew showed me what it means to devote your life to something that has no guaranteed outcome, which is ultimately what life is. So, in some ways, the last five years have been watching two eggs blend for five minutes with no heat applied. And senior year was facing the devastating fact that I’m not getting a serving of scrambled eggs from a cold blender. But now, I’m making the eggs. I’m taking the egg puree and tossing it onto a hot stove and praying it’ll turn out okay. And if it doesn’t, I still have this low-quality blender and ten more eggs. So, if not golden scrambled eggs, maybe an omelette, hollandaise sauce or one of the other four mother sauces in the French cuisine.
This summer, my family and I discussed socialism, as one does in any casual conversation. My mother argued that socialism could provide a more equal world, and my brother mentioned Sweden as an example. My father contested, arguing that Sweden has a small population, allowing for more controlled distribution of money. The minutiae of that were debated. We yelled over each other and the conversation lapsed into chaos until everyone decided to shut up and listen to each other. After the conversation, I realized that my dad was right. So was my mom. So was my brother. If I’m being honest, these discussions often leave me more confused than anything. But they have given me a greater sense of perspective, something we sorely lack in the Bay Area. Here, the vast majority of people believe in the same things. We believe in strict gun control. We believe that climate change is inevitable and horrific. We believe that abortion is a guaranteed right. Yet we don’t have an understanding of what other people believe. We live in the textbook definition of a political bubble. But I believe po-
litical bubbles should be “popped” because they cause radicalization and encourage identity politics. Political bubbles increasingly radicalize liberals and conservatives. When people are surrounded only by those who confirm their viewpoints, they think everyone outside of their group must be wrong and can become fanatical. This can happen to anyone, as shown by Caleb Cain. He became a far-right conservative after watching YouTube videos arguing that feminism and Muslims are destroying America. Caleb’s story is relatively common, as there have been many people who stumble into rabbit holes where these extreme views are confirmed by what they see. The root cause of this escalation is the prevalence of identity politics, the idea that there is a “them” and an “us.” Studies have shown that humans subconsciously separate into exclusive groups. While we cannot stop this, this prevents necessary communication between groups.
Instead of finding commonalities to tie us together, we seek differences. We refuse to find any middle ground, and that is dangerous for two reasons. First, we become increasingly aggressive towards each other, further polarizing us. And on a more human level, it also causes us to alienate, dehumanize and stereotype entire groups of people. B u t
whether it be by race, g e n d e r, political party or age, these identities should not CEDRIC CHAN define who we align with. Instead, we have to look beyond the face. Breaking bubbles requires obliterating the idea of identity politics. That means we cannot continue to differentiate ourselves from others instead of connecting. You may say, “Hey, Kaavya, what do we do? I’m a high schooler! I don’t really understand politics!” I would respond, “I’m in high school too, and honestly, no one understands politics. But this is my take:”
In order to “pop” political bubbles, we need to initiate discussions because talking to people humanizes them, regardless of differences in ideology. After the recent climate strike, my friend and I talked with a conservative student, and it was a rewarding and informative experience. It made me realize that every issue has multiple sides. I consider climate change unequivocal, but he had a completely different viewpoint that taught me we have to go down to the minutiae to find the things that connect us. The benefits of listening to those we don’t understand cannot be understated. I admit it’s not always possible to actively seek out discussions with people from different backgrounds. But when it is, taking advantage of these opportunities and finding ways to learn more about others’s perspectives is necessary to become a more well-rounded individual. What’s more, breaking these bubbles can lead to a respectful and understanding society. A couple of weeks ago, I asked my dad what he thought of taxes. A simple question, but I already knew the answer: my dad hates taxes. But he unexpectedly said that a sense of balance is necessary for cohesiveness. I may not always agree with my dad, but he’s right on this one. If we want to break political bubbles, the only solution is to strike a balance and find a common ground.
Shining light on the opioid crisis VIVEK CHUDASAMA Guest Writer
When Jeremy Traylor hurt his back playing high school football, he didn’t think that it would be the beginning of his life’s downward spiral. The Louisiana native was an intelligent student, a star athlete and the kind of person that anyone could talk to. After his injury, Jeremy was prescribed Oxycontin, an opioid painkiller, and was soon hooked on the euphoria he felt by using the drug. Despite getting help from family and friends to stop his addiction, he overdosed on Oxycontin and died. Unfortunately, his story is not an uncommon one. There’s a prescription opioid epidemic raging throughout the United States, and opioid companies, the government and doctors must initiate changes to stop this crisis. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that in 2017, 47,600 people died from prescription opioid overdoses—that’s one overdose every 11 minutes. Opioids are legally available in the form of prescriptions, such as Oxycontin or Percocet, and are often prescribed by doctors to treat serious injuries and alleviate pain after surgery. While effective, opioids are extremely addictive. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), in 2015, two million people had a substanceuse disorder caused by prescription opioids. This can lead to switching to more dangerous, illicit drugs like heroin. The ASAM determined that four
out of five new heroin users started by misusing prescription opioids. The rise in opioid prescriptions started in 1996, when a then-small pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma, released a revolutionary new drug marketed as the most effective painkiller on the market—Oxycontin. Purdue Pharma advertised Oxycontin in medical journals and TV commercials to persuade doctors into prescribing these pills in enormous amounts. By 2004, Oxycontin was one of the most abused drugs in the nation. Opioid companies have a moral and legal responsibility to keep their users safe. These companies hold people’s lives in their hands. However, it’s evident that they are not fulfilling this obligation. For example, although Purdue Pharma claimed in 2001 that their drug had an addiction rate of less than 1 percent, researchers found that it was actually as high as 50 percent. Even now, Purdue Pharma is trying to deceive people by marketing Oxycontin as more effective and less addictive than it has proven to be. To curtail the opioid epidemic, three parties need to instigate changes: opioid companies, the government and doctors. First, opioid companies should be completely transparent about the dangers of their drugs and administer the drugs in appropriate amounts. They can do this by reviewing each prescription to make sure that opioids are necessary in each scenario. These opioid companies must start valuing human lives over profit. Next, the government should strengthen its current endeavors to end the opioid crisis. Currently, the
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government has been attempting to alleviate the crisis by funding opioid research, raising awareness and educating consumers about the hazards of the drug, costing taxpayers an enormous $2.5 trillion over the past four years. There has been some progress—in Minnesota, there was a 17 percent drop in opioid deaths from 2017 to 2018, with similar statistics reported in other states as well. But the opioid crisis remains a national epidemic. Other states like Hawaii have maintained high overdose trends, and others like Florida have seen increases in opioid overdoses. To better mitigate the crisis, the government should expand its efforts to inform the public about the dangers of opioids. Further, the fact that Oxycontin passed FDA restrictions and continues to be marketed as less addictive than it truly is illustrates that the government must strengthen opioid regulations. Currently, our home state of California does not have any government regulations or laws about opioid prescriptions. The federal government must implement national laws regulating opioids, as well as continue funding opioid research to help develop non-addictive pain treatments. Doctors also need to be more conscientious about the addictive qualities of opioids and try to prescribe alternatives instead. Hospitals can
CEDRIC CHAN
prevent addiction by following Stanford Medical’s anti-opioid stance. There are a variety of alternatives that Stanford Medical uses, including clinical techniques and medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin and local anesthetics. These methods cannot always be used because it depends on the type and severity of the pain. Nonetheless, if other hospitals opt to dispense opioids only when absolutely necessary and use more alternative pain relievers, fewer lives would be lost. While opioid addiction may not be a pressing problem in Los Altos, other areas are not as lucky. The US National Institutes of Health finds 31 percent of high schoolers have had exposure to prescribed opioids. Jeremy’s life was ruined by opioids, and it can happen to any of us. Something must be done to prevent this.
If you would like to write about your stance on an issue that’s affecting students at our school, email Opinions Editor Nikhita Boddu at talon.lahs@gmail.com with a summary of your idea.
The Talon December 13, 2019
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Frozen II CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE Like any good kids movie, “Frozen II” was filled with uplifting messages, like the realization that sometimes making amends means personal sacrifice. In “Frozen II”, this comes in the form of Anna and Elsa atoning for how their family impacted the indigenous Northaldra people. It’s here some social commentary begins to pop up: The film draws a lot of parallels between Arendelle’s past actions with the Northuldra and the U.S. colonists’s actions with the Native Americans. Especially given the release date—around Thanksgiving—this connection seems to be a conscious decision on the director’s part. In the film, the solution comes at a cost to Elsa, Anna and Arendelle as a whole, suggesting the wrongs committed by the U.S. colonists in the real world may need to be remedied by straightforward action. Following the path laid out for her in “Frozen,” Elsa continues her journey of self-discovery. As more details from her past are revealed, she finds herself questioning her place in the world. Her storyline seems to mimic her original one, and, like she does during “Let It Go,” Elsa once again sheds her cape, lets down her hair and prepares herself for a new stage in her life. At some points, though, it felt as though Elsa’s path was a bit too similar to her first storyline: the closure from the first movie is up-
ended in the second just for her to find her place again. Anna’s character also had many consistencies between “Frozen” and “Frozen II.” She’s still relentlessly optimistic, and most of her character development was in her relationships with others, namely with Elsa and Kristoff. In “Frozen,” Anna spent most of the movie chasing after Elsa, but in “Frozen II,”now that Anna is reunited with Elsa, she spends the whole movie desperately trying to cling to her. Because of this, Elsa often feels smothered by Anna. While this conflict helped develop Anna and Elsa’s relationship, it’s resolved quickly without ever actually being addressed in any meaningful way. Anna’s other main relationship with Kristoff takes a back seat in “Frozen II” but remains important nonetheless. Kristoff and Anna’s interactions are special because Disney avoided making Kristoff into a typical knight in shining armor. When Kristoff comes to Anna’s aid, he says, “I’m here, what do you need?” This one line sets Kristoff apart as one of the most progressive Disney love interests— rather than trying to shelter Anna and take over the situation, Kristoff recognizes that Anna can handle herself, and asks her how he can best help since she’s the one with the most knowledge of the situation. While these details might not seem like a big deal, Kristoff has proven himself to be the kind of love interest we ought to have in kid’s movies. And, of course, Olaf comes back in “Frozen II” as the same bubbly character that he was in the first, but with a twist: he has a budding sense of maturity, yet still relatable and ridiculous. This common
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Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff and Sven (Jonathan Groff) pause at the edge of the Enchanted Forest, ready to embark on their journey. theme follows him through his solo, “When I am Older,” where he wonders if all of life’s questions will be answered with time. His snarky and comedically philosophical personality parallels that of “Frozen”’s target audience who have grown up in the past six years , making him all the more relatable. Funnier than ever, Olaf is clearly one of the best parts of the movie. Following in the footsteps of “Frozen”’s iconic songs, “Frozen II” introduces a host of new tunes, although they fail to reach the high bars of “Let It Go” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman.” The songs were hit-or-miss, often emotionally charged, but lacking catchiness. Moreover, the spacing between songs is awkward, with songs crammed too close together at the beginning, but too far apart at the end. The main anthem of the movie, “Into the Unknown,” is similar to “Let It Go,” and plays as Elsa tries to discover who she is. Although the
Panic! at the Disco rendition in the end credits undoubtedly slaps, Idina Menzel’s version that’s used in the movie is lukewarm, lacking the lustrous magic of the songs from the original movie. Similarly, Elsa’s climactic solo song, “Show Yourself,” and Kristoff’s 80’s music video-inspired “Lost in the Woods” are good, but forgettable. Anna’s solo number, “The Next Right Thing,” bears a poignant message of picking oneself up after hardship, but because of its somber tune, it isn’t really something that people will be blasting in their room. Likewise, the haunting lullaby “All is Found” provides a nice motif to link different parts of the storyline together, but is one that will likely never be played outside of the theater. One of the places where “Frozen II” eclipsed “Frozen,” though, was in its animation. In the six-year gap between movies, Disney Animations developed and tested new animation software and techniques, and it paid off. In “Frozen II,” the
animation is rendered with stunning detail from each strand on Elsa’s head to the three-dimensional jewels of her clothing to the stitches in cloth. Even more impressive, the tempestuous waves that repeat throughout the movie are made with immense realism, to the point where you forget it’s animated. The film goes a step further with a horse made out of water that is somehow able to express emotions and seem like a horse. Paired with wellplanned cinematography, these elements create truly magical scenes. From an objective standpoint, “Frozen II” is a good movie. In comparison with the original, though, it loses some of its magic, but comparing any movie to “Frozen” is tough. Many of the aforementioned issues are ones younger audiences—the target audience of this children’s film— would not have had problems with. And even for people who did notice those issues, the movie was still heartwarming and enjoyable. Plus, you can never really get enough of Olaf.
“Charlie’s Angels” modernizes an outdated movie franchise KAAVYA BUTANEY VAISHU SIRKAY Staff Writers
“Charlie’s Angels” is a controversial franchise that keeps on being remade and remade. The original TV show, airing in the 70s, came under fire for being “Jiggle TV” that sexualized their female cast in order to cater to their male viewers. While 2000’s “Charlie’s Angels” and 2003’s “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” starring Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu were a step in the right direction, 2019’s “Charlie’s Angels” once again attempted to revamp the franchise from overly-sexual comedy to an
empowering, lighthearted action movie. It won’t be the movie that wins an Oscar this year, but it definitely doesn’t deserve a 10 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Although it had its shortcomings and its feminist message was at times unclear, “Charlie’s Angels” gave us a new take on the basic action movie that’s definitely worth two hours of your time. “Charlie’s Angels” centers around the Callisto device, a revolutionary energy generator, which is inadvertently found to have the capacity to kill anyone in the vicinity without leaving a trace. When lead scientist Elena Houghlin (Naomi Scott) tries to report this fault to her supervisors,
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Elena Houghlin (Naomi Scott), Jane Kano (Ella Balinski) and Sabrina Wilson (Kristen Stewart) play three impressively feminist characters in the newest version of this franchise.
she’s told to keep quiet, prompting Elena to reach out to the Angels, an elite group of female operatives. After Angels Sabina Wilson (Kristen Stewart) and Jane Kano (Ella Balinska) save Elena from an assassination attempt, Elena teams up with them and begins an adventure to stop an unknown antagonist from weaponizing the Callisto. “Charlie’s Angels” had the potential to be great, but it was ultimately foiled by its own ambition. By trying to cram what felt like a million different plot twists and revelations into two short hours, the movie became more convoluted than satisfying, and unfinished plot arcs led to plot holes that further added to the confusion. In all fairness, though, “Charlie’s Angels” is first and foremost an action movie, and on that account it delivers. Its fight scenes are exciting, often employing fun spy tech such as a box of tranquilizers disguised as Altoids and tattoos that functioned as a two-way radio. And since “Charlie’s Angels” delivers on the action, its weaknesses in the plot seem forgivable. The characters in “Charlie’s Angels” were also pleasantly surprising. Although they began as predictable clichés, the characters later develop beyond that, with hidden depth shown throughout the movie. Jane is perpetually stoic and serious but shows genuine emotion when it comes to those she cares about. In contrast, Sabina is the comedic relief, irreverent and nonchalant, yet she also gets
her share of serious moments. For example, she speaks honestly about growing up with emotionally absent parents, and how that gave her the abandonment issues that landed her in jail. And although Elena sheds her naïveté over the course of the movie, she retains her newbie status and endearing nature, with an arc chockfull of impassioned monologues and childish confusion. With such a female-heavy cast and a premise centering entirely around a group of strong, empowered, female agents, it’s no surprise that “Charlie’s Angels” was expected to be a feminist movie. But the question is: Was it really? Within the first few minutes, the movie addresses the idea of female empowerment in a monologue delivered by Sabina, which was concerningly overhanded and preachy. Fortunately, the movie then shifts to more subtle ways of expressing female empowerment by showing rather than telling. This was primarily achieved by showing women in a diverse array of roles, including the female Angels and a female lieutenant. The very premise of “Charlie’s Angels” has feminism built into it, because—with the exception of Elena —all of the other female heroes in the movie signed up to be an Angel despite knowing the risks and requirements of becoming one. Even Elena made the choice to stay and fight with the Angels, choosing to
help save the day. That’s an important distinction because, rather than portray women as victims of circumstance, we see women who are in control of their lives and actions. It’s an empowering message that far too often gets lost in action movies. That’s not to say that “Charlie’s Angels” is the feminist movie of the century. Disappointingly, female characters are still needlessly sexualized at times. This movie was an opportunity to make female characters independent of sex appeal, portrayed not as objects but as people. With that in mind, was a choreographed dance number where half of the women were in glorified lingerie necessary? Perhaps more disappointingly, this movie plays it unnecessarily safe. While they do have strong female characters in the spotlight, this movie doesn’t do anything new with its portrayal of feminism, despite numerous opportunities to do just that. So while it’s fair to call “Charlie’s Angels” a feminist movie, it’s also only fair to acknowledge the ways in which they drop the ball. Despite all of this, the movie was enjoyable to the very end, staying true to its action film nature with fight scenes, dramatic car chases and far-fetched spy tech. While “Charlie’s Angels” was by no means perfect, it fits the action movie niche while still providing some feminism à la carte. If you’re looking for entertainment, this movie will do the trick, and your two hours will definitely feel worth it.
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A R T S & C U LT U R E
The Talon December 13, 2019
PARISA LARSON Business Manager
KATY STADLER Staff Writer
EMILY ZHU
Graphic Artist
We asked four students how they celebrate the holidays both through food and festivities. Read their stories and give their family recipes a try over over the holiday break!
SIAA SINGH For those who celebrate Indian traditions, it’s common for school holidays not to match up with their festivities. This year’s Indian holiday season, which usually falls around the end of October until the beginning of November, was especially hard for junior Siaa Singh.“It was kind of rough, especially because Homecoming and Diwali were on the same day,” Siaa said. “I had to leave the dance early to go to my family’s Diwali party. It was a really long night.” However, Siaa doesn’t let that stop her and still finds time to celebrate traditional Indian holidays like Diwali, which is a five day long Hindu festival of lights that symbolizes new beginnings. She and her family make traditional Indian sweets like jalebi, made by deep-frying flour in pretzel-like shapes, and rasmalai, which is similar to a cheesecake without a crust. On the day of Diwali, she says they gather together to eat chicken curry, butter chicken, naan, and samosas.“It’s nice to experience [traditional Indian holidays and food] even though I’m miles away from home,” Siaa said. “They’re big aspects of what I miss of my culture back in India.”
Besan Laadus:
(An Indian sweet usually eaten around the time of Diwali) Ingredients: 4 cups harbhara dal pith (Besan) 1 teaspoon cardamom powder Resins, cashew pieces, almond slice, ghee Instructions: 1. Mix one cup of ghee and 4 cups of besan and roast in kadai (a round pan) until light brown in color. 2. Keep a lid on the kadai. Pour in a quarter cup of milk and stir well, then pour the mixture on a plate to cool. 3. After cooling, put 3 cups ground sugar, 1 teaspoon cardamom powder, cashew pieces, almonds and resins into the mixture. Mix well. 4. Roll mixture into small round balls by hand. Your laddus are ready!
YASH SHAHANI Like many juniors, Yash Shahani spends every waking moment of his breaks studying for the dreaded SAT. When asked about his family's holiday traditions, he responded, "We don't do anything." Yash later clarified that “[not doing] anything” meant, yes, studying for the SAT, but also baking store-bought gingerbread cookies– more specifically, Targét-bought gingerbread cookies. He also declared that he had a delectable hotpot recipe, but that it could not be disclosed to the public.
Yash’s recipe for a great study session:
Due to Sal Khan’s disapproval of his English scores, Yash “grinds” historical reading on Khan Academy for two hours every day. After “grinding” out some informative historical reading, he takes a quick break to rejuvenate his mind. He takes a practice test. Now, Sal Khan is happy with him, so Yash logs out of Khan Academy and will revisit Mr. Khan another day.
Yash’s amazing Targét gingerbread cookies:
Buy a pack of gingerbread cookies from Target. Put them in the toaster oven. Heat up for 5 minutes at 450 degrees. Enjoy!
A R T S & C U LT U R E
The Talon December 13, 2019
NICOLE PLAYER Senior Nicole Player's holidays are centered around a celebration of community. Starting on December 23, her family hosts a huge party to kick off their Christmas celebrations. They watch movies, play Charades and even get a visit from Santa. "We have a Santa Claus (usually one of my dad's friends) come down the stairs with a bag of presents for the kids," Nicole said. On Christmas Eve, she attends Christmas mass at her church, and later hops from one grandparent's home to the next to ensure that she is able to share the holiday spirit with all of her relatives. After resting from the busy Christmas happenings, she starts the new year off with a bang by enjoying her mom's "crazy dessert" called "Death By Chocolate".
Death by Chocolate: 1st layer: brownie 2nd layer: chocolate mousse 3rd layer: cool whip 4th layer: bits of Heath bar Repeat and enjoy!
BIANKA BOGDANIC
During Christmas Eve, junior Bianka Bogdanic gathers with her extended family for a laidback and festive evening. On Christmas day, she gathers with her immediate family, where she enjoys her family's Dulce De Leche Roll called Brazo De Reina and opens presents at midnight. After their midnight present-opening, pandemonium ensues. The children of the family start a makeshift snowball fight, using the ripped and crumpled wrapping paper from their opened presents. “We throw them at each other until we get tired,” Bianka said, smiling as she recounted fond holiday memories. Her great grandma started the tradition around 30 years ago to make use of the wrapping paper from Christmas presents, and it’s Bianka’s favorite holiday tradition. “It’s a way that my family, especially my cousins and I, get to make new memories as well as continue a tradition in honor of my great grandma,” she said. “It was started by her to include everyone, from every age group, in a fun family activity, and we do just that every year.
Brazo De Reina
(Dulce de Leche Roll) Ingredients: 50 g of skim milk 50 g of canola oil 4 eggs 70 g of sugar, 20 and 50 separately 80 g of flour Pinch of salt 1 can of dulce de leche Decorate with coconut and icing sugar Instructions: 1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees 2.Cover baking sheet with parchment paper 3.Using two large bowls: in one place eggs whites and a pinch of salt, on the other yolks, 20 grams of sugar, milk, oil, and flour with a balloon whisk mix well until it looks like a batter 4.Beat egg whites until they are white, add sugar and beat until a soft peaks form 5.Mix both gently 6.Pour batter into baking pan in an even layer 7.Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden 8. Remove from the oven and turn onto another sheet of parchment paper 9.Peel off the paper on top and roll using the new paper 10.When cool, unroll and spread the dulce de leche covering the entire cake 11. Roll back and sprinkle with powdered sugar and coconut. 12. Slice and serve!
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The Talon December 13, 2019
Los Altos welcomes new coaches to the team ELLI LAHDESMAKI, COPY/CONTENT EDITOR|MARIE GODDERIS, BUSINESS MANAGER|LUCAS BRICCA, ETHAN RUYACK, BARRETT WONG, SENIOR WRITER CAMERON COX, STAFF WRITER|AMID NAJMI, PHOTOGRAPHER | EMILY ZHU, GRAPHIC ARTIST
Football Coaches The running back leaps into the air and catches the quarterback’s perfect spiral. The stands go wild, cheering on the players for their triumph. Yet what many people don't see is the countless hours the coaches have spent improving their players' technique. The number of times the running back dropped that pass, the number of times his coach had to correct his technique, the hours of film his coaches took him through. At Los Altos, this has been exactly what the nine new additions to the coaching staff have worked on, as they focused on teaching the essential skills to the football team. After the previous head coach Trevor Pruitt resigned due to challenges with the administration, Los Altos filtered through 22 applicants until finally choosing Dave DeGeronimo as head coach. DeGeronimo has been the uniting force behind the nine new members of the coaching staff. Commonly known as “Coach D” to his players, DeGeronimo has always had a passion for football; yet, his journey to becoming a coach was not straightforward. He was a football
player in middle school and high school, but he hadn’t fully committed to the sport as he split his time playing baseball and basketball. Finally, as DeGeronimo’s positive experience in high school led him to play college football at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Before becoming a coach, DeGeronimo and his wife owned No Excuses Fitness, a private fitness facility, for 27 years. During one of their exercise sessions, DeGeronimo was at Palo Alto High School to rent the field for their fitness class and, “on a whim,” he asked the athletic director if they needed a football coach. He was then accepted and took on his first coaching job and then went back to school at Notre Dame University to get a teaching
credential. From there, his coaching career only grew, as he held positions at Palo Alto High School, Sacred Heart Prep and Aragon High School. This year, he brings a thorough knowledge of the dos and don’ts of coaching to the Los Al-
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As the spring season approaches, Los Altos’s badminton team is excited to welcome Michelle Nieda as the new head coach. She is the third head coach the team has had in the past three years. Nieda was first introduced to badminton at her high school, where her badminton coach encouraged her to apply to a college that other players were also attending. Heeding that advice, Nieda attended UC Davis with a badminton player from Gunn High School. While there, she joined their student-run badminton club and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology. After college,
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Nieda continued her love for sports by coaching different teams in her free time. “Whenever I had time and extra funds to be able to do jobs [on the side], I really had a lot of fun and always enjoyed [the sport-related ones],” Nieda said. Since then, she has coached various teams, ranging from basketball to track and field. However, badminton has been her favorite to coach so far. “Two years ago I recognized that I felt [drawn]
COURTESY MICHELLE NIEDA
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tos team. Combined with his experience teaching P.E. at Green Middle School for 14 years, DeGeronimo has worked to blend his personality as a teacher into his coaching style. “Teaching and coaching are one and the same,” DeGeromino said. “If you're a good teacher, you can be a great coach.” DeGeronimo’s focus this season has been on building a football IQ, which is the basis of football understanding. His players have taken notice of this shift, which has been noticeably different from last year’s coaching style. “I think there’s been a real change in the pace of practice,” junior quarterback Charlie Kinne said. “It’s more football oriented instead of [goofing around]. I’ve learned a lot more about football this year with the new coaches compared to the last two years at Los Altos.“ Not only has DeGeronimo rebuilt the tactical foundations of the team, but he has worked to forge long lasting bonds with his team. “It's a real brotherhood when you play football, a real connection, a real chemistry,” DeGeronimo said. This message of brotherhood was a common goal for the staff throughout the season, as offensive line Coach Steve Rochlin emphasizes. “The field is just a symbol for life,” Rochlin said. “When these guys work together, they learn teamwork and if they work hard, they can achieve certain things. If they don't pay attention or work hard, then their results
won't be there.” Rochlin’s coaching wisdom and passion stem from his experiences coaching football and lacrosse for more than 20 years. Rochlin has an extensive background as a multi-sport athlete, as he played football, crew and rugby at the University of California, Berkeley. “I have a passion for coaching and developing,” Rochlin said. “I've coached at the junior college level and high school. I've coached about four or five different schools and done all positions.” Currently, he coaches for the Alameda Attack lacrosse team and volunteers to coach the Los Altos team. Rochlin was recruited by DeGeronimo to join the coaching staff, as the two worked together at Palo Alto High School in the past. Rochlin is not the only coach at Los Altos with old ties to DeGeronimo. Defensive coordinator and offensive line coach Vince Juarez also coached at Palo Alto High School with DeGeronimo and Rochlin. “[Juarez] and I met when he was a freshman transfer at Palo Alto High School,” DeGeronimo said. “I was a young coach there and he was a freshman football player. A very good one.” Juarez coached for 14 years after playing at the College of San Mateo. He has coached at Palo Alto High School, College of
San Mateo, and several private schools. “From a really young age, I enjoyed the technical and tactical aspects of the game,” Juarez said. “So after I was done playing, I felt I had more football in me and I didn't want to be done with it.” Even when Juarez is off the field, he is never far from his athletes. He can be found around campus at Los Altos, working as an instructional one-to-one assistant for students. When off campus, he continues his mentoring skills while working as a trainer for police dogs. Through a web of connections revealed from past jobs and schools, Los Altos also welcomed defensive back coaches Robert Mitchell and Nigel Smith, who is also the running back coach, to the varsity coaching staff. For junior varsity, head coach Victor Martinez was the only remaining member of last year’s staff to remain at Los Altos. As wide receiver and quarterback coach Nick Lobao, wide receiver and running back coach Wes Okumura and offensive and defensive line coach TJ Jackson were introduced to Los Altos. “I just try to get our guys dialed in,” Juarez said. “Playing their absolute very best on every play that they can so they can go out, have a good time, represent the school, community and the people that are in the stands and have fun.” Coaches pictured (left to right): Nigel Smith, Vince Juarez, TJ Jackson, Stephen Rochlin, Robert Mitchell, Victor Martinez and David DeGeronimo. Not pictured: Wes Okumura and Nick Lobao.
-C oa ch Mich elle Nieda toward the badminton team,” Nieda said. “I watched the kids play and approached the varsity coach. I said, ‘Hey, I love badminton. Can I be your volunteer coach?’ He said, ‘Yeah sure’ and I [went from there].” This year, as well as being a guidance counselor for the school, Nieda is taking her final step up the ladder and becoming head coach of the team. With over 100 students trying out for the team, Nieda has been getting a head start on the upcoming season by hosting open gyms—anyone can come and practice badminton with other students. “I tried to give the kids opportunities to figure a lot of things out before tryouts,” Nieda said. “I think that's something that
can really help the new kids coming in and also invigorate the team as a whole as it starts the season.”
Nieda is inspired by the developments in the badminton community as it has become more and more mainstream in the past decade—when she was playing at UC Davis, badminton hadn’t even become an Olympic sport yet. She is excited to be a part of this new movement and hopes more people join in on the fun. “[UC Davis] didn’t even have a [competitive] boys team, and now there’s boys and girls clubs,” Nieda said. “There are places for people to practice and play—it's a growing industry. I'm really proud to be a part of Los Altos High School.”
The Talon December 13, 2019
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Varsity wrestling - Coach Jim Thrall Los Altos wrestling coach Jim Thrall started his wrestling career after being cut from the basketball team. He wrestled as a “secondary extracurricular” in high school, but committed himself to the sport at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where he competed at the Division III level. He has since worked as an international photographer, traveling the world to watch wrestling championships and contract photographs for the athletes. His extensive involvement in the international wrestling community allows him to maintain highlevel connections with professional wrestlers and refine his coaching philosophy.
Thrall’s passion for wrestling is immediately evident in the wrestling room, where, until December 9, practices ran for nearly 3 hours. Within cramped walls and sweaty mats, Thrall hopes to transform everyone on the team into individuals of confidence and empathy. Any student is welcome and encouraged to try wrestling; in fact, the first thing that Thrall emphasizes as a coach is the accessibility of wrestling.
“Anybody can wrestle,” Thrall said. “Any physical body. You can be blind, you can be deaf, you can be missing a limb, you can be missing multiple limbs, you can have cognitive disabilities. You can still wrestle and compete on a level playing field.” Thrall aims to give each wrestler individualized attention and guidance through the entirety of practice, starting when the athletes warm up with a simple game of handball. Athletes are split into two teams with the sole aim of keeping possession of the ball by running and passing the ball. During the exercise, Thrall looks for hints of aggression or sluggishness that might give
him a better idea of each athlete’s attitude that day. His philosophy unfolds from there. “I’ve already had situations with this team where someone has told me I had a really bad day today, I don’t think I’m going to come to practice,” Thrall said. “I’ve encouraged them to come in, and I’ve said one of the things we can do here is you can emotionally be present even if you have problems on the outside.” However, for Thrall, an individual sport does not lessen the importance of a compassionate community. This season, he looks forward to the empathy and leadership already visible in the Los Altos wrestlers. “We’ve got some guys and gals that
came out in the preseason, they worked out with us, but even though they weren’t doing a fall sport, they didn’t lack in leadership,” Thrall said. “And even ones that did a fall sport are really starting to demonstrate some of the leadership qualities that I like to see in our athletes.” Overall, Thrall is bringing a change not only to how fundamentals are taught, but also to how he creates a community where students will grow beyond the mats. “I really want to be a coach that builds a program that is greater than a transactional opportunity to wrestle and then go home,” Thrall said. “My coaching philosophy is to help boys and girls become men and women of empathy and integrity; to lead, be responsible and change the world for good.”
sity boy r a V ss oc ce rCo ac hR obe r to M agellan The boys varsity soccer team kicked off the new season with a new head coach, Roberto Magellan. Eager to bring fresh ideas for the team, Magellan looks forward to seeing growth in his players throughout his first season as the head coach. After a demonstration of poor team sportsmanship last season, former head coach Vava Marques made a personal decision to step down. He said this was a difficult choice that he wasn’t happy to make, and only hopes for the best for Los Altos in the future. “I am very sad that I’m leaving after coaching here for 20 years,” Marques said. “I coached for as long as I did because Los Altos and the soccer program are very dear to me.” Magellan, coincidentally a former teammate of Marques’s, is coaching the boys varsity team after being encouraged to do so by a player on his club team who goes to Los Altos. Magellan is no newcomer, as he has been coaching for over 20 years. He even coached the varsity girls soccer team at Los Altos
f ro m 2005 to 2008 and they made CCS twice during this period. Magellan’s success in the past was a factor in his decision to return to Los Altos this year. “I looked at the banners [inside the gym] and five of the girls I coached were listed as athletes of the year,” Magellan said. “Seeing their names up there gave me a feeling of pride that’s rare these days.” According to Magellan, growing up in Brazil was what sparked his love for the game. At age 11, he was organizing teams and refereeing the older kids during their matches. Later on, Magellan began working as a manager for various soccer teams and was a player for the famous Brazilian soccer team, Flamengo. After immigrating to the US in 1982, Magellan insisted on incorporating soccer into his life. “Loving soccer was a way of life for a lot of us Brazilians,” Magellan said. “Once I moved here, I started coaching even before I knew how to speak English.”
After years of coaching, playing and managing, Magellan said he has developed a burning passion for the game. Constantly immersing himself in the soccer culture encourages him to inspire that same passion in others. “Similarly to how a teacher helps educate their students, I want to pour my passion for the game onto the players,” Magellan said. “Whoever has the passion for something needs a canvas to paint a picture.” Magellan hopes that his dedication towards coaching will help the Eagles succeed in their upcoming season. One of his goals is to have the team place well enough within their league in order to advance to CCS. Last year, the varsity boys soccer team qualified to compete in CCS. However, after many altercations with referees and instances of
poor sportsmanship, the administration pulled them from the tournament. After the disappointing ending to their previous season, Magellan knows this season will be crucial for the morale of all of the players. “The boys will need this season to bounce back from whatever frustration took place last year,” Magellan said. “It’s a new beginning for them.” After the team won their first game 3-0 against Santa Teresa last Friday, December 6th, Magellan’s coaching seemed to already have a positive impact on the individual players and the team dynamics. “Coach Magellan looks at us individually and often give us positive criticism when we
make mistakes,” junior Alessandro Sisniegas said. “This, along with his game knowledge, has helped our overall team chemistry improve.” But more importantly than winning any title, Magellan wants the players to appreciate being a part of the team. He believes that playing for a community is something that many players may not experience every again, and he wants this to be what the players prioritize throughout this season. “CCS and the league would be great, but more importantly I want to allow them to enjoy themselves,” Magellan said. “The team doesn’t just represent the 11 kids on the field and the kids on the bench, but rather the school itself.”
t s i r C h o r a c e c l h B ra n d o n G i he C y t i Vars
The varsity cheer team continues to spread spirit around the school and sporting events with new head coach Brandon Gilchrist inspiring students with his infectious positivity. Gilchrist is currently balancing cheer coaching with his full-time job of event planning for a global corporation. Gilchrist has been coaching at All-Star Cheer since 2014, so he is not new to the coaching world. Since age seven, he has cheered competitively for All-Star, cheered for his high school and college teams and won various competitions ranging from States to Nationals to Regionals.
As soon as he saw the advertisement for the Los Altos High School Head Cheer Coach position, he took the chance and applied. Gilchrist came into the job with boundless spirit and excitement for the upcoming cheer season. He is glad to bring the experience he has under his belt to the team and continue his love for cheer by coaching the Eagles. “I’ve always loved high school cheer more than competitive cheer, for different reasons,” Gilchrist said. “It’s more school spirited, it’s a lot more
well-rounded and you learn a lot more as a high school cheerleader than a competitive cheerleader. So, there was a need for it, I took a chance and applied and I got it.” With his recent move from the East Coast to California last January, Gilchrist has had to adjust to his new lifestyle. “I think what has been a challenge is just being new and not knowing how cheer is in California,” Gilchrist said. “It’s a lot different than the East Coast where I’m from, where I cheered at.” Although there are inevitable challenges that come with moving to a new place and getting to know a new team, Gilchrist has been able to forge solid relationships with the girls and build a
strong team dynamic. For the upcoming seasons, he hopes to get the team to build more school spirit around the campus and the Los Altos community. “I want the team to get more involved with the school in the sense of helping spread that camaraderie amongst the students in the school, helping build every athletic team and boost their energy, getting the student body involved and getting people out to games and
supporting the school,” Gilchrist said. Gilchrist’s new addition to the team has been an adjustment for both the cheerleaders as for him as well. The team has changed techniques, performed more complex stunts and gotten closer. “This season has been a very different experience for a lot of us who were on the team last year, but it has also been very cool to see the different way he coaches and how our team has improved because of it!” Junior Sophia Hurst said.
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The Talon December 13, 2019
Why I’m technically a criminal The absurd illegality of running through a park
TOMOKI CHIEN Staff Writer
A couple of days ago, I found out that I stand alongside burglars, shoplifters, vandals and prostitutes. As per Palo Alto Municipal Code 22.04.150, I’ve committed at least fifty misdemeanors since June. Why, you might ask, does the city of Palo Alto categorize me as a criminal? Hold your breath: I go running in a nature preserve. That means someone could break into a house, steal the toaster and trample the roses on the way out, but then end up picking up trash along the highway with Deborah who just wanted her steps for the day. The preserve that I refer to is Foothills Park, which was supposedly purchased from private owners by the city of Palo Alto in 1959.
Other neighboring cities (Los Altos and Los Altos Hills) were asked to join the purchase, but declined. Thus, the park is open only to Palo Alto residents, and it’s considered a misdemeanor for anybody else to enter (because that obviously makes sense). According to the city, some of the acceptable forms of identification include utility or phone bills, rental or lease agreements, a report card, or a school issued letter with a home address. Imagine that! A Palo Altan runner’s checklist: phone, wallet, keys and… water bill. I think it’s absurd that the Palo Alto city council still maintains such a policy. Does a purchase dating 60 years back warrant such a thing? While I’m not accusing the council of being elitist—something which other proponents of an open park are—I am accusing
MARIE GODDERIS
A trail guide sits against a backdrop of the Bay Area, as seen from the top of Vista Hill. Non-Palo Altans are legally barred from entering Foothills Park, and thus denied the opportunity to experience this view.
them of being just... silly. Foothills Park is breathtaking; a stunning view of the bay can be found just under a half mile from the park entrance. Boronda Lake sits not even 50 yards from the front gate. The steep, winding trails through nature are a joy to run on (or walk on, if that’s your thing). I’ve gone running in a number of nature preserves, and Foothills Park is by far the most enjoyable. But aw shucks, my family’s utility bill is addressed to a Los Altos home. I can understand the value of there being limited access to the park. Part of the reason that it’s so beautiful is because of its cleanliness and maintenance; kudos to whoever maintains the park (and yes, funds it). Being able to go for a run against a backdrop of seemingly untouched nature is something that’s hard to find. After all, I’ve only ever found one used condom. So fine, I can see part of the reasoning behind keeping the park closed. But really? What precedent is there for such a policy? I’ve certainly never heard of a city barring non-residents from entering its public lands. Let’s be clear: it’s easy for anybody to enter the park on weekdays as there aren’t any rangers present at the front entrance. You can even enter on the weekends through the adjoining Arastradero Preserve to bypass the front gate (though that adds a few miles to your walk/run). But what about those that don’t know that? It certainly isn’t advertised. The imposing “Palo Alto residents only” sign could easily scare off any nature-lovers who prefer
EMILY ZHU
not to trod down the criminal path (ha... get it?). I’m not saying that park entrance has to be free. Heck, I’d pay to get into the park. If entrance fees would contribute to the maintenance of the park, then I’d be more than happy to cough up a few bucks to get in a good run. The “Palo Alto residents only” sign only serves to rob many of the opportunity to experience the preserve. Why is such a resource only accessible to residents of a given city? What makes Palo Altans so special? Has empirical evidence shown them to be careful stewards
of nature, more so than residents of other cities? In all honesty, opening the park to all would be a nominal gesture; I don’t foresee thousands flooding onto the trails and destroying the carefully preserved environment. But what is plain to see is how ludicrous Palo Alto’s policy is. It’s an admittedly trivial matter— there are plenty of other places which come close to Foothills Park. I should be thankful that I have access to so many great pieces of nature. But seriously, come on. Can’t we all just share?
They’ve done it again: cross country breaks three records at CIF-State Championships ELANA EISENBERG Staff Writer
Thanksgiving dinner probably looked a little bit different for some of the top runners on the Los Altos cross country team. It wasn’t because of some hardcore diet; it was because of the CIF-States Cross Country Championship. While many Los Altos students were relaxing and enjoying the recent break, eight athletes from the Los Altos cross country team were preparing to compete with the top high school runners in the state. This included seven members of the varsity boys (shown below from left to right): junior Collin Hepworth, seniors Adam Sage and Adam Cohan, freshman Boden Sirey, junior Kevin Andrews, senior Daniel Chasemfar and junior Hans Holst and freshman Lauren Soobrian (bottom right). On Saturday, November 30, those eight ath-
letes raced their hearts out at the CIFState Cross Country Championships, held at Woodward Park in Fresno, and each one of them made history. For example, Lauren has consistently scored in the top three positions at both league and invitational meets throughout her impressive first season with the Eagles, so it was fitting that she broke the first record of the day. Lauren ran her way into fourth place in the Division 1 Girls Race, running a school record-breaking time, as well as a personal record (PR) of 17:42.7 on the 5K course. “My strategy was mainly not to go out too fast and to settle in with the front pack,” Lauren said. “Overall, the race felt really good.” Breaking a school record was not the only notable thing that Lauren accomplished at the State meet. In what head coach Steph MacKenzie called “an incredible end to an incredible season,” Lauren’s record-breaking
race also solidified her spot as the fastest freshman girl in all of California. “It means a lot to me and it makes me feel really confident going into the next cross country and track seasons,” Lauren said. Throughout the season, MacKenzie has talked about watching the firecracker freshman chase school records and train alongside the varsity boys. “The goal was just to get her through the season without injury, to have her enjoy her freshman season and progress,” MacKenzie said. “Her state race was definitely her fastest race of the season, and that's all we ever look for.” The second record of the day was broken by Adam, who ran a PR of 15:27.2 and finished in 21st place in the Division 1 Boys Race. “Going into the season, I was a little worried since I wasn’t able to meet a lot of my goals from the year before, but I ended up finding much more success this year,” Adam said. “Not only that, but it’s been awesome to get
to spend my last year with such a great group of guys on the team.” Adam can’t wait to get back into training, but for him, it won’t be with the Eagles. While he hasn’t officially committed to a specific university yet, Adam is likely to continue his cross country career at a Division 3 program. “I fully plan on running throughout college and [after],” Adam said. “I don’t intend to run professionally, but I do want it to be a big part of my life.” MacKenzie was quick to praise Adam for his leadership skills and dedication to the team, noting that she has seen him improve over his four years. “When it's time to train, he works hard. He's willing to jump in any race or do anything for the team,” MacKenzie said. “He's just set the tone of what we're trying to achieve.” This tone of team spirit was a key part of the team’s third record of the day. The varsity boys team came together to run a total time of 81:05, breaking their previous record by 30 seconds. This is the third year in a row the boys team has broken the school
record, and they finished in 16th place overall. “It's hard for anyone who has never witnessed the State meet to comprehend the level of talent and depth there,” MacKenzie said. Kevin placed 56th and Daniel, Boden, and Adam Cohan placed 120th, 126th, and 134th, respectively. Hans finished in 146th place and Collin placed 177th. “The team component of cross country is definitely underrated, and it is huge,” MacKenzie said. “When they're out there running for their team, they know they're depending on each other to break that school record. They just push themselves like nothing else.” And it was well worth the push. With three new times going up on the school record board and the fastest freshman girl in the state, it’s safe to say the cross country team has made the Eagles very proud this season.
EMILY ZHU
COURTESY MALCOM SLANEY
COURTESY MALCOM SLANEY