The Pinion Vol. 93 No. 3

THE PINI N

Student-edited paper of McKinley High School Vol. 93 No. 3

Honolulu, Hawaii

Spring Edition

March 2015

Chihiro Mase gets beyond bone cancer restrictions by Silvana Bautista, co-editor It is impossible to know a person at first glance. Chihiro Mase is a 15-year-old sophomore who likes to play around with her friends. She plays the alto saxaphone for the band. At home, she likes to take naps and eat. She seems like a typical high school student but this is not the case. Mase was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when she was 13 years old. According to the American Cancer Society, osteosarcoma is the most common cancer of the bones. It may occur at any age but it is most common in teens. Most osteosarcoma tumors start near the knee. The arm bone near the shoulder is the next most common spot. It can also start in the hip bone, shoulder and jaw. This is especially true in adults. In the case of Mase, she developed it in her leg. She was unable to fold her legs completely. “My leg was a tiny bit swollen but not as much since the cancer was still small,” she said.

Pain in the bone is the most common symptom of osteosarcoma. The pain could come and go. It is also typically worse at night. The pain could get worse through physical activity and a person might have a limp if the tumor is in the leg. Swelling may not occur until a few weeks have passed. A lump may be felt near the area of the tumor. Osteosarcoma may weaken the bone it develops in but it will likely not break it. If a person has a fracture near or through the osteosarcoma, they may experience something very painful. Mase was not shocked at the news. She accepted it. “I usually don’t have an impression,” Mase said. Her mother however, was concerned in the change of their family’s lifestyle. “While I was in treatment, I couldn’t eat raw food, uncooked food, unwashed food, so my mom would clean every food and cook every food,” Mase said. Mase went through treatment from Feb-

ruary 2014 through November 2014. She spent most of her time receiving treatment at Kapiolani Medical Center. Chemotherapy made her feel faint and weak most of the time. Mase said that treatments would sometimes cause a person to vomit or to stop eating. She said that she did not have those problems. However, there was a medication called methotextrate that Mase was allergic to. She had a hard time breathing so they had to stop it immediately and change her medicine. Despite this, Mase still managed to live pleasantly. She did not like the hospital food so she was really happy when her family brought homemade food to her. In addition, her friends from middle school visited her whenever they had the chance after school. One of the friends who visited her, sophomore Tayron Alamag, Please see Sophomore, 12

2 THE PINION NEWS

Thirty Years of Tiger Spirit mhspinion.com

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THE PINION 3 NEWS

Muranaka, Takamori inducted in Hall of Honor

by Silvana Bautista, co-editor

Hall of Honor Assembly Moments

photos by Sean Gleason and Mengling Wang

1. The Hall of Honor Assembly kicks off with the presentation of colors by a full male group of JROTC cadets. In the past, a group of all female JROTC cadets would do the presentation of colors.

2. The choir chamber performs “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars in honor of Neal Takamori. 3. Although Black and Gold isn’t waving, Tigers wave what they have. 4. Along with the Dance club, students from CTL and other leadership programs perform a dance in honor of Glenn Muranaka.

Glenn Muranaka - Share the treasure Class of 1967 Muranaka began his work as a Meadow Gold clerk. In 1972, he was promoted to a controller at Meadow Gold Dairies. He has been the Meadow Gold Dairies President and General Manager since 1996. From kindergarten until he was 19 years old, Muranaka said that he did not do well in school. He was an average student and he was not popular. After high school he ran away from home. While he was homeless, Muranaka prayed to God for guidance and to ask for forgiveness. He eventually had a reconciliation with his dad and returned home. Muranaka went to Kapiolani Community College with regrets of not having the grades to go to university. He worked hard and studied until he became the best. He eventually learned that he loved reading. He is amazed by the treasures that can be found in books. He advises students to read books to find treasure that will eventually become the wisdom that will lead a person to contribute to society. He said to share the wisdom to motivate and help other people.

Neal Takamori - Attitude is everything Class of 1964 Takamori is a retired athletics director of McKinley High School. His time here has left an impact on all the student athletes who knew him, as well as all the people he worked with. The assembly featured two videos. One was from his colleagues, alumni and sons. The other was from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Takamori said that parents want their kids to be good people. Money and fame do not matter as much. It was heartwarming for him to see his sons on the video. Takamori came in contact with a lot of people who had touched him. They inspired him to be the best person he could be and motivated him to fulfill his dream. Takamori wants students to thank their parents and teachers who care about them. He told students to never give up on what they do because everyone has a chance to succeed. If a person has the right attitude, they can fulfill their dreams. Takamori said that attitude is everything.

5. Audience applauses for the band’s performance in honor of Glenn Muranaka.

4 THE PINION NEWS

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Students dropping like flies because of flu by Max Higa, reporter

Posing in her Mickey and Minnie shirt, freshman Shalain Maxin hugs her friend freshman Serena Hisatake. Photo by Silvana Bautista.

MHS Bowling Team member senior Filamer Lloyd Doronio dresses up for sports day. Photo by Yunmi Kim.

Black & Gold Week Memories 1

1. Sophomores Ah Lam Lee, Nikki Villaver and Dianne Gabrillo show off their school spirit with Winnie the Pooh. Photo by Silvana Bautista. 2. Junior Nicholas Pegarido poses with “Minnie Mouse,” junior Amanda Lien. Photo by Silvana Bautista. 3. Seniors Natajia Swift and Laila Khong( show their school spirit in stripes. Photo by Anela Chauez and Karrina Johnson.

For more coverage check out mhspinion.com. 2

Sneezing. Coughing. A fever that exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is time to stay home in bed, away from friends and fun. Instead of playing and texting on your phone, you must take medicine every hour. When you finally get back to school, you notice that your friends are missing. In fact, it seems that half of the class has mysteriously disappeared. What is going on? Could it be the end of the world? No, it is just the flu season and it is nothing new. It affects the academic system greatly. There is a way we can prevent it, right? The Influenza Virus, or the flu as it is more commonly known, is one of the most well-known diseases in America. It is highly contagious and can kill elderly people and young children if not carefully treated. “When you have the flu, you will have a fever (100-102 degrees), body aches

and coughing, which usually lasts three to four days,” school nurse Allison Yonamine said. “A stuffy and runny nose and a sore throat can occur sometimes.” Every state in the country is affected by Influenza in some way. Flu seasons happen unpredictably, but mostly occur around the end of autumn and throughout winter. Yes, students, teachers and staff around McKinley High School have been or are being affected by the flu. An increase of coughing, sneezing and sudden absences have been witnessed around campus. “I had to stay home, so I couldn’t do work,” freshman Michael Sumaylo said. Sumaylo was affected by the flu for two days. Even though some students and teachers are sick (and they are sick because they are showing some symptoms of Influenza, such as coughing and sneez-

THE PINION 5 NEWS

ing), they still come to campus. They could spread the disease even more and at a more alarming pace. There are ways to prevent the flu. First is the vaccine or nose spray. You must get the vaccine as soon as possible, because you can still be infected with Influenza for up to two weeks, even if you took the vaccine. However, this year’s strain of Influenza was a bit different, so the vaccine may not suppress the virus as well as you may expect. “The scientists choose to fight the flu strain that is the most dangerous,” Yonamine said. “It is similar to a hit-or-miss gamble. However, you should still get the vaccine because it can shorten the days you are sick, and lessen the severity of the effects.” Yonamine also recommended some tips and tricks of her own. “I wish that we could have flu vaccines in high school and that we should remind the students of the basics. Sneeze and cough into your shoulder or elbow. Also, if you are sick and you sneeze or cough in your hand, wash your hands while singing the ABCs twice.” To prevent boring sick days, be extremely careful of what you do around the clock.

Brother journalists share valuable advice by Lin Song, co-editor Michael Tsai and Stephen Tsai, reporters for the Honolulu Star Advertiser, came to share their journalism experience with the newswriting class in December. As a blogger, Stephen Tsai said that blogs contain more of a bloggers’ opinions while the articles in a newspaper need to be as fair and objective as possible. Michael Tsai mentioned that bloggers can have a closer conversation with the readers. There can be more discussion on the specific topic. “It is an opportunity to get extra depth with the person who is actually gathering news,” Michael said. Michael Tsai is a columnist for

the Honolulu Star Advertiser. He said that most columns are reflections or thoughts of the person who writes it. It is different from features since features are generally about something newsworthy, which focuses on timeliness, impact and prominence. Michael’s column is called “Incidental Lives” and it focuses on different people with different backgrounds. He said, “Everybody has something new or interesting about them, and they usually never recognize it.” “Things are changing and there will be more types of journalism jobs,” Stephen Tsai said.

Brothers Michael Tsai and Stephen Tsai visit the Pinion newswriting class. Photo by Lin Song.

6 THE PINION EDITORIAL

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College students recommend social media caution, extracurricular involvement by Yunmi Kim , reporter

McKinley’s Pride and Tradition mhspinion.com

THE PINION 7 EDITORIAL

by Anela Chavez, reporter

Five students from the UH Manoa Academy of Tourism came to McKinley High School and talked on things such as, social media pressure, getting involved, etc. When it comes to social media, people can’t resist taking a selfie or posting a message on their phones or computers. However, they must be careful because everything that is put on social media will stay there forever even if it is deleted. Having an appropriate record of one’s social media file shows people what kind of person they are, especially to people

such as employers or college administrators. These people will look up the person they interviewed on Facebook and other social media sites to determine admission. These are some of things that you should not do on social media: Getting tagged by a friend for an inappropriate picture or message. Posting inappropriate messages, pictures, or email addresses. Messaging or texting about everything that went on during a job interview, including the company’s policies, rules, job

pay, and etc. Good grades are not enough for colleges because they look for students who are well-rounded in both academics and extracurriculars. Extracurricular activities show the colleges the student’s passion in something, as well as being able to balance academics and club activities. It can also show the student’s personality more and tell the colleges what kind of person they are. Students must keep up their grades to go to college while doing extracurricular activities at the same time.

Club participation important

Tigers need to get more involved

it is not the grass that is important, it is the tradition of walking over that patch of grass when you graduate. This tradition could be seen as a rite of passage. For seniors, it is something that they get to do when they graduate. “It motivates me…I’m gonna graduate so I can go on the Oval,” freshman Ashley Zulueta said. Personally, I am looking forward to passing over the Oval. I see it as a prize waiting for me at the end of my high school experience. I know I am not the only one who feels the same. “It’s like the only thing that McKinley

Statue of President William McKinley. Photo by Sean Gleason

has that other schools don’t have,” sophomore Apryl Lactaoen said. McKinley has a special tradition. As Tigers, we should respect it and stay off the Oval until we graduate.

Advertising does not always attract attention by Silvana Bautista, co-editor

by Sammie Yee, reporter Members of E-Sorts club are having a meeting. Photo by Sean Gleason.

Many students join extracurricular activities but lose interest as time goes on and eventually they do not end up being a part of any after-school activities. “I feel like many freshmen this year aren’t part of any clubs and choose to hang out with friends than to take advantage of the opportunities clubs can give,” senior Kairis Yam said. Clubs are important because colleges look at the activities students have participated in as much as the GPA. Involvement in a club or the community is important for college entrance admissions.

“Hey, get off the Oval!” Have you ever heard someone say that? McKinley High School is home to a special tradition, the Oval. This tradition has been around for almost as long as our school has. The statue of President William McKinley was commissioned for 8,000 dollars and it weighs eight tons. It’s also a valued piece of art. Many teachers and students show respect for the tradition and do not go on the Oval, but there are always some who will break the tradition. I know some people ask, what is so important about a chunk of grass? Well,

“We learn leadership skills and create projects that would benefit our school and community” senior Misty Tran said. Tran has been active in after-school activities and she enjoys going to them for reasons that range far past just having fun. Some students have been going to clubs but had to quit due to other priorities, such as work. Students have focused less on school and clubs because they need to provide for their family, etc.. Clubs are as important because of the experience you will need for the future and the recommendations you can receive.

The Pinion Staff Adviser: Cynthia Reves Editors: Silvana Bautista, Sean Gleason, and Lin Song

Publication Information

THE PINION is published by the Newswriting Staff and printed by the Reprographics Learning Center. The Pinion McKinley High School 1039 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96814 Email comments or questions to pinion@mckinleyhs.k12.hi.us

There were advertisements on the morning bulletin, signs around campus, and business cards. However, very few students go to the Tiger Locker. Tiger Locker is McKinley’s school store. It can be found in Student Activities and it is open during lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Students would generally be working there. The store has an excess of merchandise and is being advertised but not many students go there. Storage space for items is running out and more items are coming in so sales are one of the things senior Jeremy Tongpalan does to sell. Tongpalan is advised by counselor Lisa Panquites and activities director April Nakamura. Tongpalan said that he planned most of the advertisements. He advertised through the use of fliers, social media and the morning bulletin. He said that it was well done. “I think that the advertising I did was enough,” he said. Senior Emily Phan said the advertise-

ments are informative but not visually appealing. “Tiger Locker’s flier for the sale was all right, ... just pictures and texts look messy,” she said. Senior Jaynielle Bannagao said it was “not very effective since a lot of people

“It was effective. We had more customers but I expected way more. Avertising was a good idea but it didn’t do so well at capturing our audience’s attention.” -- Mac Bautista (11) don’t really listen to the bulletin.” The ineffectiveness of the advertisements were not the only reason. Bannagao also said, “A lot of people don’t really know of the Tiger Locker especially since it’s hidden in the student council room and only open during lunch.” “I think the advertising I did was

enough. ... People have their own opinions about things and people either like or dislike something,” Tongpalan said. “If it’s not important, they won’t pay attention to it. If it’s not eye-catching, they won’t pay attention to it.” Senior Alexandra Kaohi said that she could not buy anything from the Locker because she had to pay for her graduation cap and gown. Junior Mac Bautista works for the Tiger Locker on Mondays. He said, “It was effective. We had more customers but I expected way more. Advertising was a good idea but it didn’t do so well at capturing our audience’s attention.” Senior Mahealani Wilson, a Friday worker, said, “Jeremy did a great job advertising. All of his hard work showed in the amount of customers that came.” The store gets three customers a day on average. During the sale, there were six customers a day on average. According to Tongpalan, the slowest day is Monday.

8 THE PINION EDITORIAL

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Resolutions: Promises a year in the making

Everything happens for a reason by James Harbin, reporter Every once in a while we ask ourselves, “Why me? Why now?” A better thought should be why did it take so long? Everything happens for a reason. It may not be a reason you like, but it’s a reason. If you’re going through hard times and you just want things to go back to the way they were before, you need to realize that one way or another. Eventually, you’re going to go through the struggles and the pain in order to learn to overcome it. Every time someone makes fun of you, rejects you, excludes you, ignores you, hurts you or even hurts the ones you love, realize that if someone hadn’t made fun of you before, you wouldn’t be able to handle it now. Everything that has happened throughout your life has made you who you

are today. If you didn’t go through it, you wouldn’t understand how the world works. It’s full of discrimination, hatred and greed. It’s just what this world has become. Ten years ago, my father left me and my family. I asked myself, “Where’s dad? When is he coming back?” Then I realized he wasn’t. I stopped trusting anyone, I couldn’t bear the pain of being left behind and forgotten again. Eventually I realized that in this life, you’re going to find people, lose people and be someone. It’s just how life is. It’s not perfect but at least it’s real. I wouldn’t change what happened because I’m happy with how my life is right now. If I didn’t go through that, I wouldn’t be able to withstand being left behind and forgotten again. Now, pain is just a part of

THE PINION 9 EDITORIAL

by Max Higa, reporter

art by Yunmi Kim and My Lu

photo by James Harbin

me. Everyone has it. Think about the long run. This one duration of pain for a lifetime of understanding. It sounds like a pretty good deal to me. art by My Lu

O’Brien’s ‘Birthmarked’ shows importance of family

Hahn’s ‘UnEnchanted’ visits a century old curse

by Silvana Bautista, co-editor

Outside the wall, women are typically willing to give their newborn babies up to the government in the hopes that their children will live a better life. This is true in most cases. However, when a disease begins to kill off many of the citizens within the walls, the government arrests Jasper and Bonnie Stone in the hopes of finding answers. The Birthmarked series by Caragh O’Brien focuses on their daughter’s, Gaia Stone, experiences to find the reason behind her parents’ arrest. Along the way, she encounters enemies and learns controversial things about the society she lives in. This series has three books in total: Birthmarked, Prized and Promised. The series is sure to make you think about the importance of family and help you realize that not all stories end in happily ever afters.

Mina Grime lives a pretty normal life. She goes to school, hangs out with her best friend and watches her crush from afar. However, her life turns upside down when she gets publicity for saving her crush’s life! Unwanted attention brings out a secret that has cursed her family for generations. She is actually a descendent of the Grimm brothers. Fairy tales are real and her family has been stalked by them for years. So far, the series has four books: UnEnchanted, Fairest, Fable and Reign. The fifth book is scheduled for release in the summer of 2015. This series has kept me hooked since I read the first book two years ago. Mina develops into a strong and admirable character as the story develops. Some parts made me smile while other parts left me frustrated. The series is ultimately enjoyable.

bookcovers from goodreads collage by Silvana Bautista

collage by bookyum.net

It is that time of year again. The smell of smoke. The sound of firecrackers going off like bombs. People gathering around, waiting for the countdown. Yes, I am talking about a new start, a time where we can let go and begin again. It is the New Year. One thing that is always included in a New Year is our New Year’s resolutions. We always say we can do them, but do we? From improving our health to improving our grades, we all have had a resolution for the year. New Year’s resolutions originated when many people around Europe, such as Rome and Babylon (Ancient Mesopotamia in the Middle East), made promises to their gods. We tell each other what they are and how we are going to accomplish them. However, we always seem to leave something out, something that is possibly more important than the plan to accomplish the resolution itself. How are we going to keep ourselves motivated? Without motivation, we cannot achieve what we set ourselves towards. An Australian website (finder.com.au) did a poll about New Year’s resolutions, and according to their data, two out of three people fail their goals. The main reasons are people set unrealistic goals, lose prog-

ress of their goals, or just simply forget about them. Nevertheless, students at McKinley High School have their own resolutions. Some are to improve physical health. “My New Year’s resolution is to workout,” freshman Taylor Delcorro said. “I keep motivated by checking my weight daily.” Others are more mental and emotional improvements. “My New Year’s resolution is to swear less,” freshman Kevin Zaragoza said. “I’ll stay motivated by looking at people that are being nice to me.” “I think that we have resolutions to become better people,” freshman Donovan Pak said. On finder.com.au, the people succeeded in their New Year resolution because they shared it with others, such as on social media sites. Also, people succeed more when they set goals (for example, saying, “I will lose 10 pounds,” rather than saying, “I will lose weight”). We have always heard the phrase, “Never give up, and you will succeed.” This is true, as long as you’re willing to dedicate a year towards a better you.

art by Sammie Yee

art by Anela Chavez

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10 THE PINION EDITORIAL/GAMES

THE PINION 11 FEATURE

Cell phone manners matter

It is time to make a choice

by Yunmi Kim , reporter

by Lin Song, co-editor

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cartoon by My Lu

Many people don’t know cell phone manners and it has led to decreased communication, broken friendships and annoyances among people at home, in public and school. At school both students and teachers have faced problems in terms of cell phone use. One of the common problems is when a cell phone is used during a one-

to-one conversation. “I would like it if the person would put away their phones at least when I am talking to them face-to-face,” freshman Le Xinh (Gina) Li said. “Or at least give a proper response, not a one-word response like ‘Uh-huh,’ ‘Okay,’ etc., when using a phone.” Chorus teacher Natasha Taketa has rules at home about the use of cellphones. “We have a rule at the dinner table of no phones or electronics because that is the only family time you have to spend,” Taketa said. “The phone comes second.” She had a situation where she met with her friend, whom she hadn’t met for a long time. The friend used her phone during a conversation. Taketa told her friend to put away her phone only for the time they are together because Taketa felt that this was the time they could spend with each other. Afterwards, her friend did not use her phone during conversations anymore. Here are some rules to keep when using a cell phone according to the New York Daily News: When talking to a person face-to-face,

give them your full attention. Don’t take calls or texts. Only answer your phone if it is an emergency. When eating dinner with somebody, put your phone somewhere else. Never put a phone on the table because the other person dining with you should not have to be sitting in silence and listening to your phone conversation. Respect places that are quiet environments such as libraries, theaters, churches, dance recitals, concerts, etc.. Don’t drive and use your phone at the same time. This is so that you can protect yourself and pedestrians. Be careful of the language you use on the phone. If a phone needs to be answered at places like church, restaurants, theaters, put the phone on vibrate so that you do not disturb other people. If others need a cellphone in times of emergency, help them out. Wear earphones or turn down the volume when listening to music or watching a video to give respect to those around you.

Good luck. Have fun.

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College applications were submitted. volunteer work, internships, career talks, mately 70 percent of students change their Graduation is approaching. Parties begin. guest speakers and school classes, which course of study during their time at the But seniors, have you already decided “give students first-hand experience of University.” what you want to learn in college? what their future careers will be like,” A study from the Federal Reserve Bank Senior Yuzhu Zhang is taking AP CalYoshioka said. of New York in 2013 also showed that culus and accounting at school now. Her Senior Kathy Yeung is doing an internonly 27 percent of college graduates were deep interest in business and math makes ship at a child center. She wants to major working in a job directly related to their her want to be an college major. actuary. Zhang plans “There are both to major in mathgood and bad things ematics to practice about changing maher computational jors,” Yoshioka said. and analytical skills. “If students do deShe is also studying cide to change majors, AP Physics, AP Stado it early because the tistics and AP Psylater a student makes chology herself. a change, the more “I want to chalcostly it may get with lenge myself and tuition and time.” strengthen my EngFor those who lish and math skills,” change their majors Zhang said. or career choices, Zhang is firm and Furukawa said, “Do passionate about her not feel bad like you major choice. So is failed something. You senior Si Hou Lon. just gained more exStatistics from a 2013 New York Federal Reserve Bank study. Infographic by Lin Song. Lon is already perience so that you enrolled in Williams can use that experiCollege and plans ence to better yourself to major in chemistry. His reason for in early child education and the last sein some other career field.” this major choice is that he wants to be a mester of high school provides her opporFurukawa majored in accounting in the doctor to help people. To better prepare tunities to try out what she likes. Interact- past. After working in the area, he found himself, Lon is taking AP Biology now. ing with children can sometimes be really it did not fit himself and chose to be a He got a full score on the AP Chemistry tiring but she still enjoys it. math teacher. He enjoys his work now and test in May. He also began to volunteer at applies his accounting skills to his daily a hospital at the beginning of his senior work such as organizing records using “You will never know whether year to gain more learning experience. spreadsheets. you like it or not only after you “Do not let other people sway your de“Regardless of which career field stucision on what major you want to pursue,” have tried.” dents choose, not everything they learn in -- Kathy Yeung (12) the classroom is going to be directly relatLon said. With many others still undecided about ed to the job,” Furukawa said. The main their majors, teacher Cami Yoshioka gave Some students may ask “What if I find thing about college study is that “it proher advice. that the major does not fit me and I want vides students with background knowl“For students who have no idea where to change it?” edge and teaches them how to think.” to even begin, it is good to start with disAs math teacher Jon Furukawa said, It is not only about a major or a degree. covering themselves or their interests.” changing majors in college actually “hapIt is about the passion to do what you She suggested students take self-assess- pens more often than you think.” want. It is about the motivation to learn ments and career assessments to discover A September 2014 article in The Daily what you like. It is also about an oppormore about who they are. Students can Princetonian (the student newspaper of tunity and a new beginning of your life. also find their career interests through Princeton University) said, “ApproxiNow, it is time for you to make a choice.

12 THE PINION FEATURE

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Sophomore: Chihiro Mase shares cancer experience by Silvana Bautista, co-editor

Lu shows interest, talent in art

by Karrina Johnson, reporter

continued from 1

was surprised when he found out about Mase’s condition. Alamag and Mase have known each other since they were in the second grade. They have a good friendship. Alamag supported Mase while she received treatment. “I’m very happy that nothing too serious happened to Chihiro,” Alamag said. After her treatment, Mase still received shots, which were administered by her mother, every day for about one to two weeks. When Mase entered high school, she did not really know anyone. She Tayron Alamag has been Chihiro Mase’s friend did not have many friends since a lot of since elementary school. photo by Silvana Bauher middle school friends went to another tista high school. out that her friend, Alamag, was also at There were times when Mase felt McKinley. He had planned to attend Kaileft out of conversations, even with her muki High School. friends. She said that she had a hard time Now, Mase and Alamag play in the understanding what was going on because band. She plays the alto saxaphone and he her friends would often talk about movies plays percussion. that she did not know about. When Mase was a freshman, she had She was surprised when she found problems getting up the stairs. She said it

was partially because of her weakened left leg. Her leg has two metal supports to replace the bone that was affected by her cancer. “It’s like a secondary bone,” she said. This restriction got in the way of school and she could not keep up in her classes so she had to get a tutor. Her tutor helped her catch up. In addition to this restriction, Mase was also not able to play any rough sports or be in school if there were any sick students since her immunity was weak. Despite ending her treatments in November, Mase still has to go to the Kapiolani Medical Center to check her health. She gets her blood counted once every three months. She also goes to get physical therapy. She said that she cannot fully feel her leg since she has not completely adjusted to the metal supports and movement of muscle. Nonetheless, Mase is happy that she was able to overcome this ordeal.

Bi-cultural student sees pros, cons of her cultures by Yunmi Kim, reporter Senior Yasmin Wiggan speaks English and Japanese. She is half Japanese and half African-American. She juggles between the two different cultures on a daily basis. Wiggan was born in Nagasaki, Japan, at a military hospital and went to Osaka during her preschool years. She then moved to Hawaii with her mother to live with her father, “so that we could live together as a family,” Wiggan said. Although she experienced many cultural differences, the most significant difference that Wiggan experienced between her home country and the culture in America was the etiquette.

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THE PINION 13 FEATURE

“I have to use keigo (higher form of speech) to the adults and even to people that are my age,” Wiggan said. Japanese people are strict on manners. From this, Wiggan continues to follow even the smallest things, such as saying “Thank You” or “Please” in her daily life. When saying “Hello” to an adult, she must always bow her head slightly to greet them as a sign of respect. In America, Wiggan noticed that a wave was appropriate for a greeting and that it was fine to call someone by their first name. Even though there are cultural difference in her home country and in America,

Wiggan was happy about the diversity in America. “I am viewed as an individual, and not as a family,” Wiggan said. People in Japan viewed Wiggan’s mother as a “mistake” because her mother was not only divorced, but was also a single mother. In America, people do not really care or get surprised if someone said that their parents are divorced. Since America has many ethnic groups and Japan has one main ethnic group, this shows her how much of a difference these two countries have on their values, cultures and viewpoints.

Born in Vietnam, senior Sherry Lu has been doodling from a young age. Lu moved to California for middle school and to Hawaii for high school. Lu has lots of hobbies, such as singing, dancing and playing the piano. There was one hobby that she focused on more, drawing. Lu said there was no specific time that she started drawing, and that “we all just start doodling” from a young age. However, at around 7th grade, Lu started to take her drawing more seriously. She said there was a man named Henry who gave free drawing lessons, which was where she learned most of the things she knows now. Lu entered a contest for designing the Pinion banner and won. She said her design did not take too long, and it was quite easy. That is not the only thing she has done. Even after Lu won the contest, she has continued to come to the newsroom to ask if anyone needs artwork. A lot of Lu’s work have been used for Pinion articles.

photo by Karrina Johnson

Check out the website and social media @mhspinion for more Pinion art!

14 THE PINION SPORTS

Tigers spring into action

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THE PINION 15 SPORTS

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1. Junior Dan Villejo in McKinley’s varsity boys basketball team scores 23 of 61 points in a win against University High. Villejo has scored 257 points this season. Photo by photography student

2. Sophomore Mark Burke in McKinley’s varsity boys basketball team scores 2 of his 33 total points in a loss against Kaiser. Photo by Jacky HuaVo 3. Junior Kayla Rasavanh in McKinley’s varsity girls basketball team scores 2 of her 163 total points in a loss against Kalani. Photo by Jacky Hua-Vo 4. Junior Kenzie Hernandez-McKenzie in McKinley’s varsity girls basketball team scores 2 of her 45 total points in a loss against Kalani. Photo by Jacky Hua-Vo

McKinley softball field officially blessed

5. Senior Macjun Otarra in McKinley’s varsity boys basketball team scores 20 of McKinley’s 61 points in a win against University High. Otarra has scored 288 points this season. Photo by photography student 6. Junior Isaac Lu in McKinley’s varsity boys basketball team scores 19 points this season. Photo by Jacky Hua-Vo

by Sean Gleason, co-editor

As the sky cleared and the sun shone down, members of the McKinley’s softball team, students from Leilani Okuda’s team sports class, Principal Ron Okumura, Athletic Director Bob Morikuni and news organizations gathered for the blessing of McKinley’s softball field. First, Morikuni shared a few words. He said that in the beginning there was no initial plan to make a softball field, but recent Hall of Honor inductee and former Athletic Director Neal Takamori was the one who gave the vision for it. Morikuni thanked the DOE for funding it and ended

by saying that he was excited to open this beautiful facility. Afterwords, the attention was given to Pastor Eli who said a few words before he began the blessing. Pastor Eli said that McKinley was chosen amongst all schools to get a softball field and that it was an honor and responsibility. In his prayer, he said that he hopes students will carry on the legacy and gifts of McKinley High School. He added that people like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson represent McKinley wherever they go and that everyone should always remember

7. Junior Vee Vee Li in McKinley’s varsity girls basketball team scores 9 of 31 points in a loss against Kalani. Li has scored 65 points this season. Stats from scoringlive.com. Photo by Jacky Hua-Vo

their past. Pastor Eli’s prayer was in Hawaiian. Afterwords, Morikuni thanked everyone for coming and he along with Okumura and Okuda threw the first pitches to break in the softball field.

1. Pastor Eli prepares to recite his prayer to bless the new softball stadium 2. Gifts to commemorate the blessing. 3. Students from Ms. Okuda’s team sports class and members of the McKinley’s softball team bow their heads as the prayer is recited. 4. Mr. Okumura throws the second pitch of the blessing. His pitch doesn’t quite go all the way 5. Ms. Okuda throws the thrid pitch of the blessing. Ms. Okuda was given the opportunity to umpire for the Olympics sofball games held in Athens, Greece.

16 THE PINION mhspinion.com