The Pinion Vol. 98 No. 3

T HE P INI

N

Vol. 98 / No. 3 March 2020

The student-run newspaper of McKinley High School

Physical education teacher Leilani Okuda was inducted into the Hall of Honor during the 2020 assembly. Photo by Gilbert Li, Photo 1.

RS 20-0935 March 2020

OFFICER KALAMA Editors Alexandria Buchanan Ryan Vanairsdale Head Reporters Nyler Acasio Thai Bui An Vo Reporters Joesph Brown Nickolas Castillo Kelly Cheng Wynn Dang Jesse Faapale Rodney Fano Cheng Hong He Shileen Lafaele Julia Linn Mark Ontolan Cherisa Skinny Sairin Skinny Adviser Cynthia Reves

Mission The Pinion staff strives to provide and maintain accurate, entertaining and informative news for the students, staff and alumni of McKinley High School. We strive to show diligence in creating all our content so we can make a positive contribution to the public.

Publication Information The Pinion is published by the Newswriting class and printed by 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 THEPINION PINION/ /22 THE

by An Vo, head reporter

S

tudents and staff gathered at McKinley High School’s gym on Jan. 31 to pay tribute to Officer Kaulike Kalama.

Hawaii lost two of its finest police officers in a shooting during a call on Jan. 19, one of which was a fellow McKinley graduate from the class of 2003.

Senior Regina Nguyen, student body president, said Kalama was a McKinley Tiger who was known at McKinley for being a linebacker for the football team and a canoe paddler for the paddling team.

“As one of the football captains, he was a very quiet person but a respected leader,” Nguyen said. “He had a very humble heart that touched every individual that he had met. He always wanted to give back to the community, which is why he joined the police force.”

Leilani Okuda, this year’s Hall of Honor inductee, said she wanted to send her condolences to the Kalama family.

“Kaulike was a student of mine and I’m honored and humbled to say that I was his teacher,” she said.

Nguyen said Kalama paid the ultimate sacrifice for the protection of the people of Honolulu after he served the Honolulu Police Department for nine years.

To honor Kalama, a song was sung and played by the City Boys.

Kalama’s colleagues and family came to the assembly to honor the late officer.

“At this time, I would also like to welcome members of the Honolulu Police Department and Chief of Police, Susan Ballard, who made us so honored to have her today to help us pay tribute to Officer Kaulike Kalama,” Nguyen said.

Kalama worked for Ballard for four or five years at the Central Receiving Division.

Ballard said Kalama was a quiet leader.

“Thank you guys so much for doing this for KK,” she said.

“We didn’t really know him as ‘Kaulike.’ It was just KK to us.”

“When you first met him, he looked like he was all serious, but the minute he smiled, it lit up the room,” she said. “One of the things about KK was he was also a prankster.”

Ballard said one of Kalama’s friends was afraid of spiders.

“There was a cane spider in CRD, so KK was able to kill the NEWS FEATURES

RECOGNIZED FOR SACRIFICE Kaulike Kalama’s brother and son were presented with a McKinley medallion and a football helmet with Kalama’s name on it.

Photo by Armando Nebres, Photo 2.

spider but still chase the officer around with the spider in the cup and it was recorded for posterity,” she said.

Ballard said Kalama took his duties as an officer seriously when an officer needed help.

“When he left the desk, he went to District Seven where he was an absolutely phenomenal officer,” she said.

“On that tragic day, what was occurring was not even in his district but KK without even hesitating, responded because he heard an officer was in trouble. He took the lead to go and help that officer.”

Unfortunately, Kalama paid the ultimate sacrifice and he too was killed. Ballard said she appreciates McKinley for having Kalama as a student.

“It is a huge loss for us, for both officers, but I do appreciate the outpouring of all the things that this community has done, [especially to] you at McKinley because he was a proud graduate of McKinley,” she said.

“He was one of the 2003 paddling team where they won the championship and of course playing football and I can see him playing football. He would probably scare people by giving them the stare.”

NEWS FEATURES

“[When] Chief of Police, Susan Ballard, said ‘He paid the ultimate sacrifice,’ that made me cry,” sophomore Ronya Malae said. “We wake up never knowing what’s going to happen that day, and I thought, Officer Kalama would have never thought that day would be his last.

I am proud of what our school did to honor his name, family, and legacy.”

Malae said the assembly was impactful because the school honored an officer who passed away.

“We honored slain Officer Kaulike Kalama and remained respectful while Police Chief Ballard spoke of him and how he was a model citizen,” she said.

Nguyen said Kalama’s service and dedication in the Honolulu Police Department will not be forgotten.

“A special thanks to the Kalama Family for coming out and being here with us today,” she said. “Please know that his life serves as an inspiration to all McKinley Tigers to live life with honor, integrity, and service.”

The City Boys were reintroduced and sang another song to pay tribute to Kalama.

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TIGER INTERACT CLUB

BEAUTIFIES CAMPUS CAMPUS

by An Vo, head reporter

T

he Tiger Interact Club cleaned up litter on McKinley High School’s campus on Jan. 13.

“After picking up the trash, the campus was cleaner. It’s always the little things that we want the students to see,” senior Leemo Taula said.

When Ron Okamura became the principal of McKinley, the Tiger Interact Club had lost its place but it was restored. Okamura said he’s proud that the school has a club that provides community service.

“I’m very happy because we all need to have some community service, things we need to do, and it starts here. It starts with our homes.

Then it goes up to the greater community. If we take care of our home, we take care of our school, we take care of our community, we take care of our planet,” Okamura said.

Adviser Jared Winquist said students tend to not litter if the campus is clean.

“The idea there is if it’s (the campus) clean and people see that it’s clean, they will want to keep it clean,” Winquist said. “Whereas if they see a bunch of trash laying around everywhere, they’ll think that ‘oh, I’ll just throw my trash, everybody else does,’ and it just gets dirtier and dirtier.”

Okamura said maintaining the cleanliness of the campus affects the first impression of visitors.

“It kind of sets the tone,” he said.

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“If the campus is dirty and unkept, people get a bad feeling about that like ‘nobody cares,’ whereas if they come onto the campus and the campus is clean, it’s well kept, it’s wellmanicured, and the buildings are nice, people say ‘wow this campus is really cared for’ so they start to care about what they do. It changes their attitudes and their first impressions about the school.”

Taula said people should be involved in community service for the benefit of the environment and the people around them and not just for themselves.

“Get involved with the community, not for college applications or for scholarships and stuff like that, but just to be active,” she said. “It should be an everyday routine.”

Winquist said he believes that the Tiger Interact Club members enjoy providing community service.

“It’s hard work sometimes but people seem to enjoy it and they enjoy having a positive impact on the community and people around them,” he said.

Being involved is a vital aspect to taking care of our community.

“I think every student should be involved in a club like the Interact Club, [the] Leo Club, and the Key Club,” Okamura said. “I think we need to understand that everybody has a part in taking care of this planet and it starts with doing small acts like campus beautification but it can conclude to a bigger venue

that can lead to something you can do globally.”

The Tiger Interact Club welcomes new members that want to make a change for the community. Winquist said they are looking for ways to help out in the community.

“We are always looking for new members,” he said. “We have meetings every other Thursday in room MS-1. People are always welcome.

We are always looking for more projects and some more ways to do community service.”

Okamura said he wants to see alumni make a positive impact on the world.

“It would be cool if a McKinley graduate, an alumni, does something that affects the world as far as making it a better place to live and they started doing something like the Interact Club [because] that’s where they learn to do community service and give back,” he said. “That would be my dream [if] somebody, [or] a couple of our students here actually go out and do something that really is impacting the world positively and they come back here and said ‘it’s because I was part of Interact, that’s where I learned how to give back to the community.’”

NEWS

MANGA CLUB CONNECTS STUDENTS

by Kelly Cheng, staff reporter The Manga Club is in its second year at McKinley High School. It is a place where students can connect with others who love manga/anime.

Manga is Japanese comics and read from right to left.

They’re generally printed in black and white, but some pages include color. Just like regular comic books, they cover many genres such as romance, fantasy, etc. and appeal to children and adults based on their favorite topics.

Junior Iwalani Campbell, the Manga Club vice president, said its purpose is “to provide a fun safe space to enjoy, create and express your love for anime or manga.”

Anime is the animated version of certain manga and has brought role-playing, computer gaming, and cosplay.

“My favorite anime is ‘Senko, the Always-Helpful Fox’

Art by Kelly Cheng. and it’s also in the manga too, which I like,” junior Kristian Chilton said.

Manga Club lets students express themselves with both manga/anime and culture behind it to share.

“My favorite thing about it is that everyone is all cool and friendly. Once you get to know them it’s kinda like being in a big whole family,” junior Tiana Reyes said.

Another feature of this club is the chance to learn skills in short lessons to show their creativity and different styles of art.

“There are lots of talented students in here. Everyone is always bogged down with academics for college. That’s important but I think that creativity is important too, ” said adviser Irene Tanaka.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB

PARTICIPATES IN CARBON NEUTRALITY CHALLENGE

by Leila Hirayama, guest writer

Photo by Leila Hirayama.

On Dec. 7, the McKinley Environmental Club participated in The Carbon Neutrality Challenge.

The purpose of this challenge was to help make Hawaii the first carbon neutral state in the nation.

The goal of this event was to plant 10,000 native trees. This can not be done without hard work.

“There was a lot of drama to get these Hawaiian trees in the ground,” said Camilo Mora, an associate professor in the Geography and Environment Department at the UH Manoa College of Social Sciences.

The event took place at Gunstock Ranch in Kahuku. At one point, there were nearly 2,000 people planting trees on site. Next year, Mora and his team hope to organize another event with a new goal of planting 100,000 trees.

NEWS

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OKUDA INDUCTED TO HALL OF HONOR

by An Vo, head reporter

T

he Hall of Honor induction is an annual ceremony at McKinley High School.

Principal Ron Okamura said choosing inductees for the Hall of Honor is based on their character and achievements. He said the most important things to give back the community are pride, tradition, honor, and respect.

“These are [the] types of things that every single graduate, every single person who comes through the doors of this school carries with them for the rest of their life,” Okamura said. “We hope that you folks carry on the legacy so that you can bring greatness not only to yourself but to the McKinley ohana.”

The Hall of Honor began in 1986. This year’s inductee is Leilani Okuda. Okuda is a 1983 graduate of McKinley and has spent most of her career as a PE teacher here.

Photo by Cheng Hong He. THE PINION / 6

“When you look out in the hallways of the administration building, you will find a multitude of names and faces who have made a significant difference in the world,” Damien Chang, student body vice president, said. “They’re the ones who have paved the way for us and have been inducted into one of McKinley’s most honorable and respectable traditions, the Hall of Honor.”

Daniel Pae, student body treasurer, said the inductees of the Hall of Honor have incorporated the knowledge and skills acquired at McKinley to accomplish their goals and vision, pursuing their dreams and making a difference in the community.

“Everyone has equal opportunity in becoming a future Hall of Honor inductee,” Pae said. “Keep working hard in school and you too may one day be inducted into the Hall of Honor.”

Vianna Lee, student body recording secretary, said Okuda has positively changed her students’ lives and the world.

“She inspired her players not only on the fields and in classrooms, but transformed the lives of her students tremendously,” Lee said.

Okuda said she is grateful that she is an alumnus of McKinley and an inductee for the Hall of Honor.

Photo by Wynn Dang.

NEWS

“She inspired her players not only on the fields and in the classrooms, but transformed the lives of her students tremendously.”

- Vianna Lee, student body recording secretary Photo by Armando Nebres, Photo 2.

“I’m humbled and honored to be inducted and to be among many distinguished alumni of McKinley’s Hall of Honor,” she said. “McKinley has, and always will be, a very special place for me. My experiences here have shaped me into the person I am today and for this, I am very grateful.”

Okuda said she was fortunate to have a supportive family, mentors, and friends who provided guidance and a strong foundation for her.

“It is important for me to nurture the values that I’ve learned to others in hopes that they too may one day achieve their goals,” she said. “I’d like to thank my family, my mother who has always been with me, my mentors, my colleagues, my friends, and of course you, the students of McKinley.”

A video of Okuda’s former softball students was played during the assembly to show their appreciation for having Okuda as their coach. Many of them thanked Okuda for her guidance and explained how much of an impact Okuda has made in their lives.

“Even after graduating high school, her players still remember the impact their coach had on them,” Regina Nguyen, student body president, said. “Her players came back to McKinley to honor their coach as a ‘thank you’ for her dedication.”

The National Honor Society, which Okuda advises, performed a dance inspired by one of Okuda’s favorite television show, “Charlie Brown,” and played “Linus and Lucy” as background music. Afterward, students, faculty, and a previous softball player coached by Okuda competed in a mini-softball game to see who could make the best call as an umpire. Okuda showed how she made the calls. One of Okuda’s many accomplishments was umpiring at the Olympics in 2004.

McKinley’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble 1 played Olympic music to honor Okuda’s experience.

The assembly ended with the singing of the “Black and Gold” and McKinley’s Alma Mater.

Chang said the assembly was held to honor the individuals who have dedicated their lives to making a difference in the lives of others.

“Whether it be through the sport of softball or service in the McKinley community or sacrifice in the line of duty,” he said. “They are our pride and tradition. It is those innate qualities of aloha that we Tigers possess and our challenge to uphold so that one day, we too can be honored here as proud McKinley alumni.”

The Pinion staff interviewed Okuda before the assembly. Read the interview on mhspinion.com.

Photo by Gilbert Li, Photo 1.

NEWS

Photo by Gilbert Li, Photo 1.

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LY GAINS EXPERIENCE

IN NATIONAL HISTORY DAY

by Kelly Cheng, staff reporter

One of freshman My Que Ly’s memorable experiences was participating in National History Day in middle school.

In seventh grade, the theme Ly had to work with was Conflict and Compromise in History. It could be done on paper, a website, a board, a documentary, or as a performance.

“I chose the Tet Offensive because my cultural heritage is Vietnamese. It was one of the battles fought in the Vietnam War,” she said.

Ly’s productivity and effort on the project earned her a place in the district competition.

“I was kinda surprised ‘cause I thought my stuff wasn’t that good,” she said.

In her last year of middle school, the theme was Triumph and Tragedy in History.

“I chose the Immigration Act because I’m an immigrant myself and wanted to learn about how immigration in the United States has developed,” Ly said.

Ly decided to make a website, which was hard work.

Groups could only work on a documentary, so making a website herself was not easy.

She said she had to do it under 2500 words and add in images, audio and quotes. She also had to have a bibliography with all the sources used and how they helped her with the project.

Ly also had to prepare a reflection on why she chose her topic and how she did it.

Her results in the district competition advanced her to the states. Ly said NHD was a stressful but successful experience.

“It was a cool experience. I’m just glad that I got a good grade on it and it’s over now,” Ly said.

FREEMAN ESCAPES GUN VIOLENCE

by Nickolas Castillo, staff reporter Berri Freeman moved to Hawaii in August 2018 to avoid gun violence. She is from the West Side of Chicago, the most dangerous part of the city. Gangs are a problem.

“Growing up in Chicago is hard, as far as violence. But I had both parents in my life so it wasn’t that hard for me.

We didn’t struggle as a lot of people did, but just the violence,” she said. ”That was the very hard part.”

Freeman said Chicago and Hawaii are very different.

She feels safer here, but worries when she hears about any violence.

“I think it’s sad that it’s spreading to a place that’s supposed to be peaceful and it’s very known to be safe and

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not have as many shootings. It’s not a lot yet, so I really think they could stop it before it turns into a lot,” she said.

Freeman does miss Chicago since her family and the friends she grew up with are still there, but she said she doesn’t miss the violence and won’t move back.

When Freeman first moved to Hawaii she didn’t like it.

“All last year, I hated it so bad,” she said. “But then I went back home for the summer, and seeing how stuff was and I was realizing ‘I don’t want to be here anymore, it’s too dangerous.’ So, it made me appreciate Hawaii a little bit more than when I first came.”

FEATURES

2010 - 2020 “The 2010s were full of some of the best memories. It was also a time where everything was less stressful.”

- Mei-Li Lau, freshman

DECADE IN REVIEW

by Nickolas Castillo, staff reporter

T

he 2010s have ended and a new decade has started.

Numerous things have changed, but people still remember how different it was back then. One memory was the way people dressed in the early 2010s.

“I for one was guilty of some questionable fashion trends in the early 2010s, such as layering my clothes, more specifically my pants. I would wear leggings and shorts or a skirt on top of that,” freshman Mei-Li Lau said.

“My friends were still wearing stuff like Hollister. Forever 21 was really popular, and Aeropostale,” English teacher Evon Le said.

People remember spending time with their friends in school or spending time with family playing mobile games that were popular.

“Growing up, me and my cousins

FEATURES

would play a lot of games on our tablets such as Angry Birds and Candy Crush,” Lau said.

“I liked all the fun I had with my friends, because it was when we had a lot of assignments where we would work together on it and talk story.” Le said.

There were many trends that people took part in.

“All the kids in school used to collect silly bandz and loom bracelets.

Kids at my school used to be obsessed with kendamas, fidget spinners, and rubix cubes,” Lau said.

“Katy Perry was really popular at the time. Taylor Swift was really popular at the time. Ariana Grande had just become a known pop artist, so I remember back then pop music was really in at the time,” Le said.

The 2010s were a time of change for many.

Freshman Hannah Gelacio moved

from the Philippines. “I met so many great people who I have made unforgettable memories with, which I wouldn’t trade anything for,” she said.

“The 2010s were full of some of the best memories. It was also a time where everything was less stressful,” Lau said.

“I still feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities that I didn’t take, because I felt like I was too busy or I didn’t have much time. But as you get older you realize that you actually did have a lot more time back then vs. time now,” Le said. “As you get older, you get more responsibilities.”

Many changes were positive “Since the 2010s, people have been more accepting of others. Whether it being what they chose to wear, to their sexuality, or even about their mental health,” Lau said.

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MCKINLEY STUDENTS SHARE GREATEST FEARS

by Thai Bui, head reporter Fear is a thing that everyone has, an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat, according to the Oxford dictionary. Fear comes from the amygdala, which is located in the brain. Phobia is another word for fear, but to an extreme level. As you can guess, different people have different phobias.

“I am scared of snakes because they can kill me in one bite,” freshman Wilson Lin said Lin’s fear is one of the most common, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The most common fear is spiders, according to fearof.net. Just like snakes, they can kill you with one bite, but they are THE PINION / 10

tinier so they might bite you while you’re not even aware they are near you.

Another common fear is of the supernatural, according to Chapman University. Supernaturals might be scary since they are stronger than us so there might be no way to defend yourself from them. The fear of the dark is also pretty common, according to fearof.net. The fear of the dark might go back to the caveman times since you don’t know what would pop out. Strangely enough babies aren’t scared of the dark. Instead they find it relaxing, according to littleones.co.

Freshman physics and biology teacher Mark Dugay said losing a loved one is one of his fears.

“It’s really hard losing someone

that’s really dear to you,” he said.

Chapman University research supports Dugay fear as it was placed #6 on the list. As you can see, many fears are tied with death. So, is death the greatest fear? Research says no. Consider Patient SM, who has a broken amygdala. She is able to hold snakes and spiders without even flinching and being held at knifepoint didn’t scare her, according to Discover Magazine. However, during an experiment, she volunteered to inhale CO2 and she started panicking. Even people without an amygdala seem to experience panic.

Some people have less scary fears.

“I am scared of my PC breaking,” freshman Jacky Chen said.

FEATURES

CLEANLINESS SHOULD

BE MAINTAINED

by An Vo, head reporter There is a problem with littering on and around our campus and it should be stopped. Everyone must contribute by disposing of their trash properly.

Litter

Why do people litter? According to “What is Littering?” by the founder of Conserve Energy Future, the unavailability of trash containers or simply being too lazy to hunt for one is an obstacle to many.

According to “Hawaii’s Litter Laws,” being caught littering can result in four or more hours of community service or a fine from $100-500.

Landfills

Imagine the world with more landfills than buildings. Everything would be smelly. Methane and harmful chemicals are emitted from burnt trash.

The article continues “...plastic obviously carries no nutritional value for the animals who eat it -- but certain types of plastics are also known to pick up other types of chemical contaminants in the water, making them especially toxic.”

Solutions

There are many solutions to promote cleanliness. You can organize trash so you can differentiate waste from reusuable or recyclable materials.

Separating your trash based on what they are made of is important because it reduces waste.

Although compost is a natural resource to improve the growth of plants, using a compost bin is a better choice than littering because it allows

nutrients in waste to break down efficiently.

Without compost bins, there would be flies that thrive on scraps which may carry unwanted bacteria to make people sick.

The school can contribute to campus cleanliness. Our trash cans and dumpsters are often full and there’s nowhere else nearby to dispose trash.

The school should purchase more garbage, recycling, and compost bins for the community.

All in all, improvements can be made within the school. We need to think more about the environment and how it impacts everyday lives by taking care of it. Everyone has the right to live in a healthy environment.

Art by An Vo.

Greenhouse gases

People will become ill by overheating because of trapped sunlight in the atmosphere caused by greenhouse gases. This is the result of littering.

Greenhouse gases act as an obstacle to absorb and trap heat which caus climate change.

Pollution in Oceans

An article from the Washington Post titled “Hawaii’s beloved beaches are covered in huge amounts of plastic, survey finds” states that “Plastic pollution in the oceans is a rising concern among environmentalists because plastic debris is frequently found tangled up in the stomachs of birds who mistook it for food or wrapped around the bodies of sea turtles and other swimming animals.” Trash left in public hurts nature.

EDITORIALS

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‘WHAT’S WRONG WITH SECRETARY KIM’ SHATTERS CLICHES

by Kamakoa Faumui, guest writer In the hit Korean drama, “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,” successful businessman Lee Young Joon is vice-president of his family’s company. He has the perfect life, but his egoistic personality makes it difficult for him to be aware of what is happening around him.

Working for nine years under Lee Young Joon as a secretary, Kim Mi So attended to all of his needs and has put up with years of contempt. Finally, she was able to pay off her family’s debt and will be able to live the life

she always wanted without this job.

Lee Young Joon is determined to stop her from quitting.

The series has a consistent flow of twists, excitement, and comedy, scoring a 9.7 out of 10 on global TV site Viki Rakuten. From beginning to end, the main actors fill their roles nicely and create a strong sense of chemistry that tightly packs the episodes of the series together. The sequence of events in every episode is relevant and adds to the final outcome.

Comedy is one of my favorite genres, but many Korean dramas have a similar plot, which makes them unoriginal. However, “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” shatters many of those stereotypes. Dramas tend to open with past events such as a character’s childhood, but “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” caught my attention by its use of foreshadowing. In conclusion, this series has become one of my favorite.

‘LAND OF STORIES’ INTERTWINES FAIRYTALES

by Sairin Skinny, staff reporter The “Land of Stories” is a great novel. It’s about twelve-year-old twins Connor and Alex. They are just two ordinary kids, until their dad dies in a horrific car accident. After they lose their father, their lives change.

They find out that their father wasn’t born in the fairytale world. And when they find an entrance to the fairytale world, they find they have entered at

the wrong time. There are creatures of all sorts, trolls, goblins, fairies, witches and more. When the twins enter the fairytale world, everyone is at war.

The kids start to travel into books to recruit characters to fight the creatures who are trying to take over the fairy tale world. Throughout their journey, they meet Mother Goose,

Jack and Goldilocks. Together they become a family. All the creatures who wanted to take over the fairytale world form an army.

This book is interesting and inspiring. It shows how no matter who you are or how old you are you can make a difference in the world if you put your heart to it.

‘1984’ PORTRAYS DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY

by Jasmine Thai, guest writer “1984” is a thrilling book that will spark thoughts and send your mind on major twists and turns.

This book was written by George Orwell in 1949 and portrays a dystopian world where people are constantly under surveillance by Big Brother. In fact, the phrase “Big Brother is watching” is derived from this novel.

This fictional society displays totalitarianism and every citizen’s life is heavily controlled and manipulated THE PINION / 12

by the government. The story unfolds as our main character, Winston, rebels against the rules and starts to accomplish what his heart desires with fellow rebel Julia. Together they act against the system, risking major consequences if they are caught.

As the story unravels, we see what goes on behind closed doors and what happens to these two fugitives. The results are quite interesting.

Many compare our society with the dystopian one in “1984.” I saw many

resemblances as I read the book and it made me wonder if one day my world will turn into the nightmare that Orwell envisioned.

Read “1984” and decide for yourself if our world is turning into a complete dystopia. Brace yourself for what this book has to offer.

This novel will impact your perspective of our world right now, so explore what is being presented in “1984.”

EDITORIALS

JUMP IN TO WIN

by Julia Linn, staff reporter You should watch the anime Haikyu!! about a high school volleyball club and their journey to be the best team in Japan. Haikyuu!! started off as a shonen manga written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. The manga series started in 2012 and the anime started airing in 2014 and is still airing.

The anime starts off with how the main character, Hinata, has a big love for volleyball but no males in his middle school have an interest in boys volleyball so he trains alone to improve his skills. In his last year of middle school, he is able to convince some of his friends to play in an official tournament with him.

In that match, he is against one of

the best setters in the prefecture and from then on Hinata declares that setter (Kageyama) as his rival and that when they meet again he will beat him. Now that Hinata is in high school, he is able to play on an official team and that team is the team of his dreams (Karasuno). However something gets in the way of him playing on that team.

You should watch this anime for its intriguing plotline. Believe me, once you start watching you won’t be able to stop. A lot of people love this anime because there are no real antagonists.

Even though they play matches against other teams, you can’t bring yourself to hate the apponents. My favorite character is one of Karasuno’s

biggest rivals. Even if all they do in this anime is play volleyball, each match is different in its own ways.

Each team they battle has its own specialty. For example, Nekohima is good at receiving the ball. Date Tech has an iron wall block. Aoba Johsai has an amazing setter and a service ace. I would rate this anime a 10/10.

Art by Julia Linn.

MODERN-DAY VAMPIRES SEEK ENERGY

by Kelly Cheng, staff reporter “I Cannot Hug You” (Wu Fa Yong Bao De Ni) is a Chinese web drama released in 2017 and is based on a webtoon comic called “UnTouchable.”

The storyline has a unique concept that involves two people and the romance between them. Li Shiya is the female protagonist. She is a modernday vampire who cares very little about things in life. Although the audience believes that vampires drink a victim’s blood, the twist in the drama/comic is that vampires feed off of energy through physical contact.

Jiang Zhihao is the male protagonist. He is not a vampire. He is a writer and has serious mysophobia, a phobia of contamination and germs.

Shiya and Zhihao unexpectedly meet, but Zhihao is not in the mood to have contact with strangers. EvenEDITORIALS

tually, they find out they are nextdoor neighbors, and Shiya begins to experience feelings towards Zhihao as she’s desperate to touch him for energy.

The OST (Original Soundtrack) in the opening is one of my favorites since I find it heart-warming to listen to. I prefer watching the drama more over reading the comic. Many episodes are emotional, so I enjoyed the drama more. Zhang Yuxi, the actor of Shiya. brought me to other dramas she played a role in. She is definitely one of my favorite actors.

I would recommend this drama, especially if you enjoy genres such as romance, fantasy, or comedy. The acting of the two leads, Yu Xi and Xing Zhao Lin, is amazing. They portray the emotions of the characters

well and complement each other and their roles. The whole cast is attractive. There are two seasons and each season has 16 episodes. It’s short and simple to watch. I also recommend reading the webtoon. Most of the content in the drama and comic is similar. You can watch the drama on Youtube, or read the comic on the app Webtoon.

Art by Kelly Cheng.

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BOYS VARSIT Y BASKETBALL

The Tigers played at Stan Sheriff Center in the HHSAA DII state game against Hawaii Prep. Photo provided by Athletic Director Bob Morikuni.

MAKES STATES

by Alexandria Buchanan, editor

The boys varsity basketball team made a statement this year. This season, the Tigers hard work paid off and the team finished second in the D2 OIA playoffs and fourth in states.

According to Head Coach Duane Omori, the team’s long term goals for this season were to make playoffs and states. This season the team made it to the OIA DII playoffs and earned their spot in the championship game against Roosevelt on February 12. In the highly competitive game, the Tigers fell two points short, but managed to quickly get their motivation back for states. “[The Roosevelt game] was a big game for us and I felt the coaches prepared us well. When we fell short two points, my heart sank,” senior Noah Omori said. “The team was devastated… Returning back to practice, we felt unmotivated, but coach reminded us that we had a bigger opportunity awaiting us.”

Every team faces adversity during the season, and the Tigers were no different. However, as the season went along the team learned how to play better as a team.

THE PINION / 14

“We were relatively inexperienced,” Coach Omori said.

“As the season went along they started to learn about each other and their roles and how to magnify their teammates strengths and help them with their challenges.”

Senior Frank Camacho has played on varsity for three years. According to Camacho, the difference between this season is the team’s effort and experience.

“Last year was different because we did not have as much experience as we have now. We also lacked internal motivation… We needed people to step up,” Camacho said. “[This season] we all developed a competitive spirit that made us better as a team and individuals.”

The Tigers proved this season that they belong on the court and that their competitors should not take them lightly.

“I am so grateful and beyond proud of this team and what we have become,” Camacho said. “I learned that basketball is not just about the talent, [but] love, bond, trust and the dedication for the game in order for us to win. It’s more than just basketball.”

SPORTS

The Tigers battle Waialua on Feb. 4 in the OIA DII semifinals. McKinley players (left to right) Aaron Velasco, Frank Camacho, and Noah Omori are shown.

Photos by Nyler Acasio.

The Tigers look ready to go before the OIA DII Championship game against Roosevelt on Feb. 12.

Photos by Nyler Acasio

WATER POLO NOT LIKE OTHER SPORTS

by Nyler Acasio, head reporter When you think of a sport, you usually think feet moving on dry land. Not this sport. Water polo is an aquatic sport, played in a pool. Instead of running, the athlete’s swim, not only utilizing their legs but hands too just to move.

One of the spring sports coming up is in fact girls water polo, coached by Lana and Daniel Quindica.

“It’s a combined sport of soccer, basketball, and football,” said Coach Lana.

The sport involves putting the ball into a goal similar to soccer, but water polo athletes use their hands to propel the ball to the goal. In a game, there are seven players per team in the pool, six field players and one goalkeeper. So in total there are 14 players actively playing.

Coach Daniel has been coaching for 16 years, while Coach Lana has assisted him for about 10 years.

SPORTS

“After playing, I wanted to give back and have an opportunity to teach people who didn’t know water polo,” said Coach Daniel.

Although water polo is a girls-only sport at McKinley High School, water polo can be played by boys in the Olympics.

“We need to balance out the amount of girl sports we have and the number of participants for girls as opposed to the boys participating,” said McKinley athletic director Bob Morikuni.

One of the issues water polo here at McKinley has is its popularity. Not only is player recruitment an issue but fan attendance as well.

“I think one of the challenges we have is, because it’s not heard about and not popular, to try to to get people to come [to a sport] they’ve never seen before,” said Coach Daniel.

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