The Union - Milpitas High School - December 2023

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IMPORTANCE OF READING (2)

December 2023 VOLUME XXXVI ISSUE III

HIGH SCHOOLERS, HIGH ACHIEVERS (5)

NATIONAL LEVEL TABLE TENNIS PLAYERS (12)

DISASTER OF MOVIE ‘SALTBURN’ (11)

STUDENTS DISCUSS OMEGLE SHUTDOWN (16)

THE

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STUDENT VOICE OF MILPITAS HIGH SCHOOL

MHS discontinues hosting SAT

By Sidhant Burela

Courtesy of the Milpitas Unified School District

Administration, Wellness Center staff, and others gather to celebrate the center’s reopening in room J17.

Wellness Center celebrates its official reopening at ribbon cutting ceremony

By Kevin Ting

The Wellness Center officially reopened on Nov. 16 in room J17 with a ribbon cutting ceremony, according to Board Communications Specialist Scott Forstner. In attendance were members of the MUSD board, Santa Clara County School District employees, and MHS administrators, teachers, and city and state politicians.

Funding for the various wellness centers that are integrated across the county was secured in 2020 through a state grant under the Mental Health Student Services Act, County Superintendent of Schools Mary Ann Dewan said.

The grant provides funding to the whole Santa Clara County school districts, with 19 wellness centers already established at various locations, she said.

“Our vision and our hope and dream is that every young person in Santa Clara County who attends a public school has access to a wellness center on their school campus,” Dewan said.

The Wellness Center was located in the MHS library last year, also equipped with similar facilities to the current center, MUSD Executive Director for All Learners Mary Doerpinghaus said.

“In the first two months, we had 554 student visits,” Doerpinghaus said. “We had 130 or so students come through, so some of those students were repeat visitors. We had 16 students in crisis.

Nobody wants to talk about that.

That’s why we’re here.”

This year, the Wellness Center was reopened in J17 as a more permanent location on campus, School-Linked Services Coordi-

nator Nicole Stewart said.

“We recognize that you need a space on this campus where you can go and be with people and be with professionals,” School Board President Chris Norwood said.

“That can help you so that you can continue to exist on this campus, and then learn how to make decisions beyond the school day into your life.”

The wellness center’s facilities include coloring sheets, slime, and other de-stressing objects, which occasionally are looked down upon, Stewart said.

“I cannot tell you how many times those kids come in crying, dysregulated, upset, and they sit down and they color or they sit down, and they use clay or slime or something that seems a little SEE PAGE 15

Ethnic Studies to become statewide high school graduation requirement for class of 2030 onward

By Tiffany Ng

In 2021, Ethnic Studies became a state graduation requirement for the class of 2030 and onwards after Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 101 into law, according to an article on CalMatters.

Ethnic studies started as a college course that minority groups advocated for because of the lack of minority representation in U.S. history classes, English teacher Audrey Yang said.

“It was a very local movement,” Yang said. “It started at UC (University of California) Berkeley and San Francisco State. Different student organizations came together, and they had one of the longest student strikes in history, and they pushed for the creation of an ethnic studies department in which they would learn about things like Black American studies, Asian American studies, Native and Indigenous studies, LatinX studies, and so on and so forth to kind of broaden the historical context of their education.”

The students at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State also pushed for more school faculty members of color to represent

the student body, Yang said. At a high school level, ethnic studies is an introduction to the ways that minority groups have pushed for representation, as well their different backgrounds and experiences, she added.

“There’s so many diverse experiences here in America, but it’s hard to capture all of it in a semester-long course,” Yang said.

“So it (the course) is based on the ways in which we understand history, and then we use different minority groups’ experiences to explore those concepts.”

There is room for more representation of minority students in the school curriculum, senior Sneha Nair said. Most books read in schools are written by old, white, male authors, with an occasional Black or female author, they added.

“It may seem like a lot of progress,” Nair said. “But it’s definitely not enough. Where are the Asian authors? Where are the Latino or Hispanic authors? Just one Black author isn’t enough when there are so many incredible African American writers.”

Although there is often not enough room in students’ schedules to include ethnic studies as a

graduation requirement, considering that some students are taking advanced or Advanced Placement (AP) classes, the new law ensures that students are aware of all the different stories and histories that they might not learn about in other courses, English teacher Tonichi Lorenzana said.

“Ethnic studies is largely the story of us, the story of people,” Lorenzana said. “We often think of U.S. history, or world history, and it’s often told through a narrower lens because there are people and standards that need to be met. But ethnic tudies gives an opportunity for all of us to learn about contributions from people who might have the same background as us, or a different background as us, that are not included; so it gives a more diverse and complete picture.”

Compared to other subjects such as geography that are already graduation requirements, ethnic studies teaches more important and relevant information, Nair said.

“I know there are statistics out there that say, ‘This percentage of Americans can’t even point out SEE PAGE 16

As of the 2023–24 school year, MHS is no longer hosting the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), according to Assistant Principal Jonathan Mach. The main reason for no longer hosting the SAT is that there are not enough volunteers to proctor the test, Mach added. However, there are possibilities to reimplement the test, Mach added.

Due to the issues of payment and training, the number of volunteers has been decreasing for a long time, Mach said. The monitors are often paid much less than they would usually make in their normal jobs and are under a large amount of pressure, Mach added.

“People in the community have to get trained and give their Fridays and Saturdays to prepare (for SAT proctoring sessions),” Mach said. “How can I get people to come in at 7:30 (a.m.) if they are being underpaid for their job?

They count tests, proctor tests, and then submit them with their name knowing that if there was any mistake or anything they didn’t catch, they would be liable.”

When the number of volunteers started to decrease, many teachers stepped up to proctor the tests, Mach said.

“I am so appreciative that teachers here, knowing they were severely underpaid, stepped up because of our students, and they were stepping up for the last two years,” Mach said.

The number of students from MHS taking the SAT on-site has also gone down over the years, with only a small percentage coming each year, Mach said.

“When I first started here, we’d have hundreds of Milpitas students take it,” Mach said. “Last year, it was maybe seven and we were servicing mostly students from other schools (…) If it was 500 Milpitas students, I’m sure it would be different. But our teachers didn’t see all the familiar faces anymore.”

MHS has considered stopping hosting the SAT for a long time, Mach said. Even during COVID, MHS continued to host the SAT with specific social distancing conditions until College Board ultimately paused offering the test, he added.

“Last year was the last because we were still begging people to work for a fraction of what they would normally get,” Mach said.

“We were actually kind of the last ones (compared to other schools) to be able to have an on-site SAT SEE PAGE 16

Milpitas Community Education Foundation awards multiple grants to district teachers

By Maryam Mohamed

The Milpitas Community Education Foundation (MCEF) awarded forensics science and Advanced Placement (AP) chemistry teacher Letta Meyer $3000 for her forensics science class, and chemistry and biotech teacher Robert Alvelais $500 for Science Olympiad. Curtner Elementary School teachers Naomi Patner, Natalie Tice, and Mary Paek recieved $2000 for their Sowing Creativity initiative during the Oct. 24 MUSD school board meeting.

Meyer was excited and grateful when receiving the grant, she said. She applied for the grant to get funding for the hands-on activities of her forensics science class, which uses materials like fingerprint lifting tape and hair samples, she added.

“It’s a good class that allows for access for everybody to science and really seeing how science is applied,” Meyer said.

School funding hasn’t been enough to cover the costs of these hands-on activities, Meyer said.

“The school funding is not as robust,” Meyer said.

In her proposal, Patner and her colleagues wrote an essay on how the Sowing Creative initiative aligns with the district’s strategic goals, Patner said. The initiative would bring resident artists from the San Jose State Museum to Curtner Elementary School to teach three fourth-grade classrooms, Patner added.

“Art is an integral component

of the curriculum, but it’s really hard to do it well when you’re a jack-of-all-trades or jill-of-alltrades as an elementary school teacher,” Patner said.

Each class in the Sowing Creativity program costs $720, and the grant was only applicable if the initiative impacted an entire grade level of the school, Patner said. The total cost of the program was $2160, so the remaining $160 not covered by the grant would need to be funded by Curtner’s Parent Teacher Association, she added.

“I just didn’t expect (the grant),” Patner said. “It was a shock when I was informed and we were told that we needed to come to the board meeting the following Tuesday. It was like a whirlwind and very exciting and unexpected.”

MCEF founder Robert Jung started the organization in 2009 as an endowment that could financially support quality public education in the district, he said.

The endowment was in response to the 2008 recession that caused classes and programs to be cut due to insufficient funding, he added.

“The biggest program that was cut was music, and the community was not very happy about that,” Jung said.

Through secure investments in bank notes and CDs, donations from banks like Wells Fargo, and fundraising, the endowment reached its goal of $100,000 by SEE PAGE 16

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THE UNION

PRO AI recommendation letters are the future Recommendation letters writ- being late in asking for a recomten by teachers are an integral mendation is understandable. part of applying to college for Is it really ethical for a teacher most seniors. According to The to turn that student away when Atlantic, the practice of using they can produce a perfectly artificial intelligence (AI) to good letter for the student withw rite recommendation let- in minutes using AI, potentially ters has become more common enabling the student to get into among teachers all over the their dream school?

AI also completely eliminates world, sparking debates among the global academic community. concerns of grammar and poor While many question the eth- sentence structure by proofics and feasibility of using AI reading, which increases the for these letters, I believe that quality of letters written by teachers should be able to em- teachers who aren’t confident ploy AI to write recommenda- in their writing ability. AI protion letters for students if they duces letters completely devoid deem it necessary. of grammatical errors The greatest benand the writing is ofefit of using AI to ten clear, concise, and direct, thus fostering a write recommendation letters is how positive reading experience for colleges. much time it saves.

Teachers are overTeachers often receive a large volume worked and underpaid and don’t receive pay of students asking for writing these letfor recom mendations, making time ters on their own time.

PAARTH If ethics are an issue, an extremely valuGUPTA able resource. When then shouldn’t we also teachers write letters question the ethics entirely themselves, of expecting teachers the process takes longer and to spend their unpaid personal they can accommodate fewer time to write recommendation students. letters?

Many argue that teachers reTeachers are writing these serve the right to decline re- letters out of the goodness of quests for letters of recommen- their hearts and their wish to dation and perhaps this might see their students succeed. I bebe better than using AI to write lieve that, as an academic comletters instead. However, to that munity, we need to adapt to the point, I would ask if it is ethical ever-changing technological to turn a student away, even at landscape and allow teachers to the last minute, from a letter use any tools they may require that could make or break their to optimize their writing expefuture. Students are under co- rience and the student recompious amounts of pressure, so mendation letters.

CON AI takes away point of recommendation letters Many students rely on teach- letter into a generic resume for ers recommendation letters, a the applicant. requirement for the application Furthermore, using AI to of many colleges and universi- write letters can ultimately ties. The letter vouches for the harm the student applicant. If applicant’s positive qualities admissions officers surmise and characteristics, including that the letter is computer-gentheir academics and personali- erated and are able to run it ty, to show colleges the positive through an AI detector, they contributions the student would will likely be under the impresmake to their campuses. sion that no teacher genuineRecently, some teachers have ly cared about writing a good been turning to artificial in- recommendation for the applitelligence (AI) platforms such cant. This may lead to the apas ChatGPT to write recom- plicant appearing less qualified mendation letters to save time than their counterparts, whose and effort. W hile this may teachers actually wrote genuine letters of recommenseem harmless and dations. efficient, using AI to Moreover, when stuwrite recommendation letters is unethdents use AI for essays ical and dishonest. or homework assignments, it is considered Teachers should not cheating, even if they use AI to write letters of recommendause it simply for ideas tion as it takes away or to start their work.

It is hypocritical for from the purpose of having teachers write teachers to consider them and hurts the students using AI for TANISHA students requesting their assigned classVARMA them. work cheating, but then proceed to use it The purpose of having teachers write for the recommendaletters of recommendation is tion letters they have accepted for colleges to gain a personal to write.

If teachers resort to using AI understanding of the applicant through the lens of an adult fig- for their recommendations, ure who knows the student well. what is even the point of havWhen teachers write the letter ing them write letters in the from their own understanding, first place? Even students have the personal nuances of their access to AI platforms such as perspective are present in the ChatGPT and can simply enter letter since they are writing in their achievements and have a their own voice. Using AI, on letter written for them. If this the other hand, strips the let- becomes the norm, there would ter of the distinctive voice and be no difference between a letpersonal touch that makes each ter written by a teacher and one letter unique. Instead of pro- written by a student and the viding a personalized letter for process of writing letters would each student, AI converts the become pointless.

OPINIONS

DECEMBER 2023

School, students must foster love of reading When I attended Rancho Milpitas Middle School, students would eagerly check out books and interact with our designated librarian, Mr. Chiu, who, ironically, was a math teacher but a big advocate of reading. Students would look forward to round-table discussions at monthly book club meetings and the potluck that accompanied them. Reading was a culture.

In contrast, the MHS library was closed last year due to the lack of a school librarian. This year, although the library is open all days of the week, it’s monitored by a part-time staff member who cannot check out books to students. Let that sink in—in a school with over 3000 students, no one has checked out a book from our library in over a year and a half.

Somehow, as we transitioned to high school, reading became less important.

Naturally, students become busier in high school and have less time to read. However, the decline in reading is also because of the general culture we’ve built at school: few talk about books, let alone read for fun. Books have become obsolete, and we need to fix it—both through a change in student mindset and school-wide efforts.

Reading is important be-

Meanwhile, teachers should cause it helps people generate new insights about life through establish classroom libraries the author’s wisdom. According for students to use. With easy to a Healthline artiaccess to books, cle called “Benefits of students would be much more inclined Reading Books: How to read. RegardIt Can Positively Afless of what subject fect Your Life,” reading also increases they teach, teachers could also make empathy, strengthbook recommendaens the brain’s neutions; discussions ral networks as evidenced by MRI scans, about books certainly should not be builds vocabular y, confined to English reduces stress, and SAVAN classrooms. may even lengthen BOLLU Finally, the school lifespan. should return to the There’s clearly valSilent Susta ined ue in reading, and students should push them- Reading (SSR) schedule, with an selves to explore non-required SSR period for students to read reading. To foster this, MHS every day except Wednesdays. must also build an environment Even if SSR is just a few minutes where students have easy access per week, perhaps taking up the to books and are excited to talk time for homeroom in which most students are unoccupied about them.

First, our library needs a long- anyway, students would have term librarian that students devoted time for reading. This can connect with. The librarian time is crucial because most could make book recommenda- students are too occupied by tions, host book talks, and liven schoolwork, extracurriculars, up the library space. Initiating a and their screens outside of collaboration with the Milpitas school to make time for reading.

Students and the school must Library may help, both to find a librarian and to gather tips on build a culture of reading behow to boost student engage- yond academic requirements, ment with our school library. for self-education and enFor a school with over 3000 joyment. For students, at the students, it’s unacceptable that very least, you’ll develop your very few students visit the li- brain through reading; at the brary and hundreds of books most, you’ll be exposed to new, are collecting dust, unable to life-changing philosophies and perspectives. even be checked out.

AI: not artificial intelligence, but artistic incompetence With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, there has been increased usage of AI-generated artwork.

Currently, AI produces writing or paintings by looking at pre-existing works and mashing together elements until it produces something.

This “art” is not real art because a machine could never replicate human emotions, and in trying to, it hurts real artists.

There is a difference between knowing and understanding. AI image generator MidJourney can know what combination of lines, colors, and composition make for an appealing image based on human-made art. However, that image would lack any fundamental meaning.

AI is not human, and thus cannot understand human emotions. It doesn’t have the lived experiences that contain ideas beyond mere words. People can see and feel the sorrow of a painter through their work without needing to see a word. But someone who has never felt sorrow cannot paint sorrow.

Beyond that, AI often copies artwork without the original artist’s permission.

When an AI replicates a free- anguish, joy, and relief. lance artist’s art style, it threatHowever, when AI writes, it ens the original artist’s income. looks at all the pre-existing stories it has access to Artists spend years and crunches some perfecting their of them together to craft. Their hard create an amalgawork and dedication create a unique mation of literature. style, but when AI If AI wrote a story creates a copy, it about being stranded on an island, it ignores the years might look at “Isof practice artists land of the Blue Dolundergo to perfect phin” and “Lord of their craft. If the the Flies” and mix trend of using AI those stories toto create artwork AN NGUYEN gether. Would “Lord continued, people of the Flies” carry would simply use the the same meaning if AI to recreate the artwork instead of actually hir- the children jumped off a ship ing the artist. Imagine a world because they saw their siblings where all the best musicians are on an island shore? No. In this penniless because they were so case, AI took the characters good at making music that a from “Lord of the Flies” but corporation used AI to replicate placed them in the plotline of their music instead of hiring “Island of the Blue Dolphin.” them. No one would want to be The thematic topic of human an artist, and that would be the savagery from “Lord of the death of art as well as the loss of Flies” and perseverance from the millions of jobs.

“Island of the Blue Dolphin” Furthermore, when an author would both be sacrificed to crewrites, they make a conscious ate a meaningless story.

Machines can never capture decision to write every word.

Their words carry the weight of themes and emotions to craft their life. Two people who went art and will always hurt people through the same experience when they try to. Art in all of its can write different and com- media should never come from pelling stories reflecting their artificial intelligence.

Obsessive fandoms foster toxic environments In a time where people around the globe are connected through the internet and social media, fandoms have played a part in connecting people even further.

Whether it be uniting over a love for a certain show, a basketball player, or Taylor Swift, fandoms have become a place for people with shared interests to express their opinions and love for a certain topic. However, there is an overlooked nature of fandoms — mob mentality.

The pressure to conform can drive fans to engage in

harassment and to unquestion- ample, after publishing an aringly follow their idols. ticle criticizing Taylor Swift’s The primary issue with fan- “Eras” Tour, journalist Chris doms is their lack Panello was doxxed, of empathy. Peowhich is when someple will inevitaone publicly releases bly have differing another’s personopinions on ceral information, and tain matters, as it sent death threats, is human nature. according to Insider.

However, in some com. Instead of simof these fandoms, ply disagreeing like having a different most people would, opinion than the the fans abused their masses will cause anonymity online, SIDHANT you to be harassed and tried to ruin PanBURELA and bullied reCONTINUED ON PAGE 3 lentlessly. For ex-

DECEMBER 2023 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

ello’s career, along with that of his family.

Another issue that comes with toxic fandoms is the fact that people begin to base their personalities and traits on those they admire. The fandom almost becomes homogeneous, with everyone trying to be like their idol, creating an environment where being different from the rest causes you to be rejected.

While some may say that copying the mannerisms of another and admiring a celebrity is completely harmless, these actions represent a larger issue.

A fandom is supposed to be a community for those who like a certain topic, not a place where you become someone you are

not. Not to mention, the mental health of those who go down this path always have the feeling of not being enough, as they can never truly turn into those who they admire. An example of fans taking their admiration too far is in the case of singers John Lennon and Selena, who were killed by their own supporters, highlighting the spiraling mental health of an obsessive fan.

Often, when a celebrity is under scrutiny, their fandom supports them no matter what.

When a celebrity is clearly in the wrong, the fandom is usually unwilling to accept and process it. A prime example of this is Kanye West’s anti-semetic remarks, which ultimately got him banned from most social media platforms. Despite these

obviosuly negative comments, his fans were quick to defend his statements, saying that they were not offensive. Being unable to think for yourself is one thing, but blindly following someone you have never met doesn’t make sense. If this were the case in our daily lives, we would bilndly accept things people tell us. Why should we treat celebrities differently?

Fandoms should be a place for people to connect over a shared passion. In its current state however, they are places that foster hate and negativity.

By promoting a culture of respect and acknowledgment, we would not only have more people in these fandoms and thus connect more people, but also create a stronger and more unified community.

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union

Trojans, we can be better, more considerate Around our campus, there are clear examples of inappropriate and inconsiderate behavior present every day. There is a part of the community that is indifferent towards their fellow students. To be clear, most of our student population are exemplary and decent people, but since “one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel,” these concerns must still be addressed.

One major issue is the vaping and smoking in our bathrooms.

10 minutes after lunch has started, students cannot go into some of the bathrooms without encountering a smoke-filled space with several students smoking or vaping there. This situation makes everyone who goes there uncomfortable, pollutes the bathrooms, and makes it impossible for students to get peace and quiet in one of the few places on campus where peace and quiet are expected.

The smoke in a small, enclosed space is also bad for students’ health.

Another area where degradation to our Trojan spirit can be commonly found is the cafeteria line. Within minutes of

the beginning of break or lunch, there is a massive circle of students attempting to cut the line and get their food faster.

This behavior is disrespectful to the students who promptly form a line and wait for their turn. Worse, when a few cut in line, others follow their lead with no regard for others. These line-cutters make it so those who actually followed the rules have to wait longer.

Another instance of inappropriate behavior at school is students using vulgar language and profanity while on campus. Some students throw these words around with no regard for the people around them that may not want to hear such things. With district officials, children, and parents sometimes on campus, it gives the impression that our students are impolite and uneducated.

With profanity being used so regularly on campus, it creates bad habits and can pollute the way we communicate.

How can these problems be fixed? The first step to solving any problem is awareness— recognizing the problem and

making sure others know it is occurring. In some of these instances, close vigilance of students by teachers might be necessary if the problem persists.

However, monitoring students all the time would require the staff’s time to be spent looking over students all the time. If we wish for the community to improve without the need for constant supervision, we need most of the change to come from students.

Students should be on their best behavior when at school.

We shoudln’t solely rely on security guards to monitor the bathrooms or teachers to monitor the lunchlines on their breaks.

As a community we should uphold the values we believe in; that is the only way to solve this school’s problems. A campaign of awareness intermixed with some slight monitoring can go a long way towards making our school a better place. This can only be achieved when students collectively attempt to be good citizens. By doing this, they not only become better students and citizens, but also make our community a better place.

EDITOR I A L : The Opinion of The Union

Administration, police ensure student safety on campus School campus safety is of the utmost importance, and after receiving multiple school violence threats, administration’s efforts to ensure the safety of students and staff on campus are admirable.

Despite MHS receiving three potential threats in the last three months, Principal and Chief Innovator Greg Wohlman, administration, and staff closely collaborated with the Milpitas Police Department (MPD) to ensure that three threats were addressed quickly and effectively.

On Sept. 22, the day of the first school violence threat, Wohlman reached out to the staff and students at MHS via StudentSquare at 8:45 a.m., the morning after the threat was posted on social media. Having an administrator who responds within hours of the threat to assuage community fears is inspiring to the staff and lets students know that our administrators care about everyone on campus.

Wohlman swiftly contacted the entire MHS community through StudentSquare on Oct. 24, the night the second school violence threat, a picture of guns on a bed, was published; he made sure that everyone was informed of the situation and

also made sure that everyone knew that MPD and MHS were investigating the threat.

In arguably the most serious of the incidents, Pomeroy Elementary School, Russell Middle School, and MHS were placed on lockdown on Nov. 17 due to the sighting of a gun-like weapon in the possession of a juvenile.

Administration and MPD handled the threat once again and reassured students and staff that they were safe in their classrooms. Teachers ensured all their students were safe by following protocol: barricading classroom doors, closing blinds and windows, and turning off the lights. The campuses were on lockdown for about ten minutes, conveying how quickly MPD was able to find the source of the threat and end the lockdown as soon as possible.

MPD was also updating the Milpitas community through Instagram posts discussing the threat and how they were addressing it. MPD, along with Wohlman, were able to verify that each of the threats were addressed as soon as possible, increasing student and staff confidence in our administration.

After the third threat was deemed not credible, Wohlman communicated to all staff with a letter and also to the MHS com-

THE UNION

EDITORIAL

munity through StudentSquare.

Wohlman also allowed staff to confer with him in the theater after school hours.

The efforts by the staff, administration, and MPD were harmonious in every incident.

Whether it was as serious as placing the surrounding campuses into lockdown, or the threats that were posted early on in the school year, many staff members, police officers, or administrators stopped working to guarantee that everyone on campus would remain safe.

Even many of the administrators at MHS this year are new to the campus and there has been an uptick of school safety threats, our administrators are handling each situation well and with great proactivity.

We acknowledge and appreciate the care our admnistrators have for our school and informing our population. Their efforts, combined with the student body’s cooperation, allowed for each of these threats to be addressed promptly. While these school safety threats have been disturbing to students and staff on campus, we respect the administration’s, MPD’s, and staff members’ ability to effectively handle each threat and make sure everyone on campus is safe and secure.

U NION The

S T U D E N T V O I C E O F M I L P I TA S H I G H

The Union is published by the Journalism class of Milpitas High School.

The views in The Union are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the school, students, administration, or Milpitas Unified School District.

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S TA F F Savan Bollu • Editor -in -Chief Ruby Bui • News Editor Dhara Mehta • Asst. News Editor Sidhant Burela • Op-Ed Editor Paarth Gupta • Asst. Op-Ed Editor Tanisha Varma • Features Editor Maryam Mohamed • Asst. Features Editor Erick Johnson • Sports Editor Akshaj Kashyap • Asst. Sports Editor Sanvi Parvatikar • Lifestyle Editor Tiffany Ng • Asst. Lifestyle Editor Kevin Ting • Entertainment Editor An Nguyen • Asst. Entertainment Editor Agna Soneji • Spread Editor Yunxi Fang • Asst. Spread Editor Stephanie Iboa • Web Editor Akshaj Kashyap • Business/Ad Manager

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THE UNION

FEATURES

DECEMBER 2023

Beyond the classroom: Teachers recall athletic experiences

By Maryam Mohamed

While some students can only imagine their teachers in the classroom, many teachers have had eventful experiences running through the woods or scoring a goal in front of a roaring crowd. These sports experiences have shaped these teachers’ lives.

Photography teacher Ian Danielson began playing soccer around six years old in city soccer leagues in Livermore, California and eventually played soccer in high school, he said. He didn’t play soccer for the first two years at Cal Poly Humboldt University, until his brother, who was recruited to their soccer team, convinced him to try out, he added.

“First year, the team awards awarded me the most improved player, which is one of those double-edged swords,” Danielson said.

By his third year, Danielson made the all-conference team, he said. In his fourth and last year, he was nominated for all-conference, all-region, and All-American awards, he added.

“All-Americans is one of the highest honors you can get,” Danielson said. “I was never playing for awards; I was just playing to have a good time. It was kind of surprising and crazy that that’s what ended up happening, and I was obviously super stoked.”

Making All-American meant Danielson was considered one of the top 33 players in Division II colleges across the country, Danielson said. Soon, Danielson received letters to try out for professional teams like the San Jose Earthquakes, but he didn’t pur-

sue professional soccer, he added.

“I just decided that it was more important for me to pursue family and career than to pursue a professional soccer career,” Danielson said.

Danielson coached the boys junior varsity soccer team at MHS for six years between 2004 and 2009, coached his son for many years, and is currently coaching his daughter’s soccer team as they aim for the state cup, Danielson said.

“If you want to be an athlete at the top of your game, you’ve just got to really work on that balance,” Danielson said. “Stay dedicated and be motivated by the people that tell you you can’t do it.”

Activities Director and leadership teacher Deana Querubin also began sports at an early age, playing her first organized sport, softball, at 10 years old, she said.

In high school, she played four years of varsity softball and varsity tennis, one year of junior varsity basketball, and played club volleyball in the spring, she added.

“Softball hands down has had the most impact on me,” Querubin said. “It taught me how to be a good teammate; it taught me resilience.”

Querubin played softball in college as San Francisco State University’s catcher, she said. She describes the game and its challenges as ninety percent mental and ten percent physical, she added. She remembers coming to practice early and leaving late to refine her skills, she added.

“If you have a strong mental capacity, you’re going to succeed,” Querubin said. “Those people

who do succeed may not have it skill-wise, but they have it mentally.”

Similarly active in her college years, Advanced Placement (AP) psychology and sociology teacher Lauren Byler-Garcia began cycling in events like 100-mile century rides after moving to Northern California, she said.

“I started it as a way to try and meet people because I grew up in Southern California,” Byler said.

“I didn’t know anyone in Northern California.”

Byler would often bike up Mount Diablo in Walnut Creek with her husband, who was her boyfriend at the time, she said.

She eventually signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to participate in the Solving Century Ride, she added. Byler began running soon after and decided to run a marathon; she had already run a couple of short-distance triathlons and 100-km metric centuries, she added.

“I joined a couple of run groups to get to know people and to get myself running faster,” Byler said.

One of her groups signed up for the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon, Byler said. She only wanted to see how she would perform and didn’t have any goals in mind, she added.

“I ran my first marathon in June of the year I started and ran my second one with the Napa marathon,” Byler said.

By training on Silver Peak trail runs and in interval track sessions, Byler saw significant improvements in her times, she said.

“My time (in the second marathon) was reduced by thirty min-

Courtesy of Humboldt Athletics Hall of Fame

Ian Danielson (right) plays in a game for Cal Poly Humboldt University.

utes, from a four-hour marathon to three hours, thirty-five minutes, and thirty-two seconds,” Byler said. “I almost qualified for the Boston Marathon, but they changed the rules. (...) I missed it by thirty-two seconds.”

Byler was self-motivated to pursue spin class, running, and weight lifting, she said. It was challenging to balance her other responsibilities and racing, especially when preparing for her second marathon while complet-

ing her master’s degree, teaching, and serving as the senior class advisor in 2013, she added.

“You can be an athlete, and you don’t have to be the best of the best,” Byler said. “It’s really about putting yourself out there and getting out there. I mean, start running-walking, even just walking. Find a good playlist, find a good podcast you love. (...) It’s about your mental and physical health and what makes you feel good.”

Students recollect inspirations School plays set stage for theater department bonding “Everybody is welcome to audi“At the end of the weekend, you for unique collections of items tion.” have an entire set built,” Williams

By Maryam Mohamed

By Ruby Bui

With the rising popularity of glow-in-the-dark Smiski figures and adorable Sonny Angel figures, the number of collectors has increased. Collecting can be a hobby, a passion, or something worth more for different people, and for senior Geneva Dang, collecting Smiskis and Sonny Angels is a reward, she said.

Dang’s parents allow her to add to her collection when she does well in school, she said.

“I started growing my collection because I think I got a bit addicted to them,” Dang said.

After buying the first figure, “I just wanted to get it a friend, so I started getting more.”

The simple yet cute appearances of Sonny Angels and Smiskis drew Dang towards them, she said.

“I also like how you can put them anywhere,” Dang said. “You can just leave them Sonny Angel on your bookshelf or on the top of your fish tank—that’s where I usually put them.”

Senior Joseph Enriquez collects turtle figurines from different places he travels to as a hobby, he said.

“It’s nothing too serious; it’s just something that I try to keep in mind when I go somewhere,” Enriquez said. “But if I forget to buy a turtle from wherever I go, it’s not a big deal. I could just go again.”

Enriquez chose to particularly collect turtle figurines because, although turtles are portrayed as slower and inferior to other animals such as tigers and such in cartoons, he finds interest in them, he said.

“Something expensive can

be valued less than something cheaper because of its sentimental value,” Enriquez said. “I saw that with my mom, and then I started realizing how I wanted to collect turtle figures, and I see it as something valuable.”

Enriquez started his collection at age 12 while visiting Pismo Beach, he said. He plans to expand his collection significantly as he travels, he added.

“My favorite is the one I purchased from Hawaii because it was the first trip where I was away from my family,” Enriquez said.

Senior Vidhi Patra has been collecting stickers since kindergarten and erasers since second grade, she said.

“I first saw different types of erasers with the break-apart ones, and those seemed really interesting to me because they seemed like puzzles,” Patra said.

Stickers and erasers are not only fun to look at, but they can also be put to use, Patra said.

Overall, collecting them is a fun hobby, she added.

“My favorite part of my sticker collection would be the ones with jewels on them and charms because those stickers are cute to look at and they were limited edition,” Patra said. “And erasers, I don’t have specific ones that stand out to me because they’re all just really unique.”

Patra plans to expand her sticker collection by going through college mail, going to events, and purchasing from stationery stores, she said.

“As of now, I have more than two dozen stickers and more than 100 erasers,” Patra said. “So, I’m planning to expand my sticker collection to at least 4,000 or 5,000 and for my erasers, double it to maybe 200.”

“Attack! of the Killer Man from the Sun!”, the theater department’s most recent play production, was directed and produced by theater teacher Kaila Schwartz.

In the play, a group of scientists try their best to save Earth from deadly solar flares, sophomore and theater student Mazaria Aldrich said.

“It just seemed like the perfect blend of science and comedy with an important message,” Schwartz said.

In this production, Aldrich played the character Alien One and found the role to be fun and engaging, Aldrich said.

“This play meant a lot to me because the cast is just amazing,” Aldrich said.

Aldrich described the feeling of being onstage as scary and coped by imagining that no one was there, Aldrich said.

“I get really nervous, but once I’m on stage, it’s very exciting to show people what acting really is, what you’re trying to tell, and how you’re trying to tell it,” Aldrich said.

Schwartz is the main figure who selects plays after running them by a couple of students; she tries to find productions that are fun to do and appealing, Schwartz said. This play in particular was recommended by a student, she added.

“A theater student of mine read the play before I did and said ‘Miss Schwartz, you have to read this play. It’s really funny, and it’s also about science,’” Schwarz said. “So I read it and I agreed with her, and I chose to do it.”

Preparation for plays begins with two days of open auditions in front of Schwartz, her stage managers, and theater alumni, Schwartz said.

“The plays are completely extracurricular,” Schwartz said.

Once the cast is set, the team reads through the script and rehearses, Schwartz said. Rehearsals are conducted for six to eight weeks leading up to a show, she added. Rehearsals are each a few hours long and happen three to five times a week, Schwartz said.

Two to four weeks before the production, they begin creating the physical set, she added.

“There are students who are more interested in doing technical theater stuff, so they come in and they help build and paint; it’s a lot of fun, actually,” Schwartz said. “We do it on the weekends. It usually takes all day and we’re all exhausted and dirty, but it’s fun.”

For the past four years, theater alumna Sofia William’s father received the set design from Schwartz and would plan out and assemble all the sets, Williams said. Williams worked on most of the hanging objects because she loves climbing on top of a ladder, she added. Before graduating, she was the stage manager and lighting designer for all the productions, she added.

said. “It’s like, ‘what do you mean we put up walls in a weekend?’

That doesn’t make any sense. But it does, and it’s really, really cool.”

After all the hard work of setting the stage, the staff is usually nervous and excited for their opening night, Schwartz said.

“After our final performance, we tear down the set, sign each other’s posters, and have a party,” Schwartz said. “We order food and there’s a lot of crying; we’re usually here until one o’clock in the morning.”

Time almost feels relative while working on a show, like it’s both a very long and very short period of time, Williams said. Between going to classes, selling tickets, going to rehearsals that can last until eight o’clock at night, and doing homework, there’s barely enough time to sleep, she said.

“This last week of tech week is really intense, but it is so incredibly worth it,” Williams said. “I think it really builds everyone together. Everyone here is so close with each other and that’s one of the magical parts about theater.”

Maryam Mohamed | THE UNION

Actors perform latest play “Attack! Of the Killer Man from the Sun!”

DECEMBER 2023

Courtesy of Casey McMurray

McMurray stands next to a statue of Don Quixote in Toledo, Spain.

McMurray reveals inspirations, experiences

By Tiffany Ng

Previously a Spanish teacher and Rancho Milpitas Middle School principal, assistant principal Casey McMurray has enjoyed his return to MHS this year, he said.

McMurray majored in Spanish in college because he loved the language, he said. He taught Spanish at a local high school before he graduated from college to see if it was something that he would enjoy, he added.

“I’ve loved being a teacher and an administrator,” McMurray said. “It’s been a great experience, and it’s taught me a lot of things that I didn’t know about myself and others.”

One of McMurray’s strengths is his ability to understand today’s youth, he said. His other strengths include attention to detail, communication, and organization, he added.

His greatest weakness is not slowing down when working with others, McMurray said. At times, he wants to get things done right away, but realizes that others might not be at the same speed, he added.

“My working style is different from others,” McMurray said.

“And I need to remember that when I’m working, especially collaboratively, which is often the case in education. You’re working with other individuals and groups of people. They’re not all going to be like you, or like you, so you need to remember that.”

McMurray’s hobbies include playing pickleball and watching soccer, he said. He also enjoys watching Turkish telenovelas, going to the gym, and traveling, he added.

“I like to be out doing something,” McMurray said. “Travel could be local, out of the area, or out of the country, but (I enjoy) just travel in general.”

McMurray has been to cities like Toledo and Segovia in Spain and several places in Central America, he said.

“I’ve lived in Costa Rica for a few years,” McMurray said. “I’ve lived in Honduras. I visited Guatemala about four times. I’ve been to Nicaragua and El Salvador a couple of times. I’ve been to Canada, but that was when I went to the World Fair when I was 16 years old, (in) 1986.”

McMurray was a good Spanish teacher, French teacher Lisa Topping said. She used to be the de-

FEATURES

THE UNION

partment lead for world languages until he took over when she had a baby, she added.

“He did a great job with taking over as department lead,” Topping said. “I was wondering what kind of leader he would be because he was kind of quiet before, but he ended up being one of our best admin because he always followed through.”

Besides his career, McMurray is proud of his family, he said.

“I’m proud of raising a family, having four good kids, seeing how they’ve grown up, how they’ve made good choices, (and) are becoming good people,” he said.

“That’s what I’m leaving; that’s my posterity.”

The goals that McMurray has for himself include continuing to travel, he said. After he retires, he wants to find opportunities to volunteer in meaningful ways, he added.

“I think that would be my goal,” McMurray said. “Being of service to my community, because outside of this (school) community (...) I try to be active and involved as well. I want to work to be a positive contributor, so serving in different ways, whether it’s serving families, individuals, or others, would be something I’d like to do more of when I retire.”

McMurray is inspired by “‘underdog stories’ and stories of individuals or groups who beat the odds,” he said in an email.

McMurray is also inspired by seeing the different ways that he has helped previous students, he added.

“When I hear that I was able to help someone or make a difference for them in whatever way in their life, then that’s inspiring,” McMurray said. “And seeing what others do (inspires me) as well.

We have so many incredible individuals here: staff, students, even parents and families. When I see what they do every day, and how they work to make a difference, especially the staff and students who overcome such challenges in life, all that inspires me.”

Ung grows by teaching poetry, language

Designing drugs, analyzing anime, figuring out Fibonacci: high schoolers conduct research projects in various fields

By Savan Bollu

When thinking about research, the image that usually comes to mind is a middle-aged Ph.D. recipient experimenting with test tubes in a lab. But there are some students at MHS already conducting research. Senior Tvisha Nepani started a computational neuroscience internship at Yale University in January. Senior Michelle Ng investigated how meaning changes as anime is translated between languages, at the University of California (UC) Santa Cruz. Senior Mallika Ghante studied the Fibonacci sequence and number theory at UC Santa Cruz.

Nepani started doing research in the summer after eighth grade through the Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program and continued in the program until the end of her junior year, she said. She worked in multiple biochemistry groups, ranging from 11 to 21 people, focusing on drug development, she added.

“I’ve always been interested in the human condition, especially because of my own encounters with death in the family or within family friends,” Nepani said.

“Part of me was just always curious to find out how illnesses can be prevented.”

At Yale, Nepani is part of an ongoing computational neuroscience research project where she works with the School of Medicine’s neuroimaging data, she said. She worked at the lab over the summer on a grant-funded independent project, she added.

Nepani found the opportunity by reaching out to the author of a neuroscience paper she read and doing an interview, she added.

“At one point, I was on the other side, just thinking, ‘When is someone going to find the cure to cancer?’” Nepani said. “Realizing that I could be one of those people in the future with the work I was doing right now—I think that was one of the best moments.”

Throughout her years of research, Nepani faced both technical problems and challenges balancing research with academics, she said. Starting research in often unfamiliar fields was daunting, but through reading research papers and taking selfpaced computer science courses, Nepani was able to prepare for the experience, she added.

“The biggest thing when joining research is just having that drive to continue learning more because, for anyone, it would be a learning curve,” Nepani said.

In a different vein, senior Michelle Ng researched humanities as part of the University of UC Santa Cruz’s 10-week Science Internship Program, she said. She analyzed how translations of the Japanese anime “Hunter × Hunter” altered the author’s original meaning to fit cultural standards, she added.

“Even translators, both Korean and Japanese, might have to change things a bit to make it more suitable for different audiences,” Ng said. “So a lot of things are lost in translation.”

Ng was matched with a mentor focused on gender studies, who

encouraged her to apply her interests in linguistics and Asian studies to analyze varying portrayals of the LGBTQ+ community, she added. Ng found that different translations had disparities in portrayal and some could isolate LGBTQ+ individuals, she said.

“It seems so odd that something so childish (anime) can bring such a profound message,” Ng said.

Ng sometimes felt isolated doing humanities research while her peers in the program were focused on STEM research, she said. However, the value of her research became clear to her, she added. Ng ultimately presented in the program’s plenary session about the importance of researching humanities, she added. “​​I can’t say that I found anything cool like cancer cells,” Ng said. “But I think my research was a different kind of interesting where I felt like I could connect more with my Asian heritage. And (I was) able to share with other people who don’t have the same experience as me since there was a very diverse group of researchers there.”

Senior Mallika Ghante did another type of research: proving the relationship between the Fibonacci sequence and phi through number theory, without referring to previous mathematical proofs, she said. Ghante was mentored by Professor Richard Gottesman from Hofstra University as a participant in the fourweek, residential UC Santa Cruz California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS) program.

5

“I felt like, as a person who came from Santa Ana, (I) wasn’t worthy of being in communities English teacher Cindy Ung that had more opportunities and grew up in Santa Ana, she said.

(I wasn’t worthy of) being around She did not like where she grew intelligent people,” Ung said. up, she added.

Despite her hardships, Ung is Santa Ana had gang activities proud of herself for being resiland primarily had low-income ient and overcoming them, she populations, Ung said. said. One of the challenges she “Much of my resentment faced in college was being a resistemmed from me being the only dent advisor who would take care Chinese person in my neighborof other college dorm students, hood and classes, in which over she said. It was a lot of work, she 90% of the population would be added.

Hispanic,” Ung said. “Thus, I felt “I’m really glad I took up that isolated and that I didn’t belong. I challenge and lived in a dorm and was often bullied for being Asian moved out,” Ung said. in middle school.”

One of the memorable moments She wanted to do extremely she had in college was when her well in school, equating education with opportunity, she said. residents surprised her with a “I later learned to appreciate cake and movie bonding night where I came from and be proud as a farewell event, she said. She of the people I met in Santa Ana,” thought it was sweet that they Ung said. appreciated her hard work, she As a child, Ung wrote poetry as added. If not for the coronavirus a form of release, she said. pandemic, she would have stayed “Whether I felt depressed, anas their RA, she said. gry, frustrated, confused, and so After UCI, Ung attended Stanford University and began workon, writing poetry helped me to ing at MHS after graduating from process my emotions,” Ung said.

Stanford.

“That’s what led me to teaching “When I met Ms. Ung, it was poetry at UCI (University of California Irvine).” clear that she was a pleasure to After high school, Ung attended be around and that she cared for UCI for a bachelor’s degree, Ung her students,” senior Andrew Zhu said. During that time, she taught said. “Even though she was behind her desk and busy, she took a real college class where her stuthe time to learn my name and dents earned credit, she added. talk to me briefly as she had work “It was through this program to work on.” called UTeach,” Ung said. “That She provided Zhu, his friends, course taught me how to create and Mahjong Society with a safe lesson plans and a syllabus to and consistently available space teach to a class of my choice. My to be themselves and to be open class was on spoken word poetry.” with each other, he said.

She wanted to travel the “She understands her stuworld to perform her spoken dents well given how often word poetry, she added. many of them try to visit “Being a poet was another dream job,” Ung her, whether they moved said. “But I knew to be on from her class or not,” realistic, at least. Beformer student senior Allie Ly said. ing a teacher was Ung is one of Ly’s fasomething I knew vorite teachers, and the I wanted to do reason she decided to since around take English III middle school.”

Honors during juWhile in colnior year and AP lege, she realLit in her final year, Ly ized she was said. Ly still talks to Ung resilient while about grammar rules or persevering the book she’s currently through imposter reading, she added. syndrome, she said. Courtesy of Cindy Ung

By An Nguyen

Courtesy of Mallika Ghante

Ghante presents her math research as a poster with partner Yushan Yan in an open exhibition on Aug. 4, in the COSMOS summer program.

“I would say that my research was a bit unconventional because, typically, when you think about research, you think about doing something in a lab and discovering something new,” Ghante said. “But mathematical research is very different; it requires collaboration and sitting in the basement of the UC Santa Cruz math department and just working away at problems.”

Ghante’s fondest memory was contributing to a lecture, she said.

“We got to talk with a professor while he was presenting on the board and add to his proofs,” Ghante said.

Ghante faced limitations since the span of her research program was only four weeks, she said. She also faced difficulties with her partners having different levels of

background knowledge, she said.

“I think having very different viewpoints in the group actually contributed a lot to making our presentation more accessible to the people we were presenting it to because we didn’t make it very geeky,” Ghante said. “We managed to tone it down.”

Ghante hopes to eventually teach and has already started spreading her love for math through running clubs on campus like MHS Math Circle, she said.

“Whether or not you’re super interested in actually doing the research, once you get there, (with) the people that you’ll be surrounded by, you’ll come to enjoy doing the research,” Ghante said. “You’re going to come to enjoy learning.”

6

THE UNION

LIFESTYLE

DECEMBER 2023

Matcha green tea helps brew health, well-being

By Maryam Mohamed

Courtesy of Flickr

Goodwill bins are full of secondhand clothes, shoes, and accessories.

Secondhand thrifting brings accessibility, firsthand joy

By Dhara Mehta

The idea of being able to buy designer clothes for a fraction of their original price through thrifting seems like the perfect reason to start thrifting, but there are so many other perks. The sustainability, ability to choose clothes for cheaper, and accessibility make it appealing to many across the world, especially those at schools and colleges, according to “The Sustainability of Thrifting: How Secondhand Shopping Reduces Your Environmental Impact” from Thrift City.

Students choose to thrift mainly because of how inexpensive it is, but there are many other reasons, according to “Thrifting gains popularity as it becomes a part of college culture” from Oklahoma University (OU) Daily.

There are multiple ways to thrift: the first way, which is the most popular, is buying secondhand clothes off racks; the second way is via online sites like Thredup and Depop; and lastly: the cheapest option are the bins (in separate stores from racks), where clothes are sold by the pound, according to “Digging for Buried Treasure — What You Need to Know Before Thrifting at the Bins” on greenmatters.

However, sites like Thredup and Depop rip off the sellers and buyers because of the fees these sites charge sellers, senior Faye Balquiedra said. The sellers only make a percentage of the price they sell their clothes for, he added.

“Definitely don’t try on clothes

at Goodwill,” Balquiedra said.

“And wear gloves at the bins.”

The stigma surrounding thrifting is that it is unsanitary and unsafe. However, no matter where one buys their clothes, they should always wash their clothes beforehand, so thrifting isn’t that unsanitary, junior Namit Jain said. For the best thrift experiences, Jain said that going to richer neighborhoods always gets him the best clothes.

“You can usually find good clothes (in rich neighborhoods) because rich people tend to throw away…better brands like Nike,” Jain said.

Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Cupertino’s neighborhoods are the best neighborhoods to thrift in because of the rich demographic in those areas, Jain added.

At Goodwills he’s been to, Jain spends one hour at each on average, he said.

“I can find five to ten pieces of clothing, usually around fifty, sixty dollars; it’s not that expensive,” Jain said.

I thrifted for the first time on Thredup and spent over $150 on twenty pieces of clothing, which compared to current prices, is incredibly cheap. I still wear most of these clothes on a day-to-day basis because the secondhand quality is so good. Thrifting is so much more than dirty clothes, long hours of searching racks and bins, and lack of warranty. The wide range in varieties of clothing styles and the ability to find your personal style make thrifting a unique experience for anyone willing to try it.

Matcha powder is vibrant, green, and perfect for your daily routine. According to CC Fine Tea’s article titled “Matcha: The Hidden History of Chinese Powdered Green Tea,” this form of green tea has been around since the Tang Dynasty of ancient China. The health benefits of this coffee-alternative are sure to have you running to your local grocery store to purchase your first batch of matcha.

According to an article by health.com titled “What is Matcha?”, matcha powder is packed with antioxidants and can help fight cancer, type 2 diabetes, and depression; it can also reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure and protect brain function and bone health.

However, it is important to consume with caution because the whole, powdered leaves of matcha tea are much stronger than

steeped green tea.

Preparing the matcha latte In addition to these is a simple, five-minute health benefits, matprocess—you add a cha powder gives a few teaspoons of slower, prolonged ground matcha boost of energy as oppowder, mix in posed to the instant about a tablespoon energy kick followed of hot water, add by the energy crash you your desired quantity of milk, and mix in a get from coffee, according to an article by sweetener of your healthline.com ti- Maryam Mohamed | THE UNION choice; I chose to tled “How Do Matadd monk fruit. cha and Coffee Compare?”. The My first impression of the drink L-theanine compound in matcha was negative—the aftertaste was promotes relaxation instead of too strong for my liking, and I jitteriness, resulting in a mind ended up adding more milk to that is calm but alert. balance it out. However, after a While there are many ways to few more experimental sips, I incorporate this stimulant into found the aftertaste wasn’t that your diet, I chose to try a home- bad anymore. In my case, matcha made matcha latte. As a short is an acquired taste. disclaimer, the combination of For the remainder of the day, I sweets and dairy in the matcha felt more energized and focused latte can mask the rich, earthy on my work. And while drinking taste of matcha powder, so this matcha isn’t for everyone, I would isn’t the purest form of drinking say the plethora of health benefits matcha. makes it worth a try.

Coffee has ‘bean’ proven to aid studying, has some downsides

By Erick Johnson

Coffee is the most utilized stimulant in the world because it is linked to both long- and shortterm benefits. Approximately 90% of North Americans consume coffee on a daily basis, according to a research paper published in the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Many students consume coffee to be alert in preparation for school, work, or other morning activities, the paper explained.

Caffeine has positive effects on studying such as reducing drowsiness, fighting depression, and boosting memory retention, according to an article in Exam Study Expert by psychologist William Wadsworth titled “Should you Drink Coffee For Studying?

The Surprising Secrets Of Caffeine & Productivity.” Caffeine can improve your mood, increase reaction time, and most importantly, for studying, increase your alertness and focus, making it a useful tool for late-night study sessions. The article even suggests that coffee could help consolidate memory over the long term. That means that pairing coffee with a good studying strategy could be extremely beneficial for students to excel in their classes.

Drinking coffee can also lead to long-term benefits, as drinking coffee has shown signs of decreasing the likeliness of developing Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and liver failure, according to “Is Coffee Good or Bad For Your Health?”, a study

by Harvard School of Health.

Coffee has also been found to di-

minish depression within drinkers. The Harvard study says that common misconceptions about the negative effects of coffee stem from multiple early researchers that linked negative bodily effects to coffee. However, many participants in those researches also smoked, and those side effects were later found to be linked to smoking, not coffee consumption, the Harvard study found.

In reality, coffee can include some healthy benefits, as long as it is consumed in moderation.

The Harvard School of Health research suggests drinking no more than four cups of coffee daily. Additionally, it is also crucial to keep in mind what you add to the coffee. Large amounts of sugar and other sweeteners in coffee are unhealthy if consumed regularly.

It is important for consumers to know what is added to their coffee, especially when it is purchased from a coffee-

house establishment such as Starbucks or Peet’s Coffee.

Drinking coffee also has some downsides. When you drink coffee to keep yourself awake, you only postpone your sleepy state, Wadsworth’s article stated. Once the effects of the caffeine wear off, your drowsy state will return and worsen, Wadsworth wrote. This means drinking coffee to pull an all-nighter will only drain your energy later in the day, rather than eliminate your tiredness.

If you want to drink coffee while studying, it is important to note that coffee works well as an aid to memory retention if consumed in the morning, but not so much if consumed late in the afternoon; the cause of this effect is still being investigated, the NLM study found. According to the study, in order to maximize their academic potential, students should drink coffee in the early hours to more efficiently stimulate their brain.

Courtesy of Pixexid

Noah’s Bagels has decent all-round assortment

By An Nguyen

Courtesy of Yelp

The Brunch Box contains bagels and sandwiches among other items.

Winter Break is around the corner, and for anyone who wants to eat somewhere better than fast food, Noah’s Bagels is a great place option. Their Brunch Box is especially great for a small group of people to share and enjoy.

For $38, it features three hash browns, three breakfast sandwiches, four muffins, one spread, and six bagels. Overall, the amount of food and its quality make it a good deal. The six bagels are the centerpiece of the pack.

The bagels range from seed bagels to chocolate bagels and fruit bagels. Unfortunately, the six bagels were already picked, so sadly I could not get six sesame bagels.

The bagels represent a range of flavors. The chocolate bagel actually tasted chocolatey, and I was worried it would be choco-

late chips in a bagel or some other weird taste. However, what really brings out the flavor is the cream cheese spread; the onion-andchive spread goes very well with the sesame bagel. For me, this was the first time I ate flavored cream cheese, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted.

Nonetheless, the Brunch Box is not without its flaws. The three sandwiches and hash browns were the weaker side of the pack.

The hashbrowns didn’t seem to be toasted all the way. While the sandwiches were alright, they pale in comparison to some of the other sandwiches Noah’s Bagels sells separately. The sandwiches, hash browns, and muffins in the pack were dull and basic. For the sandwiches, it was a typical egg, bacon, and cheese combination.

They taste like every other breakfast sandwich I’ve eaten. The same

goes for the hash browns and muffins. Furthermore, I would appreciate it if the pack came with drinks, but it is understandable that it doesn’t because there is already a lot of food included. Overall, these items in the pack felt like filler food rather than a selection of high-quality items.

Ultimately, Noah’s Bagels serves high-quality, delicious bagels, sandwiches, and other baked goods, but it is expensive. In terms of standing, it’s nice in between a fast food place and a restaurant.

The Brunch Box is good for filling the stomach, but not the best of what Noah’s Bagels offers. I would either buy one of their better sandwiches or your favorite bagel with a spread. For anyone wishing to try Noah’s Bagels, it opens at six in the morning and closes at three in the afternoon, and some bagel flavors sell out quickly.

DECEMBER 2023

Crochet project weaves creativity, practicality

By Agna Soneji

Whenever I used to think of crocheting, I always viewed it slightly negatively, calling it a “grandma hobby” and things of that sort. However, I never realized how useful it could be. Like many others in 2020, I found myself lazing around to find new hobbies and stumbled upon crocheting on social media. Crochet is versatile because of the different items you can make, like small charms and beanies with the different stitch patterns.

Making something wearable by crocheting is practical and enjoyable. To test this, I made a crocheted bolero (sometimes called a shrug) with a crochet pattern I had never tried before. I often heard of the benefits of making wearable

items but shied away from attempting my own due to the risk of failure. During Thanksgiving break, I had the time to pursue this project and, with the design being quite popular among crocheters, I was motivated to make one of my own.

I found the instructions on how to make the bolero from a video

by TikToker Chloe Rose, though the instructions were not clear. I had to guess half the steps needed to make the bolero, but it turned out pretty good. Even though I didn’t have clear instructions, I was able to cover up any mistakes because the stitches are interconnected and give the illusion of a uniform design even if I messed up a little. I think that this is a beginner-friendly project because you only need to know two stitches (single crochet and a double crochet) for it to work. With this style of crochet, you aren’t building exact rows on top of each other with a basic double crochet stitch.

Instead, you layer rows of single crochet.

I used one ball of yarn and a size E hook for the entire project.

The biggest key to this

Agna Soneji | THE UNION

The bolero pattern was beginner-friendly and took four days to make.

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design is using a slightly bigger hook than normal. This will make all the stitches just slightly looser, giving the loose feeling of a bolero. One of the major benefits of crocheting is that you can multitask while crocheting. When I crochet, I usually watch a movie.

Similar to how people at the gym count repetitions they have completed, I would suggest counting the number of stitches you make.

For this design, I counted three stitches up and then crossed down into the previous row to make one hole. The ongoing repeat of one-two-three became a rhythm in my head for hours on end. Every stitch became muscle memory and soon, I didn’t even need to look at the piece as I was working on it.

The most important thing for me was making sure that I made the right size because I did want to wear the bolero. I used myself as a measurement tool to make the design. I constantly held up my work against my body to see how it fit. I would periodically put on the bolero while I was making the sleeves so I could make them the perfect length.

This project took about four days to complete but I only worked on it for about three hours per day. One of the biggest upsides to hobbies like crochet is that you can make things that you can use every day. Some people make keychains or purses but wearable things are the most popular use of crochet. I think the piece that I made is very versatile and can be thrown over most tops to accentuate outfits.

French apple tart recipe pans out as simple, delicious

By Savan Bollu

If you have a bunch of apples going to waste in your backyard like me or you just enjoy apple-based recipes, this holiday recipe is perfect for you. Reading through the recipe “The Easiest French Apple Tart” from Alexandra’s Kitchen, I was shocked at how simple it was—it only required household ingredients and about 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients Dough: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons cold, diced butter, unsalted (or salted) 1/4 cup ice water Apple Filling: 3 to 4 apples, any kind 1/4 cup butter, unsalted (or salted) 1/4 cup sugar Recipe (Modified from Alexandra’s Kitchen) 1. Pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor until there are small chunks of butter.

If you don’t have a food processor, use your hands to separate and mix in the butter.

2. Mix in ice water until a chunky dough forms.

3. Leave the dough in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

4. Roll out the dough to a 12- or 13inch round, about ¼ inch thickness. Use flour to prevent stickiness. Fit the dough to a tart pan with a removable bottom or cut out small circles and fit them into a muffin pan.

5. Transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes.

6. Prepare the apples by cutting off the “cheeks” of the apples, so you’re left with four pieces. See photo.

7. Slice the apples into thin pieces and fan them out on the tart dough in your desired pattern.

8. Evenly sprinkle ¼ cup sugar and ¼ butter (diced) on the surface of your tart(s).

9. Optional: Crimp the edges of the tart.

10. Preheat the oven to 425°F and place the tray inside. Bake for 1530 minutes depending on the size of your tarts. Take out when the dough is golden brown.

As a disclaimer, I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I used regular water instead of ice water because I didn’t have ice, which made the dough warmer and stickier. In general, to make the dough easier to work with, be patient while chilling it. Finally, I used a muffin tin because I didn’t have a tart pan, but it worked well—baking time went down and I enjoyed the appearance of the resulting bitesized tarts.

I love this recipe’s simplicity.

Although pastry recipes are usually complicated, the dough that I threw together came out perfectly—and I’m definitely saving this dough recipe for future pies and tarts. The apple filling only used three ingredients but carried a lot of flavor.

If I were to bake this again, I would bring more balance. The highlight of the dish was definitely the apple, which had a subtle, natural tang and a soft texture to contrast the flaky dough. However, all the flavor came from my apples, and I was left searching for them between mouthfuls of

dough. I would make the dough thinner and pack more apples into the tarts, perhaps even marinating them in cinnamon or other spices. The tart was also quite dry, so some liquid-like custard inside the tart or while serving would balance the texture.

Don’t be concerned if the recipe doesn’t come together immediately. I was worried about the texture because I didn’t chill my dough enough, so it was difficult to work with and clumped together against the sides of my pan. However, the issue ironed itself out–no pun intended–as I baked the tarts in the oven, resulting in a flaky, evenly baked pastry that I could easily remove from the tin. Similarly, I was worried about putting in the copious amounts of butter and sugar that the recipe called for, but the flavor turned out balanced and not overly sweet.

For presentation, spread the sugar evenly across the surface of the tart so it caramelizes evenly and completely. I adored the design of the thinly sliced apple pieces and would recommend getting creative with the patterns; see the rose-shaped center tart in my photo.

For a quick and beautiful bite, I’d recommend this recipe.

Savan Bollu | THE UNION

This apple tart recipe is simple and results in a subtly tangy dessert.

Agna Soneji | THE UNION

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Courtesy of Pexels

Multicolored string lights color barren trees during the winter to celebrate the holiday season.

Lit up guide to holiday lights

By Dhara Mehta

Christmas is coming up, and if your neighborhood is as dull as mine, you’ll want to find a place that’s known for spreading holiday cheer. Based on my research, here is a list of the best neighborhoods and homes to see gorgeous Christmas lights and decorations in order from best to worst: 1. Deacon Dave’s in Livermore This house is one of the most wellknown in the Bay Area for Christmas decorations, located in Livermore at 352 Hillcrest Avenue. Deacon Dave decorates his home with over 640,000 lights, according to SFGATE’s article “Deacon Dave’s Christmas Display lights up Bay Area with over 640,000 lights.” If I had to choose one place on this list to go to, Deacon Dave’s would be it. Exciting for both adults and kids, his lights will be up until Jan. 1st, every day from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

2. Riesling Circle in Livermore Also in Livermore, this neighborhood boasts twenty-six decorated homes, some of which play cartoon movies from the 1930s on projectors outside their homes. You can walk along the neighborhood and sit to watch the movie with your family and others. The lights will be up until Jan. 1 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

3. Knottingham Circle in Livermore Specifically on Knottingham Circle, Alex Dourov’s home at 467 Knottingham Circle has multitudes of interactive figurines, fake snow machines, and a life-size Santa cutout. Not only is this neighborhood good for little kids, but this neighborhood would entertain anyone of any age with the many lights and decorations around the house.

4. Thompson Avenue in Alameda This neighborhood is packed with lights and decorations, with over fifty houses decorated with inflatable snowmen and large lighted candy canes throughout. If you want to take your little siblings, nieces, or nephews, a group of male neighborhood volunteers

dressed as Santa will be coming around the neighborhood until Dec. 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The lights will be up until Dec. 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

5. Crippsmas Place in Fremont One of the closest neighborhoods to Milpitas on the list, Crippsmas Place doesn’t skimp on their lights and decorations with over ninety homes on five streets decorated elaborately with lights and large inflatable figures of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and more iconic cartoon characters.

6. Eucalyptus Avenue in San Carlos Even though this is a bit of a drive from Milpitas, dancing teddy bears, Santa on rooftops, and elaborate lighting of trees make it worth the trip. This neighborhood will have lights up until Christmas time, Dec. 25, from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

7. Fulton Avenue in Palo Alto This area is also known as Christmas Tree Lane because all houses in this area are decorated with many vibrant lights and large inflatables of Smurfs, Santa, and some biblical figures as well.

These houses will be lit Dec. 10th until Christmas Day, every day from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

8. Gray Fox Circle in Pleasanton At 802 Gray Fox Circle, this house will be decorated with large animations and many lights, and their specialty is the music that accompanies the animations. These lights will be up every day until Jan. 1st, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

9. Vista San Ramon in San Ramon This neighborhood will have over 160 homes decorated with large Christmas decorations and lights. And if you’re not fond of traffic, this neighborhood is completely walkable, so you can take in the lights from up close.

Going to see Christmas lights and decorations is not only great for family outings, but also for time with your friends, a date, and even a solitary experience. Hopefully, this experience lights up your Christmas.

Santa Claus approved gift ideas

By Ruby Bui

Since the holiday season is finally here, it can be tricky to know what to gift your loved ones, especially on a tighter budget. Luckily, there are several gifts you can purchase for the people you cherish without overspending or being basic, repetitive, or boring.

1. Fuzzy socks multipack.

Especially because the weather is getting colder, anyone would appreciate a pack of warm fuzzy socks to keep them cozy this winter. For going out in more casual settings, a good pair of fuzzy socks can also elevate an outfit.

This is an inexpensive yet thoughtful gift, and you can find one at almost any clothing store or on Amazon for under $20.

2. Heated blanket For $20 or less, you can find a comfortable and long-lasting heated blanket to give your loved ones. Without having to crank up the heater or layer blankets, the recipient of this gift would be able to enjoy the winter while still staying warm.

3. Wireless headphones.

Those with a bigger budget this holiday season might want to consider buying some affordable wireless headphones.

This valuable gift can be handy while studying, going on walks, or going to the gym. On Amazon, a reliable pair of wireless headphones can cost as low as around $24.99.

4. Cute mugs A practical yet adorable gift, an animal or cartoon-themed mug can be for daily use.

As there are many options to choose from, pick a mug based on your loved one’s favorite animal or cartoon character. Cat or Sanrio-themed mugs are particularly popular, and they can be found online for affordable prices.

5. Earmuffs Earmuffs have become increasingly trendy as a fashion staple piece in the wintertime, making this a great choice for those who are interested in fashion.

However, others who are more in-

terested in staying warm than stylish will appreciate this gift as well.

Earmuffs are practical for keeping ears warm in cold weather, so whether one is looking to be stylish this season or not, they remain one of the best choices in gifts.

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Don’t throw this newspaper away; old newspaper, new gift wrapping

By Yunxi Fang

With the Christmas season looming on the horizon, many will soon experience the joy in receiving gifts and the excitement and curiosity in unwrapping them.

Although receiving, unwrapping, and giving gifts are undoubtedly delightful aspects of gift-giving, wrapping gifts can also be an enjoyable experience.

Knowing that a gift given to someone significant was wrapped by one’s self can elevate the gift-giving experience, as the giver can feel much more their own involvement in the process, and the receiver may feel much more appreciative. If you do not know how to gift wrap or do not have wrapping paper, fear not, because here is a way to use newspaper as gift-wrap.

the box again and tape them down.

Make sure to tape tightly enough so the box does not slide around. See the image at the right.

3. Next, fold the vertical sides of the paper on the unfolded sides to form two “trapezoids” as shown in the picture below. Fold the vertical sides so that all the excess paper is on the horizontal sides. Then, fold the upper and lower sides together and tape the sides together tightly.

Materials List: A page of newspaper, gift box, tape, scissors Instructions 1. To make sure the size of the newspaper is correct, first place the box in the middle of a sheet of newspaper.

Fold two opposite sides of the paper towards the middle of the box. Make sure the paper overlaps a little, but not so much that either side of the paper covers the whole box. Repeat for the other two opposite sides. Cut excess paper if necessary.

The newspaper is creased evenly horizontally and vertically for easy cutting and centering.

2. After adjusting the size of the newspaper accordingly, fold two opposite sides of the paper towards the middle of

After folding the shorter sides together, the wrapping is complete.

This was my first experience present-wrapping and I found this method, which is from the article “How to Wrap a Gift with Newspaper” on the FaveCrafts website, very easy to learn.

When adjusting the size of the newspaper, make sure to trim the edges evenly. Using a ruler alongside a boxcutter or scissors might make the trimming easier.

Also, make sure to center the box on the newspaper as best as you can, and use a ruler if necessary.

I did not follow my own instructions very well and didn’t center the box correctly, which is why when I folded the shorter sides together in step 3, they were a little uneven. But overall, I was satisfied with the result, and I think I could improve a lot more if I giftwrapped again.

New Year welcomes old traditions

By Akshaj Kashyap

Courtesy of Shutterstock

One tradition is eating 12 grapes, to represent the months in a year, at midnight for good luck.

With the start of the new year soon on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking of the best New Year’s activities to do when the clock strikes twelve. Different places and different cultures have a variety of traditions, but they all are meant to celebrate the start of a new year.

Starting with perhaps the most popular, New Year’s resolutions have become a common tradition as people set goals for the upcoming year. People all over the world envision their future for the next year, and even if these visions seem a bit optimistic, it’s still good to set goals for what you want to achieve in the new year.

Every new year, it seems like people make goals for the next 365 days, only for them to be forgotten within a few weeks if not a few days. Often, this is because people take up way too many goals at once. To avoid this from happening to you, pick your top three goals and stick to them.

Another famous tradition, especially in Spanish-speaking communities all over the world, is eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s. People are supposed to eat one grape with each chime of the clock, and each of the grapes symbolizes one month in the year. This tradition is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the entirety of the next year.

Speaking of activities to do at midnight, most large cities and cultures

have some sort of countdown leading up to the start of the new year. The most famous one is the ball drop in New York City, but other countdowns can also be seen in other major cities such as London and Tokyo. People don’t have to go very far for a countdown either though.

Friends and family often get together to countdown and celebrate the start of not just a new year but a new prosperous era.

Celebrations don’t have to stop at countdowns, but instead can be full of light and theatrics. Across many different cultures and countries, fireworks are a staple for New Year celebrations.

The light and color of the fireworks are seen as a joyous symbol that fully embodies the hope and celebration of the moment, making it just that much more magical.

A common tradition in Brazil is to jump seven waves at the beach, each jump symbolizing a day of the week.

The jumps are also meant to honor the water goddess Yemanjá who is also associated with motherhood and fertility.

Like many other cultures, the water is seen as a symbol of cleansing and purification.

All the different New Year’s celebrat ions are just different ways of signifying what people hope to be the start of a better year.

From eating twelve grapes to lighting up fireworks, all New Year traditions around the world are special in their own way.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ wars with Napoleon’s powerful legacy RATING: 2.5 out of 5

By Kevin Ting

Napoleon. The name is instantly recognizable to anyone with an inkling of knowledge about European history. A name that invokes images of famous paintings, the great number of victories in battle, and perhaps endless paragraphs in history textbooks.

Now, “Napoleon” is also the name of a film directed by Ridley Scott, who attempts to capture the story of one of history’s most successful military commanders, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix.

And while the film certainly looks fantastic, with its stunning visuals and great casting, it lacks the nuance of the titular character’s history, resulting in a somewhat soulless and disappointing film overall.

Visually, “Napoleon” is truly immersive, with a muted, yet beautiful color palette, paired with amazing set designs. It easily sucks you into the violent period of France’s revolution with historically accurate costume designs and set pieces. However, the film’s immersion is somewhat ruined by the accents of the characters, who

all sport English accents, which trayed by Vaness Kirby. It’s an disregards Napoleon’s known aspect of his history that is often struggles with the French lan- overlooked and frankly would guage. have been quite interesting if the Perhaps the movie’s most film had not butchered their faseye-catching feature is its dra- cinating relationship. Instead of matic battles, with masses of sol- being tumultuous and nuanced, diers flooding through each side Napoleon and Josephine’s relaand the cannon fire that seems tionship is awkward and frustratto envelop the battlefields. Each ing, essentially boiling down to conflict is powerful and realistic, childish tantrums and passionless truly putting these epic clashes intimacy.

Overall, “Napoleon” is a visuinto perspective as the audience witnesses the slew of soldiers ally outstanding film, but rapidly falls apart in its attempt to that are slain as each side tackle one of France’s most marches on. turbulent periods. Although But as glorious as these the film largely follows hisscenes are, the movie never truly contextualizes the torical canon, creating an MOVIE importance of each of these authentic historical film, REVIEW conflicts, as it skips through the writing behind Napoleon himself lacks the nua rushed summary of Napoleon’s various battles. Entire ance and charm that allowed him campaigns are left off-screen, only to win over the hearts of France being addressed in a singular dia- as an outsider from Corsica. The logue. It’s an inevitable flaw due to movie also tries to incorporate time and budget constraints, but the romance of Napoleon and Jothe film might have been better off sephine, but fails even more misfocusing directly on a certain pe- erably, leading to an inefficient riod of Napoleon’s political career. storyline in a film that is already However, the movie doesn’t condensing decades of history. focus just on Napoleon’s politi- Perhaps these issues will be fixed cal successes and failures; it also in Scott’s director’s cut that is to offers a more intimate view into be released exclusively on Apple Napoleon’s scandalous marriage TV, but at this point, I’m not keen with Josephine Bonaparte, por- to sit through mediocrity again.

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Asha marvels at her discovery of the wishing star, which could provide hope in saving her beloved kingdom.

Disney’s ‘Wish’ disappoints with repetitive tropes ing moments. There were overused tropes and characters, such as the comedic relief, a talking

By Tanisha Varma animal used in previous Disney movies like “Mulan” (Mushu the Disney’s “Wish,” released on dragon) and “The Little Mermaid” November 22, is set in the King- (Sebastian the crab). Whereas dom of Rosas ruled by the sorcer- these characters drove the plot er, King Magnifico, where all citi- in their movies, Valentino, the zens are required to give up and talking goat in “Wish,” provided forget a memory of their greatest no concrete purpose and his jokes wish. It follows the protagonist, often fell flat. Additionally, only Asha, who hopes to apprentice for Asha, the stale, dorky protagonist, the King; however, after discover- and Magnifico, the cliche villain, ing his true motives, Asha rebels were the significant characters, against the evil sorcerer by gath- with all others being shallow, forgettable, and failing to add ering her friends to reclaim any value to the movie. the kingdom’s wishes and The movie was intended change Rosas’ future. to be an ode to the studio’s Before the film’s release, hundredth anniversary and many fans who viewed the MOVIE include elements of “clastrailer heavily criticized REVIEW sic Disney.” However, the the movie, questioning the plot was rigid, fitting into appearance of the unrendered animations and basic plot. all other fairytale structures, and Although the animation style ap- had predictable characters. For pears simplistic at times due to example, following in the footmore recent styles, I understand steps of countless previous Disthe perspective of making the ney characters such as Rapunzel movie feel like an old fairytale from “Tangled” and Mirabel from book aesthetic with a soft water- “Encanto,” Asha has an exaggeratcolor effect. The glowing anima- ed and, oftentimes, exasperating, tions in scenes with magic were goofy personality.

Another example of a predictvisually appealing; however, the muted color palette proved to be able character is the villain, King monotonous at times, especially Magnifico. Firstly, he has no interesting motive for his evil actions, when the plot was unengaging.

In terms of the plot, the movie with the motives being ambigudid not provide any groundbreak- ous and becoming void later in the RATING: 2 out of 5

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film. If he had not already held a position of power, or his motives were explored more and he used his tragic backstory to manipulate other characters, there would be some merit to his actions.

A huge component of animated Disney movies is the music.

With previous movies including grand, musical-esque pieces with addicting melodies and full instrumentals, “Wish” was a disappointment in this aspect as well.

The music composers for this movie both have backgrounds in the pop industry, as evident from the soundtrack. The songs lack the whimsical sound present in most Disney movies and emulate a more hollow and modern style, which is ironic since the movie aimed to mimic classic Disney.

Considering its attempt to celebrate Disney, “Wish” included some noticeable easter eggs such as a reference to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” but the film itself lacked any major themes, something that made other Disney movies more compelling. By the end, I felt I had nothing to take away from it. Usually, Disney films provide a life lesson or message of some sort, a valuable component absent from this movie. Ultimately, the movie tries to imitate hundreds of other Disney movies that do a much better job of what this one attempted to do.

Courtesy of Universal Music Publishing

Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘fruitcake’ features the whole spectrum of holiday music, including uplifting melodies, romantic songs, and sad tunes.

‘fruitcake’ captures Christmas spirit with heartbreak, romance slowest and most heartbreaking song, though relatable if you go through a breakup near

By Agna Soneji this time.

The next song, “is it new Growing pop sensation Sa- years yet,” brings back the brina Carpenter released her Christmas jingle and is more new Christmas extended play upbeat than the song before.

(EP) with “fruitcake” on No- After getting over her breakvember 17th with seven riv- up, the singer now anticipates eting songs. The EP covers all the New Year and the joys that ranges of holiday music, from come with leaving the love-injolly Christmas jingles to sad fested Christmas time. This snowy day songs to lovesick is also the only time she menromantic music. Carpenter tions the album’s name in any takes listeners through a roll- of the songs. I don’t think she ercoaster of emotions, as she meant for the title of the EP tells the emotional story of a to reference the sweet taste of Christmas-time breakup, from fruitcake but rather the symthe happy to the sad to the bit- bol it holds for Christmas.

Fruitcake is a common Christtersweet ending.

Most of the songs have a mas gift and the title fits behappy Christmas jingle in the cause her EP is similar; it isn’t background, giving it the per- exactly what you would typifect feeling for this time of cally expect a Christmas EP to the year. The opening song “A be, but it still does Christmas Nonsense Christmas” is a hol- music justice.

The song “white xmas,” ends iday remix of her single “Nonsense.” I found myself sing- the EP with nostalgic meming the lyrics of “Nonsense” ories of classic Christmas instead of her new lyrics. It is songs. There are combinations my least favorite of the album of iconic Christmas phrases because it felt like she was try- sprinkled throughout the song. ing to get the same publicity She sings the first line of jingle for this song that “Nonsense” bells at the end as well. It is soft attracted. This song feels a lit- and brings a good closing to the tle out of place with the rest of EP. I was expecting most of the the EP, where she talks songs in the EP to be like about her progression in this one, but the story a relationship, because she builds was a pleasant “A Nonsense Christmas” surprise. Unlike most is just a Christmas song. albums, Carpenter takes MUSIC The song “buy me you through a story in REVIEW presents” is an upbeat this EP, rather than just song with a Christmas having individual, ranjingle in the background. It is domly placed songs on an allike most romantic Christmas bum.

Carpenter’s vocals throughsongs and has a catchy ring to it. Like Carpenter, the song is out the album show her range; witty and fun. I like how the she doesn’t sing in one exact allusion to Santa Claus makes genre. The differences in style the song more lighthearted between the songs show how she has developed, especially and funny.

The position of the two songs since the beginning of her ca“santa doesn’t know you like I reer.

My favorite is “buy me presdo” and “cindy lou who” completely contrast each other. ents” because it is upbeat and The song “cindy lou who” is witty, but everyone can find a about Carpenter’s boyfriend song that they enjoy on this EP. cheating on her with Cindy When listening to the EP as a Lou but Carpenter was just whole, you’ll feel a wide range lamenting about how close she of emotions, and each song is is with her boyfriend in “san- perfect on its own. The EP is ta doesn’t know you like I do.” more than just a basic ChristI think “cindy lou who” is the mas album.

RATING: 4 out of 5

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Rating Key Home Alone Elf Bad Santa Polar Express Nutcracker

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‘Saltburn’ crashes and burns on the big screen place in the Saltburn estate and follows the psychotic tendencies of Oliver Quick, revealing

By Paarth Gupta him to be a disturbed psychopath who will do anything for The psychedelic genre has love, attachment, and money.

With its bright colors and consistently been one of the hardest genres to operate vividly detailed sets, the film within for filmmakers. There was visually stunning. The sets are greats in the genre such as added a sense of grandeur to “Get Out” and “Shutter Island,” the film and helped it portray and then there are disasters. the truly elite nature of the up“Saltburn,” released on Nov.17, per class. However, the direccrashed, burned, and solidified tor made the artistic decision itself, in my eyes, as one of the to film the movie in box format, worst films in the entire genre meaning that the movie did not take up the whole screen and one of the worst films and instead looked like released this year. an old black-and-white The film follows the TV show. The filming forstory of Oliver Quick mat was off-putting and (Barry Keoghan), a scholMOVIE irritating and would have arship student at OxREVIEW looked similar on my ford University. Quick own TV, making the theis portrayed as a socially awkward young adult with his ater’s screen useless. This fact only friends being the intelli- overtook any positivity regardgent but nerdy students at the ing the presentation, making it school. Quick then develops an visually unappealing overall.

However, the worst part of unlikely friendship with an extremely popular and sociable the film was the actual content student at the school named of the story. The first act of the Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). film was horrifically slow and Quick slowly becomes roman- didn’t seem to move the plot tically obsessed with Catton anywhere. Although the movie in an abnormal, perverse, and did pick up in the second half, almost psychotic way. Catton, the film still lacked any sembeing from a rich family full blance of direction or purpose of upper-class elites, invites and was disorganized all the Quick to his family home, way through. The film was also called Saltburn, for the sum- extremely choppy and lacked mer. The rest of the film takes proper transitions between RATING: 1.5 out of 5

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scenes, making the flow hard to follow and the overall film extremely confusing. After the credits rolled, I found myself unable to understand the plot of the film as the motives of all the characters were extremely unclear and underdeveloped.

Worse than the plot, however, were the explicit scenes.

These scenes were vile and disturbing, causing the film to become close to unwatchable. In the psychedelic film genre, it is often the goal of the director to make audiences somewhat uncomfortable. However, in this case, due to the depravity of Quick’s actions, the scenes were unhinged and almost traumatizing to the point where it became impossible to keep watching.

The only bright spot of the entire film was the performances. The cast put on nuanced and eerie performances that helped set a creepy and vile tone to the movie. Specifically, Barry Keoghan gave such a stellar performance, I was finding it difficult to separate him from the character.

This film, due to its star-studded cast and popularity among film festival critics, was highly anticipated by many. After watching the film, it’s safe to say that “Saltburn” completely missed the mark, giving me relief when it finally ended.

Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) gets passionate with his team.

‘Next Goal Wins’ scores adequate performance

because he was the best goalkeeper American Samoa ever had.

By Akshaj Kashyap Through many trials and tribulations, Rongen builds “Next Goal Wins” is a movie team camaraderie by climbing that was released on Nov. 17 a mountain. He also uses “us about the struggling Ameri- vs. them” terminology to motican Samoa men’s soccer team vate the players to win against and its journey towards getting Tonga, the team they are playits first win with the help of a ing against next.

Upon first seeing Kaimaforeign coach from the United na’s character, I couldn’t help States.

Thomas Rongen (Michael but worry that her character Fassbender), a Dutch-Amer- might be another attempt at ican coach, faces the option surface-level diversity. Howof either losing his job or ac- ever, I was relieved to learn cepting a job coaching the she was based on a real person, American Samoa team, which dispelling my initial concerns hasn’t won a game in 28 years. of forced inclusion. Despite Rongen, struggling with anger having to watch a few awkissues and also now separat- ward scenes, I appreciated the ed from his wife, realizes he genuine effort to weave her doesn’t really have much of a into the storyline. While her choice and reluctantly accepts role was slightly exaggerated, it effectively portrayed a the position. well-rounded character.

Rongen is not particularly likable with his anKaimana’s journey navigating personal strugger issues and repulsive gles and growth provided behavior. He does have a MOVIE meaningful representaredemption arc, which, REVIEW tion for the LGBTQ+ comwhile not perfectly craftmunity. Overall, the chared, was effective in making the audience empathize acter felt more than just a with him if not excuse his be- token effort, contributing authentically to the narrative. havior.

The film succeeds in the maUpon arriving in American Samoa, Rongen begins to un- jority of the comedy scenes derstand that life on the island as the actors play their parts is far from luxurious, but can wonderfully while also providstill be quite peaceful. When ing comedic relief at the right coaching the national team, he times. Taika Waititi is a popquickly realizes that they have ular director who previously never properly learned the directed “Thor: Ragnarok” and fundamentals of soccer and do now “Next Goal Wins.” He innot possess a professional and jects his own fun style into the dedicated mindset. For this movie that avoids an overly reason, he is quite harsh on the serious atmosphere through players, leading to him being colorful stylistic choices and mentally distant. At this point, specific character acting that Rongen also meets Jaiyah subverts expectations. Critics Saelua (Kaimana), a transgen- may consider the style choice der athlete, and makes trans- disrespectful considering the phobic comments towards her film covers an important hisand does not respect her cho- torical moment, but it stays in line with the American Samoa sen name.

Although Rongen’s relation- philosophy of simply having ship with the players starts out fun with the “The Beautiful very rocky, he gradually gains Game.”

The overall plot of the movie, empathy and begins to make amends after realizing the sac- a disgraced coach looking for rifices the players are making redemption through coaching in order to keep the national a struggling team is very cut & team running. Rongen also paste and unoriginal. The only mends his relationship with unique aspects are the parts foSaelua by learning more about cusing on Saelua, who was the her. He also travels around the first openly transgender womisland with her to recruit other an to compete in FIFA. Looking past some of the plot American Samoan players to issues, the movie was enjoyjoin the team.

One particularly important able and had an inspiring story. recruit is Nicky Salapu (Uli There were comedic moments Latukefu), the goalkeeper who situated throughout the film, played in the infamous 31-0 but it still delved into social loss to Australia 10 years pri- issues without straying too or. Salapu, feeling ashamed of far from the main topic of the the loss, had quit the team, but American Samoa national socRongen wanted him to rejoin cer team.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5



Courtesy of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group

Coriolanus Snow (left) introduces himself to Lucy Gray Baird (right) after her arrival to the Capitol of Panem.

‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ delivers tribute to infamous character about Baird, he begins to fall in love with her, causing him to secretly give her items and

By Sidhant Burela valuable information so she has a better chance of survival.

Set as a prequel to the “The However, as the film progressHunger Games” franchise es, Snow begins to fall further movies, “The Hunger Games: from his goal of opposing the The Ballad of Songbirds & government and more towards Snakes” shows the backstory the idea of power. He begins of popular villain Coriolanus killing innocents to allow Baird Snow (Tom Blyth). Directed to live, becoming a hypocrite to

by Francis Lawrence, who di- his ideals. This spiral into madness sets up Snow to be rected all previous “Hunthe antagonist in the main ger Games” movies, the films of the franchise. film showcases the young The standout perforSnow and his transition from a promising mentor MOVIE mance in this film is, to the tyrannical presiREVIEW Blyth’s performance as Coriolanus Snow. Blyth dent he later becomes.

The film, like all the other shows the young and naive movies in the franchise, focus- Snow as someone wanting to es on the Hunger Games, an make a change but going about event created by the govern- it in the wrong way. His idea of ment to enact punishment on making the tributes more apthe districts, where tributes, pealing to the public makes the those people selected for the games more popular, which games, fight to the death. Snow creates a higher demand for is tasked with mentoring a the games and decades of more tribute from the lowest-rank- death. The film shows Snow’s ing district, Lucy Gray Baird delicate fall into insanity as (Rachel Zegler). To give Baird he justifies his killings, all for the best chance of survival, the greater good of protecting Snow makes Baird more ap- Baird. pealing to the public.

However, this film has some Early on, we see Snow as flaws, the most glaring being someone who opposes the idea its terrible pacing. The movof the games. As he learns more ie is split into three parts: RATING: 4 out of 5



pre, during, and post-Hunger Games. In the beginning, there is a good progression of giving each of the characters their motivations and backgrounds.

However, towards the end of the movie, the pacing begins to fall apart. For example, Snow is shown as a moral character through the first and second parts, but towards the end, he rejects those ideals. Although it sets up his later role as an antagonist, the shift from moral to evil does not progress as it should, but instead feels more like the flick of a switch.

Additionally, the love story between Snow and Baird confused me. Almost immediately, the two of them have a connection despite being from different districts with obvious prejudices towards each other. The awkward timeline and progression of their romance, causes the connection between Snow and Baird to be quite shallow.

Despite the movie’s flaws, it will still delight fans of the franchise. Seeing the development of a hated character was rewarding despite the awkward pacing, and delivers a captivating narrative that adds a lot to the overall Hunger Games universe.

12

THE UNION

DECEMBER 2023

SPORTS

Wrencher scores 35th spot as top high Moneyball: All that goes into school basketball recruit in California paying for school athletics

By Tanisha Varma

Junior Jacob Wrencher began his basketball journey when he first learned to walk and how to steal basketballs from other kids on the playground, Jacob Wrencher’s father and varsity basketball coach Champ Wrencher said.

Now, Jacob Wrencher stands at number 35 on the top 100 list of California recruits to play college basketball, according to Prep Hoops.

“Basketball has been a passion of mine since I was little,” Jacob Wrencher said. “I’ve been playing since I was five or six. I’ve always liked competing and it’s something I look forward to.”

Basketball was something that Champ Wrencher and his son did for fun, but around eight years old, he started to get serious about the game, Champ Wrencher said.

Watching Jacob Wrencher evolve into the player he is today has been fun, he added.

“He asked to play on a youth team and asked if I could really coach him,” Champ Wrencher said. “I told him he wasn’t going to like it, but that’s what he wanted, so I started to train him. At some

point, he became tall and, combined with his love for the game, his passion grew.”

A part of Jacob’s passion stemmed from wanting to play like his dad, who played division-one basketball at Auburn University, Jacob Wrencher said.

Champ Wrencher coaches his son in the same manner that he does with other players, if not harsher, he added.

“He’s helped me get out of my comfort zone in all areas of the game, mental and physical,” Jacob Wrencher said.

As for the top 100 list, at times, it can be humbling to see all the people ahead in terms of skill level, but the statistics and lists are mostly just numbers, Jacob Wrencher said.

“I mean, it’s good to know what other people are doing and where you stand amongst them, but for the most part, I just try to keep to myself and improve my own game,” Jacob Wrencher said.

Jacob Wrencher’s playing style revolves around creating scoring opportunities for himself and his other teammates, Jacob Wrencher said. His biggest challenge was playing on an Adidas team

Courtesy of Jacob Wrencher

Jacob Wrencher plays in a game against Woodside High last season.

last year where he was told to limit the amount of shots to take, he added.

“I had to learn how to be told not to shoot so much and to not have possession of the ball as much,” Jacob Wrencher said. “I stayed with that team from April to July.”

Champ Wrencher saw his son struggle with frustration due to not being the star player, he said.

However, the experience helped him to mature as a player and person, he added.

“He had a very reserved role,” Champ Wrencher said. “Sticking with the team despite getting other offers from other teams was a big challenge, but he never wanted to quit.”

Another challenge Jacob Wrencher has had to face was his injury; he fractured his tibia in July and has been taking a break from playing, he said.

“Trying to get back into the feel of things has been a challenge,” Jacob Wrencher said. “It has made me appreciate the game more and made me realize how much I take basketball for granted. I will get cleared soon to resume playing on the high school team, but I’ve been doing a lot of watching (the school team) lately,” he added.

The player rankings and statistics can cause competition within the school basketball team itself, Jacob Wrencher’s teammate junior Lamont Davis said. Everyone wants to be at the next level and on the websites and lists, but Jacob Wrencher has proved to be deserving of the rank through his hard work and desire to win, he added.

“Being friends with him helps with chemistry on and off the court,” Davis said. “It’s fun playing with someone that you’re close to and (who) loves playing the sport.”

Jacob Wrencher hopes to earn a scholarship for college and eventually transition to playing basketball professionally, he said. For now, he is focusing on the present and is excited to come back from his injury for the upcoming school season, he said.

Gupta, Khinvasara achieve success at national level table tennis competitions

By Kevin TIng

Competing at the national level for a sport requires years of dedication and training, and it’s no different for table tennis. Senior Muskan Gupta and senior Arnav Khinvasara have both been playing table tennis for many years and are currently competing at the national level, according to usatt.org.

Gupta started playing table tennis after attending a few sessions at a local club around seven years ago, she said.

“I was trying a bunch of things that summer,” Gupta said. “I remember I tried guitar, I was doing art, and a bunch of other stuff.

I guess it’s like the only one that really stuck.”

What made table tennis stick was the influence of Gupta’s first table tennis teacher, she said.

“I had a really good coach at the time,” Gupta said. “She was my first coach, and she was the sister of the number one player in the United States for mens (singles).

She was really nice to me, and she became my close friend. I think her motivating me to keep going was what really made me stick to table tennis.”

Competing at the national level wasn’t always Gupta’s goal; initially, she just wanted to stay active, she said.

“Honestly, I didn’t think I’d get

here,” Gupta said. “I have had a lot of obstacles in my way since I was little. I always hoped I could be at that level, but I think another part of me always just thought that I would never get here.”

Before becoming a part of the national team, Gupta had to climb the rankings in her division, she said.

“You need to be within the top eight (for your age group) of the country to compete for it, so I competed for the U-19 girls,” Gupta said. “There’s also sets where you also have to be top four to compete, such as in the Pan American Games.”

Gupta’s path to becoming a member of the national table tennis team also involved complications with her residential status, she said.

“My number one obstacle was that I wasn’t a U.S. citizen,” Gupta said. “So I couldn’t even try to compete to be on the national team. And when I finally did get my citizenship, COVID-19 happened. But from there I just kept working, I kept motivating myself, and I am where I am because of it.”

As a member of the national team, Gupta and her teammates qualified for the International Table Tennis Federation World Youth Championships in 2023, which took place in Slovenia, she said.

“You have to first compete in the Pan American Youth Games,” Gupta said. “We competed against countries from around the Americas. The team that wins gets to play in World Youth, and we won.”

Khinvasara started playing table tennis for fun in third grade, but it eventually became his main sport, he said.

“I played other sports at the time too, like soccer, until around seventh grade, ” Khinvasara said.

The path to becoming a nationally ranked player was not easy, especially at the start, Khinvasara said.

“I was not good (when starting out),” Khinvasara said. “I had to work really hard, and I still do. I was close to making the national team last year, and that’s my goal for this year.”

The amount of motivation Khinvasara had for the sport was also essential to his success, he said.

“I actually quit for a year because I just got really demotivated,” Khinvasara said. “It was hard to like seeing people really high up at the same age as me at first, but I had to work hard to get back to competing with them.”

Khinvasara also participated in the 2023 U.S. National Championships in the under 2400 ratings category, a ratings system for table tennis players based on their

Before a sports season kicks off, there are numerous hours of effort put in by coaches, the athletic department, and even student-athletes to fundraise for the sport they are so dedicated to, according to Athletic Director Joanna Butcher.

After a meeting with the assistant superintendent of finance in June, Butcher found out that the only funding Milpitas High receives for athletics is minimal compensation for coaches, she said. For this reason, effectively the entire athletic budget of the high school comes from fundraising, she added.

“The athletic department relies on ticket sales, fundraising, and donations in regards to funding,” Butcher said.

Only certain sports are allowed to have ticket sales and the pricing is determined by the League Board of Commissioners, so there isn’t an option to get more money through that avenue, Butcher said.

“When it comes to distribution based on money for different sports teams, it’s never going to be exactly dollar for dollar, but it’s getting what they need,” Butcher said. “So non-revenue producing sports that don’t have officials cost — like umpires, referees, etc — are going to receive less money but also because they need less money. It’s an equity matter, not equality.”

Each individual sport is mostly responsible for its own expenses, such as equipment and travel costs, Butcher said. Thus, not every sport has the exact same fundraisers, both because each sport has different needs and because different coaches lead them, she added. For example, the head coach for the varsity boys basketball, Champ Wrencher, leads multiple fundraisers throughout the year which raise thousands of dollars every year, he said.

“Starting in June, we run a basketball camp for elementary and

middle school kids and we bring in about 130 or 140 kids for about 18 hours over the course of three days,” Wrencher said. “We provide a venue for them to come into play and just get to learn basketball and then also get to brush up on some fundamentals.”

After that, in the fall, the basketball team runs a youth league for kids in third to eighth grade, Wrencher said. They practice during the week, and games are held every Sunday, he said.

“I supervise everything, but the players are the ones that run it,” Wrencher said. “They coach, they referee, they do most of the hands-on stuff, except for the camp where I do most of the instruction.”

Another method of fundraising that is almost universal is some form of Vertical raise, Snap raise (an online platform for crowdfunding, specifically for sports fundraising), or email fundraiser, Butcher said.

“All the money we generate goes right back into the soccer program, which means getting practice jerseys, practice equipment, new soccer balls and other stuff like that,” boys soccer head coach James Williams said. “Last year I was able to get a new camera system for varsity, and this year I was able to get another camera to use for both varsity and JV (Junior Varsity).”

For many coaches, there is certain equipment that needs to be replaced every year, but most equipment they try to get it to last as long as possible, Williams said.

For soccer, socks are something that needs to be bought again every year, he added.

“The fundraising activities are the best part for me because our guys work in these fundraisers and so they’re learning all kinds of things about responsibility and community service,” Wrencher said. “We meet a lot of people in the community (…) and so fundraising is really good for community outreach and a good tool to develop leadership in our players.”

wins, he said.

“There are different events that you play based on your rating,” Khinvasara said. “It was a particularly memorable moment to win (U-19 singles).”

Ultimately, table tennis is a sport that has taught Khinvasara

lessons that he brings into his own life, he said.

“It taught me resilience because you’re often down a lot in matches and games, and you have to have it in you to come back,” Khinvasara said. “That’s what’s really important.”

By Akshaj Kashyap

Courtesy of Muskan Gupta

Muskan Gupta prepares to serve at an ICC competition on Oct. 28.

DECEMBER 2023

THE UNION

SPORTS

13

Students who cross-train show resilience across a multitude of sports

By Maryam Mohamed

Cross-training denotes when an athlete is involved in two or more sports and typically requires lots of effort and discipline. Junior Carmella Henderson, who runs cross country and plays hockey, and junior Jovalin Victorino, who runs cross country and plays basketball, are both students who cross-train.

Victorino started playing basketball at five years old, and her love for the sport has grown throughout the years, Victorino said. She played for youth basketball organization National Junior Basketball, Thomas Russell Middle School’s basketball team, and varsity girls basketball, she added. She tried soccer, swimming,

and softball around the same time but wasn’t as attached to any of them, she added. “(Other sports) didn’t really interest me as much as basketball, which is fast-paced and has a lot of communication,” Victorino said.

In her junior year, Victorino decided to try cross country after her brother joined the team, she said. “(I thought) this could be a great opportunity for me to get fit for basketball and improve my stamina,” Victorino said.

Victorino trained for two basketball teams while the cross country season was in session, which meant she had two hours of cross country practice and one and a half hours of basketball practice every single day, with

Courtesy of Michael Perone

Carmella Henderson takes a face-off during a hockey game in October.

competitions for both on certain weekends, Victorino said.

“I really enjoy being outside, breathing in nature, and the sun outside, because basketball is usually played inside and hours of practice can get a little draining,” Victorino said. “Cross country helps balance the basketball and how many hours are spent in the gym.”

In preparation for the season, Victorino lifted weights this past summer and tries to avoid muscle strain and injury by stretching, watching her diet, and drinking lots of water, Victorino said. She balances school work and sports by asking her parents to help monitor distractions, she added.

“I think having enough discipline to stay motivated to do homework after a long day and a longer practice was the most difficult part,” Victorino said. “But once you get through the week, you feel so relieved on the weekend.”

Carmella Henderson began playing hockey at eight years old and has had a variety of different coaches over the years, she said.

She was influenced to start playing by her dad, who encouraged both her and her brother to join the sport, she added.

“The hockey community is amazing,” Carmella Henderson said. “They’re really supportive, and some of the friends I made when I was eight—when I started—I’m still really close to now.”

Training for the MHS cross country team was every day after school, and meets were held on some weekends, Carmella Henderson said. Hockey training was one to two times a week, and games were also held on the weekends, she added.

“I try to stay on top of my school stuff during the school day so I have less to do at home,” Carmella

Cheerleaders lack competitive team due to inexperience, inconsistent coaching

By Paarth Gupta

Competitive cheerleading is one of the most popular activities in the world, with millions of participants at the school level, according to usacheer.org. MHS currently has a sideline cheerleading team but does not have a competitive cheerleading team, according to MHS athletics.

The biggest issue in creating a competitive cheerleading team is the fact that everyone on the team is inexperienced, varsity cheer captain and senior Katie Leng said.

“I think the biggest hurdle is that, in the competitive cheer world, there’s a lot of rules and regulations and, for a team that’s

unfamiliar with that, we would all be going in as newbies and that initial shock would definitely be very hard to overcome,” Leng said.

Additionally, the current sideline cheerleading team does not seem to be ready for competition as the caliber of the team doesn’t seem to meet the competition, varsity cheerleader and senior Janelyn Liban said.

“I don’t think we’re good enough right now,” Liban said. “We don’t really train the way that competitive cheer would because we’re not a sport. I think we should be training with professionals before we even get into that,” she said.

Five years ago, however, efforts were made by the athletic department to create a competitive

Erick Johnson | THE UNION

Senior Katie Leng performs during the Homecoming game halftime.

cheerleading team but due to a lack of initiative and passion from the team, they couldn’t make it happen, Athletic Director Joanna Butcher said.

“We put them in, we paid all the money for them to get sanctioned as competitive cheer, and then they didn’t do it. So, the only issue we’ve had is we haven’t had follow-through,” Butcher said.

Inconsistent coaching and leadership has made it so that the cheerleading team hasn’t been organized enough to try and go competitive, Liban said.

“We haven’t had the same coaches because some quit, then we had a period of time where there wasn’t a formal coach and our current coaches are new, so we’re all just trying to figure it out,” Liban said. “The coaches are trying to give us as much as they can, but it’s hard because they haven’t been with us for as long as they would want,” she said.

The team has to understand that competitive cheerleading is a lot harder than sideline cheerleading and the commitment is much deeper than what they’ve experienced, so far, Butcher said.

“Going from a sideline where you practice two to three times a week and then, all of a sudden, having to do conditioning is difficult,” Butcher said. “Competitive cheerleading is more than just dancing; you have to do a lot of strength training. It’s about understanding that it’s a change in the direction and the expectations,” she said. “If they’re going to be a sport, they have to be practicing five days a week, they won’t be a club anymore, so the expectations change.”

The current sideline cheerlead-

Henderson said. “That way I can focus on the double sports I have that day or just have a little bit more time to rest.”

While she is most dedicated to hockey and running, Carmella Henderson also tried figure skating when she was younger and wrestling in high school, she said.

She currently runs for varsity girls cross country and is a rotating captain for her hockey team, she added.

“One of the lessons that I’ve

learned (from training) is that you can’t learn to win unless you handle defeat first,” Carmella Henderson said.

Carmella Henderson’s father Jim Henderson is her biggest cheerleader and has helped her get better at hockey, Jim Henderson said.

“As far as training for any sport, my philosophy has always been, ‘Don’t worry about the sport, worry about yourself and your confidence first,’” Jim Henderson said.

Courtesy of Michael Perone

An MHS soccer player competes for the ball in a match against Harker.

How athletes prep for matches The benches out on the soccer field were filled with each athlete’s own pre-game item, someone’s lucky water bottle, athletes’ headbands, or specific colored socks. So much goes into each game and tournament for school athletes that one can’t help but wonder what goes on behind the scenes.

Varsity soccer player Andre Bahena prays before each of his games and also enjoys spending time with his teammates beforehand, he said.

“Before the game we try to hang out a little bit,” Bahena said. “Not any specific ritual or anything like that. We just like to spend some time together and not focus on soccer.”

While he would prefer the entire team to spend more time together, it is mostly the teammates he is closest to that he spends time with before each game, Bahena added.

“It’s certain people (that I spend time with) and then sometimes we do go as a whole team to eat,” Bahena said.

Junior varsity boys basketball captain Jesiah Caampued said his team is not as closely bonded, but their coaches are proactive in fostering team unity through organized team building events.

“We’re gonna go to our assistant coach’s house (…) to eat dinner, have fun, and get better,” Caampued said.

When asked about his diet, Bahena said he takes many vitamins and supplements, like Vitamin A, C, D, and potassium.

“I have my own diet. (Our coaches) don’t really tell us what to eat,” Bahena said. “I wouldn’t say I have a strict diet because I do eat fast food, but I mainly try

to keep clean.”

The basketball team’s diet is a lot stricter, Caampued said. “(Our coaches) tell us a lot of things…what not to eat and what to eat,” Caampued said.

To get rid of pre-game nerves, or games against especially tough rival teams, the JV basketball team enjoys listening to loud music and running warmups together to ensure they are on top of their game, but also to loosen up and have fun, Caampued said.

“Relax, know that you can have fun,” Bahena said. “I feel you really have to believe in your team. If you truly think your team’s good, then I feel like you should think that you’re gonna be good (on the field).”

Varsity wrestler Rylee Carreon also believes that getting over pre-game nerves is in his mindset, he said. Self-talk and music help him focus on the game and get in the right mindset to overcome pre-game nerves.

“The mentality is where it all starts,” Carreon said. “If you’re not in the right mentality, how are you going to perform well? You can’t just expect yourself to go in there without a winning mentality.”

For the wrestling team, preparation extends beyond rituals to rigorous practice sessions, Carreon said. The culmination of these efforts becomes evident when they step onto the mat, fully prepared for the upcoming game, he said. While it is just as important to focus on preparation, knowing you are playing a sport you love is something you remind yourself of, Carreon added.

“You know, it’s my school,” Caampued said. “I love to play, so I just want to get there and play and support the team that I have in front of me.”

ing team, however, is ready for the commitment and wants to be given the opportunity to be competitive, Leng said.

“I think there is definitely interest from the team in being competitive,” Leng said, “I think it would help people become more interested in the sport, not just the team, but people on campus, as well,” she said, “Going competitive would help us grow and scale.”

Cheerleading, as a sport, is also not taken seriously by the school and society in general, Liban said.

“Everyone has a mindset already that cheerleaders are mean or sassy,” Liban said, “No one really takes it seriously. They think that everything we do is easy.”

Cheerleading, as a sport, would get more praise and respect

around the school if it was to be made a competitive team, Leng said.

“I definitely do think that competitive sports are held to a higher regard and they get more recognition on campus,” Leng said, “If our team were to become competitive, we would get more funding and recognition on campus,” she said.

Most people seem to be unaware about the difficulty of cheerleading and what it entails, Leng said.

“I definitely think, in general, people don’t see cheerleading for what it is,” Leng said, “I did competitive cheer for two years and it’s a lot harder. After immersing myself in the cheer world, I see cheerleading for what it actually is and I think that most people choose not to.”

By Dhara Mehta

14

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DECEMBER 2023

DECEMBER 2023

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15

Some students boycott Starbucks to show support for Palestinians

By Agna Soneji

Courtesy of Celina Reyes

Garbage covered the floor and there was urine on the restroom floors.

Girls’ locker room left in mess after game against Terra Nova High School

By Kevin Ting

After the football match with Terra Nova High School on Oct. 27, the girls’ locker rooms were left in a mess, with trash left all over the floor and the bathrooms being left in a dirty condition, physical education (PE) teacher Celina Reyes said. Although there have been messes left behind after certain matches, the condition of the locker rooms that was left after this match was unusually worse, she said.

“There was lots of tape everywhere, garbage everywhere, clothing everywhere,” Reyes said.

“You can tell that people opened lockers and pulled stuff out. And then in every single toilet in the entire locker room, there was urine, lots of it. And on the floor too.”

Reyes is not sure if the mess created was an act of vandalism or a lack of manners, but it was excessive, she said.

“It was never to this extent,” Reyes said. “We’ve had the locker room left dirty (with) Gatorade, bottles, tape—not this.”

Sometimes, a custodian cleans the locker rooms before the next school day, which did not happen this time, Reyes said.

“We had to kick everybody out

of the locker room,” Reyes said.

“And then we had a custodian and I think the custodian supervisor came down to look at it. We even took pictures of it.”

Varsity football assistant coach Vito Cangemi believes that it’s important for visiting teams to treat the other school with respect, he said.

“Visiting teams should always clean up after themselves,” Cangemi said. “It’s common courtesy.”

The MHS athletics department reached out to Terra Nova High School’s athletics department to discuss the incident, Assistant Principal Jonathan Mach said.

“I am in good faith because it’s the first time that we’ve had this type of interaction with them in our area,” Mach said. “I can’t just really just pin it on the school, but we can start communication, or maybe we have to lay our expectations out a little bit better.”

Mach believes that the incident was not due to ill intent, as the Terra Nova football team did not believe they had created a mess, he said.

“We always work with people, and if they don’t live up to our expectations, we can always model what we’re looking for,” Mach said.

Courtesy of Scott Forstner

Superintendent Jordan (right) attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Wellness Center reopens in J17 FROM PAGE 1 elementary, but it regulates their bodies,” Stewart said. “Then they can go back to class not just to go back to class and not be here, but to go back to class and actually learn because our brains can’t absorb any information if our nervous system is dysregulated.”

The wellness center will continue to be vital for students, as it may prevent tragedies from occurring, Norwood said.

“We look forward to the center’s growth,” Dewan said. “We’ll be collecting the data and observing its impact and how well it serves the Milpitas High School community.”

Shortly after Oct. 7, the Starbucks Workers United union tweeted, “Solidarity with Palestine” along with a picture of a bulldozer tearing down a border fence during Hamas’s attack on Israel on X, according to the New York Post.

In a statement on Starbucks’ website on Oct. 17, a representative of Starbucks said about the tweet, “Unfortunately, as violence against the innocent in the region continues to escalate, some people are mistakenly tying these remarks to us, because Workers United and its affiliates and members continue to use our name, logo and intellectual property.”

After Workers United refused to “cease and desist from using the Starbucks name and branding and disengage from dialogue misrepresenting the Company’s position on the Israel-Hamas war,” Starbucks filed a lawsuit against the union, according to Starbucks’ website.

However, the coffee company’s action sparked outrage from many on social media who presumed Starbucks’ stance to be supporting Israel, prompting the start of the Starbucks boycott, according to an article from NBC News. The hashtag #starbucksboycott on TikTok now has almost 50 million videos, according to the TikTok app.

As a show of solidarity with Palestine, many students are protesting against Starbucks, Star-

bucks employee and senior Annabelle Chao said.

In a school-wide survey conducted by The Union, from a pool of 160 students, 40% of students said that they are participating in the Starbucks boycott.

Although Chao has seen fewer young adults frequent the Starbucks where she works, there hasn’t been a significant difference in the number of people who regularly buy from her location of Starbucks, she said.

There has been a growing trend on social media for many people to boycott Starbucks, sometimes with no idea about why they are doing so, said senior Arliya Ghosh, who is participating in the Starbucks boycott. People have to care enough for the boycott to make a difference, Ghosh said.

“A similar boycott happened during the Black Lives Matter movement where people said to boycott Starbucks and many other businesses,” Ghosh said.

“What ended up happening was that when the BLM movement died down, and it wasn’t so popular, everyone started supporting those businesses again.”

Since Starbucks is so widely available and consistent with how they make their drinks, it is a convenient place for people to shop, and many people will probably go back to Starbucks after the movement dies down, Ghosh said.

“I know that I cannot contribute a lot to help stop the war; I know that by not purchasing Starbucks as I used to do, even

though it’s a very small impact, doing something small is better than doing nothing,” senior Ashley Ramirez said.

Ramirez sees Philz Coffee as a better alternative for buying coffee because it is a Palestinian-founded business, Ramirez said. There are many businesses that have their own opinions on the conflict and people should educate themselves on what companies they choose to support, Ramirez said.

“No matter how many people are made aware of Starbucks’ opinion on the situation, people still value their own convenience over something that is not happening in their own country,” Chao said. “People are still coming in no matter what.”

Although it may seem like the efforts people have made to boycott have not made a difference, Ramirez has seen multiple Starbucks locations in San Francisco close but she acknowledges that there is no proof that these Starbucks have shut down because of the protests, she said.

“My generation is doing a fantastic job by showing their support within this war,” Ramirez said. “I’m going to be honest: it’s a very small fraction of our generation that is actually doing something and others are simply ignoring what is going on. But for the people who are within our generation that are actually helping and raising their voices, I genuinely think there is a big chance for change in the future within our government.”

NEWS

DECEMBER 2023

Science teachers receive educational grants FROM PAGE 1 2018, Jung said. MCEF hopes to double the amount to $200,000

by June 2024 to increase the grant to $10,000, Jung said.

“As we grow the organization, we would love to be able to help

the district become the strongest in our county,” Jung said.

MCEF’s annual grant applications are due on Sep. 30 of each year, and winners are evaluated and selected by a grant committee in October, Jung said.

In April of the following year,

awardees make a presentation or infographic that is posted on the MCEF website, Jung added.

“This is meant as a seed for the community to really own this particular organization, to commit to public education for the future for our kids,” Jung said.

THE UNION

16

State requires ethnic studies for students FROM PAGE 1 other countries on a map,’” Nair said. “But when you compare looking a little uneducated on paper versus actually being able to understand social intricacies and things about culture and society, I feel like there’s clearly one that’s more important than the other.”

Ethnic studies can foster a greater sense of empathy for people, Lorenzana said.

“One of the goals of (ethnic studies literature) is to expose our very diverse student population to the histories and stories

of people that come from different backgrounds to find things that are different, but also to find things that are in common,” Lorenzana said. “If you learn about a culture that is different from your own, you can see where there are parallels and things, like certain values that people have in terms of family, respect, whatever the case may be. Then you can kind of bridge that understanding from ‘Your culture is different from mine, but I have learned something that I can value, respect, and understand, so now I understand you a little bit better.’”

Are you taking Ethnic Studies?

4.9%

YES

Courtesy of Milpitas Unified School District

The MCEF board announces its fifth annual education grant recipients. The winners were science teachers at MHS and Curtner Elementary: Letta Meyer, Robert Alvelais, Naomi Patner, Natalie Tice, and Mary Paek.

Omegle shutdown prompts victims to speak on experiences

By Ruby Bui

Popular video chat website Omegle shut down on Nov. 8 after a young woman filed a lawsuit against them, according to the article “Video chat site Omegle shuts down after 14 years — and an abuse victim’s lawsuit” by National Public Radio.

Unsolicited exposure to other users was a common occurrence on Omegle, making it more difficult for the creator to moderate the website, senior Alanna Le, who has used Omegle various times, said.

“I feel like a lot of these men look to take advantage of young naive girls,” Le said. “Thankfully, I did not fall into that trap or do anything with them, but there are some victims out there (…) Maybe they felt pressured or they were in a negative headspace at the time and just wanted someone to talk to.”

Senior Omar Padilla has used the website more than 20 times in an attempt to have fun with others, he said. However, Padilla was flashed with nudity many times,

he added.

“I think the purpose of Omegle was to connect people from all around the world to get to know each other, but I think it did fall into the wrong hands with some people,” Padilla said.

Le visited the site with friends, as going on Omegle alone wasn’t a good idea, she said. When Le was younger, briefly chatting with random people seemed fun, she added.

“I’ve experienced racism and sexual harassment, or nonconsensual sexual activity on the website, as it is known for,” Le said. “There were many racial slurs used against me and a lot of people.”

Senior Kayton Nguyen witnessed underage drug use and indecent exposure from multiple people, he said.

It was common on Omegle to “have people being mean, and also have some select individuals exposing themselves specifically to children,” Nguyen said.

Although Nguyen has had many negative experiences with Omegle, he also had positive interac-

tions with others using the site, he said.

“I actually met the manager of AutoZone on Omegle, and he’s been offering me a job, but I’m not taking it,” Nguyen said. “That manager, we’ve been friends for years now.”

Padilla had genuine and positive conversations with users on the website as well, despite the unsafe circumstances at other times, he said.

“I do feel kind of sad; I wish I went on it one more time just to say goodbye, you know,” Padilla said. “But I feel like it’s for the better because a lot of people were getting exposed to a lot of disgusting things.”

Overall, Le has some nostalgic and sad feelings about the site shutting down, she said.

“I feel like for our generation, it’s really nostalgic for us with all the YouTube content and all the memories we have on it,” Le said.

“But I do understand why it shut down as so many minors were on their website, and there were so many unsolicited activities that shouldn’t be happening.”

Eye on Campus: Cultural exchange students visit from the Philippines

Courtesy of Davin Jeng

Pilipinx United Student Organization (PUSO) and leadership hosted a banquet for exchange students from Dagupan, Philippines on Nov. 28. The exchange students toured classes with students at MHS for two days.

Should the Ethnic Studies class be a graduation requirement?

YES Data Courtesy of The Union Survey

166 students shared in a The Union survey if they have taken Ethnic Studies and if they believe it should be a graduation requirement.

MHS school site no longer hosts SAT FROM PAGE 1

that was a supersite.”

Another aspect that is causing the decline in SAT’s in general is many colleges’ decision to become test-optional, meaning that they no longer require an SAT score, 2022-2023 MHS SAT coordinator Justin Nguyen said in an email.

“With many colleges, including the UCs and CSUs, no longer requiring an SAT score as part of their application, the desire for students to take it has diminished,” Nguyen said.

The decreasing number of MHS students taking the test on campus is partly also because of College Board’s policies, Nguyen said.

“Worse off, College Board does not prioritize our own MHS students who wish to take the test to be placed into taking it at our MHS site,” Nguyen said.

The decision to stop hosting the SAT is not a permanent one, however, Mach said. If colleges begin to require standardized tests again or College Board appropriately pays proctors, the SAT or a new test colleges create may be

reimplemented, Mach added.

“I know that the UCs and CSUs are trying to figure out what the next test is in the future,” Mach said. At some point, somebody’s going to make whatever tests relevant and maybe colleges will pick it up at that point.”

Sophomore Abhinav Chakrad, who plans to take the SAT, feels that the school’s decision to stop hosting the SAT will take the resource of staying local away from students, Chakrad said.

“I think fewer people will take the SAT because it is harder to find now,” Chakrad said. “If we can’t find it in our own school, it is going to be harder to find one and harder to make the time to find one.”

With so much of the world changing, colleges will eventually change as well, Mach said.

“I think when the colleges come up with something different, things will change,” Mach said. “I think the colleges recognize that they need to change when the times change. Students back then were much different than the students now (…) Everything has to change just because the times are changing.”