The Northwood Howler Volume XXIII, Issue V: February 10, 2022

A Northwood High School Publication Volume XXIII, Issue V: February 10, 2022

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Clash of the Classes: School spirit comes howling back

Adrian Chen and Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler

ON YOUR MARK, T-WOLVES: Senior Joseph Harper (left) readies his aim for a second place finish in dodgeball. Meanwhile, sophomore Yahya Alsadeq (in front on top right) leads his class through a turbulent match with the juniors, while sophomores Max Ta and Muhanad Hilal (the two left on bottom right) gives an answer to the trivia judges.

By Parashar Bharadwaj

Staff Writer

Clash of the Classes, a series of events and competitions between all grade levels at Northwood, took place during the last week of January until Feb. 1 with the senior class taking home the win.

The freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors of Northwood vied to rack up the most points through lunchtime activities and dress-up days. The week’s schedule included Dodgeball, Guess the Song, Trivia, Tug-of-War and other activities for students to compete in.

“We wanted to bring back the fun rivalry between the classes from two years ago so that the different classes can unite and become closer

to one another,” ASB treasurer junior Jonathan Kang said. “Clash of the Classes brought a huge crowd and tons of cheering for their respective class.”

And cheer they did during the fitness decathlon. With planks, pushups and tug-of-war, students displayed their physical prowess throughout the challenges. Notably, freshman Sophia Yang held a plank for an impressive eight minutes, not moving a muscle throughout.

“I was honestly really surprised that I was able to plank eight minutes, but I guess my athletic background from tennis and dance really helped,” Yang said. “The pressure and cheering from the crowd also helped a lot, and I didn’t want to let down those who were supporting me, so I’m re-

ally glad I was able to pull a win for the freshmen.”

Other than physical competitions, themes for dress-up days included Jersey, Inside Out, Mismatch and Class Color Days. The freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors wore purple, yellow, red and blue respectively to follow the “Inside Out” movie theme, iconic for its depiction of emotions like fear, joy, anger and sadness.

“My favorite part of the dress up days was being able to see all the different students, though competing, dressing up in the same way, bringing a sense of school solidarity even though it’s Clash of the Classes,” junior Dianne Ye said.

The event ended on Feb. 1 as the winning class was revealed. The se-

nior class secured the win with 1867 points, over the junior’s 1826, sophomore’s 1713 and the freshman’s 1533. With their victory, the senior class won bragging rights as well as a special prize from Northwood’s ASB. ASB will decorate the school with the class’ respective color, in this case blue, commemorating the senior victory in Clash of the Classes.

“Clash of the Classes was overall a fun experience, especially during the lunch activities between the classes, the crowd was hyped up and excited which encouraged competition even more,” Yang said. “I like how we were able to compete with other grades in the activity of our choice and I loved watching the others compete and seeing everyone’s talent and skill.”

Reform after slurs directed at Portola students

By Annabel Tiong and Rachel Yokota

Staff Writers

The Irvine community made widespread calls for disciplinary action after a Laguna Hills High School student aimed racial slurs and comments towards Portola High School boys basketball player Makai Brown on Jan. 21.

Footage of the incident circulated throughout social media in which the Laguna Hills student can be heard shouting “Who let him out of his cage?” and “Where is his slave owner?” from the stands while Brown is shooting a free throw. Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan has called for immediate action in an open letter to the Saddleback Valley Unified School District school board.

“I am asking SVUSD to conduct an investigation into the coach and

other staff regarding their involvement in incidents like this and bring forward appropriate actions to be taken,” Khan wrote. “As a community, we cannot collectively end systemic racism until there are consequences to actions.”

Following Khan’s letter, the SVUSD President Amanda Morrel stated that measures have been taken to correct the actions done by the Laguna Hills student, and further steps have been taken to ensure this does not happen again. However, Portola is not alone in being targeted by hateful and mean spirited heckling by spectators; Northwood student-athletes too have been subject to disparaging comments during competitions.

“It gets in our head a ton,” girls varsity volleyball player sophomore Allie Maloney said. “The reason I play is because I love the sport and I love the feeling I get just being on the

court. But that night I was counting down the moment until the end of the game, which I’ve never done before.”

Northwood’s own basketball team has expressed their dissatisfaction with the overall situation and stand by those affected.

“I was very angry that the incident persisted throughout the game without anyone saying anything,” boys varsity basketball co-captain senior Devon Huang said. “Of course, I’ve encountered people who trash talked me and made racist remarks.

But I can’t imagine how someone must feel after hearing comments of that severity.”

With incidents such as these, broader issues about sportsmanship and athletics culture at games are surfacing.

“People get excited. It’s a part of competition for fans, coaches and parents alike. That emotion in com-

petition is fun, and healthy when it can be directed in a positive way,” Northwood principal Leslie Roach said. “All of us, all high schools, have worked to keep that positive way. When inappropriate behavior happens at a game, people have to report it.”

In solidarity, members of the community have rallied around Makai, including businessman JJ Jones, who granted Makai a $20,000 scholarship, and 10 Laguna Hills alumni, who demanded more proactive change in an open letter to the Laguna Hills president.

“I think this is a chance for us all to reflect on the things we are saying and doing and whether or not we’re supporting each other,” Roach said.

“It’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure that we’re bringing each other up and trying to make already difficult circumstances a little easier.”

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NEWS

February 10, 2022

The Northwood Howler

Year of the Tiger roars in

Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler

A CELEBRATION OF CULTURE: Performances included traditional Chinese dancing, music and martial arts that enthralled the crowd.

By Erin Tsai Staff Writer

Anjana Narasimhan The Northwood Howler

42nd Black History Month Parade

People bustle around, exploring booths with various Chinese crafts and activities. Suddenly, the rhythmic beat of drums reverberates through the crowd. Children excitedly wave their lion mask crafts as dancers grace the stage of the amphitheater. The Chinese New Year Celebration held by the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center and Irvine Chinese School on Feb. 5-6 welcomed the coming of the Year of the Tiger.

Hosted annually at SCCCC, the event this year was held outdoors in the amphitheater and surrounding parking lot area instead of the theater as a precaution for COVID-19.

The event featured a multitude of performances, from drummers and instrumentalists to martial artists and dancers. The martial artist captivated the crowd with his powerful and striking moves, while the dancers showed off their colorful costumes and grace with their elegant moves.

“The wushu master was performing a barehand form, and I thought it was pretty cool,” freshman Karen Young said. “I have done wushu kung fu for a while now, so I thought he was very skilled and had great power and included a few hard tricks.”

In addition to the performances, booths for activities such as paper

folding, paper cutting and calligraphy were organized, with the addition of a lion mask craft replacing a traditional lion dance. Many of these booths were supervised by high school students that attend ICS. “I volunteered at the paper cutting booth where we taught children how to cut the paper into a pretty tiger design,” Young said. “The event teaches people about the Lunar New Year and also lets many people enjoy the fun activities to celebrate.”

Despite the presence of Omicron, it was important for ICS not to cancel the event due to the importance of the holiday to the Chinese community.

“The Lunar New Year is the most important cultural celebration among Chinese immigrant families,” ICS principal and SCCCC executive director Yulan Chung said. “This is the time that we value our traditional and family culture. It’s important that our students, parents and community members celebrate together.”

Lunar New Year celebrations traditionally last several days, ending with the Lantern Festival. Those who missed out on the SCCCC festival should look out for more celebrations later in the month, including the Lantern Festival at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall held by the Pacific Symphony, SCCCC and ICS on Feb. 26.

New variant, new rules

By Diego Moreno Staff Writer

Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler

PARADING THE STREETS: Members of local fraternities were part of the motorcade that included antique cars and leaders in the Black community, from state senators to kickboxing champions.

By Rhea Gupta and Rachel Yokota Staff Writers

As Anaheim Boulevard flooded with a lively medley of cars, dancers, live music and performers, the passionate crowd clapped along t o the cheerful beat they collectively set, kicking off the 42nd annual Black History Parade on Feb. 5.

Held on the first Saturday of Black History Month, the Orange County Heritage Council hosts the parade each year to celebrate and display Black accomplishments and heritage with local and national Black history-makers invited to participate.

“The parade had a lot of people really important to the Black community that I didn’t know about, and this really opened my eyes about how influential the community is,” sophomore Tyler Truong said. “Minority groups can have a huge impact on the

majority when you see different aspects of Black heritage in one place.”

In attendance were special guests such as the first Black female kickboxing International Sport Karate Association World Champion Frieda Gibbs, former political aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, several actors, rappers, models and more. Both the young and old sang and danced to the beat of drums in energetic drill teams, while horse riders clopped down the street. Shortly after, a car and motorcycle show featuring a colorful variety of antique vehicles took place before a kids’ breakdance competition. Additionally, over a dozen social groups performed, while local mayors, including Irvine mayor Farrah Khan, were featured.

“This parade is about inclusivity and sharing how diverse we are as a community, and it is important to highlight our Black community members, even in Irvine if they are only

2%,” Khan said. “We wouldn’t have many of the rights you and I have if it weren’t for the Black movement, so it’s very important to understand that and not only celebrate it but also remember it.”

Crowds did not disperse as the last float made its way down the street but instead moved on to the Unity Festival. There, art created by youth was showcased along with stalls selling ethnic food and clothing. The annual event has come a long way from its first parade in 1980, which featured a mere eight entries showcased by late founder Helen Shipp.

“The parade seems to be a place where we know once a year many friends will come together in unity,” Shipp said to the Los Angeles Times in 1991. “It’s like a gathering of old friends, commemorating together and letting the world know Blacks have contributed a lot of things to our great country.”

The Center for Disease Control updated its COVID-19 guidelines on masking, booster shot eligibility and booster recommendation following the spread of the omicron variant.

Omicron is able to bypass the vaccine easily as a two-dose shot only provides 20% protection, leading to infection rates 2.5 to 3 times greater than Delta in both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.

“I haven’t contracted it yet, but it’s shocking how empty so many of my classes are and just how contagious it really is,” freshman Tashvi Mehta said.

Vaccine protection against omicron without the booster shot is about 20%, while a booster shot increases protection to about 75%. The lack of protection is caused by the different shape of the spike protein of omicron from the conventional spike proteins of Delta, making it harder for existing antibodies to recognize it and eliminate it from the body.

Further contributing to the transmissibility of omicron is the way it both attacks and replicates within the body. Experiments by the University of Cambridge showed that omicron attacks and resides in the throat of infected individuals as opposed to Delta, which mainly resides in the lungs.

This infection of the upper respiratory

system allows it to spread easier from person to person.

“I got my booster as soon as I was eligible,” junior Sana Hamid said. “It’s hard to tell if it’s been effective for me since I can’t see the virus.

However, the numbers support how it decreases the chance of reinfection and hospitalization.”

The change in the infection location has also led to a change in symptoms for the omicron variant, the most common being a sore throat and runny nose. However, experiences of COVID-19 vary widely from person to person.

“My opinion on omicron is the same as with any other variant, which is to wear a mask that passes the fit test, social distance, wash your hands and get vaccinated,” Hamid said.

With omicron, the CDC recommends wearing an N95 mask as it provides the best protection. Although N95 masks have to be specially fitted onto the person to prevent leaks, a surgical mask like the ones that the front office carries may work just as well.

As of publication, a new subvariant of omicron known as BA.2 has spread through half the U.S. and is replacing the previous form in terms of infection rate and vaccine evasion. The World Health Organization has not seen a rise in hospitalization, however, and despite the new variant, omicron infections overall have continued to slow down.

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ACCENT

February 10, 2022

The Northwood Howler

Endearment’s especial embodiments

Staff Writer

Romantic Love Jason Mize (English)

“

Ms. Tran has taught me the value of silence and quiet in a relationship. That was always a very unsettling place. With Ms. Tran, she’s making me trust the quiet, since she recovers with silence after teaching or a stressful day.

In a simple way, that is a huge thing for me: just being able to trust the quiet with my partner because it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong.

She’s someone I feel comfortable in silence with.

Sharing that silent space with another person is something that I’ve never done comfortably before until now and I wouldn’t be able to do that if she wasn’t a part of my life.

“

By Diego Moreno

“

Self - Love

Patrick Smith (12)

I show self-love to myself by taking care of myself. I remember that episode of ‘Parks and Recreaction’ where they talk about self-love—treat yo self, you know? That’s how I view self-love. I watch movies, eat ice cream and have a good time.

“

“

When we had our senior night sectional for marching band, we were all giving our seniors the gifts we made for them and they were overjoyed and so proud of us.

In band camp, they were almost complete strangers to me, but over time with the football games, sectionals and morning practices, I harbored a platonic type of love towards all of them, and it’s something that won’t fade away ever.

“

Platonic Love

Nikki Doiphode (11)

“

Most Northwood students have their parents breathing down their neck to get their college apps done, but over the summer, I felt like I had to not listen to my parents in order to finish my apps—they kept planning little day trips that were lots of fun but left me essay-less as the first day of school quickly approached.

‘Why are you encouraging me to procrastinate?’ I told them one day. ‘Don’t you want me to get into the best college I can?’

‘Of course,’ they said. But they told me that I had been working hard through high school and knew that I would go to a great college—they couldn’t care less whether or not it was an Ivy League. What they cared about was my physical and mental health.

That was when I realized the power of their familial love for me—even if I was willing to break myself to submit a polished application, familial love more powerful than I could understand kept my parents from letting me do so.

Familial Love Daniel Yang (12)

FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC: (left to right) Junior Vero, freshman Charlie and juni

Different Types of Lo

By Rita Lai Staff Writer

For some of us, a warm hug could mean more than “I care about you,” and for others, cooking a homemade meal brings greater joy than spending an evening at an upscale restaurant. We all show our love in a multitude of ways, but there’s often a particular love language that speaks most to your heart.

I appreciate you ___.

how

I really love your __ today.

I want to spend all day talking with you.

Words of Affirmation: Expressing your love through words doesn’t necessarily mean saying “I love you,” though that can be the most straightforward way. Take a few

Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler

pointers from senior Liam Condy (left) and junior Matthew Lim (right) to find out some ways you can convey appreciation and uplift others.

“

ACCENT

The Northwood Howler

February 10, 2022

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Ellie Chan, Adrian Chen and Nicole Curtis The Northwood Howler

ors Charlie and Niki are one of the many groups of friends just spending time together during tutorial, showing the less commercialized but still appreciated aspect of platonic love in relationships.

ve Languages: “Amor-e” ways to show your amour Quality Time: been in their online shopping cart for Undivided attention is the key months. You can consider anything defining factor between “quality” ranging from stickers of their favorite time and time spent together. There’s game characters to their go-to coffee so many distractions around us that order. It’s a show of commitment if we may not even notice when we you can remember and give a gift that start to accidentally slip into a dis- corresponds to their interests. Their missive state. Frequently checking tastes may trend towards the pricey your phone’s notification or sighing end, or they may appreciate homein annoyance signals your disinterest. made items like handwritten cards Planning an activity you’ll all enjoy and origami hearts; it all depends. will ensure everyone is having a good time, but it doesn’t have to be extravagant; any sort of time You’re like my other together is a way to bond.

half.

Acts of Service: Making a meal like breakfast in bed on Valentine’s Day is a popular trope, and for good reason. Even if the food ends up inedible and you have to go out instead, at least you tried your best. Other options can range from large chores like deep cleaning the carpet of the entire house, or a smaller task like decluttering their bag. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture either, as opening the door or holding their purchases is just as appreciated.

I’m proud of you no matter what.

Giving Gifts: Presents are commonly given for birthdays and holidays, but there’s more to Valentine’s Day than just roses and chocolates. Maybe there’s an item that they’ve mentioned over and over, or something that’s

you take a walk in the park or hold them under the table in secret intimacy. If they’re going through a rough time, a hand on their back or gentle embrace shows that they have your full support. Scientifically speaking, person-to-person contact releases oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, which increase positive emotions and reduce stress. Even if science wasn’t speak- ing, it still makes quite a lot of sense that having someone by your side increases comfort, so even distanced alternatives like air high fives will do the trick.

Don’t be harsh on yourself, I think you did great.

Physical Touch: Swing a loved one’s hand as

Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler

Nicole Curtis The Northwood Howler

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A&E

February 10, 2022

The Northwood Howler

A tale untold: the hidden crew A show NHS needed A&E Editor and Staff Writer

From the dazzling solos to the grandiose choruses, the musical “Theory of Relativity” highlighted the ordinary interactions of ordinary people and was nothing short of a masterpiece. However, while the onstage product tends to garner the attention of most of the audience, it is by no means an indication of all the theater tech preparation required for the production of the show.

Immediately after the actors were finalized, the tech team spent three to four weeks building and painting the set. Afterward, they focused on the specifics of backstage by working with the lights and cues.

“The lighting is controlled by the board during the production,” lighting crew member junior Kathryn Sun said. “We write in cues to change colors or dim them and press ‘go’ during the actual production. Gary, our lighting designer, had to configure everything on the board so the lighting would match the music and mood.”

After spending weeks after school, the musical slowly came together during Tech Week, a week before the first production. The tech team ran through the show with the actors for the first time, specifically working on adding microphones on actors and musicians and testing the lighting cues.

“When we had our first proper runthrough, I could see everything from the front of the house,” technical director junior Blake Yavuz said. “There were some little things that people may have not noticed like light effects in the song ‘Apples and Oranges.’ There’s a part when the characters introduce each other, and when the sound and lighting cue working together, it looked amazing.”

While the production timeline for the team was similar to past years,

there were fewer members and no department heads on the team to lead each crew. Instead, Yavuz, who was part of the crew for “Mamma Mia” and “Romeo and J u liet” in their freshm a n year, directed and taught the job to beginners on crew.

“Tech team is about family even if that sounds cliché,” sound board operator sophomore Zoe Caagly said.

“We were so close after working on the musical. It’s so stressful being backstage or at the booth when things go wrong, so it definitely brought us together.”

“During my freshman year, there were only three to four new members, but this year, everyone had to learn,” Yavuz said.

“The biggest challenge initially was planning out h o w to start s o m e thing when no one knew what they were doing, planning how we can teach the lighting and build the set at the same time.”

Another challenge to the tech team is the limited budget for productions that compete with a need to bring the story to life using a set and props.

“If you lift up the set and turn it upside down, everything that falls out is a prop,” prop designer junior Toby Cole said. “We have to design and figure out how we can reuse what we already have instead of buying stuff, so imagination is key.”

Throughout the entire process, Northwood theatre’s director Danyelle Bossardet supported each crew by giving advice while allowing them to problem solve on their own. Beginning with the next play, “Ash Girl,” set to premiere beginning March 22-25, the team will be led by a student director.

Andrew Lee The Northwood

By Noelle Escalante and Erin Tsai

Staff Writers

Students greet each other at the door with hugs and sit down in their seats. As the house lights dim and silhouettes of the performers appear on stage, the ambient sounds of the musical pit fill the auditorium. Northwood opened its first in-theater musical in two years, bringing in nightly audiences from Jan. 11-14.

“The Theory of Relativity” is a modern-formatted musical, intertwining different storylines that depict topics such as grief, love, addiction, disorders and the effects of divorce: all themes that resonate with young adults. In contrast to past Northwood high energy and comedic musicals such as “Mamma Mia” or “Shrek,” this niche, contemporary musical was a refreshing choice.

The lack of stage props and simple set design created an intimate setting, further focusing on the characters that the cast crafted. “​​That has made the entire environment of the musical drastically different from what it has been in the past because everyone is so driven and passionate to fully experience and enhance the show, as seen through everyone’s hard work,” cast member senior Aditi Sreenivas said.

“We all are so much more connected because now we understand the importance of being with each other and creating something bigger than ourselves together.”

The delivery of the final monologue was goosebump-inducing in the best way possible as the audience realized just how the seemingly unrelated characters connected with each other.

Since these characters are not as well known,

the audience came in without any specific expectations, allowing cast members to build their own world and backstory around their character.

“My character was really tricky because of how universal his experience was,” cast member junior Isaac Lee said. “So I had to add specifics to his background, starting small with what his house looks like and his style, later leading up to what he really wanted in life.”

It was especially nice to see depictions of children of immigrant parents and those struggling with personal identity on stage, providing diversity that appealed to parents and students alike. Although crowds were smaller than in previous years, the opportunity to view a live performance in theaters was a refreshing reminder of what we lost during the pandemic. Spectators and performers alike left the theater with a renewed appreciation for the hardships of life.

“Although I’m a new student at Northwood this year, it felt super meaningful and important to be able to participate in this musical,” cast member junior Elena Higuchi said.

“Everyone was so passionate about being a part of this and the excitement was there.”

A twisted retelling of the classic Cinderella fairy tale, Northwood’s next production, “Ash Girl,” debuts March 22.

“

Although I’m a new student at Northwood this year, it felt super meaningful and important to be able to participate in this musical.

Everyone was so passionate about being a part of this and the excitement was there.

“

By Ashley Lee and Arya Bhattacharjee

— Elena Higuchi (11)

The Good, Bad and Ugly: Celebrating Valentine’s Day with A&E

By Yejin Heo, Noelle Escalante and Karen Wang Staff Writers

Valentine’s Day is soon approaching, and perhaps you could use some advice. Yes, you hopeless romantic. Here at The Howler, we not only support but nurture an environment for students to pursue true love.

This new edition of The Good, Bad and Ugly will leave you consumed by a love so intense that Nicholas Sparks himself would have to dedicate his next novel to your relationship.

“How could you ask such a superficial question? No one has time for romance anyway, but if you’re that worried, just remember to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

Ugly: Kat Stratford (“10 Things I Hate About You”): “Have a misogynist jerk pay a deceiving screwboy a ham sandwich to take you out, find out through your worst enemy and then have him follow you at the local bookstore asking for the ‘Feminine Mystique.’”

Dear Howler, a friend invited me Dear Howler, I don’t have a date on a date with her boyfriend befor Valentine’s Day. What should cause she doesn’t want me to be I do? alone on Valentine’s Day. This Good: Anna (“Frozen”): “Love makes me the inevitable third is an open door, and there are so many wheel, so is it safe for me doors for you to walk to go? into! Be friendly Good: Harry and honest Potter (“Harry Potabout your ter”): “Strengthen feelings by askyour bond with ing your friend your friend and posto set you up on a sibly create a new blind date. Radiate level of friendship your usual confiwith her boyfriend. dence and charm, and As long as it doesn’t don’t forget to have bother anyone (includa positive attitude, ing yourself), go right no matter what ahead! You don’t want happens at first. to ponder the simplest of Who knows, maybe issues just because you you’ll fall in love at think you’re a burden.” first sight?”

Bad: Dwight Richelle Gunawan The Northwood Howler Bad: Katniss Schrute (“The Office”): Everdeen (“The Hunger Games”): “Yes, proceed immediately. The

more alliances you have, the safer you are.”

Ugly: Karen Smith (“Mean Girls”): “Being a third wheel is totally not fetch.

You can stay with me and my cousin instead!

It’s not like you’re the only one without a boyfriend. I technically don’t have a boyfriend either; my cousin just really likes me.

Dear Howler, what’s the best movie to watch for Valentine’s Day? Good: Rapunzel (“Tangled”): “Just let time speak for itself! As you dim the lights and have candles to set the mood, the perfect movie will find itself on the screen by your partner’s suggestion, so there’s absolutely no need to worry. Don’t you just love love?”

Bad: Rachel Berry (“Glee”): “I watch the classic ‘West Side Story’ every Valentine’s Day. Tony’s death is indicative of every relationship I’ve been in. Natalie Wood is very talented. I should know, I’m very talented too.”

Ugly: Ron Swanson (“Parks and Recreation”): “Movies are merely the consumer’s submission to capitalism and the government. I don’t like the

government. Instead, do something useful with your time and indulge in a good old New York steak.”

Dear Howler, what do I do if I love my enemy?

Will I have an enemiesto-lovers arc?

Good: Cody Martin (“The Suite Life of Zack and Cody”): “Academic rivals are your best chance at true love. Chances are, you’ll bond over a heated scientific debate on the dangers of artificial intelligence.

Chess, as well, can also be an avenue for meeting your least expected starcrossed lover. Just look at Bailey and me!”

Bad: Squidward (“Spongebob”): “Actually, true love never sparks from a strained, negative relationship. Just when I thought kids couldn’t get any stupider.”

Ugly: Sersi (“Eternals”): “From personal experience, your love-interest-turned-enemy will fly into a fiery sun after having his little assistant stab you in the hip. Then, you’ll never see him again.”

Dear Howler, the girl I like doesn’t like me back. How do I make her like me back?

Good: Gabriella Montez (“High School Musical”): “Sometimes you might not even know that a girl likes

you back. Don’t force anything on her, but try to hint at wanting to spend time with her. Plan what you’re going to say and be confident.

This could be the start of something new.”

Bad: Spencer Reid (“Criminal Minds”): “There was a study done where calculations were performed on 18 different factors of attraction within the basis of geographic location and age, and it was found that a person’s description of a ‘perfect person’ actually described around 80,000 people that were close in proximity to them but didn’t know them personally. So basically, what I’m trying to say here is that you don’t have a chance.”

Ugly: Evan Hansen (“Dear Evan Hansen”): “The girl I liked didn’t even know I existed until I forced myself to get close to her.

The way I got her to be close to me was definitely questionable, but the end justifies it.

There will be a slim chance, but if you’re able to fabricate a traumatic event, she’ll fall in love with you. Did I say that out loud?”

A&E

The Northwood Howler

February 10, 2022

LIVE: Local concert venues in OC

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Matthew Dimaandal The Northwood Howler

TRANSPORTING SOULS AROUND THE WORLD: Drummer Chris Wabich performs percussion transitions inspired by Cuban, Mid-Eastern and Brazilian music at the Hoson House.

By Karen Bruce Staff Writer

The spotlight casts on Los Angeles as California’s number one live entertainment destination, but in its shadow, a neighboring county shines just as bright. Do away with the hourlong drive to LA in exchange for local venues in Orange County, home to various concert venues from piano recitals in converted houses to rock bands in historical theaters.

Hoson House: This house-turned-concert-hall in Tustin was designed to spark an intimate connection between musicians and their audiences. Due to its small size and lack of an elevated stage, audiences can view the minute details of a performance that go unnoticed in a large symphony hall. With just 80 seats encircling the performer, the cozy Hoson House allows for an upclose viewing of chamber, jazz and piano music.

FivePoint Amphitheater: Irvine’s FivePoint Amphitheater, which has seen performances

by Niall Horan, Hailee Steinfeld and Charlie Puth since its opening in 2018, has some of the best pop lineups in Orange County. Situated on what used to be the El Toro Marine base, spacious grounds include an on-site food truck park that serves Mediterranean, Korean and Mexican food. Australian pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer is scheduled to perform at the Amphitheater in June.

Yost Theater: Located in Santa Ana’s Downtown Historic District, the Yost Theater is a vintage movie house straight out of Old Hollywood. The elegant chandeliers, long draping curtains and modern stage effects make for a perfect combination of the old and the new. The theater supports emerging indie and hip hop artists throughout the week and has notably hosted the OC Pride Festival in 2019.

The Observatory OC: Previously used by Post Malone, XXXTENTACION and Travis Scott, The Observatory in Santa Ana embraces a classic, edgy punk rock atmosphere equipped with state-ofthe-art lighting fixtures and sound systems. Showings of local EDM, DJ and rock artists occur on a nightly basis. In March, the stage will see performances from internet sensation Tate McRae and Billboard Hot 100-charting rapper Lil Tecca.

Campus Jax: Combine a classy live music venue with a Cajun/Creole restaurant to get Newport Beach’s only supper club, Campus Jax. The venue serves entrees and entertainment while also exercising charity, delivering meals to homeless shelters, elderly caregivers and front-line workers weekly. On the first and third Tuesdays of every month, the venue hosts a free SingerSongwriter Showcase to promote original artists in Orange County.

Chloe Song The Northwood Howler

Winter guard’s first competition of the season A jazzy tune reverberates throughout Chino Hills High School’s gym all while white flags, spotted with colorful music notes, dance through the air. The music, like a puppeteer, guides the performers as they move through the movements flawlessly. At the first winter guard competition of the season and the first since the pandemic hit, Northwood’s winter guard presented their show “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat” on Jan. 29.

This first performance served as winter guard’s evaluation show, which will place them in their division for their next upcoming competition.

“The coach gets judged on the choreography and equipment work they write, and we as performers are judged for how well they executed their coach’s plan, personal skills and personal techniques,” winter guard captain senior Rachel Gunawan said.

“One pointer the judge gave us was getting into character for our performance, acting like a cat.”

The show theme was chosen as a continuation of the Disney theme used during marching band season where most winter guard members performed as a part of color guard.

Northwood color guard coach Rebekah Daigh opted for a modern twist on the original song from “The Aristocats,” brought to life by incorporating dramatic cat-like movements and

partner work.

“There’s this new move where we put the flags together to create a limbo pole; so, what the tosser has to do is toss one of the flags over the pole, duck under the flag and catch the pole on the other side,” Gunawan said.

The aforementioned move is one of several new acts to be added in the team’s later competitions, with multiple shows to be held in the upcoming weeks, including one on Feb. 19 at Huntington Beach and another on March 5. Northwood’s winter guard continues to strive for perfection while still incorporating many unique elements to enhance their performance.

jazz elements to hone into the cat character with costumes of hats with cat ears.

Training for winter guard members began in November, when captains instructed performers on both basic and advanced techniques. Using this new knowledge, they could further their understanding of equipment movement such as basic tosses and flourishes of the flags and toy rifles. The subsequent months were spent incorporating the skills obtained from basic techniques into the dance-infused choreography, subject to constant revision according to the needs and wants of the group.

“

“

I was so busy having fun performing that it felt like I blinked and we had done the whole show.

— Anika Aloni (10)

“Everyone was worried about having something to show for all the days we spent at rehearsals learning and the added struggle of the constantly changing drill,” winter guard member sophomore Anika Aloni said. “For the actual show, I was so busy having fun performing that it

Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler

DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN: Freshman Caitlyn Tran excitedly talks to sophomore Anika Aloni in their cat costumes. felt like I blinked and we had done the whole show.”

The team continues to practice every school day from 7:10-8:10 a.m. in a space encompassing approxi-

mately a third of the gym. Although the area is much smaller compared to the large football field utilized during the marching band season, members are able to interact more during the

There’s this move where we put the flags together to create a limbo pole; so what the tosser has to do is toss the flag over the pole, duck under the flag and catch the pole on the other side.

“

Staff Writer

“

By Rhea Gupta

— Rachel Gunawan (12)

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February 10, 2022

CENTERS

SPREAD

February 10, 2022

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VIEWPOINT

February 10, 2022

The Northwood Howler

Finding balance within The rise of cryptocurrency and NFTs romantic relationships coin reaching the all-time high of $68,000 on Nov. 10, 2021. The rise in Society has come to idolize an Bitcoin investments ideal future. Exponential techni- has come from the cal advancements in transportation, United States’ reeducation and the economy are all lease of stimulus glorified in the media, yet they are checks, making closer than we may think. The rise Bitcoin seemingof digital money has come to conceal ly more available the hidden anatomy of transactions than ever before. that occur all across the globe, with However, with the corporations such as Samsung and expense of its growth Apple implementing digital credit also comes significant card systems across metropolitan ar- consequences on Earth’s envieas. With technology further embed- ronment.

Due to the advanced technolding itself into today’s society, new emerging forms of currency called ogy that is required in order to run cryptocurrency are further decreasing the blockchain technology of crypthe presence of physical money in the tocurrency, it is expected that cryptoworldwide economy. However, its currency alone will increase Earth’s immense popularity and quick imple- global temperature above two dementation comes with one small ex- grees Celsius in the next 30 years, change for the wealth of economists as written in an article published by the Columbia Climate School. The and investors: the environment.

Cryptocurrency, in simple terms, advanced technology used to mine is digital money that is decentralized requires up to 121.36 terawatts per from any form of government. This year, being more electricity usage than all of Argentina. form of universal digital curWith the massive rate at rency prevents transwhich crypto businesses actions from belike Bitcoin are growing double-spent ing, the amount of as digital tokens, emissions that crypwhich are digitocurrency is assimital representalating into the atmotions of rights sphere has grown to and profit. With emit a staggering this, crypto37 megatons of currency has carbon dioxide already enabled a into the atmofinancial revolution. sphere per year, According to a Nasdaq according to a article published in August 2021, the pandemic Anjana Narasimhan The Northwood Howler CNBC article pubcatalyzed the institutional appeal of lished in 2021. The burning of fossil cryptocurrency, with the value of Bit- fuels has caused more carbon dioxBy Noelle Escalante Staff Writer

Ellie Lan The Northwood Howler

By Karen Bruce Staff Writer

Seeing a couple’s hands clasped together, your palms feel suddenly empty. Your heart rushes with yearning, feeling suddenly stuck amid loneliness. Lying in bed and staring up at the ceiling, you are enamored: not by love itself, but with the idea of having it.

Romance is blossoming across campus like sweet roses, the aroma of love floating in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches. But this scent can leave teenagers in a daze, scrambling to rush into relationships solely to obtain the idealized image of love often flaunted by campus couples or depicted in coming-of-age films. It is worth noting, however, that a relationship built upon the unsturdy foundation of desperation may have devastating effects on an individual’s mental health and sense of identity. Therefore, high school students should understand that a romantic relationship is not necessary in order to find happiness.

The problem is this: Most people are not looking for a relationship, but rather a sense of belonging, acceptance and an escape from loneliness.

But many go about this wrong. They see their peers become vivaciously joyful with their new significant other or watch as a movie protagonist gets their happily-ever-after once they’ve obtained the person of their dreams.

They observe these cheerful relationships and mistakenly begin to equate romance with happiness and come to believe that love is the ultimate solution to their feelings of isolation.

Relying solely on a romantic partner to bring happiness can lead to toxic dependency, where individuals constantly require validation and attention from their significant other in order to feel comfortable with themselves.

“In romantic relationships, it is very common for teenagers to start prioritizing a person over other important things in their lives,” Northwood psychologist Jamie Carey said.

“They might have trouble focusing on what they value or what they are working towards because they are intensely focused on how the person makes them feel. If we start to view another person as our only connection or most important connection, then we start to lose parts of ourselves that connect us to the rest of the world.”

Dependency isolates an individual from their surroundings, and so

when conflicts arise with the person they heavily rely on, it can severely affect their mental health. Studies in Ireland and the United States found that negative interactions with romantic partners increase the risk of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. In high school, this stress can decline a student’s performance in schoolwork, extracurriculars and involvement in friendships.

“A bad relationship can lead to greater insight down the line, but being stuck in one can be draining on your energy and self-esteem,” psychology student senior Chloe Han said. “Breaking that cycle and building your self-esteem back up probably has the worst effect on your mental health.”

As much as relationships can help create a sense of community or belonging, it should not become the pinnacle of the “high school experience,” or a prerequisite to finding your happily-ever-after. Romance is not the gleaming treasure on a pedestal that will answer all your problems.

When relationships are rushed for the sake of escaping a state of loneliness or obtaining “love,” it does not have a stable foundation to blossom into a legitimate companionship that will bring the comfort and love desired in the first place.

The relationships you focus on this Valentine’s Day don’t need to be romantic. Instead of scrambling to find a significant other, consider setting up platonic dates—with friends and family—to foster a different kind of supportive community. Watching a movie with friends and eating out with family can spark the same feelings of belonging and connection that a romantic relationship can. In fact, the importance of platonic and familial love is solidified in a clinical review with over 300,000 participants, which found that stronger social relationships with friends and family increased the likelihood of longevity.

While Valentine’s Day only focuses on one of the many important relationships in our lives, the sweetest love story of all may come from the often-forgotten love you must develop for yourself. There’s something romantic about simply spending time alone, going on a walk or bringing yourself out to a coffee date.

So, you may see romance blossoming across campus and desire that beautiful rose. But know that happiness doesn’t blossom from romance.

No, for romance to blossom, you need to find happiness in yourself first.

ide to enter into the atmosphere, leading to holes in the ozone layer, which inhabits and protects a majority of the oxygen that circulates Earth. There may seem to be a simple solution to this—to ban and prevent crypto mining from occurring, right? However, the market appeal of cryptocurrency is what is causing its great uprise.

With the hype around cryptocurrency evolving, sparks of sustainability and changes towards crypto mining began to rise, due to the criticism received on its impact towards the environment. From a published video

by The Wall Street Journal, a bitcoin mining facility in Upstate New York began to use hydropower as a way to test how proficient it is without the use of fossil fuels. However, the use of hydropower is not fully “clean.”

From an article published by Cosmos Magazine, crypto companies such as Bitcoin do not seek out clean sources of energy because they care about their environmental impact, but rather that it impacts their profit margins at a more positive rate.

While the rise in wealth will continue in cryptocurrency companies, increasing investments only further contribute to the climate crisis that is occurring in our world today. Ultimately, we must focus on important social and economic issues in society before we begin to idolize our future.

CA AB 130 lowers education quality

Matthew Dimaandal The Northwood Howler

LARGE PRICE TO PAY: CA AB 130 forces school districts to choose between moving to distance learning and decreased funding.

By Eugenie Chang Viewpoint Editor

When Northwood students returned from winter break, many were caught off guard by the impact of the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases that had occured in the span of two weeks.

Despite these circumstances, many California school districts continued to stay open rather than moving to a distance learning model, which comes with the risk of decreased state funding as established in the California Assembly Bill 130. Although CA AB 130 is intended to maintain valuable in-person instruction, decreasing funding for schools that transition to a virtual format limits the capability of school districts to accommodate the needs of their students, resulting in a lowered quality of education.

As of Jan. 31, Northwood reported 42 new cases from students and eight new cases from staff in the past 14 days. Following a winter break with increased travel by students and staff compounded by the rise of the omicron variant in the United States, high numbers of infections and quar-

antines should not come as a surprise.

Omicron was initially highly transmissible even among fully vaccinated individuals, and for many students, the rising cases only added to existing COVID-19 anxiety.

“Coming back from winter break was probably the most nervewracking experience I’ve had in regards to COVID-19,” junior Sana Hamid said. “I’m not the type of student to treat attendance lightly, but the urgency of the situation resulted in me skipping school frequently.

Both of my parents are auto-immune compromised, which puts them in the high risk category, so I felt that the most responsible action I could take was to avoid contracting the virus.”

The ideal solution would have been to shift to remote-learning following winter break to allow individuals to quarantine at home, much the way UCLA and UCI, as well as other neighboring colleges, did. Unfortunately, revisions to CA AB 130 prevent schools from transitioning online at the discretion of district staff. Control over learning models was instead placed in the hands of

the California government, when the decision should have been left in the hands of local leaders.

Under the revised bill, school districts are allowed to offer a separate, virtual educational program in addition to the in-person learning model, but a school district cannot decide to switch its in-personal program temporarily to remote learning without facing repercussions in the form of decreased funding. For many districts who are unwilling to forgo limited funding in exchange for virtual learning, this leaves no choice for students but to continue attending school as usual. As the pandemic continues to evolve, the unfavorable situation created by CA AB 130 clearly does not provide peace of mind for students, staff and parents who may feel uncomfortable attending school.

The ability to offer collaboration is difficult to replicate online, so it cannot be denied that in-person education is a valuable asset to student growth. However, the main problem with the revisions to CA AB 130 is that it takes away choice from students and their families. Though the bill intends to enhance learning by encouraging school districts to remain open, for students who may have contracted COVID-19 or been a close contact, the lack of virtual learning leaves many students in the dark as they quarantine.

What’s clear is this: The revisions to CA AB 130 overlook many difficulties school districts may encounter based on the needs of the communities they serve. By limiting the ability of schools to transition online as needed, the bill ends up hurting the very students it is intended to benefit. In times when new variants are still frequently emerging, it is more essential than ever that we learn from our failures in combating COVID-19 sooner rather than later.

VIEWPOINT

The Northwood Howler

February 10, 2022

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NHS Speaks: Gradeless learning in Integrated Science

“

I think in the competitive environment that Northwood has, gradeless learning is a breath of fresh air from the sometimes overwhelming obsession and stress. HIS3 allowed some breathing room for me to actually explore the concepts we learn in class out of self-interest. I think it’s an important move that assists in reminding students and parents that school is supposed to be about the knowledge you acquire rather than the letter grade you receive.

“

— Rohit Rajesh (11)

“

I honestly like gradeless learning. I feel like it makes it so I can worry less about scores throughout the year and focus more on knowing the content when it’s time for the conference. It definitely eliminates a lot of stress, especially because I get to choose my own grade.

I’d say it’s a better reflection than having your grade averaged as I feel like grading based on a student’s current understanding really improves the accuracy of a grade.

“

Northwood culture is one of staying up all night to study for a test and working to get that illustrious A on your report card. The social order was rocked this year as Integrated Science 3 switched to a gradeless learning model where students don’t test to earn their grade. Rather, students discuss with the teacher and choose their grade based on their understanding of the material. This shift in how to earn the A has left students with a major question: Should the gradeless learning model be adopted by the rest of Northwood, or is it a model best left behind?

The Howler was only able to provide some opinions; however, if you would like to continue the conversation, you can leave a comment on thehowleronline.org or write a letter to the editor and deliver it to Room 1102.

— Shaan Singh (11)

“

I like it, but I feel like it might not always be an accurate representation of the amount of work a student puts in. I feel like everyone is going to say they deserve an A or B. However, the same could also be said for having our test, homework and projects graded. There just needs to be a better in-between. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, and I still appreciate that HIS3 teachers created this gradeless learning model to help students even though I think it’s a bit extreme.

“

Staff Writer

— Salma Iliasu (11)

“

I believe that we’re novices when it comes to this with the first semester being a test one; however, I liked it because I saw students’ visible stress lower as they were no longer focused on trying to get a perfect score on every test.

The absence of punitive grading policies allowed students to flourish as they were no longer hindered by scheduling, such as being busy with the musical or something else.

“

By Diego Moreno

— David Monge (Science teacher)

Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler

GRADELESS LEARNING, MORE BENEFITS: Students in Integrated Science 3 are offered the opportunity to learn without the limitations of a traditional grading system.

The

dangers

By Arya Bhattacharjee Staff Writer

Although positivity can be a healthy coping mechanism when done in moderation, hiding behind layers of “good vibes” and “perfection” can undermine one’s genuine, existing insecurities as well as more serious mental health concerns. The promotion of toxic positivity, often fueled by social media and campaigns such as body positivity, must come to an end.

While an oxymoron at first, toxic positivity—or a false sense of cheerfulness—can be quite common, especially considering how easy it is to fall into its trap. Someone simply telling you to “get over it” during times of stress can open a gateway of lying about your own emotions and feelings. Bottling up all of this negativity behind attempts to “grin and bear it” can result in an eventual breakdown; as instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School Natalie Dattilo said, “[emotions] have to go somewhere, so they come back up, like Whac-A-Mole.”

Social media is analogous to a petridish when it comes to birthing toxic positivity. The EndNow foundation states that many social media users fake happiness online in order to find social validation, instant gratification and contagious happiness.

Constantly posting cherry-picked moments can lead to ignorance of internalized problems that actually need attention.

Social media offers a great example of why toxic positivity can pose a great threat to mental health; it spreads like wildfire. The ability

of

toxic

to hide your true self is much easier when you live your life one image at a time, and this encompasses the larger issue with not identifying the negative. Some may start to believe that they don’t have the right to stay negative, which can pool up emotions into outbursts that can harm oneself and others around them.

Stemming from social media, body positivity has also become a topic of interest, and is also a great example of how toxic positivity can do harm. Pushing yourself at the gym to the point of injuring yourself should be avoided at all costs, even if you think you’re making gains.

But how can one go about preventing toxic positivity? Simple opportunities include practicing mindfulness: simply taking a moment to break away from the pressure from the world can allow you to identify and deal with the emotions that need

positivity Discussing the Capitol Insurrection in schools

to be addressed. Be comfortable with admitting your mistakes, and make sure the people around you accept you for who you are, and not who you pretend to be. It’s equally important, however, to not spread toxic positivity. This can be done in straightforward ways such as gently (emphasis on gently) talking with your close friends and family, but also by teaching younger generations that you aren’t obligated or expected to be happy all the time.

As much as we may want to paint over the darkness of our world, facing problems head on will always result in greater outcomes than looking for shortcuts. Likes on Instagram won’t substitute for friendship, and self-love will not replace healthy habits. If you can do something to remove the toxicity from your (or someone else’s) positivity, then today’s the day to take charge.

Rachel Gunawan The Northwood Howler

By Rhea Gupta Staff Writer

Jan. 6, 2021. Over a year ago, in the last few days of the Trump administration, a violent mob of protesters gathered at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of the electoral vote in favor of President Joseph R. Biden. Demonstrators rioted, broke windows and severely damaged Capitol property, killing one Capitol police officer in the process. The next day, some of us were eager to talk about what happened in the classroom, and personally, I was curious to see if any of my teachers would address the issue, but found that several were reluctant to bring up such a controversial event. Discussing the Capitol riots with conflicting opinions in the classroom is difficult, but still necessary for students to understand these events develop.

“Everything that you teach is a political choice,” history teacher Bryan Hoang said. “There are two appropriate times to talk about current political events: One is when you are teaching something that happened in the past that ties directly to a modern event and ask kids to draw parallels.

The other time to talk about it is right after the event occurred so students can make sense of it.”

That’s exactly what Hoang did: He addressed the insurrection in both contexts. The day after the event, he taught about the insurrection in the context of the historical topic of previous rebellion in U.S. history. When lecturing his class, he first showed

students what happened through videos before discussing why this happened by looking at Trump’s speech before the insurrection. By asking his students to analyze what they saw, they were able to form their own opinions regarding this controversial topic. The Capitol riot has shown the delicacy of our nation’s political climate, but also shed light on how important it is for teachers to provide their students with opportunities to learn from historical events. When teachers are willing to approach all situations, even those as polarizing as the Capitol riots, with the intent of helping students gain insight, students benefit by recognizing the pitfalls behind various actions in history.

“I think it is much more honest to be upfront about my own positions and biases and let students decide whether they disagree,” history teacher Steven Plette said. “I think my role is to model effective, civil conversations about political and controversial issues and I won’t shy away from those conversations. No student of mine has ever been penalized for disagreeing with me. I was pretty upfront with my assessment of the actions of the people who stormed the capitol on Jan. 6.”

The Capitol riots are a part of American history and should be discussed as such. By fully investigating these topics, teachers set up students to become critical thinkers and ultimately open the floor for students to develop their political perspectives through civil discussions in a safe, respectful environment.

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SPORTS

February 10, 2022

The Northwood Howler

CSALT serves athletes Rising cases increase precautions

By Rachel Yokota Staff Writer

Getting the ball rolling is no easy feat when COVID-19 halted all athletic operations last year, but with sports back in full swing, Northwood’s Challenge Success Athletics Leadership Team never misses when helping guide Northwood athletics in supporting their student athletes and their well-being.

CSALT was formed five years ago as a part of Northwood’s collaboration with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education Challenge Success program.

Challenge Success was founded when 16 years of research concluded that students’ personal relationships with success were damaging their mental health, and now partners with schools to break through this mentality. CSALT is an offshoot of this program, and focuses on furthering students through their high school athletic careers with their board of administrators, coaches, teachers, parents and student-athletes.

“Skills and healthy habits will be purposefully incorporated into athletics to ensure students are exposed to methods that will help them maintain this balance,” Challenge Success co-chair Christina BanagasEngelerdt said.

In an effort to ensure CSALT continues to uphold athletes’ well-being, new members of the board must be first nominated by a Northwood head coach and then personally selected by the Northwood athletics administration. Choices are made based on a candidate’s willingness to challenge the status quo and voice their opinions. These qualifications have been met by 25 student-athletes this year, resulting in the most students CSALT has ever had on their board.

CSALT’s board has designated their main goal for this year to be rebuilding the foundations of Northwood athletics and community to

what it was prior to the pandemic. To accomplish this, CSALT holds multiple meetings throughout each season with the three main stakeholders of Northwood athletics: coaches, parents and student-athletes. CSALT cochairs and Athletic Directors Brandon Emery and Sierra Wang head most meetings, in which stakeholders review the Core Expectations CSALT has established for them and provide feedback on the current state of the community.

“I attended one of those athlete meetings a while ago and was really happy with the way CSALT is handling things,” varsity swimmer sophomore Genevieve Chomin said.

“There’s always room for improvement and I’m glad that Northwood is trying to take that into account, especially with how the pandemic has affected everyone’s mental health.”

While COVID-19 did prevent CSALT from gathering last year, in previous years, CSALT has hosted two annual summits for student-athletes, including guest speakers such as former UCLA softball national champion Marti Reed, to speak on mental health. Summits like these are meant to offer advice to student-athletes from someone who has experienced aspects of the field yet unkown to students. Students are able to learn from someone who has both a differnet perspective than those within the Northwood community and insight into overcoming obstacles unique to student-athletes.

CSALT also has updated Northwood’s previous athletic Collective Purpose Statement to incorporate Northwood’s recent endeavors to support student welfare and has revised hiring paperwork for all coaches.

They are currently working on other ways to support student-atheletes.

“We are extremely proud of what the group has created in the past and look forward to seeing what the group produces this year and in years to come,” Emery said.

Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler

READY TO RUN: Freshman Riley Thai sprints towards the soccer ball, scanning the field to determine whether to dribble the ball or pass it to her teammate during a practice scrimmage.

By Karen Wang Staff Writer

Just as a sense of normalcy returned with weekly football games during the fall semester, the COVID-19 pandemic accompanied with the new omicron variant surged following winter break. Even with a sudden rise in cases within the local community, Northwood’s studentathletes are optimistic in ensuring a normal winter sports season. With over 100 cases in January, according to the IUSD COVID-19 dashboard, the Orange County Health Care Agency reiterated California’s indoor masking mandate and suggested weekly testing in the event that masks cannot be worn for sports with “heavy exertion,” according to the O.C. Register. Cancelations and postponements of sporting events are still up to the school or school district’s discretion.

“At this time if we receive any new direction from OCHCA, we will implement it, but for the time being we will continue to follow our exist-

ing protocols,” IUSD Athletic Director Mark Cunningham said to OCSportsZone on Jan. 3. Northwood’s basketball teams were initially hit the hardest in January as close contact with COVID-19 resulted in a player shortage, along with a tie dye home game postponed to Jan. 31.

“At one point, only three people could come to practice. Running plays usually needs five, so we had to combine with JV for a couple of days,” girls varsity basketball player junior Uma Joshi said.

Two weeks worth of games were canceled and rescheduled to up to 4 games a week in late January, leaving the athletes with additional confusion and stress.

“Players were either out due to testing positive or needing to quarantine due to close contact,” Co-Athletics Director Brandon Emery said.

“Our athletes, parents and coaches have been extremely understanding and flexible during this crazy time and we are hopeful that we can finish with little to no more impact to their season.”

For girls varsity soccer, no games have been canceled, but players are taking extra precautions such as wearing masks during practice outdoors.

“We’ve had around seven people who were out, so we were short some numbers for the past few games,” girls varsity soccer player junior Neela Michelsen said. “For the time being, we’ve stopped taking buses to away games so that the team won’t be enclosed in the same area for a long period of time.”

Despite recent challenges, Northwood student-athletes have proved time and time again that they are willing to step up to obstacles, embodying the T-wolf spirit on and off the court.

“COVID-19 has an uncertainty that makes it challenging for us, but it also brings us closer as a team because it’s another thing for us to get through together,” JV girls basketball coach Erin Halle said. “It’s difficult to keep apart with an indoor contact sport but we’re doing our best to stick together as a community.”

Richelle Gunawan The Northwood Howler

SPORTS

The Northwood Howler

February 10, 2022

13

The student section brings the spirit to the stands

By Karen Bruce and Annabel Tiong Staff Writers

A quiet stupor settles over the crowd as everyone exchanges glances, eyes glued to the front of the stands and the blaring red number in the distance. Bits of blue dust escape between the gaps of my clasped palms and I brush over the fine grains between my fingers.

The Athletics Commissioners proudly hold up the clear O, and the sky explodes. A shimmering curtain of azure falls everywhere I look, stars against the reflection of the stadium lights, a truly magical sight. These moments amidst the student section are what make games worth attending, and why you should consider attending if you haven’t been to one already.

Northwood students, so eagerly focused on their academics, often say they don’t have the time to watch sports because their Friday nights are strictly reserved for doing homework or studying for approaching tests.

However, sitting in the student sec-

Matthew Dimaandal The Northwood Howler

LET’S GO T-WOLVES: (left to right) Juniors Aditya Hari, Jonathan Kang and Andrew Penrod and senior Andy Hoang cheer for the basketball team in the front stands of the student section. tions can remind us of the importance of unity and that high school is not just the grades, but more so about cultivating a community.

During school hours, conversations are often centered around coursework and academic-related

topics. In contrast, the sheer excitement of the game unfolding and the hype of the crowd helps students relieve stress as they focus on cheering rather than last night’s Chemistry assignment.

“I don’t really know how foot-

ball works, but it was fun to have a place to see some friends from school who I’m not that close with,” senior Joanne Park said.

Students might skip out on games because they worry that they won’t understand the game and won’t

be able to properly cheer. However, tons of students know very little about sports and still enjoy learning from the crowd, becoming more confident with the chants over time. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not you should check out a game, senior Sid Solaiyappan offers great advice: “YES. Friday night lights and basketball or football games are proof that your school evenings are more than just kinematics or combustion analysis,” Solaiyappan said. “Go out and have fun with your friends.

You only get one high school experience, make it count.”

The sensation of hearing the roars in your ears, being surrounded by friends and the adrenaline rush of screaming with fervor is something that everyone should experience.

Who knows—you may find yourself wolfing it down.

Of course, remember to be respectful of both teams and show good sportsmanship. At the very least, give those who truly enjoy the student section reasons to proudly say: “Hoo Hah, you wish you were a T-wolf!”

Winter captains lead the charge

By Rita Lai and Annie Lee Staff Writers

Saba Nabaeighahroudi The Northwood Howler

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mei Ono MANAGING EDITOR Claire Chien COPY EDITOR Jonathan Kang LAYOUT EDITOR Abby Fang THO EDITORS Kathy Chun Tyler Wong

Winter sports might be a bit of a misnomer when the weather feels eternally unchanging, but for Northwood’s winter sports captains, the season brings about greater responsibilities and opportunities for growth.

Although postponed events and quarantines are no longer a shock, keeping up the team morale and their own ambitions alive is an everlasting challenge.

Inspired by Brazilian players such as Ronaldinho Gaúcho and their “joga bonito” playing style, co-captain senior Matthew Kim emulates the spirit of “playing beautifully” in club and school soccer. His philosophy applies to both himself and his teammates, whom he leads to success with the goal of playing their best game and winning constantly in mind.

“I am a relatively vocal player so I’ll yell at my teammates regardless if I’m congratulating them or telling them to be better,” Kim said.

“It keeps them on their toes and allows us to maintain a high level of energy when on the field.”

Aiming for accomplishments with a fierce leadership style is a theme consistent in all of Northwood’s winter sports, and as such is both demonstrated and emphasized by the captains. Wrestling co-captain junior Aiden Tak is also working hard to foster team spirit despite safety restrictions placed upon the sport.

Although he started out in his sport with few expectations, Tak is now a team leader with high aspirations. Before practice, he jokes around with his teammates, but when it comes down to it, he is firm about NEWS EDITORS Mihir Kulkarni Kevin Sohn

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Matthew Dimaandal The Northwood Howler

HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!: Senior Devon Huang readies himself to shoot a free throw at an away game against University High School. the work they do to achieve their goals, as individuals and as a team.

“Since I started taking wrestling seriously in freshman year, I’ve made big improvements like getting into better shape and not getting tired after a minute,” Tak said. “But it’s all in the small ones. Like when you know what to do at a certain time and when you zig instead of zagging and zag instead zigging.”

Achieving this balance is something student-athletes know all too well. As for girls varsity basketball co-captain junior Abby Chu, she’s found that although basketball can be stressful with the pressure of competitions and long practices, it provides her with the chance to wind down and bond with teammates.

While she looks forward to improving her endurance and shooting, it’s also the team’s camaraderie that encourages her to play year after year.

“I’ve played with a lot of different people and teams, which has PHOTO EDITOR Matthew Dimaandal

ACCENT EDITOR Lana Hwang

GRAPHIC EDITORS Nicole Curtis Anjana Narasimhan

A&E EDITOR Ashley Lee

BUSINESS MANAGER Aniket Kamat

CENTERSPREAD EDITOR Yenna Kim

PHOTOGRAPHERS Ellie Chan Adrian Chen Andrew Lee

VIEWPOINT EDITOR Eugenie Chang SPORTS EDITOR Rachel Gima JUNK EDITOR Rahul Khanna

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GRAPHIC ARTISTS Rachel Gunawan Richelle Gunawan Ellie Lan Saba Nabaeighahroudi Chloe Song

helped me become better with my game,” Chu said. “I am most proud that I am able to defend the better offensive players in our league and 4 my free throw percentages have improved from before.”

Although the canceled competitions denied opportunities to create a complete win-loss record, their own experiences of practicing, playing and working together are enough to confirm their persevering strength and foster a strong sense of community.

“After one of our losses, I took it pretty personally so Devon, one of our captains, texted me after the game, rallied me up and got me back to reality,” boys basketball player sophomore Tj Navarro said. “He was like it’s going to be okay and just look forward to the next one. I really appreciate that our captains talk with us when we’re going through something, whether it’s on the court or off the court.”

STAFF WRITERS Parashar Bharadwaj Arya Bhattacharjee Karen Bruce Olivia Cai Noelle Escalante Rhea Gupta Yejin Heo Rita Lai Annie Lee Diego Moreno Chris Song Annabel Tiong Erin Tsai Karen Wang Rachel Yokota ADVISER Marina Alburger

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The Northwood Howler

Befuddling Bufoonery

February 10, 2022

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Hearts Blazing: Fur glows red under Friday’s night-lights (Timby x Buster)

Nicole Curtis, Matthew Dimaandal and Yejin Heo The Northwood Howler

WORLD’S ON PAW-SE WITH YOU AROUND: A blushing bulldog stares longingly at Timby’s beckoning fur, electrified by these new feelings but frightened at their implications for the schools’ rivalry.

By Annabel Tiong, Parashar Bharadwaj and Olivia Cai Staff Writers

SCENE I. Irvine High School. The First Sight. Timby’s POV. “Hoo-Hah! You wish you were a T-Wolf!” The clamor of the crowd and thud of players hitting the turf were distantly audible from the storage room, where Timby paced anxiously.

“LET’S HEAR IT FOR TIMBYYY,” the athletics commissioner roared.

Timby trudged onto the field, bracing himself for the overwhelming energy of the Northwood student section. It seemed like any other game: He

was greeted with cheers and grimy hands tugging on his fur. But that day, something, or someone caught his eye.

As the student section tossed blue powder into the air, a purple shadow cut a stark figure through the fog.

He diverted his attention and continued performing for the crowd. Even as he weakly raised his paw, his mind was filled with the thought of the mysterious purple figure silhouetted by the bright stadium lights, looking like a bad decision waiting to be made.

SCENE II. Irvine High School. Buster’s POV. Since the first quarter, Buster had felt a burning gaze

Bikers pedal to freedom

By Erin Tsai Staff Writer

We know them and love thembikers took to riding on the streets along Portola Parkway and Wolf Trail to protest Northwood’s unfair treatment of bikers in comparison to drivers on the morning of Feb. 2, forcing cars onto the sidewalks.

In the protest arranged by The HellMets, bikers parked in the Northwood parking lot similar to cars, with one slanted bike per three spaces. Cars with nowhere to park could only take to parking along the fence by the avocado fields. Due to the close proximity of the vehicles and the lack of parking space, many drivers were forced to lock their door handles to the fence in order to secure their parking “spaces.”

Many drivers even began to stack cars on top of parked cars, but this was banned for “imminent threat to the public” when admin realized that parking permits were no longer visible. Those without the foresight to park by the fence had their cars unfortunately compacted.

“How come those useless cars get such large parking spaces, while the spaces us bikers get is so small?” sophomore Mike Bici said.

“Those dang environment-destroying drivers finally got a taste of what it feels like to be us.”

The HellMets hold weekly assemblies on the roof of the school market to inform student bikers of

their rights as defined by the Association of Student Bikers (ASB). A change.org petition was created to demand the official classification of bicycles as proper vehicles, allowing bicycles to follow the same rules as cars. If approved, bikes will receive many of the same liberties as drivers at Northwood, such as parking permits, provisional licenses to ensure the safety of all bikers and bike insurance.

“Drivers at Northwood are so privileged,” HellMets member senior Tike Vélo said. “They get to park close to school, while the bike racks are so far from the campus.

This is just exclusionary toward students who bike to school.”

Bikers state that the last straw was the rainy weather they experienced during the winter, the physical exertion they go through to get to school feeling like a burden. “we just kan’t stand bykeeng uphill to northwood anymore,” a tweet by the official The HellMets Twitter account stated. “northwood high upon a hill? the hill is high indeed.”

With plans to lobby the front office next Tuesday, The HellMets believe that their actions will help bicyclists regain rightful control over the road.

“Before cars existed, bikers were the king of the road,” The HellMets tweeted again. “Everything we’re doing is just to return the power to the people.”

intensifying on his fur, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that it belonged to someone important.

He needed to know.

“EVERYBODY HERE DO THE BULLDOG RUMBLEE,” Portola’s ASB hollered out loud to the crowd.

While everyone was busy cheering on the team, Buster sprinted to the opposing field, making sure to not let anyone from ASB see him. His eyes met briefly with Northwood’s mascot, and the world around him ground to a majestic halt.

The wolf’s silver pelt gleamed mesmerizingly under the Friday night lights. Staring.

Just the two of them. Buster had heard people describe moments that seemed to be gov-

erned by fate, and as he studied those striking blue eyes, he knew this was one of them.

“Hey,” Buster remarked smoothly. “How is it over here?

You seem to be wolf-ing down that pizza.”

Timby nodded apprehensively. “I guess you’re dog-gone right about that?” And it was these terrible puns that started off a long night of conversation, both finding fascination in learning about the differences in their everyday lives, from game schedules to rally performances. It had been a long time since Buster had found someone that connected with him as well.

The game came to an end, and it was time for the canines to split ways. “I guess we’ll see each other soon,” Buster added, a hint of hesitancy in his voice.

As Buster snuck back onto their side of the field, he was met with an angry sea of purple glaring at him. The president elbowed him, eyebrows raised. “I assume you were in the bathroom?”

“Duh,” Buster chuckled nonchalantly, suddenly realizing the consequences of meeting with the rival school’s mascot. For the first time, his head was not in the game, the roars of the audience flying past him. All he knew was that it was going to be difficult to continue his halftime talks with Timby the Timberwolf.

Scene III. The CIF Game.

Timby’s POV. Timby was experiencing a similar development as the season drew to a close. After hearing they were playing Portola, there was a new pep in his step, and as he bounced onto the field, everyone wondered where his gaze was aimed.

His eyes lit up when they

finally settled on a familiar Bulldog in the distance. But to his dismay, Buster shifted his attention to the stands right as they locked eyes. Timby hadn’t realized how much it would hurt to see him look away.

The game continued, but with a palpable tension in the air. It was the CIF Championship, after all; a lot was at stake. The score reached 18-15 at halftime, with Northwood inching forward to eternal glory in Division 12 football. But this halftime was different. Both student sections began to provoke each other with chants like “BUSTER THE BABY” and “TIMBY THE TICK.” The tension rose like a firecracker, ready to pop at any second. And “pop” it did.

The two schools rushed to the center of the field and began to brawl. Meanwhile, Portola’s ASB had other plans.

In the midst of the chaos, all of them had begun creeping towards the Northwood side.

They slid a massive cage behind them, careful not to let any administrators know their plan.

However, Buster had overheard everything.

Will Buster save Timby?

Just what exactly will this mean for their relationship? And what even is the Bulldog Rumble? Find out in the exciting conclusion on The Howler Online (Shameless pug).

QR Code

Rachel Gunawan The Northwood Howler

February 10, 2022

Befuddling Bufoonery

The Northwood Howler

The ULTIMATE 2021 Recap Game

By Yejin Heo Staff Writer

2021 was a year marked by highs and lows riddled with disappointment and disorder, the unforeseeable and the unexpected. Can you guess which of the following events actually happened in 2021, and which didn’t?

1) Oprah took Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s child after they gave him up for adoption.

2) A photo of Bernie Sanders at the presidential inauguration raised $1.8 million for charity.

4) “Home Alone 2” actor Donald Trump incites an insurrection at the US Capitol.

6) Charmin’ toilet paper rolled out their first NFT crypto art valued at $2,100.

3) The Pope announces that vaping is, in reality, less sinful than smoking.

5) French President slapped by an egg.

7) Queen Elizabeth II is declared to be immortal by renowed scientists.

8) The Met Gala was held at the White House with the theme “Middle Class Cosplay.”

Chloe Song The Northwood Howler

True: 2, 4, 5, 6; Fake: 1, 3, 7, 8

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Senioritis mutates with junioritis variant

By Karen Wang Staff Writer

Ellie Lan The Northwood Howler

The Center for Gradeitis Control and Prevention reported a mutation of senioritis resulting in a new and more infectious variant coined junioritis on Jan. 5, sending waves of concern throughout the student body.

This recent discovery comes with a 40% uptick of senioritis cases than last year at Northwood.

Northwood detected its first junioritis case on Jan. 3 after junior Co Veed allegedly pulled an all-nighter to finish their saturation report for Honors European Literature.

Similarly sleep-deprived AP Biology students detected cafeteria-packaged sliders and a near-lethal amount of caffeine in the individual’s bloodstream. After coming in contact with multiple seniors, Veed experienced symptoms including a medieval accent, a severe spinal curvature and the state of being convinced that they had developed the Bubonic Plague. The seniors in question reported developing the typical senioritis symptoms of burning textbooks and crafting with printed college rejection letters, but noted that they had scared a small group of juniors by detailing

college anxiety.

“All individuals with close contact have been contacted and are taking precautions to make sure that this virus does not spread any further,” Principle Lessaly Rouch said. “Please wear your bicycle helmets during class or sit in the corner of your classroom in a time-out fashion if you are especially concerned with contracting this new variant.”

Speculation has revealed that the combination of entering the College and Career Center and excessive staring at derivatives can trigger a frenzy of junioritis. Fear was evident post winter break as an influx of juniors displaying their GPA on shirts while passing out résumés signaled an unfortunate end to the fall semester. Moreover, multiple destroyed copies of “Macbeth” and “Pride and Prejudice” were found in garbage cans across campus along with Integrated Science SEP rubrics.

“I fancy juni’rs cease panicking and instead taketh AP leett’rature and crumposition next year to combat the juni’ritis-induc’d stress,” senior Boysenberry Finn said. “Analyzing the effect of a p’riod and comma shall provideth the arts behoveful to boost the m’rale of college

essays yond thee needeth not w’rry about the present day ‘r tom’rrow.”

Discussions for other cures have pointed to theories about injecting Red Bull energy drinks into affected juniors or having them touch the grass in front of campus locker rooms. A large group of juniors were spotted lovingly caressing the turf under the warm sun during lunch on multiple occasions through January and early February.

The rise of junioritis has also led to a rise in club membership as freshmen, sophomores and some unsuspecting juniors have gone into an extracurricular panic.

“We’ve had over 50 interest emails right into the second semester,” Enviro Club president junior Sabrina Nazarzai said. “Interested students may pick up 47 pieces of trash and categorize these items by material and color in order to apply for membership.”

The hysteria over the newly emerged junioritis has also led to a shortage of COVID-19 testing kits from the attendance office. It is advised that students concerned that they may have junioritis take a 10-question survey analyzing mental and physical health using the QR code stapled onto The Oak.