A Northwood High School Publication Follow us on Instagram @nhs.howler www.TheHowlerOnline.org
Volume XXIII, Issue VI: March 10, 2022
4515 Portola Pkwy. Irvine, CA 92620
Dealing with Burnout Junk
Black History Education Viewpoint
NHS from the Outside Accent
Read these stories and more at thehowleronline.org
Andrew lee The Northwood Howler
R I D E O R D I E : S t u d e n t s e n j o y t h e D J , d a n c e f l o o r, d i n n e r, r e f r e s h m e n t s a n d m o r e a t t h e K n o t t ’s B e r r y F a r m P a r k P a v i l i o n , d a n c i n g t h e i r h e a r t s o u t t o h i t s o n g s l i k e “ H i p s D o n ’t L i e ” b y S h a k i r a a n d “ U p t o w n F u n k ” b y M a r k R o n s o n .
Winter Formal rides into the night at Knott’s By Parashar Bharadwaj and Olivia Cai
Staff Writers
Palm trees billowed near the dance floor and the rumble of coasters rang in the background as students rocked to the beat of the DJ at Northwood’s “Ride or Die” Winter Formal, held at Knott’s Berry Farm on March 5. Students danced and enjoyed refreshments and dinner consisting of mac and cheese, salad, chicken strips
and more at an event center just outside the park, complete with a DJ and camera crew. For those not as big on dancing, the park provided plenty of entertainment for the duration of the dance, giving students a chance to explore the Wild West or ride familiar favorites such as Silver Bullet. “The lines were long, but even just hanging out with friends while waiting was fun too. And of course, the two rides we got to go on made it all worth it,” junior Ilia Dolouei said. The sophomore and senior class
councils collaborated to plan the dance, as well as the dress-up days and ‘90s themed lunchtime trivia held the week prior. The class councils initially ran into trouble during the venue reservation process but were able to secure one at the theme park. “It was really stressful because our original venue canceled on us, and if Knott’s didn’t accept us, there would have been no venue,” senior vice president Andy Hoang said. Although Knott’s as a location was a novel idea, some students felt
that the dance aspect of Formal was lackluster. “Having the dance at Knott’s sounded really exciting, but since the park was an option nobody really stayed at the dance floor,” sophomore Tyler Truong said. “The students who didn’t buy a park pass with their ticket missed out on the real fun.” Since Homecoming was informal, students were excited to formally ask each other to a dance for the first time in two years. “Seeing people’s askings on In-
stagram made it feel more like a traditional school dance,” junior Anna Hong said. “A lot of them were really creative and girls ended up asking guys too, which was cute because we won’t have a Sadie’s this year.” While Winter Formal was open to all Northwood students, prom is only available to juniors and seniors. Underclassmen will have to be asked to the dance by an upperclassman. ASB and junior class council are currently planning the dance, and details will be announced on April 15.
Outstanding at The Oak: Northwood’s talent takes center stage By Karen Wang Staff Writer
The crowd circling The Oak cheered excitedly following dynamic K-pop dances and pop song covers of Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish, welcoming the next student performer under an ambient winter sunset. Celebrating Northwood’s dedication to the arts, students exhibited a wide range of performances at the schoolwide talent show on Feb. 25. Performances included freshmen Jenny Liu and Jaden Liu with a lively rumba dance to “Break Your Heart” by Taio Cruz, freshmen Chelsea Dong and Cindy Cheng with a hip hop dance to “Red” by HyunA, senior Tiffany Lee with a cover of Madison Beer’s “Reckless”, freshman Ginee Hong to a cover of “My Future” by Billie Eilish, sophomore Daniella Pierce playing piano with a cover of “If You Love Me” by Brenda Lee, senior Aditi Sreenivas with a
cover of “Hard Place” by H.E.R. and the dance duet of freshmen Cindy Cheng and Phoebe Chu to a K-pop remix featuring BLACKPINK and ITZY. Hosted by class council member freshman Zane Commissariat and freshman class president Hannah Cho, the pair kept the show lively with engaging transitions between acts. “The atmosphere at The Oak outside created almost like a coffee-shop environment compared to a typical one in a theater because of how much closer and more interactive the event was,” Cho said. With the enthusiastic support of the crowd, freshman Zaira Ulmer, who goes by the stage-name iazY, played the guitar while showcasing her vocal talents and her original song “Wannabe.” “My lyrics were about me and the voices in my head because a lot of the time we try to be something we’re
Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler
DANCING WITH THE STARS: Junior Calista Nguyen (left) and freshman Caleigh Nystrom (right) dance to lively K-pop. not, yet deep down we know it’s not who we are,” Ulmer said. “Just letting it all out, I feel especially this song has really helped me understand
and share my thoughts in a beautiful way.” Another standout performer who demonstrated her diverse skills,
junior Calista Nguyen performed both a song cover to “All I Want” by Olivia Rodrigo and a dance duet with freshman Caleigh Nystrom to “Wannabe” by ITZY. “I rehearsed the dancing portion a couple months in advance and I really hoped to give the crowd a great, energetic performance,” Nguyen said. “The experience itself was really fun because we all had the opportunity to showcase our talents together again.” Organized by the freshman class council, which held auditions throughout the first week of January, the event was held outside at The Oak to address COVID-19 concerns and to create a more intimate atmosphere with the small number of performers. The event as a whole was a culmination of student expertise, community and an overall appreciation for the arts at Northwood while providing a new experience for enjoying student arts.
2
NEWS
March 10, 2022
The Northwood Howler
OC mask mandate By Noelle Escalante Staff Writer
Claire Chien The Northwood Howler
DREAM IT, BUILD IT, DO IT: Junior Shayan Halder and freshman Hunter Welch work together to make a gravity vehicle, a vehicle powered solely by gravitational potential energy and sheer willpower.
Scioly places top 4 in OC By Annabel Tiong Staff Writer
Distinct sighs of relief echoed from the Northwood gym as the Science Olympiad team’s carefully crafted airplane took off, swirling gracefully in the air. Since 2014, Northwood has placed within the top four schools at the Orange County regional tournament. This year proved to be no different, as the team placed 4th out of 42 teams at the Orange County Regional Science Olympiad Tournament on Feb. 26, qualifying for the state tournament. The competition was held in person through a satellite format, with members competing at their home school under the supervision of coach and science teacher Sarah Smith. For captain senior Daniel Yang,
the team’s accomplishment is the culmination of his experience since joining as a freshman—especially with difficulties meeting in person and finding a new coach for the school year. “I’m really proud of the team for getting so many medals and am grateful that Northwood has another opportunity to go to state this year,” Yang said. “Although we historically rank higher in the county, the fact that our team has made it this far is still a huge accomplishment considering all the setbacks we’ve faced from the pandemic.” The team had a rigorous practice schedule leading up to the big day, meeting for two hours weekly after school on Tuesdays to study and test their build devices. “I would wake up early in the
morning most days to come and test in the gym before school, then stay until 5 p.m. to take tests with my partner,” junior Joshua Ikehara said. For the top individual placings, senior Claire Chien and sophomore Yutong Ke placed 3rd in Rocks and Minerals, junior Chris Song and senior Andy Zhu placed 1st in Wifi Lab, senior Kaitlin To and Chien placed 2nd in Ornithology, junior Annabel Tiong and sophomore Derek Lee placed 2nd in Anatomy and Physiology and Yang and Tiong placed 1st in Cell Biology. “It’s a little dopamine boost seeing your teammates win an event that they’ve dedicated so much time for,” freshman Gabby Lan said. “While we don’t always see the behind the scenes, you can still tell that it’s one heck of an accomplishment.”
to be the teacher that he would want for his own kids. “I also wouldn’t be able to do this without my family’s support,” Case said. “Their attendance at the ceremony meant
everything to me because I felt like I was sharing the award with them.” An example of this support comes from Case’s six-year-old son, who encourages Case to win awards more often so that they don’t have to attend school. Yet Case is far from being new to outstanding achievements; he’s a 2015 Grammy Teacher of the Year semifinalist, an instructor of one of the largest high school instrumental programs in the state (with 787 students in the band and orchestra program) and the organizer of Band Spectacular—a concert joining all IUSD high school marching bands as well as middle school students.
The State of California re-evaluated the state’s mask requirements within public school districts effective March 14, changing the guidelines from “mandatory” to “strongly recommended,” decided Feb. 28. IUSD’s removal of mandatory masking in the classroom, in compliance with the state directive, is set to begin March 14. However, many questions still remain as to what exactly new policies will entail for students and adults on campus. “I think what’s hard is that there’s a mask mandate, along with the vaccination part,” principal Leslie Roach said. “We have policies that all of our volunteers have to be vaccinated and prove vaccination, which is tied together and creates a lot of unanswered questions.” COVID protocols during the 2021-22 school year have relaxed since last year’s surges between Delta and Alpha variants, with students not having to sit 6 feet apart in classrooms, along with being able to participate in more hands-on activities in the classroom. The current policies for masks in schools require students to have one on at all times indoors, and staff must wear masks if students
are present. Following the Omicron surge in January, according to the IUSD COVID-19 dashboard, there was a 70% decrease in cases amongst students and staff, with cases decreasing from 508 to 70 between Feb. 15 to March 1. “Honestly, I expected the mask mandate to be lowered a lot earlier, considering California’s history of opening up everything the second cases go down,” freshman Tashvi Mehta said. “I do have anxiety about daily life and completely getting shut down again, but I trust that the decision was well developed.” Despite mask mandates, students still have the choice of whether or not they want to continue to wear masks indoors. “I am supportive of the mask mandate,” junior Lailey Rezazadeh said. “It’s definitely a way to keep people safe, along with people wearing masks far before the pandemic.” The new mask policy is set to be implemented in IUSD schools on March 14, regardless of a student’s vaccination status. The IUSD administration stated in a communications letter published on Feb. 28 that health officials will continue to make adjustments to COVID-19 policies, tailored to the current health conditions of California.
Kevin Sohn The Northwood Howler
HOUSE DIVIDED: In a survey of 762 students conducted by The Howler, many Northwood students await the latest COVID statistics to make their decision about safety without masks.
Case wins Teacher of the Year IPSF Spirit Gala
By Helena Zhou Staff Writer
A swarm of students at The Oak, pep tunes performed by Jazz 1, an atmosphere of anticipation intrigued by the promise of an unrevealed, “important announcement”—all culminated with Northwood Instrumental Music Director Ben Case being awarded IUSD’s Teachers of the Year award on Feb. 16. Of over 1,000 teachers in IUSD, Case was selected as the single high school instructor for this distinction and will now be considered for the county-level competition. Prior to this, he was nominated by Brad Van Patten, IUSD Director of Visual and Performing Arts, in January and reviewed by various committees including the Irvine Teachers Association. “For the last three years during COVID-19, where most programs fall apart, Mr. Case has held steady enrollment in his music programs,” Van Patten said. “He’s one of the busiest teachers I know and has worked hard to put together remarkable events like the recent outdoor band concert.” Case’s approach to his success is
Matthew Dimaandal The Northwood Howler
Beyond holding concerts and events, Case’s main goal this year is building human connections through making and sharing music following the online experience during the pandemic. “Mr. Case and the music community at Northwood push me to improve individually while also fostering close-knit collaboration,” senior and principal clarinetist in Wind Symphony Andrew Chung said.
CORRECTION: In the last issue, the name “Senior Joseph Harper” in the caption for the Clash of the Classes article was incorrect. The correct attribution is sophomore Nick Keith.
By Karen Bruce Staff Writer
Children playing at the Great Park stopped in their tracks as they looked out at a puzzling sight: distinguished members of the Irvine community in tuxedos and sparkling dresses, sauntering down a red carpet into a secluded gathering in front of Hangar 244. Little did they know that inside these walls, the IPSF Spirit of Excellence Gala was underway, and that by the end of the night $900,000 would be raised to directly support them and their education. The Gala on March 5 brought together corporate partners, individual donors and city officials to raise funds for public schools and recognize honorable people in the community. Among the distinguished guests were the Board of Education members, Superintendent Terry Walker and City Councilmember Anthony Kuo. The main event of the night occurred in the decorated hangar, where bid cards shot up in the air as the live auction proceeded. Featuring prizes such as vacation getaway tickets, private sushi chefs and autographed collectibles, the auction raised over $90,000 in the span of an hour. “All of us being here in this amazing hangar represents a community that is united in support of the future of our community: our students,”
IPSF President and CEO Neda Eaton said. “We have certainly proven that when a community works together, we can effect real change.” IPSF also awarded their Excellence in Service award to the IUSD nurses in recognition of their work during the pandemic. When Health Services Coordinator Shadlie Kensrue received the award on behalf of the 26 IUSD nurses, the crowd rose in a standing ovation. “The heart of the IUSD nurse team is what makes them exceptional and it is what has allowed us to endure these last two very difficult years, working tirelessly to keep our schools open and keep our students and our staff safe,” Kensrue said. “In the spirit of IUSD school nurses, let us never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” The money raised from this event will be used to fund projects such as creating better educational tools for students with visual impairments and providing life skills education for students with autism. It will also help fund existing music, enrichment and grant programs. “Nonprofit organizations like ours depend on public support so that we can invest more resources into the areas that matter most,” Eaton said. “For us, it’s directly to classrooms, supporting educators and their efforts to make educational excellence possible.”
The Northwood Howler
ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT
April 10, 23, 2022 2021 March
3
4
March 10, 2022
ACCENT
The Northwood Howler
So you think you have any luck? By Annie Lee Staff Writer
Although many of our achievements are based on effort, there are also situations that are heavily dependent on luck. To see how luck varies from person to person, Northwood students shared how lucky they perceived themselves to be and specific moments in their lives where the outcome was affected by luck or a lack of. Isabella Engelerdt (9): “I think I’m pretty lucky, especially when I score goals in lacrosse, because it’s hard to get through defenders.” Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler
Amy Jeon (9): “I’m fairly lucky. I’m well off and I’m happy with my financial situation and emotional wellbeing. Recently, I was taking this quiz in English and completely guessed at least six out of 10 questions, but somehow ended up getting a hundred on it.”
‘GREEN’ING WIDELY: Senior Carlene Nhu can’t believe her luck.
Annie Vallabh (9): “From one to 10, an 8.5. I have good friends, this is a great school and there is a great community. I auditioned for America’s Got Talent and I got accepted to the next level, but I couldn’t go because I moved to India.”
Carlene Nhu (12): “In terms of the amount of close calls I’ve had in my life, I’d say that I’m really lucky. I put my computer and binder on top of my car but I went inside of the car and drove to school. Luckily, it was still there after the 15 minute drive.”
Lisa Sun (9): “I am really lucky because I am usually dealt strong poker hands.” Annabelle Chien (11): “I’m pretty lucky. One example is when I was playing an arcade game that you have to spend real money on. Usually, the chance of getting something really good in this game is 0.05, but I got it on the 10th try.” Vibha Srinivas (11): “I think I’m lucky because every time I don’t study as much for an
AP World History test or a Bio daily quiz, I get a better score. For one of the biology daily quizzes, I didn’t study at all and I got a three out of three. When I studied for four hours, I only got a two out of three.”
Countless charms not concerning clovers By Yejin Heo Staff Writer
Every year on St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish celebrate symbols they believe grant them good fortune— four-leaf clovers, leprechauns and such—but those aren’t the only lucky charms that exist. Various common objects are considered auspicious in different countries, from Brazil to Norway to Ghana. Jin Chan (China): The Jin Chan, or “Golden Toad,” is a famous feng shui charm in China that is indicative of one’s prosperity and success in the near future. The mythical creature is depicted as a bullfrog with only three legs and appears only during the full moon. According to feng shui beliefs, the Jin Chan symbolizes the flow of money by attracting and protecting wealth. It is said that statues of the Jin Chan should not be placed facing the main door of a house, as it may hinder the flow of fortune from entering their home. Dice (United States): During World War II, fighter pi-
lots would carry out missions with unlikely odds of returning back home. To bring them luck, gambling items like playing cards and dice were brought aboard fighter planes. Capitalizing off this information, a company called Deccofelt Corp started marketing fuzzy dice charms to hang on the rearview mirrors of cars in 1959 for the same luck attributed to victories in World War II.
other acorns to let one another know that they were fellow witches, and that they were safe in their company. As a result, carrying an acorn also became a symbol of protecting one’s health in Norway. Mano Figa (Brazil): The symbol of the Mano Figa—a hand where the thumb protrudes through the middle and pointer finger—was first used by people in ancient times as a call to the goddess of fertility. Later made into charms, the hand sign is often made of silver or blood coral and used as protection against the evil eye. In Brazil, it was understood that making the Mano Figa gesture with one’s hand distracted Satan from taking over your soul.
Acorns (Norway): In Norse cul- Gris-gris (The Republic of Ghana): Gris-gris are small cloth bags ture, it was believed that oak trees attracted filled with four different elements— lighting and that loca- water, incense, salt and fire, as well as tions with many oak trees, like verses from an African ancestor. The number of ingreNorway, were protected dients in the bag from Thor’s wrath. Vimust come in kings placed acorns on odd numbers their windowsill during and cannot be lightning storms as a higher than 13. means of protecIf these praction. Acorns tices are taken, brought oththe wearer is beer forms of lieved to be blessed luck pertainwith good luck, money, love and ing to protection health. as well. It is said that witches would hand each Saba Nabaeighahroudi The Northwood Howler
Richelle Gunawan The Northwood Howler
A&E
The Northwood Howler
March 10, 2022
5
March-ing to a novel melody Interlude inspires hearts By Erin Tsai Staff Writer
Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler
ENSEMBLES UNITE: Violinists freshman Lucas Nguyen (left) and senior Michelle Yoo (right) in Philharmonic Orchestra perform “Prelude from Carmen” with Wind Symphony for the first time since the pandemic. By Karen Bruce Staff Writer
Two hours sitting in the Northwood theater, you travel great distances—to Americana hoedowns, Arabian campfire dances, alien communities on Jupiter—unfamiliar scenes painted so palpably by vibrations of strings and collections of breaths. Band and orchestra musicians transported audiences during their second concert of the year on Feb. 23 and 24. The choral program took the stage the following week on March 1 in their concert entitled “Hope,” which touched on heavy themes of pain, social justice and maintaining optimism. This concert was a notable one for the bands that were able to perform indoors for the first time since the pandemic. Students found that being inside the theater as opposed to the football field drastically improved their performance quality. “Playing inside, I could actually hear the different parts of the band coming together, like I could actually hear the trombones from the opposite side of the band,” Wind Ensemble trumpet player junior Bruce Duong said. “Hearing everyone helps you articulate your part better to fit the overall sound. And that made our band sound that much better.” It was also a momentous occa-
sion for the Philharmonic Orchestra and Wind Symphony musicians who came together to play Georges Bizet’s “Prelude from Carmen.” This was the first time the full orchestra performed for a live audience in over two years, and served as a bittersweet reminder to those who worked on Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” in 2020, a full orchestra project never performed due to school closures in March of that year. A common pre-pandemic practice for musicians was to attend festival events where ensembles perform their repertoire to a panel of judges for critiques and ratings. The spring instrumental concerts mimicked this experience by inviting Bob Feller, the director of winds and brass at Biola University, to adjudicate the band and orchestra performances. Ensembles took their audiences on a trip around the globe with their music, many of which depicted scenes from all different corners of the world. Concert Band’s “Arabian Dances” utilized claps to mirror the cheers of onlookers during an Arabian campfire dance, while Viva Cantar took audiences scurrying through Japanese rice fields in the folk song “Jorigi-Tohkanya,” which choral director Zach Halop stated was one of the hardest pieces in his library. To prepare for these difficult selections of music, students held small group rehearsals with their
section (sectionals) in order to work on specific parts that required further practice. “The first and second violins collaborated in our sectionals leading up to the concert, and the concertmaster even got me to conduct so we could work on following the conductor’s instructions,” Concert Orchestra violinist freshman Evelyn Guo said. “Our orchestra made so much progress, and I’m happy we managed to put on a wonderful performance.” The Concert Orchestra performed their serenade “October,” one of the many emotionally impactful pieces prevalent throughout the concerts. Other highlights included Wind Ensemble’s “Song for Lyndsay,” depicting a love story through French horn and flute solos, and “I Ask for One Day,” a yearning for justice breathtakingly executed by the Treble Clef choir. “By singing, you can say something meaningful and do something beautiful at the same time,” Treble Clef singer freshman Nikki Estefania Mila de la Roca Suarez said. “‘I Ask for One Day’ was a way to simply express hope in a way that’s very honest and true.” Music concerts will return again with the annual Jazz at the Oak on May 13, and the year will close with the Pops Concerts that are set to feature all bands, orchestras and choirs later that month.
The elementary student logs onto Zoom, anxiously glancing at their sheet music. Awaiting is a high school musician with warm-up scales and technique exercises at hand, ready to coach or play along with them as the student prepares for an upcoming audition. Even though it’s a video call, it only takes one lesson to quell the student’s anxieties and set them up for perfect practice throughout the next week. Founded by Northwood’s Interlude club, Interlude Musical Outreach is a nonprofit organization that allows high school students the opportunity to give music lessons to elementary and middle school students on almost all instruments. The volunteer-based one-on-one music lessons allow students to not only improve their skills, but also learn from someone who has gone through much of IUSD’s music program. In addition to providing lessons, they also hold masterclasses, recording sessions and workshops on topics such as music theory and upcoming auditions. “Private lessons are pretty expensive, so providing free lessons is a good way for the students to explore music and how it can be incorporated into their lives,” Interlude co-president senior Amy Takagi said. “Helping new musicians grow is also our way of giving back to our community.” Being a teacher with Interlude allows high schoolers who are normally the students to become the teachers. Lessons can include everything from learning basic technique of an instrument to the musical phrasing of pieces depending on students’ needs, since the students are encouraged to lead their own lessons with the teacher’s support rather than having teachers tell the student what to do every time.
“I really prioritize having students think for themselves. It’s more me asking questions about what they think in order for me to support them rather than telling them what to do,” freshman Lucas Nguyen said. “It’s really helped me improve as well. I’ve never had a bigger growth playing wise in my long experience with violin so I account it mostly to my teaching.” With their growth in students and volunteers, Interlude developed the Interlude Connect app to streamline the process of pairing students with teachers, allowing students to choose teachers based on instrument and availability. The app also includes a chat as well as a scheduling feature. “We wanted to expand our reach and serve more students, so we had to automate the pairing system,” Interlude co-president senior Miya Liu said. “An app was our best option. Now we can shift their focus to outreach instead of managing the pairings.” Interlude hopes to continue expanding and increasing its impact on the community. The organization created a new branch in Portola High School this past September and is getting both students and teachers from outside of Irvine involved in the program. With the increase in lessons, they hope to fulfill their mission of providing music education opportunities to as many aspiring musicians as possible. “As I started teaching, I noticed how much joy teaching brings me,” Liu said. “By learning how to become a better teacher, I am also becoming a better musician myself, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to guide and shape someone’s music identity.” If you are interested in taking music lessons or getting involved with Interlude, visit https://linktr.ee/ NHSInterlude for more information.
Mariachi from past to present By Rachel Yokota Staff Writer
Luis Zambrano’s white boot tapped on the theater floor, counting off the beats. At his cue, the room exploded into sound: a guitar, violins, trumpets, vihuelas and a Guitarrón mexicano singing together in an electrifying and emotional harmony. Even as someone with zero experience listening to mariachi music, I could feel the level of intensity and heart the 11 members of Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer put into their performances during the lecture-recital “Mexican American Context: From Mexico’s Golden Age to a New American Genre,” hosted on Feb. 20 in UCI’s Winifred Smith Hall. Band leader Zambrano swept the audience through the urban history of Mexican Ranchera music, and while the event was advertised as a lecture-recital, lecturing stayed brief. Instead, Zambrano allowed the live performances to tell the story. The music featured and per-
formed by Mariachi Nuevo Amanec- Age, and the music chosen reflected er was deeply comforting, and even their contributions to the genre well, more so to those with mariachi inter- such as with “Cien Años” representtwined with their culture, as the en- ing Pedro Infante due to his famous semble’s music struck a chord with 1950 cover of the song. them. As with violinist Esmeralda “My family is Hispanic so Avila’s rendition of “Si Nos Dejan,” whenever we have gatherings we while the common themes of heartplay and listen to live mariachi break and love dominate the music for important parsoundtrack, the ensemble’s ties, and you could stirring renditions make the really feel a part repetitive songs compelling. of Latin and HisThe ensemble never took panic culture in the away from the original music,” sophomore artist’s intent, while still Melissa Lam said. adding in their own “It meant a lot to touch through gritos me.” and gorgeous vocals. The handpicked Mariachi Nuevo soundtrack featured Amanecer’s emphasis famous 20th cenon emotion and excitetury Ranchera artists, ment breathed life into the such as Jorge Negrete lyrics, and the short comand Alberto Aguilera mentary provided useful and Valadez. Their lives witty insight into the origins and deaths marked and meanings of the songs. the passing of eras The full lecture-recital can be during the Golden Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler found on YouTube.
Anjana Narasimhan The Northwood Howler
6
March 10, 2022
CENTERS
SPREAD
March 10, 2022
7
8
VIEWPOINT
March 10, 2022
The Northwood Howler
Drawbacks to removing Holding corporations accountable school mask mandates By Diego Moreno Staff Writer
By Rhea Gupta Staff Writer
Gov. Gavin Newson recently announced that starting March 1, unvaccinated individuals will no longer be required to wear masks indoors and after March 11, masks will no longer be required in schools, though still “strongly recommended.” But what does removing the mask mandate really mean for the public’s overall well-being and benefit? In theory, lifting the mask mandate at this point in time is an excellent plan for reverting back to normalcy, but based on current COVID vaccination rates, it would not only create an unsafe learning environment in schools but also put the immunocompromised at risk. Wearing a mask is a small price to pay to ensure physical safety at school. According to California’s COVID-19 data, 62.2% of students in elementary school and 26.6% of students in middle and high school remain unvaccinated. With over half of all elementary school students remaining unvaccinated, children are at a higher risk for catching the virus and spreading it to their families. Vaccination rates are nowhere near high enough among the schoolage population and new cases are still constantly being reported in IUSD. The number of student and staff cases have declined, but not gone away completely. Without the additional protection of masks through
the uplifting of the mask mandate, it is inevitable that cases in our district alone will rise. It would be smarter to implement these new rules once a larger percentage of the school population receives at least both doses of their vaccine and preferably their booster shot. Though it might be early to lift the mask mandate, the strategy itself is a great step towards normalcy. The mandate still requires the usage of masks in high-risk conditions such as hospitals, thus containing the disease. The Howler’s survey of over 760 students found that even after the mandate is lifted, 60.6% of Northwood students will continue to wear their masks on campus, which is not nearly enough to successfully contain the spread of COVID. Yes, we have been in the pandemic for two years, and frankly, most people are sick of wearing masks. To the 25.1% of unsure individuals and the 14.3% of those who voiced that they would no longer wear a mask, it is important to note that wearing masks protects not only yourself but especially those who are unable to get vaccinated due to medical reasons. The benefit of this mandate was that it provided an option to continue mask wearing for one’s personal safety and for the safety of the community. It is still too early for California to roll out this optimistic plan towards normalcy in schools. Safety should still be our first priority.
“ “
“
Kellogg Co. saw record profits during 2021, the quarterly Kellogg earnings report listing $3.42 billion dollars in profit beating previous estimates.
Kellogg also had a worker strike over its proposed two tier wage system that shut down four factories for three months. Kellogg hired temporary workers to keep the plants running at a higher cost, before eventually agreeing to remove the wage system and giving workers a raise of
“
TOO SOON TO GO MASKLESS: Senior Abby Sepulveda reaches for a mask to wear indoors in accordance with the school mask mandate.
The supply chain issue is set to cost large companies about $184 million yet with a price increase of 6.5% in 2021 that is set to increase Kellogg’s earnings over $200 million.
“ “
Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler
Imagine walking into the grocery store hoping to buy a box of Frosted Mini Wheats only to discover the price increased from $3.50 to $4. Although the difference seems small, these price increases accumulate as multitudes of companies raise their prices due to claimed inflation, and eventually, even weekly essentials at the grocery stores become unaffordable. This is the reality faced by many American families, some just barely scraping by. But in reality, it’s not inflation that’s raising prices—it’s corporate greed. Here’s some food for thought on how manufactured claims of inflation manifest in The Kellogg Company, one of America’s leading snack producers. Kellogg Co.—owner of Pringles, Rice Krispies and Frosted Mini Wheats among many others—saw record profits during 2021, the quarterly Kellogg earnings report listing $3.42 billion dollars in profit beating previous estimates.
panies, leading to the need to raise prices to offset the interference, the disruptions do not excuse the degree to which companies raised their prices, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics reporting a 6.5% increase in cost for food. The supply chain issue is set to cost large companies about $184 million yet a price increase of 6.5% in 2021 is set to increase Kellogg’s earnings over $200 million.
Despite the record profits and rise in share prices, Kellogg CEO Steve Cahillane, in a CNBC interview, stated that the company would be raising prices in response to the supply chain crisis, workers’ strike and inflation that had occurred in 2021. Let’s break down the issues of supply chains, worker’s strike and inflation to show that this argument has no legs to stand on. While the supply chain issues may have caused disruptions to com-
$1.10. This increase of labor cost at these four factories was negligible, especially in light of Kellogg’s record profits. Instead, it is the claim of inflation that is actually driving inflation. Kellogg, mirroring other companies like Starbucks, is using inflation as an excuse to raise prices. Companies reported record profits as people continued to buy products at a higher rate than before the pandemic. Yet as lockdown restrictions eased, and consumers switched from buying products to services, companies sensed an impending reduction in revenue and decided to raise prices, driving inflation up to the 7.5% it is today. When consumers purchase necessities at increased prices, companies see demand for their goods. Whether it’s $3.50 or $4, people will still buy cereal, toilet paper and other necessities. The only purpose for a company reporting record profits to continue to raise prices is to fatten their bottom line. It’s time to stop the squeeze on consumers by greedy corporations. Elected officials must pass antitrust laws to prevent companies from raising prices to absurd levels, prohibiting price-fixing and price discrimination. It’s no longer permissible to let corporate greed be the norm.
Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler
NO SUGARCOATING IT: Junior Omair Rana scans a box of Frosted Flakes, noting the significant price increase of the product.
Division Over Nationality: Competing at the Olympics Staff Writer
Soaring through the crisp air to massive heights, China’s representative Eileen Gu clinched two gold medals and one silver medal in three different skiing categories at the 2022 Winter Olympics. But while the Chinese media has overwhelmed the Chinese-American Olympic athlete with praise for the 18-year-old’s historic accomplishment, the American media has been criticizing Gu, who was born and raised in the United States, for being an ungrateful “traitor” to her home country. Resulting from extreme national pride, the heated reactions about Gu and other multi-racial athletes emphasizes the need for athletes to be supported regardless of which country they choose to compete for. Many critics of Gu believed that she chose to represent China either to secure endorsement opportunities or because she agreed with the human rights violations which led many countries to boycott the Olympics. However, Gu has repeatedly stated that instead of a political choice, her decision to compete for China was because of a deep attachment she felt with her Chinese heritage, a dream to increase the popularity of skiing in China and an aspiration to become
a role model for Chinese female athletes. Despite Gu’s nonpolitical reasons for representing China, the increasingly political nature of the Olympics has portrayed her win as a diplomatic victory of China over the US. This frequent perspective of actions in geopolitical terms is harmful for those with dual identities because they are forced to fit into a binary: one culture or the other, but never both.
“
This frequent perspective of actions in geopolitical terms is harmful for those with dual identities because they are forced to fit into a binary: one culture or the other, but never both.
“
By Annie Lee
Gu is not the first Olympic athlete with a dual citizenship who chose to compete for another country. During the 2020 Summer Olympics, American-born Jewish baseball player and Northwood alumni Zach Weiss played for Israel’s baseball team for similarly nonpolitical reasons.
Ellie Lan The Northwood Howler
DEBATES OVER NATIONALITY: Athletes deserve support for their decisions rather than criticism. “We put together a team of predominantly American Jews who got citizenship over the course of a few years, traveled to Israel and created baseball camps trying to grow the game there,” Weiss said. “The majority of guys on Team Israel would have not made Team USA. This was our route not only to help the state of Israel, but for ourselves to make it to the Olympics.” Although Chinese media has lauded Gu as a new poster child, Zhu Yi, another American-born athlete who joined the Chinese Olympic team, was heavily shamed by the
Chinese public for falling during the Olympic skating events and lowering China’s standings. Not only was Yi’s performance criticized, but also her inability to speak fluent Mandarin in contrast to Gu’s fluency. The differing reactions shows the challenges for many bicultural individuals: In order to be accepted, one has to bring glory to the country they represent. But the validity of one’s identity should not be based on one’s achievements. Even though Gu’s gold medal counts towards China’s medal count, the success of one athlete should be
treated as a global accomplishment. People must recognize that competing on a world stage already puts immense pressure on athletes, and should display better sportsmanship instead of criticizing athletes for choices that they’re allowed to make. “A lot of people write nasty comments that have little to do with them or sharing just for the sake of making themselves feel better or putting someone else down,” Weiss said. “You don’t know everyone’s circumstances. Being supportive and not being quick to judge would suit people well.”
SPORTS
The Northwood Howler
March 10, 2022
9
Seven Northwood students commit to collegiate athletics
“
By Rita Lai Staff Writer
“
I wish I did more things for myself rather than pleasing others in high school. To underclassmen, I’d say to try it all. You only get four years, so don’t waste a moment.
It can be tough at times to find motivation to keep working since you don’t immediately see results, but it all becomes worth it.
“
“
— Calvin Euper (12) College of Idaho, Baseball
— Sanjana Venkatesh (12) UCSB, Water Polo
“
“
I recommend everyone to find something they’re passionate about or something they want to work towards to keep yourself motivated. Get involved!
Use tutorial wisely, especially if you are an athlete, because you don’t have much time to study when you get home.
“
— Reina Kabbara (12) UCI, Track and Field
“
For student-athletes, getting recruited to play in college is an extraordinary marker of success. Despite hurdles of injuries and disrupted seasons, it’s time to say congratulations to these sports commits! Currently, Northwood has seven seniors signed to continue their athletic careers at the university level. These are Cami Alarcon (Cal State Northridge, Soccer), Ethan Chen (Claremont McKenna College, Baseball), Calvin Euper (College of Idaho, Baseball), Chloe Guntrip (Wellesley College, Lacrosse), Reina Kabbara (UCI, Track and Field), Allison Morikawa (Stanford University, Softball) and Sanjana Venkatesh (UCSB, Water Polo). From years of practicing their sport and attending Northwood, these student-athletes have gained a sizable amount of wisdom that they hope to pass down to current and future T-Wolves.
— Allison Morikawa (12) Stanford University, Softball Photo provided by Sanjana Venkatesh
Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler
Photo provided by Allison Morikawa
Photo provided by Calvin Euper
people are shocked to know that she plays a sport at such a high level. “It’s always a good conversation starter when they ask if I’m on the swim team and I get to say ‘oh not that kind of swimmer,’” Carlson said. “It feels a little like a secret at times since I don’t broadcast it. It’s kinda like a cool trivia thing in that sense.” However, with every sport comes great amounts of practice to make a good athlete, making it very difficult to balance school and sports. Since off-campus sports aren’t linked with Northwood, student-athletes involved with such sports often have to miss school in order to attend tournaments and competitions; grappling with such a challenge is
fencer sophomore Madeline Huang. “A lot of the time, it’s doing schoolwork at the airport, on the airplane and in between training, so it takes good time management to get schoolwork done on time, but it’s so worth it,” Huang said. “I love this sport so much and the community that comes with it. My closest friends are from fencing, and they also help me balance school and training.” While not without its own difficulties, practicing sports outside of school offers students the independence to practice their sport individually. This allows student-athletes to create their own schedules, choosing how often they practice and what tournaments they compete in. Junior Chohan Yim, who is a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo, practices for 40 minutes twice a week. She uses Taekwondo as a form of self-expression and reclamation of her physical self. “I realized as I grew up that Taekwondo liberates me,” Yim said. “It does not impose social constraints, further proving that I did not have to limit myself to societal biases that I believed were true for a period of time.” As is with sports universally, off-campus sports are about so much more than just the competition itself: They’re about the sense of community that the athletes gain and the lessons they learn from playing the sport, maintaining academic excellence and managing a unique schedule. The distinct experiences these athletes have give them memories and friendships they can cherish for a lifetime. “I like when people are curious about what I spend so much of my time doing,” Carlson said. “It does feel pretty cool to be different from a typical high school studentathlete because it’s almost like I get to exist in two different worlds.”
Cheer goes National Special Sports: Off-campus athletics By Erin Tsai Staff Writer
Photo provided by Kylie O’Leary
LET’S GO T-WOLVES!: Pep Squad performs their routine during the USA Spirit Nationals at the Anaheim Convention Center. By Mihir Kulkarni News Editor
Northwood Pep Squad placed ninth nationwide at the USA Spirit Nationals competition from Feb. 2526 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The team competed in the JV Show Cheer Non-Tumbling Novice event, performing a routine that included various dance moves and stunts to a mashup of songs including “Scream and Shout” by Black Eyed Peas and “Shake your Body” by Jackson 5. With 18 other teams in the same category, the competition was a great opportunity to refine their skills and perform in a high-pressure situation. “I thought the competition was a really fun event to showcase our work and see what other teams brought forth as well,” junior Aarshvi Shah said. “Our team worked so hard for this and I think that our performance was by far the best one yet.” The accomplishment comes after the team placed second at regionals on Jan. 22 with a similar routine, qualifying them for the national competition in Anaheim. Despite not placing in the top six to qualify for the final round, the team
remained proud of their performance and the hard work that went into it. Even with fall and winter sports seasons completed, Pep Squad remains committed to improving their skills through teamwork and dedication. “I have seen so much improvement from each and every girl on the team and am so excited to see what they can create next competition season,” Varsity Captain Kylie O’Leary said. “I could not be more proud to have been a part of their journey this year and to be given the opportunity to coach them because they are a talented group of girls.” The team was judged based on factors including their stunts, pyramids, jumps, choreography, technique and crowd appeal. The routine was diligently rehearsed through after-school and early-morning practices, and was similar to those performed at pep rallies, with some changes to the dancing and stunts. Although this may signal the end of the competition season for Pep Squad, the team will continue to cheer on Northwood athletes in the coming school year. If interested in joining, tryouts for the 2022-23 school year will be held in April.
Classifieds: Northwood High Students and faculty members may place classified ads in The Northwood Howler by contacting the Business Manager at: northwoodnewspaper@gmail.com
Mission Statement: To serve as a medium for school news and the expression of student ideas while adhering to the highest standards of journalistic integrity.
The Northwood Howler is published by Northwood High School as an open forum for exchange of news and ideas. Views expressed in The Northwood Howler do not necessarily represent opinions of the NHS administration or the Irvine Unified School District. Signed letters to the Editor are welcomed and encouraged. They can be placed in Adviser Marina Alburger’s mailbox or delivered to Room 1102. The Northwood Howler reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and clarity. Advertisements do not necessarily represent the opinion of the newspaper.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mei Ono MANAGING EDITOR Claire Chien COPY EDITOR Jonathan Kang LAYOUT EDITOR Abby Fang THO EDITORS Kathy Chun Tyler Wong
Tennis rackets sticking out of backpacks, students wearing matching navy blue tracksuits or groups of teens running laps on the track field make up the typical image of a student-athlete on campus. But among the infinite number of sports in the world, how do athletes of noncampus sports fit into Northwood? Senior Amanda Carlson has been learning synchronized swimming since she was 8 years old, and has earned a national championships award with her team, Meraquas of Irvine. Because she doesn’t play a sport at school, many
Photo provided by Amanda Carlson
PERFORMANCE PREPARATION: Senior Amanda Carlson (top right) listens attentively to her coach before a team competition. NEWS EDITORS Mihir Kulkarni Kevin Sohn
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
GRAPHIC ARTISTS Rachel Gunawan Richelle Gunawan Ellie Lan Saba Nabaeighahroudi Chloe Song
5
1
6
2
4
STAFF WRITERS Parashar Bharadwaj Arya Bhattacharjee Karen Bruce Olivia Cai Noelle Escalante Rhea Gupta Yejin Heo Rita Lai Annie Lee Diego Moreno Annabel Tiong Erin Tsai Karen Wang Rachel Yokota ADVISER Marina Alburger
0
The Northwood March 10,Howler 2022 14
ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT
April 23, 2021 3 The Northwood Howler
“Elite Prep is the reason I got into the college of my dreams.” Katie C. • Stanford University
Elite Student – SAT Boot Camp • Elite Premier Tutoring • AP Psychology • Research Proposal Program • Elite College Solutions
Test Prep • Tutoring • AP Courses For Credit • Dual-Credit College Courses Academic Enrichment • Extracurricular Programs • College Consulting
Raise your GPA and add to your AP/Honors course count this spring. Contact us to learn more about Elite For-Credit Courses! Elite Prep Irvine–Newport Beach (949) 252-9124 | eliteprep.com/irvine
Elite Prep Irvine–Northwood
(949) 654-8523 | eliteprep.com/northwood
Befuddling Bufoonery
The Northwood Howler
Studentless learning system to be introduced next fall
Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler
MO STUDENTS, MO PROBLEMS: Spanish teacher Haydee Vicente teaches verb conjugations to studious, empty desks, amazed that their silent pronounciation is still better than her students’. By Diego Moreno Staff Writer
With the threat of college acceptance letters taking hold of students, Northwood teachers voted to enact the newest teaching model of studentless learning for the 2022-23 school year on Wednesday.
Studentless learning differs from the previous gradeless model by ensuring that no students will ever be present when instructors are teaching. Parking spots on campus have increased to $900,000 so only the most elite of clientele get passes to help enforce the studentless model. The custodi-
ans have also been authorized to use golf-carts to chase illegally-present students. “We have noticed a rise in student test scores since the return of in-person learning,” Principal Leslie Roach said. “So we have switched to this new method as our already unique grading styles should
help reverse this rise in GPA.” The change was also motivated by mental health concerns. A 99% confidence interval calculated by AP Statistics students showed that studentless learning reduced stress in both students and staff. The specifics of this model include expelling students if they show up on campus. Classes will be held by having students sit under the trees at Meadowood Park while teachers throw darts at a board to determine student grades. Students will serve detention at the Orchard Hills McDonald’s parking lot. New classes will begin in conjunction with studentless learning, including AP Honors Integrated Ignorance, where students are questioned on random subjects and fail if they get the question correct. Another development involved the VAPA program’s recent announcement that a new band was being created. “We’re happy to announce the newest music program meant to replace marching band for the next school year,” Instrumental Music Director Whitney Tavlerides said, “It’s called halting band, nick-
March 10, 2022
11
named ‘the Wall of Silence.’” Responses to these changes in grading have been mostly positive, with students praising the move as they no longer have to worry about missing homework assignments. Teachers are applauding the new change as a means of practicing for the faculty dart tournament. Parents however are divided as it means that their precious children no longer have to work for the grades meaning even undeserving students can earn an A. “My poor child has spent years in after school programs crafting the very best GPA they could,” Ynrga Tnerapsaid. “All those restless nights and tears wasted all because the dart landed on a B.” Despite parent pushback against the change, admin plans to proceed with their plan to put students’ interest last and focus on their status as a trendsetter of grading style. “It’s all a balancing act between protecting students from the horrors of learning and protecting teachers from overbearing students,” Roach said. “This makes studentless learning the best option given our circumstances.”
What do your springtime 22nd century APUSH DBQ analysis allergies say about you? By Karen Wang Staff Writer
By Noelle Escalante Staff Writer
As Clarinex and Allegra medication fly off the shelves, it’s safe to say that the spring season is just around the corner. Your most prevalent symptoms can reveal some interesting characteristics about yourself. Runny nose Your personal style and fashion choices are lacking, so the only drip comes from your nose. If you let it dry up, it’ll help preserve it for a lot longer. Even with the cold winter weather, your drip can also constitute as ice.
Ear Pain It’s difficult to tell whether the pain is from the blooming flowers around you, or from when you accidentally walked into 501 while Jazz 3 was practicing. Regardless, you’ve likely sat next to the music speakers during lunch, showing that you think hearing is overrated and like letting your quirkiness shine through.
Dark circles under eyes Dark circles may appear frequently in spring, but at Northwood, you’ll blend with the majority of the student population. They’ve become a fashion trend, so feel free to skip the concealer and show off your true colors.
Watery Eyes You never fully processed that you weren’t able to get a formal date, so it’s a mixture of pollen entering into your open orifices and your suppressed emotions.
Sneezing You’ve always wanted to be an opera singer but found nowhere to express your talent except through intone sneezes during class. However, some may be out of pitch, so bringing a tuning fork with you will be helpful.
Itchy Eyes and Nose The redness around your eyes will blend in with the rest of juniors roaming around campus, as they’ll be bawling the night after receiving the grades of their Gilded Age take-home DBQs (please send help).
Rachel Gunawan The Northwood Howler
With AP exams on our heels, prepare for your AP history subject exams by reviewing a star student’s AP United States History exam from the year 2115 with modern primary sources. Covfefe: President Donald Trump’s tweet mentioning “covfefe” at 12:06 a.m. on May 31, 2017 emphasizes the importance of sleep schedule. This reveals the power of civilian reform as Congress to mandated a bedtime for the president of 9 p.m on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends. Kim Kardashian Beef List: The purpose of this list was to highlight notable mentions of “Peppa Pig,” “George W. Bush,” and “TMZ’”, which emphasize the tumultuous relationship between pop culture, politics and media during the 21st century. The canceling of Peppa Pig for becoming the spearhead of a veganism movement further proves the importance of amplifying talking animals in the media.
Chloe Song The Northwood Howler
CLAIM, EVIDENCE, MEMIFICATION: The 2115 APUSH exam will require students to analyze memes, tweets, and random photos from obscure Instagram pages. Trump flushing documents in toilet: The novel “Confidence Porta Potty” details Trump’s tendency to flush classified documents down the toilet, and how the White House spent over 35% of its operating budget on luxurious Japanese toilets. However, arguing that he was the victim of a political witch hunt, Mr. Trump would soon ban all toilets in the U.S. through Congress’s ‘Toilet Powers Act’, rendering a president’s comments regarding toilets null.
Man uses onion scrap with rubber band as mask: The civilian using an onion scrap as a mask emulates Charles Darwin’s philosophy of natural selection along with the prevalent issue of food waste in the 21st century. His adaptive nature shows that teaching survival of the fittest is essential in all edu, and proves the necessity of waste-sorting trash baskets so other civilians can follow follow this individual’s example.
plan for my fellow leprechauns to avenge themselves,” O’Shivers said. “Every March 17, preschoolers lay traps in hopes to capture a leprechaun, inevitably injuring many of our people. So we decided to strike back. Our leader, Whispers McFearsome, the mastermind behind this scheme has cleverly orchestrated this sophisticated plan. For the past few years, McFearsome has led this siege and introduced artful tactics such as carefully stealing one hour every year from preschoolers’ nap time. Soon, he’ll topple their toddler emptire like ABC building blocks.” O’Shivers provided a detailed description of the leprechauns’ process to remove the hour, starting with the gathering of the International Leprechaun Union. The International Leprechaun Union consists of all Leprechauns
worldwide with its headquarters in Ireland and specialized groups like the Sham Rockers in Southern California. London’s Pinch Perfect is in charge of initiating the time shift by acquiring the necessary amount of nylon rope to covertly shift the hour hand on the Big Ben forward one hour. McFearsome is currently on the run, wanted by all the major countries for a bounty of 17,000 gold coins. It is also suspected that in efforts to cover up McFearsome’s getaway, many leprechauns have crafted a meticulous way to mess with Southern California’s weather by introducing hail, sporadic showers with random blocks of sunshine giving a peek to the end of the rainbow and heavy showers to off-put any suspicion of possible rainbows.
Exposé: Looting leprechauns steal time By Rhea Gupta Staff Writer
Revelations brought to light from whistleclover Bleary O’Shivers suggest that the one hour lost during Daylight Savings time is being stolen by his former gang, the Sham Rockers. In an exclusive interview, O’Shivers revealed to The Howler that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is not only a scam crafted by the sneaky members of the Sham Rockers, but is also in fact a devious way to trick innocent preschoolers. The bright rainbow lures them into completing the laborious task of stealing that extra Daylight Savings hour, all while the children are under the influence of apple juice. “In all honesty, this is a genius
12
March 10, 2022
Befuddling Bufoonery
The Northwood Howler
Chloe Song The Northwood Howler
Timby x Buster: The Spring Break (Up?!) To all the colleges that By Annabel Tiong, Parashar Bharadwaj and Olivia Cai Staff Writers
“And we can go to the movies, and we can go on the Furris wheel,” Timby rattled on, tail wagging with excitement. To reward themselves for all the CIF pressure and drama, Timby and Buster were going to take a nice long vacation down at everyone’s favorite luxury getaway: The Irvine Spectrum. “Yeah! Vaqy and Trogy have been telling me about the Furris wheel.” “Vaqy? Trogy?” Timby asked, confused. Buster nodded. “Vaqy the Vaquero and Trogy the Trojan. That’s what they call themselves. Wait. Why don’t I have a nickname like you guys? Does that make me ‘Busty’?” The two blinked at each other for a solid two minutes. Then Busty said: “You know what, why don’t we invite them too! And Warry the Warrior.” Timby’s face fell. He was hoping it would just be the two of them, but the way Buster’s eyes shone with delight rendered him unable to say no. It would be fine. He could handle it, seeing Buster laugh at Warry’s jokes or playfully paw at Trogy’s feathered helmet. Everything would go okay. Or so he thought. FAST FORWARD 1 WEEK: Timby’s POV Everything was not going okay. The couple hadn’t even met up with the other mascots yet, but the mere thought had Timby on edge. “Buster, are you SERIOUS? You’ve been driving me insane all
day. First, you forgot the premium WolfMeat Deluxe Snack bag at home. Now I’m starving. And then you forget our extra fur de-tangling spray. Literally, can you do one thing!” He glared at the bulldog who was rolling his eyes in protest. “Why do I have to do everything?” Buster shot back. “Why don’t you be responsible for your own stuff? I’m not even into WolfMeat Deluxe.” Timby didn’t notice his bristling fur and curled lip until he saw the look of fear on Buster’s face. His heart dropped to his stomach. He reached a silvery paw towards the purple dog, expecting Buster to take it between his own, but Buster flinched away. “Buster, I-” “Woah!” interjected the University High Trojan. “Is this guy bothering you? Lemme get between you guys,” he said with a tilt of his feather-helmeted head. Buster’s eyes darted between the wolf and the Trojan nervously before slipping behind the silver soldier. And that was how they ended up wandering through the plaza on their own. Timby could hear the excited barks of Buster meeting up with the other schools at the theater. Who needs Buster! I’ll just go buy Fur spray on my own. But the entire time, his ears drooped ever so slightly, feeling like his very own Helen was being stolen by the stupid Trojan. Inside of Howllister, he was surprised to find a dusty cowboy hat in the clearance section. “Is this anyone’s?” he called. Suddenly, an odd horseman clopped in and whisked it out of his hands.
“I’ll be takin’ that from yer. Oh, you musta been that Wolf from Southwood er something. Where’s yer Doggy friend?” Timby looked away uneasily. The Vaquero chucked. “I see them lover’s quarrels all the time at Irvine. Kids these days. Wanna get sum yogurt with me?” Before he could say anything, Irvine’s mascot lassoed onto his tail and dragged him out of the shop. Even with Timby’s protesting, he had more fun than he’d like to admit. After stopping at Yogurtland, they headed to 20-Fur Hour Fitness, got some gains and were now about to redeem 2048 tickets at Dave and Buster’s. (The name was a bit of a sore spot for Timby.) “You’re pretty cool, Mr. Vaqy.” The cowboy laughed. “Call me, Vaq. Yer pretty cool yourself. Whattdya say we ditch this place and go on a real date?” Timby’s eyes widened. “But Buster…” His horse neighed impatiently. “C’mon, Doggy already forget boutcha. Notice how he hasn’t even called yer since this mornin’. Now, ya comin or not?” The wolf was lost. Vaq’s outstretched lasso looked so tempting, and he was right. Buster hadn’t said anything, not even a single text since they had argued. Will Timby go with Vaq? Will he and Buster make up? Will he ever get his Fur Spray or his WolfMeat Deluxe? And what kind of name is Trojy? Find out next time in (we probably won’t have another issue because this is going on too long) your imagination! Happy paw-ndering!
deferred
me
before
By Arya Bhattacharjee Staff Writer
Dear College Admission Representative Who Deferred My Application, My winter months were spent in toil and trauma as I fought to scrape together every single AP course just to impress you. My ups and downs, the secrets I was forced to tell in the name of “standing out,” the extracurriculars I was forced to deal with… It took all of my courage, determination and ninety-five dollar checks just to get you to even look at me, and still you left me in wait. Days, weeks and months passed by, and yet not a word came out of your iron gates. Nothing to appease my rising tension, the knowledge that you could fulfill or end my career before it even started. The answer should have been clear to you; yes or no was all you had to say. And yet after this painstakingly long wait, you still ‘need more time’... I don’t know what to tell you anymore. You’ve broken my heart, infected me with senioritis. After all that I had to offer, you couldn’t simply give me an answer. Even a ‘no’ would have left me with a sense of resolution, yet now I must spend my days pondering whether I still have a chance to enter your iron gates. Do you think that this is nothing more than a game? That you can play with my emotions and get away with it? I held myself to the highest standard, believing that you would be the one. I told no lies, omitted no details, but now I wonder if that was the right decision to make. Now I must hide the truth from you, as when I hear from you next, my smile will be nothing but a facade over the agony I’ll be hiding. I truly hope that there is someone you can accept without the hesitation you had with me. That they can fulfill your every expectation whereas I could not. I truly question my sanity knowing that I’ll still wait for your response, but I must know. What is it that you thought of me? Why did you need all of this time, when all you needed was a second to notice my devotion to you? You’ve left me no choice; I’m still here waiting for you. Sincerely yours, Deferred and Devastated
Rachel Gunawan The Northwood Howler