March 2020 Howler

A Northwood High School Publication Follow us on Instagram @nhs.howler www.TheHowlerOnline.org

Volume XXI, Issue VII: March 13, 2020

4515 Portola Pkwy. Irvine, CA 92620

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Prevent COVID-19 Accent 3 Michael Huang The Northwood Howler

I can feel your halo: Dancers and students showcase their cultural and empowering pieces to raise money for the Halo Foundation.

Inspirations: dancing for autism awareness

By Claire Chien

Staff Writer

Northwood dancers performed powerful student-choreographed pieces at this year’s Inspirations showcase, raising donations for the Halo Foundation on Feb. 21.

The show featured students from Dance One through Dance Theater, with pieces ranging stylistically from graceful ballet to theatrical jazz. Each dance incorporated purposeful messages to illustrate the importance of dance as a form of expression, especially aiming to support the Halo Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes awareness for children with autism.

A piece that particularly stood out for its message was “Opacity,” performed blindfolded by Dance Three juniors Annie Hu and Jenny Weng.

“Jenny and I really wanted to make a piece about finding yourself,” Hu said. “So ‘Opacity’ was about coming to terms with yourself and your identity, which we portrayed by finally taking off the blindfolds at the end of the piece. It felt truly gratifying to be able to perform a piece that was so personal.”

While some dances embraced personal themes, others expressed universal ideas. “Ray of Sun,” choreographed by Dance Three junior Elena Maldonado, showered the audience with uplifting messages of optimism and perseverance. “No Regrets,” performed with stunning technicality by Dance Theater sophomore Sophia Chung, juniors Anessa Davies, Sophia Lee and Isabella Yum and senior Katerina Reznikov, emphasized self-empowerment.

“The enthusiasm of all the

dancers really resonated within me,” Dance Theater sophomore Emily Li said. “It was amazing to see how different types of dances played a big role in helping to encompass diversity in our show.”

Diversity shined through in Inspirations, especially in “It’s the Time to Party,” a vibrant and driven Bollywood dance choreographed by Dance Two sophomore Rhea Mehta. The audience could not stop cheering at the sight of the dancers’ smiles and the piece’s complexity and undeniable energy, closing Act One with a bang.

“I felt like going up there and dancing with them,” junior Riya Agnihotri said. “It was nice to see my culture’s dance represented by people of all different races and ethnicities. Their dancing was beautiful.”

Inspirations was the second dance show of the school year, pre-

ceded by Fallout XII in November.

Inspirations differed from Fallout in one critical aspect—all proceeds went to the Halo Foundation, helping to provide financial support, treatment and education to children with autism.

“Art is a way to be a positive voice,” dance director Judy Scialpi said. “There are so many challenges that are around us, and we should use what we do well to help people who are struggling with some sort of issue or challenge.”

At Inspirations, while advanced dancers explored how to coordinate a show, new dancers performed on stage for the first time.

As Northwood’s Dance Program reflects on this experience, Scialpi and her students will begin preparing for the next dance show, Our Planet, calling attention to global issues like landfills and sustainability.

OC Film Festival A&E 4

How Democracy Dies Viewpoint 9

Local and global events cancelled due to COVID-19

By Catherine Hu and Zaina Shaik News Editors

Daniel Dai The Northwood Howler

Several school, local and national events previously scheduled for March and April have been canceled after an update from IUSD Superintendent Terry Walker on March 12.

“All non-essential small and large gatherings, meetings, events, assemblies, school open houses, performances, festivals and other activities will be canceled or postponed,” Walker said in an email to the community.

These updates came after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a pandemic—a global spread of a new disease—on March 11. Following the WHO decision, California governor Gavin Newsom ordered the cancellation of gatherings of over 250 people through the end of March, including all non-essential professional, social and community events. The ban did not call for the closing of schools, but IUSD swiftly followed suit in their cancellation of non-essential school events.

Among these is Friday’s Sadie Hawkins dance, which has been post-

Daniel Dai The Northwood Howler

poned indefinitely. The Theatre Arts department’s spring play “Romeo and Juliet” and Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony have also been postponed. The choral and instrumental tour, originally scheduled for spring break, was cancelled entirely.

In addition, state competitions

for Speech and Debate, the Journalism Education Association and Science Olympiad have been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.

Members of all these groups had qualified for their respective state tournaments at their regional competitions, but will now not be able to compete against their peers state-

wide. Similarly, while sports competitions will continue, spectators will not be allowed at any games.

Locally, Disneyland announced that it would be closed from March 14 to the end of the month. This decision follows the NCAA’s cancellation of March Madness, the NBA and NHL suspensions of their respective seasons and the MLB’s suspension of spring training and postponement of opening day. In the past few weeks, universities across the country have begun switching their in-person classes to online ones, sending students home and banning large gatherings.

In light of the outbreak, IUSD is considering a range of options should schools be ordered closed, including online or distance learning. Several school districts in states such as Washington and Maryland have already taken such action. Northwood will be changing the schedule for both March 20 and 23 to Super Late Starts for staff to plan learning tools in the event of a switch to online education.

For more information about COVID-19 prevention, see page 3.

For more updates, please visit the IUSD website at iusd.org/COVID19.

2

NEWS

March 13, 2020

Zaina Shaik The Northwood Howler

Cybersecurity: Juniors Tiffany Sun and Emma Li debug an error in their antivirus software by writing code in the C++ language.

Irvine Hacks 2020: city’s first high school hackathon

By Helena Zhou Staff Writer

At Irvine’s first student-run hackathon, Irvine Hacks, high school students across Southern California coded innovative projects at Redwood Code Academy on Saturday, Feb. 29.

From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., around 60 participants collaborated in groups, designed programs and presented them to a panel of judges who assessed and ranked the projects. Meanwhile, professionals in the technology field taught HTML, CSS, Javascript and web and app development in ongoing workshops throughout the day.

“I really enjoyed Irvine Hacks’ open environment that adjusted to all

the different levels of capability,” senior Johann Fernandez said. “It was a learning opportunity for everyone.”

Among the projects created were coronavirus trackers, chess simulators, physics calculators and horror video games. Fernandez, senior Arthur Jiang and juniors Emma Li, Maxwell Shih and Tiffany Sun worked together to build an antivirus software that could delete malicious activities on computers.

“We had to get our whole team together to focus on one topic and split up tasks from there,” Shih said.

“We considered which of our original ideas were achievable, and after that, we worked quickly to find a solution in the short amount of time.”

When participants were not busy devising the front and back ends of their programs, they took breaks by playing ping-pong, creating TikToks and enjoying a surplus of Subway sandwiches and Costco pizza.

Nonetheless, the breaks did not lessen the teams’ determination to win the prizes: Apple Airpods Pro for first place, Ultimate Ears speakers for second and HyperX gaming keyboards for third.

“A lot went into having the Airpods and the food, and one of our biggest battles was the fact that everything was interconnected,” lead organizer senior Shivani Pasricha said. “We needed members for credibility, but then we needed credibility for members. To break this barrier, we just kept persisting.”

To provide the incredible venue, exclusive awards and expert mentors, Pasricha and senior William Hu led the Irvine Hacks board with five other leaders from Northwood’s technology clubs—seniors Anshika Agrawal, Zaina Shaik, Lisa Shi and Michael Shi and junior Lawrence Chen—to host this major event. The team began planning last summer and managed everything from their website, interest forms, venue, marketing, designs and sponsorships.

At the end of the event, participants remained energetic after the toiling day, as the closing ceremony awarded a group from Sage Hill School first place with their application that connects volunteers and organizers.

With many logistics of the event established, the board envisions Irvine Hacks to become an annual event and plans to update its board in the near future to garner more attention around technology.

The Northwood Howler

Mickey Dickson named IUSD Teacher of the Year

By Catherine Hu and Zaina Shaik News Editors

Science teacher Mickey Dickson was named this year’s high school IUSD Teacher of the Year on Feb. 24. Dickson was nominated by other staff members and chosen based on his contribution to the school from a pool of other candidates.

“There are so many good teachers, not just at this school, but throughout the district,” Dickson said. “To be honored and named as one of the top in the district is a pretty big deal.”

Dickson expressed gratitude for the people who he has met and been inspired by throughout his nearly three-decade-long journey as an educator. With 29 years of edu-

cation experience—19 of them at Northwood—Dickson has played an integral role in shaping the science department and its students.

As the head of the science department, Dickson was involved in creating the Integrated Science courses, as well as the Forensics Science classes for the Honors Forensics core, a unique Northwood program introduced three years ago to provide students with a new approach to interdisciplinary education.

Throughout his teaching career, Dickson explained that the challenge of teaching high school students inspires him.

“I hope to get my students engaged in science,” Dickson said. “To know that science is how we think and how we make our society better.”

Michael Huang The Northwood Howler

a pass i o n f o r t e ach i n g : S c i e n c e te a ch e r Mi ck e y Dickson works with a student through a science problem.

Northwood students take on the State Capitol in Sacramento

By Jonathan Kang Staff Writer

Six students represented Northwood at the annual IUSD advocacy trip to Sacramento on March 10 to voice concerns on public education to members of the state legislature.

Seniors Liana Friedman, Franz Kievet, Emmersen Orozco, Jadyn Tiong and Ellen Wang and junior Rohan Agrawal represented Northwood in discussing varying policies on education, including positive class environments and course availability with state legislators.

By expressing their concerns on these educational topics, they hoped to advocate for more direct and effective learning.

“I personally advocated for more funding towards teacher training and specializing programs,” Tiong said. “I also discussed issues like mental health, metrics of success and broader political issues such as climate change and homelessness.”

History teacher Emily Rho-

Ellen Wang The Northwood Howler

A d v o cac y i n ac t i o n : N o r t h w o o d s t u d e n t s v i s i t e d t h e S t a t e C a p i t o l on March 10 to meet and talk to representatives including State Assemblyman Steven Choi. darmer accompanied the students throughout the trip, instructing them on how to effectively communicate

their concerns by asking what legislators would specifically do to address them.

The Northwood Howler is published

by Northwood High School as an open forum for the 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.

Classifieds: Northwood High students and faculty members may place classified ads in The Howler by contacting the Business Manager at:

nhshowlerads@gmail.com

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.

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 advocates talked to numerous lawmakers such as Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, Califor-

Editors-in-Chief Sarika Rau Michael Shi Adviser Marina Alburger News Editors Catherine Hu Zaina Shaik Accent Editor Carina Lin A&E Editor Catherine Li Centerspread Editor Maizah Ali Viewpoint Editor Ellen Wang Sports Editor Zarina Yunis Junk Editor Anna Lim THO Editor-in-Chief Andrew Do

nia Sen. John Moorlach and Deputy Superintendent Khieem Jackson.

“We ended up meeting a lot of different people with many different perspectives, which allowed us to get a comprehensive view of how legislation makes its way around the State Capitol,” Tiong said. “It informed and educated us students, which is crucial because we are the future legislators and constituents.”

The student advocates had to submit an application and go through an interview process in order to be selected for the trip.

Once selected, they attended five weekly meetings from January to March in order to prepare and get ready for the trip, where they participated in panels to simulate the experience they would have in Sacramento.

“This trip was important since we’re now better prepared to interact with local governments to tackle these relevant issues and possibly pursue careers in the State Capitol in the future,” Tiong said.

Copy Editor Anish Jampana

Graphics Editor Anna Ma

Layout Editor Helen Yang

Photo Editor Mitul Kalra

Staff Writers Nawal Abdul Cameron Arcand Ally Chao Claire Chien Kathy Chun Abby Fang Pranav Gaddam Rocky Gao Rachel Gima Jonathan Kang Erin Kim Yenna Kim Mihir Kulkarni Ashley Lee Mei Ono Hari Sreemagiri Erin Tsai Varun Vishnubhotla Tyler Wong Ryan Wu Dylan Yee Helena Zhou Anlon Zhu

AR Editor Gabriel Dimaandal Graphics Daniel Dai Rachel Gunawan Yenna Kim Victoria Ta Photographers Kaylee Charlton Grant Dickerson Sondos Elbershawi Michael Huang Rachel Kang Sreekar Kasturi Coco Tsaur Business Managers Faryal Ahsan Aniket Kamat Arman Sueemeli Publicist Jahnvi Mehta

ACCENT

The Northwood Howler

Charmed: finding luck in life

March 13, 2020

3

By Nawal Abdul and Ashley Lee Staff Writers

St. Patrick’s Day has traditionally been a holiday to wear your brightest greens and celebrate Irish heritage (whether you have any or not), but for Northwood students, it is less about harnessing the luck of the Irish and more about finding the luck to manage school stress. Even if we’re not chasing leprechauns or searching for pots of gold, lucky charms are more than just a cereal.

“My lucky charm is a Sumikko Gurashi, the white polar bear, that’s on my backpack.

Whenever I’m stressed, I usually squish him because he’s super soft, and it helps me destress.” ~ senior Matthew Halim “My lucky charm is a cross ring that I wear everyday because I’m Christian and it’s a part of my faith. I feel like if I forget to wear it, I’ll have a bad day. Luck is a good vibe or energy that helps you do well with whatever you are doing in your life.” ~ senior Christian Singh “During every math test, I put a mini porcelain cow on my desk for good luck. My little sister gave it to me as a gift, and keeping her in my mind helps me try my best. Luck is definitely more about the mindset that you have towards the object because if

Heather Kim The Northwood Howler

Hello Spring!: picnic foods for the sunny weather

By Pranav Gaddam Staff Writer

With spring approaching, there’s no better way to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine than with a picnic.

However, a picnic isn’t complete without delicious food, so here are a couple of dishes to bring for your next outing. So, grab your family and friends to prepare for a feast!

my sister didn’t give it to me, I wouldn’t be using it.” ~ sophomore Sarah Hsu “I don’t really associate objects with luck. Luck can be as simple as winning a card game or something as big as getting an opportunity to do something that you couldn’t have done before.

But, luck also includes things that are completely out of our control, such as the family we were born into. Luck is when you have a perception that makes you more confident in yourself.” ~ sophomore Surya Subbarao “My lucky charm was a pencil from second grade. It meant a lot to me because there was this one time where I got 100% on the timed multiplication test. Looking back, I realize that if you study hard, work hard, you’ll achieve what you want to achieve.”

~ freshman Nikki Doiphode Graphics by Yenna Kim The Northwood Howler

Lobster rolls These rolls are a seafood twist of the basic, traditional hotdog. They’re just as tasty and bring the coast closer to you. First, collect your supplies: a fourth of a cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of chopped chives, one tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 1/4 pound of cooked lobster meat, a fifth of a cup of fresh lemon juice, hot dog buns, lettuce, salt and pepper. Take a bowl and mix the mayonnaise, chives, salt, pepper, D i j o n mustard a n d

prevent the bread from becoming soggy. You can also customize it by adding cilantro and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for some extra spice.

Crunch wrap The name captures the dish perfectly: it’s crunchy, filled with veggies and a delicious addition to any picnic. It also isn’t hard to make, requiring common ingredients including a red onion, smoked chili paste, an avocado, two tomatoes, grated Monterey Jack cheese, two red peppers, four tortillas, black beans and tortilla chips. First, heat the chopped onion on a frying pan with a tablespoon of oil and add chili paste

a few minutes and then cook the chopped peppers and beans with the onions until they are heated thoroughly. After the mixture is complete, divide it equally onto the four tortillas and add the pieces of tomatoes, cheese, avocado and chips.

Fold the tortilla together so that it’s packed and again cook it on the pan until the sides are golden brown. The filling doesn’t need to be restricted to these specific ingredients. Feel free to mix it up and modify the recipe according to your preferences.

S’mores bar Perfect for bigger groups, this gooey and chocolatey dessert will surely satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. It captures the experience of camping and s’mores without the

lemon juice together. Next, cut the meat into large pieces and coat each piece evenly in the sauce. For the bread, butter the buns and cook them until they are golden brown and crispy. Finally, place the lettuce on the insides of the bun and fill it with the lobster. The lettuce will

after the onions soften. Wait for

Victoria Ta The Northwood Howler

hassle, available for consumption anywhere. To make this, you’ll need two-thirds a cup of melted margarine, six tablespoons of sugar, three cups of graham cracker crumbs, two boxes of brownie mix, supplies to make those brownie mixes, four Hershey bars and six cups of marshmallows.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and mix the margarine, sugar and cracker crumbs. Take that mixture, press it onto a pan and bake it for ten minutes. After making the brownie mixture, pour it over the crust and bake it for another 25 minutes.

Now that the foundation is complete, top the dish with marshmallows and let it broil in the oven until golden.

Once complete, you can customize the bars with chocolate bars or any other candy of your choice.

Personally, I feel the more chocolate the better. You truly can never have too much.

However, I would suggest the adventurous to divide the sections of the tray into different flavors like caramel or peanut butter in one section and crumbled Oreos in another section. Mix and match to find the best batch.

4

March 13, 2020

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Northwood Howler

Photo provided by NTV

R E D C A R P E T R E A D Y: T h e N T V c r e w s m i l e s p r o u d l y i n f r o n t o f t h e c a m e r a s a s t h e y g o h o m e w i t h t h r e e aw a r d s a n d 1 0 n o m i n a t i o n s .

Lights, camera, action! NTV excels at annual OCFF

By Ryan Wu Staff Writer

A talented array of aspiring filmmakers, actors and editors from Northwood High School’s very own NTV was recognized for their abilities on Feb. 15 with their successes at the annual Orange County Film Festival (OCFF). The proud Timberwolves took home three trophies: senior Justin Hong for Best Producer, senior Yukako Fujimori for Best Independent Film and NTV advisor Steven Sellwood for Mentor of the Year.

“Quite honestly, I was very surprised,” Sellwood said. “I didn’t even know that I was nominated for the award. I’m very thankful.”

With 10 total nominations this year, Northwood’s success in the festival can be attributed, aside from natural talent and hard work, to Sell-

wood’s years of experience and exceptional guidance for his students.

Judges based the decision to award Sellwood on many positive interviews with the Northwood administration as well as current and former students.

“I really like how Mr. Sellwood always encourages us to take risks and get out of our comfort zone,” NTV side cameraman junior Melanie Judd said.

Throughout the course of the school year, Northwood film students submit their best work to the FilmEd Academy of Arts, a school that annually hosts the OCFF. FilmEd nominates the best high school filmographers in the county for the festival.

With 2020 being her third year as a part of FilmEd, Fujimori has gained remarkable knowledge about the art of film-making and shared her

skill with the judges of OCFF. Her award-winning film, “One of U.S.,” depicted a sensitive time period following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in which Japanese-Americans had to choose between staying allegiant to their cultural roots or fighting for their American homeland.

“Watching all the student-made films over the years inspired me to tell my own stories as well,” Fujimori said. “Because of this I was able to make my own film telling the story of my people. I feel extremely fortunate to have been awarded Best Independent Film, and I can’t thank FilmEd enough.”

This touching story was intimately shot and captured the ambivalent emotions of the main actor and the true hopelessness of the situation.

Fujimori’s decision to only include Japanese narration further demon-

strated the creativity of her creation.

Similarly, Hong utilized a foreign language in his inventive film, “¿Ya Llegamos?,” to his advantage.

Portraying an example of illegal immigration into the United States, Hong’s story is one concerning human morality and the oftentimes substandard treatment of foreign people.

Due to the fact that the entire film was set on a boat 16-feet-long, Hong’s ability to effectively coordinate an original story despite setbacks that inevitably came with the setting became a crucial factor for his Best Producer win.

“We ran into many difficulties during the actual production of ‘¿Ya Llegamos?,’” Hong said. “The main actress got very seasick and we had to schedule our filming around how she felt. The lighting was also difficult to keep consistent. Everything worked

out great in the end, though.”

These two exceptional students tackled controversial issues with elegancy and were fittingly rewarded, but nothing can diminish the artistry that every Northwood nominee exhibited to be hand-picked by FilmEd. “In total, there were 400 submissions from all over the county.

Sellwood said. “I would say that Northwood being able to get 10 nominations this year is just as important to me as winning the whole thing.”

Whether or not Northwood’s talented film production members went home with awards, the shared experience of viewing the works of Orange County’s up and coming filmmakers at OCFF was the greatest takeaway of the night. Students look forward to further pursuing their individual passions while harnessing their skills in anticipation for next year’s festival.

Kaylee Charlton and Arman Suermeli The Northwood Howler

B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S : ( l e f t t o r i g ht ) S e n i o r s E t h a n Yi n , S k y l a r Wi l k , Je n e e n Elbershaw i and Amala Neer vannan rehearse afterschool as the show approaches.

Romeo and Juliet: a student-led show

By Nawal Abdul Staff Writer

Daniel Dai The Northwood Howler

Northwood’s Theatre Department is bringing Shakespeare to life with the production of Romeo and Juliet, set to hit the stage on March 19. This production has been in the works for months, directly following the run of “Mamma Mia,” but this particular play is a little different compared to those of the past.

“Romeo and Juliet” has been under the direction of senior Rachel McMullen and executive produced

by English teacher Marina Alburger, while theatre director. Danyelle Bossardet has been away on medical leave.

“It’s been a really stressful but also very rewarding, exciting and inspiring process,” McMullen said.

Though Bossardet isn’t at rehearsals in person, the cast is work-

ing hard to have her there in spirit and create a production she would be proud of.

“We’re trying our very best to stick to the processes that Ms. B usually follows because we know they work well and will get us where we need to be by the time show week rolls around,” McMullen said. “We’re in a really tight spot, but we’re staying optimistic because she’s always taught us to be.”

This production has been longawaited by cast and crew alike working on the play, with “Romeo and Juliet” being one of the first pieces of literature read by many freshmen in the school, and the excitement is clear.

“It’s been really amazing working on a show that I read because I get to see a completely different side of the text,” senior Amala Neervanan said.

But portraying such a wellloved play hasn’t been entirely easy.

The cast and crew have been working tirelessly to produce the show in a way that’s both true to original Shakespeare we know and love while also giving it the Northwood Theatre Department flair we are all used to.

“It was difficult changing the set design to fit the materials we had, so it was a lot of just being creative with what we had,” junior Bri Walsh said.

Though the play’s official premiere has been postponed until further notice, the cast and crew is still incredibly excited for the run.

“We have done a lot of work on stage combat and our actors are having so much fun with the process,” McMullen said. “As someone who has been a witness to this production coming together, I would highly encourage every student and faculty member to come watch.”

The Northwood Howler

ADVERTISEMENT

March 13, 2020

5

6

March 13, 2020

CENTERSPREAD

March 13, 2020

7

8

ADVERTISEMENT

March 13, 2020

ATS

Accounting & Tax Services www.atstaxpros.com

Accounting • Tax • Bookkeeping • Payroll

Our Services:

About us:

Tax Preparation: Individual, Small Business, Partnership, Corporation Full Service Accounting, Bookkeeping, Payroll Tax Resolution and Audit Support FAFSA/Financial Aid Planning and Consulting For more info visit: www.atstaxpros.com/services

Tazin M. Yunis, CPA Office: 949-851-1510 Mobile: 949-228-1512

Se Habla Español

Accounting and Tax Services is a family owned and operated small accounting and tax firm. We specialize in corporate, small business and individual tax returns and support all aspects of business accounting including financial statement preparation, book-keeping, payroll, government reporting and audit support. We also help families with FAFSA/college financial aid planning and form preparation.

The Northwood Howler

The Northwood Howler

VIEWPOINT

March 13, 2020

9

Ban the backwards Body Mass Index

By Kathy Chun and Ashley Lee Staff Writers

What do basketball legend Michael Jordan, World Wrestling Entertainment superstar John Cena and football icon Tom Brady all have in common? You might guess they all share a clean bill of perfect health.

But the body mass index (BMI) scale begs to differ; by this measure, all three are considered overweight.

BMI leads to detrimental impacts on student development in schools and presents flaws such as inaccuracy, disregard for ethnic differences and racist origins.

People must no longer rely on BMI, but instead seek other alternatives.

Although the purpose of creating BMI was not to measure health, BMI is currently heavily relied on to do so. In order to calculate BMI, your weight is divided by the square of your height. Within seconds, a calculator classifies you into one of four categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.

Spokesman for the California Department of Finance H.D. Palmer explained that the state had received complaints about BMI’s discrimination against disabled and gender non-binary students. Additionally, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has recently proposed suspending the physical fitness tests for three years

to investigate the correlation between the tests and bullying.

If such a connection indeed exists, further action must be taken. Research from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the National Institutes of Health on 100 subjects concluded that children teased for their weight eventually see an average 33%

increase in weight.

Adding insult to injury, the damage caused by BMI is rarely made on accurate grounds. Because muscle mass is heavier than fat, BMI often

incorrectly categorizes an individual with minimal amounts of fat as overweight.

Likewise, being categorized as normal weight does not necessarily imply one is healthy. CNN reported that BMI underestimates the dangers of fat accumulation near the abdomen, which is more dangerous than fat in other areas. Research on participants from the 2005-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey concluded that half o f

o v e rweight individuals were incorrectly classified as healthy.

To make matters worse, BMI is plagued with discrepancies not only on the individual level but between ethnic groups, as different ethnicities are surrounded by different environments influencing growth and development. A 20-

year study of over 78,000 women in the United States concluded that Asian women were twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than white women with the same BMI. Similarly, black individuals were less likely to develop obesity-related diseases than white individuals. These contrasts can be attributed to ethnic differences in body fat and lean muscle mass, both of which are overlooked

by BMI. The main reason why ethnic differences are overlooked by BMI is due to its origins. The BMI scale, also known as the Quetelet index, was created in the 1800s by Belgian astronomer Adolphe Quetelet based on the height and weight of European men. Quetelet developed the BMI scale to define the “average man” using these statistics, inherently discriminating against non-Europeans.

More concerningly, BMI also guided English anthropologist Sir Francis Galton in defining eugenics.

Despite being created for nonhealth purposes and its role in contributing to eugenics, BMI continues to be relied on by medical professionals as an acceptable measure of one’s health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims the cost-efficient and simple methods used in BMI allow researchers to observe health trends, such as dietary patterns’ role in the obesity epidemic.

The CDC hence continues to promote BMI, which gives researchers access to larger sample groups and therefore reach more accurate conclusions.

However, many other alternatives as cost-efficient and possibly more accurate than BMI exist. For example, the relative fat mass (RFM) index considers the distance around your waist in relation to your height.

“We wanted to identify a more reliable... and inexpensive method to

assess body fat percentage without using sophisticated equipment” Lead researcher Orison Woolcott of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said.

Woolcott’s team calculated the RFM for 3500 adults and found that their results closely corresponded with a high-tech body scan of body tissue, bone, muscle and fat. This method is far more reliable than BMI and more economical than other alternatives, as it only requires a tape measure.

Other cost-efficient alternatives include using Body Volume Indicator, a digital tool for calculating body composition and imaging visceral fat, waist circumference and other body parts, could reach an extensive population, as Pew Research found in 2019 that 81% of U.S. adults own a smartphone.

At first glance, BMI can seem precise and practical, but appearances are often deceiving. As shown through current issues and research conducted by many scientists, using BMI potentially leads to bullying at school, overlooks many essential factors and was created to generalize the entire population under a European standard. With other cost-efficient and user-friendly alternatives available, BMI must no longer be used.

We the people: renewing the social contract Since many of the world’s greatest empires eventually fall, it is important to consider when the American Empire will too, and to warn against the factors that threaten it. The U.S. has a proud history of enabling its citizens to have a say in the way their government is operated, through voting, free speech and self-defense. But as the political climate becomes increasingly divisive and ideologies like socialism, which broadens government power in potentially dangerous ways, are becoming mainstream, it is easy to imagine the American Empire falling if people become victims to the government. Citizens must take steps to prevent the downfall of American civilization. Here are some potential threats Americans face when the government is granted too much authority.

finally remove Trump from office, and Republicans defended any possible wrongdoing from the President.

Both stances reflect blind adherence to tribal loyalty with little consideration of the facts. When tribal loyalties mean people cannot agree on facts, democracy is threatened.

The Mueller report investigation and Trump’s impeachment trial have driven a wedge between the American people. Those who supported impeachment believe Trump may have used his power for political gain, and those against it see asking a foreign leader for information as normal conduct. Many now feel compelled to take a side and to be outspoken about it. These increased tribalistic attitudes in both parties make it difficult for anything to get done within the government, which makes people vulnerable to take dangerous actions over political differences. Politicians could easily lie to people and trick citizens into giving up their rights.

Not agreeing on the legitimacy of a leader In 2017, questions about ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia initiated the two-year-long Russia investigation.

Following the release of the Mueller report, House Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry about a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, fueling a heated debate about whether or not Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine until Zelensky found negative information on Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. Democrats looked to

Not being able to defend oneself The Second Amendment asserts that “a well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” When citizens lose their right to protect themselves with a firearm, they become vulnerable to government tyranny. In 2012, the Venezuelan government banned citizens from owning guns, with the intention of reducing gun violence.

However, the law made it easy for the Venezuelan military to oppress their own people years later, sometimes using tanks and weapons in order to

By Cameron Arcand Staff Writer

stop protests.

Venezuelans lost their right to self-defense because they were not protected by a constitution that allows gun ownership, unlike the United States. Unfortunately, gun violence in America has led to concerning rhetoric about the right to bear arms. Former Democratic Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke proposed a mandatory gun buyback for assault weapons, even going as far as to say, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15.” Ideas like banning assault weapons and universal background checks are popular because many view them as simple processes to prevent dangerous people from getting guns, but mandatory buybacks can become a slippery slope to forcibly taking guns away. Programs like buybacks will anger safe gun owners and may cause them to retaliate against the government for trying to take their property away from them. If this possibility occurs, it could potentially create civil unrest, as people would desperately be fighting against a police state.

Limiting economic freedom In the U.S., socialism has become a mainstream economic philosophy, with 49% of millennials having a positive view of the system (based on a 2019 Gallup poll), making it disturbingly close to becoming a reality. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is a self-described “Democratic Socialist,” who has made proposals like a $15 an hour minimum wage (a major hike from the current $7.25 federal hourly pay), Medicare for

All and tuition-free public colleges cornerstones of his presidential campaign. Sanders’s solutions resonate with many young people because of the broken healthcare system and the high cost of college, but the solutions are unrealistic when the national debt, public approval and disagreement among politicians is considered. A consequence of policies like Medicare for All is that it will hurt insurance companies, who will be forced to lay off thousands of employees. These

programs backed by progressive leaders come with an unclear price tag that will likely lead to an increase in taxes for Americans. Even if taxes were not to go up significantly, having the government control industries like healthcare or education could leave people frustrated if the quality of their only available program is poor.

If a corrupt or inefficient government is responsible for controlling basic

necessities, it is the average citizen who gets hurt the most.

When reckless or irrational people are given the opportunity to hold power, it is the job of a nation’s people to protect their country. Citizens need to be wary of politicians who believe that increasing the size of government will solve government problems, as control over institutions, constitutional rights and businesses can easily be

lost.

In the American Empire, c e n turies of stable leadership has led to taking some rights for granted, causing us to forget how easily those freedoms can be lost. In November, voters need to rise above tribal politics and think critically about making choices that will preserve our freedoms.

Heather Kim The Northwood Howler

10

SPORTS

March 13, 2020

The Northwood Howler

On track for their future goals Full swing into Softball

By Rachel Gima and Tyler Wong Staff Writers

Coco Tsaur The Northwood Howler

The home stretch: Seniors Mary King and Justin Larson lead their teams in warmups.

By Kathy Chun and Hari Sreeramagiri Staff Writers

As long as you keep running after your dreams, you can go the distance. Seniors Justin Larson and Mary King do exactly that on Northwood’s Track and Field team. Both typically compete in long-distance running events and have taken another step forward after high school to compete in the sport at the collegiate level. They look forward to continuing their track career and receiving new opportunities.

The Howler: Which college are you attending next fall and how did you decide you fully wanted to commit there?

Justin Larson: I am committed to Cal State Fullerton because of their incredible Division I Track team. I feel like if I didn’t continue Track, I’d be doing a disservice to myself, because I have the potential to be doing great things in the next few years.

Mary King: I am committed to New York University for Division III. I was specifically looking for Division III colleges because I like running but I don’t want it to be my career. I’m running not only so that I can continue eating whatever I want to eat, but also to make more friends and stay active.

TH: When did you start Track

Badminton

By Rocky Gao and Mei Ono Staff Writers

The sharp whacks of colliding rackets and birdies echoed over the diligent grunts of badminton players as they battled for control of the court. Athletes invaded the bleachers and courts, eager to finally compete against new opponents during Northwood’s first badminton tournament, held at Irvine High School on Feb. 29.

Among the winners were sophomores Nikko Mei and James Wu for beginner doubles and junior Maxwell Shih and his partner from Irvine High School for advanced doubles. Winners were awarded with handmade badminton birdie keychains.

“It was a really nice experience being able to compete and bond with people from other high schools,” Shih said.

Northwood’s badminton club, Birds of a Feather, collaborated with Irvine High School’s badminton club to organize this district-wide tournament including University High School and Woodbridge High School. A board meeting with members from participating high schools was organized to help plan the event.

They hoped to spread the beauty of badminton to fresh faces in the form of a friendly competition. Among the many benefits of the badminton tournament was meeting new people who share a similar interest.

“Our club got its name from the

and Field and why did you join?

JL: I joined Track my freshman year and I mainly did it because my sister was good at it when she was in high school, and I fell in love with the sport.

MK: I started with cross country. I used to do a running club in fourth and fifth grade because I thought it was easy, then my parents encouraged me to do it for middle school and high school afterwards as I got better. I went straight from my club team to Track and Field for Northwood.

TH: What do you love about Track and Field or sports in general?

JL: The camaraderie. After the races, your team is like your family and everyone is super close and friendly. I also like the competition.

MK: When I was a freshman here, it was always nice to have people I knew on campus, especially upperclassmen, to reach out to as a resource. Now that I am an upperclassman on the team, it makes me really happy when the younger girls ask me for advice because it reminds me of when I was a freshman.

TH: In what ways have you grown as an athlete or a person through Track and Field?

JL: It made me more humble of a person. It was a wake-up call for me that I wasn’t special, and that I should respect everyone for how good they

are.

MK: As an athlete, I used to be really anxious, but now I’ve learned to hold that back. As a person, it really helps with my dedication skills and staying committed to something because practice is around three hours every day after school.

TH: Why did you decide to commit to Track and Field for college? Do you have any goals beyond college?

JL: If I get to that level in college, I would have to think about if I want to compete professionally or perhaps in the Olympics.

MK: I like the workout and being able to run several miles without feeling too winded, rather than competing in races all the time. But I’ll always keep training.

TH: What advice do you have for high school Track and Field athletes who hope to pursue the sport?

JL: Never doubt yourself even if you’re down in some races. Always believe that you are capable of anything, and tell your mind what to do and you can do it.

MK: As a career, you have to buckle down a lot more in high school. You should start setting up your NCAA profile junior year, and other steps you can take to get the coaches’ attention. Once you get into the groove of it, you’ll be fine. It clicks at some point or another.

Spring is just around the corner, and right off the bat, Northwood’s spring sports have shown off their talent at both practice and games. The Softball team is no exception, having spent the last few weeks hard at work, batting, catching, fielding and sliding its way into season.

This year’s group of dedicated and determined girls are especially unique in their wide range of experience; some have many seasons under their belt while others are brand new.

However, they have been successful in figuring out how to adapt to the new team dynamic and in pitching ideas to rework their strategies in order to combat this initial challenge.

“We have a very young team, with a lot of girls that have never played the game before, which shows their courage,” head coach Jennifer Petrosian said. “Being so willing to put themselves out there is not an easy thing for teenagers to do. But our returning players are extraordinarily kind and compassionate and take them under their wings.”

The team is led by its captains, juniors Amber Kurtz and Kamryn Scott and sophomores Rachael McLaughlin and Allison Morikawa.

These athletes fulfill this role through their play and leadership.

“My goal is to keep working hard and encourage others to do the same,” Morikawa said. “I try to do everything I can to help the team.”

While skills and techniques are important, the athletes also discover lessons about hard work and genuine effort that apply to other parts of their lives. This process not only improves their playing on the field, but also fosters a sense of camaraderie among the team. Over the course of many practices and games, the girls have been growing closer to one another.

“Everyone likes winning games,” Scott said. “And while that’s important, I value the amazing friends I have made through softball.

The girls have such a blast out there and the support of each person on the team makes it awesome.”

The team looks forward to its first league game against University High School on March 24 with no spectators.

Until then, the athletes will continue to work hard and refine their skills.

“If everyone can keep an open mind and continue to be kind, compassionate and brave throughout the season. Regardless of our record, that will be a huge win.” Petrosian said.

Mitul Kalra The Northwood Howler

Batter Up: Junior Kamryn Scott perfects her pitching technique.

tournament famous proverb, ‘birds of a feather flock together,’” Birds of a Feather president senior Shannon Leo said.

“We aim to promote teamwork and collaboration and foster a friendly and supportive community where students can relax.”

To highlight both the fierce nature of the sport as well as the welcoming atmosphere of its community, Leo and the other board members made sure to give the players as much contact with each other as possible. Badminton players from across IUSD enjoyed the generous playing time, testing their abilities against a variety of athletes, making the tournament loud and lively.

“I thought it was really fun to play with people that I’ve never met before,” sophomore Andrea Houng said. “I got to play a lot of badminton which was enjoyable. I’m still not as good at badminton but I felt like I learned a bit from the tournament.”

The experience broadened the eyes of participants and board members alike, and has left the Birds of a Feather club eager for future tournaments.

“We hope to continue improving and expanding our club and spreading our passion for badminton through tournaments with other high schools in the future,” Leo said. “All students are welcome to join our club!”

Meeting every Monday at the Gym, the members of Birds of a Feather are excited to rally with experienced and beginner players alike.

Yenna Kim The Northwood Howler

Play with a pack of people or ride solo?

By Rocky Gao Staff Writer

The identity of every athlete is a result of many factors, one being whether their sport is an individual or team sport. An athlete is sculpted from the benefits and drawbacks of sports.

In team sports, the success of athletes depends on many variables including the well-being of teammates. Consequently, in team sports, an aspiration is shared among the team, guiding them to support each other. Junior Christopher Eng, a member of JV Boys Soccer, enjoys playing with his team.

“Team sports are great if you want to be surrounded by people with the same interests as you,” Eng said.

Team sports athletes often draw motivation from their teammates during tough practices. This support has allowed Varsity Boys Cross Coun-

try and Track and Field senior Cory Stone to push himself harder.

“You get to build a great relationship with your teammates because you practice with them for a bunch of hours,” Stone said. “That helps you get through the workouts.”

However, factors prevent an athlete to control their success. Having to rely on teammates hurts as much as it helps. If an athlete fails to maintain the intensity, the team carries a burden. Without adequate teamwork, teams can fall short on their goals.

“I guess it’s a trade,” Eng said.

“You get friends and support but there are demands.”

Individual sports simplify the arena because success and defeat depend on one athlete. These sports, including golf, wrestling and tennis at Northwood, clearly highlight improvement within individuals. Varsity Boys Swim captain senior Felix Zhu enjoys his sport because of how

clearly his effort is displayed.

“Each second, or hundredth of a second, of improvement can be seen and reflected through our times at a meet,” Zhu said.

However, confidence can also flip into disappointment during tough competitions. The lack of teamwork risks isolating athletes. Because of the lack of interaction, athletes must demonstrate strong diligence.

“We tend to focus a lot more on ourselves that others, which may take away from team bonding,” Zhu said.

“I believe even in individual sports, an athlete is nothing without a supportive team.”

With the arrival of spring sports, fun at every corner awaits students.

Ranging from intense groups to solitary pressure, challenges are waiting to shape future athletes. Students should discover the sports they enjoy and take advantage of those benefits, no matter what they are.

11

March 13, 2020

The Northwood Howler

Spectrum’s new 50D Theater Cinematic Sensation

By Mei Ono and Erin Tsai Staff Writers

The Irvine Spectrum Center has been renovating their theater for several months, and we’d say the result is pretty worth the wait. Goodbye flimsy plastic 3D goggles: the new Regal Edwards Cinema 50D movie theater experience is unlike any other 1D, 2D, 16D, XD, you name it.

As soon as the theater opened, we got front-row seats to see the blockbuster hit “Tarantula Man: A Long Distance From My Beloved Abode” (2019) starring Ham Tolland.

We were quickly escorted to our seats, complete with fivepoint harness seat belts and straps for every part of the body. Custom-made helmets included a large black forehead band with thick wires and metal pincers that held our eyelids open for the whole movie.

At the start of the movie, a single strand of silk descended from the ceiling and latched onto each audience member’s seats with immaculate accuracy and

Anna Lim The Northwood Howler

50 OUT OF 50: Acclaimed theater critic Alex rates the Irvine Spectrum’s new showstopping theater cinematic experience with the “highest score ever given in cinematic history”−a score nearly on par with the Cats movie. proceeded to suspend us with our feet in the air for two hours straight, hanging as the seats jolted up and down. Our perspective

of the movie completely shifted as we watched the whole film upside down.

Special effects were so real-

istic that during the battle against the fire elemental, the aisles and walls spontaneously burst into flames (which probably explains

why construction took so long, with them having to rebuild the theater each time the movie showcased explosive effects.)

Moreover, the effects were integrated masterfully with the overall plot of the movie. We almost jumped from our seats (but were quickly restrained by the seatbelts) when the villain, Tintin Beck, was revealed. During his classic villain monologue, staff members approached individual seats to directly whisper the monologue in each audience member’s ear. The ASMR whispering breath made it seem like Beck was right behind us. Maybe he was.

The 50D experience is almost as if people were acting in real life on a stage-like platform.

It’s such an amazingly unprecedented modern concept! It’s definitely worth the low price of a $20,000 ticket.

Even though some members of the audience had to be carried out and excess fires extinguished, we strongly recommend the 50D cinema experience to everyone who’s in for some casual fun.

Club VP’s strike strikes striking strides PSA: The

By Jonathan Kang Staff Writer

Annie Lim The Northwood Howler

VICE PRESIDENTS ANONYMOUS: Northwood’s club vice presidents manage to march through campus completely unnoticed.

Vice presidents of clubs all across Northwood began a strike on March 1 to combat the vast overworking and insufficient credit that comes with the position.

Treasurers, secretaries and presidents of clubs all seem to fulfill a clearly defined role given by their names, but no one really knows what vice presidents do. It was only a matter of time before rebellion started. And although it is a noble stride for equality, the rebellion has seen mixed results, particularly in those it seeks to change.

They began marching around the Oak during lunch, holding up signs in protest of the inequality.

“It’s simply ridiculous the inequality we face, particularly in light of the fact that we get near to no appreciation for our work,” anonymous vice president #4 of acclaimed Stapler Club said. “No one appreciates what we do. We don’t even know what we do. That’s why us vice presidents are refusing to work for clubs to seek appropriate compensation for our work.”

In time, vice presidents are hoping that they will come to gain as many basic rights as any other position.

Reforms are currently in motion to combat this injustice to change the name of Vice President to Assistant to the Regional Club President.

“Wait, they were on strike?”

Stapler Club president Yu Sful said.

Exclusive interview with the AC overlord

By Hari Sreeramagari Staff Writer

If there’s anyone to thank for our immaculately temperate classrooms, it’s the infamous never-beforeseen overlord Air Conditioning District Commissioner (ACDC) who meticulously oversees the AC climates of all IUSD classrooms.

After years of undercover research, The Howler has finally landed this exclusive, never-before-seen interview with the ACDC. The Howler: Can you tell me about what led you to pursue your career in air conditioning?

ACDC: From the moment I could speak to the moment I graduated as valedictorian of University of California Air Conditioning (UCAC) with a major in K-12 temperature regulation studies, I knew that air conditioning control was my passion.

I’m glad we’re finally doing this so I can inspire students to be as

successful as I am.

TH: I’ve noticed that you have an... interesting sense of style. What is your inspiration?

ACDC: Most of my inspiration comes from this fan on my forehead, for example, reminds my co-workers of my position of superiority. I can’t imagine how miserable sitting in those cubicles all day with no purpose in life, void of having the power to control the elements themselves.

It really blows when I don’t have my fan.

TH: I’ve noticed

that even though you are the master of controlling temperatures, a lot of the classrooms have different temperatures. How do you explain this?

ACDC: The best part of my job is sitting in my control room imagining a student showing up to AP Calculus in a wool sweater, only to find out they came in the wrong outfit since I cranked the air up from 20 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s the l i t t l e things that

Anna Lame The Northwood Howler

make my job so phenomenal.

TH: Why is it necessary to regulate temperatures in the district?

ACDC: Because I’m the best at AC control. I help the teachers out everyday! When I watch the students with my vast array of monitors, and I catch a student nodding off, I hit this giant red button to blast the AC super loudly to jolt them awake. Keep ‘em on their feet is what I always say.

TH: Northwood parents have voiced concerns about low levels of classroom engagement. At Northwood, teachers have reported increased bathroom requests and illegible assignments due to quivering pencils. What would yousay to these parents?

ACDC: I would say they need to chill—pun intended. I didn’t amount to where I am by listening to haters, and I don’t plan of starting now. But please don’t start a petition.

Our PR team can’t withstand the heat. Literally.

H o w l e r ’s Junk page is trashy

By Claire Chien and Erin Tsai Staff Writers

Dear T-Wolves, As students who once relied on The Howler’s Junk page for the newest news, we’re asking you to hear us out: Junk cannot be trusted.

In the 2019-2020 school year alone, the Junk page published suspicious content in over 214.37% of its articles, all of which have proved to be endangering to our student body.

One particularly malicious article, “Wear purple to the first pep rally,” has raised significant concern. This article was clearly an exhibition of anti-Northwood sentiments.

“The Junk page was my No. 1 source of news, so I spent $500 on Portola merch and spray-painted my body purple,” Sophomore Class Council member Sumay Kalra said.

“But when I got to the rally, everyone else was wearing blue! I’m never reading the Junk page again!”

To combat further atrocities, we created the Alliance against Suspicious Behaviours (ASB) (definitely a legitimate organization, but unaffiliated with the Northwood ASB) to revolt against the Junk page. With a grand total of two members, we have spent the past 30 years carefully analyzing and collecting incriminating articles to blow the whistle.

In our exposé, we confronted Junk editor Anna Lame with irrefutable charges of fake news, but to no avail. Lame turned us away as she scoffed, “iT’s sAtiRE bRo.” How typical. With such terrible writing and badly Photoshopped photos, how could she ever expect anyone to believe anything on Junk? Thus, we believe that Junk is fake news.

With love, ASB (Again, not affiliated. Just in case you forgot.)

March 13, 2020

The Northwood Howler

12

How to celebrate your friends getting into YOUR dream college (for actual dummies)

By Hari Sreeramagari and Tyler Wong Staff Writers

A scream of elation pierces the classroom as your friend exclaims, “I GOT INTO the Elite Preparatory Academy VII of the International Collegiate University!”

Results are in. You race to your computer, pull up the login page, trembling with anticipation as wild fantasies of you wearing that college sweatshirt and walking up the steps of the landmark building to your first class race across your mind. You click LOGIN… the words “We are sorry to inform you” appear on your screen. Goodbye dream college...

Though it may feel painful to see your lifelong friend succeeding instead of you, fear not. Here are a few FRIENDLY methods to shower them with love: Say congratulations!...kind of: Host an expensive dinner party to commemorate your friend’s bright future. Spend the night inflating their ego, then subtly slide them an envelope-with your job application.

Let’s face it: Your friend is your future CEO. Take their money and buy your dream college. Dream school population: 1 (you).

Throw a surprise party in their backyard: Make sure to invite all your fellow seniors... including their

Sreekar Kasturi and Anna Lim The Northwood Howler

COLLEGE CRAZE: Senior Ekas Chawla disrupts peaceful AP Government class, annoying seniors (left to right) Ian Baick, Adrian Fontao, Eric Lin and David Xue with an ostentatious college flex. Do not disrupt AP Government. Do not be Ekas. senior assassins. There’s no better celebration than watching your friend’s assassin take them down for you. That’s one they’ll never forget.

Raid their closet: What better way to save a special time in their life than a cute photo op? Wouldn’t it be fun to try on your friend’s clothes for a day?

Actually, why stop at clothes? Who says you can’t be them? Literally BECOME them. Hide them in your closet, lock the door and call it a day.

No one will find them. Have fun at your dream college!

Have a bonfire to burn your merch... and theirs: Newport Beach is a great spot for bonfires. You can burn your dream college merch… wait, was that your friend’s college sweatshirt on top of the burning pile? Oops.

Post embarrassing pictures on social media: Share a sweet collection of embarrassing photos chronicling you and your friend’s dark past. Make sure their college admissions officers love it as much as you do.

Take over their “nonprofit business

conglomerate” and use it for the rest of your apps: If they’re really your friend, they would help you out. What better way to show that they care than giving you more extracirriculars to drop in your essay? Anyways, you deserve it for that time you paid for their boba and let them copy history homework.

Write a Junk article with them: What better way to express your suppressed anger than to write a Junk article without directly attacking anyone? After all, it’s satire right?

They won’t know.

*The Howler does not officially endorse these passive aggressive behaviors. Please don’t actually take us seriously.*

Daniel Dai The Northwood Howler

What’s your spirit Pokémon? Teacher’s edition

By Ashley Lee and Anlon Zhu Staff Writers

We love Pokémon so much that GameFreak can come out with games year after year with slight gimmicky changes in gameplay, and we’ll still buy them.

Similarly, Northwood giving us courses of the same subject year after year with slight-ish changes in content doesn’t faze students from loving the school. So The Howler has paired some Northwood teachers with their Pokémon patronuses— wait, wrong franchise. We’ve paired them with their spirit Pokémon.

Heather Kim The Northwood Howler

SPOTTED: A Mega Wroe in his natural habitat caught on camera.

Victoria Ta The Northwood Howler

Ampharos, the Light Pokémon Ampharos gives off so much light that it can be seen even from space.

Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon Bulbasaur carries a seed on its back right from birth.

Dragonite, the Dragon Pokémon Dragonite is a kindhearted Pokémon that leads lost ships to land.

Snorlax, the Sleeping Pokémon Snorlax's typical day consists of nothing more than eating and sleeping.

Cameron Wroe and Ampharos: Like Amphar(wroe)s, Wroe can really light up a room and brighten your day with his magnetic personality. His students’ faces always glow with excitement when they leave his classroom. Why, you ask, does Wroe spark so much joy? Well, he has such an energetic teaching style. His classroom is never static, and he’ll shock you with all his extensive English and philosophy knowledge.

Another interesting fact about Wroe: Like Ampharos, if you ask him to grow out his beard and hair and then stick a few cherries in it, he will evolve into Mega Wroe. These Pokémon are extremely rare.

Katie Cullen and Bulbasaur: Bulbasaur is Pokémon number one in the Pokédex, and one of the most essential Pokémon, considering that it has its own fan club, BulbaGanda, on the internet (we’re not kidding, search this up).

So, English teacher Katie Cullen is a lot like Bulbasaur. We have yet to see her nap in the sunlight––or carry a growing seed on her back––but she does love plants.

Like Ash’s Bulbasaur in the show, she will stick by your side until the end. Cullen’s most remarkable feat of student protection was when she decreased the number of paragraphs for an in-class essay from four to two.

Luc Landeis and Dragonite: How does a blue snake with winged ears evolve into an orange dragon with wings and antennae? We don’t know. Pokémon evolution is nothing like Darwinian evolution.

Anyway, that had nothing to do with Landeis. I just needed to say that. Like Dragonite, Landeis enjoys traveling the world and is compassionate. Last time when I was at Laguna Beach, I saw Landeis waving his iPhone flashlight and jumping up and down in 360 degree rotations at the shoreline amidst quite the violent Irvine tempest. It turns out he was using the move LIGHTHOUSE to guide a lost cargo ship to shore.

Emily Rhodarmer and Snorlax: As someone who described her life goal as “being able to nap whenever I want to,” Emily Rhodarmer’s perfect spirit Pokémon would be have to be Snorlax.

Don’t we all want to use REST (Snorlax’s most overpowered move) to heal up to full health whenever life sucks?

Now we can! Rhodarmer’s Emotional Support Therapy (REST) is a program equipped with inspirational posters and CP History 9 Turf Wars postings.

Like Snorlax, who evolves with strong friendships, students in REST will emerge with more happy points (HP).