Issue 5, 12/6/19 by The Campanile

Friday December 6th, 2019

The Campanile

Vol. CII, No. 5

PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44

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Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301

City Council bans natural gas to promote sustainability With introduction of ‘Sustainable Building Electrification Plan,’newly constructed homes must use electricity to decrease carbon footprint By Jace Purcell Staff Writer

alo Alto City Council banned the use of natural gas in new residential buildings through a unanimous vote on Nov. 4 in hopes of lowering carbon emissions to combat climate change. According to Mayor Eric Filseth, the “Sustainable Building Electrification Plan” was conceived in order to meet the goal of reducing carbon emissions that Palo Alto adopted in 2013 in the “Sustainability and Climate Action Plan” to reduce carbon emissions. “A few years ago, the city adopted a plan to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2030,” Filseth said. “We’re about halfway there.”

“Palo Alto is 100% green energy. If you cook with electricity in Palo Alto, there is no carbon footprint.” Eric Filseth

In order to tackle the remaining half of greenhouse emissions, City Council has created a plan that aims to reduce emissions in two major areas: natural gas use in residential areas and transportation.

“From the remaining emissions that we need to cut to hit that target, about 30% of it is natural gas use, primarily for cooking and heating,” Filseth said. “About 50% of it is transportation, mostly cars.” According to AP Environmental Science teacher Nicole Loomis, the plan will encourage Palo Alto residents to use electricity. “I think it provides people with an incentive to use solar because everything in their house will be electrical, so they would have things like water heating and heating the space, which uses a lot of energy,” Loomis said. However, Loomis expressed concern that the electricity the city uses could actually emit an equal amount of carbon, depending on how it is obtained. “In terms of furnace efficiency (and) charging cars, there may be a benefit there,” Loomis said. “However, it does rely more on how our electric producers provide us with electricity, whether they are using renewable sources.” Filseth believes this is only a good thing because residents using electric energy instead of natural gas reduces carbon emissions, since Palo Alto’s electricity is completely renewable as of 2013. Filseth said he wants to use as much electricity as possible over natural gas. “Palo Alto runs 100% green electricity, we do 100% renewable energy,” Filseth said. “We would like to see as much of the use of

natural gas converted to electricity as possible because if you cook with electricity in Palo Alto, there is no carbon footprint.” Filseth also said the City will encourage usage of electricity over other sources.

“People have to think about how much they value the environment and what they’ll have to sacrifice for that.” Emma Cudahy

“The conversion of our electricity and utility to 100% renewable sources is absolutely fundamental to our goal,” Filseth said. “So that’s the focus of the current plan, which is to encourage the use of electricity for heating and cooking, instead of natural gas.” This plan will also encourage the use of electric cars, according to Filseth. Because transportation is the source of the majority of Palo Alto’s remaining carbon emissions, City Council believes the shift to electric vehicles will dramatically reduce emissions. “One (method of reducing carbon emissions) is through the use of electric cars because (if ) you charge a car in Palo Alto, it leaves no carbon footprint because we get our power from hydro and solar,” Filseth said. Palo Alto is rapidly increas-

LAURA MALAGRINO/USED WITH PERMISSION

Junior Laura Malagrino makes use of Palo Alto’s 100% renewable energy and charges her electric Fiat 500 which she’s had since she started driving. “The car helps to lower our family’s carbon footprint,” Malagrino said. ing its amount of electric vehicles, which helps to reduce carbon emissions. Filseth said that one in three new cars registered in Palo Alto are electric, and that rate is rising. The majority of these electric vehicle owners charge their cars at home. However, not everyone has access to electric vehicles, and their chargers which makes reaching the 2030 goal challenging. “If you have your own single family home, it is pretty straightforward to install a charger and it doesn’t cost that much,” Filseth

said. “However, if you live in an apartment, it is very complicated to add your own charger. As a result, the overwhelming majority of electric vehicles are owned by single homed families and 40% of the market is basically shut off.” To combat this, along with the electrification plan, City Council passed another law this year that aims to provide families living in multi-unit living areas the opportunity to use electric vehicles. “City Council also passed a law that new multi-unit buildings have to wire three parking spots,”

Filseth said. “They don’t have to add the charger but the wires have to be there. We hope this will remove the major obstacle of multiunit buildings and open up the market to the 40%.” According to Filseth, most Palo Alto residents have taken this new plan of action well, including junior and environmental science student Emma Cudahy, who thinks that the plan is a net positive despite the potential loss in efficiency.

Natural Gas Ban I A3

New CPR requirement confuses students City aims to protect Recent California legislation forces uncertified seniors to partake in CPR training low-income tenants By Krista Robins & Bruno Klass

Staff Writer & Board Correspondent

27 states require high school CPR certification

54% of all public high school graduates are CPR certified

CPR certification lasts two years SOURCE: AMERICAN RED CROSS ART BY TIEN NGUYEN

By Johnny Yang

Sports Editor

aly students have to contend with so many acronyms — MRC, SSRC, SAT, ACT, APUSH, GPA and SCVAL, to name just a few. Now, there’s one more: CPR. Learning Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation has become an official graduation requirement. Due to a bill passed by California to implement emergency procedure training in high schools, CPR training is required to graduate and has been in effect since the 2018-2019 school year. CPR is an emergency procedure used on someone who has stopped breathing or whose heart has stopped beating. The technique applies chest compressions and artificial ventilation to preserve intact brain functions of the patient until further measures are taken. This effort usually gives time for a professional team to arrive, at which point the patient will be taken for further treatment.

INSIDE the edition

Living Skills teacher Letitia Burton, who organizes the Paly CPR training sessions, said that it is important for students to be educated about these skills, as they may eventually help students save lives.

“I do think that CPR would do well placed in either the Living Skills curriculum or, perhaps, advisory.” Alyssa Bond

“We all need to know how to save lives,” Burton said. “If a person is having a cardiac emergency, (a person with the skill of ) CPR can save (their) life. The compressions (that the CPR session trains students to do) keep the heart pumping and the blood circulating into the vital organs and the brain until paramedics get there.” Because this is only the second year that seniors need CPR train-

ing to graduate, Paly’s administration is still figuring out the best way to teach it to all students. Administration so far has not made CPR training a part of the required Living Skills class. Though the requirements of Living Skills and CPR training are similar, according to Burton, CPR is currently a separate class from Living Skills. “CPR classes are being set up during tutorials,” Burton said. “Therefore, even if you took Living Skills before the requirement was instituted, you still have to take CPR in order to graduate.” While acknowledging the difficulties of making such a change, Living Skills teacher Alyssa Bond said that finding an alternative setting for CPR training might be more effective. “I do think that CPR would do well to be placed in either the Living Skills curriculum or, perhaps, advisory,” Bond said. “However, it would require a lot of logistical work and collaboration with the organizations that offer CPR training and would need to be provided with equitable access

Opinion

News. . . . . . . . . . . A1-A4 Opinion. . . . . . . . . A5-A7 Editorials. . . . . . . . . . . A8 Lifestyle. . . . . . . . . B1-B4 GAGE SKIDMORE/CC BY-SA 2.0 Sports. . . . . . . . C1-C3, C6 Moderate in the Primary Sports Spread. . . . . C4-C5 Democrats should nominate a Science & Tech. . . C7-C8 moderate in order to win in 2020. PAGE A6

for all Paly and Gunn students.” According to Burton, there have been two CPR training sessions this semester — on Oct. 15 and Nov. 12, and there will be another two next semester on March 10 and 17. All the sessions are held at the Haymarket Theater.

“We all need to know how to save lives. If a person is having a cardiac emergency, (a person with the skill of) CPR can save (their) life.” Letitia Burton

Despite her wish for students to take advantage of the sessions Paly offers, Burton said there are alternative ways to fulfill the CPR training requirement for those who miss or are unable to attend

CPR Training A3

Lifestyle

SLOAN WUTTKE/THE CAMPANILE

Espresso Reviews

Three shops in Palo Alto offer diverse experiences. PAGE B3

ity Council members are preparing to pass an emergency ordinance to protect low-income tenants in Palo Alto from being evicted by landlords before a new California law, Assembly Bill 1482, takes effect next year. The proposal was created by council members Tom DuBois and Lydia Kou. According to Mayor Eric Filseth, AB 1482, also known as the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom into state law on Oct. 8, 2019. The act bans landlords from evicting tenants without a just cause and establishes rent control. “State law AB 1482 (David Chiu, D-San Francisco) imposes rent controls statewide, including Palo Alto; it legally limits the amount that landlords can raise rents each year,” Filseth said. “Rent controls are controversial, but it turns out that if you do have them, then you also need to have what is called ‘just cause eviction’ laws as a companion measure.” The tenants have to be leasing their houses or apartments for at least a year to be protected by this law and be at no-fault in their lease agreements, i.e. paying their rent regularly. The act also puts a cap of 5% plus inflation to the maximum annual rent increase for lease properties which are 15 years and older. “You need these laws in order to prevent landlords from simply evicting tenants in order to get around the rent control law,” Filseth said. “‘Just cause eviction’ laws are actually rare if there’s no rentcontrol law in place; the two tend to go hand-in-hand.” By doing so, landlords were trying to force low-income tenants to move out voluntarily, with the goal of attracting wealthier tenants who could pay higher rents before the AB 1482 takes effect next year. One such landlord is Hohbach Realty, a real estate agency which owns several apartment buildings near California Avenue such as

Sports

BRANDON MOORE/CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Unrecognized Teams

Students support lesser known teams despite poor records. PAGE C4-C5

Park Plaza, Birch Plaza, Mayfield Apartments and others. According to a memo released by City Council members, Hohbach Realty sent a letter to their tenants during the summer that the company was raising the rent by 25%. After many residents protested, the company reduced the rent increase to 7%. Some residents, however, decided to leave. According to Marcus Wood, a property manager at Hohbach Realty, the company was unaware that AB 1482 was pending and, once they realized so, they decided to reduce the rate increase. Resident and senior Maya Nazarewicz said she was particularly affected by these rate increases. “I think most Palo Alto apartments are not worth what you pay for,” Nazarewicz said. “We pay a lot of money for our apartment, and it’s very old and small.” Nazarewicz said many things are broken in her apartment and it takes a significant amount of time before they get fixed, including the air conditioning, which was turned off during the summer. In the apartment Nazarewicz lived in before, her family was paying $3,000. To her surprise, the apartment was filled with mold, had no air conditioning, was exposed to no sunlight and was right next to a train. “It’s not fair because in other cities, you can pay the same or less for more space and it’s much more modern,” Nazarewicz said. Wood also argues that despite the 25% rent increase, many of the apartments under the company management are still below market rate. Palo Alto is not the only city considering to pass such an emergency ordinance to protect lowincome tenants from paying high rent increases. Other cities such as Menlo Park and Los Angeles already passed similar ordinances to delay no-fault evictions until the end of the year. As of Nov. 21, City Council has not passed the emergency ordinance to prevent no-fault evictions.

Science & Tech

SLOAN WUTTKE/THE CAMPANILE

Schoology Hacking

Unsanctioned Schoology comments elicit strong reactions. PAGE C7

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

NEWS

Palo Alto Commission proposes pilot program to open Foothills

Controversy over accessibility causes community to explore options to make park available to non-Palo Alto residents

EMMA TODD/THE CAMPANILE

What a view! A proposed pilot program plan by Palo Alto will allow people living outside of Palo Alto to visit Foothills Park . "Over the next couple months, the Park's staff will be doing some work with the planning and legal teams to prepare a report for the City Council to accompany the Parks & Recreation Commission’s recommendation to implement the one-year pilot," Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ryan McCauley said. “City Council will hopefully take this up in January or February. There have already been several meetings on the topic and there will be more opportunities for public involvement.”

By Emma Todd Staff Writer

ince the 1960s, locals have enjoyed hiking through the forest trails, watching the sunset and observing the copious amounts of flora and fauna of Foothills Park. However, this luxury has only been enjoyed by Palo Alto residents. In response to complaints about this controversy, the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and Foothills Park Ad Hoc Committee discussed different options to open up Foothills to nonresidents on Nov. 12.

“However, if the pilot project is approved, the park rangers will try to manage and control the number of passes for nonresidents to enter the park to prevent those impacts.” Daren Anderson

According to the staff report from the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, a pilot program proposal is being implemented to test providing about 50 park passes to nonresidents and broader availability for student

field trips. Nonresident passes will include a dollar fee for the cost of certain expenses such as staffing the entry gate. One of the people taking care of the logistics regarding the program is Daren Anderson, Division Manager for The City of Palo Alto. According to Anderson, the intent of the pilot project is to control the number of nonresidents that can enter Foothills, so that the park itself is not negatively impacted. Geoff Paulsen, who is the grandson of the family that sold and donated the land to create Foothills park, wrote an open letter to the City of Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and agreed with the committee’s recommendation to open Foothills. Paulsen briefly stated that from his own experience working as a park ranger, he knows Foothills Park is often underused, and an increase of people would minimally affect the biodiversity in the area. He gives his full support for the proposal and recommends the commission gives it their unanimous support as well. Although allowing the park to be open will allow more access and opportunity for people to explore nature, there are some downsides. “One of the potential cons is that sometimes bringing in more people into a sensitive place/habitat than it can accommodate can have unintended consequences (such as) impacting the plants, trees, wildlife or exceeding the available parking, additional trash

and litter,” Anderson said. “However, if the pilot project is approved, the park rangers will try to manage and control the number of passes for non-residents to enter the park to prevent those impacts.” The pilot year idea for Foothills was decided by Ryan McCauley, one of the commissioners on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

“I've lived in Palo Alto for over a decade, but not having grown up here, this policy has always struck me as unwelcoming and unusual.” Ryan McCauley

Having loved the outdoors since he was a kid, McCauley said he has been impressed by Palo Alto’s parks, open space and recreational offerings. “Through high school and college, I worked in my hometown’s Parks and Recreation department and then for the U.S. Forest Service as a wildland firefighter, so I’ve been drawn to this area for some time,” McCauley said. According to McCauley, The Parks and Recreation Commission came to this pilot program proposal after considering nu-

merous alternatives, including three public meetings and lots of numerous informal feedback sessions. McCauley also agrees with the decision to open up the park to more communities than just Palo Alto. “I’ve lived in Palo Alto for over a decade, but not having grown up here, this policy has always struck me as unwelcoming and unusual,” McCauley said. “We have signs at all of the major entry points to the city that say ‘Palo Alto Welcomes You' — a sentiment I’ve always found to be true — but the residents-only policy contradicts that message, especially when delivered at the park gate by a uniformed Palo Alto ranger.” According to McCauley, Foothills rangers have had to turn away over 3,000 visitors in the most recent year. “Sending so many would-be visitors away with a bitter taste in their mouths is a problem, particularly when we have tools at hand to accommodate their visits through an updated policy,” McCauley said. McCauley also feels a personal connection to opening the park up to the public. Growing up in the rural part of the West, McCauley said that few families knew wealth, but everyone was a proud public owner. “This instilled in me a sense that our open space is special precisely because it is open to all community members — regardless of zip code or socioeconomic status,” McCauley said. McCauley also explained that

since out community extends beyond the physical limits of our city, Palo Altans should reasonably share their park resources with other neighboring communities. The Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission have also received input about this decision from retired rangers at Foothills Park, the current supervising ranger, the retired Community Services Director, the Junior Museum and Zoo staff and many other leaders in the community. “The principal concern that we’ve heard from community members is that the park may be changed if too many visitors are allowed,” McCauley said. “Fortunately, the design of this pilot directly addresses and mitigates that concern.”

“It's pretty weird, I don't know any other park that is treated like a golf course basically.” Yuji Sugimto

Although many Palo Alto Unified School District students are able to visit Foothills, those who attend Stanford University, which is just an intersection away from Paly, do not get that same privilege unless students are Palo Alto residents. Stanford student Yuji Sugimoto, wrote about the entrance rule of restriction of Foothills in July of 2019.

ASB to host night dodgeball tournament

Planning of several new events for next semester underway, pending approval By Neil Kapoor

News & Opinion Editor

fter a busy Spirit Week, Associated Student Body adjourned for a week long recess and has since focused on updating its constitution, debriefing Spirit Week and unveiling several small campus events, according to ASB Vice President Benjamin Knopper. “We are going to be taking a fresh new look at our constitution to make sure everything is in order and make sure it’s still relevant,” Knopper said. “The constitution was missing an amendment that was wrongfully deleted last year, so we fixed that. That made us want to look line by line in our constitution to check that everything is in order.”

“We are also tackling a few smaller events such as Pajama Day and Tea with Teachers.” Pooja Akella

In light of greater national attention on the vaping epidemic

among American teens, another major issue on tap is ASB’s antivaping efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping and juuling, according to ASB President Pooja Akella.

“The idea of a school movie night or a carnival, though not confirmed, are in the works.” Teddy Butler

“Another long term goal is communicating with the Parent Teacher Council’s Anti-Vaping Committee to collaborate on joint education campaigns,” Akella said. ASB is also planning smaller events related to school spirit and student-teacher relations, the dates for which are still being decided. “We are also tackling a few smaller events such as Pajama Day and Tea with Teachers,” Akella said. Sophomore President Nysa Bhat said ASB is ironing out details for several new events. “We’re in the planning stages

for a night dodgeball tournament,” Bhat said. “I don’t know what’s going on next semester, possibly a dance with Gunn (High School).” According to Sports Commissioner Stephen Lee, the dodgeball tournament is intended to help students relax during a stressful time of year. “The main goal for this night dodgeball tournament is to give students a way to relive some stress from a long week of studying after Dead Week,” Lee said. “It’s testing new waters with an after-school intramural sport.” Lee also said the dodgeball tournament could allow for more after-school events. “If this one goes well, it sets a precedent and allows for future activities outside of school hours,” Lee said. The Night Dodgeball Tournament will be held on Dec. 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Small Gym. According to ASB’s flyer, teams can have a maximum of eight players (six on the court, two subs), with a maximum of two baseball or softball players. The tournament is single elimination. Bhat said she is working on a fundraiser for the sophomore class. “For me personally, I’m going to do a fundraiser where I can

raise enough money to do three major class events next semester,” Bhat said. ASB wants to bring certain events into next semester. “We are hosting a handful of cookies on the Quad events paired with dress-up days,” Senior Class Vice President Teddy Butler said. “The idea of a school a movie night or a carnival, though not confirmed, are in the works.”

“The rest of the semester will be on the lighter side in the content ASB produces for the school due to upcoming breaks, finals and it being post-Spirit Week.” Teddy Butler

According to Butler, the rest of the semester will be overall be less eventful than the first quarter. Butler said, “The rest of the semester will on the lighter side in the content ASB produces."

Despite residing in Stanford, Sugimoto was not allowed to go to Foothills since he did not technically live in Palo Alto. “When I was turned away from this park, it kind of clicked to me that this would be something interesting for me to write about,” Sugimoto said. “I found out recently that Ryan and some other people on the Parks and Rec Commission were moving towards trying to open this park, and I was excited about that.” Sugimoto was surprised after researching to find out that this rule had been made in the 1960s, when the land was first sold. He said he has always been an outdoors person and found it unexpected to not be allowed into this specific park. “It’s pretty weird, I don’t know any other park that is treated like a golf course basically,” Sugimoto said. “Parks are supposed to be like open areas where people are supposed to meet, recreate and come together and to have a policy like this just seemed backwards.” According to Sugimoto, the conversation of Foothills being exclusive had stirred a lot of controversy in the past. “If you look at the transcripts from when this was brought up to City Council in 2005, one of the big reasons why they decided to not to pursue a policy was that they were afraid of the turmoil it would cause in the town, and I don’t think that's a very good reason to keep something closed,” Sugimoto said. “Whatever type of park it may be, nature should be something for everyone to enjoy.”

UPCOMING EVENTS DEC

MADRIGAL FEASTE A fancy name for "Choir performance."

DEC

NIGHT DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT

DEC

FIERY ARTS WINTER GLASS SALE It's like sand but warmer.

13 14 DEC

17 DEC

The closest thing to a night rally we will get.

FINALS BEGIN And our spirits end.

WINTER BREAK BEGINS And so does the countdown to summer break.

DEC

CHANUKAH COMMENCES We Je-Wish you a happy Chanukah.

DEC

CHRISTMAS DAY Happy B-Day Jesus! Have a good one bro.

22 25

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

NEWS

Rise Together Education provides dozens of college scholarships Students from low-income families receive help with high tuition costs from community-run nonprofit

RISE TOGETHER EDUCATION/USED WITH PERMISSION

Class of 2019 graduate Allison Salinas stands before the front desk of the Tufts University Undergraduate Admissions Office. Salinas, who is a first generation college student from a low-income family, received a scholarship from RTE that helped her afford attending the university. “With their support, I was able to pay the housing deposit for my college application, and finally, commit to a school,” Salinas said.

By Andy Wang & Leila Khan Staff Writer & Managing Editor

he non-profit Rise Together Education provided 52 college scholarships to low-income Paly students this fall. The program, whose members consist of Palo Alto residents and Paly staff, aims to provide financial and preparatory aid to students with low-income backgrounds during the college application window and continuing through college.

“I felt insecure, inadequate and, ultimately, inferior as an overall candidate for the colleges I was applying for.” Allison Salinas With a median home value of approximately $2,843,600, according to Zillow, Palo Alto is one of the most expensive places to live in the nation. However, this reputation obscures the families who are on the lower end of the financial spectrum, said Pallavi Homan, a member of RTE’s board and the parent of both a Paly junior and graduate of the Class of 2019. “The thing about a place like Palo Alto is that there’s such great wealth, that the fact that there are also these families that

Natural Gas Ban Continued from A1 “I’m assuming there’s going to be economic setbacks, but usually taking steps to reduce human impact on the environment results in that,” Cudahy said. “People have to think about how much they value the environment and what they’ll have to sacrifice for that.”

“You look around (and) the state is burning down, sea levels are rising, you got smog in the air. Most people believe in climate change and know we are going to have to make some accommodations.” Eric Filseth However, Loomis is concerned that this plan many not be the best move for the efficiency of heating Palo Alto homes. “In terms of heating the space, I think if they’re going to require electrical heating, they really should also be requiring passive

are struggling financially is a hidden problem,” Homan said. “Even people that live in the community may not know.” These students, according to Kimberly Schwan, a director of RTE and a parent of a Paly senior, may undertake a larger role in the family: managing the house and siblings and at the same time dealing with school load. According to Schwan, approximately 10% of the 525 students in the 2020 class qualify for the free or reduced lunch, a significantly high statistic. RTE grants scholarships to these students who are accepted to a four year college or a community college with a direct transfer agreement. Schwan said students apply by filling out a one page application form. RTE then verifies that they qualify for the free or reduced lunch at Paly and are eligible to receive a scholarship. “Students usually apply for the program their senior year,” said Schwan. “The challenge is being able to identify students in need. We rely on the College and Career Counseling Center, Guidance Office and their teachers and advisors to inform the students of our scholarship. We would like to start identifying students earlier than their senior year to connect with them and provide more resources earlier on.” To be able to provide these students with scholarship money, RTE hosts an annual Gala, a silent and live auction event to gain donations. “We netted about $62,000 from the 2019 fundraising gala,” said Tida Violante, secretary of

RTE and parent of a Paly student. “We are hoping to raise even more money in March 2020 at the next gala because at this point, that is our main source of income.”

solar construction techniques because that reduces the need to heat the house,” Loomis said. “So insulation (and) having windows in the right place should be also required if they want to improve efficiency.” Filseth acknowledges these concerns and says that electrical heating, when done right, is more efficient that gas. “If you use a heat pump water heater under the right circumstances, that may be more efficient anyway than a gas heater,” Filseth said. “Heat pump technology is more efficient because instead of converting energy to heat you are just moving heat around, so it’s pretty efficient using that.” Another challenge that will come with the implementation of this new plan is with regards to larger buildings. The electrical heating does not work as well with the extra space. “There is still some dispute over exactly how scalable heat pump technology is,” Filseth said. “It’s clearly possible but within what constraints is still in question.” California state laws have also been an obstacle the council has had to work around. “The other issue we run into is that there are state laws that make

this plan a little bit harder in certain buildings,” Filseth said. “But we expect those laws to change.”

“It is a resource that can improve the lives of all low-income students. It has helped me feel confident in this tough time of college apps and has made me believe in how a group of people can change the way you look at college.” Nicole Brand According to Violante, 97% of RTE donations go to scholarships and the Board are all volunteers. Allison Salinas, a 2019 Paly graduate, is currently able to attend Tufts University through the help of RTE. “I felt insecure, inadequate and, ultimately, inferior as an overall candidate for the colleges I was applying for,” Salinas said. As a low-income, first-generation student, Salinas said that she was at a huge disadvantage. “Since the beginning, it was clear that I could not afford the same luxuries as my peers,” Salinas said. “My parents didn’t work at Stanford or Google or have a Silicon Valley career. They were immigrants whose college educa-

“A lot of cities are trying to turn away from some of the things that have a lot of harmful environmental impacts and seeing another city doing it makes it a lot more possible.” Emma Cudahy Many Palo Alto residents are hesitant to switch to electric stoves since they have been using gas stove their whole life. “Personally, I would be sad if I couldn’t use a gas stove to cook on,” Loomis said. Despite the unease, Filseth assures that there are other methods of electrical cooking that will work just as well. “There is something called induction cooking which is different from electric stoves,” Filseth said. “Induction cooking works pretty darn well. Most people who try it

tion was cut short once they had to abandon their home country and could not continue it once they migrated due to their need to survive.” Salinas said low-income students who live in Palo Alto or East Palo Alto have a slim chance of receiving any sort of scholarships or funding. “The thing about EPA students, and many other Peninsula students, is that according to our parents’ tax forms, we seem more than well off,” Salinas said. “Our housing prices make us appear as just another high-middle class family in the Bay Area, when the truth is that we are living paycheck to paycheck.” She applied for five national and state scholarships hoping to receive financial aid, but was unsuccessful. “Even the small scholarships did not recognize me in the slightest,” Salinas said. “All it took was one glance at our seemingly high income to dismiss us. The stress that this put on me was immense: without any scholarships, I knew I would never be able to afford college.” After hearing about RTE through the CCC at Paly, Salinas said she rejoiced. With the program’s support, Salinas said she was able to receive a four-year scholarship to Tufts. “With their support, I was able to pay the housing deposit for my college application, and finally, commit to a school,” Salinas said. “RTE truly is the manifestation of the city’s sentiment to help their Tinsley students, something I will always be grateful for.” The Tinsley Voluntary Trans-

fer Program, issued as a settlement to a lawsuit in 1985, invites up to 166 minority students from East Palo Alto, Ravenswood and other San Mateo County School District schools to Palo Alto Unified School District schools. Senior Nicole Brand is currently one of the students benefiting from the resources available through RTE during the college process. “I have used this resource to help me write all of my college essays as well as using their financial support,” Brand said. “They have not only motivated me to aim high with all of the universities that I am applying to, but they are also giving me financial assistance.”

go, ‘Oh yeah this is good’ in any case it’s faster than gas.” In this age of climate change, Palo Alto is just one of many cities that are making the adjustment. “Other cities are already doing it,” Filseth said. “Berkeley has already cut back, San Jose has started cutting back, so I think you are going to see this statewide, but it’ll be a little bit more effective in Palo Alto since we are 100% renewable energy.” Cudahy agrees and believes Palo Alto will serve as an example for neighboring cities. “I think other cities will follow in Palo Alto’s footsteps,” Cudahy said. “A lot of cities are trying to turn away from some of the things that have a lot of harmful environmental impacts and seeing another city doing it makes it a lot more possible.” While it may be difficult for Palo Alto residents to adjust to these changes, ultimately Filseth believes most residents agree with the plan. “You look around the state is burning down, sea levels are rising, you got smog in the air,” Filseth said. “Most people believe in climate change and know we are going to have to make some accommodations.”

CPR Training

“With their support, I was able to pay the housing deposit for my college application, and finally, commit to a school. RTE truly is the manifestation of the city’s sentiment to help their Tinsley students, something I will always be grateful for.” Allison Salinas Brand is a first-generation, low-income student at Paly who has utilized the many benefits that RTE has to offer in polishing her college applications. “By taking a look at my scholarship essay, they are reassur-

Continued from A1 the sessions. If a student misses the training sessions and is a senior, “he or she will need to do it on his or her own,” Burton said. “There are a lot of CPR classes out there. You can go to the Red Cross and do CPR, but you have to pay for it.”

“I think that knowing CPR is useful ... You never know when an accident might occur, and if a person cannot breathe, then CPR is a very quick and generally reliable method to save him or her, though it may feel uncomfortable.” Jonathan Mi Senior Jonathan Mi, who has not taken Living Skills or attended the CPR session at Paly, said he first learned about the CPR procedure from a camp.

ing me that I could get enough scholarship money to fulfill my dream of attending a four-year university,” Brand said. Senior Tati Taylor, who just started using RTE as a resource, said many people assume all Paly families come from wealthy families. Due to Paly’s reputation, it is typical to discredit the number of low-income families who bring their children to Palo Alto for a better education, Taylor said. For example, Brand said she grew up without the same financial stability as her peers. She did not receive tutoring or other expensive college preparation that she said can aid students from families with stable incomes. “A lot of my peers have had a lot of tutoring for tests such as the ACT or SAT, which makes the test average for Paly extremely high,” Brand said. “My scores are not nearly as high as my peers. However, schools think that since I attend Paly, it should be at the same level as them.” Although the majority of Palo Alto families have stable incomes, there are still a significant number of students that do not have the extreme luxuries and have to work even harder, Brand said. RTE works towards combating this issue by providing financial support consultation for low-income students and reviewing essays for college applications and scholarships. “It is a resource that can improve the lives of all low-income students,” Brand said. “It has helped me feel confident in this tough time of college apps and has made me believe in how a group of people can change the way you look at college.”

“I went to a YMCA summer camp when I was in 8th grade, where I first heard about CPR,” Mi said. “The head lifeguard in the camp showed us how to do a basic CPR in case of an emergency because we had to swim.” Mi said CPR can be a useful skill for students after they become adults. “I think knowing how to do a basic CPR is relevant to students’ post high school life,” Mi said. “If you are a person that likes to swim, both in a pool or at the beach, I think that knowing CPR is useful. This is because you never know when an accident might occur, and if a person cannot breathe, then CPR is a very quick and generally reliable method to save him or her, though it may feel uncomfortable.” Burton said she advises students to pay attention to Paly’s daily announcements in order to stay informed. “In order to not miss the sessions, students should pay attention to the announcements from InFocus,” Burton said. “I also recommend students to complete this earlier, just like the Living Skills requirement, and not to wait until their senior year.”

The Campanile

Friday, December 6, 2019

NEWS A4 Pulitzer Prize finalist speaks at Paly Board discusses Maggie Steber shares value of photography, connections with journalism students dyslexia screening By Kiana Tavakoli

Business Manager

mong several accomplishments this fall, one milestone surpassed by the Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education includes the completion of the district’s first universal dyslexia risk screening for all K-3 students. “This is a milestone in our approach to identifying and addressing struggling readers, and puts us at the forefront of California districts,” PAUSD Board of Education Board Member Todd Collins said. “We found 25% of all K-3 students were flagged as ‘at risk.’ We’ve got a lot more work to do there, but the first step in any problem is identifying it and determining its size, so this is good progress.”

BENJAMIN STEIN/THE CAMPANILE

Snap! Photojournalist Maggie Steber shows the crowd at the Media Arts Center her expertise. Steber has a long and diverse photography and journalism career, including photographing her dying mother and Haitians. "I learned that photojournalism is an amazing job," junior Eve DeGeronimo said. "It has the capability to expose someone to the most important controversial aspects of our world."

By Maya Rathore & Sarah O'Riordan

Lifestyle Editor & Senior Staff Writer

ecently, Paly’s renowned Media Arts Center hosted a notable guest speaker: Pulitzer Prize Finalist Maggie Steber. The American documentary photographer spoke to a beginning journalism class on Nov. 15. Steber, who was nominated for a Feature Photography Prize in the Pulitzer Prize, spoke about her time in Haiti as a photographer and her experience as a journalist. Her talk stressed the increased importance of journalism in today’s world. “(Steber) talked about how photojournalism provides one with several opportunities to make life-changing connections with people who have gone through a lot,” junior beginning journalism student Eve DeGeronimo said. “She also explained how photos capture stories that are rooted in years of someone’s life experiences.” In Steber’s one and one-half hour talk, she aimed to influence how students view photojournalism, according to sophomore Benjamin Antonow, who is also taking beginning journalism. “It influenced me to ap-

proach different aspects of photojournalism,”Antonow said. “When I see photographs in stories I’ll observe them a different way, and if I’m taking photos I’ll come at the process in a different way.”

“(Steber) talked about how photojournalism provides one of several opportunities to make life-changing connections with people who have gone through a lot.” Eve DeGeronimo

According to Antonow, Steber’s suggestions were supported largely by recounts of her personal experience. “I'm always trying different things with portraiture, because at some point, it's just a picture of a person," Steber said. "So what can we do to make it more interesting?” Known for challenging typical photojournalism rules by taking non-candid or posed photos, Steber suggested conversing with

the subject before taking a photo. Steber also talked about her experience photographing her mother at the end of her life, and how she made the difficult decision to release the photos to inspire other journalists. “(Steber) was deeply moved by the project that she worked on while her mother was in an elderly home,” DeGeronimo said. “She wasn’t going to release the photography in the first place, but after some consideration, she realized that her story was very influential. She knew it would inspire other journalists to share their own stories.” According to Antonow, seeing a drastically different style of photography in journalism inspired students to challenge assumptions they had about photojournalism. “It was really interesting, that all of her best photos weren’t candid, ” Antonow said. Steber believes journalists should dig deeper than surface level observation, and encouraged photojournalists to interact with their subject. She encouraged the students to go beyond what they may be traditionally taught to do — conduct professional, impersonal interviews, and take photos through the eyes of an objective bystander. Instead, she promotes journalists to create a relationship

with their subject, to get to know them in order to get a fuller perspective of whatever story they’re telling. “If we’re only going to see it through the eyes of (an) outsider, we’re never going to get it right," Steber said. So that's a really important thing to understand.” Steber said that good journalism comes from having an open mind, emphasizing the importance of being unbiased. “If you’re going to be a journalist, whether it's a photographer or a writer, learn as much as you can, and then go in like a baby and let these people write their story on you like you're the blank page,” Steber said. Finally, Steber encouraged students to use photography and writing ultimately as an outlet for releasing stress. “You all at your age, and now in this moment are under so much stress, and I think photography and writing is a way to work through things,” Steber said. “I really want to encourage you to think about this, because I think there's never been this much pressure on people your age now. All kinds of pressure, which you're very familiar with. So think about using the camera to tell your own story. You never have to show these pictures to anybody.”

“If the Board is doing its job right, our work should be as interesting as watching the grass grow. ” Todd Collins

In regards to the progress made on the project, Supt. Don Austin said the board has been doing much more than what the average person, or even an insider, thinks. “I was watching school board meetings before I was superintendent, wishing I was here,” Austin said. “I saw some of the early discussions on this topic and if you look back on where the discussion started and where we are today it is night and day. The report…exceeded our (expectations).” In addition to this, the board intends to review the structure of middle school math. This movement is a result of years of concerns as well as recent California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress test results. The results indicated that middle school students, particularly lowincome and minority students, are not currently moving in a positive direction, according to Collins. More broadly, the Board has made progress in forming a better relationship with Stanford through settling the Stanford General Use Permit. The GUP addresses Stanford’s use of land

and addresses housing, traffic and environmental concerns, according to Stanford University. The university has shifted their focus to engaging with the local community. As of now, Stanford's building plans are on hold as a result of being unable to create an agreement with the county. “There is no GUP, but PAUSD reached a milestone agreement with Stanford which both sets the floor for any future financial mitigation as well as strengthens our relationship with Stanford,” Collins said. According to Collins, Stanford financial mitigation will come into play if and when Stanford builds additional family rental housing in the district, which would increase the amount of students entering PAUSD.. “Since Stanford’s employee rental housing is exempt from property taxes, it means that there would be additional students, but no additional funding for the district,” Collins said. “Among other things, our agreement with Stanford called for an annual per-pupil payment to the District, starting at about $6000 and rising over time, to cover part of the cost of educating each student.” An area of critical importance being addressed by the board is the strengthening of school safety. Deputy Superintendent Karen Hendricks is initiating a district-wide school safety and security review. According to the Board, PAUSD schools should be safe places to be if a natural or manmade disaster were to strike, therefore more staff, time and resources are being dedicated to this.

“This is a milestone in our approach to identifying and addressing struggling readers, and puts us at the forefront of California districts.” Todd Collins

“If the Board is doing its job right, our work should be as interesting as watching the grass grow,” Collins said. “The students are the stars of our show — the board is just providing a stage for them to shine. By that standard, we've done pretty well this fall I think.”

’Almost, Maine’ debuted last month, cast reflects on experience

The play ran from Nov. 8 to Nov. 17, featuring cast of mostly underclassmen, portraying short love stories set in Maine By Kris Risano

Staff Writer

aly Theatre’s second play of the school year, “Almost, Maine,” made its debut on Nov. 8. The play, set in Almost, Maine, depicts multiple stories where characters discover love in unexpected ways. Each scene takes place simultaneously within the same hypothetical 10-minute time frame. The play also incorporates humor into situations in which characters are going through different experiences with love, good or bad. Director Kathleen Woods said the play is uplifting and conveys important messages in a lighthearted way. “It is very well written,” Woods said. “The surprises that occur in each scene and the elements of magical realism make it funny, sweet and memorable.” When deciding what show to select, Woods said she took into account last year’s plays and decided she wanted to direct a play that more people could relate to.

“It is very rewarding when all your work is shown to an audience that hopefully will appreciate and enjoy all the work that has been put into it.” Illene Trach

“I was interested in a play that allowed lots more acting opportunities,” Woods said. “I wanted to do something contemporary and with a more realistic feel.” Paly senior Jonathan Mi, who acted in the play, credited Woods

for selecting a play that allowed for more student actors to get a chance to perform. “I felt really thankful to my theatre teacher, Ms. Woods,” Mi said. “She’s very nice and understanding, so everyone has an opportunity to perform and do well. I just felt lucky and ready at the same time, since I always wanted to play a lead character.”

“The process of designing makeup to each character, then making it happen and then revising it to make it look better is very rewarding in the end.” Illene Trach

Members of the cast and crew said they are happy with how it turned out. According to junior actress and make-up artist Illene Trach, this play took a few months to prepare for, and both actors and crew members worked vigorously during those months. “Each production is about two to three months of rehearsal and working on memorizing blocking and lines,” Trach said. “Then, developing a character that is your own is very rewarding once it is shown to the audience.” According to Mi, part of the fun that comes from performing is the fact that each cast member feels pressure to succeed. “I think there’s really nothing like being on stage,” Mi said. “It’s super fun and high stakes at the same time, so you really have to be focused. Also, performing makes you really think about the character, and what his reactions are, how he would say something, etc. It's just a very rewarding

KRIS RISANO/THE CAMPANILE

Don't miss this number! "Almost, Maine" consists of eight intimate 10-minute segments, exploring the multifaceted experience of love in the setting of fictional town Almost, Maine. With barebone sets and often only two actors on the stage at a time, the play strikes an intense emotional tone. "I really liked it because the acting made each of the scenes really good," senior attendee Aru Madhav said. experience.” Trach said part of what makes the preparation worth it is seeing how the viewers interpret the work and react to it.

“I spend a lot of time with other stage tech students. I've made friendships within theater that are very valuable to me.” Illene Trach

“It is very rewarding when all your work is shown to an audience

that hopefully will appreciate and enjoy all the work that has been put into it,” Trach said. Trach said she also enjoys the tasks that come with being a make-up artist and seeing her work showcased. “The process of designing make-up to each character, then making it happen, and then revising it to make it look better is very rewarding in the end,” Trach said. However, Trach said her favorite part about working on “Almost, Maine” was bonding with cast and crew members, while creating a show they could be proud of together as a team. “My favorite part about being in

the play is the sense of community theater has,” Trach said. “Because Stage Tech is an eighth period class, I spend a lot of time with other stage tech students. I’ve made friendships within theater that are very valuable to me. Senior Aru Madhav saw the show and said he enjoyed the performance and could tell the cast was committed and worked hard for the impressive outcome. “I really liked it because the acting made each of the scenes really good,” Madhav said. Woods also said she had only positive things to say. “Paly Theatre students are amazing, talented and dedicated," Woods said. I am very proud of

their work, and the audience is really enjoying it.”

“It is very well written. The surprises that occur in each scene and the elements of magical realism make it funny, sweet and memorable.” Kathleen Woods

Paly Theatre is hoping to continue their success into next semester, by producing more plays.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

A5 OPINION Scientists ought to clarify consequences of climate change By Olivia Ericsson

Staff Writer

emperatures in Greenland have increased, melting over 40 billion tons of ice sheets since the 1970s, according to National Geographic. This summer, Europe underwent a huge heat wave in parts that typically do not experience very high temperatures, and they passed through with temperatures over 80 degrees. For many years, scientists have viewed climate change as a distant problem. However, as we have seen, this thinking is wrong. This is why environmentalists need to better communicate the grave consequences of climate change.

Even though science is a process of discovery, it is important that scientists estimate disasters and their severity earlier, rather than saying that they will unfold hundreds of years from now.

If scientists would have predicted that heat waves, increases in temperatures and sea level rise would happen earlier, the casualties that we experience today may as a result have minimized. Even though science is a process of discovery, it is important that scientists estimate

disasters and their severity earlier, rather than saying that they will unfold hundreds of years from now, even though we have clearly seen this happening in the past couple of years. CNN news said parts of Earth has seen temperatures beyond what is typically seen and therefore in parts of France, for example, a striking number of deaths have resulted. With temperatures over 116 degrees Fahrenheit, 1,435 deaths have been reported with a link to the vast temperature fluctuation that has caused such an increase in the overall Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temperature. With the misconception regarding the climate change, according to The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change in 1990, a group of scientists recorded that climate change would arrive at a steady pace where Antarctica was not at risk of thawing as well as the Antarctic ice sheets were not at risk of disappearing and would remain stable. An article from the National Academies reports, that scientist Dr. Broecker reported carbon dioxide emissions would not raise global temperatures significantly in the 21st century. However, it is clear that we will see an increase in the average global temperature will rise five degrees by the end of the century. For the past decades

ART BY KAITLYN LEE

we have experienced for the past couple of years with permafrost melting and increasing temperatures. If we would have known the consequences would contribute to many natural occurrences like Hurricane Harvey or Hurricane Irma, we could have been better equipped for disasters. In addition, according to Science Daily, scientists have predicted that the swing between cold and warm periods would take much longer than what has happened. With many scientists conclusions that these periodic changes would take more years than expected, however, these cooling and warming periods have changed in a matter of

years. For instance, the amount of ice sheets in the Antarctic and other glaciers has been decreasing as a result of the increase in global temperature. A survey done by Climate Change Communication reported that only 54% of the American population think humaninduced global warming is happening. Even with clear evidence of climate change, many Americans are still unaware that it is actually taking place. In regards to the sea level rise in oceans around the globe, there is some very bad news. As the oceans begin to warm up, marine animals such as polar bears and seals are unable to adapt to

the extreme temperature changes and as a result, according to WorldWildlife. In addition, more powerful storms are on the horizon due to the extensive increase in carbon dioxide emissions, according to the New York Times, who say that sea levels will rise 30 centimeters by 2050. Business Outsider said one can predict that in a couple decades, San Francisco will be under water and Palo Alto will be at an increased risk for flood surges. According to The Balance, $24 billion is going to have to be paid to help reconstruct California after its devastating fires. If scientists would communicate the grave con-

sequences that climate change has on the environment and on Palo Alto, we would much better we able to prepare for disasters such as floods and harsh storms.

Even with clear evidence of climate change, many Americans are still unaware that it is actually taking place. The portion of our economy used to help build up cities and reconstruct areas could go towards better things such as poverty, inequality and helping to provide future generations with a good environment.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

OPINION

Marijuana needs regulation, destigmatizing nationwide By Sarah O'Riordan

Senior Staff Writer

t’s been three years since California legalized the recreational use of marijuana, a milestone achievement for the movement to decriminalize pot. Despite this advancement, the fire of public stigma against the plant roars stronger than ever, fueled most recently by the hysteria-stirring vaping crisis, which has been responsible for deaths across the country.

Both the media and society now often portray people who vape or smoke as unclean and uneducated about what they put in their bodies. Because of this, vaping — and THC consumption of any kind — has become taboo; both society and the media now often portray people who vape or smoke as unclean and uninformed about what they put in their bodies. But not all forms of cannabis are created equal, and that extends to vaping, therefore we must take a look into the cause vape illnesses. Prescribing marijuana as a medicine has been legal in California since 1996, when it became the first state to do so. According to family physician and Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR) member Hugh Blumenfeld, cannabis is a legitimate medication and legalization and de-stigmatization efforts should be continued nationwide, especially when comparing its effects to those of other drugs. “Unlike alcohol, cannabis dependence is not associated with cirrhosis, pancreatitis, seizures and dementia, nor is its use linked to sexual assault or other forms of violence,” Blumenfeld said, going on to point out that no

ART BY NOA LEHRER

one has ever died from cannabis consumption. “Meanwhile, a growing body of research suggests that there are real benefits of cannabis for a wide variety of medical problems, though studies have been hindered by legal red tape.” In an open letter written to the NFL, the DFCR cited studies and research done on the medical use of cannabis. “According to another recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine, states with legal medical marijuana programs have a 25% lower incidence of fatal overdose on prescription opioid drugs, which suggests that cannabis is a much safer alternative for patients with chronic pain,” the letter said. The DFCR also cited a clinical trial in Israel which reported that cannabis was effective in alleviating the symptoms of Crohn's disease, even curing it in some cases. In a letter written to “The American Journal of Nursing”, former registered nurse Patricia R. Skidmore

attested to the benefits of cannabis as medicine. “I saw firsthand how marijuana helped my son, who had AIDS, eat and even sing in a concert,” Skidmore wrote. She went on to say numerous states, and even the Public Health Association, have recognized the medicinal advantages of the plant. “If my son were still alive, I would continue to risk going to jail to supply him with this medicine,” Skidmore wrote. Regardless of these medicinal properties, inhaling smoke is an irritant to the lungs and therefore, many medical marijuana patients searched for a way to consume THC and CBD without putting their lungs under stress. In addition to edibles, tinctures and drinks, a method of cannabis consumption that became popular was vaporization, or vaping. Vaporization, in concept, was supposed to eliminate THC smoke and replace it with THC vapor. A vape pen consists of a battery and a cartridge. The cartridge is

filled with a THC or CBD distillate — refined oil extracted from high-grade plants. According to the DFCR, as legalization is implemented in various states around the nation, knockoff versions of legal cannabis cartridges could pop up in places where recreational or medicinal cannabis is not yet legalized, leading to potential health risks. “Adults who choose to use cannabis recreationally or for its medicinal properties are endangered by-products that could be contaminated with pesticides and mold, or laced with PCP, K2, fentanyl or cocaine,” Blumenfeld said. Now in 2019, an outbreak of what seemed to be a vaping illness caught the nation’s attention, causing the CDC to conduct extensive studies looking into the dangers of the black market and illegally sourced vapes. According to the CDC’s continually updated article on the vaping crisis, what led adults and children around the nation to fall ill with

the “vaping epidemic” is the presence of fungicides along with Vitamin E and other unsafe chemicals in both THC and nicotine vapes. In other words, the DFCR was right — THC is not the problem. Additives are. In most cases of vaping illness, the CDC says the THC cartridge of the patients vape device was obtained from a black market source, such as a friend, family member or drug dealer instead of a licensed dispensary or delivery service. Dispensaries and delivery services stock their products from lab-tested brands where a third party has confirmed that the brand’s product is solventless and additive-free. Some THC concentrate brands have even published the results of lab tests done on their products. However, the looming judgment of the public could cause many patients in need of treatment to fear seeking help. As a progressive and continually evolving community here in California, it’s important to remember

that even in the face of challenges and legitimate problems, we must think critically about the cause and effect of the issue and the best way to solve it.

The U.S. should be treating cannabis as they do alcohol or cigarettes, as regulation is the key to making sure people are not consuming dangerous chemicals.

Instead of judging people who choose to vape THC because they are vaping, we should be encouraging people to be more careful about the sources of their THC and to become educated about the benefits and dangers of marijuana. On a national scale, the U.S. should be treating cannabis as it does alcohol or cigarettes in terms of federal laws, for regulation is the key to making sure people don’t consume dangerous chemicals.

Democrats should vote for moderates in primary elections By Neil Kapoor News & Opinion Editor

s Democratic primary voters gear up to choose among a diverse lineup of candidates in Iowa, New Hampshire and other key battleground states starting in early February, only one thing is certain: Under our election system, the early primary states — despite having smaller populations and demographics that don’t represent the country’s diversity — have a disproportionate influence over a party’s nominee. That means Democrats cannot simply pay attention to national polls about which candidate might defeat President Donald Trump in the general election. These polls tend to show centerleft former Vice President Joe Biden as having the best chance of beating Trump, while primary polls tend to indicate rising star South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg or progressives like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren as the frontrunner in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Under our election system, the early primary states— despite having smaller populations and demographics that don't entirely represent the country's diversity— have disproportionate influence over a party's nominee. For most Democratic voters, the hypothetical matchups and endless polling can be a real headspinner. Given that polls can fluctuate drastically day-today and, as the 2016 election proved, are not necessarily accurate, Democrats should

look to a moderate, centerleft candidate in the primaries, such as Biden or Buttigieg, for the best chance of dislodging Trump from the White House in November 2020. Let’s start with some presidential election history. As political strategist James Carville famously said in Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, “(It’s) the economy, stupid!” Clinton capitalized on the worsening recession to unseat George H.W. Bush. Barack Obama similarly focused on the economy in 2008 while casting the Iraq War as misguided and the most disastrous foreign policy decision in a generation. These were centrist positions resonating with most Americans. In 2016, with a strong economy and no major overseas wars to criticize, Hillary Clinton did not have the unifying issues Obama or her husband had. What does this mean? Democrats have traditionally won with moderate candidates, but since 2016, not enough has changed for the worse on the economy or foreign policy fronts that previously propelled a Democrat to victory. With unemployment at record lows and Trump seemingly against an assertive or interventionist foreign policy, what type of candidate, broadly speaking, do voters favor? The answer appears to be a moderate. According to a Nov. 8 New York Times/ Siena College poll of primary voters in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona and Florida, 62% want a candidate who “promises to find common ground with Republicans” vs. 33% want a candidate who “promises to fight for a bold, progressive agenda.” On ideology, 55% want someone who is “more moderate than most Democrats” vs. 39% want someone who

is “more liberal than most Democrats.” Finally, 49% want someone who “promises to bring politics in Washington back to normal” vs. 45% want someone who “promises to bring fundamental, systematic change to American society.” These polls should be taken with a grain of salt given their mercurial nature. But broadly speaking, the numbers seem to boil down to one simple thing: the “electability” factor, or how likely a candidate is to win. The problem with very liberal candidates is that while their ideas may appeal to large swaths of the Democratic base, especially in states like California, the aforementioned survey indicates that generally these ideas (eliminating private health insurance, for example) are not as appealing to voters in swing states. We know this has historically been the case, but how do we know swing districts still prefer moderate candidates today? Look no further than the 2018 midterms when Democrats flipped the House of Representatives. While media attention tended to focus on the most bold or progressive candidates, such as members of the “squad,” most of the Democrats who flipped seats from red to blue were, in fact, moderates. They convinced Republicans, independents and suburban women disappointed with Trumpism that they were not radical left-wingers or socialists. More recently, in Louisiana, Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania — many of which are states Trump won in 2016 — Democrats prevailed in off-year gubernatorial and state legislature elections for two big reasons. First, young people and the suburbs voted in unusually high numbers. Louisiana Democratic Gov. John

ART BY KIANA TAVAKOLI

Bel Edwards, a conservative Democrat, won re-election on Nov. 16 with 51% of the vote by a margin of 40,000, but since his first election in 2015, his vote total skyrocketed by 127,609 votes even as GOP turnout spiked by 228,199. In blue strongholds in East Baton Rouge and Orleans, his margins widened from 42,000 and 69,000 in 2015 to 51,000 and 102,000 — staggering statistics. Second, conservative and independent voters were willing to consider the candidate themselves — moderate or conservative Democrats — rather than just the party label, evidenced by Republicans winning five out of six state offices in Kentucky but losing the Trump-backed GOP gubernatorial contests in deep-red Kentucky and Louisiana. Notice a pattern? Democrats have to assemble a diverse coalition for 2020: one, mobilize the party’s base to turn up in huge numbers. Two, assure those who flipped voting preferences from red to blue in the House in 2018 and state offices in 2019 that they should do the same for the president and shouldn’t

have to fear a far-left liberal agenda coming out of Washington — losing their private health insurance, free college for all, tax hikes or handouts for illegal immigrants. Only a moderate can accomplish both goals. The main argument in favor of a progressive nominee is they will unequivocally mobilize the Democratic base (including 7 million newly-eligible teen voters) sufficiently enough that it would outweigh losing the swing voters who fueled recent blue victories — something a moderate might not be able to do as well. However, the benefits of a progressive nominee are outweighed by two voting patterns. First, most of these young, first-time liberal voters are not concentrated in swing states like Iowa, New Hampshire or Michigan; they live on the coasts. In terms of defeating Trump, that means it doesn’t matter if a progressive nominee galvanizes a few million new votes in California and New York — states that vote blue anyway — if that nominee also repels 80,000 swing voters in the industrial Midwest, the total vote margin by which Hillary

Clinton lost key swing states to Trump in 2016. Second, the sheer disenchantment with Trump among Democrats of all shades of blue was enough to spur record-high turnout even with centrist and conservative Democratic candidates in the 2018 and 2019 elections. The same will likely be true 11 months from now, especially as damaging revelations surrounding Trump’s Ukraine scandal unfold. Bottom line: from the perspective of independents, suburban women and Republicans dissatisfied with Trump, there is much less to fear from a moderate than a progressive. It is true that in the long run, the US may very well transition to a single-payer health care system and make the cost of college far more affordable. That would suggest many of the current crop of candidates may simply be ahead of their time. If that’s the case, they must realize they are not looking to be president of the Democratic Party. Or of California. They are looking to be president of the United States.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

OPINION

PAUSD should offer PSAT to sophomores along with juniors By Benjamin Stein Staff Writer

alking into the 800s building on the morning of the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, I could feel the tension in the air. As students filed into preassigned testing classrooms, they turned off their phones and double-checked their backpacks for pencils and calculators. But while the juniors took the PSAT, the sophomores were still at home, enjoying a late-start day along with the freshmen and the seniors.

WAItiNG FOR GRAPHhic

Not taking the PSAT deprives students of the opportunity to acquire a valuable benchmark for the standardized testing that they will likely take during their junior year. During the 2018-19 school year, the PSAT was administered to sophomores and juniors, but this year, the test was only administered to sophomores enrolled in Advancement Via Individual Determination and juniors. Although some sophomores were likely thrilled by the extra sleep, not taking the PSAT deprives them of the opportunity to acquire a valuable benchmark for the standardized testing that they will likely take during their junior year. As such, the PSAT should be administered to all sophomores as well as juniors. First of all, the PSAT is the perfect place for sophomores to preview the world of standardized testing because it is low-stakes. Although the PSAT is a qualifier for the National Merit Scholarship for juniors, sophomores can take the test with no

ART BY BRUNO KLASS

consequences regardless of their score. For sophomores, the test is truly practice: no scholarships can be won and no colleges have access to the score. Thus, the test can neither help nor hurt the student in the college admissions process. This allows sophomores to gain insight into their potential performance on later tests without inducing stress or anxiety. By informing sophomores of their testing capabilities in a setting similar to that of the SAT or ACT, the PSAT can help them better prepare for future tests. Another advantage of taking the PSAT sophomore year is the timing. For students who might want to prepare for the SAT or ACT over the summer or during the beginning of their junior year, taking the PSAT junior year is too late

to provide any benefit. Taking the PSAT sophomore year can aid students in their studying over the summer by highlighting areas where they can improve. Resources such as Khan Academy, a free online tutoring program, can help students analyze their PSAT score breakdown and provide individualized practice questions to help students raise their scores. Getting acquainted with the PSAT sophomore year also allows students to become more familiar with the test and hence are more likely to perform better on the junior PSAT. In turn, this gives them a better chance of receiving National Merit distinctions, awards which can range from commendations to scholarships, depending on the percentile of the score. However, there are cer-

tainly issues that arise as a result of administering the PSAT to sophomores. After the PSAT was administered to sophomores in 2018, Paly and Gunn administrations collected feedback to determine whether they should administer the test again. According to Assistant Principal Wendy Stratton, this feedback included complaints from students and parents alike who argued that offering the PSAT to sophomores caused unnecessary stress. Stratton said the overemphasis on achievement and higher standardized testing scores brought to the forefront by the PSAT results in further stress in a community that already places extreme amounts of pressure on students. However, this issue can be resolved by making it abundantly clear to students

and parents that the PSAT is only practice and has no consequences. According to Stratton, explanation of the PSAT to sophomores in 2018 was limited to a small blurb, which could have caused students to misinterpret the purpose of the test. Furthermore, this limited communication with parents led some parents to place increased pressure on their children to perform well because they did not understand the purpose of the test. Stratton said she would like to clarify to students that there is no negative impact for taking the practice assessment if the PSAT is reinstated for sophomores, an element that she said was lacking in the initial pilot. Further information on the PSAT should be publicized in a manner that will reach all students and parents, such as through Scho-

ology posts, emails to parents, and during advisory.

This gives them a better chance of receiving National Merit distinctions, awards which can range from commendations to scholarships.

As increased communication can properly address the problem of increased anxiety; it is clear that all sophomores should be allowed to take the PSAT. By administering the PSAT to sophomores and ensuring that parents and students are informed about the test, Paly can help students achieve higher scores on their future standardized testing.

Student athletes ought to be granted preps for offseason training By Adora Zheng Lifestyle Editor

weat drips into sophomore Julia Ragno’s eyes, her muscles aching after an intense two-hour practice at Solo Aquatics. She gets home and looks up at the clock, a familiar sinking feeling settling in when she realizes it is already 9 p.m. and she has homework due for all her classes the following day. As school seasons wind down, many Paly athletes prepare for their club season. Student athletes who play competitive club sports spend an average of 10 hours or more per week doing rigorous conditioning and skill development, according to junior Trisha Razdan, who plays club volleyball — but those who play club sports offered at Paly are not eligible to receive a prep for Independent Study sophomore P.E. In order to reduce stress and help improve the mental health of these athletes, freshman and sophomores who play club sports in their school offseason ought to be able to apply for this prep.

However, the mental health and stress levels of many student athletes who play for club sports is put at a risk when they train for 15 or more hours and still have to keep up with the heavy workload. Only student athletes who play sports not offered by Paly’s athletics program can apply for an Independent Study P.E. prep, which will give them a prep instead of P.E. during their sophomore year. Applicants must also have a minimum of three years of prior experience in a sport, receive year-

ART BY GINA BAE

round instruction and training 5-6 days per week and train a minimum of 15 hours per week under appropriate supervision of a qualified coach in order to qualify, according to the Paly website. The district-wide program exists to give dedicated student athletes who have had a long-standing passion for their sport a break from P.E. after completing their mandatory first year of P.E., according to P.E. Instructional Leader Peter Diepenbrock. However, this policy excludes all students who play sports that are offered at Paly, regardless of their commitment to their sport year-round. Paly sports last for only one season, and student athletes often choose to spend part or all of their offseason playing for a club — during club season, most students

commit the same amount of time to practicing, conditioning and playing in games and tournaments as they do during the regular school season. These athletes face the same restrictions on homework time as they would during the school season, but do not get a prep to make up for the loss. According Razdan, having a prep for P.E. during her club season last year, which spanned from December to May, would have reduced her stress levels and helped with sleep deprivation — and 96% of Paly athletes who play club sports agree, according to a Google Form distributed on social media to which 79 students responded. Diepenbrock said the current restriction exists because the students who play club sports in their off-

seasons have already spent months away from P.E., and the course provides a valuable way to connect with classmates outside of a traditional classroom setting. However, the mental health and stress levels of many student athletes who play club sports is put at risk when they train for 15 or more hours and still have to keep up with the heavy workload their classes demand without the buffer preps provide. Those who meet all other qualifications for Independent Study P.E. preps ought to be able to apply for them when the sports they play at Paly are in the offseason, and over 85% of Paly students agree, according to the same survey. There is no conflict with the Paly season, and dedicated club athletes will have the

chance to make up some of the time they spend at practices and games. Logistically, the process to apply for an Independent Study prep could easily be applied to club sports. Junior Joyce Lin, who received a prep in her sophomore year for fencing, said the application process includes a detailed description of the athlete’s training regimen, coach credentials, goals for the year and more — all of which can be fulfilled for athletes who play intensive club sports. As for additions to the application to better accommodate the limitations of club seasons, the application could include start and end dates for the season and weekly time commitments as tournament schedules fluctuate, confirming that students fulfill the existing

requirements for Independent Study P.E.

These athletes face the same time restrictions on homework time as they would during the school season, but do not get a prep to make up for the loss. With a universal Independent Study P.E. application for both athletes who play sports not offered at Paly and offseason club athletes, all student athletes who dedicate dozens of hours each week to athletics can receive the prep they need to stay mentally healthy, reduce stress and succeed academically.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

EDITORIALS

Administration should be more CPR graduation requirements respectful of student press rights ought to be made more clear

alo Alto police chased and arrested a robbery suspect on Paly’s campus on Nov. 4. While classes were not instructed to go into lockdown during the chase, many did, and after 10 minutes of confusion, Principal Adam Paulson made a schoolwide announcement that the campus was safe. Following the arrest, several student journalists, either on preparatory periods or in a journalism class at the time, rushed to report on the incident, taking pictures of paramedics aiding an injured police officer. The students stood behind barriers erected by Paly campus security, not creating an inappropriate disturbance for the officer. While student journalists were acting well within their Constitutionally protected rights to document police activity in a public space, and police officers respected this, Paly campus security tried to prevent students from taking pictures and would not let them stay at the scene.

School officials’ actions in this situation were a direct violation of students’ First Amendment rights. The Campanile thinks school officials ought to learn more about

student press rights and make efforts to educate all staff members through training sessions.

The Campanile thinks school officials ought to learn more about student press rights and make efforts to educate all staff members through training sessions. School officials’ actions in this situation were a direct violation of students’ First Amendment rights — more specifically, California Ed Code 48907, which protects student freedom of the press. According to the Student Press Law Center, “The right to publish news is closely tied to the right to gather the news in the first place.” In Branzburg v. Hayes (1972), the Supreme Court said the right to be press “could be eviscerated” if there was no right to gather news. When telling student journalists to go back to class, campus supervisors and administrators cited a lack of safety as the reason. However, Paulson had already deemed the campus safe at this point, making this argument a contradiction. Other administrators claimed that an adult adviser had to be present for student jour-

nalists to report, which is also untrue. The law should be followed because it is a law, not because an adult is present. Given that the safety of the campus had already been announced, campus supervisors and administrators’ actions in stopping students from reporting were unjustified, illegal and occurred due to an unequal power dynamic between students and staff. Although The Campanile doesn’t think it was the intent of school officials to violate student journalists’ rights, their lack of awareness is concerning. In order to combat this, staff should be required to attend an informational meeting in order to educate them on protocol when interacting with student journalists in high-pressure situations.

The students stood behind barriers erected by Paly campus security, not creating an inappropriate disturbance for the officer. This information could be communicated in a “Learning Strand” session, which is a mandatory staff meeting in which teachers lead discussions for all staff on an array of topics.

s seniors seek to wrap up their final year of high school, many are surprised to discover that they are at risk of not receiving a diploma due to missing a graduation requirement.

Implemented last year, California Bill AB 1719 requires students receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in order to graduate. Implemented last year, California Bill AB 1719 requires students to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in order to graduate. Yet many students were unaware of this requirement due to lack of communication from administration. Given the significant confusion surrounding this development, The Campanile thinks the graduation requirements regarding CPR training should be more widely publicized in order to prevent student confusion and stress about their ability to graduate. Although there was a misconception among students that the CPR training was a part of the Living Skills curriculum, Paly offers separate classes not a part of Living Skills. Additionally, students who are currently CPR cer-

tified are allowed to provide documentation of their certification in order to fulfill the requirement instead of attending these classes. According to Living Skills teacher Leticia Burton, information concerning CPR training sessions was provided to her students through Schoology. However, the only general announcement to the greater student body has been through InFocus. Considering that teachers sometimes either don’t play or continue teaching through InFocus, and that students who have fifth period prep are unable to view the broadcast, this method of imparting such important information excludes a significant number of students.

For example, teachers or advisors should be required to discuss this requirement with their students, as well as posting it on Schoology. In order to ensure that all students are aware of the CPR training requirement and the classes offered classes to complete it, this information should be broadcasted through more public and available means. For example, teachers or advisors should be required

to discuss this requirement with their students, as well as posting it on Schoology.

Although there was a misconception among students that the CPR training was a part of the Living Skills curriculum, Paly offers separate classes not a part of Living Skills. Additionally, there should be more training sessions available to students. Paly has only offered two CPR training sessions this semester and will offer two more next semester, which will be held in the Haymarket Theatre. With only four classes offered for the entire year, and with many students missing the first two because of lack of publicity, the administration should host additional sessions to ensure that all students have an opportunity to fulfill graduation requirement. Although The Campanile acknowledges the efforts of Living Skills teachers to inform students about the CPR requirement, administrators should work to publicize the requirement more widely in order to prevent misinformation and ignorance.

Campsgiving: some of the little things that we are thankful for

n the spirit of Thanksgiving, The Campanile would like to express our gratitude …

Willy & the Four Boys (next concert on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. at Freewheel Brewing Company — be there or be square).

For all the passionate, understanding, brilliant teachers who always try to help students succeed in and out of the classroom. While not an exhaustive list of great teachers, our staff members would like to shout-out a few who have had a significant impact on them: Avadhani, Baker, Badillo, Bungarden, Chen, Diepenbrock, Duffy, Farina, HB, Launer, Morrissey, Nguyen, Park, Szebert and Whitson. The custodians, who clean up after 2,000 students on a daily basis. Mr. Hall, who doesn’t receive enough credit for his incredible dedication to serving the student body. Ernesto, our smiling campus supervisor who radiates positivity. Ms. Queen, the “snack lady,” for using her own money to buy snacks for students. The Parent Teacher Student Association for organizing a successful, schoolwide turkey feast. The College & Career Center’s endless supply of candy and the parent volunteers who don’t judge students who come for it. Production nights — both

smooth and rough. The couple of checks that make it on the board on Day 1. Our Business Managers for stocking up on quality snacks, from Takis to Cinnamon Toast Crunch (#notsponsored). In-NOut, Panda Express and Ike’s dinners (#alsonotsponsored). Albert’s friendly face and revitalizing chats on slow production nights. 11x17 inch tabloid paper to preserve our eyes during copy edits. Dafont. com’s generous supply of Bebas Neue and Lemon Milk. Fricke Parks Press for still letting us print 12 minutes after the deadline. The Meme Wall and Andrew’s little man. Publication-wide Tik Toks and “Closing Time” by Semisonic, which celebrates the end of another successful production.

The College & Career Center’s endless supply of candy and the parent volunteers who don’t judge students who come for it. An entertaining, fun staff who cares deeply about the publication. Our Seeds, for leading story ideas and mastering compliment sandwiches. Our Mannies, for taking on two pages apiece each cycle. Our Online Editor, for dedicating countless hours to figuring out how to navigate the puzzling WordPress. The extremely talented Art & Photo Directors, a.k.a. Adobe Draw pros(create). Our Board Correspondent, for at-

tending the riveting board meetings. Our Multimedia Editor for managing our social media and overseeing steamy DMs with the Gunn Oracle. Our artists, for spending extra time and effort making page designs come to life. Our cubbies, who have all come out of their shells and are now equipped to lead the publication next year.

For all the passionate, understanding, brilliant teachers who always try to help students succeed in and out of the classroom. Satt and Woj, our wonderful advisers who spend their weeknights at school away from their families until 10 p.m. for three days in a row every three weeks and wholeheartedly believe in us. Willy & the Four Boys (next concert on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. at Freewheel Brewing Company — be there or be square), for bringing our staff closer together and allowing us to see Satt in his natural habitat, jamming on his bass. Woj, for surprising us with a visit from Gavin, making it possible for us to call the Media Arts Center our home and showing us the Woj Way. Last but not least, you — our readers — for your support and for reading our newspaper. Thank you!

DECEMBER’S TOP TEN LIST Top ten things to look forward to in second semester ... 10) Martin Luther King Jr. Day: 1/20 9) Staff Development Day: 2/13 8) Local holiday: 2/14 7) Presidents’ Day weekend: 2/15 - 2/18 6) Local holiday: 3/6 5) Local holiday: 3/9 4) Minimum day: 4/3 3) Spring Break: 4/4 - 4/12 2) Memorial Day: 5/25 1) Summer break: 6/5

— BENJAMIN STEIN & KAITLYN LEE

ART BY KAITLYN LEE

The Campanile Editors-in-Chief Annie Chen • Miranda Li • Lucy Nemerov Frida Rivera • Jaures Yip

Online Editor Kai Vetteth

Managing Editors Emily Asher • Leila Khan

News & Opinion Editors Neil Kapoor • Sophia Moore

Lifestyle Editors Maya Rathore • Adora Zheng

Science & Tech Editor Anna Meyer

Sports Editors Rebekah Limb • Johnny Yang

Multimedia Editor Paige Knoblock

Business Managers Siddhartha Sahasrabuddhe • Kiana Tavakoli

Art & Photo Directors Kaitlyn Lee • Tien Nguyen

Board Correspondent Bruno Klass

Olivia Ericsson Alex Liu Shiva Mohsenian Sarah O’Riordan

Staff Writers Jace Purcell Kris Risano Krista Robins Benjamin Stein

Emma Todd Andrew Toteda Andy Wang Sloan Wuttke

Illustrators Gina Bae • Bruno Klass • Kaitlyn Lee • Noa Lehrer • Rebekah Limb • Shiva Mohsenian Sophia Moore • Tien Nguyen • Frida Rivera Kiana Tavakoli • Sloan Wuttke • Adora Zheng Advisers Rodney Satterthwaite • Esther Wojcicki

Writing Coaches Evelyn Richards • Elisabeth Rubinfien

Letters to the Editors: Email all letters to editors to theeds20@googlegroups.com The Campanile prints letters on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit submissions. The Campanile only prints signed letters. Advertisements: Advertisements with The Campanile are printed with signed contracts. For more information regarding advertisements or

sponsors in The Campanile and their size options and prices, please contact The Campanile Business Managers by email at campanile.ads@gmail.com. Note: It is the policy of The Campanile to refrain from printing articles that misrepresent or alienate specific individuals within the Palo Alto community. The Campanile would like to thank the PTSA for supporting the mailing of our newspaper!

Our Vision Statement: The Campanile strives to uphold the highest standard of journalistic integrity through diverse mediums of storytelling and responsibly informing readers about local news, culture, opinion and athletics.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

L FESTYLE The Resurgence of Analog Photography Students use film as a timeless way to capture moments

efore pushing the shut- think analytically about what unique characteristic, like the ter release button of her they are shooting, in addition amount of grain or the con36-year-old film cam- to the compoera, junior Lexi Gwyn takes sition of their each of the different compo- images. “I enjoy the nents that will influence her photo’s appearance into care- mechanical side of film and havful consideration. “I enjoy the Factors that form a film ing to think deeply photograph, such as exposure, more mechanical side of aperture, ISO and whether or about what I not to include flash, all re- p h o t o g r a p h quire contemplation that dig- due to the limfilm and having to ited number of ital cameras do not demand. Gwyn’s thorough atten- exposures per think more deeply tion towards every film pho- roll,” Schilling to, however, stems from the said. about what I Although limited opportunity of expothe reason to sures per film roll. photograph due to “These days, digital cam- opt for film eras do everything for you,” p h o t o g r a p h y the limited number than Gwyn said. “All the elements rather varies that create your photo are digital automated and preset based for each artist, of exposures on the setting that you’re both Gwyn and say in. With film, it requires an Schilling per roll.” aesthetic understanding of your sur- the roundings and what that and grainy tone means for the camera, which of film cameras is what most interested me create an indiNatalie Schilling about film photography since vidual quality to I can now work a camera that each photo. The a majority of the world can’t “perfect imperfections” inheroperate.” After temporarily becom- ent to each film photograph trast of the image, that makes ing obsolete following the make it more unique than a the whole experience even release of digital cameras in digital image. more exciting.” the early 2000s, film Junior Alex photography has reWashburn said film cently begun to make is a timeless way to a comeback in the art record events, and world, according to that film photos have “You need to Gwyn. When digital much more value artistry first became than digital ones. popular, high-reso“Film is comtruly ask yourself, lution photos propletely timeless,” duced with expensive Washburn said. “The ‘Will this shot equipment were celphotos you shoot will ebrated and regarded always be fun to look turn out the way I as high-quality. Now, at and bring back film photography is memories.” want it to or will seen as retro, which The analog nature has increased its apof the camera also I be wasting peal among photogincreases the probraphers of this era. ability of an unin“Film is a style tended alteration of a shot?’” that a lot of people the image, according are getting into at the to Schilling. Because moment,” Gwyn said. film photographs are “Some of the aspects not visible until after Alex Washburn of analog photogthey are developed, raphy might die out the margin for error again, such as the with film phofashion parts, because tography is “Something specific to much higher it is a momentary trend. Film photography is different. It film that makes most pho- than with is an art form that will never tographers choose to use it digital. really die off. The interest in over digital is the effects that film photography might fall it has on an image,” Gwyn at times, but there will always said. “Each photo will turn be artists who shoot film for out differently depending art and that will fascinate on how you choose to operate your campeople.” AP Studio Art student era. This being each and senior Natalie Schil- said, ling said understand- photo will ing film photog- have a raphy requires a photographer to

“You aren’t able to see the photo directly after you take it when using film, which often allows for a greater chance of error to occur,” Schilling said. “Film also requires the extra step of developing the film and then either scanning or printing it, and with limited numbers of dark rooms and stores to buy films, this media requires a lot of additional expenses in addition to buying the camera and a lens.” According to Washburn, due to the potential error associated with film, it is difficult to determine when to take a photograph and if the image produced will be worth it. “Film photography dials in each of your photos because you can’t just take shot after shot without a second thought since the number of shots on a roll is limited,” Washburn said. “You need to truly ask yourself, ‘Will this shot turn out the way I want it to or will I be wasting a shot?’” Gwyn, however, considers waiting for a picture to develop as one of the best parts of film photography, as it enhances appreciation of the image and the amount of thought going into the use of each exposure. “My favorite part of shooting film is getting the photos back that I sent to be developed,” Gwyn said. “You can’t go back and see what you have taken until they’ve been developed, and it’s almost like a surprise gift.”

Text, Art & Design by Shiva Mohsenian Design by Emily Asher Art by Adora Zheng

LIFESTYLE

Post-graduation theatre careers

Several students share the development of their theatre experiences and touch on their plans for pursuing acting and dancing careers.

ROB WILEN/USED WITH PERMISSION

PAGE B4

Lifestyle

LAURA MALAGRINO/USED WITH PERMISSION

Nail culture

Students use acrylic nails as a form of self expression. PAGE B2

Lifestyle

MAYA RATHORE/THE CAMPANILE

Espresso review

A review of three ìMom-and-Popî coffee shops in Palo Alto. PAGE B3

KRISTA ROBINS/THE CAMPANILE

Column: How to find a mate for Cuffing Season 2019 By Shiva Mohsenian

Staff Writer

t’s Cuffing Season, and you all know what that means. It’s the time for couples to walk handin-hand, overtly exerting their intimacy onto everyone around them and irritating those not in a relationship.

Cuffing Season is that intimate time of year when the desire to be in a relationship is at an all-time high. If you aren’t in a relationship and want to figure out how to attract a mate for the season, don’t worry. I’ve compiled your first-aid survival kit for making it through Cuffing SZN 2019.

Find a Mate To be in a relationship, the first step is finding a partner. Begin your selection process by scouring Instagram accounts, Snapchat friends and even Twitter for possible mates. The nature of cuffing season makes everyone desperate and eager, so you are sure to find an accomplice. Get Their Attention Your cuffee for the season must know you’re interested in order for you to get them in your grasp. Although it might be difficult to be nonchalant in doing this, the ideal way to meet your desired comrade would be to “accidentally” run into them — on purpose. This can be done by tracking their location on SnapMaps or even utilizing the iPhone Find My Friends app to determine their exact location. Once you find out where they are going to be, find a way to “bump into them” so they are forced to speak to you — and soon enough, fall in love. Apologize excessively and ask if you can compensate them with Venmo for damages. They will likely reply “no” and ask you to get coffee, but if they don’t like you right away, never lose hope. Right time, right place, my friends — the desperation of the season will catch up with all.

Display Your Affection Once in the realm of the cuffing world, it is important to show your interest in your associate. One of the most effective ways to do this is to implement hearts into your style. Wearing big red hearts in places that your cuffee is guaranteed to see them will instantly draw them to you. Also, make sure to increase the amount of red that you wear. There is no way to overdo it. Dress as you would if you were a spirited sophomore on Color Day of Spirit Week. If you can, try to rub some red face paint on your mate to declare the love that binds the two of you as one. The Conclusion Unfortunately — or not — cuffing season will inevitably come to an end. Generally signified by the resumption of warmer weather when we can go back outside, most of the detachment felt during the winter begins to fade — and with it, the desire to continue your temporary relationship with your cuffing partner. To let them down easy, it is important to explain that you only spent time with them because you were lonely during the cold and that you no longer appreciate their presence. It is vital to reiterate that you will, undoubtedly, be back for Cuffing SZN 2020 — you don’t want to have to start the scouting process all over again, do you?

Lifestyle

KAITLYN LEE/THE CAMPANILE

GamePigeon

How the platform has altered the student gaming experience. PAGE B3

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

LIFESTYLE B2 Students share experiences with cosmetic nail culture

With access to wide range of styles, appearances, nail enthusiasts weigh aesthetic pros with practical inconveniences By Kaitlyn Lee

Art & Photo Director

s junior Laura Malgrino walks into the salon, her mind is flooded with countless ideas for her next set of acrylic nails. Between various shapes such as coffin or oval, and numerous designs ranging from french tips to solid colors, the possibilities are endless, allowing her to get creative and explore new options. “It’s a really interesting and different form of creativity,” Malagrino said. “You can do your makeup, but you have to do that yourself and it takes time every morning. But if you go get your nails done, you can get whatever you want, because the (nail technician) does it.” Although there are a multitude of reasons behind getting acrylics, which are fake nails applied over real fingernails, Malagrino likes them because of the way they spice up her style and appearance. “I definitely like the look,” Malagrino said. “I use hand gestures a lot, so I like having long nails since they accentuate them so much. When you pick something up and you have long nails (you look) really dainty. I just think if you have that feeling, everything you say is important and it means something because your nails are long.” Similar to Malagrino, junior Isabella Koutsayanis, who was inspired by her cousin to wear acrylics, enjoys the look of the nails. “My cousin is really big on acrylic nails and I always saw them on her and I thought they looked very pretty on her,” Koutsayanis said. “Also, I have the tiniest hands and the smallest nail beds too, so (acrylics) just make my fingers look prettier. I think for that aspect, I really like the way it makes my like hands look.” On the other hand, junior Audrey Kernick initially got acrylics to prevent bad habits. “I got nails to help with biting my nails and pulling hangnails,”

Kernick said. “I keep them long and pointy because I can’t pick at hangnails that way.” However, Kernick now appreciates acrylics for the aesthetic, having since found a specific style preference over time.

“You can do your makeup, but you have to do that yourself and it takes time every morning. But if you go get your nails done, you can get whatever you want, because the (nail technician) does it.” Laura Malagrino

“The shape I get is always (similar to) almond, but pointier, and I’m a total sucker for bright red and anything sparkly and sheer,” Kernick said. “I did a sparkly lime green that had a jelly polish look a couple of times because I was so in love with it.” Through the countless shapes and designs available for acrylics, Malagrino has found a different preference towards her nail style than Kernick. “I have a whole folder on Instagram of designs that I like, but those are usually way more expensive,” Malagrino said. “I usually just get solid colors or different colors for each nail. The nail shape I tend to get is coffin because it works better with the shape of my hand and I just personally like it more.” According to Malagrino, when getting acrylics, the client can get a new set of nails put on, or they can get their previous, grown-out set filled, allowing them to change the color and design as well. Getting a new set is more expensive than getting older sets filled. “It depends where you go, but

CC/EYE CANDY NAILS NIC SENIOR

Polish up! Acrylic nail extensions come in an array of styles and colors, allowing nail enthusiasts to match their nails with a preferred look. (a new set) can be anywhere from 40 to 100 (dollars),” Malagrino said. “It also depends if you get designs and how long you get them, because they cost more for longer nails. Then, I think fill is like 15 or 20 (dollars) or sometimes even 30 (dollars).”

“I've thought about doing them on my own because it would definitely be less expensive. It definitely drains my bank account.” Laura Malagrino

For Malagrino, the high price of getting her nails done is a notable downside. “I’ve thought about doing them on my own because it would definitely be less expensive,” Mala-

grino said. “It definitely drains my bank account.” In addition, another negative is that acrylics can be damaging for one’s natural nails underneath as acrylics are bonded to strongly to the real nails. “You can refill (a set) as many times as you want, but they recommend that you take them off at some point because it’s really damaging to your nails to (leave them on),” Malagrino said. Koutsayanis finds this to be an issue as well, and sometimes experiences pain due to the damaging property of acrylics. “I do think that acrylic nails are damaging for my nails because they take an electric file to file your nails down and it makes it really rough,” Koutsayanis said. “Also, the day after I get acrylics, if I haven’t gotten them in a long time, my nail beds will start to hurt a lot.” Kernick has approached this obstacle with a cautious attitude, being sure to take care of her nails in order to avoid damage.

“As for damage, I’ve always been super careful with them and have never taken them off myself or ripped them off,” Kernick said. “(I haven’t) had them removed and put back on a ton of times, so my nails are in pretty good shape.”

“Typing is really difficult — I type slower when I have long nails on because I have these big nails in the way. When I drop something, it takes me (a long time) to pick (it) up.” Isabella Katsayanis

According to Kernick, while some people view having long nails as an added difficulty, she has found that it isn’t much different. “I always get asked how I can

do anything with them as long as they are but they’ve never really gotten in the way,” Kernick said. Malagrino agrees that having acrylics isn’t too difficult. “You get used to (long nails) really quickly,” Malagrino said. “My only issue was that clasping necklaces can be really hard since they're so tiny.” However, Koutsayanis finds acrylics can be very inconvenient. “It's very inconvenient sometimes,” Koutsayanis said. “Typing is really difficult — I type slower when I have long nails on because I have these big nails in the way. When I drop something, it takes me (a long time) to pick (it) up. Also when you hit your nail on something, it hurts so bad because it’s glued to your nail and it kind of rips off a little bit.” Overall, for Malagrino the art of acrylic nails opens up a world of fun and creativity. Malagrino said, “You can have a lot of fun with colors, so I love picking what style I’m going to do next.”

Healthy diet options offer solutions for weight loss, wellness

From detox drinks to wellness shots to fermented teas, new consumption trends marry health with convenience, sustainability By Bruno Klass

Board Correspondent

lmost every morning, junior Loren Olsen wakes up and downs a cup of water and apple cider vinegar. According to Olsen, integrating apple cider into her morning routine is an attempt to cleanse her system and be healthier. However, it appears that practices like Olsen’s may not actually be as beneficial as influencers and health fanatics make them out to be. With food trends that cater to active lifestyles and convenience, it can be hard to distinguish fact from fad. So whether you are looking to improve your diet or impress your Instagram followers, take a look below for a critical take on some of today's trendiest foods. Detox drinks as Wonder Remedy & Weight Loss Aid In a generation that values instant gratification and trendy, healthy choices, the popularity of detox drinks is on the rise. Among these drinks, apple cider vinegar stands out as one of the top choices, according to Healthline Media, a website dedicated to health and wellness. Healthline Media says drinking a small amount of plain apple cider vinegar daily has many health benefits. Proponents say it can improve digestion, lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, cure skin infections and aid in weight loss.

“There are random vitamins in (wellness shots) which could potentially throw your body out of whack and it's hard to know which supplement company to pick.” Cameron Straw

In a recent effort to improve her personal wellness, Olsen tried drinking two tablespoons of apple

BRUNO KLASS/THE CAMPANILE

cider vinegar with an added cup of water every day for approximately one month. However, her experiment only lasted a month. Olsen said she was not seeing any results from this process and said the plain vinegar tasted “awful.” However, she said many food and drink manufacturers have mixed apple vinegar with other ingredients such as honey, cinnamon and berries to improve the taste. A company called Blueprint, for example, sells an apple cider vinegar drink mixed with flavors such as turmeric, blueberry hibiscus and ginger maple. Proponents say it improves health, but apple cider vinegar is not an instant cure-all, according to nutritionist Cameron Straw. For example, if the consumer’s goal is to lose weight, Straw said they must take into consideration that while the vinegar will help break down carbs in the body, there are several other factors that impact weight-loss including diet, lifestyle and exercise. It is impor-

tant to consider all three when attempting to lose weight. Wellness Shots Found locally at Trader Joes, Whole Foods or Pressed Juicery, wellness shots come in a variety of colors and flavors, like turmeric, ginger and apple. They are meant to provide concentrated quantities of essential minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients that manufacturers claim instantly boost health, as opposed to traditional supplements taken in pill form. Straw is not convinced. Despite all the claimed positive effects of wellness shots, Straw said the beverages could actually cause harm. “There are random vitamins in (wellness shots) which could potentially throw your body out of whack, and it’s hard to know which supplement company to pick,” Straw said. She also said these shots tend

to have a lot of sugar, which, although healthy if consumed in moderation, is harmful in excess. Fermented Drinks Turns out, bacteria isn’t only good for science experiments. Made up of a combination of yeast and bacteria, kombucha, a fermented tea, has some health benefits, according to Straw. Benefits include the probiotics that come from the combination of yeast and bacteria. However, the long-term effects of regular kombucha consumption are still unknown. “Probiotics in general are not well understood and researched enough to make any claims,” Straw said. Health-conscious Snacks Once a granola bar, a handful of nuts or a bag of trail-mix were considered the go-to snacks for health nuts, pun intended. However, trail-mix is no longer cutting

it in today’s competitive of healthy snacking culture. Quinoa has made its way into breakfast, lunch, and dinner options — and now into snacks as well. It appears in a variety of forms including breakfast bowls, mac and cheese and chocolatecovered. Moringa, or drumstick tree, has long been used in Asia and Africa for its alleged health benefits. Supporters say benefits include reduced chronic inflammation. Straw is not quite sure, though. “I have heard of moringa, but most of its uses are not well researched,” Straw said. “Like many trendy supplements, I don't think it's the best idea. Herbs do have amazing benefits, but the way in which you consume them is important and (it is best) to work with a professional.” Smoothie Bowls Unlike smoothies, the consistency of smoothie bowls is more

solid, making them more filling. Junior Rachel Lysaght works at SunLife, a juice shop and smoothie bar, and describes the bowls as healthy blends of fruits and other supplements, with a resulting base that is almost ice cream-like. The base is poured into a bowl and topped with whole fruits, nuts, seeds or grains. The everpopular acai bowl is composed of açai, banana, strawberries, blueberries, apple juice and almond milk. “It’s a healthy alternative to sweets, but you should also include a balanced meal and other healthy items in your diet,” Lysaght said. Straw takes a stronger stance against smoothie bowls. She said while they may be vitamin-rich, they are not healthy for the average consumer for several reasons. She said these bowls tend to have a lot of sugar, and while they do contain an antioxidant called glutathione, the same effect can be obtained by simply working out or going to the sauna.

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

B3 LIFESTYLE New entertainment extension on iMessage gains popularity Game Pigeon application, which contains wide range of games, serves as engaging way to interact with other students By Kai Vetteth Online Editor

hen Game Pigeon launched in 2016, it included 8-Ball, Poker, Sea Battle, Gomoku and Anagrams. However, according to junior Zander Darby, the once unassuming iMessage extension is now nearly ubiquitous among Paly students and features 23 games, ranging from Mini Golf to Cup Pong. According to Darby, Game Pigeon experienced a dramatic rise in popularity following its initial release. “Game Pigeon became extremely popular within the last five years,” Darby said. “Around 3 years ago, the big game that Game Pigeon provided was 8-Ball pool.” According to Darby, students quickly created group chats to play Game Pigeon games with each other.

“I barely knew any of them because they were all from different grades, but someone would send out a text asking if anybody wanted to play, and every time someone wanted to join.” Zander Darby “There were probably around 20 to 25 students in the group chat (I was a part of ),” Darby said. “I barely knew any of them because they were all from different grades, but someone would send out a text asking if anybody wanted to play, and every time someone wanted to join.”

Darby said the game allowed him to branch out of his normal social groups.

“I don’t have any gaming apps downloaded on my phone and this iMessage extension allows me to play all the different games without having all these apps on my phone.” Myra Xu

“I got to know and became more familiar with people in other grades,” Darby said. “I started seeing new names that I had never seen before from the group chat and I was able to recognize everyone on campus.” Junior Lulu Gaither, who also plays Game Pigeon, said she has used it since seventh grade. “I think it’s become so popular because it’s easy, quick and is just a simple and fun way to be competitive with your friends,” Gaither said. “I mostly play at school if I’m bored or at home when I should be doing homework.” According to junior Ziggy Tummalapalli, some students have developed strategies to win. “I don’t play Game Pigeon too often, but I used to mainly play Cup Pong and 8-Ball,” Tummalapalli said. “8-Ball was pretty competitive. I would often try and put my eye level with the screen to try and see how the predicted line lined up with the hole.” According to junior Myra Xu, she and her friends sometimes bet on Game Pigeon, using rulers to measure distances on the screen in an effort to improve their odds of winning. Xu said her friends once

KAITLYN LEE/THE CAMPANILE

Welcome to your new addiction! Game Pigeon, a well-known iMessage game, is currently spiking the charts. Bringing together many different people from all over the world, this online game has sparked a new hobby. “For many people, they are a fun hobby that sometimes even allows the opportunity for connection with others,” said Whitney Aquino, a Wellness Center outreach worker. bet the cost of a boba drink on the outcome of a game. “It’s a really convenient way to deal with boredom or to start (or) spice up a conversation,” Xu said. “I usually play a game or two of Crazy 8 with a group of friends when we’re all together waiting in line at a restaurant or if we’re just really bored.” Junior Tommy Hall said most of the students he knows use Game Pigeon, and some students bet on the outcomes of games, usually $5 per person. “(My friend) was really into it,” Hall said. “He was measuring (distances on the screen) and everything. He told me to leave because he wanted to stay focused.”

Junior Charles Mitz said his friends sometimes playfully tease him for refusing to download the extension.

“I think it has become so popular because it’s easy, quick and is just a simple and fun way to be competitive with your friends.” Lulu Gaither

“I did not download Game Pigeon because of how simple it is

to play through texts,” Mitz said. “I would have gotten addicted.” According to Paly Wellness Outreach Worker Whitney Aquino, the addictive nature of Game Pigeon and other video games might sometimes result in negative outcomes. “When you lose face to face interaction in favor of text-only, you’re losing a huge part of communication — tone, body language, facial expression, etc.” Aquino said. Similarly, senior Adam Hashmi said Game Pigeon was often too much fun for his own good. “It was very exciting to be able to play when I got an iPhone and it was one of the first things

I regularly used my phone for,” Hashmi said. “Most know me to be an exceptional student, but one of my biggest weaknesses at school is pesky Game Pigeon.” According to Aquino, video games in and of themselves are not inherently good nor bad. “For many people, they are a fun hobby that sometimes even allows the opportunity for connection with others,” Aquino said. “As with anything, too much can be detrimental.” According to Aquino, students should try to limit excessive use for the optimal experience. Aquino said, “In moderation, it is a fun and engaging way to connect with others.”

Review: Best espresso drinks from lesser-known coffee shops

Students have many available options for caffeinated beverages around town, including smaller, unique cafés By Maya Rathore Lifestyle Editor

t’s getting increasingly difficult to keep your eyes open past sundown or to have any energy at all. There are a couple of options to stay energized through the rest of the semester: a Vitamin D supplement, exercise or plenty of sleep to name a few. However, the most common way to stay awake and alert in the dark winter months is caffeine intake. Instead of driving over to Philz’ or Peets’ like everybody else, here’s an opportunity to check out some of the lesser known coffee shops in Palo Alto to still get a fix.

ZombieRunner: 7/10 Relatively good, cheap and filled with shoes, ZombieRunner doesn’t appear to be a café at first, so if one is hunting for coffee, they may overlook it. It’s small and quaint, operating out of what seems to be a defunct movie theater. The interior is surprisingly spacious — boasting a large section filled with running apparel and shoes, a small café and a couple of seats — but it also manages to seem warm and cozy.

It’s small and quaint, operating out of what seems to be a defunct movie theater. Zombie Runner’s espresso ($2.50 for a 2.5 oz shot) is strangely sweet, slightly nutty and a little bit sour. The usual acidity and slight bitterness of espresso is present, but it’s easy to ignore. The small shot packs quite a punch, though, and has quite a caffeine rush. If you’re the type of person to buy a pair of running shoes and also pick up an espresso, or vice versa, then ZombieRunner, located at 429 California Ave, is probably ideal.

Backyard Brew: 8/10 Tucked away at 444 California Ave., Backyard Brew is a small, cabana-like café that feels more like a workspace. It’s a little bit hard to find, making it seem isolated and private. There’s no way to directly ac-

TIEN NGUYEN/THE CAMPANILE

Backyard Brew is a lesser-known coffee shop and is located in the back of the main street at 444 California Ave. With lights strung up on the overhang and an old arcade game tucked away in the corner, the outdoor coffee shop has a very casual ambience with people working on their computers at the tables. Though the service at Backyard Brew may be slower than that of other shops, the coziness and the privateness allow for the shop to be more unique in that aspect. It can also be an enjoyable study spot for anyone. cess it from bustling California Avenue — the entrance is around the back in the alley between a parking garage and the back of the row of businesses. Backyard Brew also doesn’t have an actual roof. Instead, a series of large tents and a shack roof provide cover, adding a sense of coziness to the unique island vibe. While it’s a little more isolated and appears smaller than the other cafés, it’s filled with plenty of seating and has free WiFi, making it an ideal space to study or get work done. However, those seats are nearly always occupied by a mixture of quietly working Stanford students and professionals, so good luck

finding a seat. Backyard Brew’s espresso ($2) is noticeably less acidic and sour than ZombieRunner’s.

If you’re in a pinch for a slower but more enjoyable caffeine fix, and also want a place to study, then Backyard Brew is the place to go. It has rich, dark overtones with hints of fruit. It’s much more mellow, as it’s a weaker and more gentle taste.

This espresso is more enjoyable to slowly sip and has a delightful thick crema — foamy layer — resting on the surface. The caffeine in the drink takes a little longer to hit, but it’s more enjoyable to get down. If you’re in a pinch for a slower but more enjoyable caffeine fix, and also want a place to study, then Backyard Brew is the place to go.

Café Venetia: 9/10

While a little more expensive than other coffee shops, Café Venetia is a small, upscale, Italianinspired café with probably the best espresso in Palo Alto.

It has higher prices, compared to the other shops, in exchange for a more expansive, diverse menu.

While a little more expensive than other coffee shops, Café Venetia is a small, upscale, Italianinspired café with probably the best espresso in Palo Alto. Café Venetia’s espresso ($3.50 for a 2.5oz) is delicious.

It’s rich and thick, with a deep chocolate brown color and a slight bitterness. This espresso isn’t sour like at other places. A thin layer of foam sits on the surface of the espresso and remains present throughout the entire duration of the drink. While the taste is robust and simple, there are also slight hints of vanilla, deepening the flavor profile of the drink while maintaining the true essence of espresso. Even if it is a bit more expensive, Café Venetia than the other areas, located at 419 University Ave. in downtown Palo Alto, is one of the best places to get an authentic espresso.

The Campanile

L FESTYLE

tudying the intricate systems plans to attend a four-year liberal arts of human anatomy by day, college while pursuing her interests and replacing her lab coat in science and acting simultaneously. with false eyelashes and a micro- Massoudi said she is open to applyphone attached to her cheek at ing to graduate school after discovernight, senior Emilia Massoudi ing which subject she enjoys the most imagines during herself college. “W henever I’m performing, in a two“ I pronged enjoy whether that’s dan c ing or approach acting act ing or sing ing, I feel like I’m at a sucbecause totally in the moment and like cessful it allows everything else in the world stop s future. me to Sevexpress exc ept for me on stage.” eral stumyself, Is a b el Ha rd i n g dents which is involved critical in Paly theatre aim to pursue the to maintaining my mental health,” crossover of a higher education Massoudi said. “Whenever I receive with acting and performing in a character, I first try to find points large productions as they enter of connection so I can act realisticalthe next chapter of their lives. ly. So when I walk on stage, I’m not Massoudi is one of these someone else, I am myself.” students — Despite the minimal nums h e ber of lines, Massoudi recalls her role as a touchy old lady in a children’s theatre camp as one of the most memorable experiences of her acting career. “I had three lines and one of them was ‘Happy Birthday, Rosie. I wrote you into my will,’” Massoudi said. “It was super fun and I got to be very physical (on stage).” A common theme among actors at Paly is the importance of self-expression: acting can be an outlet for overwhelming emotions or a way to forget about other things, according to senior Isabel Harding. Paly Theatre combines acting with singing and dancing to create dynamic performances. Harding said she feels a unique excitement while performing. “I enjoy acting because it gives me a feeling that nothing else does,” Harding said. “Whenever I’m performing, whether that’s dancing or acting or singing, I feel like I’m totally in

Art by Ka itly n Lee, S ophia M o ore & K ia n a Tav ak oli

the moment and like everything else in the world stops except for me on stage.” Harding initially became interested in acting through attending musical theatre summer camps, but began to take her acting career more seriously once she entered high school. She began taking acting and voice lessons freshman year, which accompanied her lifelong interest and participation in dance. “My plans after high school are to go to college as either a musical theatre or dance major,” Harding said. “I plan on pursuing my career by going to school and learning and making connections.” To get a jumpstart on her acting and dance career, Harding is planning to find work in these fields during college. “Most programs have agent showcases to help you find management and get you started after school,” Harding said. “My dream job is to be a dancer and actor and also a dance teacher.” Kathleen Woods is the theatre program director at Paly, directing the majority of the afterschool productions and teaching theatre classes on campus. “We offer any student a sequence of classes and production opportunities where they can build their skills and they can experiment,” Woods said. “(Students) can work with professionals in the field, both in the performance arena and in the technical arena, in the theatre class and can be part of the productions.” Along with providing students with a solid foundation of acting experience in high school, the theatre department prepares its students who are interested in pursuing acting in the future by providing them with professional guidance. “If their goal is to study theatre in college, which is usually the next step, they’re not usually going to launch right into professional theatre,” Woods said. “We have a process that helps them in Theatre 3 and Theatre 4 for honors students. We do what’s called a professional audition unit every year where students prepare an audition package and I bring professionals in to give them feedback.” Students can either choose to rehearse two monologues for the acting package, or one monologue and a song. They then show this package of pieces to visiting professional performers in class, acc o r d - ing to Woods. A

Friday, December 6, 2019

monologue is a short speech done by storytelling have come from it.” one character that portrays contrast Mohamed hopes to end up in emotion or style. working in the theatre world, ei“Within a three minute period, ther as an actress, writer or director they might do one thing that’s really in residence with a theatre comserious pany. and one “ I ’d “Act ing is an art that thing love to evolved ou t of the need to that ’s be worktell stories, and I love how many really ing at a comic to regional way s of storytelling have (show) theatre c ome from it.” c o n or acting trast,” with a Aid a M oha m ed Wo o d s touring said. “Students also have a choice to show,” Mohamed said. study musical theater or to compete The theater coaches are partat the state level.” nering with professional actors to Many students who are interested help aspiring young actors pursue in pursuing acting later in life are in- their dreams of becoming future volved in the Thespian troupe at Paly, actors by providing them with which is in coherence with the Inter- ample support and expertise in national Thespian Society, according both the performance and to Woods. A group of Paly actors attechnical aspect of tends a state festival at the end theatre. of the year in which they showcase both performance and technical theatre. Last year, the group made it to the international festival in June. Senior Aida Mohamed is planning on attending a four-year college while majoring in acting or musical theater once she reaches post-graduate education. “The most important way to pursue an acting career as a young adult is to just keep doing shows,” Mohamed said. “College is a fantastic opportunity to do new and exciting types of theatre, so I’m looking forward to that.” Mohamed, who began acting in operas at the age of six, recalls her favorite role of her acting career as playing Puck in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ through the Paly theater department. “What I love most about acting is how human it is,” Mohamed said. “Acting is an art that evolved out of the need to tell stories, and I love how many ways of

Text & de s ig n by Leila Kha n

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

SPORTS Putting Prowess: Paly girls golf wins states

fter a transformative season, Paly Girls Golf added the California Interscholastic Federation state title to its trophy shelf following a thrilling eight stroke win over Southern California rival Troy High School. Winning the coveted championship title marks a first for the northern California region as a whole—the tournament had previously been dominated by southern Californian teams since its creation fifteen years ago. Sweeping comfortably through all ten regular season matches, the team went on to win the local league tournament on Oct. 22 by 38 points. The heat only kicked up when t h e y de-

Text by Andrew Toteda Design by Anna Meyer & Andy Wang Art by Kaitlyn Lee, Bruno Klass & Andy Wang

SPREAD

Unpopular sports teams

Many Paly students support unknown or mediocre sports teams for various reasons, leading to ridicule from their peers as well as a constant sense of frustration with their team.

SIDDHARTHA SAHASRABUDDE/THE CAMPANILE

PAGE C4-C5

fended their CCS title on Oct. 29 by a razor-thin margin of seven strokes, where sophomore Sydney Sung clutched the individual player title over her Valley Christian counterpart by a single stroke.

“I truly believe that we got to where we are because of our close relationships and friendships. It was an amazing season, and I’m sorry to see it come to an end.” Marina Mata

“After my first shot, I knew I was going to play well,” Sung said. “I wanted to win CCS for the team. Winning the individual title was just an added bonus.” The team held on to third place in the CIF state qualifier tournament to proceed to the next round. This year is the first time the team has qualified since 2013. With CIF state tournament veterans waiting for them at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Paly’s girls golf team was the undisputed underdog going into the finals tournament on Nov. 19, according to Head Coach Doyle Knight. However, the team did not allow their underdog status to interfere with their mentality. From the start of the fall season, Knight said the players had their minds set on the gold. “At the beginning of the season, I had them set goals for themselves: what they wanted to improve on as a team, what they wanted to do,” Knight said. “They all said they wanted to win States.” In preparation for the showdown, the team’s primary focus was practicing key techniques and learning the greens that the tournament was set to be played on. “We figured it (the championship) was going to come down to chipping and putting,” Knight said. “I wanted to make sure (the girls) had these fine-tuned.” The familiarity of the course is vital to a golfer’s performance, according to senior captain Katherine Sung, especially at the States level. “I had played at Poppy Hills in other tournaments before, so I knew the course pretty well,” Katherine said. “The team also went down on Veterans Day to do another practice round, which really helped us gain confidence on the course.” Forgoing their time off from school, the team traveled to Pebble Beach to play

Sports

ANDREW TOTEDA/THE CAMPANILE

Strava technology

Sports-tracking app enables athletes to enhance performance. PAGE C6

on the course in advance. “We went down for a practice round as a team on Veterans day,” Knight said. “They had played the course quite a bit already, but it’s always nice just to see it one more time. (Players) Bridget and Marina went down an extra time the weekend before, by themselves, just to get more familiar with it.” According to Katherine, perhaps the most impressive aspect of the win was the team’s ability to persevere and play around their mistakes. “One of my worst moments during the match was when I missed a two foot putt for par,” Katherine said. “Putting on this course was extremely tough with the firm and fast greens, so it was really frustrating to (take three putts), especially from a short distance.” Even so, Katherine came back with resolve on the 18th and final hole. After escaping the back bunker (sand pit), she sank a 30 foot putt to go two strokes over for the entire match, placing sixth individually. “As the putt fell, my entire team stood up and started cheering for me, along with other players and parents that were watching,” Katherine said. “It was a surreal experience to end my last high school event ever.” When asked about what makes this year’s team so special, Knight attested to the flexibility of his roster.

“I had no idea that we were going to win. I teed off last so I didn’t know the scores until the very end. After I sunk my last putt, a (groupmember) told me ‘I think you guys won.’” Katherine Sung

“We were deeper, meaning that my girls, from one through seven, could all intermingle,” Knight said, explaining that this gave him the ability to play any combination of six girls from his seven player talent pool, all without losing many strokes. “Whereas with other teams, (players) five and six (are inconsistent), kind of back-andforth, because maybe one is having a bad day.” According to the players, the team was not aware that its prospect looked as good as it did during the tournament: perhaps coach Knight employed an alternative tactic. Sydney says she was under pressure the entire match. “Coach Knight actually made me believe that we were in last place

Sports

KAI ODA/THE CAMPANILE ALEX LIU/THE CAMPANILE

Profile on Messi Mahe

An in-depth look into the life of Messi Mahe, the weight room supervisor. PAGE C6

on the 13th hole, so I made a few birdies to try and help the team,” Sydney said. “But it turns out we were leading throughout the day.” Katherine was not sure of the team’s placement until the final tally. “I had no idea that we were going to win,” Katherine said. “I teed off last so I didn’t know the scores until the very end. After I sunk my last putt, a (group member) told me ‘I think you guys won,’ and I responded, laughing because I thought she was joking, with ‘no way.’” After Katherine spoiled the unbelievable news of victory, junior Marina Mata said the team was elated and even shed a few tears of joy. “It was a unique moment and I would never change it for anything in my life,” Mata said. “It took a while before (winning the tournament) hit me, but when it did, I was so happy because I realized that our team was the best in California.” According to senior Priya Bakshi, the most exhilarating part of winning was getting to tell her teammates of their success as they returned from the 18th hole. “We were the underdogs going into the tournament,” Bakshi said. “So that made winning feel so much better. Making history at States was the best way to finish out my high school golf career. Winning with the team at our last tournament together is a feeling I know I’m never going to forget.” For many players, specifically the seniors on the team, the big win was bittersweet. “The worst part was realizing that this was our last high school tournament together ever,” Bakshi said. “Katherine and I started on the team together four years ago. We are so lucky to be part of such an amazing program. I’m really going to miss the team energy and playing with all the girls who I’ve gotten to know so well over the last four years.” This sentiment is shared by the rest of the team, according to Mata. “I am beyond grateful for what we have accomplished,” Mata said. “I truly believe that we got to where we are because of our close relationships and friendships. It was an amazing season, and I’m sorry to see it come to an end.”

Science & Tech

KRISTA ROBINS/THE CAMPANILE

Virtual reality

The various uses for virtual reality within business, art and gaming. PAGE C8

The Campanile

Friday, December 6, 2019

SPORTS REPORT

BOYS SOCCER RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Mountain View 11/22, W, 4-0 Paly vs. Sequoia 12/2, L, 2-1 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly vs. Carlmont 12/5, 4:00 p.m. Paly vs. Menlo-Atherton 12/12, 2:45 p.m. Paly vs. Sacred Heart 12/11, 3:30 p.m. Paly vs. Menlo School 12/13, 3:30 p.m. Paly vs. Serra/San Mateo 12/20, 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Leland 12/03, T, 1-1 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Presentation 12/12, 4:00 p.m. Paly vs. St. Francis 12/16, 5:00 p.m.. Paly @ Notre Dame 12/28, 11 a.m. Paly vs. Santa Clara 1/3, 3:30 p.m. Paly @ Los Gatos 1/8, 3:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL RECENT SCORES

Paly @ Carlmont 12/2, L, 48-38 Paly @ Carlmont 12/2, W, 52-37 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Bellarmine 12/13, 6 p.m. Paly vs. Sequoia 12/19, 8 p.m. Paly @ Leland 12/20, 7 p.m. Paly @ Valley Christian 12/21, 8 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Aragon 12/10 7:30 p.m. Paly @ Presentation 12/12, 7 p.m. Paly vs. Aptos 12/21, TBD. Paly vs. Cupertino 12/21, 6:15 p.m. Paly vs. M-A 1/4, 3 p.m.

WRESTLING UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Cupertino 1/9, 6:30 p.m. Paly vs. Lynbrook 1/14, 6:30 p.m. Paly @ Gunn 1/16, 6:30 p.m. Paly vs. Wilcox 1/30, 6:30 p.m. Paly @ Fremont 2/4, 6:30 p.m. Paly vs. Los Gatos 2/6, 6:30 p.m.

SPORTS Wrestling team Girls basketball working to hopes to improve replicate last year’s successes By Adora Zheng Lifestyle Editor

ith the boys team currently ranked fourth in Central Coast Section tournament and girls ranked 14th, Coach Jonathan Kessler said the wrestling team is heading into the season strong, with hopes to finish at the top of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League and place at CCS. “We have a lot of wrestlers that have a goal in mind of winning and medaling at the state tournament (or) making it to CCS, (and) our brand new wrestlers have a goal to win their first ever match,” Kessler said. “It’s our job as coaches to put them in a position to reach their goals.” This year, the team has 45 wrestlers, with 32 freshmen joining the team, which, according to Kessler, is the largest program has been in several years. Six members of the returning team were 2018-19 CCS place winners: junior and captain Adar Schwarzbach and seniors Alexandra Lee, Amelia Clough, Cade Creighton and captains Peter Graham and Dara Heydarpour.

“We have a lot of

wrestlers that have a goal in mind of winning ... (or) making it to CCS, (and) our brand new wrestlers have a goal to win their first ever match.” Jonathan Kessler “I would like to win some tournaments early in the season, and ultimately I would like to place in (the) state (tournament),” Lee said. “I think that there is a lot I can work on, so I’m just (going to) keep working on technique I already know and learn some new stuff.”

Kessler said most of the wrestlers on the team set unique individual goals for themselves every season, while the team shares broader overall goals.

“I would like to win

some tournaments early in the season and ultimately I would like to place in (the) state (tournament). I think that there is a lot I can work on so I’m just (going to) keep working on technique I already know and learn some new stuff.” Alexandra Lee Heydarpour said he wants to focus on creating a unique style and refining the details of his technique, while also improving his speed and explosiveness this season. “My individual long term goal is to place at the state tournament, and my short term goal is to win our first tournament of the year,” Heydarpour said. “Another long term goal is to win CCS.” At the Half Moon Bay Peninsula Tournament on Dec. 1, the team placed second among the schools. The team’s next competition will be on Dec. 6 at Madera High School for the Chukchansi Invitational. The girls team will compete a day later at Overfelt High School in the Lady Royal Invitational. League competitions will kick off after the new year, with the first league match away on Jan. 3 against rival school Los Gatos at 6:30 p.m. “(I’m) looking most forward to the state tournament in Bakersfield,” Heydarpour said. “I hope the team can win the league tournament, go undefeated in duals and take top three in the section tournament.”

FRIDA RIVERA/THE CAMPANILE

Catch! Paly teammates pass to each other during practice before their next game. “I would say I’m looking forward to games where we have good crowds and an exciting environment,” Coach Scott Peters said.

By Frida Rivera

Editor-in-Chief

fter a 12-0 league record last year, junior point and shooting guard Carly Martin said she has high hopes for the girls varsity basketball team this season, despite the inevitable challenge of filling the void of graduated seniors. “We are kind of a young team — we have a lot of freshmen,” Martin said. “I think our main goal is trying to bond together and figure out how to work as a team.” Freshman point guard Kaella Peters agrees, but said the challenge of not having any seniors on the team is a blessing in disguise, as it allows every player to grow and take responsibilities. “We don’t have any seniors this year, so next year the team is going to be mostly the same,” Kaella said. “It is a little different than the past few seasons … there’s not one obvious person to look to, so we all need to step up together

and all be leaders together.” Martin said the team has hit the ground running, with daily practices focusing on team chemistry by learning to adapt to each other’s playing styles so they can work more effectively together. “I love all the girls. I think we have great chemistry so far,” Martin said. “And it can only get better from there.” Fellow freshman and point guard, Delaney Ball said she is looking forward to getting closer with her teammates and finding her place on the team. “(High school basketball) is kind of fun because you get to see how you have grown since your freshman year to your junior year, and how each player got better,” Ball said. “Also you are gonna have different roles as a freshman — you are just learning, you are just figuring out what’s happening. You are looking up to the older kids on the team like juniors and seniors, and then when you get older, you’re going to be able to take that their position and help

the younger kids on your team.” Martin said she is optimistic for the coming season, and said the new additions to the team will be beneficial, despite the fact that they are primarily underclassmen players. “We have Kaella (Peters), who is a freshman and our starting point guard — she is awesome,” Martin said. “She is great with the ball. Delaney (Ball) is a great defender, so she is great to have. I think overall, the freshman class is really strong.” In addition to working on team chemistry, Coach Scott Peters said the team has been trying out new tactics in hopes that it will help them achieve their league goals. “We are working hard, and we’re doing a new offensive system,” Scott said. “It is a little bit slow right now, but we think it’s going to pay off through hard work … Our number one goal is to develop a close knit team that supports each other — that is our goal every year.”

Boys basketball aspires to win CCS again

Coaches, players plan to focus on matching styles, building chemistry for new season By Jace Purcell

Staff Writer

ollowing a 21-8 season last year, where they won a Central Coast Section championship, the boys basketball team hopes to win CCS again, giving them a run in the state championship according to junior player Jack Elarde. To ensure this title, Elarde says the team is refining their skills off the ball. Which, this was a weak point for the team last year. “The team is really working on our defense and rebounding to prepare for this season,” Elarde said. Due to the new players, junior Andrew Li said matching of playstyles has been something the team needs to work on. “One of our many challenges is building chemistry within the team,” Li said. “We have many new players that have not played with the varsity players, and it is important for everybody to play well with each other.” Li said the team hopes to strengthen teamwork in the preseason in order to be successful during competition season. “We are preparing for the upcoming season by focusing on team drills so we can build our chemistry,” Li said

“We only have a

few guys that are able to play the center position.” Andrew Li

Following the loss of seniors, Elarde said he is concerned that not all positions will be adequately filled. “Some challenges this season will be the size (of the players) because we only have a few guys that are able to play the center position,” Elarde said. Despite these hardships, Elar-

JENNA HICKEY/USED WITH PERMISSION

Three-pointer! Senior Conner Lusk takes a shot during a recent game. Junior Andrew Li said he hopes the team will win the Central Coast Section tournament again. “I am most excited for the playoffs so we have the opportunities to end the other teams season,” Li said. de said the team is ready to face the tough competition. “I’m most excited to play against good competition and grow as a player,” Elarde said. Senior Will DeAndre said he is also hopeful for this season. With the pool of talented players and hard work, he said he thinks the team will be successful. “I’m really excited for this season because I know that our team has the potential to be really good,” DeAndre said. “We hope to go undefeated in league and make a deep run in the state tournament.” According to Li, a big part of the success of the team is the coaching staff, which he said pushes the players to be their best

and work as a team. This year there is a new head coach, Jeff LaMere.

“I think the Paly team

is special because of the experience of the coaching staff, as they have won championships before.” Andrew Li “I think the Paly team is special because of the experience of the coaching staff, as they have won state championships before,”

Li said. Elarde agrees and says LaMere inspires the team to give it their all. “I like my coach because he really pushes us to work hard as a team but also as individuals and helps us become the best players we can be,” Elarde said. The coaching staff also gets the team excited for games which contributes to their success Li said. “I like how our coach is willing to yell and energize the whole team,” Li said. “We are often quiet, and it’s very uplifting for someone to be able to bring more energy to practice or the game” DeAndre said he shares this excitement about the new staff

and said they bring experience to the team. “I’m really excited to play under Coach LaMere because of his passion and knowledge for the game of basketball,” DeAndre said. “Coach (LaMere) is always willing to put in the extra effort to make us better and gives us limitless learning opportunities.” And Elarde said he predicts the team will succeed this season. “I think our team will do pretty well this season because we play very team orientated basketball and work well together,” Elarde said. This year, Li wants to win it all. Li said, “We have a long way to go but our end goal is to bring back a state championship.”

Friday, December 6, 2019

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SPORTS

Girls soccer adjusts to coaching turnover, ties in first game

Under new leadership, team hopes to utilize players, focus on problem areas, become more competitive for season

ANDY WANG/THE CAMPANILE

Varsity player Katherine Thomsen takes possession of the ball and passes it to Olivia Milne (far left) during their game against Leland High School on Dec. 3. The Vikings tied against their competitors with a score of 1-1. “I’m really hopeful for the upcoming season,” senior and captain Kaitlin Meyer said. “Last year, it was difficult with all the losses, but this year I’m really optimistic about how the season is going to play out.”

By Andy Wang

Staff Writer

nder new coach Armando Luna, former coach of Los Altos High School’s girls varsity soccer team, the varsity girls soccer team hopes to outperform their record from the previous season. “The team is looking good,” Luna said. “I am very excited. We have a lot of very unique, special players that bring something different to the playing field: not your typical technical, (safe-playing) player.”

Captain and senior Kaitlin Meyer says she has high hopes for the team in the upcoming weeks of the season.

“Not only is it the first game of the season, it is also the first game for me to coach them. ” Armando Luna “Last year, we faced a lot of difficulties, and the losses made it tough on us,” Meyer said. “I

am really hopeful and optimistic about how the season is going to play out.” The team kicked off the season with a 1-1 draw against Leland High School on Dec. 3, with sophomore Mariana Kessinger striking a goal to tie the game. Coaching the players in a game for the first time, Luna said he witnessed both moments of struggle and moments of triumph. “Not only is it the first game of the season, it is also the first game for me to coach them (...) and for players who were not on varsity last season to play,” Luna said. “A

lot of players stepped up and impressed me for the level of playing and pressure they could handle.”

“We have a lot of very unique, special players that bring something different.” Armando Luna Meyer says she appreciates how well Coach Armando is working with the team and his communication. After tying their

first game, Meyer says the team has great potential. “It is disappointing that we tied, and we definitely had a hard time when we were attacking and staying calm,” Meyer said. “However, it’s only the first game, and we have a lot of room for improvement. I am proud of our starting base and I know we will build up from that.” From observing the game and practice, Luna said he gained numerous insights on the areas of improvement that the team will work on as the season progresses. “We need to work on being

able to use versatile players more efficiently, and to keep more possession of the ball,” Luna said. “In order for our attackers to be utilized to their max, we have to keep possession of the ball.” As captain, Meyer hopes to better the team through bonding. “We really need to build good relationships,” Meyer said. “I think that was something that was lacking last year, so I want to organize some social events to create and further the team’s chemistry.” The Vikings face off against Menlo-Atherton High School at home on Dec. 5.

Boys soccer starts with new players, wins first game of season

Intensive drills during practice builds team chemistry, incoming members bring strong, unique skill sets this year By Tien Nguyen Art & Photo Director

he boys varsity soccer team is kicking off the season with new players and a win already under their belt. In their first game against Mountain View, they won 4-0 on Nov. 22. Junior Teg Singh has high hopes for the rest of the season because of the way the team has been working together so far.

“The bonds translate into the game, as everyone knows each other’s playing style and can work together effectively, resulting in better play.” Teg Singh “As a new varsity player, I will have to get used to faster-paced play and bigger and more skilled opponents,” Singh said. “The team members are quite close, as many of us have strong bonds from last season and throughout the time between last season and this season. The bonds translate into the game, as everyone knows each other’s playing style and can work together more effectively, resulting in better play and overall a more fun experience.”

“I think that this year we will have more challenges than last year as we have lost some key seniors.” Luca Brody As for experienced members such as senior Luca Brody, the loss of previous seniors has been difficult, but they are still manag-

TIEN NGUYEN/THE CAMPANILE

Varsity player Christopher Chen rolls up his sleeve as he passes the ball to senior Charlie Camarena at warms-ups before practice, who then passes it to junior Francisco Moll. “I am looking forward to the Los Gatos games because those always get really intense and the rivalry brings out the best in our play,” said Teg Singh, a new player on the Paly team. ing to work well with the new additions. “I think that this year we will have more challenges than last year as we have lost some key seniors, but I think that we should be good enough to win a good number of games this season,” Brody said. “I think the new additions look somewhat promising, but I think they will improve throughout the season. This year, our team may look a little more

defensive than it has in the past, and more focused on the wings as we lost a few seniors that locked down the midfield and allowed us to attack.” Brody said that the team’s new players seem to have unique skill sets, which is something to be optimistic about for upcoming games. “Personally, I’m looking forward to winning some games and playing physical, as it looks like we have a

very physical team,” Brody said. Coach Donald Briggs agrees that the team has been working together well so far, but said that they are struggling to fit all of the skills of the separate team members together to create a cohesive team. Nevertheless, they are working together to be successful for the rest of the season to come. “So far, it seems good; a nice group of kids, they work well together,” Briggs said. “But, some-

times you don’t know until you have a little adversity, because a lot of these players play for different clubs, and now we’re putting them together in one team that can learn to work together and do what we expect them to do.” The goals for the rest of the season include winning the game against Los Gatos because of their fierce rivalry, and to hopefully make it to Central Coast Section. The team is hoping to see

steady improvement during the rest of the season. “It’ll be interesting to see how they grow because we have some really young players,” Briggs said. “We have one freshman and several sophomores.” The team lost their first game against Sequoia High School this season on Dec. 3, with a score of 2-1. Their next upcoming game scheduled is for Dec. 9 against Menlo-Atherton at 3:30 p.m.

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PA L Y S T U D E N T S S H A R E E X P E R I E N C E S S U

rustration crosses junior David Snyder’s face as he avidly watches the television, his eyes darting back and forth across the screen. It’s 2017, and Snyder’s favorite basketball team, the Indiana Pacers, are challenging LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Snyder grows increasingly angry as the Pacers continue blowing a double-digit lead. He slams his fist on his coffee table as they turn it over again, leading to a Cavaliers basket. A few minutes later, the Cavaliers complete a miraculous second half comeback, capped off by a timely basket from James, sweeping Indiana and eliminating the Pacers in the first round for the second consecutive year. Snyder lets out a groan as he realizes that it will be a long six months until he can watch his team again. For him, it comes with the territory of being an Indiana Pacers fan. Snyder prepares for another year of ridicule from his peers, of them questioning his decision to support a basketball team from Indiana and criticizing the front office decisions of the franchise, of him having to defend himself against the world, isolated by his decision to support an outof-state, non-elite team. According to Snyder, there are a few main types of sports fans. The bandwagons: those who wore Warriors, Patriots, Red Sox and Capitals gear last year, and now sport Clippers, Nationals and Blues gear. However, there is a different type of sports fan, exemplified by Snyder. The fan who screams their head off for a subpar team. Who curses out their team’s management for every terrible trade and mind-bogglingly horrible contract. Who faces public ridicule for supporting a team that’s neither elite nor Bay Area-based. Pacers fan Snyder is a fan of an off-beat team because he said it’s more enjoyable than supporting local teams. “Supporting an unpopular team is fun because it makes you stand out, because you’re not just

one of those bozos who rattles on about how great the Warriors are,” Snyder said. Snyder said supporting diﬀerent teams than your friends adds a more personal aspect to professional sports. “It is more fun because if your team wins a game against your friend’s team, it’s kind of over for them,” Snyder said. Snyder said supporting a good, though not elite, team makes regularseason wins more rewarding, although postseason success can be lacking. “My adrenaline starts flowing, and I start feeling insanely hyped,” Snyder said. “I really feel a part of a team, and rooting for the team is just an awesome experience for me to share with myself.” Snyder said his team is unlikely to win a championship in the near future, but has no problem with the treadmill of mediocrity. “It’s a struggle, but you gotta appreciate that grind because when the day comes that the sun shines on us, I’ll bask in the glory,” Snyder said. “People think I’m crazy. Which I am.” Like Snyder, junior Jackson Muma is a fan of a consistently mediocre team. A Detroit sports fan, Muma said he chose to be a fan of the city’s teams because he wanted to be diﬀer- ent. Muma mainly supports the NFL’s De- troit Lions, although

TOP 10 MOST MISERABLE SPORTS FAN BASES ACCORDING TO ESPN 1. Sacramento Kings Questionable referees may have interfered with potential championship run in 2002.

2. San Diego Padres

Have not won a playoﬀ series since FRIENDS season 5 aired.

3. Buffalo Bills Have not won a championship in the Super Bowl era.

4. Cleveland Browns Entered the 2020 season optimistic and promptly fell flat.

5. Florida Panthers

Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the House last time the Panthers won a playoﬀ series.

Text & Design by Siddhartha Sahasrabuddhe

he is also a fan of the NBA’s Pistons, NHL’s Redwings and MLB’s Tigers. “Growing up, everyone was a 49ers fan,” Muma said. “I wanted to be different and support a different team no matter what, even when the 49ers went to the Super Bowl (in 2013).” According to Muma, another reason why he chose Detroit teams when picking teams to follow was his father’s home state. “My dad’s side of the family is from Michigan,” Muma said. “So I decided on the Lions, and I’ve been a Lions fan since.” Muma said that he faces mostly negative reactions from others in the Bay Area when he tells them about his favorite teams. “People are surprised when I tell them I’m a Lions fan,” Muma said. “The reaction is never positive, as it is pretty common knowledge that the Lions are pretty terrible. They then proceed to either ridicule them or make me feel less bad about how terrible the team is.” Muma said that even when he begins to feel hope about his team, they often let him down anyway. “It feels terrible; it’s really just knowing that the team will disappoint you even though you believe in them,” Muma said. “It usually happens that I get caught up in the hype or the flow of the game, but I end up disappointed more often than not.” Muma said he also finds himself frustrated by questionable front office decisions.

“IT USUALLY

HAPPENS THAT I GET CAUGHT UP IN THE FLOW OF THE GAME BUT I END UP DISAPPOINTED MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.” JACKSON MUMA

“Many things the team or organization does make little sense from the fans’ perspective,” Muma said. “It’s overall just frustrating to be helpless as the organization makes bad decisions.” A recent management decision that left Muma particularly dumbfounded was the trading of safety Quandre Diggs to the Seattle Seahawks. “His production was worth much more than we got in return, and his play didn’t warrant shipping him oﬀ for a bag of potato chips,” Muma said. The Lions are generally not one of the worst teams in the NFL, and there have been a few things preventing them from becoming bottom feeders, which would put fans like Muma into even more potential misery. “Matthew Staﬀord is the best player on the Lions,” Muma said. “He’s been on the team for so many years and has often been the only reason the Lions have been competitive in recent years. He’s so devoted to the city and the game, and I find his loyalty inspiring.” Many sports fans take relish in beating their rivals due to the history of bad blood between the teams, but Muma has become desensitized to his Lions beating their midwestern rivals. “While it’s great to beat the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and especially the Green Bay Packers, we lose so much that it doesn’t really make me feel better because we lose the games that matter,” Muma said. Muma said that the only thing that could make him stop being a fan would be a terrible signing or trade, worse than the Diggs mishap, or doubling down on past mistakes. He is also frustrated that his team is toiling away in mediocrity due to no foreseeable path to Super Bowl contention. “At this point I would much rather them just bottom out and tank, because it’s clear that they aren’t close to competitive,” Muma said. “But

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PPORTING MEDIOCRE OR OBSCURE TEAMS deep down, I want them to compete always.” While Muma wants his team to start losing, junior Ethan Wong’s team talked the tank talk and then walked the tank walk. Wong supports the Philadelphia 76ers, a basketball team infamous for tanking, a term for when a team intentionally loses games in order to get a high draft pick. Starting in the 201314 season and ending in the 2016-17 season, the 76ers lost a whopping 253 games. Wong initially was drawn to the team because of this ineptitude. “I thought it would be pretty funny to become a 76ers fan, because they were really bad, and because they went 10-72,” Wong said, referencing the team’s record during the 2015-16 season. Initially however, Wong did not understand the practice of tanking. “I thought they would be bad forever,” Wong said. “I didn’t really know too much about the NBA, so I started cheering for them as a joke.” Wong said he learned what tanking was after the 76ers ended up with consecutive Number 1 picks before the 2016 and 2017 NBA drafts. “I learned what tanking was, but it was pretty funny that they just kept losing,” Wong said. “And I did not really care as much during the tanking seasons.” Wong said after he learned about the strategy, he became filled with optimism regarding his chosen team’s future. “I was not frustrated with all the losing because I knew it would pay oﬀ in the long run,” Wong said. “And it did, as we found stars in the draft like Ben Simmons and Richuan Holmes.” Wong said he faced teasing and ridicule for being a fan of one of the most inept teams in NBA history. “People laughed at me, and they thought I was crazy,” Wong said. “They called me stupid and a moron.” However, Wong has been vindicated. The

years of turmoil nicknamed “The Process” came to fruition in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. “We drafted Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and when they started playing, I started watching the team more and learning more about the other players,” Wong said. “I also began buying Sixers gear when they made the playoffs (in 2018).” However, Wong still faces criticism from his peers regarding his team of choice. “People still think the Sixers are a joke because Ben Simmons can’t shoot, and people laugh at us for making horrible financial decisions, like maxing Tobias Harris,” Wong said, referring to the 76ers decision to sign forward Tobias Harris to a five year $180 million contract in the 2019 offseason. Despite facing criticism, Wong said he stands strong when his team is attacked. “We are not incompetent, we are actually the best team in the Eastern Conference; the Bucks, Craptors and Ltics can’t stop us,” Wong said, referring to his team’s divisional rivals, the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics with derogatory nicknames. While Muma said he would not abandon his team in the case of baffling ineptitude, Wong said his logic would be the opposite. “We have not won a ring yet, but once we do, I’ll probably root for another team, maybe the Charlotte Hornets,” Wong said. While Snyder supports an unconventional team in order to gain more of a personal stake in sports, Washington Redskins fan and junior

Luke Thieman supports a sports team for family reasons, similar to Muma. “My dad, he’s from Washington D.C., and they’re his favorite team,” Thieman said. “Even though he’s not a big football fan, he likes the Redskins, so I kinda started watching them, and now I’m a fan. I also still have a ton of family back there, so that’s why I’m a Redskins fan.” In supporting the Redskins, Thieman said he finds himself frustrated with the team’s management, specifically the loss of the current coaches of the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. “Everything is frustrating,” Thieman said. “The owner, in general, is just not a good owner, and, I mean, hindsight is 20-20, but Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan were both once on our coaching staﬀ, and now we have no coach.” Thieman also wasn’t a fan of the team’s treatment of their top pick, Dwayne Haskins. According to Thieman, the front oﬃce insinuated that Haskins was not their top choice, alienating their first round pick before he even played a game. However, Thieman said that fans should not put all the blame on the front office, because injuries also have contributed to the team’s poor record.

“I WAS NOT

FRUSTRATED WITH ALL THE LOSING BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULD PAY OFF IN THE LONG RUN.” ETHAN WONG

Like Muma, Thieman finds himself frustrated with his team’s historic position of constant mediocrity. “I’m frustrated that we’ve never really been making any aggressive moves,” Thieman said. “We just stay around 7-9, 8-8, 9-7, since the times of RG3, may God bless him.” Thieman did say there is some enjoyment in watching a middling team, though. “To be honest, it’s not really that fun to watch when we’re just being OK,” Thieman said. “It was fun a couple times though, back when Kirk Cousins was still quarterback, and we were always in close games.” However, Thieman’s team isn’t mediocre this year. The Redskins have dropped to the bottom of the NFC standings, yet, due to a weak division, could still possibly make the playoffs, and Thieman said he is pleased with the current standings. “If I was in charge of the team, I would just tank,” Thieman said. “This year, I would say, just throw in the towel and try to get a high pick.” Thieman says he faces some scrutiny when he reveals that he is a Redskins fan. “It’s always frustrating because I have to remind myself that I’m a Redskins fan,” Thieman said. “Usually they (people) understand, but one of the things about being a fan of a team that’s not from the Bay Area is that people kind of question your loyalty.” Thieman said that liking an out-of-state team can lead to criticism no matter the success of the team in question. “If you’re a fan of an out-of-state good team, then people call you a bandwagon,” Thieman said. “But if you’re a fan of an out-of-state bad team, people ask, ‘Why even bother?’” While facing joking criticism from his friends over supporting the Redskins, Thieman said that he can’t see himself jumping ship. “I’m gonna like the team regardless of what people say,” Thieman said. “Which is what a sports fan should (do).”

TOP 10 MOST MISERABLE SPORTS FAN BASES ACCORDING TO ESPN 6. New York Jets 2020 playoﬀ hopes (if you could call them that) ruined by starting quarterback getting mono.

7. Miami Dolphins Trying to tank but inexplicably winning games.

8. Buffalo Sabres

Not-so-proud owners of the longest missed playoﬀ streak in the NHL, with a current eight year hiatus.

9. CinciNnati Reds One of MLB’s oldest franchise hasn’t won a playoﬀ series since 1996.

10. Detroit Lions Only NFL team in the Super Bowl era to never play in a Super Bowl. Also, they live in Detroit.

Art & design by Rebekah limb

Friday, December 6, 2019

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SPORTS

Strava technology helps track athletes evaluate their skills

New phone application allows runners to record their speed, endurance, pace in order to improve during practice, competition By Andrew Toteda

Staff Writer

fter returning from school on a crisp November afternoon, junior Kevin Zhao sets off on his favorite run through the Stanford Campus. He may physically feel drained by his rigorous pastime, but Zhao has found that running helps put him in a clearer state of mind: energizing in its own right. Later that evening, he posts his route and time on Strava, a personal training app, in an effort to encourage others to run and reap the same benefits that Zhao enjoys from his routine. Junior Alex Selwyn runs cross country, and like Zhao, has transitioned from earlier downloadable apps such as Nike Run Club to Strava, a popular training software. While training apps have been around for many years, the technology is getting more sophisticated, using GPS tracking to measure a runner’s pace and distance while allowing users to connect with coaches, team members and friends to share times and places in long-distance runs. Selwyn has used Strava to manage his runs since he joined the team freshman year. He said he uses the app to track basics like weekly mileage but said the benefits go far beyond that by providing him important data about heart rate and speed that he can use to his advantage. Selwyn said that because heart rate is a prime indicator of individual fitness, it is rewarding for serious runners like himself to see if they run faster and at a lower heart rate as the season progresses. “For example, I might do an easy five mile run at the beginning of the season with a heart rate of 170 bpm, and then a couple of months into the season I might be able to do a faster-paced seven mile run at a heart rate of 165,” Selwyn said. Strava app developers say the app tracks and records every performance metric imaginable, including distance, time, elevation,

ascent, descent, calories, speed, heart rate and temperature. The graphed data sets then overlay in a variety of combinations to show the user how hard they worked during different sections of a run. A recent iteration of the software lets users see every time they have done a specific route and then compares past to current times in one visual.

“Logging my runs is helpful because it lets me see the amount of mileage, I have been doing it for the past three months.” Maia Johnsson

These capabilities allow runners to easily identify personal areas for improvement, an extremely important tool for members of the track and field team, where fractions of a second can make a dramatic difference in race performance. However, the technology is not just for competitive runners. Zhao, who was part of the Paly cross country team but now runs recreationally, said Strava allows him to gauge his progress over time and identify things he can do to perform better. “The technology is really important to improved training and overall performance,” Zhao said. “Logging runs can definitely help a runner become more knowledgeable about themselves and how they train.” Sophomore and cross country team member Maia Johnsson agrees. “Logging my runs is helpful because it lets me see the amount of mileage I have been doing for the past three months,” Johnsson said. “It helps me balance the amount of mileage I do each week.” The technology also gives runners the chance to experiment with their routine to gauge factors

ANDREW TOTEDA/THE CAMPANILE

Strava helps runners track their distance, pace and route before races. Not only does it help runners know the distance they’ve run, but it allows for them to get a better understanding of their own abilities and their body as a whole to improve their running speed. that have the most effect on their runs. “With Strava, I can test many factors, such as what I might eat before a run, how long to wait after eating before I start running or even which pair of shoes to wear,” Zhao said. To maintain the social network that connects a worldwide community of over 40 million, Strava collects a lot of real-time personal data, including minute by minute location tracking as well as very specific information about personal health and fitness. Company marketing materials highlight the importance of making location information available to friends and family for safety reasons. Still, Strava provides an optional Privacy Zone that eliminates the original starting point information so users are not able to see exactly where a user lives, just the general area. The company also uses third party components for collecting heart rate information, GPX file (3-D meshes of terrain that are common in mapping software) exporting and providing GPS services. According to Zhao, the pros of the powerful training software

seem to outweigh possible negatives associated with tracking and data privacy concerns, especially when similar data is already gathered by smartphones and watches. And while some runners say they turn off tracking and data sharing capability on occasion, for the most part, the ability to connect socially through the app is an important aspect users say can be motivating.

“The technology is really important to improved training and overall performance.” Kevin Zhao

Encouragement from other athletes can feel very rewarding. Strava’s website states that, “similar to liking a Facebook post or favoriting a tweet, Kudos are a quick thumbs-up you can give to your fellow athletes to congratulate them on a noteworthy activity, achievement or challenge milestone.” “It is always fun to compare

your runs with others,” Johnsson said. “When you get Kudos on your runs, it also makes you feel like your friends and teammates enjoy seeing you run.” Selwyn says he is less likely to use the social aspect during the season for the simple reason that he and his teammates essentially do the same workouts every day. “But at other times it’s interesting to see what people are doing,” Selwyn said. “When people are on vacation, it’s cool to see where they’re running. Also, it’s nice to see former teammates (online) who have already graduated.” Zhao said there is the flip side of too much information, though, noting that tracking applications can be one more distraction for runners. “It’s not all about technology, and a runner should still be primarily focused on putting their effort out on the road rather than obsessing over the numbers,” Zhao said. Johnsson said programs like Strava that share user data from friends and teammates help her find inspiration to run. “I think being able to see everyone’s training on Strava is good

because it helps motivate you to go out and run more, building up more miles on your account,” Johnsson said.

“But at other times it’s interesting to see what people are doing. When people are on vacation, it’s cool.” Alex Selwyn

Although these applications can help athletes visualize their running and allow for better selfreflection, Selwyn said athletes still have to take the first step to improvement by being willing to put in work and effort. “I think technology can oftentimes make the entire process of running more convenient, but improvement typically comes from an intrinsic motivation to get better,” Selwyn said. “So in a sense, technology can be very useful for seeing your improvement, but in order to actually improve, you have to be motivated first.”

New supervisor Messi Mahe helps students in Paly weight room

Paly alumnus, football team member from class of 2019 accepts unexpected job from athletic department after graduating By Alex Liu

Senior Staff Writer

ownstairs and tucked away in the right-hand corner in the small gym of the Peery Center, the weight room sits, rimmed by bright lights and windows plastered with “no working out without supervision” signs. Rows of dumbbells ranging from 10 to 110 pounds lie ready for student use, but only under the supervision of an adult. Situated near the entrance of the room, on a chair next to a plastic table marks where the weight room supervisor sits; that’s where Messi Mahe, a freshman at Foothill College who graduated from Paly in 2019, comes in. Mahe said he got a lot out of Paly athletics, both mentally and physically, and part of the reason he wanted to work as a weight room supervisor was to give back to the school.

“I’d just go to the weight room try to get as many reps in and gain a certain amount of weight just so that I can go at it in the regular season.” Messi Mahe

“I was a hothead my freshman year, and my way of letting go was through football,” Mahe said. “Let’s just say the only place I could hit somebody was on the field. (Also) I was really big into football. I played other sports, but I put most of my time into football because it was something I

was really interested in.” After joining the football team, Mahe said he often found himself spending time in the old weight room.

“I was a hothead my freshman year, and my way of letting go was through football. Let’s just say the only place I could hit somebody was on the football field.” Messi Mahe

“Especially during the offseason, it was my main place after school,” Mahe said. “I’d just go to the weight room try to get as many reps in and gain a certain amount of weight just so that I can go at it in the regular season.” However, because the weight room was so small, Mahe found himself limited in his workouts. “So basically the old weight room was like a really small classroom,” Mahe said. “It wasn’t even half of the new weight room. It was like a quarter. It was pretty small. And using that weight room, you couldn’t really do anything because there would be other people trying to use it, and if you wanted to use a certain machine, you’d have to wait 15 minutes to use it.” General concerns about students injuring themselves without weight room supervision led to administrators making it mandatory for an adult supervisor to be present in the weight room in order for students to lift and use

ALEX LIU/ THE CAMPANILE

Messi Mahe shows the variety of weights the weight room he supervises offers. The job is new for Mahe, as he was not expecting to take it on this year. “As soon as the job popped up, I just thought it’d be a cool side thing to do while I was in college so I applied for it,” Mahe said. “Next thing you know, I’m already talking to coach (Nelson) Gifford about availability, whether or not it would be a good fit for me, and it was.” equipment, according to Mahe. However, Mahe said these rules weren’t enforced last year.

“I would go to the football games, he approached me at the football games, when I was watching JV. We were talking and he just brings it up.” Messi Mahe

“The doors would be open,”

Mahe said. “You would go and lift and then after a certain time someone would come down and close it. There would be someone in there but then most of the time they would just leave then come back later. Supervising wasn’t really enforced all the way. It just isn’t like what it is now.” Mahe said he first heard about the weight room supervisor job opening after talking to Athletic Director Nelson Gifford. “I would go to the football games,” Mahe said. “He approached me at the football games, when I was watching JV. We were talking and then he just brings it up. Apparently, he was in

need of (a weight room supervisor). And so I just told him, ‘Yeah, I can do it,’ and I gave him my schedule. Then one thing led to another, and here I am.”

“I’m here to help, if I see you struggling with a lift, I’m here to help you, I’ll spot you.” Messi Mahe

Mahe supervises the weight room after school for three hours. On Mondays, Wednesdays and

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Fridays, he works from 3:35 to 6:35 p.m., and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he supervises from 2:45 to 5:45 p.m. As weight room supervisor, Mahe looks forward to helping others. “I’m here to help,” Mahe said. “If I see you struggling with a lift, I’m here to help you, I’ll spot you. Let’s say if you’re benching, especially when you’re by yourself, I can give you the extra help. I’m also here to give you tips like if you need a workout regimen and making sure you’re lifting correctly so that we can make sure you are getting the most out of your lift.”

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

SCIENCE & TECH

Chrome extension allows students to bypass restrictions in Schoology How one student created a snippet of code that enabled students to post comments on posts that were disabled for commenting By Sloan Wuttke

Staff Writer

omments bombard Schoology’s homepage, none of them explicitly authorized through Schoology. A chrome extension made by junior Lesha Seletskiy enabled this, allowing him to void commenting restrictions and, subsequently, comment on one of Librarian Sima Thomas’ posts on Sept. 5. Seletskiy said he did this by creating a Chrome extension that uses a snippet of code to allow users to comment on posts that would otherwise not be commentable. “I was like, what if I just package this snippet of code that was before not user-accessible into a Chrome extension, so that’s what I did,” Seletskiy said. “It took like two minutes, and then I published it.” The extension, named “4,500 Year Old Yeast” on the Chrome Web Store, advises users to press the command key and right-click on a Schoology post in order to comment. Command-clicking on a Schoology post then leads users to a fragmented page where they can add a comment. Seletskiy said his extension directs users to a page that was before inaccessible.

“In hindsight, it probably caused some inconvenience to people who actually needed to use Schoology for academic purposes, but it was fun while it lasted.” Teg Singh “(Schoology) just created a (user interface) for comments, but they just didn’t create a user interface for you to get there,” Seletskiy said. “So what it does is it just lets you get there and then there’s

a disabled button (for commenting). All you have to do is just remove the disabled attribute on the button.” Seletskiy said he was not the original creator of the code Gunn High School student was who Seletskiy claims to go by the nickname “Sheep”. According to Seletiskiy, all he did was package Sheep’s code into something more user-friendly.

“I don’t steal people’s browser history or get their grades and schedules or other nefarious things. I just made this extension because I was bored.” Lesha Seletskiy According to Seletskiy, this extension was only possible due to a deficiency in Schoology’s coding framework which allowed for hacks. Seletskiy also said hypothetically these holes could allow for other, more detrimental hacks that could jeopardize more than a person’s commenting abilities. “When you install an extension, it can read and write all data if you grant it the right permissions,” Seletskiy said. “What that means is that I could execute any piece of JavaScript on your browser . . . so I can track your browser history while you have the Chrome extension installed. I can decide to read your grades or whatever, and you give me the power that would allow me to do this, but you don’t agree to it.” One example of an allegedly malicious extension is Stylish, which grants users the ability to customize their browsers with themes and colors. Stylish, however, was and is still suspected to be a covert surveillance tool with augmented spyware, recording each user’s data that could, theoretically, tie them to their real-life identities.

ART BY SLOAN WUTTKE

Stylish defended these actions per their privacy policy as it states they collect only non-personal data, but Security Software Engineer Robert Heaton said on his blog that such a justification is a “solution in search of a flimsy justification.” Seletskiy said malicious extensions are an example of everything his extension is not or never was made to be. “I don’t steal people’s browser history or get their grades and schedules or other nefarious things,” Seletskiy said. “I just made this extension because I was bored. I never expected more than one person to ever use it.” Junior Teg Singh, one of the extension’s users, said he used the extension for comedic purposes,

commenting on posts that were viewable to all Paly students.

“If people really want to comment on all school announcements, there are better and more meaningful ways to have your voices heard.” Christopher Bell “I used it to copy and paste the entire Shrek screenplay onto the Schoology homepage,” Singh said. “A lot of freshmen then began to recognize me as the Shrek Kid, and a lot of people just knew

me as the kid who copied and pasted the entire Shrek screenplay (onto Schoology).” Singh’s comment was deleted minutes after he posted it. Singh claims that most students thought Thomas deleted the comments, as Thomas’ posts were the primary recipient of most unsanctioned comments. Thomas, however, claims that she was unaware of an unsanctioned commenting page. “In hindsight, it probably caused some inconvenience to people who actually needed to use Schoology for academic purposes, but it was fun while it lasted,” Singh said. Computer science teacher Christopher Bell reprimands these unsanctioned comments. “The intention of a person who

posts in a forum where (their) comments are disabled is that their post will not be commented on,” Bell said. “If people really want to comment on all school announcements, there are better and more meaningful ways to have your voices heard. . . I would challenge them to do something more productive with their time and ingenuity.” Bell added that, because of technology, the intentions of these comments often remain unclear, and may become misconstrued. Bell said, “There are some deeper issues with respect to free speech, anonymity, due process, and how technology magnifies and distorts the communications that provide the substrate of civilized society.”

Students use melatonin supplements to help avoid sleepless nights An in-depth look into how melatonin affects wakefulness and grogginess; the implications, both positive and negative of using them

EMILY ASHER/THE CAMPANILE

Paly senior Karina Kadakia pours melatonin pills into her hand, signifying the beginning of a restful night. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates the sleep and wake cycle. Students who find it difficult to fall asleep use its supplements to ensure a state of quiet wakefulness and a night of peaceful sleep. “The effects of melatonin have changed my life forever, and I really mean that,” Kadakia said.

By Emily Asher

Managing Editor

verybody knows the feeling of not being able to fall asleep. After a long, tiring day, you come home, get into comfy clothes, jump into your bed, only to find that you are now wide awake. You stare at your ceiling and watch the clock tick away into the early morning.

“I usually take melatonin when I haven’t slept very well for consecutive nights and I need to ensure good night’s rest. I try to avoid taking it on a daily basis.” Natalie Schilling

Suddenly, it is 2 a.m. and you have to be up in less than five hours, but you still cannot seem to close your eyes for good. As a result of having difficulty sleeping, many Paly students have turned to melatonin supplements. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in your bloodstream that puts you in a state of “quiet wakefulness” that “helps promote sleep,” sleep expert Luis F. Buenaver said in an article by Johns Hopkins Medicine. While melatonin is widely known as the “sleep hormone,” in reality, it does not put you directly to sleep. Rather, the levels of melatonin in your body naturally heighten in the evening, making your body relaxed and allowing it to get ready for sleep. However, common occurrences in students’ everyday lives, including blue and green light emitted from phones and lap-

tops, disrupt this natural cycle, leading to difficulty sleeping, according to an article by Johns Hopkins Medicine.

“I take melatonin to help me fall asleep because I have a hard time falling asleep late at night. The beneficial effects of melatonin (are) how it makes me groggy and I fall asleep within the first thirty minutes of taking it.” Karina Kadakia These lights neutralize melatonin’s effects, because they trick your brain into thinking it is daytime, according to Buenaver.

When melatonin levels are compromised during the night, many people reach for their melatonin pills, which minors can purchase at local drug stores, according to Kadakia. These supplements mimic the effects of natural melatonin, helping people become “tired.” “I take melatonin to help me fall asleep because I have a hard time falling asleep late at night,” senior Karina Kadakia said. “The beneficial effects of melatonin (are) how it makes me groggy and I fall asleep within the first 30 minutes of taking it.” While taking melatonin on a daily basis does not negatively impact health, according to a Johns Hopkins Medicine article, some students, including senior Natalie Schilling, only take it occasionally due to its side effects of grogginess the following day. “I usually take melatonin when I haven’t slept very well for consecutive nights and I need to

ensure good night’s rest,” Schilling said. “I try to avoid taking it on a daily basis.” Kadakia said she also experienced the tiredness associated with taking melatonin late at night.

“When I wake up I feel myself feeling overly tired and it’s not as easy to wake myself up. I find it harder to pay attention in my classes and I will be a bit slower during the day.” Karina Kadakia “If I were to take it around 11:30 p.m. or 12 a.m., it takes about 30 minutes to kick in,” Kadakia said. “When I wake up,

I feel myself feeling overly tired and it’s not as easy to wake myself up. I find it harder to pay attention in my classes and I will be a bit slower during the day.” Another side effect of taking melatonin is the risk of “addiction.” According to Healthline, while there are no current studies proving that melatonin is an addictive substance, many people find that they need to take it every night, or else they are unable to fall asleep. Fortunately, Kadakia and Schilling both said they have managed to stay away from this dependence. “I used to feel like I needed it to fall asleep, but that soon went away,” Kadakia said. “Now that I have a lot to do during the day, I find myself feeling naturally tires and not needing it as much. Now, I will only use it if I had taken a nap during the day and screwed up my sleep cycle, but that is very rare.”

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Campanile

SCIENCE

TECH

VERSATILITY OF VIRTUAL REALITY

THE T

he screen is black. Straps tightly as an exciting video game system soon can be installed in the room where the search of ways to alleviate stress. hug the circumference of his became a private space where he could headset would be used. “Because these kids are learning in head, supporting the silver con- engage in alone time and self-reflecAlthough this technology comes at such a competitive environment, virtraption which covers the majority of tion. a steep price — between $199-$1,000 tual reality is a great outlet for their his face. Then, as a light projects from “It’s unrealistic to say that any- — some believe it is worth the price stresses,” LaFetra said. “Around finals the screen just centimeters from his one doesn’t need a break from work,” due to a variety of impactful time, we see an influx of kids who just eyes, junior Saam Mohsenian tran- Mohsenian said. “Some people read, uses. want to paint or play. They leave feelscends the couch and begins to detach others watch A r t ing much better and with a smile on from reality. television, I use teacher Susan their face.” Exhausted from school, Mohsenian my VR headset. LaFetra recentMatterport, a Silicon Valley-based “Because these kids has adopted a new way to de-stress There is an app ly added this de- company, presents the business aspect are learning in such a and unwind through his virtual reality that creates the vice to her curric- of VR, they are a spatial data company headset. effect that you competitive environment, ulum as she said it that provide 3D digital models of a “I was mesmerized by the device are flying over an possesses benefits scanned space for the purpose of rentwhen it first became popular; I had ocean. The sounds virtual reality is a a great for student’s edu- ing and selling. never seen anything like it,” Mohese- and visuals are so cation and mental According to Lou Marzano, Matoutlet for their stresses.” nian said. “After bugging my parents realistic that you health. terport Vice President of Hardware relentlessly about it, they finally got it feel like it’s really “About two and Manufacturing, VR provides a for me during the Christmas of 2017.” happening. It’s so years ago, I went richer experience for the potential Virtual reality, or VR, was first freeing.” to the district of- buyer or renter, allowing them to exinvented in 1968 by American comThe primary fice and pitched plore the property without having to puter scientist Ivan Sutherland. At the subject of virtual reality is simulating the idea of getting a VR headset for my physically visit. time, the then-monstrous headset only the vision. According to technology art students, as I believed it would be “The VR aspect is in how showed videos connected to a camera. website New Gen Apps, every headset immensely useful,” LaFetra said. we present the digital Now, through brands such as Samsung, aims to create the most perfect immerShe now uses information being colOculus and PlayStation, VR has grown sive environment possible. Each head- this technology lected,” Marzano said. more accessible to the public. The tech- set puts up two screens, one for each to teach her stu“Virtual reality is nology has become eye, then uses dents about vari“There are other comso useful that even autofocus lenses ous aspects of definitely a growing panies creating digital hospitals employ to adjust the graphic design twins of buildings — field, particularly in “I was mesmerized by its services to plan screen based on and multimedia some for similar purcombination with challenging operathe individual art, as she bethe device when it first poses. Ours is perhaps tions through the eye positioning lieves technolaugmented reality, became popular; I had use of 3D models. and movement. ogy is going to the highest fidelity nonetheless the future example of combining This technology is never seen anything like it. The visuals are be a quintesbecoming increas- After bugging my parents then rendered by sential aspect of of this tech is accurate depth meaingly widespread either a mobile art in the future. very exciting.” surements with color relentlessly about it, they phone or HDMI LaFetra hopes to and has also been photography.” adopted within finally got it for me during cable connected incorporate this Popularity of many fields of busito a PC. With form of tech into the Christamas of 2017.” some of the her curriculum ness such as real virtual reality is estate, conmore advanced to help students familiarize themselves g r o w ing both in the struction and and costly forms with the different aspects of art and s o cial and business tourism. Yet of VR, eye and design. world, according to Marzano. these headhead tracking According to LaFetra, through Marzano said, “Virtual reality is sets are more c o m m o n l y can be ensured using LED lights, laser projects such as designing landscapes definitely a growing field, particularly used for their unique expe- pointers or mobile sensors. If very high and creating self-portraits, students rience of video games, virtual drawing accuracy needs to be achieved through are able to discover a whole new form in combination with augmented realand even various interactive tours. virtual reality, like that of medicine and of exciting art. Yet she finds that the ity, nonetheless the future of this tech For Mohsenian, what started off construction, then cameras and sensors device is most useful for students in is very exciting.”

Susan LaFetra

Lou Marzano

Saam Mohsenian

Text & Design by Krista Robins Design by Johnny Yang e

Art by Kiana Tavakoli & Kaitlyn Le

Issue 5, 12/6/19

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