Issue 9, 4/20/2018

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

The Campanile

Vol. XCIX, No. 9

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018

www.thecampanile.org

Adam Paulson to become acting principal

Current assistant principal will assume the position when Rodriguez takes leave

By Vivian Feng, Renee Hoh & Gracie Kitayama

District wraps up superintendent search

By Neil Kapoor

A

Lifestyle Editor, News & Opinion Editor & Senior Staff Writer

A

fter three years as assistant principal, Adam Paulson will become acting principal of Palo Alto High School as current Interim Principal Frank Rodriguez is on leave. Rodriguez was appointed interim principal after Kim Diorio announced her resignation on March 9.

The Site Council was told about Paulson’s transition to interim principal by Assistant Principal Janice Chen at its meeting on April 17. “[Paulson] seems like he is the admin who works with Mr. Hall and ASB-related things,” said junior Site Council Representative Riya Kumar. “He’s a pretty approachable guy and seems really sweet, and so I think he’ll make a great interim principal.”

In addition to ASB-related student activities, Paulson also currently oversees programs such as blended learning, Flex time and Camp Unity according to the Paly website.

Rodriguez, who was appointed interim principal on March 2 by the PAUSD Board, is going on leave due to the impending birth of his first grandchild, and will

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

PALY VOICE/USED WITH PERMISSION

Adam Paulson, Paly's assistant principal for three years, will take over for Mr. Rodriguez as acting principal. also become unavailable later in the school year, according to the letter sent to staff by Interim Superintendent Karen Hendricks.

Paulson joined PAUSD in 2014 after being recommended for Dean at Palo Alto High School.

As the Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning, the administrator of the Class of 2019 and a previous elementary school

principal, Paulson’s extensive experience in the District make him well prepared for the role as the acting principal.

Paulson joined the Palo Alto School Unified District (PAUSD) in 2014 after former Superintendent Max McGee recommended Paulson for appointment for Dean at Palo Alto High School. Previously, he was principal of Arundel Elementary School in San Carlos and replaced Craig Tuana as the Paly Dean of Students. Additionally Paulson previously worked as the Assistant Principal at Tierra Linda Middle School and taught history and social studies.

According to Kumar, Chen said she was unsure if Rodriguez would return as interim principal this year.

Hendrick’s letter also stated Interim Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Anne Brown will be conduct meetings with staff, parents, community members and students for input in the permanent principal hiring process. Students can share their input and opinions to PAUSD Board Members about the search for principal on April 24 during lunch in the Haymarket Theater.

Paulson didn't respond to The Campanile's requests for comment.

Staff Writer

fter several months of narrowing down potential Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) superintendent candidates, an advisory panel composed of 10 community members, five District employees and two students interviewed the finalists earlier this week.

According to Board President Ken Dauber, the committee aims to gain insights about each of the candidates.

“Community and staff members will have a perspective that may differ from Board members or the search firm, and we want to get the broadest possible input,” said Board President Ken Dauber.

The 17-member panel was formed through a series of nominations. Board members nominated two community members each, the Assistant Supt. Anne Brown nominated five school administrators and two students were also chosen: one from Paly and one from Gunn.

“The students were selected with the help of the high school principals, I believe,” Dauber said.

Traditionally, the Board has selected candidates for top District positions through a professional search firm. This time, however, the use of a committee in addition to a hired search firm

may help provide feedback to the Board about the candidates from the public’s eye rather than a recommendation from a professional consulting group.

“The Board will incorporate the feedback into discussion of the candidates,” Dauber said. “I don't know how the feedback will differ [from the Board’s current knowledge of the candidates] — I'm curious to find out! I think community members will probably have different concerns and a different perspective than our consultants.”

In fact, the remaining evaluations of the candidates will not be done by the search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, but instead by the panel and the Board.

“The search firm really did all the groundwork and the actual evaluations of the candidates were only done by the board and this panel,” said Gunn junior Kathy Liu, one of the student representatives on the panel. “After all, it would really not make a lot of sense for an outside organization to be making any type of judgments on the future superintendent of a community they might not be a part of, and everyone recognizes that.”

The panel, however, may not wield significant clout on the final

Superintendent

A3

School board election underway Students attend journalism event Community members have begun campaigning for positions Paly's student publications took part in national convention

By Yusra Rafeeqi & Byron Zhang Staff Writers

O

FILE PHOTO/THE CAMPANILE

Elections are for seats of Board Member Terry Godfrey (right) and Board President Ken Dauber (second to right).

By Leyton Ho & Eric Li

Staff Writer & Sports Editor

W

ith two seats in the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education opening up in November, lawyer Shounak Dharap and Palo Alto parent Kathy Jordan have announced interest in running. While Dauber has stated that he will run for his second term in the fall, Godfrey has announced that she will not.

Dharap, who has officially declared his candidacy, is a 2008 Gunn High School graduate who is looking to use his experience as a student in the district and unique perspective as a lawyer to improve the District.

“I'm a product of Palo Alto schools,” Dharap said. “I went to JLS and went to Gunn and my wife went to Ohlone, JLS and Gunn as well and so there’s a sense of responsibility, a desire to give back. I have very strong ties to the community. As my wife and I want start our own family here, we want to be able to bring our future kids to the schools that we

INSIDE

went to knowing that I did everything possible to give them the best opportunity for success.”

Dharap felt an urge to run due to the lack of engagement currently on the school board. His goals, if elected, center around three main issues connected to increasing engagement. The first of these issues is the lack of student empowerment in our district, especially in regards to elective courses. “ One is, I'd like to see more focus on student empowerment,” Dharap said. “I'd like to see elective courses and extracurriculars given the same weight as other classes culturally speaking and we can do that through curriculum. For example, perhaps we can wait more elective courses so that it will incentivize students who do care about being able to get a boost in their in their GPA, maybe they'll take those classes spark a passion.

Dharap’s second issue is the lack of alumni and community collaboration with the school district.

“We can also do more in terms of community collaboration and

I'd like to see more communication with City Council, ” Dharap said. “I'd like to see more communication with alumni. I think we would do well to get the perspective alumni and more communication with local businesses were in hard Silicon Valley. Let's build relationships with them to provide more opportunities for our students.”

Dharap’s last issue is the need for administrators to better equip teachers and students for success.

“The third thing is administrative support,” Dharap said.

“We could see more support for teachers, more training for teachers, more support for special needs students, more training for instructional aids and we could give more administrative stability to the district as a whole.”

Dharap believes he is uniquely suited for a board position because his experience as a student in the District would allow him to understand what current students are going through.

“The perspective of somebody who's been there, who's been

School Board

Lifestyle

A3

ver 130 Palo Alto High School journalists attended the 2018 Spring National High School Journalism Convention in San Francisco last Friday, joining several thousand other delegates from across the country in the largest gathering of student journalists in the country.

The convention, co-sponsored by the Journalism Education Association ( JEA) and the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), organized hundreds of practical learning sessions that included workshops and professional conferences about the different aspects within journalism.

Journalism teacher Paul Kandell said that due to the great number of student participants, Paly journalism teachers negotiated the first bulk discount with JEA and NSPA, allowing a larger number of Paly students to attend.

Thirty-five Paly students stayed for an additional two hours

to enter write-off contests about news writing, feature writing, design and page layout, of which 18 received an award. Junior Asia Gardias, for example, entered the press law and ethics write-off, focusing on student rights and the court cases involved in determining them. The challenges in the write-offs included essays, vocabulary questions and specific tests relevant to the topic of the competition.

“I chose to go to the convention because [Paly students] were lucky it was conveniently close this year,” Gardias said. “I thought it would be good to expand in knowledge on the subject [of the write-off ] in case we needed someone on staff who was well versed in the subject.”

Gardias said that the convention further motivated her to pursue journalism after hearing the inspiring feedback about careers of professionals.

“The best part of this experience was delving into the stories of journalists and publications that went to court and battled to uphold the press and free speech,”

Gardias said. “The freedoms we enjoy at Paly as student journalists stem from people who were willing to sacrifice their reputations or even personal freedoms, and the [write-off ] was a perfect way to remind myself of that.”

Two Paly students returned to San Francisco on the next day, the last day of the convention.

NSPA held a Best of Show competition for student journalists and advisors who entered their student publications. At the awards ceremony on Saturday, The Paly Voice received a Pacemaker Award and Verde’s special edition, Veritas, received second place. The Campanile received ninth place in the Newspaper Pacemaker Award Finalist, as well as seventh place in special edition newspaper.

For the following years, Kandell hopes the convention will change its write-off rulings.

“I wish we could enter more of our students into the contests because they only allow one person in each category,” Kandell said.

“We were already putting people in slots that we know are not natural fits for them."

YCS-Interact to host Service Day

Youth Community Service club organizes day of volunteering

By Sophia Moore

C

Staff Writer

ontinuing its yearly tradition, Paly’s Youth Community Service (YCS) Interact club, which “[offers] fellow club members multiple long and short-term service opportunities each week,” will organize another Service Day event, in order to provide a wide array of volunteer opportunities at local organizations, on Monday, April 23.

According to Co-President Mailinh Truong, the board of YCS-Interact starts planning Service Day about two months prior to the day of the even. This year, a total of 219 students have signed up.

“Service Day is important because it allows Paly students to give back to their community, be able to do service with friends, and become exposed to an activity of their choosing,” Truong said.

Science & Tech

Some of the options within Service Day include aiding those in a senior center, helping with the restoration of Half Moon Bay, aiding children in schools, providing relief to the Ecumencial Hunger Program and working with Animal Assisted Happiness.

Sophomore YCS member Shanthi Deivanayagam is taking the reins in order to lead in the effort to restore the Baylands.

“I chose to lead the Baylands because I really enjoy outdoor service that benefits the environment,” Deivanayagam said. “My favorite part of service day is being able to work all day and see what our help is doing for the environment and the community.

I really like both YCS and Service Day because I am passionate about service and helping those in need by using the resources that I have access to.”

Additionally, sophomore Ariana Tabrizi has decided to lead

Spotlight

the Blossom Birth service option.

Blossom Birth is an organization which provides assistance to families who are expecting.

“I chose to lead Blossom Birth because I'm not so much of an outdoor person, but I really enjoy organizing things and helping out with everyday tasks,” Tabrizi said.

“My favorite part of service day is getting to meet a ton of new people and help out my community.

I enjoy service day because I feel like it's a really great time for our school to come out and show support for our community.”

Although Service Day will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., it will not interrupt any class periods, as it will take place on a flex day. On service day, no classes will be held so as to allow volunteers to work without the possibility of falling behind. While signups have closed for this year, Service Day will continue to be an annua Paly tradition.

Sports

this edition

News . . . . . . . . . . A1-A4 Opinion. . . . . . . . . A5-A7 Editorials. . . . . . . . . . . A8 Lifestyle. . . . . B1-B3, B6 Spotlight. . . . . . . . B4-B5 Science & Tech. . . B7-B8 Sports. . . . C1-C3, C6-C8 Sports Spread. . . . . C4-C5

FILE PHOTO/THE CAMPANILE

Girls in Rock Bands

Female musicians' perspectives on a mostly-male genre of music.

PAGE B1

PHOTO BY DOUG WHELLER/CC2.0

Stephen Hawking

Reflecting on the man who changed our view of the universe.

PAGE B7

ALYSSA LEONG/THE CAMPANILE

Homeless Students

Exploring the stories of underrepresented students.

PAGES B4-B5

PHOTO BY RENNO_NEW/CC0

Injury and Rehab

Student athletes grapple with injury on and off the field.

PAGES C4-C5

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

A2

NEWS

Middle schools Jordan and Terman to be renamed Frank Greene and Ellen Fletcher

The Campanile’s eighth Centennial Report

PALY JOURNALISM ARCHIVES

Political cartoon of Reagan and the Libyan challenge from a 1986 issue.

Kaylie Nguyen Staff Writer

CREATIVE COMMONS/FAIR USE

Ellen Fletcher — a Holocaust survivor, former Palo Alto City Councilwoman and pioneer bicycle advocate for the community, who passed away in 2012.

By Samantha Hwang

A

Staff Writer

fter months of deliberation, the Palo Alto School Board has come up with new names for David Starr Jordan Middle School and Terman Middle School; the two schools will change to Frank Greene Middle School and Ellen Fletcher Middle School, respectively.

Frank S. Greene, after whom Jordan Middle School will be renamed, was a well-known African-American technologist in Silicon Valley. He was a Sunnyvale resident who worked at a number of famous startups, including Hewlett-Packard and Intel.

Ellen Fletcher, after whom Terman Middle School will be renamed, was a prominent community activist who advocated for cycling and environmental health.

The name change were prompted by a Jordan Middle School student’s discovery that both Jordan and Terman were leaders of the eugenics movement, which promotes white supremacy.

This caused an uproar among

community members about changing the names. Some argued that naming a school with many minority students after a white supremacist created an unwelcoming environment, while others pointed out the costliness of rebranding two schools in a district that recently lost $6 million.

“I think Fletcher who suffered in the Holocaust and Fred Yamamoto who suffered as a result of his ethnic heritage are the names that I would see as the top choices.”

Ken Dauber

Some of the names that were not chosen include Fred Yamamoto, William Hewlett, Anna Zschokke, and Edith Johnson. At the Board meeting on March 27, the advisory discussed alternative

names for the schools.

“It’s not a question of whether or not people are inspiring,” said Vice President of the Board of Education Jennifer DiBrienza.

“I think that it is a question of whether or not we teach about these people and whether we take the opportunity to hold up to lift up other people.”

Yamamoto is a notable Paly alumnus who was sent to a Japanese internment camp during his high school years, and went on to serve in the military and win the Purple Heart award.

Despite Yamamoto’s great feats, a small sector of the Palo Alto community were extremely opposed to the idea of naming one of the schools after Yamamoto.

Their reasoning was that others outside of the community would associate the name Yamamoto with Isoroku Yamamoto, a war criminal who played a significant role in planning the Pearl Harbor bombing. Many, especially members of the Chinese-American community, were extremely opposed to naming the school after

Yamamoto.

Despite the community’s opposition to renaming the schools after Yamamoto, at the Board meeting, some of the board members defended the choices.

“It is a question of whether or not we teach about these people and whether we take the opportunity to hold up to lift up other people.”

Jennifer DiBrienza

“I think Fletcher who suffered in the Holocaust and Fred Yamamoto who suffered as a result of his ethnic heritage, are the names that I would see as the top choices,” said Board President Ken Dauber. “And I think they are particularly appropriate given that the project of rejecting eugenicists and thinking about what we are about here [at PAUSD].”

ASB election concludes for next school year Waverly Long

A

Staff Writer

fter determined and hardworking students spend much of March campaigning for themselves by delivering speeches, writing statements and forming personal connections by walking around campus pitching to whoever will listen, Associated Student Body (ASB) election results are either devastating or rewarding. For nine students, the results had the latter effect.

Junior Vivian Feng, member of The Campanile, was elected ASB president; current Junior Vice President Ben Rapperport will take on the role of ASB vice president; Riya Kumar will be the next ASB treasurer; David Foster is to be senior president and will work closely with Annie Tsui, who was elected senior vice president; Zoe Silver and Frida Rivera will lead the Class of 2020 as junior president and vice president, respectively; current Freshman President Adora Zheng will be the sophomore president.

“My main goal is to make sure that anyone who has ideas or wants to contribute knows how to, or has a way to get their ideas through.”

Adora Zheng

With the election process behind them, the newly elected officers are now able to look ahead and start thinking about ways to follow through with their campaign promises. Zheng has begun to set goals for her presidency next year.

“My main goal is to make sure that anyone who has ideas or wants to contribute knows how to, or has a way to get their ideas

through, or if anyone wants to participate in anything, that they know that there’s always a way for them to,” Zheng said.

Zheng also hopes to take her experience with leading the class this year and use it to make next year even better.

“This year we went into Spirit Week not really knowing what to expect, so I think having one year under our belt is going to help us a lot next year,” Zheng said. “I think it’ll help me and everyone else in our grade to kind of unify a little more, and it’ll make everything a lot more fun to have a little experience.”

Foster and Tsui are prepared to meet the sophomores with fierce competition during Spirit Week; they are both looking forward to leading the senior class to what they hope will be a victory.

“It’s our senior year, so we can really go all out for Spirit Week, which I’m really excited to do,” Tsui said. “Our class has done really well with Spirit Week these past few years and I’m really excited to take it home.”

Both Tsui and Foster are looking forward to collaborating with each other — according to Tsui, they have already been discussing their leadership plans for next year.

In addition to increasing class spirit, Tsui and Foster plan on creating more ways to showcase Paly talent through concerts on the quad like Quadglobe and Quadchella, two student music festivals held during lunch this year, and expanding on Paly’s Got Talent, according to Tsui. Foster said he also hopes to create more gradewide bonding events for the class of 2019.

As treasurer, Kumar wants to aid with the process of creating fun events for the entire school, like the talent showcases Tsui and Foster wish to continue.

“Paly can be intense at some times, and I think that ASB does a great job of creating events that create a fun side to our high

school,” Kumar said. “I would like to possibly team up with clubs and other groups on campus to create events that can further this goal in a way that’s cost effective.

I believe that there are so many ways to do this, and I’m looking forward to coming up with some diverse ideas with ASB, and our student body in general.”

“I think we all have the potential to be great leaders and I look forward to seeing everyon welcome the incoming freshman, step up into leadership roles and, of course, improve spirit during Spirit Week.”

Zoe Silver

Silver also has goals beyond just her new role — she hopes to improve ASB as a whole and work toward supporting the entire student body.

“I would like to see us host events for a variety of different people and for Spirit Week to be inclusive to everyone,” Silver said in an email. “I can’t wait to see our grade flourish as upperclassmen. I think all of us have the potential to be great leaders and I look forward to seeing everyone welcome the incoming freshman, step up into leadership roles and, of course, improve spirit during Spirit Week.”

Rivera, who will be working with Silver, also aims to improve unity amongst her peers.

“This is a pretty basic goal, but just more class unity, especially during Spirit Week,” Rivera said. “Having more people be involved.”

In order to gain the votes needed to be in the position to make these plans, these students

put in an enormous amount of work, as did all the other candidates, according to Foster. However, Kumar emphasizes what a positive experience campaigning was, despite the stress it induced.

“The election was definitely a lot of hard work, but it was also so much fun,” Kumar said in an email. “I felt really energized after campaigning in person and meeting people who were enthusiastic about my campaign.”

Despite having a positive experience campaigning, many newly elected officers are glad to have the renewed sense of normalcy.

“It is a relief to be done, because it’s a tiring two weeks, and now I have a lot more time to focus on schoolwork and my plans for next year,” Rapperport said.

According to Foster, a unique aspect of this year’s election race is that he was the only candidate running unopposed.

“It’s always better to have true elections with multiple candidates, so it’s good that this year we only had one person running unopposed — in past years, we’ve had more,” Foster said.

Though this election season was good in that there weren’t many candidates running unopposed, there were some positions that did not have any candidates at all: ASB Secretary and Sophomore Vice President.

After regular election results came out and it was announced that these positions were free, students stepped up to the plate.

The candidates then ran against each other in a special election, the results of which were finalized last Friday: freshman Charlize Nguyen will be the new ASB Secretary and Avantika Singh will serve as sophomore vice president next year.

The rest of the positions of ASB are to be determined be appointed. Applications to be considered for the appointed positions are due Monday, April 23 at 3:30 p.m. and should be delivered to room P8.

T

hroughout the past century, The Campanile has relentlessly covered every newsworthy event inside and outside of the school community.

This edition of the Centennial Report explores the aftermath of World War II and its effects on Paly, as well as some issues that persist today.

April 10, 1942: Volume XXIII, No. 23 World War II heavily impacted many students in the 1940s.

A big concern was what students would do after graduation in war time. A meeting was held for upperclassman students and their parents about possible paths after high school.

Lowry S. Howard, then president of Menlo School and Junior College, spoke about what should be considered in planning for the future. John Bunn, who was the dean of men at Stanford University, outlined important views students should keep in mind during wartime. J. P. O’Rourke, supervisor of defense training for the Moffett Field area, also educated students on various wartime industries they could go into immediately after graduation.

April 23, 1982: Volume LV, No. 13 An English teacher named Chris Rich took leave from Paly because of his increasing concern about the nuclear arms race. Rich believed that nuclear weapons were a threat to the existence of the universe and was concerned about the future should nuclear arms continue to be built. He planned to spend about a year and a half educating America’s youth

about the dangers of nuclear weapons through a non-profit organization called Creative Initiative Foundation. He hoped to help resolve the nuclear arms situation by educating people of its consequences and forcing thenPresident Ronald Reagan to stop his nuclear arms’ development policies.

April 18, 1986: Volume LXIX, No. 12 In 1986, the United States launched bombing attacks on Libya to combat terrorist activities, which significantly decreased tourism due to fear. Several people in the Palo Alto community canceled or change their summer plans due to the possible threat to their safety. A poll conducted

by The Campanile found that 44 percent of students approved of the bombings and 47 percent disapproved. They also found that 18 percent of students would not travel to Europe if given the chance in light of the violence in Libya.

April 27, 1992: Volume LXXIII, No.10 The Palo Alto Unified District (PAUSD) Board of Education began considering a new student interaction harassment policy, one specifically relating to race or gender. The policy was proposed by then Associated Superintendent of Human Resources and Administration Patricia Einfelt. A year and a half prior, an employee harassment policy was implemented, but the District realized something had to be done to protect the students. The goal was to “provide a school environment free from all forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment.”

Visit palyjournalismarchive. pausd.org to read more of The Campanile’s past articles.

UPCOMING EVENTS APRIL

23

APRIL

23

FLEX/SERVICE DAY Show your service to the community by sleeping in.

CIOS WEEK BEGINS Because Not In Our Schools Week is too mainstream.

APRIL

RACHEL AUSTIN AWARDS Another Common App section filled.

APRIL

PALY SPRING CONCERT Someone’s grandparents will mosh.

27

29

MAY

5

MAY

5

MAY

7

SAT TEST The first of many times that your worth will be measured by a number.

WILLY AND THE FOUR BOYS CONCERT We’re still unsure as to which one is Willy.

AP TESTING BEGINS The second time your worth will be measured by a number.

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

A3

NEWS

Seniors commence Elimination game OCR investigates Students participate in grade-wide Assassin competition to promote class bonding Title IX violations

By Bernie Koen

S

SAMANTHA HWANG/THE CAMPANILE

For the past week, seniors have been anxiously grasping plastic beachballs in order to avoid being eliminated in ASB organized activity.

By Edan Sneh

T

Online Editor

he Class of 2018 began a cutthroat game of Elimination, where hundreds of seniors compete to be the last one standing. This game of Elimination was organized by Senior Class President Noga Hurwitz and Senior Class Vice President Michaela Fogarty as an optional ASB-sponsored senior activity, and began on April 12. The beach balls were purchased by ASB, and a third party site, “The Assassin Game,” was used to regulate the game and assign targets.

Elimination, also commonly known as Assassin, is essentially a game where everyone is given an object of protection and an object of attack. Participants are assigned another person as their target unbeknownst to everyone else. When holding the object of protection — which, in the case of the Class of 2018’s game, is a small beach ball — the holder

Superintendent search Continued from A1

selection since the Board and the search firm have already completed most of the selection process.

“[The Board is] taking steps towards increased transparency and representation, which I personally really appreciate.”

Kathy Liu

“I am not entirely sure how much weight the board will actually place on the strengths and concerns lists we produced,” Liu

cannot be eliminated from the game. Using the object of attack (which for the Class of 2018 is the same beach ball) the attacker can eliminate their target if they are not holding the object of defense.

Once a target is eliminated, the attacker gains the target’s target and the cycle continues until one person is left.

“We only have a few weeks left together as the Class of 2018; Michaela and I thought that playing elimination would be a fun way to promote class bonding and close out our time in Paly together,” Hurwitz said. “Plus, who doesn’t love a little competition!”

In order to ensure that the game does not interrupt classes or extracurriculars, they are considered as safe zones where no one can be eliminated. There are also various other rules put in place.

Most of the rules are self explanatory, such as “don’t be stupid.”

Gunn High School has conducted in their own version of Elimination for many years, in

which the whole school can participate. Gunn senior Gautam Mittal has participated in Elimination since his sophomore year.

said. “It’s very possible that they each already have their own favorite candidate and the culmination of our eight hours of work may not really affect that much at all. In my personal opinion as a student who does not always see every side of the picture, it is very easy for the district or the Board to put up these community panels or surveys or focus groups, but whether or not they actually end up being meaningful depends entirely on the mindset of the people actually making these decisions. .”

Regardless, many commend the Board’s efforts to include community members as part of the process.

“I think the Board’s decision to give various groups in the community and District this time and opportunity to be directly involved in this process really shows

that they’re taking steps towards increased transparency and representation, which I personally really appreciate,” Liu said. “They

“I thought that playing elimination would be a fun way to promote class bonding and close out our time in Paly together.”

Noga Hurwitz

“It starts out pretty fun, but can get really competitive kind of quickly and the rules of the game tend to get harder and harder,” Mittal said.

This year, Mittal got eliminated after he gave up out of boredom. The game is very popular at Gunn and can take months to complete.

Many elaborate strategies are

“The Board recognizes and respects the different but important viewpoints from all stakeholder groups.”

Kathy Liu

could have very easily not included students in this panel, but they invited us anyways. From that, I see that the board recognizes and respects the different but important viewpoints from all stakeholder groups.”

used throughout the game to ensure a victory.

Senior Tanay Krishna was eliminated unsuspectedly by two of his friends, Kesi Sound and Renee Hoh, both members of The Campanile.

“It was my 18th birthday on Friday, and during brunch, I got a good call from my friend Kesi saying that he wants to meet up with me because he has a birthday present for me,” Krishna said. “I see him and he is with Renee, and they come up to me and Kesi says he wants to post a picture him and me on his Instagram.”

Krishna tried to take a picture with Sound while holding the ball, but Sound insisted that Krishna set the ball down for the photo. After much resistance, Krishna finally agreed to set the ball down for the picture. As soon as Krishna set the ball down, Hoh grabbed Krishna’s ball and tagged him.

Krishna said, “I cried for about eight or 10 days after that.”

Staff Writer

taff from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) visited Palo Alto High School on March 29 to investigate a series of Title IX violations by the school administration.

Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Title IX Representative Megan Farrell refused an interview, but directed The Campanile to a PAUSD visit summary which stated that “[OCR Representatives took a] tour of Palo Alto High School, followed by meetings with administrators and office hours with Paly students and staff.”

The summary also details that the representatives repeated the same process at Gunn on the same day.

According to an official OCR press release on the office’s visit to Paly, “Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in programs that receive federal financial assistance. The agreement addresses the district’s response to reports and complaints of sexual harassment, including sexual violence.”

The OCR originally opened an investigation on Palo Alto High School after a Verde Article on rape culture was published in 2013.

The purpose of the OCR visit was to monitor a resolution agreement by the district that was approved in March 2017. The school board approved this resolution agreement after an extensive in-

vestigation found that PAUSD mishandled numerous cases of sexual assault.

The OCR originally opened an investigation on Palo Alto High School after a Verde Article on Paly rape culture was published in 2013.

An extensive investigation found that PAUSD mishandled numerous cases of sexual assault.

The OCR then discovered numerous other Title IX violations present, such as the mishandling of the in formation about how former Paly Principal Phil Winston sexually harassed students and staff.

The violations included a lack of promptness by Kim Diorio, assistant principal at the time who was later promoted to principal, in reporting allegations about Winston.

The District also mishandled the information given to them regarding former Paly science teacher Ronnie Farrell who inappropriately touched a student of his.

Despite numerous requests for an interview, the OCR representatives said that they were “not doing press interviews during this site visit.”

According to the provided PAUSD Paly visit summary, “neither OCR nor PAUSD will be issuing an official report about the specifics of the visit.” The summary then concluded with the following closing statement: “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the OCR to ensure that we provide all students with an environment in which they are empowered to report Title IX incidents without fear or judgment.”

School board

Continued from A1 outspoken about the problems in the district, said in an email that she is thinking about running for the school board and has had a number of parents urge her to run. Jordan believes there are systematic problems in the school district and wants to change that.

“As you may know, there are systemic problems in the School District, with continued civil rights violations as well as fiscal mismanagement,” Jordan said.

“To me, accountability has to start at the top. I care deeply about our students and how the District is run, these are our children and these are our tax dollars. I think our community deserves better.

That’s why I’ve devoted so much of my time to try to change things,

SHANNON ZHAO/THE CAMPANILE

Members of school board hold meeting for the community on Sept. 26. and bring badly needed reform.”

Like Dharap, Jordan feels compelled to run due to a personal connection to the District.

“One of my daughters gradu-

ated last year from Paly and the other is still in the District,” Jordan said. “I want all of our children to receive the best education and the best experience possible.”

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

NEWS

A4

School seeking shooting safety solutions Suspect found in The recent lockdown led to many concerns regarding security of current protocol sexual assault case Miranda Li Staff Writer

A

KHADIJA ABID/THE CAMPANILE

Several police officers gather aftermath the lockdown at Palo Alto High School on March 29. Other schools in the area received similar threats.

By Vivian Feng & Lucy Nemerov Lifestyle Editor & Staff Writer

D

espite being a hoax, the threat to Palo Alto High School that resulted in a lockdown on March 29 has brought the vulnerability of the district's safety preparations to light.

Although the District has many different safety procedures and preparations in place for a code red emergency, from annually updating the safety plan to hosting an emergency preparedness committee, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

To address these concerns and better prepare for future lockdowns, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has asked the insurance firm that conducts its yearly liability assessments to perform a vulnerability assessment of the layouts of district buildings.

This lockdown was the first in 10 years that was not a drill.

In wake of the recent school shootings across the country, the lockdown was seen by many as a wake-up call to the real threat gun violence poses to the Paly community.

“I always saw school shootings as something sort of distant, but I remember being genuinely scared for my life,” junior Maddie Yen said.

During the lockdown, teachers began to realize that certain parts of the school’s infrastructure may be of concern. In the 800s building, teachers expressed concern about one specific feature of the building: the motion-activated lights. The lights in the internal halls of the 800s building do not have a manual control and could reveal the location of students and staff in the event of a threat on campus. This is a serious concern because these halls are the only other exit besides the opening from the outside.

Another safety hazard at Paly are the glass buildings. Math, history and journalism classes are housed in buildings made mostly of windows (the 800s build-

ing and the Media Arts Center).

These huge windows at the entrance of both buildings would allow a possible intruder to easily see into the building. In the case of an active shooter, the walls would offer little to no protection from bullets.

"I remember being genuinely scared for my life."

Maddie Yen

Additionally, the frequent occurrence of fire drills at Paly may pose potential danger to students.

As soon as the fire alarm sounds, students walk out of their classrooms towards the football field.

These unorganized crowds would be an easy target for an active shooter. Guidance Counselor James Hamilton explained the concerns of staff members.

“Fire drills are often a tactic of school shooters,” Hamilton said.

“Another staff member raised the point that our policies now may not be necessary or the safest.

Nothing has really been proposed

but we are looking into it.”

In addition, although every school must conduct a lockdown drill once a year, Paly’s lockdown drill takes place on an alternative schedule day when a large portion of students call in sick and therefore do not receive the instruction necessary to know how to respond in a lockdown.

“I definitely see students taking days off on [lockdown] drills,” Sophomore Fiza Usman said, “It’s bad because a lot of people freeze when they’re in a situation like that. We need more [lockdown] drills, and we need to have them at times where people will go.”

Although the PAUSD district has many different safety procedures and preparations in place for a lockdown from annually updating the safety plan to hosting an emergency preparedness committee, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

“We need to change policies and safety issues,” Usman said.

“Especially since after the lockdown, it’s clear that a dangerous situation on campus is a harsh but very possible reality.”

suspect connected to the sexual assault of a highschool-aged jogger in Palo Alto is awaiting trial after being arrested by Palo Alto police on April 8, eight days after the initial police report was filed.

The initial crime involved a suspect, armed with a handgun, pulling the victim off of a popular jogging and walking path before sexually assaulting her.

“The Title IX office has an obligation to launch an investigation into this matter, and we intend to review all of the facts that we can gather,” said Title IX coordinator Megan Farrell.

In the investigation following the assault, detectives determined the identity of the primary suspect as Eduardo Antonio Chavarria-Diaz, a 29-year-old male and resident of Richmond, Calif.

There was additionally newfound evidence linking Chavarria-Diaz to a similar assault in Oakland, Calif. on March 4, under the jurisdiction of the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department, where a woman was robbed, beaten and sexually assaulted by the suspect. According to East Bay Regional Park District Police Lt. Gretchen Rose, Chavarria-Diaz’s DNA was found at both crime scenes.

Detectives from the Palo Alto Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Chavarria-Diaz on April 7, and with the assistance of investigators from the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department, arrested the suspect at 11 a.m. on April 8.

Chavarria-Diaz is currently in the Santa Clara County Main Jail and faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and sexual penetration by force, with possible additional charges in the future. All of the charges are felonies, and stem from the alleged assault of the high-school jogger on the pedestrian path parallel to

Arastradero Road on March 28.

According to the police department’s news release, the victim was jogging on the path when the suspect “emerged from the greenbelt and pulled the victim off of the path, placed a gun to her head and sexually assaulted her.”

Subsequently, the suspect fled on foot while the victim stopped a passerby to call for help. The Palo Alto police's 24-hour dispatch received the call at 1:47 p.m. and arrived immediately at the scene.

The victim was quickly transported to the local hospital, and is in a stable physical condition.

The news release said officers and detectives “conducted an extensive search of the area,” with the assistance of deputies from the Stanford Department of Public Safety, officers a canine from the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety and officers and a helicopter from the California Highway Patrol.

After the later arrest of the suspect, detectives are continuing their investigation to determine if Chavarria-Diaz was involved in any other crimes.

In an interview with the Palo Alto Weekly on April 9, Capt.

Zach Perron of the Palo Alto Police Department said, “While I think I sense a collective sigh of relief from the community and that's good, at the same time we want to caution people that they shouldn't let their guard down just because we have this person in custody.”

There are many who agree with this sentiment and urge Palo Alto residents to avoid 'being alone and increase their situational awareness.

“The scary thing is that it happened in broad daylight,” said Assistant Principal Janice Chen.

“Typically we think that we live in a very safe place and it’s scary to think that something this horrific happened. I think one lesson to be learned is just to make sure you’re never alone . . . and always be aware of your surroundings.”

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

OPINION A5 PAUSD ought to normalize AP course selection

By Ethan Nissim

T

Staff Writer

he commonly-accepted stereotype that Palo Alto students are incredibly stressed is usually accompanied by a mention of the strenuous course loads students in the Bay Area take on. The Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has created numerous systems to prevent students from signing up for workloads that may overwhelm them. Among these are the time management sheets distributed by advisers during course selections, and a policy stating that advisers must consult with students before approving schedules with more than two Advanced Placement (AP) classes on them.

While the sentiment is noble, neither of these achieve their purpose in any practical sense.

The time management sheets are, in theory, meant to give students a sense of what their commitments are for the next year. In an ideal world, a student would fill

one of these out, realize that they have signed up for than they can handle in the coming school year, then make changes accordingly.

However, not only is this required practice merely monotonous work that students often resent being forced to do, the time estimates that are used to fill out these sheets are not always accurate This system does nothing to help students organize or plan out their time, and has not realistically made a dent in the issue of student stress.

The second way to prevent incredibly difficult schedules from being approved is the two-AP rule, stating that teachers must consult with all students requesting three or more APs before allowing the request to go through. Though it sounds like a fine idea, this policy is enforced inconsistently at best.

Depending on which adviser a student has, the policy may not be enforced at all, or alternatively may be enforced so strictly that the student’s schedule will not get approved at all.

“I wanted to take three APs next year,” said a junior who asked to remain anonymous. “I’m taking two APs this year. Then my adviser told me that because I didn’t have As in both of those APs I would have to drop one of them.

He wouldn’t approve my schedule otherwise. I ended up having to drop one of them.”

The fact that a system made to cap the amount of APs a student can take routinely fails to prevent absurdly difficult schedules from getting through while also inhibiting academic difficulty speaks to its absolute inefficacy.

It should also not go unnoticed that, while these ineffective systems remain in place, the number of APs a student can take is increasing. While there was previously no AP option for junior year English, AP Language’s introduction will likely increase the average number of APs on a junior’s schedule next year.

While most can agree that reducing student stress should be a high priority of both the admin-

istration and PAUSD, these ineffective half-measures are not the correct way to go about it. One of the largest, most consistent problems faced by the District cannot be dealt with by clinging to systems that have been proven ineffective time and time again.

The main issue for course registration is that all advisers have different levels of leniency. The district should select a policy that treats all students equally.

The school cannot have it both ways: either the AP limit policy needs to be a hard requirement for students, or it should be eliminated altogether. Though neither of these solutions are ideal, they are both far better than continuing to allow a student’s schedule to be determined entirely by which adviser they got at the beginning of sophomore year. What matters the most is that whatever policy the District settles on.

Teachers need housing situated closer to school

By Raj Lele

Senior Staff Writer

A

lmost every student at Palo Alto High School has had this happen to them: their teachers announce to the class they must turn in their work before 3:30 so the teacher can beat traffic on their drive home.

While many students live in Palo Alto, teachers tend to not be able to afford housing in Palo Alto and are forced to resort to living many miles away.

While many students’ families live in Palo Alto, teachers, on the other hand, tend to not be able to afford housing in Palo Alto and are forced to resort to living many miles away. According to Mathew Reed, a policy manager for Silicon Valley at Home, the median teacher’s salary in Palo Alto Unified School District is $67,760, while the median price for a house in Palo Alto is $3,211,000.

As a result, in January 2018, Supervisor Joe Simitian proposed a housing community for teachers to live in so that they don’t have

to commute as far to get to their place of work. The housing community would be built adjacent to the Palo Alto courthouse, which is a short ride from Paly.

Simitian’s proposal would set aside $6 million from a pact with Stanford University in 2000 so that housing units could be funded in addition to supplemental financial support coming from to be determined sources.

According to math teacher Zachary Barnes, who lives in Palo Alto said he believes the potential housing complex for teachers would mitigate many problems teachers deal with on a daily basis.

“I think it’s a great idea. It’s hard to work in a community and not worry about a lot of the economics here,” Barnes said. “I mean, how can people work in a community if they can’t afford it? The cost of living is so high around here. I’m paying a lot now for my house — more than I’ve ever paid before. I find it difficult because it’s not that great of a house. I guess it’s just the location that you’re paying for.”

If a housing community were to be built, Barnes said the two main amenities the complex should offer are that it is not out of the teachers’ price range and

that it is close enough to the high school that a commute wouldn’t be too much of a burden.

“One reason [my wife and I] moved here was because commuting really diminishes your quality of life,” Barnes said. “In fact, that’s why I moved here to Palo Alto because my wife was previously traveling an hour and a half each way. So, yeah, a housing community definitely should be close by the high school. I guess it would have to be cost-controlled. I don’t think it has to be anything fancy.”

In contrast to Barnes’ enthusiasm for a potential housing complex, some teachers like english teacher Craig Bark are in opposition of it because they feel like there wouldn’t be much separation between a teacher’s public life and their personal life if the proposal passes.

“I would not want to live with a bunch of teachers,” Bark said. “That could create issues for people. Bringing work home and work never ending. Also, people might establish relationships.

Conflicts could also come from work into the home — that could happen. . I might be standing at the barbecue with other teachers looking over at what I’m doing, and I need separation.”

According to Bark, teachers should also know the environment they’re subscribing to because it is one that is notorious for not providing housing for lower income employees.

“I did not drive to work in the other towns I lived in,” Bark said. “It was nice down there — you could afford a house! The economic realities up here are that teachers people cannot afford housing up here. I can’t buy a house anywhere near this job.

The economic reality is teachers do not make enough money in this artificially inflated market to purchase a house. The banks won’t finance a house for me. I have resigned myself to the idea that I’ll never buy a house up here. ” While Barnes sees a few drawbacks in living with other teachers, ultimately, he visualizes a more productive use of time and other resources if a housing community were to be constructed.

“At some point, you want to start hanging out with your family and then yourself,” Barnes said “If there is a housing community, I think we’ll probably be able to talk about more things than our drives to work and how tired we are and maybe we can start talking about math and education.”

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

A6

OPINION

Creativity trumps intelligence, should be more supported

By Noah Baum

News & Opinion Editor

W

hen Richard Feynman was in high school, he abandoned traditional trigonometry notation for his own. He believed his symbols, which resembled a radical symbol that enclosed the variable, made more sense than the traditional “sin,” “cos” and “tan,” which represent functions, yet are denoted as though they are values that are multiplied into the equation and thus could be divided off. Feynman became one of the most influential physicists in the 20th century, his work spanning to that on the Manhattan Project and quantum theory.

When Feynman’s IQ was tested in high school, however, his sister peeked at their scores and noted Feynman had a “normal IQ” a decent way before “genius.” In fact, his sister had beaten his score by one point. Something else in Feynman’s mind was at play: he was creative.

“Creativity” is a trait teachers and parents encourage when we are children; however, as we move on to higher education, the attribute is seldom ever mentioned, let alone actively encouraged.

However, the importance of creativity reemerges when we reach the real world: it now presents itself as humanity’s change agent and the driving force behind most of the minds we admire.

Albert Einstein’s contributions to physics were nothing short of creative.

Unfortunately, at that point in life we have spent 20-something years learning that intelligence is king, losing sight of thinking differently. Intelligence is very important, but not as important as we may think. For context, Lewis Terman, a psychologist, conducted a study

of around 1,500 children with an average IQ of 151, well into the “genius” IQ range of 140 and above. The study followed the students and unsurprisingly found that most of the individuals became very successful in their fields. However, they were not changing their fields as someone may expect from a proclaimed “genius”; they had simply excelled in their work. Even still, they were producing significantly less published contributions than Nobel laureates of the same age. Such a result is only explained if we count creativity as a major player in the contributions of people.

Albert Einstein’s contributions to physics were nothing short of creative. Instead of viewing the laws of physics as dependent on the observer’s speed, Einstein suggested that relative to any constant speed, the laws of physics, including the speed of light, were exactly the same.

Nobody had made such a groundbreaking proposition to physics since Isaac Newton, 200 years before Einstein’s contribution of the theory of relativity.

Instead, most of the physicists in those 200 years operated under the idea that Newton’s Laws were a universal truth; Einstein, conversely, contradicted a very fundamental idea in the theory of the physical universe, and countless experiments thereafter would show that his concept of space and time is the most accurate model to date.

When Einstein suggested that the science field had misunderstood the very fabric of physics, he was a patent clerk.

All of his ideas were just explanations of other scientists’ work: he just could view the application of their results differently.

From an early age, he had used his imagination to envision the physics of the universe — his model of relativity even sprouted from him imagining himself traveling on a beam of light and wondering if another beam of light would appear

stationary from his frame of reference.

His proficiency in math and physics helped him greatly with being literate in the studies which preceded him; however, creativity gave him the ability to introduce a new concept altogether.

Taking a close look at the “geniuses” of our time, most of them are creative geniuses, either entirely or in addition to being traditionally intelligent.

“Creativity” is a trait teachers and parents encourage when we are children; however, as we move on to higher education, the attribute is seldom ever mentioned, let alone actively encouraged.

Much of the creative process relies on possessing the confidence — or the arrogance — to express dissatisfaction with the current state of things, as Feynman had with math from a young age, and, most importantly, being able to suggest a new idea which challenges the wellestablished principles of the field, as Einstein had when he penned his essays in a patent office. Or as Vincent van Gogh had when he left behind his dark paints for vivid ones, choosing to join a highlycriticized art movement of which we now consider him to be the most prominent artist. Or as Steve Jobs had when he insisted on seemingly-random requests, like insisting the first iPhone be made with Gorilla Glass, a hardened scratchproof type of glass which had been used on windshields in the 1960s, or requiring music to only be three clicks away on the iPod. Looking back, we now understand why these great minds diverged from the norm because by now, the world has changed to their minds, not the other way around.

Breathalyzing at school events violates students’ privacy

By Anna Meyer

A

Staff Writer

t each Paly dance, students wait in extensive lines to be breathalyzed and searched to ensure that no contraband is brought in before entering.

Despite Paly’s emphasis in regard to students’ rights, the right to privacy is evidently not considered when requiring students to be cleared with a breathalyzer test and bag search before entering school events. Not only is this procedure a clear invasion of privacy, it is also ineffective and extremely time consuming.

While the desire to prevent students from attending dances while intoxicated is understandable, the methods Paly implements are ineffective, as they do not prevent students from alcohol or drug use during these events. Students are often able to find ways to circumvent these protocols by sneaking contraband past bag searchers.

Not only is this procedure a clear invasion of privacy, it is also ineffective and extremely time consuming.

The policy of breathalyzing also results in students resorting to other potentially more harmful illegal substances instead of alcohol in order to avoid detection and disciplinary measures.

Another way that many students avoid these invasive policies is by simply not attending school dances and other school-

sponsored events. Dances are an important way for Paly to raise money, with Associated Student Body (ASB) raising over $5,000 of funds from 2018 Homecoming ticket sales alone, according to ASB expenses documents. These funds are essential in order to continue hosting student events such as school dances, and the Paly student budget would suffer if students were to stop attending schoolsponsored paid events.

This process has also been proven to be very time consuming when applied to every single student that enters the dance, leaving students waiting in lines for longer than necessary. This encumbrance poses yet another reasons for students to avoid school events. Without this process, the length of the lines to enter would be drastically shortened.

Furthermore, routine searching and breathalyzing is an overt invasion of privacy. Similar to the widespread discomfort when Americans discovered that the National Security Agency was conducting warrantless surveillance on citizens’ phone calls in an effort to counter potential terrorism, many students feel uncomfortable with the unnecessary inspections. Unreasonable searches and seizures, which citizens are protected against by the Fourth Amendment, should be excluded from Paly’s routine security measures. Although it is technically legal for schools to conduct these searches at optional extracurricular events, Paly should strive to give students as much freedom and fair treatment as possible. Thus it is unfair for all students to have the con-

tents of their bags looked over, when only a few students are actually carrying illicit substances.

While some may argue that this policy helps to deter students from partaking in drinking and using recreational drugs at school dances, it is a highly ineffective method.

Unreasonable searches and seizures, which citizens are protected against by the Fourth Amendment, should be excluded from Paly’s routine security measures.

Although breathalyzing and searching bags do make it harder to bring illegal substances into dances, students are still able to bring in alcohol by hiding it in concealed compartments of bags and pockets, which poses a greater liability concern for the school than if students consumed alcohol before attending. In addition, students are likely to use other drugs to avoid failing a breathalyzer test.

Paly should replace the current screening with a policy where students are searched and breathalyzed only if there is reason to believe that a student is under the influence. This would not only improve trust between administration and students, but also because students would understand the consequences that are induced if they were to use in drugs or alcohol during the event, they would be more likely to comply with the expectation of sobriety.

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2017

A7

OPINION

Compromise is necessary in order to stop gun violence

By Johnny Loftus

I

Senior Staff Writer

n the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 students and staff dead and a lockdown last month at Paly, the topic of gun control has swept up a broader population than ever before, including students. This should give us all hope.

People have blocked themselves off on two opposing sides, hurling insults.

But emotions have taken over all sides, resulting in the blinding of reason.

It is understandable that after footage of bloodied children being rushed to the hospital, people feel overwhelmed. The result,

though, is that the gun control debate exists in an environment where people have blocked themselves off on two opposing sides, hurling insults at each other. This especially frustrates students because for many of us, this is our first time becoming engaged politically and we’re not used to how much time it can take to make change.

Binary options are not the answer to the complicated gun control debate. To ban all guns clearly contradicts the Second Amendment, yet if we continue on our current path, more deaths will surely follow. This country was built on, and will remain strong with, compromise.

The answer seems clear: Bring both parties to the table and create an environment where ALL opinions are respected. If we are to reach an universally-accepted

solution, it must be built upon a groundwork of trust and respect.

Currently, there is no forum that facilitates such a constructive debate. The reporting and commentary presented by major media outlets such as CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC take stern and direct positions that do not voice the other side’s point of view. The gun debate in America is entangled with partisan politics and stereotyping on both sides makes it impossible to unravel.

The best place to start when seeking a compromise is with something both sides can agree on. In this case, that is bump stocks. Bump stocks are an accessory that makes a semi-automatic rifle shoot as fast as an automatic rifle, and people on both sides, from President Donald Trump to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Dem, Ca.), support an immediate ban

on the sale of bump stocks.

Another move that has drawn support from both sides is the “Fix Nics” legislation, which seeks to close loopholes in the national instant background check system.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) supports it, critics say it doesn’t go far enough, but at least it could be a starting point people could agree on.

has started introducing a more diverse range of books. Some books taught in the Social Justice Pathway like “Cry the Beloved Country” and Advanced Placement (AP) Literature like “Native Speaker,” “A Lesson Before Dying,” “The Awakening” and “A Thousand Acres” include more diverse issues and backgrounds.

Other English classes read books like “Woman Warrior” and “Night” that have been written by minority authors.

“We read a few Asian-American short stories at the beginning of the semester in American Literature 11H, which I think is a crucial thing to do because the immigrant experience is such a cornerstone of the American experience as a whole,” said junior Soumya Jhaveri. “These stories featured women and were written by women, which was incredible.”

While Paly has done a great job of starting to incorporate more modern and racially diverse books, this movement needs to be increased to make students in minority groups feel better represented.

“I have noticed that when students read books that reflect themselves, there is an excitement within that unit for these students,” Tolentino said.

Even for non-minority students, reading books about different types of people creates more sympathy. Reading about others’ experiences puts them in someone else’s shoes; it reveals a different point of view and teaches others about the struggles that impact specific minority groups.

Another reason why the curriculum should be changed is that most books read in English classes are outdated and reflect old values. Take “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee. Yes, it was quite a progressive book for 1960, but some of its ideas have become obsolete.

Some argue that the way Lee portrays African-American characters like the maid Calpurnia and the mentally-ill Boo Radley puts African-Americans and the mentally-ill in a negative light, despite the fact that the book tries to combat those very stereotypes. “[S]ome of our diverse books don’t necessarily reflect the diverse

experiences of the people of color,” Tolentino said. “Many times books we read about African Americans tend to be under the shadow of slavery and victimization and don’t necessarily showcase their success and triumphs in a celebratory manner.”

Another such example is “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck. While it portrays the classic American Dream, it was published in 1937, so its portrayals of certain characters are obsolete.

Lenny, for instance, is a mentally disabled character. Throughout the course of the book, it is evident that he is violent (sometimes unknowingly) and does not care about or understand the consequences facing him.

Women in “Of Mice and Men” (or more accurately, the single woman) are sexualized and objectified. Curley’s wife, who is not given a name beyond “Curley’s wife,” is the only woman on the ranch and is shunned by the other men, often called misogynistic names like “tramp” and “rat trap.” Even in tragedy, she is only considered a nuisance.

Admittedly, teachers often remind students that such books have outdated ideas about different groups of people. These books also contain certain messages that have transcended time, such as the theme from “To Kill a Mockingbird” that one must “walk around in someone’s skin” to fully understand them.

While it is a good message, it doesn’t actually apply to the book.

African-American characters such as the maid Calpurnia have little to no character development or exploration, and simply serve as two-dimensional side characters.

However, some argue that many of these books are American classics and should continue to be read by students.

“In my mind, it isn’t a matter of whether or not ‘Lord of the Flies,’ ‘Of Mice and Men’ or really any specific book should be rotated out of the curriculum,” said Paly English teacher Erin Angell. “It’s about thoughtfully considering the purpose a text serves in the curriculum, the voice it represents– and whether or not that purpose is already sufficiently being met and that voice is already

sufficiently heard.”

We have to acknowledge that many books are a part of the English curriculum because they are considered classics, and students will most likely not read them outside of class. Many of the ideas presented in these books are antiquated, but perhaps teachers could more clearly address the fact that certain concepts are not the same in modern day.

America is entangled with partisan politics and stereotyping on both sides makes it impossible to unravel.

In the past, gun control legislation included a ban on assault weapons, including the kinds of guns used in recent mass shootings. It started in 1994 and lasted Continued on thecampanile.org

Required reading books should be modernized and diversified

By Alyssa Leong Staff Writer

“O

f Mice and Men.” “Lord of the Flies.”

“The Great Gatsby.”

What do all these books have in common with each other? They are all required reading in the typical high school English curriculum. They are also all written by white, male authors, involve almost exclusively white characters and were published over 50 years ago. So, in an age where diversity in literature is more prevalent than ever, why do students continue to read these books in school, year after year?

Literature is seen as a reflection of our lives and often includes universal themes, which allow people of all walks of life to relate to it. While some subjects may be applicable to all people, books written by and mainly starring white male characters do not reflect a racially and culturally diverse society.

“The English department tends to teach books that are represented in the literary canon (books that are often referred to by other texts, have been foundational to literature or culture, and books that students have been expected to know prior to entering college),” said Paly English teacher Marc Tolentino. “This set of literature has been backed and approved by the school board and oftentimes students love these books. However, there is a need for representation in the books.”

Most books read in English classes are outdated and reflect old values.

Including more characters of different races, genders and sexualities would be more relatable to more minority students. It would show that different cultures are acceptable and worthy of representation in literature. It additionally empowers members of those communities, proving that they too can be the heroes of their own story. In an English class, analyzing books about minorities would make them feel seen.

The Paly English curriculum

Reading books about different types of people creates more empathy.

Even if some of the books are kept, more modern-day reads should be incorporated into English curriculums. And since diverse novels are being written more often, there is a viable list of options. “The Hate U Give”

by Angie Thomas, for instance, is based on the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It is written by an African-American author and follows an African-American protagonist. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (who is Hispanic) follows a Hispanic and gay protagonist, and has won several awards including the Stonewall Book Award, a Michael L. Printz Award nominee and the Pennsylvania Young Readers’ Choice Award Nominee for Young Adults. Other examples of diverse books include “Every Last Word” by Tamara Ireland Stone (which discusses mental health), “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah (which addresses apartheid) and “Symptoms of Being Human” by Jeff Garvin (which features a nonbinary character).

As a part of the PAUSD English curriculum, modern and diverse books are necessary to foster positive representation, empathy and an understanding of new perspectives.

“I think there’s a lot of value to reading books you can relate to because I think that it really helps you shape your perspectives of your own life,” Jhaveri said. “But there’s so much to learn from all literature and even reading books about people I can’t necessarily identify with still has lots of applications to my personal life.”

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

A8

EDITORIALS

More social science, English honors and AP courses needed

F

or the academically inclined, Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses are an essential part of a high school education. They provide the structure and rigor necessary to satiate the eternally burning fire that is academic passion.

However, the Paly curriculum is profoundly focused on providing advanced classes to students in hard science and mathematics courses.

For the typical Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) focused Silicon Valley Student this discrepancy in advanced course availability is likely not an issue. But for Paly students whose academic interests stand in contrast to the average, having reduced access to advanced coursework than their STEM oriented peers is a constant reminder that Paly is a loyal subscriber to the practice of social science devaluation.

[Much] more must be done before to address this inequality before Paly can honestly say they are meeting their mission statement.

Paly is aware, as shown by its mission statement, that its core educational duty is “[to] affirm the potential of every Palo Alto High School student…” but completely fails to realize this duty by neglecting to provide equal access to advanced coursework. No stu-

dent should have his or her right to the pursuit of their educational goals severely hampered by a fundamental lack of fairness. Why should the academic interests of a young scholar influence their ability to challenge themselves?

No student should have his or her right to the pursuit of the educational goals severely hampered by a fundamental lack of fairness.

Besides the inherent injustice of the existence of this disparity in course availability, there are also several other consequences which may befall social science lovers.

The first is a reduced weighted Grade Point Average (wGPA).

For students who don’t want to take honors mathematics or science courses, the number of opportunities for increasing your wGPA are severely reduced. Instead of being able to take honors math and science courses through sophomore and junior year, the first honors course available are found in junior year when most students have the opportunity to take English 11H. Before this the only non-STEM advanced courses available are language courses.

Why should students with passions for the social sciences be delayed in their quest to academic fulfillment?

Another significant conse-

quence of advanced course disparity is that students with talent and passion in the social sciences are forced to move at a pace significantly slower than they are capable of. Just as we don’t force talented mathematicians to take regular math courses for their first two years, we should not be forcing talented writers to move at the pace of their peers, many of whom are just looking to get a good grade and get out. This practice simply cements the fact that the social sciences are second class subjects at Paly. They aren’t as well supported, and aren’t considered as rigorous or worthwhile, as proven by the lack of support for advanced social science courses.

Why should the academic interests of a young scholar influence their ability to challenge themselves?

While Paly is currently adding honors designations to certain Advanced Journalism courses and adding an AP Language course available to both juniors and Seniors, they have yet to address the disparity amongst underclassmen honors courses. It does seem that they are moving towards the right direction, but much more must be done to address this inequality before Paly can honestly say they are meeting their mission statement.

Paly should administer ACT practice exams for students

T

Week — and the number is still rising.

wo acronyms feared by juniors nationwide, the SAT and ACT, are standardized tests required by many colleges in their admissions processes.

While generally similar in nature, they have subtle differences that often make one preferable to the other depending on the student. In addition to the standard English and math sections, the ACT also has a science section, which tests critical thinking instead of scientific knowledge, and has more questions in a shorter amount of time per section.

As the first-established standardized test, the SAT was once the more popular of the two.

However, over the years, the ACT has overtaken the SAT in popularity.

Over the years, the ACT has overtaken the SAT in popularity.

Like most other schools, Palo Alto High School offers the PSAT, an official College Boardcreated exam that students take in October of their junior year.

While the score does not get sent to colleges, it gives students the opportunity to experience a standard standardized testing environment, and gives them an estimate of the score they would get on the actual SAT exam.

In addition to this practice exam, teacher advisers also give each student a packet of SAT test-taking tips, sample questions and practice exams. Thus, every junior receives an adequate amount of materials to prepare for the SAT — but for those who prefer the style of ACT, or may not know which test suits them best, they are stuck searching for ACT materials on their own.

The Campanile thinks Palo Alto High School should offer practice exams and material for the ACT in addition to the SAT preparation materials.

For a test taken by the majority of seniors nationwide, accord-

While generally similar in nature, they have subtle differences that often make one preferable to the other.

Since 2012, it has been the preferred standardized test among students, with 2.09 million students taking it among 2016 high school graduates compared to the SAT’s 1.64 million, according to an article published in Education

ing to data provided by the ACT, this would benefit a large number of students at Paly.

Although practice exams are available online, stimulating the test-taking environment is an incredibly valuable experience.

Administering the test would admittedly take multiple hours, but this exam could be taken during an already-scheduled staff professional development day or Flex day for students so it would not take away from instructional minutes.

Although practice exams are available online, stimulating the test-taking environment is a valuable experience, especially considering completing each section within the allotted time adds to the challenge of these tests.

Thus, taking the practice exam at school with teacher proctors would be a far more accurate simulation of the test-taking experience than taking it alone at home.

Standardized testing is already a stressful experience — let’s give our juniors the opportunity to find out which standardized test allows them to best succeed.

Advisory classes should further emphasize the gap year program

A

s seniors prepare to walk down the aisle at graduation and pivot towards the post-high school world, often dismissed are the multitude of alternative post-graduate plans available to students, including the option of a gap year. Although unorthodox, gap years become increasingly popular, proving to be useful periods of time for furthering work experience and travel.

Despite this, the advisory pro-

As students receive instructions on the general application process and timeline, gap years are seemingly glazed over and disregarded. gram has failed to adequately expose students to the gap year option. With alternative post-graduate plans becoming progressively prevalent options for students, The Campanile thinks the advisory program should encourage a gap year as a more viable post-graduate plan.

Starting junior year, the advisory program begins guiding its students along various post-graduate options, mainly college-centric. As students receive instructions on the general application process and timeline, gap years are seemingly glazed over and disregarded. The Campanile suggests that moving forward, the advisory curriculum should present a list of organizations that provide gap year programs. This establishes taking a gap year as a legitimate and acceptable post-graduate program, and may provide more accessibility to students who wish to pursue them.

Gap years, while untraditional, have many benefits that may serve students well later in life. They provide valuable experience for students who have not yet settled on a career choice, want to gain work experience or just want to try something new. Many students spend their gap year traveling to different cities or even different countries, which can provide them with valuable experiences that are not easily replicated inside a classroom. The ability to be self-sufficient, resourceful and inquisitive will be useful in almost every potential career, and taking a gap year is a good way to become more mature and independent before beginning college.

[Gap years] provide valuable experience for students who have not yet settled on a career choice, want to gain work experience or just want to try something new.

Internships are another useful way many students spend their gap years. Gaining work experience before starting college is especially beneficial for those who have not settled on a major or career choice because it allows them to test out potential careers while the stakes are low. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, 33 percent of students switch their major at least once; gaining experience in one or more professional fields may help reduce this indecision.

Taking a gap year can also re-

duce a student’s stress during senior year, because they would not have to devote time to college applications.

This would significantly increase the amount of time students would have to spend on homework or with family and friends, therefore improving their overall senior year experience.

The ability to be selfsufficient, resourceful and inquisitive will be useful in almost every potential career, and taking a gap year is a good way to become more mature and independent before beginning college.

A gap year would also provide students with more time to prepare for standardized tests, research programs at different schools, write essays and visit colleges campuses. Alternatively, students who applied to colleges can defer for a year, or use the extra time to apply to schools that are a better fit.

Gap years should not be dismissed as undesirable or inferior post-graduate plans. Considering the many benefits that gap years can provide, it is the belief of The Campanile that Paly’s Advisory curriculum should incorporate information about gap year options and programs.

While we commend Paly’s efforts to include more information about community college, The Campanile hopes that Advisory will eventually address all types of postPaly plans.

APRIL'S TOP TEN LIST Top Ten Ways To Prepare for AP Tests 10) Make a study playlist to set the mood.

9) Make a healthy snack for yourself to stay focused for the hours of studying you plan to do.

8) Open up your AP textbook.

7) Browse social media so you will know what all of your friends are doing while you study.

6) Take a shower so that you feel refreshed and ready to study.

5)Have the practice test page opened on your computer for when you plan to start studying.

4) Pick out your outfit for tomorrow.

3) Go on a walk to clear your head and will be ready to study.

2) Watch two seasons of "The Office" because you deserve a break.

1) Go to bed early, because you can't be successful without a full night's rest.

-GRACIE KITAYAMA

The Campanile Editors-in-Chief Maya Homan • Niklas Risano • Ehecatl Rivera Allison Wu • Ashley Zhang Online Editor Edan Sneh

Managing Editors Nicholas Melvin • Paarth Sharma

News and Opinion Editors Noah Baum • Renee Hoh

Lifestyle Editors Vivian Feng • Kesi Soundararajan

Science & Tech Editor Peyton Wang

Sports Editors Eric Li • Kiran Misner

Multimedia Editor Philip Ericsson

Business Manager Philip Ericsson

Khadija Abid Annie Chen Marie Davis Eric He Kennedy Herron Leyton Ho Samantha Hwang Neil Kapoor Edward Kim

Staff Writers

Grace Kitayama Bernie Koen Raj Lele Alyssa Leong Miranda Li John Loftus Waverly Long Tess Manjarrez

Anna Meyer Sophia Moore Navid Najmabadi Lucy Nemerov Kaylie Nguyen Ethan Nissim Christopher Pierno Yusra Rafeeqi

Illustrators

Photographers Peter Gold Samantha Hwang

Alyssa Leong Jonathan Stoschek

Advisers Esther Wojcicki • Rodney Satterthwaite Letters to the Editors: Email all letters to editors to theeds18@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

William Robins Riley Short Leela Srinivasan Ujwal Srivastava Kiana Tavakoli John Tayeri Ben van Zyll Byron Zhang Shannon Zhao

Annie Chen Marie Davis

Miranda Li Renee Hoh

Writing Coaches Evelyn Richards • Elisabeth Rubinfien 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!

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

L FESTYLE

Women in Rock

Column: A beginner’s guide to Instagram

Two of Paly’s female vocalists provide insight into the disparity between men and women in the music industry and reveal how misconceptions about the art of singing take a toll on the artist

P

icture the conventional rock band. A seemingly confident male shredding the guitar, the classic gentleman on the bass, the angry man pounding his heart out on the drum set, maybe a mellow guy throwing in some keys, and a girl standing center stage, clutching the microphone tightly.

The illustrative descriptions given to the male members of the band may differ between musical groups, but the disproportionate ratio between men and women and the image of a female vocalist are not simply stereotypes. They are undeniable realities.

Women were almost entirely absent during the rock age, but the few women who managed to climb to fame found their footing exclusively as singers. Two of Paly’s female vocalists share their perspectives on the reasoning behind the disparity that began in the ‘60s and prevails in ways today, and how misconceptions associated with singing can affect a female vocalist’s self-worth.

Marina Buendia is the lead singer and the sole female member of an all-freshman band that has graced students with live performances twice this current school year. Having spent time working with rock music firsthand, she has come to recognize that women did not have a adequate role in the rock and roll scene, or proper acceptance.

According to Buendia, male musicians throughout the rock age may have encouraged women to participate on vocals to protect a sense of superior musical talent, leading women to find refuge as singers.

“Men f e e l threatened whenever a woman does something that’s supposed to be a male talent,” Buendia said. “They may not have accepted that women were just as capable of performing the rest of the instruments.”

She said people became accustomed to the male dominated rock industry, leading them to associate the genre of music with a hardcore, manly image, perhaps because of the noise and power that women stereotypically may be unable to handle.

“Society has made the drums, electric guitar, keys and bass into more male instruments,” Buendia said. “That leaves women as ‘just’ the singers

and nothing more.”

Senior Emily Tomz found her way into a band comprised of four upperclassmen this year, assuming the role of the lead singer.

However, her musical identity has been shaped by years on the piano along with recent interest in the acoustic guitar. She has found it difficult to embrace the role of singing wholeheartedly, making an analogy between a voice and one’s physical appearance, both qualities that people are born with.

“If someone tells you that you look pretty, you haven’t accomplished anything to earn that compliment,” Tomz said. “But if instead they tell you you’re really good at something, it’s because you’ve worked your way to that point, and that’s gratifying.”

Society’s subconscious bias towards singing can contribute to the artist feeling undeserving of credit for having a talented voice.

While Tomz applies this theory to vocal talent, she does not reserve the same opinion towards instrumental talent.

“I used to perform in piano recitals, and I remember that when someone would compliment my ability to play piano, it felt gratifying, because they understand that I’ve put in a lot of work to get to the level that I am at,” Tomz said.

However, her experience as a piano player, singer and guitarist have allowed her to form a reasonable explanation that accounts for the disparity in audience perceptions of musicians.

“Everyone — even those who know nothing about music — recognizes that no one is just born knowing how to play an instrument,” Tomz said. “They realize that you have start from nothing to learn it and put a lot of time in, and for this reason they unintentionally have more respect for those who play instruments than those who sing.”

It is almost ironic that singers consistently feel less accomplished than the surrounding musicians, as the art of singing is a risk that challenges the artist on a more personal level.

“When you perform with your voice, you become more vulnerable to making mistakes,” Buendia said. “If you’re playing the guitar and it’s out of tune, you can blame on the guitar itself, but if you sing out of tune, it’s all on you.”

Singing is not a defining piece of Tomz’s musical identity, however Buendia’s voice is a larger part of herself, leading her to experience frustration when dealing with misconceptions about her craft. It is easy to construct the idea that some individuals are simply naturally gifted with a beautiful voice, unintentionally

Everyone — even those who know nothing about music — recognizes that no one is just born knowing how to play an instrument.

Emily Tomz

disregarding the time, effort and commitment dedicated to developing a voice in order to achieve control and technique.

“Training your voice is the same exact thing as practicing another instrument,” Buendia said.

“I practice singing every day, just like a guitar player practices his guitar, and I believe that this effort should be acknowledged.”

Within subtle comments directed at herself and her bandmates, Buendia catches a glimpse how audiences evaluate her talent as against the abilities of her bandmates.

“People like to tell me, ‘Oh, you’re so good at singing,’” Buendia said. “But when they compliment our drummer, they elaborate more, trying understand how he got that good. The compliment is followed by questions like, ‘How many years have you been playing?’”

Rock and roll was dominated by male figures, and when contrasting the rock industry with today’s pop music scene, it appears that women have bridged the gap and have obtained equal representation. However, upon closer look, it becomes apparent that today’s famous female musicians are often publicized primarily for their physical features, shifting the focus away from the music itself.

“When women are performing, the producers want to give the male [audience] something to enjoy” Buendia said. “They’ll give the girls skimpy outfits in performances because they think the men won’t be able to focus on the music so much as the performer.”

She notes the difference in attire between male and female artists on social media sites, platforms that are a prevalent influence on younger generations.

“Someone like Shawn Mendes is always [photographed] with his guitar in casual jeans and really normal outfits, so no one’s attention is on his clothing,” Buendia said. “Everyone focuses on his songs, his voice and his lyrics. However, someone like Hailee Steinfeld’s performances have to be over the top; she has to be wearing really big outfits that people comment on, drawing the focus away from the music itself.”

There is an relatively equal distribution of male and female singers, however the number of women who choose to play instruments is low considering that there is nothing about an instrument that should be associated exclusively with male interest.

Everything, including this disparity, originates from the youngest generation, and children do not have enough representation of women on instruments to develop dreams about becoming one, Tomz said.

“Women aren’t known for playing instruments, and that’s what children will see,” Tomz said. “So a lot of little girls growing up are going to say to their parents, ‘I want to be a singer when I grow up.’”

An alternate case is one where the female vocalist plays an instrument in addition to singing, but the latter detail is overlooked.

“I love the band ‘Of Monsters and Men,’ and while the lead singer is a woman, she also plays some instruments,” Tomz said.

“Most people don’t know that.

Another example is that Taylor Swift sings, but she also plays the piano and the guitar, and somehow that’s not advertised as part of her musical talent.”

Achieving equal representation is certainly a first step, but the next will be reaching an industry where women dominate on both the microphone and the surrounding instruments. Tomz draws parallels between milestones that women have made in other industries in terms of leading change, something that she hopes will happen for the music industry.

“In order for women to step into the rock industry, and any industry at that, they must have more of a voice, be more assertive and be unafraid to speak their minds and say what they want,” Tomz said. “ Throughout history women have grown to do so, so the music industry should be the next step.”

She has her own perspective on the matter through experience as the sole female member in her band, and fully understands that this is no simple task.

“Sometimes in my band, I wouldn’t mind playing the backup guitar, but it’s difficult to voice that,” Tomz said. “I find myself shying away from playing; I know that it is hard to take the first step.”

In addition to women taking steps to initiate change, their efforts have to be received and respectfully encouraged by men in the industry.

“It has to do with the men also acknowledging that women can play guitar, that they have the talent to play instruments, and that they can be more than ‘just the singers,’” Tomz said. “When we wrote a song together as a band, that was truly the most fun I’ve had because we were all working together and it put us on the same level, all working off of each others’ ideas as equals.”

Training your voice is the exact same thing as practicing another instrument.

Marina Buendia

Text art and design by Leela Srinivasan TECHNOLOGY

Online courses transform education

With the development of the digital revolution, learning methods have expanded to beyond the traditional classroom; online courses offer countless options for pursuing academic goals.

JAVI PEREZ/CC0

PAGE B8

Music

Lifestyle

JAVI PEREZ/CC0

Evolution of Facebook use

Students discussion ensues in light of the recent information breach.

PAGE B2

By Paarth Sharma Managing Editor

O

ver the past few years, Instagram has overtaken Twitter in number of users and has become the go-to social network for most young people. However, the app is full of unwritten rules that lurk around every corner, and a violation of protocol is sure to lead to mass judgement from one’s peers.

I’ll begin by covering the three buttons located under a post, and later aid you in creating your own post.

Like button: Unlike the Facebook like button, which is sparingly used, the Instagram like button will be brainlessly pressed on the vast majority of posts in your feed. As a result, the like button has become nearly worthless, with people only stopping to not like posts that are either offensive or mind-numbingly stupid.

Comments: Because of the lack of multiple reactions on Instagram, comments have become the go-to way to react to a post.

The comment button is generally used by girls to dish out compliments under their friend’s posts, and used by guys to attempt to be funny through sarcastic flirting (the splashing water emoji hasn’t been funny for years now, guys, please stop).

Direct Message (DM): Aside from being every creep’s favorite feature, DMs also serve as everyone’s sixth-favorite way to message someone, after text, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Gmail chat and carrier pigeon.

This feature’s single nonheinous use comes from the fact that users can easily send posts to one another via DM, which allows friends to either mock dumber users together or laugh at the slew of relatable content memes that Instagram provides.

Now that you’re familiarized with the landscape of the app, it’s time to move onto making your own posts. But first, you have to decide which type of Instagram user you are. All (successful) Instagram users have a certain vibe or aesthetic that they at least somewhat adhere to.

Are you an account that gains support from clever and funny captions? An account that goes for a vintage aesthetic? An account that posts links to your Hudl or Soundcloud (or both; it’s a similar demographic)? Choose now, and stick with it. There’s nothing worse than a user whose look varies wildly from post to post.

The most important aspect of any post is the caption. People spend days, weeks, even years thinking of captions that accentuate the photo and increase the chance for likes and comments.

Once again, captions are in large part controlled by your aesthetic. Common themes include puns or mildly interesting questions or facts that prompt responses in the comment section below.

For those of you going for a more artsy aesthetic, you may look into not capitalizing any of the words in your caption, as this adds a level of casual rebellion to your post. After all, nothing says cool like the inability to capitalize correctly.

Once you’re done with this step, you’re ready to post. Pick a time that people will be online (not 2 a.m.), hit that “share post” button, and simply kick back and watch the likes and comments roll in.

Art

KAI ODA/THE CAMPANILE PALY ASB/USED WITH PERMISSION

Willy & the Four Boys

A feature on the teacher band that has been steadily gaining popularity.

PAGE B2

UBBERASHUNG/CC 2.0

Unconventional art

Goldsworthyís stone wall is one of many examples of a unique art form.

PAGE B6

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

LIFESTYLE

B2

Guide to summer concerts and festivals in the Bay Area An inside scoop on local events from 105.3’s BFD to San Francisco’s Outside Lands which draw nationwide attendence

By Eric He

F

Senior Staff Writer

rom big festivals like BFD to small college concerts, summer break is the perfect time to attend live music. Bigger festivals like BFD and Outside Lands usually draw larger crowds and a variety of artists, while smaller concerts involve a much more intimate relationship with the artist. However, regardless of your music or venue preferences, attendees always have a blast.

BFD Hosted by ALT 105.3, the festival offers mainly indie music.

Headlined by Blink-182 this year, BFD, usually held at Shoreline, was moved to Concord, Calif. this year. Longtime fans were disappointed and upset by this move.

“It’s more fun in the rave tent because I was up close with the artists.”

Alyssa Ibuyan “I’m very upset that it’s not at Shoreline this year,” said senior Maya Reuven. “It’s at Concord, and I don’t understand why it’s at Concord. It’s a bummer because it’s always kicked off summer for the past couple years.”

Previous years have had multiple stages, including the highlyrated subsonic tent, more publicly known as the rave tent.

“I think it’s more fun in the rave tent because I was up close with the artists,” said Paly senior Alyssa Ibuyan. “I managed to push my way to the very front.”

This year’s lineup includes artist such as Bishop Briggs, Judah & the Lion and AWOLNATION.

VIVIAN FENG/ FAIR USE

Outside Lands is one of the summer festivals that happen in the Bay Area. The festival’s iconic windmills mark the entrance of the event.

With qualities like cheap tickets, a wide spread of music and a great, welcoming environment, first time festival-goers should definitely consider BFD. Additionally, Paly senior Angelina Wang noticed that artists who play at BFD usually blow up and end up playing at Coachella later on. “I like BFD because it’s really close and also I’ve noticed a lot of the times that the artists that play at BFD will get really big and play at Coachella, and it’s essentially a cheaper way to see Coachella,” Wang said.

With the festival being so local, BFD usually attracts a lot of people from the Bay Area. “It’s one of the more local music festivals so it’s more popular with people[in] the area,” said Paly senior Andrew Huang. “It’s pretty good value for a music festival; I got in for 30 bucks. The line up can be pretty hit or miss.”

With the new location, the venue is much smaller, and this year’s iteration only offers one stage. Many past attendees are

reconsidering going to this year’s BFD with the smaller, downgraded venue. “I was just really looking forward to it because it’s one of the cheap music festivals, definitely well under 50 and if you buy in a group you get even less,” Reuven said. “I always have fun!” With past year’s more akin to a festival, this year’s iteration seems more like a concert, with the smaller lineup and venue.

“The fact that there’s music and really awesome food is my dream.”

Hollie Chiao

Outside Lands With big name artists like The Weeknd, Florence + The Machine, Future and Odesza, Outside Lands is sure to draw a big crowd this year.

Located at at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, the central

Teacher band forms at Paly

Willy & The Four Boys planning to perform live on May 5

locale allows people from all over the Bay Area to attend.

Public transportation such as CalTrain, Muni and Bart allows attendees to travel with ease to the festival, although one should be careful in checking when the latest CalTrain runs.

The popular lineups also attract attendees from out of state.

Paly senior Holly Chiao has attended Outside Lands for the past two years, and plans on attending this year’s as well.

“I went to Outside Lands last year,” Chiao said. “It was my second time and I definitely recommend it.” With the cold San Francisco weather, attire is key.

In terms of festival quality, Chiao has Outside Lands relatively high on her list. “I love the atmosphere at Outside Lands the most out of all music festivals because there’s a big emphasis on San Francisco restaurants, as a lot of famous ones have booths there.” Chiao said. “The fact that there’s music and really awesome food is my dream.”

Facebook faces privacy breach

Students and teachers share their views on privacy violations

By Neil Kapoor

I

RYAN GWYN/USED WITH PERMISION

Willy & The Four Boys, pictured above, was one of the acts performed recently at Paly’s talent show.

By Kennedy Herron Staff Writer

L

ast seen at Paly’s Got Talent, an up-and-coming teacher band has hit the ground running and plans to continue their recent success.

Willy & The Four Boys consists of five of Paly’s most popular teachers including History teacher and guitarist Grant Blackburn, English teacher and guitarist Richard Rodriguez, History teacher and lead vocalist Steve Sabbag, journalism teacher and bassist Rod Satterthwaite and journalism teacher and drummer Brian Wilson.

“We often tell students ‘if you have a passion, you should pursue it; whether you’re good at it or not’” Rod Satterthwaite

While many students have been in one or more of these teachers’ classes, they may be unaware that every member of the band is actually married to another teacher, according to Sabbag.

The band name stems from a Creedence Clearwater Revival album, Willy and the Poor Boys.

Due to the number of members in the band, their love for Creedence Clearwater Revival and Sabbag’s middle name, they finally settled on Willy & The Four Boys.

The members of the band consider their music style ‘70s and ‘90s classic rock, playing covers from bands like Nirvana, The Goo Goo Dolls, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Live and Jimi Hendrix.

While Willy & The Four Boys is

strictly a cover band, yet original songs may be a possibility in the near future, according to Sabbag. After forming only a couple months prior to the Paly talent show, the band performed an impressive set for their first gig, and has since been gaining popularity among students.

“We have to learn is how to handle when someone has made a mistake, and how to roll with it and come back from it.”

Steve Sabbag However, Willy & The Four Boys is involved in the steps of becoming a band, and is still experiencing bumps in the learning process.

“Right at the end of the show, we had planned this great jam-out solo with a duo on the vocals, and I walked out too far onto the stage and unplugged myself, and all you heard was static,” Blackburn said.

The band members quickly laughed it off and strive to bounce back from mishaps like this in the future.

“Another thing we have to learn is how to handle when someone has made a mistake, and how to roll with it and come back from it,” Sabbag said.

While the band has only practiced five times with every member present, they still find the time to practice, especially before a performance.

According to Blackburn, before their last show, the band met three to four times the week before to finetune its setlist in

order to prepare for the Paly talent show. Willy & The Four Boys practices once a week at Wilson’s house or at Paly, but is all too familiar with the difficulties that come with coordinating five teachers’ schedules.

“It was different when we were all in college and we could get together and play whenever we wanted, but now we all have families and professional responsibilities as well,” Blackburn said.

Willy & The Four Boys will perform at Cafe Zoë in Menlo Park on May 5 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and attendees should expect two hours of classic rock, food and drinks.

“It was different when we were all in college and we could get together and play whenever we wanted, but now we all have families and professional responsibilities as well.”

Grant Blackburn

The band members are selling Willy & The Four Boys merchandise, such as stickers ($1) and tshirts ($15) and will be distributed at their performance.

All proceeds from these purchases, as well as tips and profits from Cafe Zoë, will go to Haven House, a local homeless shelter in Menlo Park.

“We often tell students ‘if you have a passion, you should pursue it; whether you’re good at it or not doesn’t really matter and it might work and it might not,’” Satterthwaite said. “Hopefully [the band] is a bit of a model for that because this is way outside my comfort zone.”

In terms of music, Outside Lands has quite a large variety of both big and small name artists. “I also like how diversert the lineup at outside land is, not only old school bands, not just one genre,” Chiao said. “SOB and Smokepurpp are gonna be there this year, which is pretty good. There’s always some EDM if you’re into that, they have that option for you.”

Although being one of the more expensive festivals, Outside Lands makes up the price with quality music, food and people.

“The only downside is that it’s pretty pricey, though that’s about it,” Chiao said.

Smaller Concerts If you are too anxious or are scared of the larger venues, college campuses often offer concerts with one or two smaller artists.

“The concert that I went to at the Greek theatre at UC (University of California) Berkeley was really nice” Wang said. “Because it’s a college campus, public transportation is really easy to get to.”

Not only are these smaller concerts easier to get to, they are also usually cheaper. “[The concerts] tend to be somewhat focused to college students, and in that way tickets tend to be cheaper, compared to an outside venue,” Wang said.

Additionally to these cheaper tickets, San Jose State hosts a collective auction for big name artists with the “Up and Up Festival,” in which students can pre-purchase tickets in order to book an artist.

The students compete with other college students from other campuses to see which school can “buy out” the artist before the others, and the winner gets the artist to play on campus.

Tips for beginners -Bring a water bottle: “If you have a Camelbak, bring it, if not just make sure you stay hydrated the entire time, and wear closed-toed shoes in case you want to go into the mosh pit or the rave tent,” senior Alyssa Ibuyan said. “Eat before you go, the food gets really expensive.”

-Do your homework: “I would definitely recommend listening to the songs before hand, not like memorizing the lyrics, but knowing some of them. It’s really fun when the audience knows some of the songs and sings along, but if you don’t know them you miss out,” Wang said.

-Pack ahead Everything is really expensive so plan accordingly,” Hwang said.

-Dress appropriately “Dress warm, there’s a lot more walking than you’d expect,” Chiao said. “Golden Gate Park is pretty long. Wear comfortable shoes. Bring a jacket that’s warm enough that one you can also tie around your waist and is easy for you to store in case it gets hot, and it does when you’re in a crowd or

Staff Writer

t was a cold February day at Harvard University when Mark Zuckerberg launched Facemash, the precursor of Facebook. The social networking site juxtaposed images of students and prompted users to pick the “hotter” person.

Despite its instant popularity among students, Harvard administration shut down the site within a few days and threatened to expel Zuckerberg on charges of breach of security, violating copyrights and violating individual privacy.

Fourteen years later, recent events suggest that Zuckerberg’s Facebook, valued at $493 billion, faces similar challenges.

Today, Facebook harbors 2.1 billion users and is the world’s eighth-largest listed company according to an article published in The Economist along with top tech companies such as Apple, Alphabet, SalesForce and Microsoft.

“They’ll have banner ads about the website I was just at, so I already am suspicious, angry and resentful.”

Grant Blackburn

Facebook’s latest privacy debacle involves Cambridge Analytica, a political data analytics firm, who is accused of harvesting up to 87 million users’ private information without permission.

This allegedly allowed Cambridge Analytica to target voter profiles to aid the Trump presidential campaign and has sparked a vigorous debate over the tech giant’s privacy policies.

Since the news surfaced, students and teachers in the Paly community have begun to question how Facebook and other big internet firms may be manipulating and selling their private data without informing users of where their information is being disseminated.

“This is what we get when billions of people entrust their personal data to a single corporation where who knows what goes on behind the scenes,” junior Ayush Gupta said. “Well, I guess now we know what goes on behind the scenes. Of course, I’m pretty peeved about it, but in hindsight I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Some believe that part of the problem lies in a lack of regulatory framework that has allowed

tech titans like Facebook to freely manipulate people’s data.

“Right now we have zero protections,” said Grant Blackburn, an Advanced Placement (AP) Economics teacher. “The companies get all the money from monopoly and oligopoly powers.”

For these reasons, some have even chosen to abstain from Facebook and its social media counterparts.

“I was already wary and suspicious [of social media companies] because [selling private data is] exactly what Google, Facebook and all those tech companies have been doing,” Blackburn said. “I personally am not on Facebook in part for that reason. Although I am also not naive to suspect that just because I’m not on Facebook doesn’t mean that my information is not out there.”

In fact, many are spooked by Facebook and other tech giants’ conspicuous data-mining practices on third-party websites.

“Every time I go to Amazon, every time I go to a website, I’m very aware that my personal, private life is out there somewhere and that somebody’s using it to profile me,” Blackburn said.

“They’ll have banner ads about the website I was just at, so I already am suspicious, angry and resentful.”

The issue of privacy and data breaches has also become significant in sectors outside of social media.

One of the biggest breaches occurred at Equifax, a large consumer credit reporting agency, in September 2017 where 143 million American consumers’ sensitive personal information was exposed.

“I am just as worried, if not more so, for the credit bureau breach that happened many months back in which credit information was released by a company that did not ask me for my permission to use that information,” Blackburn said. “But yet, they are doing it anyway so they can make money, and they’re forcing me to use their services if I want to get a loan, if I want to buy a house or any of that kind of stuff. I’m already mad.”

As a likely solution to the issue of user privacy, there is a growing consensus that lawmakers should increase user protections of private information.

“Yes, the recent news appears to demonstrate that there should be more regulation; at a minimum, users of social media should be told up front the ways the service will attempt to monetize

whatever information the service gleans from the user,” said John Bungarden, the AP United States History teacher. “This seems [to be] a fair exchange; in this moment we can be reminded of the old cliche, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

While it is not clear that social media companies should ever have been trusted, the consequences, both at individual and at national levels, of Facebook’s apparently cavalier attitude about individual information continue to reverberate.”

Although Facebook’s global subscriber count is increasing, the younger generations at Paly are actually less prevalent on Facebook, citing a growing mistrust for the behemoth’s privacy policies.

Freshman Justin Qiu, a newcomer to Facebook, shares Bungarden’s view that more can be done to protect users.

“The government does need stricter and more fluid data laws because personal data is very powerful and sensitive information,” Qiu said. “Users should be clearly presented the option to not allow their personal info to be shown to third-party companies.

“We share more information on social media than ever before, and with that comes a higher level of risk.”

Adora Zhang

Just as corporations are prone to third-party actors harvesting users’ private information, Paly was also hit with a data breach exposing student academic information in October, indicating the widespread risks of inadequately secured data.

“I definitely think more should be done to protect sensitive data like the student data that was released in the PAUSD breach,” said Adora Zheng, the freshman class president. “But we share more information on social media than ever before, and with that comes a higher level of risk.”

However, while it may seem obvious that more protections are needed, the issue remains complex.

“We have to be careful about what we want to do and how we fix this problem because I don’t think we all want to watch advertisements in order to use free services,” Blackburn said. “There’s a careful balance that needs to be struck.”

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

LIFESTYLE

B3

Column: Tips to Therapy dogs assist with visual, sensory impairments Combat Although they largley improve living standards, service animals are banned from various institutions Senioritis cater to the specific needs of their

By Khadija Abid

A ERIC LI / THE CAMPANILE

By Edward Kim

A

Senior Staff Writer

s the year comes to a rapid close, those soon to graduate may have caught a case of senioritis, defined by Urban Dictionary as a “crippling disease… [featuring] a lack of studying, repeated absences and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as Graduation.”

Senioritis has some distinguishing and unique symptoms, mostly prevalent in the graduating class, particularly laziness, apathy and the constant use of the phrase “I don’t think getting rescinded is a real thing. I’ll be fine.”

Outside of school, seniors can be seen putting minimal effort into their now-irrelevant extracurricular activities (Campy).

They are commonly seen leaving to “get something from their car” or “going to the doctors,” never to be seen again (until the next day). However, here are some tips to combat these.

Tip One: Early to bed, early to rise!

With a recommended eight to nine hours of sleep a night, sleeping early is the best way to get these hours (not from naps).

If possible, finish your homework, get your social media time in and clock out before 10:30 p.m.

With a 10:30 p.m. bedtime comes an early morning, hopefully before 7:30 a.m.

We all know that nobody wants to be that student who is always coming in 15-20 minutes late to their first period class, or even worse, always missing that class altogether.

To alleviate this problem, wake up early to eat a healthy breakfast, pick a nice outfit for school and have plenty of time to arrive on time.

Tip Two: Get a job!

With your fully-fledged adulthood about to turn the corner, you’ll be out in the workforce attempting to secure a job within a few short years. There is simply no better way to prepare yourself for the “real world” than by actually getting a job.

While the high-profile whitecollar jobs may not want an edgy 17-year-old teen with ripped jeans, a local retail chain would certainly be happy to take you in and give you that coveted paycheck.

Without having to pay for rent or food, you’ll be able to use that money on other “productive” assets — concerts, festivals, bubble tea and college hoodies.

With your own disposable income and valuable experience working for other people and cooperating with unrelenting customers, getting a job is the best way to keep you on your toes as senior year winds down.

Tip Three: Start preparing for the academics of college!

While some colleges may have massive grade inflation, others (especially the UC system) are known for their lack of significant grade curves.

For those currently struggling with AP classes, know that you’ll have to deal with 1000 and more other competitive students for that same job at Google, Goldman Sachs and Apple within a few years. Without beating the curve, you’ll be stuck at tip two for the remainder of your life.

With the pressure removed from grades, now is the best time to try and bolster those mental capabilities. Even more, you could always pick up a much-desired skill in the workforce such as art or philosophy (which we all know employers love).

Of course, senioritis varies from person; those with already good study habits can get by on minimal work. If you’re anything like me, unfortunately, you’re going to need some additional motivation to avoid colleges rescinding their offers. With these tips, and hopefully some additional determination to finish high school strong, I’ll look forward to seeing your name on The Campanile’s College Map.

Staff Writer

side from simply being “man’s best friend,” dogs often play a crucial role in aiding people with physical disabilities or mental disorders. Service and therapy dogs improve life quality of these people by helping them accomplish everyday tasks and providing emotional support.

Though both service dogs and emotional support dogs provide vital aid, therapy dogs are not awarded the same protections as service dogs.

Many establishments, such as schools, grocery stores and airlines, are beginning to prohibit therapy dogs from entering. Service dogs, on the other hand, are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Under the ADA, an individual with a disability is entitled to a service dog, and is allowed to bring their service dog into any area that the general public is allowed to enter, regardless of pet or animal restrictions. This means that service animals are permitted to enter restaurants, hotels, housing complexes and travel by plane.

Service dogs must pass a series of thorough tests, and only people with a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual,” including but not limited to paralysis, blindness, hearing loss, diabetes, cancer, autism, epilepsy and PTSD, may receive a therapy dog, according to the U.S. Dog Registry Website.

Service dogs are trained to perform tasks that ease their handlers’ disabilities and help them attain safety and independence.

Every service dog is trained to

owner, and the owner and dog must develop a communication system that works well, such as the dog tugging on their owner’s shirt to remind them to take their medication or barking to alert their owner during an emergency.

Therapy dogs also complete an extensive examination and registration process in order to receive their certificate, but they are trained to perform a different type of role. They provide psychological therapy to individuals other than their handlers. Typically, they visit hospitals, schools, hospices, nursing homes and other institutions in need of morale boosts. Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs are encouraged to interact with a variety of people while they are on-duty, and petting the therapy dog.

“I really like that our school has these therapy dogs because whenever I am having a rough day I know they'll be there.”

Anna Shimoda

“When we see, touch, hear or talk to our companion animals [beneficial neurohormones] are released and that induces a sense of goodwill, joy, nurturing and happiness,” said Rebecca Johnson, Ph.D, director of the Research Center for Human Animal Interaction at University of Missouri.

“At the same time, the stress hormone cortisol is suppressed. Heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate can all decrease, leaving us more relaxed and able to manage stress in ways that aren't harmful

JAMES VANDERVOORT/ USED WITH PERSMISSION

A child with reading difficulties reads to a serivce dog at a library hosting the Paws to Read program. to our health.”

In an effort to provide the best possible learning environment for students with disorders or disabilities, Paly allows students to bring service and therapy dogs, though they are expected to be conscious and sympathetic to students with allergies and fears. In fact, Paly provides students with therapy dogs on the quad every Monday and Wednesday in an effort to decrease stress and provide emotional support.

“I really like that our school has these therapy dogs because whenever I am having a rough day I know that they will be there,” said senior Anna Shimoda. “Plus, they’re super cute.”

According to Bob Jones, who brings his therapy dog to Paly every Monday and Wednesday, the therapy dogs were previously located in front of the main library, but moved to the side of the quad to accomodate for students with allergies or fears. For similar reasons, many companies and orga-

nizations have begun to prohibit therapy and emotional service dogs from entering their premises.

Grocery stores, airlines and other institutions are beginning to limit the dogs allowed in their stores because dogs may be unhygienic and cause fellow customers discomfort. “[We don’t allow animals in Peet’s Coffee and Tea] because ew,” said Peet’s employee junior Rosa Schaefer Bastian. “We serve and produce food and drinks.

Imagine going for a sip of coffee and finding a dog hair in there.”

Schaefer Bastian said Peet’s is legally required to permit service dogs in their stores, but have chosen not to allow therapy or emotional support dogs because they are “really easy for people to get and not crucial for their health and well-being.”

For example, junior Abby Weiss certified her dog as an emotional support dog so that her dog would have more access to places.

“My dad just got [our dog]

certified as an emotional support animal so he could go on the plane with us,” said junior Abby Weiss. “I’m pretty sure [he] just got a doctor to sign off saying [we] need it.”

In an attempt to combat this, prominent brands like Delta have begun to crack down on their restrictions regarding emotional support dogs, requiring extensive certification 48 hours prior to flights.

Some people, however, feel that these regulations are further perpetuating the discrimination of mental disorders versus physical disabilities.

“By allowing service dogs but not therapy dogs, you are invalidating issues like anxiety and depression and saying that only visible issues are important,” said sophomore Mariam Neguib. “Even though I understand their reasoning behind banning animals, I wish that institutions would be more sympathetic toward those with mental issues."

Reviewing America's Culture of harassment persists latest rap albums against women in cosplay

By Riley Short Staff Writer

W

ith all the new rap and hip-hop albums out there ranging from Lil Yachty to Post Malone, it can be difficult to choose which artists and albums to listen to. For the sake of efficiency, this year’s list of rap and hip-hop albums have been reduced to the most popular.

Logic: “Bobby Tarantino II” Logic’s latest album, “Bobby Tarantino II” made its debut on March 9 and is one of six albums.

Looking back at Logic’s previous album, “Everybody,” which was released in 2017, his writing and rap style have shifted dramatically.

In his 2017 album “Everybody,” Logic’s style was primarily a commentary on society; songs like “Black Spiderman” and Take it Back” were exclusively about his take on race relations in the United States as well as his experience growing up as a mixed race child.

In his latest album, he breaks off from his past style, following in the footsteps of many mainstream rappers who are more about flexing their success and less about providing social commentary.

For the duration of his 2017 album “Everybody,” Logic was known for his term “Peace, Love, and Positivity” and wrote songs promoting equality, a topic that is not very prevalent in most popular rap songs.

His change in style with “Bobby Tarantino II” blends in more with modern rap and hiphop culture, which is geared towards showing off and celebrating your own success.

This change in Logic’s style was a welcome addition to his new album, as there was no underlying social message with overtly stated political views that could potentially alienate some of his listeners. Although many issues brought up in his last album are very important and worth talking about, it was nice to hear a different side of Logic.

“Bobby Tarantino II” reached number one on the Billboard Top 100 soon after its release and currently occupies number 10 on the charts. Of the 13 songs in the album, the three that stood out to fans and made it onto the top 100 were “44 More,” “Everyday” and “Indica Badu."

Whether you are new to Logic’s music or have been a fan for awhile, “Bobby Tarantino II” is definitely worth checking out.

Migos: “Culture II” The rap group Migos recently released their latest album, “Cul-

ture II” on Jan. 26, one of their 12 albums released so far. “Culture II” is the sequel to their previous album “Culture,” and both albums were historically popular, making it to the number one spot on the Billboard Top 200 list.

“Culture II” topped out at number one on Billboard Top 200 and currently holds number seven on the list, with a series of top songs within the album on the charts as well.

Along with the high ratings, “Culture II” also came out on top in terms of number of songs, that number being 24 total songs, a number rarely seen among modern rap albums. The majority of songs in the album continued Migos’s trend of trap style rap music, a style that has worked for the group for most of their career.

In the song popularity category the group did fairly well; with a total of 24 songs, three made it within the top 10 on the Billboard Top 100. The songs that made it were “Motorsport,” “Stir Fry” and “Walk It Talk It."

XXXtentacion: “?”

XXXtentacion, whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy, is widley accepted as one of the most controversial rappers who made the number one album spot on the Billboard this year. His latest album is one of his four albums produced through his short career that started in 2014.

His early music releases were publicized through the music streaming service, Soundcloud where he released his first major hit, “Look At Me,” which made it to number 34 on the Billboard Top 100 in 2017. His album “?” is his most recent production. The album topped out at number one on the charts and currently holds third place among 200 albums.

The album “?” contains 18 songs of which the song “SAD” is the most popular, making it to number seven on the charts.

Despite his popularity, his sucess has been overshadowed by his many criminal charges and convictions. His first major conviction during his rap career ended with him being charged with aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment and witness tampering, according to Vulture magazine.

With this type of criminal record, it is concerning that XXXtentacion has such a large following and is such a large presence in today's rap and hip-hop culture.

Regardless, he is one of the top newly emerging rappers on the charts today, and while he is not the best role model, the songs in his album are highly impressive.

DAVE NELSON/ CC BY-SA 2.0

Senior Maggie Ainsworth-Darnell dressed up as Aria Stark, a fictional character for a cosplay convention.

By Tess Manjarrez

M

Staff Writer

any of those who don’t spend much time thinking about conventions can only call one image to mind when they think of cosplay: women posing in revealing costumes, bearing resemblance to some sort of fictional character.

That isn’t surprising. Tens of thousand of people dress up to attend conventions annually, and while respectful photos of cosplayers are welcome, many photographers choose to document only the most visually appealing characters, and that means mostly women.

“[Female cosplayers] are kind of oversexualized, and they're what's shown when you think of cosplay.”

Maggie Ainsworth-Darnell Former Paly student James Ouyang, a three-year cosplayer, says the cosplay that people see online isn’t totally representative.

“People usually like cosplays the better looking the cosplayer is,” Ouyang said. “Also, female characters tend to look better than male ones in media.”

Senior and 10-year cosplayer Maggie Ainsworth-Darnell agrees. “They usually only show the female [cosplayers],” Ainsworth-Darnell said. “They’re kind of oversexualized, and they’re what’s shown when you think of cosplay.”

Female cosplayers’ options are limited: many female comic book

characters dress in variations of unrealistically tight and conveniently revealing outfits. Women’s battle armor in video games and movies often seems like it would be wonderfully protective, so long as the characters value none of their internal organs.

Pressure to appear exactly as the character does can also negatively impact the cosplayer.

“I think the appearance of an animated character doesn’t always translate well to real life,which can leave cosplayers worrying they don’t look like the character enough,” Ouyang said.

This pressure puts female cosplayers in the impossible position of either wearing an accurate but revealing costume and risk potential verbal and physical harassment, or modifying an outfit to the point where the cosplayer feels comfortable but then gets berated for the costume’s inaccuracies.

While judgement befalls all cosplayers, Ainsworth-Darnell says it’s often aimed at female cosplayers who may have modified an outfit due to personal comfort.

“Women’s cosplay, in the anime world and superhero world and stuff like that are all hypersexualized… women [are] treated as the symbol of cosplay,” AinsworthDarnell said. “But at the same time, if they don’t match it correctly, they get shamed for it or harassed for it.”

Do female cosplayers get harassed in costume? “Yes,” Ouyang said. “It’s not too big of an issue, but it definitely still happens.”

However, Ainsworth-Darnell’s experiences tell a stronger story. “ I have had multiple guys try and hit on me, offered me alcohol which I wasn’t sure was completely just alcohol,” Ainsworth-Darnell said.

“It has been because of my more

revealing or adult-looking cosplays. I have gotten a lot of bad attention, a lot of pics that are trying to sexualize me, even when I was a child.”

Stories such as AinsworthDarnell’s are hardly uncommon.

It’s embedded in the convention culture, because it’s difficult to hold a harasser accountable.

If a Spider-Man says something inappropriate, it’s hard to point out to officials which of the seven hundred Spider-Men present at a convention is the culprit.

“Yeah, there can be creeps in that world,” Ainsworth-Darnell said, “But you kind of have to grow up with it, because that’s how things are, even though they shouldn't be like that and it kind of sucks.”

Does this harassment have to do with the costumes themselves?

Yes, and it’s a problem. Calling it the cosplayer’s fault, however, is unfair. Cosplay is a delightful and harmless hobby, and as in life, women should be able to wear whatever they want without fear.

“It shouldn’t be a problem for women to be afraid to do what they love because there’s a character that has to be more revealing because that’s how the media has always written that character,” Ainsworth-Darnell said. “Because men sexualize them and then when men see the sexualized cosplay, they think that’s consent.

That’s not okay.”

In the midst of the #MeToo movement, the harassment of female cosplayers is more prevalent an issue than ever. However, in recent years we’ve seen positive movement: Conventions boast signs reading “Cosplay is not consent” and the number of cases of reported harassment has been decreasing.

W

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

B4

SPOTLIGHT

SHEDDING LIGHT ON STU

DISPELLING THE MYTH OF UNIFO

W

hen the final bell rings, signalling the end of a long school day, many students flock to the bike cages and parking lots to get off campus as quickly as possible. However, Paly student Anna chooses to stay on campus long after the bell rings to escape the chaos awaiting her at her apartment, and to avoid seeing other students near the center where she stays, embarrassed to have her living situation revealed to her classmates.

“That’s so Palo Alto” is a phrase often casually thrown around to refer to the assumption that everyone in this community is wealthy. The four

W

hen Anna was in elementary school, her father lost his job and her family was forced to move out of their house in a town neighboring Palo Alto. They moved into an apartment at the Life Moves Opportunity Services Center, located just north of Town & Country Village, where she has lived for the past nine years.

The center provides hospitality and rehabilitative support for people who are homeless or at-risk.

“My apartment is split into two — one side for the family side, so basically, if a parent has kids, you’re on the family side, and there’s one for the homeless side, if you don’t have kids, then you’re in this small studio apartment and that’s it,” Anna said.

According to Anna, living at the Opportunity Center has presented her with many challenges, including being surrounded by some residents who battle with addictions. These residents often stir up drama at the Opportunity Center.

“There are people who are on drugs where I live, and obviously they can’t handle themselves and stuff like that, and they just want to take their stuff out on others,” Anna said.

The residents’ various mental states sometimes cause them to behave inappropriately, according to Anna. She has been verbally harassed multiple times while trying to walk up the stairs.

T

hough the variety of financial statuses in the Palo Alto community is apparent to some, the RVs, food shelters and other hints at disparities in wealth are not enough to dispel the common misconception that everyone in Palo Alto is well-off.

Students are not the only ones who can be oblivious to this reality; teachers have also contributed to the stereotype.

When Anna was in seventh grade, she said she was assigned a partner project that required her to go to a destination that was farther than walking distance. At the time, Anna’s father did not own a car and she didn’t have the means of transportation needed to get to the location.

After approaching her teacher about the issue, she was accused of lying — the teacher refused to believe a student living in Palo Alto did not own a car.

“He was basically like, ‘Stop lying to me. I know your dad has a car, money for gas and all that stuff ... and I know you can find a person who can take you. You have to help your partner for this project,’” Anna said.

Anna continued to try to explain her financial situation to the teacher, but after a certain point, he just

INTRODUCTION words typically do not have malicious intent; many students who let the phrase escape their lips are unaware of the insensitive undertones of it.

They do not realize their perception of who Palo Altans are excludes many individuals in the community who don’t fall under the common stereotype of wealth and privilege. In reality, Paly students’ financial situations and living conditions span the spectrum and include those who fall under the legal definition of homeless.

“Homeless” is a term often associated with life on the streets: people finding shelter under overhangs and park benches, or with cardboard signs

asking for spare change. However, the term “homeless” encompasses a larger range of living conditions beyond just the streets.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” According to the act, this includes students who “share housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing,” live in “motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative accommodations,” live in “emergency or transitional shelters,” have a primary nighttime residence that is not a place intended to be slept in (for example,

benches in a park), or live in “cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations.”

Insensitive comments assuming everyone in Palo Alto is wealthy can gravely affect the students who do not fall under those categories of privilege and perpetuate a culture of ignorance. These remarks stem from a lack of knowledge about underrepresented individuals. According to PAUSD homeless education liaisons, it is crucial that our community members open their ears to the stories of those who have been marginalized.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE Disturbances in the Opportunity Center also result in residents and workers calling the police almost every day. Anna has been late to school as a result of police questioning her.

“Sometimes there will be police outside the OC and they stop people and question them and stuff like that because where the police go most is my apartment,” Anna said.

Though there hasn’t been an incident like this yet this year, according to Anna, she was stopped at least five times last year, which once caused her to have to go to school nearly two hours late. According to Anna, it can be extremely frustrating to have a simple routine of going to school be interrupted by a police interrogation over a situation that has nothing to do with her.

In conditions like these, having an understanding teacher makes a world of a difference.

“I try every year to find that one teacher that I really, really like and tell them [about my living situation] so I at least have one person on my side from the school who knows what I’m going through,” Anna said.

Anna said she can go to these teachers with personal problems. Her trusted teachers have also helped her communicate with other teachers about her situation and figure out the best way to navigate obstacles that stand in the way of her getting

assignments in on time.

“They give me my space and work around my problems and stuff like that and do the best they can to help,” Anna said.

Without having a teacher who knows about her situation, Anna said communicating about situations like coming to class late would be much more difficult for them to understand.

In addition to disrupting her education, Anna’s childhood innocence was cut short after moving to the Opportunity Center, where she was introduced to the terrors of addiction and substance abuse.

“I was never exposed to that when I was younger,” Anna said. “I was living with my brothers and both of my parents in a good community and stuff, and when moved to the OC, and I see all these people out there smoking and doing things and stuff like that, it was like, ‘Whoa, what did I just step into?’ It’s very hard growing up in that community.”

However, being exposed to this community and surrounded by people struggling with addictions has only encouraged Anna to stay away from the substances as opposed to luring her into trying them. “[I think about people from the OC and] I think about the people in my family too, because I have people in my family who are also on drugs,”

Anna said. “I see them and I see my friends too, and I’m just like ‘I can’t end up like that,’ so I try to stay away from it [drugs].”

When Anna’s father lost his job and her family transitioned into homelessness under the McKinney-Vento definition, Anna’s mother faced several struggles. In this time, she turned to drugs.

Anna’s mother’s involvement with drugs caused her to begin to lose touch with her family. According to Anna, she wasn’t “capable of being a mother” during this time.

About two years after the move, Anna’s parents split; Anna and her father stayed at the Opportunity Center and Anna’s mother along with her two brothers began to travel from shelter to shelter, sometimes living on the streets. The two boys were in high school during this transition time.

Now, Anna’s brothers are in their mid-20s and are out of homelessness.

Witnessing the hardships caused by drug addictions and homelessness first-hand has made Anna more determined to do well in school and be successful in the future.

“It brings me motivation every single day, because my goal is to leave the OC and go somewhere else,” Anna said. “Being stuck there for my whole entire life just seems like a nightmare, so I just can’t do that.”

DISCONNECT stopped listening, Anna said.

At the time, Anna didn’t think much of the incident. Though she was unsettled by the accusation, she was used to people making comments assuming everyone in Palo Alto is wealthy. She didn’t believe the situation with the teacher was significant enough to report to administration, she said. However, looking back on it, Anna has a different view of the incident.

“People just put people in one category and that is just not true,” Anna said. “There are so many people who aren’t in the same category as others, and I started to realize that now, as soon as I got to high school. That’s what changed my perspective on situations like that.”

Anna said if she were given the opportunity to talk to that teacher now, she would not let the incident slide.

“I would say,‘Yeah, this is Palo Alto, but not everybody

in Palo Alto has a car or has a house and this and that, so be more mindful of that instead of just assume that everyone is rich and has this and stuff,’” Anna said. “‘Keep your mind open.’”

Anna’s middle school years were littered with inconsiderate comments assuming everyone in Palo Alto is wealthy, usually made by her peers. According to Anna, in middle school, she became desensitized to comments and would just play along with it to be “cool.” When she entered high school, she began to see there are others in similar situations as her own.

However, despite realizing she is not alone in these matters, the disconnect between people’s perceptions of Palo Alto and the reality of some families’ financial situations has remained a prevalent issue. To this day, Anna has never felt comfortable enough to tell her friends that the apartment she lives in is part of the Opportunity Center.

When the subject of where she lives comes around, she always makes excuses for not being able to hang out at her home. If asked where she can be picked up, Anna asks to meet the person at a

friend’s house or at Paly, since she lives so close to school.

“I’ll always make up stories and tell my friends that they can’t come over to my house and stuff like that, because I was just like so embarrassed to bring them over,” Anna said. “I don’t want them to see people doing drugs outside and it’s just a bad look.”

Anna said she hides her financial situation because she thinks her friends who live in houses in Palo Alto and have never experienced homelessness or financial struggles would not understand her situation.

“I wish I could talk to them about it to let them know why I don’t want to bring them over and stuff like that,” Anna said. “I feel like if I just talk to them about it they will just make fun of me that I live in an apartment [at the Opportunity Center].”

Though Anna does hope to one day be able to talk to them about the Opportunity Center, she doesn’t feel like it’s the right time.

“I’ll probably tell them when I’m fully comfortable that the OC is my home and that is where I come from,” Anna said.

Text & Design by Waverly Long & Shannon Zhao

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

SPOTLIGHT

B5

Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, The Campanile changed the names of student sources

UDENT HOMELESSNESS

ORM WEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES AROUND THE BAY

T

he first step to accessing resources in the District for students who qualify as homeless is determining whether or not that student’s family falls under the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness. In order to get more information, families can go to the district office — located at 25 Churchill Ave, right behind Paly — to talk to a social worker about their situation and see what programs apply to them, according to PAUSD social worker Myrna Zendejas.

Once the student’s living situation is categorized, the district will take action to find what resources are best suited for that family’s needs. The McKinney-Vento Act plays a large role in this step.

“So the McKinney-Vento Act was established to support students who are living in transition so they don’t have a stable home,” Zendejas said. “It was developed to ensure that students in those conditions would have access to their education right away… Sometimes when families become homeless, they lose documents, and so it can make it harder for the kids to enroll in school. And what the act does it says, ‘Get the kids into the classroom and we’ll work on the paper as soon as we can, but don’t wait for the paperwork to come.’ It kind of gives the students the priority to be in school and gather information later.”

According to Zendejas, being able to attend school can provide a lot of support for a student with unstable housing situations.

“School is one of the stable things,” Zendejas said. “They’ll come to school, they have routines, they’ll have lunch, they’ll have friends. We want to make sure that kids ... feel safe [and] feel supported as their parents are working on other situations.”

In addition to ensuring students get into the

I

t can be easy for those in unstable living conditions to let years of moving from place to place dehumanize them. However, many individuals don’t allow themselves to be worn down by hardships — instead, they become motivated to get out of their current situations and move on to achieve their goals.

One example of someone who bounced back from difficult years spent homeless is the father

classroom immediately, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) works to connect with families who have registered as homeless with various resources. This assistance isn’t just offered to Palo Alto residents; PAUSD has students from

cities all around the Bay Area and offers them with the same support.

Though the district cannot directly provide any sort of financial relief, the district is connected to many organizations around Palo Alto.

THEN AND NOW

of Paly student Nicole. In his mid-20s, he went around London squatting, (a term to describe illegally sleeping in uninhabited buildings). During the time he was homeless, he worked a low-income job as a printer. Many years of hard work added up and eventually, he was able to become financial stable enough to start a family in a home of his own.

“When I look at him, he’s not really someone who I would think of as someone who was home-

less at some point,” Nicole said. “So it sort of makes you realize that even people who don’t look homeless could have been or be. There’s sort of a stereotype of homeless people.”

Anna’s brother also has an inspiring story of coming out of homelessness. After living in the streets and going from shelter to shelter in high school along with his mother and older brother, he attended community college for two years. He

“We have partnerships in the community,” Zendejas said. “The Opportunity Center is one of our big partners — we always connect with them… We refer families there for services and they reach out to us when they have families coming in.”

For many, the Opportunity Center is a longterm residence. However, it also serves as a temporary home for families who are in transition and are waiting for an apartment to open or are looking for a place to stay, according to Zendejas.

In this time of transition, the Opportunity Center will provide the family with the assistance they need to be able to get permanent housing.

According to Zendejas, the center offers a variety of family services to both center residents and non-residents. These services range from medical support and hygiene care to homework help and daycare.

“There’s a homework center I used to go to,” Anna said. “[They] have volunteers from other schools like Paly [and] Stanford [who] they help the kids with their homework.”

The after-school tutoring program also provides students with free school supplies.

In addition to the school help, the Opportunity Center helps with more basic human needs such as clothing. Individuals are able to take clothes from the donation closet and use the communal washing machines to clean their laundry.

According to Anna, the most useful accommodation has been the food pantry.

“My family has the hardest time keeping food in the house and when we run out I can always go to the food pantry they offers us and grab whatever I need,” Anna said.

then went into the workforce and was able to build himself up until he became entirely self-supporting.

Today, he also supports his mother, who lives under his roof.

“I do look up to one of [my brothers],” Anna said. “Him just working really hard and finding a job and making money, and now that he has a house on his own, it’s just like, ‘Wow, maybe I can do that.’”

CALL TO ACTION

B

efore being interviewed for this article, Anna knew little about homelessness in PAUSD; she was not aware of McKinney-Vento and that her living situation qualifies as “homeless.” After learning more about the resources around the Bay Area and the McKinney-Vento definition of student homelessness, Anna said she plans on looking into it more.

It is reasonable to assume that many students, like Anna, are unaware of what their housing conditions mean. Without properly publicizing this information, it is difficult for students to utilize the various resources available. Therefore, this information should become more accessible to families in PAUSD, according to Zendejas.

Art by Annie Chen

Students who think they may qualify as homeless or want to seek help from the district for any sort of living situation can start by talking to a school counselor or going directly to the district office to ask for more information about McKinneyVento and resources in the area.

In Anna’s case, reaching out to teachers benefitted her academic experience tremendously. Raising awareness within the faculty would help encourage teachers create a more welcoming environment for students to come to teachers for support, according to James Hamilton, the guidance counselor for the class of 2019.

“I feel like [teachers encouraging

students to approach them with issues] would be effective because that would give so many kids in my situation [the chance] to open up and instead of going through all of this hard work themselves and not have help from their teachers or peers [to be there for them],” Anna said.

According to Hamilton, hosting faculty workshops in order to educate teachers about the various living conditions of underrepresented students can be beneficial to both staff and students.

When Hamilton worked as a counselor in the Sanders Unified School District #18, the administration made a strong ef- fort to ensure all teachers were informed about the circumstances some of their

students were dealing with. They presented a slideshow containing pictures of some of the housing the students resided in.

“It was a very sobering moment for our faculty,” Hamilton said. “As a teacher, you can get frustrated with kids … To see these houses that the people were living in, that were made out of scrap wood or clay, I think it was really hard and a real wake up call for a lot of teachers who were like, ‘Damn, I didn’t realize.’”

Though the living conditions of Paly students are different than those of Sanders, it is equally important teachers understand the struggles their students face outside of the classroom, according to Hamilton.

Anna said her experience living among other homeless individuals, some of whom struggle with substance abuse, has made her more empathetic to people in these situations.

“They’re people just like us, just not with a home,” Anna said. “I [have become] more understanding because it’s not [their] fault that [they’re] homeless, so there’s no reason for me to treat [them] like a different person.”

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

LIFESTYLE

B6

Students and teachers defy artistic norms with unconventional art The Campanile explores opinions regarding unconventional and contrasting art, as well as unusual art within Paly

By Annie Chen

A

Staff Writer

rt has no concrete definition. It transcends time and takes countless forms, from painting to dance, impressionism to conceptualism.

Different people have contrasting views on various types of art and everyone has a unique perception of what is or is not considered art.

“Art is a means of communication that transcends language,” said Paly art teacher Susan La Fetra. “Successful visual art communicates an idea or feeling visually, and the meaning goes beyond that which could be communicated with words.”

These ideas and perspectives regarding what constitutes art are explored in La Fetra’s Advanced Placement (AP) Art History class at Paly.

Recently, the class hosted a debate where students voiced their opinions on what they believe is art.

Unconventional art walks a fine line between being and not being considered art by viewers.

“I think that art is creatorcentric,” said Paly junior Jennifer Xu, an AP Art History student.

“The person perceiving the art, be it creator or viewer, has to make a conscious choice in whether or not to take public opinion into account. Purposeful creation by the creator is, of course, a defining factor of art, [but] public and singular opinion shape the face of its definition.”

For many people, students and teachers alike, unconventional art

walks a fine line between being and not being considered art by viewers.

“Unconventional art is when the creator creates something that breaks the idea of what the viewer thinks art is,” Xu said. “[This includes] pop art or avant garde art, [and] movements that take what is old and either totally change it up or make it new. The most unconventional art pieces are the ones that challenge the viewer and society’s take on what art is.”

Examples of unconventional art can be found at many local art museums, from the Cantor Arts Center, located nearby on Stanford University’s campus, to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA).

Ideas and perspectives regarding what constitutes art are expored in La Fetra’s Advanced Placement (AP) Art History class at Paly.

At the Cantor Arts Center, Andy Goldsworthy’s unconventional Stone Wall zig-zags while ascending out of the ground and then descending back into it, leading those walking by to ponder its meaning.

Additionally, hanging from a ceiling is powder-coated steel, fluorescent light and colored filters, a light sculpture called “Betelgeuse”

by Spencer Finch, an unconventional artist known for ineffable works.

“Stone Wall” is in an unconventional setting and it blends in with its surroundings and the nature,” said Paly sophomore Jenny Shi, an Advanced Painting and

PHOTO BY BOBISTRAVELING/CCO

Unconventional art can be found at many sites such as Andy Goldsworthy’s Stone walls which zig-zag through Stanford University.

Drawing student. “It [may be] a deep metaphor for long lasting things or separation. “Betelgeuse,” on the other hand, uses lights, [which is] interesting [because] it can be viewed in different ways.

For example, when it’s dark, it [looks] different. It involves a more technical side of the optics of art.”

At the SFMOMA, visitors can see an approved replica of Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain,” a literal, porcelain urinal signed “R. Mutt” — clearly absurd and unconventional — and possibly offensive to some.

“Unconventional art defies our expectations of what art should be,” La Fetra said. “Generally, that means it is not simply a representational drawing, painting, or

sculpture. It may combine conventional art, such as a painting, with 3-D elements to create an installation. Or it may be performance art, where an artist does something to evoke a feeling or meaning.”

Though it may take some time to get used to and recognize the brilliance of unconventional art, this process paves the way for future art to be more accepted and promoted.

“Art is making a turn towards the conceptual,” Xu said. “Looking at the history of art, art was originally [basic] expression …

Art [then] transformed into a coveted skill … Now, art [is] a lot less about technical skill — perhaps three centuries ago, the way you drew [an] apple made you [a]

better artist than someone else.

“Purposeful creation by the creator is, of course, a defining factor of art, but public and singular opinion shape the face of its definition.”

Jennifer Xu

“[With] modern technology, people care less about how [you draw], but more [about] what you can express,” Xu said. “Expression is something that cannot be replicated. That’s why I think art is

becoming more and more focused on the ideas behind the pieces, and why ‘unconventional’ art is gaining notoriety and popularity.”

Unconventional or not, nearly everyone can agree that art cannot be bound by one finite definition due to the diverse forms of expression that can be considered art.

“I don’t really think a single definition holds well on such a complex idea, as art can be visual, auditory, static or in motion, and 2-D or 3-D,” Xu said. “It has such a wide range of possibilities that you can’t find a singular definition to encompass it. Art is something that’s so wondrous, no matter how many words you use you can’t pin down such a beautiful thing. It’s just indescribable.”

Classroom meditation practice Unorthodox career choices

Teachers and students recognize the positive impacts of meditation Different career paths offer individuality within jobs

By Ujwal Srivastava

A

By Philip Ericsson

Staff Writer

s the bell signalling the start of class rings, English teacher George Vuong closes the door and blinds, shuts off the lights and walks toward the front of the room.

Rather than beginning with a class with a warm up or reviewing last night’s homework, he calls the attention of his students by simply saying, “Let’s meditate.”

The students, along with their teacher, then close their eyes and clear their minds for ten minutes.

No phones, no laptops, nothing — just pin drop silence.

The purpose of this time is to allow students to de-stress and take a moment out of their busy day to reflect on their wellbeing.

“I think [meditation] does help because I feel a little bit more calm after,” said Kaushik Seshadri, a junior in Vuong’s American Literature 11 Honors (11H) class.

“Most students seem to view it positively because everyone just needs a break in the day.”

For the first two weeks, Vuong played a guided meditation track, but the class has since moved on from the prerecorded guide and meditates without any aid.

A typical routine involves taking deep breaths in order focus one’s mind on the body as well as paying attention to sounds in the surrounding environment: essentially a check-in with the body.

“Meditation in classrooms allows me to take a pause in a hectic day, which helps relieve stress,” said Kevin Cox, another junior currently enrolled in Vuong’s American Literature 11H class.

While widely practiced worldwide, the effects of meditation were not well-researched until recently. New studies of the brain have confirmed that meditation is a useful tool for combating stress and anxiety. Research from Harvard University concluded that not only does meditation reduce stress, it alters the structure of the brain in a positive way.

These benefits are a large reason other Paly teachers have started meditation in classrooms too.

For example, Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology teacher Chris Farina and English teacher Shirley Tokheim both have their students perform meditation at the start of every class period.

“As soon as the bell rings to start the class, I start the medi-

Business Manager

“W

hat do you want to do when you grow up?” is a question today’s youth has become familiar with. Doctor, engineer, businessman and scientist are careers that are often viewed as highachieving and socially acceptable.

However, with many becoming increasingly aware of other options, certain out-of-the-ordinary career choices are luring the interest of the upcoming adult.

PHOTO BY BRADLEY HOOK/CCO

Meditation is an age-old technique that has proven to relieve stress. tation music I play every time,” Tokheim said. “ I ask students to put away their cell phones and anything else they may be doing.

I tell them to sit back, close their eyes, take a few deep breaths. I say they can put their head down if that helps them focus. I then set the timer for three minutes and ring a meditation bell. We sit quietly for three minutes until the buzzer on my phone goes off.”

According to Tokheim, meditation is not new for her. Due to her positive experience with it in the past, she decided to implement meditation in her classes.

“I’ve had different ways of meditating for years (trail running, attending meditation sessions, meditating at home), but it occurred to me a few years ago, when I was reflecting about what new practice I could bring to my students, that meditation would be an easy one to incorporate,” Tokheim said. “That summer I listened to a podcast about the benefits on the brain of meditation, so that’s what initially motivated me to incorporate the practice into the classroom.”

The effects of meditation were not well-researched until recently.

So far, there have been immense benefits for the students and many enjoy meditating.

“Meditation helps settle my students into class — they’ve just had a completely different world in their previous class, so this gives everyone a chance to take a breath,

pause, relax — and then we begin class,” Tokheim said. “It always works, no matter what grade the students are in. It also gives wiggle room for anyone who might come a minute late — there’s no interruption to instruction.”

Tokheim adds that meditation has been a success across all grade levels. She notices that juniors appreciate the time set aside for them to destress and freshmen are more settled after meditating.

Cox appreciates the time that teachers dedicate to student health, but wishes to see modifications to the meditation program.

“If teachers opt to have students meditate in class, I recommend that they give a 30-second stretch break after so that the students can reinvigorate themselves before jumping back into their education,” Cox said.

This overall sense of drowsiness is part of a larger concern of students perhaps using this time to sleep rather than meditate, but at the end of the day, Seshadri feels that the advantages of meditation outweigh any possible disadvantages.

“The benefits of meditation are better than the chance that someone doesn’t use this time correctly,” Seshadri said. “If people don’t want to meditate, that’s fine, as long as they don’t disturb the meditators.”

Tokheim agrees with this perspective, adding that she doesn’t see any downsides to meditating in class.

Tokheim said, “We know from research that students are more able to learn when they are relaxed, so in the context of teaching, meditation directly contributes to a learning environment.”

Freelancer The term “freelancer” encompasses many different types of jobs that are all connected by the idea of not being tied down to one employer. Rather, a freelancer takes on projects from several companies on their own schedule.

Some well-known careers that involve freelancing include writing, photography and videography. Freelancers provide content under whatever category needed for their particular clientele. In many cases, writers provide written material on different topics, photographers provide their services for various occasions, and videographers shoot and edit short videos or longer segments.

Freelancers are paid based on individual projects and have no stable paycheck or salary. It is important to consider that successful freelancers build up a base clientele and showcase their work through personal websites and social media.

A freelancer is not tied down to one employer.

Rather, a freelancer takes on projects from several companies on their own schedule.

Being one’s own boss means flexible hours and only taking on as many projects as one deems suitable.

However, building up one’s resume within the freelancing industry is hard work and highpaying projects are not imminent within the first years of work.

“Freelancers in the U.S. make an average of $31 an hour, which comes out to 17 percent more than the typical full-time em-

ployed worker,” according to a survey from Payoneer.

Social Media Manager Social media presence is becoming an increasingly important factor for companies and celebrities trying to sell products.

If you are already hooked on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter, this may be a good career choice for you.

A social media manager controls social media outlets for companies or celebrities.

In addition to posting interesting updates and engaging with the community, a good social media manager helps the client reach its ultimate goals, such as portraying a favorable image, by working closely with them.

Social media managers require a multi-faceted skillset. This may include making graphics for posts, being talented writers, understanding that interacting with the “customers” or the followers is key and being able to successfully advertise their customers products.

According to PayScale.com, the average salary ranges from $34,432 to $56,571.

Foreign correspondent A foreign correspondent is the on-site journalist working for a newspaper, news or radio station abroad. The life of a foreign correspondent is adventurous and at times dangerous, like covering conflicts in the Middle East.

Foreign correspondents require journalistic backgrounds due to frequent reporting on scene.

The life of a foreign correspondent is adventourous and at times dangerous.

They are usually either alone or with one other person (such as a cameraman), and have the potential of seeing the world and meeting people from around the globe. Unsurprisingly, the work is usually very rewarding because they are reporting on important topics from areas where regular people do not usually get to travel to. They have the opportunity of making upwards of $100,000 a year.

Netflix Tagger A job title the older generation will certainly not understand when you hand them your business card is the “Netflix Tagger.”

This consists of watching various Netflix series and then writing descriptions about the shows, as well as categorizing them according to themes, tagging characters to their traits and flagging any shows for indicators like age-restricted material.

[Netflix Tagging] s available to anybody and requires only an application to Netflix.

The only downside is that the profession will probably not make a full career as pay is usually a few hundred per week.

According to the Netflix Jobs website, this job is available to anybody and requires only an application to Netflix. The only downside is that the profession will probably not make a full career as pay is usually a few hundred per week.

Private Island Caretaker This may seem like a crazy career, but it is one that exists.

Private island caretakers live on private islands and ensure that everything is functioning as it should. In addition to skills such as knowledge of plumbing, carpentering and gardening, Private island caretakers can exercise their creative passions as many write blog articles and have photo journals about their experiences which often serve as ways to further monetize their unconventional career choice while advertising the island’s offerings.

This may be a great career for people who love the sun, sand and sea while making a considerable salary: up to $300,000 a year.

A few years back, a tourism campaign in Queensland, Australia gained attention as they were offering jobs where the worker kept a blog and photo journal for six months and were paid $150,000, including free rent, airfare and insurance packages.

Friday, April 20, 2017

The Campanile

B7

SCIENCE & TECH

Instant Pot® review: jack-of-all-trades in the kitchen

The Campanile tests one of Amazon's top-selling products: Instant Pot® Duo Mini 7-in-1 (3 quart) and Ultra 10-in-1 (6 quart)

By Peyton Wang

Science & Tech Editor

A

re you tired of eating egg McMuffins® for breakfast, microwavable pizza for lunch and Instant Ramen for dinner? Are you always scrambling to make dinner when entertaining guests? Do you struggle with just boiling water? If you answered yes to any of those questions, the Instant Pot® is perfect for you.

In 2009, the Instant Pot® Company was founded by current CEO Robert Wang, aiming to facilitate the preparation of quality food and reduce fast food consumption, according to its website. Wang was a former employee at Nortel Networks Corporation, a telecommunications and data networking manufacturer. In the following year, the company’s first product emerged: the Coal Seam Gas (CSG) Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker. Customers could use the appliance as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and warmer.

Since its debut, Instant Pot® has expanded their line of pressure cookers, from adding new features to improving its interface.

In 2016, Amazon announced the highlights of its annual Prime Day in a press release, stating that the Instant Pot® was a top seller in the U.S., as customers purchased nearly a quarter million 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cookers. According to its website, the Instant Pot® is the “number one selling brand on Amazon. com with one of the highest overall customer ratings.”

Why is the Instant Pot® such a popular product? One — it's a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers can cook four to seven times faster than ordinary boiling. While the boiling point of water is 212°F, the temperature of the steam in pressure cookers rises to 250°F, expediting the cooking process.

Two — the Instant Pot® can cook multiple foods at once, such as rice and teriyaki chicken at the same time. Three — users do not need to monitor their food as often or worry about burning their dinner, as there is a set time for cooking.

Four — most importantly, the Instant Pot® can cook nearly anything, from macaroni and cheese to strawberry cheesecake.

Not only is the Instant Pot® a time-saving kitchen appliance, but it has become a cult-status product — many enthusiasts have even formed their own secret Facebook groups. The Instant Pot® Community Facebook group consists of 1.3 million members around the nation who share their Instant Pot® recipes, recommendations and useful tips.

Exploring the functionality and efficiency of cutting-edge technology, I reviewed the Instant Pot® Duo Mini 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker and the Instant Pot® Ultra 10-in1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker.

Duo Mini 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker (3 quart) As its name suggests, the Duo Mini 7-in-1 Instant Pot® functions as a seven-in-one appliance: a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice/porridge cooker, yogurt maker, sauté/searing pan, steamer and warmer. Additionally, it offers other built-in programs, such as soup/broth, meat/stew and bean/ chili. The Duo Mini 7-in-1 also comes with kitchen accessories: a stainless steel steam rack, rice paddle, soup spoon and measuring cup.

Upon reviewing the Duo Mini 7-in-1 (3 quart) Instant Pot, I would recommend it for college students, as its size and accessibility make it convenient.

First, I tested the warmer function on the Duo Mini 7-in-1 and compared it to the microwave.

For five minutes, I reheated a few slices of precooked tandoori naan from Trader Joe’s, which were initially at room temperature, in both appliances. The naan that was warmed up in the Duo Mini 7-in-1 was evenly heated with a fluffy texture. On the other hand, the microwaved naan tasted dense and chewy. It was also scorching hot on its edges but cold in the center.

Next, I used the pressure cooker to cook dry pinto beans. Using

PEYTON WANG/THE CAMPANILE

The Instant Pot® is no ordinary pressure cooker; it can act as slow cooker, cake maker, rice cooker, sterilizer, steamer and warmer. the bean preset, it took a little less than half an hour to cook, whereas it took twice as long to cook it on the stove. The pinto beans tasted akin to the beans I cooked on the stove, so I would definitely use the Instant Pot® instead of the stove when cooking beans if you're more pressed for time.

I also compared the rice pressure cooked in the Duo Mini 7-in-1’s with a Zojirushi rice cooker, one of the top rice cooker brands in Japan. I first tested the Duo Mini 7-in-1’s preset rice function, which cooks one cup of white rice for 12 minutes. Using a one-to-one ratio of water to rice in both appliances, I found that the rice tasted softer and stickier than I expected. With the same ratios, I cooked another cup of rice using the manual feature for six minutes, and found that the rice tasted more al dente than the rice cooked for 30 minutes in the Zojirushi rice cooker.

For those who enjoy softer rice, I would recommend using the preset rice function, but for those who enjoy firmer rice, I recommend cooking the rice for a shorter period of time in the Duo

Mini 7-in-1.

Upon reviewing the Duo Mini 7-in-1 (3 quart) Instant Pot®, I would recommend it for college students, as its size and accessibility make it convenient for students to use in dorms after a long day of classes and extracurriculars. Also, the Duo Mini 7-in-1's suggested retail price is only $79.95, which is substantially less expensive than buying a microwave, stove or rice cooker.

Ultra 10-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker (6 quart) In addition to the appliances in the Duo Mini 7-in-1, the Ultra 10-in-1 Instant Pot® can function as a cake maker and sterilizer.

Other built-in programs include multigrain and egg. The Ultra 10-in-1 also includes the Ultra program, which allows its users to adjust different parameters based on their preferences, from setting the temperature in one degree increments to choosing the exact cooking time. Also, the Ultra function enables users living in non-optimal cooking conditions to cook food more efficiently. For

Nanotech class engages upperclassmen Dual enrollment course at Paly-Foothill explores the world under a microscope

CHRISTOPHER PIERNO/THE CAMPANILE

Professor Robert Cormia demonstrates how to create gold particles in a joint Paly-Foothill class.

By Christopher Pierno Senior Staff Writer

N

ano is defined as something on the scale of 10^-9. This scale is so small that things that are nanosized are not visible to a bare eye.

This scale is also the focus of the Nanotechnology class offered by a split Paly-Foothill College course every year.

“It is current technology, meaning you're learning about real applications.

Many students find it interesting that it is so interdisciplinary” Robert Cormia Taught by Foothill professor Robert Cormia, who commutes to Paly three times per week to teach the class, this is one of the growing number of courses attempting

to connect high school students to the college experience.

Cormia is a science professor with over 25 years of experience and a BA in chemistry. He teaches several courses and is an expert in both analytical testing and surface and materials testing, which he incorporates into the class.

The class, officially known as NANO10, is one of only two high school nanotechnology courses offered in the United States.

The semester-long course covers topics ranging from nanogrids and nanoparticles to cancer research. The class also includes units on the structure and shape of molecules, and how nanotechnology can be used to build better, stronger and cheaper materials.

“It is current technology, meaning you're learning about real applications. Many students find it interesting that it is so interdisciplinary.” Cormia said. “It [has applications] in engineering, materials science especially in biomaterials, bioengineering, quantum computing, clean energy

technology, and many more” said Professor Cormia.

The class offers a rich, handson experience, and involves a lot of laboratory work and construction of molecular models, according to Cormia. The mix between active participation and lectures make the class informative and fun, he said.

The class offers a rich hands-on experience, involving extensive laboratory work and construction of molecular models.

Students who want to take the class must have at least some science classes completed in order to be able to keep up and stay engaged. On top of that the class is usually only offered to juniors and seniors.

“Chemistry is essential, biology and physics are a bonus. Juniors

and seniors are allowed to take the class, and while seniors have a ‘knowledge edge’ juniors can do very well in the class, especially if they work hard,” Cook said.

The class also takes a field trip to Stanford each year to see the university's scanning-tunneling electron microscope up close and explore the labs and scientific equipment. On top of that, several notable scientists come to speak and give their opinions on the world’s current states and what nanotechnology can do to improve conditions.

The NANO10 class offers special credits and perks for students.

While it is only a semester long, it offers more than the usual five credits and has college accreditation.

“You get high school and college credit, which is dual enrollment, plus I think you get a year of science credit," Cormia said.

"I have actually learned to enjoy working with young adults. Your minds are so creative, you have so much energy, and at times you are hilarious."

The class has a relatively light workload compared to other science classes offered at Paly, Cormia said, but is focused more on the learning and application through laboratory activities.

“I try to teach it in a manner that is more relaxed, more fun for students,” Cormia said. “I use a lot of numbers, and wish that students would try to use as much numeracy and computation as I do.”

Students who have taken the class say they like the professor’s personality and overall knowledge.

“Mr. Cormia was eccentric, make no mistake, but it was a good kind of eccentricity.” said senior Ronaldo Huang who took the nanotech class as a junior. “As a teacher, he was friendly and knew exactly what he was doing, having a ridiculous amount of experience with nanotech. The lectures were neat, but you really have to pay attention and take notes."

example, there is less air pressure at higher altitudes, which makes it more difficult to boil water.

First, I used the preset egg function to make hard-boiled eggs. This function pressure cooked the egg for five minutes, but it took 11 minutes total. It is important to note that the cooking time is shorter than the total cooking time. Oftentimes, it can take around five minutes for the pressure cooker to reach its optimal pressure before the cooking process begins. I also cooked the eggs for three minutes to make soft-boiled eggs.

While it takes the same amount of time to boil soft-boiled eggs on the stove, the egg was easier to peel when cooking it with the Instant Pot® It is usually difficult to peel soft-boiled eggs when cooked on the stove.

Lastly, I used the Ultra 10-in1's bean preset to cook pinto beans again to see if was as efficient as the Duo Mini 7-in-1. The pressure was applied for 25 minutes, but it took a little over half an hour to cook — faster than the Duo Mini 7-in-1. This was expected, as the Ultra 10-in-1 is

twice as large.

In addition, I found it helpful that the Ultra 10-in-1 has an automatic start and release pressure function, whereas the pressure for the Duo Mini 7-in-1 must be manually managed. Both the Duo Mini 7-in-1 and Ultra 10-in-1 come with a safety feature that secures the lid when there is high pressure in the pot. Pressure can also be released quickly or naturally.

While the Ultra 10-in1 (6 quart) Instant Pot costs $149.95, it is still worth investing in, as it cooks food much more efficiently.

While the Ultra 10-in-1 (6 quart) Instant Pot® costs $149.95, it is still worth investing in, as it cooks food more efficiently and is less expensive than other kitchen appliances. Furthermore, it is much larger than the Duo Mini 7-in-1, so I would recommend it for families.

Celebrating the impact of Stephen Hawking Legendary physicist passes away on Pi Day

By Leyton Ho

I

Staff Writer

n 1964, doctors gave Stephen Hawking no more than three years to live. However, he went on to become one of the most influential theoretical physicists of all time, and was even awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Fifty years later he died on March 14, 2018 — Pi Day — at the age of 76.

“He will be remembered as one of the greatest humans of all time — his name is synonymous with genius.”

Matthew Ho Hawking lived with a form of motor neuron disease, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease.

The disease slowly paralyzed his body over the course of his life, leading to the loss of muscle movement and eventually the loss of speech. Even then, Hawking still lived actively, using a wheelchair to get around and a voice synthesizer to speak.

Hawking’s story is inspiring not only because of his fight against ALS, but because of the many scientific contributions he was able to make while battling the disease.

As a professor at Cambridge University from 1979 to 2009, Hawking produced numerous publications and discoveries.

Among his publications, his book “A Brief History of Time” was a major success, selling over 10 million copies and remaining on the British Sunday Times best-seller list for a record 237 weeks. Additionally, he won many awards and honors for his work on cosmology and general relativity.

His death was a shock to the scientific and global community,

with an outpouring of emotional tributes and obituaries gracing newspapers and social media platforms. Freshman Matthew Ho was among those shocked by the news of Hawking’s death.

“I was shocked by his death because it was so sudden and I didn’t know it was coming,” Ho said. “I was shocked mainly because he was one of the greatest physicists of all time and his death cast a huge shadow over the world.”

Hawking's work mainly explored black holes and relativity and his research produced ground-breaking discoveries that have shaped our understanding of space. Notably, he worked with mathematician Sir Roger Penrose to show that Einstein’s theory of relativity suggests that the concepts of space and time only began to exist during the Big Bang and ceases to exist within black holes. Additionally, he proposed that black holes emit radiation, a theory referred to as “Hawking radiation.”

Despite his many academic achievements, Hawking will be remembered most for his impact as a role model for people fighting debilitating diseases. Through his research discoveries while battling ALS, an incurable condition, Hawking raised awareness for disabilities and showed that people with disabilities can strive for the highest levels of success.

“I think he helped raise awareness for [disabilities] for sure but also illustrated how to overcome one of the biggest disability that one could have,” said senior Nicholas Thom. “I think a lot of what he did will be really important years from now assuming that we continue to pursue space travel.”

As the world mourns, Hawking’s legacy will live on through his inspirational story.

“I think he will be remembered as one of the greatest humans of all time, Ho said. "His name is synonymous with genius."

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

B8

SCIENCE & TECH

Mulling over mushrooming Moocs “We live in a world where you have so many resources, and if you have the right mindset, you can pull them.”

—Sal Khan

A

fter two decades of steadilyevolving online educational offerings, students and teachers can now find virtually any paradigm for pursuing their academic goals.

Alongside online programs offered for credit, Massive Open Online Courses

(MOOCs) are also gaining popularity. Although they generally do not offer school credit or grades, they are often integrated into high school and college curricula.

The digital revolution has brought a massive transformation in education in the U.S. and abroad. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the majority of high schools and universities in 48 states and the District of Columbia now incorporate at least one form of online learning in their curricula.

MOOCs often spawn from platforms like YouTube and online education corporations such as Khan Academy and Coursera. They offer open-access explanatory videos that put students in full control, enabling them to learn at their own pace and rewatch lessons.

“You sit in a chair, and the teacher tries to project knowledge at you; some of it sticks and some of it doesn’t,” said Sal Khan, founder of educational platform Khan Academy, in a Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) talk.

“It’s not an effective way to learn. Worse, it creates a mindset of, ‘You need to teach me,’ so when you’re on your own, you think, ‘I can’t learn.’”

According to Dhawal Shah, founder of online course search engine Class Central, close to 800 universities have created more than 8,000 MOOCs. Although MOOCs themselves are not graded, many schools recognize them as valuable educational content that, in tandem with credit-bearing courses, help qualify enrollees for diplomas.

Still, educators don’t believe that schools will transport entire school curricula online in the near future due to constraints in areas of course regulation, student access to technology and studentto-teacher interactions. Online learning seems poised to meet a specific need in the future of education: providing additional choices to motivated, self-directed learners, and complementing traditional teaching as another tool for engaged teachers.

“We live in a world now where you have so many resources, and if you have the correct mindset, you can pull them,” Khan said. “A lot of times you absolutely need that human being to motivate you to keep you engaged, to give you that extra little insight, but there is a lot of resources that can be the first line of attack.”

Text and design by Byron Zhang & Yusra Rafeeqi

Outstanding opportunities

10000

O

A

7500

Number of Courses

nline education allows students to customize their learning experiences.

Junior Paloma Mitra, who took biology and chemistry classes at Stanford University Online High School (OHS), said she was drawn by the unconventional classes and the flexible schedule, which make it easier for a student to have a part-time job or pursue extracurriculars.

“I had more classes I wanted to take, but with prerequisites, course caps, etc., it would be impossible to fit it all into junior or senior year at Paly,” Mitra wrote in an email.

Although each online course she took was the same length as a block period class at Paly, Mitra said that class time was utilized more efficiently at Stanford OHS. To complete lab experiments and problem sets due at the end of each week instead of the next class period, Mitra said she “had to be consistently self-motivated.”

To learn the material, Mitra generally read textbooks and took notes as opposed to attending lectures. Subsequently, she would delve deeper into the topic with her classmates and teachers online by discussing real-life applications and focusing on areas where she needed the most help.

“This class structure was a contrast from Paly, and because of this, I was able to gain the experience of a new learning style, unconforming of traditional education,” Mitra said. “I had a thorough understanding of the fields I had explored by the time the course was over.”

Many students also choose to take language classes online. Junior Heather Lin took Spanish 3 during the summer between her sophomore and junior year.

“I had difficulty in Paly’s Spanish program because I had a hard time with the teacher,” Lin said. “I decided that taking [it] online would be a better option for me because I’ve [been taught] to be self-guided, and that’s my learning style. It was less of a struggle to communicate with my teacher.”

Lin said she appreciated the simple access to course materials on her phone and the ease of contacting her teachers. Although Lin could not practice speaking as much, she said other courses are designed to enhance speaking abilities.

Distinct downsides

Growth of MOOCs, 2012-2018

5000

2500

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Adapted from Class Central

Extensive online options

M

OOCs join an array of online educational offerings. In blended learning programs, teachers deliver a portion of their coursework in a traditional classroom setting and provide the rest online for students to access on their own time.

According to virtual learning company Blackboard, 76 percent of educators surveyed believe blended learning benefits students’ mental health and increases academic achievement. Currently, Paly offers 12 blended courses with 618 students enrolled. Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, for example, has been remodeled as a blended class and has gone fully online.

“The blended model helps students that work independently and can do a lot on their own, and those who don’t need me to talk them through every little assignment,” said AP Biology teacher Erik Olah.

“I’m always available if [students] need help, but they don’t have to be with me for the process. We now have the ability to be online, and me being able to track progress online allows for the blended model [to work].”

Olah said that the Palo Alto Unified School District does not allow certain classes, especially in the sciences, to be fully online because of the hands-on classwork such as laboratory experiments.

However, the blended course model allows for the balance between online and traditional learning.

Furthermore, the flipped classroom approach reverses traditional expectations.

Instead of absorbing content at school and completing complementary work at home, students watch recorded lectures on their own time and then receive teacher assistance for homework assignments.

s with any approach, online education is not ideal for every student because it requires more self-direction and commitment. The emphasis on independent learning and lack of direct contact with instructors and classmates strains students who perform well in a traditional school environment.

At the collegiate level, pursuing a degree online can cost much less than attending a traditional university. But the main pitfalls is that more students fail courses and drop out. Researchers from Harvard University and Stanford University examined the academic performance of 230,000 students at DeVry University by offering both face-toface lectures and online remedial courses.

Over four years, the researchers found that online students, especially those with the lowest grades before entering online programs, were more prone to perform poorly and drop out of college than similarlyachieving students who chose traditional schooling.

Although online schools attempts to replicate dynamic social interactions between students from traditional schools, students from schools such as Stanford OHS spend 50 hours a week “Skyping” with classmates online.

“As with any online education community, the social aspect was a bit lacking,” said Allison Tam, who graduated from high school through Stanford OHS. “I was rather far geographically, I had never really partaken in the social aspect of OHS.” Professors and analysts raise other concerns about the lack of classroom settings: students who are struggling may take remedial classes without receiving adequate preparation for college.

Moreover, at the college level, accreditation, a quality assurance measure, becomes a big concern for students. While numerous well-established institutions now offer online classes, for-profit replicas have mushroomed over the past two decades.

Many of these self-styled “universities” are either not accredited or use poorly vetted accrediting bodies. The result is a subpar education that fails to meet employers’ expectations. Often, disappointed students realize too late that such “degrees” were a waste of their hard-earned cash.

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

SPORTS THE LEGACY OF PETER DIEPENBROCK Long standing coach retires, ending Paly basketball’s golden era

Column: How to most effectively ride the bench

By Kiran Misner

“G

od!” the exasperated voice of varsity basketball coach Peter Diepenbrock rings through the gym as he expresses his frustration with his players.

This is one of many examples of Diepenbrock has defined a coaching style and created a program rooted in passion and intensity.

Widely respected for his passion for the game and known for his intense and sometimes explosive style, Diepenbrock has announced that he will step down as the boys varsity basketball head coach after 15 legendary seasons leading the Palo Alto Vikings.

While he will continue to teach physical education at Paly, he will be missed immensely as a coach by both players and fans.

Prior to his professional career as a coach, Diepenbrock played high school basketball at Burlingame High and took his talents to Menlo College before transferring to UCLA.

“He really cares about his players and understands that it is more than just coaching basketball. He is trying to help people be successful later in life and he has done a really good job of doing that.”

Will Schmutz Throughout his career as a coach, Diepenbrock — or “Diep” as many players call him — has established a strong team winning culture and generated exceptional talent, leaving fans fulfilled with satisfaction. It’s no surprise that fans all over Paly’s campus don’t hold back from praising his coaching.

“Diepenbrock has been a great coach, and I think that really showed this year,” said senior Kasra Orumchian, a member of the Sixth Man sports fan group.

“Seeing the development and the improvement of players over the course of the season really showed about his knowledge and ability to coach the game. We as fans are truly impressed.”

One of the most memorable and historic seasons coached by Diepenbrock was during the 2005-6 season, when the basketball team was ranked seventh in the state and 45th in the nation. The Vikings had finished first in their league with an astonishing record of 12-0, and made a run to the state championship game. An undersized and unexpected team, Palo Alto was the clear underdog heading in the championship matchup against Mater Dei, a Southern California powerhouse. After a hard-fought duel, the

well-coached Vikings were able to pull out an upset victory against the 11th ranked team in the country.

“I’m very passionate and playing basketball the way I want it to be played is very important to me,” Diepenbrock said. I take a lot of pride in how my players perform. A lot of my identity is in basketball and so I take it very seriously.”

More recently, the Vikings have won consecutive league titles as well as a thrilling CCS Division I championship in 2017.

One of the most famous players Diepenbrock helped develop is Jeremy Lin of the Brooklyn Nets, who played on Paly’s 2006 Championship team.

However, every achievem e n t comes w i t h tackling a challenge.

The camp also helped him scout play“Coaching Jeremy was ers and gain a sense of the incoming high challenging be- school players.

“When I first started the camp, the cause he was always just about whole idea was only to get Jordan and the games and competi- JLS kids,” said Diepenbrock. “The tion,” Diepenbrock said. “It first motivation was to get Paly kids at was very challenging to motivate a young age so that I could have them him and get him to compete in prac- ready to play high school basketball.” tices. But it was an honor and very rewarding to coach such a talented player.”

“I’m very passionate and Lin, who sparked the “Linplaying basketball the way I sanity” fever in 2012, first met Diepenbrock when he attended The want it to be played is very Diepenbrock School of Basketball important to me. I take a lot — an annual summer camp held of pride in how my players for players from second through ninth grade. Diepenbrock started perform. A lot of my identity the camp due to his passion for is in basketball and so I take coaching at youth levels it very seriously.” and his drive to instill the fundamentals of basketball.

Peter Diepenbrock “I really enjoy coaching youth basketball,” DiepenOne of the most controversial aspects brock said. “I love the energy level. I love the of Diepenbrock is his demeanor on and enthusiasm. I love the off the court. A typical Paly basketball potential that all the kids game includes countless eruptions of inhave. I’ve always enjoyed tense shouting accompanied by several coaching younger kids be- motivational phrases. While some watch cause their whole future is his shouting and mistakenly think he is angry, those closest to him — his players in front of them.”

— understand his core principles.

“He does get mad and yell a lot during games, but many people don’t understand that his passion for the game [basketball] is the reason why he is loud,” said varsity basketball player and junior Marvin Zou. “We understand that he is so hard on us because he has high expectations for us. The more [Diepenbrock] yells at a player, the more he likes that player.”

Zou’s teammate, senior Will Schmutz, echoed statements about the manner in which Diepenbrock coaches. “[Diepenbrock] is probably the best coach I’ve ever been under,” Schmutz said.

“He’s a little bit crazy at times, but he always gets the best out of his teams because he knows what it takes to win. He really cares about his players and understands that it is more than just coaching basketball. He is trying to help people be successful later in life and he has done a really good job of doing that.”

As Diepenbrock reflects on his time as a coach at Paly, he highlights the unique atmosphere at Paly and its elite high school basketball program.

“Paly has always had a very strong tradition of basketball so I was very excited to get the opportunity to come here and coach,” said Diepenbrock. “Working with the Paly student athletes at a high level of intensity was an honor and not something that you normally get in a classroom environment.”

A

Sports Editor

cross Palo Alto High School’s illustrious athletic program, student-athletes have dominated in their respective sports, winning many Central Coast Section (CCS) crowns and even more Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) championships.

The top student-athletes in these sports are the leaders of Paly’s strong reputation for athletics and are rewarded they respect they deserve through popularity and a spot held for them on the team each year.

However, there is an unknown faction of student-athletes who are critical for the team’s success, but are not treated with the same reverence as the top players.

This esteemed group of players are those who ride the pine all the game long, more commonly known as benchwarmers. To excel at their job as well as they do, these third and fourth stringer Vikings follow an elite technique, using a variety of techniques to keep their spot as a benchwarmer.

From someone who is part of this select group of athletes, here are some tips to perfect the skill of “riding the bench.”

Shout Out Advice Your number one job as a benchwarmer is to motivate your teammates by cheering them on and making sure that they can do their job as successfully as possible.

Inspiring others can come in a plethora of manners, but the most effective option to encourage your fellow colleagues is to act like a coach and shout tips and advice to the starters. Phrases like “it doesn’t take talent to work hard” and “get back to play defense” should be a regular part of your sports vernacular, which unsurprisingly should contain cliche phrases from sports movies.

There is only one potential conflict that could arise: your voice competing with that of your coach. In this case, the solution is an easy one.

Just shout over your coach to make sure that your teammates can hear you! This will prove to your coach that you are doing your job as a benchwarmer and encouraging your fellow colleagues by improving their play.

Double win!

Run Solos on Fortnite After a period of shouting advice and giving tricks, your voice will inevitably get tired.

After all, being the most important person on the team gets exhausting. To relax, take a quick break from your job to run solos on Fortnite.

It’s currently the hottest game in world, with people around the world grinding to get Victory Royale.

The handy mobile version just came out in the app store, which would easily allow you to play the game while coach is sitting you. If he ever gets mad, tell him that you average five or more kills, that will surely shut him up. Other than that, play away!

Refuse Any Playtime As the season wears on and injuries start to take its toll on the team, there is a very slight chance that the coach may ask you to play a few garbage minutes.

It is every man’s dream to be celebrated by their team and for this reason it is critical, despite your endless enthusiasm for the squad, that you decline any minutes that the coach wants you to play.

If you play, chances are it is going to be a game in which the team is already leading significantly, but knowing your ability, you’ll blow the 3-1 lead reminiscent of our beloved Warriors. Do what is necessary for the team to excel and stay away from the game.

These tips and tricks are some of the key pieces of advice upon which the underlooked athletes of the Paly Vikings thrive on.

It is obvious that this is just the beginning of an endless number of techniques that even the most elite find hard to master. To gain more expertise in this area, just ask varsity Viking baseball player Nicholas Christopher Melvin.

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

SPORTS

C2

SPORTS Track and field athletes impress at recent invitationals REPORT

By Neil Kapoor

TRACK & FIELD RECENT SCORES

Paly vs Lynbrook 3/27, Boys W, Girls L Paly vs. Milpitas 4/12, Boys W, Girls W UPCOMING MEET

Paly vs. Gunn 4/26, 3:30 De Anza League Finals 5/3, 3:00

TENNIS RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Monta Vista 4/12, L, 7-0 Paly vs. Fremont 3/28, W, 4-3 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Cupertino 4/23, 3:30 p.m.

BADMINTON RECENT SCORES

Staff Writer

I

t is not often that athletes set new records or top the competition in the entire state.

But for the Paly track and field team, that is exactly what several members have achieved at the recent competitions, such as Arcadia, Stanford and Milpitas Invitationals.

At the Arcadia Invitational on April 6 and 7, junior Henry Saul secured state ranking marks in the 3200 meter, ranking fourth in the state for juniors. At the Azusa Meet of Champions on March 24, senior Reed Foster dominated the 800 meter, ranking overall in the 800 meter. Both runners ran personal records in their races.

The Vikings are ramping up their training in preparation for Central Coast “Overall, the season’s been pretty good,” Foster said. “We haven’t been doing as well this year as last year; we graduated a number of our top athletes last year and there are some promising underclassmen, but they still

have a little ways to go to.”

Nevertheless, the accomplishments did not end there. On the girls’ side at Arcadia, senior Adee Newman, senior Brianna Miller, senior Maya Reuven and sophomore Ella Ball all ran in both the 1600 meter sprint medley relay (SMR) and the 4x400 relay, placing third in their heat and overall with a time of 4:15.64 in the SMR with Miller and Reuven running the 200 meter, Newman running the 400 meter and Ball running the 800 meter.

The boys distance team also ran their way to victory at the Stanford Invitational on March 30 and 31. At the meet, Foster, Saul, Sam Craig and Bryan Kagiri set a school record in the distance medley relay, running a time of 10:25.

The team found similar success at the Lynbrook and Milpitas meets on March 27 and April 12, respectively.

“Despite the [Milpitas] meet being handtimed, which means the times are not official, the wind being strong and some people being injured or sick, I saw strong performances across the board,” Newman said.

But no success comes easy.

Although the team’s triumphs can be attributed to their hard work and determination thus far

MARK FOSTER/ USED WITH PERMISSION

Junior Henry Saul ran a personal best and finished second in the highly competitive Arcadia invitational.

in the season, the intense training as well as frequent meets have taken a toll.

“We’ve had a lot of meets in the past month, which has been difficult because it not only makes fitting in workouts hard, but it’s also really mentally fatiguing because these really big

By Miranda Li

T

UPCOMING GAMES

Paly vs. Milpitas 4/19, 3:30 p.m.

Paly vs. Cupertino 4/24, 3:30 p.m.

BOYS LACROSSE Paly @ Burlingame 4/12, W, 18-8 Paly @ Sacred Heart 3/28, L, 1-0 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Aragon 4/26, 7:00 p.m.

Paly vs. Menlo Athererton 4/27, 5:00 p.m.

GIRLS LACROSSE RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Gun 4/11, L, 14-8 Paly @ Leland 3/30, W, Score 14-4 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Los Gatos 4/23, 7:00 p.m.

Paly @ Los Altos 4/25, 4:00 p.m.

BOYS GOLF

SYDNEY LIU/ USED WITH PERMISSION

Junior Lindsay Kim, pictured above, is working to secure a qualification for the upcoming CCS tournament.

By Kennedy Heron

W

Staff Writer

ith a current record of 5-5, the varsity girls softball team strives to tip the scale and collect more victories. According to junior and team captain Sydney Liu, the team is already on the road to improvement.

“We started off the season a bit shaky, as we were mostly playing teams above our league,” Liu said. “Luckily, we’re only a few games into league, and we’re only getting better as the season goes on.”

The varsity team’s recent game against Lynbrook High School on April 12 was an impressive win by a score of 5-3.

“I feel like we played very well against Lynbrook, especially considering our head coach had been gone the entire week and our assistant coach, [Mackenzie Glassford], had to take the

reigns that week,” junior Abby Black said.

According to Liu, practices before a game tend to be intense and more of a practice game.

“We started off the season a bit shaky, as we were mostly playing teams above our league.”

Sydney Liu

This type of training and teamwork plays a key role in the team’s success.

“Most of our victories this year have been a result of us feeling confident and having a lot of energy from the start of the game,” Liu said. “A huge part of softball is the mental aspect, so being mentally checked-in at all times also greatly contributes to our victories.”

The team’s most recent opponents include Gunn High School (4-5), Saratoga High School (9-5) and Los Altos High School (3-12).

According to Liu, the team hopes to qualify for Central Coast Section (CCS) this season.

“Last year was the first time in years that Paly softball made CCS, so it would be amazing if we could continue the success,” Liu said.

The junior varsity team has started out with a tough season with an overall record of 2-8.

The team recently played Saint Francis High School on April 13, resulting in a 0-18 loss.

Both teams will play home games against Marin Catholic High School on April 21.

“In some of our games we haven’t been playing our best, but we seem to always pick it up in the end and even come back and win,” Black said.

Staff Writer

he varsity boys lacrosse team is off to a promising start this season, despite losing many players to injuries.

“So far we have done pretty well,” said junior Ryan Strathearn. “We’ve had a lot of injuries and we have a very small team, but we’ve won a lot of games.”

The boy’s lacrosse team has won six games and lost four.

Though the team has had to play several times with the minimum amount of players due to injury, spring break has given them a an opportunity to heal and prepare for upcoming games.

Their biggest rivals consist of Los Gatos High School and Menlo Atherton High School, both of who they have upcoming games against.

While the Paly team has not played Los Gatos High School yet, they suffered a loss to Menlo Atherton with a score of 9-8 when three of their starters were out.

“Our goal is to reach the championship for the fourth year in a row.”

Daniel Shelton

The last three championship games have been between Paly and Los Gatos, and are always extremely competitive.

“I am and the whole team is looking forward to playing

qualified for CCS so the more girls that we have swimming the more points we can score there,” said senior and girls varsity swimmer Zoe Lusk. “A big part of CCS are relays, because you can score double the points.

We have a pretty strong base but since we lost so many people last year we’re trying to bring up some of the younger girls so we can score big.”

Paly vs. Monta Vista 4/16, W, 190-223 Paly vs. Saratoga 4/12, L, 192-193 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly vs. Mountain View 4/24, 3:00 Paly vs. Monta Vista 4/25, 3:30

The girls have their eyes on winning CCS for the third year in a row, and hope to rank high yet again this year on states.

SWIMMING & Diving RECENT SCORES

UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Los Gatos 4/20, 4:00 p.m.

SCVAL 4/25-4/27, 4:00 p.m

Los Gatos, and Menlo Atherton again because we all felt like that was a game we should have won,” Strathearn said. “It will be exciting to see what we can do while [everyone is] healthy . . . and it’s always fun to play in competitive games.”

The varsity boys lacrosse team started off the season winning their first two games against Archbishop Mitty High School and Saratoga High School, an incredible way to set the tone for future games, according to Coach Daniel Shelton.

Part of the growing success can be attributed to new blood on the team.

“This is the youngest varsity team I have ever coached, along with being the smallest roster,” Shelton said. “However, pound for pound, they’re one of the most talented teams I’ve ever had. Because of their age, it’s more about getting them to gel as a unit and develop a team identity, rather than a group of talented individuals.”

The future of the team looks bright with young and constantly improving players. Co-captains Peter Gold and Benner Mullen have high hopes for the season.

“We have a lot to improve on, but I am certain we are the best in the league,” said Gold. “Our head coach DJ Shelton has done a great job and creating a very competitive, and focused environment to succeed in. There is no reason why we shouldn’t win the league championship.”

Currently, the varsity boys lacrosse team has a record of 4-1 in their league, and is 2nd in the SCVAL, and JV is 4-5.

Swimming and diving team aims to maintain season’s success

RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Gunn 4/10-4/11, W Girls: 110.5-74.5, Boys:94-89

trials and finals, which will be held at Paly on May 1 and 3.

“At this point, we’re all working on getting to CCS,” Ball said.

“The series of CCS qualifiers starts in a couple of weeks, so at this point everyone’s just trying to dig in and get some hard training before we have to taper off.”

Girls softball aims to qualify for CCS Boys lacrosse dominates

Paly vs. Lynbrook 4/10, L, 8-22 Paly vs. Wilcox 4/12, L, 15-15

RECENT SCORES

races (Azusa, Stanford, and Arcadia) take a lot out of you,” Foster said. “Right now, we’ve got a bit of a lull in competition.”

Despite this brief lull, the Vikings are ramping up training in preparation for Central Coast Section (CCS) and Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL)

PETER GOLD/ THE CAMPANILE

The Paly swimming and diving team seeks to continue their previous years’ success in SCVALS, CCS and states these upcoming weeks.

By Samantha Hwang

D

Staff Writer

espite the loss of seniors for both the girls and boys swim teams, the Vikings have done tremendously so far in their league. “[Our season] has been really good,” said junior and girls varsity swimmer Mary Fetter. “We’re undefeated so far and we have one more league meet on Friday

and then we have SCVALs (Santa Clara Valley Athletic League) next week and then we have CCS (Central Coast Section) and then hopefully state.”

With such a strong start to their season, the girls have their eyes on winning CCS for the third year in a row, and hope to rank high yet again this year in States.

If they are able to achieve this feat, they will become the first

Paly girls team to ever win three consecutive CCS Championships.

This year, both the girls and the boys team felt a huge loss when last years seniors left the program, especially the boys, who only have five seniors on the team.

“We have a pretty young team this year,” said senior captain of the varsity boys swim team Jack Anderson. “We do not have that

many seniors, and our senior class isn’t as strong as it usually is. We have really incredible talent in our freshman, sophomore and junior classes. It has made up for the deficit.”

In swimming, athletes qualify for CCS individually, so both teams are hoping to maximize the number of athletes competing in various events.

“Pretty much we’re trying to get as many girls individually

Along with the swim team, the Paly diving team has had great success as well. Every member of the diving team qualified for CCS, and the season has overall started on a good note.

“We’ve had on both the girls and the boys, we’ve had divers consistently placed in the first or second place spot in dual meets.” said junior Jack Callaghan.

“We’ve had one of our divers win our invitational meets a while back.” “For the future we really just want to have a good end to the season, we have leagues then CCS in May.”

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

SPORTS C3 Badminton team aims to improve under new coach Despite overall great quality and plenty of talent on the team, there is still room for improvement as season continues

U

Ethan Nissim Staff Writer

nder new leadership and a little over halfway through their season, the Paly badminton team is looking to improve upon their skills and grow as a team.

“Training has been more organized and rigorous since we got our new coach. He has many years of experience and works with multiple former Olympians.”

Dylan Zou

“Although our team is much stronger overall and continues to grow under our new coach, we have a lot of room for improvement,” said senior Emily Yu. “We’ve had a lot of close matches over the course of our seven games that were definitely winnable, but

were lost by tiebreakers in two of them.”

The games Yu references were against Wilcox and Milpitas, both of which came down to tiebreakers at a 15-15 score. However, once the tiebreakers started, Yu said, Paly lost.

According to Yu, the team has outlined a number of goals to reach by the season’s end in order to improve and grow as a team as the season progresses.

“Our team is focusing on improving our shot technique and fitness levels, which will allow our players to compete at a higher level,” Yu said.

Other players, such as junior Kevin Cox, are thinking simpler about what the badminton team needs to improve on for its upcoming games. “[We’re looking to improve] our teamwork, on and off the courts,” Cox said.

With only five games left in the season, the team is looking ahead with ambition, hoping to end their season on a high note and advance to the post season.

“For the end of the season, we’re hoping to win a couple more

games and send some players to SCVALS (Santa Clara Valley Athletic League),” Yu said. “[The badminton team] will hopefully proceed to CCS (Central Coast Sections).”

“Although our team is much stronger overall and continues to grow under our new coach, we have a lot of room for improvement . ” Emily Yu

Just starting this spring season, the team is under new leadership with coach Kenny Chung. Chung has been playing the sport since 1982 and was recruited to play in the Hong Kong National Badminton Team.

According to junior Dylan Zou, this change of leadership has greatly benefited the team.

“Training has been more organized and rigorous since we got our new coach,” Zou said.

“He has many years of experience

KAREN AMBROSE HICKEY/USED WITH PERMISSION

Junior Dylan Zou, a crucial player for the badminton team, lunges for the shuttlecock in a recent match. and works with multiple former Olympians.”

Despite their rocky start to the season, with only one win as of

the time this article was written, the Paly badminton team is still optimistic about their upcoming matches.

“For us, every game is a championship,” Cox said. “That’s our mentality. We fight as hard as we can for every win that we can get.”

Varsity baseball heads to end of season Boys tennis team faces many challenges with one loss, high hopes for finals Many of this season’s losses have come with slim margins Recovering from injury crucial for continuing early success

DAVID HICKEY/USED WITH PERMISSION

Senior James Roake at bat during a recent game. Roake will be an important player in the postseason.

D

Anna Meyer Staff Writer

espite recent setbacks, the Paly varsity baseball team is quickly heading into the final month of the spring season with only one loss in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL).

This year, coach Pete Fukuhara is returning, and his team has high goals for championship season.

“We are looking forward to hopefully winning league and playing in CCS,” said junior Paul Thie.

According to senior James Roake, winning SCVAL should not be a hard task given the team’s record.

“Our season’s going great.

We’re going overall 12-6 which isn’t that bad because our losses are against top schools,” said Roake. “We’ve only lost one game [in Leagues] and we swept our other competitor for league so it looks like it’s going to be a breeze.”

Last spring, the boys finished well, placing top ten in CCS. They hope to continue winning even though the team has lost six seniors since last year.

This year, the team was hit hard by numerous injuries. According to Roake, this has been their toughest challenge to overcome this season.

“Our biggest challenge so far is trying to recover from player injuries,” Roake said. “We’ve had many starters who have experienced ankle injuries and arm or shoulder injuries, so it has led coaches to move players around and bring up junior varsity players.”

However, the transition since losing many key players did not stop the team from performing exceedingly well.

Roake said, “Our team is super stacked so we always have reserves ready to jump in and contribute.”

Another challenge that the team has faced is diminished energy. “The biggest challenge has been bringing energy and playing consistent,” Thie said. “We have had a couple games where we didn’t bring a lot of energy and play well but other than that, we have been playing well.”

Most recently, Paly boys swept the series against Homestead High School, winning games one and two by a score of 11-5 and

3-1, respectively.

On April 18, the team played Los Altos High School in a conference match, prevailing by a score of 4-2.

Upcoming, Paly will compete in two-game series’ against other SCVAL teams including Milpitas High School, Mountain View High School and Wilcox High School.

SCVAL finals will be held from May 9-11, where Paly hopes to advance to CCS finals.

Although the teams have not yet been determined, Paly will be hosting CCS finals on May 16.

“We have had a couple games where we didn’t bring a lot of energy and play well, but other than that we have been playing well,” said Roake. “I am looking forward to winning league championships.”

“Our season’s going great.

We’re going overall 12-6 which isn’t that bad because our losses are against top schools. We’ve only lost one game [in league] (against Gatos) and we swept our other league competitor (Homestead) for league so it looks like it’s gonna be a breeze. I am looking forward to winning league championships.

Annie Chen Staff Writer

T

his year, the boys varsity tennis team has faced a rough and difficult season, with a conference record of 2-6 and a record of 5-6 out of league.

Despite fostering great improvement in many of the players, the team has had to deal with commitment issues, especially those regarding academics versus sports, according to coach Andy Harader.

The varsity team started off the season with a 5-2 home conference loss against rival Gunn High School on Feb. 20.

The team then faced a series of defeats, one of which included a 4-3 loss against Gunn on March 27 as a result of close tiebreakers.

“We’ve faced [Gunn] twice and lost both times, but both matches were very close [and] were decided by just a few points,” said Paly senior Andrew Shieh.

Paly senior Hunter North also agrees that many matches were quite close, with the team losing by only a slim margin.

“We have had a lot of tough matches this season that have ultimately come down to one or two

DAVID HICKEY/USED WITH PERMISSION

Senior Andrew Shieh serves in a recent match against Los Gatos. points that unfortunately didn’t go Coast Section (CCS),” Shieh said. our way,” North said. “We just have “I think we have a good shot at to keep our heads up and move on CCS, especially since we’ve beat or almost beat most of the teams we to the next match.”

According to Harader, many of still have to play.”

The team’s next match is against these losses can also be contributed players with a lack of commitment Cupertino High School on April to playing all matches, as some 23.

Regardless of the number of members were missing during wins and losses, “We’ve had a lot of matches.

However, despite the losses, fun this year practicing and playing players are still confident and look- hard,” North said.

“Our record is poor, [but] we ing forward to upcoming matches.

“We’re looking forward to all really have a very good team,” said our remaining four matches be- Hamander.

Boys soph/frosh tennis currentcause if we win at least three of them, we can qualify to Central ly has a conference record of 5-3.

Boys volleyball climbing rankings Newly-created Viking squadron has impressed throughout the season Kiana Tavakoli Staff Writer

D

espite being a new team, Paly’s boys volleyball is already climbing up the rankings and making their way to becoming one of the best in their league.

Their quick improvement and increased ranking can be attributed to the team’s collective resilience and perseverance as well as a strong offense.

“There have been some cases where we’ve been down around seven points but still managed to comeback and win the set… that makes our team pretty resilient,”

said Raymon Chen, Paly boys volleyball captain.

A recent highlight for the team includes their win against Fremont, who they had previously lost to earlier in the season. The Paly boys volleyball team managed to score 3-0 against the Fremont team.

The team’s current goals for the volleyball season include improving defense, ranking in the upper half of the league and continuing to improve individually and as a whole.

“I think the goals for the team for the rest of the season is to just keep getting better as well as winning some more games. Personally

I think that we can finish at least in the upper half of the league so that might also be a goal.”

Paly’s boys volleyball team is not only new, but is also comprised of many young students.

This means that the team is sure to see a spike in success in future years.

“In terms of hopes for the future of our team, I hope that the program will continue to develop and get young players to learn how to play and go through 4 years of playing,” Chen said. “A good deal of the team hasn’t really played before and there are still a lot of underclassmen, we really have a lot of space to improve.”

Boys golf staying strong in long season Girls lacrosse falters towards season end Team looks to stay motivated when playing lower ranked teams Sophia Moore Staff Writer

Q

uite literally “driving” through a myriad of challenges, throughout the season, the Paly boys golf team is looking forward to continuing their six-year winning streak for the league tournament and qualifying for CCS and states.

The team has only lost two matches, against Cupertino and Saratoga, but have brought home a total of ten wins.

“It is disappointing that we did not beat Cupertino and Saratoga at their home courses, but we lost to both of them only by one,” sophomore Bob Zhu said.

In addition to this challenge, another test that the gold team has faced is keeping their concentration during games, according to senior Ahmed Ali. “A struggle has been just maintaining our focus when we play worse teams because it can get a little long and boring if its not competitive, but we can’t let off at any time, especially with CCS coming along,” Ali said.

Despite a couple of losses, the team is hopeful for a successful rest of the season.

“I believe that the golf team has high potential this year,” Zhu said.

My personal highlight includes that, during a match with Los Gatos at Rinconada, I had my

first ever hole-in-one on the 7th.”

Zhu said. “I was filled with so much excitement that I brought everyone on a team lunch.”

For Ali, “Team highlights would be beating Gunn twice with our two best scores of the year and Coach getting us sushi afterwards.”

According to both Ali and Zhu, freshman Anthony Ha has had a spectacular season.

“Anthony Ha has been playing very well this year and as a freshman, he has really stepped up and bonded well with the team,” said Ali. The team’s next golf tournament will be held on April 24 against Los Gatos at The Golf Club at Moffett Field.

After a strong start to the season, team loses three in past month Alyssa Leong Staff Writer

W

hile the girl’s lacrosse team started out their season strong due to fewer injuries than last year, they later sustained losses.

The varsity team won their first three games against Wilcox (16-0), Leland (16-1) and Gunn (11-9), and the junior varsity team has won all of their games to date.

However, the varsity team lost to Los Gatos (15-5), Mountain View (11-10) and Gunn (14-8) over the course of about a month. “[We] lost to some teams we shouldn’t have lost to before,” said junior and varsity player Lia Salvatierra.

“Our season has been pretty rough; [in] my three years on lacrosse, we haven’t ever lost this many games,” said junior and varsity member Sydney Schwan.

“However, we do have a very large team this year, along with a lot of individual talent. Therefore, we are still working on how to work together.”

The Vikings are working hard to make a comeback and win the final games of the season.

Their most recent game was against Mountain View on Wednesday, April 18th at their campus. Since Mountain View’s field is grass unlike Paly’s turf field, the team prepared by running to the Stanford Oval, a grass field, to practice. This gave them

both additional conditioning and stick work on grass. They were defeated 11-8.

Despite their losses, the varsity team is optimistic about the remainder of the season. Their last few games are against Pioneer, Los Altos, Saratoga, Sacred Heart, Willow Glen, Wilcox and their biggest rivals Mountain View and Los Gatos. The team also hopes to qualify for Santa Clara Athletic Valley (SCVAL) finals which take place at the beginning of May. “Generally once we get ourselves together we’re a really strong team, probably stronger than we’ve been in a few years,” Salvatierra said. “We’re ready to come back and beat Mountain View and also Los Gatos.

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

INJURIES & REHAB

C4 Text & Design by Leyton Ho

COMEBAC

How Student Athletes Navig

I

Senior Matan Ziv has struggled with serit takes a split second to change a life. A stuck cleat. An uneven patch of grass. ous injuries throughout his soccer career. Ziv A sweaty blotch of hardwood floor. An has undergone surgery on his ankle twice, the unexpected tackle. All seemingly in- first time to repair a torn ligament in his foot nocuous sporting moments. Yet, for an and the second to repair a fractured tibia. In unlucky few, these events aren’t just a small oc- total, Ziv has spent almost a year and a half currence in the normal flow of a sports match. of his time at Paly rehabbing from the two inInstead, they are painful portals into a world of juries. Despite these obstacles, Ziv continues to play soccer, albeit with a more conservative struggle, doubt and suffering.

For many, injuries are seen as a byproduct approach to the game.

“The only way to fix my ankle for good is of playing sports. Anyone who has watched professional sporting events such as the Super another surgery, but I would have to quit socBowl, World Series or NBA Finals has likely cer and I’m not willing to do that,” Ziv said. seen an athlete go down. Serious injuries in “For now I’m playing through the pain, icing professional sports have become common heavily after games and hoping I don’t get into any huge enough that tackles dursports fans ing the game and sports “A lot of high school that will cremedia have athletes are victims of ate a signifitrivialized the their parents or their cant break to rehab process. my ankle.”

According to coaches or other playJunior former 49ers ers pushing them saying N a t h a n quarterback ‘we need you so badly, RamrakhiSteve Young, ani, who has who has been you have to play. That played socinducted into can be a big mistake.” cer for most the NFL of his life Hall of Fame like Ziv, also and led the faced a bleak 49ers to a Sudiagnosis but per Bowl vicelected to tory during the 1994 season, the occasional recklessness of stop playing instead of having surgery.

“I’ve been injured more times than I can professional athletes can negatively influence count,” Ramrakhiani said. “My two most their young fans.

“Youth athletes trying to imitate the pros significant injuries have been a quadrican be dangerous because pros don’t necessar- cep tear and a labral tear. I had to also ily play with the safest techniques,” Young said. quit soccer as this injury would not heal Additionally, professional athletes gener- by itself.”

Junior Rachel Loewy took a different ally rehab quickly, play through injuries and according to Young, approach injuries like an- path. After two surgeries and many dislocated knees, her surgeon forbid her from other challenge to conquer.

“Mental toughness is a hallmark of the elite playing soccer again. Instead of giving up athlete so coming back from injury is just an- her active lifestyle, Loewy pivoted towards other challenge or roadblock to be overcome running track and cross country and has not just like you have your whole life,” Young said. looked back.

“Through soccer and my injuries, I was able The mentality of professional athletes, however, does not paint the full picture of the to try out cross country and fell in love with it,” injury rehab process for youth and recreational Loewy said. “In fact, I enjoy more cross country more than I enjoyed soccer.” athletes.

Facing long hours at physical therapy and In reality, the healing process is extremely strenuous and is complicated by mental strug- a grueling journey towards regaining fitness, Ziv, Ramrakhiani and Loewy struggled both gles, peer pressure and stigma.

Warren King

54% OF Student aTHLETES reported pLAYing whILE injured

physically and emotionally to cope with their injuries.

Mental Struggle he mental toll an injury can have on an athlete can be more debilitating that the physical pain. It can seem insurmountable at times. Injured athletes are sidelined for an extended period of time and have to brave the setbacks and obstacles that come with the process of rehabilitation. Often, the rehabilitation struggle places a massive mental burden on the athlete, resulting in a loss of confidence and fueling negative emotions.

“I felt that the mental struggle was ten times as significant as the physical struggle, mainly because I could see all the hard work I put into my sport slowly being lost as everyone around me got better, while my ability stagnated,” Ramrakhiani said. “I lost a lot of motivation and self-confidence as a result.”

Intern Paly athletic trainer Brian Arakaki spoke of the significant role mentality plays in recovering from injuries.

“The mental strain is a huge ordeal,” Arakaki said. “After a certain time, most injuries become 90 percent mental, 10 percent physical. Your mind itself has to prepare and engage and ask itself ‘Am I able to do this,’ ‘Can I compete again,’ ‘Do I want to put myself in that position again?’

It’s more of a mental argument that each indi-

T

90% Of Student Athletes Reported SportsRelated Injuries

Statistics Courtesy of National Athletic Trainers’ Association

vidual athlete has.”

With the prevalence of injuries in high school — the National Athletic Trainers’ Association reports that 90 percent of studentathletes report some sort of sports-related injury — many Paly coaches have firsthand experience witnessing their athletes struggle through the mental barrier of an injury. Jonathan Kessler, the Paly wrestling coach, is one such adult.

“Depending on how severe the injury is, it can be extremely detrimental to an athlete’s daily life,” Kessler said. “It’s always tough to have to sit out of competitions due to injury.

Wrestling is mainly an individual sport and we train so hard to reach our goals. The thought of not being able to accomplish what you set out for is extremely tough mentally to grasp.”

F o r athletes w h o sustain

The Campanile

Friday, April 20, 2018

INJURIES & REHAB

C5

Text & Design by Kaylie nguyen

CK SEASON

gate the Turmoils of Injury multiple serious injuries, the mental strain there. I never learned how to respond to that caused by subsequent injuries is even greater. because there’s nothing I wanted more than to “The second injury broke me,” Ziv said. “I be out there.” remember sitting in the room after the doctor Furthermore, athletes cannot just leave told me [my their injuries tibia] was on the field. broken and I They take “I kept repeating out didn’t believe this mental it. I kept restrain and loud ‘Why me,’ ‘Why peating out struggle to again?’ That’s all I loud ‘Why every aspect could think about me,’ ‘Why of their life. again?’ That’s “It’s not for so long, what did all I could like you can I do to deserve this think about leave the inagain.” for so long, jury at school what did I or on the do to deserve field,” Arakathis again.” ki said. “You A f t e r take it home, overcoming it affects your the initial family, it afshock and despair of the injury, Ziv found that fects your own personal lifestyle, which is a rehe simply was not the same athlete he was be- ally difficult part of it. Not only are we trying fore the injury. to get the athletes back into the game, but we “After many long months of feeling like are also looking at the fact that they have a soI lost who I was, it was finally time to start cial life, family life and education. [Rehabilitaphysical therapy which I thought would help tion] is a fine balance between those aspects.” me again like it did the last time,” Ziv said.

Along with affecting their social life, family “But this injury just didn’t get better. I worked life and education, injuries also challenge one’s so hard to get back to my physical shape, but sense of identity. Having played a sport for a my ankle always hurt, it never got better. It was significant portion of their life, injured athletes really frustrating knowing there’s nothing else are often left searching for direction.

I could be doing. My bone just isn’t healing “Soccer was something that my dad inbecause of how bad the injury was. I stilled in me from such a young age,” Ziv said. would still go to almost all of “I started watching and playing soccer before my club team’s games I was 2 years old. Up until my first injury I and parents would always saw myself as a soccer player and to me tell me how it was the biggest factor in my identity. When they miss I got injured for the first time and couldn’t play s e e i n g there was a few weeks where I felt like I didn’t m e know who I was and like I didn’t know what out to do with myself.”

Matan Ziv

Stigma Behind Injuries nother factor that makes recovery difficult is the stigma behind injuries.

Sometimes, like in Ramra-

A

khiani’s case, injuries can be misinterpreted as weakness, leading to a lack of support necessary for rehabilitation.

“I found that while my Paly coach was very understanding, my club coach was not,” Ramrakhiani said. “I felt that he was pressuring me to return long before I was physically able to, and I think this had an adverse effect on my recovery. The hardest part about my experience was my teammates’ behavior: I was called ‘weak’ and effectively emasculated for trying to let myself fully heal before returning to soccer. I was repeatedly told to ‘man up’ and ‘just play through it,’ a toxic attitude that ultimately hampered my recovery.”

Orthopedic surgeon Warren King, who has been the team orthopedic surgeon for the San Francisco Giants, the assistant orthopedic surgeon for the San Jose Sharks, and currently serves as the head orthopedic surgeon for the Oakland Raiders and co-orthopedic surgeon for the Golden State Warriors, has even seen parents pushing their children back to the sport too soon.

“A lot of high school athletes are victims of their parents or their coaches or other players pushing them saying ‘we need you so badly, you have to play,’” King said. “That can be a big mistake. Sometimes I have to shut down parents or coaches that are pushing them too hard and protect the kids from their outside sources that are driving them further down the injury track.”

Love of the Game ome say hindsight is 20/20. Reflecting on their sports careers, Ziv, Ramrakhiani and Loewy look fondly upon their experience playing soccer, even with their respective injury struggles.

“I never regretted playing soccer,” Ziv said.

“I’ve always been an extremely physical player and if I could go back I wouldn’t even change that. I feel like I’ve always played the game the way I think is right and I would never change that. I love the game, there’s absolutely no way I would give up all I’ve learned from it, even with my injuries.”

Ramrakhiani echoed Ziv’s sentiments and

S

also believes that his participation in the sport taught him key values that he carries with him in the present day.

“I do not regret playing soccer as it laid the foundation for work ethic, teamwork, and athleticism, key virtues that still guide my life today,” Ramrakhiani said.

Some athlete’s love of the sport is so great that despite adversity, they continue to take an active role on their team. Senior wrestler Jackson Clough sustained a severe season ending injury in the preseason that required surgery, but continued to help others on the team and to attend practice.

“Rather than isolating himself from the sport because of the thought of his wrestling career being taken away, he gave back to the community and helped the program,” Kessler said. “[Clough] trained our brand new wrestlers in the preseason, refereed wrestle-offs, ran the scoreboard during home duals, helped coach at JV tournaments and didn’t miss a practice all season.”

Professional Perspective or all athletes, whether a professional at that top of their game or a high schooler playing their first varsity season, a strong support network of professionals — including physical therapists, trainers, doctors and surgeons — is beneficial for a successful recovery.

These professionals provide a valuable insight on their rehab process and educate athletes on keeping themselves safe in the future.

“Most athletic trainers not only try to fix the current symptoms but also to educated each athlete about their injuries — why it happened and how it can be prevented in the future,” Arakaki said.

According to King, he stresses patience and trust in one’s body in allowing the athlete to return safely to their sport.

“The most important thing is listening to your body,” King said. “Don’t listen to your coaches, don’t listen to your ego. If you are really having pain in a joint, then that needs to be addressed quickly and rapidly. Don’t try to push through it. The no pain no gain rule does not apply to joints, it applies to endurance.”

F

12% OF Student aTHLETES Reported Head Injuries

37% OF Student Athletes reported Sprains

Friday, April 20, 2018

C6

The Campanile

SPORTS

Various psychological factors drive athletes to elevate performance

For athletes at Palo Alto High School, the will to continue with a sport can stem all the way from pride to security in one's future

By John Tayeri Staff Writer

S

enior Reed Foster takes off in a panic, sprinting for an ideal spot in his race. His competition is strong, and adrenaline pumps through his body.

Foster’s event, the 800 meter run, is notorious for being one of the most challenging races in track.

However, he persists through the pain, beating his competitors and clocking in at 1:54.09, a personal best.

Foster is one of many students at Palo Alto High School who participates in strenuous sports.

These sports are time-demanding, tiring and sometimes dangerous.

After a negative experience, such as a crushing loss or a brutal practice, these athletes often question whether they made the right choice to join a certain team.

Nonetheless, certain things tend to sway them back into playing sports. Every athlete needs some type motivation when playing sports, to fight against the pain and fatigue they go through. Several things motivate them to not only stay active in the sports they play, but also drive them to improve.

MARK FOSTER/USED WITH PERMISSION

"I want to get noticed by coaches and the only way to do that is by working hard to get better."

Paul Thie One of the biggest driving factors to improve in sports is the desire to be the best. This trait is innate, and it does not apply to only athletic activities. People challenge themselves to become better at things that they particularly like. For example, a student who is fascinated by chemistry will want to score higher than their peers on tests in that field.

"Certainly at a meet, [winning] really validates the training I’ve been doing, and it shows that what you’ve been doing is working," Foster said. "When I get good results, I receive a good feeling that is difficult to explain.”

Student-athletes long to be the best for many different reasons. At a high enough level, students can end up competing collegiately.

Paul Thie is a junior attending Paly. This year, he has competed in

Palo Alto High School seniors Reed Foster and Sam Craig run the boys varsity mile race. Foster and Craig have both been members of the track and field team for four years. varsity football, soccer and baseball.

“One thing that pushes me to get better is the idea that I may get scouted or recruited one day,” Thie said. “I want to get noticed by coaches and the only way to do that is by working hard to get better. No matter what division I may play at in college, there will always be kids working harder than I am, so I feel a need to do the same thing and claim the upper-hand.”

"[Winning] really validates the training I've been doing, and it shows that what you've been doing is working."

Reed Foster Students also like to show off, and showcasing one’s athletic capabilities is no exception.

Whether it’s casual Snapchats from friends at the gym flexing their biceps, or messages saying

their team won a tournament, many students want to brag and gain popularity by becoming a star at the sport they play.

Another thing that inspires people to become better athletes is pride. Whether it is familial pride, school pride or national pride, many play sports to represent a group. Most high school students represent their families and their school when they compete.

While pride can be a motivator, it can also lead athletes to cheat in an attempt to avoid disappointing results.

“Whenever I lose, I hate the feeling,” Thie said. “I feel that I disappointed my team and my school. I strive to get better so I don’t ever get that bad feeling anymore.”

Losing in competition is frustrating; whether athletes gave it all they had and lost by a thin margin or if they get blown-out, recovering from losing in a game is always tough. Sometimes losses are so tragic that athletes question why they should continue to play.

“If I have a bad race, one strat-

egy is to first be frustrated about yourself and what happened,” Foster said. “However, if you dwell too long on everything that went wrong, you are not reminded of the things that went well in your race. I try to focus on the positive aspects of my race whether I placed well or poorly.”

"Whenever I lose... I feel that I disappointed my team and my school. I strive to get better so I don't ever get that bad feeling anymore."

Paul Thie Losing is only one of the many obstacles athletes face when they play sports. Playing in games is the most important, but practice can be just as strenuous and demanding.

“Sometimes you have workouts that make you feel terrible,

but in those times I remind myself that they will ultimately make me a better runner,” Foster said. “That makes me feel like I am doing the right thing by training hard.”

There is a particular thrill or sensation that athletes experience in big moments during sporting events. Being overly worried will usually worsen performance, but playing with the right amount of anxiety can go a long way. Adrenaline is a hormone released by the brain when humans are stressed, angry or fearful, all feelings athletes undergo in sports. This hormone increases muscle strength and increases glucose production, giving us more energy.

Coaches have a huge impact on their athletes; they are the most important motivational figures to the athletes themselves. Although coaches all have the same goals for their respective teams, their techniques and methods vary in order to get there.

Which system of coaching is the most effective? In most scenarios, coaching younger players requires an abundance of patience

and quick desicion making. This is due to kids' hyperness and lack of focus. These coaches have to bargain with their players, saying things like "You will all get popsicles if you can do this drill properly!"

"I try to focus on the positive aspects of my race whether I placed well or poorly."

Reed Foster Other coaches use a method of intimidation to motivate their players. Instead of rewarding athletes for doing well, these coaches will punish athletes for underperforming. Athletes will tend to play for such coaches when they are competing in higher levels.

Motivation is only one of the many topics covered by sports psychology. It is important to know about because we would not have the incentive to continue playing sports.

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

SPORTS

No pain, no gain: Dancing through the struggles Sophomore Isabel Harding battles back from devastating injury to pursue her passion

C7

Wrestling team diets to boost chances of winning

By Will Robins

H

ERIC RABER/ USED WITH PERMISSION

Isabel Harding has struggled with repeated injuries since seventh grade, but she has not let this stop her from continuing to dance.

By Kiana Tavakoli

S

Staff Writer

ome people refuse to dance, claiming to have two left feet. However, sophomore Isabel Harding plans to continue dancing despite the burden of having two broken feet.

Like many fellow students, Harding became passionate about the sport and committed much of her time to it. She began dancing competitively at a young age and has planned on dancing at a professional level ever since.

After spending almost her entire life perfecting her technique and building strength, Harding struggled with the fact that she had developed stress fractures in both her feet.

“I was first injured when I was in seventh grade,” Harding said.

“My foot had been hurting for a couple of weeks during dance so I got it checked out and I had a stress fracture on my second

metatarsal. Over the past three years it’s just been on and off fractures in both of my feet.”

Like many other injured student athletes, Harding has found that the most difficult aspect of the process is not physical recovery, but rather the mental burden of falling behind while seeing others continue to improve.

“The most challenging part of being injured is watching all of your peers and friends continue to work while you have to sit on the sidelines losing more and more of everything you’ve worked for,” Harding said. “It’s really difficult to lose the progress you’ve made while other people continue to make more progress.”

Since Harding’s injury has been on and off, she found this feeling to be intensified in the times that she was able to dance.

“It’s hard when you go back and actually see that play out when [your peers] are in great shape and you are so behind ev-

eryone,” Harding said.

Though the road to recovery has and will be a long one, Harding is optimistic that she will fully recover and achieve her goals in the sport.

“The most challenging part of being injured is watching all of your peers continue to work while you sit on the sidelines.”

Isabel Harding

“In the near future when I start rehabilitation, I’m working towards being able to dance again,” Harding said. “There’s nothing else I enjoy as much so I don’t know what I would do with myself if I couldn’t dance. I would love to dance professionally if that’s in the cards. I think most

people who are still dancing at this age want something beyond high school from it.”

Though the time away from a sport during recovery can be unpleasant, this time can also be useful.

“My advice for people with injuries is to take the time you have off to do things you can’t normally do,” Harding said. “I usually have very little free time, but now I have time to sleep and spend time with friends.”

Competitive athletes who suffer injuries sometimes find that the time off allows them to discover whether their sport is something they are truly passionate about or not, thereby serving as a period of realization.

“I think that being injured can give people time to evaluate if they want to stick with what they’re doing or not,” Harding said. “I think it’s important to stick with something if you love it and move on if you don’t.”

Staff Writer

eading into the gym, throwing on a padded helmet and practicing are not the only things Paly wrestlers take part in. A substantial part of the sport that often goes unnoticed is dieting.

“I actually ate just a banana or an egg every day for two to three weeks to get my weight down,” said sophomore Peter Graham.

This minimal diet, though very different to one of a regular student, is not new to student wrestlers during competition season at Paly. Graham and many other members of the team constantly try to lose weight to put themselves in the lowest possible weight class, which gives them an advantage over a smaller opponent.

“I weigh 122 pounds, but I wrestled some people who weighed 108 pounds,” Graham said. “I lost weight so I could be the highest weight in my class.”

Junior Aidan Gans also dieted throughout the season.

“In days before tournaments I won’t eat anything to keep my weight down,” Gans said. “I will eat a lot less during the wrestling season too and try to consume healthy foods, not desserts or anything sweet or fatty.”

Dieting is not the only method that wrestlers on the team use to lose weight.

“To help lose weight during practice we would just put on more layers in order to sweat more and help cut weight,” said junior Hamza Muzaffar.

The intensity of the diet increases more as weigh-in day comes closer.

“Days before tournaments you also have to be careful what you drink, so I might not drink all day and then sauna or workout in sweatpants to sweat more,” Gans said. “I don’t do it to that much of an extreme, but in college and more competitive stages of wrestling they will cut like 25 pounds just from sweating.”

Although dieting can give you an edge over opponents, it can

also affect your energy level.

According to WebMD, individuals who participate in rapid weight loss are often subjected to headaches, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, fatigue and sometimes malnutrition. In addition, when partaking in a strict diet while engaging in a high intensity sport like wrestling at the same time, these side effects are more likely to occur.

“Wrestling on an egg or a banana for two to three weeks means you have an extremely low energy reserve,” Graham said. “Dieting issues just makes you very tired, since my BMI (Body Mass Index) was in the low 15s at that point.”

Losing weight in wrestling is also extremely difficult due to the fact that you are consistently gaining muscle throughout the season, which adds weight.

“To help lose weight during practice we just put on more layers in order to sweat more and help cut weight.”

Hamza Muzaffar

“Losing weight is hard because of the culture of the sport,” Graham said. “It makes you bigger when you wrestle, which makes you gain six to eight pounds.”

Some members of the team like sophomores Zoe Maiele and Al Lee, do not have as much trouble with dieting.

“The truth is weight cutting doesn’t have to be difficult,” Maiele said. “It’s completely up to you to know when to start watching your weight and when to relax as a wrestler.”

Additionally, Maiele feels that dieting is not always as intense as people believe.

“A lot of people feel like wrestling is unhealthy because we always seem to be exhausting ourselves trying to lose weight, but that is because people are used to thinking about water weight cutting,” Maiele said. “We do that on the last day, or right before we have to weigh in.”

Friday, April 20, 2018

The Campanile

SPORTS TEXT AND DESIGN BY BEN VAN ZYLL

International Break

DESIGN BY KIRAN MISNER

Club soccer’s “international break” sets stage for hopefully prosperous World Cup, with a few teams emerging as serious Contenders through series of national team games

O

ne of the biggest matches from this round of international friendlies was Brazil taking on the reigning World Cup champion, Germany.

Brazil, having taken a devastating 7-1 loss to the German side in the semifinals of the 2014 World Cup in their home country, looked to make a statement in this match and let the world know they are prepared to make a run for the title this summer.

Despite losing its star player, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, ahead of the matches due to injury from a match with

his club, the Brazilian side was able to manage a 1-0 win over the world champions thanks to a first half goal from Manchester City youngster, Gabriel Jesus. Brazilian-American sophomore Marcus Ama is excited with the newly enhanced Brazil squad and looks forward to seeing what they can manage going into the tournament with preliminary matches against Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia before moving onto the knockout stage.

“I think Brazil played well in their games and I think they are showing that they are fully ready for the World Cup

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

O

ne team that consistently performs well and has developed new promise after the addition several upand-coming young players is the Mexican national team.

The team looks to go beyond their Round of 16 run from the last World Cup led by veterans like Javier Hernández (Chicharito) and youngsters like Hirving Lozano.

The team managed a win and a loss in their friendly matches.

“Against Iceland, Mexico started off slow in the first half,” said Paly junior Eric Aboytes. “José de Jesús Corona, the goalie, had to make several saves that kept us in the

game.

Mexico broke through with a beautiful free kick by Marco Fabián, and from that point dominated.

When Hirving Lozano came on he revolutionized the Mexican offense, assisting Miguel Layún on the second goal. Lozano is definitely a player to look out for in the World Cup.” Unfortunately the match against Croatia did not bring the same excitement, however Mexico remains optimistic about the upcoming World Cup. “Mexico had a poor game against Croatia,” Aboytes said.

“They didn’t generate many

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

and do not hope to disappoint their nation like the last World Cup,” Ama said. “Our midfield and defense has been superb.

We have controlled games and we did not allow a goal against neither Russia nor Germany which is a great morale boost for our defense.”

With Neymar expected to make a recovery before the competition begins, Brazilian fans hold high expectations for their nation going into the tournament.

“Once we have Neymar back in the squad, I fully expect we make a run for our sixth World Cup,” Ama said.

H

aving narrowly missed out on their third World Cup title in the previous tournament due to a 113th minute winner from German player Mario Götze in the final, the Argentinian national team looks to finally claim their third title this summer.

However, 2010 World Cup champions, Spain, who had a disappointing run in 2014, failing to make it out of the group stage, gave the Argentines a reality check, demoralizing the team in an embarrassing 6-1 thrashing.

The Argentinian side

scoring opportunities and didn’t take advantage of having players ike Chicharito, Carlos Vela and Lozano in the game. The game should have ended in a 0-0 draw, but Layún committed a foolish foul inside the box.

Unfortunately the team faced even more setbacks other than just the loss.

“To make matters worse, Mexico lost potential World Cup starters due to injury,” Aboytes said. “Mexico need to learn from their mistakes against Croatia because they face Germany in their first game of the World Cup and they can’t afford to make errors.”

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

A

lacked the help from five-time Player of the Year winner, Lionel Messi.

“Without Messi [Argentina] had a low morale because they depend on Messi and it was really obvious,” said Paly junior Eitan Klass. “The team always takes the most losses without Messi.”

Messi’s absence evidently impacted Argentina’s offensive productivity, but heads turned at the fact that the side also conceded a whopping six goals.

“They defended really poorly,” Klass said. “Argen-

tina also did a poor job putting the ball in the back of the net.

One of our most prominent goal scorers, Gonzalo Higuain, missed a really simple chance against the keeper.”

Based on what the soccer world has seen Argentina do with Messi, however, the team certainly can not be ruled out of the contending picture and the fans know it.

“If Messi can get back to being healthy, Argentina have a very good chance to land a spot in the top four in the upcoming World Cup,” Klass said.

MEXICO CITY, MEXIC0

prolific side in recent World Cup qualifications, the South Korean national team is looking to up its level in the upcoming tournament having gone out in the group stage in 2014.

Despite losing both friendly matches during the international break in a 3-2 loss to Poland and a 2-1 loss to Northern Ireland, the South Korean fans are hopeful that their side will can pull off victories in the tournament.

“I’m obviously disappointed with the results but the team is showing promise,” said Paly sophomore James Jeon.

“Son Heung Min is definitely a key player is the side for both country and club so he’s going to have to play a big role in South Korea’s World Cup run this summer.”

Although the team will have to face strong teams like Sweden, Mexico and Germany this summer, they hope to manage a run like the 2002

World Cup, where the team finished fourth place in the tournament after a strong campaign.

“We’re in a pretty difficult group,” Jeon said. “Hopefully a few upsets can take us to another surprising finish like in 2002.”

The most recent = international break brought intense competition to the soccer world, adding to the already present World Cup anticipation.