Issue 3, 10/28/2016

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

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The Campanile

Vol. XCIX, No. 3

Palo Alto High School • 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301 • www.thecampanile.org

Friday, October 28, 2016

Five candidates battle eagerly for three Board spots AVI TACHNA-FRAM

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

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he next Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education will have to deal with a multitude of issues facing the District, including a $4.2 million budget shortfall, an unremitting achievement gap and the issue of student stress.

Five candidates are campaigning for the three open seats on the Board. Incumbent Melissa Baten Caswell is vying for a third term, while Heidi Emberling is vying for her second. The third seat was one vacated by former board member Camille Townsend who decided against running for a fourth term this fall.

The challengers are investment manager Todd Collins, former elementary school teacher Jennifer DiBrienza and outsider politician Jay Blas Jacob Cabrera.

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Board to vote on reporting Wellness Center weighted GPAs in November hosts Unity Day Conflict about stress-related class choices and inequity in GPA CHARLOTTE CHENG

STAFF WRITER

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eighted grades have become a hotly debated topic in Palo Alto. In fact at the Palo Alto Unified School District Board meeting on Oct. 18, all the seats were filled and it was a standing room only audience.

Both the District's high schools — Palo Alto High Schools and Henry M. Gunn High School — now report unweighted grade point averages (GPA) on students’ transcripts, but there is one major difference. Gunn counselors may also report weighted GPAs if a student requests it. That results in a “bump” in their grades if they have taken honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes. For example,

if a student received an “A” in an AP or honors class, they would receive a 5.0 rather than a 4.0 in that class, ultimately raising their grade point average.

"Things like pathway programs, or media arts programs would be nothing [if we had weighted grades]."

Kim Diorio Principal On the other hand, Palo Alto High School does not offer this option and this has created controversy.

Some students and educators believe both schools should be aligned and the topic has been hotly debated.

Paly Principal Kim Diorio said

Paly event promotes importance of inclusivity

that there should be alignment between the District’s two high schools when it comes to unweighted grades.

She believes that because of the small number of students weighted grades affects and because associated with the negative mental health effects of weighted grades, neither high school should report weighted grades.

Roughly 12 years ago, Diorio was a guidance counselor at Gunn and said she noticed flaws in Gunn’s weighting system even then.

“When you are weighting grades, you are unintentionally creating a ranking system based on the courses that students take,” Diorio said.

“Weighted grades benefit the top 10, 20 percent of the students in our GPA DEBATE

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MAYA HOMAN/THE CAMPANILE

Students connect slips of paper containing sentiments of inclusivity and compassion.

SAM YUN

NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR

District standardized tests B show signs of improvement PAUSD makes progress towards closing the achievement gap GILLIAN ROBINS

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

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he 2015 SAT and ACT results yielded increased improvement over the past five years, for all students, including historically underrepresented groups, as reported by the Board on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Not only have SAT and ACT results increased over the past five years, but the scores have also outperformed the state. According to Prep Scholar, the average adjusted ACT score for the state of California is 21.41(on a 36 point scale), The average adjusted SAT score is 1053 (out of 1600). As outlined in the Minority Achievement and Talent Development (MATD) recommendations, PAUSD will continue to sustain efforts to close the achievement gap.

Due to the efforts of the MATD, which focused on the achievement

gap, underrepresented groups have improved in some cases. The Hispanic student population’s mean ACT score in 2011 was 22.4, and in 2015, it rose to 23.3. However, the ACT Key Findings showed that the African-American student population’s mean score in 2011 was 20.3, and, in 2015, it dropped to 18.9.

In describing the key points of the presentation in the Superintendent’s Executive Summary, emphasis was put on the fact that historically underrepresented students outperform the state and national averages for all students. However, in the presentation itself, the SAT Key Findings claimed that from 2011-2015, historically underrepresented students continue to, in some cases, score below the state average.

MATD was formed to uncover hidden causes that perpetuate the achievement gap, and for setting recommendations, backed by 2015 re-

search, on how to close it. On Oct. 19, the Committee held a meeting to discuss and solidify its recommendations and is working to improve them. On Sept. 14, the Committee proposed 2016-2017 District focus goals titled Equity and Access, Wellness and Safety and High Quality Teaching and Learning.

Due to the efforts of the MATD, which focused on the achievement gap, underrepresented groups have improved in some cases.

“Just today, I submitted the first draft of the equity plan to the board, so they’re going to be able to review this, provide some feedback, asking some clarifying questions at the next board meeting on November 1st,” STANDARDIZED TESTS

A3

ound together with orange shirts and pins, Palo Alto High School held its second annual Unity Day event on the quad on Oct. 26. Hosted by the Wellness Center along with the help of Camp Unity participants, Unity Day celebrated a spirit of acceptance and took a stand against bullying. This day of celebration has been a national event since 2006.

The lunchtime event featured a booth to create “links of love,” a chain of paper slips composed of ideas that Paly students and staff have written to help create a more accepting and inclusive space for everybody.

In addition, the event also sported a project called “Unity Means.” The booth offered whiteboards for participants to write how they personally view what unity should be about.

“People wrote what unity meant to them and that could mean a lot of things to different people,” said Julia Chang, an outreach worker at the Wellness Center. “Some people said that it meant compassion or empathy, other people said that it meant accepting diversity and celebrating everybody's differences.”

However, due to the PSAT, Paly and Gunn High School held their Unity Day events on Wednesday, a week after the national Unity Day on

Oct. 19. Despite the scheduling conflict, Chang still believed that it was imperative for Paly to host this event.

“I thought it was really important to recognize Unity Day here at Paly because it’s so important to celebrate diversity and differences, not just for anti-bullying but just to really show that we’re a supportive environment for students and staff, regardless of their gender or their race, where they come from or how they identify,” Chang said.

Superintendent Max McGee also voiced his support for the cause in an article on the District website.

“I am so proud of our students and grateful to our teachers, school leaders and our supportive parents for their participation in such an important and symbolic day,” McGee said.

“In fact, wellness and safety is one of the three goals in PAUSD this school year and that is not by accident. It is our goal to make sure students feel safe.”

In the future, the Wellness Center hopes to bring the entire district together to coordinate a joint movement in the celebration of Unity Day. “We’re trying to create a tradition, which I think is really important,” Chang said. “It’s not something that’s really ingrained here yet but it is something that, maybe in the future, we will be coordinating with other schools to really unite and drive home the point of unity.”

INSIDE

Ne w s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A 1 - A 4 O pi n i on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A 5 - A 8 Lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1, B7-B8 StudentiLife.........................B2 Entertainment................................B3 Spotlight...............................B4-B5 Halloween............................B6 Sports..................................C1-C8

Thefts sweep across Paly

School Board Elections

Quinceañeras

NBA Preview

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PAGE A8

PAGE B1

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Check us out at www.thecampanile.org

WIKIMEDIA/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

NEWS

The increased bike thefts at Paly is an area of concern for all students.

JACQUELINE MOORE/THE CAMPANILE

EDITORIAL

A look at who The Campanile is endorsing to PAUSD school board.

ALEXA MORALES/USED WITH PERMISSION

LIFESTYLE

Lavish parties mark entrance into womanhood in Mexican culture.

WIKIPEDIA/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

SPORTS

Conference seeding predictions for the basketball season.

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

A2

NEWS

NEWS TO KNOW

California ballot to include Prop 51 The proposition aims to provide over $9 billion to charter schools and K-12 schools YAEL BEN-SHACHAR

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

MICHAEL VADON/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

@usnews Donald Trump wins his first major newspaper endorsement.

@WIRED What are the chances that Elon Musk can actually make a fully self-driving car by the end of 2017, as he’s promised?

@music Jay Z will perform to get out the Ohio vote before the election.

@espn A bantamweight title fight has been added to what is becoming a stacked UFC 207 card on Dec. 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

AMAS/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

@AMAs The American Music Awards, the world’s biggest fan-voted award show.

• The 2016 #AMAs are LIVE, November 20th on ABC!

D

uring the 2016 political cycle, the nation’s spotlight is on the presidential election. However, the race for the presidency is not the only item on the ballot this November — there are also 18 statewide propositions on which Californians can vote. One of these measures is Proposition 51, which would provide $9 billion in school bonds to K-12 institutions and community colleges for building construction and repairs.

If issued, proceeds for the bond would be stored in the 2016 State School Facilities Fund and the 2016 California Community College Capital Outlay Bond Fund. $3 billion would go to construction for K-12 schools, another $3 billion would be allocated to repairs for K-12 schools, $2 billion would be dedicated to community college’s needs, and $1 billion would be split evenly between charter schools and K-12 vocational education. Schools must apply to receive a portion of the proposed funding for their budget.

However, the schools must raise a portion of the money in their communities, which might discourage low-income communities from applying.

Palo Alto board member Melissa Baten Caswell does not believe that the Palo Alto School District is likely to apply for any funds from Proposition 51.

“Palo Alto did get some funds under the last school bond [in 2006], but since we received some funds in the past and are substantially done with our construction, I do not expect

CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

Gov. Jerry Brown has been a strong proponent for the proposition, having donated over $35 billion in building funds since 1998.

us to apply for or get much, if any, this time around,” Caswell said.

Proposition 51 would distribute nine billion dollars among not only community colleges, but also all 1,025 of California’s K-12 school districts.

In comparison, between 1998 and 2006, California issued $36 billion in school bonds. Nevertheless, Caswell appreciates that the state is willing to provide at least some funding.

“If you are looking at the entire state of California — a thousand school districts — they’re going to run through that $9 billion really quickly,” Caswell said. “But, that said, I’d rather have nine billion dollars for school districts that can’t raise funds locally than zero dollars, so I am in

support of [this proposition].”

California’s legislative analyst estimates that the bonds would cost California’s government $17.6 billion plus $8.6 billion in interest.

In total, Proposition 51 would cost the state of California about $500 million a year.

However, Caswell is confident that having new and improved academic facilities across the state is well worth the cost.

“I know paying interest seems terrible, but the other option would be that you don’t have enough buildings or you have buildings that are in real disrepair,” Caswell said. “Given that education has probably the biggest impact on our economy than any-

thing else, I’d say that I’d rather put my money there and pay my interest on it, than many other things.”

Voters must ask themselves whether or not they believe education and schools’ facilities should be a priority for the state.

Caswell believes that the quality of classrooms significantly affects the well-beings of students and teachers.

“I think about the communities where they’re not able to raise money, think about how much they need this, so that’s part of why I’m very supportive of this,” Caswell said. “I think kids shouldn’t have to go to school in rundown, crowded buildings. I think that takes a toll on students and it takes a toll on teachers, as well.”

PAC set to host first production of the year

“The Importance of Being Earnest” kicks off Nov. 4 in the new Performing Arts Center NICK MELVIN

STAFF WRITER

MAYA BAILEY

STAFF WRITER

CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

@ESPNStatsInfo Kevin Durant enters NBA season with a 64-game streak of scoring at least 20 points, 3rd longest since NBA-ABA merger.

@BR_MLB “Cubs’ Jon Lester and Indians’ Corey Kluber were named Game 1 starters for the #WorldSeries.

@CNN Russia unveils ‘Satan 2’ missile; report says it could wipe out “parts of Earth the size of Texas or France.”

I

n the words of legendary playwright Oscar Wilde: “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.” The Haymarket Theatre is a prime example of the latter. In addition to being old, run down and more than 100 years old, the Haymarket Theatre lacked the proper atmosphere to hold the rapidly expanding performing arts program at Palo Alto High School. As a solution to this problem, Paly constructed a $29 million new Performing Arts Center (PAC). On Nov. 4, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” will be performed at this venue.

Paly’s theater program will host five performances of The Importance

of Being Earnest” premiering on Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Following performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 10, Nov. 11-12. The tickets will cost $15 for adults and $10 for students. The Paly theater program will also hold a Tea and Show Fundraiser matinee performance, hosted by the Paly Theatre Boosters, on Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets for this showing will cost $40 a person.

Tickets are currently on sale at www.palytheatre.com/tickets. Those who buy tickets to the tea will be gifted with VIP seating during the performance, as well as a warm and inviting cup of 100 percent natural English tea.

For those who opt for the normal tickets, cucumber sandwiches, muffins, lemon cakes and other tasty, British-inspired treats will be provided.

“The Importance of Being Ear-

nest” is a great play, but even more exciting is the prospect of watching a show that headlines some of the best actors in Paly history, includes Jackson Kienitz, Jason Pollak, Claire Eberhart, Mia Turbeja and many other Oscar-deserving thespians.

“I think that watching a play is the best way to get to know a new place. The PAC is made for performance, and so the shows that happen there are destined to be remarkable.’’

Nadia Leinhos Senior “The most exciting part of this play for me is watching my classmates be able to perform the first play in the PAC,” said Stage Manager Jessica Wu. “Our set and props are fantastic thanks to our set designer Teresa and

Open forum to foster discussion “Tea Time” will create dialogue between Paly alumni and students KIRAN MISNER

SPORTS EDITOR

P

alo Alto High School will host a series of discussions aimed to increase community discussion within the town of Palo Alto.

Dubbed “Tea Time,” students and alumni will have the opportunity to discuss the past, present and future of life in Palo Alto.

“We are trying to foster more dialogue in the community about any array of subjects, but wellness is specifically one of them,” said Paly WOPAC leader Alvin Kim.

“When you are going along the path of high school and trying to go through PAUSD, it easy to lose sight of what is in front of you.’’

Alvin Kim WOPAC Leader The first Tea Time meeting was held in the library on Oct. 25 after school.

While Tea Time opened up its first session at Paly this October, the program has been running at Gunn

for the past year as well. Tea Time will be held during school hours, and students are free to ask any questions to former alumni.

“The premise is to get a few alumni from the [Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD)] high schools to return on a weekly basis and essentially, just be there to have an open conversation with students,” Kim said. “There is no set subject; we just go and talk about any subject we want, whether that is about wellness or the sports game last night.”

The idea was started by a group of alumni who felt that it would be a good idea to give current students their perspectives concerning anything about Paly after having gone through a similar journey that students are experiencing right now.

The alumni will undoubtedly have experience and be able to shed light about their experiences through Paly’s academic, social and athletic culture.

“All the people who are part of the program came directly from Paly, so we know what the culture is like, what the events are like, what the stresses are and how to deal with them,” Kim said.

Kim has already seen a number of inspiring improvements at Paly, and hopes to further raise awareness surrounding student wellness and health.

“We are trying to foster more dialogue in the community about any array of subjects ,be wellness is specifically one of them.’’

Alvin Kim WOPAC Leader “In terms of general trends, what I have been seeing out of Paly has been extremely cool and reassuring,” Kim said. “Just having the wellness center and having more people dedicated to community building and mental health is super important.”

Tea Time will continue to take place on Tuesdays during tutorial in the Library Resource Center until the end of the semester.

“When you are going along the path of high school and trying to go through PAUSD, it’s easy to lose sight of what is in front of you,” Kim said. “You do need to be healthy and happy, and we are trying to help students do that.”

props master Claire. They’ve really made the large space into a formal 1800s house. Also, it’s my senior year and so I’ve grown close the actors and can’t wait to see them on stage in front of an audience.”

“The Importance of Being Earnest” is a marvelous play, and the starstudded Paly Theatre squadron is sure to have done a bang up job with it, making it well worth taking the time to relax following the completion of college applications, so go out and treat yourself to a spectacular performance!

“If you haven’t been inside the PAC yet, please come see ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’” said senior thespian Nadia Leinhos. “I think that watching a play is the best way to get to know a new place. The PAC is made for performance, and so the shows that happen there are destined to be remarkable.”

UPCOMING EVENTS NOV

Premiere of Oscar Wilde’s famous play

NOV

End of second quarter grading period

NOV

No school for Veteran’s Day

NOV

Paly Jordan Band Festival

NOV

Sources of Strength: I am Stronger

4

10

11

15

16

Finally an excuse to see what the inside of the PAC looks like.

Get ahead by asking for extra credit before anybody else thinks of it.

Because a leisurely day off is the best way to honor those who fought hard day and night to protect our freedom.

If you thought the Paly band was bad, just wait until you hear the middle schoolers give it a go.

It’s like Not in our Schools week but even more inclusive.

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

NEWS

A3

Admin, students Test scores impress board weigh in on grades CONTINUED FROM A1

school. If you’re not in that top 10, weighted grades work against you.”

With the new Wellness Center in place and Sources of Strength, a program designed to create a safe learning environment at Paly and Gunn, administration and the community have done what they can to support mental health in the district. Diorio said weighted grades steer students away from classes they are interested in to classes that give them more credit, creating more stress.

“Students start selecting courses based on the additional credit, so what happens in high schools that go to weighted grades is that they don’t usually have the electives,” Diorio said. “Things like pathway programs, or media arts programs would be nothing [if we had weighted grades].”

Paly senior Maya Katz disagrees.

Earlier this year, Katz encountered an obstacle with her application for a scholarship at the University of Oregon. Because of Paly’s unweighted grades policy and a few other deciding factors, she was unable to get a $36,000 Apex scholarship. She said

"Considering the fact that many students need to take out loans, this isn’t just an issue for four years. It’s an issue for the rest of their lives."

Asaf Katzir Gunn Senior many district officials are ignoring student voice in this debate.

“The students at Paly and Gunn are the only students that can vouch for the stress that they are feeling,” Katz said. “There’s no admin, parent or staff that can vouch for how we are feeling about our grades or our grades being weighted.”

In addition, Gunn students were especially agitated about the district’s proposal to remove the option

to weight their GPAs. Gunn senior Asaf Katzir uses a personal story to enhance his support and advocacy behind keeping weighted grades.

Katzir and two of siblings will be in college next year. His family would not be able to pay for college costs for all three children without the help of financial aid. However, because of Gunn’s policy on weighted grades, Katzir was able to receive a scholarship with full tuition.

"Students start selecting courses based on the additional credit, so what happens in high schools that go to weighted grades is that they don’t usually have the electives."

Kim Diorio Principal “Considering the fact that many students need to take out loans, this isn’t just an issue for four years. It’s an issue for the rest of their lives,” Katzir said. “I do believe the board should wait on making a decision and take in a lot of student input and make sure to make the right decision.”

Members of the Board of Education have split opinions on the topic.

Camille Townsend, a board member in her third term, said weighted GPAs should be available to students on their transcripts. She praised the students and parents who voiced their opinions and shared their stories.

“I think everybody should have the weighted grades on their transcript if that makes it easier,” Townsend said.

“I’m ready to help our kids, get their scholarships and get their admissions.”

Due to the board policy of having two meetings before any action can occur, the Board will be revisit and vote on the issue of weighted grades on Nov. 1.

PAUSD/FAIR USE

PAUSD students on average score very high on the ACT, but the board is troubled by performance discrepancies between races.

CONTINUED FROM A1

Castellon said. “This is the first time that the parent groups are seeing it, the first time that principals are seeing it likely, a lot of my colleagues in the district office have seen various draft of this, but this is kind of the unveiling of the first draft.”

These goals focus on ensuring that all students have equal access to programs and services to ensure they reach their potential. In accordance with this goal, the District is shifting to be more equitable. Some examples include more frequent translations, equity training for teachers and formal and informal conversations about race that are taking place at Paly and Gunn. Also, members spend an hour analyzing real world problems as they relate to equity in school, utilizing the book“Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education” at the Monthly Principal meetings.

“I attended, and the takeaway for me, was that race affects 100% of our

lives,” Castellon said. “And that is a starting point. What I got out of this, is the realization that race is all around us. Race governs our privilege, how we get along in the world, whether we’re privileged whether we’re not, what opportunities we have, what our economic challenges are, what our class is, it governs so much. And I just thought it was really smart of Paly to organize that session.”

Another goal is wellness and safety — focusing on providing social-emotional needs of students to create a healthy environment where connections are made. High Quality Teaching and Learning emphasizes that students engage in learning that maximizes student’s opportunity to excel academically. This new implementation of Wellness can be found in the launching of the new Wellness center. The services at the center are meant to provide students with the counseling support services to ensure kids perform their best academically, according to the 2015-16 annual

District highlights.

The role of the Equity Plan is not just to clearly label the research and recommendations from the MATD report, but also to call out the work done in the past three years, categorize the recommendations and goals and identify milestones.

Castellon wants the Equity Plan to get a lot of exposure to different people who are invested, so she can receive feedback and continue to revise and improve the Plan in order to reach her target date.

“The immediate next steps is to get [the Equity Plan] into the hands of as many people as possible, and get their feedback, and really seriously consider their feedback and incorporate it and revise the plan accordingly. So that by the spring, we have a workable three-year equity plan that sort of provides a blueprint of the work in terms of equity and access that needs to happen.”

Candidates hope to improve student experience CONTINUED FROM A1

Melissa Baten Caswell

H

ighlighting her many years of experience in the District, Baten Caswell sees herself as an institutional knowledge bridge for the District.

Baten Caswell has said that the combination of Superintendent Max McGee’s lack of experience in the District as well as numerous retirements within the District have created a institutional knowledge gap.

If Baten Caswell gets elected this year she would be serving her third term on the Board, while every other Board member would be going into their first or second terms. Indeed, Baten Caswell has stated that she is the only one who has the understanding of the District’s history and culture necessary to help McGee through his transitional period.

"It makes more sense for us to invest in making sure students have the tools and support to be strong in their social-emotional health."

Melissa Baten Caswell Board Member “I was the Palo Alto Teen council president for a couple of years before I was on the Board,” Baten Caswell said. “I have had kids in school for 16 years, and I have been doing Districtwide activities for the past 13 years, so I feel like I have a perspective and information on our history that no one else has, certainly no one else who’s running right now.”

In addition to her experience in the District, Baten Caswell emphasizes her background in business management and in marketing and technology and said her experience in these fields makes her highly qualified to be on the Board.

“I have experience developing and implementing strategic plans for large organizations,” Baten Caswell said. “I understand the importance of

managing to long term goals, as well as “panning and zooming” between the big picture and implementation details,” While Baten Caswell views her experience as necessary to shepherd the District, others notably the Palo Alto Weekly, have criticized her record over the past eight years. Citing transparency issues as well as mismanagement the budget, the Weekly believes that the District is in need of “new blood” and that Baten Caswell will only continue what they see as the failures of her first two terms.

By serving in the District and working in management for so long, Baten Caswell said she has a large network of relationships that she said is a significant asset she brings to the Board.

For instance, during her first year on the Board, Baten Caswell said she was the primary individual who introduced management-consulting firm McKinsey & Company to the District which helped the District create a new strategic plan, the guiding document for the District.

“We had a strategic plan, but it was not being followed and I brought in a major consulting firm,” Baten Caswell said. “I was able to find someone who gave us pro bono consulting for the strategic plan that we’re still using now nine years later.”

Baten Caswell’s said her top priorities for the Board, should she get elected, would be to emphasize social-emotional health and make sure that every student is engaged and challenged.

“Before a crisis hits it makes more sense for us to invest in making sure students have the tools and support to be strong in their social-emotional health.” Baten Caswell said.

One such tool that Baten Caswell wants to make sure students possess is the ability to make mistakes and recover, which Baten Caswell said will make students more emotionally resilient and better able to cope with stressful situations when they arise. As such, Baten Caswell believes the District should provide students

more programs like the Advanced Authentic Research program and the Scientific Research Project program, which gives students a safe environment to learn such coping skills.

Furthermore, Baten Caswell said things such as the Wellness Center and mindfulness curriculum are important for promoting social-emotional health in students.

Despite recognizing that the District has room to grow on many fronts, Baten Caswell likes to point out the success the District has had.

“It’s a great District. We’re number one in the state of California,” Baten Caswell said. “Our academics are number six for public schools in the nation. Eleven of our elementary schools are in the top 100 in the nation, and our three middle schools are in the top 25 … That’s not to say that we shouldn’t make improvements, but I think it’s important to remember that during an election cycle when people are looking for problems.”

If re-elected this November, Baten Caswell will join Board member Camille Townsend as one of only two Board members to serve a third term in the past 40 years.

Todd Collins

F

ocusing his campaign on solving PAUSD’s budget shortfall and on using data-driven solutions, Todd Collins, an investment manager at Tregaron Capital, sees the budget shortfall as critical for the future of the District.

“I’m an investment manager by profession, and I spend a lot of time serving on Board and helping oversee company’s financial affairs,” Collins said. “It really struck me that we were in a not good place. We had made some bad decisions, and we are potentially putting what we have at risk.”

At every regular Board meeting since the $4.2 million shortfall was announced, Collins spoke to the Board about the budget during the public comments section of the Board’s budget discussion.

During his frequent comments on the shortfall, Collins has pushed for urgency.

“I hear Board members say that we shouldn’t rush to make decisions without community input,” Collins said at the Aug. 23 Board meeting.

“For some cuts, in school site programs for instance, that is certainly a very reasonable approach, but in our budget of over $200 million dollars, are there no cuts at all that we can look at this year now without a thorough community review?”

As the Board’s budget is such as big issue for Collins, most of the criticism for Collins stems from critics for his budget plan. Some say the shortfall is not as serious as Collins thinks it is and that more caution and less urgency is required in budget talks.

Data-driven solutions is Collins’ other major rallying cry.

Some of the recent instances where Collins said the District has failed to properly utilize data include last year’s contentious debates about the District’s three-year teacher contract, whether there should be a limit to the number of AP courses high schoolers can take and the decision to move to full-day kindergarten.

"It turns out, no other California School Districts similar to Palo Alto guarantees raises in advance. If we had looked at the contracts other Districts have with their staff — readily available on the web — we would have seen this, and hopefully then asked — why not? — before agreeing to the guarantee, and causing the shortfall."

Todd Collins Board Candidate Collins is particularly disappointed by the District’s implementation of the three-year contracts, which he said caused the shortfall.

“It turns out, no other California school Districts similar to Palo Alto

guarantees raises in advance,” Collins said. “If we had looked at the contracts other Districts have with their staff — readily available on the web — we would have seen this, and hopefully then asked — why not? — before agreeing to the guarantee, and causing the shortfall.”

"I feel like I have a perspective and information on our history that no one else has, certainly no one else who’s running right now."

Melissa Baten Caswell Board Member Collins also prioritizes the socialemotional well being of PAUSD students. Collins, who had a daughter who went through a mental health crisis, sees enforcement of the District’s homework and test-stacking policies as a significant part of the solution to PAUSD’s social-emotional health issues.

“There is has not been any mechanism for tracking [homework loads and test stacking], for giving feedback for teachers for teachers to share information on it, we literally have a policy that is unenforceable because we don’t collect the data or try to put the systems in place to give people what they need to comply with [the homework and test stacking policies],” Collins said.

In addition, citing the 2015 zero period controversy at Gunn, increasing student voice on the school Board is a top priority for Collins who said preferential votes given to student Board representatives, which allows the representatives to have votes formally recorded on the minutes, but without actual value in the vote count, would allow the representatives to act as the best vessels of student voice.

“If you are going to have a preferential vote, then you should have a way of polling the student body on the issues beforehand. Then I think it would be very hard for the Board CONTINUED ONLINE

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

A4

Measure B sets goals to improve transportation

NEWS

Seniors maintain lead to win Spirit Week Annual competition a success despite changes to the week’s schedule

Increased sales tax will raise estimated $6.5 billion for Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority CLAY WATSON

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

W

ith growing concerns surrounding traffic in the Silicon Valley, Measure B aims to make transportation in the area easier by increasing taxes throughout Santa Clara County.

While this measure has seen growing support of the past weeks, there has also been an increase in the opposition to the tax, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass.

What makes this measure different from many of the other measures in this voting cycle is the direct impact that it could have on the daily lives of members in the Santa Clara County community if successfully implemented.

With an increased sales tax of 9.25 percent in Campbell and San Jose and 9 percent in other cities throughout the county, it is estimated that the measure would raise an estimated $6.5 billion dollars for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

What this would mean for county residents is the increased presence of BART in the Silicon Valley, which would likely reduce traffic throughout the area.

It is no secret that the Silicon Valley region has experienced huge economic growth and increases in activity, so supporters of this measure argue that improved transportation is necessary to keep up with the mounting traffic.

According to Chris O’Connor,

the Director of Transportation Policy at the Silicon Valley Leadership group, Measure B would do just that.

The proposition would improve the area and fit transportation together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Specifically, the measure would aim to decrease traffic on streets and highways like U.S. 101 from San Jose to Mountain View, Highway 85 corridor and other major traffic zones in the county.

However, the measure has been subject to criticism. Opponents of the measure have cited a failed Measure A from 2000, which aimed to attain similar goals of improved transportation through taxation.

Measure A was meant to include the addition of an underpass at University Avenue and a new parkway, both of which were never built.

In addition, $6 billion dollars is a significant amount of funds. Some opponents of the measure believe that the money could be put to better use in other parts of the county’s budget.

While the economic growth in Palo Alto and the Silicon Valley have resulted in the success of many, it has also come with its own set of problems, which include traffic and congestion in the area.

It is argued that poor public transportation and infrastructure have not been able to keep up with this growth, and Measure B hopes to change this.

That being said the history of past measures and limits on the financial budget leave this measure open to criticism.

MADS MCCLUSKEY/THE CAMPANILE

Dressed in their senior jerseys, the Class of 2017 cheers on their fellow classmates as the seniors complete their final spirit dance.

MACKENZIE GLASSFORD

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

P

alo Alto High School’s annual Spirit Week ended last Friday after five days fraught with competition. The week culminated in a senior victory. They were followed by the juniors in second, sophomores in third and the freshmen in fourth.

The Class of 2017 emerged victorious on the first day and managed to maintain their lead for the entirety of the week. The seniors took first in cheers for all but one rally and first in a total of four different rally activities, including banana bump, the relay race, tug o war and the hula hoop chain. They also clinched first place in class dance performance at the Friday after school rally, and despite

a second place float, the seniors won the week. However, as with every Spirit Week, tensions ran high between the classes. During the Monday lunch rally, two juniors ran across the field holding a banner reading “It’s Sh17,” their take on the senior chant, “It’s L17.” This resulted in a 50 point penalty for poor sportsmanship against the junior class. Senior Stella Carpenter believes more points should have been docked.

“Not only was their banner bad sportsmanship, it featured profanity and was completely inappropriate for school,” Carpenter said. “Personally, I would have taken away 100 points.”

While the seniors held on to a comfortable first, the Class of 2018 had to battle throughout the week to maintain their lead over the sopho-

mores. After taking third on the first day, the juniors jumped back into second on Tuesday, and although they stayed ahead the rest of the week, the sophomores kept scores close, with the final points for second and third place depending on the class floats.

The juniors placed third for dance, but first for float, which resulted in a second place victory.

In spite of occasional tensions between classes, junior Spirit Commissioner Michaela Fogarty thought the week went well.

“I thought it was a really good experience as always,” Fogarty said. “It was fun on Friday to watch all the grades come together for the final rally, even after a week of competition. Overall, it was just a really fun week.”

Local mental health clinic to open Paly students advised to SafeSpace aims to assist adolescents in accessing adequate mental health care

remain cautious of thieves Recent thefts plague students across the campus PHILIP ERICSSON

STAFF WRITER

I

COURTESY OF SUNRAYSIADAILY

Chris Tanti, CEO of Headspace created new mental health clinic that will open in Menlo Park with the goal of helping teenagers.

EHECATL RIVERA

STAFF WRITER

O

ne’s adolescent years are a critical period of growth that often bring up issues such as self-identity and independence. Additionally, adolescents will undergo many social and hormonal changes that may be difficult to cope with.

As depression and suicide rates in American youths continue to rise at an alarming rate, it is important that adolescents have access to mental health services.

Organizations across the nation have been working tirelessly to not only destigmatize and bring awareness to mental health issues in adolescents, but also to make treatment more accessible.

One of these organizations is SafeSpace, a local nonprofit modeled after an Australian mental health program called Headspace.

SafeSpace’s mission is to aid adolescents in gaining access to proper mental health care. If all preparations go well, the first SafeSpace center in the U.S. will be constructed in Menlo Park. It should have resources available by next August.

Since its inception in 2006, Headspace has helped adolescents from

the ages of 12 to 25 cope with issues ranging from depression to drug use through a series of programs. Headspace centers have been established worldwide — the nonprofit has offices in Israel, Denmark, Ireland, Canada and Australia.

Additionally, Headspace offers a program called Headspace. It is an online and telephone service which offers over the phone counseling, providing the user with someone to vent to.

If all preparations go well, the first SafeSpace center in the U.S. will be constructed in Menlo Park and have resources available by next August.

SafeSpace aims to replicate many of Headspace’s successes and they will be offering many of the same or similar programs. Headspace offers a variety of services from counseling to getting homework done to helping prepare for a job interview.

“Perhaps the most important benefit of importing the Headspace Australia model is that SafeSpace will begin on day one with an organizational model, marketing system, educational content, and care model that has been has been developed and validated for more than a decade in

Australia and has been successfully imported by other countries outside of the United States,” said Susan Bird, co-CEO of SafeSpace.

Chris Tanti, CEO of Headspace, has been hired by SafeSpace to act as its executive director and he will be helping SafeSpace with every step along the way.

He is scheduled to take the position at the beginning of 2017, however, he will visit the future location of SafeSpace in Menlo Park over the next four weeks to help the non-profit organize and get started based on his previous success with Headspace.

SafeSpace will be offering a specific school program for schools that would like to become SafeSpace schools.

The program is still being developed and plans to bring in students from different schools from around the Bay Area.

The plan will officially roll out to students in the fall when the center is opened.

If schools, however, would not like to become a school of SafeSpace, youth from that school will still be permitted to attend a center.

While SafeSpace is still developing its website, more information will be added in the coming months about specific programs available.

t is estimated that 1.5 million bicycles are stolen each year.

Theft in general is continually on the rise on college campuses and high schools across the nation.

Unattended personal belonging, poor locks and declining bicycle registration have long been present at Palo Alto High School. However, recent thieves have exploited the school's lax security measures, resulting in thefts across Palo Alto High School.

In terms of bike thefts, there are precautions that every biker should consider to help minimize the chance of falling victim to bike thievery.

At colleges nationwide, bike thefts are the number one campus crime and account for over half of all property thefts. Many riders are hesitant to report the crime as police give bike theft a lower priority relative to other crimes. Additionally, only 2.4 percent of stolen bikes are ever recovered.

The unfortunate prevalence of bike thefts is no different at Palo Alto High School. Since the beginning of the year there have been over 20 bikes stolen.

It is estimated that several bikes are stolen each week from Paly's, and only a small number of the bikes are ever recovered.

The large problem was brought up at a site council meeting at Paly recently. The issue was brought up

by Paly Principal Kim Diorio, as she cited the large increase in bike thefts since the beginning of the school year.

Diorio mentioned that the school has security cameras around the perimeters of all of the bike racks and scattered around the school, but that many of the bikes are stolen because students fail to lock their bikes when they are rushing to class.

It is estimated that several bikes are stolen each week from the Paly campus, and a small number of the bikes are ever recovered.

Paly senior Naveen Pai has fallen victim to bike theft, but does not blame Paly as a school.

“I don’t think there’s much Paly can do to prevent the thefts," Paid said. "I take responsibility because I

left my bike over night and I didn’t have a good lock”.

Students at Paly should be mindful of not leaving their bikes at school overnight, as this increases the chances of having it stolen.

They should also consider registering the bikes with the city of Palo Alto as it will be easier to find if it is ever lost.

Furthermore, while traditional bike locks stand little to no chance against bolt cutters, U-Locks are nearly impossible to cut through, presenting a much more formidable obstacle to potential thieves.

“I would advise other students to be very mindful about where they’re leaving their bikes and for how long, and also to buy a U-Lock,” Pai said.

However, the widespread theft has not solely encompassed the theft of bikes. The cross-country team was robbed on Oct. 11 when an unknown person went through several students backpacks and removed cash and credit cards.

At colleges nationwide, bikes thefts are the number one campus crime and account for over half of all property thefts.

Many riders are hesitant to report the crime as police give bike theft a lower priority relative to other crimes.

Student backpacks were left unattended on the benches surrounding the track, and the thief stole the items during the middle of practice in broad daylight.

Team parent Malcolm Slaney sent an email out to the team the next day, warning students to be vigilant of suspicious activity around the shed.

“If you are at the track, please keep an eye of your friend’s backpacks, if you see somebody you don’t know, please ask them who they are,” Slaney said.

The cross-country team has since moved all backpacks into the track shed, which remains locked during practice times. Due to the recent wave of thefts, students are advised to remain aware of the risks of leaving belongings unattended at campus and be mindful of their possessions regardless whether it is during school hours or after school.

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

OPINION

A5

New security cameras on campus Administration quietly installed high-definition color cameras around the school this year. Are these devices here to protect students from criminal activities or are these an infringement on students' civil liberties?

Cameras safegaurd students JACQUES MANJARREZ SENIOR STAFF WRITER

E

arlier last month, my bike was stolen from the bike racks outside the science department. Although one might argue that I was indeed asking for it by not utilizing the simple yet effective deterrent known as a "lock,” I was distraught. Wings now pried from my back, I stumbled into the main office with the seemingly futile hope that perhaps they might know of my bike’s location. Upon entering, I explained my situation to the administrative assistant, who responded with a phrase which was what I initially presumed to be cruel mockery: “You’re in luck.”

We as a collective must recognize the fact that, behind the cameras, there is a being capable of emotion and empathy. A deeply caring individual whose only interest is preserving the sanctity of our school.

As it turns out, Palo Alto High School recently installed new, high-definition color cameras all over campus. Now, not even a rebellious local ant who strays too far away from its colony can go unnoticed by Paly administration.

Ant brainwashing aside, I was indeed hoping that the thieves who were responsible for the bike-napping would be identified so that I could receive compensation for my loss.

I approached the single monitor that had an expansive series of camera anglesfrom around the school scattered across the screen. To my astonishment, it did not take more than a minute to find the exact time and place when the bike disappeared. The perpetrators even smiled for the camera.

Now I have my bike back, and I have the cameras to thank. If not for the cameras, I would not have my bike back.

That’s simple logic. So is this article biased by personal experience? Yes. Is that justifiable because this is still an opinion article? Yes. Is it likely that I have lost the vast majority of reader focus due to my convoluted “ant brainwashing” exaggeration? Probably. But that is not important. What is really important to the Paly community is a vast network of se-

curity cameras providing a watchful eye over our campus.

Any paranoia that stems from one too many readings of "1984" is completely illogical and unfounded. You do not see any “Big Diorio is Watching You” posters hanging around campus. This is precisely because Paly’s faculty is very responsible with this new technology and has neither the will nor the time to see the school devolve into a dystopian hellscape reminiscent of "1984."

My opponent in this debate, Joseph Yang, argues with a thesaurus at hand that the “the worst and probably the most relatable atrocity that the security system could potentially commit is that it would allow even the most bureaucratic details of the student handbook to be enforced, such as the provision that limits student intimate interaction with a teacher to the point of estrangement.”

My rebuttal is to state that there exist regulations for good reason, as the recent allegations held against teachers for sexual misconduct have proven beyond a doubt that there should exist at least a minimum level of surveillance.

Furthermore, we as a collective must recognize the fact that, behind the cameras, there is a being capable of emotion and empathy. A deeply caring individual whose only interest is preserving the sanctity of our school from ruffians, criminals and ne’er-do-wellers in the most non-Orwellian manner possible.

That individual is vice-principal Jerry Berkson, who wants nothing more than for Paly to continue being a free-thinking community.

The Paly administration has earned our trust after all these years of encouraging student liberty and rights to freedom.

Furthermore, granting the schools this kind of surveilance will have no forseable impact to our liberties as students. There's a fine line between preserving authority in a militaristic fassion and cathcing bike thieves I ask you, Joseph, what kind of activities are you afraid that administrators might catch a glimpse of?

What are you so afraid of?

It is for these reasons, among others, that the Con is wrong. I have reason to suspect that Joseph is in fact the leader of a band of hooligans whose very industry of encouraging rebelliousness among ants is being threatened by the new security cameras.

Cameras jeopardize freedom JOSEPH YANG

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

A

merican core values have always centered around liberty.

Benjamin Franklin once wrote that those “who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

With a few exceptions, Americans have chosen to value freedom over security as the latter concern has always struck a fear-mongering tone reminiscent to that of the dictators and monarchs of the ‘Old World.’ However, at least since the Cold War, the atmosphere around the country has changed to one of fear and strife, with the debate of security vs freedom becoming an integral part of the American fabric.

And now it seems that the ideological conflict of freedom vs. safety has reached Paly with the installation of security cameras around the school. Paly students now live on a campus monitored by the same high-tech security cameras used in casinos and high-security banks.

To be fair, the new security system has its merits. It can be used to reduce bicycle theft and potentially other illegal activity, as it did for Jacques.

The problem with security cameras is not its immediate blessings, but rather the precedents that they will establish.

Here’s why: Paly is known for its excellent education; the school board will often attribute the school’s high rank to the quality teachers and facilities. However, an unofficial factor that has contributed greatly to Paly’s success is the liberal atmosphere that pervades the campus.

As history shows, governments tend to create a set of legalistic and sometimes arbitrary set of rules in order to govern society. The administration is no exception, as it has created a monstrous bureaucracy full of arcane protocols and labyrinthian concords all compiled into something called the student handbook.

The only difference that the "improved" security systems could make is in more effectively imposing the will of the distant governing body called the school board onto the students.

If Paly were to use its security cameras to enforce the student handbook to teachers and/or students it would mean the end to close student-teacher interaction. A few sexual assault scandals here and there, and suddenly all close student-

teacher interactions are banned.

The security system on campus will open the door for future principals to increase the monitoring of activity around campus. It has the potential to grow to the point where students are monitored for minor things such as when they leave the classroom to go the bathroom.

Of course, many people, especially Jacques and his gang of draconian, authoritarian despots, are skeptical that Paly will naturally evolve to become some Orwellian campus.

To be fair, the skeptics have a point.

Paly will probably not become anything close to what we’ve seen in George Orwell’s infamous book “1984,” for many years. However, even though it may seem extreme in the current status quo, one has to remember the school administration has the incentive to monitor student activity and increase restrictions because it ostensibly seems like “progress.”

It has the potential to grow to the point where students are monitored for minor things such as when they leave the classroom to go the bathroom.

An end-of-the-year report touting increases in attendance would seem like a positive improvement to the school board, and one could easily imagine an ambitious principal instituting policies that strictly enforce the myriad of rules in the student handbook. However, to what end? In pursuit of an ideal, Paly could lose its cultural soul, which would be a cost that would greatly outweigh any perceived superficial benefit that could be presented in a graph.

Paly cannot continue to open up avenues of repression for the sake of “improvement,” otherwise Paly loses the one thing that distinguishes itself from Gunn: its cultural swagger. And that is something I am sure not even Jacques with his gang of fear-mongering dinosaurs would be willing to afford.

Also, in response to Jacques claim that I am a hooligan with a conflict of interest, all I have to say is that I feel sorry that Jacques has fallen victim to a system that demands his conformity and coerces him to have an opinion that supports an Orwellian school of thought. For the rest of the readers, however, just remember this: don’t be a sheep.

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

A6 OPINION Current events should be discussed in history courses

ANNA MORAGNE

I

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

n a world of growing technology and frequent communication there is one thing many students seem to be lacking — an understanding of current events. While the headlines of “Syrian Refugee Crisis,” “2016 Presidential Election” and “ISIS’s influence on the Middle East” are all flashed around on news sources and overheard in passing conversations, very few students actually have a thorough understanding of what is happening in the world around them.

Students have easy access to numerous news sources, yet what they lack is the time and motivation to learn and comprehend crucial current events. Including time to discuss current events as part of learning curriculum for history classes at Palo Alto High School would be the most effective way to educate all students about the events around them that have direct implications on their lives.

The beneficial outcomes of implementing current events into classroom curriculum are numerous. It would teach students to care about the community around them as well as to look for the effects of community, state and nationwide political decisions. It would also help encourage students to become engaged citizens and in addition to teaching them why certain de-

cisions are made and what happens as a result.

Teaching current events in the classrooms would also allow students to have more intellectual discussions and opportunities to form their own opinions about current event issues and what should be done about them.

If students are taught about current events within the classroom, they will have the confidence to engage in intellectually stimulating conversations outside the classroom, whether it be with friends, parents or strangers.

History teacher Adam Yonkers believes that it is a citizen’s civic duty to stay up to date with current events.

“One of the things I really like to do is connect the past to the present,” Yonkers said. “In teaching concepts in all my classes I’m always looking for how students can apply [the material] to current events and why it’s relevant to them.”

Additionally, as some students become eligible to vote, it is important that Paly plays its part in making sure that all of its students are informed voters.

“I think it would be super important to learn about [voting propositions],” said senior Ibby Day. “Upperclassmen at least should pay attention because there will come a time in their life where they can vote and should be educated. I think just learning about these things gives you a way to develop

how you feel about issues regardless of what it is, liberal, conservative or moderate. You can just prepare to address these issues in the future.”

History teachers could have the opportunity to discuss many of the issues addressed on the ballot so that students know what they are voting for. This allows students to be a part of positive change.

Part of a school’s purpose is to inform students and mold them into engaged citizens who help or change their community in a positive manner once they have graduated. Teaching students current events throughout their high school years would get them into the practice of staying up to date with the world around them. Therefore, they are more likely to continue to stay informed about current events once they graduate.

“My hope is that it actually builds upon an awareness and that they’re able to then look at the news more critically,” Yonkers said. “I try to make the argument to students that they should know about whatever historical events are happening and what’s going on now.”

The implementation of teaching current events in the classrooms would be simple. Since every Paly student is required to take a history course each year, current events would be best discussed within history classes. Each teacher could take five to 10 minutes

at the start or end of each class period to discuss and break down the most important events happening at that time.

Teachers could also choose a variety of ways in which to teach their students about current events. They could switch their lessons up by holding a question and answer session with their students following one specific event for a week or month at a time.

This would allow a more in-depth look at the issue.

Another simple way this could be implemented is to assign each student one week within the school year where they must research and present a current even to the class.

Tobacco and alcohol are considered the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S.. Most experts say there has never been a documented overdose of marijuana. Alcohol kills over 2,000 people a year; marijuana overdose kills none.

The ramifications of legalizing marijuana are slim. In fact, they may be beneficial. Colorado has experienced $135 million in tax benefits and thousands of new jobs from the recent legalization of marijuana, according to the New York Times.

According to the Consumer News and Business Channel, the total revenues from marijuana are forecasted to pass $22 billion by 2020.

Furthermore, the job of the local legislators is to speak for the people and to execute their dreams, not to decide whether or not legalization is what they personally want.

While legislators sit in a position of

power, it is only because the people of California elected them. As they well know, if they do not support the people’s voice, they will have no chance of being reelected.

Another California law — Proposition 64 — would legalize recreational marijuana for those over the age of 21. An ounce would be taxed at $9.25 for flowers and $2.75 for leaves. There would also be a 15 percent tax on the retail price of marijuana.

The tax on marijuana is phenomenally high and completely uncalled for when compared to only a $1.01 tax on cigarettes per pack and a $0.10 per gallon tax on alcohol. These taxes are all included in a “sin tax.” By making the tax on marijuana so high, legislators are actively claiming that marijuana is more dangerous or harmful than other drugs or alcohol, which is incorrect to say the least.

However, through Proposition 64,

$2 million would annually be allotted to research of marijuana, which is very important for the future relationship of California and marijuana.

Also, Proposition 64 would not allow Californians to blindly jump into the cannabis scene. Legislators would be recruiting some of the best safety and control practices from other states.

Currently, many marijuana users are finding illegal ways of obtaining the drug. Proposition 64 would eliminate much of the dangers of abuse, laced product and quality.

By regulating the consumption of marijuana, users would be given a safer, more trustworthy product than one they would have illegally obtained.

While Proposition 64 has failed on some accounts, including the high tax and regulation, it is a step in the right direction for Californians. The tax and regulations can be negotiated down once the proposition is passed.

Teaching current events in the classrooms would also allow students to have more intellectual discussions and opportunities to form their own opinion.

The possibilities for how current events could be taught are countless, and so are the benefits of doing so.

Being an engaged citizen within one’s community is one of the most admirable and important characteristics one can possess. Paly should play its part in creating students who are as engaged and educated as possible by making current events a required part of the history curriculum.

California ought to legalize marijuana despite high taxes MADS MCCLUSKEY MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

W

hile American legislators continue to consider themselves as leaders of a democracy, they continually deny the people their right to a fair vote.

Marijuana has had a controversial history in California. Only recently — by Proposition 215 in 1996 — was marijuana legalized in California.

However, it is not fully on the terms the people wanted. As of now, marijuana is only legal for use in medical applications. Recreational marijuana, in addition to the medical marijuana, should be legalized.

Polls conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California reveal that over 60 percent of voters believe that recreational marijuana should be legalized.

Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Alaska have all legalized marijuana. If Californians think of themselves as the most forward-thinking, openminded people, why is their state not on this list?

By making the tax on marijuana so high, legislators are actively claiming that marijuana is more dangerous or harmful than drugs or alcohol, which is incorrect to say the least.

The answer is that California’s government believes that marijuana is harmful and dangerous; many are scared of the potentially harmful outcomes of marijuana’s legalization. Yet no data supports this claim.

If alcohol and tobacco, both highly addictive and physically detrimental substances, are both legal in the United States, why is marijuana, a less abused, less dangerous, less addictive and less deadly drug not legal as well?

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

OPINION

A7

Sports funding should be allocated equally among teams NICK MELVIN

P

STAFF WRITER

ervading the campus of one of the most highly regarded high schools in California is an injustice so deeply-rooted and unbearably calamitous that it is taxing to even think of it. This abomination is the unequal distribution of funding for high school sports.

Several years ago, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) made a decision that would alter the future of high school athletics for the next few decades.

The district cut athletics out of its budget, leaving the sports department to fend for itself. The department was lost. It was scared. It was confused.

But never, not even for a second, was it defeated. It learned on the fly, it adapted, it reprimanded, it adjusted; and low and behold, it succeeded.

It forged out of thin air a system for appropriating the funds necessary to run a high school sports department. They were thrown to rock bottom when the district cut them off, but they were not alone. They had before them an even greater resource than they ever had in the district: the help of the entire sports community.

And from this, it boosted itself from the depths of financial despair to form what is now the Paly Athletics Department.

By saying that one high schooler’s sport is more important than another's, they are effectively telling one athlete, a kid nonetheless, that they are less important.

Paly’s Athletics Department is a marvel in and of itself. But like any other establishment, it has its flaws. Its flaws are not corruption or oppression of free speech, but an unequal and unjust distribution of funding for the athletics department.

When it comes to lighting fixtures, there is a very clear divide between the sports. Football, basketball, track and Paly's other sports teams the privilege of extensive flexibility of practice times through the use of lights to illuminate the playing field. This allows for players to practice without being impeded by the setting of the sun.

That is, all sports except for two: baseball and softball.

Equality in the athletic department entails all sports teams having equal access to facilities. And in this case, it is pretty clear that there are teams that have less than others.

Without the installation of additional lighting, the baseball and softball teams are at a major disadvantage to their competitors. They are left with less time to practice than every other spring sport. This seriously disadvantages the basketball team in terms of splitting up into Varsity and Junior Varsities, as they have less field time and opportunity to sharpen what are already finely-tuned skills.

This is a malpractice that must be addressed, as it hinders and stalls the progress of two important sports.

This leaves them in a position in which they are less likely to succeed and doomed to be faced with adversity. The opportunities and privileges of sports at Paly should be standardized; everyone should have an equal chance to improve their talents and hone their abilities.

Another prime example of this inequity is in transportation to meets or competitions. When it comes to who gets buses, there seems to be no rhyme or reason behind the distribution of cars. The track, soccer and badminton teams always get bus rides

to and from their matches, but beyond that, the distribution is random.

Basketball, baseball and countless other sports are left without complimentary transportation, forcing them to scrounge up a group of parents, grandparents and other assorted fans and family members to provide the players with their necessities. This is illogical, unjust and unfair.

Rather than providing all teams with transportation, the school chooses the sports that they find to be most important, then provides them with whatever they need. But who are they to choose one sport over another? Who are they to decide which extracurriculars are the most important? They unjustly wield an unfair power over student life.

On the other side of things, there is one team that seems to have no trouble with acquiring an amount of funding to suit their needs: the football team. The football team has lights on their field, buses to every game, bountiful equipment behind the snack shack (which is another football-only funded operation) and even their own private locker room.

On top of that, they have a total of 15 coaches. This means they have enough to give each of the other seven fall sports two coaches, and still

have one left over to coach their own athletes.

When looked at by a purely economic standpoint, this favoritism does make sense. Football pulls in the most revenue of any sport, as the majority of sports allow free access during games.

Logically speaking, the only real option that the sports boosters staff has is to try to make the football team as good as their money can buy, and use the extra revenue brought in by a good team to buy things for other sports.

This logic is problematic. In dedicating extra money to football, the sports boosters are doing something that nobody in the world has to do. By saying that one high schooler’s sport is more important than another high schooler’s sport, they are effectively telling one athlete, a kid nonetheless, that they are less important.

They are putting their own necessity for funds ahead of the well-being and development of the hundreds of student athletes who prefer their brains without major trauma, and they are hurting the overall sports experience of many other Paly athletes. This is very much unfair and unprecedented, and needs to be ended. Paly sports need to be made great again, and the only way to do that is to even the playing field.

All grade levels should be able to take humanities electives

ALICE ZHAO MANAGING EDITOR

T

he Palo Alto High School course catalog spans 85 pages and is chalked full of courses that appeal to the artistic, brainy, analytical, or philosophical of students.

Students are encouraged to find their interests at a young age by exploring its myriad of courses.

Palo Alto High School offers its students the opportunity to select courses from a diverse selection of English and social science classes.

From Sociology to Comedy Literature, this wide range of subjects will spark the interest of practically anyone. However, these humanity classes are restricted to upperclassmen, which

lowers enrollment rates and ignores freshmen and sophomores' interest in them.

Juniors and seniors can take as many English electives and social science classes as their schedules allow.

However, freshmen and sophomores are restricted to taking one English course and one social studies course per year. Underclassmen interested in social science or unique aspects of literature, such as comedy writing or sports literature, are forced to wait until junior year to explore these topics.

All students are permitted to pursue their interests in not only the visual and performing arts, but also career-oriented and language electives. Students who take prerequisite

courses can enroll in classes such as Advanced Photography, Advanced Vocals and Graphic Design. Social science and English electives should be no different — these classes should be available to all grade levels.

Underclassmen are demonstrating enormous interest in their humanities elective of choice by choosing to take it at earlier times. This interest compensates for what may be seen as unpreparedness for a class typically taken by upperclassmen.

Many freshmen and sophomores are interested in taking social science and English electives, and are frustrated by the fact that they can only take core classes. Senior Alan Huang wishes he could have enrolled in Psychology earlier so he could have got-

ten a head start in his newfound field of interest.

“I didn't have opportunities to explore my interests in cognitive science and neuroscience until late in my high school career,” Huang said. “If I had been able to take Psychology earlier, I could have done more research or other extracurricular activities relating to it.”

Furthermore, none of the language arts electives require students to take prerequisites. This means there is no academic experience-related reason to restrict them to upperclassmen.

If allowed to enroll in English and social studies electives, underclassmen would still take their required history and English courses in addition to the electives they choose. This would allow those interested in language arts to surpass their grade’s basic English and social science requirements earlier on.

Additionally, there is not enough room in a student’s schedule to take all of the humanities electives of interest in their two upperclassmen years.

Allowing underclassmen to take electives would allow students to explore all of the different social science and English courses that Paly has to offer.

Humanities classes are restricted to upperclassmen, which lowers enrollment and ignores freshmen and sophomores interest in them.

The negative consequences of restricting underclassmen from enrolling in social science and English electives far outweigh the positive student growth that expanding elective enrollment to include underclassmen could bring. In barring freshmen and sophomores from taking social studies and English electives, Paly’s administration has hindered opportunities for underclassmen to develop their interests in social science and English earlier on.

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

A8

EDITORIALS

We support school board candidates DiBrienza, Emberling and Caswell

T

he Campanile has decided to endorse school board candidates Jennifer DiBrienza and incumbents Heidi Emberling and Melissa Baten-Caswell for the three open seats on the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education.

Our staff and editors researched all five candidates: DiBrienza, Emberling, Baten-Caswell, Todd Collins and Jay Cabrera before inviting them to an in-class, student-moderated debate. The candidates attended the debate in the Media Arts Center (MAC) on Oct. 14, and discussed topics from teacher sexual misconduct to PAUSD’s $4.2 million budget deficit.

While most students of Palo Alto High School, including us, cannot vote in this election, the decisions these candidates make will directly affect our and future students’ education. With this in mind, we feel it necessary to give our endorsements to ensure the best board members are chosen.

DiBrienza earns our support due to her extensive experience as both an educator and a researcher of best practices in student education.

DiBrienza said PAUSD has reacted with a “knee-jerk approach” in certain situations, and that a more analytical approach is needed for what are often complex and sensitive problems.

DiBrienza advocated for increased communication and training for teachers through professional learning communities and development.

In the wake of recent sexual misconduct cases at Paly, additional training for teachers, particularly in situations that demand student-to-teacher interactions, is necessary.

While most students of Palo Alto High School, including us, cannot vote in this election, the decisions these candidates make will directly affect our and future students’ education.

DiBrienza’s experience and research would be helpful in planning and implementing this training. Her analytical mindset coupled with her impressive experience will make DiBrienza a successful school board member.

Emberling also has our support.

Emberling has demonstrated a focused interest in the well-being of students, both inside and outside of the classroom. She supported student feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of courses, particularly those that utilize a flipped or blended model. This would allow students to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular course and possibly have a greater effect on how that course is taught in the future.

Emberling has also expressed interest in allocating funds to retain teachers, specifically providing support and mentoring to create an atmosphere of constant learning for both students and teachers.

The quality of teachers is at the forefront of many students’ concerns,

and we support a program that invests in maintaining and bolstering a top-notch education. Emberling also has two children within the district, giving her an inside perspective into the problems of PAUSD. Emberling brings an attention to student wellness that is valuable for the board.

Finally, incumbent Baten Caswell receives our support for the third open board seat. Baten Caswell places an emphasis on efficiency within the district, specifically on the administration of the various schools. Attendance policies, student feedback, teacher evaluation and more could all be made more efficient, according to Baten Caswell. The district has a $4.2 million budget deficit, and efficiency is necessary to reduce the deficit and also maintain the many enriching, educational opportunities PAUSD offers.

Additionally, her past experience on the board is valuable, as she has a thorough institutional knowledge of board decisions related to important student issues. She has been a strong advocate for alternative education, such as flipped classrooms and blended learning, and makes it a priority to maintain a progressive, healthy academic environment. Baten Caswell was also the most willing to talk about weighted grade point averages. She recognizes the discontinuity between how Gunn and Paly report grades and also the disadvantages Paly students have with regards to merit-based scholarships. Baten Caswell indicated weighted GPAs may be a way to resolve this problem; she embodies action and efficiency, and we think that she will once again make an excellent board member.

Candidates Collins and Cabrera are strong contenders, and their willingness to serve the community should be applauded. Collins in particular offers a pragmatic approach to the budget deficit not seen in the other three candidates we have endorsed. Cabrera brings forth interesting classroom improvements, including the implementation of computer science courses into the curriculum.

Critics of DiBrienza, Emberling and Baten Caswell seem to be concerned with their lack of attention to the budget deficit. However, these three candidates have instead put education at the forefront of their platforms, and bring skills and mindsets that we, as students, value.

The best way to manage the budget deficit is not to become obsessed with analyzing and calculating its numbers, it is to put our resources to efficient use.

With a stronger focus on teacher quality, alternative forms of education and student wellness, the three candidates that we endorse will promote the educational needs of the District while minimizing its inefficiencies, thus naturally leading to a healthier budget balance.

These are the people we trust to make crucial decisions about our education and to take appropriate action to preserve and expand PAUSD’s already-flourishing educational system while keeping the best interests of the students in mind.

OCTOBER TOP TEN LIST Palo Alto Teenager Problems 10) Spilling your Pressed Juice on your Lulu’s

9) Having to use regular gas instead of premium gas for your BMW

8) When DoorDash doesn’t deliver to your school anymore 7) When the line for Philz goes out the door

6) Burning your tongue on your pumpkin spice latte 5) When you choke on your VOSS water

4) When the maids don’t organize your five pairs of Adidas Superstars

3) Having to use UberPool instead of UberX

2) Having a legacy at Harvard and Stanford, but not Yale

1) When you have to use cash instead of your dad’s credit card - Yael Ben-Shachar, Gracie Kitayama, Bethany Shiang, Alice Zhao

Elective shopping period M ost people, at one time or another, have been stuck in a class they hate. Elective courses from the secondary level and beyond might not deliver for enrollees, who then find themselves shackled to an unpleasant curriculum, teacher or peer group. For those hoping to avoid this situation, there is a solution: a shopping period.

Class shopping allows students to sit in on courses for several periods at the start of the semester so that they can get a feel for the class’ atmosphere and academic expectations. Several universities across the nation, such as Ivy League schools Yale University, Brown University and Harvard University, among others, have adopted this practice to encourage positive student learning.

Paly has long emphasized the importance of students finding their passions and engaging in exciting, interesting academia. With only descriptions in the course catalog and word-of-mouth advice to guide students in their course selections, it is difficult for a student to gauge whether their chosen classes are the right fit for them. Instead, a shopping period of approximately a week

would provide students with authentic experiences to assist them in discovering their interests.

If given the opportunity to shop classes, Paly students would certainly try out a variety of elective courses.

Paly graduate Sarah Wang (‘16) who attends Brown University found her experience with the shopping method to be a refreshing change of pace.

“You also get a lot more important info necessary to choosing a class than you do from just reading the course description,” Wang said. “For example, shopping classes allows you to see if you like a teacher’s teaching style, if the course is the right level for you, if you like the students in the class, if you actually like the content of the class, if you can handle the workload, and a course description can’t tell you all those things.”

Of course, implementing a shopping period would take tremendous effort from the guidance department and administration — it would require a flexibility in student scheduling Paly currently can barely afford to provide given limited resources.

Given that scheduling classes is already a daunting task, it would be wise to start small and allow class

shopping only for electives in one department. Furthermore, while colleges often allow students to shop up to eight or so courses each semester, Paly could begin by capping the maximum at one course per student instead.

Colleges that have the luxury of a shopping period have an abundance of advising resources that can only be acquired with time. However, if Paly ever desires to reach such an idea, administrators must begin the course towards class shopping immediately.

While seemingly unrealistic, Paly is known for its forward-thinking education, and would greatly benefit from a long-term plan to incorporate class shopping into academic advising.

Education is a system driven by student passion for a subject, an element lacking in the absence of classshopping. Being “stuck” connotes a state of immobility — students in a class against their will tend to begrudge it and not grow as learners.

Though current Paly policy does offer the opportunity to drop a class within the first quarter, such a need can be nullified (or at least preemptively counteracted) through shopping.

“For the last time, this is not your swamp.”

The Campanile Editors-in-Chief Peter Maroulis • Jacky Moore • Kai Oda Ethan Teo • Jessica Wong Online Editor-in-Chief David Tayeri News and Opinion Editors Sam Yun Ashley Zhang

Managing Editor Alice Zhao Lifestyle Editors Eli Gwin-Kerr Annalise Wang

Sports Editors Cole Hechtman Kiran Misner

Multimedia Editor Mads McCluskey

Business Manager Bethany Shiang

Ben Beisheim Yael Ben-Shachar Josh Brigel Ethan Bundy Charlotte Cheng Uma Choudury Philip Ericsson Joanna Falla Mackenzie Glassford

Staff Writers

Maya Homan Edward Kim Grace Kitayama Will Leighton Jacques Manjarrez Nicholas Melvin Anna Moragne Jordan Quigley Maya Ravel-Bailey Niklas Risano

Photographers

Charlotte Cheng Maya Homan Gracie Kitayama

Gillian Robins Jordan Schilling Peyton Wang

Advisors Esther Wojcicki

Rodney Satterthwaite

Letters to the Editors: Email all letters to editors to theeds17@googlegroups.com The Campanile prints letters on a space-available basis.

We reserve the right to edit submissions.

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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!

LIFESTYLE

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

Quinceañeras: Transition to Womanhood

Coping with an unrequited Instagram follow

JACKY MOORE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF KENIA AND ALEXA MORALES

Text by: Alice Zhao

Design By: Charlotte Cheng Eli gwin-kerr

imilar to a Jewish Bat/Bar Mitzvah or a sweet sixteen, a Quinceañera marks the crucial turning point in a girl’s adolescence. When a Latina girl reaches 15, it is traditional to hold a Quinceañera to honor her progression into womanhood with a large and formal celebration.

It is a family-oriented event and also serves as a reunion for many families who do not live nearby.

However, many girls choose not to have Quinceañeras in favor of going on a trip or having a more casual gathering.

Quinceañeras have their roots in Catholicism but many today are secular due to lack of involve-

ment with the church. Traditionally, the Quinceañera begins with a mass in which the girl was baptized, demonstrating to God her journey from birth to womanhood, which the church dedicates a ceremony to.

Important people who are part of any Quinceañera are the birthday girl herself as well as her family, godparents and the court.

The court is comprised of Damas and Chambelanes, who are either siblings, cousins or friends of the birthday girl. Traditionally there are 14 girls that make up the Damas and 14 boys who make up the Chambelanes with one designated Chambelan de Honor, but the girl can choose how big she wants her court to be.

S

FESTIVITIES Traditionally, family members bestow many gifts on the girl, including a doll, bible, cake, dress, crown, pillowcase, ring, bracelet, necklace and high heels. Each of these items symbolize how the family recognizes the girl’s coming of age.

For both Kenia and Alexa, the traditional Father-Daughter Dance was the most emotional part of their Quinceañeras.

“I was dancing with my father for the first time and he had never danced before,” Kenia said. “I didn’t think my dad would do this for me so it was very emotional.”

“My little sister ended up crying [during the Father-Daughter Dance],” Alexa said. “My mom and my Grandma even got teary.”

There are other dances that are performed at Quinceañeras, notably the Surprise Dance, which is choreographed and rehearsed months beforehand with the court.

The whole dance is kept a secret until it is performed at the party.

Kenia practiced her dance twice a week during the months leading up to her Quinceañera.

Both Kenia and Alexa had candy tables, where they laid out sweets for their guests to enjoy. The cake, gifted by the godparents, is also placed on the table.

It is similar to a wedding cake in

terms of preparation, importance and aesthetic.

“We went cake tasting and browsed designs,” Alexa said. “I loved my cake; it had four tiers and was so pretty. It had two tiers of guava and two tiers of chocolate-white marble.

The cake was an ombre from white to purple and was embellished with an ‘A’. We had around 300 attendees but the cake only had 150 servings.”

While traditionally Quinceañeras served Mexican food, today the birthday girl is allowed to choose whatever kind of food she wants. Alexa decided on Italian food while Kenia opted for Asian cuisine. The meal is done buffet-style due to the large number of guests.

Overall, both Kenia and Alexa described their Quinceañeras as emotional and unforgettable experiences.

“I’ve always dreamed of having a Quinceañera since I was very little because all my aunts and [female] cousins had one,” Kenia said. “The most important thing is inviting the friends and family over to have a lot of fun and enjoy the party.”

“I am very grateful that I was able to have one and share the experience with my friends and family,” Alexa said. “Things weren’t 100 percent, but it is important to know that this only comes once and not everyone is able to have a Quinceañera, so there is no point in having regrets.”

PLANNING Similar to weddings in their gran- music at her Quinceañera: a Madeur and opulence, Quinceañeras riachi Trio, DJ and Banda. require several months to a year of A Banda uses a brass-based planning. form of tradiThe venue, tional Mexifood, music and can music to “The dress that a girl dress need to be play anything wears on her booked months from tradiQuinceañera is one of the in advance. tional MexiEven hair and can music to most important makeup services modern pop aspects of the entire need to be artunes. occasion... [it] is more ranged well be“The Trio elaborate than a prom fore the actual played durceremony, since ing the meal,” dress, bearing more Q uinceañer as Alexa said. similarities to a wedding are orchestrated “But I was dress.” on such a grand most excited scale. for the Banalexa morales While most da because JUNIOR Q uinceañer as they liven the are held indoors in either halls or p a r t y up and make ballrooms, the events can also be held everyone want to dance. The DJ outdoors in ranches or backyards. would play when the Banda was “I booked my hall [venue] a year in on break.” advance,” said junior Alexa Morales.

According to Alexa, the month “My uncle, who caters to parties, or- leading up to the Quinceañera is ganized the food a year beforehand the most busy and the most cruas well. Music was done six months cial. During this time, all details ahead because I wanted to avoid any- are finalized, dances are rehearsed thing last-minute.” and professional pre-Quinceañera Alexa had three different types of photos are taken.

THE DRESS Like in many other coming of age ceremonies, the dress that a girl wears on her Quinceañera is one of the most important aspects of the entire occasion.

The Quinceañera dress is more elaborate than a prom dress, and bares more similarities to a wedding dress. The dresses are often long, frilly and pastel-colored. Because of the ornate detailing and extravagance of the dresses, they usually cost several hundred dollars.

“The dress has to be ordered [a] minimum [of ] four months before [the Quinceañera] so that you make sure your dress gets to you on time,” Alexa said. “Popular sizes are commonly taken, so your dress may have to be made.”

Typically dresses are bought from stores or catalogs, however dresses can also be custom-made if there are no appealing styles or if the girl wears an uncommon size.

Certain families have a special dress that is passed down from generation to generation and holds spe-

cial meaning.

Paly sophomore Kenia Morales (not related to Alexa Morales) went to four different stores to find her perfect dress, including a store in Los Angeles. She ended up purchasing a frilly blush pink gown from a local store.

“It was really hard because there were so many to choose from, but I had to pick one that I loved,” Kenia said.

Alexa found her dress while flipping through a catalog — it was an aqua dress with an embellished corset.

“I thought it was the one,” Alexa said. “I didn’t like any of the other dresses like I liked my dress.”

While a Quinceañera dress is only worn once in a girl’s lifetime, its significance remains.

“My dress is currently hanging in my closet and it is a really cool reminder that I was fortunate enough to have a Quinceañera,” Alexa said. “I honestly wish I could wear it more often.”

f it hasn’t happened to you already, I can guarantee that it eventually will. You’ll be scrolling through your Instagram feed and will stumble on the profile of someone you kind of know, but don’t really know. You’ll make that blue follow button next to their name turn green, but they won’t request to follow you back. You realize you’ll have to walk past them with the knowledge that they brushed off your efforts to get one more follower, and that they don’t respect you enough to return the favor. Don’t panic just yet; with these easy steps, you can avoid them, and your shame, forever.

First, practice the art of the swerve.

The swerve is most commonly utilized as a way to quickly and casually avoid walking past that annoying girl in your math class or teachers who give you bad grades. To swerve, simply walk in a straight line, then suddenly turn right, preferably in the direction of something you can hide behind, like one of those 6-foot-5 sophomores or a tree; make sure you have this maneuver down before you show your face at school again.

Maybe you’re struggling with the swerve; that’s okay! Just replace your entire closet with camouflage gear.

Make sure that every single article of clothing you wear is covered in a brown and green army pattern to ensure maximum camouflage. Should you have the money, buy one of those ghillie suits that disguises its wearer as a giant, moving shrub. To increase the camouflaging ability of the ghillie suit, roll around in one of the wet, muddy corners of the quad; the mud, grime and dead wasps in the mud will make you appear exponentially more shrublike.

If the swerve, camouflage and your ghillie suit somehow all fail and you end up walking toward your new arch-enemy with no escape route, don’t lose hope. There is one foolproof way to save yourself from the shame of encountering your nonfollower in public: do not make eye contact with them. This tactic is adopted from a zookeeper training exercise. Zookeepers who interact with gorillas have to avoid eye contact with the primates at all costs. If you look a gorilla in the eyes, it will think that you’re confronting it or trying to start a fight. Justifiably, the gorilla will attempt to kill you to establish its dominance. Similarly, if you make eye contact with the guy or girl who didn’t reciprocate your Instagram follow, you’re just inviting them to re-establish their authority through physical violence. Like they haven’t done enough damage to you already.

Once you’ve graduated, there’s only one more step to bury your embarrassment once and for all; just leave. Buy a ticket to Australia and just hide in the outback for the short, meaningless remainder of your life.

Sooner rather than later, you’ll be put out of your misery by some god-awful Australian creature.

If you follow these steps, I can guarantee you can successfully hide from your online humiliation.

SPOTLIGHT

An Inside Look on Election Day

GAGE SKIDMORE /CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

One of the most impactful presidential elections to date will occur next month.

Follow The Campanile in an in-depth analysis of Palyís political perspectives as Election Day rapidly approaches.

PAGE B4-B5

DENNIS BRATLAND/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

LIFESTYLE

HALLOWEEN

THE EXORCIST/FAIR USE

FIBONACCI BLUE/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

LIFESTYLE

Motorcycle Perks

Halloween Movies

Identity Politics

PAGE B2

PAGE B6

PAGE B8

Meet the senior who takes biking to another level.

What to watch to send chills down your spine this Halloween.

The way voters determine their political stance is rapidly evolving.

Friday, October 28, 2016

B2

ANNALISE WANG

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

DEAR ANNALISE, I feel like my friend group is really shallow and two-faced. I’ve started to notice it more recently, and I’ve even become embarrassed to acknowledge them as my friends in class due to their obnoxious and rude behavior.

I’ve been friends with this same group since middle school, and I feel like I may regret it if I break away. How do I break away? Any tips on how to feel confident in my decision?

— INDECISIVE DEAR INDECISIVE, High school can be a cesspool of struggle and emotional turmoil, and you’re in the thick of it right now.

You’re in a tough situation and you probably don’t see how anything good can come out of your situation.

Please remember that you are the one in control of your own happiness, not your friends, or anyone else for that matter.

It’s no secret that peer pressure is rampant in high schools throughout the nation. It’s an unfortunate aspect we all must learn to face which is often extremely influential in decisions and can be detrimental to whatever outcome results.

Before you make any sort of commitment regarding your friends, make sure you recognize that your happiness rides on these choices, and this means that no one else can make these types of decisions for you.

Try not to be stressed. Your body wants to go into a fight or flight response since peer pressure is nervewracking and can prevent you from making clear and honest decisions.

This means you will likely either make an impulsive choice or you will decide not to make a decision altogether. The latter is what you are doing right now, and it’s perfectly okay to not make a decision for a while. But as time passes, the stress that comes from the delay of decision-making may affect your life negatively, which is why it needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

A large part of this fear of decision-making is psychological. For your situation, there are certainly benefits to choosing either side — if you stay with your current friend group, you’ll have a solid foundation of peers that you’ve been close with for a long time. On the other hand, if you start to distance yourself you won’t have to deal with their obnoxious behavior and can branch out to new friends and opportunities. Unfortunately you’re stuck, as the consequences of your decision may seem immense, since you may risk losing friends or losing your own happiness.

What you need to do now is make a decision. You’ve probably arrived at the same conclusion yourself. And you also know that it’s not going to be easy. You’re probably nervous and not willing to fully commit to a “side.”

But I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to make a radical decision either way.

Right now, all you need to do is take your first step toward a decision. There’s no need to rush things, so make sure you take care of yourself and don’t stress too much about this. Take some time for yourself to process things, since you’re going to make a choice regarding your own happiness.

Do you like your current friends for who they are as people? You have already had an instinctual response to that question. Listen to it. You already know if you want to be around these people or not, and it’s perfectly okay to feel either way.

If you don’t want them in your life since they are bad friends to you, then you need to cut them out of your life.

It doesn’t have to be harsh — don’t call them out on their wrongdoings

The Campanile

LIFESTYLE Benefits of riding a motorcycle

or announce your permanent departure. Simply stop hanging out with them all the time and focus your time on being with people that you truly want to be around.

It’s not going to be easy or immediate, but you’ll notice that some of the negativity and stress in your life has gone away. That’s how you know you made the right choice. If you instead begin to feel more stressed during this, just wait it out for a few weeks, and if you still feel uncomfortable with your choice you can go back to your friends — they’re not going anywhere.

On the other hand, if your instinctual response was that yes, you truly like these friends as people, you don’t need to distance yourself. Just branch out to other people and focus on talking to people that make you your happiest.

In any case, you don’t have to stop being friends with these people. You can simply reach out to people that you truly do like and start a new chapter of your life from there. Your current friend group will always exist and you can continue to be friends with them if that is meaningful and important for you. Spending time with people that make you happy is what is important, so no matter

An unconventional vehicle choice saves a student time and money

Don’t let the popularity of acquaintances make or break your decision to be friends with certain people. what that entails you should pursue that. Taking the first step might be difficult, but it is the right thing for you to do. You will always find support for these decisions among your true friends, peers, your family, and trusted adults and counselors if you seek it out.

Perhaps what you are trying to distance yourself from is not your friends, but your association with obnoxious and rude behavior, which is looked down upon as “unpopular” behavior. As high schoolers, we all are pressured into conforming to an ideal in an effort to make friends and become popular among them. You may think that if you’re associated with these unpopular people, you’ll become unpopular as well.

It doesn’t matter how other people perceive your friends — you don’t owe anyone anything. I know that you’re embarrassed, and that’s the result of peer pressure, but if you love them, who cares? Finding people that are impactful and amazing to be around is rare, so never let those people go even if they might be looked down upon by others due to the image they exude. You’ll never lose truly good people in your life by pursuing what makes you happy.

Be proud of whatever makes you happy — the people that put a smile on your face and drive you to be your best are never anything to be ashamed of. Also, other people are probably not paying as much attention as you may think to your own social life. You may feel that way due to all the labels and generalizing remarks being thrown out left to right, but in reality, people are not out to get you and scrutinize your every move. They’re not against you; they’re simply for themselves and focus almost all of their energy on themselves.

Don’t let the popularity of acquaintances make or break your decision to be friends with certain people.

Solely base your friendships on how much you click with another person and how much you enjoy spending time with them.

You’ve known the people you’ve been talking about for so long that you really know them at their core.

It’s up to you to decide whether these people are a positive influence on you or not, and only you can make that choice. Deep down, you have already made that choice, and that little voice in your head has been screaming it nonstop. It’s now up to you to listen to that voice and act upon it.

WITH LOVE, Annalise Wang Dr. Moira Kessler, a child psychiatrist at the Stanford University Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, offers feedback to the column writer. She is not providing any clinical services.

To submit a question or issue to be published and answered in an upcoming issue of The Campanile, please complete the form “Dear Annalise Submission” which can be found at paly.io/dearannalise.

JORDAN SCHILLING/THE CAMPANILE

Senior Adrian Smith has been riding his bike since receiving his permit in June. Bikes are cheaper and faster alternatives to cars.

JOANNA FALLA

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

I

t is a rite of passage for Palo Alto High School students to make the transition from biking to driving. The act of driving yields a feeling of responsibility, as well as the perks that come with riding in an air conditioned or heated vehicle. While this sounds like a good deal to most students, a few choose to ride on the road less traveled with less conventional modes of transportation.

Senior Adrian Smith has been riding a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R to school since he received his motorcycle permit in June. Smith took a class that required written work as well as an assessment of the student’s riding ability on a closed course.

“I took a three day class in Gilroy in June to get the permit,” Smith said. “There was a 3-hour classroom session the first day and two 5-hour classes outside in a parking lot where the students ride 200cc motorcycles through cones and learn techniques.”

Motorcycles are indeed known for their dangerous qualities, and having a teenager behind the handlebars could give a stigma to motorcyclists.

Additionally, there are major fear fac-

tors for the rider himself.

“There are only small instances when I feel fearful of my position on the bike and those moments are on sharper turns,” Smith said. “They teach us to ride without fear so it doesn’t take away any time for the rider to react to the situation.”

Whenever you see another biker on the road you’re supposed to wave to them, acknowledging them as part of a brotherhood.

Compared to cars, there aren’t many bikers on the road so you have a feeling of connection with other bikers.

Adrian Smith Senior Not only does Smith deal with people judging him as a teenager on a motorcycle, but he also had to convince his parents that he was responsible enough to handle a motorcycle.

“My dad was the one who gave me the idea initially because he rides too,” Smith said. “My mom took some convincing to get her to be okay with it, but now all my peers and family trust me on this machine.”

Smith drives regularly to school,

but riding a motorcycle provides more benefits than getting through the nightmare at Churchill parking lot. From the beautiful views to the cheaper commute, there are many perks to taking life by the handlebars.

“I wanted a motorcycle because of the freedom on the road, the skipping through traffic, and the speed of course,” Smith said. “It’s an affordable alternative to a car because you can get higher quality for a lot less.

The gas mileage I get is around 45-50 miles per gallon, so I’m saving both time and money while riding.”

Currently, Smith can only ride by himself until he receives his official license in December. However, that doesn’t make riding a motorcycle a solitary activity for him. Smith goes on road trips with his dad up along the coast and bands a community with other bikers.

“We spend a lot of time together now because we go on rides, talk a lot during breaks and stuff.” Smith said.

“Another cool aspect is whenever you see another biker on the road you’re supposed to wave to them, acknowledging them as part of a brotherhood.

Compared to cars, there aren’t many bikers on the road so you have a feeling of connection with other bikers.”

Online security must be taken seriously Teens should exercise caution during interactions on social media UMA CHOUDHURY

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

F

acebook, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter are just a few social media platforms with a combined user count of approximately 2.6 billion. These sites allow users to update friends, family and strangers on everything from their loved ones to their last meal.

As harmless as these updates may seem, the daily routines of one’s life can be gathered from the collection of information posted and become easily accessible to others — including hackers.

Although being tied up in a bathtub and robbed at gunpoint is unlikely for people our age here, the incident with Kim just shows how much social media can reveal about yourself and your location if you are not careful.

Alexis Pisco Junior Social media users have been advised by the rest of the media to be cautious of the content they post online. While it is difficult to convince millions of users to limit their online presence, the recent experience of a celebrity has sounded alarms regarding social media security and the shortcomings of a digital world.

There is no better example than Kim Kardashian, who was recently

subject to an armed robbery while vacationing in Paris. It was revealed that the offenders, who stole millions worth in jewelry and tied Kardashian up in a bathtub, determined her location via her consistent posts on social media. Hours before her attack, Kim posted videos and pictures of her in her apartment showing off her surroundings and location. This allowed the robbers to locate her. The event led her entire family to take a break from social media — including Kylie Jenner, who is the most followed person on Snapchat.

Being robbed at gunpoint is an extreme outcome of constant social media use, but it shows a consequence of what can happen if online security is not taken seriously. Paly junior Alexis Pisco has become aware of how dangerous social media can be.

“Although being tied up in a bathtub and robbed at gunpoint is unlikely for people our age here, the incident with Kim just shows how much social media can reveal about yourself and your location if you are not careful,” Pisco said. “[The robbery] has definitely made me more aware and more cautious with what and how much I post on my social media accounts.”

Teenagers are especially susceptible to the outcomes of careless social media use. As seen in Kardashian’s widely publicized situation, constant online updates can create a digital trail that a stranger can follow. While her experience was rare, teenagers can identify with a more common fate: colleges and employers using social

media to evaluate prospective students or employees. If an individual posts provocative content on their profiles, colleges and employers may view them, creating a tarnished first impression of the individual that can potentially make or break admissions or employment decisions.

Christine Badowski Koenig, a former Chicago Tribune employee, conducted research on the number of institutions of higher education that observe social media accounts. 144 colleges and universities within a 150 mile radius of Chicago were surveyed.

“As the parent of a high school student, I was curious about what universities were viewing and how they were weighing whatever they found,” Koenig said in a recent interview with the Tribune.

Of the 144 colleges, only 43 schools replied. In her survey, 67 percent of these schools stated they online searched prospective students, and 86 percent confessed to researching students’ social media profiles.

“I don’t know how many prospective college students consider this during their application process... from the social media posts, comments and photos I see from collegebound students, it’s obvious they never consider that their future school may be peeking at their social media traffic,” Koenig said.

The lack of acknowledgment of social media effects are long lasting and can ultimately affect your future.

Next time, think carefully before you make your post.

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

LIFESTYLE

B3

The changing image of the modern world of rap music

Rap has divided itself into a multifaceted genre; some sides are progressive while others are rapidly devolving NIKLAS RISANO

STAFF WRITER

R

ap music was born from the party scenes of New York and Chicago during the late 1970s. The genre was initially created in the spirit of entertaining its urban disciples. Disk Jockeys and Masters of Ceremonies (MCs) began the genre by looping the drum-heavy portions of layered disco music. Little by little, MCs laying their own rhymes over these repeating baselines; the result was one of the most influential forms of expression in human history.

As the genre developed, it grew to hold a much more important role within society. During the 80s, groups such as N**** With Attitude (NWA) served as voices for millions of Americans who found themselves struggling with gangridden neighborhoods and poor police relations.

Despite its firmly-planted position in mainstream culture, rap has continued to evolve. As it does, it is increasingly apparent the genre is splitting into two distinctly different subgroups. On one hand, there is increased breadth of perspective that artists such as J. Cole and Drake have brought to the table; on the other, there appears to be a rapid rise in the amount of rapping about drugs, violence and misogyny.

In the past, a prerequisite to being a rapper was coming from the ghetto. Without a background of pushing cocaine, shooting rivals or being exposed to criminal activities, it would be difficult to make it in the rap game. Today, some of the most prolific rap artists have come from starkly different backgrounds.

J. Cole was born on a U.S. Army base in Germany to an AfricanAmerican father and a German mother. When Cole’s father walked out on the family, his mother relocated with him to Fayetteville, North Carolina, which was a city divided between the wealthy and struggling. J. Cole and his mother found themselves among the wealthy but struggling. In Fayetteville, J. Cole discovered his love for music and began writing his own raps. After high school, he went to St. John’s University on a scholarship, where he graduated magna cum laude.

COURTESY OF GOSSIP ON THIS

Veteran rapper and BET awards nominee Waka Flocka Flame poses for a photo during a photoahoot for the cover of his new album Big Money Talk, after being hospitalized.

Like Cole, multi-platinum rapper Drake came from an innocuous background. Drake was initially an actor — he even dropped out of high school to pursue a career in the film industry. He acted on the show “Degrassi: The Next Generation” for several years and soon after dropped his first mixtape, “Room For Improvement.”

Had rap music still been restricted to expressing solely the struggles of life in crime-plagued neighborhoods, neither Cole nor Drake would be sharing their struggles and triumphs. While many rappers focus on cars, girls and money, Cole and Drake provide different, diverse perspectives many people can relate to. For this reason, the two have not only become incredibly successful entertainers, but also have helped spark positive change in the form of increased relatability.

Rap’s changes have made it more relatable, but there has also been a significant devolution of the quality of rap music, at least from the perspective of lyrical significance.

It is becoming more common to hear rappers promoting drug use, violence and even domestic abuse.

Artists like Gucci Mane, Chief Keef and Waka Flocka Flame are prime examples of the darker side of rap music. Gucci Mane, who sports an ice cream cone tattoo on

the right side of his face, has had a tumultuous time at the top of the rap world. Gucci has been charged with drug offenses, multiple accounts of battery, aggravated assault and even murder.

The murder was found to be in self-defense in court, but the other charges have caused him to spend years in jail. In between visits to the big house, Gucci always kept busy. He has put out countless mixtapes over the years, most of which talk about money, cars, drugs and broads. Gucci represents the devolution of the genre.

Rap’s changes have made it more relatable, but there has also been a significant devolution of the quality of rap music, at least from the perspective of lyrical significance.

Chief Keef and Waka Flocka similarly contribute to the decreasing quality of rap. They both have arrest records, and they rap about their disdain for a sober lifestyle or how many female friends they exploit when they are not busy amassing assets. It is this lack of substance — or perhaps this excessive use of substances — that gives rap its harsh reputation and ultimately drags the once-poetic genre down. While Gucci Mane, Waka

Flocka Flame and Chief Keef ’s songs sometimes delve beyond a description of a lavish lifestyle, far too many rappers simply throw dirt on the genre that used to have a much more important role in the musical world.

Overall, rap continues to dominate the mainstream, and it does not look like its influence over popular culture will be weakening anytime soon. However, despite the many changes which have made rap more diverse and more relatable to the masses, the genre is devolving in certain ways.

Many rappers are no longer trying to use their music to share meaningful life experiences and lessons. Instead, they are preoccupied with flaunting an unhealthy lifestyle filled with violence, drugs and alcohol. While there may be a place in the world for people enthused by that lifestyle, it is imperative for the genre that rap not be that place.

Now that the flip sides of rap have been examined, it is time to look at an example of a modern artist who has stayed true to the genre’s founding characteristics in almost every way. That artist is Compton, Calif. native Kendrick Lamar, who has followed in the footsteps of the many rappers from the infamous city. Lamar was a straight-A student while attending

Compton High School, and also while attending dropped his first mixtape. Lamar was only 16 years old. It would take many more years until he finally began garnering national, and eventually worldwide attention for his profound lyrics and unique rhythms. His first major album debut, titled: good kid, m.A.A.d city, was his first mainstream breakout album, and featured multiple top 40 hits.

Throughout his career, Lamar has been named one of the 100 most influential people, won seven Grammys and released a platinum album. The subjects of many of his songs revolve around his life in Compton, and he has made it clear throughout the years that he wants to serve as inspiration to the many people facing the circumstances from which he so triumphantly arose from. In short, Lamar is exactly what rap should be: a medium of art to tell significant stories and share positive messages.

Ultimately, rap music is quickly evolving, and expanding to reach markets and individuals which most never thought would be a part of the genre. While there may be certain artists giving the genre a bad name, the increased breadth of background and continued emphasis on lyrical significance are things which need to be encouraged, and built upon, not moved away from.

Gucci Mane reforms life, career after 2-year incarceration

The rapper has set his sights on reforming his life, now filling it with health conscientious and smart decisions

COURTESY OF GUCCI MANE’S INSTAGRAM

Since serving time Gucci Mane has started making better life choices, which have led to among other benifts, better health, weight loss and less domestic issues with less drugs.

WILL LEIGHTON

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

M

“

e being 33 now, I look back on those times and I wish that a lot of things I didn’t do. I wish I could have back because I see how much I influence people. People wanna follow in my footsteps and I wish that I can now do more positive things,” Gucci reflected in an interview with Fader Magazine in 2013. “Gucci Mane,” the famed hip hop artist recenly released from prison, has broken the Internet, and it seems Gucci has had a lot of time to revise his life and realize the true position of influence he holds and use it to positively inspire his followers Born and raised in Alabama, Rad-

ric “Gucci Mane” Davis moved to Atlanta at the age of nine with his brother and single mother, where his early love for poetry writing flourished into a passion for hip hop. In his early 20s, Davis recorded and released his first project “La Flare.” The track was printed on merely 1,000 compact drives and distributed on the streets. It was not until 2005 that his music gained traction; his album “Trap House” landed in the top 20 of Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

One of the many things that make Gucci so well-known is his extensive arrest record. From being charged with murder to assaulting fans, Gucci has become intimately familiar with the Atlanta police department. His

most recent incarceration dates back to late 2013; on two separate occasions, Gucci was charged for, among other things, possession of a firearm as a felon. On May 13, 2014 he pled guilty to all charges. This resulted in a plea deal requiring 39 months in prison, which was shortened to 29 due to the time he spent in jail awaiting his court date. This was good news for Davis, considering he could have been faced with a possible sentence of up to 20 years.

Following the news of Gucci’s extended sentence, the internet erupted with #FreeGucci tweets. Despite being locked up, Gucci still found a way to record and release his music, maintaining his position as a hip hop mogul. La Flare, one of his aliases,

released a total of 12 projects while incarcerated, profiting $1,300,000 while still in prison.

Gucci shocked the entire world yet again following his release in May 2016. When the rapper entered jail he was considerably overweight, famous for his substantial belly. Gucci was proud of his belly, claiming it was a sign of his wealth in an interview with Fader Magazine. However, to the bewilderment of his many followers, when Gucci was released, he had lost so much weight that the world was in disbelief. Conspiracy theories soon surfaced, many found the weight loss so unexpected and implausible that they believed Gucci had been killed and a clone took his place in the real world. Unfortunately

for these theorists, this is the real Gucci, and he is more focused than ever.

Not only did he get back in shape, he is also maintaining this healthy lifestyle now that he is out.

The day Gucci was discharged he dropped his first single as a free man, “First Day Out Tha Feds.” According to Forbes, the track was streamed 1.1 million times within the first 24 hours after its release, 900,000 of those in the first 12 hours. Since then, Gucci has released two new albums, Everybody Looking and, more recently, Woptober. This new Gucci is finally sober allowing him to work with a clear mind.

In his 9th studio release, Everybody Looking, Gucci takes full advantage of the entire world’s attention, recruiting the talent of Kanye West, Drake and Young Thug. This was Gucci’s first studio release since 2011, due to his frequent legal troubles, still, the album is Gucci’s highest charting album to date.

Woptober’s release date was scheduled to be October 17, as a reference to his label 1017, however, Gucci’s being the man he is decided he could not hold the project from his fans any longer and dropped it on October 14.

The project included another hip hop executive, Rick Ross, as well as Travis Scott, a more youthful rapper.

On Woptober Gucci refers back to his roots, bringing out his darker side.

Woptober features the classic Gucci, with his melodic and buoyant vocals, lyrical and humorous wordplay and emphasis on syllables in all types of tones and pitches. Whether you love or hate him, there is no denying the impact Gucci has had on the musuc industry.

Friday, October 28, 2016

B4

The Campanile

SP TLIGHT

A LOOK INTO PALY’S PO F

ollowing months of heated presidential debates and rising tension between political parties, Election Day will occur on Nov. 8, marking the start of a new era in American politics.

The two major parties in the United States—the Democratic Party and the Republican Party (GOP)—are currently undergoing one of the most hotly-contested elections in the country’s history behind their respective candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

According to Pew Research

H

Center, a major polarization has dissuaded many moderate voters from exercising their civic duties via the ballot, leading to more votes cast by extreme liberals or conservatives.

Consequently, the mainstage candidates are finding it increasingly difficult to appear more moderate in order to appeal to a wide number of citizens. The result? Nasty debates, hateful rhetoric, political polarization and a dramatic race for the upcoming presidential position.

In this historically-momen-

The Democratic Party

illary Clinton, who served as Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, is the current Democratic nominee for the upcoming election. She is first woman in American history to be nominated for president by a major party. Her vice presidential running mate, Tim Kaine, currently serves as the United States Senator from Virginia.

Many Paly students support Clinton’s candidacy because they believe she is inspiring and is a proper example of a hardworking woman who has rightfully earned her nomination, especially in a governmental system where men generally hold more important positions. “[Clinton] has spent decades dedicating her life to public service and I believe that she is more than able to handle the stress and decisions of being president,” said junior Vivian Young. “Although not without faults, I find her accomplishments in life admirable and I believe that her life experiences would help her administration alleviate societal struggles that Trump simply cannot relate to or fathom.”

A wide majority of Clinton’s supporters admire how she has spent much of her professional career trying to help women and children throughout the country when serving as First Lady, senator and Secretary of State. “[Clinton] has received more exposure to what a presidency entails than any other former president,” said junior Ankita Amberkar. “Therefore, she is as qualified as can be to be the president, much more than her opponent at the very least.”

However, Clinton’s reputation has declined over the years, especially after she was involved in a scandal following the Benghazi attack in 2012, in which she used her personal email account to communicate governmental issues.

According to New York Times, Clinton deleted 32 thousand personal emails, some of which contained federal information, an action that has caused many citizens to be skeptical of her honesty. However, after a lengthy investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation cleared the scandal and recommended no charges against her.

As a result, some students are wary of her honesty. However, many support her nonetheless because they agree with the Democratic party’s general ideals.

“Even though I am wary about [Clinton’s] ties with large corporations, Trump’s actions and beliefs are dangerous for any non cis white male,” said senior Jessica Wu. “I believe that with a strong turnover in Congress, they can hold [Clinton] in check and continue to put in place many progressive programs.”

Other students are highly suspicious of Clinton’s email scandal and how it may affect her performance as a trustworthy president, which has consequently diminished their support for her.

“I dislike both of the candidates because they are both poor characters,” said senior Anthony Chen. “[As for Hillary], you can’t delete 30 thousand emails without having some kind of ulterior motive.”

T

The Republican Party

n unconventional Republican nominee for presidency, Donald Trump is a businessman who has never held political office. He has prevailed in the business world as the chairman of the Trump Organization, an international conglomerate. His vice presidential running mate is Mike Pence, who is the Governor of Indiana.

A prominent reason for Trump’s support is the appeal of his political ideology, such as actions he would take against terrorism if elected. Trump does not believe in political correctness and therefore has a reputation for speaking his mind, which has attracted the support of many who are dissuaded by Clinton’s ostensible lack of honesty.

“While [Trump] may be very offensive and I massively disagree with a lot of the comments he has made, I truly believe he will be a better option for the U.S., from economic reforms to foreign policy in places like Syria,” said senior Blaine Williams.

Others support his candidacy not as a means of supporting Trump per se, but rather as a means of supporting the Republican party and the ideals it upholds.

“Despite being my personal least favorite choice out of the potential Republican nominees for this year’s election, I will stand

by Donald Trump as the nominee selected by the Republican Party,” said a junior at Paly. “Although many people, including myself, have been greatly disturbed by some of Trump’s comments, … Governor Pence is a strong leader who can keep Trump in check and help him grow into the role of com-

mander-in-chief.”

However, according to the Washington Post, Trump is the least popular candidate in U.S. history to date. As a result of his lack of political correctness, Trump has made many charged barbs mostly directed towards women and minorities which have alarmed citizens and have led them to be skeptical of the authenticity of Trump’s candidacy.

“Trump’s racist, sexist and misogynist comments need to be kept out of the White House,” said an anonymous junior at Paly.

“On a foreign policy level, Trump’s personality will lead to the U.S [losing] many allies and [gaining] many more enemies.”

Recently in the beginning of October, a tape recorded in 2005 was released, where in Trump was heard saying lewd comments pertaining to him making degrading remarks towards women. Although deemed “locker talk,” this issue of Trump’s harassment has greatly affected his campaign by discouraging voters from supporting him and causing many to further question his respect for women and minorities. Since then, several women hasve come out and accused Trump of sexually harassing them.

“Obviously the comments [on the tape are] terrible, but what I find interesting is that people [are] still defending his prior comments that [are] … quite offensive,” said junior Tilak Misner. “It speaks to the craziness of this election cycle, that a candidate [who] has already offended so many groups [needs] to offend people to the extent of bragging about sexual assault before politicians and others who support him say it’s too much.”

Third Parties

hird parties have played significant roles in past elections, and may also do so in the upcoming election. Because Clinton and Trump are both strongly disfavored, a third party candidate could draw votes from a major candidate and cost them presidency.

“People forget that who we choose to run our country isn’t just between the two extremely disappointing candidates we most often talk about,” said junior Nitan Shalon.

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political establishment in the United States and is based on principles that promote free-market capitalism, civil liberties, free trade and non-interventionism.

This year’s Libertarian nominee is Gary Johnson, who was the nominee in 2012. Johnson served as the governor of New Mexico for eight years under the Republican Party.

The Green Party advocates ecopolitics, which promotes social justice,

environmentalism and nonviolence.

Jill Stein, the party’s presidential nominee in 2016, was also the party’s nominee in 2012. Her beliefs tend to be more liberal than Clinton’s.

“I support [Stein] because I agree with almost all of her political opinions,” said junior Jasmine MartinPartovi. “I usually support the Democratic nominee, but in California, it is almost certain that Clinton will win the vote, and so it is okay to vote for a third party candidate.”

PALY VERSUS NATION

80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%

0%

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tous election, most Palo Alto High School students will not be able to support their favored candidates or express their views on certain economic and social policies through the casting of a ballot.

To gauge the political perspectives of the student body, The Campanile conducted a sample survey in which 259 students voiced their individual views regarding specific issues and opinions on the current presidential candidates. The following text analyzes Paly students’ political opinions in relation to the upcoming election.

on the candidates

Paly Nation

Clinton

Trump

Johnson

Stein

Other

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

SP TLIGHT

OLITICAL PERSPECTIVES PALY HIGH: WEED LEGALIZATION

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he liberal proposal to legalize recreational marijuana remains a controversial topic in America, even in a Democratic stronghold such as California. However, on Election Day, Californians will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 64, an initiated state statute to legalize recreational marijuana.

Paly student opinions on this issue were evenly distributed across the board, with a large percentage of students (32.8 percent) remaining neutral on the topic. 40.2 percent of the surveyed students expressed support for the legalization of recreational marijuana, while 27 percent were opposed to this proposition.

Using marijuana for health benefits is a prominent reason for its legalization. Additionally, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, 35 percent of 12th graders have smoked marijuana, indicating the drug’s prev-

A

alence.

“Although medical marijuana is already legal, people should be able to use it recreationally at their will,” said sophomore Bridget Li. “Many already do, so legalizing it with an age limit will help destigmatize it and help people use it more safely.”

However, other students believe that, if passed, the proposition may create health dangers and social peril in teenagers’ and adults’ lives associated with marijuana.

“Morally, I lean towards the no side—marijuana is illegal for a reason,” said junior Stephanie Lee. “However, from a legal standpoint, I think marijuana should be legalized. That way, police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) can spend more time, money, and resources into cracking down on more dangerous drugs, such as heroin, meth, et cetera.”

A TAXING CONTROVERSY

llocation of funding for welfare programs is a current issue that often creates discordance between the two main opposing political parties. If implemented, the government would allocate funding from taxpayer money for welfare programs that aim to benefit low-income individuals and families, such as food stamps, housing assistance and free lunch programs.

81.1 percent of Paly students agrees that the government should allocate funding for these programs.

They believe that the welfare programs generally exist to create economic equality for all citizens in times of financial peril and are therefore a necessity in helping homeless individuals or lower-income families recoup.

“The government exists to serve the people, and part of that is ensuring everyone receives basic necessi-

T

"the wall"

rump is infamous for stating that, if elected, he will “build a wall” separating the United States from Mexico. Although slightly drastic, his beliefs are not unprecedented. Many citizens, especially Trump supporters, are wary of potential terrorism attacks and how accepting refugees may increase the chances of these attacks occurring.

Nonetheless, 67.6 percent of Paly students disagreed or strongly disagreed that the United States should not accept refugees from Syria or other third-world countries in the future.

“I think we should let more refugees in because it’s our responsibility to help them and it would bring more cultural diversity to the U.S.,” said junior Cornelius Duffie. “Other countries like Canada and Germany

Text & design by Allison Wu & peyton wang

ties such as food and shelter,” Li said.

“It may cost the upper classes more but these taxes will help people such as struggling families, veterans and many other citizens alike.”

Those who do not support the allocation of funding for welfare programs, however, believe that these programs are counterintuitive and that the government should allocate funding for more versatile programs that will fortify the majority of the people in the country.

“I believe that a Clinton administration would inhibit economic growth and severely cripple the United States and its citizens by failing to get America back on its feet after the harsh economic recession,” a junior at Paly said. “What we need to do is get America’s economy growing again by creating job opportunities, promoting manufacturing on the mainland and strengthening the middle class.”

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are bringing in more immigrants per capita than we are, so people will also think we are lame and xenophobic if we don’t help more than we currently are.”

However, the fight against terrorism often seems to be casting a dangerous shadow of xenophobia over United States citizens.

In response to this issue, junior Stephanie Lee believes that a screening process would effectively scrutinize refugees and create a more stable, welcoming atmosphere in our country.

“I support the policy that a European country has [implemented], where they select refugees to live in the country as long as they have a high chance of mixing with the general culture and population,” Lee said.

PALY: A LIBERAL BUBBLE

here are multiple political bubbles scattered throughout the nation, where a specific area consists of individuals who are mostly leftists or rightists. Silicon Valley is one of those bubbles, and is considered a concentrated pocket of liberals, even in California, a generally-liberal state.

Despite the fact that California is considered to be a Democratic stronghold, it may not be as liberal

as it seems. For example, the liberal proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in 2010 was not passed. Not even a wide majority of Californians are Democrats—according to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), a plurality of 45 percent of Californians are registered as Democrats, 27 percent as Republicans and 23 percent as Independent. At Paly, however, a prevalent majority of Paly students (61 percent) align them-

selves with the Democratic Party, which is contrastingly high compared to the Californian statistic and drastically high compared to the national statistic.

Results of the survey of Paly’s political views are not representative of the opinions of the American people on a national scale or even of Californians on a smaller scale, but rather of the opinions of those in Silicon Valley, the environment in which we live.

Graphics by Ehecatl Rivera

B5

Friday, October 28, 2016

B6

The Campanile

LIFESTYLE

Clown appearances cause hysteria Best horror films for A once online trend has spread to international violence this Halloween night GRACE KITAYAMA

Classic and modern hits provide scares

STAFF WRITER

A

marketing campaign, a prank, a social media fad and a meme all rolled into one terrifying phenomenon: creepy clowns.

Though no one is absolutely sure of what caused the emergence of these terrifying clowns across the nation, one thing is for certain; we should all fear for our lives.

The first clown emerged in early August. A Green Bay, Wisconsin resident was roaming the streets of the town dressed up as a clown to promote a short, local horror film entitled “Gags.” A few weeks later on Aug. 30, a group of schoolchildren in South Carolina reported to police that a group of clowns had attempted to lure them into the woods with money. Since then, a string of unnerving clown images, videos and news stories have been popping up across the country. Since these initial stories have been publicized, videos featuring all sorts of unsettling clowns are surfacing on popular social media platforms like Twitter and Snapchat. The issue has escalated into an international epidemic.

People have been seeing these clowns around the world, and accusations have been made against them — the clowns are allegedly threatening violence toward American citizens.

In Sweden, a man wearing a clown mask stabbed a teenager in the shoulder. Just last Thursday, two teenagers were attacked in Northern Germany.

These physical acts of violence have sparked even higher concern among local citizens and thus has made the trending videos of said clowns all the more menacing as well as frightening.

It is not only innocent citizens who are being threatened; the clowns themselves are receiving physical injury as well. The stories seem to be getting more and more bizarre the more these incidents continue to occur. An American student studying in Cambodia decided to don a clown mask as a prank and was killed af-

JORDAN QUIGLEY

STAFF WRITER

W

ENDTIME HEADLINES/ CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

People all over the world have begun to dress up as clowns to scare or prank passerbys.

ter being accidentally chased onto a landmine.

Even more terrifying, the clowns seem to be hitting closer to home than many imagined. According to KRON 4 News, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been investigating the Oakland Unified School District for clown-related disturbances.

Since clowns have reportedly been seen near Palo Alto, students at Palo Alto High School are fearful for their safety. Junior Lucia Dong reveals her feelings about the many clown sightings as Halloween aproaches.

“I know all clowns are creepy but I think it’s funny how clowns can be interpreted in two ways: either joyful and funny, and the other side is that they are creepy,” Dong said. “Now that they are coming out in real life and to think that they are scaring children is just very strange.”

The fear associated with clown sightings has become so severe that several measures have been taken in order to ensure the safety of American citizens, especially with Halloween just around the corner.

Target has responded to the recent

clown sightings by pulling all clown masks from its shelves and from its online stock to quell some of the public’s hysteria. Despite these actions, other retailers’ clown mask sales have increased by up to 239 percent, according to ABC Action News.

Furthermore, police nationwide have been making efforts to prevent future clown-related disturbances.

In Zilwaukee, Michigan, the local police department asked the town’s citizens to refrain from dressing as clowns for Halloween. According to the Zilwaukee Police Department’s Facebook page, the Saginaw County Prosecutor announced that the police department will be pressing charges against anyone who dresses like a clown with the intention of frightening or harming others.

The hype surrounding clowns has been gradually dying down and there have been no reports of the clowns in recent weeks. However, with Halloween only a few days away, it is important to be aware of possible threats before venturing out on Halloween night. This year, think twice about going out in that rainbow afro.

ith Halloween approaching, many people are organizing horror movie marathons. Netflix has a wide selection of scary movies for those who decide to load up on candy and stay at home this year. There are many great classic and modern horror movies to choose from this October, but five stand out from the rest for their superb plot, villains and scares.

“The Exorcist” (1973) “The Exorcist”, one of the most profitable horror movies ever made, is loosely based on real events. When Regan (Linda Blair), begins levitating and speaking strangely, her mother (Ellen Burstyn) tries to seek help from a doctor, who doesn’t understand the situation. Finally, the mother goes to a local priest ( Jason Miller), who believes that Regan may be “seized by the devil.” The priest asks if he can conduct an exorcism with another member of the church (Max von Sydow).

“Cujo” (1983) “Cujo”, based on the novel of the same name by horror writer Stephen King, tells the story of a rabid dog who suddenly terrorizes those around him. Cujo, originally was a sweet dog, but after being bitten by a bat, he begins to act erratically, becoming aggressive and hostile. “Cujo” shows this dog’s transformation from a harmless pet to a terrible beast that goes on a rampage through his community. The action comes to a head when stay-at-home mother Donna (Dee Wallace) and Tad (Danny Pintauro) gets caught in the middle of one of Cujo’s violent attacks. The movie shows the events that transpire while Donna and Tad are stuck in their small car with Cujo attacking them.

“The Den” (2013) “The Den” stars Elizabeth Benton

(Melanie Papalia) as a researcher who is studying the habits of webcam chat users. During one of her observation sessions, she accidentally witnesses a brutal murder from a webcam call on her computer. Benton is pulled into a nightmare in which she and her loved ones are targeted to suffer the same grisly fate as the victim in the video.

“The Babadook” (2014) “The Babadook” centers around Amelia (Essie Davis), a single mother who lost her husband in a car crash en route to see her give birth to their son, Samuel. Amelia struggles daily with the loss of her husband and the task of raising her troubled and angry son. After some time, Samuel finds a book sitting on top of a nearby shelf titled “Mr. Babadook.” After Amelia reads the disturbing book to Samuel, he makes weapons that cause his expulsion from school. A short time after reading “Mr. Babadook” out loud, strange occurrences from the book begin to happen to the two, and Amelia starts seeing the Babadook in her dreams and eventually in real life. Amelia and Samuel must fight for their lives as new terrors from the book come to life.

“Hush” (2016) “Hush” premiered on March 12, 2016 and has already earned the title of one of the scariest films to grace Netflix this Halloween. It stars a deaf author, Maddie Young (Kate Siegal), who lost her hearing at the age of 13.

Young lives in a small, isolated cottage in the woods. Her friend and neighbor, Sarah (Samantha Sloyan), comes to her house to visit her, but is one day chased by a masked man ( John Gallagher Jr.). Sarah frantically knocks on Maddie’s door, but is killed before Maddie notices her. The masked man realizes that Maddie is deaf and spends the movie torturing Maddie in her home by committing deplorable actions, such as slashing her tires, knocking on her windows, stealing her phone and taking pictures on it.

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

LIFESTYLE

How politicians master the art of apologies Many government officials have wrongfully used tricks to diffuse the public’s anger

1

B7 in

2000

This edition featuring:

Barry He

with The Campanile’s own

Edward Kim ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

Four politicians (pictured left to right: Hillary Clinton, Richard Nixon, Donald Trump and Bill Clinton), are known for some of the largest scandals in the history of politics

ELI GWIN-KERR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

O

ur lives are set on a stage for all to see, whether we like it or not. Some are set on a bigger stage than others, but in the age of handheld cameras and microphones everyone is subject to some form of constant surveillance.

Subsequently, affairs that might otherwise go unnoticed are becoming unearthed and made public, for better or worse. The idea of a scandal is something illegal or immoral that has been uncovered, or broken, after being carefully covered up by its perpetrators, and the way that those who are responsible for the events apologize becomes the way that they are seen in the public eye.

The life of a public figure is always at risk of scandal, especially for those in politics — a disgrace for one person often presents an advancement opportunity for another. To a politician, reputation is almost more important than policy, as seen in the increasingly common smear tactics that drive many a nominee’s campaign. After John C. Frémont was accused of being a Catholic in the 1856 presidential election, the hope of uncovering one’s opponent’s improprieties has pushed politics to the mud-slinging and accusa-

tion-hurling flurries. Many examples were present in the second presidential debate of the 2016 election.

The life of a public figure is always at risk of scandal, especially for those in politics — where a disgrace for one person often presents an advancement opportunity for another.

The American public is — or should be — used to the routine of a political scandal. From Nixon’s Watergate to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal to those of a less presidential scale like Anthony Weiner and the Clinton emails, almost every politician has issued an apology at a press conference, aired on live television.

These apologies are composed of a few key components: an acknowledgement of the event and its effects, a statement of regret for the event, the assuming of its responsibility for it and finally the solution. In Nixon’s case, the solution was resignation. Bill Clinton let it go to a grand jury but expressed an apology nonetheless.

Lower level political scandals still run rampant among Congress members and senators. These typically concern forms of corruption or dubious allocations of taxpayer money, but are

followed up with a confession and admittance of regret. But public apologies aren’t just for those affected by the scandal — apologies are chances for those who are guilty to reclaim a last shred of dignity.

Take the most polarizing scandals in recent US politics: the breach of Hillary Clinton’s private email server and the recordings of Donald Trump confessing to a history of sexual misconduct. The two presidential candidates have a tendency for conflicts of conduct, and both have used the other’s slip-ups as the bases of many finger-pointing tweets and debate remarks, despite the fact that both have been handled much differently.

In September of 2015, shortly after Clinton came under media attention for the email scandal, she took to ABC News to express her feelings on the matter.

“I’m sorry about that,” Clinton said.

“I take responsibility.”

Fear for national security was a large topic after that particular incident, and one that Trump frequently uses against her. However, Trump’s handling of that bombshell of a recording spoke more to his character than Hillary’s email incident did to hers. In a move unprecedented (in terms of those seeking the White House), Trump bypassed both the

statement of regret and the acceptance of responsibility.

“I’ve said some foolish things but there is a big difference between the words and actions of other people,” Trump said in a pre-recorded video.

“Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims.”

“Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims.”

Donald Trump Presidential Candidate If this latest set of scandals and their according apologies is any indicator, the politics of saying sorry may be heading in a direction that dismisses this etiquette as irrelevant “political correctness.” At least one presumptive politician is. And if this is indeed the case, then there is something to be said for the apologetic process that was once heralded as the dignified and mature way to act. The culture of politics creates a by-product that is scandalous but the attitude surrounding reputation should change to ensure a functioning political process.

Special Education department overcomes stigma Special Education teachers discuss preconceived notions that their students often face BETHANY SHIANG

BUSINESS MANAGER

T

here was a time when the term “retarded” was a slang word for idiocy and stupidity.

Many would make fun of their friends for making an intellectual mistake or a simple trip over the sidewalk and say, “you’re retarded.” In many places it is still used in such a derogatory way. But as times have changed, society is now coming to recognize what real retardation is, what stunted mental growth means and how learning or social disabilities are handled, and those who spend their whole lives committing to helping such people live their lives.

School was hard for me and I didn’t know about IEP or what it was, and I probably would have done better in terms of grades and support if I knew about it.

Rachel Kaci Special Education Teacher At the core of Special Education (SPED) departments are the teachers and aides that ensure that disadvantaged students have access to free appropriate public education. Teachers must adapt the curriculum in order to meet the needs of students appropriately. Classes are offered to students who have an Individual Education Program (IEP) in order to offer general education or prepare students for life after high school. The SPED department of students with moderate to severe disabilities.

“School was hard for me and I didn’t know about IEP or what it was, and I probably would have done better in terms of grades and support if I knew about it,” said Rachel Kaci,, SPED teacher and case manager, . “I

GRACIE KITAYAMA/THE CAMPANILE

Special Education teacher Joshua Torrence works with sophomore Naomi Levine Sporer on Geometry during a study period.

want to be an advocate for students and provide the support needed for students.

For some SPED teachers that teach students with a severe physical disability, the most challenging part is tailoring the curriculum to meet a child’s needs. “[How you adapt the curriculum] is depends on each person,” said Chris Geren, Special Education teacher. “If a person can’t see then we make the lessons so you can hear them. It’s no good to show them a video, but if we do show a video then we will make a script and talk with that student through it so they know what’s going on the screen.”

Unlike general students who take tests to evaluate their learning on a certain topic, SPED students are moving at a rate that does not allow them to meet the California standards. Thus, SPED teachers play a

critical role in examining the progress of SPED students and assessing if the students understanding a topic.

I get frustrated when people tell me that some of the students can’t do this or that or because it’s too hard.

Chris Geren Special Education Teacher “It’s sometimes challenging to work with students who don’t understand how much their disability impacts their learning,” Kaci said.

“They’ll look around the class and think that learning is easy for everybody, but everybody has challenges in learning. So it’s sometimes really hard to watch kids give up or have a weak self confidence.

There is often the preconceived notions that SPED students are dif-

ferent because they are at a disadvantage for certain activities, and the teachers are just there to help. However, teachers and aides aim to help students understand what they can do.

“I get frustrated when people tell me that some of the students can’t do this or that or because it’s too hard,” Geren said. “Well let’s try is my answer. They might not be able to do it, but let’s try and find out first.”

Though every student faces challenges, whether it is struggling with math or having a learning disability, there is still potential for everyone to reach something higher regardless of one’s learning level. There is no “them” and “us,” because sometimes our biggest enemy is ourselves.

As Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

The Campanile: Hi Barry, how are you doing today?

Barry He: Doing good. Better than you.

TC: Good to know, how do feel about The Campanile doing this interview?

BH: I think you guys are all weebs and into Theed points or whatever, probably gonna ruin my public image but it’s whatever.

TC: Do you put emphasis on your public image?

BH: Nah, it’s good you know people love me so it’s no big deal.

TC: What are your plans for this weekend?

BH: I got a debate tournament to go to… you know we about to crush it.

TC: How do you feel about yourself as a debater?

BH: I feel like, yeah, I’d say I’m a pretty good debater. No biggie. Bout to go and crush some noobs. Like you, Frances. I went 9-0 at SCU 2 my freshman year, no big deal. Closed out that tournament with my boys.

Shoutout to my boy Tanay Krishna.

The persuasive team with Tanay are heading out to UoP this weekend, wish them luck if you see them. Beat some ass, censor that out. Don’t put that in. You guys are editors, it’s no biggie.

TC: What have you learned from debate?

BH: I think debate really teaches you to think critically, learn to think about a lot of different issues.

Especially nowadays, not a lot of kids think about what’s going on. It gives you a chance at understanding multiple perspectives.

TC: What makes it fun?

BH: When you stand up there and get to yell at kids, and then the judge says, “Yep, you won the round,” you know there’s probably not a better feeling than winning the lottery or something, you know. At the end, you’re like, “Oh dang, I just won. Big money.”

TC: Does that help you in school?

BH: I don’t talk that much in class, but when I’m just chilling or something. Like for instance right now, we’re in a dank room.. Ms. Klein’s room, she’s the bomb. We’re sitting in this room, just chilling, saying things.

I bring a lot of hype to the table, lot of energy.

TC: Do you call yourself a hyped up guy?

BH: It depends on the occasion. Also I’m really good at roasts. You have Edward back here in the corner.

Roasting him, easy money.

TC: Are there any roasts you’d like to share with us?

BH: I can’t go deep because it only pertains to a certain amount of people. But I’m kind of tripping right now because I’m being interviewed

by Edward and its weird too because this kid is dumb. And everyone who knows Edward, we gotta go and post on his wall tonight something like “Bring back the bowl cut.” I mean have you seen his freshman year bowl cut? Hellllaaa good. Dude I don’t even know if you can put this in. Paly teachers are gonna see this and think I’m crazy or something.

TC: Is there anything you’d like to say from this interview?

BH: You gotta stay positive and can’t be sad. For instance, we just had a hella bad BC [Calculus} test and I’m pretty sure everybody failed. Edward, you too. And so, uh, it’s just rough man. You gotta stay positive, hit me up if you just wanna chill. Or maybe you’re rude and you’re mean and you don’t like kids or something. Stay strong.

TC: Thanks for the interview Barry!

BH: Yeah big money dude. Stay strong, Vikings, whatever.

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

LIFESTYLE

B8

Text & Design By Ben Beisheim

I

Identity Politics

n the midst of an increasingly contentious presidential election season, the political landscape of the United States seems to be reaching new heights of polarization. Political polarization is a term that describes the shift of the average person's political beliefs towards the extremes. Many who employ the term also use it to refer to the increasingly fervent dedication with which citizens subscribe to their political ideologies.

As political polarization exacerbates to a degree unprecedented in American history, understanding this phenomenon has become essential to understanding U.S. political discourse. According to Pew Research Center, the overall share of Americans who express consistently conservative or consistently liberal opinions has doubled over the past two decades from 10 to 21 percent.

The implications of this statistic are significant. More and more, the political opinions of Americans are determined by their party affiliation. While many of our grandparents selected the political party which most closely aligned with their political opinions, we are beginning to select political opinions which most closely align with our political parties.

Consider, for example, your views on addressing climate change. Now, think about your views on gun control. Almost everyone reading this who supports the former will support the latter, and vice versa. This fact is troublesome, for the sensibility of restricting access to guns is in no way determined by the absence or existence of man-made climate change.

So why is it that those who want less taxes almost invariably want abortion taxes as well?

Either the morality of abortion is in some way determined by the amount of money we forfeit to our government each year, or there is irrationality afoot. Knowing Americans, the latter is probably a safer assumption.

The sort of irrationality at work can be succinctly characterized as the human predispo-

sition toward conformity. While our ancestors formed tribes to survive, we have formed tribes to express ourselves politically. The problem is that while tribalism may have been useful for surviving the struggles of nature, its usefulness does not translate into politics.

But why are American politics becoming so polarized in the first place? Surely, there must be sociopolitical reasons for the intense spike in political tribalism the United States has experienced in the last decade.

Glenn Loury, Professor of Social Sciences and Economics at Brown University, says the main reason is identity politics — a political appeal made to people based on a component of their identity, such as race, religion or gender.

“There are times when the call of the tribe just might be a siren’s call when an excessive focus on ‘identity’ could lead one badly astray,” said Loury to a crowd of thousands of Brown students at the University's 245th Opening Convocation in 2008. “What is more, I firmly believe that now is just such a time.”

When setting out to evaluate the dangers of identity politics, it is important to distinguish the differences between identity-based political appeals and identity-based political decisions.

Certainly, there are instances in which it makes sense that a particular demographic would vote one way or another — low-income voters might vote for better social programs, or Jewish voters might support candidates who prioritize Israel. These are cases in which the effects of an issue are felt disproportionately by the people of one identity or another, and in these cases it makes perfect sense for people to vote based on identity.

The problem arises when media outlets, political movements and politicians begin to circumvent the use of policy-based appeals through identity-based appeals, which are intrinsically divisive.

Take, for example, the four largest American political movements of the current decade:

“There are times when the call of the tribe just might be a siren’s call and when an excessive focus on ‘identity’ could lead one badly astray.”

Glenn Loury Professor of Social Sciences

Third Wave Feminism, Black Lives Matter (BLM), the Tea Party Movement and the AltRight Movement. While these movements span the entirety of the political spectrum, there is one thing they all have in common; they appeal to an identity and present a platform that is, in each case, predicated upon the idea that those who disagree with their goals are morally deplorable.

That is not to say that any of these movements are not addressing legitimate concerns, rather that their methods of mobilization are divisive and in some cases dogmatic. Whether it is a feminist yelling obscenities at her political adversaries, or a Tea Party member preaching about President Obama’s involvement in 9/11, these movements have been known to foster obsessed ideologues.

The causes of such bigotry are twofold. First, political movements centered around identity are inherently conducive to tribalism. When people of a shared identity unite and start focusing on what makes them different from others, it quickly creates and fosters an “us against them” mentality.

The second reason, which has contributed to identity-based political movements dating as far back as the Inquisition, explains the existence of people inside the identity-based political movements who do not match the target demographic.

Many male feminists, black Tea Parties and white BLM supporters have been drawn to their respective movements by the allure of the heretic hunt.

The moment an individual accepts the sanctimonious premise of one of these movements, supporting its political goals becomes an essential moral imperative. To do otherwise is to live in apathy toward this issue, which you have just identified as morally crucial. It is no wonder then, that those who involve themselves in these movements often exhibit contempt towards those outside their movement.

And once you are convinced, expressing your contempt feels good. Few things are more

Design By Ashley Zhang

satisfying for a feminist than calling out a perceived misogynist, or for an Alt-Right advocate to identify "political correctness." This creates incentive for people to fabricate and exaggerate the racism, sexism or wrongness of others.

Think of how you feel at Spirit Week rallies.

You stand in the bleachers, alongside hundreds of people with whom you share a facet of identity, and yell at those who are different from you. During Spirit Week, the entire school agrees to put on a facade of differentness along grade lines for the sake of the intra-grade togetherness it can produce. And it is exhilarating, yet mostly harmless, and at the end of the week we drop the facade and remember that none of us are superior to others because of the year we happened to be born.

Imagine that we had Spirit Week based on race rather than age. Imagine that it lasted not a week, but a lifetime. Imagine that every student was completely convinced that those in the other race groups were dead set on destroying them. What you have is a model for the sort of society identity politics is conducive to.

While the aspects of exhilaration are retained, this sort of event is no longer harmless. People will be hurt not only by others contempt towards them, but also by their own contempt towards others.

The bottom line is that we must remember some truths. First, objective truth has nothing to do with your personal identity. Climate change is either manmade or it is not, and the answer to this question gives no regard to the color of your skin or the contents of your underwear. Second, just because someone looks like you does not mean you should think like them. This fact follows the first, but its iteration is warranted by its importance. Finally, we are best off making decisions as individuals, critically thinking about each issue we wish to develop a stance on rather than selecting opinions from the available platforms that match facets of our identities. If we remember these things, the marketplace of ideas will benefit, and our society will be thrust forward in a way that reaffirms the greatest aspects of democracy.

The moment an individual accepts the sanctimonious premise of one of these movements, supporting its political goals becomes an essential moral imperative.

LEFT: DAVID SHANKBONE/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED, TOP: FIBONACCI BLUE/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED, BELOW: SAGE ROSS/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016 Abuse against female reporters

SPORTS

The injustices committed against female sports reporters needs to finally come to an end.

C7

todor manchev’s american dream TEXT & DESIGN BY PAARTH SHARMA

a bulgarian Tennis Coach’s perilous Journey to the U.S.

DeSIGN BY KIRAN MISNER

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

with The Campanile’s own

Cole Hechtman

T

ennis is played for a variety of reasons, including competition, relaxation, exercise or collegiate recruitment. But for Todor Manchev, Paly’s tennis coach and owner of Tennis Town and Country, the sport has given him hope during his time in the army, allowed him to escape a strict Communist country and imbued him with the tools to pursue a new life that allows him to impart his knowledge of the sport onto others.

Born in Bulgaria during the rule of the oppressive Bulgarian Communist Party, Manchev pursued tennis as a ticket out of a dangerous country in which the government hunted down and killed anyone who spoke freely.

“My dad had me start playing at around 8 years old because he thought it was the best way to escape from a communist country,” Manchev said.

Manchev quickly rose to the forefront of Bulgarian tennis, and began practicing for hours each day. By age 14, tennis soon became much more than a game. The sport was providing him with opportunities beyond the reach of most Bulgarians.

At the time, traveling outside the country was stric prohibited, but as a tennis player, Manchev was allowed to travel internationally for tournaments and major events.

“The U.S. in those days had a paradiselike image among Bulgarians. We all dreamed of coming here. We had this image of a life full of opportunities.”

Todor Manchev “I was once ranked fourth in Bulgaria, which helped me travel around Western Europe while my parents [had to stay in Bulgaria].”

Manchev said.

However, it soon became time for the next stage of Manchev’s life. The Communist Bulgarian regime had a mandatory military service policy for men between the ages of 18 and 27, and Manchev was forced to leave home.

“It was dramatic. It felt as though I was entering jail,” Manchev said. “Cleaning the floor in the middle of the night, doing 5 a.m. PTs [Physical Training], then battle drills.”

The Bulgarian Army at the time was in a state of chaos. A corrupt organization at the time, it was well-known for excessive punishments, such as

brutally arresting those who mocked former dictator Todor Zhivkov’s accent.

Manchev saw his fair share of army mishaps while enlisted. He described going to the range and noticing an officer tightly holding each soldier’s gun as they shot at targets. When he asked his commander why this was the case, the commander replied that it was to prevent soldiers from turning around and shooting and thus murdering their commanding officers.

Another time, a fellow soldier was playing with his gun out of boredom. He pulled the trigger, accidentally shooting another soldier in the leg.

Tennis soon came to rescue Manchev from the perils of the army. As a top player in Bulgaria, he was excused from standard military duties and was put in the “Sport Army,” a branch of the armed forces for elite athletes.

This army had the duty of keeping peace in the cities of Bulgaria, and as a result was significantly more hospitable than other army posts.

Manchev was excused from much of the army’s training to practice, and would often play tennis early in the morning with his army commanders and generals. Nevertheless, he quickly acquired a distaste for the strictness and rigor of army life.

“The Sport Army was closer to home and [had] better conditions, which made it better,” Manchev said. “The army overall was a waste of time, but it does build character.”

It was this character that gave Manchev courage to take a leap of faith in 1998 and decide to come to the United States. He had previously visited America for tennis tournaments, and his decision to move was largely influenced by the Bulgarian perception of the country across the Atlantic.

“The U.S. in those days had a paradise-like image among Bulgarians,” Manchev said.

“We all dreamed about coming here.

We had this image of a life full of opportunities.”

Manchev immigrated to the U.S. in 1998, and he soon found out that the U.S. was not exactly the paradise that was advertised. The difference in culture was hard to deal with.

“When I first came to the U.S., I was excited, but at the same time colliding cultures did affect my confidence,” Manchev said.

He began playing tennis tournaments, taking classes at California State University at Hayward, and started coaching in his free time. His days became busy, and coaching al-

lowed him to relieve stress while providing him with a steady source of income.

“Coaching was the best job I could get, as it had good pay and little competition,” Manchev said. “There were no job opportunities in those days.”

Manchev began coaching local students, and quickly developed a reputation for being the best tennis coach in the area.

“As a coach, Todor is more laid-back than most,” said sophomore and JV player Nishant Patwardhan. “But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. He places no stress on the players and pushes them to get better.”

His excellent coaching and drive to help others improve is never lost in his students, and as a result, he has become one of the most sought after coaches in the Bay Area.

“Todor knows the game of tennis very well, but he also knows how to coach,” said freshman Neil Kapoor. “He isn’t the coach who yells the most, but he’s the coach whose students win the most.”

“As a coach, Todor is more laidback than most, But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. He places no stress on the players and pushes them to get better.”

Sophomore Nishant Patwardhan After making a name as a coach, Manchev opened Tennis Town and Country in 2009. The shop offers a variety of tennis equipment and has become a premier establishment, serving both Stanford tennis teams, Paly tennis players and many others who enjoy playing the sport of tennis. Yet another product of Manchev’s hard work and relentless drive, a quick look at the shop’s Yelp page reveals an endless barrage of five-star reviews and lengthy paragraphs about family service, great quality and affordability.

M a n c h e v ’s story is neither simple nor easy. It began in a country that hunted down free thinkers, and continues today in the land of the free. But this is this type of story that Americans must cherish, because it is an example of the “American Dream that make this country great.

The Campanile: I’m riding in the whip with Tommy Smale. How are you today?

TS: I’m doing great. It’s a great honor to be Athlete of the Month. I couldn’t be more happy.

TC: Everyone has their different perceptions about you, but what does Tommy Smale think when he hears Tommy Smale?

TS: It’s a very large perception, that’s partly because I’ve been taking cytogainer, it’s gotten me some gains.

TC: I couldn’t help but notice that you didn’t win Scrawny to Brawny this year, what do you think about that?

TS: I think it’s a rigged system. I think it’s very unfair and I think there are people paying people to taint my image and make me look bad. That was perpetrated by the winners of Scrawny to Brawny.

TC: Let’s talk about water polo.

What is your role within the team?

TS: I’m the base of the team and they can always count on me to play solid.

They can count on me to keep them motivated, focused and on track.

TC: Is it ever hard to play next to your counterpart Jared Stanley because I know he gets most of the spotlight?

TS: Whatever it takes to get the win, that makes me happy. If we win, I’m happy. I just want to win. That’s the mentality any Athlete of the Month or Coach’s award winner should have should have.

TC: Can you speak about what it meant to win the Coach’s Award last season?

TS: That was a great honor. I put it on my college app and job resumes.

It’s because I’m a coach in the pool.

TC:Okay that’s enough bragging from you. Can you tell us about what you’re interested in outside the pool?

TS: I play violin.

TC: I don’t think you do.

TS: Water polo is a violent sport and you get into a lot of arguments inside and outside the pool. It’s a psychologically hard on the mind and outside of the water, it’s like therapy for me.

TC: What’s your favorite thing to play?

TS: Mozart. When I play Mozart, it just emits waves and those waves go straight to my brain and I just feel the music.

TC: But what is your favorite song?

TS: He has just so many great songs that I can’t really choose one. Just a really influential artist.

TC: But if you had to choose one song, it can be any, what would you like to play?

TS: Too many great songs I can’t even decide.

TC: What’s Mozart’s full name again?

TS: Uhhh… Mozart, a really great musician but you know what’s more important? Water polo and the rest of the season for the team.

TC: Any last words for young water polo players looking to win the coach’s award or just aspiring to be like you?

TS: Get up big and take cytogainer.

SPORTS

Previewing the 2016 NBA Season

All 30 teams from the NBA will begin a grueling season in pursuit of the elusive NBA championship. The Campanile predicts the first 82 games in what is shaping up to be a historic and record-breaking season.

COURTESY OF LATIMES

PAGES C4-C5

COURTESY OF PALO ALTO ONLINE

Teachers Who Coach

Meet the educators who lead both in and out of the classroom.

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COURTESY OF DAILY MAIL

Money Before Morals

QB Underdogs

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Professional leagues are looking for more money at the cost of fans.

COURTESY OF ESPN

Some of the top players in the game have not always been on top.

Friday, October 28, 2016

C2 VIKING REPORT football RECENT SCORES

Paly @ Milpitas 10/7 , L, 42-0 Paly vs. Wilcox 10/14, W, 25-21 Paly vs. Los Gatos 10/21 , L, 35-6 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Mountain View 11/4, 7:00 p.m.

XC RECENT SCORES

Clovis Invitational 10/8, Boys 4th, Girls 18th SCVAL Meet #3 10/18, Boys 1st, Girls 3rd UPCOMING GAMES

SCVAL Championships 11/1, 1:45 p.m.

CCS 11/12, TBA

Girls Wopo RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Del Oro 10/14, L, 8-6 Paly vs. Merced 10/15, W, 5-4 Paly vs. Rocklin 10/15, W, 6-4 Paly @ Los Gatos 10/20, L, 8-2

The Campanile

SPORTS Football continues troublesome season Vikings strive to end tough year on high note with final effort against Mountain View NIKLAS RISANO

STAFF WRITER

O

ne week a crushing defeat, and the next a triumphant victory. This has been the prevailing trend for Palo Alto High School’s football squad throughout the course of their rather mediocre season.

On Oct. 7, the Vikes traveled to Milpitas High School to play the one loss Trojans. Milpitas managed to score 42 points, with at least one touchdown in every quarter. Paly, on the other hand was stuck with goose eggs in every period. The Vikings’ performance was dismal in virtually every respect.

Jackson Chryst, sophomore and starting quarterback, struggled to find his receivers, completing only three passes on the night. The defensive issues were clear from the scoreline. Possibly the only bright spot was the emergence of sophomore lineman Wes Walters, who led the team with six tackles. The Trojans are one of the best teams in the league, but nonetheless, this was an ugly loss.

The following week, on Oct. 14, the Vikes faced the Wilcox High School Chargers, who were undefeated in league play. Chryst played his best game of the year, completing six of 11 passes for 120 yards, and even adding a rushing touchdown.

“Jackson Chryst is becoming a presence, and teams are beginning to be forced to adjust to him before

JACKY MOORE/THE CAMPANILE

Wide receiver Nick Smallwood (#88) lines up against the Los Gatos High School Wildcats. The Vikings ended the night with a loss.

games,” said junior and running back Paul Jackson III. Once again, Jackson III had a impressive performance racking up 98 yards and three touchdowns on only 20 carries. On the defensive side, seniors Josh Brigel and Peter Snodgrass led the team with 10 total tackles each. Overall, this was a quality win for the squad.

Sadly, the team was not able to carry their momentum from the

Invitationals help team gauge opponents

RECENT SCORES

Paly @ Wilcox 10/11, W, 13-9 Paly vs. Mountain View 10/13, W, 13-6 Paly vs. Homestead 10/18, W, 16-8 Paly @ Los Gatos 10/20, W, 9-7

girls golf Paly vs. Cupertino 9/7, L, 253-255 Paly vs. Lynbrook 9/22, W, 218-223 Paly @ Cupertino 9/29, W, 167-219 Paly @ Lynbrook 10/6, L, 178-176

tennis RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Wilcox 10/13, W, 7-0 Paly @ Fremont 10/18, W, 7-0 Paly vs. Santa Clara 10/20, W, 6-1 Paly vs. Los Altos 10/25, W, 4-3

volleyball RECENT SCORES

Paly vs. Lincoln 10/22, W, 2-0 Paly vs. Lynbrook 10/22, L, 2-0 Paly vs. Lynbrook 10/25, W, 3-0 UPCOMING GAMES

Paly @ Monta Vista 10/27, 6:45 p.m.

ter touchdown followed by a missed 2-point conversion. The game ended with Los Gatos scoring an impressive 35 points to Paly’s measly six.

The team’s only remaining game is an away matchup against the 6-3 Mountain View Spartans. Hopefully the Vikes can end this tumultuous season of rebuilding on a good note.

“I have confidence in my team,” Jackson III said. “We will win this next game against Mountain View.”

Cross country remains Tennis targeting finals on track for CCS meet Girls continue perfect league record streak

Boys wopo

RECENT SCORES

Wilcox game into the homecoming matchup against head coach Danny Sullivan’s alma mater, the Los Gatos Wildcats. The Wildcats were undefeated in league play going into the game, and remained so afterwards.

The Wildcats had their way with the Vikings defense, rushing for a total of 253 yards, and passing for an additional 187. On the flip side, the Vikings offense remained quite the whole game, until a late fourth quar-

MALCOLM SLANEY/FAIR USE

Senior Kent Slaney leads Paly during the third SCVAL meet of the year at Baylands.

KIRAN MISNER

SPORTS EDITOR

O

ver hills, through final sprints and across several strenuous miles of dusty terrain, Palo Alto High School’s cross country team has excelled this season. The team’s standout performance was shown off at the recent Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) meet held at the Baylands in Sunnyvale, Calif.

“Overall, we did really well and had good performances from younger runners and those coming off injury,” junior Reed Foster said.

The runners will continue to improve their performances as they train each day. According to senior Ben Beaudry, this will be accomplished with a variety of practice techniques implemented by coaches Mike Granville and Michael Davidson.

“We are doing a variety of different workouts, such as sprint training, long distance, and runs where we keep a specific and steady pace,” Beaudry said.

As the season comes to a close, the team will qualify for the Central Coast Section (CCS) championships. Ideally, both the girls and boys teams would like to qualify as many competitors, if not more, for CCS than last year. However, the grueling season has taken a toll on the team and they have started to refocus their goals.

“When we started the season we want to beat Bellarmine, but with injuries that could be a stretch,” Foster said.

While the team has supposedly approached this season by focusing

on meet by meet performance, the CCS championships have been in their heads the entire season.

“We have been judging what we do in invitational meets and we can see where we stack up against people in CCS and states,” Beaudry said.

“We’ve been using this tactic all season long to create expectations for CCS.” The Vikings will travel to Crystal Springs next week for a fourth SCVAL meet. Some of the fiercest running crews in the league such as Crystal Springs Uplands School and Los Altos High School will face off against each other. While this meet will without a doubt be a challenge due to the hilly terrain, Yuen believes that there is not an obstacle this talented team cannot tackle.

“We’ve got several runners who do really well on hills and we plan on training on hills at Crystal or other places,” Foster said.

As for next season, the team will lose a number of seniors, which could have a drastic impact on overall performance. To try and counter the devastating loss of many dedicated seniors who headed the team’s success this year, many sophomores have been called up to either run in the Varsity II meets, a lower level of varsity, or practice with the varsity team.

One of these talented underclassmen is sophomore Henry Saul, who has performed with promise throughout the season and earned a spot as one of the team’s top runners.

“He’s one of two people who ran a sub-16 5k as a sophomore,” Beaudry said. “If he keeps on going, he’s going to be our fastest runner for the next couple years.”

ALLISON WU

STAFF WRITER

A

s the fall season continues, the Palo Alto High School girls tennis team is serving justice in the tennis court with countless wins and a remarkable, unified spirit.

The Vikings are currently playing in the El Camino League, a lower league than the De Anza League, which they played in last year.

Recently, they prevailed against Mountain View High School on Oct. 11 in a close 4-3 match, Fremont High School 7-0 on Oct. 18 and Santa Clara High School 6-1 on Oct. 20, allowing them to maintain their extraordinary winning streak of 10 consecutive wins in the league. The team has yet to lose a single league match.

“We’re in the lower division this season so we’ve been doing really well compared to previous years,” said Avery Pearson, senior doubles player.

With their achievements this season, the Vikings are optimistic about the potential for next year.

“Next year should hopefully be more of a challenge, because if all goes well we’ll be league champions this year and advance to the upper league,” said junior doubles player Emma Cockerell. “But this year has been great because we’ve been able to really work on our game.”

The Vikings are confident in their abilities and remain hopeful as they enter the crucial, final stage of an al-

ready awe-inspiring season.

“So far we’re undefeated, so we’re hoping to do really well in SCVALS [Santa Clara Valley Athletic League] and CCS [Central Coast Section],” Pearson said.

The team also attributes much of its success to effective chemistry, and bonding experiences on and off the court, which has helped squad unity.

We’re in the lower division this season so we’ve been doing really well compared to previous years.

Avery Pearson Senior “Tennis is a predominantly individual sport, and in that sense, it can be tough to keep the team together,” Pearson said. “We’ve learned how to bond and get to know each other every second we can during practice and on the way to matches.”

Although Pearson and the other five graduating seniors — Meredith Cummings, Brin Elliott, Avanika Narayan, Mayerly Short and Alice Zhang — will not be playing with the girls next year, the Vikings will continue to strengthen their skills as athletes in order to become a more powerful team.

“Six seniors are graduating this year, and I hope the team will be able to continue to be as unified as it has been without us next year,” Pearson said. “We’ll miss [being on the team].”

Water polo in post-season Boys primed to succeed in SCVAL playoffs MADS MCCLUSKEY

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

T

he Vikings are roaring into the final days of their water polo season strong. The boys boast a 6-1 record as they close off their season and head into SCVAL playoffs.

“I think that our season has gotten progressively better, we had our last league game and I’ve seen tremendous improvement from our first league game to the one we just played,” said captain Alex Beaudry.

The boys’ goal was to place highly in SCVAL playoffs and head into CCS strong. They have done well during their normal season, leaving them prepared for the challenges to come.

“In all honesty I think that we are in the perfect spot to win the title,” Beaudry said. “The CCS tournament

is also within our grasp, though it will definitely be a tougher fight. Right now I think that it will be a toss up between Bellarmine, St. Francis, Menlo-Atherton, Gunn and us.”

There is no question that heading into CCS is daunting. The Vikings have to compete with very developed teams and that may seem intimidating. However, they are prepared for a tough fight and hope to come out victorious.

A key element to a successful team is dedication and practice. As the season has progressed, the team has honed in on skills, such as driving and turns.

“We are playing consistent good water polo and we’re playing as a team,” Beaudry said. “Our drives are helping our offense and our defense has improved dramatically.”

For future’s sake, it is vital that the boys win the SCVAL championship.

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

SPORTS

C3

Girls water polo makes strong final splash

Despite a precarious start, the girls have strengthened their team chemistry to finish season on a positive note PAARTH SHARMA

STAFF WRITER

T

here come moments when the greatest teams of all time falter and miss a step. For the Palo Alto High School’s girls water polo team, this season has been an uncharacteristically wild one, — the Lady Vikes sit in fifth place in their division with just one league game left in the season.

Worn down both physically and mentally as the end to their hellacious season inches nearer and nearer, the team headed north on Oct. 6 to take their last stand against the Los Altos High School Eagles.

The Vikings exchanged blows with the Eagles early on — both teams racked up six goals in the first quarter alone. Paly did not stop there, moving the ball in a way that reminded onlookers of the 2016 Golden State Warriors, with four different players scoring goals for the Lady Vikes over the course of the game.

Despite this incredible offensive performance, the team squandered a 3-1 lead and could not finish the game efficiently — much like the Warriors — eventually losing to the Eagles by a heartbreaking final score of 7-4.

More motivated than ever, the Lady Vikes stormed south in search

of an unlucky opponent on whom to bestow their wrath. On Tuesday, Oct. 11, the Lady Vikes bandwagon touched down in Cupertino, Calif., hungry for its next victim: the Cupertino High School Pioneers.

I think that we have come together really nicely as a team, learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Alyssa Ibuyan Junior The Lady Vikes, energized by the Pioneer’s 0-9 record, quickly turned what was expected to be a water polo game into something that more closely resembled a Himalayan landslide, only if boulders were replaced by the prodigious abilities of senior goalkeeper Joanna Falla, who limited the scrappy Pioneers to just five goals while picking up her league-leading 148th save of the season.

Junior Sabrina Hall contributed an additional five goals in the hairraising assault on Cupertino, which ended with Palo Alto winning by a final score of 16-5.

After making the Pioneers turn into the Donner Party, the team headed back home to prepare for the Western States Tournament that begins on Oct. 15 in the hostile terri-

MADS MCCLUSKEY/THE CAMPANILE

Above, senior Haley Chalmers shoots a goal. Despite a rocky season, the Vikings are optimistic about the upcoming tournaments.

tory of Modesto, Calif.

The two day tournament saw the Lady Vikes facing off against Saint Mary’s High School, del Oro High School, and many other opponents.

The Vikings did well in the tournament, controlling any team that fell into their sacrificial bracket.

If this tournament was an omen of any sort, the team will wipe the floor with any and all opponents at the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League

(SCVALs). The team carried their momentum into the tournament, going 3-2 and finishing a solid 24th out of 64 teams.

The Vikings, drowning in the sweet embrace of victory, look to the SCVALs, hoping to strike early and often against their opponents.

“We can continue to come out strong and keep our opponent at five goals or under,” said junior Alyssa Ibuyan. “We have come together re-

ally nicely as a team, learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

The girls’ season has undoubtedly been one full of ups and downs. It has been a season steeped in adversity and climax. A season that everyone at Paly will surely miss.

While the team lost many games, they undoubtedly won the hearts of Palo Alto High School — something no amount of championships can replace.

Volley of wins brought to an end Girls golf bounces Amid crushing loss, girls volleyball remains hopeful for future back from first defeat ASHLEY ZHANG

Team celebrates successful season despite unfortunate interruption to winning streak

NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR

I

n the year 1386, Geoffrey Chaucer penned the phrase, “All good things must come to an end” in his tragic poem “Troilus and Criseyde.” Six centuries have passed, yet his powerful statement still rings true today, especially for the Palo Alto High School girls volleyball team. The Vikes recently fell to competitor Los Altos High School thus ending their tremendous winning streak in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL).

“The toughest challenge this season was keeping our record, because we were undefeated before we played Los Altos, and we wanted to maintain that for the rest of the season,” said defensive specialist Susanna Limb. “Unfortunately, we did not play as well as we could and suffered a defeat to Los Altos.”

The toughest challenge this season was keeping our record, because we were undefeated before we played Los Altos, and we wanted to maintain that for the rest of the season.

Susanna Limb Junior The Oct. 13 game against Los Altos resulted in a devastating 3-1 loss for Paly. The Eagles won the first two

GRACE KITAYAMA

STAFF WRITER

KAI ODA/THE CAMPANILE

Although the Vikes fought valiantly against Los Gatos, the game ended in a 3-1 loss.

sets 25-21 and 25-22. However, undaunted and unrelenting, the Vikings refused to give up, ending the third set with a 25-17 Viking win.

However, their valiant efforts were ultimately overcome by a 25-18 loss in the last set of the game.

“We had great individual performances, but as a team we did not communicate well,” Limb said.

Dynamized by the loss, the Vikings continued to improve upon their unity and served up an incredible 3-0 win against crosstown rival Henry M. Gunn High School on Friday, Oct. 14. With scores of 26-24, 28-26 and 26-24, the team narrowly won each set.

Limb credits their victory to their consistent playing and improved team cohesion, and hints that the Lady Vikes still have room for improvement.

“I think we played well,” Limb

said. “However, we did not start off strong for all three games. The toughest part was the crowd. We have never played with that many people yelling and I think it overwhelmed us in the beginning.”

We are on track to becoming first in our league.

Susanna Limb Junior After playing Lynbrook High School and Monta Vista High School on Oct. 25 and 27, respectively, the team hopes to bring their talents to the Central Coast Section (CCS), and hopefully to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).

“Overall, this season has been more successful than past ones,” Limb said. “We are on track to becoming first in our league.”

T

he sanguine words of an ancient Arabic proverb perhaps best encompass the sentiments of the girls golf squadron of Palo Alto High School: “Without pain, we wouldn’t know joy.” As their season nears its end, the team readies for the Central Coast Section (CCS) championship.

The Vikings started off the week strong, obliterating Los Altos High School by 90 strokes on Oct. 11.

Credit for the destruction can be attributed to several athletes on the team. Junior Stephanie Yu shot a 35, and freshmen Priya Bakshi and Katherine Sung, who have been consistently strong players all season, shot a 39 and a 41 respectively.

Yet the hope of a winning streak fell through when the Falcons snatched victory from the palms of defeat for the Vikes in a loss to Saratoga High School by 11 strokes on Oct. 13. In addition to the loss on their record, the Vikings were met with an even greater tragedy.

The game against Saratoga was the team’s senior game, meaning the lassies had to accept that they will lose many key players next season

when this year’s seniors graduate.

Senior Elise Kiya reflects on playing one of her last games. “[The game] was pretty fun and emotional,” Kiya said. “We lost, and that was pretty sad too. After four years of golf, we have six seniors graduating.”

I think if we can play well at leagues, then we will make it to CCS this year.

Katherine Sung Freshman Despite the emotional game, the Vikings bounced back, smashing Gunn High School by 12 points with a final score of 208-194.

The win not only solidified the team’s confidence, but prepared them for CCS as well. The team has quite the journey ahead and the girls must ready themselves for the CCS championships if they hope to go far and win a title this season.

“I think if we can play well at leagues, then we will make it to CCS this year,” Katherine Sung said.

It all ends Nov. 1 when the Vikes will be taking on their CCS finalist opponent. Victory is well within reach for the mighty Vikings.

Friday, October 28, 2016

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The Campanile

2016 NBA PREDICTIONS 1. Golden State Warriors

The best team ever assembled since the creation of professional sports, the Warriors are far and away the favorites to win the NBA title. Adding Kevin Durant to an already loaded roster with all-stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green has created a superteam better than anything Miami could have ever hoped for.

The Warriors will blow away the rest of the league on their quest for redemption after last year’s painful loss to the Cavaliers.

2016 nba pr design by: niklas Risano

2. San Antonio Spurs With the retirement of Tim Duncan, the Spurs will begin a new era under their franchise cornerstones: Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. The team will retain its key contributors from a 60game playoff team last year, and will only improve with a more experienced Aldridge and the addition of rookie guard Dejounte Murray.

The Spurs appear to be the clear front runner in the West behind Golden State.

3. Portland Trailblazers One year off of their magical run to the second round of the playoffs, the influx of new talent in former Warriors’ backup center Festus Ezeli will only help Damian Lillard run train over the rest of the NBA. Lillard will emerge as the best pure point guard in the NBA with the help of star sidekick CJ McCollum -- Pippen-Jordan anyone? Rip City’s big three of Ezeli, LIllard and McCollum will create another organically grown superteam to challenge the West, and give the Spurs and Warriors a run for their money.

4. Los Angeles Clippers Riding the emotional wave of Paul Pierce’s pending retirement, the Clippers will power through to gain home-court advantage over 11 other teams. If Blake Griffin and Chris Paul can manage to stay healthy the entire season —which is unlikely — then they will hopefully be able to return to their superstar talent days. However, the lack of a solid bench in LA will continue to plague the Clippers this year, as they suffer from a talent drop off besides Paul and Griffin.

5. Utah Jazz The Jazz have made large strides in their improvement, as Rudy Gobert has turned into a legitimate center who gives them a strong presence near the basket. Gordon Hayward has become a true superstar, providing an anchor for Utah’s offense. Even Dante Exum — the underwhelming prospect from Australia — has gotten his act together and become the hyped point guard that draft boards expected three years ago.

6. Phoenix Suns

11. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Suns improve drastically from their disastrous 2015-2016 season. Guard Devin Booker develops into a poor-man’s Klay Thompson, a twenty-year old that can score and facilitate the offense. Guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight will finally have a season without injury, helping them to take the next step in their playing level. The Suns will creep into the playoffs for the first time since Steve Nash played in Arizona.

The Timberwolves’ title hopes remain on hold for the second straight season, as injuries will finally catch up to the bodies of the talented Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine.

Luckily for Minnesota, rookie Kris Dunn appears to be the perfect replacement for a rapidly aging Ricky Rubio. Despite their youth movement away from the years of Kevin Garnett, the Timberwolves still look at least a year away from contention.

7. Oklahoma City Thunder

12. Los Angeles Lakers

Having lost Kevin Durant in the most heavily-criticized exodus since Lebron James’ exit from Miami, the Thunder now depend on the talents of high-scoring, ravenously-rebounding loose cannon Russell Westbrook. Placing the team on his shoulders, Westbrook will take it upon himself to exact revenge on the Warriors and his ex-teammate. As a reward for his remarkable individual performance, Westbrook will win Most Valuable Player (MVP).

8. Dallas Mavericks New arrival Harrison Barnes adds a threat on the wing that Dallas hasn’t seen since the days of its 2011 title team. Fresh off of a 70-win season in Golden State, Andrew Bogut brings the level of rim protection missing from Dallas since Tyson Chandler left. The trio of Barnes, Bogut and mainstay Dirk Nowitzki will propel Dallas to the playoffs for one last ride before their age catches up to them.

9. Memphis Grizzlies Memphis will see its title window drop once again as Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph lose another step chasing a grueling 82-game season. Mike Conley will fail spectacularly in the wake of his $30 million dollar contract, proving all his haters correct. The Grindhouse era appears to be coming to an end in Memphis, with all their players graying.

10. New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans will improve slightly on their past season as Buddy Hield blossoms into a rookie sensation. Anthony Davis will reclaim his title as best promising young talent then make it into an All-Star game and an All-NBA team. However, the tag team of Hield and Davis won’t be able to hold up the Pelicans’ weak supporting cast, who perennially suffer from injuries and lack of talent.

Even with adding Brandon Ingram, the Lakers still lag behind in the dregs of the Western Conference. D’Angelo Russell— even with a year of experience in the NBA — fails to take the next step forward in becoming a franchise-leading point guard. The rest of the Lakers team, most notably Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle, are likely to display another mediocre year of play with new coach Luke Walton.

13. Houston Rockets With the loss of their second best player and only post presence in Dwight Howard, the Rockets will free-fall out of the Western contention. Despite having the best shooting guard in the NBA, James Harden, the hapless Rockets cannot be saved from their sudden drop in talent. The rest of the Rockets will underwhelm as H-town stumbles to a disappointing season.

14. Denver Nuggets Hopes remain high in the city of Denver as both Emmanuel Mudiay and Jamal Murray have shown flashes of potential. Without a franchise-leading star, however, the Nuggets will fall prey to stronger powers that dominate the Western Conference. The most forgettable team in the NBA will do little to change their perception as they fail to gain the attention of the media in another 20 win season.

15. Sacramento Kings Even with arguably the best center in the NBA, Demarcus Cousins, Sacramento’s absent role players will keep Cousins from reaching his maximum potential. Losing Seth Curry and Rajon Rondo in free agency has forced the Kings to take another step backward. Cousins seems almost pre-destined to leave Sacramento in by trade the coming summer.

Friday, October 28, 2016

C4

The Campanile

2016 NBA PREDICTIONS 1. Golden State Warriors

The best team ever assembled since the creation of professional sports, the Warriors are far and away the favorites to win the NBA title. Adding Kevin Durant to an already loaded roster with all-stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green has created a superteam better than anything Miami could have ever hoped for.

The Warriors will blow away the rest of the league on their quest for redemption after last year’s painful loss to the Cavaliers.

2016 nba pr design by: niklas Risano

2. San Antonio Spurs With the retirement of Tim Duncan, the Spurs will begin a new era under their franchise cornerstones: Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. The team will retain its key contributors from a 60game playoff team last year, and will only improve with a more experienced Aldridge and the addition of rookie guard Dejounte Murray.

The Spurs appear to be the clear front runner in the West behind Golden State.

3. Portland Trailblazers One year off of their magical run to the second round of the playoffs, the influx of new talent in former Warriors’ backup center Festus Ezeli will only help Damian Lillard run train over the rest of the NBA. Lillard will emerge as the best pure point guard in the NBA with the help of star sidekick CJ McCollum -- Pippen-Jordan anyone? Rip City’s big three of Ezeli, LIllard and McCollum will create another organically grown superteam to challenge the West, and give the Spurs and Warriors a run for their money.

4. Los Angeles Clippers Riding the emotional wave of Paul Pierce’s pending retirement, the Clippers will power through to gain home-court advantage over 11 other teams. If Blake Griffin and Chris Paul can manage to stay healthy the entire season —which is unlikely — then they will hopefully be able to return to their superstar talent days. However, the lack of a solid bench in LA will continue to plague the Clippers this year, as they suffer from a talent drop off besides Paul and Griffin.

5. Utah Jazz The Jazz have made large strides in their improvement, as Rudy Gobert has turned into a legitimate center who gives them a strong presence near the basket. Gordon Hayward has become a true superstar, providing an anchor for Utah’s offense. Even Dante Exum — the underwhelming prospect from Australia — has gotten his act together and become the hyped point guard that draft boards expected three years ago.

6. Phoenix Suns

11. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Suns improve drastically from their disastrous 2015-2016 season. Guard Devin Booker develops into a poor-man’s Klay Thompson, a twenty-year old that can score and facilitate the offense. Guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight will finally have a season without injury, helping them to take the next step in their playing level. The Suns will creep into the playoffs for the first time since Steve Nash played in Arizona.

The Timberwolves’ title hopes remain on hold for the second straight season, as injuries will finally catch up to the bodies of the talented Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine.

Luckily for Minnesota, rookie Kris Dunn appears to be the perfect replacement for a rapidly aging Ricky Rubio. Despite their youth movement away from the years of Kevin Garnett, the Timberwolves still look at least a year away from contention.

7. Oklahoma City Thunder

12. Los Angeles Lakers

Having lost Kevin Durant in the most heavily-criticized exodus since Lebron James’ exit from Miami, the Thunder now depend on the talents of high-scoring, ravenously-rebounding loose cannon Russell Westbrook. Placing the team on his shoulders, Westbrook will take it upon himself to exact revenge on the Warriors and his ex-teammate. As a reward for his remarkable individual performance, Westbrook will win Most Valuable Player (MVP).

8. Dallas Mavericks New arrival Harrison Barnes adds a threat on the wing that Dallas hasn’t seen since the days of its 2011 title team. Fresh off of a 70-win season in Golden State, Andrew Bogut brings the level of rim protection missing from Dallas since Tyson Chandler left. The trio of Barnes, Bogut and mainstay Dirk Nowitzki will propel Dallas to the playoffs for one last ride before their age catches up to them.

9. Memphis Grizzlies Memphis will see its title window drop once again as Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph lose another step chasing a grueling 82-game season. Mike Conley will fail spectacularly in the wake of his $30 million dollar contract, proving all his haters correct. The Grindhouse era appears to be coming to an end in Memphis, with all their players graying.

10. New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans will improve slightly on their past season as Buddy Hield blossoms into a rookie sensation. Anthony Davis will reclaim his title as best promising young talent then make it into an All-Star game and an All-NBA team. However, the tag team of Hield and Davis won’t be able to hold up the Pelicans’ weak supporting cast, who perennially suffer from injuries and lack of talent.

Even with adding Brandon Ingram, the Lakers still lag behind in the dregs of the Western Conference. D’Angelo Russell— even with a year of experience in the NBA — fails to take the next step forward in becoming a franchise-leading point guard. The rest of the Lakers team, most notably Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle, are likely to display another mediocre year of play with new coach Luke Walton.

13. Houston Rockets With the loss of their second best player and only post presence in Dwight Howard, the Rockets will free-fall out of the Western contention. Despite having the best shooting guard in the NBA, James Harden, the hapless Rockets cannot be saved from their sudden drop in talent. The rest of the Rockets will underwhelm as H-town stumbles to a disappointing season.

14. Denver Nuggets Hopes remain high in the city of Denver as both Emmanuel Mudiay and Jamal Murray have shown flashes of potential. Without a franchise-leading star, however, the Nuggets will fall prey to stronger powers that dominate the Western Conference. The most forgettable team in the NBA will do little to change their perception as they fail to gain the attention of the media in another 20 win season.

15. Sacramento Kings Even with arguably the best center in the NBA, Demarcus Cousins, Sacramento’s absent role players will keep Cousins from reaching his maximum potential. Losing Seth Curry and Rajon Rondo in free agency has forced the Kings to take another step backward. Cousins seems almost pre-destined to leave Sacramento in by trade the coming summer.

The Campanile

Friday, October 28, 2016

2016 NBA PREDICTIONS

predictions TEXT AND DESIGN BY: EDWARD KIM

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1. Cleveland Cavaliers Coming off a miraculous upset in the NBA finals, the Cavaliers enter the new season riding high. They have the ability to pave their wave to another easy victory in the east, with LeBron cementing himself as the best player of the 21st century. Kyrie seemingly enters his prime, setting up what will be the third consecutive finals matchup between the Warriors and Cavaliers.

2. Boston Celtics Isaiah Thomas will officially become the best player under 6 feet to play in the NBA, taking another All-Star spot and captaining the overachieving Boston Celtics to the second best record in the eastern conference, an achievement unheard of since the days of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. The acquisition of center Al Horford gives Boston the potential to push into title contention mode.

3. Toronto Raptors Although the Raptors seemed to be a team on the rise after last year’s playoff run, Toronto cannot build upon the success of previous years. DeMar Derozan and Kyle Lowry’s combined efforts will still manage to grant the Raptors the third overall seed. Even with European center Jonas Valanciunas, the loss of strong post presence Bismack Biyombo will overwhelm Toronto.

4. Atlanta Hawks Dwight Howard should prove to be an adequate replacement for center Al Horford, as one all-star center replaces the other. Howard will have a renaissance of sorts in Atlanta. In addition, underrated star Paul Millsap will finally jump into the national spotlight as he develops into a top-5 forward in the NBA. Led by bigs Howard and Millsap, the Hawks will win home-court advantage in the first round.

5. Indiana Pacers Paul George will finally develop into a consensus top 5 player in the NBA, but his inadequate supporting cast makes him yearn for the old Pacer glory days in 2013 with Roy Hibbert and David West.

Monta Ellis will prove to be a poor replacement for George Hill at the point, as the fire-and-brimstone guard fails to understand coach Frank Vogel’s complex system.

11. Washington Wizards Washington edges one year closer to the departure of John Wall in free agency as his teammates will fail to impress yet again. Bradley Beal, just like Mike Conley in the West, will not live up to his massive contract as injuries will end his season early for a third straight year.

As in past years,Wall and Marcin Gortat will shoulder the bulk of Washington’s offense in another lottery season.

12. Philidelphia 76ers Hyped as the next up-and-coming team with draft pick Ben Simmons, the injury to their star drops the Sixers to the bottom of the conference. Fellow big man Joel Embiid flashes future talent in brief stretches during a recovery season to help him prepare his body for the rigors of the NBA. The Sixers, with all their wealth of talent at center, will lose over 50 games from weak guard play.

13. Miami Heat Officially removed from the Big Three era of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, the Heat have become a one-man-team led by center Hassan Whiteside. Justise Winslow will regress in his second season, and Goran Dragic appears to be stepping yet farther from his prime with Phoenix. Tyler Johnson just can’t match last season’s success as the Heat cool down in the 2016 season.

14. Brooklyn Nets Linsanity has triumphantly returned to New York, pulling the entire Asian basketball fan base with Jeremy Lin to Brooklyn. Even with the increased revenue, the Nets straggle towards a bottom-three finish. The future for Brooklyn is still bleak, however, as their eventual top-3 draft pick again goes to Boston. Lin will be the only reason to watch the Nets this year.

15. Charlotte Hornets Linsanity has triumphantly returned to New York, drawing the entire Asian basketball fan base with him to Brooklyn. Even with the increased revenue, the Nets straggle towards a bottom-three finish.

The future for Brooklyn is still bleak, however, as their eventual top-3 draft pick again goes to Boston. Jeremy Lin will turn out to be the only reason to watch the Nets this year.

6. New York Knicks With the additions of former Chicago All-Stars Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah over free agency, the Knicks have finally found two complements to their superstar Carmelo Anthony. Kristaps Porzingis, the 7’3” Latvian youngster, has matured after another year in the NBA, becoming the next heralded European big man. The Knicks show little weakness, and appear to cruise into a 6 seed for the playoffs.

7. Orlando Magic Having signed two intimidating post defenders in Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo this summer, the Magic return to their defensive dominance akin to the glory days of Dwight Howard. Dunk contest legend Aaron Gordon will turn into a bona fide power forward in a league going small. The frontcourt of Gordon, Ibaka, and Biyombo will surprise the East by clinching a playoff berth.

8. Milwaukee Bucks Perhaps the longest team in the NBA, including behemoths Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thon Maker, Kris Middleton and Greg Monroe tower over any and all competition. Manning the backcourt is new signee Matthew Dellavedova and former Duke prodigy Jabari Parker. The Bucks, in the middle of a youth and length revolution, will manage to unassumingly creep into the playoffs.

9. Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons fall back out of the playoffs after spending 21 million on big friendly giant Boban Marjanovic. Andre Drummond’s missed free throws force the Pistons to lose all their close games.

Reggie Jackson, their star point guard acquisition from Oklahoma City, has a stinted development.

10. Chicago Bulls With the loss of hometown star Derrick Rose and defensive stalwart Joakim Noah, the Chicago Bulls will stumble out playoff contention. Disgruntled star Jimmy Butler will show hints of leaving the Windy City as Chicago will place a supporting cast around him.

Signing two ball-dominant, weak shooting former All-Stars Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade actually harms the Bulls.

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

C6

SPORTS PROFILES

Paly teachers in the classroom and on the field TOP: Paly history teacher and JV boys soccer coach Jack Bungarden pictured with his 2015 team.

BOTTOM LEFT: Stephen Foug (left) and Earl Hansen (right) pictured after winning the 2010 CCS championship against Valley Christian.

BOB DREBIN/USED WITH PERMISSION

BOTTOM RIGHT: Arne Lim, a beloved Paly math teacher, also spends his time coaching the Paly badminton team.

MAYA HOMAN/ THE CAMPANILE .

ASHLEY ZHANG

NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR

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Arne Lim

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B

Teaches: History Coaches: Football

JIM SHORIN/USED WITH PERMISSION

TEXT BY

Stephen Foug

Jack Bungarden Teaches: History Coaches: Soccer

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hile students rush to locker opular among students for his rooms after school to change collection of quirky ties, history into athletic gear, three out teacher Jack Bungarden is also of over 200 Palo Alto High School known for being the Paly junior varteachers exchange their button sity (JV) boys soccer coach for Paly. downs for T-shirts and their sensible Due to his previous experience leather shoes for sneakers, then rush in coaching a youth soccer team, to sports fields for hours of practice. Bungarden was asked to coach for They dedicate countless after school Paly. Although his personal soccer and weekend experience prior hours to coach, to coaching had You relate to players as been limited to transport athletes to games players and you relate to pick-up soccer, he and organize students as students and gained interest in high school although they’re the same the sport when sports teams, his young son kids, perhaps the context started playing. all for their is enough that the relalove of the When he first tionship you have with sport, despite began coaching, earning a meaBungarden found students and how you ger stipend. that his years deal with it is different.

Those three of teaching had Jack Bungarden teachers — Mr. helped him develHistory Teacher and Bungarden, Mr. op his coaching JV Soccer Coach Foug and Mr. style and tactics.

Lim — may be “There are passed off as normal educators, but things you do as a teacher that somethey play a pivotal role in students’ times transfer directly, [and] somesports education outside of class. times transfer indirectly, but noneTeacher-coaches are given the oppor- theless are useful,” Bungarden said. tunity to see their students and playOn top of coaching, Bungarden ers develop personally, academically teaches Advanced Placement Unitand athletically over the course of ed States History, as well as United four years. The experience of coach- States Government for the Social ing is frustrating, exciting at times Justice Pathway program. As most but consistently rewarding. Through- of his students are juniors, he has not out the ups and downs of each season, had the opportunity to coach many these coaches have remained passion- of them. However, for those he has ate about their sport and loyal to their coached and taught, he has found that his interactions in the classroom team.

Teaches: Math Coaches: Badminton

Palo Alto native, United States adminton has been an inherGovernment and Contemporary ent part of math teacher Arne World History teacher Stephen Lim’s life for over 40 years. He Foug has coached Paly football for got his first taste of the sport in the over a decade.

1970s as a sixth grader at Wilbur “I started coaching football be- Middle School, currently known fore I started teaching,” Foug said. “I as Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle wasn’t much of a player, but I liked School. Now, as a badminton coach the sport and the competition.” at Paly, he hopes to pass down his Foug started coaching football in lifelong passion for the sport to his 1994 as a college student at the Uni- own students and share the joy that versity of Michigan, where he volun- badminton has brought him. teered at Ann Arbor Pioneer High “The reason I got interested in School. After a few years, he moved it was because it was a net sport back to California and started coach- that didn’t require a lot of physical ing at Paly. strength, it required more finesse and “A friend of mine had put a notice some power and technique,” Lim in the newspaper that they needed a said.

JV head coach,” Foug said. ‘I didn’t Lim’s first coaching opportunity get [the position because] I wasn’t was at his alma mater, Palo Alto High very experienced, which, looking School, where he coached the badback, I wouldn’t have hired myself minton teams with his former coach, either, but I did get a job as a varsity Leonard Hill, from 1985 to 1992. assistant back then for [former varsity “We had some fabulous teams,” coach] Earl Hansen.”

Lim said. “At that time, [badminton] As a football coach, Foug’s job was really growing as a sport here on has been a tumultuous experience the West Coast. We had a string of consisting of constantly changing victories and championships. It was positions, players and fellow coach- always Gunn and Paly, so it was a es. Over the years, he has built on great rivalry.” his football experience by switching When Lim became a teacher adfrom coaching specific positions, to visor in 1992, he stopped coaching defensive coordinator and back to full-time, only substituting occasioncoaching specific positions. ally. However, after stepping in for Balancing teaching with coach- the head coach Jake Halas a few years ing has not been easy, especially ago, Lim felt the pull towards coachwhen football involves an incredible ing, and has been ever since. amount of dedication both on and off “A couple of years ago, [Halas] the field. The extra 20 to 25 hours of asked me to take over for three days, work per week has challenged Foug and I got hooked again,” Lim said. to balance his re“It was a lot sponsibilities of of cleaning coaching a team up, but I reCoaches oftentimes don’t while still being ally enjoyed dedicated to his see [players] as students, coaching career as a teacher. but I get to see both, and again, and I “There have had forgotten that’s wonderful. been times where how much I Arne Lim I’ve been burned had missed it.”

Math Teacher and out, either on Like other Badminton Coach football, or on teacher coachteaching, or on es, balancing both, and there have been years where his work with coaching has not been it was a real grind to get through a simple. On top of the several-hourand on the field with them has been whole season.” Foug said. “You’re long practices and games, the convery different. looking at after a day of school, struction of the new gym has caused “You relate to players as players changing, getting out to practice, and practices for the badminton team and you relate to students as students going to practice for three hours.” to be relocated to Henry M. Gunn and although they’re the same kids, However, after many years of High School, forcing Lim to readjust perhaps the context is enough that coaching, Foug has learned to reach his work habits to fit the practice and the relationship you have with stu- a healthy equilibrium between his game time of the team. dents and how you deal with it is dif- teaching and coaching.

“Time outside of the school ferent,” Bungarden said.

“Right now I’m a varsity assis- schedule is oftentimes precious, not Unlike vartant coach, and I just for the coaches but certainly for sity coaches, coach [tight ends the students too,” Lim said. “Usually, Coaching football here Bungarden and defensive I would go home, eat dinner, then I faces the chalends], which is would work at night for another three allows me to know more lenge of havless responsibil- or four hours at home. It was difficult kids, ones that I would ing an almost ity than what I’ve for me to adjust at first. I got into the not normally meet in a completely had in the past, rhythm, but it was difficult for my classroom. new roster and I wanted family, specifically for my wife, but Stephen Foug with each new that,” Foug said. if it’s important to you, you make it History Teacher and season. While R e a p i n g work, and so I did.”

Football Assistant Coach almost all playthe rewards of However, Lim cherishes the opers have experilengthy and gru- portunity that coaching has given ence from playing in outside clubs, eling practices during their Friday him to view his students in a differforming a cohesive team with a group night games has been a major driv- ent light. of players, most of whom have never ing factor behind Foug’s motivation “Coaches oftentimes don’t see played with each other, is an annual to coach. [players] as students, but I get to see obstacle that Bungarden must tackle.

“The games on Friday nights [are both, and that’s wonderful,” Lim said.

“In a high school setting, we have my favorite part of coaching],” Foug “It makes me a resource where I’m a a relatively short season,” Bungarden said. “Those are fun no matter what, safe person [for students to] ask me said. “Most of the players are playing seeing if all your preparation paid any questions for anything. To be year-round with their clubs, except off. It is great to see these players able to talk to them about life is really when they step out for high school. dig deep, compete, scratch out a win truly wonderful, and it’s one of the It’s getting kids, many of whom have [and] put their effort into it.” things that I really relish.” not played together, to play together Despite the challenges with balAlthough it’s not a simple job, as a team in a fairly short season.” ancing two major obligations, Foug Lim encourages teachers to coach Despite these difficulties, Bungar- feels that coaching football has unde- high school sports to gain the opporden relishes the opportunity to watch niably benefitted his life. tunity to develop invaluable lifelong his players grow and develop together “Coaching football here allows relationships and see their students in as a team throughout the course of me to know more kids, ones that I a different light. the season. would not normally meet in a class“You get to see people not just as “If the team is a good team, and room,” Foug said. “In the classroom, a math student, or a social studies by a good team I mean they get along the number one motivator is for them student, or a science student, but you well, and they enjoy playing with each to get a good grade and achieve in- see them as a person,” Lim said. “You other, and they do well, then it’s a lot dividual success. With a team sport, gain empathy, you gain trust, and you of fun to watch them enjoy playing it is team success. You can challenge forge the relationships that neither of well together,” Bungarden said. them, [and] they can respond.” you will forget for a really long time.”

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Campanile

SPORTS C7 Warriors optimistic NFL tarnishes image with about next season focus on increasing profits Hopes are high with newest addition, Kevin Durant ETHAN BUNDY

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

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inal score: 93-89. Golden State Warriors fans everywhere were devastated by the loss in the last game of the 2016 National Basketball Association (NBA) finals.

After a record breaking season where they went 72-10, the Warriors lost the championship title to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Angered fans and spectators across the country wondered how it was even possible to lose the Finals after holding a 3-1 lead with only one more win to grasp the championship.

A few weeks after the overwhelming loss however, the franchise announced that they would sign former Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant into the starting lineup. Durant had a 50.5 shooting percentage in the 2016 regular season, along with 28.4 points per game making him making him one of the best prospects in the game.

No matter what happens this year, there are going to be critics saying it wouldn’t have happened without KD.

Nick Smallwood Senior Ecstatic with the gift of one of the best players in the league joining the team, expectations of Warriors fans have escalated.

“Expectations for the Warriors are sky high,” said senior Andrew Vargha, a devout Warriors fan. “It’s championship or bust.”

Anticipation for this upcoming season has skyrocketed with the addition of Durant and the loss of the last chamionship.With star point guard Stephen Curry joining forces with Durant, the Warriors have the only two players to receive the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the last three years. This alone is a promising statistic and should be an intimidating propect to opposing teams around the country.

Although this seems promis-

ing, some student fans think that the formidable team will be seen as overpowered. Even if the team plays admirably, people may discredit the Warriors' performance due to their talented cast.

“With [Durant] as an addition, we have two MVP candidates right there in the team, not to mention Draymond Green and Klay Thompson,” said senior Nick Smallwood.

“That being said, it’s unfortunate that since he’s on the team, the Warriors are considered a 'super team.' It’s not to say that I don’t think he’s going to be a great addition to the team, he will be. But now it takes away from some of the achievements. No matter what happens this year, there are going to be critics saying it wouldn’t have happened without KD.”

With [Durant] as an addition, we have two MVP candidates.

Nick Smallwood Senior Along with Curry and Durant, the franchise will have two of their star players returning. As mentioned by Smallwood, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson will also have a huge impact on the next season.

In Green's career, he has a field goal percentage of 44, and Thompson has a field goal percentage of 45 along with a three point percentage of 42.

Both are stats that increase to the prestige of the Warriors franchise.

People all around the country believe that the Warriors already have the championship in the bag for the upcoming season. However, this is also what many people thought last year, and it ended in heartbreak.

If the Warriors are able to clench the championship title, many opposing fans around the country will claim that it is not a fair win because of the prestige of the franchise this coming season. Is it the corruption of power or the fear of demolition that motivates such actions?

Will the Warriors win the championship like everyone is expecting or will they fail to meet expectations as they did last year?

Professional sports leagues implements new rules to save more money JOSH BRIGEL

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

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ith the National Football League (NFL) recently instating a new rule banning videos of their team on social media, the question that is being asked now is whether the league’s greed has gone too far.

The aforementioned rule bans any team from posting a video inside the stadium, which the league considers anything “moving” (including gifs), anytime between kickoff and one hour after the game. A first offense will have the team fined $25,000 whereas a second and third offense cost $50,000 and $100,000 respectively.

The extent to which the NFL is going to to stop their “precious” assets is unbelievable and in the long run is hurting the image of the NFL more than it is saving money. This coincides with the recent campaign of fining players for celebrating after touchdowns which has given the organization the nickname of the “No Fun League.”

Fans believe this is an effort by the league to create a more professional image. However, the NFL insists on fining players before warning them.

These actions have actually resulted in the NFL losing more of their past fans than have been gained.

These two recent rulings by the league office are recent examples of the numerous acts that have left many fans questioning their allegiance to the NFL and looking for more fun alternatives such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or even a whole new sport altogether.

This greed has not stopped at just the NFL. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has also decided that by 2017 all player jerseys will display sponsor names, which is the first of its kind for a U.S. based sport.

Although Major League Soccer (MLS) has worn sponsors on their jerseys for years, this is more of a European practice than American. It has spread to the U.S. alongside the sport of soccer. It will be a landmark

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

NFL may ban celebratory endzone dances and kickoffs in an effort to increase profits.

moment when the first NBA jersey is crowned with a sponsorship next season. This is also an experiment that other professional sports leagues, such as the NFL, may look to imitate.

Sports, and the NFL in particular, seem to jump at any opportunity they can find for revenue. Experts predict that the NBA will rake in more than $100 million in the first year of the new sponsorship program. The problem this creates for the NFL is one of tradition.

The extent to wich the NFL is going to stop their "precious" assets is unbelievable and in the long run is hurting the image of the NFL. This custom is completely lost by undergoing jersey changes such as these. Tradition seems to be fleeting from American sporting leagues, and leaving with them are fans.

Another change that may soon come to football is the abolishment of kickoffs, which is being done in an effort to draw in more fans concerned with safety of the players. Rules such as this one may be subject to change in order to keep up with public pref-

erence. Yet it is not necessarily what fans want which is why the NFL is making a huge mistake.

This custom is completely lost by undergoing jersey changes such as these. Tradition seems to be fleeting from American sporting leagues, and leaving with them are fans.

As recent as 2012, nfl.com published a story that NFL commisioner Roger Goodell was contemplating the idea of removing kickoffs in football, a dynamic part of the game.

The removal of kickoffs comes with worries about concussions and and the possible ramafications that come with them.

However, no matter what the public says, removing kickoffs would be a catastrophic idea for the league, as well as a legitimate reason why sometimes traditions should be continued.

Making any significant rule change in any respective sport is a telltale sign for lower stadium attendance and viewership numbers. If the NFL wants to make as much money as possible, this is not the correct route to take.

Female sports correspondents experience harassment Mistreatment in industry of sports journalism leads many women to experience verbal, physical and online abuse by the public MAYA HOMAN

STAFF WRITER

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f you type “female sports reporters” into Google, the first result is an article in Men’s Fitness Magazine entitled “40 Hottest Female Sports Reporters.” No, not “40 Best Female Sports Reporters” or even “40 Most Popular Female Sports Reporters.” Hottest.

It is no secret that the sports arena are traditionally a male-dominated playing field. Title IX — an educational amendment that made it illegal to discriminate against females in athletics — was not passed until 1972. After all, the first Olympic Games with women competing in every event did not occur until 2012.

Unsurprisingly, this gender disparity also seeps into sports journalism.

In Talker Magazine’s annual ranking of sports journalists, only two women made the top 100 list.

Even so, women make up only 10 percent of sports reporters, according to a yearly report from the Women’s Media Center. Additionally, many of these female sports reporters face an array of verbal, physical and online harassment merely for doing their jobs.

Take Julie DiCaro and Sarah Spain, two prominent female sports reporters for online magazine. The Cauldron and broadcasting channel ESPN, respectively. A video made

by Just-Not-Sports features everyday men reading mean tweets about DiCaro and Spain to their faces.

Some of the tweets are just mildly insulting (“Sarah Spain is just a scrubmuffin”) but others, such as “Go back to the kitchen” or “I hope you get raped again” carry hurtful messages that have a much more personal and devastating effect.

Although DiCaro and Spain are

COURTESY OF HUFFINGTON POST

Sports reporter Erin Andrews interviews Seattle Eagles player. Andrews received negative coverage for being sexually harassed.

perfect examples of this type of harassment, it is not unique to them.

Ann Killion, an award-winning sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, has faced very similar challenges here in the Bay Area. In an interview with what types of harassment she has faced, Killion gave a laundry list of jobs.

“All kinds," Killion said, "About my looks, my sexuality, my gender.

Death threats. Rape threats. Go back to the kitchen and cook me breakfast threats. I’ve also been harassed by coworkers and athletes. . . One of the weirdest was when someone in my printing production (at the Mercury News) gouged the eyes out of column photo. The worst is when they mentioned my kids’ names or seemed to indicate that they know where I live.”

So what is being done to combat this problem? According to Killion, not much. By handling the harassment herself, she has gotten a few

results.

“A lot of times if you respond directly they back down and apologize,” she said, “Usually I’ll ignore, delete, block. Sometimes I’ll respond or retweet just so people can see the level of abuse women in my position get. The best thing with trolls is probably to ignore them.”

Some of the tweets are just mildly insulting, but others, such as "Go back to the kitchen," or "I hope you get raped again" carry hurtful messages that have a much more personal and devastating effect.

However, when she reported the issue to the security at her paper, she found that there was little they could do to address the anonymous harassment.

“I received pretty unsatisfactory

responses from Twitter," Killion said.

Reporting online harassment to the police sounds like a good idea in theory, but it does not always work out in practice.

A 2014 article in The Atlantic called “What the Law Can (and Can’t) Do About Online Harassment” reveals that many laws regarding harassment are out of date or do not necessarily apply to the internet, and police precincts may not have the resources to be able to navigate this complicated cybersphere.

Only a few states — California included — have laws penalizing online harassment specifically, and even then lawsuits can be complicated and expensive, with suboptimal results.

Danielle Citron, law professor and author of the book Hate Crimes in Cyberspace, has only found three or four cases where victims were able to successfully sue their harasser. For states without similar laws, there is

little that can realistically be done to help victims.

Although male sports reporters receive hurtful messages as well, the tweets aimed at women more often criticize a reporter's appearance or sexuality rather than talent.

A report on online harassment conducted by the online database Pew Research Center found that women ages 18-24 are disproportionately affected, and they are far more likely to experience sexual harassment, threats and cyberstalking than their male counterparts.

Instead of commenting on a reporter’s talent, many of the tweets sent to female reporters feature objectifying comments about their appearance. Comments such as “Go back to the kitchen” are also unique to women and highlight a very important difference between harassment of male and female sports reporters: when female sports reporters are harassed, it is not necessarily their talent that is in question — it is their very right to report on sports.

So what drives this harassment? Is it due to men’s intimidation because women are integrating into a traditionally male space? Is it fueled by the anonymity of the internet? Why is it that after decades of women participating in sports, we are still not welcome? The true cause is not clear.

Despite this, what is obvious is that there is no easy fix for workplace or online sexism.

Harassment against female sports journalists will not go away because we want it to. Perhaps the first step is looking beyond the exterior — looking past the “Hottest Female Sports Reporters” and paying attention to what actually matters — the game and the perspectives that both male and female reporters bring to the field.

Friday, October 28, 2016

C8

The Campanile

SPORTS

Starting From the Bottom: Quarterback Edition

Text and Design by

Cole Hechtman Sports Editor

Each of these quarterbacks has made headlines during his career. With their level of talent, one might expect them to have been heavily scouted and drafted early out of college. However, these players have illuminated the underdog story amongst quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL), where many household names have faced more adversity and criticism than most would expect.

Tom Brady (New England Patriots)

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Design by

Nick Melvin staff writer

Bart Starr (Green Bay Packers)

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urrently regarded as one of the most talented players in the NFL, the New England Patriots’ quarterback did not earn this respect without enduring a great deal of hardship.

Brady began his journey at the University of Michigan in 1995, playing as the second-string quarterback for two years. His collegiate career included watching his team achieve an undefeated season and a Rose Bowl victory in 1997 while keeping the bench at an admirably warm temperature.

It was not until the following year that Brady earned the starting spot, and won 20 out of 25 games, setting new Michigan records for pass attempts and completions.

However, what seemed like an impressive season did not translate into the draft. In the 2000 NFL draft, Brady sat patiently until he was finally drafted in sixth round with the 199th pick by the New England Patriots.

In his first year with the Patriots, Brady was assigned the role of fourth-string quarterback. By the end of year, he threw three passes for a total of six yards, and had advanced to second in the team’s depth chart.

The following year, Brady finally had an opportunity to play after starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured in the second game of the season. The next game, Brady began his career as a starter, losing his first two games.

By the fifth game, Brady picked up momentum, going on to win the first 11 out of 14 games he started, as well as receiving an invitation to the 2002 Pro Bowl.

Brady, by the end of the next season, had earned himself superstar status. He led his team to a 20-17 Super Bowl victory over the St. Louis Rams, and claimed the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Fast forward to 2016, Brady has won two league MVP awards, three Super Bowl MVP awards, been invited to 11 Pro Bowls and has led the Patriots to more division titles than any other quarterback in NFL history.

After the controversial Deflategate scandal stemming from the AFC championship game in 2015, Brady is finally elligible to play and is currently leading the Patriots to an impressive 6-1 start.

eople may know Starr as the Green Bay Packers’ legendary quarterback who your dad still tells you about. However, it took much longer than one might expect for his talent to be noticed. Even in high school, Starr was only elected the starting quarterback in high school after the starter broke his leg. For the remainder of his junior year, he led his team to an undefeated season, and was named an All-American in his senior year.

By the next year, he had committed to the University of Alabama, but received little playing time. Fortunately, Starr worked hard enough throughout the year to earn the starting quarterback position the next year. Starr led Alabama to a modest record of 6-2-3, and threw for 870 yards and eight touchdowns. For the next few years, the team would struggle and adjust to a new head coach, and in his junior year, Starr suffered a back injury that would leave him unable to play through his senior year.

Luckily for Starr, he was well acquainted with Alabama’s basketball coach, who recommended Starr to the personnel director for the Green Bay Packers. After further evaluation, the Packers believed Starr could potentially be a successful NFL quarterback. With the 200th pick in the 17th round of the 1956 NFL draft, the Packers officially drafted Starr.

He would start slowly, beginning as a backup during his first year, and splitting the play time with another player for the next two years. In 1959, the Packers hired renowned head coach Vince Lombardi, who favored Starr as the starting quarterback. The relationship between the two was immediately successful, as Starr led the Packers to the National Football Conference (NFC) championship that year, which they unfortunately lost. However, the next two years made history when the Packers won two consecutive national championships, both against the New York Giants. Four years later, Starr was named the NFL’s most valuable player by the Associated Press (AP), the Newspaper Enterprise Association and United Press International.

In 1967, coach Vince Lombardi announced it would be his final season. In their final time working together, Starr brought the Packers back to the Super Bowl to beat the Oakland Raiders 33-14. Starr retired from playing four years later, but still retains the second highest quarterback rating to date.

CAM NEWTON (CAROLINA PANTHERS)

Kurt Warner (arizona cardinals)

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oming out of Westlake High School in Georgia, Newton was a five-star recruit, the number two dual-threat quarterback in the nation and 28th player overall. He received a multitude of offers from top Division One colleges before committing to the University of Florida in 2008.

In his freshman year, Newton was the second-string quarterback behind future Major League Baseball (MLB) legend Tim Tebow. That year, he completed five of 10 passes for 40 yards and ran for 103 yards on 16 attempts. Unfortunately, in his sophomore year, Newton’s season was cut short after he was arrested for stealing a laptop from another Florida student, and faced burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice charges.

In 2009 Newton transferred to Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. As part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), this was a large step down from his last team. Despite the poor reputation of the league, Newton’s 28,333 yards and 22 touchdowns were enough to earn him offers to transfer to other top schools. This time, he chose to play with the Auburn Tigers.

Newton started his new career as quarterback and quickly made a strong impression, scoring five offensive touchdowns and accounting for 350 total offensive yards. He continued to carry his team in a dominant fashion, finishing the regular season at 12-0 and becoming the first player in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000 yards in one season. The team bypassed the conference championship after scoring seven touchdowns against South Carolina — six of which were made by Newton — and advanced to the school’s first national championship. The biggest game of his life concluded Newton’s year perfectly, winning on a last second field goal to beat the Oregon Ducks 22-19. With such an incredible performance, Newton was awarded with the SEC Player of the Year award, associated press (AP) Player of the Year award and the prestigious Heisman Trophy.

Three days after winning the national championship, Newton announced he would be entering the 2011 draft and was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the first overall pick. Despite a rocky first year finishing at 6-10, Newton and the Panthers would prove to make a great combination. By the end of the 2015 season, he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), and led the team to a 15-1 season and the Super Bowl. This year, he is regarded as one of the most dangerous quarterback in the NFL, and will likely lead the Panthers into his fourth Pro Bowl.

Y

ou may recognize Warner from his work as a sports analyst or from his extensive philanthropy work, but his success goes far beyond that. The journey to earn it was hard fought and full of failure.

Warner was born in Burlington, Iowa and played football for Regis High School. After that, he enrolled in the University of Northern Iowa, where he was ranked third on the team’s depth chart until his senior year.

Once he was finally given a chance at the starting role, he played exceptionally. His senior year performance warranted the awarding of the Gateway Conference Offensive Player of the Year Award.

After college, Warner entered the NFL draft but went undrafted. After this disappointment, he was invited to try out for the Green Bay Packers in 1994, but was released by the beginning of the regular season. Despite the drop, quarterback coach Steve Mariucci told Warner he had potential, but simply was not ready.

He would prove to be correct, but not before Warner went back to Cedar Rapids to work as a cashier at a grocery store, making $5.50 per hour. Yet he did not give up on his dream to play in the NFL, turning to the Arena Football League to get a fresh start. He excelled in the new league, and was named to AFL’s First-Team All-Arena in both 1996 and 1997.

In 1998, Warner was finally signed by the St. Louis Rams, but was allocated to NFL Europe’s Amsterdam Admirals. There, he lead the league in passing yards and touchdowns, and returned to the Unites States in the middle of the NFL season, where he sat at thirdstring.

The next year, Warner was promoted to second-string, and was given the chance to start when former free agent Trent Green was injured. When it was time for the regular season games to start, Warner was an instant success.

In his first four games, he led the Rams to four consecutive victories and threw for 14 touchdowns. At the end of the year, he was named the NFL’s MVP and led the Rams to their first playoff since 1989.

After his 12-year career, Warner has won two league MVP awards, two Super Bowl appearances (including one win), one Super Bowl MVP award, the three highest single-game passing yardage totals and the third highest career completion percentage in NFL history.

With a plethora of accomplishments despite the adversity he has faced, it is no surprise that Warner’s story is considered one of the greatest in football.