Issue 2 - November 2018

T U ES DAY, N OV EM B ER 6, 2018

The Prospector Student Newsmagazine of Cupertino High School

8 | FEATURES

24 | SPORTS

31 | POSTSCRIPT

The transgender community at CHS

Feature on Naomi Gau and the CHS Cheer Team

Colunn: Coffee Talk with staffer Neerali Shah

28 | PERSPECTIVES DAY IN THE LIFE: LAURA CHANSAVANG, PARTIALLY BLIND

VOL. 61 NO. 2

The Prospector Table of Contents

FEATURES Transgender voices 8 at Tino

LIFESTYLES

20 21 PERSPECTIVES NEWS EA Bad Business Week of Bullet Journaling

Day in the Life: Laura Chansavang, Partially Blind

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SPORTS Naomi Gau: Cheer Hero Ideals of Body Positivity

Leaving a Sport

24

Tino Stomps Out Bullying

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Vallco Under Construction

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California Gun Control Measures

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26 27 OPINIONS Today’s Insincere

POSTSCRIPT

Voting Rhetoric

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PRO/CON: Benefits of Particpation Points?

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30 31 INVESTIGATIONS

Tino Morning Routines Column: Neerali Shah

Environmental Sustainability: Food Waste at Tino

Corrections from Issue 1: Refer to online platform for corrected version of Regnart Creek Trail article

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A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Change is hard. As a publication that recently converted from a newspaper to a magazine, we’re a little too familiar with the difficulties of adapting.

And what’s more, as a community, it seems we have quite a bit of adapting to do in the future. Remember what a bustling hub Vallco Shopping mall used to be? From frequent trips to Cold Stone to watching the latest Hollywood hits at AMC, the shopping mall has undoubtedly given most of us some of our fondest memories.

Now, our community is conflicted with the realities of change: welcoming new businesses and neighbors and waving bye to old landmarks of our city. On page 6, staffers Varun Shenoy and Stella Jia examine the Vallco shopping mall situation through the lens of supporters and opposers of the issue.

And while our city community faces this change, our campus deals with its ownchallenges. When our cheer team’s coach left mid-season, the girls had to quickly get back on their feet. Senior Naomi Gau rose to the occasion when she accepted the task of leading the team through the season. Flip to pages 24-25 to read staffers Anthony Zhu and Alexandria Hunt’s documentation of the story.

Finally, imagine having to live with glaucoma, a condition where the nerve connecting the eye to the brain is damaged. Such is the case for senior Laura Chansavang, who is partially blind as a result. In pages 28-29, four staffers write about how she’s adapted to seeing through one eye; still living to the fullest through art (featured on the front and back cover).

So yes, change is hard. But it’s also part of life. Sometimes we’re in control of the changes we make, but most of the time change is just a force of nature. And in these times, all we can do is react and adapt.

For example, here we are, with the second issue of The Prospector’s newsmagazine. While the decision to transition to a magazine was definitely a change we were in full control of, most of the changes we cover are not in our control. We didn’t choose for the cheer team’s captain to leave mid-season and for the cheer team to have to adapt to having no coach. We didn’t know that Laura Chansavang could create some of the most stunning pieces of artwork we’ve ever seen. And we certainly didn’t ask for Vallco Shopping Mall to leave us.

However, these changes have given us the opportunity to fill our magazine with amazing stories, experiences, opinions, and perspectives.

There’s a lot of ambiguity with change. So embrace nature and keep adapting.

But remember to also create your own change. You’ll never know where it’ll lead you.

And with that, we welcome you to our second issue.

Sincerely, Esha Radhakrishnan and Santosh Muralidaran Editors-in-Chief The Prospector

The Prospector

STAFF 2018-2019

editors-in-chief esha radhakrishnan santosh muralidaran

business managers kavya gupta sudyut yuvaraj

news editor leo rassieur

news assistant sanat singhal

opinions editor anthony zhu

opinions assistant casper wu

features editor sydney liao

features assistant darshini vijayakumar

lifestyles editor aashna shah

lifestyles assistant suchetha kalluri

sports editor yooni park

sports assistant angela ma

investigations editor investigations assistant ashley kang alexandria hunt perspectives editor taha shefiei

perspectives assistant jeffrey xiong

postscript editor claire warner

postscript assistant sarah pollans

copy editors christina shao kavya gupta taha shafiei tal ashkenazi

copy assistant lawrence fan photo assistant brandon hong

photo editors ariana fahri kenneth jeon

online assistants stella jia keerthi lakshmanan

online editors neerali shah varun shenoy

advisor ann peck

Editorial Policy “The Prospector” is an open forum of expression for student editors to inform and educate their readers. It will not be reviewed by or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisors may and should coach and discuss content during the writing process.

The staff of “The Prospector” seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas and bring news to the Cupertino community in an accurate, professional and unbiased manner. “The Prospector” will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy.

If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in “The Prospector,” please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of “The Prospector” and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy.

“The Prospector” editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertising policy.

Contact Us The Prospector 10100 Finch Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 prospector.chs@gmail.com

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NEWS

PHOTO BY ARIANA FAHRI

ARIANA FAHRI photo editor

SUCHETHA KALLURI

B

lifestyles assistant

ullying is an overlooked, complex issue that affects students’ mental health and academic achievement, and during October, Cupertino High School focused its energy on bringing awareness and action towards the topic by implementing a movement called Stomp Out Bullying.

ASB dedicated the entire month of October to ending any and all forms of bullying in our community. The Campus Link commissioners — juniors Kristy Wang and Rianna Campbell, and senior Jimin Kim — planned an entire month’s worth of activities to spread awareness for the issue. ASB’s agenda included a wall of kindness, post-its on people’s lockers, a school-wide poster with blue handprints and card-making stations for students to participate in.

ASB attached bubble wrap all over the school to spell out the word ‘bullying’ as a physical expression of the steps we need to take to truly stomp out bullying at Tino. Activities like these throughout the year help spread more awareness about bullying and promote kindness.

“Tino is very inclusive and that is something that

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we should definitely be proud of,” Kim said, “It is inevitable that some groups of people or individuals feel excluded.”

Contradictory to popular opinion, bullying is a very prevalent issue at Cupertino High School, and this movement hopes to address the issue. Bullying at Cupertino High School can be more subtle than the types of harassment commonly featured in mainstream media. Instead of fighting or physical torment, students are treated differently, excluded or cyber-bullied.

Said Wang, “Sometimes, people bullying other people often don’t realize that they’re being a bully, and during those times, it is the offhand comments that hurt the most. It is important to realize the weight of your words, and hopefully this month will make victims, bystanders and the bullies themselves realize when bullying happens.”

Especially during high school years, students feel pressure to do well, which can lead to low confidence and jealousy of peers. “It is difficult to take a step back and allocate time to spread the message of kindness,” ASB president Angela Ding said. Students uniting under one mutual cause is the whole point of the school’s campaign — to show students that they have someone on their side.

Bullying is a broad term that can be used to identify hurtful and manipulative relationships between peers. Said Student Advocate Denise Salin, “Participating in bullying comes in different degrees, such as people who are passively onlooking or participating

by liking, sharing and videoing someone who is being bullied.”

People who commit these often unnoticed acts of complacency, bystanders, have tangible impacts on bullying incidents, and on overall bullying culture. This type of bystanding can be particularly harmful since it makes bullies feel empowered and supported, while normalizing the act of bullying in the community.

“We can’t just expect one lesson on bullying or one month of bullying prevention to completely stop bullying. Actively stomping out bullying and promoting kindness can be effec-

are many adults available on campus for students in need of counseling or help.

Stomp Out Bullying month is just one step that Cupertino High School is taking towards becoming a kinder and more accepting school—It will take additional effort from students, teachers and the administration to address this ongoing problem plaguing our campus.

Encouraging kindness at Cupertino is a way to fight against backstage bullying, a type of preventive measure against unfair treatment of others. With the promotion of kindness, ASB hopes to encourage people to act with kindness in their mind.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTY WANG

PHOTO BY ARIANA FAHRI

“In a school as stressful as Cupertino, it is difficult to take a step back and allocate time to spread the message of kindness.”

— ASB President Angela Ding tive on many different levels,” noted Salin.

Incidents of bullying are incredibly nuanced and multifaceted, however, the most effective way to diminish the effect of these situations is prevention and awareness.

“Sometimes adults will say ‘kids will be kids, it’s part of growing up’, but that’s not a healthy way to look at what goes on. The impact of bullying can carry lifelong consequences.

The more we practice bullying prevention, the more we can reduce it,” Salin said. She included that there

“We hope to organize more events similar to this throughout the school year, and maybe hold a few workshops. Bullying is something that should be addressed repeatedly, not just for the month of October. We could also feature stories from students every month to remind people to pay attention to this problem,” Wang said.

For a safe space to report and seek help in the face of bullying issues, student advocates, guidance counselors, and the rest of the administration have theirs doors open.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTY WANG

GOOD VIBES | TOP: ASB Spirit Commisioners Kristy Wang, Rianna Campbell and Jimin Kim pose with the Wall of Kindness; MIDDLE: Juniors Sohini Karmakar and Rachel Jiang show off their blue anti-bullying ribbons; BOTTOM: Wang, Campbell and Kim pose with positive messages written on the lockers

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VALLCO UNDER CONSTRUCTION Cupertino approves proposition to use Vallco lot for housing and recreation VARUN SHENOY online editor

STELLA JIA

A

online assistant

fter years of contemplating what to do with Vallco, the city council has finally initiated their approval to move forward with the Vallco Specific Plan as of Sept. 19. For years, Vallco Shopping Mall was a popular destination in Cupertino and invited residents of the Bay Area to navigate its shops and movie theater. After Sand Hill Properties began to end leases with businesses within the mall, Vallco lost its many shops and retailers, eventually transforming into a series of empty halls.

As time passed, the question of what was going to happen to the mall lingered, and citizens have expressed mixed feelings on whether or not to rezone Vallco. Key reasons for this disapproval include a fear of declining house prices, overpopulation and consequently , increased traffic congestion on important streets. The result: Vallco continued to remain a ghost of its once bustling past.

However, the California State Senate

passed a bill earlier this year — titled SB 35 — which mandated the utilization of empty lots for housing, especially in areas rampant with high house prices. Cupertino’s desolate Vallco buildings fit this description.

The reconstruction with the new plan will include 1.75 million square feet of office space, about 2,900 square feet of housing space, 400,000 square feet of retail space

“People used to ask if there were any restaurants in the mall ...

We would just tell them that there’s only one, Dynasty, and that the closest other ‘restaurant’ is the Starbucks in Bay Club.”

— Senior Rohit Devdar and plenty of other attractions like a Performing Arts Center. Along with the physical attractions, this plan will have community benefits like affordable housing, money for the school district and convenient transportation options.

Some CHS students have expressed

AFTER

BEFORE

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a strong approval towards this new plan.

Senior and former Vallco AMC employee Rohit Devdar said, “People used to ask if there were any restaurants in the mall to eat and we would just tell them that there’s only one, Dynasty and that the closest other ‘restaurant’ is the Starbucks in Bay Club.”

However, although the plan has been approved, it has received some backlash from the community. A community group by the name of “Better Cupertino” has started a referendum against the Vallco Specific Plan.

CHS teachers, as well as students, are looking forward to the redevelopment of Vallco. Biology teacher and long-time resident of Cupertino Kenji Mitchell said, “The idea of having more affordable housing sounds great but I also look at it and I know the community doesn’t want that so in an ideal world it sounds amazing, but my concern is that it would worsen the already bad traffic on Stevens Creek.”

Over the next couple of years, the effects of the revitalization efforts will be fully realized. Ultimately, it is difficult to gauge the impact of the approved proposal, but it is certain it will profoundly change Cupertino dynamics, from the local housing market to street traffic with Vallco being in the heart of the city.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF SAND HILLS PROPERTY CO.

CA Gun Control Measures San Jose Gun Buyback

O

n Saturday, Sept. 29, the city of Sunnyvale sponsored its first gun buyback event, held at the Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. Even before the event’s advertised start time, cars formed a long line entering the parking lot of the church.

The event was supervised and conducted by police officials from Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Palo Alto and Los Altos. Each gun owner would maintain anonymity, and received $100 for each handgun they turned in, and $200 for each assault rifle – capping at $400 for each individual regardless if they chose to turn in more firearms. The officiates had about $55,000 to hand out, and over half of the fund was used within the first two hours of the event.

Most citizens chose to turn in their guns not because of the money, but because they had been trying to get rid of old firearms that were out of use or unsafe. Firearms were to be kept unloaded and stored in the trunk of the entering cars, where a police officer would safely access and evaluate them. Citizens remained in their cars through the whole process, and were not questioned about their identities or their reasons for possessing their firearms.

Anonymity at these events is a large contributor to their success, as those with illegal or automatic firearms wouldn’t attend an event where they could be questioned.

Ultimately, citizens who came to the drive didn’t leave with a sense of unease, but rather one of relief, as they no longer needed to worry about maintaining a dangerous firearm.

Sunnyvale Police Captain Shawn Ahearn stated that the event was a large success, and hopes to turn the event into an annual tradition.

Purchasing Age Increase

S

aturday, Sept. 29 marked when Governor Jerry Brown signed into legislation a series of bills heavily affecting gun regulations in California. The new laws will take effect starting Jan. 1 2019, and was met with support from Senator Anthony

Portantino.

The laws will raise the legal age to buy a shotgun or rifle from 18 to 21, but exempts law enforcement, military, and licensed hunters from the age change. Additionally, those with prior convictions of serious domestic violence or severe mental health problems are banned for life from purchasing firearms in the state of California.

A similar bill was passed in Florida this March, by Governor Rick Scott, and was met with heavy opposition and a lawsuit from the National Rifle Association, charging the state of Florida of violating the Second and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.

Some who oppose the California legislature state that it is unfair for people under 21 to be able to enlist in the military and fight for the country, but not be able to purchase a firearm for self defense at home.

In addition to purchase restrictions, “bump-stocks” will be illegal to own or purchase in California. The danger of bump stocks has been known since their conception, but they entered notoriety after one was used in the Mandalay Bay shooting in Las Vegas in 2017. Production of bump stocks have been ceased, but they are still legal 39 states across the United States.

State legislators in California are currently taking active steps to reduce the possibility of school shootings; whether the rest of the country will follow has yet to be seen.

ARTICLE COMPILED BY SUDYUT YUVARAJ

Killers used guns for their crimes in 1,368 California homicides in 2016.

The California firearm homicide rate increased by 15% from 2014 to 2016.

In 2016, there were over 3,000 firearm deaths in the state of California.

DATA COURTESY OF SACRAMENTO BEE AND NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH

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FEATURES

TRANSG VOI

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ALL PHOTOS BY KENNETH JEON

GENDER ICES at tino

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Kiyomi Muntz (he/him) AASHNA SHAH lifestyles editor

LEO RASSIEUR news editor

The clothes we wear, the hobbies we choose, the friends we associate with — all of these things are usually for those of us who are cisgender. But for Junior Kiyomi Muntz, who does not identify with a particular gender identity, gender is a more difficult landscape to navigate, so these experiences often require more thought.

Although CHS is relatively tolerant of LGBTQ+ individuals, there are times when individuals may unknowingly cause them to feel as if they have been excluded. Said Muntz, “There are moments where groups separate into boys and girls; that happens

not too often, but when it does, it’s just uncomfortable. And when people don’t really confront me about my identity, and they go to my friends and talk to them about me, it’s a little upsetting.”

Likewise, having to explain his identity can sometimes be frustrating for Muntz, mainly because it is not an experience that cisgender people generally have. Said Muntz, “I do have to explain it sometimes, like what pronouns I prefer, and I feel kind of uncomfortable because I also don’t like having to explain it.” Muntz added that finding belonging in friends, particularly friends who can identify with his perspectives, helps him feel more at ease even when having to explain his identity to others routinely.

While our immediate community is accepting toward transgender and other LGBTQ+ individuals, the national political climate has become increasingly not so. The New York Times recently obtained

Julie Ye (they/them)

JEFFREY XIONG perspectives assistant

Cisnormativity, the incorrect assumption that “everyone” is cisgender — their gender is the same as their sex — runs deep in Cupertino. Unfortunately, this assumption causes real harm to transgender and nonbinary students at CHS, who face daily challenges with misconceptions, misgendering and rejection from cisgender individuals at Cupertino.

Senior Julie Ye (they/them) described how many people misunderstand gender, stating, “Many people misconceptualize gender and think it is just male or female. Gender is a spectrum, and you do not have to be labeled as either one. I think that is pretty confusing for a lot of people, because we grow up thinking

about it in binaries.”

As a result of these misconceptions, many non-cisgender students are misgendered, which can be quite frustrating and upsetting for them. Ye recalled, “Other people sometimes do not immediately accept me, saying that I am not nonbinary and not using ‘they/them’ pronouns, which makes

can be an awkward and difficult, process. Ye described their transition, stating, “I became more self-conscious of my identity, especially in classrooms. I felt out-of-place for wearing certain kinds of clothes and acting a certain way.”

Luckily, there was an unofficial support system in place for Ye. “[My friend] helped me realize that I was genderqueer ,” Ye stated. “I am Gender is a spectrum, and you only out to a couple of close friends, and they were all do not have to be labeled as pretty understanding.” either male or female.”

Despite these communities, cisgender students at - Julie Ye Cupertino have work to do: me question, ‘Am I really nonbinary?’” be more accepting of transgender and non“If you are close to someone, it is best binary students. Concluded Ye, “We like to to ask for their pronouns, preferably in box people and give them labels, because it private so that you do not accidentally ‘out’ is easier to generalize people. Have proper someone,” Ye explained. education, and I am sure that LGBTQ+ Cisnormativity also means that people will feel more accepted.” coming to terms with one’s gender identity

“

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a Trump Administration memo detailing how it plans to define sex in terms of genitalia, without regard for gender identity.

If these plans come into fruition, laws like Title IX that should protect against discrimination in public facilities like schools could become means of erasing transgender people’s experiences, opening the door for anti-transgender policies.

Said Muntz, “It’s incredibly frustrating because it’s basically saying that these people’s identities and their lives aren’t valid.

If people want to continue their lives and do other things, it’s so limiting because it makes more room for hate and discrimination and bias.”

Evidently, opening up the local and national dialogue to be more inclusive of non-cisgender folk will take time and effort. But perhaps the most important thing for the community to understand is just how fluid gender can feel for some people.

As Muntz said when asked about his gender identity, “I have no idea but I’m figuring it out.”

Tempest Won

(he/they) (they/them) SANTOSH MURALIDARAN editor-in-chief

ANGELA MA sports assistant

“It is a lot of confusion, a lot of uncertainty. You do not really know what it means; you do not really know why or how,” Tempest Won remarked, as he recalled his first experience realizing his gender identity. Won is a junior at Cupertino High School who identifies as non-binary and prefers the pronouns “he” or “they.”

Non-binary is a term used to describe any gender identity that does not fall directly under the male or female labels.

For many transgender or genderqueer people, the journey of discovering one’s identity can be met with struggle and stress, something that Won, having attended an all-girls middle school as someone who was questioning their gender identity, knows all

too well.

Said Won, “I had a lot of gender confusion from a very young age, but I had no terms to describe it until about middle school. I went to an all-girls middle school, so it was super interesting for me to deal with figuring out my

non-binary gender identity [while] being surrounded by [students who identified as] girls.”

After coming to terms with his non-binary gender identity in middle school and establishing his identity, Won came out to his close circle of friends the summer before his freshman year. He was delighted that his friends were and have been supportive of his identity ever since.

“I am fortunate that I have a strong support group of friends, some of which also identify as transgender, so we can share similar experiences and give each other advice. If I did not have that support group I would not feel as positive about life in my future as I do right now.”

While his friends were supportive, Won worried about how his parents would react. He officially came out to them during finals week of his sophomore

year. Having to deal with stress from finals week as well as stress from dysphoria, Won was in desperate need for a strong support system at home.

“I felt like I was drowning, and I desperately needed the people around me to know, and so that is when I told my parents. I could not take it anymore,” he said.

Won felt that his parents were unintentionally hostile because they did not know how to react. Ever since, Won has been trying to explain his gender identity and educate them on the transgender community. His parents are still in the process of accepting and understanding Won’s non-binary identity, but Won sometimes feels that they are not trying to understand.

“When I started asking them to use the correct pronouns and name, they would mess up a lot, and sometimes it felt like they were not trying. It was hard for me to communicate things with them because sometimes it felt like they were not taking me seriously at all. I felt like some of their remarks were demeaning. I definitely felt the balance was off. I needed them to be the caring parents that I had known for so long, and it felt that I was losing that. Luckily it all works out because I know that they are still the supportive parents they were.”

After coming out, Won has gained more confidence and started taking time from his day for self-reflections. Even though he changed his name and pronouns, Won believes that nothing in his

personality has changed.

“I am still the same person in every way,” Won said. “I feel a lot more certain of myself. I feel like I know who I am, and I have hope for the future and understanding of where I want to be. I have a set goal and destination in my mind.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEMPEST WON

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OPINIONS

SANTOSH MURALIDARAN editor-in-chief

If “did not vote” had been a candidate in the 2016 presidential election, it would have earned all the electoral votes of 41 total states, including highly populated ones such as California, New York and Texas.

In the election, approximately 58 percent of eligible voters voted for either Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or a third party candidate, while the remaining 42 percent did not venture to the polls on election day.

Political apathy is rather common among the American population and reflects that a portion of the U.S. population that do not see their time and energy worth investing in the American political system.

To increase the voter turnout and advocate for a full participatory democracy, many have taken the stance of encouraging eligible voters, especially younger ones who have just turned 18 or are in their 20s, to vote and become politically engaged. However, many voter advocates have a selfish rhetoric that is often driven by their desire to increase voter participation for the sole purpose of electing a specific political candidate that they support; in other words, a voter advocate may in truth want a citizen to represent the voter advocate’s voice, rather than the citizen’s own voice. America is dangerously segwaying into a society in which individuals do not see votes for presidential candidates with whom they disagree with as legitimate and instead as a waste of a potentially valuable vote, further exacerbating the political divide in the nation.

For example, on Oct. 15, U.S. Senator from California and Democrat Kamala Harris posted on Instagram with the caption: “A new poll shows that if voter turnout is low on November 6, Republicans will hold on to the House [of Representatives] by just one seat. This is why it’s so crucial we talk to our friends, we talk to our neighbors, and we get everyone we know out to vote in 22 days to elect Democrats.” The post received 38,104 likes and most of the comments were in support of the ideas expressed by Harris.

Through this post, Harris is directly in-

dicating through her words that a vote for a Republican should not be valued. If the sole purpose of the midterm elections on Nov. 6 is to “get everyone we know out to vote to elect Democrats” to avoid Republicans controlling the House of Representatives, Harris is devaluing the vote of any educated and knowledgeable U.S. citizen who does research on all House of Representatives candidates and decides to vote for a Republican. And even more tragic is the fact that her highly influential status paves the way for her supporters to adopt this same mentality — many of whom probably liked and shared her Instagram

post.

This line of thinking strays away from the original intent of attempting to increase the voter turnout in order to produce a fair and just election result and is instead a selfish and inconsiderate way for voter advocates to garner more votes for the candidates they support.

People may argue, however, that it is the right — and perhaps even a duty — of highly regard political figures such as Harris and to advocate for people to vote to support their party. While it is completely natural for politicians to urge people to vote for their own party, it is also important for any voter advocate, whether politician or not, to avoid simultaneously belittling a vote for another candidate and promote an educated and engaged population instead.

Take, for example, Tennessean singer and songwriter Taylor Swift. In a heartfelt Instagram post on Oct. 7, Swift wrote about the reasons why she will not be voting to reelect Marsha Blackburn, a current U.S. representative of Tennessee, for various reasons regarding Blackburn’s past voting record and her political beliefs that, in her words, “do not align with [her] Tenessean values.”

However, Swift continuously specified that these were only her own opinions. Then, at the end of the post, she gave advice to all of her followers which read: “Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most clearly represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100% on every issue, but we have to vote anyway.”

Swift is a prime example of how voter advocates need to behave in order to allow all citizens to express their first amendment and voting rights. It is acceptable and should even be encouraged for voter advocates to express his or her views regarding the candidates of an election or advocate for beliefs of their own party. However, individuals must convince politically apathetic citizens that their vote matters regardless who they vote for — provided that they do substantial research and form an educated opinion an a candidate.

The desired result should not be to get a certain candidate of a political party elected, it should be to increase the voter turnout and thus prevent the scenario in which citizens who do not vote are the majority in a presidential or midterm election. To achieve this, implying that one’s vote only matters if they vote for a specific political party will not work. However, expressing one’s first amendment right and stating one’s opinion and thereby providing politically apathetic citizens with an example of what political engagement looks like, while urging them to do research to form their own opinions, is a step in the right direction for creating a politically involved and opinionated American population. Then, present-day America may truly reflect what our founding fathers intended to create: a representative democracy of educated and engaged citizens.

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DO PARTICIPATION POINTS B KEERTHI LAKSHMANAN online assistant

YES:

Your score on the last unit assessment was far from perfect, but you raised your hand in class and never missed a day’s homework. Despite the heavy anchor of that test score, your grades are precisely what you wanted because your teacher gave you credit for your work through participation points.

A participation grade does not deserve to be looked down upon in favor of a system that tends to depend solely on a student’s ability to test. These points are an outlet for students to achieve and sustain desirable grades without the immense pressure of each test Think of participation points as bonuses. In my personal experience, I do not test well. Like many other students, I might have finished my worksheets and asked questions but end up missing a few questions on the actual test. Should a student’s overall grade reflect their dedication to the class or a missed bubble on a Scantron?

If a student wants to end a semester with an A, it is unreasonable to expect that they can do so when it requires acing every quiz or final.

Concerning homework, it is arguably more helpful and encouraging for a student’s work to be given points for completion instead of accuracy. Students deserve the opportunity to improve on their mistakes before they are graded. Participation points are perfectly suited to that purpose. They offer credit to the students

A participation grade can function as an incentive for students to pay attention.

-Keerthi L

who demonstrate commitment to learning and implement no consequences for an honest mistake.

Points awarded for diligence in class as well as homework completion should be considered a necessity. They add no further responsibilities and are therefore far more easily achieved.

Participation points are beneficial in the practical sense and serve as a key factor towards a more effective education. For example, they motivate students to stay engaged. It is certainly less bothersome to daydream instead of listening to a lecture, but that only hurts an individual’s education. A participation

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grade can function as an incentive for students to genuinely pay attention during a lesson.

This system of grading is designed to place importance on a student’s effort. Rewarding participation helps shape the mentality that test scores are not the definition of a student’s performance. It shows that trying is equally commendable. Not only is that a beautiful sentiment, but it is also a crucial one for students taking mandatory courses that may not fall within their aptitude.

These points are often viewed as obstacles when it comes to class discussions. It is true that participation points can make the class difficult for students who are not necessarily outspoken. However, without participation points, the handful of loud, extroverted students in the room are forced to carry the c o nv e r s a tion themYES: Participa selves.

These students gain motivate st no further merit from being achieve hig an active member of their class.

If every student must NO: Participa speak, they learn to build social decrease th and public speaking skills. The for students learning environment is instantly more diverse with fresh opinions, and the class progresses faster as a whole.

Participation points foster a solid work ethic and cater to a broader range of learning abilities.

If one is spurred into finishing their homework and speaking in class discussions because their teacher is marking down participation points, the only consequence to their education is improvement.

BENEFIT STUDENTS OR NOT? SARAH POLLANS postscript assistant

NO:

When students see the phrase “participation will be graded” on the class syllabus, they are typically split into two sides: one that is in favor of it and one that is not. However, despite this split, participation points prevent students from receiving a grade that truly represents how much they have grown throughout the school year.

As a student who is generally on the quiet side, I can safely say that participation is often graded with a bias towards the more talkative students. This is not a judgment of the teachers’ abilities, though, as participation is very a subjective matter, regardless of the class. Another ation points aspect of participation points is that it can tudents to sometimes be graded based gh scores off of quantity and not quality.

On one side, Student A could talk the entire duration ation points of the class period, being a he pressure very active participant, but everything they s to succeed say could have little benefit to the overall discussion. On the other hand, Student B could rarely speak up during class, but have a multitude of ideas that they would instead prefer to not share out loud. Unfortunately, it is likely that most teachers would award Student A a better participation grade, only because they spoke for a few minutes longer than Student B.

When teachers utilize this method of grading a student’s participation, it usually leaves students like Student B with a worse grade. The fact is that oftentimes, these students are just as knowledgeable, but regardless of the quality of their work, when teachers enter in participation points, they see their grades drop. When this happens, their grade is no longer an accurate indicator of their mastery of the material.

The other part that makes up a participation grade are assignments such as homework and classwork — those that are graded based off of completion and effort rather than accuracy. It is understandable why these tasks might be graded in this way, as they are a test of a student’s comprehension of the subject, not a final exam. However, many students learn to take advantage of this fact and therefore put less effort into each assignment, lessening the knowledge gained.

This could still apply to the Student A and B situation. Student B could earn a good grade by working extremely hard throughout the entire semester, which is a fair representation of the student. On the flip side, Student A could not try on all classwork assignments, and yet still receive an A grade based off of sheer participation.

Ultimately, when participation points are weighted at a high percentage, the grade no longer accurately reflects what a student

has learned, how they have improved and aspects where the student could grow.

While it is unrealistic to assume that students should earn a good grade based on test and quiz scores alone, it is not entirely unrealistic to say that students should not rely only on participation points to carry them and earn the grade they want through quality work and knowledge.

15

INVESTIGATIONS

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really need it, so then the cook will add Currently, two main entities appear editor-in-chief more [when needed]. This way, we re- as the logical sources for an energetic KENNETH JEON duce waste by saving resources.” initiative. One is the student body, cenphoto editor These measures are undoubtedly tralized through specific work done by helpful in addressing the general issue groups such as Cupertino High School’s The overwhelming attitude of as they reduce waste by cutting depen- Environmental Club. Environmental school-wide efforts to address the issue dencies on extra consumables. Howev- Club has led successful environmental of food waste seems to mainly be one of er, one method for reducing waste is not campaigns in the past, having bought stagnancy. In a survey of over 80 people a part of the cafeteria’s process. Many CHS’ recycling bins. conducted by The suggest that composting, The other entity is the city of CuperProspector, 69.5 which many students altino, which has similarly expressed suppercent of student “Food waste is ready do at home, would port for waste reducing efforts, having participants stated not necessarily on be a great addition to fur- adopted a zero-waste policy in January. that they believed ther reduce the inevitable “We work with the city all the time, the school cur- the high list of our organic waste that comes and starting with them would be a great rently does not do priorities.” with food preparation, starting point to see what they do with enough to comthat sufficient man- their compostables and if we can [ap-Assistant Principal given bat the problem, power was provided. ply] that on to a much larger scale here with 70.2 percent Andy Walczak For the school in at school,” Walczak said.. “Food waste is of those saying so general, the issue of man- not something we have discussed as a expressing that power and supplies ap- district. We have schools in Sunnyvale, the school should pears to be the main obstacle for reduc- Cupertino and San Jose. With that in be doing much more in implementing tion. Many additions have been made to mind, the district would have to help us a possible solution. And while several improve environmental sustainability, out with managing all that waste with beneficial efforts certainly have been especially with the extra bins and storage.” and are being made to reduce waste, new building renovaWhile big, official many have since stopped or have signifi“People tend tions, but regarding the solutions are necessary cant room to improve. specific issue of food to avoid things for significant change, Cupertino High School’s cafeteria waste, a confusion for many students have exstands to limit waste through conservauntil it’s in their where and how to find pressed that improvetion. By shaving off excess food portions effective means for opment will start with through calculations and inventory faces.” eration have seemingly increased awareness of checks, the cafeteria aims to keep only a -Environmental Club left school efforts stagenvironmental issues. tight stream of products. nant.

“People tend to avoid Captain Emily Fan “Every day, a shipment comes in and Said Assistant things until it is in their we generally put the bags away by date, Principal Andy Walfaces,” said Environmenfirst in first out, so we use old products czak, “Food waste is not something that tal Club Captain Emily Fan, “They know first,” said Food Services Supervisor is necessarily on the high list of our pri- wasting food is bad, but don’t think Chean Hoang, “[when proceeding to orities. With cafeteria food and people about it that much in their daily lives.” order,] we check what’s left over and we eating their lunches and brunches here, She hopes that more attention will lead go to calculate it that way, by inventory.” there is a lot of food waste and I think to a successful solution.

The cafeteria additionally reuses there is the potential to have a pretty CHS’ focus is in the right direction, food products when it can. Said Hoang, good composting program here, it’s just but more awareness and initiative is “For certain items, we use a matter of having the energy to push needed to kickstart effective action. them for more time. Usually, through with that.” we won’t over prep it until we ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN

18

student body our food such that we minimize waste.

I think that obviously impacts a lot of people because there are people who don’t have access to good food. It’s a loss of resources overall.”

Apart from resource consumption and inadequate distribution of nutritious food, there is a hidden, but severe environmental impact. According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural organization, food waste is the third biggest

CLAIRE WARNER postscript editor

SANAT SINGHAL news assistant

“Think about the kids in Africa who are starving” is the cliché yet common response to an unfinished plate, but this simple sentence ignores the complex reality of the food waste problem.

To put into context at our school, a randomized survey conducted by The Prospector found that 85.1 percent of surveyed students have witnessed another student throw away food in throw away food that good condition. Adtouches an unsanitary ditionally, disliksurface ing the food one was eating was Not enough time to reported to be finish the food the most likely reason one would discard throw away excess food food, the second being the food touched the ground or another unsanitary surface. throw away Never waste However, some indispoiled food any food viduals throw away food for other less conventional reasons.

Said Environmental Science Teacher Susan DesJardin, “I cook for one person, so I have a tendency of buying too SURVEY | Results to a Prospector surveys when much stuff and then throwing it away survey respondents were asked the question “What is the most likely reason you throw away because I don’t use it.” Similarly, approx- food, if at all?” imately 5 percent of students reported cause of global warming, generating that having too much food was the pri3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gas every mary cause of their food waste. year. Many have noted that this is imThere are significant impacts of portant to consider when one throws food waste, the clearest one being wastaway food for “good reason.” Once that ed food itself. Said DesJardin, “The bigfood enters the trashcan, it becomes a gest impact is just a wasted resource of strain on the environment. Thus, reducfood and not being able to distribute

32.1%

7.4%

4.9%

18.5%

1.1%

ing food waste is one way to reduce an individual’s carbon footprint.

Considering the adverse effects of wasted food, a majority of students responded by saying that food waste is a significant issue that the school needs to address.

The Prospector survey found that 34.6 percent compost their food waste regularly at home. Meanwhile, CHS does not yet have an option for students to compost their food at school, suggesting that food is more likely to find its way into the trash.

While some schools like Lawson Middle School have successfully implemented compost bins, many are hesitant to introduce them due to throw away food their chalthey dislike lenges.

Said Env ironmental Club captain Emily Fan, “The issues with compost bins are the smell, which attracts critters, and the high cost of bins, ranging from $300-$500.” Some believe there are other solutions. “Making a list and planning your meals would be helpful,” DesJardin said. “This way, families and individuals are less likely to buy more than they will eat.”

However, Fan notes that many believe the school can only do so much to solve the problem.

“If the school does something it’s less personal,” Fan said.

33.3%

19

LIFESTYLES

e lectr o nic a R T

KENNETH JEON photo editor

TAL ASHKENAZI copy editor

Electronic Arts (EA) is perhaps the most infamous company on the internet. Even non-gamers might recognize the name EA when mentioned in conversation. They are the creator of games like FIFA, Madden NFL, and Battlefield. EA’s influence on the gaming world, however, has not been for the better. Their predatory micro transactions and business methods manipulate fans, ruin games and inspire other companies to follow suit EA’s long list of offenses against the gaming community is topped by the biggest concern in gaming: microtransactions. If you have ever bought gems in Clash of Clans, paid for ad-free gameplay in Geometry Dash or even bought maps or skins that did not come with the base game, you have been involved with a microtransaction. Such things are beneficial to gaming as a whole, because they ensure profitability in keeping certain games free for everyone. There is a fine line between microtransactions and predatory ones, and it is a line EA has crossed, but to understand why EA even uses microtransactions, we must first look at the reason as to why they have become so prominent, even in 60 dollar titles.

In 2013, developer Rockstar Games turned heads with their inclusion of microtransactions in their new release, Grand Theft Auto V (GTA5).

Customers noticed content locked behind a paywall in the popular “online multiplaye r ” mode of GTA (a sixty dollar game).

W hile

20

HOw electronic art

some players expressed frustration with the new mechanic, the ordeal bypassed any significant controversy, with willing customers making the extra purchases and others simply playing without. The game eventually went on to sell ninety million copies and make six billion dollars — one billion of which came from their microtransactions. Other game studios would try to recreate that success, including EA. What companies like EA failed to realize was that GTA, despite the microtransactions, received endless praise from the gaming community for its expansive and groundbreaking gameplay. Even without paying for anything beyond the base game, players seemed to find GTA5 fun and enjoyable.

EA’s lack of understanding of why GTA5 succeeded led to one of their biggest blunders ever. EA’s first toed the line of predatory microtransactions with the release of their massively anticipated multiplayer shooter, Star Wars Battlefront. They released the game with minimal content and an additional “season pass” that players could buy that guaranteed them extra content that had not already been implemented in the game. Reviews applauded sleek graphics and smooth gameplay but prominently complained about a lack of variety and depth. Reviewers and gamers mostly came to the consensus that for 60 dollars, players were buying the experience of reliving a Star Wars film, albeit one that lacked polish. Battlefront 1 still managed to achieve success, though short-lived, and when EA announced the infamous Star Wars Battlefront 2 with the promise of no season pass, gamers had hope for the sequel.

Battlefront 1 could have been a disaster, but was saved by its decent and relatively fun gameplay, and though lacking in the luster that a title for sixty

T s b usi n ess p r a c tices ’

ts is cheating their customers

dollars should have, it pleased fans enough to get a sequel. Battle- much too shortfront 2, though, fell victim to a fate that GTA and Battlefront 1 had manned and not suffered. short-lived to Battlefront 2 was sixty dollars and excited about the promises make an impact. of amazing graphics and greatly expanded gameplay, many gamers Not all EA’s rushed to preorder it. When Battlefront 2 released, however, people microtransaction realized what a mistake they had made. Those who had preordered filled games rethe game came to regret it and people that had not were thankful ceive a reaction for being able to stay away from the game entirely. The servers on like this one; which the game relied were terrible, the single player missions were FIFA and Madhorrible, and the game itself was infested with microtransactions den are similarof all shapes and sizes. Gamers realized that some of their favorite ly microtranscharacters, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and the Emperor, were action filled, locked behind pseudo-paywalls of considerable size. Worse yet, but their fan the way the microtransaction system was structured — using “loot bases are lookboxes” to give out certain rewards based on probability rather than ing for somebuying certain items directly — inflated the cost of unlocking the thing niche in a field of sports games entire game’s features to a grand total of 2100 dollars. Even if gamers that FIFA and Madden dominate. In some ways, FIFA and Madden decided to not spend money, it would take them the equivalent of can be considered to be worse than Battlefront 2. Being annual re4528 hours (about 189 days) to do leases, they are games that get re-released what the 2100 dollars might. every year with some new content and Gamers went berserk. In many better graphics, but require you to buy gamers mind’s, Battlefront 2 was the game and then spend money to There is a fine line between an insult to gaming and to all that reach the point that you were on the microtransactions and games where and last release. Battlefront 2 was special are. Games are in that the reaction to its predatory predatory ones, and it is a line supposed to be microtransactions was large. Many of fun, without servthese predatory microtransactions slip that Electronic arts has crossed.” er issues, bugs, bad under the radar and gamers pre order gameplay, and estitles still in development and then pecially not with a spending even more money to get betprice tag of 2160 dolter equipment or items. lars tagged on too. EA eventually removed the miThe worst thing about microtransactions is that they are only crotransactions from the game because Disney, who going to get more and more common. Loot Boxes with drop rates, owns the rights to Star Wars, told them too in fear that paid downloadable content and preorders are set to become more the controversy was hurting their brand. The Battle- pervasive as time goes on. Companies continue to claim that they front 2 controversy even spawned boycotts of EA’s would like to expand microtransactions other titles, but these within their games. Maybe pass up on boycotts were the Battlefront 2 and support independent developers that are less shady.

PHOTO BY KENNETH JEON

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LAWRENCE FAN copy assistant

Completing assignments has always been a struggle for me. Rarely am I seen turning in an essay or project a few days early, and it is not uncommon for me to forget a task altogether. For the past few years, I have been waging an downhill battle against procrastination and disorganization. Recently, after delving into books and articles on productivity, I became interested in bullet journaling, a growing trend showcased in social media. Essentially, a bullet journal is a notebook that keeps track of anything. Bullet journalers claim to be more inspired, motivated and focused.

Hoping to reap some benefits of bullet journaling, I decided to try it.

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BACKGROUND PHOTO BY AASHNA SHAH

How exactly do you start a bullet journal? As someone totally clueless to the process, the explanations and examples online were daunting, with photos showing off their intricate layouts and meticulous doodles. After understanding it, preparing my bullet journal took almost an hour, but was well worth the time.

While I mostly cared about the contents in my journal, at first, I made an effort to be extra neat. However, more than once, I accidentally smeared part of the ink. Not an artistic person, I was discouraged by the bright and colorful examples from my peers and social media. After I familiarized myself with the process, I started becoming more creative with my logs, adding colors and doodles where I found fit.

After two weeks of bullet journaling, I can understand its use and popularity. Coming into the experiment, I was very unorganized with both my thoughts and belongings. Now I know exactly what I need to complete. The bullet journal, with endless records to fill, compels me to structurally organize all my thoughts and plans. Perhaps the most significant advantage of using a bullet journal is its customizability. There are endless possibilities for designing your spreads, and everyone can create a journal that best suits their needs. For example, I added a gratitude spread, where I write down three things that I am grateful for every day.

Although bullet journaling comes with many pleasant surprises, it does have its limitations.

Owning a bullet journal did not automatically make me a productivity wizard like I hoped it would. If I did not execute my plans I wrote in the log, my efforts would only cut into my time. While bullet journal serves as a great tool to organize my thoughts, coupling it as a diary is overwhelming and detracts from the simplicity of rapid logging.

However, it does make working more manageable by laying out my priorities and progress.

My bullet journal has been a handy tool in helping me prioritize tasks and decluttering my life. Skillful illustrator or not, everyone benefits from bullet journaling. It marks a great start to my journey of productivity and time management, and I plan to continue logging onto and developing my bullet journal after this experiment.

SPORTS

THE MUST GO ON

the story of how Naomi Gau stepped up to lead the team after cheer coach left mid-season

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PHOTO BY ARIANA FAHRI

ANTHONY ZHU opinions editor

ALEXANDRIA HUNT investigations assistant

When the Cupertino High School Cheer team lost their only coach this year, they realized that they had become the ones in charge and had to elevate their teamwork abilities to the next level. One member of the team who stood out during this challenging time period was Senior Naomi Gau. Naomi Gau is the captain of the Cheer Team and is known for being able to work well with others and taking on responsibilities in order for the team to collaborate well.

Both Gau and the rest of the cheer team emphasize the importance of group dynamics. They describe their team as a family, where everyone feels safe to be themselves. This year especially, Gau has noticed that the team is working exceptionally hard to succeed.

Said Gau, “I think this is the most hardworking team I have seen. They initiate everything, and no one has to prompt them to practice…. I feel like the team has gotten better building team bonds and reaching out to each other.”

As captain, Gau has a variety of tasks to do, including managing paperwork and choreographing. She also serves as the liaison between the team and CHS administrators to maintain positive relationships between the two. Additionally, she reconciles the girls’ differences to ensure the team works together harmoniously.

Says Junior Yulee Nishimura, “Naomi values all of our opinions and she cares a lot about every one of us. She always talks to us to make sure that our voices are heard.”

Gau notes that although being captain is one of her most significant roles on the team, the most important job she does is being someone that the girls can come to in times of happiness and sadness.

“I do not think I need the title for this, but the girls know that they can come to me for anything,” Gau said. Being a supportive

captain is crucial because every team has its ups and downs. Just last year, the cheer team hit a rough patch when they lost their coach.

Although the team was left without an adult figurehead, Gau took the initiative. She led the team during practices and games, and also helped turn in important paperwork.

However, Gau still faces many difficulties, one being ensuring that she does not cross the line between being a teammate and being a captain-coach.

Said Gau, “During homecoming week, it was rough, because it’s not my place to yell at my teammates. As our captain and the ‘coach,’ I cared more about my individual relationships rather than being the coach and telling everyone what to do.”

However, Gau eventually overcame this hardship by figuring out a way to ensure that everyone was on the same page. She did this by having team meetings, where members would sit together and discuss their goals, areas of growth and concerns.

Although Gau played a large role in the cheer team’s success during the time in which a coach was absent, the school administration has also been extremely accommodating. Many staff members, including Vice Principal Yukari Salazar, Athletic Director James Gilmore, and Principal Kami Tomberlain have stepped in to supervise the cheer team, and their time and support meant a lot to the cheerleaders.

Said Gau, “When admin put in that time to help watch our practices, I think a lot of the girls [realized] that we mattered. That was a massive morale boost.”

The school year has already started off in a unique way for the cheer team, and Gau hopes that the rest of the year is memorable too.

Said Gau, “I just want the program to continue to grow, and I hope we earn more respect with the rest of the school. I love the community we are building right now, and I can not wait to ex-

pand it.”

PHOTO BY KENNETH JEON

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BODY POSITIVITY

within the student-athlete community at Cupertino CHRISTINA SHAO copy editor

CASPER WU opinions assistant

From Captain America’s bulging biceps to Wonder Woman’s defined abs, it is no surprise that spectators often aspire to reach the level of athleticism of these romanticized, world-saving characters. However, athleticism does not always fit into this particular mold. At CHS, many student-athletes have found following personalized training regimens more effective than chasing after stereotypical expectations.

Many misconceptions around being “athletic” are rooted in the definition of the term itself. Some choose to judge based on appearances or results, but others disagree.

“I think athleticism really means the effort you put in the exercise you are doing. If you do not try … I do not think you can call yourself athletic, because you have put no effort or dedication to what you are doing … As long as you are trying to do something and putting your best work into it, then you are an athlete,” swimmer and weight-lifter and CHS senior Emily Wang said.

Since each sport requires a different set of skills and capabilities, the qualities that constitute a “good” athlete also vary between sports.

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Said senior and soccer-player Miles Tamer, “[What makes a good athlete] depends on the skills for that sport. For soccer, it is being able to run and keep up with everyone throughout the game. If it is wrestling, you have to be very muscular in order to take out the other person.”

Even within certain sports such as swimming, the requirements and resulting body builds for an athlete can vary.

“There are many body types for swimmers … Like for [butterfly], all your muscles should be in your shoulders and your core. For backstroke, you need not flexibility, but a lot of capability for movement.

Freestyle is a mix of everything involved, and for breaststroke, your legs need to be super strong and so do your glutes,” Wang said.

In order to develop skill sets to succeed in their sport, athletes follow their own training styles. For example, a flexible cheerleader and a hefty offensive lineman can both be defined as athletic, but the specific work invested in each athlete’s training in order to succeed is greatly varied.

Said Senior Anushka Brito, regarding her training for ice dance, “For conditioning, there is a lot of flexibility as well as muscular exercises. There is also ballet off-ice, to help with how elegant you are on the ice.

There is not much weight training, but there is a lot of cardio, so there is running,

pushups and the standard workout exercises.”

However, while skills, training and physical appearance are unique to each athlete, most share feelings of pressure from existing stereotypes regarding certain body types.

“Before I started going to weight-lifting, I always thought that weight-lifting would make me really muscular and less feminine, which was very scary … Because weight rooms are so men-centered, I thought I would be judged for being a woman in the weight room. As I began to slowly get into the routine of weight-lifting, it was actually very inclusive, and I felt really good when I exercised. Suddenly all those pressures went away because it did not matter,” Wang said.

In the long run, success in sports is not decided by a single definition of athleticism.

Rather, it is determined by the way an athlete can best contribute to his or her role in the sport. In fact, physical traits are not always the most important.

“It does not really matter how you look,” Tamer said. “As long as you can do what your team expects you to do or what your coach needs you to do for that play.

Just make sure you put in the effort to do what you have to do, and do not worry about having the look or having the ideal body for the sport.”

At The End Of The Road athletes who decide to quit their sports

KAVYA GUPTA copy editor / business manager

BRANDON HONG photo assistant

Joining a school sports team requires more than talent; one must also have motivation and dedication. However, sometimes a player must quit a team whether it be because of school, personal issues or conflicts with the coach and team itself. Consequently, the wide range of reasons why one may quit a team often leads to the spreading of false rumors, judgments and assumptions used to label people for reasons that remain unclear to the student body.

Fallouts within teams are not uncommon in high school sports.

The competitive nature of Cupertino’s environment increase tensions and often lead to misunderstandings between the players and the coaches. Such is the case described by junior Rebecca Liu, once a member of the girls’ soccer team.

Said Liu, “The atmosphere of my team during practices and games honestly was not great. Soccer, in general, is kind of a clique-y sport. Especially since I joined as a freshman, it was difficult for me to fit in.”

However, Liu then described her final decision to end her participation in the soccer team. “We were playing a game against Lynbrook, and although I was on the starting lineup, my coach pulled me out after five minutes. As more and more people were [substituted] back on, I grew increasingly annoyed. As I was sitting there on the bench, all I could think about was that I was missing seventh period yearbook for soccer,” Liu said.

Prioritizing a sport is important, but most athletes at Cupertino still put school first. However, at times, it can become difficult to juggle the two. Junior Jasmine Hsia, who left the CHS dance team, the Golden Spurs, describes her experience on the team as an enjoyable time but an interference to her studies.

Said Hsia, “We were all super supportive of each other so whenever we practiced we were always making corrections, we were helping each other out with parts we forget and the officers would take turns teaching the dances so we were all really close.”

Being a member of the Golden Spurs is a yearlong commitment, and although it allows for the team members to form strong connections with one another, it does constitute a good portion out of one’s time for school.

“When we started planning classes for our junior year, I realized it would be a little difficult to balance everything so I start-

ed thinking about what activities I needed to cut, which included dance,” Hsia said. “If I had managed my time better, I think I would not have quit so easily.”

Coaches hold different perspectives when someone on their team quits. In the case of a misunderstanding between players, they may attempt to pacify them. As for players who do not contribute to a supportive atmosphere, the coach would be the one to remove them from the team.

Said Football Coach Chris Oswald, “My second year here, I threw a kid off the team because of his behavior. I called his mom and said ‘Hey, come get your kid.’ It’s supposed to be a positive environment, so [his behavior was unacceptable].”

Sometimes, academic stress is the reason behind a student athlete quitting a sport. “There’s always a role for somebody. You never know what’s going on in someone’s home or life; the kind of pressure they’re under.

We need to understand those kinds of stresses, and try to keep the door open for them,” Oswald said.

Quitting a team is not something one should take lightly; oftentimes, misunderstandings can be quickly resolved, and conflicts with time can be avoided. Still, an athlete should always make the choice they believe is best for themselves.

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PERSPECTIVES

N I T H Y A D LIFE E LAURA CHANSAVANG Senior Laura Chansavang was born with glaucoma. Glaucoma is when the nerve connecting the eye to the brain is damaged, usually due to high eye pressure causing slow and eventual sight loss. Laura is legally blind in her right eye and her left, her vision is about 120/20.

This is a brief look at Laura’s unique life.

PERSONAL LIFE YOONI PARK sports editor

DARSHINI VIJAYKUMAR features assistant

Despite her condition and most misconceptions, Laura lives a relatively normal life. From painting to listening to music to taking small road trips, Chansavang’s passions are diverse.

Chanasavang’s music interests, to specify, focus on indie rock and what she describes as “hipster stuff ”, and there are a variety of unique reasons of why she fell in love with this specific style of music.

“I like hearing that bad recording garage recording sound. I don’t know it just reminds me that the person is human and feels like a person, ” said Chanasavang, speaking about her distinctive taste in music.

But her unique hobbies do not end there. Chanasavang is also a passionate painter, and she takes time to admire the beauty of nature to reciprocate in her

28

paintings.

“I really like landscapes and like urban scenes,” said Chansavang, describing her favorite things to paint.

She also draws inspiration from situations she has faced in life before, including her own illness, as well as items that seem rather “insignificant” to a casual observer.

Said Chansavang, describing the kinds of ideas that inspire her paintings, “I try painting that, small insignificant scenes we don’t think about or deem unappealing (factories, residential areas, random shops that look like they’re about to fall apart, etc).”

Another focus in Chansavang’s paintings is often the sun, an object she feels highly inspired to draw.

“I like how the sun hits at different times of the day and how the color change with each other in the sun,” Chansavang said.

She also has dreams of exploring other art forms and using alternative mediums, such as oil paints and wood carving, at some point in time.

Looking past Chansavang’s artistic pursuits, she also enjoys allocating time to travel and see new places, locally.

Although Chansavang is quite hesitant to dip her feet right into the visual arts field as a potential career altogether, she is still planning on keeping arts a consistent hobby of hers.

“I’m scared to take a jump into a visual career field. Like at the interview stage, how do I convince a manager to let a visually impaired person do a very visual-based job?

For now, my plan is just to leave freelance commissions or animation as a side job or hobby,” said Chansavang.

Despite these concerns, Chansavang is still open minded in exploring new passions and widening her horizon.

SCHOOL AND CHALLENGES SYDNEY LIAO features editor

TAHA SHAFIEI perspectives editor / copy editor

“I get up, go to school, stay up late doing homework. I get in the way of my success by procrastinating, and I could study more for tests,” senior Laura

Chansavang said when asked to share her daily routine.

Despite her struggles with glaucoma, Chansavang’s day is “pretty normal,” and for the most part, her experience mirrors that of the average high school student.

Like most people her age, her day starts with school and ends with school. Like them, she is locked in a constant battle with procrastination.

Even with the inundation of schoolwork and college applications, Chansavang remains optimistic. She sees school not only as an academic platform but also an opportunity to interact with others. A part of this positive mentality stems from her awareness that her remaining vision could become compromised as well.

“I try to enjoy every moment I have with my vision since I never know when I’m going to lose it,” Chansavang said.

For Chansavang, success in school is largely dependent on the resources provided that aid her visual impairment, and CHS is very accommodating of her circumstances.

Said Chansavang, “In school, I have most things covered. I get enlarged handouts, sent powerpoints so I can view them on my computer, and I can take pictures of things on the board while others can’t.”

However, Chansavang acknowledges that public areas are not as considerate of the needs of the visually impaired community. For example, she would greatly appreciate it if tea shops and cafes provided handheld menus.

Said Chansavang, “Most small tea shops have their menu written out on a board at the front, but it’d be nice to have a paper copy to hold too.”

But the lack of consideration has not hindered her at all, “If I’ve ever felt left out due to my condition, I can’t recall any right now. The only thing I can think of is driving cuz I feel like I’m missing out on that aspect of an independent young adult,” Chansavang said.

Glaucoma does not limit Chansavang’s participation in school.

She participates in several clubs,

namely comic club, which she started with her friends and is the public relations officer.

“We teach others how to draw comics and get published, stuff like that. My eyesight doesn’t get in the way of anything because I’m helping make the activities so I make sure that I can read it. Besides that, it doesn’t affect my experience.”

Her glaucoma has led many to see her and other visually impaired students in a certain way.

“Many people have a misconception that we can’t do anything so during group activities, we get completely

pushed aside,” said Laura Chansavang. “I’m kinda oblivious to most things and have a whatever attitude towards life so if someone did leave me out on purpose I probably didn’t care enough to remember it.”

PHOTO BY ARIANA FAHRI

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POSTSCRIPT

21% make

a survey of 121 students...

up time on Mondays

z

38% take baths

zz z z

or showers

MORNING

6:55AM

ROUTINES at Tino

TAL ASHKENAZI copy editor

43%

56% brush

do homework

their teeth

in the morning at

before

least once per

breakfast 44% skip

breakfast at

least once per 9%

milk consumed

their bed

In

mean wake

55 cups of

exercise

Cheerios Tino’s

favorite cereal

week

week

Real coffee talk

how coffee shops made me a conversationalist campaigning work never cease to impress me. She and I occasionally catch up at Philz, talking about her ideas for her online editor next endeavor. Other times, she gives me advice on how to combine my personal passions into a career choice. Then My dad often tells me to “keep talking to people, keep there is Jeff, who has also become one of my good friends. learning from them and connect those dots into something He teaches a theater summer camp near Humboldt, worked larger.” The power of speaking to people and understanding in Tesla’s warehouses, and produced plays in Hollywood. the world from a new perspective is one of the best ways, in We talk about anything from minuscule high school stress my experience, to improve oneself confidence and social to more serious topics like him starting a family. Getting adequacy. My high school experience is periodically suffoto know people like Jeff and Ali has allowed me to become cating and bland: tests, assignments, projects, soccer pracmore open-minded about the potential to learn from people, tice and maintaining a decent social life. The problem with who even at first would not seem like the kind of person I this routine is I began to limit myself to what was in front of would find myself conversing with. me, so I ventured out my sophomore year to the new coffee In the real world, success is not based on how much shop that opened up in Main Street: Philz Coffee. The folyou can memorize for a test but how competent you are in solowing is the story of how coffee, as cliché as it sounds, alcial situations. Often, I underestimate how much knowledge tered the respect and admiration I hold for people.

I can obtain from a ten-minute conversation. By exchanging I remember my first day walking into a coffee shop stories with people of various backgrounds, coffee shops have alone. The baristas seemed like such hipster people. Their made me curious about people and taught me how to empapiercings, Urban Outfitters vibes and most importantly, thize with them. Taking the initiative to listen to people and their precise knowledge of coffee— hear about their unique stories from the origins of the blends to the have contributed to my underspices that enhance each bean’s standing of the community flavor notes—intimidated me I live in—past the typical Cuthe most. As I got more compertino High School student’s fortable with the people and limited view of Cupertino. Furthe atmosphere of a bustling thermore, being able to bolster meancafé, I too saw myself harboring a Coffee shops like Philz ingful conversations has triggered a passion for coffee. I would go home sense of independence in me. Comand look up coffee terms I overheard taught me simple fortably being able to talk to peothe baristas use or watch YouTube ple around me, rather than hiding videos on the techniques of pourhuman interaction” when I feel like the whole world is overs and how to differentiate the flawatching me (as is the case at school), vor notes of a single bean. But more has made me infinitely more confident. importantly, sitting in coffee shops Let’s return to coffee though. The like Philz taught me simple human bold, earthy notes of my favorite roast interaction (and accidentally made immediately flood my mind with the me a coffee connoisseur). possibilities of intellectual growth and Startup CEO’s, construction workblanket me in comfort and happiers, artists, lawyers, and medical students ness.

So thank you to the cafés I have have all contributed to my attitude tovisited, the brews I have sipped, and wards understanding people free of judgthe different people I have been fortunate ment. Each of them began as strangers enough to meet. I cannot wait to continand have now become acquaintances ue learning from the creative minds I am of mine. Ali, a pre-law student, is one introduced to at the next coffee of the most creative and quirky people shop I visit!

I have met. Her bright colored hair, rainPHOTO COURTESY OF CAROL SHEHATA bow unicorn handbags and stories from her NEERALI SHAH

31

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