The Prospector (March 2, 2012) by The Prospector

FEATURES: Pizza, glassblowing and airplanes? Students and teachers tell their unique employment stories

FLIPSIDE: Bruce Cheung

THE PROSPECTOR CUPERTINO HIGH SCHOOL’S

VOLUME 53 NO. 5

10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO CA

ONLINE AT WWW.CHSPROSPECTOR.ORG

MARCH 2, 2012

Female students seek leadership power The Lady Female involvement in student government increases and surpasses male participation school leadership. History teacher and author of “Cupertino High School: A History” Wes Morse described how the culture of this school once emphasized certain gender roles that kept women from leadership positions. “In the 1960s and 70s, girls weren’t allowed to do anything in a leadership capacity,” Morse said. “It wasn’t their place; it wasn’t their role. We had guidance counselors in this school who would counsel girls on getting married, or going to maybe a junior college but not really considering a four years school.” There were no female ASB or class presidents before Title IX was passed in 1972. This law made it illegal for schools to exclude students from participat-

SINDHU GNANASAMBANDAN opinions editor

201 2C l as sP res id e

The United States faces a dearth of females in the high-level management positions of almost every industry. This same trend, however, does not appear in our school which, in the last couple decades, has seen a sharp rise in the number of females in leadership positions. There was not a single female ASB or class president for the first 14 years of the school’s history. Since then, the numbers have drastically risen. In the last three decades, 23 of the 30 senior class presidents have been female. This year, almost 50 percent of club presidents are female and the school’s current ASB class has a two to one female to male ratio. Said ASB adviser Jeff Rosado, “We get about 90 applint cants who apply for ASB. Two-thirds, if not more, of the applicants are female. Even five years ago, it was closer in percentage but now it is clear, not just with the raw numbers of how many apply but with the talent that comes in. There are higher percentages of talented girls applying.” “Females are definitely more vocal in ASB. Guys do project their voices at times but many of the girls are very outgoing,” sophomore class president Christina Huang said. Another side to this trend is that males are rapidly receding from the realm they used to dominate. Said Rosado, “It is not that there are not talented guys [at school], just that, for whatever reason, they are not applying to be in ASB anymore.” Teachers and students have varying hypotheses regarding how and why females have gone from being virtually unrepresented in to taking control of

Senior

Rebecca Tsai:

I don’t think a lot of guys see me as a girl. I don’t think I have ever been stereotypically feminine in the first place and maybe that’s why people started listening to me more

Pioneers

The first female students to have leadership roles in school government

TONI CISNEROS First female senior class president

- Senior Shona Hemmady

ing in activities based on gender and had the largest impact on the sports department. The 1960 Nugget has 38 pages dedicated to boys’ sports and just one page to girls’ sports. Boys participated in five football teams, five track teams and four basketball teams while girls simply played sports after school for fun. Title IX, however, required one girl team for every boy team in sports. Morse believes that leveling the playing field in sports may have catalyzed a similar shift in leadership. According to him, females always had the potential to become strong leaders but their emergence in leadership was delayed due to previous social expectations regarding gender roles. Senior Lawrence Luk believes that this phenomenon might be linked to Rosado’s see FEMALE STUDENTS BREAK THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING pg.2

JASON CHEN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WES MORSE

MARIA NABRIDES First female ASB president

COMPILED BY SINDHU GNANASAMBANDAN

Female ASB Presidents 1959

= Female ASB Presidents 1983

1985 1986

1988

1996

2000

2002

2006

2008 2009

2011

Female senior class presidents = Female senior class presidents 1959

COMPILED BY SINDHU GNANASAMBANDAN

1974

1976 1977 1978

1983 1984 1985

1987

1989

1991 1992 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 20012002 20032004 2005 2006 20082009 2011 2012

Assassins game triggers Code Red JESSE ZHOU features editor LAURA KAO opinions assistant

On Monday, Feb. 6, custodian Luis Fraga spotted a student crouching behind a car in the band parking lot while holding an object that resembled a firearm. Fraga immediately notified the administration of the potential danger, and Principal Kami Tomberlain promptly issued a Code Red on the intercom. “This is not a drill,” Tomberlain said. After the arrival of 42 police officers and a tense confrontation, the student was found to be holding nothing more than a Nerf-brand toy gun. However, further analysis revealed that the student was part of a Nerf “Assassins” game, which the student

had joined via Facebook. The goal of the game was to “kill” other students by hitting them with a Nerf dart; the last person standing was to be the winner. Many other students involved in this particular game were called in after the Code Red and some were found to have Nerf guns in their possession as well. Those found with guns faced repercussions on which the administration declined to elaborate, and all students were warned not to play the game on school grounds. The warnings and punishments given by the administrators incited angry responses from various students. Senior Tobias Shin, who was part of the game, expressed disdain for the administration’s actions. “[The administrators’] reaction to the emergency was understandable and appropriate, but what of their behavior after they realized it wasn’t an emergency?” Shin said. “The students

were obedient, respectful and consented to having their property searched and confiscated. It’s [the student’s] fault that he got caught, sure, but it’s not his fault that the administrators clearly overreacted.” However, Tomberlain feels that the administration’s actions were justified. “The images [of Columbine] were immediately in my head. You just hope you never have to respond to a situation like that,” Tomberlain said. “We don’t need those guns on campus, regardless of how toy-like they are.” The administration did not take this incident lightly. Many of the administrators expressed clear dissatisfaction with the students involved, but also felt relief when they realized that the school was not in danger. see CODE RED, pg.2

2 NEWS the Prospector 2011-2012 STAFF

Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LIIl., No.V | 2012

editors-in-chief harini jaganathan eric jang news editor azadeh rongere opinions editor sindhu gnanasambandan features editor jesse zhou lifestyles editor natasha sharma sports editors sunwoo jeong abhishek zaveri flip side editors alya omar michelle cheung copy editors kevin chu victoria duan madhuri sathish business manager virena galotra

THE PROSPECTOR

Code Red: (cont. pg1)

“When the call comes in that a student has a gun, the immediate reaction is to protect your students,” Assistant Principal Andy Walczak said. “It was a sense of relief that no one was hurt. We weren’t in a situation in which a person

It was a sense of relief that no one was hurt. We weren’t in a situation in which a person would really be injured - Assistant Principal Andy Walczak would really be injured.” The revocation of the involved students’ college recommendation letters was a widespread rumor that was not clearly addressed. The administration, upon hearing this

NIKHIL KANTHI opinions assistant

When it was announced at junior Parent Night on Feb. 2 that AP Physics would be offered next year, parents and students present applauded the school’s decision. However, as time passed, students began to realize the difficulties of taking the class, while staff members encountered the procedural difficulties that came with offering the course. AP Physics C is a calculus-based laboratory science class. The primary reason for offering the course is to ensure that all high schools across the district have the same classes, but the high demand for the class is also an incentive. “The key word is equitable,” chemistry teacher Larry DeMuth said. “The four other schools in our district are offering AP Physics, and we feel there is now sufficient student demand to offer the the course at Tino as well.” Thus far, enough juniors have signed up to fill two to three classes, and the sophomores have not yet submitted

YES

s c h o ol ?

nin g

igh

Are you plan

hysics som AP P eti e k m ta e to

h in

features virena galotra assistants katie martin lifestyles hong suh assistants jason chen sports chris tracey assistants anand hemmady flip side chris cai assistant adviser 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, ideasand 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 e-mail. Letters sent become tbe 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.

rumor, stated that it was not true. “We would never do something like that,” Tomberlain said. Another rumor that has been refuted by the administration concerns the customization of the Nerf gun seen by the custodian. Many believed that the Nerf gun was painted black, but according to Walczak, the gun was not customized in such a way. Although other county shootings have involved real guns being painted other colors, but the particular Nerf gun that the student was carrying was not changed in any way. This particular game of “Assassins” is the first to indirectly cause a Code Red in the school district. Although there are many other games simultaneously being played around the school district, partaking in such an activity, whether using toy guns or any other fake weapon, may lead to consequences if not played in the appropriate place.

AP Physics: a hurdle for students and teachers

news seong hwan yoon assistants anna huang

opinions nikhil kanthi assistants laura kao

MARCH 2, 2012

80 POLLED

COMPILED BY NIKHIL KANTHI

their science class choices. There is a possibility, as with any AP class, that some students may be overwhelmed and drop the class. “There is always a worry of students underestimating an AP science class,” DeMuth said. “This is where guidance is critical.” AP Physics C requires several hours of lab work per week. The science department and school want to make this possible, and hope to provide this opportunity for students in the event of a new bell schedule. On top of being a college level science class, however, it is also taught in a shorter time frame than for which it was designed. Given its difficulty, the faculty does not want students to take the class simply for the AP boost. Said guidance counselor Michelle Avvakumovits, “My biggest question to interested students is, ‘Why are you taking the class?’” In addition to the difficulties faced by students thinking about taking the class, AP Physics C also presents certain challenges to the teacher who will teach it. The College Board, using a lengthy process, must audit the class for students to receive AP credit after the AP test. The College Board requires a detailed written report by the teacher explaining the syllabus, curriculum and pace of the class. This report is usually over 40 pages long. For AP Physics C, the teacher must also complete a separate lab report and attend an AP course on how to teach the class. There are still a significant number of preparations that remain before school begins. “As of right now, the only thing certain is that the course is being offered,” Avvakumovits said. “We still have a lot of work left ahead of us.”

FEMALE STUDENTS BREAK THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING inquiry on how male students spend their time. Luk believes that many now put all their efforts into video games, smaller group activities or academics. “Time spent gaming is a part of it. Also, guys traditionally take the classes and go for the majors that require more academic work, especially with the maths and sciences, like engineering,” Luk said. There is currently a total of six girls out of 48 students in Eric Ferrante’s two Computer Science classes. Regardless of the reason for which females at school are becoming increasingly prominent in leadership, this same trend is not so pronounced in the real world. A glass ceiling seems to exist for females outside of the school environment; less than 20 percent of top managers and executives in corporate America are women. Senior Shona Hemmady attributes some of this to lingering gender role expectations. She feels some of these pressures in her high school leadership experiences as well. “I don’t think a lot of guys see me as a girl,” Hemmady said. “I don’t think I have ever been stereotypically feminine in the first place and maybe that’s why people started listening to me more. Honestly, girls who fit the female stereotype a lot more are not taken seriously and it’s really sad.” Senior class president Rebecca Tsai has a relatively positive outlook on this situation, though, and it is rooted in history. “The amendment for colored people came before the amendment for women and I feel like that is how

(cont. pg1)

it is going to go — all men first and then women will get equal rights,” Tsai said. “We have a colored president now and I feel like that is opening possibilities for women.” The difference in the gender imbalance between the school and the United States may simply require a couple more decades to balance itself out. “People in power still live under the old model where guys are supposed to be the boss,” Morse said, “but I see that your generation is more tolerant of just about everything. Whether it is regarding gay marriage, religious tolerance or even sexism, your generation is going to break a lot of those things down. And it’s already starting to happen. But your generation, even the older ones who are 20 to 25 years old, are not in those leadership positions yet. Also, they say there are more girls in college than guys and that’s all going to translate.” Morse and Rosado share the belief that the trends at school are a positive sign for what is to come; they believe that it may be the current students’ generation that breaks this corporate glass ceiling for females aspiring to be leaders. “Based on what I see in leadership, clubs and high achieving academic classes, each include very different sets of people,” Hemmady said. “People who want to get a good solid job and make a lot of money tend to focus on their high achieving academic classes while the leadership people are generally more sociable [and] outgoing ... That’s why leadership gets more girls and in high achieving academic classes, especially in math and science, there are a lot more guys.”

Alumni portray the pressures of seniors in high school with NYU short film “17” SEONG HWAN YOON news assistant

New York University senior and former CHS student Esha Rao, along with her fellow alumni, current CHS students and the rest of Cupertino’s community, is raising funds to shoot a short film, “17,” in the Bay Area, which tells the story of high school seniors facing a paranormal situation. “A thesis film at NYU is something that a person spends years preparing for, and I always knew that I wanted to return to my hometown to make this film,” Rao said. “My desire was to turn it into an experience I could share with my friends and family as well as my friends and fellow film students at NYU.” The film, which is scheduled to take place in Santa Cruz and Cupertino — including on campus — is scheduled to begin shooting on location this summer, from June 19 to July 3. Due to the nature of the film, Rao must raise approximately $12,000 through donations to make “17” a reality. Because this film is not being produced at NYU, Rao and her team must raise their own money to fund the project. Rao is using the film’s main website, www.indiegogo. com/17, to reach out to the Cupertino community and run the fundraising campaign. “I’d like to think that I’m representing both CHS and Cupertino, not only visually on camera, but as a filmmaker to whom both the school and city are very important,” Rao said. Rao has currently involved many alumni and students from CHS and even the city of Cupertino, which has given her and her production team permission to shoot here. Sophomore Jason Shuieh and freshman Caroline Jacquet auditioned this past December for one of the supporting roles in the film. Though the students do not know their actual role in the film, they are very excited to be part of this project. The film centers around three graduating seniors, two of whom are played by Thalia Moshtagh and Maithy Vu — both alumni of CHS and close friends of Rao — who decide to make the best of their last night of high school and drive down to Santa Cruz beach. However, as they speed down Highway 17, they get into a tragic car accident and do not survive. Miraculously yet mysteriously, the teenagers wake up on the ground the next morning and find that they cannot interact with the people they most want to see. “It’s a story that anyone who grew up in Cupertino can relate to, as it focuses on a lot of the challenges I and a number of my peers were faced with during high school,” Rao said. The film brings out characters that are easily relatable to students at CHS because it focuses on the pressures they face at school and the uncertainty of their future. With such a large number of locals participating in the production of the film, Rao truly wants to make this a big community event over this summer. “I want this to feel not like a film I’m making in the city of Cupertino, but like a film that the city of Cupertino is making,” Rao said.

MARCH 2, 2012

THE PROSPECTOR

FBLA prepares for Bay Section Leadership Conference

committees. Chapter members and officers involved in the committee will receive the opportunity to coordinate large events, which math teacher and On March 3, 2012, the school’s Future Business Leaders of America FBLA adviser Mark St. John believes is a skill often used in business. “In business, at some point people will be responsible for meetings. (FBLA) chapter will host the annual FBLA Bay Section Leadership Con[You could] have meetings with your clients if you are a salesperson,” St. ference. The conference, generally referred to as Bay Sections, includes John said. “If you are managing an international company you’ll need to schools from all over the Bay Area. periodically bring people around the world together for meetings. SomeDuring the conference, students can compete in their events, network times you simply want to have the company get together to celebrate.” with other FBLA members and participate in workshops. The school’s School chapter vice president and Bay Section officer Danny Kim chapter was chosen to host Bay Sections on account of its high member believes that having Bay Sections hosted at school will make chapter participation. Because Bay Sections will be hosted on campus, chapter members more comfortable. members will be able to assist in the planning of the event, thus augment“I think having the conference at our school makes members more ing their organizational and leadership skills. comfortable compared to conferences elsewhere because students are Sectional competition comprises the first level of competition within already familiar with the FBLA. Bay Sections allows FBLA school. They can socialize members to qualify for state and JESSE ZHOU with their friends and not national events. Students may also worry getting lost. Having attend business-related workshops that comfort can positively at the conference. affect the students’ perforA chapter must demonstrate mances and allow them to high levels of member involvemore easily connect with ment in order to be considered for FBLA members from differhosting Bay Sections. Last year, the ent schools,” Kim said school’s chapter won the Gold Seal The school’s chapter award, which is awarded to the top has also managed to put its 15 percent of FBLA chapters in the own touch on Bay Sections. state. The school also has two FBLA For the first time in recent chapter officers, juniors Danny history, a community serKim and Richard Liaw, currently vice project will be incorposerving on the Bay Section officer rated into Bay Sections. Bay team, which further enhanced the Sections is partnering with school’s bid to host Bay Sections. West Valley Community Eventually, the Bay Section’s Services to collect school adviser, Kiki Nakauchi, selected the supplies for local students school to host Bay Sections. Bay who lack the money to buy Sections 2012 is expected to be the largest Bay Section Conference yet. STRATEGY SESSION | FBLA adviser Mark St. John and FBLA officers discuss and plan their own supplies. The Over 1,000 FBLA members from out various parts of Bay Sections. The team held many such meetings throughout the year. school’s chapter’s leadership hopes that its hosting of Bay schools all over the Bay Area are Sections will make the conference an especially memorable experience expected to attend. The school’s FBLA chapter has been planning for the JESSE ZHOU for members. The chapter’s leadership hopes that members assist in the event by organizing a Bay Section Committee comprised of chapter officers and select chapter members. This committee is further split into numerous planning of the event and in the supply drive and hopefully acquire skills EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP | FBLA co-president senior Shona Hemmady leads a Bay Section brainstorm. subcommittees, such as the Entertainment and Food and Beverage sub- along the way. ANAND HEMMADY sports assistant

We are hiring! Visit us at chsprospector.org to apply for the Journalism staff of 2012 to 2013!

OPINIONS

MARCH 2, 2012

Sadies replaced by a more inclusive alternative “[Girls] build up this whole thing where every other dance, the guys ask the girls, so this one time where girls ask boys, they get all nervous or they just don’t want to,” said senior Bella Sanz, ASB Activities Commissioner. Because of the spectacle that Sadies makes of girls taking the first step, it is inadvertently affirming the existence of traditional gender roles. Girls are therefore less willing to go against the status quo when there is such a sense of peculiarity surrounding it. In reality, every dance has both girls and boys who ask their dates, and they do so without being sanctioned by an arbitrary tradition. By replacing it with the ambiguous Morp, ASB is not stopping girls from asking their dates to this one dance — it is encouraging them to ask for every other dance as well. “Since Sadies is typically a girls ask guys dance, people don’t usually go with their friends. With this dance you can go with your friends, you cannot, you can do whatever you’d like,” Sanz said. By setting such narrow requirements, Sadies also excluded many who would have liked to go without a date. Morp, on the other hand, will allow everybody, not just couples, to enjoy the event. A high school dance, though a chance for some to pursue their romantic interests, should not be limited to that one purpose. Morp’s “anything goes” philosophy takes into account the many students who go to dances with friends and gives them the same opportunity to enjoy themselves by eliminating the pressure of staying with one person throughout the night. With its promise of freedom, Morp is likely to attract attendees looking for fewer expectations and more fun.

ANNA HUANG news assistant

Although the Sadie Hawkins dance was an annual tradition that had been held for many years, it was a fundamentally flawed event that though wellintentioned, actually reinforced the social convention that girls asking boys is something of an anomaly. It will be replaced for the first time this year by Morp, a more inclusive dance that will appeal to a greater variety of students by removing any rules about whom to go with. ASB both identified Sadies as a problem and created a better alternative. “To me, Morp seems like a more relaxed version of Sadies. The school’s first Morp, which will take place on March 2, is a Instead of the traditional girls asks boys, Morp gives the new spring dance that seeks to replace Sadies. It is different as it does opportunity to make our own traditions.” not promote the Sadies tradition of girls inviting boys, though it does -freshman Shelby Chen not discourage it either. Instead, Morp acknowledges that students of both genders may want to do the asking or may simply want to “I think Morp is a fresh way to “I saw Morp on ‘Radio Rebel’ on attend “stag.” introduce a new dance theme, Disney Channel which means it Though it is generally less common for girls to make the which gives students something is bigger than just our school.” first move, the existence of Sadies implied that they were different to be interested in.” -sophomore Nathan Duong not allowed to take the initiative for every other dance and -junior Aman Chopra could only show interest on a specific occasion. While it is intended as “female empowerment,” the premise of Sadies is based on the assumption that girls need special "Morp seems like a pretty casual night: “Prom backwards.” treatment and do not have the same courage or abilihanging out with friends and having a -senior Eric Lee ties as their male counterparts. good time. Reminds me of the welcome back and yearbook dance." -junior Osker Lu

MORP

How do you define it?

COMPILED BY ANNA HUANG

pean Histo ro

cholog Psy y

U.S. Go v

33%

73%

47%

If this AP class were

itics Pol

ment and ern

71%

H orld istor W

econom i

55%

ro ac

Morp (n): A dance where anything goes: girls ask guys, guys ask girls or none of the above. Stocked with good music, great food and a gorgeous theme to create one of the best nights of the year.

offered would you want to take it? COMPILED BY HARINI JAGANATHAN 91 POLLED

AP class options in the social sciences and humanities must expand HARINI JAGANATHAN editor-in-chief

What should I take: AP Physics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry or AP Computer Science? When it comes to math and science, students in their junior and senior year have a plethora of options. For those students interested in the humanities or social sciences, AP class options are thin to the ground. AP U.S. History during junior year and AP Microeconomics during senior year are standard for the typical social science-loving student, but these students should be offered as many choices as their math or science-lov-

AP Classes: offered and not offered * Social Science excludes language classes

Science and math Social sciences and humanities*

ing peers. Out of the nine AP science and math classes offered by the College Board, seven will be offered at this school next year. In contrast, out of the 14 AP social science and arts courses offerred by the College Board, only three are listed in our course catalog. It is often difficult to determine whether one truly enjoys a specific subject until one has taken an AP course in that area. Although the AP system is not perfect, AP classes allow students to pursue specific subjects at high levels, helping students consider whether they are ready for the rigor required to pursue said subject in college. Moreover, AP classes can help students decide what they do not want to pursue in college. For a student who is taking an AP class and is unsure of the subject area they want to go pursue in college, a wider selection of AP classes would provide a better mechanism by which to narrow down the options. With a

: :

dearth of AP classes in social sciences and humanities, students interested in these subject areas are not provided the same opportunities to delve deeply into their interests. Some schools in this district already offer more AP classes in humanities and social sciences. Monta Vista offers AP Music Theory and AP U.S. Government and Lynbrook offers AP English Language and Composition. These classes are noticeably missing from our curriculum. Moreover, schools outside the district present even more options to their students. Los Gatos High School, for example, offers AP European History. Many say that adding more AP classes will pressure students into taking more classes than they can handle. However, since students cannot double up on courses in the same subject area, it is ludicrous to believe that offering more classes will cause more stress. To those who say that students have the

opportunity to take humanities and social science classes at a community college, community college schedules do not always align with high schoolers’ schedules, and students often find it simpler and more convenient to take the classes offered here. And why should they be forced to look outside? The school should provide the resources necessary for students to pursue a diverse array of interests — not just math and science. The possibility of having AP Physics at this school has been present for years, as members of the school community have shown interest in it. The same can happen in other subject areas as well. Students, teachers and parents alike need to show similar enthusiasm in order to build momentum in non-math or non-science subject areas. Students who want more rigor and choice in their selection of social science and humanities courses should speak up, and make their wishes known.

-Calculus A/B -Environmental Science -Biology -Calculus B/C -Physics B -Chemistry -Physics C -Computer Science -Statistics

7/9

-Comparative Govern- -Macroeconomics -English Language -Human Geography -U.S. History ment and Politics -World History -Microeconomics -English Literature -Music Theory -U.S. Government -European History -Psychology -Art History -Studio Art and Politics

3/14

COMPILED BY SINDHU GNANASAMBANDAN

THE PROSPECTOR

MARCH 2, 2012

Rules students had broken by bringing Nerf guns to school: CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE CAL. EDC. CODE § 48900: California Code Section 48900 COMPILED BY HONG SUH

(k):

Disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.

(m):

Possessed an imitation firearm. As used in this section, “imitation firearm” means a replica of a firearm that is so substantially similar in physical properties to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to conclude that the replica is a firearm.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Zero tolerance education needed

Students must be reminded of policy more often

he zero tolerance policy is one with which students are acquainted from a very young age, beginning in elementary school. However, the emphasis placed on educating students about the policy declines over the years, so that by the time students are in high school, they are likely to forget the true extent of its importance and consequences. The goal of the zero tolerance policy is to maintain a safe learning environment on campus, though many students do not comprehend exactly how critical the policy is to their safety and education. The zero tolerance policy is not in place to merely intimidate students; it exists so that students can come to school each day knowing that they will be safe, and that any harmful items or behavior on campus will be eliminated from the premise immediately so as to guarantee their comfort and safety. The policy also teaches students to be responsible and that rules are in place for a reason. In addition, students may be in possession of objects that are not actually harmful, such as Nerf guns, but that are prohibited at school under the policy due to their potential resemblance to legitimate weapons. If students are not reminded of the policy’s provisions, they may not even realize that they are doing something wrong by bringing such objects to school, and will therefore not understand why they are punished if such an event comes to pass. During the periods of assigned tutorial during each day of the first week of school, each of the assigned tutorial classrooms should be given a detailed presentation emphasizing the importance of the zero tolerance policy and provided with

specific examples of infractions and the subsequent consequences. A detailed education and regular reminders about the policy would discourage and perhaps prevent such incidents as the recent “Assassins” game, because without a substantial education on the policy, students are more likely to forget that infractions have very real consequences, and the infractions themselves span a wide range of actions and objects. Currently, the administration regularly educates the student body on such topics as the dress code and the dangers of the Internet, while students are not very well-informed about the zero tolerance policy. While zero tolerance is brought up frequently over the course of a student’s primary education, it cannot be classified as common sense because many of the specific provisions of the policy are unknown to students. The main sources of information about this policy are the students’ planners, which contain a brief, though not comprehensive, list of potential causes for expulsion under the zero tolerance policy. This brief list does not present specific examples and stages of punishment for infractions of the policy. In fact, there is more information provided in these planners about academic dishonesty and school dances than about zero tolerance, which, in light of recent school shootings across the country, ought to be given more emphasis. A detailed education on the zero tolerance policy would enable students to make more informed decisions, and the campus would be able to keep its learning environment free of disruptions.

Zero Tolerance Policy: The Fremont Union High School District strictly enforces a Zero Tolerance policy. Violation of this policy will result in a recommendation for expulsion from the Fremont Union High School District. As defined in the Education Code, there are 12 causes for expulsion. Among these are the following:

- Causing, attempting to cause or threatening to cause physical injury to another person - Possessing, selling or otherwise furnishing any firearm, knife, explosive or other dangerous object - Possessing, using, selling or otherwise furnishing or being under the influence of any controlled substance as defined in the Health and Safety Code, including alcohol, drugs or intoxicant of any kind - Committing or attempting to commit robbery or extortion - Any threat or assault against a school or district employee - Cause or threaten to cause, or participate in an act of hate violence based on a student’s gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity or national origin

COMPILED BY ANNA HUANG

CHRIS CAI

The “real world” is just a lie we’ve got to rise above KATIE MARTIN features assistant

Up until high school, my education was far from ordinary. For nine years, I attended a school where students create their own curriculum and write selfassessments instead of receiving grades. I loved school, but throughout seventh and eighth grade, I was friends with a boy who was convinced that I did not know what the “real world” was all about. I became accustomed to his constant chatter about this mysterious place, and how any success I once achieved would become trivial upon my entrance. Of course, he was an expert in the field, since he had attended a school where teachers were called by their last names and homework was assigned nightly. As he was obviously much worldlier than my non-traditionally-educated self, I believed him. I was thoroughly convinced that I would soon be consumed by the fiery depths of failure so common in the “real world.” I envisioned an environment filled with terror, where one would be crushed by monstrous piles of homework and swallowed in the depths of cruel teachers and unfair rules. I dreaded the day I would enter this “real world.” I was 14 years old and had already braced myself for a lifetime of defeat; after all, this “real world” is no place for the faint of heart. For years, I wondered when the “real world” would begin. Does it start when one graduates from high school? When one enters the workforce? When one no longer sleeps with stuffed animals? I have realized that it is quite the contrary: There are no benchmarks for the “real world.” From the moment we are born, we have arrived. The “real world” is simply the present. Whatever our stage in life, be it high school, college or a career, our experiences are just as authentic as those of someone in an entirely different phase. I have noticed that this notion of a “real world” seems to be most often used by those who crave superiority and believe that their lives have somehow been more legitimate than those of others. This was precisely the case with my middle school friend. Since he had attended a traditional school, he assumed that his education was much more rigorous and therefore worthy of “real world” status. He spoke of my school as though it were a fairy tale, and claimed I would enter high school uninformed, unworldly and thoroughly unprepared. Fortunately, these predictions proved inaccurate. I know I am not the only one who has felt confused about the “real world.” Students often face problems involving this elusive setting, but they are frequently the perpetrators. In order to be most successful, we must have our lives planned out from the time we are five. We are under constant pressure to take classes more challenging than we can handle, as well as participate in a staggering number of extracurricular activities. An overwhelming schedule is always justifiable because it will someday ensure triumph in the ever-looming “real world.” Something is seriously wrong with this picture. However, schools are not the only problem; we students are guilty of creating additional stress. The already hyper-competitive atmosphere is exacerbated whenever one student tells another that his or her workload is “easy” or that failure is inevitable in the “real world” without another AP class. And sadly enough, students are willing to sacrifice their sanity in preparation for the “real world,” without realizing that they have been there all along. Pinch yourself. Look around. Your life is real, as are the lives of everyone else. They always were and always will be. As John Mayer said in his 2002 hit “No Such Thing,” the “real world” is “just a lie you’ve got to rise above.”

FEATURES

you’re hire MARCH 2, 2012

Students and staff share their work expe learning phases helped them excel

Teacher applies ramp crew experience to physics concepts CHRIS TRACEY sports assistant

Stopping a fully laden airplane with one’s bare hands is not a typical teacher’s idea of a summer vacation, but it is for science teacher Gavin Goes. For six years, Goes worked summers at Mineta San Jose International Airport as a member of the ramp crew for Northwest Airlines. The ramp crew consists of people who drive the tugs, the little cars that push the airplanes back. They also refuel, restock supplies and service the airplane while passengers are boarding. Goes uses some of his stories in the classroom as motivational lectures and physics lessons. “A small amount of force applied for a great amount of time yields a big impulse,” Goes said. Goes chose to work at the airport as a means of earning income during the summer months. Additionally, it was an escape from the same old repetitive school environment. An extra perk of the job was free air miles from Northwest. “It was kind of fun to do, and I got free travel,” Goes said. “I needed something to do to make extra money during the summer, so that was my job, and it offered a lot of amusing stories.” Having a summer job was part of life when Goes was in high school. He encourages teenagers to get summer jobs, because they teach valuable life lessons that do not come from school. “Understanding the work ethic required for a job is different from just going to school, and they learn the value of money,” Goes said. He no longer works at the airport because the travel industry took such a big hit after Sep. 11, 2001. Previous full-time employees were given the summer jobs, eliminating space for people looking for summer work. On one occasion, a tug was pushing an Airbus A320 backward. An A320 is comparable to a Boeing 737, which is slightly smaller than the 747. While pushing the airplane back, the push bar, which connects the tug to the airplane, became detached, falling to the ground. The airplane was rolling away with no sign of stopping. “The other ramp crew members just kind of stood there and watched,” Goes said. Meanwhile, Goes ran up to the plane and pulled on it with his hands, eventually singlehandedly stopping the plane. Reconnecting the tug to a moving airplane would have proven far too difficult, and applying the airplane’s brakes would have caused a disaster. “Then the airplane would have tipped backwards, and that’s certainly what you don’t want to do,” Goes said. Over the years, Goes learned a good deal and had an enjoyable time at the airport. “It was a fun job,” Goes said. “I would have kept going back if I could.” He offers encouraging and sometimes astonishing stories and lessons about his work at the airport that might just get teenagers out of the house and into their first jobs.

1940s | Final child labor laws are established after decades of perseverance from proponents of child labor legislation and rising education. “Teenagers” are now working, and it is seen as a form of rebellion. Many go into their own family businesses or take up non-industrial jobs.

CO M PI LE D

NI KH IL KA NT HI

1900s | Many children during this time are employed in industrial jobs. Child labor laws have not yet been put into place. Almost 50 percent of children are working during this time period.

The Sisterhood of the Stationary Pizza: how three gir CHRIS CAI flip side assistant

a histo

e d u t ry of s

b o j nt

a n si

r e m

ica

Juniors Melissa Baena, Trameela Burks and Salena Reyes work at Cicero’s Pizza in the Orchard Farms shopping plaza. From five to eight in the afternoon on all days of the week, they take customers’ orders, man the cash register and do any other odd job that needs to be done. Before they began working at Cicero’s, Baena, Burks and Reyes were friends with one another in the casual acquaintance sense of the word. They would see each other at school and hang out during brunch and lunch but that was as far as their friendship went. When they found out that Cicero’s was hiring last summer, they thought that it would be fun to work together. That thought became reality when they were hired one after another. “When I first started working with them, we weren’t as close,” Burks said. “It was kind of awkward being there at the same time with [them], but then we got comfortable and now we are really close friends.” The trio are able to spend a lot of time together every time there is a lull in their work. Even though their boss frowns upon them wasting time, they still take time to talk with one another and have fun, whether it is when they are wiping tables, cleaning

ed!

eriences and show how these in their everyday endeavors.

THE PROSPECTOR

MARCH 2, 2012

Student discovers unique art form as an assistant glassblower at aunt’s shop VIRENA GALOTRA features assistant

For a part-time job, senior Ellen Jacobs does not work at the mall or babysit. Instead, she teaches students at her aunt’s glasswork shop how to make glass pendants. Her work experiences are different from those of students working at retail jobs, and allow her to teach and learn a unique art form. Last summer, Jacobs’ aunt recruited her as an employee at her shop, the Art Glass Center of San Jose, because it was understaffed. She had no previous experience glass bending, the technique used to make the glass pendants, and had never made one prior to teaching her first class. “It was really scary, because I was trying to convince these adults to trust that I knew how to help them when I had no more instruction or experience than they did,” Jacobs said. Teaching sessions was initially difficult for Jacobs because she was nervous about making mistakes while helping the students. However, after teaching a few classes and making her own pendants, she got better at helping people. “It was really hard for me to verbalize what I wanted the students to do at first, but I’ve gotten a lot better at explaining exactly what I want from them,” Jacobs said. As a teacher’s assistant, she guides customers through the steps of making glass pendants. Students learn how to shape glass by manipulating it in a large flame. Jacobs helps the students by giving directions and providing individual assistance. The most important part of her job is to make sure the students stay safe. They work with flames that are about 2,000 degrees and six to eight inches high, and Jacobs has to make sure no one burns themselves and everyone exercises prudent caution while working with the hot glass. She works at one of the three glass projects taught by the center. In addition to the glass pendant project, students work on stained glass window hangings as well as fused glass plates. Jacobs is learning about the other two projects while continuing her training to advance from an assistant to a teacher. “At some point in time I’ll be able to do a whole class on my own,” she said. On the job, Jacobs encounters people of all ages and backgrounds. Her most memorable encounter was teaching a man who had only two fingers to make glass pendants. “It was really cool to see him manipulate the rods and how he was holding it so he could do it despite having only two fingers,” she said. Jacobs enjoys her job because she receives the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of people. However, she wishes to keep her glasswork pursuits simply as a hobby, and not as a career.

DO YOU WANT A JOB? YES

69%

31% HAVE YOU EVER TRIED LOOKING FOR ONE?

CO 153 MPIL PO ED B LLE Y L AU D

YES 5% 1960s | A huge boost in teenage consumerism occurs during the 1960s and 1970s. Part-time employment is seen for the first time with the help of suburban malls and fast-food restaurants. Teenagers are making a higher average income than ever before.

rls became closer over a local job at a pizzeria condiment jars or waiting on customers. “As friends, I believe [this work] made us bond more,” Reyes said. “Not just as friends but it makes us like family. We probably want to yell at each other sometimes or rip each other’s eyes out. But somehow we just let it go and continue to work as a team.” While working at Cicero’s, the three girls also experience a bit of drama with one another, but they do not let that stand in the way of their friendship. Once, while Baena was mopping the floors, she slipped and grabbed Burks’ hair for support. Unfortunately, Burks slipped as well and they both ended up on the floor. Even though Burks was extremely mad at Baena afterwards, both Burks and Baena were able to move past the tension and they turned it into a funny story rather than an embarrassing episode. For the most part, though, their job is not filled with these awkward or bothersome moments but rather a lot of fun with each other. Reyes described an occasion where they were cleaning up after a shift and they sang while going from table to table. Much to their surprise and their embarrassment, it turns out that there was still a family left in the shop while they were singing and that family was listening to their performance the entire time. Their experience at Cicero’s has brought the trio together and made them closer friends. Through thick, thin and cheesy moments they are able to stick together and persevere despite the stresses of work.

N9O 5% Now | Teenage employment is at a national low. Hard economic times are making it difficult for students to find part-time jobs.. Many students still persevere to find various jobs

LIFESTYLES

MARCH 2, 2012 VICTORIA DUAN copy editor

BOY SCOUTS OF

AMERICA

The lives of high school students are a flurry of activity. Balancing schoolwork and a social life while getting enough sleep each night is trying in itself, but many students choose to push themselves even further by engaging in extracurricular activities. Senior Eric Lee, a dedicated Boy Scout, is an example of a student who must find ways to work past these obstacles. Lee is an Eagle Scout, the highest rank a Boy Scout can attain. To reach the rank of an Eagle Scout, Lee had to design an Eagle project — a community service project he planned, developed and carried out by himself. While Lee is a dedicated Boy Scouts member, when his school life conflicts with his Scout events, he said that school always comes first.

“While I was trying to plan for my project it was really hectic,” Lee said. “I had a lot of schoolwork going on, and I had to keep pushing back the project day because I couldn’t complete what I needed to do on time. I was planning to do it [over] Christmas break, but I ended up having to push it back to winter break in February.” Lee was reluctant to join Boy Scouts, and it was his father was who urged him to get involved. But his attitude toward the Scout organization began to change as he attended events and moved up in rankings. “I was definitely reluctant to join. I mean, I’d rather stay home and play video games and what not,” Lee said. “But after a few trips where I went on campouts and met peers — these people became great friends — and you wouldn’t want to miss a single campout after that.”

2/100 will reci ve the Eagle R ank

“Scouting has changed my life

because it has given me various life skills that will be crucial in the future and has made me more mature and confident.” AH 5 - junior Eric Chen BO 5,97 Y S 0,2 AM COU 03 ER TS i ICA n

SCOUT LIFE LESSONS

e life y all of th e basicall m t ware h a g t u o n ta “BSA has ost other people are nes that m portant o skills that e most im th f o e e learning m o of. S life includ y m mily d e g n nt and Fa have cha anageme M l a n o rs about Pe athi Anubhav Trip Life.”- junior

“I’ve really learned a lot about leadership and organizing people. I’ve gained a lot of public speaking, leadership and “people” skills through working with so many guys for so long. I started as a tiger in first grade and finished as a senior.”- senior Zack Yuen

% 85 of nts age FBI ere TS w OU C YS BO “Boy Scouts taught me leadership skills and a love for nature.”

62% o bas f ketb al capt ains l a BOY re SCO UTS

JESSE ZHOU features editor

A man just injured his arm handling heavy machinery, and is in need of first aid and possibly a tourniquet. Meanwhile, a knot is desperately needed to tie a wayward ship to a dock. Somewhere else, someone is crying for help in the middle of a thousand-foot-deep lake; who will come to the rescue in all of these situations? Yes, maybe a superhero can come to the rescue, but a Scout knows enough to be just as helpful. Both Girl and Boy Scouts learn a variety of skills throughout their scouting careers, which range from the aforementioned knot-tying to the lesser-known ability to train pigeons. Scouts may also backpack 50 miles and learn how to operate all kinds of waterfront vehicles. But what many people do not realize is that Scouts learn many skills that help them in not only the wilderness, but also everyday society. “If anything, I’ve learned leadership skills from venturing,” said senior Rebekkah Scharf, the president of Venture Crew 479. “I’ve had practice planning many types of crew events. Planning for crew outings has taught me the value of hard work that goes into crew outings.” Such leadership has helped Scharf appreciate the outdoors, since much of her experience in the wild comes from leading the less experienced Scouts in her crew during an outing. Scharf believes that the leadership ability she has gained from scouting will help her in her future career as well.

- junior Kevin Herhusky

ALL PHOTOS BY JASON CHEN

“As I want to be a teacher, venturing has helped me build my foundation of teaching skills,” Scharf said. “I also learned to always act as a role model for the less experienced Scouts, teaching them essential skills for outings, especially our outdoor outings.” Junior Anubhav Tripathi, who is a Boy Scout in troop 407 of Cupertino, has learned similar skills as well. Tripathi says that Boy Scouts has helped him tremendously in the area of time management. “Merit badges, especially Personal Management [a merit badge that trains Scouts to keep track of a strict personal schedule] have taught me to me keep track of all of my records and to keep a calendar with all of my events on there,” Tripathi said. “I now have a calendar and I write all of the major stuff on it. I look at it and figure out which thing is more important.” Whether it is a skill like pioneering — building structures out of wooden poles and rope — or time managment, Scouts gather much knowledge that help them in the wilderness and in the community. Scouts, in the end, do not just sell popcorn or cookies to the masses; they are more skilled than many people perceive.

ur,

THE PROSPECTOR

MARCH 2, 2012

CALLING ALL CITIZENS OF PANEM:

THE HUNGER GAMES ARE HERE AGAIN...

MICHELLE CHEUNG flip side editor

o have your name picked out of a jar of hundreds of others would usually incite excitement or happiness. People would look upon you in jealousy and wish they had your luck. But what if getting your name picked out of a jar was a bad thing? What if it was something that every single person knew was not an honor or a stroke of luck, but a sentence for your death? “The Hunger Games” trilogy by Suzanne Collins describes the events that unfold as a result of this selection known as “reaping.” This futuristic series focuses on a pair of teenagers as well as 22 others who are sent from their districts to compete in a battle to the death where only one may be left standing. The first novel was published in September 2008 and has more than 11 million copies in print (as of 2011). With the movie soon to be released, the hype for “The Hunger Games” series has reached many students at school who appreciate the trilogy’s chilling blend of brutality and parallels to the real world. “It’s well balanced in gore and romance. It is interesting because it shows how the youth are affected by war and violence caused by a sadistic government,” senior Wonjae Hwang said. The novel is also full of action and daily brutal deaths, so different from the daily difficulties that we as teenagers face. Perhaps it is the fact that their lives are so full of adrenaline and willpower just to stay alive that it interests so many teenagers. As we are attacked by mountains of SAT vocabulary to

RIS

MOVIE RELEASED: MARCH 23, 2012

CONSECUTIVE WEEKS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES

BESTSELLER: 180

memorize or 60 pages of AP Biology to read in one night, teenagers in the arena of another time are forced to fight for their lives for the entertainment of others. Although this idea might appear to be completely unrealistic, what some realize is that it might not be far from reality. “The ironic thing is we look at the Capitol thinking they are horrible people and how it’s unfair that people in the districts live in poverty while the Capitol citizens party and watch the death of others for entertainment,” junior Grace Kim said. “But it’s actually a parallel to our world in which Americans don’t realize that while we are so focused on our own lives, people in Third World countries live exactly like the people in the districts do.” This may be the reason why many are intrigued by a novel that showcases such brutality. While many American citizens lead sheltered lives, the novel reflects the unwanted truth of those who live in countries not as fortunate as the United States. The moral decisions that concern life and death that the characters face everyday while they are in the arena also interest readers. We are able to think for ourselves whether certain characters are making the right decision by allowing someone they love to be killed or by sacrificing themselves, and what we would do in that situation. During the stressful times in our high school careers, “The Hunger Games” serves as a way of escape and a doorway to a world where the only worry in life is to stay alive and let the future take care of itself.

COPIES IN PRINT: 23 MILLION

NATA

SHA

RMA

Want to advertise with The Prospector? email us at prospector.chs @gmail.com

SPORTS

MARCH 2, 2012

Lewis embraces teaching after football career KEVIN CHU copy editor

Deep down, former NFL and CFL football player Milo Lewis had a dream bigger than his teammates ever knew, more than his tirelessly optimistic, playfully energetic personality reveals. A contract dispute with his Calgary team occurred in the middle of the season and, just as saddening as the problem had been, doubt began invading the remnant of his career. “They wanted to pay me less than I thought I was worth, so I was going to make it a point to show them what they were missing,” said Lewis, who retired from the sport after his time at Calgary. “They had an agreement for me to join, but it was up in the air and our team ended up folding. When our team folded, I thought, ‘I’m done with football.’ I had nothing else to prove.” Spurning idle unemployment, Lewis pursued an endeavor that always lingered at the back of his mind: to become a para-educator, assisting students with special needs. “Ever since I was young, the people who took interest in me were mostly teachers and coaches,” Lewis said. “They went

Name: Milo Lewis Player #: 21 Position: Defensive Back (DB) Height: 5’ 10’’ Weight: 188 Date of Birth: 12/03/1977 NCAA Team: University of Alabama NFL Team: New Orleans Saints

High school football: Lewis plays for the Mountain View Spartans

PLAYER TIMELINE

“It causes injury such as knee pain and shin splints. It is a pain to wear insoles, which cost like $500.” - senior Akshay Jain

While junior Osker Lu has a better kick in swimming, senior Akshay Jain suffers from knee injuries and shin splints from running. However, both individuals have the same foot deformity: flat feet. About 20 to 30 percent of the human population is diagnosed with a case of Pes Planus, meaning “fallen arches” in Latin, or more commonly known as flat feet. People who have flat feet either have a very low arch or no arch at all. For the average foot, the instep or arch is not supposed to touch the ground. Most people are born with flat feet, though few develop fallen arches through aging and prolonged stresses of the feet. There is little concern for Pes Planus because many people with flat feet experience no pain and have no major problems. Fallen arches may impact one’s sports performance subtly in several ways. Flat-footed runners tend to overpronate while running: the ankle rolls inwards too much, and can cause ailments like shin splints and knee pains. Such runners tend to be slower because they lack an arch for support. On the other hand, flat-footed people may be better at swimming. The flat plane of their foot enables them to have an efficient kick. There are not many treatments for fallen arches, but there are a variety of inserts and shoes, which range from $40 to $500 that people can purchase to provide more support for their feet. COMPILED BY JASON CHEN

20 to 30% of people are flatfooted

friend may call and ask for a two-minute conversation, and you can easily brush it aside. But a simple talk may make that person’s day, and you never know when you will meet that person again.” He now wields a panoramic view of his priorities. After years of playing football, teaching and coaching, Lewis discovered that the most important lessons are to be patient and to learn to get along with people from disparate backgrounds. “You’re story isn’t any harder or better than anybody else’s. You can’t put yourself above what others have gone through,” Lewis said. “Everybody has struggles and you’ve got to take that into consideration before you judge them.” Lewis, as satisfied as any teacher with a true passion for helping kids can be, is quick to assert that most of his players and students appreciate his guidance. Thanks to his support, these students no longer have a deck stacked against them and have never been more ready for anything. “That’s why I feel like I have to give back to other people. My parents, teachers, they watched over me and pointed out what I did wrong,” Lewis said. “What other people give to you, you’ve got to give back.”

COURTESY OF MILO LEWIS

Community college team: Lewis joins the City College of San Francisco before a final

The curse of the flat foot: effects of the condition on student athletes “It doesn’t specifically hurt me because I do a water sport and it actually makes my kick more efficient.” - junior Osker Lu

hand in hand. The only transition is to teach somebody else what I know. Same with coaching, it was just natural. Teaching and coaching are the same.” The beginning of his journey, however, was not all plain sailing. He grasped the specific methods to aid visually impaired students after a series of trial-and-error attempts with David and Chris, the first blind students he worked with. “I have a one-on-one with a blind student in PE called Pauline. Growing up, she never had a person like me with her who could play sports so she’s learning all over again how to do things the right way,” Lewis said. “That’s a challenge for me, and a question came up: ‘Are you that good of a coach?’” Comprehending the strong bonds he has forged with family and friends reaffirmed Lewis’s purpose in what he sees as a long-term profession. Lewis’ mother passed away when he was only 10 years old, and the passing away of close friends braced Lewis for the uncertainty he has long felt about the future. “Your life flashes before you and you don’t understand the value of others until it’s too late,” said Lewis, a father of two. “A

NFL play: Lewis is picked for the draft, sent to New Orleans

NCAA play:

Student referees learn life lessons AZADEH RONGERE news editor

The common saying, “Don’t hate the game, don’t hate the player, hate the ref,” belittles the pressure-stricken decisions each referee has to make every game. Although most aggressive and competitive athletes do not understand the confidence needed to be a referee, freshman Stephanie Magellan and junior Matt Workman are able to not only handle the stress as referees, but also they apply the skills they learned to their academic and athletic lives. Since Magellan’s father is incredibly sports-oriented, he naturally pushed her to be athletic and encouraged her to get her referee license at the young age of 11. “My dad signed me up [to be a referee]. I didn’t really have a choice, but after I learned how to ref and I figured out its really easy,” Magellan said. However, with a generous payment of $30 per game to be an assistant referee, Magellan is grateful for her father’s initial unwanted push to ref soccer games. Since refereeing also gets her in shape, Magellan thrives as a speedy offensive position on the varsity soccer team and a talented player for the De Anza Force club team. “I have become a better soccer play-

JASON CHEN

er because I am able to think like a referee and play the way they would want a player to play,” Magellan said. Another talented athlete, Workman umpired boys aged 12 and under for the Tri-City Little League. Unlike how refereeing ameliorated Magellan’s soccer moves, umpiring did not improve Workman’s baseball performance. However, the payday was as rewarding as Magellan’s since he collected a large sum of $400 from one spring season. After their experiences, Magellan and Workman now appreciate referees even more with their abilities to think quickly, make unbiased decisions and reject all pressures from spectators. As students, they can trust their instincts, think on their feet and build their confidence when they participate in class discussions and debates or write in-class essays. Also, if they make mistakes, they are able to primarily forgive themselves and then find an efficient solution rather than mourn over a bad grade. “I definitely respect refs more because I now realize that it is very hard to ref and that you have to pay attention to everything that’s going on around you. It helped me realize that refs are just humans too,” Workman said.

JASON CHEN

THE PROSPECTOR

MARCH 2, 2012

Bobs lead volleyball teams to victory HONG SUH lifestyles assistant

ALL PHOTOS BY JASON CHEN

One Bob as a coach could have sufficed for one average volleyball team. But two Bobs made room for two excellent teams at the top of their leagues. There were two Bobs in the gym at 8:30 p.m. during volleyball tryouts — Bob one working with the girls’ club team and Bob two with the varsity boys’ team. The Bobs, Robert Huff (Bob one) and Robert Riland (Bob two), are two distinct entities with different job descriptions. But when it comes to volleyball, they work as one powerful and effective figure. The Bobs are a close duo, and their synergy on the court is evident. Each takes on a different responsibility in player training to maximize their players’ potential. “Bob [Riland] handles a lot of the conditioning and I handle a lot of the individual training,” Huff said. Even off the court, the Bobs are together. Both work at a company called SST Group Inc., where Riland is the owner and Huff works in customer support. This contrasts with their roles in volleyball coaching, where Huff is the head coach and Riland is the assistant. All the same, their relative positions have no effect on their interactions. They know each other too

The PlayerS’ Feedback

“

“They really let you learn from your mistakes and improve as a player. Our team has seen unprecedented growth over the course of 4 years and this growth is because of their coaching.” - senior Michael Chu

well for that. “We spend way too much time together,” Riland said. In recent years, the Bobs have been putting much of their efforts into the new boys’ volleyball team. The Bobs had been pushing for a boys’ team for many years, and in the spring of 2008, the boys’ volleyball league finally asked the school to join. An additional team required much more work but was equally rewarding. “When you double the team, it’s triple the work,” Huff said. “It was a lot more work but that’s the way it is. It’s fun.” That year, the boys’ team did not win a single match and took last place in its league. Since their humble beginnings, the Bobs and the boys’ team have been relentless in their ascent to the top of the league. “The first year, for sure, the boys didn’t win a match. They came from not winning anything to tying for second in league two years in a row,” Huff said. The girls’ team has been more stable. “The girls team won leagues last year. And then the year before that, they tied for second in league,” Huff said. The Bobs’ dual friendly approach to coaching has allowed for a solid foundation for both the girls’ and the boys’ volleyball teams.

“

They’re always thinking of things to do after practice. we go out to dinner a lot as a team. they go the extra step in teaching us, they work with us more than most coaches do, and they do more one on one sessions.” - junior Matthew Workman

I think their coaching style is easygoing, but very effective. The scrimmaging during practices, their one-on-one coaching, and their calmness helps us out significantly.” - junior Akash Anavarathan

FLIP SIDE JASON CHEN

MARCH 2, 2012

FEBRUARY IN PHOTOS FEBRUARY IN PHOTOS JASON CHEN

JASON CHEN

JESSE ZHOU

AMICK BOWL | Senior Jenn Amick rushes past a defensive player during the Powderpuff championship game against the freshmen. BURRITO OF AWESOMENESS | Scott Backovich, worldwide youth motivational speaker, encourages students to actively work to reach out to others during a school assembly. BASKETBAWWW | Senior Ashley Park, MVP of the winter season, walks down the gauntlet on varsity basketball Senior Night. SEREÑADE | Senior Devin Williams and the men’s choir sing a rendition of Do Wah Diddy Diddy to science teacher Allannnah Ujifusa during Valentine’s Day serenades.

STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Sunwoo

Jeong

Bruce Cheung mobilizes students against social justice issues MADHURI SATHISH copy editor

In the midst of the already unique blend of community service advocates on campus, chemistry teacher Bruce Cheung stands out as a modern-day abolitionist: He incorporates a touch of reality into the standard curriculum that will perhaps inspire his students to tackle such social justice issues as human trafficking. Cheung initially became interested in the issue of human trafficking in 2010, after viewing Fair Trade Pictures’ documentary “Call + Response.” The documentary takes a modern stance on the issue by combining facts and victims’ experiences with performances by well-known artists who have used music to combat human trafficking. On Feb. 10, Cheung aided the Red Cross and United Nations Clubs in hosting a showing of the documentary in order to launch a campaign on campus against human trafficking. “I wanted people to kind of open their eyes to the world around them ... because when you step out into the world, these are things you can choose to deny and choose to ignore or you can face it head on. I feel like if my students feel like they’re learning a little bit more about the world, then hey, that’s my goal accomplished,” Cheung said. Since becoming involved with the issue of human trafficking, Cheung has joined several other individuals in a grassroots effort known as the Highway Anti-Slavery Group. Instead of joining a corporate organization, they launched their own group to discuss recent developments and possible solutions. Cheung has created a balance between his work as a teacher and abolitionist by giving his students the opportunity to participate in the effort as well. Recently, he had his students bring in supply donations for an organization called Freedom House, which, through a shelter at an undisclosed location, provides education and assistance for adult women who are survivors of human trafficking. Said Cheung, “I was meeting with the Executive Direc-

tor of an organization called the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition ... we were having coffee one afternoon, and we were talking about how to incorporate, or how to involve students in education in promoting this issue.” Despite the fact that human trafficking is a dense issue with frequent developments, Cheung hopes that his students and others in the community realize that it is a problem they can realistically help eliminate. “If they can just do one thing, and if they can do it well and use their talents, use their gifts, to accomplish a certain task, and whether it be by informing somebody or helping out with a certain organization, I feel like that in and of itself is a success.” Cheung believes that after the turnout at the “Call + Response” showing last month, the school is in a suitable position to launch its own efforts to battle human trafficking. “It’s an issue that really unites all fronts. It’s very bipartisan, it’s crosscultural, it’s interfaith ... and ultimately at the root of all the numbers are human beings who are suffering actual loss… how can we ignore it and just pretend like it doesn’t exist?” JASON CHEN

UPCOMING EVENTS Challenge Day Tue, March 6

Choir Masterworks Concert Wed, March 7 (7 p.m.)

CAHSEE Tue and Wed, March 13 and 14

Spring Sports R ally Fri, March 16

First Day of Spring Tue, March 20

International Soccer Week Mon, March 19 - Fri, March 23

International Week Mon, March 26 - Fri, March 30

Spring Musical: “Th e Wiz” Fri and Sat, March 30 and 31

CHRIS CAI

TRUTH & WISDOM

Around 4 million tons of debris from the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami in Japan are currently in the Pacific Ocean and are expected to reach America’s shores in 2013.

T.J. Lane, a seventeen-year-old student at Chardon High School in Chardon, Ohio, randomly fired 10 shots at school on Feb. 27, killing three and seriously injuring two.

JASON CHEN

Lett-uce be veggie

At night when no one is watching, I fill my bathtub with gravy and pretend that I am a piece of Thanksgiving turkey. My love for meat know no bounds. However, my love for Journalism always prevails and for its sake, I decided to take on the challenge of cutting meat out of my life. For a period of 24 days, I took on the challenge of going vegetarian and then vegan. Upon telling one of my friends that I would take on this challenge, she said, “But you’re Korean! Eating meat is in your genes!” I responded with a laugh but later realized that in fact, she had spoken the truth. On the very first day of the challenge, I came back from school only to see a mountain of Korean barbecue on my kitchen counter. For dinner on the first day of vegetarianism, my parents were grilling barbecue in front of me while I was nibbling on my greens and tofu. I felt the tears of despair well up in my eyes. No matter how much I ate, I was never full. At home I would make multiple trips to the fridge, hoping that by some miracle, there would be something I could eat that hadn’t been there on my previous trip. At school, I realized that there was just about nothing to eat in the cafeteria. The only exception was the cheese pizza with the rubbery cheese. I finally felt the pain of the vegetarians at our school and how limited their options for lunch were. On day seven, my friends decided to go eat at Hometown Buffet, homeland of obesity and heart attacks. 95 percent of the dishes served there included meat. You could name any type of potato, all the way from baked to mashed, and I can guarantee you, I ate it that day. The salad corner became my new best friend. By this time, my craving for meat was at its peak. I didn’t even miss meat itself but the chewy texture of meat, something that cannot be replaced by any other food. No, scratch that. Not even the texture, but the juices of the meat that soaked into hamburger buns. Despite the disappointments throughout, there were a lot of benefits. As an individual who absolutely loves sleep, I was able to feel my body generate more energy and I no longer needed to nap daily. I also gained a higher tolerance for anger and am now able to keep a better composure during frustrating situations. Not only has this experiment reinforced my patience, but also it has allowed me to realize how much meat I had been consuming in the past. Although I absolutely love food, having eaten foods from bug larvae in Korea to guinea pigs in Peru (which are actually quite delicious), this experience has given me a more conscious mindset of what I eat and how much of the food I am eating. Maybe the motivation for this experiment was being able to see a more defined six-pack come out of that last layer of fat that is generally impossible to lose, or the fact that some of the girls to whom I was attracted were vegetarians themselves. No matter what the reason was, this 24-day period was definitely a life-changing experience; I plan to continue with this healthier and semi-vegetarian diet as I can definitely see myself as being healthier and happier.