M O N DAY, M AY 1, 2017 Arranged marriages: Beyond Love at First sight
FEATURES pages 6 & 7
VOLUME 58 NO. 7
OPINIONS pages 4 & 5
Cultural Instruments
FEATURES pages 6 & 7
FEATURES pages 6 & 7
Gymnastics
FEATURES pages 6 & 7 EDWARD HSU
SPORTS pages 10 & 11
I’m weird. We all are.
EDWARD HSU
EDWARD HSU
FLIPSIDE page 12
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FUHSD CONSIDERS LATER SCHOOL DAY START TIMES XINYI ZHANG news assistant
GENE KIM copy editor
CHS YEARBOOK FINALIST FOR PACEMAKER AWARD ALLISON LO copy editor
On April 8, 2017, the Cupertino Nugget staff received the NSPA Pacemaker finalist award for their 2015-2016 yearbook at the National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle, Washington. The convention is sponsored semi-annually by the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association. The National Pacemaker Awards are some of the most prestigious awards for precollegiate student journalism. Presented by the NSPA, the National Student Press Association, the Pacemaker Awards recognize publications in five categories — online, newspaper, yearbook, magazine and broadcast — based on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership, design, photography and graphics.
Pacemaker, continued on page 3
The proposal for a later start to the school day is a recurring topic among FUHSD staff and students. Since its introduction a few years ago, in light of recent demands from the district office for the FUHSD schools to standardize their schedules, teachers of the district will vote in May for two separate schedules, both of which offer later starts. In terms of structure, one schedule is identical to the status quo while the other plans for the addition of two more block days in the week. The start of the school day could be delayed up to an hour. Nonetheless, with so many variables to take into account, students have different visions about what the ideal course of action should be, as revealed in a district-wide student survey conducted in early April. Currently, each high school in the district has a different schedule, which is a source of conflict for students interested in taking off-campus electives. However, the district’s primary objective is to reduce student stress levels and increase the amount of sleep students receive. 61% of students district-wide reported that they sleep between 10:30 p.m. and 12:00 a.m on the April survey. The majority of the remaining students reported that they sleep past 12:00 a.m. Proposers of the new schedule point out that according to pediatricians, an average teenager requires 8-9 hours of sleep daily, yet many in the district fall short. Said CHS principal Kami Tomberlain, “I hope that creating a new schedule will allow us to do a better job of responding to student needs. It’s important to me that students on campus get a great education while being healthy and strong.” Teachers will also consider the addition of a third tutorial to a regular school week because the
Late Start, continued on page 2
ROBOTICS FRC TEAM ADVANCES TO WORLDS ETHAN QI news assistant
From March 22-25, Cupertino High School’s FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 2473, “The Goldstrikers” competed at UC Davis for a spot at the Worlds competition to be held in Houston, Texas. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), is a nonprofit charity dedicated to inspiring students to “pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.” In all robotics competitions, Groups of 20-30 students are presented a challenge of building robots to perform prescribed tasks, all while building valuable skills in cooperation, teamwork, and engineering. This year’s theme is “Steamworks,” a harken back to “an era in which technology relied on steam power to prepare their airships for the ultimate long distance race.” The competition starts at the regional level, with competitors advancing to the championship Worlds competition if they can complete said objectives better and faster than their competitors. The Goldstrikers first competed at the Silicon Valley Regional competition, eventually proceeding to elimination rounds in alliance with two other teams, and finally qualifying for the 2017 First Championships. Said senior and team captain Rucha Patki, “[When the results were announced] we were all on our feet hugging, laughing, and crying. I haven’t experienced anything so overwhelming, and I’m so grateful to have such a loving, dedicated team. We worked so hard to make this happen, and it was an amazing experience to realize that all of our effort had paid off. This experience has been so much fun, and I can’t thank the club enough for all the incredible experiences I’ve had and the skills I’ve gained.” In addition to qualifying, NASA also awarded them the Engineering Inspiration Award, along with $5,000 in prize money. The extra money went to covering part of the necessary expenses for their traveling to Houston, but with such a big, unexpected prospect on the horizon, they would need more funding. “Preparing to go to Houston has been a super hectic process. We needed to figure out flights, hotels, food, and most importantly sponsoring. Winning the Engineering Inspiration Award gave
ROBOTICS | Cupertino High School’s Robotics team poses for a picture at their competition
us $5,000, but this only covered the registration fee. In order to raise more, we had to contact our sponsors and cold call other companies and see what kind of support we could get,” said Patki. Being the first time in Cupertino history a robotics team has qualified to the Worlds competition, The Goldstrikers hope to pave the way for future teams hailing under the Cupertino flag. Said robotics member junior Atul Raghunathan, “Our motto is ‘Building people, Building robots.’ We hold dearly the belief that success doesn’t come through power and fear but a mutual respect and a sense of gracious professionalism. Our hope is to leave a legacy to those entering STEM that success can be achieved through graciousness towards others and to impart a certain level of humanity to all those who compete.”
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News The Prospector
STAFF 2016-2017
The Prospector
May 1, 2017
2017 National French Election Begins SAAGAR SANGHAVI online editor
Cupertino High School Established 1958 Vol LVIII, No. 7 | 2017 editors-in-chief amy zeng catherine seok news editor santosh muralidaran opinions editor leo rassieur features editor justine qiu lifestyles editor nico chilla sports editor christina shao flip side editor michelle ma copy editors allison lo gene kim jenn zaratan photo editors edward hsu online editors caroline gee saagar sanghavi business manager neerali shah
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aishwarya laddha esha radhakrishnan
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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
France’s upcoming election on May 7 will be the first in years that could dramatically alter the future of the nation, as well as leave lasting effects on the European Union. French citizens report having a more negative outlook on life than most of their European counterparts. Much of the country’s frustration stems from the lack of any real change in the past few decades—the economy has been stagnant and unemployment rates are high. Recent terrorist attacks have also increased hostility towards French Muslims and furthered racial tensions. The current regime has done little to support its citizens, and as
a result, the population has made it clear that they want major change this election. Over 11 candidates ran in the first round, which took place on April 23rd and narrowed the choice down to two polar opposite front-runners: Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader of the National Liberation Front, and Emmanuel Macron, a liberal who attracts young voters. Both have drastically different approaches to solving France’s problems. There was an 87% voter turnout the first round of the election. “Marine Le Pen is more from the right side, what we would consider a Republican. [Many] do not like her,” senior Lucie Delulue, an international student from France, said. “If Le Pen is elected, it’s going to be somewhat messed up, because she wants to get out of the European Union. I think the process would require a referendum, but if France
votes for [Le Pen], I think they would want to leave the EU.” Macron, on the other hand, is pro-EU and strongly pushes for a globalized free enterprise to rebuild the economy. “I think that people who live in rural areas where there is not as much diversity are going to vote more for the right side,” Delulue said. “It’s because of the sentiment regarding refugees. My mother works for a Muslim manager here [in the US], and my grandparents [in France] would probably be outraged if they found out about this. There’s definitely a lot of anti-Muslim sentiment among the older generation.” Though a close race, the outcome of this election will undoubtedly shape the fate of France and the European Union as a whole.
CHS inaugurates “Stress Less Day” Prior to Many Scheduled AP Exams JENN ZARATAN copy editor
ASB has created what could potentially be a new tradition for Tino; “Stress Less Day” took place last Friday, April 21 as a day of stress-relief and relative relaxation for students, an opportune time as AP testing approaches. The event was combined with Springfest, an after-school festival that is also fairly new, with this being the second year since its inception. At the end of the morning announcements, ASB described the activities available before leading breathing exercises over the intercom. While ASB promoted Springfest through social media and banners strung along the hallways, this was the first students officially heard about Stress Less Day from the school itself. As part of the festivities, students arrived on campus to find sticky notes lined across the hallway lockers, with encouraging taglines written on each. From second to fifth period, athletic trainer Rochelle Collinwood also taught yoga and meditation sessions in the gym for anyone who wished to attend, and ASB students handed out free Otter
Pops at lunch. The main component of Stress Less Day, however, was in the hands of teachers; they were encouraged, though not required, to alter their agendas to be lighter or less stress-inducing for the day. Many did choose to oblige and modified their plans, opting to postpone quizzes, play movies, create unconventional activities, review for tests or give a free period to work. “I think that all teachers were mindful of it and incorporated what they could to make it less stressful,” said math teacher Stacey Jaehnig. “For the AP curriculum, teachers probably struggled a little bit more knowing that AP exams are right around the corner. You couldn’t do [Stress Less Day] everyday, but [for the long term], I think we all try to read into what students are feeling and try to accommodate that when we can. There’s ways to improve the amount of stress students are under, but it’s going to take everyone actively coming to the table.” Although the concept is completely new to
Cupertino, events similar to Stress Less Day are regular traditions for some schools in the district. Intradistrict Council Commissioner Julie Huang said that she was inspired by Monta Vista and Lynbrook after hearing about the idea from other IDC Commissioners. The idea of therapy dogs or animals circulated as a rumor among students, but due to scheduling issues and a tight timeline, was unable to become a reality this year. Said junior Olivia Chong, “It was great, but it was idealistic — for me, I’m just moving all of the stress and work to the next week. There’s always going to be stress in high school. We’re going to have to take hard classes and challenge ourselves. In the end, there’s not much the administration can do; it’s mostly what you can do for yourself.”
Late Start
continued from page 1 administration believes that many students appreciate time to complete assignments during school hours. Another potential change includes a second teacher collaboration day, which would give teachers the opportunity to meet more frequently to plan and discuss. These meetings would be accompanied by a late start for students, although not quite as considerable as the current one on Wednesday. Said CHS math teacher Blake Anderson, “More time to speak with colleagues and align our teaching schedules is definitely a plus. There are more chances to make sure the students, tests and projects are where they need to be.” However, there are several student concerns about the proposed bell schedules. As there is a requirement for the number of hours in a school year, the end of the school day has to be shifted back to make up for lost time from both the late start and possibly the additional tutorial and conference periods. This is an issue for students who play on sports teams or are engaged in after-school clubs and practices. “If [swim] practice was right after school… a later start would mean I have less time to do homework before practice, which could make [the rest of the day] a little more difficult,” sophomore Pratheek Sarma said. Others, like junior Abtin Barzin, believe that it is firmly the student’s responsibility to alter their own schedule for their well-being, not the district’s. Said Barzin, “I do not believe making school start later is the solution to reducing student stress…
Students who complain about not having enough sleep should solve the problem themselves, and students who are not willing to fix their problem would just sleep later than usual.”
Any kind of change is hard; we build our lives around what we know, so changing the school day [would lead] to adjustments all around.” - Kami Tomberlain, CHS principal
The survey reflects student disparity. 32.7% of students said they would not tolerate if the day was moved back and 31% were indifferent. When asked whether to cut time from brunch or lunch instead (instead of ending the day later), 48.1% said they would rather have the day end later. In the end, however, propositions pertaining to school scheduling as such can only be implemented with majority teacher vote. With so many student opinions, Tomberlain says it is still hard to tell what the outcome may be; compromises are likely, and only minor changes would take effect and the time specifics of the two schedules are subject to change. Nonetheless, One thing is certain: whatever comes to CHS will be a hurdle for everyone fond of the current schedule. “Any kind of change is hard; we build our lives around what we know, so changing the school day [will lead] to adjustments all around,” Tomberlain said.
BRIEFS NEWS
News
The Prospector
May 1, 2017
On Sunday, April 9th, videos showing the violent removal of a United Airlines passenger caused a social media uproar. The man, David Dao, was forced off the plane because several United Airlines employees needed the space on the flight. Dao was injured in the process of being dragged off of the plane and plans on suing the airline.
The weekly farmer’s market that was previously held in the Vallco Shopping Center parking lot relocated to Creekside Park at the beginning of the month. The reopening was delayed for three weeks as the organizers of the market coordinated parking. The farmer’s market is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday. A new CUSD sex ed curriculum for middle schoolers failed
to pass after facing strong opposition from parents, who argued that the lessons were too explicit and exposed students to sexual content too early on. The district is at a standstill since the updated curriculum is required by California legislature, and they intend to discuss the issue further in May. The March for Science took place on Earth Day, April 22 with rallies occurring in more than 600 cities. The goals of the march were to champion science as a vital component of society and urge current government leaders to enact policies that will ensure the lasting impact and application of science in our society today. In the beginning of the month, there was an attack in Syria suspected of involving illegal chemical weapons. Dozens of civilians were killed and hundreds more injured. Later inves-
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tigations found that those who were affected in the attack showed definite signs of exposure to chemical weapons, a contrast to the Syrian government’s statement that they had not used chemical substances as a weapon. Outraged, Donald Trump then initiated an attack on Syria to condemn Bashar al-Assad and his actions and weaken his authority. This angered Putin, a long-time ally of Assad, potentially putting Trump and Putin’s previously strong relations in jeopardy. North Korea attempted a missile launch that quickly failed, leading to retaliation from the US and the Trump administration in the form of an American aircraft carrier traveling to North Korea in order to prevent any potential of nuclear war. COMPILED BY AMY ZENG
Pacemaker
continued from page 1 The 2016 Nugget yearbook, titled “From the Inside Out,” was one of 420 entries for the Yearbook Pacemaker. Two panels of judges conducted evaluations at the judging site in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where “From the Inside Out” and 69 other yearbooks were nominated for the award. This was the Nugget’s fourth nomination for the NSPA Yearbook Pacemaker award and its first nomination under adviser Carley Stavis and editor-in-chief and senior Alicia Lee. Said Lee, “I was surprised when we received the nomination because personally, I was [dissatisfied] by the yearbook last year. There was so much more we could have done, so this
year we tried to fix a lot of things. But I’m still glad it received recognition as a Pacemaker finalist.” “I was a bit surprised [at the nomination], but I would say that it reflects the work we put into the yearbook,” assistant editor-in-chief and junior Anton Samoylov said. “We had an unusually novice staff, since many of our staff members graduated the year before. Our staff was very new, and we also had our PC lab taken away, so [putting together the yearbook] was challenging.” After attending a summer yearbook camp, the Nugget staff made significant changes to its brainstorming approach and concept development. In previous years, the yearbook was divided into five sections: academics, people, athletics, student life and clubs/baby ads/index. However, after deciding on a new theme, the staff split the book into two sections, “all in” and “all out.” “All out” included aspects of school life often shown to outsiders, such as athletics, while “all in” included aspects from within the school, such as academics and people’s experiences themselves. Said Lee, “Yearbook is always at the back of my mind because it’s such a big part of my activities — I think if you’re really focused on something, ideas will always come to you and help you think about what you can do [in the future].”
YEARBOOK | Editors and Advisor pose with the Pacemaker Finalist Award EDWARD HSU
Opinions 4 Adult Themes in Kids’ TV Shows May 1, 2017
EXPOSURE TO ASPECTS OF MENTAL HEALTH, SEXUALITY AND THE LAW
PRO
SANTOSH MURALIDARAN
ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN
news editor
features assistant
Including controversial scenes in children’s media, such as the depiction of LGBTQ+ relationships, mental illnesses or the law has long been a source of conflict among parents and educators. In 2014, Disney Channel’s Good Luck Charlie aired a lesbian married couple with a young adopted daughter, with whom one of the cast’s characters, Charlie, was friends. Disney also introduced both a transgender character and a character with autism on Sesame Street this year. Additionally, a myriad of cartoon characters who suffer from mental illnesses is present in their films. Captain Hook in Peter Pan has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). During Hook’s childhood, his hand was eaten by a crocodile who had swallowed a clock; thus, the noise of a clock causes him great pain. Such characters testify to the many children’s shows that are diverting from an archetypical cast — characters who deal with simplified or fairy-tale problems rather than realworld issues. Children’s programs are often the ones that bear the most criticism due to their youth audiences. Some argue are too young to be exposed to sexuality in media. Having ostracized such people from television and the media, we now have a new opportunity for kids’ networks to freely portray LGBTQ+ characters and those with mental health issues, paving the way for a generation of tolerant and considerate children. As adolescents advance toward adulthood, their perspective on relationships develop considerably. Often, their feelings and personal philosophies are inevitably governed, to a large extent, by the media: television, the Internet, social media and film. Thus, when the images they see and scenes they watch are centered around solely heterosexual characters and relationships, their worldview becomes skewed and inaccurate. This preserves children’s fragmentary view of the world and exposes them to a version of humanity that is in no way superior to others. LGBTQ+ humans certainly exist throughout society, so it is vital that children are familiar with them at a young age, rather than potentially engage in discrimination based on existing prejudice and stereotypes. Those enduring through mental illnesses additionally deserve the recognition of children and growing teens. David Andersons, an expert on schools and mental health at the Child Mind Institute, states that “kids who suffer from mental health disorders… inevitably miss out on opportunities for learning and building relationships.” Indiana University reported that when we watch empathetic storylines addressing mental illnesses, we tend to pay closer attention to the film and develop sympathy rather than reinforcing problematic stigmas. As such, with implementations of such scenes in children’s TV shows and movies, the prejudices surrounding mentally ill people will steadily disappear. The same applies to crime. For instance, Sesame Street now includes a muppet named Alex who has an incarcerated father. This depiction is an opportunity for parents to inform their children about the complexities of the law and the negative consequences of breaking it — a rather mature topic for the audience that Sesame Street targets, yet clearly vital. It is clear that including sophisticated concepts in media is crucial for children’s development as thinking students. Children deserve the independence and responsibility to form their own opinions based on a multitude of sources, the most important of which being the media. Without this opportunity present in television, children will have nothing but their parents’ experiences to build off of, and society cannot progress to more tolerant views.
CON
Sesame Street recently featured a new muppet, Alex, a child with an incarcerated parent intended to promote discussions pertinent to the law. While the popular children’s show has received favorable reviews for their inclusion of sensitive issues, there is a reason why Alex will not be reappearing as a series regular and his scenes will no longer be aired. As part of television networks catering to a diverse audience, children’s shows generally steer clear of delicate issues such as mental illness, sexuality and incarceration, for a number of sensible reasons. Attempting to incorporate serious topics into televised shows geared towards grade schoolers is an endeavor that is easier said than done. Children do not possess the emotional facilities or foundation to extrapolate and build their understanding of such mature themes. One cannot assume a kindergartener who has barely begun learning how to read is able to grasp the complexities of self-discovery. Critical thinking and analytical decision making, prerequisites for being able to digest such dense matters, are skills that schools instill throughout the education process — a journey that lasts far longer than the second grade. In addition, the standard format of television episodes renders the possibility of deep comprehension virtually impossible. Screenwriters are forced to introduce a difficult topic, orchestrate a captivating plot and then quickly resolve the central problem, all in a short period of twenty to thirty minutes. These ventures to ‘normalize’ LGBTQ+ individuals and people with mental health issues on TV shows often fail, instead illustrate idealized versions of them. Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of Glaad, a media monitoring organization, states, “The outdated humour and stereotypes [utilized by] large Hollywood studios may be doing more harm than good when it comes to worldwide understanding of the LGBT community.” The resulting caricatures do not portray the reality of the very people that shows aim at depicting. It would be better for parents to accurately educate their kids rather than having these televised shows paint a fantasized version of these issues which resolve themselves in half an hour. As the guardians of their children, adults play a distinctly important role as a source of influence, a role that pervades even the media. When it comes to introducing a complex issue, clarification is crucial. Television shows tailored towards children should take care to avoid imposing overwhelming or conflicting beliefs upon their audience. Otherwise, any attempt by parents to dispel these views will only be dismissed as a second-hand opinion by children. Given a clean slate, active dialogue between an adult and child will result in the emergence of new found insights and mutual understanding. Concerns can be addressed, questions answered, misinformation corrected, and enhanced relationships formed. These discussions teach children to scrutinize their own values and the values of others. The entertainment industry holds the burden of representing the spectrum of diversity to which the world hosts. While the idea of displaying minorities in kids’ media is a pleasant one, the feasibility of the medium holds it back. The portrayal of the aforementioned subjects is necessary, but not for an audience which would require oversimplification. Although the intention of these shows is benevolent, their actual impact is far from ideal. Instead, we should include these topics in television programs focused toward an older demographic, allowing them to in turn raise the following generation with acceptance and fortitude.
TOXIC RHETORIC IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ANSHUL RAJWANSHI opinions assistant
In recent years, popular culture among millennials has skewed toward more graphic themes. Particularly, popular artists now often include themes of drugs and violence in their music videos and lyrics. This trend is problematic, as it normalizes offensive stereotypes and violence among youth. To start with, it is important to acknowledge that rap music has a history of telling the story of its artists, who may have been involved in violence, drugs, and crime. In no way should we discredit the experiences and stories of these artists and the value of sharing them with an audience. Rap culture has developed as a way to inform upper-class America of the circumstances of another side of the nation. This is an incredibly powerful perspective. The problem with this mentality occurs when it is interpreted by others. An excellent example of how these isolated occurrences of problematic language generate prejudice is during the presidential election. Then-candidate Donald Trump consistently spoke of the epidemic of drugs as well as of the inner cities and how they have been affecting African-Americans. While it is not certain from where the President received these ideas, these stories can often be misconstrued to negatively affect the image of the African-American community. This is dangerous as it builds negative stereotypes which perpetuate actual violence, racism and the violation of human rights. It is crucial that artists do not normalize drug culture and instead adopt a narrative that shows drugs as a negative influence on youth, rather than something to admire. Many rap music
videos portray artists using drugs while surrounded by wealth. This conjures the idea that drugs are synonymous with a good lifestyle, power and money. This image is counter to what impressionable youth should be seeing from these artists. Instead, drugs should be shown as what they truly are: dangerous, deadly, and destructive. Musical artists are role models to many young children, and it is important that they take that responsibility seriously. While drug culture is not synonymous with African-American culture, there is a preponderance of evidence that drug culture disproportionately affects African-Americans through both fatalities and violence, as well as incarceration in the federal and state prison systems. If artists aim to not only enrich themselves but also their communities, it is important that they are responsible with how they portray drug culture. There has also been a growing discussion on domestic violence, and that discussion has spread to music. No one can argue that domestic violence is justified, and artists have made that clear in their work. The portrayal of domestic violence can serve as an example as to how artists should portray drug culture and violence. It is possible to have an open discussion on the experiences of drug culture while also discouraging drug abuse. Musicians not only have a responsibility as artists but also as public icons. Reckless actions by artists such as indulging in drug culture, committing violence or flaunting weapons are also dangerous, as they lead teenagers to associate drugs and violence with fame and wealth. Musicians should show that they have earned their fame by leaving behind their tumultuous pasts of drugs, violence, and gang behavior. This is their chance to help elevate the image of their communities and to positively affect the youth. It is reckless, immature, dangerous, and irresponsible to perpetuate an overtly negative culture which only serves to undermine growth and continue a vicious cycle of poverty and violence.
Opinions
The Prospector
May 1, 2017
5
Beyond “Love at First Sight”
WHY ARRANGED MARRIAGES STILL HAVE A PLACE IN THE MODERN WORLD
AISHWARYA LADDHA features assistant
Compared to how it was one hundred years ago to how it is today, the marriage landscape is drastically different. In modern society, having an arranged marriage rings a bell of desperation, almost as if someone is making a last grasp at finding a spouse and settling down. But the way arranged marriages are conducted are not a one size fit all occurrence. Cultural background, familial influence, lifestyle choices and personal preference all play a role in the extent to which a marriage is “arranged.” Arranged marriages lie on a spectrum in terms of how much families and the individuals involved have a say. It is important to note, however, that there is a fine line between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage — a marriage in which an individual’s choice is completely lost. A typical modern process of an arranged marriage may look something like this: A boy’s family will meet with a girl’s family through some common relation or recommendation, and the boy and girl will chat and get to know each other (think speed dating) and the families will eat and chat. If both partie, including the potential spouses, are pleased, the relation will progress to a stage of quasi-supervised dating, followed by engagement and possibly marriage. However, if one or both parties are disgruntled, nothing happens and the process restarts.
But through the lens of modern romance and individuality, we often view arranged marriages as oppressive and desperate. In reality, there are several overlooked advantages to an arranged marriage. Marriage is an intimate commitment to spend the rest of one’s life with a partner. As such, knowing and understanding your partner for a long time before getting married can be crucial and comforting for some while making the right decision. However, as the saying goes, “love is blinding” It is a phrase we have all heard, yet ironically ignore once we fall in love. In the arranged marriage process, individuals are forced to evaluate and understand themselves before trying to find a spouse. Individuals must know exactly what they want out of life, what they want to do with their life, and what you expect out of a partner. In a conventional marriage, we often overlook the bad and wrong. compromising our own values in exchange for an idealized, fairy-tale relationship. Arranged marriages are distinct in that there is no pretense of finding the perfect match in one try. On the contrary, both families understand that there will be difficulties, and that love has to be nurtured with time and great care. With most conventional marriages, almost everything revolves around the feelings of the two individuals involved. However, arranged marriages are a spectrum between familial and individual involvement. With a certain degree of outside opinion from loved ones, the decision-making process gains clarity and realism — two qualities sorely needed in modern
53.25%
PERCENTAGE OF MARRIAGES AROUND THE WORLD THAT ARE ARRANGED
relationships. Moreover, all successful relationships and marriages require work from both parties. With arranged marriages, you may be starting a life with someone you barely even know. Thus, every step of the relationship is a commitment to making the relationship work, acknowledging that it will not be spectacular from the very beginning. This commitment is often lost or absent in a marriage based on love because it may feel like you already know each other so well and everything seems so perfect that it perpetuates the idea that there is no need to work on making anything better. That is why, in an arranged marriage, individuals are less likely to give up when the going gets tough; the global divorce rate for arranged marriages is only 6.3%. India is among the top few countries with high arranged marriage rates, and statistically, people in the United States are five times more likely to be married three or more times than people in India are to be divorced just once. This resoundingly demonstrates the tremendous disparity in success between arranged marriages and those based on love. The lowest divorce rates in the world are in cultures with high rates of arranged marriages, and perhaps that may be partially attributed to outside pressure, but it is undeniable that there is much that modern relationships can take away from the workings and advantages of an arranged relationship. Marriage is rarely as picturesque as television and film make it out to be, so we should approach it with the maturity and wisdom it demands of us.
6.3%
DIVORCE RATE FOR ARRANGED MARRIAGES GLOBALLY
DIVORCE RATE FOR MARRIAGES IN THE UNITED STATES
26.4% SOURCES: STATISTIC BRAIN, TIME
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME A Solution for Globalization’s Growing Pains
LEO RASSIEUR opinions editor
If one were to ask a five-year-old what to do about poverty, the idea of giving everyone free money may come up. Although such a solution may seem childish at first glance, a guaranteed income for all citizens, regardless of wealth or employment status, may be just what the world needs to weather economic disparity in the years to come. Particularly, global leaders aim to use universal basic income (UBI) to adapt society to increasing globalization and automation of production. In addition to these rising threats, UBI would help to tackle the global issue of deepening economic inequality. Surprisingly, the concept of UBI is relatively new — in Europe, Finland was the first to test-run UBI for just 2,000 of its citizens, and Switzerland’s 2016 UBI proposal was struck down by a 78% majority. Critics have not stopped short of calling UBI a communist fantasy which would leave the population permanently dependent on the state, but there may be hope for it yet. With growing interest in Brazil, Canada, France and even Silicon Valley, UBI may emerge as a necessary remedy for society’s most worrisome obstacles. In order to understand what UBI is and why it might just work, Finland — the world’s testing site for the program — may provide some insight. The country’s 2,000-citizen experiment began in Jan. 2017, delivering monthly unconditional payments of €560 ($587) to each of the randomly selected recipients for two years. The catch is, the recipients had to have been receiving unemployment benefits or an income subsidy at the time, but if the program proves to be a success, the Finnish parliament hopes to expand it to include all adult citizens. To gauge that success, the government is using two criteria: labor stability and state welfare expenditures. Their thinking process is fairly straightforward: UBI would provide a financial cushion for both citizens at risk of becoming unemployed and for the unemployed to experiment with career tracks which are not immediately profitable. However, the former issue is of tantamount concern for many nations — increasing outsourcing and automated manufacturing are insidiously eating away at the job market. In the next five years, the World Economic Forum predicts that approximately
7.1 million jobs will be lost to automation. Looking several decades into the future, prospects are even more grim; technological advances could mean that many more job positions will become obsolete. UBI stands to make this transition far less painful, and streamlining or even supplanting Finland’s highly bureaucratic welfare state could end up saving taxpayers money in the long-run. This idea has garnered substantial support in other countries as well: France’s Benoit Hamon recently won the Socialist Party presidential primary, promising to establish a €750 ($810) UBI to be paid for by a tax on industrial robotics if elected. But there are some potential complications. A comprehensive application of UBI covering the entirety of a country’s adult population would carry a tremendous bill for taxpayers. Many also question whether the government should really be paying the unemployed as much as they pay a multi-billionaire. There is also the increasingly plausible likelihood that citizens will simply stop participating in the job market — in other words, “If you pay people to do nothing, they will do nothing,” as Charles Wyplosz, professor of economics at the Geneva Graduate Institute, puts it. Moreover, UBI would exacerbate the existing deterrence to generate income in countries where the rich are already heavily taxed to fund welfare. Nonetheless, supporters of UBI consider these drawbacks irrelevant to the context of the problems they intend to address. If automation and outsourcing are to be the pillars of the emerging global economy, then perhaps we should not worry about a lack of employees. So what is the end goal for UBI’s fiercest proponents? In the shortterm, the world stands to benefit from far less isolationist policy as nations become better adjusted to globalization. Reducing income inequality would also make life better for many people and stimulate the economy by encouraging spending at small businesses. As for the distant future, some supporters imagine a post-work society — that is, “fully automated luxury communism.” Although seemingly absurd, such a world would allow citizens to reap the rewards of automated production without needing to work. UBI would certainly propel society closer to this possibility, allowing manufacturers to phase out human labor without nearly as much public outcry. Whether or not that future sounds enticing (or even credible), the world will certainly be excited to see the results of Finland’s novel experiment with UBI.
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CHRISTINA SHAO sports editor
Since fourth grade, sophomore Tiffany Lui has been playing the erhu, a Chinese form of the violin. The instrument consists of two strings with a horsehair bow between the strings. Believed to have originated from northwestern China, it can be traced back to more than a thousand years ago. With a smooth, calming sound, the erhu provides an oriental twist to any form of music, whether cultural or contemporary. Its unique sound can be found throughout traditional Chinese music, pop, rock and jazz. Those who have played a musical instrument before know that it demands daily practice. In order to survive those arduous hours of practice, one has to have an interest and passion for the instrument. Lui started out playing the piano before she discovered the erhu, but the piano did not fit her interests. When she heard about the erhu, Lui decided to try it and immediately liked it, so much that she began playing it everyday. Though now her busy schedule prevents her from playing as often as she would like, Lui still enjoys performing her instrument, Other than practicing in her free time, she also plays the erhu in the California Youth Chinese Symphony, which performs mainly Asian music but sometimes also western music. Her symphony holds performances every May, and they also play at community services and other events. Even though Lui practices and performs the same way students who play traditional instruments, such as the violin or piano, do, she feels different playing a more unique instrument. Said Lui, “I think it’s a bit different, because there’s not as many people that play it, so it’s rare to find other people that play the same type of instrument.” However, her experience playing a cultural instrument has made a positive influence on her opinions on music. “[Playing a cultural instrument] has changed the way I hear music. I have more appreciation for other types of music,” Lui said. In the future, she plans on continuing to play the erhu in her free time for entertainment and personal enjoyment.
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ranjani ravindrabharathy - singing
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The idea of performing in front of an audience consisting of hundreds of people may come across as intimidating to most people. For sophomore Ranjani Ravindrabharathy, however, the experience brings much joy and excitement. From an early age, Ravindrabharathy immersed herself in Carnatic music, a form of South Indian classical music involving a principal vocalist accompanied by various instruments. Said Ravindrabharathy, “I’ve been singing since I was three years old. My dad and my brother both play the South Indian drums, which are usually played as an accompaniment for concerts. My mother loves music as well, so it has been an integral part in our lives.” Because Carnatic music plays a major role in Ravindrabharathy’s life, she dedicates hours of time improving her vocal technique and performance ability. “I practice every day, and I try to get at least an hour each day,” Ravindrabharathy said. “Some days I can practice for up to three hours, and on days when I have less homework, I get to spend more time practicing.” Ravindrabharathy’s practices often begin with simple practice exercises to warm up her vocal chords, then singing various beginner-level songs at different speeds. Once she has warmed up her voice, she then transitions to older songs she has performed in the past as well as any material she has recently learned from her singing class. One defining characteristic of Carnatic music is the Manodharma Sangeetam, which is a style of singing that requires the performer to improvise either lyrics or melodies. For Ravindrabharathy, Carnatic music gives several opportunities to perform in front of audiences around the nation. Recently, she has finished her sixth trip to the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, a music festival in Cleveland, Ohio. Ravindrabharathy has been competing at the music festival for four years, having successfully attained awards and honors in the process. Said Ravindrabharathy, “This year was different because the festival organizer offered to allow me to perform at the festival for an hour. My brother accompanied me with the drums while another kid from Virginia accompanied me with the Indian violin.” Overall, performing Carnatic music has allowed Ravindrabharathy to better understand herself through something she truly enjoys. “I love music in general,” Ravindrabharathy said. “I love that every class is a new experience, and I love performing because it constantly puts me in new situations that better help me improve.”
Features
The Prospector
May 1, 2017
PETER MARTIN opinions assistant
Cupertino High School has many musicians, from many cultural backgrounds. However, few play an instrument as unique as junior Kelly Choy. Said Choy, “I play a Chinese instrument called the pipa. You could compare it to a guitar or a lute. It is a little bigger than the guitar, but it’s not like super big like a cello. It is a wooden instrument, and part of the plucking instrument family. It has four strings and 12 to 26 frets. On your fingers, you wear these plastic fingernails so you can protect your actual nails when you’re playing.” Not only is the pipa a unique instrument, but Choy also says that each pipa is a unique physical work of art as well. “I feel like the pipa is unique because of the physical design of the instrument,” said Choy. “On the top of every pipa, there is a different symbol. There could be a dragon or a flower or a more abstract pattern. My pipa has a flower, and I really like the design. They also all have a different wood color, so the instrument also changes look depending on what wood it is made of. All of this helps every pipa look truly different.” Choy plays with an orchestra called the California Youth Chinese Symphony, or CYCS. The group performs with a combination of traditional Chinese and modern Western instruments. “We go to different places and events to share Chinese music,” said Choy. “We perform at libraries, volunteer events, senior centers, anywhere people want to us perform and share music. We perform for free because we want to let other people know about our program and also Chinese music. Choy has been playing the pipa for eight years, and it is not the first instrument she learned to play. Before playing the pipa Choy played the erhu, which she describes as a Chinese violin. However, she now considers [the pipa] to be her favorite. Said Choy, “It started because I really liked playing a certain song. I’ve been practicing that one I like for years. It’s a Chinese song called “Flower Festival.” There are a lot of different translations, but I just call it “Flower Festival” because it is easier to remember. That was the starting point from where I wanted to pursue pipa more than piano or any other instrument.”
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S I G H juni cha - gayageum MICHELLE MA flipside editor
Many students at Cupertino High play instruments such as the piano, violin, or flute. Junior Juni Cha plays the gayageum. Originating from Korea, the gayageum is a long, stringed instrument played across one’s lap. It has twelve strings that the player, traditionally female, plucks with her fingers. This instrument, once played for kings, is rich in history and culture. Said Cha, “The instrument has two holes, one at the bottom and one at the top that symbolize the sun and the moon.” Cha began learning to play the gayageum in fourth grade. Said Cha, “I really wanted to wear my traditional Korean dress more often, and since I play the piano, I wanted to play a different instrument. Also, my mom wanted to play it when she was younger, but she never had the chance.” The hour-long classes, held every Saturday at the Korean school at Cupertino High School, were conducted by a special instructor. Said Cha, “I wanted to learn it outside of class, but my teacher went to Korea so I couldn’t follow up on that. Currently, I don’t take any classes. I sometimes learn it on my own through Youtube, but the class fee would be expensive if I wanted to take classes.” While finding the resources to learn the gayageum is challenging, it is still an enriching experience for Cha. “I like the feeling of the strings, which is different from the piano. The performances are really fun. People are impressed by the traditional dress and instruments, and you dress up for the occasion,” said Cha. Performances generally occur in groups, either solely of gayageum players or in combination with other Korean instruments. Said Cha, “we play traditional folk songs that all the grandmas know, or we play background music from famous movies — it can be anything.” Ultimately, the gayageum is a way for Cha to connect with her heritage while learning something new. Said Cha, “I’m very proud of being Korean.” EDWAR
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Lifestyles
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May 1, 2017
Body Art at Tino Claire Curry
NICO CHILLA
Junior Claire Curry uses her nose and ear piercings as an audacious addition to her fashion and a form of personal expression, accompanying her dyed hair and black attire. “I just like the way it looks,” Curry said. “It’s part of the aesthetic that I choose to have.” She had been considering getting a facial piercing for two years before finally bringing it up to her mother; the idea became a matter of controversy. Said Curry, “Originally, I wanted to get a lip piercing, but my mom wouldn’t let me, so we compromised with a nose piercing. She was very hesitant at first, but ended up being happy with it.” According to Curry, attaining her piercings required commitment. While her puncture healed, she had to clean and maintain it, including regular “sea salt soaks.” In addition, her cartilage ear piercings
While teaching the Scarlet Letter this year in her American Literature Honors classes, Jenny Padgett had a visual aid. Among various other famous literary quotes, a red letter “A” is permanently etched in her arm. Over the past 20 years, Mrs. Padgett has accumulated a collection of phrases and symbols from her favorite novels to put on her body. “My philosophy for a long time was that I wanted to be able to read them,” she explained. “These are things that are really meaningful to me, and I have no doubt that they will always have meaning in my life.” According to her, the first visible tattoo was a mildly risky endeavor. Said Padgett, “The district where I taught was very conservative. However, I was surprised how little pushback I got, and how favorably [my tattoos] were actually seen. I think it had to
the stories and lifestyles NICO CHILLA lifestyles editor
MELISSA SILVA flipside assistant
made it difficult to sleep on one side when she first got them. However, she is satisfied with the results. “I can’t say how I’ll feel about it 10-20 years down the line, but right now I’m really happy with it,” Curry said. She is proud of her piercings and unconcerned about their effect on her image. “I would only worry if I was doing an interview for a job. [Even then], I wouldn’t want to work at a place where I have to hide who I am. People can perceive what they want about me.”
Jenny Padgett
with the substance of it, since it’s literature and I am a literature teacher.” In regards to teenagers acquiring tattoos, she is supportive but cautions students to heavily consider them beforehand. “Because I got my first one later in my life, I felt like I was prepared to make some more permanent decisions,” she explained. “However, I’ve also known people who go and get something as soon as they turn 18 and it’s lovely.” Personally, Padgett is certain she will always be satisfied with her decision. “I’m not 18; I thought about it a lot before I did it and as a person I don’t have a lot of regrets. I think the things people tend to regret are things that they haven’t done, not things they do. I thought about what it would mean to go through my whole life and think ‘I never did that’ because what if people judged me.”
Yuritzi Uribe Senior Yuritzi Uribe recently got a tattoo she had been wanting for months during a family trip to Reno, Nevada. Since she would be able to legally get the tattoo with parental consent, Uribe decided to get the small, flying paper airplane on her ankle. “I told my parents [I wanted a tattoo], and they were really skeptical. They thought it was just a phase. Then we went to Reno, and luckily my parents were on board. So now [my tattoo] not only has that family trip behind it, but it also has a real meaning,” she explained. Uribe shared the touching story behind the design of her tattoo, which initially caught her attention because she found it cute, but it quickly revealed a deeper meaning. Said Uribe, “I really struggled as a kid with speaking English
NICO CHILLA
because I grew up in a [Spanish-speaking] household. So one of the first things I was taught by my parents besides English was how to make a paper airplane, which is my tattoo. And we’d make paper airplanes, and that was something that my older brother and I bonded over, too.” Uribe was not concerned about the opinions of her peers when she decided to get her tattoo, although she did get a few negative comments at school. Among these comments was criticism about what she would do if she ever got tired of it. In response, Uribe shrugged her shoulders and said that even if she does get tired of her tattoo in the future, at least it will make for a great story. Said Uribe, “It’s literally a part of me, it’s on my skin, and it’s something that I chose to do.”
MELISSA SILVA
first world
ADDICTIONS JOSEPHINE ROBINSON online assistant
JUSTINE QIU features editor
When people think of an addiction, their minds immediately think of illicit substances; however, there are far more common types of addiction that plague the student body, and some are perfectly legal. While these habits are not perceived to be harmful, they have a tremendous impact on the lives of teenagers.
The Streamer
The Caffeine Junkie
The Workaholic
Unlike in the past, we can watch anything we want at any time through hundreds of streaming sites. That, however, may be too much of a good thing. Overuse of these sites can lead to addiction because of the pleasure we feel from consuming media, much like an addiction to drugs and alcohol. This can lead to increased levels of anxiety, irritability and headache. Withdrawals from streaming media can be similar to drug withdrawals. A good rule is to take a small break every 30 or 60 minutes and to limit your media consumption to about two hours a day.
In order to stay alert and awake to compensate for the lack of sleep, some students are compelled to mix overwhelming amounts of caffeine and sugar into their daily food intake. Don’t be fooled; although these things will help keep you awake, there are many health risks correlated to consuming too much. Some side effects of overconsumption are restlessness, increased heartbeat, nausea and insomnia. Go outside, hang out with friends, take a run, or walk your dog; some exercise will help keep your blood flowing when your brain gets tired.
Students at Cupertino are known for overloading their schedules with classes and extracurriculars. Some people balance work and play, and some do not. Although they are applauded for their work ethic, all work and no play can actually be harmful in the long run. This kind of lifestyle can lead to sleep problems, anxiety, and high blood pressure. So, do not be afraid to mix some fun into your schedule — it will help you maintain stress levels.
Being
Lifestyles
The Prospector
May 1, 2017
Vegetarian
Rationale
LILY ROSEN MARVIN online assistant
I haven’t eaten meat in sixteen years. Many people may find it hard to understand why I would choose to live in a world without bacon and cheeseburgers; the simple answer is that I was raised this way. There are many important reasons behind being vegetarian that others should understand.
Disclaimer: I do not speak for all vegetarians. These are only my personal motivations
ETHICS
The first and most publicized reason for vegetarianism is ethics. At some point in gym class, most of us were forced to sit through a slightly traumatic video depicting the horrors of factory farming. A factory farm is a large, industrial operation that raises scores of animals for consumption. These animals are forced to endure overcrowded living spaces, force-feeding and genetic manipulation, resulting in animals reaching unhealthy weights (PETA). If the growth hormones don’t shorten the lifespan of a farm animal drastically enough, having their throats slit certainly does. Then, there is the human impact. Animal farming is one of the least efficient ways to feed people. With the grain devoted to feeding livestock in the U.S. alone, we would be able to feed eight hundred million people (Cornell University College of Agriculture). In 2016, one in eight Americans faced hunger on a daily basis (World Hunger News). That is 15.8 million people who could be helped by a redistribution of grain-based foods.
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Beyond its ethical implications, meat production has a staggering impact on the environment. On average, one fully grown cow will drink at least fifty gallons of water per day. It takes 2,400 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef (PETA). As a point of reference, the average American consumes 58 gallons of water per year (The Atlantic). Beyond that, raising livestock wastes massive amounts of resources. The Environmental Working Group estimates that the livestock grown in the US alone uses 167 million pounds of pesticides and 17 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer each year across nearly 149 million acres of cropland. This process creates greenhouse gasses that are three hundred times more environmentally damaging than carbon dioxide (EWG). Making a single hamburger produces the same amount of greenhouse gas as driving a small car twenty miles (PETA).
Finally, being vegetarian is the healthier option. Removing meat from one’s diet lowers the risk of exposure to antibiotics and hormones that are not meant for humans. Vegetarians reduce their risk of heart disease, as well as the risk of contracting foodborne diseases as most of these come from improperly handled meat. A vegetarian diet can be used to lower blood pressure, decrease one’s risk of diabetes and help avoid obesity. All these factors lead to vegetarians living longer than meat eaters (TIME). Realistically, vegetarianism isn’t for everyone. For those who grew up eating meat, it can be difficult to step back from a juicy steak long enough to remember the gruesome process of factory farming. I am not trying to guilt anyone into changing their diet (okay, maybe a little), but by making a few simpler alterations, you can make a big difference. Only buy meat products that have been grown on free-range farms rather than overcrowded factories. Try and limit the amount of meat you consume on a weekly basis. Finally, if you’re up for a challenge, try going vegetarian. I promise it’s not as hard as you may think.
Book Tube A fellow staff member on The Prospector recently introduced me to a fascinating online community called BookTube. When I first brought the words “books” and “YouTube” together in my head, I thought that there was absolutely no way that they could ever fuse. Little did I know, amidst the YouTube mania of vloggers, gamers and how-to video creators, there lies a small-yet-expanding community of “BookTubers” — which, as their name suggests, are individuals in the online community who create videos based on all types of book discussions. BookTube isn’t confined to a single person or channel; rather, it is an online community made up of hundreds of YouTubers who dedicate hours of their time to talk about what they all love: books. I have found that while the majority of BookTubers focus mainly on young adult fiction, there are many other channels centered around fantasy, science fiction and mystery, to name a few. This network of readers is a valuable resource for anyone looking to take up literature, and it continues to grow in popularity. In its fledgling years, the BookTube community was mainly focused around literature reviews. In recent years, however, the booming popularity of BookTube channels has pushed the BookTube community to explore other approaches to capturing and retaining their followers’ interest. Today, rising BookTubers have made an effort to create new types of videos for their followers. One may find BookTubers showcasing their bookshelves, interviewing an author, recommending books that they have read or even talking about a specific book they plan to read in the future. If you are an avid reader or someone who wants to get into reading, you are bound to find BookTube videos that interest you.
Edward Hsu | Photo Editor Subscribe
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Scouring various channels and reading user comments, I realized that the BookTube community’s shared love for reading makes it one of the most inclusive and diverse communities on YouTube. Its sense of community is something that simply can’t be found in any other communities in the online realm. BookTube followers can praise, critique and converse about literary works with other users without being put down or judged by others, and follower feedback is highly welcomed by BookTubers. Even if you could care less about the next book you’re going to read in your English class, I encourage you to seek out a BookTuber and listen to what he or she has to say. Although I was not a huge fan of reading in my free time to begin with, I’ve been captivated by many BookTubers’ fervent passion for books. In just a mere couple of days that I have spent on BookTube, I am truly convinced that there indeed is a book out there for you — regardless of whether or not you have a passion for reading.
Most Subscribed BookTuber: polandbananasbooks
354,000 subscribers
Romance:
YABookwormBlogger
Philosophy:
Better Than Food: Book Reviews
Miscellaneous:
PadfootandProngs
24,000 views
10 Sports Boys volleyball sets off to a Strong Start May 1, 2017
NEERALI SHAH business manager
The boys varsity volleyball team has hit the season with a respectable position in their league and multiple wins in tournaments. Right before the league season began their previous coach was replaced by a new one, so the pre-season training and conditioning were dependent on the captains of the team. Co-captains Brendan Lin and Eric Su had the boys lift, condition, and scrimmage to prepare for the gruesome season ahead. Early in their season, the team represented Cupertino proudly in a volleyball tournament hosted by Monta Vista; they finished with two wins and two losses. Said junior Patrick Ho, “We played our best again Saint Francis in the tournament and hope to continue the momentum from that game throughout this season.” Other than training and bringing home wins, the players also had to learn how to smoothly transition their style of play in club volleyball to high school volleyball. Many of them came from a competitive season of club volleyball, where the environment is more intensive and rigorous than that of a high school volleyball season. However, the majority of them prefer high school volleyball because it gives them an opportunity to play with their friends and create lasting bonds with their teammates. Said Ho, “Seeing your teammates in the hallways helps with the familiarity with the new team. By the end of the season, we always talk to each other in the halls, which is different than club season because you only meet your teammates during intense practices and games.” One of the largest components of having a successful team under new management was being able to unify the team before the beginning of the season. Having the whole team on the same page and the ability to get them to work together as one on the court helped this team immensely during high stake matches. Said senior and co-captain of the varsity boys volleyball team Brendan Lin, “It takes more leadership and dedication to bring all the players together. Also [the captains] must take all these different mentalities and make [the players] one cohesive functioning team.” Along with bringing this team together, Lin continues to motivate his team by getting them mentally plugged into a game by forming a huddle and strategizing their plays. Although the team does not have formal video sessions, individuals on the team analyze past footage to seek out the weak spots of the opponents and give their team advice regarding blocking or hitting technique. Along with analyzing the opponents, the boys understand how crucial each point in the game is, so
keeping up high spirits takes them a long way. The Cupertino varsity boys volleyball team hopes to continue making progress throughout the season and finish their league season strongly.
Undefeated gymnastics team overcomes coaching challenges CAROLINE GEE online editor
EDWARD HSU
For Cupertino’s gymnastics team, every perfectly-executed roundoff and back handspring may mask the inconvenient circumstances that these athletes face. Gary Deguzman, the only coach for the Tino junior varsity [JV] and varsity gymnasts, also coaches the Homestead and Fremont gymnastics teams. His demanding schedule and the scarcity of coaches force him to rely on his team captains to be encouraging role models for their teammates. “The JV team captains help out a lot, especially with teaching the JV girls the floor routines,” Deguzman said. “The varsity captains are great, too, at keeping everybody where they need to be and doing what they need to be doing.” Having one coach means that the gymnasts must learn to train independently at practice, except when learning new or more dangerous skills. “Like that pass [a series of skills performed in a row] right there,” Deguzman said during an after-school practice, motioning to a clean pass just executed by a Tino gymnast. “That’s an example of something we’ve worked on to the point where she can do that basically in her sleep. And she’s at that point where it’s okay for me to not be there for that skill, and then I can move on to something else like maybe something on bars where [a gymnast is] … letting go, and they’re upside down in the air.” Along with a short-handed coaching staff, Tino gymnasts must work with unsuitable or handme-down equipment. According to Deguzman, the majority of their equipment thirty years old; consequently, the team is forced to practice floor routines on a wrestling mat instead of on a traditional spring floor. Said varsity gymnastics co-team captain and junior Violet Williams, “Thankfully, this year all of our meets are on a spring floor — an actual gymnastics floor — which is much better, but that [makes it harder to] train the skills that we are actually going to put in our routine.” Meanwhile, the schools that Tino competes against often boast adequate equipment and more experienced athletes who participate in club gymnastics. “Varsity does really well despite the odds that are stacked up against them,” Deguzman said. “We’re going up against teams like St. Francis, where the girls have been doing gymnastics since they were three or four years old, whereas here at Cupertino, the majority of the girls have never done gymnastics before until they come here and start learning.” Accordingly, the majority of Tino’s JV athletes start off as novice gymnasts before taking the step up to varsity; however, their lack of experience has not prevented them from holding an undefeated record so far this season. Said Deguzman, “The teams make up for it with their heart and strong work ethic, and it shows, because if you think about it, all the other schools have great equipment, but we’ve been able to hang with them.”
May 1, 2017
The Prospector
Sports
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How much does it cost to play a sport? SUDARSHAN KANNAN sports assistant
UTKARSH TANDON online assistant
Note: Donations for sports are optional. They are not required to play the sport, but are recommended to keep the season running. These expenses have not been added to total costs— total costs per individual are averaged between minimum expenses and maximum expenses to play the sport. Equipment costs are defined based on varsity level recommendations.
marching band
receives PE credits ELENA CHANG photo crew
After years of arguments and persistence from students, the marching band has finally been approved to receive PE credits again. Before 2012, band students received credits as a sport but were unable to get them after they did not have any faculties or coaches who had credentials to give out PE credit. They will be able to receive PE credit again next year after the staff and administrators discussed it. Many students this year ran into scheduling conflicts with the inability to take seven classes, leading to the conclusion of offering PE credits through band to help resolve some conflict. This change will not only be available to students at Cupertino High School but to the entire district. The new PE credit policy will take effect for sophomores and upperclassmen starting next school year. “As a sophomore, I was very pleased that we were finally receiving PE credits because they stopped allowing most students to take seven classes, so I was nervous about not being able to complete those credits without sacrificing some of the courses I wanted to take,” sophomore clarinet player Chau Dang said. Some of the most difficult practices band members have are before starting each marching season when band members attend a mandatory summer camp the two weeks before school starts, with one of the weeks having 12-hour practices daily. The camp is to help prepare band members for the marching season by learning the basics of marching. During the marching season, the band started every three-hour Tuesday and Thursday practice with jogging laps on the track. Following their jogging, the band lays on the field in a circle and stretch together. On Saturdays, the band has either 12-hour practices or morning practices that are followed by a competition. “Being able to march through a ten-minute show requires stamina, so we do various exercises during practices to improve our endurance. For example, some of us with larger instruments would do push-ups to be able to march with them, without getting tired before the show ends,” Dang said. Each marching season, the band learns a show that runs for about ten minutes long. During class, the band learns their music, and during practice, they learn their drill, or spots to march to. They must associate music with their drill while focusing on tempo and the right posture. “We are using all of our body, all the time. We are constantly playing, or marching, or dancing. When we play and march, we have to watch the drum major, remember our sets, our music and keep tempo, so it is mentally exhausting. But physically, it is more exhausting because we are moving so much and we cannot breathe when we want to. Our legs are marching, we are holding up our instruments, and we are keeping our posture in mind. We are amidst the chaos of mental and physical exhaustion,” senior drum major Shivani Maisuria said. Regardless of the exhaustion band members go through every marching season, they continue to stay passionate and return every year, and will now fulfill their PE credits through their commitment.
Flip Side
May 1, 2017
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APRIL IN PHOTOS COURTESY OF CUPERTINO FBLA
CATHERINE SEOK
NICO CHILLA
EDWARD HSU
FBLA | Sophomore Sooyeon Oh receives RIYAAZ | Cupertino Dhadkan members FIRE? | Students file out of their class- SPRINGFEST | Seniors Gargee her plaque for her competition at the perform in the second annual Riyaaz FBLA State Conference that took place in held at Cupertino High School’s theater Sacramento
rooms and onto the field on April 20th as the fire alarm proceeds to ring three times through out the day
one day trips
Khaparde and Aparna Shakkarwar perform on stage at the ASB organized event
MICHELLE MA
EARTH DAY | Cupertino citizens gather in front of the library to learn about the environment, make crafts, and munch on goodies from local food trucks
CATHERINE SEOK editor-in-chief
CHROMATIC — If you’re looking for a Instagrammable coffeehouse, Chromatic is just for you. With great tasting inexpensive coffee and food, chill, cozy vibes, vibrantly decorated walls, and a standing bar that encourages socialization, Chromatic employees cheerfully serve customers drinks and foods from artsy lattes to seasonal teas to desserts. Prices for the instagram worthy coffees are relatively affordable.
SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART — The quaint San Jose Museum of Art showcases a wide range of art; modern art, fashion, paintings, photography, sculptures, and abstract art are all included with your visit. Both the permanent collection and new exhibitions have an eclectic range of art. With tickets at prices of $10 for adults, $5 for those under 17, this museum is definitely worth a visit.
WINCHESTER — The mysterious mansion built by Sarah Winchester during the late nineteenth century in San Jose is famous for its never-ending construction (until Winchester’s death) and occasional paranormal activity. The mansion hosts tours of the house, from the basements to the numerous rooms. Dependent on which tour you take, the experience following Winchester’s obsession to appease angry spirits ranges from one to two hours.
GOLDEN GATE PARK — Golden Gate Park is the nation’s fifth most frequently visited park, and it’s no surprise why. The park includes a conservatory of flowers founded in 1879, an art museum, several gardens, a lake, playgrounds and carousels, and even a windmill. Regardless of expect to find, there is no doubt that you will find something unexpected. Admission varies.
Next Month: May AP Testing
Choir Concert
Senior Prom
Senior Awards
Rally of Champions
Memorial Day
Monday, May 1 - Friday, May 12 Saturday, May 13 Friday, May 19
Friday, May 19 - Saturday, May 20 Thursday, May 25 Monday, May 29
COURTESY OF JOSH FELISE
EDWARD HSU
i’m weird. we all are. MEILINDA SUN lifestyles assistant
When I was at a grocery store in North Carolina, I asked the cashier how much a plastic bag costed. She looked at me funny and said, “It’s free.” It was at that moment that I realized that I, a west coast transplant who had somehow found herself in North Carolina, am weird. And apparently, we all are. The trunk of my car is full of reusable canvas shopping bags filled with even more reusable canvas shopping bags. I’m a born-again vegetarian who eats kale and quinoa on a regular basis. I practically grew up in the Marina Food deli. I’ve lived in Cupertino all my life. So, naturally, I’ve seldom stopped to think about how eccentric we all are. For starters, there’s enough boba around here for every man, woman and child in this country. In middle school, people hung out at the library for fun (In high school, we became a bit more resourceful and decided that loitering at the Bay Club without a membership was a more entertaining pastime). My friends who won’t be majoring in “biomedical engineering and computer science with a concentration on machine learning” and minoring in “pre-med and basket weaving at a BS/MD program” are a persecuted minority. Up until recently, none of this was ever weird to me; it was just the way things are. Yet lately I have begun to think about how my perspective has been confined by my single-city upbringing. After all, I don’t suppose the rest of the country worships Elon Musk with the same zeal as we, and I sincerely doubt Soylent could ever take off anywhere else in the country (for good reason). Whenever I travel out of state, I become “the Californian” of the group. Dropping the word “hella” and being caught searching “boba shops near me” (in Kentucky) gives me away instantly. Some people have asked me if I’ve “seen celebrities walking around” or if I “go to the beach everyday” (I wish, but I’m just not that cool!). But, I happily mention to them that I do happen to be a fan of organics and a chronic kaleeater. I haven’t picked up the green juice habit … yet. Aside from the silly generalizations, meeting people from out of state over the years has helped me realize just how little I know about people from other states and how they see us. College is right around the corner for a lot of us, and it will be an amazing opportunity for us to experience the diversity of students hailing from across the country and abroad. It’s easy to silo ourselves into groups of people who look and think like we do and fail to take advantage of the diversity to which we will be exposed. While I’ll certainly miss my quinoa salad when I’m stuffed to the brim with (non-vegan) dining hall brownies, I’m excited to break out of my comfort zone and learn more about others while embracing the idiosyncrasies that make me an organic, whole-grain northern Californian.