Issue 4 - February 2019

The Prospector TUE SDAY, FE BU R A RY 5 , 2 0 1 9

Student Newsmagazine of Cupertino High School

16 | INVESTIGATIONS a look into interracial and multiracial dynamics of chs and fetishization in popular culture

8 | FEATURES Artists showcase creativity on a different canvas

14 | OPINIONS why teachers should not befriend their students

20 | LIFESTYLES an analysis on “subtle asian traits” and its spinoffs

VOL. 61 | No. 4 NO.

The Prospector Issue 4 Table of Contents

NEWS

4

CHS Students at Women’s March 2019 Tino’s New Bullet Journaling Club

6

Governor’s New Education Spending Plans

7

FEATURES Unique Student Artists at Tino

8

OPINIONS Ableism at CHS and the Ineffectivness of Advisory Lessons Why teachers should not befriend their students

12 14

INVESTIGATIONS Multiracial Dynamics at CHS and fetishization in popular culture COVER DESIGN BY ANGELA MA, SUCHETHA KALLURI, LAWRENCE FAN CONTENTS DESIGN BY ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN

16

LIFESTYLES Subtle Race Traits The Prospector on Trend-setting Valentine’s Day Flowchart

SPORTS

Spotlight: Freshmen on Varsity Basketball Technology Behind Sportswear

PERSPECTIVES Satire: “Self-Care Methods” Comic: Working Yourself to Death

POSTSCRIPT Satire: Eulogy to all School Planners Column: Keerthi Lakshmanan

20 21 22 24 26 28 29 30 31

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF As high school students, we’re often told to go out and “make a difference” in the world. We typically greet this call-to-arms with a sigh of exhaustion, too tired to even think about any sort of grand plan, more less execute it. But something we’ve discovered in creating this issue is the enormous impact of the seemingly little changes we make in our lives.

What’s amazing about our community is the miraculous acceptance borne despite the immense diversity of our student population. We were pleased to see that 90% of our 185 survey respondents for Investigations reported that they have not witnessed discrimination against multiracial individuals or interracial couples on campus. Nevertheless, we uncovered some unique perspectives regarding multiracial students’ experiences. Flip to page 16 to read an in-depth and cohesive investigation on interracial dynamics at our school and the fetishization of certain ethnic traits in popular culture.

For some of us, we bond over our commonalities. Such is the case in the Facebook groups “Subtle Curry Traits,” “Subtle Asian Traits,” etc., which are very popular among CHS students. Turn to page 20 to see staff writer Ashley Kang’s analysis on the nature of such Facebook groups.

Beyond our individual racial and ethnic realms, making a difference can also mean taking up a challenge to pursue your passions. For example, some students choose to make a difference starting a new club—flip to page 6 to see staffers Lawrence Fan and Stella Jia’s story behind the brand new bullet journaling club at CHS created by Cynthia Weber and Shivani Patel.

Others, like students Ava Tran, Maryam Sallam and Christine Zhang have made a difference as freshmen by the agreeing to join the competitive varsity girls basketball team after having been offered. Check out pages 24 and 25 to read staffers Claire Warner and Suchetha Kalluri’s stories on these daring girls and their journey in basketball.

With most people making a difference by breaking a societal norm, others choose to be different in the way they express themselves, like three unconventional artists at CHS—one who intricately paints on shoes, another who specializes in tattoos, and the last that creates beautiful art through make-up. Check out pages 8-11 to read staffers Leo Rassieur, Aashna Shah, Ariana Fahri, and Varun Shenoy’s coverage of these atypical artists who we’re sure will knock your socks off with their talent.

Some celebrate their differences with others by standing up for each other, and nothing better exemplifies this than the 2019 Women’s March. In a heartwarming news story on pages 4 and 5, staffers Kavya Gupta and Tal Ashkenazi report on the experiences of fellow CHS students who marched on January 29, 2019, to show solidarity and advocate for what they believed in.

There is something wonderful about the features and characteristics that differentiate all of us from each other. As we progress into this semester, we can’t wait to see where your differences take you.

And we’ll continue to have our reporters, photographers, designers and writers to document it all.

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

The Prospector

STAFF 2018-2019

editors-in-chief esha radhakrishnan santosh muralidaran

online editors neerali shah varun shenoy

news editor leo rassieur

news assistant sanat singhal

opinions editor anthony zhu

opinions assistant casper wu

features editor sydney liao

features assistant darshini vijayakumar

lifestyles editor aashna shah

lifestyles assistant suchetha kalluri

sports editor yooni park

sports assistant angela ma

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

perspectives assistant jeffrey xiong

postscript editor claire warner

postscript assistant sarah pollans

copy editors christina shao kavya gupta taha shafiei tal ashkenazi

copy assistants lawrence fan sudyut yuvaraj

photo editors ariana fahri kenneth jeon business manager kavya gupta

photo assistant brandon hong online assistants stella jia keerthi lakshmanan 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

NEWS

COURTESY OF CHIYO MCMULLIN

COURTESY OF CHIYO MCMULLIN

COURTESY OF MAYA SHAH

women’s march

COURTESY OF CHIYO MCMULLIN

COURTESY OF CHIYO MCMULLIN

2019

4

ON THE MOVE | Clockwise from top left: Juniors Rianna Campbell and Chiyo McMullin

pose with their homemade posters; A protest sign shows the Statue of Liberty embracing a hijabi woman; A demonstrator holds a poster advocating for gender equality; A crowd of protesters gathers; Junior Maya Shah and her mother pose with protest signs

COURTESY OF CHIYO MCMULLIN

COURTESY OF CHIYO MCMULLIN

KAVYA GUPTA copy editor / business manager

TAL ASHKENAZI copy editor

O

n Jan. 19, 2019, a number of students from CHS convened outside San Jose City Hall to participate in the annual Women’s March, whose goals are to “work to uplift women leaders, advocate for gender equity, and fight for fair protection of human rights.” Among these students were Sophomore Lavanya Joshi and Juniors Maya Shah and Rianna Campbell.

This was Joshi’s second time participating in the March.

Said Joshi, “My main motive for going was to represent equality between young boys and girls. I went to spread the message that boys were no better than girls.”

As for her attitude towards feminism, said Joshi, “I became a feminist after joining the March last year. The experience led me to research and understand more problems women faced in our society.”

Shah has a unique outlook on feminism. Said Shah, “Many people question is why the term only mentions females when it is supposed to support all genders, but that is only because women have been treated as second-class citizens for so long and that they, or we, are more

in need of gender equality than our male counterparts. I also wanted to protest toxic masculinity, which affects all genders because it pushes young men to feel ashamed to express emotions and have feminine interests and antagonizes femininity.”

Campbell cited political reasons for participating in the

advantage of and are subject to harassment, solely because they are seen as lesser than their male counterparts.”

Many protestors made signs to showcase their reasons for marching. Joshi, Shah, and Campbell brought their own signs as well.

Joshi’s poster portrayed the message “I’m With Her”. Said

have been “Women treated as second-class citizens for so long that they, or we, are more in need of gender equality than our male counterparts.”

Junior Maya Shah march. Said Campbell, “I really want to see more gender equality in politics. We are certainly making progress and increasing the number of women in politics, but it is still a male-dominated field. Even women in positions of power are taken

Joshi, “After the Ford versus Kavanaugh trial, I really wanted to show my support for sexual harassment victims and that I believe their stories.”

Shah made a double-sided poster to represent two different messages, “Fight Like a Girl”

and “Justice and Liberty for All”.

“With the ‘Fight Like a Girl’ side, I was trying to reject the typical connotation of the common phrase, which makes this saying an insult, as if it’s bad to do something ‘like a girl,’ which therefore degrades and stereotypes all girls,” Shah said, “I chose ‘Justice and Liberty for All’, an excerpt from the Pledge of Allegiance, to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality. Despite laws that legalize homosexuality and transgender rights, people of the LGBTQ+ community still face a lot of hatred all around this country.”

Though the Women’s March has attracted a large amount of support, the organizers have been under fire recently for their continued support of Louis Farrakhan, who was deemed viciously anti-Semitic by the Anti-Defamation League, but supporters argue that the organizer’s beliefs do not represent the march itself. The controversy has already hurt the movement, however, and this year’s march had noticeably lower attendance than the first march in 2017.

The Women’s March group published their 2019 agenda to continue to promote issues like equality, universal healthcare and expanding voting rights. Despite the controversy surrounding this year’s march, there is still much enthusiasm surrounding the next march in 2020.

Bullet journaling

club

at

C H S

zational and minimalist take. Along with the endless approaches one could take on a bulcopy assistant let journal, said Weber, “It’s great for all grade STELLA JIA levels, and it’s not limited to a certain age.” online assistant Patel and Weber both began bullet jouraid Junior Shivani Patel, one of naling at the beginning of sophomore year. the founders of the new CHS Shivani needed a way to organize her tasks Bullet Journal club, “One thing and events while Weber wanted to practice that we want to do is spread calligraphy. After learning about each other’s bullet journaling to the whole passion for bullet journaling, Weber and PaCupertino community, be- tel wanted to do something more with their cause it’s affected us so much and something passion and share it with everyone else.

Members spend plenty of time working that we realized a lot of students at our school on their journals and sharpening their caldon’t do is stay organized.”

On Jan. 14, Patel and Junior Cynthia ligraphy through workshops. Said Patel, “InWeber held the club’s first meeting in Room stead of being us lecturing all the time and 6227. The meeting had an impressive turn- the members sitting in the chairs, we want to have a very united out, with students front, and that’s from all grade levsomething that els attending to It’s open to a larger our members can learn more about expect from us and bullet journaling. student body because us accountSaid Patel, you don’t have to be into hold able for.”

“We didn’t expect art to bullet journal.

In the past few as many people as years, bullet journwe saw in the first aling has become meeting. We were Freshman Ananya Batra popular among amazed to see how many people were interested in bullet jour- teens, with the hashtag “#bujo” trending on naling and how many people want to start.” Instagram.

Said Freshmen Ananya Batra, who atBullet journaling has become both a creative tended the first meeting, “I think it’s the fact outlet and organizing method for many people. However, it is very versatile, as there is that it’s artistic but not completely artistic so no single way to do it. Said Weber, “It’s hard it’s open to a larger student body because you to describe bullet journaling, but I’d say it’s don’t have to be into art to bullet journal.”

Aligning with Batra’s response, said a combination between a planner, a journal, and a to-do list.” To show the versatility of Sophomore Ashley Kang, “Bullet journaling bullet journaling, the two founders of the appeals to a lot of people because of the creclub themselves both have unique styles. We- ative freedom that comes with it and also that ber acquires a more artistic approach where it helps you feel organized and good about she adds calligraphy and doodles to her yourself when you do it. I think that [also] spreads while Shivani goes for a more organi- appeals to a lot of people.”

LAWRENCE FAN

S

“

“

6

CHS community reacts to CA Governor Newsom’s plan to overhaul education system CASPER WU online assistant

SUDYUT YUVARAJ copy assistant

U

pon a predicted $21.4 billion budget surplus, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans on Jan. 10 to allocate a sizeable amount of the surplus to the state education budget. This financial boost comes close on the heels of Newsom’s record-breaking proposal to dedicate $80.7 billion of the state’s

ate stress on retirement support programs by replenishing cash reserves; teachers will benefit the most with a $2.9 billion increase in California’s State Teachers’ Retirement System funding.

While some may note that this added investment in education could be beneficial, some CHS teachers have expressed concerns regarding the plan.

Said AP Gov/Econ Teacher Oliver Yeh, “This ultimately is not a huge change structurally. You do need some band-aid, shortterm measures to help, but larger structural things are going to have to do with the idea of using property taxes to fund local educa-

Where will the money go?

$40 mn Access to community colleges and the UCs

$209 billion budget to education spending.

Allotting over $3 billion more to education spending than any prior budget, Newsom’s budget will increase preschool funding and provide momentary relief for the teachers striking in Los Angeles, among other objectives. Providing pension paydowns for public employees like teachers is one of the more pertinent initiatives to be funded. These measures aim to allevi-

$81 bn Total CA state education budget

tion and distributing those funds equally.”

Supporters of the measure note that students could benefit from the additional financial aid for state universities and colleges. Under Newsom’s budget, a $40 million investment would increase access to community colleges and the University of California system. These funds would be used to ensure the first two years of community college are free and to maintain or

lower the cost of tuition for UCs. Said Junior Sayesha Chaudhary, “I definitely think this should be prioritized. Students shouldn’t be burdened like they have been by the costs of studying for their careers before they even start them.”

Said Senior James Ling, “I think it’s good that [Newsom’s] investing in education, especially if it will help prevent some of the [teacher protests] going down in LA.” Some students argued that the plan was a small patch to a long-lasting problem.

Said Senior Rikesh Mehta, “I think it’s just another play to throw money at a problem without changing the problemat-

$2.9 bn CA teachers’ retirement system funding

ic infrastructure.” Mehta suggested that an alternative use for the funding could be to increase the variety of subjects offered at California schools, from science and engineering training to courses in the arts.

While Newsom’s proposal has seen mixed reactions from the CHS community, its consequences will only be known after its final approval review in mid-June.

7

FEATURES

painting on a different canvas How three CHS students utilize unique forms of art, such as makeup, shoe and backpack painting, and tattoos, to express their creativity.

8

KAYLIE CLARK makeup artist AASHNA SHAH lifestyles editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAYLIE CLARK

porates unique elements and lots of color into her looks, some of which include checkers, flowers, and even 3 dimensional elements like spiders. “[Summer] does these really amazing looks...if I don’t have any ideas, I just look at her Instagram until I think of one. She uses a lot of color and does things that are a little different. She contours with reds or blues sometimes, and I think it looks really good.”

“My inspiration comes from anywhere. Sometimes I’ll watch a show or notice some colors in my daily life that I really like. I could look around and find something that I’d want to recreate.”

“LOLITA”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAYLIE CLARK

“Voltron”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAYLIE CLARK

While most consider art in its most common form, like colored pencils and stretched canvases, there are a select few students at Cupertino High who prefer more unique materials, ranging from tattoo inks to powders and creams. One student in particular, junior Kaylie Clark, prefers using makeup for her artistry.

Clark had quite an unusual introduction to makeup. While she had originally envisioned herself doing a different form of art, Clark came across the art of makeup and found a genuine interest for it when she participated in a writing for publication documentary on why people wear makeup.

Clark hopes to make her Instagram account successful by posting unique looks using a variety of colors in regards to both her eye and face makeup. While Clark prefers neutral looks on a day-to-day basis, she is not afraid to show her love for colors on her social media page.

Said Clark, “I really like reds. I think that’s just a me thing.

When I do things for my account, I end up using a lot of reds. I try to use brighter colors to do something that’s less common or something that I wouldn’t wear out.”

While there are many upsides to doing makeup, Clark finds that there are some particular difficulties that she tends to face. In addition to some difficult artistic choices like using whites to make colors brighter and concealer to hide any blemishes or mistakes, Clark’s largest difficulty has not been her choice of medium, rather, her choice of a canvas.

Said Clark, “Sometimes, when I try to draw things, they look kind of weird because my face isn’t flat. The most difficult part is having a 3 dimensional canvas.”

One of Clark’s biggest inspirations and current favorite makeup artist is Ashlee Summer (@ashleesummer). Summer incor-

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PETER NGO

shoe & backpack painter LEO RASSIEUR news editor

VARUN SHENOY online editor

Although fashion is not often considered an art, anyone can appreciate the way it transforms your day-to-day appearance and even the way we get from place to place. In recent times, unconventional artists have taken to creating hand-painted shoes—art that is effectively integrated into our outerwear, and exposed to a potential audience of thousands by its wearer. Senior Peter Ngo is one of these artists, painting custom designs, prints, and characters on the most popular models of shoes he can find.

Ngo’s motivation to begin creating his art pieces is best embodied in his emotional connection to creative expression. Said Ngo, “It’s really fun to express myself. It doesn’t have to be serious, but it’s really cool for me to be able to put things out there that show the world a bit of who I am.” Ngo added, “I have a couple shoes that I paint and wear for myself. But most of the time, I do it for my friends or do it online.”

“ 10

It’s really fun to express myself. It’s really cool for me to be able to put things out there that show the world a bit of who i am.

- peter ngo

Despite the seeming simplicity in his process, Ngo’s artistic procedure requires tremendous thought. Said Ngo, “You need paint and brushes.

Then, you figure out how its gonna look and how its gonna work. You need to know what the person who it is for wants.

And then you tie it all up. You first design what the person PHOTO BY KENNETH JEON wants then you plan how you are going to make it happen.

The final step is execution, which is the most fun part.”

With an Etsy page to market his painted shoes and backpacks, Ngo has been able to both share his art with the community and transform it into a lucrative past-time. However, Ngo has not limited himself to even these mediums as he continues to search for the art he is passionate about creating.

“Last night my friend and I made graffiti stencil art so we were cutting out acetate stencil sheets,” Ngo said.

Ngo has also considered painting bikes, as he then would be able to take his art with him on bike rides through nature. When asked what advice he would give to a beginner to art, Ngo said, “Do it a lot. You don’t have to start off as a pro in the beginning but as you pour your heart and soul and passion into it, it will turn out fine.”

As for the future, Ngo stated that he has no definite goals to integrate art into a career, yet is confident that he will find artistic creativity in his profession one way or another. After all, the spontaneity of his creations speaks to the several different avenues he might one day take to continue creating unique, outside-the-box art pieces after his time in high school.

PHOTO BY KENNETH JEON

Saba Ghauomi tattoo artist ARIANA FAHRI photo editor

Ghaoumi considers the tattoos on her body to be a continuous journal entry of her life experiences and adds that she does not regret any of her eight tattoos since each one represents what she was feeling or going through at the time.

“It is just symbolic of my feelings at the time even if they are

“

When people find out about my tattoos, they see me differently. But with or without my tattoos, I’m still the same person.

- Saba ghauomi

Senior Saba Ghaoumi marks the important moments of her life, the significant milestones and lessons, using tattoos—done entirely on her own.

She uses the “stick and poke” method, a DIY form of tattooing that has made it possible to get a permanent tattoo without having to go to an expensive parlor or booking an appointment with a professional. Stick and poke tattoos use a needle dipped in ink to hand-draw a design by repeatedly poking the skin.

She started art at an early age and as it developed, so did her medium. From canvas to skin, Ghaoumi used stick and poke tattoos as her next level as an artist.

“This was just the evolution of my art,” Ghaoumi said.

For Saba Ghaoumi, her first stick and poke tattoo was a smiley face on her hand. A simple tattoo that illustrates her freshman year: easy, straightforward, and her last year in Dubai.

Ghaoumi said , “Some people may not see it the same way I do, but I believe the best place to put my art is on my body Ghauomi’S SELF-drawn tattoo because it lives there forever.”

The freedom of creative expression and complete COURTESY OF SABA GHAUOMI ownership of her tattoos drew her to this style, and the incredible intimacy involved in every step of PHOTO COURTESY OF SABA GHAUOMI the process.

not super professional or pretty even,” Ghaoumi said.

Tattoos have gained ground to their widespread popularity however, they are still stigmatized in many communities.

Saba Ghaoumi feels it acutely and notes, “When people find out about my tattoos, they see me differently. But with or without my tattoos, I’m still the same person.”

Tattoos are more than creative expression, they are complete ownership of one’s art and ideas, expressed on the most personal of canvases.

“I never regret my tattoos because it’s something I’ve created for myself. I never want to a deny any part of my life,” said Ghaoumi.

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OPINIONS If you don’t support disabled people, You’re Insane

Recognizing and Ending Subtle Ableism JEFFREY XIONG perspectives assistant

In the age of information, society has greatly expanded its capacity to give a voice to traditionally marginalized communities.

The advent of movements such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo have created dynamic shifts in the way communities view themselves and the world around them, sparking new forms of dialogue, and — for some at least — led to a decrease in discriminatory action and rhetoric. Although change is slow — and not without its corresponding backlash — many traditional forms of problematic action have begun to decline.

Ableist action is not one of them.

Ableism is the structuralized discrimination against people with disability.

According to the Institute of Disability, over 1 out of every 8 people in the United States suffer from a form of disability — a sizable minority. Common institutional examples of ableism include media under-representation and misrepresentation, legalized underpay, workplace discrimination and legal prejudice against people with disabilities.

Obviously, students at Cupertino High School are not big movie producers or lawyers, but we too still can — and often do — engage in forms of rhetorical ableism.

Deaf

12

The most commonplace form of ableist rhetoric on campus is the usage of the word “retarded” and its derivatives as an insult against peers; you would be hard-pressed to walk down the hallway in between classes and not hear the r-word thrown around in a careless

Retard fashion. Moreover, other ableist phrases, such as “cripple”, and derogatory comparisons of people as “blind”, are also commonplace in school. Yet, despite the long history of oppression associated with the such, not a soul speaks out when the words are used. Ableist rhetoric has, essentially, become normalized — and even accepted — within the student body.

Problematically, rhetoric serves as the basis of the way that we view ourselves and the world around us. The words we use are indicative of underlying assumptions that we hold onto when we carry ourselves around in casual conversation. Even unconscious decisions to change the language that we use often cause, or at the very least reflect, a shift in mindset. Moreover, clear to anyone who has spoken any word ever, the choice of language also influences

the world around us; ableist rhetoric by one person justifies ableist thought in another, while simultaneously excluding people with disabilities from accessing shared spaces, reifying social barriers between able-bodied people and people with disabilities — a deadly cycle of ableism begetting more ableism. Only once the language to oppress becomes common can oppression become common; to validate ableism in your language is to validate ableism on an institutional scale

Blind! a

ing people with disabilities.

The problem lies not just within the space of singular advisory lessons, however; there is a rotten mindset, created by the advisory lessons, within the student body that perpetuates rhetorical ableism. The appearance of productive advocacy creates a false sense of progressivism wherein we think that we are “woke” and doing things to change the conditions of ableism, which

To validate ableism in your langauge is to validate ableism on an instituional scale Thi s ableist rhetoric is painfully common despite annual advisory lessons — and for a good reason too.

Often the scenarios presented in advisory lessons are distant from the reality of peoples’ lives, leading to the misconception of what ableism actually looks like and making it harder for students to identify the shortcomings of them- selves and their peers. Moreover, the absurdly comical suggestions You’re and phrasing of the lessons means Disabled that students often mock the lessons themselves — and with it, the criticisms of ableism present. There becomes an implicit association, exacerbated by each and every advisory lesson, between the acceptance of mocking the lessons and mock-

hides the actively harmful rhetoric that we use. In the longterm, this masking effect leads to the en-

trenchment of ableist tendencies within ourselves, enabling overt forms of discrimination and oppression.

So what can be done? On an individual level, constant self-recognition of ableist thought and rhetoric and the willingness to critique yourself serves as the foundation for changing both outward rhetoric and internal perspectives on critical issues.

Only through active criticism of your own ableist tendencies can you begin to understand the material conditions created by ableist superstructures. That process is critical to formulating a better understanding of the barriers between able-bodied people and people with disabilities, which is the first step fighting back against ableism.

Crippled

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THE POWERWhyIMBALANCE IS NEC it is immature and unprof ESHA RADHAKRISHNAN editor-in-chief

SANTOSH MURALIDARAN editor-in-chief

Y

ou lean casually against the cart of groceries your mother has purchased for Taco Tuesday. Up ahead, you see a familiar set of loafers and an overwhelmingly bright cardigan. Sudden fear fills you as you scramble for cover behind the aisle of gardening supplies. As you make eye contact, you clutch your chest in pain. Reality fades to black.

Typically, students die from shock at seeing one of their teachers at the grocery store. Nowadays, many students prefer to pull out their phones and Snapchat the “horrific” sight instead.

ers and other adults on campus and seek guidance. They are described as adults who prioritize students’ academic success and personal well-being. For teachers to carry out their duty, it is necessary for them to develop and solidify a clearly defined connection with their students.

The problem arises when teachers begin to tread on the boundary between a professional relationship and a typical friendship.

While the boundary still requires a clear definition, connections and interactions on social media and intentionally meeting after school hours or on weekends in public places for the purpose of “hanging out”, to name a few, reside well within the friendship zone. By engaging in such forms of friendship, the activities students partake in with their friends outside of school hours and through social media will mirror their experiences

While the boundary [between a professional relationship and a friendship] still requires a clear definition, connections and interactions on social media and

intentionally meeting after school hours or on week-

ends in public placs for the purpose of “hanging out”, to name a few, reside well within the friendship zone.

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Students are trained from a young age about the importance of teachers.

Aside from being educators and teaching required curriculum, they are the adults whom students trust with their safety and learning. Beyond the classroom, they serve as role models from whom students learn how to act responsibly, be kind to one another, and become mature contributing members of society.

When parental support lacks, students are taught to confide in our teach-

with teachers and adults on campus. Subsequently, teachers will lessen the divide that distinguishes them as a respected superior from their student, paving the way for a series of issues for both the student and the teacher.

With their natural naivety and teenage mindsets, students not only need strong adult figures in their lives, but also need to develop the maturity to interact with them professionally. If a teacher treats some students as his or her friend

CESSARY: TEACHERS ≠ FRIENDS fessional for teachers to befriend their students and students reciprocate that friendship, their relationship loses its professional value and potential. Casual conversations with students on Facebook or Instagram or hangouts with them in places such as local coffee shops undermine a teacher’s adult role and make both a teacher and student equal, hindering teachers’ ability to guide and help students through an authentic adult perspective. When students turn to teachers for academic or emotional sup-

are to be able to support students who may feel socially isolated or may have “teenage drama” with their peers; they cannot contrarily be the ones causing such feelings.

Teachers not only serve as mentors, but additionally as enforcers of school’s rules.

An appropriate distance must be present between teachers and students in order for teachers to retain such authority. By engaging in friendships with one or multiple students, teachers perpetuate the notion that they are the students’ equal—a concept that When students turn to teachers for acignores the reality of the nature of high ademic or emotional support, it is with schools: teachers are adults in charge of and the intention that they are receiving r e -

who acts like an adult, not a fellow Snapchatter, Instagrammer or ice cream buddy, that will prepare students to become responsible adults in a professional world.

such help from a trusted, experienced

and knowledgeable adult, not one that acts akin to a fellow teenager. port, it is with the intention that they are receiving help from a trusted, experienced and knowledgeable adult, not one that acts akin to a fellow teenager.

A teacher risks being perceived as less approachable for students who do not maintain such a friendship with him or her. If students feel as if the teacher distributes more of their attention and time towards certain students, they may begin to feel naturally excluded from the social circle or group of select students of which the teacher is a member. Such scenarios can epitomize the effects that friend groups among teenagers can have on those who are not part of them: feelings of exclusion, struggles to fit in to a particular group, the social anxiety that individuals have dubbed fomo (text language and abbreviation for “fear of missing out”), among other examples. It is, therefore, not only unprofessional but highly immature for teachers to be involved with or be instigators of such drama. Teachers must act as the respectable and reliable adults that they

sponsible for their adolescent students. Teachers must impose disciplinary action on students if necessary. Whether submitting an assignment past the specified deadline without an adequate reason or engaging in strictly prohibited behavior on campus, students must be consciously aware that their teachers are the people whom they respond to. This power imbalance between teachers and students is, as such, the foundation of all school systems. Often, friends do not hold other friends accountable for their actions in the same way that teachers do. If teachers become that friend, they destroy the professional relationship that is necessary in order for teachers to impartially oversee the actions of any student.

Above all, a relationship between a teacher and a high school student should reflect a professional one of an adult and a teenager. Students and teachers should not engage on social media or meet outside school hours unless for club purposes.

Ultimately, it will be a mature teacher

15

INVESTIGATIONS DISCLAIMER | Although this article only touches upon issues surrounding

multiracial, Middle Eastern and East Asian beauty issues, do not let that detract from the complexities of stigmatization and fetishization surrounding people of all backgrounds.

R 16

BACKGROUND PHOTOS BY KENNETH JEON

R 17

Stigmatization

“I

’ll just be walking or events. Said junior Elisabeth Young, “I’ve felt like I totaldown the streets ly stand out in Chinese class because I’m literally the only sports assistant in my neighbor- white person there and I don’t understand anything that’s DARSHINI VIJAYKUMAR hood and see being said. Or with my Asian family and my brother, my features assistant everyone staring at me and mom and I are the only white people there, or I’m with my SANAT SINGHAL news assistant whispering about me, and it’s mom’s family and my dad is the only Asian person there.” really uncomfortable,” junior According to the US News class breakdown of Cupertino Chiyo McMullin said as she described her time in Ja- High School, multiracial students make up 5% of the CHS stupan. Unlike most children, McMullin is half Japanese and dent population. These students often stand out for this reason. half Caucasian, making her prone to stares and judgment.

“When you are biracial, you are often just known for that, There has been persecution towards biracial children and and that can be tiresome at times. It shouldn’t be the defining couples tracing all the way to the colonial time period; early exam- factor of a person,” said Shreya Cho, who is half- Korean and halfples include the stigmatization Indian. In a randomized against the mingling of Eurosurvey by The Prospecpean settlers and Native Amertor of 185 Cupertino When you are biracial, you are oficans. The Chesapeake colony High School students, ten just known for that, and that can was the first to bar marriages 10% of respondents between different racial groups have observed some be tiresome at times. It shouldn’t be in 1691; the Massachusetts Bay form of discrimination the defining factor of a person,” Colony would pass its own law against multiracial stuin 1705, prohibiting marriages dents on campus, which between its settlers and black is substantial consider- Senior Shreya Cho individuals. Although the Civing that 185 students il Rights Movement in the out of the 2293 students 1950s and 1960s also worked enrolled at our school to erase the stigma between responded this way. interracial marriages present in America, laws prohibiting inter“[When you are mixed], a lot of people don’t know right away racial marriages were not declared unconstitutional until 1967. what ethnicity you are. So a lot of people would say ‘you’re not InToday, even though the world has evolved to become more dian’ because I don’t look Indian at all. That’s annoying sometimes tolerant of interracial and biracial people, the stigma, though because Indian culture is a big part of me and my family,” said Cho. significantly less, still exists. Now, interracial marriage is legal Although discrimination can be seen, this experience is not unithroughout the country, however, there are still those who frown versal, as being a part of different cultures can also be empowering. upon romantic relationships between different races. And the “A huge part of my identity is the fact that I am ‘wasian’. children of interracial couples suffer part of the consequence. I feel like that makes me pretty unique and it is definitely someMcMullin described the stigma that her parents faced in thing I am proud and grateful for,” says Cupertino junior Oriana their own relationship, across the different cultures of Japan and Jalal, who is half Chinese, a quarter White, and a quarter Arabic.

America. Said McMullin, “Every time [my mom] went back to In fact, the remaining 90% of survey responJapan, she would not go with my dad and so everyone would be dents stated that they have not witnessed dislike, ‘Oh, you already divorced right? You’re already broken?’ even crimination against multiracials on campus. though it would have been like five months after they got married.”

“From what I have seen there are a lot of interracial couples at Additionally, many people believe biracial children are our school just because there are people of so many different races, half as knowledgeable in either of their heritages. “No one ex- people are mostly accepting. I have not heard anyone say anything pects me to understand Japanese customs or speak Japanese. that was directly opposing a relationship solely because of the They assume that I’m a common American, even though I races of the [two individuals],“ Kendra Caruth, CHS senior, said. spent so much time learning Japanese,” McMullin explained.

However, it is important to be aware of subtle, unintentional Environmental pressures, apparent or otherwise, are the forms of stereotyping or discrimination towards mixed-race stumost common amongst biracial students; many biracial chil- dents and understand that they have different experiences, so that dren feel that they “stand out” in certain places every, not just most, instances of discrimination disappear.

ANGELA MA

“

18

Fetishism

T

he basis of Orientalism, a way of TAHA SHAFIEI thinking that asperspectives editor / copy editor sumes that there is KENNETH JEON photo editor an absolute difference between East and West, is often said to be JEFFREY XIONG perspectives assistant rooted in 19th and 20th-century European painters’ depictions of the Arab World as a place of sand, hedonism and harems. Not limited to European countries, orientalism appeared in the United States as early as the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, which was cataloged by James Buel’s Photographic book, The Magic City. This publication includes photographs of recreated Arab streets accompanied by captions that capture the orientalist thought of the time.

Evelyn Alsultany, Associate Professor in the Department of American Culture at the University of Michigan, state that the world’s fair in Chicago of 1893 and the 1904 fair in St. Louis “helped to reinforce Orientalist imagery in the United States,” citing a caption of an example image from Buel’s book “Egyptian Girl in Streets of Cairo.” The caption read, “In the street of Cairo at the World’s Fair there was exhibited the peculiar manners of the Egyptians, and a veiled lady was of course one of the curious objects displayed, though she did not always appear in that unsightly disguise, thus proving that she was not a slave to this requirement of all Mohammedan [sic] women.”

Philip Metres, Professor of English and director of the Peace, Justice, and Human Rights program at John Carroll University, says “despite the widening of the general frame, Orientalism still reigns; though it is not as brazen, its subtle forms are everywhere.” He notes that examples of modern-day orientalist beauty are also plentiful in popular media, referencing examples of the portrayal of Semitic cultures and its people as rather dangerous and exotically seductive in certain TV shows and movies.

Additionally, Khaled A. Beydoun, Senior Affiliated Faculty at UC Berkeley’s Islamophobia Research & Documentation Project, criticizes Aladdin as a common example of modern Orientalist media as Agrabah can be perceived as a fictive and distorted version of the Middle East. “The very essence of Agrabah’s primitive and patriarchal culture in which masculinity is defined by violence,” Beydoun states, “The scarce representations of women is marked by the typical Orientalist understanding of the Arab female: silent and submissive — like the women servants of the palace — but also exotic and salacious, like Jasmine.” Additionally, many individuals such as Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, the founder and editor of MuslimGirl.com, have criticized stars and hip hop for evoking oriental-

ist of the Middle East. Al-Khatahbeh uses Cardi B as an example, stating, “[In her music video for the song Bodak Yellow], by taking bits and pieces of a Western-constructed fantasy of the Middle East — often as hedonistic, ultra-luxurious, and overly sexualized — which has always been far from representing the actual reality of the people and culture, Cardi B’s work is orientalist at best.”

Orientalism extends beyond the scope of just the Middle East as well to the Far East.The hypersexualization of the East is especially controversial when combined with the issues of gender dynamics and attraction. Men and women each have their historically established social roles that commonly bleed into their romantic interactions, and many suggest that at the intersection of hypersexualization and gender normativity lie distorted exaggerations that fuel unhealthy fetishes. Asian women appear to be particularly vulnerable to this kind of distortion.

DePaul University professor Sumi Cho explains that Asian women are seen as quiet and obedient. In her words, “East Asian women are particularly valued in a sexist society because they provide the antidote to visions of liberated career women who challenge the objectification of women.” Additionally, notable depictions in Western media, such as the highly popular Broadway musical, Miss Saigon, have been criticized by journalists and common audiences alike for depicting female Asian characters as submissively loyal to their partners, leading Asian women to be stereotyped as delicate and deferential when it comes to relationships and sex.

On the other hand, Asian-American filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña notes the prevalence of the antithetical “Dragon Lady” stereotype, an exotification that describes Asian women as hypersexual. A plethora of media depictions have shown Asian women to appear overtly promiscuous or inviting. Some, like the recent controversial music video for Nicki Minaj’s “Chun Li,” explicitly use aspects of Asian culture, like clothing, as examples of augmented sexuality.

Conversely, Yale professor Robin Zheng states that “it is this double feminization that increases the sexual capital of Asian women but not that of Asian men.” Washington Post and Vice interviews of Asian men concerning online dating document the experiences of Asian men as typically only being sought after specifically for connections to popular aspects of Asian culture, such as Kpop or anime, regardless of individual background.

Zheng states, “An overwhelmingly common response from Asian-American women in both popular media and social scientific literature is one of being forced to negotiate constant doubt and suspicion.” The “personal preference” of some results in the objectification of an entire group of people, supercharging already damaging norms for gender expression, creating an insidious intersection monster of violence and dehumanization.

19

f

LIFESTYLES

Subtle Asian Traits ASHLEY KANG investigations editor

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The concept was simple: share memes beneath the jokes, there’s an undeniable layer about the traits that characterized the Asian ex- of racism perpetuated by the dominant group perience. The execution, however, was flawed. of East Asian individuals who casually use raIn September of 2018, a crew of Asian-Aus- cial slurs for black people and complain about tralian students created a Facebook group with white people appropriating their culture. their friends, expecting it to live and die within Although SAT has not been wholly prothe Asian community in Melbourne. Unex- ductive in its efforts for inclusivity, it would be pectedly, Subtle Asian Traits (SAT) enjoyed inaccurate to suggest that its moderators have widespread international success, drawing in a remained oblivious to the unsolicited negatividiverse crowd from the Asian diaspora of the ty brewing in the group. Admin has already tak21st century. Whether it be through memes of en regulatory efforts, cautioning SAT members religiously wearing slippers in the house or of to “be inclusive,” and prohibiting “hate speech Western teachers’ inability to pronounce their or bullying” in its guidelines. The sheer numnames, the members find comfort in sharing ber of SAT’s constituents makes it difficult to the struggles and joys of being children of moderate, but a more diverse set of members first-generation immigrants. can encourage posts that open up construcPowered by the ceaseless procrastination tive discussions. In November 2018, a meme magnet of social media, SAT’s follower count called out members for using anti-black slurs, skyrocketed, becoming a gathering place not starting a constructive thread on why peoonly for laughs but for ple should refrain The members find comfort in sharing from using such reflection on the comthe struggles and joys of being chil- terms. SAT holds plicated experience of dren of first-generation immigrants... immense potential young Asians who have grown up reconcilAt times, however, Subtle Asian in sparking a larger ing the duality of their Traits is more of a space of exclusion. conversation and identity between their uplifting the voices ethnic heritage and the country they that speak out against societal problems. call home. The group has well surpassed a total Additionally, the endless stream of diof one million members, spawning spinoffs ex- gestible humor provides not only relief but a tending the conversation to 97 other countries. chance for children of immigrants to belong.

At times, however, SAT is less of a cathar- This sense of shared ease is especially compeltic release and more of a space of exclusion. ling in Western societies where an increasingSome initial criticism suggested that the group ly multicultural population exists alongside a wasn’t inclusive of all Asian cultures, most largely white power structure. For many Asian posts catering to the Chinese and Vietnamese Americans, it can be difficult not to internaldemographic. Moderators have since priori- ize these perceptible hierarchies, especially tized including more diverse content; in the when immigration is becoming an increasingly group’s guidelines, users are encouraged to “be prominent issue. inclusive of all Asian races.”

With the recent success of Asian repreOthers have criticized memes about ‘tiger sentation in popular media, it’s no surprise parents’ or ‘bad driving’ for reinforcing nega- that SAT has ignited a collective pride in Asian tive Asian stereotypes. One user on Reddit culture. Regardless of the current barriers, SAT equated the humor to internalized racism and deserves recognition for pioneering the way ‘self-hate.’ Elsewhere, SAT has weathered accu- for Asians from the diaspora to greater represations that it reinforces racism towards white sentation. Whether through videos of enthupeople; while the group’s jokes have been em- siastic dancing to K-pop, memes lamenting powering for Asians, they may be doing so at tiger-parenting methods, or screenshots of the expense of excluded races. The group’s clever responses to racist remarks in unfortumoderators say they are keeping a close eye nate dating-app conversations, Subtle Asian and screening posts for racism, for example, by Traits is that rare Internet force for (mostly) clamping down on memes referring to “gwei- good: an evolving portrait of a generation that lo,” a Cantonese slur for white people. But is learning to be unapologetically Asian.

lit

lît (adj.) Something that is cool or good.

rail

rāl (v.) To utterly destroy.

down

doun (ad.) desire to attend an event or hangout.

bet

bet (v.) A statement used in agreement or to show certainty.

yeet

yēt (v. and noun) To discard something or to express agreement

what’s in a

word?

wûrd (n.) A sound or combination of sounds, or its representation in writing or printing, that symbolizes and communicates meaning SYDNEY LIAO features editor

The article that you are reading right now was originally supposed to be about a slang phrase that we, the Prospector staff, invented and spread as a trend at CHS. Or rather attempted to start. It seemed simple and doable at first.

Afterall, countless slang words have managed to weave their way into the vocabulary of communities all across the world, right? We knew that there was a very high chance that we would fail, that the phrase we invented and cleverly incorporated into our everyday conversations would not be adopted by our peers, but we harbored a small hope that maybe it would work. What we did not anticipate was being unable to get past the first stage: coming up with a phrase.

After spending several class periods brainstorming authentic, “catchy” phrases that could potentially evolve into trends, it became clear that we would not be able to pull off the experiment. There were too many variables to consider, including the originality of the phrase, its meaning, and the context in which it could be applied. With this came the shocking revelation that slang words, despite being classified as an abasement of the English language, hold more significance than one may think, and that their creators are not given enough credit.

To some, the word “slang” has negative connotations. When such people hear slang, they think empty words utterly void of meaning, crafted out of boredom or a desire to align with popular culture. These individuals see slang as nothing more than vulgar, unbefitting substitutions for Standard English, created, adopted, and spread by lowbrows with poor taste. Like swear words, slang is commonly labeled as the

language for the uneducated and a sign of poor literacy.

Although this may be true to a certain degree, slang words are certainly not as trivial as they are portrayed to be. What their criticizers fail to recognize is that behind every slang word created, there is an entire story: a reason and a process. Words, even slang, do not appear on a whim and for no purpose. Just as language serves as a form of communication, slang words serve to provide an alternative for the moments when Standard English fails to express. Even the slang words that you have become accustomed to and built into your day-to-day vocabulary, that have wormed their way into your Instagram comments and Twitter feed, such as “yeet”, “lit”, “big mood”, “chill”, and “shook”, have a function.

Slang fills a gap that traditional language cannot and can therefore be considered an art of communication even.

Furthermore, slang is a reflection of culture and society. It functions as a way to reinforce relationships. Recently, there has been a movement in which people, especially the youth, are encouraged to use slang because it is an indicator of being in tune with popular culture. Slang brings people together with an effect that Standard English lacks. Slang, whose origin can be traced back to as early as the 1500s, has evolved into an effective way of expressing emotion in a way that builds relatability among us, thus strengthening our interactions.

Slang words may not be grammatically correct or as appropriate as standard speech, but it is the product of our culture and a desire to feel more connected as a people. Arguably, it has climbed its way to the same level of the lexicon social ladder as words printed in the traditional dictionary.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it can be stressful to figure out who to spend it with. Alone? With friends? Maybe even a special someone? But look no further, because no matter who your date may (or may not) be, here are the best ways to spend your Valentine’s Day!

NEERALI SHAH online editor

Celebrate SAD (Single Awareness Day) as a strong, independant man/ woman. Spend some quality time with yourself or your loved ones.

relationship status?

Single BAKE SOME cookies

SARAH POLLANS postscript assistant

Be thankful that you’re one of the few people able to cop a significant other and spend the day having loads of fun.

Taken dinner with bae

Ingredients: 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp hot water, ½ tsp salt, 3 cups flour, 2 cups chocolate chips Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 and bake cookies in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown

Choose a restaurant and go to a viewpoint after for a romantic night Recommendations for Plans: Maggiano’s Little Italy + Municipal Rose Garden or The Counter + Sierra Road Viewpoint

MAKE BANANA BREAD

netflix and netflix

Ingredients: Mix the following into a large mixing bowl: 3 bananas, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup butter, 1.5 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional- ½ cup chocolate chips or walnuts Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 65 minutes

Movie Recommendations: A Walk to Remember , 10 Things I Hate About You, Titanic, The Notebook, 50 First Dates, Crazy Rich Asians, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, 27 Dresses, The Proposal, You’ve Got Mail, Just like Heaven, Me Before You, My Best Friend’s Wedding

BINGE SOME MOVIES

go on a hike

Movie Recommendations: Wonder Woman, Hidden Figures, Legally Blonde, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Mean Girls, Clueless, High School Musical, Sixteen Candles, Black Panther,

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Location recommendations: Hunter’s Point, Montalvo Hike, Picchetti Open Space Preserve Hike, Castle Rock, Russian Ridge, Black Mountain Trail in Rancho San Antonio, Farm Trail in Rancho San Antonio, look at Highwat 9 Sunsets.

SPORTS

PHOTO BY KENNETH JEON

SHOOTING THEIR SHOT CLAIRE WARNER postscript editor

SUCHETHA KALLURI lifestyles assistant

The Freshmen on the CHS Varsity Basketball Team

24 PHOTO BY CASPER WU

AVA TRAN

“I would go from school to basketball to poster-making to marching band,” Freshman Ava Tran said, reflecting on the 2018 homecoming week. As both a fourth-year trombone player and a student council member, Tran has a lot on her plate, on top of the rigor of varsity basketball.

Said Tran, “Varsity practice is intense, so I think it’s maybe more beneficial than games are. We learn a lot during practice, and even if I don’t get enough playing time, I can still watch more experienced players.”

Tran believes the most significant difference between the teams is their intensity level. However, this same intensity has made it difficult for Tran to balance her various activities.

Said Tran, “I would be really tired from basketball practice, and marching band takes a lot of air … and I have asthma too.”

This hectic schedule has led Tran to question her ambitions in her activities going forward, especially with school becoming more difficult as the years go by.

Said Tran, “People tell me to stay with basketball because I’m a freshman on varsity, but at the same time, I love band and want to continue. I think I’ll keep my activities for next year but I know I’ll have to choose later.”

CHRISTINE ZHANG “I didn’t know anyone since most of the players were upperclassmen … the other two freshmen already knew each other too, so it was really scary,”, Freshman Christine Zhang said about her first few weeks on the girls’ varsity basketball team.

Zhang has been playing basketball since fourth grade and played volleyball through school as well.

Said Zhang, “Varsity basketball is serious compared to middle school basketball and JV volleyball, so it’s a really big difference.”

Zhang’s mother coached her eighth-grade basketball team, as well as the JV basketball team at CHS. Zhang felt a big difference betweenin the attitudes of groups that her mom coached and varsity basketball.

Said Zhang, “It was a lot easier to joke around when my mom was the coach on JV and middle school basketball, but on varsity, everyone is more competitive and serious. Everyone is silent when the coach is talking and during practice.”

Zhang hopes to continue both sports throughout high school, but if faced with a choice, her love of basketball will be the deciding factor.

PHOTO BY CASPER WU

MARYAM SALLAM

In the months before Maryam Sallam’s freshman year, she was unsure of her future with basketball. Playing in a hyper-competitive league, Sallam often compared herself to her teammates and lost confidence in her playing, so much to the point where she would think about mistakes she made far after they were committed.

“I’d think about a mistake I made that day, the next day, a week later, like “‘oOh, I remember I missed that layup,’” Sallam said. “If I’m honest, I didn’t like basketball that much.”

As a result, Sallam chose to leave her AU team and take a break from basketball over the summer months. However, her break was short lived.

Said Sallam, “I realized I was overthinking things and I just started playing for myself. I didn’t care about other people. I realized that nobody cares if you make a mistake.”

Now that Sallam is on the Varsity Bbasketball team, she has regained her confidence and love for the sport.

“I’m comfortable making a mistake with this team because of how close we are,” Sallam said. “This year is the first year that I’m genuinely committed, and I enjoy basketball.”

25

TECHNOLOGY

BEHIND ATHLETES’ SPORTSWEAR CHRISTINA SHAO copy editor

Spectators often view competitive sports

26

ALL PHOTOS BY KENNETH JEON

as contests between the athletic abilities of athletes, but behind the scenes, the gear an athlete uses can be just as important as their skill in determining the outcome of an event.

As technology has advanced, scientists have discovered new materials and innovated new designs to maximize athletes’ potentials. The technology that goes behind competitive athletic wear has improved significantly over time, and sports brands have competed to optimize their products for athletes.

In 1996, sports gear giants such as Nike, Adidas and Reebok saw the rise of a new brand, founded by 24-year-old college football player Kevin Plank. The brand, named Under Armour, grew from sales of a new sweat-wicking fabric, created from microfibers that transport moisture to the outside surface of the cloth. Now, sweat-wicking apparel is essential for most athletes.

The unique fabric was also improved to allow breathability, letting air in and sweat out. It relies on a force known as capillary pressure, where surface tension moves the sweat to the outside surface of the fabric, where it evaporates.

When a seemingly insignificant factor can break the streamlined form of a swimmer and race results often matter down to a fraction of a second, swimmers and other water sports athletes need to pay attention to the quality of their swimsuits. Competitive swimwear is made from hydrophobic materials and needs to fit tightly on the swimmer’s body to prevent drag underwater. Unfortunately, all swimsuits tend to become looser after each session in the pool, detracting from their ability to maintain the streamlined form of a swimmer.

Thus, competitive swimwear needs to be durable

in addition to preserving form.

For athletes who play indoor gym sports, shoes with slip-resistant grips are essential.

Two factors go into determining the quality of a shoe’s grip — one element is the material of the outsole. An ideal material is soft rubber, which can grip the floor even if it is slightly slick.

The other factor is the design of the tread. The bottoms of shoes such as basketball shoes often feature a herringbone pattern, a zigzag design resembling the bones of a fish, that responds well to multidirectional movement on the floor.

Playing on a grass field, however, requires vastly different footwear than gym shoes. Sports such as soccer and football need an athlete to be able to run fast and change direction quickly, and different positions often have their specific requirements. In 1925, the Dassler brothers, who would go on to found the Puma and Adidas athletic brands, developed the first rubber cleats, outfitted with conical rubber studs. Since then, the material, shape, and placement of the studs have improved across the years as companies experimented with various designs.

Gaining in popularity, compression sleeves are elastic fabric sleeves worn around an area of an athlete’s arm or leg. Scientists claim that these sleeves help increase the blood flow in the area of the body under the fabric, which increases the amount of oxygen delivered to the cells. As electronics play an increasingly more important role in our lives, sensors and microchips may make their way into athletic wear to monitor athletes’ movements and biometrics. Through uploading the data to a smartphone or computer, athletes will not only be able to discern how to elevate their performance but also keep an eye out for potentially injury-causing activities.

Since the materials and designs involved in athletic wear can play an essential role in the performance of athletes, the technology behind athletic wear will continue to change the way athletes train and play.

PERSPECTIVES

A Guide To "Self-Care" definitely legit and FDA certified

ALEXANDRIA HUNT investigations assistant

BRANDON HONG photo assistant

1

Stay indoors and lock yourself in your room to prevent yourself from any human contact. Sunlight has been known to burn skin and even cause cancer. These factors can play a huge roll on your stress levels. For this reason, staying indoors can help you relax without the stress of acquiring vitamin D!

2

Take periodic ice baths (2-4 times every day) to make sure you stay awake to finish your Netflix shows. Just imagine how refreshed you will feel after subjecting your entire body to this incredible sensation. After all, by staying alert, you will be numb to some of the scarier Netflix shows which will prompt you to keep watching, which is exactly what we are aiming for!

5

Sleep in and skip first period! We know that all teenagers should get at least twelve hours of sleep to keep their growing bodies healthy. Adequate sleep is crucial to your health, so you, a growing teenager, should skip your first period class to give yourself extra sleep.

3

6

4

7

Substitute water for Gatorade. By switching to an all-energy-drink diet, you can make sure you make it through the day with maximum energy and efficiency.

Conversely, water is a flavorless substance that serves no purpose in life besides being “crystal clear” and “from the mountain’s source.” (Thanks Crystal Geyser!)

Keep your phone and all electronics by your side when doing work to make sure you stay updated on social media. Advancements in technology are often taken for granted. For this reason, “generation technology” should ensure they have access to their electronics at all times to help them relax, keep in touch with friends and stay up-todate with the trendiest memes.

28

With one month of the second semester already over, and with homework and exams for all your classes rapidly piling up, it can be difficult to take breaks for your sanity.

By using this Grammy, Oscar, J.D. Power, Streamy, Most Valuable Player, Critic’s Choice and Golden Globe-winning self-care “tips and tricks” guide, it is guaranteed that you will be able to overcome your mountain of tasks, including AP Exams, SATs, ACTs, and every other important examination in your life, because obviously, the only purpose of self-care is to maintain your sanity for school (did we mention that it is also probably FDA approved?). DISCLAIMER: We hold no responsibility for breakdowns or other side effects that may result from following these tips and tricks.

Consume energy bars instead of three big meals per day. Since you will be busy watching Netflix or YouTube in your room to study for tests, you should prioritize your time for glorious studying by spending less time through eating regular meals. Plus, energy bars are easy to eat and professional athletes eat them all the time!

Consider moving to another country! The Silicon Valley is a big deal in the tech world, but due to this fact, the academic competition is FIERCE. If you feel like your schedule is getting too crowded, it is probably because of the area you live in, not your laziness. While the American education system has produced many brilliant minds, sometimes it’s good to get foreign exposure.

You could even try moving to Italy! PIZZA TIME!

Follow these steps, and it is guaranteed that you will be able to adequately prepare yourself and ace important tests such as AP Exams, SATs, ACTs, Subject Tests and tests and quizzes in school. Good luck and happy testing!

For the Future

I can sleep when I’m dead.

My future is more important!

ANTHONY ZHU opinions editor

Keep practicing... you’ll thank me in the future

Just have to keep this up a few more years... almost there

We look forward to working with you!

Take a break! come away with us...

I can’t... I’m doing this for our future

gotta get to work!

POSTSCRIPT

A Eulogy to Dead Planners

YOONI PARK sports editor

Nothing could ever compare to the feeling of receiving you for the very first time. I still remember when my second-period teacher pulled out a huge stack from the box and handed it out to everyone. It was a weird sense of excitement, getting to know what you looked like as the cover changes every single year. You were absolutely stunning, with the asphalt gray background and flattering school photo. When you first fell into my hands, I opened you up and everything was just perfect. There was the bell schedule which I seemed to forget every other day, holiday breaks and lines for recording our daily homework assignments.

The first few weeks with you were the best. I would plan tutorials, meetings, birthdays, homework, all in the best handwriting. The greatest moments with you were when I had the perfect number of homework assignments to fit the lines provided. The most satisfying was crossing them off one by one as I completed each.

30

Then you started spending more time in my locker. My life proceeded without you, but those weeks were the slowest.

I found myself missing your minor details, the ones I used to take for granted.

Without you to scribble in, I could no longer avoid my teachers’ eyes when they threatened to call on me. And when I saw my friends at brunch, I could no longer recite the history fact of the week. And when I thought I did poorly on a math test, I could no longer find peace in the stunning photos in the corners of your pages. You not being there reminded me of how much I needed you. I realized then that I, along with many others, often underestimated your importance.

Your life was short but well-lived. All good things must come to an end eventually. You will always be remembered and thank you for making me feel organized and prepared for all things.

Rest in peace, my dear planner.

G C N I ROOKED V IL

KEERTHI LAKSHMANAN online assistant

When I was eleven, I was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis. My spine was not straight. In fact, I had around a twenty-degree curve in both the upper and lower parts of my spine. They call it thoracic and lumbar curvature.

There is no cure for scoliosis. Nothing is guaranteed to be successful.

As a fifth grader, that was a daunting concept.

I barely understood what scoliosis was and I was terrified of what it would do to me. My family took me to a clinic that specializes in physical therapy for scoliosis in Campbell. They put me through exercises and machines I did not understand, they constantly took X-rays, the doctors talked too fast and one of them had eyes like ice.

I remember one moment. The walls of the clinic were mirrored, and I caught a glimpse of myself and burst into tears. It crashed violently into me, the enormous physical and mental toll. The only person to notice was a doctor-in-training named Aletheia. She hugged me while I sobbed into her scrubs.

There were other girls at the clinic. Older than me, their spines curved at fifty-degrees, eighty-degrees—one bubbly girl, Rebecca, had a shoulder blade that jutted out through her shirt. She had an abnormal gait and I could see the pain on her face as she walked. We shared a birthday.

I came home each day and I did the exercises I was told to, and every few months I returned for a week-long intensive at the center. I went to school and felt sick of all my ‘normal’ classmates. Two years passed. My spine was only worsening.

Rebecca had long since returned to her home state to undergo PHOTO BY KENNETH JEON

Remembering the journey I have taken despite its ugly parts is the reason I am me.

surgery. The problem with physical therapy was that sometimes it worked and sometimes it did not. There were success cases, but she had not been one of them.

It seemed like I would not be one either.

What if I was here forever? When did this cease?

I thought of my family, sacrificing their time to be with me. I thought of Rebecca and Aletheia. I thought of the doctors who had devoted their lives towards understanding and helping kids like me, who continued to accept patients even though their efforts could not always have positive results.

I decided to stop asking why me, and leave my tears for another day, like Rebecca. I took on Aletheia’s compassionate manner and smiled at strangers.

I vowed to continue, persevere, like my doctors.

I discovered a strange happiness in my strength.

And then one day, the upper curve of my spine hit thirty-nine degrees.

Surgery is highly recommended for spinal curves past forty degrees. The procedure my parents chose is still considered new: vertebral body tethering. There is no data in the long term concerning its effects, and the FDA does not approve it. I was one of the first two hundred people in the world to receive VBT. It went perfectly. My spine currently holds at approximately twelve degrees. While that is not flawless, it was reduced to a harmless curve. And almost inexplicably, after the healing, after I was cleared to return to sports, it felt like nothing had ever happened. Two years had been a bad nightmare.

I am fifteen now. I was thirteen during surgery, and the mental obstacles my preteen self had leaped over have become distant emotions. I had grown up throughout the ordeal and I am not the same person who had first puzzled over the meaning of idiopathic.

However, these memories are the reason I made it to fifteen with a smile on my face. I still have the surgery scar. It serves as a reminder, the eight-inch incision beneath my right arm.

I survived, says that scar. Remembering the journey I have taken despite its ugly parts is the reason I am me. Now, it is effortless to keep walking in the face of adversity because a part of me cannot forget what it felt like to stay stagnant. I hold my head high easily because years ago, I was just a little girl in front of a mirror.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION SCOLIOSIS AHEAD

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